Stuck In A Pagoda With Motoko Aoyama

Here’s, along with the news of my first publishing credit happening next year, what Ray was alluding to at IntlWota.com yesterday: On Christmas Eve, I proposed to my girlfriend of three years, Tara Welsh. She said Yes.

The next day, if I hadn’t done that the night before, I probably would have eloped with her after what she did this year.

Tara had been teasing me with tales of how I was going to love the big gift she’d gotten me for Christmas this year. As I was about to find, she wasn’t kidding…

When I got to her house on Christmas Day, after opening the smaller items she’d gotten me, she told me to close my eyes and put my hands on the couch at my sides. I did so. I closed them tight. She went into the other room, came in, and laid this big surprise gift on my lap. When I am told to open my eyes. I look down and see this:

A GUITAR SIGNED BY IGGY POP, RON ASHETON, AND SCOTT ASHETON, THE ORIGINAL AND FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE STOOGES. It immediately registered to me that it was a Stooges-signed guitar because Ron Asheton’s signature is the biggest one. I am surprised that I didn’t shit myself. The Stooges are, along with Morning Musume, my favorite band, and Ron Asheton is one of my favorite guitarists ever. At the same time Tara put the guitar on my lap, she also put framed pics of the Stooges signing the pickguard and the letter and certificate of authenticity on the coffee table in front of me. Seeing the Stooges picture really drove it home for me.

The guitar itself is a Glen Burton Stratocaster. Coincidentally, if I were to ever buy a new electric guitar, it would probably be black and have a rosewood fretboard like this one.

A close-up of the signed pickguard. From top to bottom, the signatures are Scott Asheton (drummer), Ron Asheton (guitarist), and Iggy Pop.

When Tara got the guitar, these pictures and a certificate of authenticity came with it. She framed the pictures, a very nice touch suggested by a friend of hers.

To quote my good friend Vee, “Tara will be great for you, for the rest of your life. …AND THAT [referring to the guitar] PROVES IT.”

Best Albums of 2007 feature will happen soon, sorry it’s been late in starting.