Two great fists, one great party

So, yeah, as evidence by the photo above, I wrapped up Detox Week 2010 at one of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino’s Palazzo Suites celebrating the 10th anniversary of Penn & Teller in Las Vegas … completely clean and sober. And having a grand time.

(That’s the one-and-only Brandy Bell in the photo with me, as if you needed to be told.)

Thus concluded another successful, and relatively painless, eschewing of processed and animal-based foods/beverages. I don’t know if the going went easier because this session was only seven days (as opposed to the 10-day stretch last December), or if it was because I had already acclimated to reduced crap/carb consumption (I can’t tell you the last time I bought a loaf of bread), but it did, and while I’ll be happy to eat a little bit less restrictively, I am again left with a sense that some permanent change will remain.

Every time I do some regimented routine to improve my health, it seems to have small after-effects. Like when I did the From Couch to 5k deal — while I did expect to run occasionally, I didn’t expect it to be something I continued to crave often. And I expect to see more lasting, subtle impact from Detox Week 2010 as well.

Yesterday was a bit of a rush, as I darted about doing more prep for my trip this weekend, and more promotion for the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, about which you’ll hear a lot from me next week. Last night, I went to the studios of KUNV with Deryl Skelton to appear on Nate Tannenbaum’s “Playing Favorites” program. It’s a combination interview/music show, in which — as the title indicates — guests play their favorite songs. Deryl and I talked about Tales from the Boneyard and the Comic Book Festival as well as ourselves, but Deryl really stole the show with his always-entertaining personal stories derived from 30 years of working as an artist in comic books, syndicated strips and commercial illustration. The program airs next Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. on 91.5-FM here in Vegas (or stream that baby here).

After that, it was off to the mall to do my civic duty and VOTE. Yes, kids, I consider it a duty, not a right. Engagement in this country’s political process is the only way to have a voice, so if you’re not personally running for public office, you’d better make sure you’re making your choice for who is. Early voting continues through this week, but if you’re not already registered, well, you suck. (Unless you’re under 18. Then you get a pass.)

After snarfing down some bad veggies and rice from a food court vendor (they only had fried rice, not steamed, so I barely ate any of it, poking around to avoid egg), I zipped over to the Rio for the after-show party for Penn & Teller. It was a lovely affair, decorated for the Halloween season, attended by the usual suspects plus just about every comedian and magician in town, but the best part? The SOUNDTRACK. (Because I mixed it.) But really: Good times.

I barely slept last night due to a combo of getting in late and our dogs being assholes as usual, so I was way too pooped for a run this morning. Tonight will continue shenanigans, as an emergency band practice has been scheduled due to some last-minute personnel changes for next week’s Brass Lounge gig (more on that … next week), and then I have to pack up to drive out to SoCal tomorrow, so … yeah. Geez, and I still haven’t even really talked about that here, have I? I will later, for real.

So, with that, I leave you with Day Seven’s post-menu. Enjoy, and thanks for playing:

• Breaksfast: One gala apple, one cup Dynamo juice blend
• Morning snack: Apple pie flavor Larabar
• Lunch: Trader Joe’s lentil and vegetable soup
• Afternoon snacks: Raw almonds/walnuts, carrots and hummus, celery and peanut butter
• Pre-dinner snack: One banana
• Dinner: Steamed, mixed veggies over rice (see above, bleh)
• Late-night snack: A few dried papaya spears
• Beverages: Water, a sip or two of Kombucha, about a serving of Green Protein juice blend