“Open your minds, my friends.
We all fear what we do not understand.”
—Robert Langdon 

 

Charlie Higgins leads me by the arm into a space entirely unlike the rest of this mysterious fortress. 

The dining room is…

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“What did I know, what did I know 
of love’s austere and lonely offices?” 
—Robert Hayden 

When the time came for Daddy Bill to move into hospice care, it fell to me to clean out his stark…

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“We all grow up with inherited genes 
and inherited sensibilities, and 
they run very, very deep.” 
—John Lithgow 
 

To recap: it turns out that my estranged mother, who left us when I was a baby, was a singer. Although…

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“It’s good to know where you come from. 
It makes you what you are today. 
It’s DNA. It’s in your blood.” 
—Alexander McQueen 
 

In 1984 I was at boarding school in Michigan when my father called from Arizona to…

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Childhood memories are like polaroid photos in an old dusty box. 

They don’t provide a cohesive autobiographical narrative, only brief flashes of insight into the murky past. You sort through the random images, shuffling them like playing cards, until…

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“if this town is just an apple 
then let me take a bite” 
—Steve Porcaro 

 

I love New York.

Original, right? 

Artists are drawn to New York City of course, but unlike many of my college…

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“Adulthood and what they call maturity is 
the slow acceptance of what you will never be.” 
—Bryan Callen 

“Maybe it’s time to let the old ways die.” 
—Jason Isbell 

As of today, about 71 million Americans have been…

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Remember the song “Fame?” 

Not the groovy David Bowie ear worm. The other one: 

Fame! I’m gonna live forever 
I’m gonna learn how to fly 
High! I feel it coming together 
People will see me and…

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Family Photos
Fortress of Sassitude | Centralia WA
August 12, 2015
Photo by Sassy

Warm thanks to visual artist Apierre2, who traveled all the way from Barstow to San Diego
last night to deliver two of his signature resin-sealed portraits to us at Dizzy's.
I love the colors in this image (based on… Read more

Middle Seat
PHX to OAK
Southwest Airlines
March 19, 2015

You're welcome, world.

- D.M.

Bad News: Sending out lots of 1099s this year.
Good News: Everybody gets a Batman stamp!

Added SAGEBRUSH REBELLION, my tenth CD as a leader, to The Wall today.
What a satisfying feeling! Thank you, Ballyard Design, for the beautiful cover art!

Dmitri Matheny, age 17
1983 NAU Music Camp

Stumbling across this ridiculous photo today (31 years later), I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for GRANT WOLF, who somehow was able to see past the silly clothes and cocky attitude, and steer this…

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Sidemen Beware:
I am now the proud owner of a Rudy Vallee Megaphone.
And I intend to use it!

Dear Santa,

As you know, Christmas Day is also my birthday. 

 

This year, I've been a very good boy and a hard working dog.

 

Please bring me anything from this list:

 

• CD: Grand River…

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My kind of atmosphere. This is the kind of place Clint Eastwood might've
stayed in Pale Rider or High Plains Drifter.