Dream of the Blue Turkey

This little clip has become something of a yearly tradition around these parts and it will remain one even in my sort-of absence.

On this, the day that we celebrate the beginning of the first -- but certainly not last -- great American land swindle, I ask you to remember the plight of flightless birds everywhere. Sure, that farm-raised turkey is now on your plate, but at one time it had dreams of majestically taking to the skies, just like so many of its feathered brethren.

Just like the poor Kiwi.

Empty Nest

It's an amazing thing really. I can't for the life of me figure out why, but despite my not having posted a damn thing in weeks there are still people visiting this site. As somebody who's blogged or written for seven-and-a-half years now it shouldn't surprise me that various Google searches and so on continue to bring people here, but I guess it kind of does -- and maybe that's because I'm so angry with myself because I feel as if I've had no choice but to abandon my internet home in favor of every other fucking thing I have to do these days.

I can't do much in the way of making promises anymore. The best I can do at this point is to say that I'll write here when I can, meaning that the lights will always be on so that I can come back when I need to -- when I truly have to say something I can't say anywhere else. That time really will come, that much I actually can say for sure. I'm even inclined to say that it'll happen soon, but again, no assurances.

For what it's worth I truly do hope that those of you who've been kind enough to read this site over the years have already made the jump over to the Daily Banter. I'm there several times a day, hopefully still doing good work. Sometimes it feels just like being here, but admittedly most of the time it doesn't. Gotta make a living somehow, though, and I'm finally getting paid to do what I always wanted to so I know that I'm very lucky.

I realize that I'm repeating myself from a few weeks ago. Sorry.

All I can say is, I'll be back here in time. It's always in my heart. I mean that in ways I could never full explain.

What Have We Learned Today?

Yes, I'm going to keep doing this. Deal with it. Here's today's rundown.

Now Hear This: Eminem Returns and "Call of Duty: Ghosts" Lands/11.5.13

"The Empire Strikes Thomas Kinkade" Is the Best Thing You'll See All Day/11.5.13

Exclusive: Rand Paul Responds To Accusations of Plagiarism/11.5.13

Quote of the Day" Kanye West Owns the Confederate Flag/11.5.13

Quote of the Day

The Daily Banter: The Benghazi “Eyewitness” Is the Victim of a Liberal Witch Hunt (or Something)/11.4.13

Back Issues

Considering the amount of writing I now do each day and week, I won't lie and say that I'm going to be cranking out material around here the way I used to anytime soon. I just can't; there aren't enough hours in the day. That said, no, I'm not going to let this site die a "dignified" death simply because it's still my home even if it's been vacant recently. When the mood strikes me and I feel like I have to write something personal, this is where it's going to go -- and I promise you that will absolutely happen at some point.

While I can't guarantee that I'll have the space in my incredibly tight schedule to do it each and every time, I do plan to at least try from here on out to link anything I write at Banter over here in the name of A) keeping DXM on at least some kind of life-support, and B) taking readers who still visit this site, and shockingly there are still quite a few of you, directly to my nonsensical ramblings.

Over the past couple of weeks I've written several columns at Banter that may as well have been DXM material, particularly some of the longer-form pieces, and this makes me pretty happy.

Here are the links:

Is It Islamophobia or Just Islam?/11.1.13

Quote of the Day: Fuck You, Salon/10.30.13

The Trayvon-Zimmerman Costume Controversy: Is the Reaction Fair?/10.30.13

Glenn Greenwald and the New York Times Have at Each Other (and the Result Is Pretty Interesting)/10.29.13

None of Us Will Ever Be as Cool As Lou Reed/10.28.13

Salon Slams Russell Brand and Proves Why the Far-Left Is a Joke/10.25.13

The Mother of All Anti-NSA Ads Is Watching You/10.23.13

The Onion Draws Outrage Again, Makes Its Point Flawlessly/10.23.13

Kanye West's Big "Fuck You" To Redneck America/10.22.13

It's Just Another School Shooting/10.21.13

Is It Wrong To Tell Women To Drink Responsibly To Protect Themselves?/10.21.13

I'll try to stay on top of it, kids. It ain't easy these days.

Picture of the Day

Lena Dunham in New York City.

Also, some hipster.

(h/t WWTDD)

I Am Serious, and Don't Call Me Surly

I can't say that I've ever been the subject of an open letter, but a reader was kind enough to not only school me on history in the hope of making the point that maybe all is not lost for America, but to then send me a link to his work.

I'm the first to admit that it's really unfortunate that I've been feeling this way lately about our politics and our culture, but maybe it's true that I'm only able to see it all through the prism of my own experience or through the events of my lifetime.

Either way, the lesson is appreciated.

The Gloomy Historian: An Open Letter To Mr. Pazienza/10.8.13

By the way, am I really finally at that place where I need to be referred to as "Mr. Pazienza?"

Jesus.

Listening Post

The Daily Banter: Now Hear This: Amanda Palmer Is NSFW

Bring the Noise

If I sneeze twice in the same day, I assume I'm getting sick and should probably stay in bed with the covers pulled up over me and a fresh-squeezed orange juice IV drip. Because I'm a wuss.

While Michael Chobot was battling acute myeloid leukemia last year, a disease which essentially kept him at death's door most of the time, he accepted a gig editing and mixing the sound for a PBS documentary, worked day in and day out on it, and eventually not only completed the thing but wound up being nominated for an Emmy for his work.

Tonight in New York City, PBS's An Original DUCKumentary will go up against four other news-documentary projects in the category of Outstanding Music and Sound and Michael Chobot's name will be announced alongside some of the best sound technicians in the business. I guarantee that it would've been the first of many awards to come for Mike throughout what was sure to be a long and distinguished career in television and film.

Mike was brilliant at what he did. Flat-out brilliant. He brought a kind of wide-eyed excitement, contagious passion, and twisted sense-of-humor to being a producer and engineer that I have to imagine made him a joy to work with, and of course he had talent to burn. He wasn't just going to be successful, he was going to be a star -- and he was going to have an absolute blast doing it.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he came up against one challenge that was simply too unyielding, one competitor that was too ferocious for him to overcome, he would've been up on a stage collecting Emmys and very likely Oscars for the rest of his life. I've never been more convinced of anything.

Michael's family will be there tonight in New York City to hear his name called among the nominees and potentially even as a winner. They'll be there to personally witness his professional legacy and to revel in the honor and, yes, glory bestowed upon him by his peers. While I'm sure it'll hurt like hell to know that he's gone and can't be there himself to enjoy the recognition for his immense talents, I have no doubt that they'll do what I'm doing 3,000 miles away: celebrating. Celebrating Mike's moment. What was sure to be the first of many.

Good luck tonight, Mikey. I love you and miss you.


Sound Hunter: The Extended Interview from Greg Harriott on Vimeo.

Listening Post

The Daily Banter: Listening Post: Flesh for Lulu/9.26.13