My friend Ben Fong-Torres will be at the Booksmith on Haight Street tonight at 7:30, talking about his new book, Grateful Dead Scrapbook: The Long, Strange Trip in Stories, Photos, and Memorabilia.

Also, read a terrific blog post here for Asian Connections in which Ben talks about Telling My Story, sparring with Pat Sajak, his early experiments in governance at Westlake Junior High, and more.

Kevin and I had dinner with Ben and Dianne a few nights ago at Flour & Water, where we learned that Ben recently took part in a television show for which he played the role of Asian Elvis Impersonator. I saw the photo of him in full-on Elvis garb, hair and all, which I plan to share with you here, just as soon as I can hunt it down online. He said he had his own trailer with his name on the door. I want a trailer with my name on the door. I mean, I did live in a trailer once, way back when in a field in Mississippi, and I suppose my family’s name was on the mailbox, but that hardly counts, now, does it?