UP ABOVE: That’s an image that Dean Ricca-Smith spotted in Mallorca, Spain, of all places. Really feeling it. Thanks, man! Basically, that one beat out the other image I had readied. So good. Spaniards, man.

It’s gonna be a busy weekend. Man.

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MULTIBALL(S): Nashville’s James Evans come in real hot with The Internet Pinball Machine Database. We’ve been here before, but it’s been a while. Work on that “click and scroll” technique, you know, getting past all the nerdy technical jargon down to the photos. These guys have got you covered. Pretty impressive. Thanks, James.

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THIS ONE’S FOR NOAH ROSEN: For no other reason than, I do what I want on here. Here goes: “Flavor profile.” No link to be found here. Just putting it out there to my chef buddy. On a related note, Jay Floyd can suck it.

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BEEN AWHILE SINCE I MESSED AROUND WITH THESE: A little Flickr set I made a couple years back called, “Eight “First Day of Issue” Envelopes.” Go to a stamp show or stamp shop and load up. Dig that detail, man!

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DETAILS ARE COMING IN: The DDC in Detroit! As part of our “tall tales from a large man” ongoing live series where we actually leave the shop and go out into the public and interact with people. Really. Reilly Brennan is really sticking his neck out for us, and put together a speaking event in my birthplace! August 26th! You know the deal: Telling my half-ass story, showing some work, telling some tall tales, peddling merch and making friends. More details, and a poster, coming wayyyy soon.

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I WENT TO ART SCHOOL WITH A GIRL FROM BULGARIA: She told me that “Everyone has a house in Bulgaria. I don’t understand your country.” Yeah, it’s weird, when you think about it. This is what I thought about when I checked in with the mighty Grain Edit and saw this little entry titled, “World Festival of Youth and Students Bulgaria 1968” and stopped thinking about housing issues and shifted over to those incredible designs.

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LATE LAST NIGHT: My Bodyguard, on the Netflix instantaneous nightkiller apparatus. One of my all-time favorites.

Oh man, the part where Moody’s bodyguard Mike trashes Linderman’s motorcyle in the park…man, you just want to climb through the screen and go for broke on that guy, you know?! I felt that fire when I was nine, just like I did last night. Just pure rage.

I’ve only felt it a couple times in my life enough to “let it all hang out” on someone. One time was with next store neighor buddy Andy Montgomery, and he wound up with a couple black eyes. The other time was with a very-lippy Jeff Shooks, and his big head of feathered hair. Just as we were coming to blows, Mom pulled up and broke it up. You, son, woulda got the shitty end of the stick on that one. I was just that close to unleashing all I had in me.

The kind of shit I think about while watching that movie.

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WE’VE GOT WESTERN IOWA ON LOCK: Field Notes comes to Onawa, Iowa! Here’s a couple installments from a field trip in progress: “Field Trip: Monona County Fair - Part 1” and “Field Trip: Monona County Fair - Part 2.”

Wish like hell I could be there, fellas. Killing me. I could get one of those headsets like the guy across the way has who’s selling knife sets! Just a thought.

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ON THE PLAYER:

01. The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me
02. Hüsker Dü - Flip Your Wig
03. Hüsker Dü - Candy Apple Grey