last night i saw a really good concert at the 6th and I st synagogue. Elbow played with Jesca Hoop opening up, and both play really good songs. its kind of anti-pop in that they are more complex and not sing along ditties, but really nice, more intricate, songs. at one point, Jesca said 'i think somewhere we all lost track of songs.' and its true.
it was also really nice for me to see artists that im not familiar with. there are a couple elbow songs i really like, but its not a band i listen to all that often, but it was awesome to hear them live. they can join ranks with Okkervil River and the rest in that their live performance was as good, if not better, than their recordings. Grounds for Divorce is probably their best know song today, and they played it live better than on the record. i really like when a band changes up the way the play a song. and since i have never heard of Jesca Hoop before last night, it was full of new songs and sounds, but all very good.
the synagogue was an interesting place for a show. we all sat in pews in this really beautiful building accented with Hebrew script, stars of David, and menorahs. i am used to dark and dirty clubs, and this was the opposite, but it worked. it was a good venue for the generally chill tunes of elbow. Jesca took advantage of the acoustics and played some really pretty songs. she is way outside of my musical comfort zone, but it was amazing and i like that. i have to say i was skeptical of the venue, but was really pleased with the whole experience.
if you happen to get a chance, check out both elbow and Jesca. though elbow doesnt tour much in the states. and this is the first ive heard of Jesca. check out live music in general. i feel it is a great way to spend your entertainment dollars. up next for me is the Black Keys in a couple weeks. im real excited for that.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Gary Bettman is an ass
Bettman, for those who may not know, is the commissioner of the NHL. for those who may not know, you can thank Bettman. the NHL is the National Hockey League.
he was hired in '93 to modernize the league, make it more appealing to Americans, and help with revenues. on the face, he has done that, but in doing so has alienated many hockey fans like me.
hockey is a rough sport. fights happen. passion spills over. he started giving multiple game suspensions to fighters. i have to say i would agree with that if a player is jumped, but when two guys drop their gloves and go at it, i think some time in the box is all thats necessary. lets change boxing to make it safer and outlaw head shots.
he also is credited with expanding the league, which he has. but in doing so he brought hockey to places like Tampa, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Tampa couldnt sell all of its seats when it won the Stanley Cup. i have trouble believing that hockey can find an audience where natives have never seen snow, much less have ice naturally form. Phoenix and LA may be exceptions to the rule with huge populations that include northern born people who like and understand hockey. but adding 6 teams to the league as also had the effect of diluting talent. hockey doesnt have the worldwide appeal of baseball or soccer. it is very popular in the cold climates of western countries like Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Canada, and the northern US. there is not a huge talent pool to draw from. think about it, the more talented players on the ice, the better the game is. i think eliminating 4 teams with low attendance and less success like Tampa would be good for hockey.
Bettman is also bad for the players union. he ended up with a lock out of an entire season and one that dominated half of a season. that cant help the visibility and profitability of the game. sure in Detroit, when hockey is back the Joe is packed. in Phoenix, you cant be so sure.
and heres what sparked this. the playoffs have be going on and its great. the Red Wings and Capitals have been awesome. i know the Caps were eliminated, but it was a great series and they will be out for blood next year. anyway, with Detroit about to face off against Colorado in the next round, we can anticipate some of the old rivalry returning. Bettman, ever eager to be a wet blanket has created a rule against twirling any octopuses picked up off the ice. i think they may be overstaffed at the NHL offices if people are thinking up asinine rules like this. again, for those in the dark, this a a Detroit playoff tradition. like a hat trick.
so if Al Sabotka, long time ice keeper in Detroit, picks up the creature and twirls it over his head, as he has done as long as i can remember, he will be fined $10,000. the NHL's excuse: slime or something might fly off the cephelopod and end up on the ice. damnit, Bettman, this isnt fucking basketball, players wear skates on ice, not shoes on hardwood. if anyone knows about how an fucking octopus affects ice its Al Sabotka. let the man do his job, amp up the home crowd, keep the passion in hockey, and have some fun.
fuck you, gary bettman. quit fucking with hockey. bring back the Patrick division and the Campbell conference, let em fight, let Al have his fun, quit diluting talent. just resign and lets give the job to Scotty Bowman or Ron Mason or Don Cherry. at least they respect the game. even Red Green could do a better job.
he was hired in '93 to modernize the league, make it more appealing to Americans, and help with revenues. on the face, he has done that, but in doing so has alienated many hockey fans like me.
hockey is a rough sport. fights happen. passion spills over. he started giving multiple game suspensions to fighters. i have to say i would agree with that if a player is jumped, but when two guys drop their gloves and go at it, i think some time in the box is all thats necessary. lets change boxing to make it safer and outlaw head shots.
he also is credited with expanding the league, which he has. but in doing so he brought hockey to places like Tampa, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Tampa couldnt sell all of its seats when it won the Stanley Cup. i have trouble believing that hockey can find an audience where natives have never seen snow, much less have ice naturally form. Phoenix and LA may be exceptions to the rule with huge populations that include northern born people who like and understand hockey. but adding 6 teams to the league as also had the effect of diluting talent. hockey doesnt have the worldwide appeal of baseball or soccer. it is very popular in the cold climates of western countries like Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Canada, and the northern US. there is not a huge talent pool to draw from. think about it, the more talented players on the ice, the better the game is. i think eliminating 4 teams with low attendance and less success like Tampa would be good for hockey.
Bettman is also bad for the players union. he ended up with a lock out of an entire season and one that dominated half of a season. that cant help the visibility and profitability of the game. sure in Detroit, when hockey is back the Joe is packed. in Phoenix, you cant be so sure.
and heres what sparked this. the playoffs have be going on and its great. the Red Wings and Capitals have been awesome. i know the Caps were eliminated, but it was a great series and they will be out for blood next year. anyway, with Detroit about to face off against Colorado in the next round, we can anticipate some of the old rivalry returning. Bettman, ever eager to be a wet blanket has created a rule against twirling any octopuses picked up off the ice. i think they may be overstaffed at the NHL offices if people are thinking up asinine rules like this. again, for those in the dark, this a a Detroit playoff tradition. like a hat trick.
so if Al Sabotka, long time ice keeper in Detroit, picks up the creature and twirls it over his head, as he has done as long as i can remember, he will be fined $10,000. the NHL's excuse: slime or something might fly off the cephelopod and end up on the ice. damnit, Bettman, this isnt fucking basketball, players wear skates on ice, not shoes on hardwood. if anyone knows about how an fucking octopus affects ice its Al Sabotka. let the man do his job, amp up the home crowd, keep the passion in hockey, and have some fun.
fuck you, gary bettman. quit fucking with hockey. bring back the Patrick division and the Campbell conference, let em fight, let Al have his fun, quit diluting talent. just resign and lets give the job to Scotty Bowman or Ron Mason or Don Cherry. at least they respect the game. even Red Green could do a better job.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
only one day?
its earth day. back in elementary school that meant that we heard about recycling and went out an picked up litter on the playground and in nearby neighborhoods. today we cant focus on one or two things. the state of the planet is fucked.
the Chesapeake is still unhealthy. VA and MD governments have drastically reduced the number of crab that can be harvested. fish harvests are more restricted too.
global temps are on the rise. flood and drought are becoming more the norm and less the exception.
development continues to infringe on wild areas.
Egypt and Haiti recently were the hosts to food riots. many areas of the world are unable to produce and adequate amount of food for their populations. the US has seen fit to divert food production to ethanol production which only makes the problem worse and does very little to help the fuel situation.
the arctic ice cap is melting faster and faster and most of us will see summers free of arctic ice.
sensitive species the world over are pushed to the brink and past as the climate, development, and pollution eliminate their niches.
the point is not to depress. its to bring attention to a cause. you can help. i can help. we need to help. its not just to get a warm fuzzy. its to make sure that this planet can be a nice home to our kids and grandkids.
you can do something. buy a more fuel efficient car. recycle everything. ride a bike or walk, its good for your health too. turn your t-stat up a couple degrees in summer and down a couple in winter. eat less meat. go electronic, you can save postage and trees by corresponding, paying bills, and doing banking online. plant a tree.
you dont need to drastically change your life to make a difference. take a step. then another. every little thing helps. once you find out how easy it is maybe youll start doing more and more. then youll start to badger your friends and family to get in on it.
think about it. its worth it. nothing could be more worth it.
wecansolveit.org
the Chesapeake is still unhealthy. VA and MD governments have drastically reduced the number of crab that can be harvested. fish harvests are more restricted too.
global temps are on the rise. flood and drought are becoming more the norm and less the exception.
development continues to infringe on wild areas.
Egypt and Haiti recently were the hosts to food riots. many areas of the world are unable to produce and adequate amount of food for their populations. the US has seen fit to divert food production to ethanol production which only makes the problem worse and does very little to help the fuel situation.
the arctic ice cap is melting faster and faster and most of us will see summers free of arctic ice.
sensitive species the world over are pushed to the brink and past as the climate, development, and pollution eliminate their niches.
the point is not to depress. its to bring attention to a cause. you can help. i can help. we need to help. its not just to get a warm fuzzy. its to make sure that this planet can be a nice home to our kids and grandkids.
you can do something. buy a more fuel efficient car. recycle everything. ride a bike or walk, its good for your health too. turn your t-stat up a couple degrees in summer and down a couple in winter. eat less meat. go electronic, you can save postage and trees by corresponding, paying bills, and doing banking online. plant a tree.
you dont need to drastically change your life to make a difference. take a step. then another. every little thing helps. once you find out how easy it is maybe youll start doing more and more. then youll start to badger your friends and family to get in on it.
think about it. its worth it. nothing could be more worth it.
wecansolveit.org
Friday, April 18, 2008
whatsisnoodle
so i was just going to talk to one VP and passed another's office.
'hey, Dan' Joe says as i walk by. im thinking about talking to Drew.
'hey, Jew' was what came out in the confusion. i just kept walking. im chuckling to myself about it now...
'hey, Dan' Joe says as i walk by. im thinking about talking to Drew.
'hey, Jew' was what came out in the confusion. i just kept walking. im chuckling to myself about it now...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
kicks, man
'what give this mess some grace, unless its kicks man, unless its fictions?'
i saw Okkervil River last night. it was awesome. i got there early. i expected traffic to be a nightmare, but i think im getting to know my way around the city. anyway, i was among the first in the door. when fate hands you an opportunity i say take it, so i staked out a spot right up front. i could have untied Will's shoes and was almost too close for comfort with the keyboardist(whose name escapes me and i dont feel like looking it up...).
anyway, i could not have been happier with the set list. i was worried that they would play a bunch of slower songs, or the real old ones, that i am not so much into and dont know all that well. they played my favorites from the newest album, The Stage Names, as well as my favorites from older ablums like Black Sheep Boy. Will also did a solo of a real old song i had never heard, but that was great.
like my post about John Banville yesterday, Will has a way with words. and music. it was awesome. i think that i like these guys so much because the music and lyrics all seem to grow from a story. the lyrics are not necessarily metered, and the rhymes just sort of flow. anyway, what i had loved recorded was even better live. i am always happy when a bend outdoes their recordings. Okkervil River joins the ranks of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, the Hard Lessons, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, and early Modest Mouse performances in that respect. i cant give them enough props. all around great show.
the New Pornographers played next. just a two band lineup. they were good. very polished, sounded great. not my thing tho. i kind of felt bad for leaving 6 or so songs into their set, but it just doesnt do it for me. they obviously are doing something right, the crowd seemed to love it, but i just wasnt feeling it. the polished indie-pop just was just kind of a let down after Okkervil River's performance that was raw and passionate. i had to get up at 5:30 this morning too...
at one point, while Will was changing a string, the aforementioned keyboardist said 'youre here tonight, are you going to see the Pope tomorrow?' a few laughed, a few screamed. Will stepped up to the mic, still tuning his guitar. 'i like classic Pope better than new Pope.'
i saw Okkervil River last night. it was awesome. i got there early. i expected traffic to be a nightmare, but i think im getting to know my way around the city. anyway, i was among the first in the door. when fate hands you an opportunity i say take it, so i staked out a spot right up front. i could have untied Will's shoes and was almost too close for comfort with the keyboardist(whose name escapes me and i dont feel like looking it up...).
anyway, i could not have been happier with the set list. i was worried that they would play a bunch of slower songs, or the real old ones, that i am not so much into and dont know all that well. they played my favorites from the newest album, The Stage Names, as well as my favorites from older ablums like Black Sheep Boy. Will also did a solo of a real old song i had never heard, but that was great.
like my post about John Banville yesterday, Will has a way with words. and music. it was awesome. i think that i like these guys so much because the music and lyrics all seem to grow from a story. the lyrics are not necessarily metered, and the rhymes just sort of flow. anyway, what i had loved recorded was even better live. i am always happy when a bend outdoes their recordings. Okkervil River joins the ranks of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, the Hard Lessons, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, and early Modest Mouse performances in that respect. i cant give them enough props. all around great show.
the New Pornographers played next. just a two band lineup. they were good. very polished, sounded great. not my thing tho. i kind of felt bad for leaving 6 or so songs into their set, but it just doesnt do it for me. they obviously are doing something right, the crowd seemed to love it, but i just wasnt feeling it. the polished indie-pop just was just kind of a let down after Okkervil River's performance that was raw and passionate. i had to get up at 5:30 this morning too...
at one point, while Will was changing a string, the aforementioned keyboardist said 'youre here tonight, are you going to see the Pope tomorrow?' a few laughed, a few screamed. Will stepped up to the mic, still tuning his guitar. 'i like classic Pope better than new Pope.'
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
holy wow
so i just started reading this book, and its really fucking good. and im only through the first chapter.
ive never denied being a dork, but i think i took it to a new level last night when i wondered if there was a book club for this author. then i immediately thought: 'fuck, im a dork.'
thing is, im a sucker for good writing. i love a great phrase. whether in a song, a poem, a novel, even a fucking text book. its like how they say a picture is worth a thousand words. sometimes a few words can say more than a thousand. i love that shit. anyway, in this book the narrator is talking about prison. talking about how it is compared to the outside. he says 'in here is like out there, only more so.' its one of those brilliantly succinct phrases that says what you could spend pages and pages explaining. i love it.
the book is The Book of Evidence by John Banville.
ive never denied being a dork, but i think i took it to a new level last night when i wondered if there was a book club for this author. then i immediately thought: 'fuck, im a dork.'
thing is, im a sucker for good writing. i love a great phrase. whether in a song, a poem, a novel, even a fucking text book. its like how they say a picture is worth a thousand words. sometimes a few words can say more than a thousand. i love that shit. anyway, in this book the narrator is talking about prison. talking about how it is compared to the outside. he says 'in here is like out there, only more so.' its one of those brilliantly succinct phrases that says what you could spend pages and pages explaining. i love it.
the book is The Book of Evidence by John Banville.
Monday, April 14, 2008
ISO co-pilot
it seems to hit me just about every time i get into my car. always on longer drives.
i have no co-pilot. i think this may be a Michigan syndrome. i have always liked road trips. long or just for the day. and having a co-pilot is key on such endeavors. ive had my current car for a little more than a year, and it is yet to have a co-pilot. there have been a couple passengers.
its that girl, that comes to be as much of a fixture in your car as the radio and mirrors. you can get by without them, but life is much better with. there are a couple people i could nominate, but none of them live anywhere near me, and it would be a rather long road trip just to get to them.
i have to admit, its a relatively small nuisance, the problem is it is becoming ever more persistent.
i look back on trips to the beach, camping, the cottage, Toronto and half of what i remember is the ride there. having the right person riding shotgun not only makes the trip better, it takes it from an obligation to an enjoyable activity.
so i am taking applications. requirements include, but are not limited to: female, ability to read maps, good taste in music, enjoys road trips, enjoys the outdoors(beaches, camping, hiking, bikes), informed, good conversationalist, foody. special consideration given to those who are cute, can drive a stick, can talk baseball as well as politics, and are generally awesome.
i have no co-pilot. i think this may be a Michigan syndrome. i have always liked road trips. long or just for the day. and having a co-pilot is key on such endeavors. ive had my current car for a little more than a year, and it is yet to have a co-pilot. there have been a couple passengers.
its that girl, that comes to be as much of a fixture in your car as the radio and mirrors. you can get by without them, but life is much better with. there are a couple people i could nominate, but none of them live anywhere near me, and it would be a rather long road trip just to get to them.
i have to admit, its a relatively small nuisance, the problem is it is becoming ever more persistent.
i look back on trips to the beach, camping, the cottage, Toronto and half of what i remember is the ride there. having the right person riding shotgun not only makes the trip better, it takes it from an obligation to an enjoyable activity.
so i am taking applications. requirements include, but are not limited to: female, ability to read maps, good taste in music, enjoys road trips, enjoys the outdoors(beaches, camping, hiking, bikes), informed, good conversationalist, foody. special consideration given to those who are cute, can drive a stick, can talk baseball as well as politics, and are generally awesome.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
muse
over the last few years ive become somewhat obsessed with words. reading and writing have become as usual as sleeping and eating. this became especially true given some space from school where both were part of the program and i was put into a box with what to to read and write.
i think that anyone who writes can tell you that it ebbs and flows. you cant always write. there has to be an inspiration of some sort. the muse.
i met a muse last weekend. in the flesh. well, i had met her before, but for whatever reason never really took much notice. but this time was different. we only kicked it last friday and saturday. but her legacy wont fade. its odd. something only a few hours in the making has cast a rather large shadow. she has burrowed into my brain and doesnt seem inclined to leave. but i have written a lot from all this. and if thats all that comes of it, im okay with that. any writer, from a joe like me to bill shakespeare needs a muse. and she was that.
heres a taste:
she's gone back home,
both back to being alone
dont get me wrong, im fine
but she still weighs on my mind.
i think im better with prose, but i like words that rhyme.
i think that anyone who writes can tell you that it ebbs and flows. you cant always write. there has to be an inspiration of some sort. the muse.
i met a muse last weekend. in the flesh. well, i had met her before, but for whatever reason never really took much notice. but this time was different. we only kicked it last friday and saturday. but her legacy wont fade. its odd. something only a few hours in the making has cast a rather large shadow. she has burrowed into my brain and doesnt seem inclined to leave. but i have written a lot from all this. and if thats all that comes of it, im okay with that. any writer, from a joe like me to bill shakespeare needs a muse. and she was that.
heres a taste:
she's gone back home,
both back to being alone
dont get me wrong, im fine
but she still weighs on my mind.
i think im better with prose, but i like words that rhyme.
Friday, April 11, 2008
a daydream
it is some point in the future, years, but not decades. i am at my cottage in northern Michigan near a lake. its a beautiful and happy place. with me is a girl. a girl i am in love with and who shares the feeling with me.
'im gonna go read in the hammock.' i tell her as i walk out the screen door. it bangs closed behind me. thats the happiest loud noise i ever hear. the gravel crunches beneath my bare feet. they are becoming less tender to rough ground. off the driveway the cool grass feels amazing underfoot.
i lay down in the hammock after admiring the late afternoon sun. i crack the book and begin to read.
some time later i am dozing happily.
a bump on my leg awakes me. i stir slowly and look to see what it was that nudged me from my nap. the setting sun casts a magical glow on the leg of my girl. my eyes trace up from there. the small knot of her knee give way to the smooth, lovely thigh. her bathing suit bottom marks the end of her leg and the start of her torso. i take my time. i take it all in. its a dream within a dream. she is perfection. my eyes meet hers.
'i was going to go for a swim...' her voice trails off and she takes the towel from her shoulders and lets it fall to the ground. '...but you look like you might want some company.' she lays down in the hammock with me. my hands and lips take over where my eyes left off. if this isnt bliss, then it doesnt exist.
we lazily watch the sun set through the trees.
before night drowns us in dark and cold i rise and make a fire. we sit there for hours. sometimes we talk. sometimes we kiss. but mostly we are happy to be in paradise with the perfect person.
'im gonna go read in the hammock.' i tell her as i walk out the screen door. it bangs closed behind me. thats the happiest loud noise i ever hear. the gravel crunches beneath my bare feet. they are becoming less tender to rough ground. off the driveway the cool grass feels amazing underfoot.
i lay down in the hammock after admiring the late afternoon sun. i crack the book and begin to read.
some time later i am dozing happily.
a bump on my leg awakes me. i stir slowly and look to see what it was that nudged me from my nap. the setting sun casts a magical glow on the leg of my girl. my eyes trace up from there. the small knot of her knee give way to the smooth, lovely thigh. her bathing suit bottom marks the end of her leg and the start of her torso. i take my time. i take it all in. its a dream within a dream. she is perfection. my eyes meet hers.
'i was going to go for a swim...' her voice trails off and she takes the towel from her shoulders and lets it fall to the ground. '...but you look like you might want some company.' she lays down in the hammock with me. my hands and lips take over where my eyes left off. if this isnt bliss, then it doesnt exist.
we lazily watch the sun set through the trees.
before night drowns us in dark and cold i rise and make a fire. we sit there for hours. sometimes we talk. sometimes we kiss. but mostly we are happy to be in paradise with the perfect person.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
meteorologists dont even study meteors
the first thing i noticed today, aside from the usual being tired and hungry, was that it was foggy out. anyone who fog affects can see that it is foggy. consequences of fog include decreased visibility, low light levels, and dampness. we sure are damned lucky that the National Weather Service issued a fog advisory this morning. its like issuing a flood advisory for the Chesapeake Bay. if they wanted to be helpful, they would have said something ahead of time.
if 'meteorologists' are getting paid to tell you whats going on now, i need to change professions. predicting tomorrow and a week from now, well i imagine that takes some skill. but telling me what i could easily learn by looking out a window is wasting both of our time. look out folks, its gonna get dark tonight just after sunset.
in other weather news, its fucking gorgeous out right now. sunny and like 72. and im stuck in this damn cube being as pointless as the weather men.
if 'meteorologists' are getting paid to tell you whats going on now, i need to change professions. predicting tomorrow and a week from now, well i imagine that takes some skill. but telling me what i could easily learn by looking out a window is wasting both of our time. look out folks, its gonna get dark tonight just after sunset.
in other weather news, its fucking gorgeous out right now. sunny and like 72. and im stuck in this damn cube being as pointless as the weather men.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
random fact of the day
the word flatus is synonymous with fart.
the word afflatus means divine inspiration.
draw your own conclusions.
the word afflatus means divine inspiration.
draw your own conclusions.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Mitch Hedberg was hilarious.
i came into work today and had a voice mail. it was just hold music. how does hold music call me and leave a message? this is out of control.
and reminded me of Mitch Hedberg...
My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don't really know what's happening down there. Who is the real hero?
more quotes
and reminded me of Mitch Hedberg...
My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don't really know what's happening down there. Who is the real hero?
more quotes
Monday, April 7, 2008
im on youtube
a few years ago i was in college. there was a fire drill. ryan made this video of it.
me on youtube
haha, thats silly.
me on youtube
haha, thats silly.
beauty and basketball
so i dont like to post stories about my day to day life generally, but i feel like it so i am. i promise that there is a point i will eventually reach, and you wont have to read about my boring day to day life, this was pretty exciting for me.
Friday starts with happy hour at work(one reason why my company is a good one to work for) then to a local bar to continue the fun. during this my brother calls and tells me he got free tickets to the Washington Wizards game. i see-sawed for a while then decided to to go, so i would be tired Saturday at work, whats new? so i race home, change and metro to the game. i meet my brother and he hands me a ticket. our section is gold w and the face value is $450. we are in the second row behind the basket. we had a waiter. sure beats the cheap seats i can afford.
the game gets over, and the night is still young. so we head out to meet up with the brother's wife's sister and her friend. what ensues is a heady mix of drinking, dancing and music. turns out i dont give a shit about being tired when pretty girls want to drink and dance with me. the friend is gorgeous and i have a great time. better than i anticipated. and i didnt get home til 1 or 2. i dont really know.
7:23 my alarm goes off. good thing i set it before i went to the ball game. i down a couple glasses of water and a few asperin, fill up a bottle to take with, grab some nilla wafers to eat and take my half drunk, half hung over ass to the job site. i sit there for half an hour before the glass guy who i was to babysit shows up. he looks like a bad as biker, but is all about peace and love, and goes by Shorty. this guy is kick ass. good at his job, and a funny guy. i got the impression that hes a genuinely good guy. hes the real deal. he is who he is and its clear that hes not going to compromise. youve got to respect that. hes the type of guy that, despite his being twice my age, i would love to hang out with. it would be a riot.
so we finish up around 2pm. i head home, guiding some out of towners to their destination on the way, have some food, and pass out for a couple hours. the next few hours are spent grazing and relaxing and willing my hang over to pass so that i can go out and do it again.
i get the call from the girls at 8 and head out. ive eard good things about Brickskeller(sp) but i was disappointed in the bar but wholly satisfied with the company. with my recollection of the end of the previous evening a little fuzzy, i wasnt entirely sure of what the reception would be. it was all good. its great to be able to blend into the conversation with people you dont know all that well. it so often can be awkward.
some good laughs were shared and we moved on to another bar where they had service. the pretty girl, the friend, and i chewed the fat for the next couple hours as the drinks continued to flow. my tolerance goes way up after the first night of drinking and nothing is nebulous about Saturday night.
closing time comes. we head out. we head in separate directions. i always feel weird about asking a girl i just met back home. i dont know what it is, i cant get over feeling like a creep. so i hint and look for a response. it wasnt all that strong. we left with a kiss. it was a good one. but i rode the bus home alone and we exchanged a couple texts.
she left yesterday. heading back to Michigan. then some sort of grad school in the fall in Boston. yet again i meet a great girl, who also happens to be freakin hot, from the mitten. and yet again her time in my life is ephemeral. we left with sentiments of hoping to see each other again, but with the geographical obstacles in the way, i feel the chances are somewhat remote.
snap back to reality and i am bummed. the crash after the high. the hangover. the fall from grace. i couldnt help but be a bit down yesterday, doing laundry and cleaning. just me and only me. it was a bit lonely. and today too, but to a lesser degree. the sting fades. the wounds heal.
all this from a couple nights at the bar. how i am so affected by something so short still astounds me. when its right, its right, i suppose. and it just be nice to have these things play out. since i moved here a couple years ago, every promising girl i connect with either turns out to have a dark side or, more frequently, be from Michigan and head back there before anything really develops. only once have i had the chance to let it find its own conclusion, and that was so casual and short lived that its barely worth counting.
what is it about Michigan that haunts me? i want to be there. my friends are there. the girls are there. at least the ones with any potential that have any interest in me. here i am in DC, cursing geography and missing the D.
Friday starts with happy hour at work(one reason why my company is a good one to work for) then to a local bar to continue the fun. during this my brother calls and tells me he got free tickets to the Washington Wizards game. i see-sawed for a while then decided to to go, so i would be tired Saturday at work, whats new? so i race home, change and metro to the game. i meet my brother and he hands me a ticket. our section is gold w and the face value is $450. we are in the second row behind the basket. we had a waiter. sure beats the cheap seats i can afford.
the game gets over, and the night is still young. so we head out to meet up with the brother's wife's sister and her friend. what ensues is a heady mix of drinking, dancing and music. turns out i dont give a shit about being tired when pretty girls want to drink and dance with me. the friend is gorgeous and i have a great time. better than i anticipated. and i didnt get home til 1 or 2. i dont really know.
7:23 my alarm goes off. good thing i set it before i went to the ball game. i down a couple glasses of water and a few asperin, fill up a bottle to take with, grab some nilla wafers to eat and take my half drunk, half hung over ass to the job site. i sit there for half an hour before the glass guy who i was to babysit shows up. he looks like a bad as biker, but is all about peace and love, and goes by Shorty. this guy is kick ass. good at his job, and a funny guy. i got the impression that hes a genuinely good guy. hes the real deal. he is who he is and its clear that hes not going to compromise. youve got to respect that. hes the type of guy that, despite his being twice my age, i would love to hang out with. it would be a riot.
so we finish up around 2pm. i head home, guiding some out of towners to their destination on the way, have some food, and pass out for a couple hours. the next few hours are spent grazing and relaxing and willing my hang over to pass so that i can go out and do it again.
i get the call from the girls at 8 and head out. ive eard good things about Brickskeller(sp) but i was disappointed in the bar but wholly satisfied with the company. with my recollection of the end of the previous evening a little fuzzy, i wasnt entirely sure of what the reception would be. it was all good. its great to be able to blend into the conversation with people you dont know all that well. it so often can be awkward.
some good laughs were shared and we moved on to another bar where they had service. the pretty girl, the friend, and i chewed the fat for the next couple hours as the drinks continued to flow. my tolerance goes way up after the first night of drinking and nothing is nebulous about Saturday night.
closing time comes. we head out. we head in separate directions. i always feel weird about asking a girl i just met back home. i dont know what it is, i cant get over feeling like a creep. so i hint and look for a response. it wasnt all that strong. we left with a kiss. it was a good one. but i rode the bus home alone and we exchanged a couple texts.
she left yesterday. heading back to Michigan. then some sort of grad school in the fall in Boston. yet again i meet a great girl, who also happens to be freakin hot, from the mitten. and yet again her time in my life is ephemeral. we left with sentiments of hoping to see each other again, but with the geographical obstacles in the way, i feel the chances are somewhat remote.
snap back to reality and i am bummed. the crash after the high. the hangover. the fall from grace. i couldnt help but be a bit down yesterday, doing laundry and cleaning. just me and only me. it was a bit lonely. and today too, but to a lesser degree. the sting fades. the wounds heal.
all this from a couple nights at the bar. how i am so affected by something so short still astounds me. when its right, its right, i suppose. and it just be nice to have these things play out. since i moved here a couple years ago, every promising girl i connect with either turns out to have a dark side or, more frequently, be from Michigan and head back there before anything really develops. only once have i had the chance to let it find its own conclusion, and that was so casual and short lived that its barely worth counting.
what is it about Michigan that haunts me? i want to be there. my friends are there. the girls are there. at least the ones with any potential that have any interest in me. here i am in DC, cursing geography and missing the D.
Friday, April 4, 2008
chasing the wind
today the Free Press published an article about the building that is probably the best physical symbol of the city of Detroit: Michigan Central Depot. its frequently referred to as Michigan Central Station, and thats what i have always know it as.
the building was built as Henry Ford's empire was coming together. it thrived through Detroit's industrial heyday. it began to wither as the racial divide in the Detroit deepened in the late 60's and 70's. its doors were shuttered in the late 80's as Detroit's hard times set in. since then is has been a majestic decrepit symbol of the city.
i remember coming into Detroit as a kid, and i knew that the hockey game, Greektown, or the Tigers were only a few minutes away. its broken windows and stained facade were a sign to me that the we had arrived. we made it through the decay of outlying Detroit and that downtown was mere moments away.
as i made this same trip through out the years its status as a well visible signpost remained, but it took on the deeper meaning of embodying Detroit's woes. i have given credit to that building in creating my interest in construction on a large scale. somewhere in high school i thought that it would be great if someone fixed up that old station. somewhere in college i decided that it would be best if i could fix it up, then i Detroit at large. and while those dreams are like chasing the wind, i still think it deserves credit for helping to funnel me into my present profession.
the station has been shuttered for all of my memory. for the last 20 years. there have been a number of renovation proposals of late, but none have come to pass. but in that time my perspective on Detroit has changed. i used to view the downtown area as an outpost in a decaying, dangerous urban jungle. ive come to see in recent years that Detroit at large is inhabited by good people. sure it has its urban prairies, its main street shabbiness with crumbling and condemned businesses. but behind these are their old proprietors. Detroit's residents today are largely victims of the past. the legacy that the race riots and the sputtering manufacturing industry. the adage is that is takes money to make money, and in the 70s all the money left for the suburbs and only visited for hockey games and baseball games. more recently it has left Michigan all together. people like me have moved out in search of greener grass.
while i have found greener grass in DC professionally, i still miss Detroit. its shabby facade, its tenacity(sometimes to a fault), its blue collar ease. in DC i have found work. i have also found that vagrancy, crime, and slums are not unique to Detroit. Detroit has a reputation for it, and perhaps a larger problem with these issues. but that can be in large part attributed to the economic decline and recession that Detroit has seen. i have never been one to assign blame to 'hard times' for people's bad situations, but its hard not to at least allow it to factor into Detroit's equation. the people suffering there today cannot be blamed for Detroit's decline. the auto execs who failed to see changing trends arent suffering in slums. but those who are voted to keep Coleman Young in office for decades as their city rotted beneath their feet.
they are those who accepted union jobs on the lines for generations and didnt try to better their lot. they found a meal ticket and clung to it. unfortunately that ticket has lost its value. the article that sparked this cites Ford's ground breaking $5 a day wages in 1908 and revolutionary assembly line and Model T as what made Detroit. since then little has changed. we still manufacture cars on that same premise, and still pay people roughly the same when adjusted for inflation. but it makes sense to any person in management that if your value has not increased, then neither will your pay. you cant lament a steady wage when you havent added value as the author of that article does.
what can bring Detroit back to boom is not early 20th century manufacturing. its the resurgence of early 20th century style ingenuity. the kinds of leaps that Henry Ford and Jimmy Durante made are what we need now. Jake Sigal, who started up Myine Electronics to make internet radios, is the future of Detroit. people like him who innovate and take a chance could be the next Ford or Durante. Detroit needs some ingenuity like that of a century ago to make it great again. its not going to be easy, but it never was.
the Freep found R. Kelley. now Detroit needs to find a new Ford, and new Durante, another Peter Karmanos, another Dan Gilbert, and a real leader.
the building was built as Henry Ford's empire was coming together. it thrived through Detroit's industrial heyday. it began to wither as the racial divide in the Detroit deepened in the late 60's and 70's. its doors were shuttered in the late 80's as Detroit's hard times set in. since then is has been a majestic decrepit symbol of the city.
i remember coming into Detroit as a kid, and i knew that the hockey game, Greektown, or the Tigers were only a few minutes away. its broken windows and stained facade were a sign to me that the we had arrived. we made it through the decay of outlying Detroit and that downtown was mere moments away.
as i made this same trip through out the years its status as a well visible signpost remained, but it took on the deeper meaning of embodying Detroit's woes. i have given credit to that building in creating my interest in construction on a large scale. somewhere in high school i thought that it would be great if someone fixed up that old station. somewhere in college i decided that it would be best if i could fix it up, then i Detroit at large. and while those dreams are like chasing the wind, i still think it deserves credit for helping to funnel me into my present profession.
the station has been shuttered for all of my memory. for the last 20 years. there have been a number of renovation proposals of late, but none have come to pass. but in that time my perspective on Detroit has changed. i used to view the downtown area as an outpost in a decaying, dangerous urban jungle. ive come to see in recent years that Detroit at large is inhabited by good people. sure it has its urban prairies, its main street shabbiness with crumbling and condemned businesses. but behind these are their old proprietors. Detroit's residents today are largely victims of the past. the legacy that the race riots and the sputtering manufacturing industry. the adage is that is takes money to make money, and in the 70s all the money left for the suburbs and only visited for hockey games and baseball games. more recently it has left Michigan all together. people like me have moved out in search of greener grass.
while i have found greener grass in DC professionally, i still miss Detroit. its shabby facade, its tenacity(sometimes to a fault), its blue collar ease. in DC i have found work. i have also found that vagrancy, crime, and slums are not unique to Detroit. Detroit has a reputation for it, and perhaps a larger problem with these issues. but that can be in large part attributed to the economic decline and recession that Detroit has seen. i have never been one to assign blame to 'hard times' for people's bad situations, but its hard not to at least allow it to factor into Detroit's equation. the people suffering there today cannot be blamed for Detroit's decline. the auto execs who failed to see changing trends arent suffering in slums. but those who are voted to keep Coleman Young in office for decades as their city rotted beneath their feet.
they are those who accepted union jobs on the lines for generations and didnt try to better their lot. they found a meal ticket and clung to it. unfortunately that ticket has lost its value. the article that sparked this cites Ford's ground breaking $5 a day wages in 1908 and revolutionary assembly line and Model T as what made Detroit. since then little has changed. we still manufacture cars on that same premise, and still pay people roughly the same when adjusted for inflation. but it makes sense to any person in management that if your value has not increased, then neither will your pay. you cant lament a steady wage when you havent added value as the author of that article does.
what can bring Detroit back to boom is not early 20th century manufacturing. its the resurgence of early 20th century style ingenuity. the kinds of leaps that Henry Ford and Jimmy Durante made are what we need now. Jake Sigal, who started up Myine Electronics to make internet radios, is the future of Detroit. people like him who innovate and take a chance could be the next Ford or Durante. Detroit needs some ingenuity like that of a century ago to make it great again. its not going to be easy, but it never was.
the Freep found R. Kelley. now Detroit needs to find a new Ford, and new Durante, another Peter Karmanos, another Dan Gilbert, and a real leader.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
black hole
is it just me, or is writing a blog about television a black hole of time. its wasting time writing about wasting time watching TV. you dont get time back. once youve pissed it away you cant get it back. do you really want to spend your life watching TV and writing about iton the internet?
unnecessary.
unnecessary.
its all perspective, man
A Dream Within a Dream
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
i was reading random things in my Poe anthology last night when i happened upon that poem. its a great one. and it highlights something that has haunted (not necessarily in a bad way) my thoughts for years. it seems that its all about perspective for me. the books, movies, songs and poems that i like best either highlight a foreign perspective to me or in some way highlight the way perspective plays into our beleifs.
i wrote a poem years ago for some silly school writing contest and won top honors in the city for what i thought was a rather poor piece of writing. ill see if i can find it. the theme of the contest was 'wouldnt it be strange' or something of that nature. and my poem basically described a series of strange things then ended in pointing out that none of it would be strange if that is what we were accustomed to. a computer to George Washington would be very odd. but to me and you its perfectly normal.
its all perspective, man.
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep - while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
-E A Poe
i was reading random things in my Poe anthology last night when i happened upon that poem. its a great one. and it highlights something that has haunted (not necessarily in a bad way) my thoughts for years. it seems that its all about perspective for me. the books, movies, songs and poems that i like best either highlight a foreign perspective to me or in some way highlight the way perspective plays into our beleifs.
i wrote a poem years ago for some silly school writing contest and won top honors in the city for what i thought was a rather poor piece of writing. ill see if i can find it. the theme of the contest was 'wouldnt it be strange' or something of that nature. and my poem basically described a series of strange things then ended in pointing out that none of it would be strange if that is what we were accustomed to. a computer to George Washington would be very odd. but to me and you its perfectly normal.
its all perspective, man.
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