Tuesday, June 29, 2004

I've probably put this up before, but I figure why not.

You make me want to write, till there's nothing left, you make me wanna dance, like nobody's looking. I guess what I'm trying to say, is if you wanna look my way, it'd make more than my day. Kinda like my whole year, ain't not minicing words here, this is for real. I guess if this were lets Make a Deal, you'd be that door with the good prize behind it. So good it makes me want to tape and rewind it. I know it seems kinda childish, but I like the fact that you're so stylish. I hate to say things that sound trendy, but can I call you late like Wendy? There's a lot of things in this world that don't make sense, so that's why I'm hoping we'll be more than friends. Its hard for me to realize my dreams, when I see you in every one, standing next to me. Misdirection is what I've always done, and maybe just this once, I'll break down and be straightforward. Its you my feelings are directed towards, and I'd hate to miss more than an opportunity of my lifetime. So is there anything you'd rather me say? Is there something else or another way, for me to tell you how you make me feel? I guess I'm just keeping it real. You make me feel like. . .you make me feel.

The song?
Just A Friend - Biz Markie

Self explanatory. . .

Monday, June 28, 2004

I'd bore you with my thoughts, but in all actuality, my thoughts aren't coherent right now. If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know how badly that can turn out. What happened this weekend? To encapsule the events would be to squeeze what seemed like forever into a single second. So to make it short and sweet, in an easy to swallow form, I didn't sleep much, I did way too much, but somehow ended up feeling like I didn't do enough. If you want a better recap than that, find me. I'll deny you the pleasure in person. HAHAHAH. . .ahem. Anyway, I'll be sure to apologize for that later. Right now I'll just blather pointlessly about the mp3 of the day.

So here's my song of the day. It reinforces my previous statements about Jimi Hendrix applying the Motown sound to his songs, and the two main elements I mentioned can be found in this song. Not to mention this group is so legendary, its shocking. They are still around, but like many old musicians, they've been relegated to singing the chitlin circuit. I guess I should say that the group is still around, since only one guy is still alive. If you saw the movie, you know they lost singer after singer to drugs, alcohol, and just plain old age. The movie is pretty good, I have it on VHS somewhere, but that's not the point. The point is, the group stayed talented for many years behind the voice of one man. David Ruffian. Of course, I'm talking about the Temptations. David Ruffian was a man who apparently didn't do much right in his life. All the songs he did well were basically him begging for forgiveness for everything he'd done wrong. No one begs and pleads like David Ruffian, nor strangely enough does anyone enunciate their words and phrases like David Ruffian. Its rather intriguing to me to hear his diction, he sounds like an old blues singer who doesn't slur his words. Well, at least to me. His voice, period, is so intense that whenever I listen to the songs he did the lead vocals for, I can feel exactly what he's saying. In a world drowning in uninspired hip-hop and processed emotionless R&B being passed off as the pacifying of the masses, its rare to hear songs which actually make you feel. . .well feel period. I rarely listen to a song that's out now that makes me stop and say, you know, that's how I feel. That says alot about the music itself, when it doesn't make you feel. Its so rare that today, I post two songs of such high quality. Are they the best by the Temptations? Of course not. I'm sure there are other songs they've sung that were better than these. But these should help you understand just how strong of a group they were. If only all R&B singers would take notes from this group. Ah well. . .

I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
All I Need - The Temptations

My mood?

. . .

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Ah my incredible edible blog. Well, its not edible, but it sure is fun for everyone involved. Keeping that in mind, Wednesday finds us at a delectable brand of impasse. You see, I don't have much to say, nor do I have the desire to make something up. I had a thought last night but in all honesty, its not the best thought to share. What was it? Well, seeing how this really isn't a great thought to share, I'll do it anyway. Has that ever stopped me before? Nope. Last night, as I cruised the late night television in hopes of finding something entertaining enough to make me forget I couldn't sleep, when I stumbled upon the mighty informercial. What struck me about this particular infomercial, was the person who had lost all the weight with a particular machine was still pretty hefty, AND this person wasn't the normal attractive model type. She was ugly when she was fat, and she remained ugly as a less fat but still pretty big person. This got me to thinking, you know, just because you're fat and ugly, doesn't mean that being skinny will make you attractive. That's how slang terms like butterface got started. Because regardless of how attractive your body maybe, lets tell the truth, no one wants to stare or gaze into the eyes of a wildebeast. If you're an attractive gazelle from the neck down, that's all well and good, but if you're a warthog above the neck, just be warned, people will run away in fear. Of course, I doubt that I should be the one to talk, since I'm not the best looking person in the world. But I do know that if I lost a lot of weight, I'd be willing to get plastic surgery to reconstruct my face into something a little less hideous. Just to complete the look of course.

Now that I've proven my vanity and my shallowness is just under 400 words, lets move on shall we? There are some things that I hear as I listen to my mp3 player while working that makes me just stop, sit down, and listen to what I'm hearing. Sometimes I end up trying to imagine seeing what I'm hearing being played live, and that's when I drift off into my own little world where there is always a concert, and everybody knows my name, and they're glad that I came to hang out with the. But enough about my overactive imagination. I got this mp3 from a classmate who is very much into independent bands, especially those on the tooth and nail record label, which in case you've never heard of them include Starflyer 59 (though they recently dropped the 59) and Joy Electric (which is one man and not a band). Anyway, I never really listened to it, and I was burning a disc to try to make it through the night of hard physical labor, when I decided to throw it on the disc to finish it off and get it filled to capacity. So there I was listening to The Sea and Cake and at the end of the directory, it switched over to The Temptations, and I wasn't in a mood to hear them, especially after listening to The Sea and Cake, so I just opened up The Gloria Record folder, and started listening. And I was blown away by the drum patterns, the guitars, and the synthesizers blending and the overall stylings of the music. And lets just say, I'm not easily impressed. Okay, yes, I am, but this is still an awesome group, who'll get some minimum exposure here by me. Here's the first song I heard by them, and hopefully, not the last.
Good Morning Providence - The Gloria Record

My mood?

Laughing Out Loud. . .(wonder if she ever visits my site?)

Monday, June 21, 2004

Well, its Monday once again. So here's the deal. I'm getting ready to go leave to go out in service, so I really don't have the time to talk. Yep. That's where I'm headed. The best thing about all of this is that you don't have to listen to a rant, or I guess you don't have to read one. But I can say, I'm feeling better than I have in recent times, and thanks in part to work, I'm not as sore as I was the other day. That was from the football playing.

Anyway, the song of the day is one that some of you have heard, expecially if you've ever played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. I've played it, and trust me, this song makes the song. Its by Powerman 5000, who by the way is Rob Zombie's brother. Unlike Rob Zombie, however, you don't have to worry about not so sublmiinal messages hidden in the song. Its a good lets go club seal pup hunters song. Anyway here it is:
When World's Collide - Powerman 5000

My mood?

No time!

Friday, June 18, 2004

"I sleep and think all day and work nights." That line from a song I heard didn't really make sense until I realized that was describing my life. That's right, I sleep AND think all day and then I got to work at night. Of course today is Friday. I've never been happier to see the end of a week. Why? Because I work weekends. No more sleeping and thinking about anything. I don't care to think anymore, I think I've done enough of that for one lifetime much less for one week. Of course, thinking is a wonderful thing, but its not so good for forgetting. Forgetting what? Exactly. Anyway, lets move on.

After a pancake dinner at IHOP last night, I realized that five pancakes aren't the key to happiness. In all actuality, its the key to not being able to sit still long enough to fall asleep at night. Never make that mistaken assumption. To occupy my time, I went to this site and took this test. Of course, if you hit the archives, you can see where I did this one time before. So why do it again? Because I'm curious to see if my various disorders had changed. So how'd I do? Well, I'm not as strongly histrionic, which is a good thing, since most histrionic men have gender ambiguity, and well, I'm definitely male. But I'm a strong paranoid now, and I'm still narcissitic. So what does it all mean? It means this test is bunk. The voices in my head tell me so. Here's the actual scores.

DisorderRating
Paranoid:Very High
Schizoid:Low
Schizotypal:High
Antisocial:High
Borderline:Moderate
Histrionic:Moderate
Narcissistic:Very High
Avoidant:High
Dependent:High
Obsessive-Compulsive:Moderate

-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! --



So, today is Friday. And Friday brings the joy of the weekend. And we all live for the weekend right? Well at least I live for the weekend. Actually, I enjoy the week too. . .but anyway, here's something a bit older from a group of mine that is indeed a favorite. They hit the scene in the early 70's with a smoldering funk, a latent funk if you will. You see this funk isn't blatant like P Funk and the Parliament Funkadelics. Its the kind of slow smooth funk. They were the first group I heard that actually utilized trumpets, trombones, pianos, bass guitars, and jazz guitars for more than just a rhythm section. All of their songs are FULL songs, arrangements with more purpose than background. You can listen to each of their songs without lead vocals and they'll be just as good. So who am I talking about? The O'Jays of course. This trintet(?) or whatever they want to be called are definitely worth taking time to listen to. You can start with this song here. Living for the Weekend - The O'Jays

My mood?

Destroying the "week"ness in myself. . .(heh heh heh heh)

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Sometimes I sit back, I smile, and I wonder, "What is wrong with me?" I can't seem to understand what it is that is so completely and utterly wrong with me, but I'm sure at some point, it'll become painfully obvious, and then even I won't be able to put up with me any longer. I'm not sure what it is, I was hoping someone could take the time to enlighten me. It doesn't help for me know that I'm not perfect, I've come to the conclusion that it goes way beyond that, since everyone else is imperfect and for some odd reason they have no problems. Of course, I'm sure this entry will be the one where people will read it and think, "Wow, that guy has real problems," and to be frank, I guess I don't really mind the fact that someone knows that I'm dissatisfied with myself. I'm an imperfect human being who never fails to disappoint himself every day. There is not a day I don't find myself wondering why exactly I do what I do. I get up in the morning and my thoughts all consist of doubts for the future and regrets for the past. I try to pacify myself and think that everyone else experiences that, but no one else talks about it. I think I'm wrong in that assumption, I think in this case its really just me. Don't misunderstand me, I don't hate myself, nor do I have any desire for self-destruction. I very much enjoy life, but I don't understand why that enjoyment has to be tampered with by none other than myself. It seems just as everything is starting to look up and cheerful, suddenly the rug is yanked from under me, I fall and just before I hit the ground into unconciousness, I see myself, smiling in the most unusual manner, almost malevolently, as the other me watches my demise. Paul put it best, when he says the good that he wishes to do, he does not do. Everything I want to be, I tend to not become. And everything I try to be, I am not. I think a lot of this comes from just being plain human. And I guess in the long run I'm okay with that. So before I get chalked up as being a person with "issues", scary, dark, mental, or anything else more extreme, I'll change the subject.

I'd like to make this subject change bright, but it doesn't really fit in with the theme of the chosen song for today. This is song, chosen completely and totally with bias, was one I wanted to put up initially but then changed my mind against it since it wasn't "cool enough" and since it is a pretty popular song that most people are likely to have heard in more places than here. But it ties in with what I was saying yesterday about capturing emotions. Yesterday, as was mentioned the emotion was captured through the lyrical prose, through the partial breakdown of abstraction, leaving us with several realistic metaphors which described the anguish of our troubadour in the fullest. "Would someone please call a surgeon/to come crack my ribs and repair this broken heart that you're deserting/for better company?" Does that not just give you a mental picture that truly describes what its like breaking up with someone? What this? You've never had a relationship go sour? As hard as I find that to believe, I'll give you all the benefit of the doubt. The few readers that I know that actually frequent this site seem to all be rather proficient in avoiding heartache. So the key here would be to break down all the metaphorical ins and outs and just cut straight to the chase. This is what is sometimes termed a "tearjerker". That's right a song that's sole purpose in life is to make you feel the pain and the anguish of losing that one love that (at the time) you feel like will never come along again. So here it is, without too much more coating and preparation, Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers. This appeared on the Notting Hill Soundtrack, and I'm quite sure in other places, but for the moment, be merely satisfied with that.

My mood?

Hoping to be the tower. . .

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

And yet another late post. Last night was spent at the Brown's house, a family that i must personally admit enjoy a good joke more than even myself. They will stop at nothing to pull the perfect prank or the tell the perfect joke. A night of jocularity indeed. Who would've guessed so many people would laugh about someone else having back hair? There was also spades playing and chili cheese dip eating to top off the night, and of course, I didn't get home till 3. It was all for a good cause since Sky's computer was on the operating table, getting a much needed attitude adjustment. Though in all actuality, that'd mean it'd be on more of a couch. Anyway, there was a fun involved for everyone, except for Mitch, he had to sleep.

Last night, as I was trying to go to sleep, I started thinking about the theory I had once (I had a theory, but Jerm completely trashed this one too) about all songs being about what one had, what one has lost, or just about what one has gained and the party that inevitably followed that gain. In my previously held opinion some of the best songs are those that highlight an emotion and then stick with it. Of course, I've been severely enlightened by listening to some indie rock, and really to some alternative period, where abstraction is the name of the game. But every so often, an independent artist will completely forsake his abstract lyrical roots and just come and say what needs to be said. Sometimes that thing to be said is engulfed in metaphors, but then again, that's what makes for the best songs. Its truly rare that this makes anything near a good album or song. But when the likes of Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie aggressive write the lyrics, its sure to be good. For those of you unaware of who Death Cab For Cutie is, well its only one song a day, but I'll be sure to put some of their better stuff up. And then there's Jimmy Tamberello from Dntell and Figurine. I wasn't aware of these two groups until I heard this album and then I went out to find as much as I could by them. Which album am I talking about? Give Up by those two blended together as the Postal Service. With a bit of help from a few friends (Jen Wood and Jenny Lewis on background vocals) they've compiled quite the album. This song from the album is Nothing Better, which I've heard praised and completely ripped apart. The funniest review I've heard said it could be a duet with JLo called Nuttin' Betta and it would still be the same cheesy pop drivel, with its straightforward lyrics and simplistic metaphors. I've also heard it called clever pop, done without the heavy handed lyricism so common to most independent rock. I'll let you draw your own conclusion. Here it is, Nothing Better by the Postal Service.

My mood?

That'd be awesome reality TV. . .

Monday, June 14, 2004

After yet another hard day's work, our hero finds himself finally going to sleep right around 4:30. AM. That's right, I've been completely zonked out since about then, and finally have awaken with the intention of never staying at work that long again. I've never felt worse. Ah, well, all in a days work, I suppose. So what happened this weekend? I wouldn't know, because as I realized at work last night, I'm missing all the cool stuff that's happening on the weekends. I'm totally falling off. I'd try to continue caring but I'm really really tired right now.

But on another thought, I was thinking about some of the things I had heard about Jimi Hendrix, other than all the drug talk that surrounds him, mostly I was thinking that because Jerm and me were talking about whether or not he'd remember all those songs he did under the influence of drugs. Anyway, I was thinking about the fact that he single handedly started an entire sound on his own. Sure Chuck Berry was innovating music with electric guitars, but Jimi Hendrix took it to a whole other level. He lived at time when an electric guitar was meant to sound clean crisp, but altered that perception somewhat singlehandedly. Of course, someone else had to have had to do something similar, but not the extent that he did. Not to mention the fact that many other styles of music were blended with what he did. Also bear in mind that he didn't have the distortion pedals or the amps of today. I remember reading somewhere that Jimi Hendrix once took a pencil and punctured the speaker of his amp so it'd distort his guitar's notes more to his liking. Or maybe that was Jack White. . .anyway, the point is, he didn't have the technology that bands today have backing him, and still he found some way to make his brand of music, his own unique style. So here's the Jimi Hendrix song for today, despite the fact that a few people might not appreciate it. Notice several things: 1) He has several Motown elements in this song. The first is the chorus in the background, the second being the guitar being plucked along with the percussion's snare, something that can be heard in songs like Since I Lost My Baby by the Temptations, and in a few Four Tops songs. 2)The break down in the song, where Jimi's talents shine. I can't play a guitar, so I can't tell you this is an easy thing to do, but what I can tell you is that it fits the mood of the song pretty nicy. Its got a good trascendental quality to it, a surreal wah which he tops off with an interesting line "loneliness is such a. . .drag". There's other good points, but I'll stop my lecture for now and let you find them.
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
My mood?

Man, I'm tired. . .

Friday, June 11, 2004

So its Friday. I hope you're not expecting some deep thoughts from me. My unwritten rule is that Friday is not the day for deep thoughts. Though I was thinking about the concept of the blog and of the diary in general. Who first decided to write down their private thoughts and then post them for everyone's general consumption? I'm sure at some point, if you have a blog, you've found yourself backspacing because you didn't want to put your "business" all out in the open. I spend the majority of my time reading what I've written in my blog and being appalled that I got that introspective in such a public forum. Then again, in all honesty, I'm usually that open in all of my public forums, so I should have no problem with it right? I'm always shocked when people tell me they've been reading my site, and I'm also always shocked when I really don't know them. What does this site offer really? A look inside the head of some guy in Alabama. That's about it. Where's the voyeuristic pleasure in reading my thoughts? Not to sound sleazy (because that last sentence did) but why care what I think? I'm just another guy who apparently is self-important enough to think that someone would care what he thinks or says.

Anyway, I was cruising the web checking out other sites and I ran across the cool idea of sharing mp3's with people through the blog. After thinking through all the legal ramifications of it, I decided I'd take my chances of getting sued for passing out illegal contraband, and do it anyway. So here's the beginning of my demise. Of course, for this to be cool, I have to post music by good obscure bands. So be warned, this won't be cool for long.

This isn't anything that most of you haven't heard, just thought it'd make a cool first song. For those of you in the states, this band is from Canada, you should be aware of them. They're called the Tea Party. Here's a link to one of my favorite songs by them.
Samsara.mp3
My mood?

Awestruck. . .

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

I stare into the snow,
stories of vacations past
lost into the winter.
The nuclear holocaust
left us without a winner.
All the losers felt the world shake,
saw the snow fall.
Realized the end had come.
Burrowed into the ground.
Wet their hands with tears,
and washed them of the guilt.
Soon a new world was built.
A new hope was formed,
and everyone believed.
But then they all turned face.
And soon there was nothing left.
Just a land desolate and wracked with death
Destruction. . .such a horrible pall
fell over the land as they burrowed again
burrowed deep enough to forget.
The pattern began over again
the ground shook, the sky filled
and snow begin covered the globe again.
I'd like to admit that there's nothing wrong with being cynical. I really would like to admit that. Of course, then I'd be lying to myself and to you. Being cynical is not only a complete drag, but also a painful reminder of the little known fact that despite however hard you try, there'll never be enough. Enough what? Enough anything. The whole glass half full, glass half empty perspective that's so tragically and pathetically used to describe personalities still misses the point. . .there's only half, and that's all there ever will be. So really, the situation here isn't the glass being half full, since half is all you get, the glass really is just full. Of course, like all of my particular brand of introspection, I end up confused. And here I am. On another note, I saw Johnny English the other night. It was an intriguing affair. You see, the movie had its good points, but it was never more than average. It was always just an average amount of laughter. Its funny sometimes, but there's never a moment when you break out into peals of uncontrollable laughter, and therein lies the problem. The movie takes a really good concept, and instead of making the character a total idiot, or a bumbling fool who stumbles upon luck-filled answers, but instead as a man who is intelligent, but clumsy and full of himself. That makes for a bad movie. A very bad movie. I'll go into more detail later, I'm running pressed for time.
My mood?

I miss that site. . .

Friday, June 04, 2004

Why are the small claims court shows so popular? Judge Judy, Judge Mills Lane, Judge Joe Brown, The People's Court, Texas Justice, Divorce Court, Judge Amy Hatchett, and the list probably continues. Nothing sickens me more than having to watch people argue and backbite each other on TV. If I wanted to see that, I'd just watch the Real World. Which is another popular show that I don't get. Its stupid. . .its just a bunch of whiny kids not getting along, or trying to get along way more than the censors on TV will allow. This isn't the "real world". I don't see them getting up and working out but never losing weight, or binge eating and then vomiting into the toilet. You never see them get kicked out of the house because they can't pay their rent, and then having to live on the street and beg for money as they try to keep their alcoholic habits funded. You never see them in a pair of cut off gloves, in several coats, drinking a bottle of 50/50 trying to stay warm in the cold. That's the real world. How come none of them ever get robbed, or mugged, or shot, or harassed by the police. You know why? Because its not the real world. They should really just cut to the chase and tell us that its just a bottled fantasy of some over-aged director who thinks he knows what young people want to watch. Of course, he must know something, because a ton of people watch that show. I guess what I'm saying is, even reality TV isn't very real. If reality TV were as real as it claims to be, no one would watch it because it would sad, depressing, and filled with boring moments.

On other notes (and yes this is actually another paragraph) I guess I should say sorry for not updating, I know how much this blog means to you(snicker). . .I'll do what I can to update it.

My mood?

I can't connect to my UAH server. . .so this picture probably won't work.