One of the most beautiful songs I have come to know is "Southern Cross" by Crosby Stills Nash and Young (also popularized by Jimmy Buffetts cover).
The greatest force driving the music is love, but not love in the traditional sense eg between two people etc. It really is the stability of the partner here, the "southern cross," a part of a constellation travelers/sailors used to find their way. Had you not known this- the way the stars are sung about could be the way you feel about that one person- that one thing dear to your heart, except the stars are always there- they can't hurt you and leave you. Sure they may be hidden behind cirrus, stratus or cumulus clouds- but inevitably they're always there.
Personally I prefer Buffett's cover- it speaks to me. Maybe its his love of the ocean that is more convincing than 4 hippies whom probably never sailed- I don't know.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Crazy Impulses
Sometimes I think that if I don't do something in a (very) short amount of time, I am going to die. Now I realize this will probably never happen but I follow through with it anyway.
For instance if I am sitting on the couch in the morning and I hear my backup alarm (on my mobile) go off in the bedroom, I will subconsciously say to myself, "if I don't turn it off by the fourth beep, I am going to die."
Now if this were an odd occurence it would be acceptable, but when it starts to affect your daily behavior and routines it is simply unacceptable.
Another crazier one-- if I am in a car on a two way street, I will push my tongue up against the back of my front teeth until a car comes in the opposite direction, at which point I will move my tongue away from my teeth whilst the car is passing me directly and I follow by reapplying my tongue once it has passed (so my tongue is only away from my teeth during the split second the car is alongside me).
If that doesn't make sense to you, it's probably better that way. Imitating this is not the sincerest form of flattery.
For instance if I am sitting on the couch in the morning and I hear my backup alarm (on my mobile) go off in the bedroom, I will subconsciously say to myself, "if I don't turn it off by the fourth beep, I am going to die."
Now if this were an odd occurence it would be acceptable, but when it starts to affect your daily behavior and routines it is simply unacceptable.
Another crazier one-- if I am in a car on a two way street, I will push my tongue up against the back of my front teeth until a car comes in the opposite direction, at which point I will move my tongue away from my teeth whilst the car is passing me directly and I follow by reapplying my tongue once it has passed (so my tongue is only away from my teeth during the split second the car is alongside me).
If that doesn't make sense to you, it's probably better that way. Imitating this is not the sincerest form of flattery.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Gift of Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman is perhaps the greatest pop culture authoritarian of our generation. His books are a compendium of growing up with glam rock, college life, living in Manhattan and growing up in a small town. I must say I think some of his earlier contemporaries were just as gifted (mainly Brett Easton Ellis, Jay McInerny and Chuck Palahinuk) but Klosterman's message is clearly the least vile and most readable.
I really appreciate his random musings on topics like: serial killers, reality TV, the Sims, getting pulled over for speeding in Montana, and so forth...
If you have not read one of his books (I fancy Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs and Killing Yourself to Live myself), do so right away.
I really appreciate his random musings on topics like: serial killers, reality TV, the Sims, getting pulled over for speeding in Montana, and so forth...
If you have not read one of his books (I fancy Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs and Killing Yourself to Live myself), do so right away.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Favorite Days Part II
My other favorite days seem to fall into an odd category-- days that I am lost. See I never get lost by accident, many times I try to get myself as lost as possible so I cannot remember my bearings. In the United States its pretty fun and easy to find your way back (to wherever you started from) since there are people whom speak the same language as you.
Now I had the experience of trying this little stunt in a small town in Greece called "Athens." Two things I found out on this trip: 1. Greeks love to violate your personal space and frequently shout inches away from your face 2. Greeks do not like Americans or dogs.
I did my best to dress European (wore pants and a fairly trendy euro-style shirt) and blend in with the crowds yet I was still sought out by every gypsy, street merchant and weirdo. Keeping in mind both axioms mentioned above, I am not used to people screaming in my grill in another language. If you want that treatment in the US of A you probably have to pay extra for it. Nonetheless, taking a step in and raising your hand like you are about to strike someone is not a good idea-- turns out that strangers on the streets of Athens will help each other out when an irate American is on their turf.
So four hours and 3 sets of wrong directions later, I made my way to the Acropolis. Backing up one step here I would like to say that all of Athens is replete with colonnades, decor, parks, statues, museums, etc. from that period of time we refer to as "B.C." People there do not even realize how crazy it is-- that a 60 foot ionic column that appears to be 4000 years old has advertisements tacked on to it and is sitting only a foot from a major thoroughfare.
So when I made it to the Parthenon atop the great Acropolis, to say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. It is a history buffs dream (much like everything else in the city). I cannot tell you how awe inspiring the views are from there and how insignificant the place makes you feel.
One really amazing thing I took away from the trip is that the moon really gets close when you look at over the Mediterranean at night. It is huge.
Another equally surprising thing about Athens is that there doesn't seem to be much need for pet stores, dog breeders or kennels. Apparently people just walk down the street and take dogs home and make them pets. Lose your dog? No big deal, just go out and find another. What is funny is that Americans are usually alert to a stray dog in their vicinity and won't approach it, which can be interpreted as the dog having the upper hand (regardless if they can smell fear or not). In Greece, stray dogs live in constant fear of humans. People just walk up to dogs and beat them mercilessly-- I mean to the point of long term damage. Seeing it happen in person several times over the period of a work-week was troubling to say the least.
So on my long sojourn home from the acropolis I found a quiet cafe on a corner, ordered my weight in lamb, potatoes and Mythos (Greek Beer); and read a book I brought.
I eventually found my way home in one piece though I do not recommend any type of transportation unless you speak the language or are traveling with someone that does. Taxi drivers will attempt to get you to coax over the amount for a lunar landing and buses are not a good option, especially when you are an American and nobody will let you off at your stop.
Another thing that is weird-- you can't really buy individual drinks at most bars, you need bottle service, though its not like $700 for a bottle of Grey Goose like in NY. Also they give you choices of fruit juices to go in said bottles.
Once I let my guard down (everytime two people have a normal conversation like "how are you John?" "I am good Charles, how is the family?" etc) and realized not every conversation would come to blows as a result of their proximity to one another with accelerating decibel levels, I cooled out. End Transmission.
Now I had the experience of trying this little stunt in a small town in Greece called "Athens." Two things I found out on this trip: 1. Greeks love to violate your personal space and frequently shout inches away from your face 2. Greeks do not like Americans or dogs.
I did my best to dress European (wore pants and a fairly trendy euro-style shirt) and blend in with the crowds yet I was still sought out by every gypsy, street merchant and weirdo. Keeping in mind both axioms mentioned above, I am not used to people screaming in my grill in another language. If you want that treatment in the US of A you probably have to pay extra for it. Nonetheless, taking a step in and raising your hand like you are about to strike someone is not a good idea-- turns out that strangers on the streets of Athens will help each other out when an irate American is on their turf.
So four hours and 3 sets of wrong directions later, I made my way to the Acropolis. Backing up one step here I would like to say that all of Athens is replete with colonnades, decor, parks, statues, museums, etc. from that period of time we refer to as "B.C." People there do not even realize how crazy it is-- that a 60 foot ionic column that appears to be 4000 years old has advertisements tacked on to it and is sitting only a foot from a major thoroughfare.
So when I made it to the Parthenon atop the great Acropolis, to say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. It is a history buffs dream (much like everything else in the city). I cannot tell you how awe inspiring the views are from there and how insignificant the place makes you feel.
One really amazing thing I took away from the trip is that the moon really gets close when you look at over the Mediterranean at night. It is huge.
Another equally surprising thing about Athens is that there doesn't seem to be much need for pet stores, dog breeders or kennels. Apparently people just walk down the street and take dogs home and make them pets. Lose your dog? No big deal, just go out and find another. What is funny is that Americans are usually alert to a stray dog in their vicinity and won't approach it, which can be interpreted as the dog having the upper hand (regardless if they can smell fear or not). In Greece, stray dogs live in constant fear of humans. People just walk up to dogs and beat them mercilessly-- I mean to the point of long term damage. Seeing it happen in person several times over the period of a work-week was troubling to say the least.
So on my long sojourn home from the acropolis I found a quiet cafe on a corner, ordered my weight in lamb, potatoes and Mythos (Greek Beer); and read a book I brought.
I eventually found my way home in one piece though I do not recommend any type of transportation unless you speak the language or are traveling with someone that does. Taxi drivers will attempt to get you to coax over the amount for a lunar landing and buses are not a good option, especially when you are an American and nobody will let you off at your stop.
Another thing that is weird-- you can't really buy individual drinks at most bars, you need bottle service, though its not like $700 for a bottle of Grey Goose like in NY. Also they give you choices of fruit juices to go in said bottles.
Once I let my guard down (everytime two people have a normal conversation like "how are you John?" "I am good Charles, how is the family?" etc) and realized not every conversation would come to blows as a result of their proximity to one another with accelerating decibel levels, I cooled out. End Transmission.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Favorite Days
This past weekend was my birthday. It was also incidentally one of my favorite days as a grown up. Though technically my birthday fell on Sunday, I celebrated with my friends on Saturday.
Here is how it went down:
Friday night was Halloween, I dressed up as Samantha Ronson (Lindsay Lohan's girlfriend). It was a pretty awesome costume if I do say so myself and most people seemed to agree. My friend Thomas dressed up as Satan from South Park, his gf Melanie dressed as Amy Winehouse and my friend Brandon (who came up from DC) dressed as the villain from scream. Upon seeing his costume I asked him who spilled 1997 all over him-- he didn't appreciate it that much.
At any rate we went to see a band (Booga Sugar)-- a popular band in the city and east coast at Crash Mansion. We were all housed by the time the band went on and we were front and center dancing our arses off, taking turns going to the bar for more fluids.
While I was in line for the men's room during their intermission I eyed a very attractive female two people ahead of me. Our eyes met, she then looked down-- I shifted my stance so that I could see her in my peripheral vision and noticed she cut me up rather obviously. I turned to her, waited for her to look back in my direction, put on my best crooked smile and then gave her a "come hither" look while motioning with my hand. She responded with a "who me" type reaction and I knew it was game, set and match.
She moved back in line to stand next to me and we started to talk. I put my hand on her elbow as we were speaking in close proximity due to the noise level. Before I knew it she had grabbed my hand and pulled me into a single bathroom with her, locked the door and started kissing me passionately. As I was processing everything that was happening, the bathroom attendant started banging on the door saying that one of us had to come out or we would be thrown out of the bar. Seeing all of my worldly possessions for that evening were in Amy Winehouse's purse, I couldn't allow this to happen. I exited the bathroom and waited for her outside.
Since I did not have my phone on me (once again in Amy's purse) I opted to give her my number (never tried that before) and we went our separate ways to look for our friends.
We spent the rest of the night after Booga went off at the Alehouse just shooting the breeze and having fun. We went back to Thomas' apartment around 5am and off to sleep.
Saturday we arose at 11 am, watched Entourage and then ordered in breakfast (which hit the spot). We all got cleaned up and went to the dog park inside Tompkins. This was a great time-- there were some freaky performance artists scattered throughout the park-- they were all wearing blue ox helmets and most were engaging in typical human behaviour-- playing checkers, reading, having conversations, etc. There was one notable exception-- a guy was chained to a tree in the middle of one of the promenades. He was kinda laying down and bereft of shoes, with a dirty shirt and pants on.
The dog park itself was really cool, lots of beautiful dogs and single women. I asked one young Asian woman what kind of dog she had (whilst she was petting him), she told me he was an Italian mastiff. I then told her he was well hung-- everybody around us started laughing and she asked me to repeat what I said, so I replied "he looks like fun."
Shockingly, she walked away.
After that we went to a local bar for appetizers and drinks and did some shots around midnight for my birthday. It was uneventful but entertaining.
The girl from the bathroom texted me on Sunday while I was treating myself to dinner and watching football at a local bar&grill by me. Everything worked out nicely.
Here is how it went down:
Friday night was Halloween, I dressed up as Samantha Ronson (Lindsay Lohan's girlfriend). It was a pretty awesome costume if I do say so myself and most people seemed to agree. My friend Thomas dressed up as Satan from South Park, his gf Melanie dressed as Amy Winehouse and my friend Brandon (who came up from DC) dressed as the villain from scream. Upon seeing his costume I asked him who spilled 1997 all over him-- he didn't appreciate it that much.
At any rate we went to see a band (Booga Sugar)-- a popular band in the city and east coast at Crash Mansion. We were all housed by the time the band went on and we were front and center dancing our arses off, taking turns going to the bar for more fluids.
While I was in line for the men's room during their intermission I eyed a very attractive female two people ahead of me. Our eyes met, she then looked down-- I shifted my stance so that I could see her in my peripheral vision and noticed she cut me up rather obviously. I turned to her, waited for her to look back in my direction, put on my best crooked smile and then gave her a "come hither" look while motioning with my hand. She responded with a "who me" type reaction and I knew it was game, set and match.
She moved back in line to stand next to me and we started to talk. I put my hand on her elbow as we were speaking in close proximity due to the noise level. Before I knew it she had grabbed my hand and pulled me into a single bathroom with her, locked the door and started kissing me passionately. As I was processing everything that was happening, the bathroom attendant started banging on the door saying that one of us had to come out or we would be thrown out of the bar. Seeing all of my worldly possessions for that evening were in Amy Winehouse's purse, I couldn't allow this to happen. I exited the bathroom and waited for her outside.
Since I did not have my phone on me (once again in Amy's purse) I opted to give her my number (never tried that before) and we went our separate ways to look for our friends.
We spent the rest of the night after Booga went off at the Alehouse just shooting the breeze and having fun. We went back to Thomas' apartment around 5am and off to sleep.
Saturday we arose at 11 am, watched Entourage and then ordered in breakfast (which hit the spot). We all got cleaned up and went to the dog park inside Tompkins. This was a great time-- there were some freaky performance artists scattered throughout the park-- they were all wearing blue ox helmets and most were engaging in typical human behaviour-- playing checkers, reading, having conversations, etc. There was one notable exception-- a guy was chained to a tree in the middle of one of the promenades. He was kinda laying down and bereft of shoes, with a dirty shirt and pants on.
The dog park itself was really cool, lots of beautiful dogs and single women. I asked one young Asian woman what kind of dog she had (whilst she was petting him), she told me he was an Italian mastiff. I then told her he was well hung-- everybody around us started laughing and she asked me to repeat what I said, so I replied "he looks like fun."
Shockingly, she walked away.
After that we went to a local bar for appetizers and drinks and did some shots around midnight for my birthday. It was uneventful but entertaining.
The girl from the bathroom texted me on Sunday while I was treating myself to dinner and watching football at a local bar&grill by me. Everything worked out nicely.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Obama's Big Win
It seemed like the whole world was pulling for Obama this past Tuesday-- the press remained firmly in his corner as countless foreign politicians and government-types expressed their gratitude to the American people for sending "The One" to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue this January.
As a conservative and someone that did not vote for President Elect Obama, I actually felt pretty good about the outcome-- clearly much better than when President Clinton unseated Bush 41 and Senator Bob Dole lost to the "Man from Hope" four years later.
The GOP did manage to avoid a full on bloodbath by limiting the democrats to 58 senate seats and therefore short of a filibuster gold card. Considering everything that happened in the past 4 years, the GOP should consider itself lucky- getting drunk with power and partaking in all the excesses that the Newt Gingrich led "Contract with America" railed against.
As a conservative and someone that did not vote for President Elect Obama, I actually felt pretty good about the outcome-- clearly much better than when President Clinton unseated Bush 41 and Senator Bob Dole lost to the "Man from Hope" four years later.
The GOP did manage to avoid a full on bloodbath by limiting the democrats to 58 senate seats and therefore short of a filibuster gold card. Considering everything that happened in the past 4 years, the GOP should consider itself lucky- getting drunk with power and partaking in all the excesses that the Newt Gingrich led "Contract with America" railed against.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Most Ridiculous Horoscope Ever
Today is my birthday.
Some important birthdays throughout history for November 2nd: Daniel Boone (remember the Alamo), Presidents Polk (Manifest Destiny Biatch) & Harding (handsome "compromise candidate whom handsomely failed the oval office) Patrick Buchanan and most notably celebrities KD Lang & David Schwimmer (yawn).
My birthday is also "All Souls Day" for those into religion/spirituality and today in 1960 Penguin Books was found "not guilty" of obscenity for publishing Lady Chatterley's Lover. Edgy.
After a birthday Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich I checked my email and imagine my amazement when I opened a link to my birthday horoscope:
David,
Your chart right now practically shouts that you need to exercise more, and you need to watch your diet. You have financial opportunities to celebrate, but if you do that with cookie dough ice cream, it will go straight to your waist line right now.
Cookie dough ice cream? Shouts that I need to exercise more?
I am not overweight, nor am I a perfect specimen of health but I sure as hell don't think about taking advantage of a financial opportunity to celebrate with cookie dough ice cream. But seriously, is this the way some clown interpreted the stars? You can't make this stuff up.
Some important birthdays throughout history for November 2nd: Daniel Boone (remember the Alamo), Presidents Polk (Manifest Destiny Biatch) & Harding (handsome "compromise candidate whom handsomely failed the oval office) Patrick Buchanan and most notably celebrities KD Lang & David Schwimmer (yawn).
My birthday is also "All Souls Day" for those into religion/spirituality and today in 1960 Penguin Books was found "not guilty" of obscenity for publishing Lady Chatterley's Lover. Edgy.
After a birthday Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich I checked my email and imagine my amazement when I opened a link to my birthday horoscope:
David,
Your chart right now practically shouts that you need to exercise more, and you need to watch your diet. You have financial opportunities to celebrate, but if you do that with cookie dough ice cream, it will go straight to your waist line right now.
Cookie dough ice cream? Shouts that I need to exercise more?
I am not overweight, nor am I a perfect specimen of health but I sure as hell don't think about taking advantage of a financial opportunity to celebrate with cookie dough ice cream. But seriously, is this the way some clown interpreted the stars? You can't make this stuff up.
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