on being asked for an autograph.

This is a question for you. An assignment. If you read this and have anything to say on the subject -- anything at all -- do email me.

Have you ever been asked for an autograph? If so, how did you handle it? If not, how do you think you would, or what would be the best way?

I ask because I of course am pretty dead set against autograph culture and wouldn't really ever ask for an autograph at this point, and am generally completely uncomfortable with the notion of someone asking for mine, but it definitely happened this weekend (well, not just mine, the whole band's) and I didn't really have an approach worked out (because this is, believe it or not, not something I really expect to happen very often, and not something I had anticipated). It's all well and good to say that you wouldn't participate, but when someone is genuinely interested in you and respects you, and that's how they manifest it, it's hard to say no. One thing I've since thought of is asking that person to autograph something for me -- although that could just end up making them feel extra weird. And of course, some people will sign and then cross it out or whatever. I'm curious as to whether there's a best way of dealing with this without making an autograph-seeker feel stupid.

Please provide feedback.

Also, big ups to Carlisle and the Arts House at Dickinson. If you have a band, you should play there. Those kids rule. And big ups to the driver of the 18-wheeler I drafted behind through a good stretch of the ride home in the snow last night on the turnpike, and also to Rage Against the Machine for providing the necessary jamz for said ride, and for being true renegades of funk.