An end of summer update. Not the most important thing in the world, but there we go.

Visited the art world grand tour, seeing so much/too much work in Venice, Kassel, and Munster. Didn’t make it to Athens (sorry, Athens) for the extension of Documenta there, but got lots of Greek/German history on this trip. Also got to enjoy the entirely not glamorous German approach to temporary accommodations, with a stay that has to rank among the worst in my nine years of business travel. The lack of air conditioning was one thing, but not like a major thing. But let’s talk about the bed, for a minute. A kind of inverted thing, where the feet ended up higher than your head. The first night I gave up half way through the night and just slept on the floor on a wadded up blanket. The second night, I opened the window which had the affect of filling my room with multiple hungry mosquitoes, but I did manage to flip the mattress over and though itchy, I did get some rest. The third night, I rolled over and my entire elbow went right through the sheet. Tore a giant hole. I covered it up and left a 2 euro tip in the morning.

Documenta was solid. Venice was a less so. Munster was “get me off this effing bike”. The thing is, you end up seeing some strong work – but you also end up seeing some stuff that’s just not worth the pain of a bike seat and riding forty minutes in the wrong direction up a one way street. The food everywhere – including the Frankfurt train station – was great. Even that horrible hotel had a good meat and fresh pastries vibe going on in the breakfast buffet.

Venice. Always in my heart. It may be overrun, and overdone, but gosh darn it, I love that place. Ciao! Prego! Allora. I can’t stop saying it. It’s annoying. I know. Still…

Then we did the moving. Which…a month later, we’re still unpacking boxes. A few blocks away, but a much improved situation. Still…so.many. boxes.

Then Ohio, where this photo was taken at the world famous Kings Island. I learned once again that I am not as asset on water rides if you want to stay dry.

Recalling that trip, I also can’t help thinking about Charlottesville, I place I’ve been only briefly. So many of those young men who participated in the violence there were from or spent time in, Ohio. Many were from the places we go to every summer. Kids who no doubt rode the same log flume, ate the same weird blue ice cream, kids who sat at a Skyline Chili and ate oyster crackers to bide the time before the coneys arrived. How they went wrong, well, I dunno. Somewhere ignorance took root and hate grew from there. I’ve seen it fully formed. Stood next to it. Cringed at Confederate flags and Nazi paraphernalia in car show fields and flea market stalls. Laughed awkwardly at comments or jokes, just to get on to the next thing and not deal with it. But I’m going to try harder and be better. Let’s take down all the mammy salt and pepper shakers we have. Let’s not let an Uncle slip a little racism into conversation over the mashed potatoes. And by all means, let’s protest and continue to evaluate the worth of public monuments to a lost war.

I was also in Lexington and Louisville where that particular debate is active and working its way through the community. I second the idea to relocate all these old monuments to some empty gas station lot in the desert. Or melt them down and make new ones in honor of more lasting values, like justice and equality. Acknowledge the past, reconcile with it, or abandon it, and move forward. Meanwhile, I’m going to focus on putting more love out there.

And reading grant proposals. And unpacking.

As we prepare for Winter travels and holiday tidings, I find myself thinking about this fine tumbleweed I spotted in downtown Laramie, Wyoming. I was there on business not long ago, and after a dinner alone (of raw Prime Rib, and garlicky mashed potatoes capped off with something called Eggnog Pie) I decided to wander around the little downtown area. I was told about a footbridge there that you could climb up to and watch the long cross country freight trains as they rattle by underneath. A long locomotive pulled up just as I approached the bridge, so I clamored up to the top and watched as car after car after car rumbled along. I was the only person there – at times it felt like I was the only person in Laramie, and it was bitterly cold. Too cold for my fancy sneakers that I ordered from Paris, because we got a pair there once years ago. I took note of the shoe store downtown so that I could come back the next day and look for boots. But there, freezing, underneath yet another super moon, it was hypnotic and calming to watch those cars go by. I walked to the end and back, despite the cold, then returned to my car. As I got to the block where the car was parked, I found this little tumbleweed. Beautifully lit beneath the street lamps. I thought about trying to bring it home, but that’s an awkward way to make friends on a four hour flight. I let it be, since it probably had somewhere to go. And I walked back to my rental car and returned to my room at the hotel, which was marked by a plaque that read. “Grizzly Room.” In the lobby all the taxidermied bears and deer and elk had little Santa hats on and the empty hall echoed with the sounds of Santa Baby. I thought about the few of us that were staying there. Passing through like that tumbleweed. but confined to these strange sad places. The next day I ate lunch at Arby’s, which is always better in theory than in reality. Except for curly fries. All fries should be curly fries. I stopped in to see some dinosaur bones at the Geology Museum and then went to the tiny airport to fly home. There’s always something affirming about the wide open West, even now. But I was happy to get back to New York and the mess of Laguardia, and this place where you’re never alone. Warmest holiday wishes to all, no matter where you are. Here’s hoping we find good places to land in 2017.

Friends! Join us once again at NYC’s famed Slipper Room for a special Thanksgiving Eve edition of Deep Night with Dale. Dale aims to soothe your frayed election nerves with a live evening of music and comedy and tales to remember. Featuring an outstanding lineup of guests including graphic artist Michael Kupperman (Tales Designed to Thrizzle, SNL, McSweeney’s); Kyle Ayers (Just for Laughs, NY Comedy Festival); and Shalewa Sharpe (Brooklyn Comedy Festival, Red Clay Festival). And we’re over the moon to feature the music of indie rock performer and darling of the glockenspiel, Glockabelle. Wednesday, November 23, 8pm/Doors at 7pm. Tickets are available here $10 in advance/$12 at the door. http://www.slipperroom.com/event/1382434-guest-event-deep-night-dale-new-york/

About the Guests:
MICHAEL KUPPERMAN’s acclaimed drawings and writing have appeared in a vast number of publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, LA Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Screw, Fortune, The Independent on Sunday, Libération, Nickelodeon Magazine, The Believer, and Heavy Metal. His work was also featured on Saturday Night Live as well as in numerous comics anthologies. He is a regular contributor to and collaborator with McSweeney’s. His books include Snake’N’Bacon’s Cartoon Cabaret, Tales Designed to Thrizzle Volume One, and Mark Twain’s Autobiography 1910-2010. He lives and works in Brooklyn.

KYLE AYERS is a comedian, writer, actor, living in New York City. He was featured as a New Face in the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, where Time Out New York heralded him as a “breakout star.” He has also performed in the New York Comedy Festival, Limestone Comedy Festival, Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Brooklyn Comedy Festival, and the Laughing Devil Comedy Festival. Kyle has been featured in the New York Times, Time Out NY, Village Voice, among others. He has contributed to Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS and past roasts on Comedy Central. He’s written / writes for CBS and its Untitled Sports Show, the New York Times, the Huffington Post, BBC, Wired, Post Grad Problems, Buzzfeed, Yahoo’s front page, and more.

SHALEWA SHARPE developed her sly yet goofy comedic style in Atlanta, where she was raised. Currently in Brooklyn, she recently released her debut album, “Stay Eating Cookies,” which can be found on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and the rest of ‘em. She tells jokes on Twitter (@silkyjumbo) and posts self portraits of varying success on Instagram (@silkyjumbo).

GLOCKABELLE is Annabelle Cazes. She plays two Casio VL-Tones, a lyre-shaped glockenspiel with eight thimbles and sings in both French and English. She’s toured with Fiery Furnaces, performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, appeared on the Chris Gethard Show, WFMU, and at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Her first EP was released in May 2015, and was hailed by SPIN as “Anarchic Enchantment” and the A.V. Club as “[showcasing] her art-punk, synth-pop provocateur music with gleeful abandon [and] highlighting her exquisite musicianship”. Her ‘Wolf BBQ’ EP is a collection of mostly unreleased tracks.