|
|
Ah, what a glorious time of year it is. And what glorious people about us. And what big teeth they have, grandmother. The better to floss with you, my dear...
Friday, October 29, 2004
| | | | |
| Sharing Jajajajajajas with Josh:: Joe | | 4:19 AM |
| | | | | |
My computer is becoming the bane of my existence. Case in point--this is actually the second I've tried to this stupid post. There's some little freaky driver or piece of aberrant software that's forcing me to reboot the damn thing after 30 minutes of use on average. The joys of proprietary sound drivers (the most likely candidate, in all honesty) but then again, I doubt they were meant to do as much as I ask them to do. In either case, tis the craps, sir.
Cards lost in grandiose fashion, or more to the point lost decisively without so much as a whimper. Probably the ugliest string of four games in a row I remember seeing all season long--against better teams. No ragging on the Red Sox, but I've seen the boys hit better pitching (which, while the Sox were good, they weren't unhittable--unless apparently you had a bird on your jersey). Tis of no consequence any more. I'm sure Red Sox fans will find something else to cry about, but it is a nice thing for the life-long guys who had suffered for years and years. (Note: if you're not at least 30, that classification does not include you...) So it goes. A hundred days and change until Spring Training. In lieu of hockey, that's what I get to be excited about.
The new track is coming along. Still not 100% on what I think of it. I think more of it than I did the last time I posted, I know that. More a question of lyrics at this point. A rough version is about 60-75% done at this point and, as is customary, it's not like much of anything else on the album, but similar in some respects to all of it.
I fired off the first part of "Softer, Shallow" to Dust as well as the latest Feature. Keep checking back the Fiction and Feature pages for their triumphant arrival. In all honesty, I'm not sure what I think of "Softer, Shallow" anymore. I added some stuff and made it better, but I've been through it so many times over the years that I honestly think it sucks ass half the time. Make up your own mind. As a safety measure the short stories will remain on the Fiction page and one or two sections at a time will be posted of "Softer..."
Hung out with Rex Havoc and Josh (potential Joe-Mammy nicknames include: "Junior" "Spahhhhhk" "Actor Troy McClure" and "Lisa"...) for dinner. Twas a nice evening with the food and the talk of herpes hashbrowns (it's not as bad as you think... or maybe it is and I just didn't get the joke...) and other such frivolities. They're a good crew, as crews go. Perhaps at some point they'll be in my posse (in other words, they'll return my phone calls and e-mails when I'm not buying Rex's dinner...) Josh's bit of bloggy goodness is linked right over here -->
Ah, good times, now I'm harassing Josh on his own precious little message board. What marvels modern technology has given us to harangue and alienate our fellow man. I'm sure he's returning the favor at this very moment. Leave your filthy little comments all you want, young Joshua, for you shall ultimately have to bow before the might of Joe Mammy!
I should do something more constructive with my life...
-Joe
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
| | | | |
| They made this whole neighborhood out of wood, out of wood...:: Joe | | 7:48 AM |
| | | | | |
Well, a couple days in the grind are behind me. It's been strange. Seems to be a recurring theme, no? Perhaps it's an existential sense of boredom with just a hint of lime. Hard to tell.
Anyway, off work for a couple now with the Cards down 0-3. It ain't over yet, but it's starting to look like you can see it from here. Oh well. The biggest bummer is that, should disappointment come for the baseball season, I don't have my usual bail out of pro hockey. Bad for me, good for you--I'll have less distracting me so I can continue to pump out the lovely literary and musical cheese you've come to know and love.
Ran into someone who actually knew WTF (see previous post "A Toast"...) Twas strange on a number of levels. Again, I'm not going to break into a melodramatic heart-wrenching tirade of raw emotion and/or vulnerability (that's so 1999...) but it did kick some stuff up. Hopefully just enough to get some writing/music done. I'll keep you all posted. In the meantime, perhaps some impromptu fiction?
The rain was becoming heavy and chunky. Some would call it sleet or freezing rain. I just called it another reason to move. Of course naming something or adding it to a list of reasons to move is like keeping track of your bowel movements--it might be thorough and even show trends, tendencies and activities, but in the end it's all still shit.
I'd been in the one bedroom basement dungeon/apartment for two years then. I'd like to say I've made progress but now I just pay more rent and get to have a better view of a neighborhood I don't like. Such is life. Anyway the car was sliding back and forth of its own volition as I tried to delicately balance my cell phone on my shoulder and the stack of pizza boxes in the drivers seat. It's not that I loved my life and it's not that I felt like I was being propelled forward to some eventful future--it was more that I was damn sure I didn't want to die in that stupid red "Pizza Barn" shirt.
Apparently at one point I thought I'd be clever and aim for a clearer path through the growing slush and immediately found the car being thrust into a power line. It's amazing how many things you can try in those final fateful seconds--none of which do a damn thing for you. There was a crunch and a jolt and some other noises and then a lot of swearing. The swearing was me.
I got out of the car. The front end of the car was messed up, but nothing I hadn't done worse and driven away from. I almost thought for a second that I had gotten off with only a shittier looking car and bruise to my ego when I saw checked the tires. They were nearly bald to begin with and now two were down. I realized my cell phone was gone. I climbed back into the car and dug around. Beneath a Canadian bacon/pineapple, a supreme and a pepperoni with kraut I found it. I'd lost the call, but it hadn't been that important: an ex-girlfriend trying to round up $75 I supposedly owed her for back rent or some other damn thing. No big loss, either way.
"Hey, you alright?"
I turned around and saw an older man looking me over. He wore an old camouflage coat and a pair of boots that were probably older than me. "Yeah, car's done though. Tires are down and at this point they're worth more than the car."
"Aw, that's too bad, too bad," he intoned solemnly.
I shrugged. "It is what it is, I guess. Guess I'm looking for a new job now. Just as well."
"Well, sometimes you just have to look at it that way, I s'pose. 'Sides, you're young, got a good look about ya. I'm sure you'll find something else."
"Well, there's always some crap job out there if you're willing to take it."
The old man chuckled, "True. Always someone needs their toilet cleaned or their garbage hauled."
I looked at him more closely. His clothes looked surplus store all the way. His face was deeply lined with what were more crevices than wrinkled. At his side he had a large knapsack with a bedroll rolled neatly at its base. A small spaniel looking dog sat obediently next to it.
"Well, you need some help getting it off the road?"
I didn't want to move it, but I really didn't want the police to send me another ticket in the mail. I didn't care if they impounded it, I just didn't want to pay for it in the meantime.
"Yeah, suppose I'd better at least try."
After some doing we managed to get it out of the way and in prime position for it to be hauled away never to be seen by my eyes again.
The old man surveyed the car. "Yup, it's a shame it had to happen. But in this weather I s'pose you just need to be thankful it wasn't something worse."
My mind flashed again on my corpse lying strewn outside the windshield with blood and brain matter gushing from my head with my Pizza Barn shirt proudly proclaiming that I had died a menial loser.
"Yeah, good thing."
The old man had gathered his pack and dog and was about to set on his way again. I tossed him the keys to the car.
"Have some pizza."
-Joe
Monday, October 25, 2004
Well, the Cards are down 0-2. I can't say I'm all that surprised, but it would've been nice to take one in the opening set in Boston so the Cardinal faithful can see their team take the World Series at home. Oh well. That's why we've been saying Cards in 7, I suppose.
Strange weekend. Got to (eventually) see "The Grudge" with Christophe der Soul Stealer. I likey, he not so much. It wasn't as good as, say, "The Ring" but definitely had some cool visual stuff. The non-linear story thing probably could have stood being cleaned up a bit and the ending was a little silly, but all else being equal some good chuckles, some good scares and really good visual feel.
At the moment I'm just grooving with a little Cush ("Aching Heart" to be specific...) and winding down for the evening. Got a short story done this weekend and fired it off to Rex for a review and have heard all of squat so far so either he hasn't read it or didn't love it. I'm afraid to ask.
Also started on a new track. I'm not sure if this one is going to make the album, honestly, but it's got some good riffs and a different feel (which are all criteria for making the album) I'll know more when I get more done with it. I'm loathe to admit it (and perhaps that's part of my reason for not being sure whether it's going to be on the album) but I finally wrote a song about the election and the world since 9/11. Granted I never come out and say it directly but I'm getting tired of politicians on all sides raping the graves of those who died in a horrific act to push their policies and to criticize others. I'm sick of it and I'm sick of the sense of moral outrage, again, both sides seem to have about the world. Get used to it. The world really hasn't changed, you're just getting an occasionally less filtered view of it. And to believe a knight in shining armor is going swoop down, take office and make it the 50's (without the repression and Cold War...) is arguably the most simple-minded thing I've ever heard. It all balances out in the end--and we all get screwed regardless.
I know I've promised not to rant too heavily on here and I apologize, but this has been brewing for quite some time. It's easy to get wrapped up in all the hype but come November 3rd what'll you have? If you're expecting your life to change because of this election (assuming your last names isn't Bush or Kerry--sorry Nader...) then I kinda pity you. I'm not pushing apathy, but a hint of realism might do some good. Do your duty and vote your conscience, just don't expect any miracles.
And go Cardinals.
-Joe
|
|
|
