Things didn’t get any better once you got up and moving.

My God it's windy. I was walking back from the Willis Library and my jean jacket was all blown open like I was challenging someone to punch me in the chest. No one did thankfully, and I made it home with my Health class notes.

I was thinking about the very first story I ever wrote, the beginning of my career. I was in sixth grade, and found myself in school during the summer for some discouraging report cards. I failed math, so I was put in summer school with the summer classes featuring children from sixth grade and below. I was the tallest.

Accelerated Reader. The program designed to force kids to read in some cereal prize box, Chuck E. Cheese way. If your class gets a certain number of points, something crazy happens in your class. Pizza in school! Soda! What, the teacher is also enjoying a slice of pepperoni! Topsy-turvy world it is. While in summer school though, we did it invidually. Everyone thought it was an alright idea, and read dinky kids books for about 2 pts. apiece. They were flipping through books on motorcross races or Moviebooks (Books that came after the movie depicting the main aspects, i.e. I read Mac and Me.)

I read Greek and Norse Mythology. Points assigned each book: 10. By the end of the sessions, I was in the lead with over 100 points.

Well, as a challenge we had to write about the books we read. I had just read a book on Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed Pompeii in ancient Italy. I wrote a story about a man named Locrates (cleverly changing the S to an L because of my pedestrian greek name knowledge) the man frozen in time a la' molten rock. He made baskets and had a son (who had no name) and a wife that worked in another town. I wrote about how sad he was that all he made was baskets, and that he wanted his wife back so they could make more baskets and they'd be rich. It was an awesome story, a great basic plotline, and I even wrote after he died, that he was really surprised that he was killed.

I got an award for it, and all the teachers got a copy of it. I wish I could find it to re-write it, but I don't know which box at home it's in. I just really liked that story.

Professor Van Zyl is annoyed at the protesters outside his window.

I've been having really strange dreams lately. I dreamed that the band, all of us, received a letter from my grandmother. In perfect script handwriting it was addressed to The Pebble That Saved The World. I didn't read the address, but did notice that she had put two stamps on there.

This weekend I dreamed that I was by myself in the apartment, like Jane had left and I knew I wouldn't see her for a while. I just kind of putted around until I woke up.

I'm not big on dreams or anything, I don't think they can foretell anything or something will happen as a result of you dreaming, but it's just weird. Jane says everyone dreams, but I don't ever remember anything from sleeping. I don't know why these two things just keep coming up in my head, like on some sort of cycle. A Norse mill that just keeps dumping the same images into my mind.

In other news, new practice space, new keyboard player, new shows and a super secret summer tour announcement! So secret that it's being kept from everyone but Camella!

Alienated from the clique society, A lonely boy finds peace in fishing.

I'm a horrible person on the phone. There's something in me that just can't talk on the phone. I pause, I groan, there's dead silence, I mutter. I try to explain things that just can be explained over the phone.
I'm cursed forever with the impenatrable question, "What are you doing right now?"
Such is life. I'm leaving the phone world behind. I can't do this anymore.

In other news, my chair's serving it's purpose. It seats me, and it suits me. I plan on watching the rest Law and Order: SUV and eating a hotdog while sitting in it. Such is life. You leave the world of telephones, and you find solace in the world of seating.

Behold This Field of Fresh Grass.

Does anyone remember the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks? They were big in the early 80's. I think I'd like to find something by them, I remember they were listenable.

IKEA proved to be fruitful trip. I got a lamp for my desk (the same we have in the bedroom) and a chair for $20 that was frustrating to put together. Jane got a great mirror and a canister with dots on it.

I finally saw Audition. I thought it was pretty good. I guess I expected just a little more. Just a tad more gore, but it was creepy enough to make me look away from the screen for a split second.

We all got whipped with a stick at Amy's. I don't know why. We had just taken to each other with a switch she had from Borders. It broke, but I think Martin's going to have a permenant scar.

Practice featured a new keyboard player. I'm reading The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin. I just found $2.00 in change.

I Promise I will as for extra cheese and keep it on as weight. I promise.

Let's see...

Bowling: Fun. I just barely rolled over 100 (face!) and watched as Ryan fooled everyone with his weird rolling skills. I felt like I was in 80's movie. I guess it was the bowling. I asked everyone about it, and then we got on the topic of Chopping Mall . Then we drank beer, but not good beer from dirty Holiday Lane pitchers, but beer from Brunswick Lanes. We got the boot from Holiday.

School: I forgot where I sat in Astronomy, and then it was too late to move to my seat. Some girl said "Excuse you." to me and I felt mad, then I felt confused and then I was hungry. FYI, I still don't like space. This class is hell. Had a meeting with Dr. Armintor. We talked about Grad School at UNT and then Guided By Voices. I still don't know much about Grad School, but I know a lot about GBV.

The Pebble That Saved The World: New songs to practice tonight. More dance beats. I guess were going to be a dance band, which isn't bad.

Even if he's a hot sexy female man.

Many people believe that Big Spring is representative of the social rot that Republicanism has wrought upon Texas. The school system is appalling, from kindergarten through Howard College, the local community college. In the local high school, football takes precedence over any pretense of education. The economic base consists largely of low-wage, unskilled and semi-skilled work. One of the major career opportunities in Big Spring is prison guard, working in one of the numerous local prisons. A high percentage of the local population lives in poverty, and would be eligible for public assistance if the Republicans had not gutted social safety net programs. Upon visiting Big Spring, the poverty and lack of medical care will be readily evident as soon as a local smiles, showing off a mouth full of the rotting stumps of what were once teeth. Obesity and diabetes are also at epidemic levels in Big Spring. The teen pregnancy rate is astounding, and in fact it is not uncommon to meet young women in Big Spring, as young as 20, who have 3 children, each with a different father. This is especially ironic considering the dedication to fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity displayed by most residents of Big Spring. The municipal water in Big Spring emits a quite unpleasant odor and is not recommended for actual drinking. The downtown improvement plan for Big Spring has consisted of periodically knocking down abandoned buildings, turning what was once a prosperous downtown into vacant lots overgrown with weeds and filled with trash. The city of Big Spring does not have a single general interest bookstore (non-Christian), which says quite a bit about the local literacy rates. The class structure in Big Spring is third-world like, with a small number of well connected and well off business people ruling over the 90% of the population who are poor.

On a more positive note, the people are quite friendly. And if you like barbecue and Tex-Mex food Big Spring has some outstanding restaurants. Brenda’s Barbecue is highly recommended, although residents of Big Spring are quite opinionated when it comes to a discussion of barbecue or Tex-Mex food. There is one truly amazing display of Christmas lights at the Partee residence. The "Live Drive Through Nativity" is one of a kind. Housing costs are unbelievably inexpensive.

It is quite an educational experience to visit Big Spring, TX.

I can't believe this is on Wikipedia. I mean, Big Spring isn't great, and a lot of it is the truth so......I don't know why I'm complaining. I think it's because I remember a lot of good things about Big Spring. The mild winters and tolerable summers. I remember there was a mountain somewhere, and I threw a knife off of it. And SWCID. And Casa Blanco. A lot of other stuff, but I can't think of it right now.

She said it was just a poodle, but I suspected more.

Man. The tour's over. about four days over. We broke pretty even, at least TPTSTW did. Actually we came out $2.90 ahead after all was said and done, and then that $2.90 was used at Taco Bueno, so we're broke again.
It was fun. I got to see a lot of Texas. There's still a lot of nothing/opportunity out there. Traveling around in a rock and roll show in this great state makes you really realize that this place is huge. I need to calculate how many hours we were actually on the road. Highlights of the Winter 2006 tour:
- Almost crashed the van between 87 and San Marcos. It was almost 1am and Jacob told me to take this windy steep mountain road. I had to hold the brights on the whole time. A deer ran out in front of me.
-Played at a Dance Hall. Victoria, Texas. Johnny Cash played there. Elvis played there. We played there. It was cold and windy, I wore a scarf. We played outside to 12 people.
-Played Hanks HS in El Paso. 300 kids, 20 bands. We were the third band, Cartright closed the entire thing. I signed so many autographs to HS kids. We sold a lot of merch. We're going to be in the Hanks HS yearbook.
-Threw up. I Threw up near a palm tree after eating a Chorizo and Egg burrito from Taco Polente. We were on the border near Matamoros. It was 3am. Wicky watched me, and then she threw up.
-Kicked out of Austin. We played at Flamingo Cantina in Austin. Someone threw up on the rooftop terrace. Someone threw a chair down the stairs. Micah started a fight with the bartender over his drinks. We almost didn't get paid.

We all hate one another and no one wants to see anyone. Give it a week and we'll all be together again.

School starts at 9am for me tomorrow. Starts with PolySci and then goes upward for the rest of the day. Literally. I go to Astronomy in the middle of the day. I should really do something this semester, becuase I'm almost finished and it'd be awesome to actually come out ahead.

I also want to read more Russian Lit and write a dance song.

So he goes out, banging on walls, clapping his hands, forgetting the entire time we're playing a show.

Still in Victoria.
We're all finally up, watching DIG! (Dandy Wahols documentary thing) and wondering where to go to get out of here. I'm considering shaving my beard to just chops for the rest of the tour, something different. I've done it before so, it's no big deal. There's a new interview with Douglas Coupland that I want to read, but I don't think I'll get a chance to until I get back to Denton. It's tough reading with nine other people in the car breathing on you. I'm slowly working my way through Children Playing in Front of A Statue of Hercules. It's great. I'm going to go find coffee and someplace to brush my teeth. I'll try to update later, but you know, it's the road.

Hey Dog Hey

Hey.
Where in Victoria right now. It's a big hardcore town. We played with another hardcore band tonight called Ghost in The Machine. We only sold on CD which is good. Where staying at Savannah's tonight. It's a great place here, we're about to eat some home cooked Mexican food. Tomorrow we drive from here to McAllen, the very edge of Texas. We've been to every edge of Texas so far, except for East Texas. Shae and I had a freestyle rap battle today and I won. I might go to the beach tomorrow.

Oh...they sound kind of like one of our songs.

Two shows down, so many more to go. I slept in the van after being kicked out of a house this morning. El Paso is really nice, really pretty. Everything is very desert, like Big Spring. Micah went in to a billiards room and saw four very unfriendly vatos. Mexico was awesome, we're going again. Cartright's having a battle of the bands tonight. We played at a high school gathering earlier, it was fun. High school is way differen these days, totally new crowds. A lot of eye liner, a lot of bandanas. Suprisingly, they bought $30 worth of merch.
The road is trying, Jacob is trying, everyone is pretty much testing one another. It's going good so far.

I always try to ignore contracts and deadlines.

In about eight hours I'll be in an Airport Shuttle halfway across the state of Texas with nine guys and a gal. We loaded everything up tonight in the back so we can get a fresh start in the morning.

I'm hoping everything goes well. I had a dream the other night that something went wrong, but I just have to keep thoughts out of my mind. I'm going to be in Mexico on Saturday, shopping for Jane, Judy and Amy. I might get a corona shirt with girls in bikinis on the beach, or a cap with boobs on it. I'm not sure yet.

I hope the rest of the week here will be sane and comfortable, due to me going insane in a very uncomfortable way. Hopefully we'll come back with hundreds of adoring fans and I can be on MTV Cribs showing of my china collection or something frivolous like that.

p.s. I'm sick. So hope I get better in the morning.

Who else is love?

me scripsit anno 2005

It has the bones of a ghost story, clothed in the tatters of a more conventional story of malaise, retrospection, and family collapse.

Wow. My car finally died.
It's been a long time coming. My car has been slowly just falling apart since last year. Over the years it's done me well. Although credited with building the most famous Japanese fighter plane, The Zero, Mitsubishi had dealt with so much througout history. Coal mining, real estate, banking and insurance helped shape modern Japan. Their delve into building cars in the early 20th century turned them into even a more dominant force and Mitsubishi (three waterchestnut) became one of the biggest finacial forces in history.

Today while driving down I-35 South, heading my way to Lewisville, my car began to smoke, large gray wafts from the tailpipe and the engine. It was gone. Only after feeling anxious and blabbering like an idiot on the phone to Jane, the police and firemen blocked off the road, and checked my oil. There were three of them, and one of them was the Fire Captain.

I feel liberated. I don't have to worry about driving, at least not for a while. The car deserved to go, and now it'll be salvaged for scrap. Shooting the horse with the broken leg. That's what it feels like.

Geordie initially becomes successful under Barrett's employ, working in his Soho nightclubs and sex shops.

There are far too many annoying advertisements today. I don't want to buy anything. I feel like my grandparents sometimes, how they still bought tried and true products from yesteryear. That and they would give us peanutbutter sandwiches with shiny grease in it out of a big tin. That's what I want to buy.

List of things I've done while Jane is away:
-Hung out with George Oster- Brief encounter while getting coffee. Explained to me that you can't file a police report for a hit and run while being drunk and having no insurance.
-Deleted!- So many music files deleted from my computer. New Year's cleaning I suppose. I wish I had yet another HD to store them all onto, but I don't need three copies of The Descendents Sour Grapes.
-Drug Emporium Field Trip- I finally got one of my three prescriptions filled. It was only $10 (opposed to the $50 a piece for the others) so I think I did a good thing. I'm sure Jane would be proud of me.
-Mainly felt, wood and glue- I watched this special one how they build Steinway Pianos. They're $50,000 brand new. To learn to repair them takes two years of intense studies. And plus, New Orleans had the highest number of Steinway Pianos in North America. Right now somewhere outside there are these two guys who look like Tommy Chong working 'round the clock to salvage Steinway parts for rich people.

African push-up champion, and his struggle to overcome a debilitating cowlick.

Everyone seems to be posting/boasting the number of books they read for 2005. I don't really remember how many I've read. I read East of Eden though, despite it being broadcasted as "The Book That Brought Oprah's Book Club Back" it was really good. Steinbeck said that everything he had ever written until that point had been practice for it. It was really depressing, which is what I like about his work. His work is always very matter of fact and straightforward and always ending badly. What cheapens it is that I learned that Jimmy Fallon is to star as Cal in the re-remake of the movie this year. From James Dean to Jimmy Fallon.

I've talked to so many people today that always mentioned something about they did last year. Not like, "oh I went here" or "oh I saw this movie." More like " Hey, the last drink I had was last year!" and also "I haven't seen you since last year!" It really makes me sad that I'm not the only person that they are telling this to. Tina made it a point tonight: "They're going to go around and say that to everyone they see today." I'm just one in many.

Now I'm currently incarcerated in the Marin County Jail in San Rafael, CA.

New Years Eve came and went. I watched the ball drop at work, waiting for relief. I didn't get out until 11:20pm, so I was lucky I made it anywhere to celebrate. I realized last night as we were driving home from Amy's that we celebrated the new year early, one second early. We didn't observe the leap second. I think we'll be alright becuase everything was pretty much the same if the extra second wasn't there.

Part of me didn't want 2006 to come. It was inevitable, but part of me wanted to be like little Pete and try to go backwards in time by eating copious amounts of Riboflavin and riding across time zones on my bike. I just wanted it to last a little longer, more than one second. I just know what 2006 brings, and I just don't feel like having to realize it right now.