With every new day that arrives, I'm more nostalgic for the day before.

Oh man…. I don't know how to navigate managing his site anymore. I've long contended that a fair part of avoiding the bummer life is to face it head on and embrace everything that it gives you, warts and all. And I've been pretty ok about holding my tongue or expressing opinions or perspective about The Man in thinly veiled code. Today I'm just at a loss. Minneapolis is a home away from home for me. I love my community there and to say that I'm gutted by what's going on would be a wildly inaccurate understatement.

So now I wrestle with filling my role here and chit chatting about the best banality I can think of while the world around me burns. I'm heartbroken, my anxiety has anxiety which then in turn gives me more anxiety, but then when things get to a fever pitch, I remember that this is all playing out on an infinitesimally small speck of dirt hurling through an endless expanse of space, and nothing really matters;

It's a macro and micro view constantly doing battle and sometimes it just gets to be too much. I suppose all of this is to say that my coming here week in and week out is in no way me saying 'it's all good'. It's not all good. It's pretty fucking far from it, but I still have a duty to advertisers, and I still feel as though I have a duty to the people who come here, and I have a duty to myself. I've put too many years in on this project to neglect it or simply walk away, and if it offers a momentary distraction to at least one person like me who needs it, then I consider it a success. At least I think that's how I feel today. 

So having said all of that, I also feel as though it's my duty Eli Iserbyt has just announced his retirement from cyclocross, effective immediately. 

Geert hollered at me with the news, and while we both agreed that we don't wish ill will or health on anybody, (an artery in his hip is too close to his psoas and gets pinched), Eli sucks and elite cyclocross is better off without him;

Then again, I don't know who the elite 's primary antagonist will be going forward. He was one who everyone loved to hate...

So long, Poison Dwarf. I wish nothing but the best for him going forward;

Secondly, while buried in my subterranean studio last evening, I throughly enjoyed watching the following doccumentary;

If your nervous system could use a break, there you go.

In other news of hope and partial positivity- There is an imminent tour for the previously mentioned Rick Froberg book coming up which just may stop by a city near you;

Johnny Temple of Akashic (as well as GVSB, for those not keeping track) elaborated with a list of the wheres and the whats and whos;

Jan 14: Porter Square Books (Boston)
with Chris Brokaw, Brad Searles, TW Walsh, Drew O’Doherty, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 15: Rough Trade Below (NYC)
with Ted Leo, Walter Schreifels, Leslie Stein, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 16: Brickbat Books (Philadelphia)
with Ted Leo, Walter Schreifels, Leslie Stein, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 20: The Book Catapult (San Diego)
with Rob Crow, Pall Jenkins, Britton Neubacher, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 21: Book Soup (Los Angeles)
with Tijuana Panthers, Evan Weiss, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 22: City Lights (San Francisco)
with Chris Thomson, Phil Manley, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 23: Bloomsbury Books (Ashland, OR)
with Bobby Arellano, Jodie Jean Marston, Craig Wright, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple & Sohrab Habibion

Jan 24: Lost Avenue Books (Portland)
with Seth Lorinczi, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple, Sohrab Habibion + special guests

Jan 25: Easy Street Records (Seattle) - co-sponsored by Sub Pop Records!
with Jeff Kleinsmith, Alexis Fleisig, Johnny Temple, Sohrab Habibion + special guests

Each of these events will feature a short set of songs from Rick's extensive musical catalog as performed by Johnny and his former bandmate Alexis, as well as various guests as noted on the above itinerary. I think it's gonna be a real fine time. 

And have you gotten the book yet?

You should… It's awesome. 

Not that it's terribly awesome, but you should check out the new episode of Revolting;

Today's is good but just like yesterday,  last week's was so much better.