Live Aid 2: We're Still Hungry Dammit!

So the rumors appear to be true, kind of. Bobby Geldof has cooked up another WORLD EVENT I guess to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. Stereogum put up this list of acts confirmed for both London/Philly; apparently there are some other cities doing shit too, but who cares? Considering this nonsense hits the Parkway the day I arrive in the Southland (7/2), I'm kind of relieved. You Fairmount fuckers enjoy!

London (Hyde Park)
Mariah Carey
Coldplay
Dido
Keane
Elton John
Annie Lennox
Madonna
Muse
Scissor Sisters
Paul McCartney
Joss Stone
Stereophonics
Sting
Snoop Dogg
Robbie Williams
U2
REM

Philadelphia (Benjamin Franklin Parkway)
Will Smith
Dave Matthews Band
Bon Jovi
Maroon 5
Il Divo
Stevie Wonder
Puff Daddy
Jay-Z

Ouch. Look at the shit we get compared to London. Maybe they can also tap that Proud to be an American a-hole, Patti Labelle and Heavy D and the Boyz for some opening slots on the Art Museum steps.

The End of the Century

I'm going to be fair and admit that I wasn't aware of who the Ramones were at all until I went to college. More specifically, I wasn't aware of them until I met a weirdo named Jared Hennegan who lived in my dorm a couple floors down from me. This guy was always wearing tight jeans, black tees and a leather jacket with sunglasses. I didn't know what his deal was, but the freak interested me for some reason. Meeting him led me into the world of the Ramones and the next 5 or 6 years all we listened to when we were hanging out were the fucking Ramones. Every friend I had was always within arm's length of Ramonesmania, which was like our bible. At the same time every "grunge" band coming down the pipeline was spewing about how the Ramones were a huge influence on them. Me, I wasn't all that interested in researching the history of the band, just merely enjoying their stuff in the present day. I kind of knew about CBGB's and the advent of punk and shit, but as far as band relations and all the melodrama involving the band, I was clueless.

Well, not any more. The DVD of End of the Century, a documentary about the history of the Ramones, is out and I plowed through it tonight. I was fascinated to learn shit like Joey losing his girlfriend to Johnny who is still married to her and the history of Dee Dee and his proclivity towards hustling for heroin in the early days. The music speaks for itself, and I'm still a huge fan of the Ramones simplicity and purity. The history of the band just kind of pieces it all together and it an interesting look at what is perhaps the most influential American band ever. Even if you are only a teeny-tiny fan of their music, you should watch this movie.

Photoshop

As sad as this sounds, I haven't used Photoshop in like 8 years. Apparently a lot has changed, and I'm going to need about 50 hours to figure it all out....but I did spend the better part of today figuring out how to make mock gay porn photos using my friend's heads. And after all, isn't that what Photoshop is all about?

Why I Could Never Be An Alcoholic

I planned on going balls to the wall last night and got exactly what I wished for.

I never learn.

I drank about 15 Miller Lite's, a Heinie and a Stella Artois last night and spent the better part of this morning throwing it all back up. Along with half digested linguini. My head pretty much puslated for 5 straight hours on top of this vomit session. I've been popping Tylenol like it's my job and the relief is slowly coming after 3 PM today.

This my friends is why I don't drink anymore. When I do, I have no self control and I over consume. Then I spend the next day or two wanting to die. Like I am right now. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and strangle me. I'll be the bag of shit that is laying in bed on this fine Sunday afternoon.

Brand New Tunes....Make Me Happy

Lately some music has been coming down the pipe that I'm snatching up and enjoying. Thought I would share with all you fine people in the hopes of spreading the good word this holiday weekend.

Weezer
Make Believe

I've been a tried and true fan of Weezer since their debut. I can recall seeing an ad for the Blue CD in SPIN magazine while recording a demo in Staten Island with a blind engineer named Richie and being intrigued by just the wussy look of the foursome. I have since had a love/hate relationship with Matt Sharpe that I'm now officially over....and I'm ready to accept a new Weezer album without his participation. Like most diehard fans, Pinkerton to me is the pinnacle of Weezer....an accomplishment that will never be duplicated or equaled. Ever. What I will say about this new album is that I'm less annoyed by it than I would have figured, and it might be their best since Pinkerton hit the scene all those years ago. Some of the knocks coming to this album are that Rivers is wimpier than ever and a couple tracks are very pussified. But I like him. It's like the biggest loser in life was given the ability to write rock out jams about being the biggest loser in life. Freak Me Out, Pardon Me and Hold Me are so fucking earnest you can't hate them. Wimps of the world, your King is back and looking....well still looking pathetic. The way we love him.

Ben Folds
Songs for Silverman



Another earnest guy that I've loved for many years is Ben Folds. There has only been one time I have been compelled to write to a "rock star" if you will, and it was shortly after I heard Underground by the Ben Folds Five on my CMJ sampler disc. At the time I was just writing to let him know that he should pursue his music despite the lack of public love for it or support from his record label. Nobody was buying his record and I knew this guy was something special, but I wasn't even shocked when he wrote back and we struck up a bit of an email relationship about being in bands that were going against the "alternative" grain at the time. Ben Folds is just that kind of guy. Genuine. And his music is very accessible and enjoyable. The new record is not his best work, but his consistency is remarkable. Ben Folds is an incredible story teller and his characters fascinate you for 4 minutes at a time. Songs for Silverman has a couple sweet gems like Landed and Jesusland that are worth a listen. I will say this in defense of Ben, why does a guy who plays piano ALWAYS have to be compared to Elton John or Billy Joel?



Nine Inch Nails
With Teeth

I gave up on Trent Reznor right about the time he BLEW UP! When I was trying to identify who I was as a senior in high school, Nine Inch Nails showed up and Head Like A Hole made me realize that I liked being an oddball. The darkness of Pretty Hate Machine appealed to the suicidal teen set of which I was a part of. Then I went to college and figured out that being a weirdo was alright and I didn't need Trent anymore. And then he had great success with Downward Spiral and all that shit. Anyway, the new record ain't great, but it sounds a lot like Pretty Hate Machine and it's making me nostalgic. Every Day Is Exactly the Same could have been on PHM along with a half a dozen other tracks on this jawn.

Gorillaz
Demon Days

The opening strains of Every Planet We Reach is Dead pretty much suck you in. Oh wait, here comes the dreamy delivery of Damon Albarn and his chorus of back up singers. Heavenly. The Gorillaz are back bitch and they ain't' pulling no punches. Even Dennis Hopper is along for the ride. Every track on this record is good. I've listened to it about 30 times and I can't find anything wrong with it. Equal parts Blur and Hip Hop, it's a crazy idea that just might work! And I wasn't even a fan of the first CD....go figure.

Oasis
Don't Believe the Truth



If we are name dropping Blur, then according to British music press rules we must give equal time to Oasis for the sake of fairness. I kid. Oasis are still stealing their sound from EVERY fucking band that recording in the 60's but GODDAMN if they don't make it work. Oasis is yet another band I had a hard on for back years ago. Gin and Tonic was my song! But after the huge success they had with What's The Story (Morning Glory) I kind of lost interest. Until I cracked this download open last week. Looks like Liam has checked his ego a bit and the songs seem more collaborative, if still completely unoriginal.


System of a Down!
Mezmerize

I have no idea why these fucking guys are so funny to me. I don't really like metal all that much, especially if Mike Patton isn't on vocals, but there is something about this Serj guy that I find compelling. It's almost, dare I say, a bit Queen? Ugly yet charismatic, front man with a decent voice sings songs that mask their message behind catchy choruses? I'm sure the songs on this album are political in nature, but I don't hear the message. I just here LA-LA-LA-LA-LA sung with just the right amounts of irony and sincerity.

Motion City Soundtrack
Commit This To Memory



The best part about power pop is the infectious nature of the music. These dudes have some Moog shit going on that set them apart from most of the junk out there now. And oh yeah, Mark Hoppus produced this record giving it a stamp of coolness I suppose. I just like the songs. Everything Is Alright will be my jam of the summer and it's only May. Now I'm not sure radio will love them, but I bet the Fuse kids will. Mark my words....

Reader of the Month

Paparazzi caught a glimpse of skinny, blonde (coked up?) Lindsay Lohan pool side enjoying a big fat scoop of Everything Skip and a Parliment Light.

I don't care what they say about you Lindsay...I'm digging the new look. The girl went on a diet, what's the big deal?



And thanks for reading every day!

Twins

My theory that all teen singing stars are dressed by the same stylist have finally been proven true!

If I didn't work in women's fashion would I have even noticed that these two are wearing the same fucking shirt only Mandy added a pin to hers? Should I be shot for not only recognizing this pointless fact, but telling the world about it. (And by world, I mean the 4 of you who read this...)







Let me state once again that Ashlee Simpson is very cute for an ugly girl. And Mandy Moore could be covered in horse shit and I would clean her with my tongue.

Lost - The Finale

Last night was the big night. And I'm not talking about Bo Bice getting robbed on American Idol. So many unanswered questions continue to be unanswered on Lost. But if you expected anything more, than you must not have been watching all season long.

We caught a glimpse of the Others (normal enough looking sea slags), figured out that the boy the Others are after is Walt not Claire's baby and that much like Star Trek, the guy who was on the island since the crash but didn't get a speaking part until the last week will most likey die in some type of interesting way within a week.

But we still don't have a clue as to what is under that blasted hatch; if Jin, Michael and Sawyer will survive adrift at sea with no working raft or if the Hobbit guy wound up snagging some of that heroin on his way to save the baby from the French broad. And I'm fine with that. If all the questions were answered, I might not want to keep watching...

Obligatory Star Wars Post

George Lucas writes romantic dialogue like a 13 year old girl. Seriously, I was laughing during every scene between Padame and her lover Ani (aka Darth Vader). "Remember our time by the lake in Naboo, Lover?' Dreadful. Let's move on, because this movie is about betrayal and manipulation, not the love life of Mr. Skywalker.

I've always had a hard time following the plot line in the Star Wars movies. All the names and this one hates that one and so on. Now that 6 movies have been made, if you lay them out end to end they do tell a fascinating story of good vs. evil in the galaxy. Despite my inability to follow at some points, I get the overall picture. I'll even admit it was kind of cool to see Kenobi and Darth in their younger years as friends. But in all reality, looking back on it did you need 6 movies to tell this story? Probably not. And most die hards will agree with that you certainly didn't need Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones at all. I have concerns about the cohesive nature of this franchise 10 years down the line. Yoda in the first 3 films is all CGI magic and then becomes a fucking Muppet in the later stories. Try explaining that to a 10 year old in 2010. I digress.

The new flick, besides being horribly written and overly drawn out, is just kind of anti-climatic. This is the inherent problem with making a couple of prequels to a very successful film franchise like Star Wars. Most of this box office is from people who just want to see what they already know happens realized. I'll admit that's why I went. But come on, is there any excitement watching some lightsaber duels between two characters that you know both live? And not just one battle, but two very complicated and flashy battles, focus on characters that ultimately appear in the later installments.

The excitement of Star Wars when I was kid was not knowing who was going to make it. Like Han Solo getting frozen or Luke getting his arm chopped off, but surviving. These were exciting revelations, the reason you went back to see the next movie was to see if Han was still alive. This movie has nothing like that. We all know what happens. Yoda winds up in some swamp, Obi Won watches over Luke, The Emperor and Darth Vader start working on the Death Star. Even if these events are just alluded to, I still feel kind of played.

The special effects are all kinds of Playstation 2, which is a whole side issue I have with this new series of movies. Give me ships on strings and realistic sword fights over this shit any day. I saw more men over 65 do somersaults in the air in this movie than I would ever care to see. And don't get me started on Lucas' need to make every fucking droid or robot a fucking smart ass. I'm sick of the little asides he throws in with these droids. Maybe I'm just still holding a grudge against him for deciding to go backwards instead of forward? I know plenty of people who are loving this installment of the saga, so maybe it's just me.

In any case, the cat is dead. Somebody locate the culprit, curiosity. And he owes me $9.25 if you find him!

Story Time

I just finished watching the fine French film The Chorus (Les Choristes) which focuses on a failed musician who winds up teaching at a reform school for troubled boys. It's a little Mr. Holland's Opus, less sentimental, but still quite good. Besides being enjoyable as a film, it actually made me think about my childhood rather intently. I'm not one to really let a movie conjure up emotion or experiences from my real life, unless it involves death of a parent for obvious reasons. I'm pretty good at accepting a movie for what it is, a movie. Sure I cry when they want me to cry, but I'm not sitting there reflecting on what is happening on screen and drawing comparisons to my own life. That is, until today...

A French movie about wayward kids and singing made me nostalgic for my youth. Why you ask?

Well, if you really want to know, I'll tell you.

When I was in the second grade I was so bad that I was expelled from the catholic school I was attending at the time. Can you imagine what a kid must be like to get expelled at age 7? Lucky for me it was the best thing that ever happened to me. For my 3rd year of school I was put into a public school, Fitzpatrick, and it was there that Mr. Brown, a music teacher happened upon my gift. I was a demon child, but I could sing like an angel. Who've thunk? Mr. Brown quickly convinced my parents to have me audition for a more professional choir than the one my public school assembled, and the next thing you know I spent the next 8 years singing professionally in various incarnations. I haven't spent much time thinking about my time in the choir over the last 15 years, but listening to these kids in The Chorus sing brought back a flood of memories. And not just of experiences, but of actual songs that I didn't think I even remembered. The theme of the movie is that the magic of music can effect the behavior of even the most evil of children. I'm not sure I truly believe that, but I do think that being in such an organized group at a young age taught me a lot about discipline. Not that I wasn't a fuck up until the very end of high school, but I think I might have been worse if I didn't have my musical pursuits to ground me. Singing in a choir is not a glamorous hobby, and at most times it is of little fun. 9 year olds don't typically want to stand still and sing for 4 hours on a Saturday morning if you catch my drift. The men who shaped my musical ability, much like the teacher in The Chorus, had a great impact on who I am today. I learned to respect my elders, I learned a whole hell of a lot about music that I'm not sure who appreciates anymore and I learned how to be a man all from singing. I think everyone can find moments in their life where something or someone made an impact on who they have become. I know that Mr. Brown recognizing my talent at a young age set my life into motion in a way that wouldn't have happened for a poor, delinquent kid like me otherwise. Sometimes it takes a movie to make you recognize shit like that.

Overcast

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but why is always cloudy when I have off from work? Is Philadelphia offended that after 33 years I'm picking up anchor and moving on? I suppose. In any case, let me put on some Smiths and do some house cleaning and laundry. Something about listening to the Smiths while cleaning makes me feel regal. I should really thank Freddie Pop Tart for mentioning how he wants to buy a 12" of This Charming Man for his Dj collection and getting my ears all wet for the strains of Morrissey.

In hot water news, after only 3 calls and 2 visits from a so-called professional, I am once again amongst the masses that clean their bodies daily. Cold showers can be refreshing, but not after sleeping with windows open while the tempature creeps down to 44 degrees. And maybe now the food won't stick to my "clean" dishes. You trying washing stuck on mac and cheese shit off of a plate in cold water!

I was taking stock of what I have packed away in between bouts of mopping and dusting today. I'm trying to see what I can throw away before I move. I got a bunch of clothes for the brothers to inherit. Oh and I'm trying to locate a baby photo of myself for a contest at work. A couple years ago, when I worked at Prudential, I brought in a picture of myself from 2nd Grade and managed to not get one person to guess it was me. A fucking shut out. Am I that different looking? I supposed 250 lbs and a goatee later will make it hard to see what lies beneath. In any case, we had an 80's day at work last week that I neglected to participate in due to the whole hot water situation and today while rummaging I came across my collector's souviner booklet purchased in 1987 at a Whitesnake show. I think that would have really gone over well had I managed to locate it before the event.

Funnier than 90 minutes of SNL

Everything Is Shit

Saturday Night Live officially blows. I've tried to watch it this year with objectivity, but man it's just awful. Lindsay Lohan hosted last year and I thought the skits were funny. This time around, horrible. Not one laugh. I guess the cast that they have just isn't very talented or is burned out. Some of those older guys just don't have much left in the tank. Unless they are in skits revolving around being old, like the one where Chris Parnell tries to act cool to impress his high school babysitter on the ride home. (Not even this premise, an easy one to execute, managed to work for the audience.)

So while I'm enduring this completely awful season finale tonight, what do I see that makes me want to gouge my eyes out even more than ANOTHER Hardball parody? A commercial for the Honeymooners. Apparently they made a movie version of this classic television show? Here's the catch....Ralph Kramden is black. What the fuck? Is this real? Not that I have a problem with movies starring African Americans, it's just that besides the fact that Cedric the Entertainer is not funny, Ralph Kramden is an icon. You just don't do shit like this. I'm appalled. Jackie Gleason is lucky he is dead.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

I've been thinking a lot lately about my decision to move down south and I guess I'm just at that point where naturally you get worried about making a mistake. It's gonna be hot in the summer and I hate summer. I don't know anyone down there and I've always made fun of southeners which may make it hard to meet people. The people going haven't exactly bonded like I would have thought they would. I'm very focused on the business and how I can contribute more down there, but I feel cut off from being a part of that. People are still wishy washy about going and I'm fully vested at this point, yet my role in this move has been reduced to driving down a moving truck full of equipment in a month.

My vision of how things were going to be executed differs so greatly with the people controlling the situation that it is making me cautious. Not that I'm not prepared to move there and do the same job that I currently do, I'm okay with that. It just doesn't make much sense to me. When a company is transitioning like this to a new facility, I think it's vital to have people on board that know something about the current business, recognize what needs to improve and are 100% committed to making things go down. That about sums me up....but I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs, doing the same job and finding out vital information only when I ask questions. Each day I feel less and less a part of the current work place which is filled with people just biding time until D-Day so they can collect their severence package and unemployment. Yet, I'm not feeling anymore connected to my new work place down south. I realize I am on a need to know basis, but for me I need to know to remain interested in actually making such a sacrifice. I want some type of communication to make me feel like this isn't a mistake. This is what cold feet is I guess.

If we weren't moving, the next year here in Philly would be spent doing the same job anyway. So I'm not sweating the lack of opportunities. I'm content to go there, do my year and see what happens. I can always move back next July once my committment is up. I think I'm more so just curious to see where I will fit in down there. Not just with a job, but socially. Can I survive the south? Time will tell.

A Sex Movie....How Bad Could It Be?

Kinsey wasn't so much bad as it was just plain boring. Laura Linney, an actress that I am attracted to, couldn't have looked more like shit if she tried. No offense to my homosexual friends, but Liam Neeson kissing Peter Skarsgard has to be the most uninteresting male on male make out scene ever. I think I might have even turned away it was so ackward to watch. Lots of under used good actors littered the screen with little to do....Oliver Platt, Tim Hutton, Dylan Baker. I guess I can't really give you much of a review since I only made it about 90 minutes deep.

Peep This Shit

Jamie Kennedy and some dude named Stu Stone have a rap act together. I'm serious. And what's even better is they have a song called Rollin' with Saget featuring the vocal stylings of Mr. Danny Tanner himself. It's actually fucking funny. Chiggidy check it out....

Ah, Ain't Life Grand?

So I wake up this morning and turn on the shower and what a nice surprise....NO HOT WATER. Yeah!!! Cold showers are the best way to start off a really shitty day at work. Let me tell you.

Wanna know what's better than that?

Calling your landlord who says that he will get someone out to solve the problem and then coming home at 10:30 PM again to no hot water. Yippie!!!

Flicker Badge of Honor

I have been experimenting with using a Flicker badge in the column to the your left on this very website over the last few days. It's a way to showcase my work, and I suppose advertise for Flicker. Just in case you were wondering what the hell that new jawn is under my Archives. Feel free to browse my photos if you like.

Recently I also experimented with an ad on craigslist for a model since I'm tired of using all my sister Candace's friends. The response was varied and pretty strong considering that the ad came off a little creepy....or so one gal thought. Seeking Model 18-22 years old apparently translates to "hanky-panky," something I was unaware when I constructed the ad. I explained to this wannabe model that I added an age requirement to spare myself from a ton of high school girls responding who have dreams of being the next Giselle. The 22 year old part was just dumb in hindsight. That kind of did make me seem a little pervy I suppose. Anyway, I have about 5-6 women lined up and I'm working through dates and what not to see if I can make this shit happen.

My new camera needs a work out in a real shooting setting. The family portraits and snapshots are looking amazing on the digital, but I want to see how it handles a session with a model.

Tarnation

What a fascinating documentary this was. The son of a woman who was forced into shock therapy at 12 by her parents culls his family's video and photo archives and pieces together this touching examination of mental illness. I think everyone would love the opportunity to tell their story, and I do believe that everyone has a story to tell, but few actually make it happen. I would say that this is in the vein of Capturing the Freidmans, but only in the fact that it's a story that is unfurled through the use of home movies and personal histories. The style, the use of music, the use of titles all set this film far apart from other movies with a similar concept. Clearly this was a labor of love as much as it must have been a nightmare for this guy to make. Almost a real life Hedwig and the Angry Inch meets Sybil.

Land Locked

My Echo is finally getting some love and attention today at the shop. I am finally getting an oil change, only 2000 miles late, and having my new rim put on. Looks as though my purchase from EBAY went well considering the rim fits the car. And all this work appears to be coming in at an affordalble price. The only downside is that I'm trapped in my apartment until the car is done which could be anytime before 5 PM. Since I'm off today, and only today this week, it would be nice to actually go out somewhere. Maybe visit the family? Take some pictures? Get a haircut? Wash my car? Something....

Danny the Dog

Dont' laugh, but Unleashed starring Jet Li was a really good movie.

First of all, Luc Besson wrote it and he is responsible for some very creative action oriented movies like Le Femme Nikita, Leon (The Professional) and The Fifth Element. Luc has this magical way of making the preposterous seem plausible and Unleashed is no different.

Jet Li plays Danny the Dog, a man who has been raised by a Scottish gangster as a dog since a very young age. Bob Hoskins shines as this nasty crook who has abused Danny by using him to handle his collections by "unleashing" his collar and commanding him to kill. The fight sequences in this movie are different than most karate movies I've seen in the sense that the hitting that Jet Li does is harder and more out of control to play up the wild dog angle...and I like it.

When Danny escapes from his rotten Uncle Bart (Hoskins) he takes refuge with a blind piano tuner Sam (the always convincing Morgan Freeman) and his white step daughter Victoria. With them Danny learns to be less of a dog and more of a child who is wonder stuck by most of what he sees and experiences.

What makes this movie good to me is the caliber of the performances. All the actors do an great job of convincing me that this could be real. As far fetched as it may be, I'm buying it. Dare I say that Jet Li actually is a good actor? Over the last couple years I've seen him grow more and more as an actor, the complete opposite of Jackie Chan who still looks like he has no idea what he is saying in English in any movie.

Add in a soundtrack my Massive Attack, some great cinematography and cool art direction and this movie is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

Daniel Kalai and the Response

Last night I went to see brother Dan and his traveling band play at a little dive on South Street known as Abilene. My experience with South Street venues was slightly misleading, considering that I've been to Fat Tuesdays and TLA in the past week or so and both places can hold a decent amount of people. That being said, Abilene can only handle about 50 strong on the first floor which is where the band plays. And when you have a 4 band line up like they did last night, the place gets kind of packed, kind of quick. Daniel Kalai and the Response, the moniker de jour of my brother's band, was starting off the evening at 9:30 PM helping all those who took the time to come watch him play avoid the South St. crowd that would no doubt be on it's way into this little dump come 11 PM. And considering I am currently at work at 7:30 AM, this was a good thing for me as well as I was able to enjoy the set and make it home at a decent hour.

Here's my deal with South Street. It used to be a special place to me when I was in high school and college, a place the fostered a sense of alternative to the mall. Now it's just become an outdoor mall. Recently there was an announcement that Zipperhead, which is an institution and almost synonymous with South Street, was being forced to move off of South St. due to rent constraints. It's been quite a while since that street was fun to me and last night was no exception. The pursuit of parking is beyond ridiculous. I spent 1 hour looking last night only to settle on a lot that cost me $14 for 2 hours. Last week when I went to see the Supersuckers, same story. And don't get me started on the people that cruise/walk this street just looking for trouble.

Despite all the bullshit leading up to the event, I'm happy to report that actually seeing the band was top notch. Dan has recently added another fine musician to his band in the form of a saxophone player who varies between I'm guessing an alto sax and a bass sax if there is such an instrutment. Although the flavor of the music is a tad Dave Matthews for me, you can't argue that the song writing and musical ability is extrememly strong. I'm happy to see my brother really mature as a musician and performer, but I still want to see him get a better sense of style (the John Belushi look is getting played out) and a more reserved stage presence. As usual, Dan did manage to get just the right amount of supporters out to stack the audience which is a necessary evil in the bar scene. Especially on South Street. I'm hoping I get another chance to see him play before I split the scene because dare I say it, his songs are starting to grow on me and I always feel proud when I watch him perform.

Move Over Star Wars Figures....

Network Television - A Dinosaur

For shits and giggles let's take a look at what is currently being renewed for this coming year on TV amongst the major (UPN included) networks. Let us also disect, and when I say us I mean me, the potential new crop of shit sitcoms that will magically replace Friends, Raymond and the fading Will and Grace. I can't remember the last time I watched a sitcom in prime time. I do enjoy reruns of King of Queens, Raymond and That 70's Show, but I will not go out of my way to watch them religiously in first run. I haven't touched a sitcom since they cancelled Undeclared on FOX. Those bastards!

Anyway, on with the show!

ABC been very sucessful with shows outside of sitcoms, so they look to continue that trend and focus on some more quality dramas. However, they do have some sitcoms on the new schedule that look downright frigthening...

Shows that are returning: According to Jim (Wow...this is still on the air?), America's Funniest Home Videos (wtf? hasn't the internet destroyed this show's concept?) Boston Legal (yeah!), Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Monday Night Football

What's on the horizon?

Drama Shows:
Commander in Chief, a drama starring Geena Davis as the first female U.S. President - I'm throwing up on myself thinking about this show.

Invasion, a Shaun Cassidy-produced drama about alien happenings in a small Florida town post-hurricane - Might go well following Lost.

Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams' The Catch, a bounty hunter drama that costars comedy legend Don Rickles - JJ is gold right now, so this will probably find an audience.

Pros and Cons, a drama about ex cons who work for the government. - Billy Baldwin stars. I give it 3 episodes and it's gone.

Sitcoms:
Crumbs, starring Fred Savage in a comedy about two brothers, one gay and one straight, who run the family business - I have a soft spot for Fred so I would hope this one is okay.

Freddie, a star vehicle comedy for Freddie Prinze Jr. - Kill me now.

Emily's Reasons Why Not, a comedy starring Heather Graham as a self-help author who can't take her own advice - If she's not wearing rollerskates and nothing else, I'm not interested.

Hot Properties, a comedy about four friends who run a New York City real estate office - Apprentice with laughs?


CBS is losing Everybody Loves Raymond which hurst, but they feel comfortable knowing they have the second most watched sitcom as well on their schedule and it is returning. Two and a Half Men with Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer will take over Ray's spot on the schedule. Wait a second, this show is the second most watched sitcom on TV. Remember what I was saying about sitcoms on TV....well, the defense rests your honor.

Returning shows confirmed: The Amazing Race, Survivor, CSI, CSI: Miami, Without a Trace

Dramas on tap:
Quantico, starring Mandy Patinkin in a drama about the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit - I guess this means that Dead Like Me is done? Mandy is a solid actor, so maybe this one has a chance. My only fear is that CBS is LOADED with cop shows.

American Crime, a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama about a prosecutor who juggles work and a new baby - BORING.

Conviction, a legal drama with Sally Field and ER vet Eriq La Salle - Hmmm.

Love Monkey, a male buddy drama starring Ed's Tom Cavanagh and Jason Priestley - Brandon Walsh is back!


Sitcoms on the horizon:
Everything I Know About Men, a comedy starring Jenna Elfman - She makes me cringe.

Flesh & Blood, starring Stockard Channing and Henry Winkler in a comedy about a family of doctors - Rizzo and the Fonz as doctors. Stop.

Old Christine, a comedy with Seinfeld's Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a single mom - I feel sad for those Seinfeld folks. Then I think about how much money they all have and get angry that they don't just retire.

How I Met Your Mother, a flashback comedy starring Neil Patrick Harris- Doogie Howser on the loose....I'm listening.

Fox only needs American Idol and the OC to clean up, but is bring back a ton of shows that have been on TV forever.

Returning shows inlcude American Idol, Cops, Family Guy, House, Malcolm in the Middle, Nanny 911, The O.C., The Simpsons, That '70s Show (minus Eric Forman is a mistake.) No word on 24?

Dramas on tap:
Prison Break, directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour), a drama about a man who gets himself thrown in jail so he can help his death row inmate brother escape- Interesting for a movie, but a full season of this?

Deviant Behavior, a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit knock-off-About 5 years too late FOX.

Hitched, starring Zach from Saved By the Bell is a drama about a brother and sister who run a 24-hour wedding chapel in Las Vegas - Prime for a Screech cameo at the Palms.

Windfall, starring Luke Perry in a drama about a group of friends who win the lottery - Holy shit....Dylan McKay is back too? Where am I? 1995?

Sitcoms:
Dirtbags, a comedy starring Melissa Joan Hart - Isn't she like 40 now?

Don't Ask, a comedy about a dad (Spin City's Alan Ruck) who tells his family he's gay - CAMERON from Ferris Bueller as a gay dad? I'm so there....

New Car Smell, starring Brooke Shields in a comedy about a used car dealership - Didn't anyone watch Suddenly Susan?

Queen B, a comedy starring Alicia Silverstone - another show for her? Not fair.

NBC is keeping Joey around. Ah the misery. Good luck with that.

Other returning shows: The Apprentice, Crossing Jordan, ER, Las Vegas, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Medium, Scrubs, The West Wing, Will & Grace

Dramas on the front:
Jerry Bruckheimer's military drama, E-Ring, starring Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper - There's a bomb on a plane Jack. What do you do?

The religious drama Book of Daniel, starring Aidan Quinn - Thanks Mel Gibson you asshole.

Sitcoms:
My Name Is Earl, a comedy starring Jason Lee as a petty crook who decides to make amends when he wins the lottery - another lottery show? Jason Lee is funny though....

Thick and Thin, a comedy starring Jessica Capshaw (The Practice) as an overweight woman who becomes thin and has to deal with the new way people react to her - She was getting chunky on the Practice....so I think this will be believable.

Deal, a comedy starring Janeane Garofalo and based on the life of pro poker player Annie Duke - I love Janeane! I love Annie Duke! This sounds too good to be any good.

Notorious, starring Tori Spelling in an autobiographical comedy - Ok...where are Ian Zeiring and BAG's shows?


UPN is just yucky unless you like hot models acting a fool once a week.

Returning shows confirmed: America's Next Top Model, Veronica Mars

Dramas:
Crazy, a drama starring Lara Flynn Boyle as a therapist - She would make a better patient.

Sitcoms:
Everybody Hates Chris, an autobiographical coming-of-age comedy created by Chris Rock - On no. Not Chris Rock. Why Chris?

Wingwoman, a comedy starring Shannen Doherty as a professional matchmaker - Wasn't this the plot for Alicia Silverstone's last show? And will Joe E. Tata play her boss? Please.

WB is bring back 7th Heaven. OMG. No pun intended.

Who am I kidding? People care less about the WB's fall season than UPN's for fuck's sake. I'm done with this topic.

Greatest People's Court Case Ever

I watched the best case ever today on the People's Court. (Sidenote: Judge Marilyn Milian is fucking hot.) This family went on vacation and left their dog under the care of woman who runs a pet care business out of her home. The last day that this woman was responsible for dog, it got loose and ran away. She tells the family and they all hunt for the dog for the next 2 days to no avail. During this hunt, the woman who watched the dog had the gall to supply to the family a bill for her services the prior two weeks. Huh? The dog is fucking lost. This woman brought this case to court. WTF? It was kind of funny to see the Judge just UNLOAD on her ridiculous ass for 20 minutes. The good news is that the family got the dog back from the local pound on the third day.

A Couple Flicks Worth Watching

My recent Netflix adventures turned up two movies that each spent about 1 week in the theater here in Philly. I can't even imagine either of them being released outside of major cities, so I know many of you did not see them. My suggestion is you give them a chance....

A Love Song For Bobby Long

Now I know that John Travolta can be revolta in most of his work, but this little drama actually showcased his minimal talents. Plus he gets to sing a couple of songs, and if you recall from Grease the man has a beautiful voice. But seriously, the movie is centered around a dead songwriter who leaves behind a couple of alkies in her house for her estranged daughter to contend with when she comes back to inherit the mess of a house her junkie mother left behind. I liked the slow pace and the way the movie kept you guessing about the relationships all the men had with this deceased woman prior to her death. Many movies like this get caught up with flashbacks that try to spell out shit for you, and this one didn't do that. What I'm kind of torn on is Scarlet Johanson. There is no doubt in my mind that she is a knockout, but I'm not sure if she can act. Lately I've seen a couple movies with her in it and I wasn't impressed. Here she is the worst of the bunch, and being alongside Travolta that is an acheivement in itself.

Birth

Nicole Kidman, looking like a pixie, plays a Manhattan socialite who is on the verge of remarrying 10 years after her first husband unexpectantly died while jogging. Along comes a 10 year old boy with her husband's name and a lot of information that he uses to convince her and her family that he is her dead husband reincarnated. The movie plays a lot less corny than this description, and because it's down right creepy at times I am recommending it. It's more or less 60 minutes of Twilight Zone, enhanced by the score, and the final act is just plain tragic. For fear of spoiling the whole thing, I'll just say that seeing Nicole Kidman take a bath with a naked 10 year old boy is the kind of scene that you don't get a chance to see everyday. This is why I constantly defend Nicole Kidman and the choices she makes. Like Dogville, this is a movie that is more intense and disturbing that your normal popcorn fare, and an actress of her caliber doesn't have to take these kinds of roles. The fact that she can balance doing Stepford Wives and Bewithced with indie movies like this make her more appealing to me. I'm giving her a free pass for making shit. Where as someone like J. Lo or Sandra Bullock....well, they just make crap over and over again.

Click it! Volume up!

RIP

Anthony
Originally uploaded by skipscorpio.

The kid with the hole in his throat FINALLY got the boot from American Idol. Whew. Only about 20 weeks too late.

Roar.

I couldn't wait. I got Tiger for MAC from Brother Mike today and was going to hold off until they got the bugs worked out before loading it up, bit I couldn't resist the temptation. And I can honestly say...."it's no big deal." For real. The Dashboard is cool, but otherwise I don't use anything else that's included and therefore I probably could have done without it.

You live. You learn. Or in my case, you don't learn. You just eventually die a fucking moron.

Musically Speaking...

Grabbed the new System of a Down illegally and it's pretty rad. If you like that sort of thing. The new single I find irresistable for some reason. That R&B type chorus makes me chuckle.

I'm a late bloomer, but Arcade Fire's record is pretty decent too. It's called Funeral.

Did anyone else notice that Diswhalla put out a new CD? Didn't think so. What the fuck is that all about?

I haven't located this song by Motion City Soundtrack called Everything Is Alright - Commit This To Memory yet on Itunes, but I plan on getting it since I think it's really swell. I'm guessing these dudes are EMO or some shit...but I'll try not to hold it against them since this song is catchy as hell.

Everybody seems to be hating on the new Weezer and loving the new Gorillaz. I'm pretty scared to try either until I hear another song from each. Feedback welcomed. If you have an opinion....hit me up with a comment.

I'm Bloated

I'm in the middle of a wacky shift swing at work and therefore have no energy or desire to write about anything. Not even the Miz giving Brad a wedgie. Or Uchenna and Joyce begging their way to a millions dollars. Or Bo Bice's missing tooth.

I worked until midnight last night, got up and went back in at 11 AM today, came home at 8 PM tonight only to go back in again at 7:30 AM tomorrow. This kind of work schedule I will not miss. Things are supposedly going to improve when I move to Georgia, so much so that I might even get a steady shift!

I did manage to buy the printer that goes with my new Digital Nikon today. Didn't take it out of the box, but at least I have it. I'm thinking towards the end of the week I will be able to test drive that shit. The new camera takes OUT OF THIS WORLD pictures. I'm stoked. Check out my nephew while I hit the sack.



Ain't he fine?

Mom's Day

Since I don't have a mother, at least not one that is still living, I usually avoid the sentimentality surrounding this particular day. I do try to wish those who have created a child the very best on "their" day, but I'm not one for buying cards and all that jazz. I did buy some flowers for my sister in law and my stepfather's wife, but I left out Grandmom since when I do anything remotely son like in nature towards her, she gets all emotional about me not having a Mom and starts crying. Some things are best avoided. Like spending a day like this thinking about your deceased Mom.

Instead, my siblings and I try our best to not fight as much as we would on other days. And in the case of this year, we sort of gravitate towards menial tasks like working on Brother Mike's money pit house or eating. I began the day on a quest to see the family since my time here is now in short supply. The trusty Nikon D70 clutched at my side, I had high hopes of grabbing some shots of the nephews, cousins, sisters, et. al. for prosperity purposes. Upon arrival at the homestead, I came upon some guys building a railing inside the house for the stairs leading up to the 3rd floor. Now that my baby "sister" is three the time has come to make sure her safety is a priority, I assume in case my stepfather doses off while she is in his care. I always find it odd to see people doing regular things on Mother's Day. Like installing railings. Don't they have Mothers? Shouldn't they be waiting hand and foot for their wives and mother of their children? In any case, the lone family member actually at the homestead was my sister Malia. At her instance we made our way to Brother Mike's house where he and his wife, brother Dan and the in laws were feverishly working on "stuff" that is integral I suppose to getting this house liveable. Having not seen the house since I was over to help with demolition a few weeks back, I was quite shocked to see the house exisiting as nothing more than a frame. No walls, no doors, no tub, no toilets....just studs and wires. I did what I could to lend a hand, but in reality physical labor is just not my forte. Eventually the family gravitated over to Granny's for a BBQ and it was there that the reality of me moving to Georgia was discussed.

To my surprise, no one really objected outright. There were inferences to how different the people will be, but otherwise it went over pretty smoothly. This lack of fuss could signal a number of things. No one gives a shit and will be happy to see me gone? Probably not likely. Maybe they all just know that no matter what they say, I'm going. More likely the situation. It was good to just exist in a family setting...I allowed myself to soak it all in while I snapped candids of everyone. No one fought which is a real accomplishment for my family. As with most holidays things eventually evolved into the whole going to the movies thing. We settled on Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy early on, but as the night progressed the number of those going to see the movie dwindled down to just Brother Mike, Brother Mike's wife Deb and Brother Dan. The movie was exactly what I expected, a thinking man's sci-fi epic. I'm sure a lot of middle America just won't get it, but I liked the people in the cast and the concept of the story enough to say it was pretty good. A decent way to end Mom's day.

My New Ride

As per usual, nothing goes the way it needs to for me. I was trying to take advantage of this sweet offer through the Camera Nazis and of course, they were "sold out" of the printer that comes for free when you purchase a new Nikon D70. This means I have to go back there to buy the shit at another date if I want the rebate offer. Whatever. More importanly, I made the move today and I'm now the proud owner for this little beauty:



Throw in a memory card and were talking $1300 spent on a camera in less than 15 minutes. Yikes. A small fortune spent on a hobby is a scary thing, but you know I don't really care all that much. Taking pictures makes me happy and so I figure why the fuck not. I've yet to actually snap a shot on this new jawn, but I figured I would make the announcement of it's arrival into my life while the rechargeable batteries are a charging.

In other exciting news, Footlocker at the mall was selling tee shirts at a price of 5 for $20. That's hot. They are plain in all the colors of the rainbow. I loaded up.

A Sucker for the Heat

For my last show in Philly, perhaps ever, I chose to make it a throwback and saw The SuperSuckers and The Reverend Horton Heat at the TLA last night. It was sold out, something I was pleasanly surprised about, and both bands really lit it up during their sets. I'd say the guy to girl ratio was also better than I expected, but most of the women did looked dragged there by their husbands or boyfriends. The real disturbing fact about the audience to me was the average age of the concert goer was somewhere around a solid 30 years old. I guess that pretty much sums up how sucessful both bands have been over the past 5 or 7 years. I wasn't even aware that either band had released an album in the past 3 years and I'm a fan. Go figure. Nonetheless, they both played the songs I love to hear....I Was Born with a Tail by the Supersuckers was tight, and Bales of Cocaine by the Rev was dope. I even upgraded my Supersuckers shirt to a new (15 year old design) one so I can retire the 100 Proof Evil one that is becoming ultra thin from over wearage.

To pre-game for the show on South Street, I was forced into a place I had never been in my life called Fat Tuesdays. From the looks of it, I always considered it a place to avoid. Not exactly my kind of people in there. And they have a bar full of slushy drinks which no bar should have outside of Vegas. My old roommate Thornz, who I have only seen a handful of times over the last 3 years, decided to come with me to the show and he rallied up some of my old work mates from when I was a lackey for Prudential to meet up at this hell hole before show time. I also managed to convince my buddy Hilbert to come see the Heat for the 11th time since this might be our last time hanging out before I go. Guilt trips are awesome. Anyway, thumbs down go to Fat Tuesdays. As soon as the over 40 year old lady bacholerette party came crashing through the front door, we beat street and headed to the show just in time to catch the Suckers start their set.

I guess what I'm saying about last night is that seeing some old faces, whether they are a band or people that were once important in your life, is a nice way to spend a night.

I Hate You Puffy Combs!

It's 4:25 AM and I just had to write about how much I can't stand Puffy Combs. I just plowed through some of my Thursday night TV shows on TIVO and was so pissed to find out that the "finale" of Making the Band 3 was a fucking sham. P. Dummy didn't actually pick a band, he carried three girls over and will have another season to continue the search. What a joke! The man is basically just torturing these girls by making them think they are one step closer to success when in fact they are going nowhere fast. I thought it was weak sending them home for 4 months before bring them back to make his selection, but not announcing an actual group just takes the fucking cake. I don't even think he intends to make a group, he just wants to build up some hopes, put a bunch of cuties in a house and let the cameras capture the torture of it all.

In "a glimmer of hope" news, I was thrilled to see that Aubrey, who's a hot mama, made it to next season. This may just be enough to bring me back into the fold and to continue watching. I can't find a picture of this chick ANYWHERE on the internet, but trust me she's a babe. Total Xtina meets that friend of Claire Danes on My So Called Life. Yummy.

While I'm up and at it...MTV sucks donkey cock. Who the hell is Mike Jones and does he now own the station? That's the only reason I can come up with to explain his INCESSANT commercials and bumpers. Go away Mike Jones and take that asshole from matchbox 20 with you. And by the by, who said Lisa Pressley could make another album? And to cover Dirty Laundry is just an embarassment. That song sucked when Don Henley sang it. What's next a duet with Kid Rock? And is there any way possible she can wear more clothes and look less attractive? It's like an Elvis impersonator in drag. Gross.

I have a feeling that when I go to hell I will be forced to hear the following on a loop to help me suffer for my sins:

Maroon 5, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz.

Is there a place worse than hell? I'll take it! Or else I'll start living better and hope I get into Heaven.

Crapo De Mayo

Why do people celebrate this stupid shit? Another reason to be a drunken asshole? I don't get it.

I'm off for the next 3 days, so I could have gone out if I felt the need to pretend I'm a drunk Mexican. But alas, I'm just me. A guy who likes to watch Survivor on TIVO while eating Chicken Cordon Blue and Peas at 1 AM.

I'm anxiously awaiting to see The Reverend Horton Heat and Supersuckers show tomorrow, er tonight. I ain't been to a show in a while and this could be my last one in Philly.

And there's still that pesky digital camera to purchase. And all that car work...

God damn. Do I accomplish anything?

Sneeze-zilla!

I'm going through a rough patch right now with my allergies. I totally feel like crap all the time. Snotty nose, sneezes, burning eyes and all seem to be immune to my medicating. I'm still not normal from Vegas as evidenced by my erratic sleeping schedule. I was up until 4 AM last night and slept until noon, not exactly the best way to treat your day off. As a result my motivation level has been zilch since about 12:05 today. I did manage to go buy food and do my laundry...but the list of what I have to do is not getting any shorter by just doing those simple tasks.

My goal is to spend a small fortune this week. I have my sights on the Nikon D70 which is ringing up at a meaty 1K. I'm also prepared to get as much crap as possible for my new abode in Georgia from work before our Employee Appreciation sale ends this coming Sunday. I'm a sucker for the 40% off EVERYTHING type of sale. And it will be nice to get some of those incidentals out of the way like a shower curtain, maybe some lighting, wall art or a rug. Who can tell? I'm a psycho once I'm loose in that store. And then I have been putting off all this car shit I need to get done like an oil change, maybe brakes, a new rim (which I've already purchased), some wheel covers (also purchased) and the dreaded windsheild wipers (again already purchased) need replacing. I'm going to need a reduction in the cost of living based on my current expenses....thank God living in the South is cheap.

I think I've settled on some dates to return to GA and locate a nice apartment in downtown Augusta. Right now, looks like June 2-4 will have to do. I just hope that leaves me ample time to find a place and square shit away by July 1. I told my landlord about the move and he seemed to be pretty okay with shit. I told him I would find someone to take the place over if he likes and that seems to be the route we are going for now. Although I don't think it's necessary that I do find someone based on his reaction. I heard a rumor that this guy got into property management once he won the lottery the second time. Can you believe the luck of someone winning over a million twice? So I guess he's not looking at the situation with dollar signs in his eyes....which is refreshing. Right now I got Brother Mike trying to line up some kid he knows that got robbed in the big bad city to check out my joint. With my train access, it's kind of a sweet spot for people who are always downtown. I'm literally 40 feet from the platform and the train ride is 10 minutes to town. If this guy balks, I have the lovely Lauren (the last model I photographed) who is looking for a place until January with her boyfriend. It's a great fit for her since a) she's already seen it and liked the place and b) she needs to be out of a lease by mid-January in 2006 because she is going to Temple Japan for a semester. I'm sure between these two I'll get someone to take over my lease. My plan in GA is to rent for 6 months (assuming I can get a lease of that length) and search for a house to purchase during that time. My relocation funds (supplied by the company) expire July 2006, so it's a matter of use or lose it and I may never get this type of opportunity again in my lifetime to have some of the costs associated with a home purchase taken care of.

My stuff is starting to make it's way out of my life as well. I've got my bed lined up to go with my sister Tina who moves into a place in North Philly near Temple on July 1. Great timing. Brother Mike is all about the TV....for how much is a detail we will work out at a later date. Some chicks I work with are eyeing up my couch which I'm donating. Things are moving in the right direction....I like it.

Kindred

Let's talk about the word kindred for a moment. According to my trusty dictionary.com, the definition of kindred reads as follows:

n. A group of related persons, as a clan or tribe.
adj. Having a similar or related origin, nature, or character

When thinking about making a move like the one I am considering, you can't help but think about who you have around you and what significance they have in your life. One must also consider who will be around them in this new city that can take the place of those being left behind.

My kindred currently is split into 3 factions, all with positives and negatives attached. I'm not going to bother explaining the differences and the ups and downs of all of them, but I do think it is worth mentioning that I'm certain I will miss everyone equally despite how I think about the individuals in each group.

Kindred 1 consists of my mates. My loyal friends and travelling partners. I sincerely hope that I will give each of them a new travel destination, a place that they can visit and let me be the host. Although many of my friends have moved on into the marriage and child rearing arena, they are still some of the best people I have known. To put up with the likes of me you have to be a special breed, and these guys are.

Kindred 2 is the familia. The clan that is my family is very large and consuming, but each member adds something to my life that will be hard to replace. You sometimes tire of family functions, as I do, but when you don't have the contact day in and day out, I'm sure it gets hard. I'm dreading that first time I'll want to go see my baby sister or my sister's kids or my brother's band or my other brother's new house or hang out with my sisters and I won't be able to. I take them for granted, this I am well aware of, but I think my siblings have all turned into amazing adults and will be fine without me. Plus I know that each of them knows that I am always someone they can turn to no matter the circumstances.

Kindred 3, believe it or not, is made up of the faces I see each and every day at work. The people that I am surrounded by are so unique, inspirational, talented and friendly. Every work place has idiots, but for the most part I consider myself lucky that I get to be around such cool people all the time. I'm going to miss that element of the workplace when I move. You just can't expect to replace city people with country people and have it be the same. There are going to be a lot of losses, but I'm open to meeting new people that may help me expand my horizons.

Along these lines of kindred and the people in my life, I think that there are a couple of people right now that I consider to be kindred spirits. These are people that I feel connected with. There is a nature about them that makes me feel a stronger sense of connectedness than I do to others. In particular there is a girl named Kate that works for me that I really feel as though will be hard to replace once I move away. Despite our age difference, we get along incredibly. I look at her as the manifestation of what I want to have in a good friend. She's smart, witty, obnoxious....just like me. I will hope that our friendship can survive this type of situation, but I know it will be hard. Distance is rough on people's relationships with one another. Add in that we have only know each other for a relatively short time, I'm not sure that our bond is as strong as it could be if we were to be around each other for another year or two or three. I can only say that I really hope that she and I can be friends for a long, long time. She's the best. And I'm gonna miss her.

Prepare yourself for reflections like this in the coming weeks. I'm in a really weird state right now trying to figure out the rest of my life and how I want it to go down. I'm just moving away not dying is a phrase I keep repeating in my head. But I have this urge to kind of put things out in the open....

I think I need to spend the next couple of weeks letting the people I care about know that I do. So watch out!

You could be next!

Spanakopita?!?!?!

I cried watching Constantine get booted off American Idol this morning.


Does that make me gay?

Blurry

Las Vegas Trip - Nutshell Style

+ winning $600 on Black Jack
- West Coast fucks on coke at Rio
+ Hottest Waitress Ever at Rio
+ Rio Suite with Killer view and gigantic bathroom
+ Strip Club
- Spending $400 in Strip Club
+ Limo rides
- Doing a shot of rubbing alcohol in limo (decoy booze is a bummer)
+ Video Poker wins of 4 aces and a straight flush ($90 and $80 respectively)
+ 99 cent Heinekens
- The lingering smell of stink in our hotel room
- Horrible food = a scab for an asshole
+ Sliders (white castle knock offs....MMMMmmmm)
+ Karoake at The Ho (aka The Cafe Racers reunion tour!)
- I might have been the only person not smoking in Vegas.
- Long walks through the projects of Vegas in the blazing sun.


Sidenote: I only brought home 1 souvenir, a shiny new hemmoroid!!

Think about it...

2 flights =10 hours of sitting
black jack, video poker, slots...sit, sit, sit
last day outside of Slots A Fun people watching, sitting
in the room sitting

The fucking sitters guide to Vegas baby.