Begin Again

Here are some mock ups that my friend Brian Standeford did for the cover of the next CLGIV e.p., Begin Again:

the Missoula Oblongata presents: the 50 Greatest Ladies and Gentlemen

Here's one of the promo shots for our new show.

Our night on the town

CLGIV, Live on Comacast Digital Cable

Several weeks ago I was invited to perform at the Funhouse, at a show that was being recorded for broadcast on Comcast's OnDemand Digital Cable. Brian Standeford and T.v. Coahran joined me for the performance. So far, this is the only video I've been able to track down.

Bone Graft

Earlier this month I noticed a foul taste in my mouth. It wasn't too long before it began to get worse, eventually becoming a foul smell noticeable to Ulrika. I noticed that, if I were to clench my jaw, a warm sensation would occur around my gold crown. Seconds later the now omnipresent foul taste would swell, in a burst of concentrated flavor. It became apparent that beneath my back molar, an infection was triumphantly raging.

The offending tooth

Fearing the exorbitant fees that dental work nearly always accrues, I postponed seeing a dentist for a few days. Because the smell did not abate (but rather, got worse) I attempted to be seen at the first-come, first-serve King County Public Health Clinic. After waiting for 2 hours, and 3 1/2 hours on consecutive days I decided I could wait no longer.

Embarrassed, I called my father and explained the situation. He quickly exacerbated my chagrin by telling me that I should only feel embarrassed for not having sought his help any earlier.

The very next day I was able to see a terrific dentist, right in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, he was unable to give me any terrific news. The first thing he said, almost immediately upon seeing the x-ray, was, "Unfortunately we won't be able to save this tooth".

Treatment

So I had the tooth extracted yesterday. I'd never been conscious during a procedure like that. At first I didn't think the nitrous oxide they had me on was working. I still felt extremely nervous while they were preparing to extract the tooth. Then I began to wonder about the light they were shining in my face: how much brighter would it be if I wasn't wearing sunglasses? I wonder what color the light would be? What color are the lenses in these things?

So I guess it really was working. I couldn't shake the fear entirely, but I imagine the experience would have been a lot worse without it. Apparently the infection had gotten so bad the doctor had to remove a small piece of bone in order to get all of it out. The now empty hole in my jaw was filled with a paste of granulated cow bone. At least, that's how I understand it.

It's been about 24 hours since the operation. So far, the most uncomfortable thing about the recovery has been the diet. For the next three weeks, I can't eat anything except cold liquids. Right now I'm working on a recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup smoothie. I'll let you know how it is.

The Clown's Crown

Ingmar