Things never stay the same. Change is good. Change means progress. Progress is good. But certain things were perfectly good and comfortable just the way they were*: Grandma and Grandpa’s house, Grandma’s cooking, Grandpa’s horribly unsafe three-wheeler. These things don’t need to change. And yet, they do.

I wish I had made more photographs along the way. Maybe it’s time to start, anyway.

* I also offer these images as proof that I was once in shape. The funny thing is that I remember looking at that shot of me on the merry-go-round and thinking “I should lose weight.” Idiot.

Here’s the story…  When I was a kid, some other kid at the cabin gave me a tape by a rap group call Apache.  I’ve been searching for this music for like 12 years, and I finally found it.  I found an image of Kessler to insert into the post while you listen to one of my favorite songs of all time.  If you like old school rap, especially the vulgar kind, please buy this CD.

If you are at work, if you are my mother, if you are Kessler’s grandmother, please do not listen to this song.  Just move along.  Nothing to see here.

[audio:http://www.mattblum.com/blog/upload/04 Gangsta Bitch.mp3]

Kess and I attended the infamous Comedy Sportz mid-summer company party. It was also Jill Bernard’s* birthday party which is perfect timing because it was her birthday. Here are some images courtesy of me and Beantree Photography’s Katy Kessler.

This is Jill.

*If you haven’t ever seen Jill, she’s brilliant. Drum Machine is pretty much some of the best improv on the planet.

This is the best thing I’ve ever seen and I cannot stop watching it.

The Youtube people disabled embedding, so you’ll have to actually visit the web site to see the video. It’s worth it | Charlie Bit Me!

… if you tell me one more time that I don’t have permission to: (1) Open the file I just created, (2) Listen to the music I purchased, or (3) Access my own Firefox bookmarks, you will face one of the following fates: (1) Death by hurling from 2nd story window, (2) Death by body slam, (3) A stern talking to.  Number 3 is not likely.

Please respond according.