David Beckham will not be appearing tonight

This is how I've spent the last half hour.

I tried to bike to work this morning. I got up at like 5 am, showered, dressed, ate, went out to the garage, moved the lights from my fixiebike, started to air up tires and.. I had a rear flat. Odd. I just refilled the tire, thinking maybe I had left the valve open. Got on the bike, went 100 yards... lightning. Whatever. A quarter mile later the tire was flat again, I started to turn the bike around and about lost it, clipped into pedals with the rear tire sliding sideways.

Back to the garage to changed the tube. Got the wheel off, more lightning, now thunder, more lightning... I guess I'm not riding to work.

Luckily I had gotten up so early that I could just go take another shower and redress and go to work. Which I did.

And then I started doing that.

your measurements and results

If you're like me, you're wondering what I've been listening to lately. You might say "Me, what are you listening to?" and then you'd reply and say something like this.

"Mastadon. I'm listening to Mastadon's Blood Mountain album. It's a flashback to the days when all I listened to were Megadeth and Metallica and Sepultura and Testament and 100 other bands that are slightly embarrassing in hindsight. But I like Mastadon, it sort of makes my head swim, especially after Hoosier Beer Geek outings."

"Anything else?" you'd ask yourself.

"Oh, I guess the new Queens of the Stone Age. I don't think it's that good, really, but it's got a couple standouts."

"That's it?"

"Well, I downloaded bought a bunch of albums on Pitchfork's recommended list, but nothing is standing out... wait... I'm listening to The Pony's 'Turn the Lights Out'. It reminds me of California and summer and it's probably one of those albums that I'll think is fantastic for about a month or two and then never listen to again. Or maybe not. So... The Ponys. And the new Frank Black album, Bluefinger, is the best thing he's done in forever. And I say that as a bonafide Frank Black fan - I'd rather listen to him than the Pixies. Did I ever tell you about the time I saw Frank Black in St. Louis? Second best show I ever saw. Behind Radiohead on the OK Computer tour, in a club. I like Radiohead most, maybe you didn't know that. Of course you know that, you're me. Duh."

"Ok, so you're crazy, right?"

"Only if I answer myself."

"Oh... good."

"I just want to point out that the Bjork album is horrible. She used to be so good... and then.. I dunno. And there's this Peter Bjorn and John song, 'Up Against the Wall', that's really good. And I'm really over Spoon. Blah."

"Anything else?"

"No. I just looked through my 'My Music' directory to be sure."

While I'm on the topic...

In a couple weeks I'm having 4 friends come from the St. Louis area to visit for my birthday; We plan to spend a Saturday afternoon at Brugge drinking, watching a bit of soccer, and eating good food. Afterwards, we'll probably all retire to my house for a nap. Together. Naked. I didn't tell them that part. It's a birthday surprise.

THE QUESTION:

Saturday evening is wide open, we're all pretty cheap bastards, and we need something to do. We are generally quiet people who prefer bars where you can actually hold a conversation. If you had a group of 5 guys in need of a way to spend a Saturday evening in Indy, where would you go? Duck pin bowling? It's a possibility, but that basement is sort of creepy, really. But it's on the list anyway.

By the way, if anyone reading this wants to join in, let me know. Even if it's just for the nap.