Money is, invariably, pretty tight at present. As some of you know, I have been working off and on as a frozen novelty salesman over the last few months�a job that, though full of indefinable pleasures, has very little to offer in terms of monitory compensation. I'm not totally sure what kept me from this realization at the very onset of this journey, but the math is simply not with me. here's a simple breakdown:

the business is commission based. in order for me to break even with concern to gas costs and "rental fee," (what I like to call "paying for the pleasure") I have to sell roughly $50 worth of my available merchandise. at another $50�$100 dollars total, I have made about fifteen dollars for myself. So far my highest take was just short of $300, leaving me with a comfortable $75, with me making somewhere around $11 an hour. That's only happened once. more often than not, I am netting around $160, which leaves me somewhere less than $5 an hour. and we're talking about a pretty hostile environment: the gas fumes alone give me headaches every shift I work.

After a break-down stole about two hours of my time and left me stranded in the middle of nowhere this past week, I decided to cut my losses and just bail on the whole situation. then complications arose. you see, because the company was unable to come repair the vehicle, i abandoned it in the semi-posh Irvington neighborhood of Portland, and told them that they could come pick it up on their own time. leaving the cart there overnight, someone broke into the vehicle and stole all of the remaining ice cream (which was, of course, the vast majority of what I had with me on that day, considering that the bulk of my time was spent trying to get the boat repair, not actually selling anything).

Now, this puts me in something of a position, considering I had planned to quit the very day that this occurred. A little suspicious, me thinks. my "boss" also made so vain attempt to hold me responsible for the theft, suggesting that the situation was "no different" than if I spent twenty minutes in a grocery store and the car was broken into. My response was plain and respectful: I see a vast difference between these two scenarios, sir. It was your cart which broke down, it was your employee that refused to come get it, and it was you who said I was free to go. I view these situations as very disparate. The issue remains to be resolved.

Oh, right: Parenthetical Girls. Rachael Jensen and I are working at making this Heck Fest thing go over as smoothly as humanly possible, as Rebecca vacations in Toledo. Things are going pretty well. Everyone is gone in my city right now. I got drunk on the Fourth of July and listened to Galaxie 500. Warm intentions to my Room mate who is currently (boo-hoo) stranded in London. I know, right?

Tour is shaping up�please take a moment to peruse the performances page if you will, as i am still feeling nervous about a few gaps. Help me out, y'all. Make sure you check out the Dead Science's "Gay Romeo Is Bleeding" tour dates in case by some stretch of the imagination, they actually make it to your town.

Thanks to Curt Merrill for his help with Movable Type�something that will invariably make this website experience all the more comfortable for all of us... and look! Comments!

Difficulties still abound on the discography page, and problem which awaits the return of webmistress Rebecca who is currently vacationing in, of all places, Toledo. All particularly relavent materials can be found at these links:

Here's To Forgetting MP3, from side O of the Album (((GRRRLS)))
C-86 Is Killing My Life MP3, from side X of the Album (((GRRRLS)))
Here's To Forgetting MP3, recorded live at Dunes with Y.A.C.H.T.

Thank you for your patronage.

zac pennington
parenthetical girls.

p.s. I almost forgot�Slender Means Society and States Rights Records are now officially selling the new Pregnancy EPs by The Blow and Thanksgiving. Check out States Rights' website for full details! Very excited!

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