Cranky Yellow Publishing

I tried to give 15 skeins of yarn away at the Green with Indie Craft Show, but nobody wanted it because it was synthetic and not wool. These people are supposed to take your garbage off your hands and make wearable and decorative art out of it. I was mildly irritated that they were being picky (it was very soft, and even in pretty colors!) so we didn't buy anything. We carted our yarn down to Cherokee Street instead. Cranky Yellow runs a resale shop of sorts alongside their publishing biz, and they're really cool about taking interesting things off your hands. Angelo immediately & gleefully took my box of yarn and stuffed a few skeins in the display case. That's what I'm talking about.

We first stumbled upon Cranky Yellow a couple years ago, when it was further up the street in a smaller space. I bought two Y-beaded bracelets (just like the kind I had in the fourth grade!) and vowed to return with a dumpster dived rocking armchair and lots of books. Something about the two boys running the store that day made me want to keep them swimming in cool junk.

So after all that, Laine poked around the new shop, digging a lot of weird stuff, and I perused the 'zine rack. I had $20 in my pocket and I was willing to spend every penny of it, but I didn't buy a single thing. Is it a sign of my impending old age? The 'zines were completely devoid of ideas, even anti-social psychotic ones. And I'm a supporter of the arts, but the drawings weren't even pissed off and weird enough to tempt me. What has the internet done to the underground 'zine? Is it because I'm in the midwest? Is it because I'm too old to get it? Please, prove me wrong. Point me to the kid with the answers, the one who's getting it right.

No offense meant to Cranky Yellow, by the way. I'll be the first in line for the kitty circus next month. And I have some more furniture I rescued from the alley.

P.S. The man shut down Apop Record's illegal concert venue in the basement. Now where am I supposed to go to watch people throw up on each other?