Who could predict that lil’ ole Wilmington, Ohio would be so much in the news of late? Seems like John McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis had at least some hand in the decision that will ultimately result in the town’s loss of over 10,000 jobs when shipping giant DHL pulls out. It’s a complicated and multifaceted story, but it happens to be focused on the town where my in-laws call home and the town in which I made my proposal for marriage. We visited the Clinton County Fair this summer, (a 4-H winner is pictured here) and among many other concerns, like who will carry on the tradition of strawberry jello cake, I worry what will become of the Swine Queen and whether a casino really IS the answer.

The Wii shoulder is what I’m suffering from. It was worth virtually bowling a 254, but it’s a little embarrassing how sore it is. The bringer of the Wii was none other than the great BY1, who just left after a three day intensive Mancation. Our third annual celebration of all things of great import to manly men, this also marked Brian’s last throes of his engagement before he takes the big leap into matrimony in September. Needless to say I can’t talk about all we did and saw – for instance – we got really into this. We ate some great food, went on a fine muscle-building walk, and drank plenty of scotch.
Oh…and we played way too much Super Smash Bros on the Wii. We did unlock Snake, from Metal Gear. (I realize that only half of this makes any kind of normal sense to a well adjusted person. But trust me. It was super fun.)

I’m not complaining, but so far, August has been about a billion degrees cooler than the last two sweltering months. It’s almost…pleasant. This photo is from a few days ago on Smith Street. I somehow managed to misplace my cable that allows me to upload all these pics, so I have been remiss in Summer blogging. But I’m back. And I got an iPhone. Sweet mother of blog, I’m back.

So it’s not the most uplifting German opera about soldiers and prostitutes ever (I guess that title would go to Cats), but it is the spectacle of the summer and it’s happening at my place of employ. I’m speaking of course about Die Soldaten, which is the moving-audience-thrill-ride, tentpole production of the 2008 Lincoln Center Festival. Thanks to James Ewing for the photo – apologies for the crop job.

The fireworks above Brooklyn tonight – thanks to the fine people at Macy’s. You’d never think some of those clerks in housewares could pull something like this off, but congrats guys and gals, you did it.

Congratulations to our friends Phoebe and Drew (couple 2 of the 5 who got engaged after attending our Scottish nuptials!). We had a fantastic time at Phoebe’s mother’s farm in Freeport, Maine. The home of L.L. Bean, lobster rolls, and the best sausage and gravy biscuits I’ve ever had. I want to give a shout out to the Pitch Black Blues band, a hard to say name for a band of teens (sweet dancin’ Kyle and his buddy) who write songs that “match up with a beat” and may or may not include a recorder. We’re about to see a major resurgence in recorder made-music – mark my words. Next up on the same farm, is the wedding of Phoebe’s brother Rufus and the lovely Maura Madden.

Happy birthday to the best wife ever! Awwww….Lookit! Sweetness in a lawn chair.

Today sitting in the back of a tiny restaurant in SoHo, I watched as the heat of this unbearable early June firestorm was swept furiously away (along with several menus and a patio umbrella) in a dangerously strong wind. Behind the wind came the lightning, followed by the inevitable downpour. The sight was made all the more curious and stunning, because the only other people in the restaurant were comic legend Art Spiegelman and his wife New Yorker arts editor, Francoise Mouly. Another, only-in-New York evening.

O! I like it when an investment pays off! Wow. And this is history making, but after watching McCain’s sneering, yellow teeth during his speech against that green backdrop last night, (where was he? Did they even move the foosball table out for him to talk?) I’m ever more optimistic that January 2009 is going to be the most historic-iest time ever.

If you’re in New York by all means check out Playing the Building, a project by the marvelous David Byrne produced by my new best friends, Creative Time. Lauren and I went to see the installation right next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal in the crumbling-soon-to-be-boutique-condos Maritime Battery Building. The piece manages to be a truly satisfying act of participatory lo-tech art making, while being totally in line with everything Byrne has been predicting about the hi-tech future of the music industry.

We followed that experience up with a trip to the lovely home of Blakely and Jason in Scarsdale where I once again learned the hard lesson that red solo party cups are a too-strong vodka tonic’s best friend. Ouch.