I forgot that this is fun

A few weeks back I made a short mix CD for Jim that included a few songs by the White Stripes and others. Along with the CD I gave him a copy of the sheet music for the White Stripes' songs. I was hoping at least one of the songs would click with Jim and he would record it at home on his four track. He was wooed by the song "We're going to be friends." He recorded a version of it and gave me a tape with his take of the song along with his usual large output of recordings. I may have to buy a new cassette tape just for the tapes Jim has made of his home recordings for me.

The other night I picked my high-end imitation Stratocaster and tried to learn the simple finger picking that goes with the song "We're going to be friends." Last night Wendell and I practiced it together. Hey, playing guitar is fun! Even if, like me, you ain't no good. A couple times last night I actually lost myself and stopped thinking about what I was doing and just played. I hadn't done that in forever. I don't know what it is about me that has created this lazy streak a mile wide. I have always had it and I don't know where it came from. Hopefully last night was a good sign and I'll start playing every day again, even if it's just for ten minutes.

I smell Emmy!

Actually I smell propagandist shit.

"One of the original aspects of Soviet cinema is its daring in depicting contemporary historical personages, even living figures," André Bazin dryly observed in his 1950 essay, "The Myth of Stalin in the Soviet Cinema."

I hope he burned his face on the asphalt

Protestors and prayers make a stand as the country gets more godless.



Personally, I can't wait until Christianity becomes another dead religion that we study in our mythology text books. All remnants of the original message of the one they called Jesus have been successfully squelched by the various sects.

Business guys

The best calls we get are from businessmen. They're amazing. They can turn a 2 minute Q&A telephone call into a torturous fifteen-minute conversation.

George Carlin once said that the goal of business is to fuck the other guy before he gets a chance to fuck you. After speaking to these guys on the phone over the years I am of the opinion that the actual goal is to lull the other guy into a coma with inane conversation and then date rape 'im.

I may be wrong, I'm not in business. It's just the impression I've received.

The old guy in the back

Because of the time I spent in the service I started college late. In fact, because I didnt' fly to Charlotte before I got out of the Marines I started college a year later than I should have. I was 23 when I started taking classes at Central Piedmont Community College.

I spent about three years there as a part-time student and then spent three more years at UNC-Charlotte. Eventually I walked away with an English degree. The whole time I was in school I was older than most everyone else in my classes. Especially at the university.

I remember sitting in poetry writing class one day talking to a girl that I had a crush on. I believe she was a junior and this was my first year at the university. She asked me my age and I told her that I was 27. She looked astonished. Her surprise added a little color to her face and she was even cuter. She then said, still a little shocked, "No way! I knew you were older, Ed, but I had no idea you were that old."

She was then embarrassed by her surprise but it was all good. I kidded her about it and then it was forgotten. I wish I could remember her name. She was my partner in a letter writing project we did in class. Every week we would alternate exchanging letters in class. It was a fun project and similar to email exchanges since the tone of the letters was casual. I wrote a lot about trains. The tracks that run from Charlotte to Raleigh are near the university and you could hear them engines whistle all day. It made the place feel more rural than it was.

Bow down to Ronald

I found this picture on the site of the band called the Shins.

Neal Pollack kills me again

This is funny stuff.

Fox news takes a juvenile parting shot

Check out the quote from their spokeshuman in this article.

I got news for you Fox News, Al Franken does not live in obscurity. He may not have an audience the size of yours but neither does he pander to the slavering multitudes.

The Fox's fifth Birthday Bash

Several years ago, around 1991 or 1992, the classic rock station in town called "The Fox" had a concert at the region's largest outdoor venue called Blockbuster Pavillion. I don't remember who all they had playing. It was a bunch of acts I wouldn't bother seeing now but I wasn't as sophistomocated as I am now. Stevie Nicks was there along with the band that does "Born to be Wild." It's one of the few concerts that I have been to that I can recall nothing about it that was interesting. Good thing we snuck in liquor.

I went with my friend, Jeff, and my then girlfriend Maria. Jeff snuck in schnapps and I snuck in whiskey. We both got bored and, while sitting in the hotting sun, we drank too much. Maria told me she never wanted me to drink whiskey again because I yelled at girls and Jeff threw up and passed out.

After sleeping for about an hour and a half Jeff woke up, cleaned off his face and looked like he wasn't sure where he was. He didn't really wake up, he kinda blinked and looked confused. Like a mummy coming to life in the middle of a museum. A couple of young women were sitting behind me and one of them called to me, "Hey, Hey!" I turned around and said, "Yeah?"

She said, rather snottily, "Tell your friend that the next time he comes here to bring a mattress so he can sleep better."

I laughed and turn to Jeff and repeated what she said. Jeff was laying on his stomach, raised his head, gave her the finger and said, "Up yours, baby." He then laid his head back down.

I almost died laughing and that girl didn't say another word.

The Guy

There's this guy that is at the library every day. He's a homeless fella and, according to one of our security persons, he is a Vietnam veteran and he was an engineer at some point in his life. I think Vietnam messed him up so much that he just stands around all day. He's a nice guy and smiles and says hello if you greet him. He fascinates me but I've never really talked to him.

Here's a picture of him standing outside waiting for the light to change.