youngnaspiring70x7's Xanga

MOM! THE MEATLOAF!!

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 03:49:33 GMT

Well, it has been quite a while since I have updated the neglected Xanga. To say a lot has gone on since March 8th would be the biggest understatement ever but I will do my best to update everyone who may or may not care.

First and foremost, on a bright and steamy day in early June, I graduated form Ohio State with a bachelors in journalism. It was a rather enjoyable aside from the whole sweating my balls off thing. Former President Bill Clinton spoke to us graduates which was pretty sweet. He didn't mention his wife or really directly talk politics at all, which made me extremely happy. I am not overly sentimental but I didn't want my graduation to become a political rally and it really didn't which was nice. Our group was the last one called to receive the diplomas and we were instructed to take our degrees and we could just leave the stadium. Once again, I am not too sentimental, but still I found the whole thing rather anti-climactic. It was almost like, "OK, your checks cleared, now hurry up and get out of here so we can get some new fresh money in here." Kind of a jaded way to view my last real day of college but I guess I just calls it like I sees it. Whether or not I will do anything with the degree is another story all together...

Which leads me to discuss the situation with the band. The last few months (particularly the last month or so) have been crazy to say the least. As some of you know the Great Transparency has been on and off tour for the last 3 or 4 weeks as the opening band for something called the Losing Myself Tour. As I type this, I am sitting backstage at a small venue in Greensboro, North Carolina. It has been a very trying situation for me. I am very much a homebody and so anytime I am out of my comfort zone, I get...well...uncomfortable. This tour, while it has been immensely fun, it has been hard being away from my home, family and friends. I miss everyone back in GC and what I wouldn't give to stop by the Treehouse, if only for an episode of Hells Kitchen. (Don't worry, I have been keeping up. Bonnie and Rock in the final?! I understand Rock, but Bonnie? Are you serious?!?! Jen got jipped!) The only thing is, it looks like I am going to have to make the road a part of my comfort zone.
There is interest in the band by a few record labels that would make this band an even more "full-time" gig. One such label is a very small one called ToneCrash. It is owned by a man named Barry. Now Barry used to be a part of the HUGELY popular christian band, Audio Adrenaline and has been producing bands for years. Dudeman has gold records, platinum records, Grammy nominations and Dove Awards all over his basement and that was just a really cool thing for us. In fact we spend this last Wednesday and Thursday at his home studio tracking a song just to see how we feel about recording with him. The thing with this is when Barry started the label, he had enough money to produce two bands records, with promo and distro. He released the full length of a band called Two Empty Chairs earlier this year. Not that we would be his last shot, but I would feel some pressure if we went with ToneCrash. Not only would we be his second of two bands, but if for some reason it tanked, we would totally screw the label. This is all talk but it is a concern of mine personally. I guess we will cross that bridge when/if we come to it. We don't know what will happen in the future though. We have about 4 weeks left on this tour and we will come home and explore our options. We aren't really sure what is going to happen, but we just have to keep our heads down and keep at it. I am pretty happy about where the band is going.
However, this means I am in no hurry to head out and start using my journalism degree. I mean it is something I really enjoy doing, but it is something you need to eat, sleep, breathe and live. It is nothing you can half ass. You need to be intense and I don't think I will be able to give it enough attention, plus if something happens with the band, I would hate to sever ties with a publication and leave some bad feelings. I will probably get back from this tour and lay low for a little while and recharge my batteries, then head out and try to get some worthless temp job. Though I secretly am worried that I will end up like Ryan at Dunder Mifflin on The Office, I am just looking for something to earn some money to pay some people off and save. I am living at home right now to help with my expenses. I know it is never a step up to say that I am moving in with my parents, but right now it is just what the doctor ordered. Plus if I need to leave, I will feel less bad about leaving a temp job than a real journalism job. Oh well, I guess time will tell.

The final big change in my life is on the relationship front. I have recently started dating a girl named Katie. Many of you met her at Dans wedding (Congrats again dude!) and she is just an all around cool girl. We used to work together at the Schott and is a junior in English at OSU from Lebanon, Ohio. She is a huge supporter of the band and all that jazz which makes things very easy on both of us so things are working out well on that end.

Finally, here is what has been invading my iPod recently.
Gogol Bordello - Super Tarantula
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Paramore - Riot!
Starting Line - Direction
Imogen Heap - Speak for Yourself
Hidden in Plain View - Resolution
Boys Night Out - S/T

Take care of yourselves and I will see you in September with plenty of stories! Feel free to call if you want!

We're got one chance to break out
And we need it now
'Cause I'm sick and tired of waiting
sick of this fucking apartment.
-The Academy Is "Black Mamba"

Follow the leader, until we stray...

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:42:49 GMT

Hmmmm. Well...here I am. I think there is point where I just sort of have this for my own personal gradification than anything else. But here is what is up with me.
It feels like I have been spending an unhealthy amount of time with school. I am always on campus or if not on campus doing work at my apartment or if I am not at my apartment I am busy worrying about school. I know that this kind of what college is all about, but still I have been just kind of floating through these last few months. See, I lucked out because I only technically have class on Tuesday and Thursday. Sounds stellar right? Yeah, well, kind of. Now Wednesdays, until recently ( I will get to that later), have been filled with my work with the scum that is UWeekly (also, getting to that later). So from about 4 am until about 4 pm, my days are pretty much shot. I get home from delivering papers and I just have to crash. My body makes me. This makes me pretty much worthless throughout most of Thursday, my crazy busy day. So by the time Friday rolls around I am more or less trying to frantically re-establish my normal schedule. I usually correct it by Monday or Tuesday, then, wham, it is Wednesday again. It is a vicious cycle. I took the required jouranlism-writing class this quarter and it more or less dominated my life. I mean I enjoyed it but I am a little worried about my other two classes. Something tells me I am going to need to do pretty well on these two exams to get by this quarter. No Wii this weekend I guess....
Speaking of which, I recently got the job of being the assistant Arts editor at the Lantern for spring quarter. I mean, I know it doesnt sound that prestigous, but it will give me a leg up on everyone else who is graduating that didn't have that expierience. I am a little worried about it. The staff is pretty much staying the same, in fact they are only losing 2 people (and not many people liked those people), and they seem a little cliquey. I mean, I know Christina, Amanda (the head of the Arts section next quarter) and Gerrick (my old editor who is going to be ast Editor-in-Chief) but I am worried about becoming part of the group. I suppose it is just insecurity because I had a similar reaction when I entered the actual Lantern class and I assimilated pretty well, I think. I guess, I have just heard from some people "Don't piss him off" or "Don't piss her off" and I guess I am just a little worried about screwing something small up and ruining my whole quarter. I am the kind of person who will ask a lot of questions and that is something that I worry about. Ah.
As of yesterday, I will no longer be working for UWeekly. For those who might not be, well-versed in the world of OSU campus newspapers, UWeekly is this crappy little weekly publication that, for all intensive purposes, is nothing more than a tabloid you might see by the Kroger check out. It is all opinion, speculations, terrible writing and pictures of drunk chicks. Yeah, pictures of drunk chicks are all well and good, but come on. Not to say the Lantern is a beacon of professional journalism, but we strive to maintain some type of integrity. I pretty much took the job because the pay was simply amazing and I was just too poor to worry about who I was working for. I had joked with some friends that I was peddling smut to students and that I was, in all reality, just helping this horrible publication reach people who might be too dumb to realize they are reading filth. But once, I got the job at the Lantern, I was not allowed to work both there and UWeekly. So, I went into the UWeekly offices and told them what was up. It really was not personal at the time, and, surprisingly, my boss was OK with it. I told him an oppritunity arose to help further my career after I graduated and I could not do both jobs. He was OK with it (forgetting that I was a journalism major) and talked to me about what could be done to make my job better etc etc. Just as I was about it leave, he asked what I would be doing. I was not going to lie, so I told him I was working for the Lantern. He seemed pretty hurt and he understood why I was doing what I was doing, but he said to me he was kind of hurt that I would not come to them first about writing for them and all this other crap. I told him I didnt go looking for a job at a paper, it come to me. But I knew that if I was offered a job at both papers, I would have taken the Lantern 10 times out of 10.
Well, yesterday, in the issue of UWeekly I was peddling to students, there was an article ripping both the Lantern and Gerrick, who was my editor this past quarter. Quality guy, great writer all that fun stuff. I felt like such a failure. I had helped contribute to people reading an article that was slanderous, inaccurate and attacked someone I respect not simply as a writer but as a person. If I had not already quit, I would have quit UWeekly yesterday in a heartbeat. It was just so agrivating to me. I know a whole bunch of crap that is just stupid but let'e be honest, I have become pretty involved over the last 10 weeks. As probably one of 2 or 3 people who can talk about both sides here, I feel pretty upset.
On a slightly different topic, I got to see a preview screening of Frank Miller's 300 on Tuesday night. It lived up to expecations. My review ran in the paper today and here it is: http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/03/08/Arts/Gore-Stunning.Cinematography.Make.300.A.Spectacular.Epic-2765016.shtml
(DONT WORRY ABOUT REGISTERING. JUST CLICK "HOME" AT THE TOP)
I also finally got a new phone the other day. It is the LG enV. I love it. It might be a little bit of an over kill for me, but I still am digging it.
The band is chugging away. There are some pretty cool things going on including a string of 8 shows in 9 days over the course of spring break. Add the Brand New concert to the mix (8 days!!!) and it is shaping up to be a great break.
But I guess I have killed enough time.

All the girls pose the same for pictures
All the boys got the same girls' hair
I am bored 'cause I fell much older
Look at me, as if I've got a reason to stare
- The Format "She Doesnt Get It"

The Waffles have been cancelled...

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:41:43 GMT

Good day to you all. It has been truly forever since I have posted something on here, and to be honest, I haven't really been keeping up with everyone else's either. Sorry. Things have been crazy.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday. I know that mine was somewhat restful. I lost about a week of it to the band (I will get to that later) but other than that the break was extremely lazy. I ended up with a whole bunch of new bass equipment, even more clothes, a few CDs and DVDs along with a host of other little fun toys and gagets. I received a copy of Clerks 2 which was more than worth it's weight in gold. I saw the flick in the theatre, and thought it was pretty good. Not amazing but not average. Pretty good. I threw it on my list for my extended family. It is an easy buy, ya know? I got it on Christmas eve and went home and watched the whole feature itself along with a 90 documentary which was very insightful. Like with many Kevin Smith movies, I had to see it a couple times before I could fully appreciate it. And now, I have seen it many times and love it. But the most embarassing part was on Chrstmas Eve. I waited for my mom and brother to go to bed and my dad was asleep on the couch. Now, my dad usually sleeps like a rock so figured, what the hey, I will start the movie. I got about 2/3 of the way through it without a stir from the old man. I had to cover my mouth to hold in my laughter on certain parts (The Pillow Pants and the Lord of the Rings scenes in particular) but along comes the great Donkey scene. At one of the more, ehm, explict parts, I hear a voice behind me say, "What the hell are you watching?" Ugh. I think that if he had not seen Jay and Silent Bob he might thought I was watching a different kind of movie.

The band is kicking well. But we had hit a snag sometime in mid December. See, we wanted to do a small tour thoughout Ohio and Indiana and we recruited a "friend" named Jon to help us book some of the harder to book days (Monday-Thursday). Now Jon is the guy who claimed to own a record label that was just purchased by Columbia. We saw some contracts, we saw a little money, we heard a lot of promises so we worked with him a little bit. As time went on, things got more and more shady.
Finally, the second day of the tour, we were playing in this irish pub. After a huge amount of confusion, we were told we could play for 20 along with our friends, a band called Goodnight Wednesday. We were put off by the entire situation, so we quietly went through our 5 songs so GNW could come on and play. They were almost finished with their very first song when the owner ran up to them screaming and swearing. "NO! NO! NO! GET OUT! Pay them their money and leave!" We got kicked out of a bar, and not in that normal college kid/ Ben Faiella way. 10 minutes later we find out that the show the next day in Indiana was cancelled, another show Jon booked. Suspecting foulplay, we called up the Bowling Green Church of the Nazarene (another one of the shows booked by Jon) the next day and they told us that Jon had contacted them and they emphaticly said "No." So that was the final straw. The next day we sat down with him and David just ripped him a new one. But now we don't have to worry about that crap anymore. We are no worse for the wear and are much more skeptical in general. Generally a win-win.
But things are going well. We actually have most of January off until the 27th when we play at the Grove City Naz. If anyone is home you should definately come. Tree....nudge nudge.

Well, I have killed enough time for now. I need to get some food, then it is a four hour block of class. God help me.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:24:22 GMT

Listen to 8mm.
Listen to The Format
Listen to Brand New
Listen to Park
Listen to Straylight Run

"Babe, I know you never leave without your gun
but if you'll let it be and just sit down and lay your hands on me..."
- 8mm "No Way Back"

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:22:18 GMT

I have spent the majority of this morning sitting in a computer lab studying for a Comm 422 exam. It mostly deals with editing sentences, editing news stories, checking for misspelled words and other things teachers do on a daily basis. I am not SUPER worried about it and I think I will be OK, but still, it is an exam. I should be getting my game face on. Instead I am posting on a neglected Xanga while listening to a band called 8mm. Quite good by the way.

Yesterday Christina and I had the very fortunate opportunity to see a taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. To say I enjoyed it would be a huge understatement. We waited in line for about 3 hours but it was totally worth it. Plus, lines don't really bother us. We are line people. Roller coasters, restraunts and, of course, concerts. We dont mind lines. We talked to the people around us a little but it was nice to just hang out and shoot the breeze, just her and I. Since she is working crazy hours during the week, and I am gone many weekends with the band, every moment we have together is important. But once we got in I incredibly surprised at how the show was set up. We thought we were going to be in a huge auditorium, sitting in the nosebleed section. Oh no. It was a VERY small studio that held 275 people. (Though it looked like it only held about 100 or 150 max.) We ended up sitting about 20 feet away from the desk and I found myself always smiling. There was some guy who came out before the show started to try and get the crowd all riled up and he was very very funny. Just your typical pick-on-the-uptight-white-guys-in-the-audience type of act but it was extremely funny. Finally, Jon Stewart came out and talked to us and fielded a few questions before the show kicked off. Maybe it was because I was sitting there watching it happen or the fact there were so many Ohio/ Columbus/ Ohio State jokes, but I laughed extremely hard. Quote of the day? The Republicans were talking about how if we elected democrats, they will raise taxes and do all these crazy things. They showed a yard-banner for a candidate named: Mr. Dumbfuck McDoesntexsist. I dunno, I laughed extremely hard. But it was one of those things that you can look back on in 20 years and tell your kids about. I suppose that I might be over exaggerating, but still it was one of the coolest things I have been a part of.

Finally, this Saturday, The Great Transparency will having our EP release show at Gloryland Church of the Nazerene ( 3570 Coonpath Road, Lancaster, Ohio 43130) . It is only $5 to get in plus you can get a copy of the TGT disc for only $7 (I think). We worked extremely hard on this and it would mean a whole lot for you to come if you can. If you have any questions, you can get a hold of me.

Anyway, listen to the Format.

Blocking Shots...

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 17:59:04 GMT

You are calm and reposed
Let your beauty unfold
Pale white like the skin
Stretched over your bones
Spring keeps you ever close
You are second hand smoke
You are so fragile and thin
Standing trial for your sins
Holding onto yourself the best you can
You are the smell before the rain
You are the blood in my veins

<3

So take me and break me and make me strong like you...

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:21:04 GMT

It has truly been a really long time since I have written anything on here. But to be honest, it is really the first time in a while that I havent really had anything to do for a day. I kind of like it though. Plenty of things have been going on since I have written here so I will do my best to start at the top.

Around the end of July I was asked to join a new band called the Great Transparency. There had been some problems with their former bassist and David (from Loben) had talked to me a little about perhaps joining the band. I played a couple shows with the guys and found that I really enjoyed playing with them. After some careful deliberation, I decided to join the Great Transparency and things have been a whirlwind ever since. From August 4th to the 20th, the band was either playing a show or where recording everyday so I pretty much stayed down in Lancaster with Tommy (the drummer) and his family for the whole time. This all seemed pretty exciting considering I am walking into a band that is already pretty established and were just an all around positive group to be with. If you want to give it a listen, or see a show, you can go to www.myspace.com/thegreattransparency. It is mostly acoustic songs and one live track but we will have some legit studio work up pretty soon.Christina has told me it is a mixture of Cartel and Plain White Ts but I am not so sure if that is very accurate. But she has a knack for stuff like that. There are some exciting possibilities coming up in the near future though. We are trying to figure out what we want to do so hopefully things work out the way we want it to.

Other than that, I have been trying to fill up the rest of my time with all the other things that are important to me. Christina has been out of town quite a bit recently but we have been keeping in touch via the phone. She went to California a couple weeks ago to attend her brother's wedding being held in Whale's Vagina (or "San Diego"). All I heard about was how beautiful it was out there and I was jealous. There was also a small camping trip last week but we have been working to spend as much time as possible together. We actually went up to Cedar Point yesterday and it was awesome. A thursday, in which school was already back in session, with weather that was a little brisk but nothing a hoodie couldn't handle. Genius idea. We pretty much walked onto every ride we did and I think the longest wait was for the Raptor the first time we rode it which was maybe 30 minutes because we wanted to be in the very front. Small headaches and muscle aches aside, it was a really great day. Not just because we were at Cedar Point but because we finally got a chance to go and do something together, just me and her. It was really great.

I have also been trying to stop by the Treehouse a little more than usual just because it seems like I have been out of the loop for quite sometime. It was great to see Luke, Dan, Tim, and Ben when they were home (Burton, I am sorry I missed you dude!) but I miss just hanging out, playing euchure/scrabble/Halo and just vegging out.

As far as music goes, I have been in a rut listening to (brace your self) the Gym Class Heroes disc, Harvey Danger, Cartel and Wierd Al. I recently reviewed the new This Day & Age disc and to honest, I was totally let down...as well as the new Hellogoodbye disc...sigh where have all my favorite bands gone?! But don't fear. October 10th will redeem all. Why? That is when the new Brand New disc is slated for release. It is yet to be titled and no one really knows anything about it, but I am totally getting my hopes up.
But in the true Alex spirit, now as we are over halfway through the year, here are my top 10 or 2006 (so far)
10- Saves the Day - "Sound the Alarm" - It is really hard to top some of the most significant albums of my adolesence, but this one was not bad at all. Sugested listening: "Dying Day"
9- Rise Against - "The Sufferer and the Witness" - I am just getting into this disc. But it is pure unbridled punk energy. Suggested Listening: "Ready to Fall"
8- And Then I Turned Seven... - "Jamestown Story" - Delicate acousitc indie rock. I LOVE THIS EP! Suggested listening: "In Lving Memory"
7- Punchline - "37 Everywhere" - I pimp this band more than just about any other band I know, but I trule think these guys don't get what they deserve. This is truly an amazing release. Suggested Listening : "The Getaway"
6- The Early November - "The Mother, The Mechanic and The Path" - A truly ambitious thriple disc that is quite a feat if nothing else. These guys have really taken it up a notch. Suggest Listening: "The Rest of My Life"
5- Park - "Buliding a Better _____" - Ladd Mitchell. I can not say anything else. It is not quite as good as "It won't Snow Where You are Going" but it is close. Suggested Listening: "The Trophy Wife"
4- The Format - "Dog Problems" - Something about this disc is a little off, but it is just pure pop brilliance. Suggested Listening: "Dog Problems"
3- Thursday - "A City by the Light Divided" - Once again another solid effort from these guys. Much more melody driven but still rough and has that raw Thursday sound. Suggested Listening: "Running from the Rain"
2- Gym Class Heroes - "As Cruel as School Children" - It is much more hip-hopish and I really REALLY like it. Best line on the disc: "The way she praised by balls was vicious/ Thats what I like to call sacreligious" Suggested Listening: "Period 7: 7 weeks"
1- The Dresden Dolls - "Yes Virginia" - Until something truly amazing comes out, I don't think anything will top this disc. Brand New will probably do it, but I mean with mewithoutYou, Copeland, Hidden in Plain View, Relient K to name a few, you never know. Suggested Listening: "First Orgasm"

Anyway, I am going to try clean up this mess of an apartment. LOVE YOU!

Last chance to lose your keys

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 20:41:59 GMT

Well, it has certainly been quite some time since I have updated this crazy thing. I mean so much has happened...well...not really. To be completely frank, I have just been trying to make it through this last quarter. In theory, my classes were not super hard. They were Women's studies 101, Physics of Sports, History of Rock and Roll. As I look at it now, it looks like a football player's schedule. Were my grades as good as I want them to be? No. Am I simply relieved that they are done. Mos def.

I have spent my beginning summer days working at the Schott and evenings hanging out with Christina, Ben, Tree and others. Work hasnt been super duper hard. I mean it just seems like a hassle more than anything else. My job over the last few weeks (and most likely over the next few months) has been pulling out EVERY SINGLE SEAT in the bowl. That is a number that is just over 15,000. 15,000 seats need removed, taken apart, sent out to get them re-upholstered, sent back to us, put back together and put back out in the arena bowl. I mean we can only get about 250 done per week, so it has been slow going but since we started last summer we are almost halfway through. Yes. ALMOST halfway done. I clock in somewhere between 15 and 16 hours per week there and with my salary, I need something else to fill in the cracks. I have an interview with Kohls on Tuesday. I want to work there because there is one, literaly, a stones throw away from my apartment, it seems to be easy, they have weekend openings (which is pertty much the only time I will be able to work) and, DUH the discount. About 50% of my clothes come from Kohls and the other 50% come from thrift stores and merch booths at concerts. So sue me.

Tomorrow I will be shipping off around 10 or 10:15 to head up to Polaris and attend the Columbus stop of the Vans Warped Tour. To be honest, I am not sure I am super excited about this one. I mean a few of my favorite bands will be playing (Motion City Soundtrack, The Academy Is..., Saves the Day, Thursday, Underoath to name just a few) but I mean I miss the knowing of the smaller bands on the side stage. I mean bands like Emanuel, Cartel, Paramore, the Spill Canvas and Killing Santa Clara will be rocking the small side stages but there is no one there that really excites me like in past years (i.e. - Bayside, Boys Night Out, Scary Kids Scaring Kids to also name a few) So why am I going do you ask? The whole thing is through the website. Myself and a guy named Brian will be sharing a backstage pass and photopass over the course of the day. This means I will have to do a couple of interviews with a few of the aforementioned bands. Cool, right? I guess. I mean I am just really super nervous about this. Do I ask Geoff Rickly what he eats for breakfast? What made Chris Conely and Saves the Day want to do a full summer of the Warped Tour? Why does Underoath's new CD sound so, well, not that great? Ugh. The worst part is the fact that I have no idea who I am interviewing and when I will be interviewing them. It is all pretty much made up on the spot tomorrow around 11 am or noon. And, as some of you know, I NEED to have some structure. I don't play things by ear. Prepare to freak out, Alex. But, as Dashboard Confessional would say, remember they asked you, remember to breathe. And an extra set of batteries.

To quickly comment on that last statement: About 3 or so weeks ago I got the oppritunity to interview a band called Cartel. A group it took some time for me to warm up to but once I did I fell head over heels for them. Hand to God, these guys will be the next Fall Out Boy sans the melodrama. I found out about 2 days before the interview that I would be interviewing the group and it sort of threw me for a loop. I mean, I know these guys are going to blow up and I get star-struck pretty easily, but for some reason I didn't really freak out about this interview. I felt like, "Alright Alex, just relax and talk to the guy like you would talk to a friend. Have a conversation." We went to the Cartel van and the singer and I had about a 45 minute discussion about everything from why they jumped to a major label to the movie ATL (the band is from Atlanta). I walked away from the interview confident that it was one of the best I had ever done. But as I checked how much tape I used, I noticed I used far too little. Then I realized. My batteries died about 15 minutes into the interview. UGH!!!! So, I always carry an extra set with me now.

As far as music goes, I highly HIGHLY recommend Cartel. Pop punk with a vocalist that is downright amazing. I think they just re-released their debut this week. Lock it down. What else? What else? Oh, I got a new disc by a band called the Format the other day. Ummmmmmmm, it is good? I mean it is not a traditional rock and roll band. They have horns, orchestral arrangements, heck I wouldnt even qualify it as rock. Just music. And so far good music. It has potential to be one of my loves, but we will see. I have been pimping the Panic! @ the Disco disc quite a bit as well as Paramore, and the new Punchline CD "37 Everywhere." Highly underrated. But the disc I have been listening to alot recently has been the newest Thrusday disc. They came out at about the same time but Thursday >>Taking Back Sunday. New TBS is good, but Thursday are still kings in my mind. Brash and heavy yet extremely musical and intricate. Perhaps my favorite effort from these guys yet.

Anyway, uhhhhh it was the lovely Mike Duncan's Birthday Tuesday. If you run into him, tell him happy 21st and give the kid a hug. He needs it. Andrew is out of town which means I am the only line of defense between Mike and sheer chaos and pandamonium when it comes to the apartment. Pray for me. And for those who dont pray, just pick up your stuff when you leave my place.

I would rather not go
back to the old house
I would rather not go
back to the old house
there's too many
bad memories
When you cycled by
here began all my dreams
the saddest thing I've ever seen
and you never knew
how much I really liked you
because I never even told you
oh, but I meant to
Are you still there?
or have you moved away?
I would love to go
back to the old house
but I never will
-The Smiths "Back To The Old House"

Idiot! In Latin, Jehovah Begins with an I!

Mon, 01 May 2006 19:43:46 GMT

So here I am, I have finally returned. Everytime Icheck up on this thing, I always promise to write something. This morning I had a 5 page paper due and two midterms. Now, I finally have a little bit of time and I cant really think of much to say. Well, there are a couple things.

Last Tuesday morning I was awoken (after, apparently, much coaxing) to my bedroom light being on, and a loud screetching that was drowning out the episodes of Scrubs I had put on before I fell asleep. To be frank, I didnt really think much of it, but that is when I smelled something funny. Kind of BBQish. But more potent. I rolled out of bed and stumbled into the main room where a thin layer of smoke was covering the room. By this time I realized it was the smoke alarm going off.
"Great." I thought, "What did Andrew burn this time?" I trudged over to the smoke alarm and pushed the button. Usually that took care of stuff but it kept right on buzzing. Perplexed, I got into the kitchen, grabbed a towel and began waving it in front of the alarm. Nothing happened still. This is where I got to be a little worried. At this time, I noticed the front door was wide open. I looked in Andrews room. The door was wide open, lights were on, his chair was kicked over but his bed was empty. I ran over to Mike's room. Also empty. "WTF?!?" I thought. All the sudden, the guy who lives a floor below us runs into the open front door.
"THERE IS A FIRE IN THE BUILDING!! YOU GOTTA GET OUT!" he yelled. Now, I am far from a morning person. I thought to myself "Self, you havent seen any flames. Relax, walk back to your room get your phone and flip-flops and get downstairs." I slowly walked, got what I needed and walked out of the building and found Andrew and Mike outside. Needless to say, I was more than a little miffed that they would just leave me in a burning building. Apparently, they banged on the door, shook me, yelled "Fire!" and I rolled over and semi-responded, so they left. Ugh. Some friends! Pretty weak.
As I am piecing together what is happening, I see that the apart directly below us two floors (which is the basement) had caught fire in it's kitchen area and now flames were spilling outside. A tall skinny kid, who we had dubbed "the stoner" because had he offered us pot, and we could smell pot coming from his room in the past, was running around, freaking out. He came up to me and said in that scary, strung out, Spicoli kind of voice, "Hey man! Can I use your phone? I need to call my girlfriend!" I handed it to him and he dialed a number, held it to his ear for 2 seconds and got bored with it, handing the phone back to me and saying, "If you have to leave her a message, tell her, 'Tim's place is on fire and to call him.'" I politely identified myslef and gave her voicemail the message and went back to being cold and tired as Spicoli ran away repeating, "Oh God! My girlfriend's cat is in there!"
After going to a strange girl's apartment (don't ask) we headed back to our building before being turned away for high OH levels. I dont have to be one of you damn chemists to know, thats bad. So we headed over to Davids to warm up, call people and generally calm down. Dave was around just long enough to let us in before going back to bed. Once we could finally get into our place, I decided I needed to get some rest. I had a midterm exam that morning and I was afraid I was going to bomb it unless I got more rest. After getting no real rest, I rolled out of bed and onto the bus, smelling like smoke all the way.
When I got home later, I found that every (and I mean EVERY) surface in the apartment was covered in a thin layer of soot. Whats more, everything needed to be washed. Clothes, drapes, blankets, sheets, everything. So for most of last week I had to live out of a bag. Crappy, I know.
As Andrew and I were loading our stuff into our cars to go home a wash them, Tim, the pot head was sitting out by his car, having a cigarette ironically (is it ironic, Tree?). He saw us and cried out, "Oh man! I am so sorry guys!" Andrew and I begrudgingly walked over to him and told him it was OK. No one got hurt. Everything was fine. "No man." Tim sobbed as he stroked a cat collar in his hand. "I was in an accident the other night and I saw some guys head go through a windshield. I havent been able to sleep since then. I was making some food and my body just gave up and I passed out. I woke up and there was fire all over the place. I am so sorry guys!" We told him it was cool and not to worry. We found out later this week that the apartment complex evicted him and they are suing him for $60,000 because they think it was arson. I dont know who to believe. Either way, it was a pain moving in for the second time. But, aside from a little waft of smokey air every once in a while, things are back to normal.
That is all for now. Maybe I will get around to updating this more often.

i came down here to tell you
it rains in heaven all day long
i want to find you so bad
and tell you that i am miserable up here without you...
-Armor for Sleep "The Truth About Heaven"

Time's tide will smother you...

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 06:02:52 GMT

So...yeah. I am finally free for about a week and a half. it is 12:30 here on a tuesday night and i am not struggling to get work done because, well, there isnt really any work to do. today at about 4:25 in the evening, I finished this hellish winter quarter and it looks as though, even after a few miscues here and there, i might actually land on my feet. i feel confident about two of my classes which is more than i could have said in the past. a major project, two 5+ page papers, and two final exams later, here i am. still alive. hmmmmm.

spring break looked like is might be kind of crappy for a bit but it looking like i will get mad hours at work doing God knows what and paying me just enough to get by. i guess that is just college.

my mood has been adversely effected by my smiths listening recently. i guess i have been looking backwards instead of frontwards. this might end up being my smiths post so, be prepared.

I remember standing in Best Buy after the Christmas of 2003 and just looking to spend my gift certificates. They were burning a hole in my pocket. Considering I had gotten most of what I wanted for said Christmas and I was getting to that point where most of the CDs I really wanted had to be purchased online and wouldn't be found in a store, let alone Best Buy, I found myself willing to take a musical chance. As I sifted through the racks and racks of potential risks, I came across a CD with a guy with his shirt half off, pushed back hair and the words "Morrissey" and"Your Arsenal" on the front of the booklet. The name caught me. "Morrissey. Where have I heard that before?" As I went through my subconcious, two things came to mind and they were eriely similar. First of which was,
a reference to a Brand New song ("Mix Tape") where Jesse says, "I'm sick of your tattoos/ and the way you always criticize the Smiths and Morrissey." The second was the days of yore. Back in my junior year of high school, I had a teacher and, in the interest of getting to know him, I asked him who his favorite band was. "Well," Crabtree said, "Do the Smiths and Morrissey count as one?" Pretending like I knew who either of them were, I said yes and actually asked my dad later that week if he had any Smiths or Morrissey discs in his collection. I was curious to hear this...well...thing. He scoffed and asked if I had ever heard any songs by either of them while I was with him. I said no and he answered with, "Well, there is your answer."
Now I am far from rebelous. I still call my parents about twice a week and I am 21. But in the spirit of not only testing my dad, but on the weight of the thumbs up from both Jesse Lacey and Tree, I decided to look into these "Smiths" and "Morrissey." I found out:
-Morrissey used to sing for band called the Smiths. And in the late 80's they broke up.
-The Smiths are from England.
-Morrissey sings sad songs.
That was the general knowledge I gained after looking around on the internet. Not exactly helpful, but still I was better off.
As I stood in front of this CD back at Best Buy, I stared at this guy. (I assumed this was Morrissey) He had bouffant hair, a six pack and a CD title like, "Your Arsenal" and decided I couldn't bring myself to do it. Sliding past, I entered the S section of the CDs and found myself staring at a Smiths CD. I don't know what was so different. Perhaps it was the old fashioned CD covers but I finally found something to take my risk on. Deciding to start out basic, I grabbed "The Smiths...Best of Vol. I" and quickly checked out.
I was far more interested in the JamisonParker EP and Eisley EP I had just purchased and so the Smiths got pushed aside so I could listen to music I knew I would like. But soon curiousity got the best of me and, on a whim, took the Smiths CD out as I drove around one winter night during 2004.
I remember putting in the CD and getting a phone call right away, causing me to turn the music down but not off. As I got off the phone, I was pulling into Wendys to get some dinner. As I pulled away with my Jun Juns and Nug Nugs, I remembered I had my CD player running and turned it up. A song was fading out and as I sat there figuring out if they had really given me all my Nug Nugs, a quiet guitar that started track six found its way through my speakers and I heard the voice of Morrissey for the first time. "Call me morbid/ Call me pale/ I spent six years on your trail." I was floored. Not in an, "OH MY GOD THIS ROCKS!" kind of way. Or really in a, "Wow! this is the best thing I have ever heard" kind of way. I just remember being mad and thinking, "Why was this kept from me for such a long time?" Without even thinking about it, I turned onto 665 and just drove around backroads of Harrisburg and Orient just listening to this song over and over again. "Sixteen, clumsy and shy/ I went to London and I/ I booked myself in at the YWCA/I said I like it here. Can I stay?/ Do you have a vacancy for a back scrubber?" The words just echoed in my brain. Something about the way the guitar flowed and the voice just meshed together made me feel important, like somebody cared. I felt like I was in on a big secret that no one knew about.
After about 8 or 9 plays, I really wanted more, I finally decided to listen from the beginning. I had left the case at home, so I didn't really know what the songs were called, but I didnt care. I just sat there, drove and ignored calls as my food got cold and my life was being altered right in front of me. After going through the first five and listening to track six about 3 more times, I found myself entranced as a familiar song came on. "How Soon Is Now?" is a modern rock mainstay if I had ever heard one. As a classic CD101 listener since before I could remember, I knew the song but never knew who it was by since it would always be sandwiched between two more current and less relevant songs. As the slow guitar part was played, I found myself actually listening to the words and being glad I did. Every kid goes through a stage where they feel awkward and alone. (Some of us never grow out of that awkward stage.) This was the song I would write if I was about 50 times better as a songwriter. "There's a club if you'd like to go/ You could meet somebody who really loves you/ So you go and you stand on your own/ And you leave on your own/ And you go home and you cry and you want to die." Wow. As horrible as it sounds, that was how I felt. "When you say it's going to happen now/ When exactly do you mean?/ See I've already waited too long/ And all my hope is gone." That was me. As the guitar swirled for nearly seven minutes, I just felt good. For the first time in a long time. I felt good. Kind of stupid that such sad words made me feel good. It made me feel human. It made me feel love, anger, hope, everything I wanted to say but couldn't. It made me feel young.
I suppose that after that I pretty much dove head first into this whole Smiths thing. No one really got it. Sure Tree got it and Shawn was coming along but other than that, everyone had written it off as boring. After my inital shock, I began to kick into hipster mode. "Nobody likes what I like. That's how I like it." As people would tell me that the music was boring, I began to see how they could think that. I mean, for it's time, I am sure this music was jaw dropping. But now, when listeners listen to music, it is simply spoonfed to them. I will be the first to admit, a LOT of the music I listen to is derivative and easily comprehended. But for the first time ever, I was challenged and I wanted to be challenged.
I listened to that first Smiths disc until the wheels fell off. Taking my bright yellow CD player to and from class, I felt like no matter what I was doing, it could be worse. I could be not listening to the Smiths. I even remember during that winter quarter of freshman year, I was sitting in the front row in my Poli Sci lecture. It was before class and I was bobbing my head to "Panic" and the professor walked up to me and asked what I was listening to. But for the first time ever, I wasn't afraid of answering honestly. See, older people ask me who I am listening to, I say, "The Beatles" or "Nirvana" or something as equally known by even the most casual music fan. I don't want to explain who Say Anything is. I don't want to explain Taking Back Sunday or (God forbid) Thursday. I always get a "But it's not Thursday, it's Monday." Ha ha. Like I havent heard THAT a million times.
"The Smiths." I said confidently. He raised his eyebrows and then lowered them in an inquizative manner. "Really?" he asked. I nodded. "You kids still listen to that music?" I shrugged and nodded, as little upset by the anticlimactic nature of the conversation. I dont know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that.
Since then I have been more or less a Smiths Junkie. Much like Jell-O, there is always room for the Smiths. Always room for self-depricating, self-loathing and self-gratifying music.Expanding my collection to almost every Smiths disc, I am working on knowing everyone, backwards and forwards. Right now, my current obsession is "Frankly, Mr. Shankly." from The Queen is Dead.
I know I am going to talk about this more but now it 2 in the morning and am tired.

Fame, fame, fatal fame.
it can play hideous tricks on the brain
Still i'd rather be famous
than rightous or holy
anyday
anyday
anyday
-Frankly, Mr. Shankly