Why the hell are The Pixies only playing like five American cities on their reunion tour? And why all west coast? And what's up with them playing like double that many cities in Canada? I'm so pissed. I want to see them play, too!

Ever notice how cats exhibit many of the same signs as autism?

I sometimes find my cat staring into space, and no matter what I do, how I call him, he won't look at me. When I rub his belly, he wraps his legs around my arm and won't let go. He has an affinity for water, and will jump in the shower as soon as I've gotten out in order to stare at the water circling the drain. He has taught himself how to flush the toilet (no kidding) in order to produce more swirling water to stare at. I woke up the other morning to his flushing. The next morning I woke to him clinking his water and food bowl together. At first I thought he must be doing that like someone in prison, rattling their cup along the bars. But then I looked and food was in the dish. And he was staring at the water as it rippled in concentric circles from the impact. I have a picture of Meryl Streep that my ex-girlfriend had framed and matted as a gift (long story), and I often find him staring at her (she's sitting propped up against a wall). Every once in a while, he will put his paw on her face for a long time, very dramatic. As my friend Brooke described, it is as if he is saying, "No one will ever understand us, Meryl." And Meryl, eyes closed in the picture, face turned slightly upwards, says, "I know, Hobbes, it's just me and you." My mother gave me Hillary Clinton's memoir (my family are all raging Democrats) and one day I caught him staring at Hillary too. I've now propped Hillary against my bedroom wall, halfway behind the door, because it is so cute to see him pull the door open in order to stare at her too.

One woman apparently isn't enough for him.

Our good friend Alan Deniro, over at Ptarmigan, is serializing a novelette for the benefit of us all. Start reading!

So I went to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind last night, and really really really loved it. It was Kaufman's best, in my own opinion, thus far. He abandons the trick of using real life cultural icons to play with (as in "Being John Malkovitch" and "Adaptation" with Susan Orleans). But he's still exploring the manipulations of reality and memory and identity, and this time it feels like it has more heart at the core of the movie. Some people might see this as a sellout point, but I honestly feel it's a step up. He's able to play around intellectually while including an honest sentiment finally.

And the really good thing is it's the first time I ever watch Jim Carey and sort of liked him. This is Kaufman's other great thing he does. Takes actors and twists them against the type of character that we're used to seeing them play. And again, he does this to great effect.

Some good news this morning. Stephen Jones wrote to tell me he'll be reprinting "Dead Boy Found" in the next volume of The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror.

This just gave a nice glow to the rest of the day.

I found this at Haddayr's journal and laughed my ass off. You've gotta watch it. Go to the link and let it load. Don't click on next, or it will take you to a different animation. Thanks for the link, Haddayr.

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


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at the Blue Pyramid.