We made zero dough at our gig today. That's how it goes being a busker.

Luckily Olive's plan B readily replaced the missing daily bread. Don't try this at home kids.

oliveanddingo.com/donate

OK I traded my new fancy synthesizer for this hand canon.

I'm having a bit of barters remorse (I don't like guns) so I guess I will just use it in the morning to rake some leaves and then leave it on a bus bench or donate it to the food bank.                                  Sometimes chicken sometimes feathers.

Arbiter Olive.

Busy day but we had time to stop for burritos.
As I was munching away, behind me I hear a man sit by a vid poker machine. He asked "Is someone here?"
The chair was propped backwards. That means occupied.
A middle aged black lady had been there and had got up to restroom and get her food.
Olive told him it was occupied.
The man put money into it anyway. I keep munching and soon the woman returned. She was livid. "Excuse me Sir, That's my machine, I marked it."
The man grumbled and said something to her in Spanish. She said "Don't grumble at me, get up, pull your money."
They start arguing.
I have my back to them but I was enjoying the Seagull fights...that is until I hear a familiar voice. Olive: "Yeah that was her seat Sir, ya gotta let her have her place." Then the man told the woman"I'm gonna shoot you in the parking lot."
That didn't have the desired effect as now the lady is screaming at him "Oh you gonna shoot me huh?" He added fuel to the fire by putting in more money while looking right at her.
Both Olive and the lady went to the front.
The lady was complaining Olive was being supportive...until the lady added "And you need to speak American!"
That is a great way to lose Olive support but she hung in there.
The man had several landscaper buddies with him. Anything can happen. I'm watching my food and trying to mow it down in case I gotta fight or dodge flying furniture.
I will have a great attitude until I lose my lunch. Times like this make me glad to be a Texan. I have a smile on my face but I'm easily the most ferocious person in the building. For now I'm just gonna watch (hear) the show. So the lady was grumpy, so was Olive (conflicted but still right is right) and soon the owner walks in.
He is about 300 pounds with the huge arms and no humor for this.
There was some more yelling and a little giggling (from me).
Pretty soon the man pulled his money out and slinked away.
The lady sat down and warmly thanked Olive for having her back.
On the way out Olive had a sour expression like most folks in the taco stand at that point. I sure didn't I was laughing my head off.
That was the most entertaining thing that has happened all day. It was also a triumph to see (hear) my partner relentlessly backing up a woman of color even when the threat of guns were involved.

A kid asked for my autograph. I wrote my usual one.

A kid asked for my autograph. I wrote my usual one. The kid looked puzzled. "What is Dizmal?" I forget sometimes that they only know me by the one name and never went to punk shows or circus sideshow during the 90's and Zerozees. That isn't the clown they are into. :) I'm gonna "one name" autographs from now on. If folks get me confused with an Australian dog I guess I can live with that.

This morning's car wreck tourism. :) — in Portland, Oregon.

This morning's car wreck tourism. :) — in Portland, Oregon.

Modest Mouse - Ice Cream Party (Official Music Video)

My son is 13 and totally a riot.

Yesterday he was meeting friends for a movie. We had to take him to a bike shop to pick up a lock for his tallbike. 
I was locking our bikes up so I had no idea why there was a crowd of perturbed looking cyclists surrounding him. When I got in it looked like a town hall meeting. 
The first thing I heard was a spandex clad man saying "Ulaanbaatar...why?" 
Olive wanted to get in, get out quickly and unobserved, that didn't happen because as soon as my boy went into Joe bikes he said (to the crowded bustling room)
 "OK listen up everyone (everything stopped). I have just one question...What is the capitol of Mongolia?" 
Because it's Portland someone knew right away. 
Then he said "OK I just have one more question! What would Canada do if it had a trillion dollars?" Another cyclist said "They do kid." 
That was the end of Bruce's townhall world events workshop. 
Olive gathered him up and we split. 
On the road I asked him why he did that. 
He said they looked too serious. 
Somehow he left them more serious than before.