I Was in a Writing Mood

but Lee talked me into joining Chas and him for lunch, so I stopped the mood and went along.

I haven't had sushi in many months. I'm not supposed to have it, actually, but I forget which of my many stupid health problems dictates that. Does it matter? Just don't eat it.

But I did.

I avoided most of the fried stuff (oh horrors--it was one of those buffet restaurants) and saw they had added asparagus. Didn't do the calamari but had some shrimp. Didn't do dessert. I'm one of the idiots who actually goes for the salad in those places.

Anyway, they went to Target since Lee's windshield wipers had been ice-shredded but I had them drop me off first at the thrift store so I would have more time.

Turned out to have been good strategy as today was 50% off day. So I spent a lot of time in the clothes. I spent forty bucks on clothes (barely anyone was there--they must not have publicized this!) I found some great vintage shirts and then bought mostly newer things. Sweaters. I love sweaters. A very nice new Girbaud sweater and a decent Geoffrey Beene. I don't remember the names on everything. Most were no names but quality clothing. I actually bought something South Pole (lol) but you can't tell it's South Pole. For once there's no garish huge announcement. I just like it because it's a kinkily sheer smooth synthetic shirt. It will make my nipples hard. Even when I'm asleep.

Lee hated everything I picked out for him. So I put those back. He's so particular. Well, I am do and usually I can pick out things that pleasantly surprise him, but today I did horribly. He did find some things. Chas is getting to the age where she finds less and less. It's not snobbery about thrift stores---more just really particular taste. I understand. I wouldn't want to wear something I think is stupid either. Well, I don't really care. I wear some stupid things. When I've been sick I've probably dressed myself like Rainman or something. I will be wearing sweaters in August probably so it's hard not to be dressed stupidly when you think winter wear is appropriate in summer.

Books were decent. I bought a bunch of things I want to read, not just collectible things or things for Lee.

I wanted to read Susan Minot's Rapture, and I found a copy of that short novel.

The Art of Barbie was placed in the KIDS section and half off that already low price so I bought that glossy coffee table book. I don't really like most of the art but there are a few funny or interesting pieces. Most are just very predictable satiric takes on Barbie and her superficiality. There are a few gorgeously, fucked-up, uninitelligble interpretations. Thank God.

Speaking of which, I found some religious-themed books that interested me so I got those.

Intimate Behaviour by Desmond Morris. It's always fun to see how Desmond deconstructs sexual mores and crotchets using analogous behaviors (or behaviours) in the primate world. (I'll find out why you do that thing with your penis you do. Although you think I don't know, I do.) Speaking of which, we passed a lovely billboard of Jane Goodman with one of her primate friends, which read "EVEN NATURE HAS AN AGENT." It stood against the sunset and was already in shadow. She's such a woman of conscience. A scientist with a deeply abiding moral sense. It moved me to see her on the billboard. She was so "together" with her primate friend. It really did look like a picture out of a family album. It wasn't "famous scientist posing with subject." She's not like that. Well, you know you if you've read any of the books or even watched the documentaries. Good thing none of her friends were around when Jane was a young girl and it was prom time. Because you just know she would have "gone there." Nobody would have paid any attention to the gay couples, which would have been tragic.

An old copy of the novel Am Rio de la Plata. I can't read German and it's in the script to boot. Gorgeous cover art. Not dated but I'm guessing somewhere 1870-1895. I'll check it on ABE. I know they were asking like twenty or thirty bucks for this in the vitrine the other week, but I guess that was a bust as it ended up going for 99 cents today. I'm sure someone will pay ten or twenty for it if Lee plays his cards right with the description and takes a few good photos.

I have to go remove fucking staples from about forty pieces of clothing (I saved like fifty or sixty bucks on those things!) I needed some new sweaters. Lee and Chas were showing me somebody put a Storm Trooper body suit (with design graphics silk screened or whatever on it) in the pyjamas section of the store. It had feet. I almost bought it for two dollars. But wtf am I going to do with that? I can't even imagine a bad porn film scenario. That would be too Family Guy. (Of course there were tons of Family Guy shirts in the tees. But they're never funny enough to buy. None of the best lines ever end up on the t-shirts. They're too nasty.) I bought another Napoleon Dynamite Liger shirt so if you want it or know somebody who wants it just ask and I will give it to you for the cost of mailing. I don't need two Ligers. I forget the size but can check it for your. It's probably medium or large.

Oh, my favorite find was a little piece of simple kinetic art. It's a metal cut-out of a cat and mouse. I'm going to try to film it in action in a few minutes and post it on YouTube. It was made in India. If you look at the way they painted the cat's eye, you realize India makes sense. You know how all the cheap brass in the world comes from there. This isn't brass---but you know how cheaply produced but often cute metal crafts are their specialty. I'll post the video here too if I can get one done.

I think I can film it, but I'm not sure I know how to upload it and Lee and Chas are absorbed in the Olympics and some video game tennis tournament they've been playing for days. They are obsessive with that. They were describing the players they custom-created earlier today. It's very funny. Things like skin color and such were really agonized over, to get the character just right. There are already versions of the seeded players in the game, and past champions of the game. Apparently Lee gets very chuffed when he beats one of these players. I pretend to get excited, because I know it's the right thing to do (Wilford Brimley). If they had a game like this involving poetry, I must say I wouldn't play it. I would just think that should be very, very gay.

Now, if they had THRIFT STORE WARS or something, I might fall for it. "That's Lalique...that's fuckin' Lalique and they have it marked at twenty bucks! GRAB IT before that old crone gets her paws on it!! Hurry...she's using her cart as a weapon now!!!"

That could be fun. I'd be one of about ten people interested in the game probably.