6/2/04 5:07 AM: My sister Brandi noted that I haven't updated in a bit. Right. Here we go then ...

PASADENA: I spent all Saturday, Sunday and Monday covering the Old Pasadena Summer Fest, because of my good friend Regina Davis is the publicist for the whole shebang, and energetic PR firm Nina Gordon Publicity is pushing Playboy Jazz Festival involvement. A lot went down, but little of any real importance. Oddly, I'm one of the first people to know the Los Angeles Sentinel has a new helmer, but that's no sweat off my brow. Pretty good jazz, some funny stuff (I ran into the sister I danced with last year and found her somewhat less appealing, as well as really enjoying a chat with the best friend of my brother Inpu's ex-wife, which is odd, since I always thought I loathed this person). Funny that.

HITCHHIKER MOVIE: I am making no secret of how happy I am with the work on a movie based on author Douglas Adams' brilliant book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I feel that even though Disney is involved (hate! eternal hate against Disney!), Mos Def starring as pivotal character Ford Prefect will make it all work out. That's just a random bit of cool in the world.

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: So Mercury Insurance has decided to accept liability for the most recent car accident I had, and I'll be dealing with that during what I laughingly call the day today (Wednesday). Gotta drive my battered car to their body shop for an estimate. The bad news is they will reimburse me for a car rental, but not pony up. That sucks. So, I'm gonna see if a "private rental" is as good, and have my boss at the karaoke business write up a receipt for the use of his truck, and then split the cash with him. Which is pretty much the same thing. I think. I don't believe that's insurance fraud ... I'm gonna stop typing now.

CANKER SORES: When I get stressed (or eat a lot of sugar, which often goes hand in hand), I develop canker sores in my mouth. They're irksome, but not a real threat (and not contagious, I found out). Anyway, the whole car thing had me tweaked (driving around with no radio gives me too much time to think) and I now have one at the back of my throat, which makes singing a pain, which makes everything a pain. I love singing. This is irksome. Blah.

SINGING CLASS: Speaking of singing, I have just one more class, the final, and I'm done with that drivel. I learned exactly one thing for my forty bucks, and was irritated every step of the way. I'll do a lot more research before I sign up for another community college class, I tell ya what.

COMIC BOOK BUSINESS: Something so insanely huge is happening, and I can't tell you. It's classified. The Pentagon can't know. It's so top secret, I may have to shoot myself because I found out. But it appears, God willing and the creeks don't rise, that I will be a for-real comic book writer by this time next year. I will, sadly, be the relative Ringo in the collective of people I'm working with, but never let it be said I was afraid to ride coattails. I'm so happy and awed and blessed, it's really amazing. I so wish I could tell you more. Ah well.

COMIC BOOK REVIEWS: Due to some lame holiday, I get two irritations -- I got my newspaper check today (which threw off my whole day) and comic books come out on Thursday, so my reviews at Underground Onine may not get posted until Monday. Blah.

KARAOKE: After much struggle and angst, eBay emailed me to tell me someone was selling a disc with Maxwell's "Suitelady" on it. I won said auction, and said disc is on its way to me. I will be doing a touch of spending, which is a pain but a necessary evil to get my book in proper shape, on CDs this weekend. Then I'll rule the world! Sort of ... anyway, that's a good thing.

ROMANCE: I am pleased and content right now. I also feel rather darned fetching. Nothing negative to report.

I FEEL GOOD, PER SE, GOOD STATE OF MIND: With apologies to Greg Nice, despite the canker sore and the ambient stress (I don't consciously worry, it seems it's all under the surface), my mood is good, shlepping around the city in an '86 Dodge Ram truck. The weather is getting hot (just the way I like it), I am being smart with my money, and I'm set to do some writing this week (plus I'll get a free lunch on Pasadena's tab come Friday, and may go bowling this week too). Now if I could just get some laundry done ...

Go back to what you were doing.