Happy Halloween!

And what's Halloween without a little Edgar Allan Poe, right?

The Masque of the Red Death

The red death had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal -- the madness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure, progress, and termination of the disease, were incidents of half an hour.

But Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his crenellated abbeys. This was an extensive and magnificent structure, the creation of the prince's own eccentric yet august taste. A strong and lofty wall girdled it in. This wall had gates of iron. The courtiers, having entered, brought furnaces and massy hammers and welded the bolts.

They resolved to leave means neither of ingress nor egress to the sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within. The abbey was amply provisioned. With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion. The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure. There were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the "Red Death."


To continue the story, go to The Poe Museum.

This is, by far, the coolest thing I've had to say in quite awhile.

So there's this guy that I found out I'm related to.

Maybe you've heard of him. He fell into a ring of fire. And walked the line. And wore black. And there's a little movie coming out pretty soon that's about his life.

That's right. I'm related to Mr. Johnny Cash. He's my sixth cousin, twice removed on the Duffey side of my family.

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!

"I'm Going, I'm Going, I'm Going on a Trip!

Train, plane, taxi cab -- all the choices hip." (Does anybody remember that cartoon Bobby's World? I loved it. And the mom had this great Midwestern accent and said, "Don't ya know, Bobby?" after every sentence.)

SOOO. Anyway. I'm flying into New York on Wednesday afternoon! Wahoo! I changed my flight by one day so that I could be in New York on Wednesday night because The Cloud Room is playing at the Knitting Factory that night. So now I just have to buy my ticket to the show (which I should probably do right now). The Cloud Room is playing with Snowden, Bravo Silva, and The Capitol (Capital?) Years. Buy your tickets now, folks! Let's make it a party! I promise you'll like The Cloud Room. Promise.

My family is still flying in on Thursday night, so I'll have Thursday all to myself. I'm pretty excited about just walking around the city and doing nothing. But if anybody wants to get lunch on Thursday, let me know and I'll see if I can fit you into my schedule. :)

I'm staying on the couch at my former residence. Can't wait to see you all. Feels like it's been longer than a month and a half.

I'm thankful for: my 21 months in New York City.

Happy Birthday, Girls!

So I have quite a few friends that have birthdays in October. I'm gonna copy an idea from Sara's post and make acronym poems for them.

October 1:
Good grief, can you explain to me what a "geezer" is in the U.K.?
Eats a lot of Around the Clock...
Nachos
Eastern Europe aficionado
Vexed by people playing loud hip-hop
I'm just gonna pop into the loo."
English (I'm tired of thinking of "E" phrases.)
Virginia is where she went to "university."
Exactly how do you say the word "Ipswich" or "Worcestershire"?


October 26:
Sense. Or Sensibility?
Are you gonna hire me or what?
Radio Free Roscoe anyone?
"Are you going to eat your tots?"

October 28:
Likes to eat Breyer's Strawberry Ice Cream at 10AM
Everybody look at that hippie in the tank top!
X chromosomes are nice, huh? (Geez, give me a break, I can't think of anything.)
"I wanna miso, miso soup."
Axel is hotter than the skinny shirtless guy.


Okay, that's all I've got. Happy birthday, girls! Love y'all! I'm thankful for: you three!

GO DAWGS!

Happy Halloween To Me

Friday morning, as I getting ready for work, I reached for my belt and had a close encounter with a furry creature. No, not a mouse. No, not a squirrel. No, not a bat (but that has happened in the past with Tyler). It was a spider the size of a dog. Okay, not really a dog. But it was huge. And furry. Maybe a wolf spider? Or a freakin' tarantula? Anyway, the spider is no longer with us in this earthly realm. But it is still on my floor because a.) I wanted to make for darn sure that it wasn't going to wake up when I picked it up and b.) if there are any immediate family members in the immediate vicinity, perhaps the corpse of their brother will persuade them to stay hidden. (Although, I don't know that that is any more comforting to me.)

I don't know where this joker came from. I really don't think it could fit through a vent. What REALLY freaks me out is that I had gotten a blanket from our linen closet a couple of days earlier. Geez, I hope that thing didn't hitch a ride and crawl on me in my sleep.

So here's a picture, just to let you know I wasn't exaggerating. And, yes, that is my black suede skirt that it was resting on. And, yes, I did sweep it off of my black suede skirt before I repeatedly whacked it with the broom. Compare it to the shirt tag to the right.

I forgot to say what I'm thankful for: brooms.

And another thing...

Can I just say that I love this song? (Download MP3 on this page.)

And I'm thankful for: the fact that Sara likes it just as much as I do and had no problem listening to it on repeat the other day.

Ribbon-cutting

Yesterday was our official opening at our computer store in Newnan. And here's a photo. (My knees look hyper-extended more than usual in those pants. Hmm, good to know.) There's my mom and dad (the dude with the exceptionally large scissors that really cut) and my dad's mom is beside him and my grandpa is behind her. Our tech guy is the one beside me with the navy shirt on. Everybody else is from the Newnan Chamber of Commerce and I have no idea who they are. But I thought it was cool that we had a pretty good turn-out. We're going to have a publicized grand opening in November. (I think it's the second weekend, for you Carrolltonians out there.)

You can click on the picture to enlarge it in another window.

And here's a picture of Tug. Just because I like the little fella.

Word of the Day

Thanks to Merriam-Webster Online, I now know what "amphibology" means. You can sign up and get an email sent to you with a new word everyday.

I like this new word. I think it's one of my favorites.

amphibology \am-fuh-BAH-luh-jee\ noun

: a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way

Example sentence:
Not wanting to voice what I really felt, I resorted to amphibology and said, "I can't say too many good things about her."

I'm thankful for: my Mama Jo and Paw Paw. Gosh, I love 'em. I wish everybody could have their own Mama Jos and Paw Paws. The world would be a better place.

So, at the request of a couple of folks, I'm writing a new post. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to write about, but I guess that never stopped me before, huh?

Honestly, I've been steering clear of writing a post for a while because I've felt pretty bored and lonely and crappy about myself and my future. So I knew that anything I wrote on here would run the risk of sounding really pessimistic and negative. But I'll just give y'all an overview of what's going on right now.

I bought two new CDs today. The new Franz Ferdinand album because Brigham raved about it. (Although I can't find that post of his.) And because the last one was fun. I also bought the new Sufjan Stevens album. I'd been holding off on this one because I love Seven Swans and didn't want to ruin it, in case this one wasn't as good. But it's good. Not as good as Seven Swans, but I think Seven Swans is probably the best album since Abbey Road. Or possibly Kashmir's Travelogue. (I'm kidding. See "My 50th Post". )

Anyway, yeah, Illinois (Sufjan's latest album) is good, but I've written a lot about him lately, so I'll spare you.

I've started writing again. I've got lots of ideas running around in my head. Just have to lasso them and get them on paper. If I ever finish, I'll send out copies for everybody to help me edit it. That's IF I ever finish it.

I've been having crazy dreams lately. That are really entertaining. That's good, I guess because I've been pretty bored. At least my subconcious is active.

I've realized that a stagnant, boring life actually is really good for a writer or artist of any type. Forget heartache and drama. Boredom makes the imagination go crazy. I'm building all of these stories in my head which, I don't know, may not be that healthy but at least I still recognize reality versus fantasy. Right now, anyway.

So I went to the mall with Sara today. I wanted to buy those CDs and a few more. It is ridiulously difficult to find music around here. We drove 45 minutes to the mall and I couldn't even find The Cloud Room or Mobias Band at FYE or Borders. Geez, I should open my own music stores around here, but I guess with iTunes and Amazon.com, it wouldn't really be a lucrative business. Besides, around here people only listen to rap, country, or Dashboard Confessional junk. None of which I would carry in my little music shop.

I've had a sort of job opportunity present itself. I met a pilot the other day that wants to start taking aerial photographs. He asked me if I'd like to work with him. I think it'd be fun. Again, not exactly a lucrative business, but it'd be a fun addition. I think it'd be nice to see the sun coming up from a little Cessna every morning. If I had an opportunity for a nap at some point during the day.

I'm coming to New York on the first weekend of November. (Yay! That's soon!) I think we're flying up on the 3rd and staying until the 6th. So mark your calendars folks 'cause we're gonna have some fun.

I know this was a pretty boring post, but I thought I'd just get caught up on what's going on with me. As minute and blah as it may sound.


I'm thankful for: Cooler weather! Yay! I wore a sweatshirt today!

Looks like I moved at just the right time...

It Rains Buckets, Then Barrels, Across Region

and

Terror Officials Work to Assess Subway Threat .

Here are those pictures...

...of my ol' buddy Jason (with Sara and me, respectively). Why did we not get one with all of us together in a well-lit place? Not sure.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Sara and I hung out with Jason last week when we went to Hot 'Lanta for the Aqualung show. It was good to see him -- it's been years. He's doing well. Double-majoring at Georgia State and still rockin' out on those drums.







I'm thankful for: a special little card I got in the mail today from my 4-year-old friend Matthew.

This is unbelievable. And gross.

There was this 13-foot Burmese python in the Everglades that ate a 6-foot alligator. Then the python blew up.

It's on MSN. It's an AP story. With pictures.

To my friends in NYC...

which one of you pulled this prank?

Stay safe. Fo' real.

The Cloud Room

I like their name. I like their music.

They're based in Brooklyn. So you folks up there NEED to check them out. They're in Europe on tour right now, but when they get back...

My dad and I heard them on the way home from work yesterday on the ever-popular XMU station and I said, ahem, and I quote, "Hey, I like them. They sound like a happier Interpol." And this is what SPIN says, "Lead singer J. of the Cloud Room sounds like a happier Paul Banks of Interpol fame. The comparisons to '80's British post-punkers like Joy Division and New Order are easy to make, but the Cloud Room is also clearly influenced by the dance-rock NYC scene in which they flourished."

I understand that there are a lot of bands out there that are compared to Interpol and Joy Division and the like, but these guys are fun. Here's their link. Check out the "Hey Now Now" MP3.

AK-wa-lung

Here are some of the pictures I took at the Aqualung show the other night. It was fun. We got there a little late and missed a song or two, but it was okay. I still got to hear "Good Times Gonna Come" and "Tongue-tied." Ahhh, such good music. They had a little impromptu jam session when one of them broke a string and he sang a little diddy called "The Southampton Blues" which explained why he wasn't qualified to sing the blues. One of the reasons included that there were two black people in his hometown. They finished up the night with a Queen song, "Somebody to Love". Not sure if that's the real title as I am NOT a Queen fan. However, Sara was pretty happy about it.

This one's a little dark, but it's the only one I have of the whole band. Note Ben Hales, the sarcastic (or "cheeky") brother of Matt Hales, to the far left.




Matty Hales in action.



Teenage (drooling) girls at the front. No, I was not one of them. I'm 23.


And this may or may not have been Matt Hales water bottle. Hard to tell.


Sara and me after the show. (Note: For optimal viewing, please leave this photo at small scale. I'm referring to myself -- not Sara.)


WARNING: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS NOT PRETTY. This is me the next day at work after going to sleep at 3 AM and getting up at 7 AM. Ok, it's a little exaggerated, but that's how I felt... And please, for the sake of all that is holy, do not enlarge this picture.

(Note: Sara has written a great, descriptive post about the show. If you haven't gotten your fill of Aqualung-related content, here's her link.)




And in unrelated news, I now have an enormous closet.

And not ONE,


But TWO sinks in MY bathroom.


Hopefully, there will be more pictures from the other night courtesy of Sara. As I mentioned, my camera died. But after the show, we met up with Jason, a friend from high school that lives in Atlanta. So Sara has pictures from that reunion. If there are any remotely decent ones of me, I might put 'em up here.

I'm thankful for: rain. I love it like I love...my dogs. Or writing something that I'm proud of. Or the feeling after a good movie. Or Aqualung. Yeah, that's it. Rain and Aqualung.

Good show last night. It was a good night all around. I'll write more and post the few pictures I took before my camera died later today after I get off work and take a nap.

Despite the fact that...

Genevieve's old roommate (and, coincidentally, Lexia's and my despicable real estate broker that never gave us the kickback she promised) Shelli might like them as well, I am going to see Aqualung play tomorrow night at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. This will be my second time seeing them. (Aqualung is the name of Matt Hales' band and has nothing to do with the Jethro Tull song.)

Side-note #1: Hopefully, Aqualung will also be the subject of a future post entitled "I Liked Them Before You Did." (Possibly a recurring post?)

Side-note #2: Genevieve and Ian are going to see U2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday. UHHH! (Could a guest post be in the works?)

Peace.

Wow. What is the name of this band?!?

That would be Mascott.

My mom's car has an XM radio and there is an awesome station called XMU (I guess because indie music = college radio). So I was listening to that station tonight and I heard this amazing song by a group called Mascott (yeah, with two T's). The song was called "Off Blue". I've looked everywhere for an MP3 to put on here, but I just can't find one.

This song was perfect. Just perfect. Let me start by prefacing that, believe it or not, Mascott is a girl. A girl singer. A lot of you know that I am not the biggest fan of girl singers/grrl bands/chick rock, etc. With the exceptions of Kim Gordon and Kim Deal (from Sonic Youth and The Pixies/The Breeders, respectively). But this was a girl with her acoustic guitar and a clear voice singing about, from what I gathered, becoming happy -- getting herself "off blue", metaphorically speaking. Enter violins and a minor chord and you have a really mellow ballad. One may say, "Minor chords and violins? Seems kind of contradictory to be singing about making yourself happy," right? But it was surprisingly optimistic and, if nothing else, just clear and refreshing and beautiful.

All of the MP3s I've found of hers don't live up to the brilliance that I just described. She kind of sounds like That Dog in all of the other songs. But just for the sake of it, here's a link. (Note: If you follow this link in a public place, make sure you mute your computer. There are little cheerleader icons that say, "Rah! Rah! Rah!") Cute website, but slightly annoying.

Also heard a band called The Mobias Band. Fans of The Postal Service should check 'em out.

I'm thankful for: How fast the human body can heal itself. Or regenerate? Is that the right term? What I mean is, I'm thankful that, if my feet hurt when I go to sleep, in the morning they feel great. I guess, technically, that means I'm thankful for my youth, huh?