Welcome to Forgotonia

Did anyone catch this guy (Robert Hastings, the author of “UFOs and Nukes”) on “Larry King Live” in July?

He’s coming to WIU to speak in the fall: a noted UFO researcher—but also one who claims that there’s a connection between the U.S. government, secret nuclear testing, and, um, “superior aircraft“ being piloted by something or someone unknown to us.

Um, yeah, he might sound like a bit of a crackpot.

But I’m sure I don’t sound too sain when I tell you that I saw something really freaking strange in the sky (outside Carthage) one time, the summer I was 15 (and had 3 other people with me at the time, so: booyhah!)

I’m not a lunatic who thinks there are green men trying to come down and take over our planet or anything.

But I’ll never be convinced that it was “just a reflection” or whatever when, that summer night so long ago, I saw something not-of-this-world appear quickly in the sky above my house, divide into four, come back together, and then disappear.

So I’m thinking this guy’s speech at WIU might be worth attending (if I don’t have class that night.

Or, well, let’s see: go to class, or go hear guy talk about aliens. Is it really even a choice?)

Leave your own crackpot theories, UFO sightings, (or, at the very leas, Larry King sightings, below.)

….but c-ya soon(ish)!

Last night when I got home from work, I spotted an Amazon.com box in my downstairs entryway.

On my way to the front door—now with box in arms—I slipped on a sludge-y spot of mud and muckiness (thanks to two or three months’ accumulation of rain and general humid gross-ness piled on top of leaves I’ve still never raked up from last fall) and skinned the absolute @#$% out my knee.

Waaaaa, it hurts!
But damn did it probably look funny to those guys across the street playing frolf.

Fer serious: Mormons disco?!?

Check out this event in Nauvoo:

BYU Ballroom Dance Company

The Brigham Young University “Ballroom Dance Company” returns [to Nauvoo] to perform at the Historic Nauvoo Visitors’ Center Outdoor Stage, 290 N. Main Street. This group of 36 world-renouned [sic], award-winning dancers will perform a variety showcase of Latin and international dance styles including waltz, samba, foxtrot, and hustle. These free shows are held Monday through Saturday at 8:30 p.m. All ages will enjoy this free entertainment venue.

I had no idea.

Um, is it weird that I seriously kinda want to go?

The band Living Colour is back!

(According to this item from Rolling Stone, anyway. (But um, judging from the leather jacket, etc., in that pic, it’s a file photo?)

Does anyone out there remember when they played at Western?

One of the bands that will be playing right here in Forgotonia (at Korn-er-stone) in a few days, MewithoutYou, is featured by Entertainment Weekly in a blog post, complete with wonky video.

From one quick look at the video, it appears that this band takes a note or two from the Decemberists.

So, if they’re playing at Cornerstone, are they considered a Christian rock act?

Or is Cornerstone no longer [or was it ever] specifically a required-to-be-Christian venue?

Just wonderin.’

Drop me a line if you know about this.)

This recent mainstream publicity only furthers my fascination with the annual event, which draws people from literally all around the world to spend a weekend on a McDonough County farm.

You can find the MewithoutYou listing on the Cornerstone schedule (click “Stage,” and scroll through the Main Stage band names.)

Interestingly, if you click on the Entertainment Weekly link (above) to watch the video, you can also click on a link for the band’s tour dates– a link that indicates MewithoutYou is a punk band.

I’m intrigued!