• THE THING: GIANT MICROBES!! (look out!)
  
• THE HAIKU REVIEW:
  
  
  
  

  if a regular           disease just isn't enough,               get it supersized!

  
  
• THE FULL REVIEW:
  We've been waiting for this for some time... Now you can get for yourself, or give to a friend, many of your favorite diseases!
  
  Rhinovirus!
  Streptococcus! (Yep, they have strep throat.)
  And what could be more sweet than giving a lover mono! Yes, they have the Epstein-Barr virus! Also, known as the kissing disease, you're sure to get lucky when you plant this 10,000,000:1 scale virus on your sweetie.
  
  They even have Porphorymonas Gingivalis. Yep, that's the sucker that causes bad breath.
  
  They even have a theoretical microbe -- FROM MARS!! (OK, OK, I might have to get that one. It's work related. Shut up.)
  
  Go browse around the site. Athlete's Foot, Ulcer causing microbes -- ALL your faves are here.
  

• THE THING: Steve Burns.
  
• THE HAIKU REVIEW:
        Once had a kids' show,
            is now a rock and roll star.
                He's my new hero.
  
• THE FULL REVIEW:
  Steve Burns rocks. Period.
  
  Go check him out!
  
  This is Steve Burns. The dude from Blues Clues. The show loved by little kids and their mothers and the occasional stoned college kids. And, Steve claims, Swedish au pairs.
  
  Well, now he's in a rock band.... and they are wonderful! Mighty Little Man is catchy as anything.... You can actually hear three whole songs from the album, if you want. It's way cool. He collaborated with at least one dude from the Flaming Lips. Geez.
  
  I think I need to buy this disc. Go listen.
  
  And as you persuse the webiste, realize how much he has not tried to distance himself from Blue's Clues. He realizes who he is and what he's accomplished and is proud of it all. It's quite nifty, really.
  
  
  

Two quick graffiti notes -- sans haiku (sorry! Or perhaps I should say "you're welcome!").

On the wall in one of the bathroom stalls in the men's room closest to my office someone wrote:

I LOVE BOB VILA

I thought it odd.


ALSO, above each urinal someone penned:

* bonk *

...right at forehead level. I think it is a frustration relief device; you can pee and bonk your head on the wall at the same time.

I might use it, at some point!

• THE THING: The life of Elliot Smith (1969-2003)
  
• THE HAIKU REVIEW:
        Sweet musicianship,
            unassuming vocalist,
                lyrics to ponder.
  
• THE FULL REVIEW:
  Damn -- woke up to discover that Elliot Smith had apparently killed himself with a knife to the chest.
  
  He has some wonderful stuff. I just about wore out the CD Figure 8... can you wear out a CD?? I swear I did. I'm hoping it still has a little life left in it so I can listen to it later.
  
  His music is gentle and smooth. His voice is always trying to express something, but you can almost hear a hesitation to it. His lyrics obviously have more to say than a casual listener could ever begin to understand. I still remember the first time I heard Son of Sam and thinking that it was the most creative arrangement I had heard in a long time. So, I bought the CD, and the second song turned out to be the most amazing guitar work I had heard in a while... check out Somebody that I Used to Know. Nice progression; easy to like.
  
  Other songs on Figure 8 include "Everything Means Nothing to Me", "Better Be Quiet Now", and "Easy Way Out". I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised that he was on a suicide path.
  
  But I can still be a but shocked and dismayed. And I am.
  
  Yeeps... he was basically my age.