what was that? is that all there is? who is this? this is it.

2008 flashback

Took a picture 

so it’d last longer

printed it — black & white

put a stamp on it   

called it a postcard

mailed it to Fitchburg, MA

Chris Murray all the way

great bike bike riding

across Iowa

every year since 2005

now all the logistics are 

falling into place

very well placed

for another ride in 2026...

ice cold Busch Light 

somewhere in Iowa

you can't drink all day

if you don't start in the morning

from Matt Messenger via 39:

-We are having a memorial meet up on July 19th on Swerving Irving Arzeta’s birthday, which he would have been 53, at Judkins Park polo courts starting at Noon. His ex wife Kristin and sister Alina will be visiting to celebrate his life and to meet his old friends and share memories. BYOBike, bag and beves and anything you would like to share with his sister. There could be a group ride, swim. Come gather for hugs and laughs for our deeply missed friend. Wavvos!!!-

Lounging around in Grayland over a long weekend, I got my hands on a substantial set of double-twelve dominos which reminded me of a couple stickers I pulled from the Extraordinary Things Sticker Book to make a postcard the other other day. Sticker, dot-a-lot, silkscreen stir fry stew on a scrap of cardboard.  

 When I pulled the double-three and the two-five dominos,  I held them in my hand for a few moments. Then in a fit of in situ resource utilization I took this shot on the back cover of the July 2026 Sun Magazine, which just happened to be standing by on the same coffee table.

A bit later, 22 Heather sent me this photo, to let me know that the postcard made its way to my penpal in Palo Alto. It only took four days, with minor scuffing and very little wear & tear along the way. 

Chris Murray sent me this shot of a new bike-size Iowa plate. 

Kinda sorta like the one you had ziptied to your seat as kid, but way cooler. 

Watson & Crick don't have a direct Iowa connection.  That DNA double-helix in the middle of the plate is a security measure. But the building blocks of your DNA are A T G C and as you know all roads lead to Grinnell. Everything happens AT Grinnell College. 

07:07

07:07

07:07

the VCR clock blinking 

trying to tell me 

something

something

something

open to interpretation

on the theme variation

standard  d e v i a t i o n

super saturation

liberal arts education

a permutation 

not a combination

electromagnetic radiation

when the microwave clock

chimes in

and then

and then

and then

the clock radio

signs on & sings along

the message is perfectly simple

the meaning is clear…

On May 18, 1993, I saw Sugar at Oz (aka Skoochies & DV8). It was a Tuesday and I was old enough to buy beer but I looked 15. That location is now a 10-story apartment building.

So 33 years ago bro.