What are you even supposed to do when you're not on tour?

It was about midnight on a recent Friday and I was in the Shell station buying an orange juice so I could get some quarters for the washer and dryer at my new apartment complex. While I was looking at all of the individual-sized orange juices a couple of dudes bustled into the convenience store and gave me the "we're going to eff with you and possibly physically intimidate you" feeling. I overheard them listing off items that they were seemingly in search of, but I only clearly made out one of them saying "whipped cream." When it was our time to purchase our findings we both arrived to the check out counter at the same time. The bad vibe quickly dissipated as I caught a heavy whiff of the dudes' awesome cologne and felt something good radiating off of the two fellas. As I was being rung up for my OJ one of the two dudes leaned over to the cashier and asked if he could dump out a can of Pringles into the trash before paying for the empty can, which he assured the salesperson he would do. I quickly asked him if I could intercept the abandoned P-dogs with a plastic bag the clerk had yet to lend me. He agreed and the transaction was underway without a single hitch. I asked if he was doing some sort of scavenger hunt and he replied that he "only needed the container."

What did that dude need with that Pringles container?

We will never know.

Portland is really feeling solid and magical right now. The past two days have featured a warmer almost humid air after a couple days of intense but short-lived ice. Luke & Sarah are in town for a visit and possibly a secret show or two, and it's totally wonderful to see them. Luke previewed his new album that's just about ready for Steve to release later this year. It's top-notch, top-drawer, beautiful dragon-music. Steve and Zac are also releasing Luke's EP, "Norteñas," as the next chapter in the Pregnancy Series of compact discs. I love that Luke can make something like this new junk I'm loving and something like the Pregnancy EP.. so different and so both equally radical. Part of this entry goes out to Lucky Dragons. Big ups, big propers, big feelings.

So this is what it's like. I have an apartment. I have Whiskers again. I have the internet. I even have an original Susan Ploetz. I have my friends so close to me and a city full of streets and places that I've known well for a good while. I feel more observant and quiet than I have in the past couple months. I'm full of energy to make more music and video and drawings and installations.. I'm ready to explode some new stuff.

I might be going to an experimental school for 13 months. I'm not sure what this means in all actuality in regards to making money to live, touring, playing shows and recording music.. but I think it would be a good thing. I've heard something like "it can be whatever you want it to be," but I've also seen people attending it from 9-5 and beyond.. which isn't very attractive to me at all. I was really, really excited to apply for the program (only 12 students are accepted) and I think the competition fueled my application in a way I wasn't expecting. I made the first cut (2,500-something applied and I'm one of 24) and I'll know if I'm all-the-way in by the end of the month. If I did this my life would feel so weird to me.. Just like.. do you ever go through the jobs you've worked and things you've done and feel like "Woah? What? When did I do this stuff? How did I do this stuff?" I don't know. If I do this it will be another thing that seems awesomely out of place. I didn't go to high-school or college, really. I have a GED and a ton of experience in real-life stuff like pop-punk band touring, web design and dice-rolling. Maybe this should stay in my head and off of this website. WHO KNOWS!?

Meanwhile Khaela and Mirah are in Hawaii.

Truly,
Jona

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