Oh no. Gene's at it again.

Here’s what all the kids are wearing this season. Adults, too. Well, the tech-savvy adults. I’ll take mine in fuchsia, with feather trim.

What’s most awesome about these pants, however, is how you inflate them. The pictures don’t show the Inflatorr Tube (TM), or where you put the tube. So these are organic, Earth-friendly pants — no non-biodegradable petroleum by-products necessary. Except when you make the pants out of recycled tires and oil sludge, but that’s not so bad.

Livaudais Junior High School yearbook, 1981.

I am fortunate in that I own three museum-quality McIntosh amplifiers: two MC30 tube amps, and one MC2505 solid-state amp. The MC30s are my primary amps — they sound wonderful, open and warm, and are completely non-fatiguing. Their midrange is nothing short of magical. 

But every now and then I like to shift things around, so I put the MC2505 into the system. What a difference. The solid-state MC2505 controls bass very well, so the system’s soundstage exploded in all directions. The midrange isn’t nearly as magical as the MC30s, but it make up for that with tight bass and pacing. My Klipsch Cornwalls like to be driven by the solid-state as much as the tube amps; it must be that McIntosh/Klipsch synergy audiophiles frequently get teary-eyed about.

Most surprising is how the MC2505 is making me listen to different music. Rock stuff from the 90s and later sounds really good now — more punchier, more rocking, more energetic. I find myself dancing with my daughter more than I used to.

We did a quick visit to Chicago in April, to visit some old friends. We are in love with Chicago. The food, the beer, the art, the park, the aquarium, all of it. And the city has this thing called public transportation. You can pay $1.50 and take a train to cross the city. Remarkable!

We waited an hour to eat at Hot Doug’s restaurant. Best hot dogs I’ve ever had. They sell french fries fried in duck fat. And they fry their hot dogs. Sublime.

My buddy and I visited the Hopleaf Bar. Which is now the Best Bar in the World. They had beers on tap I would never see in Texas. Fuck Texas and its retarded liquor laws. I want to be able to do to my local liquor store and buy Rodenbach Grand Cru like you can in Chicago.

I’m not much of a movie goer. I hate the prices, I hate the people, and don’t even get me started on the food. I have a very nice two-channel stereo/home theater at home, and I’ve been a Netflix subscribe for eight years, so I’m not crazy about shelling out a pile of cash to see some weepy tearjerker.

But I do enjoy summer blockbusters and I think some films should be seen on the big screen. I made a point to see all of the Harry Potter, Matrix, and Lord of the Rings films on the big screen. And I cannot wait to see the new Batman film.

But I’m seriously thinking twice about it. In the past two weeks I’ve seen Iron Man and Speed Racer. Two weeks ago I caught Iron Man. There were only about 30 people in the theater, which was good. But the volume was so fucking loud my ears hurt. I mean obnoxiously loud. And the sound was mixed poorly and the upper frequencies were far too shrill. I honestly spent most of the theater with my fingers in my ears.

Last night I saw Speed Racer in a different theater. Not even 20 people in the theater. But I had my earplugs with me this time. And you know what? It was still too loud. The earplugs made it bearable, but during the loud passages I was still feeling pain.

I’ve heard loud music. I saw My Bloody Valentine live, for crying out loud. In 1982 I saw AC/DC live and couldn’t hear my teachers in school for two days. I know loud music.

I also know what noise is, and I don’t appreciate being subjected to it when I drop $10 to see a film. I should not have to use earplugs in a movie.