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Joie de Vivre

Dead Man’s Party

Dead Man's Party, Oingo Boingo

Okay. Life is weird.

I was working on Abby two nights ago, and thinking of what to call it.

“Ringwald” kept popping into my head.

Ringwald? Why?

I thought of Ms. Molly Ringwald, which made me think of John Hughes. Which made me think of Weird Science, which is my favorite teen high school romp movie, in no small part due to Oingo Boingo, which was introduced to me by my high school pal Evan Gaffney, who used Rapidograph pens and drew (even then) like a genius. Oingo Boingo’s Dead Man’s Party features their best song, No One Lives Forever and the best album cover of all time. If that’s not enough, Neil and I listened to Dead Man’s Party on the roof of my house and became lifelong buddies.

Ringwald? “No,” I said. It’s Abby. The next day, I heard the John Hughes passed away. Weird and sad.

Which is why I’m writing tonight, with some good news. For the past few months, I’ve been quietly working on my new endeavor:

the Land of the Dead

I’m announcing it tonight, to honor Mr. Hughes, Oingo Boingo and old friends.  Please have a listen to the song that planted some interesting seeds in my psyche on a roof many years ago:

Life is weird. Death will be weirder.  I’ll visit with you in The Land of the Dead, very soon, dear friends.