2024 / Aug 5 - 11

Things I Have Enjoyed This Week

Jaws

Saw it on the big screen at the Cocteau. One of my all time favorites. Seen it so many times I couldn’t possibly count, plus a good number of times in theaters. Just when I was thinking…maybe I’ve done this enough for a while, it got great again. There were some people in the audience with kids who had never seen it and they screamed and cheered at all the right places. Probably I’ll keep going.

Open Mic at Cake’s Cafe

I decided to play all covers this week. Without asking, people sang along with Surrender by Cheap Trick and American Girl by Tom Petty. Great spot, nice people, good vibes.

A Black Walnut Tree Poisons the Ground Beneath it So Nothing Else Can Grow

From UWM: Black walnut trees (Juglans nigra) produce a toxic substance (called juglone) that prevents many plants from growing under or near them. CRAZY! NEAT! No wonder it always feels like you’re in a black walnut dome fort thingy.

Longlegs

Never heard of it until about 2 hours before I went to see it. Lola told me there was too much hype and that killed it for her. Good reason to live under a rock—perfectly good movies don’t get spoiled for you.

Surprising Yourself

Old voice memos: I always put song ideas and fragments in there. I rarely go back through them. Almost never. For some reason, yesterday I did. Sometimes you can surprise yourself.

King Cat, Baby!

There are few things as thrilling as getting the new King Cat in the mail. John P always delivers. I sent some pics of pages to a friend. John P and his mom going to a BBQ place, Russell’s in Elmwood Park. And also Thatcher Woods. She’s elderly and he’s taking her to visit her old haunts. My buddy said his dad used to always take clients to Russell’s, that he always promised to take him one day, but never did.

When his dad was (he thought) close to the end, he did the same thing with him—took him around to all his old haunts, just to drive by and look at them, reminisce. My buddy eventually went to Russell’s on his own and now takes his wife and daughter there. Also took them both to Thatcher Woods in the fall to get pics with the leaves. How did you know I would know those places, he asked. I just figured.

Dioramas

Misty made me one and bought me another. The one she bought is from this guy in town - Scott Lyon. They are fun and funny and sweet. He used to have a shop. We talked to him and he seemed nice and fun and funny. Now you can buy his stuff in various stores around town. We have a few. The one Misty made me is an otter that we saw while kayaking in WA one time. Inside a match box. It’s so beautiful. She makes magic with these things. ❤️❤️

What did you enjoy this week? I’d love to know. Leave it in the comments - thanks!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK! ✌️❤️🤘

Your pal,

Robert