Amazon Wish List

Dear all,

Please direct your attention to the small 'Amazon Wish List" button to the right. If you click there, you can see a list of books that would be very helpful for my dissertation research. Any and all are welcome to buy them for me. You don't even need a special occasion! Really - I'll accept presents any time of the year.

I should note that many books come in a variety of editions and bindings. So, dig around and find the cheapest one. I will accept any version - Beggars can't be choosers you know.

B.

Punditry gone Mad

Really? Is this the trash that U.S. punditry has come to? I've never been a Rush supporter - for many reasons. Well, this here will be added to the top of that list of reasons.

Watch HERE

I don't agree with everything Keith Olbermann says either, but thats a different issue

More Vinyl Acquisitions

Mike Doughty – Haughty Melodic

Owen – At Home with Owen

R.E.M. – So Much Younger Then [live 1981 bootleg] *FOR SALE*

Saves the Day – Under the Boards [limited edition green vinyl] *FOR SALE – STILL SEALED*

 

For my full collection click HERE

Spring Break 2008

For Julianne's Spring Break we went down to Arizona and had a great time. Julianne had a great time with family and I (Brenden) spent 4 full days digging through archival materials for my dissertation. Woo Hoo!

Here's some highlights: (for the whole slew of pictures go to our PHOTOBUCKET site).

Saturday, March 29: We went hiking in the Superstition Mountains (East of Phoenix). This is on the Hieroglyph Canyon Trail.

Who knew that Arizona could have colors other than brown?!

More desert foliage.

The crew doing their best cactus impressions. Apparently, Stacey thought we were doing impressions of Pine Trees or spaceships. Julianne is acting like she's in a holdup, and Lorinda just seems to be leaning to the side. The only believable cactus is Gregg. Way to go McFreddy. On the other hand, maybe he's just waving hi.

Some Petroglyphs. I think some of it is real, and some has been added by annoying snot-nosed brat tourists. I think I see the artist formerly known as Prince symbol in there somewhere. The original site is Hohokam.

Looking South back towards Apache Junction/Gold Canyon/Gilbert. Another surprise – water in the desert!

Our first hike together in, like, years. Way to be in the background Stacey and Chris!

This is my favorite picture from the trip. To the untrained eye, it may just look like a bunch of cacti. But, if you look closely, you'll see that one of the cactus is wearing a shirt with a polar bear and ice-cream sandwich on it, and has a 5 o'clock shadow.

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During the break, we also developed some mean Rock Band skills.

Our niece Jenna shredding a mean guitar.

Me shredding an even meaner guitar. I worked up quite a sweat doing this howler monkey impression.

An unrelated picture: Harianne is an addiction problem! Look at her smoking that leaf!

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Julianne's Baby Shower

Presents! People!

Family, Friends.

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Saturday, March 29.

On our way home we went to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. It took a bit of dirt roads, but was worth the trip. The place is completely isolated and gorgeous. You can camp there too, and there are trails galore. I'd love to go back for a few days and explore.

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Finally, on our way home we passed through Alamosa, Colorado. The town was suffering from an outbreak of Salmonella that had already sent hundreds of people to the hospital from contaminated water. Here is one local business's solution. Very funny.

New Vinyl Additions

The Get Up Kids – On a Wire

Hey Mercedes – Every Night Fireworks [SIGNED by the band]

The Long Winters – Putting the Days to Bed

Paul Simon – Graceland

They Might be Giants – Don't Let Start [12" single]

The Thrills – So Much for the City

For my full collection click HERE