b.rox

Sobriety has been fun, but it’s not for me. There’s less than 48 hours ’til my arbitrary self-imposed abstinence regimen comes to an end and I allow myself to enjoy a drink. Or two. I was thinking of starting with a Campari and soda before dinner, then maybe a glass of pinot noir with the [...]

Dear Craig, Long time no see! I hope you are in good health and spirits. I thought I should drop you a line to let you know what’s going on with your house on North Salcedo street. Unfortunately some bees have built a nest near your side entrance. It’s an active hive. We often find [...]

I often remind Xy that we don’t live in the ghetto. This is especially obvious when we can look out the window and see kids playing in the street. Black kids, white kids, Latino kids. Diversity. This is not a place “inhabited primarily by people of the same race, religion, or social background.” By definition, [...]

Last night we went to the Big Top Gallery for something called Band Camp. Five bucks at the door, live music, lots of little kids, a craft table, beverages for adults and kids alike, and just a whole lot of fun. The promoters describe it thusly: FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! A HAPPY HOUR FOR [...]

We can’t decide which photo is cuter. Exhibit A: Exhibit B: Please indicate your choice, A or B. Thank you.

I found an old letter from our mortgage company, unopened, buried under some junk mail. Inside I was surprised to discover a check, a refund for an escrow overage. The amount was substantial. That was a couple days ago. Last night I found the old hand-written manuscript for my unfinished novel, The Vibrating Telemarketer. I [...]

I was tag-surfing on Flickr when I came across this fantastic image called “The Descent of Persephone,” a fresh collaboration from two artists Alvarejo and Silverqe. I noticed it was also tagged “Threadless” which I recognized as an apparel brand, so I kept my eye on it. I didn’t really know much about Threadless except [...]

This morning Xy unplugged one appliance in the kitchen to plug in the toaster. Unfortunately the cord from the first appliance landed in the second toaster slot. So now we have black melted plastic in the toaster and a damaged power cord. Both can be repaired, but it remains an object lesson in why you [...]

These are not reviews — more like reading notes. Title: Gods Behaving Badly Author: Marie Phillips Published: 2007 When I heard of this book, featuring the gods of ancient Greece living in modern day London, I knew I had to read it, mainly because Persephone has a key role. Promising premise. Alas, I just wasn’t [...]

Dear Persephone, You might have thought I was going to stop with these monthly letters once you made your first birthday, but I’m going to keep going. I’m not sure how long I’ll continue. Your first hundred months might be a better target. But who knows? I’m winging it. When I look back to my [...]

In celebration of the Vernal Equinox, I’m bringing the mohawk back. Not the fauxhawk, mind you. I’m talking about the real thing, baby. Bring it back! And while you’re shaving your head, here’s a diverse selection of tunes inspired by the equinox. “Vernal Equinox” from the 1977 album of the same name by Jon Hassell [...]

Here’s my new desktop wallpaper, courtesy of Brother O’Mara: This photo was taken on Iberville in Mid-City, up near N. Telemachus. I’ve passed by this drainpipe many a time and thought it would make a great picture. I finally snapped a crappy shot with my phone, which led to Brother O’Mara to visit the location [...]

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Five minutes after I got to work this morning, Boss Lady gave me the bad news. Olivia’s husband died last night. He had bone cancer, the kind you don’t recover from. He went into the hospital in December and essentially never came out. I didn’t know Michael well, only met him a couple times. But [...]

I’ve been feeling the pull of the past. If memory is a drug, then journals are the paraphernalia true addicts need to get that extra kick. Which is why I’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to preserve my handwritten journals even after they sat under water for two weeks after Katrina. Lately I’ve been revisiting the [...]

Facebook continues to amaze as I connect again and again to people with whom I haven’t communicated for up to a quarter century. So what do you say to someone after such an interval? Sometimes, not much. But the fact is, sometimes it doesn’t take much to trigger old forgotten memories. For example, my friend [...]

Dear TrueNorth, I picked up a bag of your Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters at the store the other day, and have found them quite delicious. In fact, they are alarmingly habit-forming. Upon examining the nutritional information on the back of the package, I was pleased to see a list of only six simple ingredients, instead [...]

Our girl had her best sleep in a long while last night, but we sure didn’t. A bunch of guys decided to have a party in front of the abandoned house across the street, starting around 1:00 AM. They were drinking beer, listening to corridos, and generally laughing and hollering and carrying on. They were [...]

The following photo, by yours truly, is somewhere in the pages of this week’s Gambit. I guess that would be out now? I’m somewhat out of the loop. I need to pick up a copy. But anyway here’s the photo, taken at the inaugural Bayou Boogaloo in 2006: They’re even paying me. Update: The story’s [...]

Since Sephone’s in daycare she is of course in a constant state of getting sick, or getting better, or both at the same time in an endless cycle of malaise. Most recently she had the ocular mucus (aka eye boogers) real bad, to the point of being crusted shut some mornings. Our doctor wasn’t particularly [...]