![]() |
A third attempt at this blogging business. |
30-DAY BLOG CHALLENGE WINNER FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 AND APRIL 2012!! BLOGGING CIRCLE OF FRIENDS "BLOGGER OF THE WEEK" MAY, SEPTEMBER, AND NOVEMBER 2013 JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND JUNE 2014 After 380 entries and over 17,600 views, it was time to retire "Who Do I Think I Am??" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Thanks for stopping by and showing your support! ![]() ![]() ![]() THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.
Continue along on my journey over at "Still Figurin' Out Who I Think I Am" ![]() |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Hey folks...sounds like that was quite a finish in Canada's and the US' women's hockey game. I knew I should've watched it, but I spent a chunk of the morning and early afternoon with my internet randomly dropping out every couple of minutes, and that's not an ideal situation when you're trying to stream live video. When I finally had a stable signal, I was able to follow what was happening on Facebook...if there's a reason to ever have so many friends from all different points in your life, it's to follow live events as they happen. Even if 5% of your friends are following something as it happens, and you've got 200 friends...you can see where I'm goin' with this. And all I'm gonna say about it is good game, Canada...see ya tomorrow when the US and Canada square off for the men's gold. As for the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() And what'll become of Andre after all is said and done? I think we've all learned a little perspective (whether we needed it or not), and he'll eventually return home to Joel a changed man monkey. Further proof we can do anything we want! ![]() BCF PROMPT: "If you had to choose an animal to represent yourself, what would it be?" That's a tough call, because it's never been something I've considered in the past. It'd be easy to say "lion" because that's my Zodiac sign...or a monkey, because I've always found them to be cute in strange ways (all references to Andre aside). I'll resist the urge to be represented by the buffalo even though it's where I'm from...sorry, the buffaloes native to the region nowadays are the cast-iron ones local businesses purchased a few years back as some kind of charity fundraiser or something like that. So I've got options in the animal kingdom, I guess. Can I pick a goldfish? I don't see why not. I can swim around in my bowl (I don't need a big tank, and I don't intend on sharing my living arrangement with other fishies), see out into the world, and not really be affected by my surroundings. Plus, your dinner rains down on you! How amazing would that be if, like, you knew at a certain time every day hot dogs or burritos would just fall from the freaking sky, and you'd be hungry enough to eat about as much as you can...and whatever you couldn't eat or didn't get eaten by everyone else just magically dissipated into the surroundings, so you didn't have to worry about cleaning it up? That's a win-win-win for everyone! Sure, I'd have to deal with the occasional kid bangin' on my bowl with his or her greasy fingers, and I'd literally be shitting where I eat, but I'd be a fish...obviously if I swim in a bowl all day I can't be too concerned with my intelligence level. And I don't have to worry about heading off for slaughter where I'll become someone's dinner, 'cuz nobody eats us stupid little goldfish. I float and I eat and if I live a year or two, great...anything more's a bonus. No worries...just point me out in the direction of a little sunshine in the morning, and we're cool. When I'm belly-up, I'll have had a full life, so it won't matter if I'm flushed down the toilet or buried in the backyard; it's not like other fish are gonna visit my memorial...after all, you wouldn't leave a dead cat hangin' aound anywhere, right? Be humane...that's just weird. Do whatever you want, but don't leave my rotting carcass in a bowl, especially if your intention is to replace me. But yeah, other than that, I'm good. If I had to be anything, I'd just want to be simple...and it don't get much simpler than a goldfish. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** You could almost replace "Public Enemy" with "Nirvana" in yesterday's entry and get kind of the same feeling. I was 13 or 14 when I first heard PE (maybe even younger), and by the time I was 15 Nirvana came out with "Nevermind" and like so many other kids, I became interested in how that would affect me going forward. There was this band that was part of a larger group of bands and artists singing about teenage angst in a way that felt new and raw. Where in the sixties and seventies guys would sing about girls and heartbreak, it was now fashionable to come right out and say what you were feeling. Sure, "I hate my folks" or "I'm alienated from society" weren't concepts that were foreign, but it's the way it was presented. When you get older you can kind of see through some of the bullshit you're fed when you're younger. But that first wave, or that first blast...that tends to stay with you longer. Maybe it's the way it resonates, or how it feels relatable, or how it doesn't stop growing on you with repeated listens. After high school I'd gone back and picked up their first album and their b-side collection, and nearly every live recording I could find. I've read Kurt Cobain's Journals, which is a haunting collection. It's my opinion that had he managed to survive the nineties and his heroin addiction, he could've done anything he wanted musically at that point and it would've been pure genius. I don't say that lightly either; there's not many who've died or are living today that I think deserve that high an accolade. The reason I can say this is that when Nirvana's "Greatest Hits" cd was released (album: Nirvana {link:http://www.amazon.com/Nirvana/dp/B00006V9A0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392931729&sr=8-1&keywords=nirvana+greatest+hits}), it was known to contain the last (or one of the last) vocal sessions of his life, and it may be one of the best overall songs he ever wrote between the combination of his lyrics and the music behind them. That song is "You Know You're Right" (lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nirvana/youknowyoureright.html), and I'm glad we got this as a bit of closure. A fitting end to a career and life taken too soon. Kurt would've turned 47 today...I'll probably slip into some sort of Nirvana binge when I'm done writing this, checking out YouTube clips and letting myself get sucked in to all kinds of interviews and concert footage with crappy sound. More so than Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, or other bands from that scene, Nirvana's my reference point for that time. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() I think that's all I had going on for this afternoon. Might make myself an early dinner, catch up on some late-night tv reruns (I'm interested to see how Jimmy Fallon does in taking over The Tonight Show) and get to bed at a reasonable hour...I've been going too early, so I've been waking up ridiculously early, and I feel like that's been throwing me off mentally (not that I'm ever really on mentally...but, you know). Peace, things have never been so swell, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up, fancy people of WDC? Not gonna lie...I started this entry around 6am, took a nap, and it was gone. Love that "forced refresh" feeling. Glad I didn't have anything groundbreaking to say this morning. I'm feeling a bit better after my tumble yesterday...at least I can stand and walk. When you live in a building full of people you don't like, and your only interaction with them consists of "You ok, bro?" after falling over yourself because the five steps to the bathroom are too much on a compromised shit-kicker (because is there ever a more opportune time to poop?), resting is a comely cure-all. Glad I don't have to go anywhere 'til Friday. Your boy Andre The Blog Monkey has had a bit of a better go-'round this month...I'm anxious to see how well-behaved he's been as we enter the home stretch in this unofficial month of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Mark Twain says 'Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.' Do you agree or disagree? What's the last humorous thing you can think of that made you feel wicked good?" I've often found that humor can be a fickle thing...I understand that what turns my fancy may register as insignificant to others. That's ok. I don't laugh as much as I should in obvious situations given my taste in comedy, but I do laugh at more stuff; call it a case of quantity over quality, I suppose. But I'm not here to debate that today. I don't have much to add to that. ![]() I guess I can find humor in wiping out yesterday at a street corner in front of traffic, since I wasn't seriously hurt. Uncomfortable? On many levels. But if I can't laugh about it now, what purpose did it serve? I didn't end up in a hospital, and outside of a few panicked emails, nobody's the wiser. Hug up a little tighter on your functioning, wigglin' limbs, y'all...'cuz it sucks when you can't feel them. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** What kind of list would I be curating for myself if didn't include Public Enemy? I feel like I grew up in a golden era of music, and hip-hop was my punk rock. It was rebellion in an accessible form for my generation, but I knew if I was making a choice to stand out from the mainstream, I had to be smart about it. I veered toward socially conscious rhymes over sonically challenging beats...I didn't want commodity; I wanted substance. If I was gonna upset people with my choice of music, it had to have heart and a solid meaning in its message. That's why it chaps my ass when people disrespect rap, and I take it personally because that's the music I raised myself on. You can't tell me what The Bomb Squad did with beats and samples isn't "real music"...you have to be a genius to architecturally structure music that makes you think as much as it moves you on a cultural level. While it doesn't have the same impact as "Fear Of A Black Planet" or "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back", "Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age" ({link:http://www.amazon.com/Muse-Sick-N-Hour-Mess-Public-Enemy/dp/B0000024IB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392841268&sr=8-1&keywords=public+enemy+muse+sick-n-hour+mess+age}) still manages to challenge listeners by sending a message that it's not ok to accept what's being sold to you, whether it's clothes or food/beverages or music...you have a right to seek out alternatives to everything being pushed at you commercially, even if it's not the popular course of action. And I could've picked a handful of more influential PE songs that relate to who I am, but "Give It Up" (lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/publicenemy/giveitup.html) best articulates the points I just made. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() It's a pretty great day for humor when the parody account for an athlete with a legendary background, who also balls for your hometown team, wants to follow you on Twitter. ![]() Well, I think I'm done for today. If you've made it this far into this entry, thanks for humoring me...and if you don't mind, I have another nap to attend to. Peace, nuffattackin', brain's a-rackin', clock tockin', Chuck shockin', Flavor Flav ain't never shavin', and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Good day, kind readers. You can't hide from The Mob, even when The Mob tries to hide from you. Personally, I'm growing tired of the charade induced by this whole thing...I'm shiftless and aimless without proper direction. At least your boy Andre The Blog Monkey is in good hands today, getting a piano lesson with The Blogmother blainecindy. I myself am fighting off the urge to nap some. Don't be sleepin' on me! Even if I want to. BCF PROMPT: "Let's take a stroll down memory lane. Tell us about a comfort food that makes you feel nostalgic or sentimental when you eat it. Who made this special dish for you? Do you ever fix it for yourself if you are feeling blue?" Please, no, and never, right? I don't want to be a hostage endebited to particular food stuffs. But I won't front; the kid within me loves Spaghettios. With meatballs, or franks. No joke; they're amazingly tasty and simple on the budget when you have no budget to speak of. I'm also a sucker for Triscuits. The Sea Salt and Pepper originals run a close second to the Brown Rice, Tomato and Sweet Basil. If there were ever a "Thin Crisp" flavor, I'd be all over that. Crispy crackers with cheese and pepperoni? Hi, I'm here...where do I sign up? But my end-all-be-all comfort food is Bison French Onion chip dip. You can sweat a snowstorm 'til your pretty eyes bleed, but you'll never find something quite as taste-bud appealing as http://www.yelp.com/biz/bison-french-onion-dip-buffalo?ob=1. I'm mad lucky I have a store close enough that sells the Bison brand. and I don't have to scratch the Earth's surface to find it. There are many French onion chip dips out there, but there is only one made by Bison. Accept no substitute. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Well, I've hit that snag in "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() The simple rationale behind anyone's choice to name "Misunderstood" by Wilco (album: Being There {link:http://www.amazon.com/Being-There-Wilco/dp/B000002N7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392754667&sr=8-1&keywords=Wilco+Being+There}; lyrics: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/101487/) as one of their "biographical songs" would be too easy for anyone given just the title of the song. It's almost clichè for one to consider his or herself "misunderstood", but everyone has their reasons. Personally, I identify more with the poetry of the lyrics, and I have the outsider perspective that not everyone gets what you do or why you do it. The world chooses to see why you're not like everyone else as a downfall more often than not. It's a hard thing to try and reconcile with when that same world is screaming at you to be yourself. I'm glad I got to see Wilco live twice; they put on as good a show money can buy, and they're not the kind of band Buffalo normally attracts. They closed my first concert experience with them by playing "Misunderstood", and they punctuated the closing rant with "thank you" over and over instead of "nothing...nothing", which really added to the ambiance and significance of the evening. I've put this song on mix-tapes for friends and family members before, not only so they could experience different music they weren't accustomed to but to let them know they weren't alone in feeling not like everyone else. It validated my own feelings of alienation and personal separation from society's norms. "I'm ok, and so are you, whatever you are" was the major point. Whether or not this song has succeeded is not for me to judge. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() Dear ladies, gentlemen, and others who peruse this shit, please understand my not being WDC-relevant the next few days. Collapsing isn't in my daily planner. Peace, back in your old neighborhood, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! } |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Hello, and what is up?? Thanks for taking a few of your day's precious minutes to see what I'm up to...and believe me, there's not a lot going on today, in part due to it being a holiday, and small little towns like mine shut half of everything down on days like today. It's only annoying because I've got some things I wanna get out of the way, like making appointments and rescheduling others. Andre The Blog Monkey isn't having those issues though. Looks like tomorrow he'll be taking piano lessons with blainecindy. Now that he's exhibiting a bit of worldliness and some manners, I think he'll be in for a delightful time with Cindy...maybe she'll even take him on a guided tour of "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() ![]() No sign of the bOSS (with an uncapital B) anywhere. I think he's avoiding us, but that's my opinion. These Mob types...you never can tell what's really up. BCF PROMPT: "Tell us about your writing space. Where do you write your blog posts?" Interesting...a few days ago I had an idea that sort of mimicked this exact prompt. I was gonna make a short video using the camera on my laptop and the one on my old Blackberry that featured the little area I live in. Obviously, since you're not watching it, I haven't done it yet...but it's in the pipeline. I just need to find the ambition, and I want to make sure I get some Saturday morning footage of the anti-war hippies that protest on the corner of my street. For now though, you'll have to take comfort in what I say my conditions are. These entries come at you from the foot of the bed I sleep on in a tiny little place known in Cortland as The Gable Inn. The room is seriously about as big as a parking space...it's a bed and a dresser and not much else. There are probably jail cells bigger than where I live, but I'm not complaining...it beats being homeless and sleeping in parks or laundromats. The bills are included with the rent (even Wi-Fi), and once a week someone comes by to clean and change the sheets. I wish I were making this up. But I'm fine with the setup for now. It's a far cry from Briarcliff, 542, or even The Ruckushouse (which was torn down a few years after DMFM and I moved out), but it's made enough of an impression on me to almost want to embrace this place. I won't grow old here- no, I've seen old and it's not pretty here by any stretch of the imagination. And I'm not one for growing old as much as old grows on you, anyway. I've still got time to figure a lot of things out, including where I want to live...and I've lived with myself for too long to know that luxuries like roommates aren't for me. It sounds weird, but I'm happiest when I'm lonely. There's a certain comfort that comes along with knowing you're best when not bothered by anything or anyone. I've written a ton of blog entries...that's a fact. And I've written a few good ones here and there, in many different environments. I choose to live in the "here and now" because, well, that's where I am. It doesn't always lead to exciting stuff, but I think I'm over trying to be sensational. I just want to be. Right now, where I'm at...this is my vehicle. I'll drive it into the ground, burn it up, and figure out what's next when that time presents itself to me. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** No doubt there's a stigma attached to your personality when you tell people you enjoy writing. It runs the gamut between mock supportiveness and downright ugly persecution. Well, fuck all that, because the same people who say shit are gonna be the ones who pay money for your words. Being made fun of is part of the plan, whether they care to be part of the process or not. I thought I retired this song many entries ago, but I'll be glad to repost it again under the guise of situational personal neediness. In lieu of saying anything else, I love this song and my preferences should never be questioned because, well, me...and that is all. (album: Just Enough Education To Perform {link:http://www.amazon.com/Just-Enough-Education-Perform-Stereophonics/dp/B00005B1GY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392710481&sr=8-1&keywords=stereophonics+just+enough+education+to+perform}; lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/stereophonics/mrwriter.html). {link:http://www.amazon.com/Lyrics-Writing-Better-Words-Songwriting/dp/0879308850/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1392681330&sr=8-13&keywords=Stereophonics+Mr+Writer} THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ** Image ID #1977733 Unavailable ** ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() And I'll leave you fans of this crevasse of internet delectability a kindly reminder of my headspace: ![]() ![]() Peace, why don't you tell it like it always is, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! You can do this, on a level you never knew you had within you. |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Good morning folks...took yesterday off from WDC stuff because I wasn't feeling great, and the thought of sitting in front of my laptop trying to string a few sentences together wasn't appealing enough to me, so I did the next best thing and sat in front of my laptop watching two Charlie Brown Valentines Day specials on Hulu, with a halfway decent nap sandwiched in between. All in all, a restful and relaxing day...didn't even leave the house. It appears Andre The Blog Monkey is having quite the weekend. After zippin' around the galaxy with ElaineElaine ![]() ![]() But our bOSS (with an uncapital B), Brother Nature ![]() ![]() Turns out Andre wants to protest Vladimir Putin and Russia's homophobic policies and behaviours, so he'll be picketing outside the Bolshoy Ice Dome before every Olympic hockey event wearing his customized Team USA jersey (you can do that kind of stuff when you're not throwing money away on booze, loose women and smoking paraphernalia). And after the US' amazing defeat of the home team yesterday morning, he's decided to jump on the bandwagon and root for the national team representing some of the kind people who have held him in captivity taken him in while trying to figure out Joel's whereabouts. Godspeed, Andre! ** Image ID #1977539 Unavailable ** BCF PROMPT: "How does the weather influence you and your activities? Do you just go with it? Or do you change your plans to meet the day? I don't know about you but I am so over all of the crazy weather and changing my plans." Well, I saw this prompt and immediately began swearing to myself (I get your comment now, Lyn's a Witchy Woman ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Part of my anxiety/depression issues are seasonally associated, so I have a tendency of shutting down mentally in the winter if I'm not vigilant when it comes to monitoring my symptoms...and even when I've gotten them to a manageable place, I still prefer not to go anywhere because doing so would just be the realization that I refuse to admit to myself that I really have a problem with where I live, yet I don't do anything about it. ![]() ![]() I should be thankful I suppose for living somewhere that's pretty much devoid of other natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes, which have been crippling other parts of the world since the dawn of weather. The flipside of that is we're so accustomed to blizzards, so we've developed ways to work around them and we're so advanced that a foot or two of snow no longer is a big deal, and stores and schools stay open and we're expected to shovel ourselves out and still make it to work on time. The screwy part of having lived in Western New York for so long, with Buffalo huggin' up on the shores of Lake Erie. is the lake effect phenomenon...meaning, some areas will get absolutely pummeled with inclement activity, but go twenty minutes in any other direction and there's barely a dusting. That's the big problem...when you live in one community, your boss lives in another, and you work somewhere in the middle. "What do you mean you can't make it to work? The roads are fine!" Yeah, because you live in the area that doesn't get the same bands of snow and drive a gigantic SUV, whereas I live where there's been 2" falling an hour since I went to bed and drive a tiny little Saturn, which is buried in the garage because the snow has drifted up to my neck and the county plow stacked another hard-packed foot at the apron of the driveway...yet I'm supposed to be sympathetic when schools close because it's five below zero out and still made it to work but the boss can't because they closed schools. Yes, these are conundrums you face when you live in places like I have. So back to this prompt...since it's just me and I don't have to worry about going anywhere important, as long as I've got enough food it's not a big problem. And I don't know if I'm lazy or stupid or both, but since I live across the street from a store it's not a big deal to me to come to the realization that I might need provisions and tough out the 30-second trip there while wearing the shorts I've been lounging around the house in. Makes no kinda sense to me to put on six layers of clothes just to waddle across the street, and then spend another half hour when I get home trying to undress and get comfortable. Plus, I hate feeling "bundled up"...I need to know I can freely move my arms and legs in any direction at all times, or a claustrophobic anxiety sets in, and not only am I not comfortable from limited movement, but I also want to start screaming about it in a muted, wild banshee-esque murmur that's quite unsettling to strangers. This winter in particular has been especially cold and snowy, enough to the point that I've cancelled a few appointments because they weren't close enough to sensibly justify waiting for a bus or even leave the house. The "Polar Vortex" was a pretty solid inconvenience...one can only take so much before realizing that going outside for any reason is pretty stupid, and once wind chills hit a certain low point it really doesn't matter what the actual reading is because you know it's so cold that you can start feeling your sinus cavity constrict while the snot in your nose freezes all up in there. It's like Mother Nature (not related to Brother Nature) has determined her own threshold of common sense, and that's the determining factor that advises you to stay indoors. I will grudgingly accept this season, because I know in some years we've gotten lucky. I've seen Decembers where the average temp is 60 degrees, and people begging to get throat-punched are complaining that they won't have a White Christmas...the same jerk-offs who complain in July that it's 85 and sunny and too hot like sweat and favorable conditions for outdoor activities are the end of the freaking world. Some people are never satisfied and can't seem to reconcile their feelings one season to the next. Sorry, but until we all get our own temperature-controlled bubbles to live in, suck it up princess...you're in <your deity here>'s country, so deal with it. Ain't like you weren't raised up on this stuff, and just like you, I had that same realization somewhere around the same time I learned what responsibilities were that snowstorms aren't fun days off from school and snowball fights and cute snowmen. Sure, I didn't choose to be born here, but it's where I'm from; show me an environment that's free of natural disasters, and I'm there as long as I can take all the cool (not cold) parts of Buffalo with me while leaving behind the people who bought and paid for pretty days ('cuz those people tend to be jerks about it anyway). Otherwise, let's party May through September, and we'll reconvene next year. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** I'm gonna double-up again today because tunes don't take a day off in my little world. I'll start with a story, because everyone loves stories. My first drugstore job had corporately-purchased Muzak (as many stores do) and there was one song in particular that always seemed to grate on my nerves because it was run so many times that it became almost a running joke between a few of us musically-inclined listeners/coworkers. "Weather With You" (lyrics: {link:http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/crowded+house/weather+with+you_20034420.html})...we didn't know or care who sang it, but it was the snarky version of "Have a nice day!" when one of us would punch out for the day ("Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you ![]() For my second choice...well, I love that I've forgotten how many artists/bands I enjoy. Hawksley Workman is one of my absolute favorites...perhaps the only man I will ever claim to be "sexy". His wit, charms, looks...all something any man should aspire to be, and the fact that he's Canadian means little to me other than his albums can be hard to come by in the US unless you're familiar with http://www.maplemusic.com/. I came across HW strictly by accident; my sister and I were going to Buffalo's legendary "Thursday In The Square" concert series, and Gord Downie (lead singer of The Tragically Hip) was headlining- I was a fan of Downie's solo stuff, and no one in my circle of friends cared for The Hip...going to "The Square" was just an excuse for so many people to get downtown on a Thursday and drink and socialize because who came for the music?? That'll always be a peeve of mine...nobody went for the bands, but for the scene/to be seen. Even when Gord came out for his first few songs wearing a Gil Perrault Sabres jersey, few cared more about his songs than that bit of homage to the local hockey scenesters. He was playing songs from his solo debut, which was paired with a poetry book, both titled "Coke Machine Glow" (http://www.maplemusic.com/product.asp?dept_id=367&pf_id=365-41. But Hawksley as an opener...totally stole the show. His theatrical presence and his lurching steps while playing guitar were absolutely mind-blowing; this wasn't a guy in a band playing the hits for the locals at a sweaty dive bar over and over. His original compositions were on display for a crowd that didn't know him and didn't care, but he put it out there with comfort and ease. His personality won us over quickly. "Almost A Full Moon" (album: Almost A Full Moon http://www.maplemusic.com/product.asp?dept_id=41&pf_id=40-60) is not my favorite Hawksley disc, even though it contains a couple of my favorite songs ("Claire Fontaine", "Common Cold", "3 Generations") he created. I believe that album could stand alone as a Broadway play or musical of some kind; it's that amazing in its depth and emotional bearing as a concept album undertaking themes of winter and family. And I'm not a big fan of soup in any form of the food groups, but when it gets nearly unbearable outside I can't help but replaying this in my head. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() Ah well, I had more to add but I've probably said enough for today. Gonna hit up a nap and try to catch as much of the Olympic news as I can on http://www.nbcsports.com/. Peace, let's make some soup, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up, friends, lovers, and everyone in-between? Happy Valentine's Day to all you fine people...now that the niceties are out of the way, I have a list of gripes a mile long I've got the rest of the afternoon and evening to get into, so if you don't mind I'm gonna have at it. Disclaimer: Nothing I have to say in today's entry concerns the fact that I won't be upset if you choose to wish me "Have a nice day!" instead of the traditional February 14th greeting reserved for those with better hearts than me (more on that later...). Anyone heard from Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I defy you to prove me it isn't so! ![]() BCF PROMPT: "What is your opinion of Valentine's Day? Has it become too commercialized?" I want to say yes, but upon further examination maybe that's not the case. Oh, don't get me wrong...that "holiday" has been sold out for a long time. But it's really just part of the over-commercialization of everything. Days like today used to mean little more than remembering to do something just a bit extra-special for someone you care about (usually involving chocolates and flowers and other feelings things that are quickly consumed before the reset button on snarkiness is hit normalcy returns). Now, sub out "Valentine's Day" for any other square on the calendar that has some pre-printed labelling on it, and Hallmark's already had a section set up in the local drugstore three months ahead of time just in case you need to remind any segment of the population how insignificant you'd be without their presence on their special day. Pretty soon we'll be celebrating everything from the person who stocks the local gas station with energy drinks to the genius that came up with the life-altering decision to market t-shirts that don't have tags in the back. But I digress... Yes, stores are guilty for pimping out what used to be simple celebrations of our fondness for certain people and our forays into the natural selection of romantic interests. But society's just as much at fault for allowing that to continue in exponential excess year after God-forsaken year. You shouldn't need to take out a small loan to purchase/deliver a greeting card, but because some jerk-off can't properly express gratitude to his wife/girlfriend/mistress 364 other days of the year, that's what it looks like the world has come to...and because that same wife/girlfriend/mistress won't shut up for weeks about how that dude totally topped himself this year, the bar gets raised and expectations skyrocket, and every commercial becomes a variation of "Every kiss begins with Kay (Jewelers)" whenever the mere notion of a gift-giving occasion arises. Whatever happened to "Love Will Keep Us Together" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G0sOA6hTg0) and "You're All I Need To Get By" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqbpZvtIQZ0)? So before all y'all get crazy tryna outdo the next man (or woman), take a step back and think about how you can celebrate love on a daily basis instead of padding a corporation's dirty pockets with more of your hard-earned dollars and sense just because your sweet-ums should have that heart-shaped whatever as opposed to the regular-shaped whatever you can buy on any given day at any time. And if that's not enough, then learn how to come to terms with you not being enough for that person, and start thinking about maybe trying to come across as someone who is to someone else who thinks you are. Don't say I never gave you some sound advice. ![]() MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** It's hard for me to believe that I'm hitting the halfway point in "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() When I was going through my Wilco discovery phase and buying up albums from before my origin point, I found certain simple aspects of this song to be somewhat inspiring...I managed to let its influence creep into my own writing at the time. No joke; last night I spent some time digging through old notebooks because one of my personal favorite lines (in anything I've ever written) is "I'm a silly boy in love with bein' in love"...and not only did I find it, but it's actually in an item buried in my WDC portfolio ("Sarcasm in its ugliest fine form" ![]() THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() So, balls on top of balls, if I may be so explicit when rendering what today's prompt has been to me while also attempting to reconcile within the unstellar day I've had so far. Don't send me a card and contribute to the world's gluttony while I ponder what my own has done for (and to) me. Enjoy your loveliness, lovelies. Peace, why I wonder, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Good evening folks! It's another one of them snowy nights...seems like there's been way too many of them this year. I heard on the radio this afternoon we're supposed to get 6-10" overnight, with it tapering off by daybreak. And it better, because I have plans in the afternoon that require going over to the other side of town and I don't want to be bothered any more than I'll already be by having to leave the comfort of my warm bed. It looks like our Blog Mob is managing survival, and Andre, the bOSS' (with an uncapital B) Blog Monkey, is still out and roamin' around. Brother Nature ![]() ![]() That being said, I think it's time to talk about me for the rest of this entry. Because you > me > monkeys > dope fiend monkeys. In case you were wonderin'. BCF PROMPT: "How did you meet your current/most recent romantic partner? If you have never been in a romantic relationship, how would you like to meet 'the one'?" ![]() I don't break out the bold font very often y'all, but if ever there were a time... ![]() I suppose if I really wanted to relive the months (months!!) I spent trying to catch a date with the lady that would've eventually became the most recent ex-girlfriend, I'd be wasting all my remaining breaths rereading "I'm Studying You" ![]() That's the mythic idea of love that I don't comprehend; that you have to be in it to share it, and vice versa. I don't buy it. It doesn't work that way for me, but then again rarely do things turn out under the premise that they're supposed to under certain terms. And while I understand that there are some things only a lover can provide, it's not like I can't live without them or feel any less complete not currently having them. I've had them all before, so I have the frame of reference; it's not like I lost them because I've learned to go without, but there's a very real sense that destiny thought better of my plans than even I did. I'm totally ok with that, and if you don't like it or think otherwise, well, walk a few blocks in my Adidas and tell me you're dying because you can't be with the person you feel like you're so meant to be with. Sure, sometimes I miss all the fun stuff that couples share, but I don't feel like I'm missing out. I don't have to be responsible for another person's feelings, or take into consideration that all or some of my decisions have ramifications beyond me. I'm not forcing my will or living for two or pacifying. I have a hard enough time making myself happy as it is; I can't imagine having to please others as well anymore. And if that makes me sound selfish, well, it wouldn't be the first time anyone's called me that ![]() ![]() MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** I'm gonna double-up and pick two songs today, because I managed to miss a day earlier this week. Both revolve around a time in my life, oh, maybe fifteen years or so ago, when I was coming out of a relationship with a girl that I absolutely thought was my "one". I was sooooooo in love with her, and sooooooo oblivious to the fact that she was not in love with me, that it's comical now to think about it. But wow did it suck...especially considering that all of my friends knew that she was seeing one of my best friends behind my back, but nobody wanted to be the one to break the news to me. I won't include a video for the first song because I'm pretty sure there isn't one that's just the song, but it's how I dealt with it on the outside...I felt I was the better long-term choice for the girl than my friend, and I wasn't gonna let anyone see how hurt I was by their relationship. I got to be pretty good at hiding my real feelings behind humor and sarcasm, which wasn't healthy, and even though the guy's name wasn't Gary I could listen to "Dysentery Gary" by Blink-182 (album: Enema Of The State {link:http://www.amazon.com/Enema-Of-The-State-Blink-182/dp/B00000IPAX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392341627&sr=8-1&keywords=blink+182+enema+of+the+state}; lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blink182/dysenterygary.html) on repeat and blame that dude for just about everything wrong with the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3VfFmQHL7w The other song, "Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down" by Scott Weiland (album: 12 Bar Blues {link:http://www.amazon.com/12-Bar-Blues-Scott-Weiland/dp/B0000062RU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392342192&sr=8-1&keywords=Scott+Weiland+12+bar+Blues}; lyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/lady-your-roof-brings-me-down-lyrics-scott-weiland.ht...), was definitely a better indicator of how I was handling everything internally regarding this same girl. I felt like I was doing everything right by going along with her whims (when she wanted to be with me, I made myself available...when she wanted space, there was space), yet I couldn't match expectations in the long run and it felt devastating to a clear extent. The whole cd is pretty amazing actually, but this song in particular nailed how I felt from an emotional perspective. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: 50: Too freakin' young to die. Rest in peace, Maggie Estep...I can't recite any of your words by memory, but I can definitely count myself among the generation inspired to pick up a pen by your performances on MTV and as part of Def Poetry Jam. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/arts/television/maggie-estep-slam-poetry-perfo... ![]() Well, I'm out of tales to tell this fantastic evening, so I'm gonna pretend like I don't see ya comin' with the hope that you blindside me. Peace, when today I thought there was some, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
[So, about the worst time you can ever have an internet outage is when you're in the middle of doing something, right? I had about 90% of this typed up last night, and then...nothing. Read this while I play catch-up...] MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: 'Sup y'all? Before I tear into today's entry, I really need to thank the members of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() There comes a time in a man's life when he believes he must take a stand. He must go against the grain of the ideas once laid before him...he must show the world that what he once believed in should now become a rallying point for changes that sweep across many platforms. We must rise above our oppressors, and show those in control that we will not function as a body without its head. Where is our leader? We're lookin' right at you, Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ** Image ID #1976764 Unavailable ** As in "release from captivity", and not "low-cost alternative to reptiles". If I owned a street corner, I'd have a tent set up where I could sell these out of the trunk of a car. In fact, I'm copyrighting and trademarking that idea right now, WDC...if anyone wants to sell virtual t-shirts as a fundraiser, remember, I came up with that first ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Are you watching the Olympics? What do you think? Did Russia meet the expectations placed on the host? {Especially with all the hype that was made in the news before the games began} What's your favorite event? Why? " I actually have yet to watch one single Olympic event, but I think that has more to do with me not owning a television than anything else. Men's ice hockey hasn't started yet, and that's the only winter sport I'm really interested in. Most of the other sports have a tendency to fly squarely in the face of what I stand for and believe in: staying warm, dry, and inactive. I'm almost surprised by the lack of press Russia's anti-gayness has received since the games began as opposed to the hype it was generating before, but maybe the real story is where it should be: on the athletes and their performances in their respective fields, and not their preferences off the field. The Olympics is a celebration of Sport; all else should remain secondary. When discussing the Super Bowl or the World Series, the host cities get a mention and a bit of a profile; the teams and athletes involved are discussed; culture is merely one aspect of a much larger event. In the end what is (and should be) remembered most is who won. It's not about which underground gay bar is the coolest, or which black coach/trainer is the toughest, or who serves the best pad Thai. It's about who triumphed. Maybe I'm not reading the right news sources, but Bob Costas' eye infection seems like a bigger story so far than Vladimir Putin, and that could be the best thing so far during these Olympic games as far as avoiding controversy goes. Once the medals go around the necks, then let's talk about who these athletes are as champions and as people, and let's respect them as both regardless of their lives outside competitive arenas. Whew...I didn't mean for that to turn into a rant or anything. It's just...there're so many bigger things we could be talking about, and Russia hating gay people feels so much like 1984 (the year, not the Orwell novel) for some reason, like shame on the US and our taboo society while you get all Ivan "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQvB6OjHOU" Drago on us. Anyway... Like I said, I prefer hockey because it's the only winter sport I'm a fan of that I can say I've actually played to some degree (minus the cold and skating parts). Figure skating doesn't excite me. Skiing? See: figure skating. Curling? Reminds me of shuffleboard, only with a bigger surface and larger pieces; if one thing in this world is truly ass-backwards, it's curling, and I'll tell you why. Shuffleboard is primarily a senior citizen thing, right? (Go along with the stereotype, for the sake of my argument.) Old people need things enlarged and magnified, like books and texts for example. Hence, if curling is similar to shuffleboard, yet it's bigger, it's the opposite of what you'd expect. There's a point in that mess somewhere, trust me. Now, where was I? Winter sports...yes, are there any others besides what I mentioned? Probably, but those are just the first ones that come to mind. I think the very reason, and this is how much the internet has ruined society changed how we view important worldwide events like the Olympics, that I would tune in this year has already happened and will probably not be topped throughout the entire duration of this year's Olympiad: the meme face, or more specifically, "The Bullshit Moment" (http://deadspin.com/ashley-wagners-bullshit-moment-is-the-first-meme-of-15192921...). I could probably watch that over and over and over, and feel more empathy for her each time, without even knowing the actual outcome of the event she's clearly upset about. That, my friends, is the essence of my Olympic spirit. USA! USA! MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Growing up in and entering one's teenage years the 1980's was a very weird and surreal time. One minute everything was bubblegum and new-wavy, and then we were pseudo-adults with all this misguided angst and hatred...but somewhere in the middle there was this, uhhhh, I don't know what else to call it, besides an era, where life was ripped jeans and teased hair and girls writhing around on the hoods of muscle cars to ironically-titled heavy metal ballads. I was not immune to this moment of MTV grandeur. I think everyone chose sides in the hair spray wars, where one or two bands were your absolute favorites (mainly because you liked girls who idolized those same bands) and everyone had an opinion, but basically it was a bunch of douchebags with scarves coming out of every pore doing everything you wanted to do to captivate the attention of the fairer sex. And for me, that band was Mötley Crüe (album: Theatre Of Pain {link:http://www.amazon.com/Theatre-Pain-Motley-Crue/dp/B001EN1R36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392243285&sr=8-1&keywords=motley+crue+theatre+of+pain}; lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/motleycrue/homesweethome.html). I can remember hangin' out at a cousin's house with friends, and we'd all pick different parts and become our own air-band whenever they were on tv. And no matter how much hip-hop or grunge would ultimately impact me the most in life, there will have been a little too much time spent being a closet metal-head (even if this stuff nowadays hardly classifies as metal). THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() Ok, well, since it looks like I've got internet access again, I'm gonna try and figure out what I've missed since last night. Peace, I'm on my way, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up everyone? Hopefully we're all relaxed from the weekend...it's certainly been eventful with the blognapping of a particular monkey and the Blog Mob's involvement. I'm looking forward to seeing where he turns up and what kind of trouble he gets into hearing about all the fun he has. Speaking of the Blog Mob, the bOSS (with an uncapital B) was around for a little bit this afternoon, and he's aware Andre's gotten loose. Hard to tell whether he's genuinely concerned or mildly relieved. I'm going with neither. ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Imagine you're opening your own writing-themed restaurant. Name it and provide a list of signature dishes. Be creative!" Buried deep on the list of things I'd like to do in my life is to one day open up a simple little sandwich shop. I've always liked making and eating creative sandwiches...why not share that concept with others in a friendly setting, with some coffee, pastries, and music? I'd name it after myself (Norb's) because I'd be too hesitant to want to turn it into some silly pun or make it really corny-sounding. It'd basically be a make-your-own-sandwich kinda place, with an assortment of meats, cheeses, breads and condiments, served alongside soups and salads. With a dill pickle...all great sandwich shops offer a dill pickle. A small sampling of the menu would look like this: The Sam-I-Am: A fried green egg with a thick slice of ham on French bread. The Turkish Gambit: Roast turkey breast, bacon and Munster cheese with Russian dressing served warm on an oversized, toasted English muffin. The Fivesixer: Chopped up slices of ham and bologna, fried with green peppers, onions, Swiss and American cheeses, with mayonnaise and horseradish mustard on a seeded, toasted Kaiser roll. There would be more of course, but I'm low on patience lately and typing any of this up so far hasn't exactly turned me any profits this evening. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** I very nearly posted a Tragically Hip song that I've shared at least 257 times before, but I'm gonna switch it up because so many of their songs are interchangeable in that they don't suck. Plus, you can't be from Buffalo and not know who they are. I've only shared this one around 118 times, but it's the first song of theirs I became familiar with. I'm still amazed that they played this on Saturday Night Live around twenty years ago, or at Woodstock 15 years ago. "Grace, Too" (album: Day For Night {link:http://www.amazon.com/Day-Night-Tragically-Hip/dp/B000024FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392085253&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tragically+hip+day+for+night}; lyrics: http://www.thehip.com/albums/index.html?CheckIT=5_44&SongID=44&AlbumID=5&LyricID...) will probably always be my "go-to" T-Hip song, and is probably the one song of theirs you've heard of if you've barely even heard of them. (And if you have nine minutes to waste, watch this later: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8CvMDkwqfQ). THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() And that's it for tonight folks...my laptop's doing weird things like not showing words and symbols when I type them, and I'm just frustrated in general today, so I should probably just post up before I decide to wear this bit of electronics like a hat or something. Peace, I come from downtown, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up y'all? Looks like the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ** Image ID #1976307 Unavailable ** Email or IM me for the passkey if you need it. Each day, one of us is gonna take possession of Andre...but he doesn't come cheap. He'll need some maintenance, and you'll have to try to show him a good time. For your effort in hiding him from Joel, a donation of 1,000 gift points should be made to "30-Day Bloggers Group" ![]() And when you're with Andre, please tell us of your adventures with him. Did you take him somewhere and he caused a scene? Did you guys get drunk and pass out at Taco Bell? Maybe he was flirting with a lady in the produce department of the local grocery store because she had bananas. Just...keep an eye on him, whatever you do. And if Joel's so inclined to want his beloved monkey back, it's gonna cost him dearly as part of his punishment for deserting the mob the last few days...I've been told for 5,000 gift points (donated to the 30 Day Bloggers Group) and the review of three Blog Mob members' blogs, Andre will go back to where he belongs. If Joel even wants him. {e;smirk} BCF PROMPT: Since it's Sunday and there's no prompt, I think me and Andre are gonna chill and try to see if I can stream some of that special on CBS about the Beatles' 50th anniversary of their arrival in America. What are the chances of hearing this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCE0z4V3USQ? After that me and the monkey will take a trip around Downtown Cortland, where it's snowing like hell so maybe that'll help him feel like home a little. Not sure what else we're gonna do yet but I can almost smell the trouble...yep, he flung poop at a neighbor already. Time to get outta here... MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Like I said, this week's the 50th anniversary of the Beatles landing in America. I wasn't around for Beatlemania, and after yesterday's entry I got a message from my mother saying she didn't own any Beatles LP's, but both of our memories could be spotty. There definitely was a lot of time spent listening to "the oldies" growing up though, and The Beatles were always in rotation on the radio. As I got older I could hear their influence on so many other bands, both of their generation and in music that came after them. I would buy their cds and trace their growth as musicians. You can't do that with a lot of bands these days; people want bands to keep making the same music, and then get pissed when they realize all their records sound alike. Society is too fickle. I think we all know the story behind "Let It Be" (album: Let It Be {link:http://www.amazon.com/Let-It-Be-The-Beatles/dp/B0025KVLV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391994240&sr=8-1&keywords=beatles+let+it+be}; lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/letitbe.html: Paul McCartney wrote this about the passing of his mother. Nearly twenty years ago my best friend, the brother DMFM, was watching his mom go through a battle with cancer that would ultimately claim her. We were all at the funeral, a big row of friends...if you knew Dave, you knew his mom. She was the sweetest lady. She meant the world to so many people. Dave has mentioned one of his fondest memories is that day, when he turned around, seeing all of us there for him and his family. After paying our respects and having brunch, I had to go to work. I hadn't realized what cd was in my car's radio; I just turned it up and sang along. "Two Of Us", "I Dig A Pony" and "I've Got A Feeling" are great songs when you're zippin' down an open stretch of road at 55mph trying to clear your mind of the day's events...and then "Let It Be" came on, and I lost it. I'd been strong all day- I don't get very emotional in public- but something about being alone with my thoughts and that song...I bawled the rest of the way to the mall I was working at during that time. I composed myself in the parking lot as best I could, and it was only a four hour shift, but it couldn't have ended fast enough. Even to this day, whenever I hear the song, I get a little feeling of sadness inside. Cheers and RIP to a great lady. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ** Image ID #1976448 Unavailable ** I'm gonna wrap this up here and now because I've been screwin' around all evening on this and managed to lose an entire blog entry in the process, which is never fun. Peace, there will be an answer, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |