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 |   My fourth blog. Amazing yet disconcerting. Don't worry; this'll go away in a year or so. |
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First there was "I'm Studying You"  ...then there was "Who Do I Think I Am??" . Finally, we reached "Who do I still think I am??" .Until now. Welcome to the Buffalo in your soul...       A THREE-TIME CHAMPION OF THE "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" !   |
30DBC PROMPT: "Hey campers! It's time for another Saturday night campfire! Tell us a little about where you're from, and something that is commonly mistaken about your hometown. And if you don't think your town's big enough, tell us the advantage of your small town. Bonus: Share a favorite campfire dinner recipe that's quick and easy." What's up campers? Hope everyone's had a good night's sleep after the tumultuous week we we've had in a cemetery, in a bar, and witnessing the devouring of half our food supply by a needy little raccoon. I vote to say we just take it easy today, lounge around a campfire, and talk a little about where we're from. Y'all know I hail bluster from Buffalo, NY...we wear that like a badge of honor while the rest of the country usually mocks us because they're used to images of Western New York on the national news and CNN depicting us living in igloos and tunneling our way through fifteen feet of snow so we can get to our local dive bar for more Genny Cream Ale and chicken wings. And I'm not gonna argue that...although it's only true maybe once a year, if that.What you hardly ever see though is that Buffalo is the home of four true seasons, and the summers are especially gorgeous...they provide the necessary balance to the ungodly cold Januaries and Februaries. Autumn too is fantastic, as any park in the region can show you by the plethora of colors as the trees begin to lose their leaves. An old friend of mine summed up on Facebook the other day how Buffalo's weather typically goes (and I'm paraphrasing because I don't remember verbatim): "Sticky, gross hot through the middle of August...then it gets unseasonably cold enough to pull out sweaters and jackets and kill all remaining garden vegetation. Then in October the Indian Summer arrives and we're in shorts until about the 13th, when we get hit with a massive, city-crippling snowstorm that downs power lines and closes everything...but we're back in shorts for a week or two in November until normal weather patterns return." Ok, so some of that wasn't her exact wording, and I added in a little to fill out the context, but yup, that's pretty much how it goes here from June through February. I believe firmly ya gotta have love for your hometown...because in some way it started to shape who you are, even if you weren't there long or you don't remember much about it. For some reason you were put here on this planet right there, which means maybe your parents had some ties or history. As long as you're looking forward, there's no harm in looking back once in awhile. And if at anytime someone gives you a hard time about where you're from, say shh and remind them of all the reasons why you're proud that where you're from has led you to where you're at.BCF PROMPT: "What's the greatest misconception about you?" I'll admit I haven't given this much thought in a long time...mainly because I have no idea what people around me in Cortland think and I'd prefer to keep it that way for the most part. I think I've made a good impression on most of the people I've come in contact with on more than just a shopper/cashier level after a bit of a rocky start out here (and I'm gonna keep this recent since I have no idea at all what 90% of the people back home think anymore). Appearance is probably the biggest misconception...because I have nappy dreads tucked under a hat and a very large beard, I'm sure some people consider me to be among the dregs of society, which can't be further from the truth (as some of my people here on WDC will hopefully attest to). Hell, I'm surprised that in this town loaded with hicks, country boys and Jesus freaks I've only been harassed by the cops once...and even then it was a case of mistaken identity (for which they actually apologized for). If all I'm known for here is the guy that they see with the Duck Dynasty beard (which, by the way, if one more ignorant mawfuggin' asshole around here tries to associate me with a bunch of homophobic hillbillies, I may just get ghetto fabulous on them with the quickness), I can probably live with that. Like I said, I think those who've taken the time around Cortland to get to know me think pretty favorably of me, and that's a good foundation to build on. Of course, when I start classes soon, that may change or at least present a whole 'nother set of challenges, but I think I've built up enough within myself by now to be stronger inside so I can prevent attacks on my outward looks. You don't wanna associate with me 'cuz I look like the guy that sleeps under the bridge you drive your fat SUV over every day? Fine...I didn't want you as a friend anyway. My MO to this day remains...to slay suckas with logic, and my lethal weapon's my mind .MUSICAL BREAK!! First off, big ups to my crew in "Barrel of Monkeys" : lizco252, Charlie ~   , very thankful , and Future Mrs. B  ...last night we housed the Bonus Tracks Wild Card rounds! Somewhere around 1:30am-ish we completed our most daunting challenge to date...chaining songs together starting with Z and continuing through to A. By all means, it was a tremendous feat and I'm hella proud of all the members of my team for their help. Way to rally for the cause, O-Tang Clan!  By the way, you can peep the entire Soundtracker playlist here .Now this...I'm following Future Mrs. B 's entry, "Last Day BoM: Ends in W" , featuring Alice In Chains' great song "Don't Follow" ...one of the most underrated bands ever.But ahhh yes, another perk of growing up in Buffalo...being exposed to that great Canadian music  . For all the fun they are to watch live in concert and in some of their bigger hits, it's the somber tunes sometimes that resonate more..."What A Good Boy" by Barenaked Ladies is no exception. The lyrics are poignant in that sometimes we get older and fail to live up to the many dreams our parents have for us...some right out of the gate, some later on. I don't think many of us are born intent on breaking hearts or deflating expectations; sometimes circumstances leave us no other choice and maybe I was one of those babies destined to do that, no matter how hard I try to correct and/or overcompensate for that...but sometimes, we just can't fulfill everything others want from us, for a multitude of reasons, which is neither here nor there. Just sit back and enjoy the song."We've got these chains, hanging around our necks... People wanna strangle us with them before we take our first breath." Lyrics. THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "I met him on the stairs??? Tell us all about it."We were old friends wrapped in old souls; tried men in tired clothes wearing at our unseemingly seams of scattershot dreams. Two days forward, one day back...are we the same or just years of slacked rope in the place of time and names, with details scurrying but mostly unchanged? You're not life if not for you, and everything you've ever had to go through. For what we see or claim to be, are we nothing when not believed? Twenty-seven years a staircase; so much more the stair. We're not so much unaware as maybe unprepared. A decade in approach; ten days in cage...let's get out! Let's see this place! I'll meet you at the station, you'll catch me on a plane. Somewhere in the middle, we'll find ourselves on the staircase.  Bonus "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" prompt response! Dude, we used to have these things on sticks with cast iron ends you could put bread in, and then add stuff to...they were the original Hot Pockets! 'Cuz you'd clamp the ends together, stick it in the fire, and you'd wind up with sealed sandwiches of pure enjoyment. Sometimes we'd make pizza ones, and sometimes we'd use pie filling, and it was amazing! I suppose nobody brought those with us on our little camping fiasco, huh? Have I ever mentioned my immediate and absolute distaste for Bon Jovi? First, he took all the hot girls in my 6th grade class and gave them some unrealistic idea for them to hope for in all of us awkward boys. Then he made a halfhearted effort to take my football team up to Canada. Fuck him and the bad mane name love gave him (which, I think in most affluent areas, is called "herpes"). Brad Riter at Trending Buffalo shared this link from the Toronto Star about yet another t-shirt being made and sold to protest our hatred of a man who once sold an album with his band's name plastered on a garbage bag. Mom, I apologize now 150% for the shitshow I put on at Hills Department Store because you wanted to buy me school clothes and all I wanted was that stupid friggin' tape (which someone dubbed for me later on anyhow...thank you cassettes, for sucking after a long while).  Because Legos and Gawker are awesome...I don't know whether I should mawfugg these clowns for their operation, or applaud them, but police arrested four in connection with over 200k dollars' worth in Lego thefts . Boo-freakin-hoo. Excellent article from a Tumblr blog about how us Generation X-ers don't wanna hear your bullshit , you bratty, whiny kids coming up.There you go, friendly readers. Nutrition for your souls, I believe (since I don't think the 30DBC campers have recovered yet from the raccoon problem). I'm gonna stay outta trouble, try to catch a nap, and lurk in the shadows until the last round of BoM bonus tracks is upon us...shit's gonna get live tonight; I can feel it! Team Orangutan! Peace, the cross that I bear (bear with me), and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
30DBC PROMPT: "There are strange sounds outside the tents but when we shine the flashlights out there, nothing is visible. In the morning, we see these interesting footprints all around camp. It was Amy's turn to cook breakfast so she went to get the food supplies and discovered that everything was opened and half eaten. What are we going to do? What kind of footprints do you think these are?" Good afternoon campers! amy-Has a great future ahead  , maybe you should've went out with us last night...that way you might not have been charged with feeding a bunch of hungover campers, and you wouldn't have been the one to discover that our food supply has been hijacked by one of Mother Nature's creatures!  Just playin', Amy.Well, having some Boy Scout camping experience, along with being the co-leader of our little journey into the wild with Lyn's a Witchy Woman   , means I have a little insight as to who/what kind of animal we might be dealing with, because I suggested the beast in question 'cuz I've been warned of these dangers before. But does anyone listen to me? Nooooo...he's the funny guy, he makes jokes! Why should we ever take him seriously?Enjoy your Frosted Flakes with raccoon turds, jerks.  See, animals in nature have these crazy wicked senses of smell, and they know not only where you keep your food, but how to get at it so that it wrecks your whole trip. I suggested tying up all the important stuff in garbage bags and hoisting them far up a tree, because bears and raccoons will fuck up a bag of potato chips like it's nobody's business. See, they're not domesticated like us, so they have to rely on instinct when they're hungry...they can't just go to the grocery store or Dairy Queen when they want a li'l treat. Why would they when all they want is your food, stored at ground level, in easy-to-claw-open packaging? I can't even open a damn foil or plastic condiment packet properly, but these filthy SOB's can destroy the cardboard on a box of macaroni 'n' cheese and eat the dry noodles and cheese powder faster than it takes you to boil the water for proper mac 'n' cheese enjoyment. We, of opposable thumbs and independent thinking, can only stand and stare in awe at their destruction for like, 15 minutes, before we realize "Oh shit! Campers gotta eat too!" Well, until our next trip into town for all the other crap we forgot to bring, I hope a couple of you are some avid fishermen, because that might be our only source of food for today. There are a lot of things in this world that I am not, and one of them is the person who catches, guts, and grills amphibious creatures that shoot their excrement directly into their habitat. Nope, no thank you. My role in this food chain is strictly the end result of the mission...making sure it gets into my belly. For vegetation, I suppose we could take a hike and see if there are any Sumac trees...I always thought they kinda looked like redder, fuzzier Lilacs in bloom, and since it's still warmish out, maybe the deer haven't gotten to all the low-hanging seeds yet. You can almost eat the seeds like a fruit, or pour hot water over them to steep and filter with paper towels for Sumac Tea. Or, we could do the really smart thing: pool some money together and find the nearest grocery, convenience, or mega super ultra Walmart-type store and get some real food. And for the love of god, get some sturdy coolers, some rope, and extra strong garbage bags, so we can raise up our food at night and not have to deal with this again. BCF PROMPT: "You are on a long flight and when you reach into the pocket of the seat, you discover a handwritten note that clearly was addressed to you, but how? And what does it say?" It'd have to be coming from someone with serious stalking abilities, I figure...although I do happen to know a few people who ended up working as flight attendants for awhile, and it probably wouldn't be too off of me to mention to them "Hey, I'll be on Such-And-Such Airlines the week of August 15th-21st, going to <pick a city>...are you gonna be working?" Which is kinda a dumb thing to ask, because it's not like you're gonna automatically party with these people while they're at work. But then again, maybe if the planets properly aligned and one of my gorgeous stewardess (is it still appropriate to call them that? I don't know.  ) friends just so happened to be working my flight, perhaps they'd want to surprise me with a little welcome note and a travel-size package or two of Dramamine (ya know, 'cuz I'm a terrible flyer). Maybe they'd want to tease me with a little joke, or a set of those pin-on plastic Captain's Wings some airlines used to give out when I was little, or point out the most ridiculous things in the Skymall catalog (because does anyone really fly that much that they need to buy that crap and carry it with them wherever they go?). That's the kinda note I'd wanna see...flying is suspenseful enough for me without some creep job trying to spook me by knowing my whereabouts and sneaking onto a plane before I got to my seat...besides, isn't it airport security's thing to weed out all the psychos and wackos from having access to anyplace on airport grounds that you can't get to without a ticket?MUSICAL BREAK!! Nobody from Team Orangutan has posted yet today in "Barrel of Monkeys" ? Since I posted last yesterday, and I'm not sure if I can follow my own lead, I'll use the executive judgment reserved solely for the purpose of this blog and say I'm following Lyn's a Witchy Woman 's first post for The Howlers, "Day 13: Ends in D" (which is "Shining Road" by Cranes).I'll never claim to be a Joe Cocker aficionado, but he does have one of the most unique voices in all of music (when he's not taking eight minutes to sing a three minute song or cheesin' out someone else's lyrics and turning pop songs into depressing, campy ballads). THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Hi! You were hired by Yelp to write a restaurant review about an amazing restaurant in your city. Give us some examples of things you liked and disliked in your review. Convince us this is the place to go."This is only slightly embarrassing, because in the nearly two years I've been in Cortland, I've hardly eaten out anywhere that wasn't a big stupid chain restaurant or fast food hellhole (the one place I've eaten at more than once actually closed awhile ago). I live next door to a diner, but I've only eaten there a few times and it's, well, diner food. And I've had pizza from a couple of the pizza places, but it's not really been anything to scream about. Plus, I'm never really great about heaping praise on anyone, anyplace, or anything without coming off as sounding like a hideous fanboy who's obsessed with whatever. I can tell you the one place that I probably won't eat at again though...Dickey's Barbecue Pit , and here's why: For starters, the local newspaper made a big deal out of this place opening up in Cortland, like it was the second coming of the golden cow. There was no hint at all that this place was another corporate chain that cared more about profits and shareholders over quality and exceptional customer service. Ever been to one of those quote-unquote Mexican burrito places where you have the luxury of paying $8-$12 for just a tortilla stuffed with meat, cheese and rice (Chipotle, Moe's, Salsarita's, etc.)? Dickey's is like the BBQ version of that...follow the way into the line, select your dead, charred animal (beef, pork or chicken), how you want it cooked or in which form you'd like it to come prepared to you in), add a side or two, get your free-refill extra-large drink cup (they only come in one size, but it's durable plastic so you can take it home like a souvenir!), and quit buggin' us kid, your sauces are in the pumps next to the drink station. Oh by the way, help yourself to free ice cream too! Here's your one inch sugar cone, built for about six licks of soft-serve.The whole setting reeks of what it must be like for cattle to be herded into a slaughterhouse. The in-door that guides you directly to the counter with those weird removable line-shapers that frown upon movement back into the line if you have a problem with your order, very little counterspace where you pick up your food, and a tiny dining room that encourages you to leave as quickly as they'd prefer you come back. I went there last summer with my mom for my birthday, and I was anticipating a more original, sit-down, steakhouse setting...a hostess, a waitress, and a server, and not some pseudo fast food situation. No, I wasn't down with Dickey's from the minute we walked in. I ordered two kinds of meats- I believe beef and turkey- that both came off of industrial slicers and looked like they were bought straight up out of the deli counter at your local grocery store. The turkey itself had a very processed taste to it, despite the advertising that it was not. Kinda like how Burger King burgers are "flame broiled", which is code for frozen beef patties precooked with grill marks placed in them and reheated by microwave for efficiency. Real barbecue joints usually have a small building directly on their property where they can smoke their meats on site...what should've been my first clue about Dickey's was that it was in a strip plaza, which probably has some kind of zoning regulations against that kind of true meat awesomeness. But hey, if Dickey's is your kind of thing, cool. Good for you and your soulless, unimaginative personality. I won't be recommending this place to anyone anytime soon.  The internet wasn't very funny or informative today, which is too bad because it's #FunnyFriday, but it did provide me with a list of 26 things only people working in retail will understand . And I assure you, it doesn't take very long working in a job like that to see how true they all are. The discouraging dearth of internet wisdom and humor today has led me to something I don't normally do...I watched this video of a cat dressed in a shark suit riding around on a vacuum cleaner . But I only did it because it's Shark Week, I swear...please kill me now .Ok friends...that about does it for me today...time to see what else is goin' on around here. Peace, pretty city women, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "That was a lot to take in yesterday; how about we go into town and have some beers at the local tavern? Tell me about the conversations you overheard." Howdy campers! Yeah, yesterday's entries were certainly different than I expected...but that's ok. Sometimes we need a prompt like that to shake us out of a routine (not that there's never any prompts that can do that). Looks like we've managed to survive and are now retelling tales of the experience over a few cold ones. Good times! I imagine this isn't Brother Nature  's "Invalid Item" , run by Andre The Blog Monkey...we're definitely probably in a typical New England pub. The only problem with that is I've never been in a real New England pub...my closest experience to that has probably been watching the TV show Cheers, which ended its run quite a long time ago (and probably before I was of legal drinking age). That's ok though...16 ounces is still a pint no matter where you are. I'm sure Maine has some great little microbreweries that offer a wide variety of tasty options, but I'll stick with a Boston favorite, Sam Adams. Although Sam's Summer Ale tends to get goofy on me after a few (or maybe it's the other way around), I'll take my chances because it's probably a little too early for their Octoberfest offering.As usual at these types of events, I tend to show up a little early...maybe too early, which forces me into making small talk with the cute bartender (oh no  ). As sure as I am that it's her job to get me sauced, I've gotta maintain at least some semblance of composure if I'm gonna convince her to come back to my tent at the end of the night to have a good time with my fellow campers.Charlie ~ shows up, and once he's done mocking everyone whose names start with the letter N, settles down and we start talking about music. We initiate our own little "Barrel of Monkeys" challenge for fun between us over by the jukebox, hoping lizco252 will show up but knowing she can't due to unforseen circumstances. Yes, we'll be hoarding the machine most of the night.Meanwhile, the rest of our crew has started filing in...everyone's still marveling at Lyn's a Witchy Woman 's tombstone pictures and her attempt to scare the bejesus outta us. Prosperous Snow celebrating  , ElaineElaine  and ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy have opted for a separate table away from some of the noise, sipping on soda and discussing current events mixed in with anecdotes about the past. 💙 Carly  and Noyoki joined Charlie and I briefly, wanting to play some music...but they took off to find amy-Has a great future ahead , who was waffling about coming out tonight after yesterday's experience and was nowhere to be seen when the rest of the girls were getting ready. We're a fun bunch, Amy, I swear! Finally, Finn O'Flaherty and Future Mrs. B show up...seems like someone gave them directions to the wrong bar ( wasn't me, I swear! ), yet somehow they found us they managed to get to the right spot. As these things are bound to happen once the booze starts flowin', everyone's story about last night exponentially gets scarier and spookier as the evening goes on...Charlie's now claimed to have seen the evil fallen sky god in person, Lyn's admitted the pictures of the tombstones she took are of her relatives' graves, who were known to have run some kind of brothel next to the cemetery for years until they died in an unfortunate drunk horseriding accident with a longtime patron and used to haunt the building until it was torn down as an offshoot of the Salem witch trials, and I swear that I really am Chuck Norris, with a tiny fist that comes out from under my beard when I wish to engage someone in martial arts-like combat activity. Yup, we're wasted. The next morning Charlie will wake up next to a teddy bear he wrestled with before passing out...turns out his "evil fallen sky god" was just a stuffed animal that ate all his peanut butter cups. Lyn will tell us we're making up the story about her relatives, and that she remembers everything that happened last night but is too tired to talk about it. Me? I said a long, dorky goodbye to the cute bartender- a ten minute speech about camping and falling in love that lasted eight minutes too long- and woke up sad and alone. Don't ask questions...just make sure there's coffee and scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon waiting for me once I emerge from my tent. BCF PROMPT: "Talk about some common sense things you feel every person should know." I feel like I have to say this at least once a year, especially once the weather starts to get nice: Ladies, I don't care how big your breasts are or how small your purse is; your bra is not a wallet, and your cleavage isn't a pocket. That's my word. Luckily, I haven't encountered this disgusting anti-phenomenon much this summer, but I have in the past and it's so gross. I remember working at Borders Express one fine day- in an air-conditioned mall, no less- and this, ummm, let's just say she wasn't gonna win any long-distance marathons soon, chick walks in. She sees an old friend, their voices get super-squeaky with "Oh my gawd!!"'s, and she pulls a digital camera- not a smartphone, no...a full-fledged digital camera, complete with a wrist strap- out of her tank top's happy place. She goes to take a selfie of the two of them, and when she reviews it on the camera's screen, she's all like "Wait a minute..." and furiously started rubbing the screen against her jeans, presumably to wipe off the boob sweat and breast smudges. I was thankful she didn't actually purchase anything, because I don't think there was enough hand sanitizer in the entire mall that would've made my fingers want to take her surely soggy $20. Also, guys wearing socks with sandals and flip flops: stop that! I'll admit, I did that for the first time today, because I was lazy when I got home from work and didn't feel like taking off my socks, but I hate walking around in bare feet, so I have a cheap pair of flip flops to put on when I'm walking around the house (note the use of italics). Forget for a minute that it's an embarrassing look...it's also highly uncomfortable. Socks aren't built to have a piece of plastic wedged between your big and second toes. It can't be orthopedically solid either...what if you're in a position where you are forced to make a sudden movement? The first thing to go will be the flip flops, which will definitely lower your chances of surviving a bear attack. On the other hand, if you're thinking nothing of this serious fashion police violation, maybe you deserve to be eaten by a bear. And that, folks, concludes my annual summer public service announcement. MUSICAL BREAK!! Well, I'm last up tonight for Team Orangutan, following Future Mrs. B 's entry "Thankful Thursday and Crushes" , and I've got the letter M. I think we've all been involved in some variation of this scenario before, at least from one side or the other. I know many artists have recorded this song before, but this is my favorite because Tom Jones. "Hey, if you happen to see the most beautiful girl that walked out on me Tell her, 'I'm sorry'." Lyrics. No BoM bonus tracks tonight...that's ok, Team Howlers...we'll let you enjoy your lead a little longer. We're not afraid of you! THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Which fictional character have you fallen for?"I don't know that I've ever fallen for a fictional character in a book or story before, actually. I mostly read biographies and magazines, anyway  . It's not that I don't have the imagination for it (because surely, I do  ), but what's the point of falling in love with someone who isn't real? I would think realizing that is more heartbreaking than being turned down by a girl you think you've got every chance in the world to have a relationship with.I will say that the next book waiting for me though is Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe (once I finish up Michael Lewis' Moneyball), and although I don't remember what the blurb on the back cover of the book said it's about, on the front is a hand-drawn picture of a girl looking like she's checking her face in a compact mirror or something, among a small mural of a few other faces, and they're all sharing the same mess of hair. But on the far right there appears to be a buxom woman, and everyone else's hair forms the shape of her skirt. Hmmm...I wonder what character I'll like best in this book? But the prompt doesn't specify "fictional character in literature", so I suppose that could mean any character in a movie or tv show, right? I'll go with Charlize Theron's character Rita for a few episodes in Arrested Development...I don't care if she wears a bracelet that says MR F (which could stand for "Mr. F.", but in all likelihood means "Mentally Retarded Female"). Sure she's rather, ummm, slow on the uptake more often than not, and Michael's character doesn't realize she's not a preschool teacher, but more along the lines of a student, but c'mon...it's Charlize Theron, and she's super hot and most all of everything she does in the show can be overlooked because of her gorgeousness. Even when she doesn't know how many houses are in the British Parliament ...and if we're being honest here, I didn't know either until Ron Howard's narration shortly after the question was posed. And now I kinda feel like a dirty scumbag, admitting to a celebrity crush...I know everyone's got one, and it's silly because it's not like we'll ever hang out, nor will I send her stalkerish emails or carry around her picture 24/7. It just feels so...one-sided and hopeless, which is why I usually don't bother with fawning over famous people in the first place. Guess who's going into work for a few hours tomorrow morning because yup, as soon as we finally got caught up with all the past week's donations, and straightened up, we got hit with like eight more bags of crap about 20 minutes before we closed?  This guy.  And if I didn't have to see my therapist in the afternoon, I'd probably be there all freakin' day again, because it's not like we're not gonna have any donations come in tomorrow...hey, wait a minute...maybe that's one way of getting out of therapy! No no no, I shouldn't do that...besides, it'll be my last visit before school starts, so I probably should go. Dammit. This link may possibly be a nice piggyback to Charlie's "Blogging Circle of Friends " prompt, because you'd think by now we'd have the technology and prowess to overcome these 24 instances of common sense failures in society. Why haven't we fixed these annoyances yet? #1...yup. #9...an almost-daily occurrence on WDC. #17...used to be a big problem at CVS, but it's gotten slightly better (although still not under control). And #21...happens with my Chucks all the time. How can we, as the greatest planet in the whole universe, not have the brains to deal with these things properly?Well, that's all I have to say for myself tonight...what am I gonna do with the rest of my evening without Barrel O' Monkeys' Bonus Tracks? Besides go to bed at my more normal time? Peace, I said some things, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "We are going to one of Maine's oldest cemeteries. The headstones are amazingly in good shape considering the weather. We are packing a lunch and while we are there do some gravestone etchings. Everyone should look around and pick a different headstone so we can compare the age of the people buried here. However to your surprise, the headstone has your name! We want to hear your reaction and what you think is going on." Yo campers, what up? When Lyn's a Witchy Woman first approached me about today's prompt, I thought it was a great idea...and I still do. But now that I'm in front of the Toshiba ready to bust this entry out, I'm terrified by it . I don't know how you people with more common last names deal with seeing your name on tombstones...my last name isn't very ordinary so imagining it gives me a little pause...I think every gravestone I've visited of a family member actually has a different last name than mine (except my father's father, but I haven't been back to pay my respects since his funeral...and I can assure you it'd be a fully creepy experience, since we share the same first, middle and last names).I'm also a bit weirded out talking about death, because of the closeness to Robin Williams' passing the other day and the freshness of the circumstances...but perhaps this can be a cathartic experience for all of us, confronting mortality. It's not my favorite subject, but I suppose sometime will come when we all have to take a proactive approach about what happens to us physically after we've left the world...but I'm 39 years old and I'm not so sure I'm mentally prepared to do that. Some of you are younger and likely haven't given this much thought, because why would you? And some of you are older and maybe have already picked out a plot, I don't know...I guess that could make it easier to talk about it. I know I wouldn't want anything fancy or elaborate...I don't know that I've lived a life that merits that. Sure, I've had some fun and done some pretty sweet things, but I'm just a regular dude...my achievements are minor, I think. But there I'd be, in all places, Maine...looking at a cemetery marker with name on it, surrounded by some great friends experiencing the same bizarre circumstances. Are we now a cult? Will this be a mass murder thing? Did our packed lunch include some secret Kool-Aid? Oh yeah! Oh no! What are we all doing here?! Forgive me if I'm starting to become slightly overwhelmed by morbid curiosity...this scenario is beginning to take on a cheesy horror flick vibe, and I did some Boy Scout camping at the setting for a couple of Friday The 13th movies.I could see Charlie ~ cracking some jokes about seeing my grave, and then watching his face turn white once he sees his. Maybe some of the ladies would get freaked out upon the realization that this could be it for all of us. Would the evil fallen sky god come swooping down, transforming us into zombies while waving his magic scepter and turning our campground into a mysterious cemetery and wiping out all traces of our prior existences? We'd just become faceless names on unsuspecting, unaccounted-for graves...no one would know what happened to us; all we are now are plots. I guess there's no point in me saying "I'm never camping with you guys again!"And of course, because this is my blog, I'd get to play the hero. How do you dispatch an evil fallen sky god? I think I skipped class that day in school . Maybe the will to survive would kick in, and I'd become some sort of zombie apocalypse defeater...which would be nice, because I don't know the first thing about zombies and I'd probably be one of the earliest to perish if such a thing actually happened...I could be the Chuck Norris of zombie-killing. I won't get in to who would survive this journey and who wouldn't...that's bad form and I wouldn't wish death on any of you. But I think collectively we would triumph...we're smart people and all; we can do this! Nobody's gonna bury me before I'm ready! BCF PROMPT: "Write your own motivational and/or inspirational quote and/or speech." I wouldn't say this is my strong suit...I like to think of myself as encouraging, but I'm not gonna put anyone on my back and get them over their mountains. I can't fight your wars until I'm finished with mine...or maybe I don't know what my exact purpose on this planet here is yet. But I'm gonna go with the standard cliches...you can do anything you dream of, you're a bigger person than this, and why not supersize it? You only live once, and in time your regrets will not be the things you've done, but what you haven't did. When it comes time to rest eternally in front of that tombstone, you don't wanna be sayin' "I wish I woulda taken that chance", or "Maybe if I did things differently..." Nope. There's no time for turning back, so get it all out of the way now. Change your course; change your destiny. I should put that on a t-shirt or somethin'. MUSICAL BREAK!! C'mon, Team Orangutans! The Howlers wiped the floor with us in the Bonus Tracks for "Barrel of Monkeys" last night, and I thought we did pretty well. I think we've got it in us...we can do this.I'm trying to think if I've shared anything by Spoon recently...I know I've had a Y song or two between here and the Bonus Tracks, so I'm really hoping I haven't already posted this video. It doesn't look familiar. Anyway, one of the members of Spoon is also in The Get Up Kids, which is cool because they're, in my opinion, two totally different bands (and I haven't been shy about proclaiming my love for TGUK). Critically acclaimed, and even more awesome is every cd of theirs I've bought has come with an exceptional bonus disc of demos and other stuff...like getting two cds for the price of one! Here's "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb"... THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Make a list of inspirations. People, places, things, events, colors and activities. Do these inspire you to write, go to work, help you through life or make your day a good one? I would like to hear about them."More inspirations...honestly, I'm gonna have to think about this, because I'm not really sure what inspires me until the moment hits. I don't have a go-to list for when I need a pick-me-up. I think if I did, it would cheapen their impact when I really could use something. I know I like a good underdog story, and things about people who've overcome some sort of adversity to gain success...but who doesn't like that stuff? Sports teams winning a championship when nobody thought they would (the end of the movie Major League is a prime example...I've seen it probably a hundred times, and I never fail to get emotional), stories about people defeating their demons or abusers, rags-to-riches tales...all good for a little inspiration.When I was a high school athlete, I had a few mix-tapes of songs I'd listen to while working out...high-energy, get pumped stuff. Songs with a certain intensity, combined with positive lyrics regarding victory or rising above something, never failed to work for me. And I know I've made mention before of "Pass The Mic" by the Beastie Boys as being a tremendous influence on me...forget for a second that it's hip-hop and just read the lyrics like you would any other piece of poetry. How can you hear that, say, first thing in the morning, and not feel uplifted or ready to face whatever challenges your day might bring? It's the perfect mixture of confidence, bravado, and raw positive energy. That's definitely one song that hasn't lost significance to me, in over twenty years.I feel like this is gonna be a short list...regular readers of this tasty internet pastry know I'll throw in a link every now and then when I see a story online that hits my feels upside the head. I guess if nothing else you can always count on me for that.  I know I've shared a link like this in the past as well, but in light of recent news I think it bears repeating, especially now with an increased emphasis on depression. I'm all for a much more open dialogue about it with a hope that not only people who aren't afflicted by it will gain some understanding, but to let everyone know it's not a topic that should remain taboo. It shouldn't be dismissed or swept under the rug, and you can educate yourself on how to talk to people about it. I know I've heard some of these things by supposedly "happy, positive, upbeat" people, and really, a lot of the time it's the last thing many of us want to hear. 10 Things I Wish People Knew About Depression.  Music nerds! Check out this article from Grantland! The American Band Championship Belt ...the writer lists every group that should've won (or contended for) a "Championship Belt", from 1964 through today! Interesting, to say the least. I don't normally gush about awards or accolades here on WDC (because if that's why you write, you should probably pick a new passion), but I received a Merit Badge today from a friend of mine here in Cortland and to be honest, it's one I never thought I'd see myself getting..."Fairy Tale". Thank you, lktropuckr...the description was beautiful, even if things weren't what we hoped for..."For reminding me that a fairy tale is always worthwhile even if it doesn't have a happy ending." Very well said, and I'm truly appreciative not just of the MB, but for all your help in getting me settled out here.And with that I'm wrapping this entry up for today...I was thinking about doing a little grocery shopping but maybe I'll hold off. It was more or less just an excuse to get out the house anyway, but I might just chill the rest of the afternoon. I've got a feeling tomorrow might be crazy at work (especially since we were closed yesterday, technically), and I already know there's a lot waiting for us when we open back up, so maybe I should just lay low the rest of the day. Peace, you got to know it's on your sleeve, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Norb and I are giving you the extra time to work on your reviews... if you have finished them all then write how you relaxed today at camp." Hey campers! This is correct...Lyn's a Witchy Woman and I are giving you an extra day for your reviews. It's been fun interacting with some of you during this little challenge!Unfortunately, I didn't get to relax much today. At work we were closed because I guess there was some work being done on the HVAC system, and I was the only person taking in donations. I had the option of not coming in today...but I'm glad I did because otherwise we'd be tearing our hair out on Thursday trying to get everything done. A relaxing day at camp though...would probably entail chillin' in my bunk with a book, or maybe taking a walk down by the lake. I could definitely use some peace and quiet for sure...I think I'm overdue for a nap today. BCF PROMPT: "Today is National Vinyl  Day. We are all different ages so let's hear what was your first vinyl record? If you have never owned a vinyl record what do you know about them. Did someone in your family have vinyl records? How many sizes were there since they were first introduced? Do you ever see them in music stores?"I love good old fashioned records! The feel, the sound quality, the larger image compared to a cd. I remember when I turned eight...my dad took me up to K-mart and gave me $20 to buy whatever I wanted, so I bought my first two albums: Michael Jackson's Thriller and Van Halen's 1984. Growing up, I remember my mom having a lot of records. We had one of those stereos that looked more like a piece of furniture than anything, with speakers built in to it. I used to love pulling out the records, dropping the needle, and reading the liner notes. In the last few years there's been a resurgence in the sale of vinyl records, which I think is great...even though more and more independent record shops keep closing. I would never go into a place like Best Buy for records...they just seem so sterile and have a shitty selection. It's the little shops that have the charm...posters and stickers up all over, knowledgeable staff, and anything you're looking for. It's too bad the record store is a dying breed...I could spend hours in one taking in all the sights and sounds, and talking music with other shoppers. One of my favorite experiences. MUSICAL BREAK!! Looks like I'm following Future Mrs. B 's entry, "Feeling Blue Today" ...I've got a G song, "The Gash" by The Flaming Lips.I first heard this song on a mix-disc a coworker made for me several years ago...when I worked for a local electronics company. We were all into Sony's Mini-Disc technology, and it was nothing to make mixes for people. I loved MD's...small, super-portable, and you could erase them and re-record over them with no drop in quality, unlike a cassette tape. Plus they were durable. Anyway, The Flaming Lips...so great. It was definitely a case for me where I heard the song and had to go out and get the whole cd. Another of the joys of sharing music...recommendations turning you into a fan of an artist you might not normally seek out on your own. "Is that gash in your leg really why you have stopped? Cause I've noticed all the others though they're gashed, they're still going." Lyrics. THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Today the actor/comedian Robin Williams passed away. What are your feelings about his work? How deeply are you affected by a celebrity death? Is there a particular celebrity whose passing would/has cause(d) significant grief? If this prompt is too depressing for you, tell me about your favorite celebrity, dead or alive."I don't normally allow celebrity to consume me...I look at these people as if they've got a job to do, entertaining us, and it's not like I'm gonna get a chance to really get to know them. Having said that though, it's saddening to hear of someone of Robin Williams' caliber passing, and it's especially concerning when you hear about the circumstances. Anyone who's ever dealt with depression will tell you it's not easy to live with. You have to be vigilant with your treatment and with managing your emotions. You're never really "cured" even if you don't look outwardly sick, and you can't just walk it off like a stubbed toe. We may not know all of the story regarding Robin Williams, and I'm sure over time more details will emerge...but wrapping my head around it isn't easy, for sure. We'll never realize what pushes a person- one who was loved by so many, who gave us so much to laugh at- to that point where the end is the only way out. Sure, he had his demons...drugs and alcohol will catch up to you...it almost always does. On the topic of celebrity deaths, it seems like every generation has a talent that is taken from the world too soon. For me it was Kurt Cobain...I remember exactly where I was when I heard of his passing. Nirvana changed the face of popular music as we knew it, and I related to his lyrics on a level that few have approached (for me, at least). It was shocking, albeit not quite unexpected...I wouldn't say I mourned, but there were a few days in '94 where I felt like something had been taken from me and wasn't coming back. Nobody likes death, but it's a part of life and we accept it as such. Still, you never really know how to react, especially in circumstances like suicide. It's painful, it's frightening, but the important thing to realize is that we don't go through this world alone, and there's help there for you if you know how to look for it. Believe me...I know. I've started down thoughts I shouldn't have been having...I've arrived at those crossroads. Yet I'm still here. There's no shame in saying "I need help"...if you take anything away from whatever I've written today or in the past, please...if you or someone you know is going through a rough time in life, encourage them to do something about it. I came across this article last night after I heard about Robin Williams' passing...please feel to share it with anyone you think could use it. "If you are thinking about suicide, please read this..." . On a happier note, this is what's ruling the internet today...a Beastie Boys/Muppets mash-up that is equal parts hilarious and adorable and pure genius. Take the one minute and check it out...you'll thank me later.Well, that's all I've got today...time to get my relaxin' on and hit up some BoM bonus tracks the rest of the evening. Peace, with explosions, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Hey Campers! Lyn's a Witchy Woman and I are giving you some extra time today to complete this challenge. Go on a port raid and review five of your fellow campers' items. It doesn't have to be all from the same person...just use the {review:####### tag in your blog entry, and if you're inclined, tell us why you read each piece. There just might be something in it for the winner (counselor's discretion)." What up, blog fam? I'm not gonna lie...since I wrote this prompt, I figured it'd be an easy way for me to get out of it. But y'all know I don't do anything easy. Besides, I can't judge you if I haven't gone through the same strains I've put you through...that's just not right. So here's my listicle of reviewery. Keep in mind I'm not one of those complicated reviewers who drops 6k wordage on your poem. I figure stuff, I say my peace, kick a hole in the speaker, and jet. Just a man's opinion...that's all.  Charlie ~ , Review of "Night Dancing"  Lyn's a Witchy Woman , Review of "Spring Heard Not Seen" Noyoki , Review of "Just a Little to the Left" Prosperous Snow celebrating , Review of "When It Mattered" 💙 Carly , Review of "Dreams In Nightmares" All you people...I'm mad thankful for you. Without you, the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" wouldn't be what it is. Thanks for being a part of this journey.BCF PROMPT: "The flower of the day is Lily of the Valley. Write a poem, story, or anything about Lily of the Valley. Have fun." You'll excuse me if I'm not up to the minute on my flowers, right? I know how to weed a garden, and what a marigold is, but don't ask me complicated questions regarding specifics. That's not my field. But yo, I'mma bust out a quick poem because I can do that. Lily In My Valley Pretty lady in my trenches of life. You don't know me; just maybe why I'm here. I'm a guy who could use some love, but I don't want it from just anyone. You're a roadblock away from a roadblock, but we're all roadblocks anyway, nowadays. Meet me halfway and I just might meet you back. We can't all be lilies but we're not valleys either. MUSICAL BREAK!! When you're that kid...the stories I could tell.... THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Tell me about RAGE: Yours, someone else's, the concept of, or any interpretation of this that rocks your socks."I've so tried not to be an angry person anymore...it's just not a good look. Being pissed off just wears years off your life, and it's scientifically badgering on a personality. I don't need that burden. Tell you what though...don't piss me off. I will rain a holy hell upon you like you never believed. You think Charlie ~ reigns in terror? Him and his pussycats, all cuddly...NO. I will thrust a bajillion times more hellfire upon your sated ass once you cross me. So you best not test me. Let's be all "haha, funny" for now. Because I'd hate to lose you as a fan or a friend. Because the Manning brothers make stellar football videos...Fantasy Football Fantasy . Y'all know I hate corporations, right? But I love this shit...Honesty in advertising . I'm lookin' at your ass, Charlie ~ ...Western God Damned New York, son. Best believe I know about all of this. Buffalove. And now I'm all like "why did I bother?" I'm tired...expired...more poems I don't have the patience to write. Peace, listen to Iron Maiden with me, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Are you homesick yet, campers? Write a letter to those you've left behind on this adventure." So this is what WDC looks like first thing in the morning? What's up folks? Who writes these prompts? Oh, I did . I hate coming up with prompts, and these types are my least favorite to write for, so go figure. But I guess since it's Lyn's a Witchy Woman and I who are runnin' the show this month, I don't really need to impress the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" crowd...besides, I still have to catch up on the first week of entries. You campers are a kickass bunch!I never understood the importance of writing letters to home when I went away to summer camp. By the time I got down to it and mailed it off, I was home before the actual letter got there. And what good would it have done? "Dear mom, I miss you, this place sucks, come save me". Pointless. Being away at camp was more a vacation for her than it was a "growth experience" for me, and once I got over the homesickness I didn't want to leave. But letter writing in itself is a lost art. Think about it...now, we communicate via email, which is nice and convenient, but fuck that! There's something to be said about the time it takes to hand-write an actual piece of descriptive narration about what's going on in your life. A reason to look forward to going to your mailbox besides bills and catalogs and crap. There's a certain emotion in everyone's penmanship that adds detail to words...something you can't derive automatically from a bland form you see on your computer screen. Oh, I can tell you how pissed off I am, but you can see it in furiously scribbled paragraphs. The way the letters slant, the "I don't care" smudge marks of ink, the "This needs to be done and I'm doing it" intensity. Ballin' out on a page or six...it's a good thing. I suppose if I were to write a letter, and I just may, it'd be to my ex. I'd want her to know I was doing well, going back to school at the end of the month, and I'd return a bunch of pictures of her she packed up when she unceremoniously booted me out of our house. Part of me is like "Fuck that bitch for doin' me like that! I lost a lot of important stuff!" and the other part of me is like "Take the high road, relax, everything happens for a reason". Well, I'm still not seein' that reason, but it's definitely time to move on, and I don't even know if she's still at the same address. On the off chance that she might see this, Jess The CWC, hit me up to figure out what I should do with the pics of yours I don't want/need anymore. We don't have to talk about anything else. I feel sort of refreshed that I bled that out on unemotional terms for the internet-accepting device of your choice. MUSICAL BREAK!! I'm so jacked for taking the opportunity now to get a halfway decent letter in "Barrel of Monkeys" , you have no idea. And I get to end it with another letter that's so uncommon!  This song takes me back to the late 90's...my clubbin' days. We could get stupid on a dance floor because we were late 80's kids and we thought we could dance. People used to lose their minds to Fatboy Slim...I can't even imagine what kids in bars listen to right...about...now. If you need lyrics, you need help with life. THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  This week is the Erie County Fair! Awww, sonuvabeach....I love the fair! Games, smells, lotto tickets, creepy vendors, all of it! I won't get there again this year. Gotta see if CVS across the street still sells them Planters Salted Caramel peanuts...opening that can was like smelling the fair all over again. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this guy . He's at the Erie County Fair tightroping his ass off for the masses. Baller level 10+, I figure. I'd puke first if that were my job, but it's his passion.Alright, it's early enough that I can take a nap or treat myself to a breakfast sandwich. I'll let you figure out what my next move is. Peace, right about now, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Good morning Campers! Lyn's a Witchy Woman and I are easing you into this wilderness experience so far, and we're gonna have a campfire tonight to get you closer to your fellow campers. So while we're sittin' around the fire, tell us a story you'd tell around a fire. The first comment you make (on your fellow campers' blogs) equals a toasted marshmallow...and who doesn't love that? Did someone say 'S'mores'?" 'Sup y'all? That's a fine set of prompts we're lookin' at today (and I'm not just sayin' that because one of 'em is mine )...let's get this weekend thing started!My campfire story isn't a typical ghost story or something born out of lore handed down through generations. Nope...this is an actual story about a campfire. One February, maybe when I was 12 or 13, my boy scout troop went away for the weekend. I had boots that I was just starting to outgrow, to the point I could barely lace them up. On Saturday night, as we often did, we had a robust fire and we performed skits and songs for our entertainment while keeping warm...because February in WNY always includes way more snow than necessary. In the interest of keeping my uncomfortable feet warm, I put them up on a stump close to our fire. I wasn't paying close attention though...I thought everything was fine until I smelled the stank of burning rubber. I looked down, and the sole of my right boot was engulfed in flames (the left one just started melting). I stomped it out (thank you, snow), but the damage was done...it had melted pretty good. Totally disfigured the whole bottom of the thing. The next morning, after breaking camp and packing up, we did what our troop loved to do most...play football. Mind you, it was February, and like I said, there was a lot of snow on the ground. I couldn't tie my boots; that's how bad they were damaged. We must've been runnin' around in twenty degree weather for three hours. I ignored the tingling in my feet, the numbness, everything...I was determined to tough it out. Which was stupid...I'll say it so you don't have to. Toward the end of our game, my feet basically wanted to annex themselves from my body. They'd been stepped on, abused, and were now beyond numb...a feat that equals unbelievable pain. Nothing helped, and by the time I got home I had to go to the emergency room. I had blood pooling under my toenails...it was kinda cool when the doctor punctured one of 'em and the blood squirted up like a fountain. But it was such a relief! I had a very minor case of frostbite...and if what I had was minor, I'd hate to see major! All in all, I wound up losing six toenails...on both big and second toes, plus both pinky toes. They grew back eventually, but damn was that awkward for awhile. Luckily it's summertime and we don't have to worry too much about shoving our feet in the fire to stay warm. And y'all can have the marshmallows...I'm not crazy about s'mores, but here are some tasty recipes y'all can try the next time you're out by a fire.BCF PROMPT: "What would heaven be like for you?" Awww, y'all know I'm not religious! All this means to me is that I've died and didn't have enough fun! Because we all know you've got to be good to get to heaven, and all the really fun stuff usually diverts you further south of the pearly gates. Guess I won't have to worry if my boots fit when I stick 'em in that fire. But heaven can be a place on Earth , so I'll take a stab at a few of the things I need to feel heavenly... A clean, comfortable bed with lots of good, uninterrupted sleep. Reese's peanut butter cups (seasonal treats, preferably). All my music, all the time. Meat, and lots of it. Very well done...I don't want to see a hint of suffering. Y'all gettin' along like brothers and sisters of Mother Earth.Doesn't take much, yet it seems like a tall order. Maybe there's a reason it's "heaven" and we're not living in it (and don't get all JC on me, because that isn't an ideal look right about now). MUSICAL BREAK!! I don't normally rep this Buffalo band because they got too huge for the city, but Robbie Takac has done a lot of giving back over the years. Plus, I prefer their older, less-mainstream stuff. I have this song on a Kazaa mix I made back when it was ok to steal music off the internet, and it might be my favorite Goo Goo Dolls song. Most of y'all who are familiar with them know that Johnny Rzeznik sings, but Robbie takes this and it's awesome. Makes me proud to be from where I'm from. Never really looked at the lyrics to that song before...man, have I been getting them wrong for years! "Silly for the last time..."  THE DAILY BOX SCORE: "In the Bonus Tracks, over at WDC Soundtrackers' "Barrel of Monkeys" we were given a wildcard that we could only find songs that began with 'When'. I was listening to Frank Sinatra's "When I Was 17" and I thought, why not ask everyone ...Was it a very good year when you turned 17? Tell us about things that happened in that year."Y'all are tryin' to kill me with these prompts. Or get me killed. [FYI Lyn's a Witchy Woman , your link took me to Julio Iglesias' "When I Need You".]Seventeen was supposed to be a really good year. The high school senior, the outcast, making friends with people I'd never see again because it was our last year together. Yeah, that didn't go well. My mom was in the throes of a relationship with a guy who, well, lets just say we didn't see eye-to-eye. I re-broke my shoulder in football practice, putting my arm back into an immobilizer. On MLK Day, my doctor finally cleared me for contact with the wrestling team, but my mother wouldn't sign the paperwork. So I went and got shitfaced to the point of alcohol poisoning. No details necessary...it just wasn't fun at all. It got me kicked off the yearbook committee, and to this day I can't touch or even smell anything with Bailey's Irish Creme in it (working against my favor was drinking with the girls in charge of the yearbook, and it was their parents' booze we copped). I had an internship with a local, community-driven newspaper...that I had to find my own way to and from most of the time. I wanted to be a journalist, and that was my ground floor opening. I wrote nuptials and covered my school's baseball and softball teams. There was no push to get me into college. There was...nothing. The day before I graduated I cemented my boltage from my mom's to my dad's, but she knew it was coming (most of my room was packed up in garbage bags anyway and by then I was convinced I was moving). No, 17 was not the ideal year. Not by a long shot. Did some of you have it worse? I'm sure. But don't front on me because terrible is terrible, period...whatever the circumstances are. Awhile back (waaaaay back) I mentioned something about making a video of what life here in Cortland- my life- is like. Well, I came across a cheap little camcorder, and I took some footage. Gotta edit it and figure it all out....the sound isn't transferring and I get a black screen when trying to view the clips. But dammit, I'mma do it. Somehow.Alright, I've taken up enough of your time today. It's a summer Saturday anyway, which means y'all had some better things to do (or still do). This isn't blogging season, regardless. Peace, dealing with your own, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!  |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Now that you have had a glance of what is around you, take a few minutes to journal what you see and what you don't see. How observant are you?" Good afternoon campers! Nice to see you all on this gorgeous sunny day...I hope you all had a fitful sleep in your bunks and are ready for the challenges Lyn's a Witchy Woman says she's got in store for us this weekend. Activities and maybe a surprise or two, if you're paying attention, are on the agenda.Speaking of paying attention, it appears there are some of you who fail to think I'm observant ! groovygirl, in her entry "Invalid Entry" , claims I "would no doubt be oblivious to the discomfort of everyone around him"...and that couldn't be further from the truth! I've made more friends than enemies through four blogs based on observations! Sure, I might laugh at your misfortune, but then I'll be the first to try to help you out. Moving on...So Lyn's got us out in the middle of nowhere, and wants us to see stuff? She mentioned loons in her entry, "Loving Her, Choices, Camping and Happiness" . Perhaps she was referring to the bufoonery Charlie ~ , 30DBC Creator/Founder and I could be getting into, ladies. Pranksterism doesn't just dwell in urban areas, ya heard? Watch your backs...ya never know who might slip a dead frog under your pillow, or throw water on you while you're in the outhouse. It's hard to run from a seated position with your pants around your ankles. Jus' sayin'.But I'm tryin' to see the forest for the trees, ya know? A setting like that where I can get semi-lost in nature, snap a few pics, and find a stump by a tiny little stream where I can take my notebook to write down everything I'm soaking in sounds like the perfect getaway spot. Truth be told, that's my ideal place to be when I want to clear my head and spit out what's goin' on in there. Maybe I'd start with some personal, confessional poetry, and then shift over to metaphors about trees, fishies, birds, and the camper's lifestyle. It worked out well for me once (except for the part about taking a nap and waking up to find most of everything I had on me in my "middle of nowhere" spot had been stolen...but I trust you people more than the general population). And that's the thing...you can never be too careful. You always gotta have one eye open to your surroundings, even if you can't quite articulate verbally and orally what's going on around you. Perhaps I speak in actions...maybe one afternoon I'll help you chop and stack firewood, and later that night when you're asleep I'll tickle your forehead to make you think there's a fly just so I can watch you swat at yourself. Ya never know... .BCF PROMPT: "Founded in 1999 by the Secret Society of Happy People as 'Admit You’re Happy Day', Happiness Happens Day is celebrated each year on August 8th. This day was created to recognize and express happiness. August 8th was chosen as it is the anniversary of the first membership in 1998. Share with us what makes you happy...is expressing joy easy for you?" I don't consider myself to be a happy person by nature...maybe it's because I've seen too much of what happens when you're happy but not prepared for what happens when the happiness goes away. That scares me for people who celebrate happiness and are overly optimistic...do they have the coping skills necessary to deal with adversity? Sure, maybe some do, and can look heartbreak in the eyes, stare it down, and smile at it as if there were gold middle fingers on their teeth. "I Will Not Look Heartbreak In The Eyes" For me, the starting starts with starting small...gotta get those small victories before you can begin to dream bigger. Believing in yourself comes with all you wind up conquering. And those little moments of self-satisfaction, them li'l happies, they add up, and multiply when you can limit your disappointments as well. But I'm a realist, and I understand that sometimes life gets in the way of even the best-laid plans. It's hard to rely on others because so many variables come in to play...expectations are great but they're often tossed aside because someone else has some quote-unquote better idea that takes precedence and time and maybe even money, while everyone else watches it go nowhere, and now I'm babbling totally off-point. Happiness for me equals contentment, and it takes me awhile to get there. If it's a day I can come home from whatever my day was and relax without any drama, I'm satisfied. Another day with no worries is a great day for me. As complex as I can be at times, it doesn't take much to make me happy...I'm learning again to be a minimalist, and not having a lot doesn't mean you have to be unhappy. It's about appreciating what you have and the people around you in the here and now for who they are. It sounds contradictory, but don't let emotions get in the way of your happiness (something else I'm still working on). You have to take care of you, first and foremost. Don't listen to people who call you "selfish" or "needy" because you're doing what's best for you over what they want you to do or be. If you're not making yourself happy, eventually people will see your efforts to please everyone else aren't as up to par as they should be were you to be truly comfortable with yourself. Self-help 101, y'all. Just because I spit it on a blog doesn't mean I have to listen to it. MUSICAL BREAK!! "Barrel of Monkeys" time, y'all! After some wondering about who's gonna go first, very thankful stepped up with "Happiness in the Elevator While Living Twice" . That leaves me again with the letter E...seems like I've gotten E a lot, and yeah, there are tons of great "E" songs out there, but c'mon O-Tang Crew! Challenge me! Help me out! Help me help you!Anyway, yo- this is from a seminal, critically acclaimed album that pretty much dismantled music from there on out...but with lyrics that teetered a line between the raw, introspective side of Thom Yorke that counteracted with the clunky and obtuse political late 90's references to unaware Americans about British politics. This is maybe the last pure "guitar shreddin' and true band decadent" highlight of Radiohead's career before they turned music on its earhole with Kid A and Amnesiac.I think you could transpose "you" and "I" in the lyrics, and you could pretty much accurately nail the current political system in many countries...when those ahead of us move forward, no matter what we do, we wind up moving backwards. Getting ahead is the goal, but I don't wanna die trying. "Say the right things when electioneering... I trust I can rely on your vote." THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "If you were trapped in an elevator for 12 hours, which three bloggers would you most want with you in that situation? Keep in mind 12 hours is a long time...."This brings to mind the classic Friends clip where Chandler is stuck in an ATM with a supermodel . All sorts of awkwardness ensues...but the whole city there is down, so it's not like us civilians bailing each other out is gonna help. No cupcake runs, no bathroom breaks, nothin'. Just me and you three, at the dinner party table the highlight of my freakishness.See, I don't like elevators to begin with. Lazy, need stairs for physical fitness, blah blah blah, NO. Just the motion infuriates my anxiety. I need a corner, and if I can't get one I need a side with a handle, even if I'm going up one goddamned floor. Plus it's a really closed-in space...anxiety trigger #2. Don't snugger in too close to me, please. Let me enjoy my anxiety attack alone...with NO TOUCHING .And once I get over the panic, and realize I now have a truly captive audience, I might try to break the ice. But Charlie ~ , Mitchopolis , and Brother Nature wouldn't mind...not a damn bit. Brochester College in Anywhere, New Wherever is where you'd all wanna attend for some schoolin', but ya can't unless you submit to the Dean Of Education- That's Life Division.Simply put, I can only flirt with the ladies for so long until I feel comfy enough with them to say "Hey! We survived this! Let's make out!" But get some comedy/blogging legends (and legends in the making) in the same tiny square together...take us at your own risk. We may twist words into crayfish and cattle. There might be a dire need to escape. But on the real, where else are the four of us gonna meet up where there are no rules other than the army of us? Special shout-outs to Lyn's a Witchy Woman , Princess Megan Rose 22 Years  , Ghostranch , and everyone else I wouldn't mind being stuck in a busted elevator with.OK, I'm bouncin'...don't wanna hold you all up. Peace, somewhere we will meet, and GOODNGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "There are some important things one should know about camping in the wilderness and lots of information available on the web in case you don't know. Do you know how to purify water? Do you know how to build a fire? Finally what does it mean when it says 'Sustainable Camping'? Inquiring minds want to know how prepared you are for this adventure." Good evening blog campers! Here's a bit of irony for you...I was a boy scout once for a few years, and right now I have only the basic ideas of how to go about outdoor camping. We didn't have all this information on an "internet" back then...we were supposed to know how to tie knots and pitch tents and start fires without lighters or adults. And purifying water? Right. We drank that gross, nasty well water that came from a weird-lookin' spigot straight outta the ground. And it's probably been over twenty years since the last time I did any kind of camping. Sure, some things aren't that hard to do and other things might come back to me...I know starting a fire isn't as simple as rubbing two sticks together like they do in cartoons, and the simplest way of purifying water is to boil it, but that's not prudent in the summer time. So that's your first mission, campers, courtesy of Lyn's a Witchy Woman ...show us how prepared you are for this endeavor and teach us a thing or two. I'm looking forward to catching up soon on your responses!BCF PROMPT: "Today's prompt is 'I knew it was going to be a bad day.' Have fun and take it anywhere you like." I get the feeling many people will be relating this prompt to a workday experience. I can't say I blame them; there's a reason why it's called "work" and not "fun"...even though for the most part I truly enjoy what I do at Capco. But that doesn't mean it's not without its "tear your hair out and set your head on fire" moments, because it so is. Maybe it's because I still don't feel like I've been on the job long enough, but I go into every shift in a really good mood and with a healthy dose of optimism...and I prefaced that with "maybe" because it's like retail, but without the soul-crushing corporate climate and there's really no one for customers to complain to about you when you won't let them get their way about something they're already getting for free (except you ).Opening the door to our part of the building first thing in the morning and seeing a gigantic pile of donations waiting to be checked in is usually a bad sign...especially when your coworker is habitually late (which is probably my punishment for skating in anywhere between one and ten minutes late daily when I worked at Walgreens) and it's the first week or two of the month, where people are still looking to fill their monthly quotas of free shit for their families. If you see that stack, and within five minutes of you opening you're being paged up front to help someone bring in another donation (hint: if you're being called up it's probably because there's way too much stuff for the person to bring it in by themselves), your day just got worse. And then, if your first customers' families include screaming children who think a store-like atmosphere means "playground where they can throw all the toys and not pick them up", well your bad day is pretty much complete. And that's why on Tuesday I considered my seven hour shift over after the first sixty minutes hopelessly drained off the clock in the storm of every aggravation I could've possibly faced. I know some of you have harder jobs and rougher days, but you're used to it and probably much more compensated for your efforts than I am. Still, I'd like to see how some of you hold up for a month of dealing with what we have to on occasion. I'd even be willing to trade salaries! MUSICAL BREAK!! Time again for my addition to the "Barrel of Monkeys" playlist ...on the heels of lizco252's entry "Invalid Entry" , I've got the letter G and I'm going with The Frames' "Giving It All Away"...another band you've probably never heard of (in fact, the album that this song came from, Fitzcarraldo , was super-hard to find in the US for, like, forever), but they're from Ireland and are apparently the biggest band to come from over there since some little group called U2 back when your folks thought it'd be funny to...oh wait, some of you weren't even born yet . You may be familiar with lead singer Glen Hansard, who has done some solo tours with Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam and starred in the movie Once . Anyway, this album is now available on the US version of iTunes and there isn't a bad song on it at all.THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  "Which door will you open? Narnia, Hogwarts, Wonderland, Camelot, Neverland, Middle Earth or Westeros (Lord Of The Rings Geography area)?"Uhhh, how about none of 'em? I'll take door number zero, Monty. I know it won't be Neverland, because it's now for sale (and yes, I know the prompt isn't referring to that Neverland).Maybe Narnia on a Lazy Sunday ...Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious.Westeros? Never heard of it, unless you mean Arrested Westeros ...oh, you haven't. I've made a huge mistake .I'd probably go with the real (fake) Neverland, actually, since that's about the only door I'm even remotely familiar with in literature...and I haven't read Alice In Wonderland in so long that the Tom Petty video based on the novel is about all I remember of the story.Well, I'm beat because I put in another full day at work today (so much for gettin' a little break by maybe leavin' early...I didn't even take a full lunch break). I'm shuttin' my phone off and sleepin' in as late as I can while trying to stay as far away from Capco as I possibly can. Peace, whatever helps you get along, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
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