Drink Five Alive

A. Samuels brings you.... Livin De Life

2011-08-12T12:52:00.000-04:00

Got a wig for a heart

2011-08-01T23:44:00.001-04:00

Thought I'd bring some video joy to you guys on a Monday night.

Tell them the story raindrop

2011-07-31T10:50:00.002-04:00

Hallo-

I haven't been to a TV Party in a while. My friend Carlos (of America Loves Carlos fame) recently invited me to his apartment for a True Blood/Curb Your Enthusiasm TV Party. There was plenty of dips. Plenty of chips. My water glass was refilled several times, much to my enjoyment. Thanks.

The last TV Party I went to was a LOST party, and I remember spending the whole time thinking about tropical vacations and I should be so lucky to be stuck on a tropical island without a phone. Needless to say- I wasn't really into LOST. I know tons of people reel at this, I'm not a true purveyor of television (which I'm really not) but somewhere around the early 2000's I sorta gave up on TV. I had just transferred to UNT in Denton to a new town and lived with a roommate who's life revolved around WWF/WCW so there wasn't much to discuss (not into wrestling, or even fake wrestling).

I watch internet TV and I've been watching the overly sexually charged Hard Times of R.J. Barger on Netflix streaming. I'm not proud, but I was curious. And now there's a resurgence of shows on Nickelodeon that brought back the heyday of my after schools ( The 90's Are All That) that I would like to catch. But TV just doesn't appeal to me as much as it did when I was younger, even know shows have gotten slightly geared more towards me and the comedy has gotten heaps better. I just sorta lost it there for awhile without cable, and now it feels like an influx of too too much.

This whole post is happening because I'm considering talking to my roommate about cancelling our movie channels. We have Netflix.

I met a new friend, underneath my pillow

2011-07-29T23:28:00.003-04:00

Eugene Mirman.
Todd Barry.
Jim Gaffigan.
Kristen Schaal.
Patton Oswalt.
Jonathon Coulton.
TMBG.

FTW.

So many beards. So much plaid. So many un-ironic pairs of glasses. So many Portal t-shirts, a giant foam sword (?) and a lot of the Brooklyn Nerd Elite standing around the Williamsburg Waterfront.

+'s
- Eugene Mirman/Kristen Schaal's Flashdance routine
- Jim Gaffigan telling jokes AS Ray Romano (because since he's had a fourth child (I've seen Jim Gaffigan 2-4 children) and can't tell any other kind of joke.
- Eugene Mirman and Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson took questions from the audience, science type questions, and answered. They have a podcast: http://startalkradio.net/. Check it out
- Patton Oswalt talking about how much he hates NYC and the silence that ensued, but then people cheered anyway at all his other jokes (because he's Patton Oswalt)
- As Jonathan Coulton played, both Zack Galifianakis and Jon Benjamin taking photos behind him.
- TMBG, just being TMBG

-'s
- Torrential rains for most of the show. I got home and I was soaked. But it was worth it.

All in all a great show.

Baby, Don't Let Him Waste Your Time

2011-07-26T10:45:00.002-04:00

Travelling

Man- finding vacation/travel destinations is exhausting. There are too many options, packages, deals, super deals, super packages, no packages, separate flights/separate hotels, too much.

It seems everyone in my life has had an easier time with it than me. I'm reaching out for help here.

Lamenting Borders

This morning on the way to work I passed a former manager of my from Borders (soon to be defunct to a location near you.) I had worked at Borders in Lewisville (amazing time) and here at Penn Station (seventh level of hell). Penn Station Borders was new and shiny and packed with people hustling and bustling to catch trains constantly. People arguing, people fighting over books.

I wanted to say something to her, like a "crazy, right?" But then I remembered she had been fired from a company that is now closing, and I felt bad for her. I quit, flat out, but she was let go. Still it would've been nice to commiserate.

Borders thoughts?

Day 5- From A High Angle

2011-07-22T18:58:00.002-04:00

Not going bald, Never!

Day 4- Something Green

2011-07-20T11:05:00.002-04:00

...I've pretty much mastered my Pandora, Last.fm, Spotify and Itunes libraries. Now to get the other 3,000 random music files I found on my external hardrive somewhere. I mean, I really own a limited edition Len album? Can you have a garage sale for music files? I'll give an album away for $1.

That's a great album up there, and it's "Green".

Day 3- Clouds

2011-07-19T16:24:00.002-04:00

Day 2- What You Wore Today

2011-07-18T16:33:00.000-04:00

30 Day Photo Challenge- Day 1- Self Portrait

2011-07-12T09:23:00.003-04:00

Day 1- Self Portrait. Really captures my... disgruntled manga side.

Totally stole this from MindSticker. Thanks Sunny!

So this was bound to happen

2011-07-08T09:41:00.003-04:00

I've become addicted to rage comics:

http://ragecomics.memebase.com/

I get knocked down, but I get up again

2011-07-06T10:05:00.002-04:00

Many many many thanks to Sunny over at http://mindsticker.blogspot.com/ for delivering this gem on a beautiful Tuesday morning:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/05/they-might-be-giants-covers-tubthumping_n_890748.html

Tubthumping was such a weird hit, maybe because it was such a simple sing-along anthem about mixing a bunch of drinks and I guess Anarchy? I know that the members of Chumbawamba were proclaimed Anarchist, but from this song you'd think they were probably just a bunch of alcoholics.

I only eat meat on special occasions now (Lioni's Sandwiches being a big one) but tonight, TEBAYA.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/tebaya-new-york

I brought mine in a pail

2011-07-05T13:11:00.002-04:00

So, pretty much everyday I bring my lunch to work.

And then the other day I got really afraid of diabetes, and the fact that I eat the same Crunchy Peanut Butter on Whole grain wheat made me think: where are all the office culture blogs surrounding lunch?

- How not to make your co-workers jealous.

- How to transport your lunch (soup in a bag, doesn't happen.)

- How to combine random items in your office's fridge to make lunch (My friend Jerry ate ketcup on crackers he found for months! Lost weight, looked great, didn't spend a dime).

So, for the rest of the day I plan on scouring the internet to search this out. Or I'll just make my own.

That's a great bird, huh?

Hey babe, it's the 4th of July

2011-07-04T13:46:00.002-04:00

Happy Fourth of July.

$486,026- Dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2010. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $256,407 worth.

Thought that was an interesting fact.

I'm re-reading some Douglas Coupland. I read Microserfs every year, sort of a ritual now. I've been doing it for six years now, and my torn and tattered paperback has multiple bookmarks, spine is a little bent from photo-copying passages and sending them. It's like, a very war-torn book. I'm re-reading Shampoo Planet right now, which is probably the second best out of his work. I put Girlfriend in A Coma at 3rd best, but you know people loooove that book.

Fourth of July- and I plan on drinking coffee and staying in to work on some of my short stories. It's been a solid year since I've had something published ( http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/we-live-for-blood-and-glory/12089946 ) so I should get cracking.

Hey there!

2011-06-30T23:36:00.002-04:00

So now the 30 Day song challenge is over!

Yes- please- thank you for reading and following and putting up with me weird fondness for pop 80's music and left of the dial indie rock. Thank you thank you thank you.

I'm going to thank you SO much that I'm going to blog about how I met all 4 of you people that are following me. Yes, this is a tribute blog.

Whereismyrobot- Ha! Well, I think we met once or twice in Denton (maybe through Andrew Hime, dunno) but we REALLY didn't meet until I knew that you were here in NYC at Barcade and I had to confirm that we had met. I'm still really happy that we met that time, and it fueled my love for the game Tapper. Still love that fucking Tapper game.

John- We met at the Yellow House back in Denton, you took a lot of good photos. You studied photography, and you were an awesome photographer. Now, you study law up in Boston and you always visit NYC, and of course we have too good a time. One time I on vacation in Cape Cod and you drove all the way out just to spend a few hours with me. We both love Wu-Tang and often have to use Wu-Tang lyrics in conversation. Thanks, because of your sweaty Maverick's ballcap and your southern drawl, you remind me that I can still should be a gentleman no matter where I am.

Julian- Fountain House was a special place- and we were left for 8 hours a day to deal with being social workers without degrees in Social Work, so we winged it. Thanks for all the free coffee, Vegan info and listening to Too $hort at work days.

Crashtopher- I hope you still read this. We had too good a time together back in Denton. You and your Vespa and me the friend of the guy with the Vespa. We spent a lot of good nights at Lou's and that was all we needed.

Thanks to you 4 for sticking with this blog. Much appreciated.

Day 30 – your favorite song at this time last year

2011-06-30T17:00:00.003-04:00

uhm. hm.

Having to actually research this...

Probably this:

But more likely this:

I remember playing a lot of Billy Idol at Josie Woods Pub:

And I'm finished!

day 29 – a song from your childhood

2011-06-23T10:18:00.002-04:00

Whoa.

I haven't listened to this song in a long long long time. But I would get up every morning to watch this show.

I don't know if a theme song from a TV show counts, but c'mon. I still love the Muppets.

http://www.hensonfoundation.org/- It's in Long Island City!

http://www.filmfestivaltoday.com/reel-fast/jim-henson-show-headed-to-queens-film-museum

Day 28 – a song that makes you feel guilty

2011-06-22T16:07:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure I understand this one.

A song that makes me feel guilty?

Hm.

Here's some shitty SoCal Ska from the late 90's:

Ok, I feel guilt for owning that album.

Day 27- A song you wish you could play

2011-06-21T09:54:00.002-04:00

This one is going to touch upon my metal roots, well, sorta metal.

I still secretly want to learn how to play guitar like Randy Rhoads.

Day 26 – a song that you can play on an instrument

2011-06-20T11:05:00.002-04:00

I love playing cover songs. I mean, naturally, most musicians my age started learning cover songs anyway, tabbed out in the back of Guitar Player or Guitar World (had subscription to both!)

So, I'm going to post one of my favorite songs that I always run through when I'm practicing at home.

I would force Camella and Jacob, and later Brian and Albert and Cam to learn to play this song with me, so I could have my few moments as a frontman again.

Beautiful, beautiful, SIMPLE song to play.

Molly Hatchet and my Dad

2011-06-19T18:03:00.006-04:00

In my Father's Day post the other day (I didn't think I'd get to post today- Punk Island ended relatively early- thx punx) I thought of a funny story on the way home.

When I was in 3rd Grade I wore this t-shirt to school with this album cover above on it. My 3rd Grade teacher thought it was inappropriate and didn't send me home immediately, but made me promise to give my parents a note when I got home.

I gave the note to my Mom when I she picked me up and she shook her head and agreed the shirt was awful. When we got home I showed my Dad the note (they both had to sign it).

All I remember was that my Dad said that Molly Hatchet was his favorite band in the 70's and he loved that shirt. And I still love this shirt too.

Happy Father's Day. Again.

Day 25 – a song that makes you laugh

2011-06-17T09:46:00.000-04:00

Gets me EVERY TIME.

Thursday- 3 days away from Father's Day

2011-06-16T13:18:00.003-04:00

Not really privvy to updating twice, but after reading this post on YumSugar, I felt like I had to say a little something.

http://www.geeksugar.com/Favorite-Sci-Fi-Dads-17887787

My Dad- yes, is a Sci-Fi Dad. Not the flashy kind, or the uber- nerdy kind, but a Sci-Fi Dad.

He always new the answer to things (difference between Cumulus clouds and Stratus clouds) and knew how take apart a calculator and put it back together. He studied Chemistry and went to Texas Tech, but he just quit after he felt he learned enough about it. He went on to be a Field Chemist who made his own maps, because the part of Texas and Mexico he had to travel through didn't have any. They still use his mapping system at Champion Technologies today.

My dad bought us a Nintendo when we were young, and played our games with us until we apparently became to annoying to play with, then he just got his own Nintendo. Then, he started buying all the cool games and would let us only "borrow" them! As a child, not a good move, as an adult, yeah, you tell those kids they can't play Castlevania IV (which I borrowed, and beat, so eat it). And then he went out and bought his own Super Nintendo, then eventually weeks later we got to play it. He hated Sega. Never played Sega.

He always kept bottles of chemicals that were just labeled "Don't Open" or "Don't Touch" around the house, and then forgot what they were, so the bottles just got moved to the garage, where I'm sure they still are today.

He didn't say much about anything, unless you wanted to ask about the Universe or his favorite subject about different dimensions:

"Right now, there's someone out there just like us, driving down the same highway, but instead of a gray shirt that I'm wearing, is wearing a purple shirt. That's the only difference. And there are millions of those dimensions out there."

My dad liked to drink, he doesn't do it anymore, and he was crazy about Keystone. That was my first beer, and my last Keystone. I will never drink Keystone anymore.

Now, when I call him he's watching the Discovery Channel, or playing Black Ops, or just really chilling. He will say chilling. He tells my Mom to chill. He also has an iphone and constantly asks me why I got a Droid.

So, to you and your Geeky Dads, remind them on Sunday what a Geek they are.

Day 24 – a song that you want to play at your funeral

2011-06-16T08:44:00.002-04:00

The topic of this post always brings up a big pet peeve of mine. I don't know when it started, or how it came about, but it just irks me.

When people talk about their funerals:

"I want a big party, I want people to like, you know smoke out and drink, and it'l be like a big party."- Everybody from ages 14-now.

Growing up, funerals were sad, you sat through the service, then you ate potato salad, and then you drove home. We just sorta mourned in our own way. But my Mom does call me and remind me how many years it's been since someone has passed, which show's she has a killer mind at remembering things, and likes to freak me out.

Yup. Absolutely. And if someone could get Bone Thugs N Harmony back together, I'd appreciate that too.

Day 23 – a song that you want to play at your wedding

2011-06-15T13:21:00.002-04:00

Ha! This was probably the most difficult. Unlike most young boys or girls, I didn't grow up thinking of marriage, or being married, or recognized what it all meant. My parents marriage (31 years strong!) is more like this uneasy alliance, sorta like when Venom has to team-up with Spider-Man to defeat Carnage (Amazing Spider-Man #361-363). They just sort of... existed in the same area. They applied that to child rearing as well I suppose, we all sort of just existed and someone said "hey you guys are all related, you have to stay in the same house" so that's pretty much how I saw things. So nevertheless, marraige was just this thing that people did, or didn't do, it didn't matter as long as you love that person.

So this song I grew up with, and I always thought it meant a lot, and being married means a lot to those people who do get married, so here goes:

day 22 – a song that you listen to when you’re sad

2011-05-23T12:38:00.002-04:00

This song always gets me when I'm sad. And for personal reasons, listen to it very rarely.

On a lighter note, I think I may have made my girlfriend the best "R&B but not R&B" mix tape this morning before work. I'm really proud of it.

Oh yeah, Rapture

2011-05-20T16:54:00.002-04:00

So In light of tomorrow's impending doom, these things I need to get out there.

- Ok, maybe I SHOULD'VE majored in Physics.

- Sorry Jenny Lewis. Rilo Kiley put on a hell of a show that night, and I'll never bother you again, nor will I probably have the chance.

- Sorry for not paying my gas bill Denton. I will leave a marked envelope with the $23 I owe you on my porch, if you do so choose to come all the way up here.

- Yes, I've snuck onto the subway platform via Emergency door, and yes, sometimes I feel that the rising cost of Metrocards is because of people like me who have all done it once, and then it adds up.

- Sorry for never really "defending" you BNL. I still listen to you guys.

- Alright, I wasn't that into GBV.

- And I was way into Everclear.

- I didn't FORGET to vote, I got lost.

- And I didn't know it was election night, but I was watching that HBO special on John Adams.

- I don't know what happened to my brother's painting he made me of Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night. Sorry, I left it somewhere.

- Getting paid in pizza from J&J's is now way to get paid for writing articles for a magazine.

- I don't like Elliott Smith.

day 21 –A song that you listen to when you’re happy

2011-05-20T16:51:00.003-04:00

I recently read a great article on Twee pop and Twee culture. For all my love of Heaven 17, Dear Nora, the Moshi Moshi compilation that I JUST found on AMAZON and have yet to purchase (priority) I present the song that makes me the happiest still (from a band that I consider VERY Twee):

Day 20- A song that you listen to when you're angry

2011-05-19T13:57:00.001-04:00

If you know me, I have the longest fuse around. I don't get angry. It's bad for the blood.

But when I do get perturbed, I'm the first to let anyone know, because I'm the kind of guy that'd rather fix something right then and there than let it linger.

Or I simply don't care about it/that.

But when I do get perturbed:

day 19 – a song from your favorite album

2011-05-15T14:47:00.002-04:00

No lie that I love the Magnetic Fields.

And yeah: 69 Love Songs is my favorite album.

Day 18 – a song that you wish you heard on the radio

2011-05-11T17:28:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you want to listen to music alone, and sometimes you like to feel that connectivity with other people.

My first year of college at SWCID, I worked part-time for a radio station, KBST. It had 3 formats: New Country, Talk Radio/Big Band and Classic Rock. My job was to come in every night and build playlists based on listener count across the nation and rotation during the week. Needless to say, I had a lot of power and influence of what was played on the radio during the day. I always thought it was funny when I'd slip in Wings' Monkberry Moon Delight right in the middle of some Classic Rock Power Hour, or Waylon Jennings in the Top 7 at 7 Fan Favorite.

So I had tons of music to sort through, and tons of albums that I would just throw on and sit on the old leather couch they had in the booth and go through my linguistics homework.

This song always came up in the Library but we never played it. And now no one cares about Freur because they became Underworld and sold 1,000,000 copies of their albums as Underworld and they were on Trainspotting.

Day 17- A Song that you hear on the Radio

2011-05-09T12:01:00.002-04:00

Since I don't have a radio outside of Last.fm and Pandora (If I chose Pandora, I would pick Float On- it comes up on every damn station) so I went with what I hear on the radios of every car that passes by with their windows down.

Yes, New Yorkers still love this song, and it's played constantly anywhere you go. Duane Reade, Key Foods, the DMV, countless Buy 3 shirts for $10 stores- EVERYWHERE. I wonder if Jay-Z and Alicia Keys know the monster they've created.

Day 16 – a song that you used to love but now hate

2011-05-05T21:37:00.002-04:00

Day 16, how did you come so quick?

I only have 14 more days left, but by then I'll look at things to bombard with you.

This is a big one. I was explaining to my girlfriend recently how much this song now irritates me to no end.

Here is a fact:
It was the highest single in New Zealand ever to date in the world.

It's getting to the point where I nearly have to leave the room every time it comes on.

Day 15- A Song That Describes You

2011-04-29T16:04:00.001-04:00

One thing that I've realized over the course of my years- I work. A LOT.

I've always had a couple of jobs, at the same time, also juggling various other personal projects, responsibilities, etc.

Being told to slow down, relax, enjoy things- I enjoy being busy and getting things accomplished.

But, naturally, I worry about all this. Am I relaxing too much or working too hard? Sometimes even if I got to bed early I may be missing a prime time to be studying or reading something (and I'm not in school).

So here it is a song that best represents me:

Just ask Ian who told me I should relax more, AFTER I got my tattoo of the candle burning at both ends.

day 14 – a song that no one would expect you to love

2011-04-28T11:13:00.002-04:00

A song no one expects that you love

And here it is:

Barenaked Ladies Call and Answer from their 1998 album Stunt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3AmY5HXzgA

(I won't make you suffer through it. Plus Youtube disabled it's embed tag. So it goes.)

Friends all know that I'm a BNL fan. Have been for the majority of my adulthood, and still as I've entered my 30's I think I've finally grown into it. This song has always followed me, and I've gladly let it.

That pesky Triskaidekaphobia...

2011-04-27T11:02:00.002-04:00

Afraid of the number 13?

Never been afraid of 13, not going to be now. So I give to you Day 13- A Song that is a Guilty Pleasure.

I have a few different remixes of this song as well as the Extended dance version released in 1994.

It was almost painful me looking for this video.

2011-04-26T07:57:00.002-04:00

A Song From A Band You Hate.

I give you Kings of Leon- what magnificent trash that someone had dumped out on a record executive's desk, set on fire, give the fire a pen and it somehow forged the name of the members of the band. I can't go to any greater length on how much I hate this band.

Let's just say I'd rather listen to Lighthouse.

All time favorite?

2011-04-24T10:26:00.002-04:00

Not hardly.

Choosing a favorite band for me is very... Sophie's Choice for me. I'm not comparing the fact that I like all my bands equally, unrequited, and am I in no way comparing it to the severity of Sophie Zawistowski's choice, but I can't really leave any of my bands behind.

And on that note, another favorite band doing the same number!

I'm not adverse to saying Stephin Merritt is my favorite musician/curmudgeon, but he sure is up there.

Sleepyhead

2011-04-21T10:58:00.001-04:00

Day 10 A Song that makes you fall asleep

The first time I heard Brian Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets I was at a house on Hickory street, stoned out of my mind and eating and atomic fireball.

I think the first track I heard was "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" and I was hooked.

I listened to this album non-stop. I had at least a CD-R in my car, on my mp3 player, on my computer. I bought it on Vinyl (very expensive)

and forced it upon countless friends and always had at least one track on mixtapes or at party playlists.

This song although, was very... private for me. I never put it anywhere because I would listen to it late at night after studying for Linguistics finals, buzzed on black coffee

and needing to cool my own jets.

Day 9- A Song You Can Dance To

2011-04-20T19:17:00.003-04:00

This one actually made me laugh, because it's just flashes of white belts and three button suits and girls with bangs.

House parties and the first night Hailey's had a dance party:

Would I dance to it now? Ehhhhhhh.......

probably.

Day 8- A Song You Know All The Words To

2011-04-19T13:12:00.002-04:00

Is it cheating if your band covers it? A cover of a cover.

Well, I already knew all the words- so that's why we covered it.

Day 7- Songs that remind you of an event.

2011-04-18T21:19:00.004-04:00

Every time I look at the photo on my parent's wall- It's a completely different me.

With no tattoos, and it looks soooooo weird.

We had rented a cabin for vacation and had driven all day from Big Spring through Lamesa, through Plains and into New Mexico. It was 1994.

As an avid X-FIles fan, I was enamored with Roswell. But my parents didn't stop. We were on a schedule, we had to check-in at the cabin, all those things that I now know were just parents being parents, and also adults- but then I just put on my threw up my hood on my hoodie, put my sunglasses on ( I think they were the round Lennon style, but tinted blue) and turned my Diskman all the way up:

And I listened to that song. On repeat for the entire ride to the cabin.

The only thing that that made me happy when we got there was that I got to buy X-men trading cards (All new ones, no repeats) and got to see a bear.

I still love this song, and it still reminds me of seeing a bear for the first time. And also not getting to stop at Roswell. Lots of events.

Know Your Onion!

2011-04-11T22:18:00.002-04:00

Day 6- A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere.

My first apt./house in Denton with Mikey 2000. I took over the room from Jacob Barnhart (from Little Grizzly) and we lived down the block from Will Johnson before he moved to Austin.

We had several bands there- but the one that actually played ANYWHERE was More Stately Mansions and we played with Fishboy a few times around Denton and once somewhere in... Flower Mound?

Anyway the house had french doors and someone before had painted the windows red and purple. We left a gallon of milk on the side porch for over six months and we never knew what happened to it. We kept our mail in the oven because it didn't work. Pretty much just any place in Denton in the early 00's.

We listened to this song constantly on repeat.

The Dead Milkmen + In Rememberance

2011-04-10T15:20:00.003-04:00

The show at Newsonics Friday was great. Thanks to everyone who came out. Remember go here to listen to all your favorite songs by us: www.radarfiction.com

Saturday- Stood in line at The Warsaw with all the other punk rock nerds and leather jackets and high schoolers (high schoolers?) to see The Dead Milkmen. Yup- cross it off the bucket list.

All the hits- Bitchin Camaro, Punk Rock Girl, If You Love Someone Set Them On Fire- one after the other. One of the best shows I've seen. Really fortunate to get to see them finally.

This leads up to Day 5 of the 30 Day Song Challenge- A song that reminds you of someone.

So this is for Terence and Tonya Tabor- for whom I'm indebted forever and forever for picking me up every morning of Freshman year at Forsan I.S.D and have The Dead Milkmen's Big Lizard In My Backyard playing in the truck. This one is for you you guys:

Twofer Friday

2011-04-08T16:15:00.003-04:00

I know that I'm not going to update this tomorrow.

I have to make Texas shaped waffles tomorrow, and that's the focus of my day.

Day 4- Songs that make you sad.

So it was hard decision, but I know in my tear filled heart of hearts, this is going to take the cake:

Now, you're wondering, hey what was the other song? Well, lucky you, I'm going to post it as well:

Now I know why I worked in social services for such a long time. And I try to volunteer (When the time is available....er.....)

Donate here:

Housing Works

Fountain House

BRC

You might want to sing it note for note

2011-04-08T10:29:00.005-04:00

Day 3- A song that makes you happy

So- here it is. And I can't same ashamed at all to have this song on my list. Sure, it's schlocky 80's fodder for the masses- but still, I get a kick out of it. It's on my itunes. It's on my Droid. I've even put it on a mix tape (or a few mixtapes).

When I was really young I saw this video- and didn't know much about anything at all- but I knew that "Wow, that apartment must be in New York City." This could've been my first foray into wanting to live in this city. Who know what ideas crawl into your child brain and burrow?

Fast forward to living in Denton, and I had my first debt collection call. I tried to pretend that I was in fact, not Dustin Wilson, but his brother. "But you guys sound the same..." the woman on the other end of the line complained.

"We're twins."

Needless to say she didn't buy it, and I had to listen to her list my sins of credit card debauchery from top to bottom. Well, this song came on, and I just felt 1,000 times better. And it still makes he happy. And I'm listening to it right now.

I hope you get this song stuck in your head. Forever and ever.

Oh, what a pity.

2011-04-07T09:38:00.002-04:00

Last night I was asked, "Is there a song you don't like?"

Pretty much every song I hear I have a very annoying habit of singing along with it, or just pointing it out:
"That's Escape Club, you know that song Wild Wild West?"
"Nah, I don't have the album, but every time Blood on The Dancefloor comes on, I just know it."
"Yeah, I have the deluxe Lady Gaga album. What's wrong with that?"

And so on.

BUT. There is one song I absolutely cannot stand, and will not stand. Here you are Day 2- Your Least Favorite Song: Micky by Toni Basil.

The Pleasure of Finding Out Things

2011-04-06T00:18:00.002-04:00

Can't sleep. So here goes the 30 song Challenge. I'll start with day 1 and work my way to 30.

Song #1 Your Favorite Song - Talking Heads- This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

I especially like the Jonathan Demme version (here, from Stop Making Sense) than the recorded version. I especially enjoy David Byrne re-creating the Fred Astaire dance with the lamp.

30 Day Song Challenge- I shall now participate.

2011-04-04T11:15:00.001-04:00

day 01 – your favorite song
day 02 – your least favorite song
day 03 – a song that makes you happy
day 04 – a song that makes you sad
day 05 – a song that reminds you of someone
day 06 – a song that reminds you of somewhere
day 07 – a song that reminds you of a certain event
day 08 – a song that you know all the words to
day 09 – a song that you can dance to
day 10 – a song that makes you fall asleep
day 11 – a song from your favorite band
day 12 – a song from a band you hate
day 13 – a song that is a guilty pleasure
day 14 – a song that no one would expect you to love
day 15 – a song that describes you
day 16 – a song that you used to love but now hate
day 17 – a song that you hear often on the radio
day 18 – a song that you wish you heard on the radio
day 19 – a song from your favorite album
day 20 – a song that you listen to when you’re angry
day 21 – a song that you listen to when you’re happy
day 22 – a song that you listen to when you’re sad
day 23 – a song that you want to play at your wedding
day 24 – a song that you want to play at your funeral
day 25 – a song that makes you laugh
day 26 – a song that you can play on an instrument
day 27 – a song that you wish you could play
day 28 – a song that makes you feel guilty
day 29 – a song from your childhood
day 30 – your favorite song at this time last year

Top 10 of the Top 20's

2011-04-01T10:51:00.003-04:00

Here it is- Top 10 of the 20's.

1.Descendents- Suburban Home
2. Black Tambourine- Throw Aggie From The Bridge
3. Son Volt- Windfall
4. They Might Be Giants- They'll Need A Crane
5. Pulp- Disco 2000
6. Little Grizzly-Today Is The Day
7. The Modern Lovers- I'm Straight
8. The Nails- 88 Lines About 44 Women
9. Tullycraft- Twee
10. The Clash- Lost In The Supermarket

It took a bit and listening to a ton of my music (which I haven't actually just SAT for a couple of hours and LISTENED) and a lot of cancelling things out. There were a lot of songs that came on the radio that I would crank up, there were a lot of songs from the bands I interviewed that were great. And although I listened to Stehen Malmus and The Jicks- Hook non-stop for weeks, it wasn't a tastemaker. But these are the songs that have followed me through the last 10 years, and I have a rich memory of where and when I first heard them all. One of them driving around really late at night and eating my eggs over medium at IHOP in the middle of the Metroplex, one of them on a dancefloor, trying to dance and not spill your drink at the same time. They are all important, and although written by other people I feel like they area also mine in a weird way.

Like movies and reviews: Check out http://fishstandsup.com/ and you will never see another before reading this again. Let him guide you.

Age is a number and mine is unlisted.

2011-03-31T14:19:00.001-04:00

Stay tuned for the triumphant return of this blog!
featuring:
-Top 10 songs of my 20's.
- I attempt to make sausages.
- What time is it and why.
- What I expect from April 3 and so on.

Thanks to all the people who still read this, the penis enlargement ads that leave great comments. To the weird chinese writing that shows up time to time (don't click on that- not endorsed by me) and to those who follow my other blog, Range Life.

That Old Cape Magic

2009-08-19T11:16:00.002-04:00

Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
A lot of old money, Provincetown with their leather shops (The Cock and Bull) and winding country roads that lead to the beach.
Lots of trees and fences, a lot of Eastern European people working for the summer.
Saw some seals, I think perhaps a whale.
The house we rented is pretty damn amazing as well.

Policy and Procedure

2009-08-09T16:30:00.003-04:00

I'm listening to the one of the latest This American Life podcasts, #386, titled "Fine Print." Mostly about how reading the fine print in anything is important, outside of any user contract agreements with Itunes, etc, etc.
It makes me think with all the doctor's visits that I've been going to over the past two months, surgeons, MRI specialists, respiratory therapists- all the fine print that I skip over because it's practically all the same. Yikes. Makes me actually want to read it to find some clause that rules everything null and void.

Trying to get into classes at The Sackett Street Writers Workshop. At the same time I'm still applying all over for MA and MFA Programs for the next year.

Upon joining yet another band, I forget how tiring three hour practices can really make you.

Megadeth Mondays at work always leave me a little nauseous.

2009-08-03T17:56:00.002-04:00

I can only stand Dave Mustaine for .00000001 of a second. Until he starts singing, my brain tricks me into thinking I'm into it.
"Hey, this is gooooood. Like, awesome. Do I have this album? Who is this?"
Then his voice comes in and my finger can't turn it back to Hot97 quick enough (Hot97 being the usual radio station of choice).
Sorry Dave Mustaine,it's not you, it's probably me. My apologies.

I posted a link on facebook about a girl in The Bronx who's suing Monroe College for not getting her a decent job. I guess it's a hard case of "trying harder".

It's countdown until K and I head to Cape Cod for a week and try our damndest to do absolutely nothing for an entire week My absolutely nothing includes reading:

Consider The Lobster- David Foster Wallace
Lost In The City- Edward P. Jones
John Cheever: Collected Stories and Other Writings- John Cheever
Maps and Legends- Michael Chabon

Shooting to read all four is a true testament of time, but I carve a few hours out of the day to flip some pages while on the beach.

Philanthropy!

This is a book drive Clarisa Ramirez, Peace Corps Volunteer, is organizing in her community.

Dear Friends and Family:
I’m starting a book-drive in my Peace Corps site and I need your help. The idea started after I brought back a few children’s books in Spanish from the states that I found in the clearance section of Half Price Books. Every kid that walked in through the door wanted to read them, and mothers wanted to borrow them. With those few books I brought back, we are starting a children’s library in the Centro de Nutricion, which is a government sponsored place that feeds children ages 7 and under and pregnant women between the hours of 10 a.m. until noon. I am good friends with members in the Cento’s committee and I’ve worked with them many times. They’re so excited about the idea they’re already talking about organizing a weekly story-hour time.
What’s I’m asking you is to mail one or more books, appropriate for a young child (they like pictures and short stories), to my community. My goal is to receive 200 books! The best way to send them is through the U.S. Postal Service (postage is expensive but less expensive if you send it through USPS) in small boxes, because large boxes are often sent through customs. Also, the “post man” delivers everything here via motorcycle. You can mail them to my address:
Familia Gamboa Leiva
250 metros al suroeste de la Escuela Camilo Gamboa V.
Santa Cruz, León Cortez
San José, Costa Rica

People often say that Ticos don’t have a reading culture, but I’ve found this to be untrue when it comes to children. If you give a child a book they’re reread it and carry it everywhere. The problem is the only places to purchase books in Costa Rica are in large cities, and the books cost anywhere from $12 to $30 – which is a lot for Ticos in this community, who make about $3 to $6 a day. A book would be worth a week’s salary!
What other things can you do? You can start a book drive with your school; raid the discount sections of bookstores that sell Spanish language books. Even if each of you just send one book, we’ll have 20+ books that we didn’t have before. Also, feel free to forward this email to any of your friends and family members that might be interested. Will this work? Absolutely! A Peace Corps friend of mine received 200 books from an American class, after the class heard the town didn’t have any books, and now the library’s a success. I will start a Facebook group to post photos of children reading the books, too. Why should I do this? This type of work is considered community service, especially if you’re involved in the organization of the book drive, so you can put this on your resume when you apply to university or to a job.

Thank you,
Clarisa Ramirez, clarisa.lucia (at) gmail.com
Peace Corps Volunteer
Costa Rica, 2008-2010

On a plane, I can see the tiny lights below.

2009-07-20T20:17:00.002-04:00

So much of my summer has been spent on not vacation that I'm planning vacations back to back so I can show summer what's what.

First a week jaunt to Cape Cod (from space and not from space). It will be a nice reprieve from the city life if only for a week. We will dine on nothing but seafood, including lobster, which I've never ventured to have. I've been perusing to see what the best way to cook the things.

Just realized that most of my Pandora stations play Modest Mouse.

Other summer destinations for the masses:

Don't say the electric chair's not good enough for king-lazy-bones like myself

2009-07-11T18:52:00.002-04:00

Slow Saturday.

With the whole wave of MJ's death, still, we've all been pondering our favorite MJ songs. For me, it's always been The Way You Make Me Feel. "I feel your fever from miles around" is a great.

My good friend/editor/bartender Matt D. was let go from HUGS but continues to tend bar at The Abbey. So if I told you to go to HUGS for an awesome Bloody Mary, now go to The Abbey.

Speaking of him being my editor, my story "Signal Hill" will be in an upcoming collection titled "We Live For Blood and Glory". It will be at Spoonbill and Sugartown in the next few months.

Been really digging Discovery, total side project of Rostam Batmanglij and Wes Miles. I really like R&B, not going to lie, but it has to be really cheesy. Like K-Ci and JoJo cheesy.

All My Life... I've prayed for someone like you

I care about you in a way that will never ever matter.

2009-07-08T18:48:00.002-04:00

Considering either buying 1,000 Citronella candles for the apartment or buying yards and yards of mosquito netting.
Mosquito bites= they don't itch, but it's just red welts all over.

Independance Day rocked too much, ending with an amazing fist fight. Why would a guy, apparently drunk on shitty beer (these things you can just tell, really) climb four flights of stairs just to wail on party goers?
Because he loves America too much.
We had some of our British friends over to celebrated the Fourth. Braised some pineapple chunks on the grill, added some Prosciutto and shot hell of tons of fireworks.
We have a great view from the roof of the skyline, and got a great view of watching that lumber warehouse on Whythe and 9th burn, which was not cool.

But bottom line, our British friends got beat up and the guy kept shouting "This is our holiday! This is our holiday!"

Great photo of Woody and Gareth from that night. Yes, he was getting pummeled and laughing the whole time. Took it like a champ.

Sunday was quiet, K's parents came in for brunch. O and N drove to St. Louis for the week, so we're kicking it relatively low making Watermelon and Feta Salad and sipping white wine. Plus Season One of Deadliest Catch on the projector. You haven't seen anything unless it's 8ft by 10ft.

I promised Alice I'd get her little girl into preschool, and I haven't had any luck. I ate a cheesecake, I took a nap, what more can one man do?

2009-06-29T23:48:00.003-04:00

We're gassing up for Fourth of July weekend at 405. K has to work Saturday, so it's up to O and I to get things done. Probably a run to BJ's Wholesale to get meat and whatever else we plan to grill. It's completely B.Y.O.B, but we're still going to grab a few cases of Yuengling.

I realized today that I don't post a single photo on Flickr any more, I just wait for O and to see if I'm in any of them. He posted the Coney Island Mermaid Day Parade 09 photos... see above.

Went back to Bone Lick Park for brunch on Saturday with Jarrod and O and N (K went surfing in Long Beach). I'm starting to realize I'm either becoming a brunch snob (I can't take more watery mimosas, even if they are unlimited) but since TONY came out with the all inclusive brunch issues, I feel less bad.
Speaking of that, K and I walked around the neighborhood and ended up in Wombat on Grand. I had the duck hash, which was pretty badass, and she had the salt cod scramble. Apparently they have lobster like crazy there, so I'm going to get practice in before we take our vacation to Cape Cod.

Work is steady, work is good. I begged to go back to an 8-4 shift instead of 9-5. It's a lot better since I wake up early, I prefer to get off early. It's an adult dilemma, I know.

For her, all seven deadly sins!

2009-06-26T18:11:00.002-04:00

Last night headed to a going away party for a friend at Washington Commons. A great bar with a decent backyard.

Had to cut everything short due to the beginning of my Dr. appointments in the city. Spent nearly two hours in an MRI tube that looked like something out of THX 1138 and then onto a series of CATscans. A fun morning!

Tomorrow K's brother is returning from basic training, so there is a thing down at Down The Hatch.

I'm always trying to brighten your Mondays!

2009-06-15T23:05:00.002-04:00

Discomfort is very much part of my master plan.

2009-06-13T17:40:00.002-04:00

This week flew by again.
K and I went and saw Apostle of Hustle and Brian Bonz at the Bowery Ballroom. Drank $1 beers and fell back in love with shoestring fries at Epsteins (corner of Allen and Stanton).
Thursday we went and saw The Hangover. Great. Great. Great. One person that's never really mentioned to be part of the whole pack of new comedians is Kim Jeong (the doctor in Knocked Up...Pineapple Express... Role Models)
Last night we went drinking on a ship, The Frying Pan. Awesome. The boat did pitch a bit early in the night though, but they have a DJ down in the quarters. Rock.
Brunch at Bone Lick Park in Greenwich. Turkey Sausage with Gravy Biscuits and unlimited Bloody Marys. I've had a lot better drinks at Teddy's (still singing the praises of that place) but the food was good.
Tomorrow we're doing a sunrise Coney Island trip to take photos, and then back to my old apartment in Kensington to wrap some things up and then the Big Apple BBQ Fest at Bryant Park.

He's gonna give away a thousand dollars! Someone's gonna get a thousand dollars! Who d'ya think's gonna get a thousand dollars?

2009-06-05T00:20:00.003-04:00

I visit The Strand at least twice a week. My friend Samantha had always told me how she hated working there while at Borders, and I've never had the heart to tell her that it's the place where I get the majority of my books.

Tonight was Adriane Tomine and Seth as panel speakers as a precursor to the Museum of Cartoon and Comic Art Festival 2009.
This weekend brings a lot of backyard BBQ's including one from this lady, Ms. Emily Nemens. I'm told that I will learn Bocci Ball as well as the finer things of submitting articles to McSweeney's, which I still wait with bated breathe on notice.

Michael you would fall and turn the white snow red as strawberries

2009-06-01T22:13:00.002-04:00

I'm insanely proud of myself for reading Less Than Zero in one day.
I re-read it because of, naturally, the correlation between novel and song of Elvis Costello. And Elvis Costello is having a show in NYC where in which there are no tickets: only a secret handshake and code word will allow you to get to see one of the greatest artist of our times.
The first time I heard Elvis Costello was Allison where I had left the bar with a friend who continually explained that she was named after the Elvis Costello song.
I've finally got everything moved into the loft in Bushwick, and am happy to say it's been great thus far. I like being back in north Brooklyn as opposed to south Brooklyn. I will miss Prospect Park being right outside my window, I will miss Park Slope, I'll miss being able to stop by Rocketship on the way home from work, but c'mon, it's Bushwick.

To take a point and turn it, Soju. I fell in love with Soju sometime before, and now have a steady supply of it in the fridge. Chum-Churum in fact. The potato based concoction has a lot of great history to it.

Registering for the Mermaid Parade. I think I may go as Neptune.

Don't waste your precious breath explaining that you are worthwhile

2009-05-25T20:37:00.003-04:00

Outside of the angry men yelling in French beside my window, Memorial Day has been another success.
Hell, the entire weekend went off like gangbusters.

We finished staining and laying down the new wood for our veranda (can it be called that? A fire escape that doubles as a large patio) in time for us to grill. Finally made the trip to BJ's in Queens- I've only ever been to the one in New Jersey.
Sunday was spent at HUGS.
Finished reading Shortcomings and A Drifting Life. I'm slowly working on building up my Adrian Tomine collection.
Last week submitted an article to McSweeney's.Planning on more in the future.

I also banged my wrist up pretty bad (I have to wear a brace to keep it steady.) A friend of ours asked if I had carpal tunnel.
I'm ashamed to admit it's hurt from punching someone and I just manned it up. See what wanton violence gets you?
Still planning the Costa Rica trip. We've got... countdown...seven months to get this together. This is including our October trip to Texas again.
Tomorrow I have to drive to NJ for the day, so I count that as another day off work.
Huzzah!

As in the book, I wound up inventing people. Kind of curious.

2009-05-04T21:45:00.002-04:00

Internet liberation? Can we be fully free of the electronic synapses that ties us all together?

The weekend proved very fruitful, at least in a sense where everything seems satisfying and no one was hurt.

Walked from brunch at Lodge (which I say no more, I'll stick with Teddy's , thanks) to Fred Flare in Greenpoint. The walk was good, the skies parted and it became a beautiful day.
Later, parting ways, I ended up at Night of No BS at Parkside Lounge while everyone else headed to BJ's in Queens to grab stuff for the the glory that is cooking outside on the patio. All of Bushwick is spread before us on a Spring day.
One of many videos that forces my brain into spring/summer mode:

Can you give me directions...to your heart?

2009-04-26T09:38:00.002-04:00

Matt and Kim... I still need a new pair of glasses. After that errant crowd surfer decided to kick me in the face...

So yesterday I think, was the first hot day of forever. Winter never seemed so good.
Our trip down to PA wasn't bad until we turned onto the New Jersey Turnpike. 3 hours of stifling traffic due to a wreck... 3 hours stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike. It boded well for me as I finished the New School Lit Magazine I had picked up and started The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao. So far so good. I didn't really give it a chance the first time I picked it up, but I think there's something that Junot Diaz has, in the same vein why Nicholson Baker is so popular.

- I need to start packing for the move back to Bushwick, t-minus one month.
- Costa Rica trip plan. Gotta get planning.
- GRE Studying still going in full force.

Cause tonight Im gonna take that ride, across the river to the Jersey side...

2009-04-24T17:42:00.002-04:00

I find myself a lot more in New Jersey these days.

The stigma behind New Jersey reminds me of the stigma between Texas and Oklahoma. Analogy: New York is to New Jersey as Texas is to Oklahoma.

I remember a time when I drove to see Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers show in Norman, OK. Making the 2 1/2 drive you don't really notice much- there's not much difference between one highway to the next. The landscape doesn't really change much either, still mostly flat, the occasional gathering of rolling hills, real Zane Grey stuff if you catch my drift.

But for numerous reasons, Oklahoma and Texas are worlds apart, just as New Jersey and New York are worlds apart. A simple imaginary line, just an etching on some 200 year old map and now you have a cultural clash you can equate with the Britons and the Gauls.
True, neither is as picturesque as the other wants it to be: New York is the place of high rise apartments, crowded streets and the exercise in opportunity where New Jersey is treated as a bastard step-child of modern America. Which I feel is not so. This isn't denying the half-baked New Yorker in me (I say half-baked because it will only be a full two years come August), but New Jersey, you don't deserve it. You got all the best parts that New York lacks, and you're closer to us than any Westchester or Orange Counties burg may be. Plus, you're the epitome of American youth culture.
Forget the big cities, you want youth culture, you have to look at Orange County, California or Livingston, New Jersey. You're not going to hit the middle of the mark any more than these two places. They scream Hollister. They scream American Apparel. They scream bands like 3oh!3 and The Metro. It's Valley Girl-mallesque all over.
Yes, Tom Petty, Free Fallin' at it's best.

So, New Jersey, don't take it so hard. You're all right by me.

Abstract expressionism is so mid-to-late eighties.

2009-04-19T11:53:00.002-04:00

I haven't updated since my birthday- age 28 is a busy time in one's life.

- L Magazine Reading- I attended the first in a series of L Magazine readings Thursday at The Slipper Room. It's been a long time since I've gone to any readings or any part of any reading series so it was good. Really helps getting into the swing of things. I'm not going to be critcal of the stories themselves- sorry. I'm not in that mindframe right now (that equals not enough coffee).

- The dreaded GRE- This is what you take when you're unhappy with your job and you need to get out. It sort of feels like a get rich quick scheme, like this is the test to prove that your ready to actually have a life and not just stew in the post-undergraduate world until you climb the corporate ladder. I'm applying to a few schools outside of NYC, on in NYC, and hopefully get into Toulouse, which is back in Denton. So, Anomaly, equivocal, erudite, lucid, opaque, precipitate, prodigal, enigma, fervid, placate,zeal, and assuage. These are only 12 of the words I need to incorporate into my vocabulary.

Oh, you are totally underestimating the never-say-die scrappiness of a survivor.

2009-04-02T05:53:00.002-04:00

Returning from the success of my brother's wedding (it was nothing short of Cowboys boots made of pure chocolate and champagne dreams)I realized that the week sped past to my birthday today.
Everyone knows that people like Rodney King and Dr. Demento were born today, but did you know that the Club Alpin Francais was founded today? If you don't believe me find someone who does believe me (or you can simply look it up).
So, pop a cork, cut into a nice Pittsburgh rare, and remember that I am two years away from being 30.

Mortal motivations, looking for the perfect beat.

2009-03-08T21:26:00.002-04:00

My flirt with this side of Brooklyn is soon to come to a halt.

It was probably a warm day in 1899 when Dean Alvord, sans coat and hat doffed from the harsh winter months behind him, spread his arms wide and said "Let this be a testament to all of New York."

And with a urban developers mind, he was to have a rus in urbe, a rustic countryside in the middle of an up an coming bustling neighborhood of mixed ethnicities. The challenge that lay before the new residents was the same: bringing some air of apple farms and long after dinner walks where there were no apple farms and no places to walk? Every home was required to plant a certain number of trees, and the sidewalks wind and wind around the neighborhood, snaking their way into intersections and ending abruptly, if not friendly, at neighbors doorsteps. With a click of Red Mike's heels, the ground was dug, parasols were opened and some people were still supposedly cured by getting sand poured in their ears.

I know that I'll move on resting assured that this part of Brooklyn will still be here.

In other news, the grill on the backporch has been cleaned, there are many imported beers being had (I'm sure even as I type this) and lists of restaurants featuring patios are being accumulated.

I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults.

2009-02-25T22:55:00.002-05:00

I was reminded today that in exactly a month I'll be back in the Lone Star State.
Troy Aikmen+Willie Nelson+NASA+The Bush Twins+Pantera+Blue Bell+Bill Parcells +Lawrence Whittaker+Mike Judge+Debbie Allen+Larry Hagman+Audie Murphy+The Alamo+Beyonce+Enron+The Dallas Cowboys+Bob Wills+Barry White+Kelly Clarkson+The Rangers+Don Henley+The Polyphonic Spree+Lyndon Johnson+DRI+Sparta+Mars Volta+Dangerous Toys+ZZ Top+The Dallas Morning News+The Fort Worth Star Telegram+The Branch Dividians+Dallas Texas+The Aggies+Gary Busey+Walter Cronkite+Judge Roy Bean+Tim Duncan+Patrick Swayze

Just a few things great about Texas. Call it an obsession? I don't know. I don't think you can truly appreciate something until you can see it from a certain distance.

High school is such a shared experience in North American culture.

2009-02-11T19:02:00.004-05:00

... my 10 year high school reunion is coming up.
The good thing is that I feel younger the older I get. That photo there is the 1999 Senior prom photo, and yes, that is everyone in my graduating class. I remember going home that night and vowing just to forget that these things exist.

I recently finished this book, Nowhere Man. It was a recommended read. It really touched upon a lot of ideas of identity (and the lack there of). I really liked it, I was thinking of reading it again just to really let it sink in. There were parts that I wanted to underline, but I didn't want to ruin the integrity of the book.

It really made me think about my life, and my writing. I started to read all the books that I had read before that really influenced me, that made me want to be a silly man with a typewriter and a clean, well lighted place. I've been re-reading Microserfs and Jesus' Son. Black Hole. Maybe I'm trying to identify myself through the books I've read?

I don't think there's necessarily a story, but there's definitely a theme here.

2009-02-04T21:31:00.003-05:00

This is probably one of most aesthetically pleasing videos I have ever seen. It's filmed in Shanghai, China, and I simply can't put it into words the feelings that it brings up in me.

The sounds of my roommate playing his ukulele in the living room is an odd sense of comfort.

In two weeks I'll be going into the studio to help record an album and I have only the slightest clue about what's going on. Our drummer is probably going back to Florida to play for his first band, Against Me!.
We did finally settle on the studio though, which is good. Night Owl Studios. John has a good rapport with the guys because the first album was recorded here as well.

My ankle, for what it's worth, miraculously healed itself. Dr. Olga, the only Dr. I'll ever see (see the last post) said I should probably go to the Ryan Center so a medical doctor could check it out, but it feels fine. A little tender here and there.

Tomorrow I have to get fitted for a tuxedo for my brother's wedding. More on that later.

This will affect many Americans.

2009-01-29T08:58:00.002-05:00

25 Things About Me:

1. À la recherche du temps perdu- I have a horrible memory coupled with time loss. Things sort of get jumbled in my mind regarding time and and exactly what happened. But on the other side, I can remember things clearly like how many tire treads or road trip mix tapes, in order of song. But I don't remember where we were going or why.

2. I read on a daily basis: Cracked, The Huffington Post, Google News, Wikipedia, The Onion, McSweeney's and The Christian Science Monitor. This is where I gather all my information and still feel uninformed about the world at large.

3. In third grade I was forced to have my first abstract thought: China. I can't touch, taste or feel China, but I had to know China.

4. I refuse to see a doctor or go to the hospital. This has been ingrained in me for most of my life that if I can't fix it myself just leave it broken until I can.

5. Back to #2- I read the recent deaths section of Wikipedia every day and tally up the ages.

6. Although I studied English and Creative Writing in University, I've worked in the mental health field for 10 years come February. And although I do plan on going to grad school next year, I still want to work in with this population.

7. When I was young I wanted to be and Archaeologist. My grandmother would get up early and go bury things in her back yard in Abilene. After breakfast she would give me a trowel and a box and I'd spend all day digging.

8. I had an unhealthy obsession with Mongolia. Mostly because they were nomadic and lived in Yurts. Now I have an unhealthy obsession with Iceland. Mostly because it's far away and now they have no government. I think I just want to be far away from things.

9. The first song I learned how to play on the guitar was House of The Rising Sun, The Animals version. The second song I learned was Santa Monica by Everclear. Sparkle and Fade is still one of my favorite albums.

10. Bodega Sandwiches are my lifeforce.

11. That being said when I working I forget to eat and have to get a phonecall to remind me to eat. This happens several times a week, and I have a rainlender calendar on my desktop that reminds me to eat at 3 every day.

12. I was a member of the Young Communist League. Key word here is 'young' because I think we were all too young to really realize what being aligned with such a strong form of politics. I maybe confused about politics, but I know that I can't really stand behind Communism anymore.

13. Graphic Novels. I can spend the rest of my life writing and creating graphic novels, and It'd be an ideal job. That's my lying on the beach drinking a mimosa kind of job.

14. Getting my English degree was an exercise in defiance to the utmost degree.

15. I'm deathly afraid of getting type II Diabetes. When my Dad and my Grandmother were both diagnosed in the same week last year, I didn't sleep for at least three days and threw away a box of unopened Hot Pockets.

16. I've had many great days in a row. Things get better.

17. I talk about Denton as this city in the clouds. I remember it being that way, and then I remember days where I never left my room because I was so bored.

18. I don't like rude humor. I don't like toilet jokes. Or fart sounds.

19. I'm always encouraging people to not get tattoos.

20. I have really bad phone manners. I just don't like talking on the phone, so I make it miserable for everyone. Plus, if it's more than 2 minutes I consider that talking to you all afternoon. This is something I desperately need to work on.

21. I've read most of Dean Koontz's books in High School. Why? Why? Why? I don't know why. I think I was so against Stephen King at the time I wanted to read what no one else was reading.

22. I love cooking. I love reading about cooking. I love watching people cook. I can slice a bell pepper like it no one other.

23. I can't wear t-shirts out in public, but I have dreams of wearing t-shirts out in public. These are vivid dreams, and I'm always happy.

24. I'm afraid of becoming washed up, but I don't believe in the American Dream.

25. I miss watching Mr. Show and Kids in The Hall. Those were my favorite shows, and I just can't bear to watch them without feeling a great wave of sadness.

I date women on T.V. with the help of Chuck Woolery

2009-01-25T09:11:00.002-05:00

When I was younger, I watched this show religiously every night. I don't know why, but falling asleep to the laugh track and the woo-hooing of the audience really knocked me out. Plus did any of the girls really want to go on a date with the guy, or were they just being nice?

Home Sweet Home is a good place to go, if it's Wednesday. It was incredibly fratty last night, and some girl touched her greasy forehead to mine asking for rolling papers.

I gotta get paid soon.

2009-01-23T12:25:00.003-05:00

Dedication time.

In lieu of my night dance-a-thon at Music Hall of Williamsburg (by the way...if you see a pair of black hornrimmed glasses smashed into thousands of pieces) I'm going to post my favorite dance songs, by decade.

Yeah, last night Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Spankrock and Matt and Kim. RMO killed it, srsly. Like, murdered the show in such a good way. I don't know what the aesthetic of having a marching band really is, if it culls out the band nerd in me (Tuba- 6 years)but it just....fucking amazing to see it live.

Here we go!
1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's (TOSS UP TIE UP)

The age of miracles, the golden age.

2009-01-18T10:34:00.003-05:00

Crash bang, back at work and for some reason the office is re-arranged, our minifridge is on the fritz, my mailbox is full and I can't find any of my HRA forms.

They vacation has come to an end.

So, if you know me very well, and if you read this blog, I'm an avid fan of the Keanu Reeve's 1991 film Point Break. We rented it the other day just to watch it on this TV.
Does Johnny Utah's realize that they've named there bar after a certain FBI agent and former Ohio State quarterback with a heart of gold? Probably not.
Anyway, good bar, you sign a waiver without reading it, get a stamp and you can ride the mechanical bull. Not bad. Photos soon.

Right now I can't put any weight on my left ankle due to a mishap with a ladder and a bruised ego.

Tonight is Martin-i Luther King Jr. Party!

oh yeah...

and now...

I'm tongue-tied and useless again

2009-01-14T11:39:00.002-05:00

I woke up early Tuesday and took a really long walk through Prospect Park. From 5th Ave. back to Stratford Rd. I kept warm in the freezing weather and enjoyed sloshing through the snow in my new Reebok's.

Needless to say, vacation time is leaving me high and dry. I've gotten a lot of work done, so it's not a complete waste. I've been editing like a madman- scratch that- cringing like a mad man. Going through these stories is like sharing a superficial relationship with a friend in high school, you remember why you didn't keep in touch the more you remember. I can chalk it up to being young, which I do, and laugh it off. Then again there are things that I feel like I will never live down, and cringe as I think back to the time I typed those letters out on my old computer.

I wonder how much work I've done that I just tossed because It didn't live up to what I wanted it to do?

Back when Radiohead meant something to me:

Just a cold cold boy with american heart...

2009-01-12T00:44:00.002-05:00

So, I made the first mistake of the week by watching The United States of Tara.
After being bombarded by the subway ads at every stop between here and The Bronx, I gave it a shot. No no no.

Anyway, I'm on vacation again, so I'm trying to come up with ideas. Last time was a practice vacation, this one I need to use to be productive. I'm working on editing several of my stories for Glimmer Train and Zoetrope. All part of the really try do something with my life in NYC thing I got going right now.

I'm digging Fleet Foxes still. I read a review somewhere that said their album sounded like it was recorded in a forest. I'll go as so far as to say a magical forest.

Memories are what warm you up from the inside. But they're also what tear you apart.

2009-01-07T22:00:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I think of my mind as an ocean, this big mass of water full of ideas and memories and hopes and dreams. It's also full of beautiful creatures- some that make sense and other's being beautiful just to beautiful. And then there are things that are buried at the bottom of, things that have sank into the seabed, things that I want to forget or need to forget? Things that just happen to be forgotten just to be forgotten?

I'm going through my bookmarks deleting things.

David Sitek's Flickr
Police Codes (??)
Captain Obvious

and a youtube link to this video:

Thanks in advance for helping homeless New Yorkers!

2009-01-06T10:53:00.001-05:00

I used to think that the years would go by in order, that you get older one year at a time ... But it's not like that. It happens overnight.

2009-01-04T10:26:00.002-05:00

There was once a time that I didn't have have to choose between listening to Sigur Ros or drinking Nyquil to go to sleep.

Gah! New Years Eve left me with an aching head and a sleepy heart. I don't think my body is accustomed to fancy dresses, ritzy salmon hour d' ourves and copious amonunts of Champagne. Not anymore. This is not the 2000's I know and love.

I've decided to go ahead and start looking at MFA programs again. So far this morning it's been Hunter College, University of Texas and the MA Program at University of North Texas. The last two would be a welcome homecoming, since I've already been in talks with a friend who doubles as a Professor at UNT. I could just slip back into academic life there... but then I'd have to leave NYC.

Downtown Owl, anyone?

Adios 2008

2009-01-01T12:58:00.007-05:00

The act of losing, however, can elicit great wisdom.

2008-12-28T19:42:00.003-05:00

I finally started thinking about how I'm going to spend 2008. Since I only have the 4 days left, I guess I'm just going to continue eating bodega sandwiches, drinking and wondering if I should gather my GRE stuff together as I convince myself that next year is a good year to apply for grad school.

Things I've learned to enjoy in 2008:

- Anything made out of sweet potatoes
- Drinking beer in the shower
- leaning way dangerously forward while anchored on to something stationary, waiting for the train.
- The Dallas Cowboys
- copious amounts of Chinese food (mainly rice congee, juk)
- Getting e-mails
- Buses
- Hiking...
- New Jersey

Things I've learned not to enjoy in 2008:
- Anything above Central Park, really
- Snow. Snow. Snow
- bar covers or bar specials that aren't really special at all
- Drinking in Manhattan
- Crowds on the L train in the morning
- Yes, we can all hear your ipod
- The Dallas Cowboys

So, as I continue to regale over getting chased out of Chinese restaurants, daytrips upstate (Rockefeller State Park) and trying not to burn my hands cooking (see a much previous post), I'll think of you and yours for the next year. 2009 I think. I hope.

I was fired from VH1, not canceled.

2008-12-24T20:09:00.002-05:00

I remember seeing this video somewhere before. I've had it stuck in my head all day. These people, I assume are French for some reason? My boss is French, and this is in an office... so maybe there's a mental connection there.

I'll be in NJ for the rest of the week. Maybe a special guest update from another state? Stay tuned next on Sick Sad World.

I wonder if Madoff would enjoy this..

2008-12-24T12:35:00.001-05:00

您知道I' 总是ll爱您

2008-12-20T02:06:00.002-05:00

Although I do appreciate the snow, I don't think I'll ever like it. I don't think I'll ever accept it as a possible effect on my life. Not yet at least.
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for snow though. Watching it fall from my apartment window sends a chill through me, not a cold chill, but this chill of normality. This is a normal, plausible thing in life. This is weather. This is something that we know.
Do the oceans get jealous of rain and snow because these things fall on us? The way we're affected by these things we just accept as a precursor to our life. Does the ocean even acknowledge the presence of snow and rain?

Do I acknowledge the presence of the ocean as something that impacts my life as much as snow and rain?

Since I've been on this forced vacation (a labor of love, significantly) I've spent a lot of time just rehashing things. Let me get the record straight: Sometimes it's hard to look myself in the mirror. Not that I don't see myself, it's just hard to look at myself from that perspective at times. I think about the trouble I've caused, the things I've broken that I want to somehow magically unbreak, the things I want to fight for and seem to be doing a horrible job. I see someone that's been rescued and I've seen someone that's done a lot of rescuing. Someone that has no absolute connection, but wants to connect everything.

I dunno. Maybe it's the weather.

If machines could speak we wouldnt need to advertise.

2008-12-05T14:23:00.001-05:00

2008-11-30T08:57:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Sunny West Orange, New Jersey! Yes, it IS the home of Thomas A. Edison!
Actually, I got back on Friday night. They don't have much on the internet out that way.

Through much elation concerning food, high regards to a Pecan Pie and only one missed train, Thanksgiving came to a close in good cheer. Kudos to everyone who showed, or didn't show, but was thinking about it somewhere else. Thanksgiving is one of the holidays, in my opinion, isn't very biased on religion or belief.
I've never heard anyone that didn't celebrate Thanksgiving on based on a certain lifestyle or religion. Maybe because it's so generalized? It's not associated with anything? I guess it's more like President's Day but with a lot of family and food.

They've been playing Christmas music non-stop over the past two weeks on the radio.

For that special Bowie fan out there:

I may need to do a stake-out over the weekend.

2008-11-26T14:52:00.002-05:00

Blip Festival 2008: The Promo from Richard Alexander Caraballo on Vimeo.

I see murals in the radio static and on your blue jeans.

2008-11-19T10:21:00.002-05:00

Day.... 3? Day 3 in the throes of West Texas.

A gallant homecoming if anything. I touched down in DFW Friday night, Brian patiently waiting the 1 1/2 hour lateness of my flight. Delta, why do you shun thee? As he said in his e-mail, and once again in person "word is bond."
We sped through the night to get to Denton, where it was nothing but shots and free Shiner abound at RGRS with the skeleton crew of RGRS.
After that I headed out, thouroghly buzzed and using the train tracks as landmarks to get to Lucky Lou's to meet up with everyone else.
Went to a part that was DJ'd by two guys with laptops sitting next to a bonfire.

I met up with Ian the next day for an impromptu session, getting more ink on my arm. It's pretty much finished all the way to my wrist now, so I'm pretty happy. I took a long walk around Denton. There's a lot that's gone, there's a lot that's stayed the same. Most everyone I knew has either relocated to NYC or Portland, Oregon. There's a handful of diehard's left, the music scene has changed considerably (let's give up Centro-matic for bands like Bat Castle).
It was good though. It made me realize why I left and why I don't think I'm ready, if at all, to come back. My life is so on the razor's edge most of the time, merely a gust of wind and I'm gone somewhere else. I moved to NYC on the whim of Amy telling me how great it was and my new luggage. Now coming back, I know that I'd do it again.
What a great respite it is to come from NYC back to...nowhere. Driving along the highway, it really is a vastness that I haven't thought about in some time. The first sip of Shiner is my petite madeline a la Proust.
On seeing the big picture: True, people do look at the big picture only when they're feeling up or down. I think if you're constantly looking at the big picture it'd be hard to live your, or any life. Always having to see everything. It's unfair to the moment, especially when someone else is down in that valley with you or high on that peak. Time and space don't allow you to really always look at the big picture either. If that were true, than everyone would probably be level headed individuals. But that's not being alive should be about. It's about selfishness, time gained, time lost, happiness, love (what is love?) and everything in between. We are not rational creatures, and if we had everything down to a science, there'd be no room for art.
It's been a good break so far. There's definitely a line drawn in the sand in regards to my life.

Brilliantly restrained.

2008-11-09T12:15:00.003-05:00

Topsy-Turvy, right?

Last night I went to the Film Forum to see Mijke de Jong's Stages.

Have you ever seen the appropriate movie or heard the appropriate song to fit whatever's happening at that moment? This is was pretty much it. I equate breaking up to reincarnation; or how just have to handle to the world from another viewpoint. I mean, let's say an animal, dog/cat/hamster or whatever sharing the same apartment with a human or another animal. You experience the same surroundings but through a different view. What's big to someone is small to the other. What's black and white is in color. Right now, I'm having to look at things the big picture.
That's what I feel right now, I'm going to be in the same set of circumstances, yet I'm having to look at it from a different point of view. Stages is very relevant to the situation. It's shades of life with two divorced people sharing a son that can't or won't connect with them. It's really a series of peaks and valleys of two peoples emotional states: you want to love or hate this person, you have a hard time distinguishing that. It's a quiet film, at that. De Jong drops the sound a few times to focus on the visual, which is something I wish American filmmakers would use.

I leave for Texas next week, next Friday to be exact. It couldn't come at a better time.
The guy at the lower left hand corner of this picture looks like Devandra Barnhart.

ASTEROIDS (assorted prices, unimportant)

2008-10-22T13:50:00.003-04:00

These will be the topics in the following posts:

-The Fruit-basket
-"I AM THE MAN"
-drugs and my friends
-chemistry blunder
-music and lit references

It's not really essay format. I lied. It's sort of a challenge to try and recall each of these topics and correlate it with your life. Some easy ("I AM THE MAN") some harder (The Fruit-basket) but it gives me something better to write. Rather this that write about how I finally threw away that shark fin soup I had in the fridge.

Hey, here's a trivia question: Why would I wanna do that?

2008-10-16T09:50:00.004-04:00

\
So, I missed the debate again.

We trucked it out to the Zombie Hut in Gowanus. They had too many distractions: Deluxe Scrabble, $2 PBR's and this thing here on the right, the Scorpion Bowl.

So, in my with my Indiana Jones like furor that I scour NYC for the best Mexican food (many people say you have to head to New Jersey) Owen, Kerrie and I hit up El Cantinero last Saturday. Pricey, yes, good, alright. I had the Burrito and Enchilida Suiza. The rice was killer. Like, killed-me-and-forged-a-suicide-note-and-threw-me-in-The East River-type-killed.

I need a certain list of topics to essay all on.
Give them to me.

They don't have nothin', it's like a flea market threw up in there.

2008-10-12T08:44:00.004-04:00

Thank you new Deerhoof album. You've made my week.

Right now I'm listening to Will Sheff (Okkervil River)run through a 44 minute DJ set. I've never really listened to Okkervil River but I've always considered them.

Hey, Sunday morning is not the time to be upset with two homeless guys.
Unless they're digging through the garbage right outside your window and making a mess of the staircase.
Not cool homeless guy with red gloves. Not cool homeless guy with dreadlock in your goatee.

Pitchfork is releasing The Pitchfork 500. The 500 top songs of all time. Pre-order from Insound.

Npr released a
list of recommended books. Some of them I read. I'd really like to read Consider the Lobster.

I'll be your lucky star at the Cafe Wah

2008-10-08T18:49:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite novelists, Danica Novgorodoff has a new book coming out,Slow Storm. Right on.

Right now I'm sitting on the floor in my living room watching the sky get darker. I always like fall- the oncoming weather makes me feel more productive. Something Pavlovian? Not sure.

Last night I went to Lobo for $3 crispy iced out Stellas and to watch a couple of guys jab at each other politically. John McCain and Barack Obama. I don't really rely on politics for anything, to me it's like gravity. It's there, I know it's there, I don't really worry about it. I grew up with a photo of Ronald Reagan hanging in the hallway. So, I gave it a shot.
...for about ten minutes. There was an older woman at the bar who ruined the whole thing. Scratch that. Ruined the whole thing for everyone.
Yes, okay, I get it. No one likes McCain or Palin. Good. Great. She's creepy and he's creepy and that baby Trigger is creepy. McCain is like your slow uncle with that far off gaze like he's in the parking lot of Wal-Mart and can't remember where he parked his car. But old lady at the bar, let me hear what he fucking has to say.
Every time he started to speak she would yell "Yeah Right!" and "You're a liar!" and if she had nothing intelligent such as those quips she would just exclaim "ha!" real loud. She would shush everyone while Obama was speaking. I'm sorry. I just can't take ignorance to the opposition. Just let us hear what he has to say. I don't care if you agree or not.

Anyway, Top Blog Secret: I didn't vote in the last election. I admit it. I also admit I get uncomfortable when people turn to me and want me to agree to criticize President Bush with them. I didn't vote, so I don't feel that camaraderie that a lot of people feel.
1: Hey, Bush is doing a bad job! He's a moron!
2: I didn't vote for him!
1: Me neither!
2: Awesome. Let's celeberate!
(high five or reassuring chuckle coupled with head nod)

With all of this I do throw my lot in with Obama. He makes sense.

Why Must I Cry?

2008-10-05T11:57:00.002-04:00

Yes. Thanks, now I have this song stuck in my head 24/7.
I finally got around to getting furniture at IKEA. The trek that you have to endure in moving furniture without a car- man, mean city living. I just said screw it and got a car service to car us back. But now I'm surprisingly more productive!

Friday night met up with Kerrie and Cindy at Bedford and headed in to see Chris at Terra Blues. We had seen TMBG right across the street a week before. The place was chill- older, more jazzy (in two ways).
After there I finally went to a Hookah bar. The Luxor Cafe. It just happened to be across from an awesome falafel spot, so we ended up there smoking some tutti-frutti through a pipe that made me feel all regal.

Band practice today. I have to learn 12 songs in about an hour and a half.

Choke on this you dance-a-teria types!

2008-10-02T14:52:00.003-04:00

Oh. Yeah. This is a thing. Please make it a thing in your life.

Last night Cindy and I caught A Man for All Seasons at American Airlines Theatre. First off, George Morfogen who played Bob Rebadow on Oz played Thomas Cramner, Archbishop of Canterbury. Anyway, Thomas More was a humanist scholar, head advisor to Henry the VIII during the time he was divorcing Catherine of Aragon and hooking up with Anne Boleyn, wanting to make her the new Queen. Thomas More didn't stand behind it, because of the whole reason of forming the new Church of England. He was still loyal to the Church and was friends with Catherine of Aragon. Instead of protesting it, he just kept quiet. Not answering to any of the allegations brought against him, he was forced to resign and burned at the stake for high treason. He knew it was wrong, and instead of joining up with the rest of the advisors and blindly supporting the King, he was punished for what he felt was right.
It really made me think how many times I've blindly followed when I leaned the other way.

Anyway, I have these next three days off. I'm trying to make the best of things by applying ton of burn cream on my bandaged hands and making Autumn mixtapes. I was supposed to go to Rockaway Beach today, but I had laundry to do.

Anybody want to go to this with me?

Picture opposite..ancestry..shipwreck free.

2008-09-28T10:35:00.002-04:00

Le Poisson Rouge is hosting They Might Be Giants for a residency for the next few months. Every last Saturday of the month until January.
Last night opened with a cacaphony of French, sweetly whispered over violin and banjo ukelele in the form of Les Chauds Lapins. Brilliant layered French pop from a lazy day next to a river or something. I just started to like crêpes, so the music was even better.

Someone once bought me an accordian, and for a long time between classes I would practice in our apartment along with the Amélie soundtrack. I only learned two songs ("Soir de fête" and "Sur le fil"), but I don't consider myself well versed in the ways of the accordion. I wish I had it here, because there are many times I'd like to squeeze a lonely E minor out.

Right now I'm listening to and Art Garfunkle recording an epilogue of his time with Simon and Garfunkle. It's sort of a joke- Art in the recording booth referring as himself to his full name, Arthur Ira Garfunkel, and giving a very grave a dire diatribe about their splitting up. Halfway through he keeps getting interrupted by Paul Simon in on the board, telling him that he's not serious enough, that he has to be more dark for people to truly believe that they're no longer. He just keeps painting this bleak world where "Some people follow their God's, some people can't handle the split" with Paul Simon cracking up on the other end.

Being in a band is like dating three or four other people all at the same time. I feel like I dated Camella and Jacob for way too long, way long after the relationship was gone. Through the last three months of the band, we were seriously going through the motions. The last tour- the Midwest tour- lines were already drawn. Camella was going to move to Portland and start playing with Tex Winters and Brian, Jacob, Cam and I had something in the works for a while that eventually became Heartrapers.

All I can really remember about it is lugging a heavy Ampeg bass amp to the roof of the Fox and Hound with Jacob pushing and Camella carrying her snare up the metal fire escape(yeah, the BACK ENTRANCE) and explaining to her that we both wanted to quit.
Funny, that was probably the best we played during that whole tour, probably because Shea (old guitarist from the first tour) filled in for Brian (who ended up refusing to play anymore shows, anyway).
That night Shea and I drove back to Denton, a Morrissey poster for Jane and free of any responsibility to The Pebble That Saved The World.
After being on a week and half long tour of non-stop driving, I went watched Little Miss Sunshine, which, is a movie about being on a roadtrip.

Terrific. I'm about to get killed a million miles fron nowhere with a gung-ho iguana who tells me to relax.

2008-09-27T13:16:00.002-04:00

I know it's going to be debuting at the Atlanta Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia next Tuesday, but fuck. America needs this movie.

This week has been one sliding scale of doom. I burned my wrist pretty bad and now I have to keep it wrapped. Cindy let me borrow a Puma sweatband, so know I look like a guy who wears a sweatband around my wrist. It makes me think, if I were to sweat so much that I had to wear a band around my arm to soak it up, I need to cut a lot of salt our something out of my diet. Or I just play sports and this is a normal thing people do.

There's a lot of other stuff, but it's not really worth troubling with it all. I got to eat some Shark Fin soup and some Peking Duck, but that was pretty much all I got out of a fancy dinner. Now I can retire and eat duck and shark and feel like a millionaire instead of a three dollaraire (that's the norm).

Supposedly there's talk of Lonnie B. and karaoke tonight.