The video’s just a video, but there’s some trenchant social commentary in the feedback section, as you’d expect. (Having filled an entire trash bag this morning with a half-block’s litter, I’m not sure I wouldn’t mind a little lebensraum between houses on the Sou’Side.) View and read and weep.

Coincidences, Big Muddy Records: Tomorrow, I’m putting up a piece on creativesaintlouis.com from a former student at Webster, Chris Barisevic. He’s writing about his label, Big Muddy Records. The piece features Pokey Lafarge, sitting five-feet away from me at Mangia, and Bob Reuter, who’s about 20-feet to the left. Small town, indeed.

Dinners, Deluxe: Beatle Bob sends a fair bit of e-mail, often about the St. Louis Hawks. An interesting topic, but not something I need to read about on a weekly basis. Today, though, he’s kicked the sad word (if true) that Deluxe is closing. The place has one of the best veggie burgers in town and I plan to pour out a little soy in memory. Right after downing at least one more before Friday.

Energy drinks, Red Bull Cola: Just say “no.” Nas-tee!

Underrated animals, tapirs: Wish they had a natural habitat on the South Side.

Open mics, Atomic Cowboy: They’re a strange thing, no? On one evening, you run into one and enjoy every heartfelt set. On another, there’s no end to the misery. Strangest is the evening that alternates severe high- and low-points. Have the feeling that Atomic’s open mic is a mixed bag, indeed, every Monday after 10 p.m. Last week’s was an exercise in curiosity.

Programs, Lost: Plunging through season five this week, via Netflix streaming. Meanwhile, dust bunnies congregate in corners. Books lie unread. Relationships suffer. Thankfully, only seven episodes remain in the queue. Goodness sake.

Silver Tray live sets, The Incurables: Kinda digging these weekly sessions. This Friday, The Incurables, in the form of Jimmy Griffin and Bryan Hoskins, all-acoustic, from 12:15-12:30.

Products, theremins: Had my PXL cameras fixed by a guy in Wichita known for being the premiere Pixelvision repairman in the US. He also builds and sell theremins. For cheap! Who wants one?

Obsessions, Fairmount Park: No word yet on the new season, according to FP’s unusually lame site. Starting to sweat.

Obsessions II, Apop Records: Have noted this before, but it’s impossible to go into this store and not emerge with something. The best thing is that it could be a book, an album, a camera, a magazine, etc. and so on. What an amazing stock! Most recent pick-up was the fifth edition of the Rubble Series, “The Electric Crayon Set,” a tasty set of late ’60s psych. Always pays to comb the stacks at Apop.

Obsessions III, Detroit Tigers baseball cap: Best place online to find a size 8? Yes, size 8. Thanks.

Self-invites, neighborhood events: On New Year’s Eve, I took a walk through the neighborhood, hitting a couple house parties and then drifting into Eric Hall’s mash-up spin at Mangia Italiano. On the way, I noticed a pair of neighbors burning their Christmas tree, in what could only be described as a conflagration. After seeing photos on Facebook, I hereby invited myself to the next round of gas-on-tree burns. Please?

Overdue viewings, “Athens, GA Inside/Out”: Have to dig up the VHS copy after coming across some YouTube clips.

To this point in life, I’ve not taken part in the procreation of another human being. But, today, I feel something akin to what that blessed, first day must be like.

Inspired by Joe Thebeau’s simple Facebook status update (“i’m thinking thai soup might be the answer”), I’ve just now completed my greatest experiment of 2010. Armed with only onions, turnips, snow peas, garlic, a tin of tomato paste, honey and a host of herbs, spices and love, I’ve created something that can only be described as Miracle Soup.

To what do I credit this moment? A heightened sense of goforit’veness? Joe’s typing fingers? Curry powder? Can’t really be sure.

But I can be sure that I’ve never felt more closely-knit to my friends who are parents. We share something deeper now. The next time you start in on a story about Little Johnny or Jill, I plan on sharing My Own Story.

Gosh, things really are different now.

An important programming message from, well, me: On Monday, January 4, 2010, Thomas Crone will unveil, through this site and a series of personal annoyances, a handful of major endeavors for the coming New Year, with the first edition of this rush of activity going live on Monday, January 11. These moves will likely make Thomas Crone come off as:

* A real dope, or
* A particularly clever fellow

‘Til then, a secular Happy New Year to you and yours.

========

Update: to the six of you reading this, we’ll roll it out tomorrow at noon. Bugs in the system. Thanks.