Ernest Detritus (January 1 , 1972 - August 24, 2007) was guitarist and singer with the Omaha-based band Infinite Lamentations.
Born in Odebolt near Wall Lake in Iowa, Detritus moved to Omaha in the late 1980s and became a backing singer with the Benson-based indie band, Bad Butter.
He met I.F. founder Flimsy Lament when Bad Butter played with his band and soon joined I.F. as a second vocalist in 1992. He also played jewish lip harp, as well as percussion and keyboards, and occasionally sang lead vocals.
In 2000 Detritus teamed up with Tekamah space rock group, FarmKraft to form Schema Seed. Schema featured vocals and instrumentals in approximately equal measure, adding some synthesizer. An eponymous maxi-EP/mini-album was released in 2000 on avant-garde Nan-See Guard Ner imprint, 6 State Street Domestic Dispute.
Detritus was struck by a truck and killed while riding his Vespa in the Dundee area of Omaha, NE August 24, 2007. He was 35-years-old.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Conversation About HBO
There’s this new show coming out on HBO, have we talked about it?
No
God, I can’t remember what it’s about but the idea is one of those ‘of course, this will make a great television show why didn't I think about it!’ and now I can’t remember what it’s about. I want to say about a high school kid and the crap you go through in high school. I can’t even remember why I can’t remember it. It's good though. Maybe I dreamed it.
Either way it sounds good. I’m looking forward to it.
Me too. Damn it, what is it about? You haven’t seen any previews have you?
No.
Well, let me know if you do….when you see it you’ll know.
Ok. You heard John From Cincinnati was canceled.
NO!
* * *
Privately I thought no show about high school and all the tribulations one faces is something I want to watch. I hope my co-worker dreamed the thing up. I went though it myself after all…to watch this show and laugh about those crazy times would not be a truthful thing to do. I don’t look back fondly on those times. I wasn’t necessarily one of those picked on or marginalized by the student body, nor was I the successful athlete who everyone knew and admired. I occupied a hazy space in between the two extremes….the slightly below average athlete clique. No band. No thespian club. No future business leaders of America. Not a pot smoker. Not a skateboarder. Just a poor athlete. Small, underdeveloped, young for my grade.
Though I had no inclination to participate in the school plays I secretly admired the thespians who seemed to walk and sing loudly and laugh and move carefree down the hallways in between classes. Completely uninhibited. Maybe only the good thespians behaved this way, the confident ones like the star athletes. But I doubt it. I don’t think the talented actors preyed on the weaker ones like the kids in sports did. Who knows? Years later I heard a handful of these thespians chose to become gay.
Anyway, I remember one occasion when I was the butt of the joke, the picked on kid. I wore a button down brown short sleeve shirt that my mom got from who knows where. Stitched on the pocket was the word ‘Excellent’. I don’t know why. Maybe it was the brand of shirt, maybe it wasn’t. A handful of kids during the lunch hour noticed my shirt and took me to task. ‘Hey Flimsy, you sure look Excellent today.’ ‘Excellent shirt Flimsy’
This got big laughs. Then somehow the word ‘Excellent’ took on a different pronunciation and a special voice was applied to it when said. It’s hard to describe…but it sounded like a Hispanic who didn’t pronounce the last two letters nt. Excella….
Are you excella today Flimsy? Great. This lasted about 20 minutes. Here I am 17 years later recalling it. Why? Also, I never wore that shirt again. One of the kids who joked that day was recently arrested for a domestic dispute I heard.
A good show for HBO would be about a bully who grows up and his kids end up being the ones getting picked on in school. It is only then he learns the error of his ways. But what happens after he learns his lesson? Maybe he becomes an inspirational speaker that takes him on the road 300 days out of the year. Another ironic thing is that he misses his kids growing up because he’s on the road so much. When the last one graduates from high school it is only then he learns the error of his career choice. At that point he decides he can still be the father his kids never had by becoming a janitor at their school, the University of Nebraska Omaha. Don’t think of me as your dad, I’m just the janitor at your school. At first this unnerves his 3 kids but eventually they start treating him like shit just like every other student at the university. They discard half drank chocolate milk shakes at his feet right after he’s finished sweeping and waxing a long hallway. The kids walk away laughing then a single tear falls down the janitor’s face. It is only then the man realizes his kids have finally accepted him as their janitor. Here’s the catch. He’s crying tears of joy. Completely unexpected, huh?
No
God, I can’t remember what it’s about but the idea is one of those ‘of course, this will make a great television show why didn't I think about it!’ and now I can’t remember what it’s about. I want to say about a high school kid and the crap you go through in high school. I can’t even remember why I can’t remember it. It's good though. Maybe I dreamed it.
Either way it sounds good. I’m looking forward to it.
Me too. Damn it, what is it about? You haven’t seen any previews have you?
No.
Well, let me know if you do….when you see it you’ll know.
Ok. You heard John From Cincinnati was canceled.
NO!
* * *
Privately I thought no show about high school and all the tribulations one faces is something I want to watch. I hope my co-worker dreamed the thing up. I went though it myself after all…to watch this show and laugh about those crazy times would not be a truthful thing to do. I don’t look back fondly on those times. I wasn’t necessarily one of those picked on or marginalized by the student body, nor was I the successful athlete who everyone knew and admired. I occupied a hazy space in between the two extremes….the slightly below average athlete clique. No band. No thespian club. No future business leaders of America. Not a pot smoker. Not a skateboarder. Just a poor athlete. Small, underdeveloped, young for my grade.
Though I had no inclination to participate in the school plays I secretly admired the thespians who seemed to walk and sing loudly and laugh and move carefree down the hallways in between classes. Completely uninhibited. Maybe only the good thespians behaved this way, the confident ones like the star athletes. But I doubt it. I don’t think the talented actors preyed on the weaker ones like the kids in sports did. Who knows? Years later I heard a handful of these thespians chose to become gay.
Anyway, I remember one occasion when I was the butt of the joke, the picked on kid. I wore a button down brown short sleeve shirt that my mom got from who knows where. Stitched on the pocket was the word ‘Excellent’. I don’t know why. Maybe it was the brand of shirt, maybe it wasn’t. A handful of kids during the lunch hour noticed my shirt and took me to task. ‘Hey Flimsy, you sure look Excellent today.’ ‘Excellent shirt Flimsy’
This got big laughs. Then somehow the word ‘Excellent’ took on a different pronunciation and a special voice was applied to it when said. It’s hard to describe…but it sounded like a Hispanic who didn’t pronounce the last two letters nt. Excella….
Are you excella today Flimsy? Great. This lasted about 20 minutes. Here I am 17 years later recalling it. Why? Also, I never wore that shirt again. One of the kids who joked that day was recently arrested for a domestic dispute I heard.
A good show for HBO would be about a bully who grows up and his kids end up being the ones getting picked on in school. It is only then he learns the error of his ways. But what happens after he learns his lesson? Maybe he becomes an inspirational speaker that takes him on the road 300 days out of the year. Another ironic thing is that he misses his kids growing up because he’s on the road so much. When the last one graduates from high school it is only then he learns the error of his career choice. At that point he decides he can still be the father his kids never had by becoming a janitor at their school, the University of Nebraska Omaha. Don’t think of me as your dad, I’m just the janitor at your school. At first this unnerves his 3 kids but eventually they start treating him like shit just like every other student at the university. They discard half drank chocolate milk shakes at his feet right after he’s finished sweeping and waxing a long hallway. The kids walk away laughing then a single tear falls down the janitor’s face. It is only then the man realizes his kids have finally accepted him as their janitor. Here’s the catch. He’s crying tears of joy. Completely unexpected, huh?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
All Weather Is Dangerous
Just a quick thank you to Omaha's KMTV weather team for their nightly First Warning Weather reports. Before this technology sunshine and a slight breeze could sneek up on you like a panda bear sizing up its eucalyptic prey. My hat is off to you dear prognosticators, I shall retreat into thy basement and await further instruction.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Chubb's Meat Bundles
Hi Gang -
Glad to be back from my trip to Leez-i-ana (that's Louisiana to you and me.) I am aware of my families decision to post my correspondence over the last few months but fear not for I am hardly embarassed. Fact being, along with Guinness, Ambien CR, and the 10PM re-run of Law & Order -- knowing my spectacular public failures might help someone else allows me to sleep soundly at night.
Now on to matters of the mail. Besides the predictable, tiresome rants of greedy corporate America and certain public utility companies ("You owe us blah, blah, blah" "Last notice blah, blah" "To restore your power please remit blah.), I received a curious blue direct mail advertisement from an Omaha business I've not yet had the pleasure of establishing credit with. Chubb's Meat Bundles located at 16th and Locust Omaha, NE. Chubb's as the ad states was recently Voted Best In Omaha. A notable accomplishment no doubt, however it is unclear who exactly voted them number 1. Nor does it say what category they achieved this ranking. I presume the 'Meat Category' but one cannot be too careful -- I shall report my findings upon my visit this afternoon should 16th and Locust be located along a major bus route.
Some specials of note: Farmland Pork Featherbones 10 lb Box $8.90, , Ruper's Sparerib Strips 10 lb Box $11.90, Popcorn Chicken 10lb Bag $8.90 (Frozen Ready For Frying), Our Family Pop 12 Pack Cans 3/$5 and Trend Laundry Detergent 100 ox Ctns 2/$4. (You will notice this last item gives further creedence to the importance of answering said Category question.)
That's all from your buddy Flim -- we're expecting 100 degree weather in Omaha today and I need to get to inflating the ol pool. Maybe I'll see you at Chubb's...till then.
Glad to be back from my trip to Leez-i-ana (that's Louisiana to you and me.) I am aware of my families decision to post my correspondence over the last few months but fear not for I am hardly embarassed. Fact being, along with Guinness, Ambien CR, and the 10PM re-run of Law & Order -- knowing my spectacular public failures might help someone else allows me to sleep soundly at night.
Now on to matters of the mail. Besides the predictable, tiresome rants of greedy corporate America and certain public utility companies ("You owe us blah, blah, blah" "Last notice blah, blah" "To restore your power please remit blah.), I received a curious blue direct mail advertisement from an Omaha business I've not yet had the pleasure of establishing credit with. Chubb's Meat Bundles located at 16th and Locust Omaha, NE. Chubb's as the ad states was recently Voted Best In Omaha. A notable accomplishment no doubt, however it is unclear who exactly voted them number 1. Nor does it say what category they achieved this ranking. I presume the 'Meat Category' but one cannot be too careful -- I shall report my findings upon my visit this afternoon should 16th and Locust be located along a major bus route.
Some specials of note: Farmland Pork Featherbones 10 lb Box $8.90, , Ruper's Sparerib Strips 10 lb Box $11.90, Popcorn Chicken 10lb Bag $8.90 (Frozen Ready For Frying), Our Family Pop 12 Pack Cans 3/$5 and Trend Laundry Detergent 100 ox Ctns 2/$4. (You will notice this last item gives further creedence to the importance of answering said Category question.)
That's all from your buddy Flim -- we're expecting 100 degree weather in Omaha today and I need to get to inflating the ol pool. Maybe I'll see you at Chubb's...till then.
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