Warmed My Heart With A Cool Island Song

After jotting down my initial reaction to the London attacks, I decided to respect Kevin Drum's injunction against politicking it for a little while and instead planned a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway, past Santa Barbara, and into Sideways country. Step 1 was renting a convertible to make the drive somewhat more fun than it would have been in a depressing Cavalier that still smelled of the time the actual Mahbod fashioned and used a potato-bong inside it. Before my car reservation began, somebody crashed the damn thing and I got upgraded to a Benz at no extra charge. The only thing I can say about it is holy shit. I've never before actually enjoyed driving, and that car was a pretty good argument for giving up this freelance bullshit and going to law school. Intellectual integrity is a nice thing to have, but I also really want one of these.

So, anyway, Lake Cuchuma is beautiful, and Solvang is a picturesque town where it's always Christmas and everyone goes to bed c. 9:00 pm. Back in LA, I saw Batman Begins at Graumann's Chinese Theater, which has been swallowed whole by the cancerous Hollywood & Highland Complex. Quick: the new Batman is a very good movie, even better than the first Michael Keaton Batman and obviously far superior to the subsequent sequels. The superlative thing about it is that it creates massive continuity errors for the rest of the movies---enough to give the actual Tom material for years to come.

Finally, earlier today, at the Mecca, Gold's Gym in Venice, my life's purpose was fulfilled. I met Hulk Hogan. The Hulk Hogan. As I was showing my companion at the time around the gym, s/he pointed out a guy in the back at the leg presses who looked like a bodybuilder. But it was no bodybuilder. It was The Hulkster. Should I say something? Ask for an autograph? A photo? Those questions were answered for me when, a few minutes later, our paths crossed exactly. I exclaimed, "Hulkster!" He responded, "T'sup brotha."

Now, time to start thinking about war and piece(s) again.