Loyal readers of The Sneeze may remember that it was almost one year ago that the hideous brain grew on the tree in front of my house.

You may also remember that Mike Boom of the San Francisco Mycological Society explained what he thought the brain might be. It was only moments later that I looked up the word mycological.

Since the brain is apparently annual, we now begin BRAINWATCH 2004. I'll be keeping an eye on the tree and taking pictures as any brains develop.

Back to you in the newsroom, Connie.

Here we go, gang! As of this morning we have total brain activity lurking within the tree.

Click on the image for a closer view. You can clearly see the beginnings of it growing in the cracks on the right-hand side.

I placed a quarter on the stump for size reference.

With this sighting I'm resetting the counter, so we'll call this "Day 1." I'll be taking a picture every day or so to track its grotesque progress. We'll see how this one compares to last year's.

As of this morning, there was still very little change since the last picture. I don't get it. I can still see a bit of the embryonic tree-brain in the cracks, mocking me.

Maybe these things are dormant for a few days before a big growth spurt? Or maybe the tree is getting shy from all the media exposure I've foisted upon it? Or maybe the tree is just being a dick.

Either way, I'll keep you posted.

I told you.

Last year, I said right here that we were dealing with the smartest tree in the world.

The tree has proven me right.

I was very disappointed that there had been no further activity since the other day, when I saw that yellow gunk down in the cracks.

Then yesterday I happened to walk around the other side of the tree, and guess what I found growing out of its theoretical ass. The new brain. Click to view it.

Son of a bitch! I've been publicly humiliated by a tree.

Stay posted for more pictures of the thriving tree ass-brain 2004.

Stupid tree.

(If you have no idea what this is about, it started here last year, then Mike Boom weighed in, then Brainwatch 2004 began.)

JW and Felix both pointed me to an old sci-fi movie called "From Hell It Came." It features a crazy killer-tree named "TABONGA!"

From this point forward, the tree in front of my house will be known as Tabonga.

As for yesterday's picture of it, Annie wrote in with the following observation:

Hey Steve,
I couldn't help noticing the amazing resemblance between the tree's ass-brain, and the sneezing monkey head in the title today. If you compare the two, it even looks like the brain is sneezing out the quarter you put there for size reference. Striking!!!!! (and gross!!!!!) LOL.

The Sneeze Rocks!
:o) Annie

All Brainwatch 2004 entries can be found here.

If you don't hear from me in a while, the tree has simply carried me and my family away.

It looks like the brain is done growing. The little shelves that have formed are starting to droop and dry out. It's a sad day.

All brain entries can be found here.