He might have been the original Gritizen: Tacoma-born Richard Brautigan would have been 73 today.

Here's a Brautigan excerpt that NPR's The Writer's Almanac highlighted in honor of the day:

"The sun was like a huge 50-cent piece that someone had poured kerosene on and then had lit with a match, and said, 'Here, hold this while I go get a newspaper,' and put the coin in my hand, but never came back."

So in honor of Brautigan, feel free to offer your own surreal ending to the phrase "The sun was like ... "

(Not that any of us around here would remember what the sun was like)

A regular reader alerted me to this gem in the Seattle Weekly.

Apparently some neighbors in Magnolia have started a blog to share details on suspicious behavior after some break-ins in the area.

Now, I wouldn't make light of any crimes or victims of crime. But I can't help giggling over these blog excerpts, as reported in the Weekly.

• On 1/22, 8:30pm, we had a young white male with a green hooded sweatshirt knock on our door and ask if we would like to sign up for evironmental action support. He walks with a noticeable limp. It seemed really suspicious...I reported this to 911....

• I saw the same guy around 8:15 yesterday (1/22) on 24th as I was coming home. He was walking away from the neighbor's house after she told him to go away. He didn't come over to us, though I called 911 to report his description and location, and then promptly set my alarm as well.

• We had a young black female come to our house tonight at 8:30 asking us to sign up for some enviromental support group too! I thought it was an odd time to be ringing door bells and we were in the middle of eating pizza and watching American Idol, so I said "no thank you" and shut the door quickly. My 10 year old proceeded to turn on our alarm immediately!

• Last night 1/22/08 around 8:15 pm someone knocked on our door while we were watching American Idol. We weren't expecting anyone and didn't want to be disturbed so we didn't answer and they went away. I thought it was odd to have someone knock on our door at night time. I did not see the person. Today I get to work and my co-worker tells me about all the breakins in Magnolia....What do you think they are jotting down after the rest of you have opened up the door? Clues on how to break in?

I'm imagining what would happen if any of these folks visited our fair city for a day, what with its hoodie-wearing, reality TV-interrupting masses. I mean, there are hoodies at Starbucks, hoodies at Metro Mart, hoodies pushing baby strollers – and that's just between me, Cole and Niki.

(I'm also thinking about the 3.2 offers a day I turn down from legitimately skeezy dudes walking past my apartment building who all want "rides to the bus station.")

But I'll tell you one thing, Tacoma, if wearing a hoodie is wrong, I don't want to be right.

I leave any and all "American Idol" chatter to Laura. Laura, take it away.

As for you, my darlings, why don't you post your favorite hoodie-wearing gritty Tacomans in the comments field.

UPDATE: Cole's been looking for an excuse to share this pic of what he looks like after deadline. Rainier Beer, represent.

The 100th Monkey gathering is from 7:30 to 9:30 tonight at Jazzbones.

The 100th Turtle gathering is also tonight, at a random time and secret location of your choosing.

Which one will you be attending?

Funniest thing I've read all month:

What is "The Hundredth Turtle?"

Scientists studying box turtle behavior on an island observed that the turtles had virtually no interaction with each other (the exception being sex) and yet the colony flourished.

The scientists noticed that if you placed 100 turtles together in a pen, the turtles would stop at nothing to try and escape the company of the other turtles.

– Holistic Forge Works