*** news flash ***

A human voice answered the phone at Lai Fong. (After the 6th ring. Time is relative)

It stated that someone would be there "until around 4."

Developments will be posted.

more plots

On the same street as Lai Fong, many blocks closer to the ocean, there is another hypnotic building. It was built around 1900 out of brown volcanic rock. On the cornice, shining gold letters on a royal blue cartouche state: THE NIPPU JIJI.

The clarity of the obscurity of this proclamation had always led me to believe that the building housed some early yakuza spin-off. While simultaneously being the earthly palace of a fascinating forgotten deity, like Tititi-Hoochoo The Great Jinjin from L. Frank Baum's books, THE NIPPU JIJI, pure god of electric light, ready at hand to save us all and Chinatown.



It was a Japanese language newspaper.


http://starbulletin.com/2003/11/30/travel/story2.html


Nonetheless, the surreal oozes like ectoplasm into the Star-Bulletin's story:

"Although the Nippu Jiji Building bears the dates 1895 and 1923, neither represents the year it was built."

plots

Other news from the land of sunshine and the sunburned mind:

I am frustrated by Fongs. There is an excellent cavernous old antique shop in Chinatown called Lai Fong (named after a picture bride from Canton). For the past week-and-a-half I have had an overwhelming urge to go to Lai Fong. I attain the big bay window storefront, mysterious and dim beneath the brilliant sun, see the dragon lady red script LAI FONG in the white stucco facade over the iron awning, note with joy that the 30s Deco lights appear to be lighted, my heart soars-- and falls to earth beneath the padlocked front doors.
I look at the handwritten notice listing the store hours.
I phone during store hours. No one answers. Except for one day, when they tell me they're closing at noon because of the holidays.
I try dropping by unannounced, during store hours. This guerilla tactic fails.
Alas, I remain deprived of Lai Fong.
More on this quest as the plot unfolds.

A Photo By Any Other Name

I updated my profile photo-- honest. When the Blogger server updates, the pic will appear like this:


Honest.
So-- *Why* haven't I been writing about what I've been doing lately??
I've been doing the final edits on Wave of Incarnations and sharpening the machete of my jungle mysterious and vital marketing strategy. Basically, this is that I hope people really like the book. *bg*