We Shall All Be Healed
Thursday, December 21, 2006
I do not see why I should ever turn back,
Or those should not set forth upon my track,
To overtake me, who should miss me here
Picture above: Watchaug Pond, Charlestown RI
What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? -- Lose hundreds of dollars in one night, visit Rhode Island, see a true "festival" (3 day long terrastock!), be a manager of anything, work as a waiter, lose a bag through an airline service...
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? -- I think my resolution this year was "party harder next new years!" I don't know where I'll end up new years, so it may not happen. could be with my parents. could be a spontaneous trip to Philly to see my sister. who knows.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? -- I think another cousin of mine had a kid. They just keep coming.
4. Did anyone close to you die? -- Thankfully, no. Let's hope 2007 is the same way.
5. What countries did you visit? -- Canada --- like always.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? -- Well, the 2005 wish didn't happen, so I won't make that same mistake again. I guess what I'd like to have next year that I didn't have this one is -- happiness.
7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? -- December 4th, when my house of twelve years was sold.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? -- Succeeding at being a waiter. Doing an effective job (I think) of being in charge of WBNY. Handling 18 credits of classes.
9. What was your biggest failure? -- I don't think I've honestly answered this question in three years. And I don't plan to start now, because it would expose a side of me I just don't think people need to know about.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? -- God, as compared to 2005, this year was fantastic. Only several head colds and a bad case of laryngitis. The occasional neck/back spasm.
11. What was the best thing you bought? -- A ticket for Terrastock 6 -- which got reimbursed by WBNY! Haw.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? -- A few people. My parents, for the incredible stress they've had with moving this year. My flatmate's, Dave. He's one of the most genuine people I've ever met. I wish he wasn't moving back to the Bronx in two weeks.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? -- A few of my friends, who I don't feel as close to anymore. But these things happen.
14. Where did most of your money go? -- Food, poker, gas, school...Same as 2005.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? -- Hiking in Virginia, getting my own apartment room in Morcom Complex, hanging out with certain people.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2006? -- The Mountain Goats: In The Hidden Places / Pure Prairie League - Kansas City Southern
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? -- Too simple of a
question. But somehow, I managed to sink further.
ii. thinner or fatter? -- fatter. I gained like 15 pounds this year. gotta exercise more!
iii. richer or poorer? -- POOR. To the point of being destitute.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? -- Explore the world!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? -- Drink.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? -- In Rhode Island, in a house full of boxes and blind cats.
21. Best musical release of 2005? Mountain Goats "Get Lonely." Without question.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? -- I fell in love with a lot of things.
23. How many one night stands? -- I hope the answer is 0.
24. What were your favourite TV programs? -- Venture Brothers and Metalocalypse. "You'd rather cut off your own ding-dong then drink? Wow-ee!"
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? -- Hate?! Nope.
26. What was the best book you read? -- Camus' "The Stranger." Wharton's "Ethan Frome."
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? -- Probably Jack Rose or Windy and Carl. So many amazing bands from Terrastock.
28. What did you want and get? -- The position of General Manager @ WBNY -- a part-time job over the summer in Maryland.
29. What did you want and not get? -- More activities to curb my gambling/drinking. Oh well.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? -- I dunno. The last one I really enjoyed was "Stranger Than Fiction."
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? -- I had a small party. Met some cool people, had a few drinks. It was nice.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? -- Being able to get out of Maryland more often. Not having to rely on getting staked to play poker.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? -- a black famous dave's shirt that says "go ahead get sauced" on the back, and khakis. on off days, I kept it pretty low-key, as always. white or black plain t-shirts. jeans. new balance shoes and timberland boots.
34. What kept you sane? -- Absolutely nothing. I'm pretty sure I went insane this year.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? -- Senator George Allen. "Macaca."
36. What political issue stirred you the most? -- The sheer amount of corruption in
Congress. I knew it was bad, but, holy shit.
37. Who did you miss? -- If I made a sincere effort to contact you or speak to you when you contacted me when you wern't around me for anything other than business-related matters, then ------ at some point, I missed you. I don't lie about that stuff.
38. Who was the best new person you met? -- I met him in 2005 technically, but Anthony was probably the best person who I actually became friends with. One of the few people anymore that I feel like I can trust with things that actually matter.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. -- Life is absurd. Happiness is absurd. And sometimes you just can't take things too seriously.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. --
and when I got home, I thought about you.
like a desperate policeman, searching for clues
and I almost passed out, just then
and I shut my eyes again
headed for the dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
- The Mountain Goats "In The Hidden Places"
___________
Dear Elle,
you should stop by Rhode Island sometime. we'd have a nice time. plenty of ponds. small town pharmacies. fireplaces.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
|
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? -- I think my resolution this year was "party harder next new years!" I don't know where I'll end up new years, so it may not happen. could be with my parents. could be a spontaneous trip to Philly to see my sister. who knows.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? -- I think another cousin of mine had a kid. They just keep coming.
4. Did anyone close to you die? -- Thankfully, no. Let's hope 2007 is the same way.
5. What countries did you visit? -- Canada --- like always.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? -- Well, the 2005 wish didn't happen, so I won't make that same mistake again. I guess what I'd like to have next year that I didn't have this one is -- happiness.
7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? -- December 4th, when my house of twelve years was sold.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? -- Succeeding at being a waiter. Doing an effective job (I think) of being in charge of WBNY. Handling 18 credits of classes.
9. What was your biggest failure? -- I don't think I've honestly answered this question in three years. And I don't plan to start now, because it would expose a side of me I just don't think people need to know about.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? -- God, as compared to 2005, this year was fantastic. Only several head colds and a bad case of laryngitis. The occasional neck/back spasm.
11. What was the best thing you bought? -- A ticket for Terrastock 6 -- which got reimbursed by WBNY! Haw.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? -- A few people. My parents, for the incredible stress they've had with moving this year. My flatmate's, Dave. He's one of the most genuine people I've ever met. I wish he wasn't moving back to the Bronx in two weeks.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? -- A few of my friends, who I don't feel as close to anymore. But these things happen.
14. Where did most of your money go? -- Food, poker, gas, school...Same as 2005.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? -- Hiking in Virginia, getting my own apartment room in Morcom Complex, hanging out with certain people.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2006? -- The Mountain Goats: In The Hidden Places / Pure Prairie League - Kansas City Southern
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? -- Too simple of a
question. But somehow, I managed to sink further.
ii. thinner or fatter? -- fatter. I gained like 15 pounds this year. gotta exercise more!
iii. richer or poorer? -- POOR. To the point of being destitute.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? -- Explore the world!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? -- Drink.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? -- In Rhode Island, in a house full of boxes and blind cats.
21. Best musical release of 2005? Mountain Goats "Get Lonely." Without question.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? -- I fell in love with a lot of things.
23. How many one night stands? -- I hope the answer is 0.
24. What were your favourite TV programs? -- Venture Brothers and Metalocalypse. "You'd rather cut off your own ding-dong then drink? Wow-ee!"
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? -- Hate?! Nope.
26. What was the best book you read? -- Camus' "The Stranger." Wharton's "Ethan Frome."
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? -- Probably Jack Rose or Windy and Carl. So many amazing bands from Terrastock.
28. What did you want and get? -- The position of General Manager @ WBNY -- a part-time job over the summer in Maryland.
29. What did you want and not get? -- More activities to curb my gambling/drinking. Oh well.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? -- I dunno. The last one I really enjoyed was "Stranger Than Fiction."
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? -- I had a small party. Met some cool people, had a few drinks. It was nice.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? -- Being able to get out of Maryland more often. Not having to rely on getting staked to play poker.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? -- a black famous dave's shirt that says "go ahead get sauced" on the back, and khakis. on off days, I kept it pretty low-key, as always. white or black plain t-shirts. jeans. new balance shoes and timberland boots.
34. What kept you sane? -- Absolutely nothing. I'm pretty sure I went insane this year.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? -- Senator George Allen. "Macaca."
36. What political issue stirred you the most? -- The sheer amount of corruption in
Congress. I knew it was bad, but, holy shit.
37. Who did you miss? -- If I made a sincere effort to contact you or speak to you when you contacted me when you wern't around me for anything other than business-related matters, then ------ at some point, I missed you. I don't lie about that stuff.
38. Who was the best new person you met? -- I met him in 2005 technically, but Anthony was probably the best person who I actually became friends with. One of the few people anymore that I feel like I can trust with things that actually matter.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. -- Life is absurd. Happiness is absurd. And sometimes you just can't take things too seriously.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. --
and when I got home, I thought about you.
like a desperate policeman, searching for clues
and I almost passed out, just then
and I shut my eyes again
headed for the dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
- The Mountain Goats "In The Hidden Places"
___________
Dear Elle,
you should stop by Rhode Island sometime. we'd have a nice time. plenty of ponds. small town pharmacies. fireplaces.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Dear Elle,
While we both have come to the conclusion by now that J.D. is one of -- if not THE greatest versifier of our generation (perhaps a close second is Yoni Wolf of the Anticon squadron "Why?"), I am not sure if you have heard my favorite track (and subsequently, my favorite song of 2006) off "Get Lonely."
You can listen to it here:
http://download.yousendit.com/EEB9D516156CF98C
autumn came around like a drifter to an onramp
there were wet leaves floating in gutters full of rain.
took to walking barefoot around town
melodies from grade school, kicking in my brain.
saw you on the crosstown bus today.
you were reading a magazine.
I turned my face away and I shut my eyes tight.
and dreamed about the flowers that hide from the light on dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
the brakes howled and the bus pulled up near my house
and I got off at the corner.
pulled my sleeves down over my hands, over my hands.
and I wished I was someone else.
and I wished it was warmer.
and when I got home, I thought about you.
like a desperate policeman, searching for clues
and I almost passed out, just then
and I shut my eyes again
headed for the dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
|
While we both have come to the conclusion by now that J.D. is one of -- if not THE greatest versifier of our generation (perhaps a close second is Yoni Wolf of the Anticon squadron "Why?"), I am not sure if you have heard my favorite track (and subsequently, my favorite song of 2006) off "Get Lonely."
You can listen to it here:
http://download.yousendit.com/EEB9D516156CF98C
autumn came around like a drifter to an onramp
there were wet leaves floating in gutters full of rain.
took to walking barefoot around town
melodies from grade school, kicking in my brain.
saw you on the crosstown bus today.
you were reading a magazine.
I turned my face away and I shut my eyes tight.
and dreamed about the flowers that hide from the light on dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
the brakes howled and the bus pulled up near my house
and I got off at the corner.
pulled my sleeves down over my hands, over my hands.
and I wished I was someone else.
and I wished it was warmer.
and when I got home, I thought about you.
like a desperate policeman, searching for clues
and I almost passed out, just then
and I shut my eyes again
headed for the dark hillsides
in the hidden places.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Dear Elle,
What a night. On the way home from Soundlab and the Jack Rose/Peter Walker show, it was going. Very icy/snow filled roads, but I'm going about 30 on the 33-East, so no big deal. I move onto the more treachorous 198, still alright. It's at this point I realize my car is not made for snow.
I realize ahead of time that a couple of the banks on the 198 as Buff State comes into view are dangerous, to say the least. I slow down to about 25, hoping to go down further, but it didn't really matter, as when I turned my wheel right, the car kept going straight, eventually sliding sideways slightly, with the front of the car angling to the right as the car continues to slide. Like a good driver, I don't overcompensate, just praying that I don't hit the metal thing on the median. The car continued to slide while Johnny Bellar's haunting rendition of "Northern Lights" plays in the background, until I brace for the impact. Not as bad as I thought, either. Bruised left arm, even with the seatbelt on. No huge deal.
Front left hubcap missing, and I think I may need to change my front left tire, though it got me back to school OK. I honestly think my car avoided serious dents -- my wheel took most of the impact. My bumper-thing on the side needs to be punched back in though, I think. It was too dark when I finally parked and walked back to my apartment. I don't think the cost is going to be huge, though.
Still. Not a good end to a night.
The show was fun, though. Very intimate, very enjoyable. I got there early and had a drink at the bar with this other guy who came by -- we talked about John Fahey, banjos, and the music of India. Jack Rose played four songs (Cross The North Fork, Now That I'm A Man Full Grown II, Calais To Dover, and Sundogs), utilzing (as always) his twelve-string and slide guitar brilliantly. I was surprised to hear the high-pitched drone "Sundogs" as his closer -- a very gritty song, with some notes that get up so high they make your spine tingle, but I had a nice short chat with him as well, re: Terrastock.
Walker was incredible -- he had a million anecdotes about living in Spain. Things like gypsies, stories about certain types of Spanish/Eastern guitar techniques (he had a story about each one, then played it). Played his own composition of a raga about two individuals who meet, dance, and have a wonderful time together, discussing while dancing about how nice it is to find someone to communicate at ease with, and feel at peace with. The high strings represented the female, and the bass strings represented the male -- very well done, probably his best piece of the evening.
At the end of the set, there was only about 6 people at Soundlab, so he played a quick encore before the show ended. A wonderful experience -- you really get to just sit back and take in the music at a show like this. There was no more than a few dozen folks at the show's peak the whole night, so it was pretty quiet.
Tomorrow....SSDD. I hate school.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
|
What a night. On the way home from Soundlab and the Jack Rose/Peter Walker show, it was going. Very icy/snow filled roads, but I'm going about 30 on the 33-East, so no big deal. I move onto the more treachorous 198, still alright. It's at this point I realize my car is not made for snow.
I realize ahead of time that a couple of the banks on the 198 as Buff State comes into view are dangerous, to say the least. I slow down to about 25, hoping to go down further, but it didn't really matter, as when I turned my wheel right, the car kept going straight, eventually sliding sideways slightly, with the front of the car angling to the right as the car continues to slide. Like a good driver, I don't overcompensate, just praying that I don't hit the metal thing on the median. The car continued to slide while Johnny Bellar's haunting rendition of "Northern Lights" plays in the background, until I brace for the impact. Not as bad as I thought, either. Bruised left arm, even with the seatbelt on. No huge deal.
Front left hubcap missing, and I think I may need to change my front left tire, though it got me back to school OK. I honestly think my car avoided serious dents -- my wheel took most of the impact. My bumper-thing on the side needs to be punched back in though, I think. It was too dark when I finally parked and walked back to my apartment. I don't think the cost is going to be huge, though.
Still. Not a good end to a night.
The show was fun, though. Very intimate, very enjoyable. I got there early and had a drink at the bar with this other guy who came by -- we talked about John Fahey, banjos, and the music of India. Jack Rose played four songs (Cross The North Fork, Now That I'm A Man Full Grown II, Calais To Dover, and Sundogs), utilzing (as always) his twelve-string and slide guitar brilliantly. I was surprised to hear the high-pitched drone "Sundogs" as his closer -- a very gritty song, with some notes that get up so high they make your spine tingle, but I had a nice short chat with him as well, re: Terrastock.
Walker was incredible -- he had a million anecdotes about living in Spain. Things like gypsies, stories about certain types of Spanish/Eastern guitar techniques (he had a story about each one, then played it). Played his own composition of a raga about two individuals who meet, dance, and have a wonderful time together, discussing while dancing about how nice it is to find someone to communicate at ease with, and feel at peace with. The high strings represented the female, and the bass strings represented the male -- very well done, probably his best piece of the evening.
At the end of the set, there was only about 6 people at Soundlab, so he played a quick encore before the show ended. A wonderful experience -- you really get to just sit back and take in the music at a show like this. There was no more than a few dozen folks at the show's peak the whole night, so it was pretty quiet.
Tomorrow....SSDD. I hate school.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
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