So I know that everyone has seen the twelve dozen ads I’ve been goofing around with lately. They’re annoying, tacky, and gaudy. I know that people look at them and think “What a jerk,” but I promise that there’s a reason.

A couple of months ago I realized that I didn’t know how internet advertising worked. With Google AdSense being so prevelant I decided to jump in and check it out. AdSense, Adbright, Linkshare, etc etc. I’ve signed up with everyone, and I’ve slowly been checking out how the backend works in this mysterious part of the internet. My friend StoneTable is a heavy hitter in the internet advertising world, and he’s been explaining some of the more nebulous and esoteric parts to me.

Cool? Not really. Interesting? You’d better believe it. It amazes me how these systems work together, and at the same time work against each other. If anyone can reccomend a good book on the subject I would love to give it a read.

Just a little note to register my thoughts on the remodel of Zoe’s Pan-Asia. It’s an interesting change, and I think that everyone in the area should pop down and take a look at it. Just a note, this is a remodel, and most definitly not a redesign. The room itself has in no way changed in layout or architecture, but it does feel like a new space.

The “new” Zoe’s is done in an almost monochromatic chocolate brown. It’s dark where there was once blinding light, and there are actually decorations on the tables now. Centerpieces of green apples and tea candle trios throw a bit of light up from the tabletop, and exposed bulbs in the Edison style hang down from the ceiling. It’s nice, and it’s a style that has been popping up more and more in St Louis. In a word, this room is now demure. A vibrantly noisy room becoming hushed and intimate just by changing the paint is one of the marvels of interior decorating.

In complaints, the walls are missing a little something to break up the monotony, and the Edison installations should have been larger than life instead of just functional. Impress me. Please. Though this is hardly original design it’s nice to see someone bring the aesthetic to my neighborhood. Good job, Zoe.

I registered a bunch of domain names this week. I was just needing a couple more names to use for projects, and I hate digging through multiple directories to get where I need to go. So, in no particular order here are my new domain names:

I think that they could be interesting conceptually, but the internet execution isn’t my strong point. “You Sir are no Bobby Kennedy.” I need a couple of polished ideas to make the concepts flow into finished. Honestly, what else am I going to do while I’m stuck with this insomnia?

In the interest of kids with guitars everywhere I’ve decided to show off some of my poorly recorded songs. Everything here was done in front of my computer with a $3 microphone. You’ll notice both kinds of music here: Country and Western.

Arsclan Forever - A love song for #arsclan

Fifteen Men - The Standard Pirate Song

A Gospel Medley - 3 chord hyms

Good Guys Don’t Wear White - Originally recorded by Minor Threat, a great song about being out of step

Happy Birthday, Calvin - A little song I threw together in five minutes for Calvin’s birthday a few years ago

Devil to Pay - Originally done by Johnny Cash. A great song about trying to warn someone about a lifestyle of destructive behavior

If you’ve got a guitar, record something. No one cares if your voice is a bit off, or if you only know three chords. Just do SOMETHING. Try. You know why The Ramones made thir own style? They weren’t good enough to play anything on the radio.

Well, I ordered some glasses from Optical 4 Less, and I have to say that they’re very nice. The beauty of buying glasses over the internet from Hong Kong is that I only paid $29.95 per pair. Three pairs of glasses for $95? Giddy-up!

I’ve had enough going on in the last month that I just haven’t made the time to update the site. Working for work, working on the magazine, working on my secret project, and my little vacation made for a full month.

Rita and I took a week off to meet her parents in El Paso, and for the first time in years I had a golf club in my hand. Rita and I went to a driving range built into an abandoned resevoir. Nothing like whacking an abandoned car with a 150 yard shot from a 5 iron. What a blast.

The trip was absolutely great. Rita’s parents were great hosts, and her mother pandered to my every need before the fact. I probably could have shown up without a suitacase as Rita’s Madre had the guest bedroom stocked with anything I could have wanted.

Rita and I explored El Paso, and I managed to find a great little Juarez baseball cap. It’ll come in handy when I’m wearing my eyepatch (Avast ye, maties!). We bought Rita a cute Texas snowglobe for her collection as a last minute “almost forgot” at the airport.

I’m still working for Select Cigars, Inc., and writing for Face Control Magazine, and the first issue that I’m in comes out this week. I saw the proofs, and the January issue is looking pretty hot.

I’m currently rocking out to Fugazi.

P.S. Rita is a <3 girlfriend

Just a little project I’m working on. It’s a layout for a club that could work really well in University City.

Private Club Walkthrough