Tuesday...

Good morning folks. I believe that I had three hours of sleep last night. I think. I am not sure what is going on with me but I tried to fall asleep around 11:30 or so and I was wide awake again about 2:45 or so. I imagine that today is going to be a rough one.

Man Alive - Billy Talent

This is a fast one to start us off today. I like Billy Talent and they are an example of what I think of as good music and the kind of music that often gets ignored in the entertainment industry of today.

I have been sleeping well lately so I am not sure what the issue is. I do know that there are times when I am unable to shake the worry and I think last night was one of those nights. I just lie there in bed and I worry. I couldn't get myself together enough to even meditate and mellow myself out. It was just a night of laying there in the darkness with my thoughts and I often would rather not do that. I would rather sleep when it is time for me to sleep. It benefits nothing and nobody least of all myself for me to lay there in the darkness and have the thoughts swirl around in my head.

I 4 U & U 4 Me - The Decemberists

This is a home demo version of the song and I really like it. But then I like everything that they do.

Perfect World - Billy Talent

This is from their 2nd album and a song that I really dig.

I find myself sitting here with my head tilted slightly to one side. My mind is blank as I listen to the music and try to hear a voice inside myself tell me what to write. I am waiting patiently for the voice to tell me what is okay to share with you and what is not okay for me to share. But it really feels like right now the vault is empty. There seems to be a slight echo in there. The wind whistles as it blows mournfully around the room and nothing is there to fill the emptiness. The walls are metal and grey. The floor is concrete and made shiny from the constant use and movement of the different baggage that has filled the room and been moved in and out at different times. I can only imagine that the room will be filled again one day but right now it sits empty and barren.

Sudden Movements - Billy Talent

This one is off of their 3rd album and another song that I think is great as far as I am concerned.

I sip my thermos of coffee and wonder what is going to fill the room. I don't think that it is necessarily good or bad that the room is empty. I am just not used to the room being empty. It does feel nice to not be on the verge of tears. But I never know one way or the other if that will change or if I am going to watch something that makes me tear up. I watched the wedding episode of the BBC's Sherlock Holmes last Sunday night and during the best man speech by Sherlock I totally was in tears. So I suppose one day without tears is nothing special. Though it does say something about my state of mind for the last 9 months that a day without crying is a notable thing.

Pocketful of Dreams - Billy Talent

The random machine is really locked in today. I do not mind though. I am really digging all of these songs.

I am not going to speculate about what the lack of tears means at all. It isn't worth it and I have no idea what the end result will be. It sometimes feels a curse to be as self aware as I am. I question my every emotion or intention. I think that is why I strive for daily zen and daily living on a moment to moment basis because then I am not questioning my very existence or being. It just gets tiresome to go through it on a regular basis. I do not think that self examination is a bad thing but I think that you can do to much of it and that can be a problem.

Brother - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

I like this band a lot and it wouldn't hurt for you to track them down if you like this song.

I watched a film from 1997 this morning called 'Bongwater'. It is an odd little film. It stars Luke Wilson and Jack Black and Andy Dick and Amy Locane and Alicia Witt and the late Brittney Murphy. It is based on a book of the same name that I haven't read and set in Portland, Or and New York City. It is just such an odd little film and a film that I feel like I used to enjoy years and years ago. I imagine that it was because it has Jack Black in it and he does a version of a Tenacious D song called "Jesus Ranch" and I was a serious fan of Tenacious D and pot and this movie had both. But other then that. It is really kind of an odd film. The story is kind of incoherent and at times the characters can be frustratingly unlikable. I feel like it comes from an odd time in film. The late 90's seems to have been infested with these kind of cheap knockoff ensemble films and I imagine it is Richard Linkletters fault now that I verbalize it.

Sorry - Trampled by Turtles

A great song by a great band.



I am not sure what I am going to be doing today. I may make an appearance at the coffeehouse since I am going to be up and around. Though I am have been trying to be careful with what little money that I have. So we shall see. Have a good day today folks and as always Keep On Dancing and Hug Someone Today. 

Thirsty Thursday...Tunes

Lets keep the love going shall we...

Everything's Just Wonderful - Lilly Allen

I really do love me some Lilly Allen. This is a good start to the day. Though I do not think that ol Phil from Ducky Dynasty feels the same right now. He is on the hot seat for things that he said in a GQ interview and it will be interesting to see how this all shakes out and how his already ardent fan base reacts.

Enthused - Blink 182

This is actually a good song and back from when they were a good band. They are not anymore. But this is a good album.

I can understand why Phil has made people upset. But I am not surprised that he said it. He is an older man, white southern Christian. He is not going to be pro gay. He won't be. So for people to act surprised by this is just silly. It doesn't excuse what he said but don't act surprised just start actually paying attention.

Sci Fi Kid - Blitzen Trapper

This is an interesting song. A little bit to blip and blop and computer sounds for me but I get what they are doing with it. Kind of cool.

Though this whole kerfuffle might be a good reminder for people that free speech doesn't always mean say what you want without any sort of consequences. It means say what you want and if someone disagrees with you then they may stop purchasing your items or stop attending your events. Or they may speak out against what you said. They are free to do that. Sometimes people disagree with each other on things but the world still spins and we are still moving forward.

Brother - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes

I enjoy this album more and more every time I listen to it. I just enjoy it. This is a good band and worth listening too. The piano in this song is so nice.

Out On The Tiles - Led Zeppelin

Such a great song. This is one of their top 10 songs as far as I am concerned. It just works and everything about it works. One of my favorites.

He just wants all your love. Is that to much to ask? I don't think so. Love makes everything better. Lets all just love each other, shall we. Who wants a hug?

Close To The Heart - Rush


This is a good note to close us down on today. Be good to each other out there today folks. We are all just people trying to find our way in the world and things are hard enough as it is without us being shitty toward each other.

Some People Are . . .

very annoying and it is due to no fault of their own.

Dallas Green - Day Old Hate

I go to the coffeehouse a lot. I am sure that most of you know this. Because I tend to go so regularly I tend to see some of the same people over and over again. I realized something today, and that is that there are other people who come into the coffeehouse as often as I do or even more often. So I see faces that look familiar to me even if I have never actually talked to them. But I have seen them here enough times that I feel like I know them. But the problem that I am wrestling with is not something that I like wrestling with. I like to think that I am a nice guy and that most people like being around me and I am easy to get along with. That being said I am sure that there are people that I rub the wrong way whether or not intend to.

Trampled By Turtles - Keys to Paradise

I was doing my thing today and I looked up when this guy walked in and had I been a cat you would have seen all of my hair stand on end. Now this fellow has never said a word to me in the three years that I have been coming here. In fact I have never said a word to him and we have never even interacted in any way. So there is literally no rational reason for me to be bothered or upset by him. Yet every time, every time that I see him I get angry. I don't like to hear his voice. I do not like how he interacts with the baristas and I do not like how he dresses or the drinks that he orders. I must reiterate, there is no reason for me to feel like this. None at all.

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros - Black Water

Yet every time that I see him, my response is the same and I literally find it hard for me to focus on what I am doing until he is gone. I do not like feeling like this. But at the same time when I think about it I feel like I shouldn't care because obviously there is something off about this guy and I should trust my instincts. I mean, when have my instincts steered me wrong before? I am 100% on making good life choices. So I think I will continue to irrationally hate this fellow until evidence comes up to prove me right.

Iron and Wine - Swans and the Swimming.

But in all seriousness I think that I am going to try to work on controlling my first response to people. It isn't that I expect that I should like everyone that I meet. I do not think that is even possible. But I can at least not have a default setting of "that guys is a jerk" based on no reason other then the way that his voice sounds or his hair cut or his clothing. It makes no sense for me to default to that and I think that I will be a better person and that my life will just be better if I work on that a little bit.

The Decemberists - I4 U & U 4 Me

Trampled by Turtles - Widowers Heart

I am sure that I have said this before and I will say it again. But Trampled by Turtles is a really good band and you should do yourselves a favor and give them a listen. You won't regret it. That is unless you hate good music and then you might not like it. It is hard to say. But if you like good music and are not a total jerk then give this band a try. They are great.

Catch you later, losers!!