2004-06-04 - 8:21 p.m.

i ordered this amazing movie last week, 'in smog and thunder: the great war of the californias'. it's a fake documentary done ken burns-style with lots of camera pans across still images and talking head historians. the still images are paintings by southern california artist sandow birk, who also created the narrative. he spent several years creating more than a hundred paintings about an imagined war between northern and southern california, including recruitment and propoganda posters reminiscent of the cold war.

my friend z and i spent one lazy morning laughing our heads off over the movie. i was worried that the west coast specifics would be over z's texan sensibilities, but he thought it was a hilarious as i did.

i sent a glowing fan letter via email to mr. birk. he even wrote me back. i'm going to send him some paint for his newest body of work.