Shirley, It's Time For Something Light

We can tell in advance this will take some time to develop

Exit stage left (photo ©2020 Weldon Berger)

I was looking at the surfer through a long lens and I couldn’t understand why he was bailing from such a good ride until I lowered the camera to look at the shot, and saw the wave was breaking on both sides of him. Sometimes it’s not immediately apparent that a good decision is good.

I’m listening to an album by the Pernice Brothers, which includes the first and so far only song I’ve ever heard in which the word “effortlessly” features, seemingly effortlessly. It comes in the chorus of their song Amazing Glow, which is an awesome pairing of sweet music with lyrics about a psychopathic heartbreaker. Always gives me a … glow.

The first hundred words of this piece took the entire Pernice Brothers album. Now we’re on to Soul Coughing, who were recommended by a friend two or three years ago. Before the plague years began, I think.

They had a relatively short-lived recording career, but the music is really interesting and the members no doubt went on to other good things. Circles isn’t the most upbeat tune ever but the music sort of sounds like it might be. The lyrics throughout the album don’t necessarily lead you down a straight path.

Cruising now: 200 words in and only halfway through the Soul Coughing album.

This story seemed destined to end in tears, and it still could, but to this point Wally the emotional support alligator seems a perfect fit with his keeper.

And seniors who live at SpiriTrust Lutheran — The Village at Sprenkle Drive, a retirement community in York, are delighted when they see the gator walking down the hall in his bright red animal-support vest.

WallyGator has visited several times, and most of the residents are eager to pet him and ask questions, Henney said. A brave few will request to hold the reptile.

A dream delayed is not necessarily a dream denied. If you can’t defeat the Washington Post paywall to read either the WallyGator story or this next one, let me know. I can send one or the other to you.

60-year-old [Duane Hansen] was on a quest to squash the Guinness World Record for “the longest journey by pumpkin boat.” Yes, it’s a thing — and Hansen’s not the first to use a giant gourd as a vessel.

Rick Swenson, who in 2016 completed a 25-mile trip inside a pumpkin when he paddled from Grand Forks, N.D., to Oslo, Minn., holds the title. But Hansen’s 38-mile float on Saturday would blow past that record. If verified by Guinness World Records, he could join those who have pushed the limits on what’s possible — whether growing eight-foot-long beards, spinning basketballs atop toothbrushes or stopping electric fans with their tongues.

…

Hansen spent about 11 hours floating in his pumpkin. People across the globe followed his progress, wishing Hansen Godspeed — or as one fan put it, “gourdspeed.”

Gourdspeed! People are great.

Swenson, Hansen … is this a pattern?

Now comes a band—or an artist, not sure—called Belly, which so far is a bit gloomy but we’re not taking it personally. Good writing music, maybe.

(It just dawned on me why people use the royal “we” so often: it sounds much less egomaniacal than “I I I” all the time. Also intimates that there might be more than one of you; that this is not some ramshackle, fly-by-night, lightweight publication. Also conveys a sense of togetherness with the reader. I’m going with it. We’re going with it.)

The idea of capsule hotels gives us the willies because we are a claustrophobic bloated American carcass, but were we inclined that way, this one in Osaka would seem pretty cool, as the rooms are illustrated.

One of the most eye-catching design elements is the intricate depictions of Fujin and Raijin, the gods of wind and thunder.

Also in Japan but sadly come and gone:

Disney fans, you’d want to check out this limited-time Winnie the Pooh café that's popping up in Shinjuku’s Odakyu department store. The café is opening for just two short months starting from April 20, just in time for the Golden Week holidays.

We’ve seen all the Harry Potter films at least once, and read all the books, for the usual reason. Rupert Grint’s post-Ron Weasley success surprised a bit, but it’s evident now that the guy is cinematically fearless.

Contrarily we always thought that Daniel Radcliffe could make it, and he’s walked a plank or two to do so, which is why we are not terribly surprised and definitely delighted to see him in this.

Happy days, my Droogies and Devotchkas; happy days.

We enjoyed Belly so much that we went back 25 years to their 1995 album, King, and also looked them up to find that they have antecedents in The Breeders, who have antecedents in The Pixies, which explains why we like them and why we should have guessed.

That’s the lighter side sorted, and we’re not ground to dust. Might try it again one day.

(Contributors to this post include the Pernice Brothers’ Discover A Lovelier You; Soul Coughing’s El Oso; Belly’s Bees; and Belly’s King. Music recommendations are welcome, and one day someone will drop a few in the comments.)