Solitary Man

I have been batching it this week, my wife having gone up north to see friends in the emerald triangle. I have been doing the normal thing, not shaving, leaving my underwear on the ground as a lone act of rebellion, living on peanut butter, the usual. The new kittens are doing a pretty good job destroying the house.

Went over to Dave's and took pictures of him in his newly refurbished recording studio. Going to bring a different lens next time and see what I get.

Drove out to Pala the night before last to gamble. That is one thing that is easier to do without a wife around, without someone looking over your shoulder inadvertently pushing the guilt and shame buttons. You lost how much? Have to turn all that stuff off.

I started off putting a twenty in a slot machine. It lit up like a christmas tree and spit out about $140.00. I walked over to a blackjack table and played for about an hour, up several hundred. Then I did the play, I found the most expensive restaurant in the joint, in this case the Oak Room, and had an expensive dinner on them.

I haven't played Vegas in far too long, and I play far differently there, this is my strategy at the Indian casinos; make a quick hit, have dinner on them and bail out.

I ordered a pear, walnut salad with goat cheese or something like that, they are ubiquitous these days. $12.00. And the large rib eye, which set me back another $54 bucks or so. The rib eye was alright but not special, two sauces, a peppercorn and an undetermined, neither particularly noteworthy but the cognac butter was nice.

Truly, the steak was tender but the flavor was slightly off.

But as I mentioned the whole thing was free and I managed to eat a whole meal without talking to anyone or reading the news on the phone and that is something. Free is always good.

Went back to the tables and won another $200 and went home. You have to learn to not be greedy and to get up from the table. Be happy with the little kill and not be a chazer.

There was a point in the play when I split nines against a dealer five and I saw him blanche. I told him it was basic strategy but I could see that he didn't believe me. By the way, I won on both of them.

I continued the independent theme last night and after a fine dinner at jack in the box (two tacos and a sausage croissant, breakfast is served all day!) went to Bonsall and caught the late 3D showing of Doctor Strange. Excellent special effects, not a bad movie.

I was a big fan, had all the comics as a kid and didn't feel like it got murdered too badly. The CG reminded me more of Steranko than Ditko, wonderful cities turning themselves inside out like Escher walking his cat through a Moebius strip.

Got home and after a bit of scolding from the cats regarding the timing of their dinner I stuck on a Grateful Dead show from Cleveland in 1979 I think where Jack a roe comes out of a second set jam after drums.

When I was up north my archivist friend Vlad gave me the first delivery of cds from every G.D. concert from 1979 back to 1966. He has digitized his collection and doesn't need to be bothered with tangible media. I was not a big fan of Brent, preferring Keith, so 1979 is a great cut off. If I need anything from the Hornsby era all I have to do is ask. Great gift, phenomenal amount of work, I am so grateful.

Really digging 1974 and 1977, the year I had the most fun on tour and met so many lifelong friends.

Happily married again and back on a normal schedule tomorrow.

Repent Harlequin said the Tick Tock man - © James Steranko