Photo: where to begin, originally uploaded by hambox.

Two recent payoffs from the art of procrastination:

• Getting clean after 3 days of dirty in the woods. As I often pronounce to myself when in the shower: Never underestimate the power of hot, soapy water.
• Ordering a new cell phone after too many months dealing with my painfully faulty and ungainly brick. Am looking forward to the new guy (hopefully) holding its charge for more than 5 minutes. Apparently has modren features called “camera” and “MP3 player”.

Like that picture above? It’s a billboard for an AM/PM in Bakersfield! Update: My friend Zoomar is as confused about this picture as I am; it’s being deconstructed here.

If you’re ever in Carpinteria, go to the Palms Restaurant, order yourself a steak, and cook it yourself on the indoor grill! The place is so delightfully retro that I suspect if I went there as a child in the 70s, the experience would have been very similar to last night’s.

Today’s AP headlines, below. There’s a brilliant joke somewhere in my brain, but I lack the ability to tease it up to the surface right now. It a DIYer today.

And three movies that have been mentioned in my earshot in the past week:

• Guarding Tess
• Raising Helen
• Boxing Helena

AND will someone make me some Kool-Aid pickles? I’m looking at you, darling Andrew!