So I went to Willows for Thanksgiving with my Lomo fisheye planning on taking all sorts of badass, artsy photos, but instead I just got drunk the whole time. So instead you’ll have to settle for some bullshit I took with my iPhone camera which is sort of like a polaroid only not as cool.

And as proof of my profound inebriation, not that you need any, I present my feeble attempt to document the uniquely bucolic and whimsical magic that is the Long Way Home Saloon:

Guess you’ll have to go there to see what’s cracking. Just don’t try to drive home. The police in Willows are increasingly fascist and unforgiving. But I guess it’s just because they’re probably bored out of their damn minds. Anyways, I’ll try to do better next time or whatever, but film processing is getting expensive and I’m not made out of money, which is obvious by the fact that I’m spending my vacations in Willows as opposed to the more balmy climes enjoyed by my colleagues, but hey! If there’s one good thing about writing, its definitely not that it pays well! Or that it’s rewarding in really any other way, other than being the job that takes probably the most minimal amount of effort this side of being the Maytag guy. But at least that guy is Union and probably gets vision, and retirement. Only retirement I got is the baseball cards in my closet, but those ain’t worth shit anymore. So I guess I’ll have to live now and figure the rest out later, which is easy because later doesn’t come until after now. And even when it does, there’s always another later after that. Until there’s not. Then you’re fucked.

Cool Dog says: I ain’t got no job, I ain’t got shit to do

One of our favorite bloggers / record label promo gals, Angie, is in need of a new employer.

It’s a tough job market, and seeing as we just hired our next President, that’s one less possibility for her.  We like her and her social networking skills (hell, I’m writing a blog about it aren’t I? See? Skills.) so if you’re in need of such a person, hit her up.

(thanks for the art Natalie Dee, always an inspiration)

My first post-barista job was as a telemarketer raising funds for Bill Clinton, the California Democratic Party, United Farm Workers and the like during the 1996 Presidential Campaign. Yeah, sounds like a good cause, but I later found out the people I was working for were not on the up and up. Ever since then I’ve been reluctant to give political organizations any of my damn money.

Still, presidencies are on not won on the strength of the figureheads, but by money and PR. I want Nader to fuck right off and the McCain/What’sHerName ballot to sink like cement shoes because Obama still hasn’t sold off ALL his ideals and might make a better president than the others. With that in mind, I’m far more likely to write a song and donate it to BarackRock.org.

From the Web site:

BarackRock.org started with one song and a desire for change.
It has grown into a movement of musicians and artists creating an ever-expanding catalogue of free, exclusive songs, each with its own individual art, meant to inspire participation and donations for the Obama Campaign. These are unreleased tracks and demos, only available here and now, so plug in your headphones and make a difference!

Listen to songs, donate money, etc. etc. Change, etc. etc.

Here we are, only 157 Shopping Days Until Christmas!!! You get your shopping done yet? The US Economy NEEDS IT.

To help inspire you into this early Christmas shopping season, Synthesis will present a daily reminder that you should be doing your job. With that, we present to you Wham’s “Last Christmas.”

Support your Christmas 2008 efforts early! USA!!!

So there’s this bum hangout right around the corner from the Synthesis office. It’s like this shelter for young adults who want to sit around all day smoking cigarettes and hanging on the couch in the air conditioning with their pit bull mix instead of, well, anything else. Today on my way to get coffee, Dain and I walked by this young derelict who asks, almost as an afterthought, if he could bum a cigarette. It might have been a cold move, but this was my response:

I think singing one bar of the The Silhouettes’ “Get a Job” got my point across.

Being a dick is awesome.