Me vs. Myself

Friday, November 26, 2004

Sometheme's Going On....

So it seems as if I may go through "phases" of topics or common themes. Because today is about music again. After my last blog, and having been commended on having real content I felt as though I should maybe throw more content into my postings. And as I may have mentioned before music is one of my true passions in life. So on to the post.

Last time I talked about feeling the music and how different people get different emotions out a song or feel the emotion differently. Today I wish to talk about playing the music and feeling it that way. For instance, you're on a stage or in a small setting and your band is just really connecting with each other and the songs almost literally ooze from your hands and instruments. (side note: I intentionally made fun of the over use of literally one post and now I have used it here. I have used it here with the intention of using it metaphorically and hope that its over use has not affected its effectiveness.) Or maybe you're just in your bedroom playing along to your favorite record or just jamming alone with nothing but you and your guitar (or other instrument.... to be fair). And you just close your eyes, tilt your head back and let the music take over your body and mind. Anyway, I don't think I could ever get it right or adequately explain how it feels in those moments when you, the instrument and music all become one entity. But for those out there that have felt that moment, you know what I'm talking about. Some compare it to sex, (old rock n' roll cliche) but I'm not sure that fits. Though both are powerful and such, they are too different to compare. Well, I am off to visit family so I won't be posting until Thursday of next week. I hope all you have a great time until then. And so as Dobie Gray would say... Give the beat, boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your Rock n' Roll and drift away.

Monday, November 22, 2004

Seriously

For those of you that frequent my blog you've come to see that I am sarcastic and sophmoric at times and generally write about useless things. But I feel as though this entry is different. I love music. I find it essential to everyday life and the key to our emotional locks. Our mood can be completely changed by a song and/or futher enhanced. It can deepen your passion for life, love, or any number of other things. I've noticed recently - the past few times at church - people diving into the music and letting go of inhabitions. You can almost see the music flow in and out of them. Which got me thinking about the subject of being physically and emotionally moved by the power of song. I hear the music at church (by the way I go to a contemporary church and it's not your typical "church" music) and it can get my foot tapping and I think the words are meaniful and all, but it doesn't move me to tears or give me goosebumps nor do I feel it with the passion I see with some of these people. It's not that I don't get it, I just think it may impact me differently.

That said there is music that can make me feel.... well, for lack of a powerful enough word, awesome. It captivates me in a way that I drift off to what seems like another dimension. I don't know if it's the lyrical content, the music or both. If I were to guess I would say both. I have seen Pearl Jam live twice and both times I was so moved I got goosebumps. The first time I saw them they played Black, my all time favorite song EVER, and I started crying and the hair on my neck stood up. Yes, I was that moved. The same emotions were brought about when they began to play Indifference with the sun setting behind the stage at South Park Meadows in Austin. I can listen to the CD and get the same feeling. Almost every song they have written I can connect to or relate to somehow.

So I know not everyone likes Pearl Jam or Christian music or Hip-Hop, but we all have our own taste, whether it be music, art, TV shows, whatever. I admit I'm often quick to laugh at someones taste but I need to think about my passion for my music and respect that they may feel the same way about whatever it is they like. Although, it is acceptable to laugh at people who like no talent trash like Britney or Yanni or John Tess or .......

Friday, November 19, 2004

They Spinnin', They Spinnin'

I meant to put this post up the other day but I got side-tracked. Also, I figured after three very deep and introspective poems, a post with some content might be in order. Notice I didn't specify the type or quality of content so don't get too excited.

Ok, so about two or so weeks ago I hear an advertisement on the radio that made me smile with the comfort that I could die a peaceful man for I had officially heard it all. Before I divulge the contents of said advertisement I must give some background. Where I was born and raised and lived a great majority of my life, trucks are as they say in Cali, the shizzle. If you ain't got a truck you ain't got nothing. (three negatives in one sentence..... wow) And they can't be a Toyota or Nissan, they have to be Chevy or Ford and maybe Dodge. Gunrack optional, but the Calvin peeing on the opposite company logo and the number of your favorite Nascar driver stickers are required. Anyway, a well known ad is Toby Keith with an American Flag guitar singing "I'm a Ford truck man." For those not from the intellectual mecca of Oklahoma, Toby Keith is part of the Oklahoman Holy Trinity, Jesus, Bob Stoops, and Toby Keith.

So I move to Cali and I'm rollin' in my G-Ride, when I hear an ad for a car dealership on one of the Hip-Hop stations. Who is doing the ad you might ask? None other than the Doggfather himself, Snoop Dizzle Rizzle fo shizzle my nizzle. I found it entertaining to go from the annoying TK to Snoop Dogg. But that's not where the fun stops. I know you can't stand the suspense.

So the ad I'm about to tell you about is 100% legit, not made up and completely true. I'm creative but I don't think I could make this, and the follow up story, up. Warren G, the original 213 Regulator, was the voice for LeRoy Brown's Wheels and Tires. (name changed to protect the innocent, actually I forgot the real name but this is close) Now a store to get wheels and tires you say, nothing unusual about that. AH HA! Got you! This wheel and tire store is rental only baby. That's right, come down to LeRoy Brown's to rent your 23" rims, spinners, low profile tires and more. Yes you heard me correctly, RENT YOUR SPINNERS!!! Who the heck came up with that? Then about a week later I see a stretch Expedition Limo, not uncommon out here in the LA area, but this one had spinners. THEN, this Wednesday, I'm driving to work and I see a white Chevy truck with 888-505-TIRE and www.rentawheel.com decals all over it. Oh yeah, it had spinners too. They spinnin', they spinnin'.

Donut Flavored Biscuits

Smell a bird, smell a cat
Put them inside a hat
Eat dinner after lunch
Drink a bowl of Hawaiin Punch
If two plus three equals four
Never eat an apple core
And if your eye just falls out
A spider went down your water spout
It's easy to see the stars at night
If you read from left to right
A poem a day is fun for me
Here's a smile it is free
So shake a hand or maybe two
Funky Monkey Booga-loo

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

El Pollo Loco

Freely Flowing all brown and steamy
Frothy Foam all nice and creamy
Oh my stomach it is a churning
While my butt feels as if it is burning
Beans and cheese aren't good for your heart
All they do is make me fart
With EAS* have I been stricken
By the one they call the crazy chicken


* Exploding Ass Syndrone

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Yes. Yes indeed.

Drifting away from where I once was,
I find myself discovering new lands.
Life against death, minutes versus hours
It makes no difference time drifts with me.
We travel along the same path yet travel alone
Only to end up in the same place tired and worn.
Seconds tick away as the feet turn to miles
Destination unknown while knowing it exists
Confused and focused I continue with that little piece
That little part inside me that knows where I am
Where I'm going and where I have been
I am happy, happy with where I am
And happy not knowing where I'll be.

Friday, November 12, 2004

Good old days

So this morning, as I was walking in the parking lot at work, I heard the wonderful and forgotten sound of morning announcements. Oh yeah, you know from high school. My office is next to a high school and they were doing their morning announcements and it took me away to that special place. The cool part was they had more than one person! A boy and a girl alternating, then when they mentioned the Chinese Club meeting they had a Chinese girl make the announcement. Kids these days are too spoiled. Multi-person announcements.... When I was a kid, we had to pick up our empty can of corn with the yarn tied to it and had only one person make the announcements. And that was only if we could afford the can of korn. Otherwise we had to wait until the walk up the hill in two feet of snow with no shoes on walk home to hear what the lunch special was. Usually salsbury steak, green peas, mash potatoes and apple cobbler with a pint of milk. And I'm out...

Monday, November 08, 2004

Doth thou not knoweth?

I've been looking around at other peoples' blogs and they seem more focused. Some of them are pretty zany but for the most part everyone has some sort of agenda. Not an agenda in that they are trying to save the whales or anything, an agenda in that they don't stray too far or wander away from a central theme. Me, I tend to hop around a lot, which I guess would then become my "central theme". I'm not ashamed nor do I feel inferior. I'm merely noticing or observing life around me. Maybe we think too much as a society. Like it's not okay to remain idle if only for a few moments. Sure I probably fall into the trap of "laziness", but why does every minute of my day need to be accounted for? If I save five minutes by microwaving my food as opposed to cooking it in the oven, what benefit other than getting to eat sooner do I really get? If I were to save five minutes a day what would I do with all the saved time? And a what point do I get to cash it in? Do I almost die and at the last second St. Peter say oops you have 2 hours and 45 minutes saved have fun? Could I have fun knowing I had 2 hours left? Maybe we don't think enough. I've run into some pretty dumbass people. But had they pulled their head out and thought for ten seconds, they may have actually not been a dumbass. I'm not excluding myself from either group, in fact I probably belong to both. I don't really know what the point is or if there really is a point at all. Sometimes while idle, I think too much and end up sounding like a dumbass. Until next time.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Yep, that is what I said....

Ok, it's been two days since I last wrote something and more than that since I wrote something worth reading. Well, maybe not worth reading but, well whatever. So much has happened since I last wrote. I think we elected a President or something like that. My hockey team won its second game of the season (2-0). Which is a great change from last season, we went 0-10! Yeah, we were called the "Star Fleet Command". Who names their team that? I was placed on the team because I registered late. First off, I hate Star Trek. Secondly, the guys on the team were brutal. Not that I'm the greatest ever, but I was in the top 3 in scoring for the league and I missed the first game and was held scoreless in three others. This league is much better. I have guys I feel confident in, say if I were going to pass to them or they to me. Plus we get along and hang out after games and such. I'm off to a decent start and hope to be in the top 3 in scoring again. (3g 2a) I've also been skating on Fridays, which I think has helped me two-fold, one, it helps me get in shape, two, the more ice time I get the more natural things are in a game so my skillz can be better demonstrated.

Enough about me. So technology has gone a bit too far. I was recently reminded of this last week on a trip to Atlanta. For the ladies, guys have urinals in our public restrooms and more frequently there are the motion sensors that auto-flush for you. Cool idea and pretty funny on Beavis and Butthead Do America. Well, a while back I was in Vegas and I discovered the flaw in having the motion sensors on a normal toilet. If you put the paper seat cover on and lean forward, it flushes and tries to take the paper seat cover with it. Not to mention you may or may not be done with your business. Then when you are and do your paperwork it flushes again and maybe again. Then interestingly enough, when you stand up it doesn't flush. Well, I had forgotten about my annoyance with the whole thing until I went to Atlanta. I generally don't like taking the kids swimming in public but when duty (I said duty... uh huh) calls. Well, I was quickly reminded of this phenomenon. And what happened to having a normal sink? Everything has sensors now and so you stick your hands under the facet and have to move them up and down or back and forth before the water comes on. Sometimes it won't and you'll move to the next sink and then the first sink comes on. I know it's just a way for the bathroom owners to cut down on over usage of water but seriously. That and I guess it is more sanitary, but why not have auto butt wipers too?

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Literally

I literally remember this time where I literally died laughing. It was literally the funniest time in literally the history of the world. It was so ironic, too, because this guy was drinking a Chardonnay with a black fly in it. I literally crapped my pants. Ironically enough, I had Depends on so it wasn't as bad as it sounds.