simple short-haired joy:
T.I.'s song "Rubber Band Man"
shopping for candy

I wear headphones when I go shopping at Woodman's, our local-chain cheap-food warehouse of a grocery and sundries emporium. (Unless Sammy wants to go too, in which case, y'know, that would be evil.) I wear my Discman in a little black pouch that goes around my neck, snaky in-ear bud headphones--you know I look stupid, but I just don't care, because that's the way I roll...and it's often the only chance I have to really listen to any of the things I have that cannot be played at work or in front of the children.

Best choice lately was to pop on T.I.'s brilliant Trap Muzik, which is definitely going to end up in my Top 10 this year. I got it along with the new Nappy Roots, which I'm writing about for PopMatters (they're on tour together or something); a year ago, I'm not sure I would have been as receptive to this hardcore gangsta shit as I am now. (ILX has a lot to answer for.)

But I am nowhere near as blown away as I should be by Nappy Roots, and way more blown away by T.I. than I ever thought I would be, and songs like "Rubber Band Man" are why. The opening mutter of "David Banner" sounds less like an announcement of the producer and more like a threat, the whole thing slinks along with an arrogant sneer on its face, corny children's chorus chanting "na na na na na" in the background, T.I. just slurring out his very poetic defense of selling drugs to people, the chorus: "Rubber Band Man / Wild as the Taliban / Nine in my right / .45 in my other hand / Call me Trouble Man / I always in trouble, man / Worth about two hundred grand / The shit is all covered, man" (not sure about the last line), the big fat beat, the whole thing is brilliant.

But it's even more brilliant when you hear it while shopping for Hallowe'en candy in south-central Wisconsin. I favor Snickers in any configuration; Kit Kats and Nestle Crunch are pretty dope; got a good deal on a massive pack of M&M's; I don't mind me some Milky Ways or Baby Ruths; oh check it out yo they got Dexter's Lab insignia on these Skittles -- I think I really do love this holiday. And my soundtrack was the scariest thing about it. T.I. is so talented it's terrifying.

We carved pumpkins last night and I'm roasting pumpkin seeds tonight.