Carina and Nadia and Stan and Jay and Richard and Jon and The Keys Family Media Group featuring Lord Phlegm

[David Stafford]

There's an old Buddhist saying: When a person gives you a dog don't thank them until they give you a second dog. Probably a poor translation but I think the meaning is quite clear: I now have the two dogs. It's time to thank. Above: Dog one. We like to keep him on a lead otherwise he gets carried away. 

Dog two. Ferocious on the surface but a pussy cat underneath it all. Thank you, Carina. Your squid should arrive shortly.

Out of the blue I received an asemic letter from Nadia Aroca in Barcelona. It's actually several layers of asemic writing. Thank you, Nadia. It was refreshing to hear from a stranger in Barcelona and your letter arrived at just the right moment to boost a flagging circadian rhythm.

Stan Askew sent me this precise collage which may be a crypto-address change letter. I wasn't entirely sure. But thank you Stan and enjoy your stay in Council Bluffs.

Jay Block sent me this ephemeral collage which fits so neatly together that the eye passes over it without question. The backstory is: The guy on the left, a vegan, goes to dinner at friends and finds they aren't using the gluten-free pasta. Fracas ensues. Thank you, Jay.

Richard Canard of Carbondale sent me a vivid record of things that turned up on his neighbor's lawn the morning after Halloween. Of special note: White Cat Cigars which conjures a Dad lingering at the edge of the driveway, his White Cat tip glowing in the twilight while his kids fill their candy bags with Utz Mini Cheese Balls. A deathless image. Thank you, Richard.

The Keys Family Media Group featuring Lord Phlegm sent me an Elgin potpourri, an assortment pak, as it were, with a featured chew by Rumple Patel. For those who cannot read his bio: "Rumple Patel is a poet, songwriter and lifelong chewer with a degree in psychology and a minor in journalism." I believe he is also a rabbit. For those of you who had not heard, the Keys Family Media Group has thrown itself into the promotion of Lord Phlegm (also a rabbit) in the hopes of getting something viral going. As a person who tried something similar with a group of highly non-photogenic sea monkeys I wish them the best. Thank you, Keysians. We are all Keysians now.

Finally Jon Foster sent me a huge package of work. Some add and passes, stickers, public service messages (Piss Puddles Sting Toe Cuts), an upcoming tape show announcement (see above and congratulations, Jon) as well as an admonition not to send Jon's add and passes back to him immediately but instead let them grow heavy with sweetness on their journey through the mails. Alas, this I did not do. In my defense, the A&P I returned was so completely pre-filled with sweetness it was ready for its quick journey home to Winston-Salem. Thank you, Jon. I think I can say without fear of contradiction that marriage has been a boon for your mail art.

Thanks again to all and enjoy your Turkey Day.

[David Stafford]

That's a question that remains to be answered, DVS. I do know that Chuck hated rabbits. So that's a major policy differential.

[De Villo Sloan]

The Keys Family. Is that like the Manson Family?