9:30 club: The Decemberists

I just caught The Decemberists at the 9:30 Club. I've now seen them there three times, the first with Kassie last year was probably the best. They had props and put on a whole production. Tonight they just played their instruments and generally rocked out.

The crowd's unfamiliarity with the new Decemberists album was apparent from the start. Enthusiasm waned during the new songs, with the crowd perking up when they played songs off of Picaresque. Lead singer Colin Meloy's efforts to get the crowd to participate were mixed, successful with 16 Military Wives, not as much on Sons and Daughters.

Musically, the band continues to be superior. Meloy's voice and a panoply of instruments filled the club with melodies wistful and sweet. Playing for two hours, this was probably the longest set I've seen at 9:30.

And with a well-lit stage throughout the show, I think I may have taken my best concert picture ever.

the oldering: sister edition

If my sister were Martin Luther King, today would be Martin Luther King Day.

i lost

Last night, after having a few drinks at Rebecca's party, I decided to pull an Andy Wilson, and got into a fight with the ground. This morning, I was unimpressed with my results of my pugilism.

There's a nice scrape on my forehead too. Good work, me.

black cat: the national

All my concert photos look the same.

Tonight I went to the Black Cat to see The National. They did not disapoint, with some great drum work laying a foundation for lead singer Matt Beringer. Classic indie rock.

The National played largely off their most recent album, Alligator. There were more than a few fans in attendance. One gentleman in whose general direction I wanted to throw a grenade. He kept yelling "National!", I think implying that the similarity between the band's name and a popular local baseball team was somehow significant. National(s) fans aside, the crowd was largely indifferent. It's too bad, because the band put on a hell of a show, exactly what you'd expect from a band that's been around for a while. The crowd got into a few songs, but were a buzzkill most of the show.

Nonetheless, a good show and a band I'd definitely go see again. Just don't ask me to photograph it.

in the kitchen: self explanatory

in the kitchen: pork tenderloin

I've been cooking a lot recently, with time on my hands and little with which to fill the idle hours. There were two pork tenderloins in our refrigerator, and I put one to good use on Sunday, making pork scallopini with balsamic vinegar sauce and polenta with Gruyère.

Tonight I made:

Pork loin with bourbon glaze, potato apple gratin, braised red cabbage with apples.

The bourbon glaze sauce on the pork would taste good on anything, and the meal as a whole was pretty good.

i'm no boyscout...

This is ridiculous:

Boy Scouts in the Los Angeles area will now be able to earn a merit patch for learning about the evils of downloading pirated movies and music.

The patch shows a film reel, a music CD and the international copyright symbol, a "C" enclosed in a circle.

The movie industry has developed the curriculum.

hooray for democracy!

I just voted. Well, I suppose I do need to drop my ballot into the mailbox, but close enough.

flat daddy

This is a little bit heartbreaking:

"Where’s Flat Daddy?" an excited Baylee asked as her stepmother, Jennifer Smith, pulled a large cardboard picture of Sergeant Smith, in his uniform, out of her Chevy Blazer and propped him on the bumper. The two, along with Ms. Smith’s young sons, Alec and Derek, posed for a picture with their Flat Daddy, who promptly fell down.

"Stop it Dad, that’s not funny. It’s not a joke," Baylee said with a laugh.

The Maine National Guard is giving life-size from-the-waist-up pictures of soldiers to the families of deployed guard members. Guard officials and families say the cutouts, known as Flat Daddies or Flat Soldiers, connect families with a relative who is thousands of miles away. The Flat Daddies are toted everywhere from soccer practice to coffee shops to weddings.

"The response has been unbelievable," said Sgt. First Class Barbara Claudel, director of the Maine National Guard’s family unit. "The families just miss people so much when they’re gone that they try to bring their soldier everywhere."

The Maine National Guard has given out more than 200 Flat Soldiers since January. While other guard units are recommending Flat Soldiers, and families around the country are using them, officials here say Maine’s National Guard is the only one giving one to each family that asks.

Flat Daddies have been used by military families since at least 2003, when Cindy Sorenson of Bismarck, N.D., ordered a life-size photo of her former husband, Capt. Dave Bruschwein, on a piece of foam board when he was stationed in Iraq with the North Dakota National Guard.

Ms. Sorenson heard that the children of local guard members made small cutouts of themselves modeled on the children’s book "Flat Stanley," where the character is flattened and can travel by envelope, and then mailed the images to Iraq.

She wanted to make a similar, life-size version of Captain Bruschwein for their daughter, Sarah, who was 13 months old when her father was deployed. She took a picture of him and his jacket measurements to a local printer, who charged her $75 for Flat Dave, as he was called.

Ms. Sorenson said it helped Sarah, now 4, recognize her father when he came home on leave. "She saw him on the jetway and said, 'Daddy, Daddy,’ ” Ms. Sorenson said. “There was no anxiety.”

Ms. Sorenson shared the idea with Elaine Dumler, a Colorado motivational speaker, who included it in a book on coping with deployment.

Ms. Dumler said National Guard families were receptive to the idea because many had never dealt with a long overseas deployment.

“It affects these families a little more,” Ms. Dumler said, “because they’re not living on a base or a post, surrounded by families who know what they’re going through. They tend to feel a little more isolated.”

That is especially true here in Maine, whose National Guard members are randomly assigned to bases throughout that large state. The National Guard tries to have parties where Flat Soldiers are invited, and family members sometimes take them to support meetings.

Cristin Gardner of Ellsworth, whose husband, Troy, is stationed in Iraq, said she often caught her 6-year-old son, Ashton, including Flat Daddy when he played with soldiers.

Rachel Austin of Colorado Springs paid $50 for a flat version of her husband, Toby, in February after hearing about them through the Colorado National Guard. Ms. Austin said Toby was at the dinner table every night with their sons, Ayden, 20 months, and Ryan, 5. Flat Toby also has been to pre-kindergarten graduation, an uncle’s 50th birthday party in Cheyenne, Wyo., and a Denver Broncos game, although he sat in the car because it was raining.

Ms. Austin said Ayden, who was 13 months old when she brought Flat Toby home, recognized his father, often taking the image off its usual chair and kissing it. Flat Toby is a real person in their house, she said.

"It's nice to see him each day, just to remember that he’s still with us," Ms. Austin said. "It’s one of the best things I’ve done during this deployment. I really think it’s helped us stay connected, to remember that he’s still with us."

Angela Williams, 27, of Anchorage, got a flat version of her husband, who she married three months before he was deployed to Afghanistan, through the Alaska National Guard.

Her flat husband spends most of his time in their bedroom closet, but she will occasionally take him out to show to friends or to look at herself.

"He went away so recently after we got married that sometimes I look at it and say, 'Oh, I’m married, and he’s real and he’s gorgeous,"' Ms. Williams said.

Parents of young deployed soldiers are also using flat soldiers. Carol Campbell of Anson, Me., got a flat version of her 24-year-old daughter, Jessica, who now sits at the family's kitchen table. Ms. Campbell writes all of the places Jessica has visited on the back of the cutout. In June, Flat Jessica even chaperoned an after-prom party that her younger sister attended.

Ms. Campbell said that her youngest daughter thought the idea was odd at first, and that their dog, Speckles, used to bark at the Flat Soldier, but that both are now used to it.

"At first, it can take you aback, but it never did for me," Ms. Campbell said. "I just felt like her presence is here. The Flat Soldier does provide comfort, and we’ll take it any way we can."

it's snowing in minneapolis

the end is near

I've finally booked my plane ticket home. I'm leaving Minneapolis on Monday, and hopefully I'll get deployed soon after.

wow!

That's one big zucchini.

birthday dinner

Last night Trevor proved he could eat a whole bowl of edamame, while Andy looks on in awe. Good times.

an observation

If I were Jesus, today would be Christmas.

a's 5, twins 2

Memo to Torii Hunter: with two outs and a runner on first in a tie game it's helpful to keep the ball in front of you.

let's try that again

a's 3, twins 2

That didn't go well.

playoff baseball

i take attractive pictures of my friends

This is the only photo I took at Kassie's wedding reception or at the open house that evening. I guess when I look back at this joyous day, I'll think of Bongo.

i need a vasectomy

This is Laura's niece Brynn. Brynn, 1.5 years old, was staying with Laura and Kate this weekend. Brynn spent the weekend giving me the stink-eye and trying to hurt herself. She also confirmed my desire never to have children. And heightened my gratitude for my parents' shocking decision not to abandon me.

She was in a good mood tonight though, and wouldn't leave me alone. It was fun for the first ten minutes, but I don't know how anyone puts up with years of that crap.

let's go Twins

This year's Minnesota Twins might be the most exciting baseball team I've ever watched. It's not just the stars, Mauer, Morneau, Sanatana, but the role players. And the Tigers have just handed a lead to Kansas City, and the Twins are leading. If these results hold, they'll win the division and I'll watch them host the Oakland A's on Tuesday.