Live from the Emporium

9:55 a.m.

The frost on the twigs has taken on a new look this morning, more crystaline, pristine. It's so cold outside you could get frostbite in about a minute. According to the gadget in my sidebar it is one degree. Yet here, inside the Underdog Cafe at the Emporium in downtown Yellow springs, it is steamy warm, like one of Carolion's chicken-breath greenhouses. No chickens here, however, only sinners and fools that forgot that it was Sunday.

I am waiting for Jeff Lucas, my first guest this morning. I got here early to get a table and set up. Jeff moved here about ten years ago from San Francisco with his wife Kristen. Kristen is a cousin of the Dallas family. That's how they knew about Yellow Springs.

[LIVE UPDATE] According to Emporium Manager Cathy Phillips, there will be no breakfast served tomorrow morning, Monday, 1/11. [Update #2] Breakfast will resume on Tuesday, 1/12.

10:00

An aside while I am waiting: Amy asked me to pick her up one of the Emporium's delicious fresh rolls. "And don't stay too long," she added.

10:01

Not much of a crowd here. I've never been on a Sunday before. If this were a Saturday, I'd have trouble getting a table. Maybe it's the weather. Half the tables are still available. Come on down!

10:04

Here comes Jeff. Jeff has a doggie bag, too.

Hi Jeff ! I'm live on my blog. You know my blog?

No.

What?

I've got to check out your blog, man! Is Walter involved in it?

Are you kidding..? He's my chief cartoonist!



So are you still working for Delphi?

Yeah.

What kind of hours are you working?

I was working from 6 am till 10 pm and coming in on Saturdays. Now it's 6 - 8 pm. We are doing the work of two or more shifts because they have cut back elsewhere.

10:18

I am so honored to be your first guest! At some point can you show me some of Walter's illustrations? We take a few minutes out of the blogcast to scroll through the Bench to Nowhere toons.

10:25

Barb Forster and Anna have arrived. I tell them what I am doing. Barb calls her sister in Ottawa to tell her to tune into the blogcast.





10:34

We are getting ready to do a video interview. Jeff is going to review "Avatar."



10:53

Time to go home before I get in trouble. Thanks, Jeff.

Thanks, Virgil. Let me drop in a plug for Slingshot in Berkley. They do handmade datebook planners. It also includes all kinds of advice. Like what to do if you get arrested, you know.

See ya around the burg.

Awesome.

By the time the blogcast is over, the place is full and Mark Delozier is tickling the keys on the piano. Outside it has warmed to 7 degs.