Saturday, December 6, 2008

Winter.


Soooo much snowwww.

So it's definitely winter out.
Over the course of the weekend, I have driven from Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids, to Kalamazoo and back, to Saginaw and back, and tomorrow morning back to Ann Arbor.
All through snow storms.
Going 45 miles per hour.

Luckily, the majority of it was with Gary.
We:
Listened to good jams.
Talking about music.
Talked about magic.
Talked about school and life.
Loaded the Jeep with gear a million times.
Rolled a d20 for the good gloves.

Friday night we played a party/basement show in Kalamazoo.
I finally saw The Reptilian, and they were great. and all were sweet dudes.
Russ had an awesome mustache.
We broke a surge protector....
We also played our new stuff which went surprisingly well.  The few people that watched us were really into us.
Downers was also really good. they smoked a lot of weed. but were all nice dudes.

People were really really nice:
Some guy in the army carried my gear.
The Reptillian gave us $16.00 bucks in quarters.
And gave Gary enough beer to get drunk.
Brock was ridiculous, and really wasted, and we talked about Lord of the Rings.
I kissed some girl he knew, which was also pretty ridiculous.

The show in Saginaw today was good times.
Playing both sets was a lot of fun.
We didn't stay that long, due to Gary not feeling well.
I saw so many wonderful friends, something that was definitely needed.

I really enjoyed:
Kooter liking my shirt.
Jamming with Scott and Tim and the upside down cross ampeg.
Talking with Mandy and Liza.
Dan giving me a backrub.

Presently :
I'm very stinky.
Cazlon won't stop climbing into my stuff.
Pizza was delicious.

I'm also talking with Kooter, and discussing the shittyness  that has occurred for us this weekend.
It sucks to be completely blindsided.
And to have certain ideas crushed.
Like he said:
Back to square one.


But, on the bright side:
I have the best brothers.
I'm going to India or China.
It's almost winter break.
I'm excited for my birthday.








Friday, October 31, 2008

Day of the dead.

I am/just:
 Going as Trav for Halloween.
Excited to see everybody.
Played hours worth of guitarhero with Samir.
Beat pearlman with my new deck.
Playing a show on Sat. in a speedo.
Went shirtless at the laundry mat.
Still shirtless.
Eating a muffin.
Texting. Always texting.
Realized needed change.
Missed an opportunity. 
Excited for next year.
Going to live in the basement with my best friend.
Laughed really hard at Sunny In Philly...
Wanting more gear.
Wanting tattoos. 
Excited about Kickass (and the movie.)

Monday, October 27, 2008

We are but hopeful children.

So this is my attempt to keep record of this past week's events and subtleties (all of which were quite enjoyable)

Grand Rapids
Since I had Monday and Tuesday off (fall break is the best thing ever) I decided to visit Gary, which turned out to be wayyyy to much fun.

We jammed.
Recorded inside of a laundry closet.
Wrote a six minute song (which is ridiculous considering its the teeth.)

Needless to say, we also played a ton of magic (drew would be jealous.)  
We went to Meijer, bought a ton of cards, and built decks on the spot.  This turned out pretty great because it led to the formation of my new deck, 
which looks something like this:





It is probably the best thing ever.









It was also a lot of fun hanging out with Victoria.
Gary tattooed his amp with a picture of her dad.
Who, coincidently, also plays magic (Victoria swears she'll get his cards and play.)
Gary also sent a picture of his balls to her friend Nikki. 
(I feel it is noteworthy to take a second to mention how badass Lords is.  And we want to be them.)
Nikki was convinced I was super smart just because I go to U of M (which is always kind of a funny feeling, because nobody in ann arbor thinks twice about it, but everywhere else in the state has that same reaction.)
Sometimes this is inspiring. And sometimes just really daunting.  

Also:
Gary cooked delicious food for dinner both nights.
We yelled at Caslon a ton.
Went to Coney Island (something that happens every time I go to Grand Rapids.)
I got a parking ticket.
.I slept very soundly.

Driving across the state makes me excited for winter.
For mittens.
And winter clothes.
For certain bands/mixes.
Trying to get the car heated up.
Crunchy snow.
Laying in bed when it's freezing.

The rest of the week I:
I went to 24 hour starbucks with Jess.  We always have good conversation, but rarely get work done.

I went out with Nick and Samir to a party.  Nick instantly got uncomfortable, which was really funny to me. 
So we went to a new party, which on the way to:
I liberated a bike.

I had a heart to heart with my mom.  It made me realize part of growing up is seeing your parents as people, and not just parents.

Ray and lib came on Saturday. Lib did a great job helping me sell parking, better than most of my housemates.  I see a lot of myself in her, and it makes me hopeful that she'll turn out alright.
Kurt and kelsey came and visited, and we all watched the game and played scrabble.
Kurt made a sign to piss people off and handed out Kleenex (my friends are assholes.)

We also:
Watched a ton of Sunny.
Played Uno.
Drank endless Dr. Pepper.
Got Ice cream with derek.
Had jaye cook us breakfast.
And played wayy to much magic.


A certain friend also had change of lifestyle.  I'm debating whether I want to follow suit or hold to certain convictions.

I ate apple pie and drank cider with Nate.  A moment and conversation that sums up college/life/and friendship.

I also got the new La Dispute.
I'm still not entirely positive how I feel about it.  Some parts are definitely really really bad (I don't agree with 90's shredding/pinch harmonics. Nor spoken word poetry.) 
Subsequently I've been listening to Satia all week.
But, there are a few tracks that are really good.
My favorite parts go like this:

I have lived my life so uncomfortably...darling comfort me.
What is life without a purpose? What is purpose without love?
I've been at home here. I've been afraid here. I've been alone.

Oh how selfish of myself to always say that it was more than I could take, like it was pain I could not shake, like it could break me with its fingers, throw my body in the lake, and I would slowly sink away
but the Truth is it was sorrow that I made and would not face.
See, I keep falling for the future after tripping on the past.
and I am always tearing sutures out to make the anguish last like it defines me.
Or reminds me I've found comfort in my suffering and uncertainty in happiness and death, because what's next is such a mystery to me.  I am terrified of all the things I feel but cannot see.
Friends and family, put your hand into my hand and lay your head into my chest. You are all that I have left here
We are all that we have left.

I donno. This just really summed up a variety of things, and in my opinion offers an important perspective that is applicable to most of life.
And definitely the string of occurrences in the past week.

I had a wonderful conversation with a long lost friend, and it offered me a retrospective that could only make me smile.

I'm only 20, but I feel like I've gone through so much already.
I also have so much to look forward too.
I can look back and see the changes that have occurred.
And the constants that remain.
Relationships are always a funny thing.
I'm lucky for my brothers and sisters.
And knowing that they'll love me no matter what time or distance is between us.
Which is something I wouldn't trade for anything.