Dear Humans, Critters, Creatures, and Greens,

I hope everyone is alive and gwell enough to see, hear, or sense the ending of 2008. This has been a very weird year and alas, change, no matter how bizarre, is a good thing. I so very rarely use or check myspace and it is only because I slept at my parents' suburban nuthouse last night, that I find myself on random internet spaces this morning, hoping they'll forgot I'm still here. I really DO NOT want to go check out post-Christmas sales at large stores.

Apes are on a mini-break and 3 of us are involved in a very cool new music project that at this point, remains nameless. However the songs are BAD ASS and the line-up is killer. All will be revealed soon.

I have been teaching since October and it feels bizarre to have a real job again. I must say, having BENEFITS makes life very interesting. I have had real health insurance since Dec 1. It costs me about $20 bucks a month and I can see most doctors for $10 a visit. Medications cost me $10 for the co-pay and you can often ask for name-brand. I already had a large cyst cut out of my face. I even have dental insurance. Sick leave, personal leave, professional leave, retirement plans, life insurance (I opted out of life insurance, what's the point of that??) I have a union, discounted movie tickets, and an administration that has to observe me teaching and write up formal evaluations. This shit is serious. I understand why people have real jobs that they couldn't dream of giving up. And I understand how folks must fall apart when they are laid off or lose their jobs.

Sometimes I'll look around and see the kids, and see the clock and think to myself, "What just happened? How did I get here? It's 7:30 am and I've been awake for almost 2 hours. Where's the van?" But I know where the van is. It is parked outside of Jeff's house and it still runs fine.

Anyway, I've got my sights set on a Sprinter. And maybe, just maybe, someone else will do the driving for this next project.

Music is an incredible thing. I have been listening to some of the older Apes records. WHAT A BUNCH OF WEIRDO'S! Those records are bizarre! I mean, Fugue sounds terrible, but those songs are great! I still love our songs!

I know now why we never got big or even close to big. I know why we were never ever cool, even in our small little world. Because we are so not cool.

And that is just fine.