In a recent post I said that I was now unfettered, and that people who had done bad things would be held accountable. I knew that at some point, I’d write a post like this; I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. Scott Thunes said he wished he could see me really let…
Preach it, Gene Simmons!
September 14, 2013
I don’t have anything to say about Gene Simmons’s personal life. I did watch his reality show for a season, the one in which his children confronted him with his failings. I’ve also seen the episode where he went to Israel to meet his half-siblings and visit his father’s grave. To me he made a…
On the “Worst Obituary Ever”
September 12, 2013
Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick died at the age of seventy-eight. One of her daughters authored the following obituary: Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick born Jan 4, 1935 and died alone on Aug. 30, 2013. She is survived by her 6 of 8 children whom she spent her lifetime torturing in every way possible. While she neglected and abused…
Pat Wictor the folk singer
September 12, 2013
Though my brother Pat Wictor calls himself a folk singer, he’s a lot more. Probably a roots-music singer, I guess. He was once my little brother, but that doesn’t mean much anymore. I know a lot of families retain the “older-younger” dynamic, but when you get into your fifties (Pat’s not there yet!) that’s kind…
The Bird Stole Fruit
September 11, 2013
Twelve years ago I lived in Tim’s house. At about 7:30 on the morning of September 11, 2001, I suddenly heard, “Tom! Tom!” As a child I often heard my name called perfectly clearly, in a voice that was neither male nor female. I still remember the timbre. I’d go find Mom and ask her…
How could she do that?
September 9, 2013
It isn’t clear if Mom will be able to come home. Although she’s beaten lung and ovarian cancer—there are no tumor markers in her blood—she’s refusing to eat or exercise. This is making her weaker and weaker, of course. I understand why she’s doing this. She’s very angry at the loss of control. All she…
A Friend Publishes a Book
September 8, 2013
Colonel Supotnitskiy has published his book Biological Warfare: Introduction to the Epidemiology of Artificial Epidemic Processes and Biological Lesions. The colonel sent me a pdf of the cover. Click to enlarge. He also included a photo of his wife Nadezhda seeing the book for the first time. She typeset the book, prepared all text, figures,…
My cyber self is born
September 6, 2013
My Extravagumbo Website—the one you’re reading—is finally online. Its nine months of gestation matched my own, and its course in life seems destined to match my own. Welcome to the world, cyber self! Fasten your seat belt, take your Dramamine, and strap on that cup. You’re gonna need it! Here’s the battle your daddy fought…
Trees were unclean
September 2, 2013
My father hated trees. In his world, trees were unclean. He hated the leaves they dropped, and he hated the shade they provided. To him, shade connoted sloth and secrets. Shade trees in your yard meant you were lazy and had something to hide. A moral, upright man had no trees. The lawn of a…