Now...

I know I'm a music nerd. I go through songs and bands like a fat kid eats cake. But holy crap this new Sufjan Stevens album is going to be freaking amazing. Probably even better than Greetings From Michigan.

"Come on! Feel the Illinoise! -Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition -Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream" is simply one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Long winded title and all, I cannot stop listening to it. I repeated it at least 10 times on the way to and from Decatur, and I listen to it every morning before I go to work. I fear I will probably wear it out, but God, I hope not. It's amazing. Everyone I know should buy this, or I will buy it for you.

Also, today, I am playing soccer with a guy who played for the Trinidad National Team and 2 guys from England who coach the MLS camps here. I am going to get my ass kicked. It'll be great.

-ed
-ed

I Hate Vanity License Plates...

And today I followed a guy home who had "THEKANG" on his plates. WTF. I'm pretty sure he meant "The King" but said with a Southern accent. I wanted to rear end him so terribly bad.

I saw a bunch of bunnies for sale on the way to work this morning, and I laughed. Those who know my history with rabbits will laugh too.

-ed

Should I Be Surprised...

That the fat girl I work with has Ho-Ho flavored lip gloss? You know, the little cake thing made by Hostess? It's authenticity was confirmed by Suzanne, the grossly overweight fork lift driver, who I firmly believe has eaten or smelled many, many Ho-Ho's in her life.

The driver of the Old Dominion Freight truck, Elton, is this late 60'sish fat guy who just says the most random and hillarious stuff, so in a semi-regular feature, I bring you Elton's Words of Wisdom, uncensored and uncut.

Elton's Wisdom for the Day:
"That shit we smoked in the 70's, that was good shit. I'd take 3 hits and I'd be outta my head. I had this budy once, took two hits, woke up in a park with ducks shitting on him."

-ed

Coffee and Sunflower Seeds...
are my lifeblood

List of Random Stuff

1. Number of times "Revolution Blues" by Neil Young was playing when I entered a McDonald's parking lot: 2
2. Number of times Tara's mother attempted (unsuccesfully) to tell me why Tara chose Belmont: 2
3. Number of blind horses that ran into me: 1
4. Number of huge metal crosses I encountered: 2
   
5. Worst Driver Award: The woman in the Econoline van who tailed me for 5 miles outside of Paducah, KY when I was going 80mph and no one was around for miles.
6. Time I was most likely to die (Tied with Gayest Moment) : Singing along to a Gwen Stefani song in Effingham, Il, pulling into a gas station next to a guy with a Confederate flag in his window (I could have sworn Illinois was part of the Union...)
7. Word said the most on my ride back: "idiot"
8. Bocce ball means "little balls" ball
   

Dear United States Government,
Before I take a trip to Decatur, Illinois again, I would like you to fix a few things:

1. Please find a better name for "Land Between The Lakes State Park"
2. I-24 turns to crap as soon as I hit the KY state line. Please spend some money and make road driveable.
3. Please get rid of that huge metal cross in Effingham, Ill that scared me to death when it rose like a monster over the horizon.
4. Please make a nationwide declaration that the speed limit is 70, not 65 like KY and Il seem to think it is.
5. Please make an law declaring that when you have to slow down, it is not a "speed zone." There is nothing speedy about slowing down from 65 to 45mph.
6. And finally, please make the terrain of Illinois more interesting. Adding hills would be nice. And trees. That'd be cool too.

Thanks,
Eric Domkowski

All in all, a great trip. Tired me out like no other, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

-ed

Useless Information!

Ok, so since I have a nearly 7 hour drive ahead of me on Saturday, I made 3 mix cd's to help me enjoy the ride. So, for posterity's sake, here are the playlists, each with it's own classic title:

1. Decatur Drive: THE ROCK
1. Silence Kit - Pavement 2. Going Up The Country- Canned Heat 3. My Coco - Stellastar* 4. The Rest Will Follow - Trail of Dead 5. Teenage Riot - Sonic Youth 6. Rebellion (Lies) - The Arcade Fire 7. Like Eating Glass - Bloc Party 8. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979 9. The Best of Jill Hives - Guided By Voices 10. Heated Pool and Bar - John Vanderslice 11. Movement - LCD Soundsystem 12. January 1979 - mewithoutyou 13. Abel - The National 14. Bridges and Squares - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists 15. Hotcha Girls - Ugly Casanova 16. The Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes 17. Arc Arsenal - At The Drive-In 18. Change Your Mind - The Killers 19. Good Morning Aztlan - Los Lobos 20. I Love the Valley OH - Xiu Xiu.

2. Decatur Drive: THE MIDWEST (which basically are bands from the midwest, or bands that I think should be if they're not already. Someone will probably correct me. Advance Warning: Don't Care.)
1. The Great Salt Lake - Band of Horses 2. Never Meant - American Football 3. Without Panasos - The Anniversary 4. Girl Is On My Mind - The Black Keys 5. The Recluse - Cursive 6. With God On Our Side - Bob Dylan 7. All Harm - Early Day Miners 8. Burned Bridges - The Get Up Kids 9. The Dark Don't Hide It - Magnolia Electric Co. 10. Terrified - Norfolk and Western 11. Tear Stained Eye - Son Volt 12. Via Chicago - Wilco 13. Come On! Feel the Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens 14. The Last Days of Disco - Yo La Tengo 15. Tampa To Tulsa - The Jayhawks 16. Transcontinental - Pedro The Lion 17. Michigan - Red House Painters

3. Decatur Drive: THE DANCE
1. Fever (Adam Freeland Extended Mix) - Adam Freeland and Sarah Vaughan 2. Heartbeat (Phones Maximo Remix) - Annie 3. Still Missing (Royksopp Remix) - Beck 4. Close To Me (Closet Remix) - The Cure 5. Got It Twisted Sister (The Rapture Vs. Mobb Deep) - Dopplebanger 6. What You Waiting For? (Jacques Lu Cont Thin White Duke Mix) - Gwen Stefani 7. No Not Now (Hot Hot Dub mix) - Hot Hot Heat vs FakeID 8. My My Metrocard - Le Tigre 9. Bucky Done Gun - M.I.A. 10. Money Folder (Four Tet Remix) - Madvillain 11. Tears of Octopus (Adam Sparkles Remix) - Man Man 12. In My Arms - Mylo 13. It's For You - Out Hud 14. Remind Me (Someone Else's Mix Edit) - Royksopp 15. Someone Like You (Fast Track Vocal Mix) - Superdiscount 16. Random - Lady Sovereign

-ed

Televangelists...

So, I wake up early every day (around 7:30-8am), and while I drink my coffee, I watch TV. Now, as we don't have cable TV, I'm stuck with whatever is on the standard channels. Luckily for me, we have 4 out of 13 stations devoted to religion (and another 3 for the wonders of Home Shopping). This means I have my choice of televangelists to watch each morning. These guys seriously make me laugh so hard. They range from little kids shows to a guy who answers letters adressing topics as:

"What happened to the other races during Noah's flood?"
'Well, John in Deluth, it says God made Noah take 2 of every 'flesh.' So that means all other races were part of that. Thank the Lord the white man was there to save them."

But by far, my favorite guy is Benny Hinn.

http://www.faithcenteredresources.com/images/benny-hinn-website.jpg">

This guy is amazing. He wears white suits (or today, since he was in Nigiria, a white dashiki) and says God speaks directly to him. He has this weird accent, and I think he's from Israel, so it's even more hillarious. He's one of those guys who pushes people and says they are healed and grabs people and says that their cancer is gone. Today, he told this story about how this woman's daughter isn't in Hell, because God told him so. This guy totally reminds me of that John Edwards psychic weirdo, because he's so vague and creepy. Anyways he makes me laugh really hard, and I need that in the morning.

Did you know Tony Danza has a talk show? Wow. I'll be glad to be working and not have to watch this stuff.

-ed

World, Rejoice: Part II

For I am employed! The Randstad woman called me up today and said they had an opening at this factory for someone to fill orders, so I jumped on it. Turns out I'm working at Spontex, a company that makes sponges.

Ok, laugh....go! Alright, laugh time is up.

She told me I needed to get steel toed boots, so I went to Wal-Mart and bought some, along with some bitchin' Wranglers, which are by far the most uncomfortable jeans I've ever worn, but I think I'll fit in. I also found my camo bandana, which will be used somehow. I figure I should jump in head first and assume the roll of redneck for this job. I'm already afraid they'll see my earrings and think I'm gay, so if I wear the Wanglers, it should throw them off the trail a bit.

It shouldn't be that bad of a job, the woman said there will probably be a lot of downtime. I just hope it lasts for a while, and that I can keep it up when I start classes at Columbia State CC.

And! And! I'm going to Tara's this weekend! Good week all around!

-ed

Another Boring Day...

I'm on the call list at Randstad for "Light Industrial Work," which basically means I'll be doing factory assembly line crap, so whoo hoo. Right now any job is a good job. Hopefully they'll call soon.

I've seen so many things where I'm like, "I can do that!" such as sign painting and holding a sign declaring a business to be "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! MUST LIQUDATE!" I need to get connections in this town. I even took Christina's advice and looked on thefacebook.com for people in Columbia. I didn't know anyone except Stacey. And for a moment I felt lonely, which is odd, because as an only child I'm used to being alone. I've missed being with people, but I've never felt like I was lonely, like there was no one to connect with. But here, I go for days with the only people I talk face to face with being my parents. Then I talked with Jordan online this afternoon, and that was great because even though we're hundreds of miles away, it still felt like there was a connection still, a person to talk with.

Anyways, that's way more emotional than I usually get. My deepest apologies.

I might see Tara this weekend! Woot! Let's hope it all works out.

-ed

Record of the Week - Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth

What Hell...

Sonics 101, Spurs 89

-ed

Random Thoughts...

• The longer I live here, the more inbred people start to look.
• There is nothing more that makes me not want to get married than the vocal delivery of "Going To The Chapel of Love," that oldies song with the line (delivered like a drunk, unhappy housewife) "Gee I really love you and we're going to get married."
• Despite my best attempts to sleep in today, I still woke up at 7am. I defiantly laid in bed until 8am when my mom came in and made me get up.
• The Debussy record I bought at Goodwill for $.75 is amazing for 1) including Clair de Lune, La Mer, and Arabesque #1 and 2) having that amazing Japanese print that I want so badly on the cover.
• I have this feeling my iPod will never get fixed.
• I miss people I truly know more than I could have ever imagined.

-ed

The Saga Continues...

Today, in the parking lot of Lowes, I saw a kid (probably around 9 years old) get out of a car and proceed to pee in full view of everyone.

I stood there, not knowing what to do or think. Then I realized I was in Columbia, and it all sort of made sense.

The good news is that we finished sheet-rocking my room, so now all we need to do is cover the seams and I can start painting. I'll try to post pictures of the progress.

-ed

What's Wrong with Evangelical Christianity, Part 1.

As many of you know, I grew up in the Church of Christ, a very conservative denomination. We don't have musical instruments in worship, women have basically no say in anything, and we are the people that voted for Bush soley because "he's a Christian." Now I don't consider myself a member of the Church of Christ anymore due to many various things, but something happened today that jogged my memory as to one of the first reasons I became dissillusioned with the church. (Now before I go off on this, please realize I do consider myself a Christian, I'm just not comfortable with a lot of the mentalities that are aligned with it).

We used to have this thing called "Leadership Training For Christ," where you would spend half a year or so learing everything you could about a book of the Bible, and then you would go and compete against other kids from around Texas in such things as a trivia bowl, drama, singing, art, and other things. You would get awarded different medals (gold, silver, bronze) for your efforts, but if you really sucked, you got nothing at all. I realized pretty quickly that something was wrong with this. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A COMPETITION. Just because I drew a pretty picture doesn't make me a better Christian than the guy who submitted one with a stick figure. I'm sure people would say that it's just good to get kids into Christianity, let them learn about it. That's well and fine, I can honestly say that I know a good deal more about straight Biblical things than many of my friends who still go to church, but to turn it into a competition is horribly wrong.

I was reminded of this when I turned on the TV this morning and it was on one of the 4 religous stations that we get (out of 13 possible channels), and they had a quiz show for little kids about Old Testament things (I also think it was from the 80's). There were two teams, and when the final score was announced, the camera fixed on the losing side and you could see the utter disapointment on their faces (talk about conservative guilt..."look at you, you know nothing!") and it got worse when the guy announced the other team got a watch. The little girl, probably around 10 years old, looked like she was going to cry.

If we continue to turn Christianity into a competition for the younger generation, it would do us well to actually sit down and think about what the message of Christianity is. It's most definitely not a ranked list of the saved.

-ed

How Do I Know I'm In Columbia?
(Besides the accents and the general punk-rock attitude of the citizens)

Because when I turn on the radio in my shower on Friday night, instead of nice oldies music, I hear reports of NASCAR races, complete with reports from the pits.

Still no word on a job, but I'm hoping something happens soon. I'll probably go out looking again on Monday, because tomorrow will be spent working on the house.

Reminder to myself: Buy more jazz records.

-ed

World, Rejoice...

For I have finally set up the voicemail thing on my phone. Now you can all leave me messages and I'll be obligated to call you back (grr).

BTW, these little vegan cracker things my mom bought are amazing when you eat them with pepperjack cheese. Yum.

-ed

Summer in Columbia, Day 1...

Today, my only goal was to go apply for a job at various places around town. I mean, who needs a summer break? Give me work now. Anyways, I applied at Hewgly's Music Store and was told no because they only had two employees but to keep trying because, "one of us has to leave sometime." Yeah, sure. Then I went over to House Blend Coffee Shop and asked and was given an application but no indication of whether they were hiring or not. Then I drove down to the mall and walked around. At the Dollar Tree, they had a huge sign saying "NOW HIRING." Now, I figure that they don't pay a lot, but hey, a job is a job right now, so I went in and asked. This is how it went down:

I walk into the store and the woman behind the counter immediately runs off to the back. So I wait around for about 5 min and walk around the store. Eventually she comes back. I walk up to her.

Me: Hey there, are you still hiring?
Her: Uh, no. (Walks away very quickly)

Now, I don't want to think bad things. I want to believe that people are nice people. But I have reason to believe that because I don't fit the clientle of the Dollar Tree (fat, black, and female) there was no way I was going to get a job. Or if that's not the case, they need to take down the sign and quit giving me hope for employment.

So far, the best opportunity I've seen is for pizza delivery. And I'm seriously considering it. Papa Johns or Dominos? Such a quandry.

Anyways, that's the main excitement for today, woot.

-ed

P.S. Christina, if you have those pictures from when we were all sitting on that deer...I'd like them :)

Now Batting for the Texas Rangers...

Pope John Paul II! I'm not even kidding, check this out.

-ed

Announcement...

Tomorrow, when I talk to people online, I will not use punctuation. Be prepared.

-ed

FYI...

My latest trip to Grimey's is now classified as the best trip this year, since I picked up Talking Heads: 77 on vinyl (which I have been looking for for a long time), and the National's latest record, which is just beautiful and sad, which fits my mood perfectly today. Sigh.

My parents are coming in to town today to take some stuff back to Columbia (or as I am now fond of calling it, the C-O-L), so they're taking me out to lunch...woot. I still don't get to leave until Tuesday afternoon. Thank you Kiki and your crazy antics.

-ed

It's 8:40am, and I'm awake and bored...

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C

-ed

So, stuck eating a freaking Honey Bun again...

WHEN ALL I WANT IS DUNKIN' STIX.

I miss you, Dunkin' Stix. Snack Machine Guy, please bring my Dunkin' Stix back. If I'm going to gain weight, I want to do it with the Stix.

-ed

A Tribute to Frank Brickowski...

When I was younger, I used to collect basketball cards. I would spend my weekly allowence on Upper Deck or Fleer cards that I'd buy at the Stop 'N Go, praying I would get a Michael Jordan card (which I did once. Thanks, God.). Anyways, more likely than not I would get a bunch of no-name players and occasionaly a 6th man (Once I got an Kevin McHale card, that was awesome).

There was one player, however, that I always seemed to get. Frank Brickowski. Frank played for a lot of teams, even the Spurs.

I always got his card when he played for the Bucks. I hate him and his stupid crew cut. His presence in my pack of cards automatically meant that Michael Jordan was not in that pack. Why would Air Jordan waste his time with lowly Frank Brickowski? I did some research and found out Frank went to UPenn, and averaged like 11pts a game. NBA.com lists his carrer average at 10ppg. If Frank was anything, he was consistent. According to a Google search, Frank is more known for knocking Dennis Rodman on his ass in the 1996 NBA finals (when he played for the Sonics) than anything else on the court, even more than winning the 6th man of the year award in 1992. To quote from www.sonicscentral.com, "a 6-9 rough and tumble player full of fire and grit -- and with very few actual skills at the time--made the team." And I always got his card.

Anyways, I hate Frank Brickowski.

-ed

Bruin Cup Party...

So, this pretty much explains the condition we were in...

Kyle and me, on top of Six. Go Decoys.

-ed

Wow...

So Illinois by Sufjan Stevens just leaked and I've picked up a couple of mp3's from it, and all I can say is "Holy Crap." This is amazing. Picks up where he left off with Michigan and makes it better. I can't do it justice, so just listen to it.

Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

-ed

Spurs vs. Nuggets: A Comparison by Uniforms
(aka Why The Nuggets Suck)

So I'm watching the Spurs game, and there's something that the Nuggets exude that just makes me think, "Geez, they suck," and I think I finally figured out what it is. Their uniforms. Seriously, let's take a look at the two "classic" uniforms from both the Spurs and Nuggets. First up, the Spurs:

Ok, first of, note the classic design of this uniform; The Spurs logo square on the center, black and white colors, pretty much the best uniform ever. George Gervin is also posed in a classic shot, looking like the Iceman he is. Now, let's look at the classic Nuggets uniform:

Can anything get worse than this? I can barely describe this thing without choking. Those colors should not be combined. Forest Green? Red and Black? Yellow? Who designed this crap? And Dan Issel? Is this not the most awkward pose ever? He's like the antithesis of George Gervin: White and horrible. I mean, he's nowhere near the rim. I bet he couldn't even dunk on a kidde hoop. Now, a look at the Spurs uniform of today:

Again, classic. Nothing has really changed in the basic design. It's still black and white, the Spurs logo is still in the center, albeit slightly updated, but still the same basic theme. And Tim Duncan has an air of confidence that just says "Winner." Now, the Nuggets of today:

Uh, pardon me, but baby blue has never looked good on athletes. I think the Clippers tried it once. Anyone remember the Phillies uniforms that were baby blue? HORRIBLE. Things don't change. These uniforms suck. Look at Carmelo. He's like "Dear God, trade me now. I feel so gay. Why couldn't I have been the number one pick and played for the Cavs? God, I hate Dan Issel."

And that is why the Nuggets suck.

-ed

Depressing Fact of the Day...

The #1 song on my birthday was "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner.

This fool rocked my birthday. I want a do-over.

Find out yours here.

-ed

Funniest thing I've read today...

As I was doing research for my paper in Honors about cocaine, I stumbled across a website about George W. Bush's alledged cocaine use, and at the end of the article, there was this:

Rock and Roll: Bush keeps a picture of himself with two members of ZZ Top, but does not play the song "Tube Snake Boogie" during his celibacy lectures. We have found no evidence to support the the most explosive allegation so far; that Bush played air guitar to a Foghat record at a party in the late 1970s. But he won't deny it, either.
http://www.realchange.org/bushjr.htm#cocaine

So...Bush played air guitar to a Foghat record. What a loser. Everyone knows AC/DC was the true 1970's party band. I just really like how they imply that Bush's listening to rock music meant he snorted crack. "explosive allegation," lol.

-ed

Revelation of the Day...

"Signed, Sealed, Delievered" by Stevie Wonder has the best drum sound ever. I can't even begin to describe it. I'm trying to figure out how they did it. Sounds like they used two drum kits and panned them L-R. The snare is so crisp and full. The kick drives. And the tamborine! Amazing.

-ed

Doing Smokin' Keith Proud...

Let's hear it for Blake Hamilton, going 7 innings w/ only one run and beating Penn, all with Smokin' Keith in attendence.
All my favorite memories of SMH baseball involve Smokin' K, like when he would eat all the brownies, steal our seeds, stand behind the plate and smoke while I was catching, getting into fights with the oposing tream's coach, and hitting Kasey Walker with a baseball when he was trying to shoot us flys with the JUGS machine.

Not really Smokin' K, but according to Google image search, the only Keith Hamiton is this big black guy with dreads.

-ed

Take that, Nick Rogers...

Spurs Win. Make the Nuggets their bitch. San Antonio/Pembroke 324 rejoices. Tim Duncan receives taco flavored kisses from Hispanic women worldwide.

-ed

The Red Headed Ninja...

Fast As Lightning - The Viking

So Katherine asked me to help her do her Rec Tech project, and of course I agreed due to the fact that song that came of my Rech Tech class, "Cliche College Ballad" was the best thing ever, A/C in the background and all. However, as Zach pointed out, we may still turn out crap, but "the quality of our crap has improved a lot."

And with that, a combined effort of Jeremey "The Viking" Stephens, Christina Petaros, and myself has birthed upon the world the wonder I like to call "Fast As Lightning," quite possibly the best rap ever created at Belmont. Take that Blaze.

-ed

I went out and stared it down...

I was going to lead off with Iron and Wine lyrics because I saw them last night, but I didn't...

Basically, the show was amazing. They re-interpreted nearly every song they played, with only songs from the new Woman King EP and "Naked as We Came" getting the recorded version treatment. Many times I didn't realize what song was being played until Sam Beam sang the lyrics, but the songs sounded amazing, a testimony to their melodies and lyrics. They are definitely more "rocking" these days, with Beam even playing electric guitar and damn near making the tall guy in front of me bang his head. At an Iron and Wine show. What is this world coming to.

Anyways, this is the best song I've ever had the opportunity to play bass on, so please download it:
UniXcore - The James Bond Jrs.

(I'm sorry if it doesn't work, I've tried everything. If it doesn't, simply type in "http://www.geocities.com/ericdomk/UniXCore.mp3" into your browser, and it should work then)


-ed

Please Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself...

So Ashley inspired me to reconfigure this thing. Of course I basically just chose a new template, but it's a fresh, new, exciting, (insert cliche here) start for ye olde blog.

-ed

Here is my new disposition...

Flashback 2002: Driving in my car, singing along to "To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children" at the top of my lungs, pitch blackness surrounding me on the backroads of New Braunfels, TX.

Last night, April 22nd 2005: Front of the stage, singing "To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children" along with Brett Detar, just like I was 17 again. Amazing.

I know exactly why people go to Journey concerts still. They may be passed their relevance, but the memories and feelings remain.

Thanks to Christian Petaros for the great photos.

-ed.

So call me lame...

But I'm uber-excited for the TNT Music Festival. Why? Because The Juliana Theory is playing, a band I spent my middle teenage years adoring. Then they released a crappy album on Epic and I totally forgot about them. But for a few years, they were amazing. They were pseudo Christian so my mom wouldn't get on my case about them, and they had piercings and harmonies. Now I'm listening to Emotion is Dead and sadly realizing I know every melody and guitar line. But I will be front row when they play, and I will be singing along to every song I know. I am lame.

Don't you just love my newfound use of images???

-ed

Neon Signs and Silver Lakes...

THE GREATEST SONG EVER by Chris Smallwood and the Unfortunate Genitalia.

-ed

Wow.

There are two records that I have played enough to know every single note and nuance of, and they are "Lonesome Crowded West" by Modest Mouse, and "Ghosts of the Great Highway" by Sun Kil Moon.

I went to see Mark Kozelek (of Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon) this Friday night, not expecting much because his last performance in Nashville (that I also went to) was pretty disasterous. But how does he start off his show this time? With a cover of "Truckers Atlas" by Modest Mouse. I was floored. He played a quick cover of "Dramamine" from MM's "This is a long drive for someone who has nothing to think about," last year, but nothing prepared me for the beauty and sadness that Kozelek brought to Issac Brock's lyrics this year. Then, after he changed guitars, he started with the "Dramamine Cover" and since I was the only one who cheered, I'm hoping I was not the only one in the crowd who knew what was being played. Finally, he played "Convenient Parking," and turned it into something entirely different and amazing. I can only hope that one day Kozelek decides to release a record of Modest Mouse covers, like he did with AC/DC, highlighting the lyrical genius of Brock with Kozelek's beautiful guitar playing. This would be my ulitmate mash-up record. Please Mark, do it.

-ed

And now for something that just doesn't happen at Belmont....

(names and facts have been changed for protection of the innocent...)

ericdomk: hey (name), what's up?
Person: not too much you?>
ericdomk: just relaxing in my room for a bit...how are things in (random city)?
Person: not gonna lie.. i'm still drunk from last night
Person: so pretty good
ericdomk: haha, amazing
Person: i had to take a quiz before 8 thismorning on the internet
Person: and i went to class drunk

I'm waiting for one of these from Kibbe...nah, j/k, she don't roll like that.

-ed

Do teachers plan these things out??

Dr. Thorndike asks us to write a WebCT post about what our group is covering in our presentations, so that means two of us are writing about the exact same thing. Well, Kate beat me to the post, so instead of just repeating what she wrote, I hammered out this gem of a WebCT post...

Yeah...ditto what Kate wrote.  The topics we will be covering will raise
moral and ethical questions that you, the students, are afraid to ask in
polite company, such as, "Cocaine, I hear a lot about it from my older
brother that lives in the basement, but what exactly does it do?" and,
"What do I need to write on the back of these evaluation slips?"  We're
using some pretty sweet books, the covers look well planned out, kudos to
the design teams.  A potential field trip to seedier sides of Nashville
is being evaluated by President Fisher and his people.  Ok, not really,
but it will be entertaining. I promise.


So this is probably the most worthless thing I've ever written for that class.  And I love it.

-ed

Indie Rock All-Star Team...

So a while ago in Spin, Chuck Klosterman wrote a satirical article about a rock star dream team, where you pick individual musicians from different bands, He might have been joking, but I'm gonna give it a try.

Drummer - Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse)
Lead Guitar - Jim James (My Morning Jacket)
Guitar - Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon)
Singer - Travis Morrison (Dismemberment Plan)
Lyricist - Stephen Merritt (The Magnetic Fields)
Bass - Kim Deal (Pixies)
Keys - Whit Travisano (The Mercury Program)

-ed

Eric's Karmic Rule of Guitar Picks...

For every pick you lose, you shall find one in return.

You know it's true.

-ed

Things I cannot spell, at all...

So I was sitting in Bongo, writing a paper, and I realized that there are quite a few words that I misspell on a regular basis that I'm consciously aware that I misspell and I still do it. Just a sampling of them...

1. across
2. access
3. coming
4. absolutely
5. whether

There are others. When I think of them, I'll add them.

-ed

Billy Prince is the Tweaker...

I started a Billy facebook group. I'm really proud of it. Probably the most bitchin' thing I've ever done. Besides, you know, finding that little plastic guy in the trash that now sits on top of my computer. That was amazingly bitchin'.

-ed

Today...

I got my first haircut since approximately the end of July. I am unsure of the date, but I know I got one before I left for TN. I am experiencing what I like to call, "Ghost Hair." After getting used to my hair blowing in the wind and moving when I shake my head, after getting it all chopped off, it feels like it's still there. But it's not. It's freaky. It'll take some getting used to.

-ed

I just don't understand...

This whole Teri Schiavo case. But before I get too deep into that, I guess I should explain my position on the subject of prolonging life longer than should be. I feel that if a person is in a state that only machines are keeping them alive, then they have essentially lost their humanity. They are no longer a functioning entity. I know it's bad to boil a person down to that, but it's not life. It's unnatural...the fact that they would be dead without machines should tell people that they are not really alive anymore. I know that you can say that medicines do the same thing, and you'd be partly correct. They keep you alive, but it's within your own power. Your body, on it's own, is alive.

So basically, I agree with the courts decision to remove the feeding tube. I know her parents are heartbroken, etc...etc...and all the idiotic conservatives are up in arms and Jeb Bush is trying to step in and "save the day" (man, he's slowly catching his brother as the worst Bush). It just pisses me off to see them claim this woman can feel and is alive. Honor her wishes. Let her die.

Boy, that was a depressing post, I'm sorry.

-ed

The Aftermath...

So the Hail RD pulled a fast one on me, and took "selected" songs from my setlist, loaded them into iTunes, and mixed them in with songs of her choice, like NSYNC, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and "The Cotten Eyed Joe." And when I say "selected," I mean "Dance to the Music" by Sly and the Family Stone. So needless to say, anything adventerous I wanted to play got rejected. I know it was a "formal" and people probably want to hear things they might know previously, how many times do we need to hear "Hey Ya!"? And more than likely I'm making this a bigger deal that it should be, but oh well. I still can't do the freaking electric slide.

Anyways, I'm hosting a dance party with real bitchin' tunes in my room on Wednesday night, March 23rd, anyone is welcome to attend. And I will probably be dancing alone.

-ed

Set List for the Hail Hall Formal...

(Pending Hail RD approval...freedom of speech whaaaa??)

New, finalized setlist...I think...

1. Daft Punk is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem
2. Canned Heat - Jamiroquoi
3. Banquet (Disco Edit) - Bloc Party
4. Dance To The Music - Sly and the Family Stone
5. Take Me Out (Morgan Geist Remix) - Franz Ferdinand
6. A Little Less Conversation (JXL Remix) - Elvis Presley
7. Dragostea Din Tei - O-Zone
8. Such Great Heights (Remix) - The Postal Service
9. Bold Soul Sister - Black and White Affair
10. Umbrella of Love (Ron Curty Mix) - United States of Electronica
11. Just Couldn't Tie Me Down - The Black Keys
12. Jump Around (Extended Version) - House of Pain
13. Since I Left You - The Avalanches
14. Rock The Casbah - Brokedown Palace
15. Mars Arizona (DFA Remix) - Blues Explosion

There are a few changes my inital list from last night, mainly I added a few more. Again, it's doubtful the entire set will be played...I'm hoping I can get to at least "Umbrella of Love," because that will get the floor going. I gave up any hopes of creating a "Middle School" theme when I realized that if it's not going to want to me dance, then it probably won't work on anyone else. Don't you just love forcing your music onto other people?!

Setlist, circa Friday night:

1. Daft Punk is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem
2. Canned Heat - Jamiroquoi
3. Banquet (Disco Edit) - Bloc Party
4. Dance To The Music - Sly and the Family Stone
5. Dragostea Din Tei - O-Zone
6. Such Great Heights (Remix) - Postal Service
7. It's For You - Out Hud
8. Bold Soul Sister - Black and White Affair
9. Just Couldn't Tie Me Down - The Black Keys
10. Since I Left You - The Avalanches
11. Take Me Out (Morgan Geist Remix) - Franz Ferdinand
    
12. Mars Arizona (DFA Remix) - Blues Explosion

Can't do too much with it, since I'm not the only DJ, but it's about an hours worth of material, and it probably won't all get played. I think it will be a lof of fun. I personally will be a dancing machine with my date Sam Dorgan, the rockinest Ohioan around.

-ed

So I've noticed recently...

That I can't speak coherently anymore. This is somewhat distressing, particularly since I think that making sense when you speak is paramount to the other person understanding you. Maybe it's just this readjustment to doing work again after being in the land of sun and flavor for a week, or maybe I'm just retarded. Probably the latter.

Quotes to live by:

1. "Thanks for breaking glass where my kids play."
2. "Movie doesn't even rhyme with beach!"
3. "That's really cool...asshole."
4. "Hey you! Are you hot? Yeah, you're hot!"

-ed

In FL...

Lots to write about soon...14 guys in one place equals many, many good stories.

-ed

Ode To Hakamova...

Oh Hakamova, I still remember the day I brought you home from that Wal-Mart in Nashville in that plastic cup. You were the only Beta still available, and it was fate that we were joined to experience college life together. I bought you a small tank, though it is a stretch to call it a tank. More like a cup. But you loved it becasue it had this green plastic tree thing that you could swim around and sparkling white rocks to cover the barren floor. I would show you your reflection in the mirror and you would get really pissed off and look all mean. You were amazing. Then, the honeymoon started to end. I got tired of cleaning your cup. You really should have learned how to clean up after yourself, then perhaps you would still be here. But anyways, you and I co-existed for over a year, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now you are going to a better home, with someone who might actually remember to feed you and change your water. I'm sure you'll be happier there, but don't forget the times we had. Take care, Hakamova.

Your friend,
Eric Domkowski

Songs I Wish I Had Written...

...because everyone is just stealing my ideas before I can think of them.

1. A Muder of One - Counting Crows
2. Debaser - The Pixies
3. Revolution Blues -Neil Young
4. For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti - Sufjan Stevens
5. Glenn Tipton - Sun Kill Moon
6. Have You Forgotten - Red House Painters
7. I Don't Believe You - The Magnetic Fields
8. Mojo Pin - Jeff Buckley
9. Never Ending Math Equation - Modest Mouse
10. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
11. Photobooth - Death Cab for Cutie
12. Poor Places - Wilco
13. Rebellion (Lies) - The Arcade Fire
14. Still Be Around - Uncle Tupelo
15. The Breathing Method - The Get Up Kids
16. The City - The Dismemberment Plan
17. The Rat - The Walkmen
18. Windfall - Son Volt

As a side note, "Gingie" has to be the THE WORST NAME EVER.

-ed

Stole this from Ashley...

Step 1: Open your Winamp or other lesser MP3 player.
Step 2: Put all of your music on random.
Step 3: Write down the first 20 songs it plays, no matter how embarrassing.

So this list is different than the one I posted before, b/c I lost it. Suffer through it, ok?

1. I'm Beginning to See The Light - Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
2. You've Got Her In Your Pocket - The White Stripes
3. Chump Change - The New Pornographers
4. To Be Alone With You - Sufjan Stevens
5. Avery Island/April 1st - Neutral Milk Hotel
6. Nothing Better - The Postal Service
7. Bird Stealing Bread - Iron and Wine
8. The New - Interpol
9. Stay Another Season - The Avalanches
10. From Now to Never - Sparta
11. Road to Joy - Bright Eyes
12. If It's Not With You - Phoenix
13. You're No Fool (July) - The Good Life
14. Rainbow Silhouette of the Milky Rain - Deerhoof
15. Jesus Children of America - Stevie Wonder
16. The Faithful Anchor - Unwed Sailor
17. The Blankets Were the Stairs - Sunny Day Real Estate
    
18. Slice Paper Wrists - Poison The Well*
19. California Love (Remix) - 2Pac
20. LA - Elliott Smith

*I posess only one hardcore song in my library, and it made it on the list. I don't even think I've listened to it before.

-ed

Conversation of the Night Award Winner pt. II

ericdomk: how was A2?
nizzzlebizzzle: hahahahaha
nizzzlebizzzle: billy couldn't figure out how to make the synchopation for the flying faders work, so from 2:15 until 3:10 he sat in front of the computer and tried to get them to work
nizzzlebizzzle: we were all having out own conversations and stuff; it wasn't class, it was more like free time
ericdomk: oh man...I can only wait until that day!

Also, there's nothing better than checking your bank account and having more money than you thought you did. Rock!

-ed

I don't know what else to do...

So let's say I have this "fish." Let's also say for anonymities sake that it's name is "Phil." I've had "Phil" for well over a year now. I bought him as a joke, not really expecting "Phil" to make it past the first few months in a college dorm room.

But "Phil" is a fighter. He is quite possibly the heartiest fish in the world. He's survived not being fed for a week, not having his water changed for upwards of 3 weeks, and eating a blob of peanut butter. He still keeps on swimming. If the movie "Brian's Song" was about a fish, "Phil" would be the star.

The problem is, I don't want "Phil" anymore. But I can't bring myself to flush him down the toilet or anything. If he's going to die, I want it to be by natural neglect. He's the most useless part of our room (besides the little S&M doll thing that Kyle's mom inexplicably gave us last year), but I have a soft spot in my heart for him. He's been there through thick and thin, I want him to die with grace. So I really have no clue what to do here but change his water every so often and try to remember to feed him...maybe give him some more peanut butter.

-ed

Best conversation of the night...

GoTgUsTeR07: i cant find em
ericdomk: lol
ericdomk: he must have the smallest package ever then
GoTgUsTeR07: yah the vet was like where did u get him and i told him
GoTgUsTeR07: and he was like
GoTgUsTeR07: well i cant find his balls
GoTgUsTeR07: and i was like WHAT
GoTgUsTeR07: and he was like o there they are..must be cold in here huh boomer
ericdomk: poor guy...he probably couldn't get the job done anyways
ericdomk: lol...this is by far the best conversation I've had today and it's all about your dog's small junk

Poor Boomer. All that humping my leg for nothing.

-ed

Do you ever wonder if there are things you should cry about?

to explain, my uncle died this week. I didn't really know him very well, since he lived halfway across the country from me. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen him, but he is my dad's brother, so I feel that I should feel some sort of sadness. And I actually do, but not to the degree that I thought I would. Maybe the unfamiliarity is what leads to this lack of emotion. I don't know. Hence the title of this piece.

-ed

My Alanis Morissete Song...
With help from my roomate, Kyle Duquette

"Why"



Twinkies, ho-hos, love handles

Why God, Why?

Ho-hos, ice cream cones, fat girls

Why God, Why?



What have I done to deserve this red horror?

Surrounded on all sides with the Hell of fat girls

Like a Keats character, I'm wordy and alone

Why God, Why?



Cottage cheese thighs, twinkies, saggy tits

Why God, Why?

Fat girls, saggy tits, love handles

Why God, Why?



What have I done to deserve this red disaster that is my life?

Surrounded on all sides with the Hell of fat girls

Like a Keats character, I'm wordy and alone

Why God, Why?



What have I done to deserve this red misery?

Surrounded on all sides with the Hell of fat girls

Like a Keats character, I'm wordy and alone

Why God, Why?



Why God, Why?

Why God, Why?

Why God, Why?

Why God, Why?

-ed

I Don't Understand it...

Am I the only person who's not swept away by the latest Bright Eyes releases? I mean, they're ok, but they're not anything close to "an American masterpiece." It's not like he's doing anything original...folk? Throw a mandolin on it? Brilliant! I even prefer the elctro-album to the folk one. The story at the beginning of the first folk song? I nearly threw up. Spare me the fake dramatics, Conor. Reminded me of the endless car ride clip at the beginning of "Lifted" that almost made me never listen to that disc again. (although I would have missed "From a Balance Beam, the true genius track on there.) I think people were so inundated with propaganda saying that this was going to be amazing that they're afraid to speak out. I am not. I've had these records for 2 months, and I've been hoping that they would grow on me so I could fit in, but they haven't. Kids, bright eyes is not the savior of music. Bright Eyes isn't even our generations Elliott Smith. Quit giving him God status.

I know, I know, listen to the lyrics. I try, but all I hear is nasal whine, nasal whine. Perhaps this guy is like Dylan...as Mitch said, "There hasn't been a Dylan song that hasn't improved when someone else records it."

So, I think the thing here is we need a Bright Eyes cover album.

Someone get Dave Matthews on this.

-ed

If I was a children's choir director...

So Sara gets to direct the children's choir at church back in SA, and it got me thinking....I really want to direct a children's choir. And it wouldn't be one of those crappy ones that I was in as a kid, where we sang those stupid "unity" songs and the freaking theme to the "Rainbow Connection," you know, the Muppet movie. And we had to wear matching pastel colored shirts. And I had a little kid crush on the girl who stood next to me (since we all sang the same pitch) and she totally ignored me. It was a generally horrible experience now that I think about it. So without further ado, I give you the songs I would have my children's choir sing:

1. "I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)" - as performed by the Rolling Stones
2. "Higher Ground" - as performed by Stevie Wonder
3. "Just What I Needed" - as performed by the Cars
4. "Debaser" - as performed by the Pixies
5. "Olsen Olsen" - as performed by Sigur Ros
6. "Closing Time" - as performed by Semisonic
7. "The Seed 2.0" - as performed by the Roots
8. "Revolution Blues" - as performed by Neil Young
9. "The Stars are Projectors" - as performed by Modest Mouse (this would be the long, challenging piece where everyone would be all like "man, this guy is a genius!")
10. "I Don't Believe You" - as performed by The Magnetic Fields
11. "Bille Jean" - as performed by Michael Jackson (this would be the encore).

-ed

So...

I think I have reached a new all-time low in terms of intellectual capacity.

I was reading the headlines on Yahoo! News and I saw a line that said "Paris gets Holocaust memorial" and I immediately thought, "Paris Hilton is getting a memorial?!"

Sigh. Curse you, pop culture and your sex tapes.

-ed

I had the best time recording and playing with Aaron and David this weekend. The songs were awesome...if there's such a thing as "hitting the spot" in terms of playing music, that was it. Hopefully we can do some more things together this semester, I really miss having a creative outlet. I have no desire to become famous through anything like that, but there's just something about being able to play music with people who have the same influences/direction as you that I really enjoy. And it'll give me some practice with engineering, so that's not all that bad. Alright, I'm tired, night.

-ed

So, just being bored...

What am I listening to the most these days? Well let's check the iTunes Top 25 Most Played list!

(shortened to the top 10)

1. I Don't Believe You - The Magnetic Fields
2. Banquet - Bloc Party
3. Race For the Prize - The Flaming Lips
4. How To Be Dead - Snow Patrol
5. Freddie Freeloader - Miles Davis
6. Hustle Rose - Metric
7. All Falls Down - Kanye West
8. The Rat - The Walkmen
9. Nightswimming - R.E.M.
10. Chief Inspector Blancheflower - The Fiery Furnaces

-ed

I realized last night that Belmont is more of a home to me than my place in Columbia could ever be. Even when I went back to San Antonio, it didn't feel the same.

-ed

Operation Succesful!

Remember your guard dog?

Well, I'm afraid that he's gone.

It was such a drag to hear him whining all night long.

-Neil Young

The rat dog no longer lives in my building. And no, I didn't kill him. His old owner is supposedly a psycho old woman who believed that her mother was cursing her from the grave for giving the dog away by causing car trouble. Needless to say, the rat dog is gone. The flat is now much quieter, and I am at peace.

Rock Island State Park...

Is amazing. Had some great hiking down into the gorge, saw some really beautiful waterfalls too. My iPod playlist for the journey:

1. Sigur Ros - "Ágætis Byrjun" (i.e. the greatest outdoor music, ever, bar none, no exceptions, etc..)

2. Whiskeytown - "Pneumonia"

3. Uncle Tupelo - "89/93: An Anthology"

4. Stevie Wonder - "Innervisions"

Back to Belmont tomorrow. Whoop.

-ed

Me and Jon A Down By the Wal-Mart (A True Story) ...

My buddy Jon Alaniz stopped by on his way up to Lynchburg College yesterday and spent the night (more of you should do this). I gave him a tour of what I know of Columbia, culminating with a stop at Wal-Mart. It was at said Wal-Mart that we found the best redneck product ever made: Knock-off UnderArmor...camoflauge knock-off UnderArmor. So, when you're out running through the woods chasing deer like a manly-man, you can feel dry and cool with moisture wicking material that just happens to double as camo. Wow. Except, you know, most hunters just sit in a blind and feed corn to the deer and then shoot them. I guess it gets rough sitting in the same spot for hours. Some sport.

Also...

I have seen the TV show "The Parkers" three times in my life. Everytime I have happened to watch it, it has been the same episode. It has the fat mother taking over the church choir, and then the fat daughter tricks fat mom to go see OukKast and misses choir rehersal. Fat mom finds out, gets mad and kicks daughter out of choir. Then the preacher begs fat mom to let fat daughter back into the choir because the choir sucks without her. Fat mom relents. Everyone is happy.

Now, I know what you're thinking.

"Eric, you should have changed the channel the first time that show ever came on."

And you'd be right, but I can't change what happened.

I mean, I think it's destiny. The first time, well, that can happen to anyone. The second time, that's just a freaky coincidence, but the third time? I felt obligated to watch it. Like the episode had become a part of me. You don't just turn your back on things like that, you have to embrace it. And I have. But if it happens a fourth time...I'm not watching TV ever again.

Why did I just tell you this? I dunno, I'm in the mood for damaging admissions. I think it started with Sarah McLaughlin.

btw, I love ginger green tea. Feel free to buy me some.

-ed

I love you, Brittany Parrish...

(actual away message) aggiebtp: eric domkowski...if you're reading this...i'm changing my screen name to punkrockprincess, but at least i listen to modest mouse now.

-ed

Ashamed...

I was flipping channels on the TV, and I ran across a Sarah McLaughlin concert. Now it's not the fact that I didn't change the channel that I am ashamed of. It's the fact that during the hour long program I knew a surprising number of the songs. Like more than half. And Lord help me, I was singing along to "Adia" for the first verse before I caught myself. My indie cred has been beaten to a pulp.

But wait!

I found the Columbia hipster hangout. It's the coffee shop I'd been avoiding on West 7th, House Blend. I gathered up the courage to go there today, and I was pleasently surprised. I ordered a cappucino and sat there and read "Dr. Zhivago," which I hope I can finish before I have to get back to school. It's quite good.

Jon A is comming to town tomorrow. Must remember all the stupid jokes now...think, Eric, think!

-ed

First off...

I want a constitutional amendment banning the use of "punkrockprincess," or any derivative form such as "punkrawkprincess" or "XxxpunkrockprincessxxX", from ever being used to describe someone's online persona. There's absolutely nothing "punk" or "rock" about being a princess, nor is there anything princessy about punk rock...or whatever it is these days...you kids and what you think passes for punk...I'm so old.

Secondly...

Shrek 2 is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. I haven't even seen the original Shrek, but now I feel the need to. There's one scene in Shrek 2 that perfectly describes my experience in Boston a couple years ago...the giant Gingerbread man attacks one Starbucks and everyone runs out of it and into another Starbucks that is right across the street. Seriously, there were Starbucks on opposite street corners. From that I concluded that people who live in Boston are too lazy to cross a street, and ergo, I didn't go to Harvard.

J/K. They said something about not being Asian...I dunno. Andrea Cardinal?

Finally...

I did it. I finally ate at the Catfish Campus. It had been taunting me from the side of James Campbell Blvd. for months now. At first I was too shocked to ever believe that it really existed. I mean, were they serious? Could they honestly call a restaurant the Catfish Campus...and what could be so Delightfully Different about it?

I finally built up the nerve and went to it today. For all my acquired redneck behaviors and mannerisms, nothing could have prepared me for this. I know I'm getting up there in years, but I was the youngest person in there by a good 40 years. No one told me eating catfish was reserved for the AARP. So I sit down, and the old woman in the far corner is staring at me (maybe I'm just paranoid, but this is a reoccuring theme in this town...I think I need a haircut). The waitress is nice, and I order the 3 Fillet Dinner, with fries and "slaw." I didn't know you could seperate "cole" and "slaw" but hey, I'm ignorant. Ok, to be honest, the meal and establishment within itself was nothing remarkable or bad. I think it's a Southern thing, and though I'm from the "South", the Texas "South" is nothing like the real, civil war re-enacting "South," there was nothing really special about catfish...give me salmon any day.

Anyways, remember the old woman in the corner? So she gets up and starts walking towards my table, and as I have conditioned myself to do, I stare at my coffee cup and try to look as uninterested in her presence as humanly possible. What she said next, I have no clue, but it sounded like this:

"haughraughdoahign?"

I look up. I have a horrified look on my face. Now, let me describe this woman. She is what I like to call a "Tennessee Crazy." Southern people are usually by nature friendly, they say hello, they smile. They are not insane. This woman looked insane. About 300lbs on a good day, about my height, with huge glasses and unkept hair. She is obviously a Tennessee Crazy. I am very scared right now.

She repeats herself.

I finally understand...I think. I believe she said "How are you doing?"

I do not know this woman. I have no desire to know this woman. I smile and nod and say "Fine." She then walks away. Then five minutes later I make a horrible mistake. I turn over my shoulder and she's sitting at a bench looking at me. We make eye contact, which is the worst of all possible scenarios. She smiles. I turn around and sit there until I finish my coffee. She still has not left. I have to pay, so I walk up to the counter, and she's still smiling at me. She says "hewwo." I say "Hello" back. I run for the car. I will never go to Catfish Campus again.

Geez...that took a while. Enough for today.

-ed

Is it bad...

That whenever a certain person says something, no matter what it is, I get annoyed? I think I need to just calm down. Simmmmmmaahhh dawwwwwhnnn.

Donna Summer?

Yes!

Oh, and I managed to drive through the founding town of the KKK and I didn't get lynched. I'm getting good at that.

Sounds like enough for today. This is so disjointed.

-ed

Operation Destroy Rat-Dog...

(Let it be said that I love dogs. But there's a catch to that statement. I love dogs that don't double as rats.)

A nuisance has moved in downstairs. It's name is Buffy. It is a pomeranian, which means it looks like a fat rat with a haircut. It can't weigh more than 10lbs and its barks sound like squeaks. Now, I generally dislike all ratty little dogs with a passion (the sole exception being Sara's little Boomer), but there's something to this dog that makes me dislike it even more:

1. For starters, it's a male dog, and it's name is Buffy. This dog is obviously gay. Flamingly gay. Say what you will about if things are born gay or they become gay, no matter how it happens, this dog would rather shop than watch football.
2. The previous owner was this old woman, who, when she died, gave her daughter the sole task of making sure Buffy was taken care of (let's not get into how I know all this...my mother is a chatty woman). I know how older people can get attatched to animals, it's a fact of life. They want something to keep themselves occupied, something they can take care of. That doesn't make it any less stupid. So, the mother and son who live downstairs volunteered to take care of this 10lb. rat, but before they were allowed to, the son had to come spend the night at the daughter's house to see how to take care of and bathe this thing. And then they had to have Buffy over to the apartment for a few hours to see if Buffy was "comfortable." A frickin' rat.
3. It's presence makes Molly ticked off. She barks now. She can't stand this intrusion into her domain of our apartment building. She is one angry half-Chow dog. Who weighs about 5 times what the rat weighs.

This brings me to my next point. I am going to use Molly to, uh, rid ourselves of this problem. Everyone will be happier, believe me. Scott and Linda, I know you're probably growing attached to this dog. That's too bad, and after you're done grieving for this little creature, buy yourselves a more substantial dog...like a collie or something. Anyways, would it be my fault if Molly somehow got loose from her leash when Buffy was out for a walk, somehow hadn't been fed for a day or two so she was really hungry, somehow had been shown pictures of this dog covered with doggy treats, and somehow killed it? Would I really be at fault here? I mean, it's about the same size as a squirel, it's completely within the realm of possibility that should could mistake Buffy for one.

And there we go, Operation Destroy Rat Dog.

I know this probably sounds crazy, and yes, it is. Will it ever be put into action? No, so don't worry. But I still don't like that rat and I won't shed a tear if it drowns in the rain.

-ed

Guess Who's Not Going to See Modest Mouse on January 21st?!

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Captain Procrastination strikes again! But, I mean, this boggles my mind. Somehow they've sold out Vanderbilt's basketball stadium. A year ago they could probably only sell out the Exit/In. Now I know the real reason why people get angry when their favorite band gets popular...everyone buys tickets before you. Actaully, I think it's a dual ticket with Gavin Degraw, maybe I'm underestimating his popularity among the Vandy crowd, who, if memory serves, seem to favor that crappy acoustic rock thing. Sigh. Well, I'll be enjoying the battle of the boulevard in its entirety this year!

-ed

Top Albums of 2004...

So the year end is upon us, and since I am a music nerd, there's nothing better than displaying your "best of" lists to everyone so they can go "ah, yes" or "what? idiot." Of course if you are in the latter category, you are stupid because my choices are beyond cool. Anyways, here are my top 15 favorite records that had their debut this past year, and in order of significance. Perhaps you've heard of them, perhaps you haven't. Maybe it will inspire you to go out and buy something new. Happy New Year!

1. The Arcade Fire - Funeral - From the opening notes, to the very last chord, this album is flawless. If they never release anything at this level again, I wouldn't care.
2. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News - I remember some kid at freshman orientation telling me that Modest Mouse was just too weird. Can we say surprise radio hit of the year? Not up to par with Moon and Antarctica, but head and shoulders above everything but the Arcade Fire.
3. AC Newman - The Slow Wonder - Best power-pop record of the past five years, even better than his New Pornographer's output.
4. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - Took some time to really digest, but when it clicked, it clicked.
5. The Black Keys - Rubber Factory - This is the band I always wanted to be in. Enough said.
6. Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days - Sam Beam tops his sub pop debut with this amazing record that is so intimate I didn't want to share him with anyone.
7. Interpol - Antics - Faced with the unenviable position of trying to top their flawless debut, Interpol gets pretty darn close with this one.
8. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans - Sufjan Stevens made me start practicing banjo again. God bless him.
9. Air - Talkie Walkie - Even though I just bought this a few days ago, it is a beautiful record, that, if given more time, would have certainly risen on this list.
10. The Features - Exhibit A - Amazing Middle TN band, my favorite driving record of the year.
11. The Killers - Hot Fuss - Say what you will, "Somebody Told Me" flat out rocks. The first five songs on this record are all worthy of #1 status.
12. Q & Not U - Power - Funkiest DC area record of 2004.
13. The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows - Another one that took some time to get into, but it is a stunning album.
14. Jens Lekman - You Are The Light EP - Hindered only by being an EP, can't wait to get his full length.
15. Tom Waits - Real Gone - Tom Waits can be hard for some people to take, but I love him.

Biggest Disapointment of the Year - The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Maybe I'm just dumb, but I really don't understand all the praise heaped on this album. It's like a kid with ADHD took the tape, cut it up, and threw it back together.

My Most Anticipated Release of 2005 - Bloc Party - I dunno when it comes out, but their song "banquet" was simply amazing, and I can only hope the full length matches its potential.

And there we go, my faves of 2004. Hope you enjoyed it.

-ed.

So...

The new Air album I picked up in Evansville, IN is pretty much the best chill out music ever. Ah.

-ed

HENDERSON, KY ROCKS.

Why? Not only does Ashley live there and they have a sweet river, but I made my first snowman ever today. Ok, I know what you're thinking...lame, and yes, to my readers who are from "The North" it might be. But to a son of Texas such as me, this is a once in a lifetime event. It wasn't a very big snowman, but I did it. He even had little twigs for arms. So cute. Of course by the time we got back from lunch he had melted...oh Frosty, if only you could laugh and play the same as you and me. But nooooooo. You had to try to be cool and smoke those cigarettes. Sigh.

-ed

This assimilation thing isn't going as I planned...

Ok, I go to Wal-Mart to get some hooks for my door so I can put my scarves on them. I find them and then proceed to the check out line. Everything is going smoothly until I had the lady my money. She looks at me, then says.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

At this point, I'm getting scared. I have this feeling like this will turn out like those movies where the rednecks corner the poor black guy in the back of the convenience store, then they lynch him.

I go, "No, I'm from San Antonio, TX."

Her face lights up like I just revealed I was wearing black face.

"Texas!? Well hey there, I have a joke for you!" she says.

Right about now, I start to look around for a way out. No one is behind me in line. No one is remotely near us. So much for an escape.

She starts telling it, and halfway through, she forget it. She then proceeds to reach behind her and pick up a Reader's Digest and turns to the joke section. She reads me the joke, having something to do with Texans, Californians, New Yorkers, and beef shortage. I laugh nervously, trying to be cool. By this time, someone has gotten behind me in line. I feel better, knowing the chances of me being lynched have gone down...or gotten worse, depending on the mentality of the guy behind me and if the checkout lady decides to sell me out. Anyways, I laugh some more, grab my bag and walk away. Somehow I have survived.

The question that begs to be answered here is how did this woman know I wasn't from Columbia. I know that it's a small town, but surely everyone doesn't know everyone...I could have slipped through her radar. What tipped her off that I wasn't a native? My lack of accent? My tragically stylish dress? The fact I'm buying hooks to put scarves on? I thought maybe she saw something suspect in my wallet, but I have a TN licence, so I'm cool on that part. I suggested that maybe she smelled foreigner, and of course when I tell this to Christina, she goes "yeah, you have a scent," which makes me think I need to change deoderants. Do I smell like TX? It seems to be the only logical explanation.

-ed

COFFEE...

Dear Columbia,
Please point me in the direction of a coffee shop that is not seem like it is run by middle aged women. Show me a place where I can get a cup of black coffee and no one will look at me like I'm weird. Lead me to an establishment where I can sit and not be interrupted by loud people. Guide me to a place where the waitress knows my name, and knows exactly the right time to refill my cup. But until that blessed day comes, I will be forced to make my own coffee and sit in the flat and drink it. Please Columbia, I want to feel trendy. You're not helping. For Godsakes, I dressed like I was Al Pacino from that 70's movie about the tattletale cop, and no one said anything. Do I need to shout out my hatred for gun freedom? Something's gotta get me noticed around here.

But no.

I think I'll buy a Dale Earndhart hat and assimilate. Take that corporate America!

-Love, ed.

Reflections on Texas...

Most Surreal Moment: Sitting in Goerke's Diner, surrounded by construction workers, and Abba's "Dancing Queen" is playing in the background

Funniest Story: Sara's sister telling about the pregnant stripper who didn't know she was pregnant.

Best Wedding Moment: Playing the opening 3 chords of "Sweet Home Alabama" at the request of the groom's family...because that's the only part of the song we knew.

Best Taco Experience: Sitting in Bill Miller's, reading the Current, drinking 5 cups of coffee, eating 2 sausage and egg tacos, and eavesdropping on the 10 Mormon's behind me.

Time I thought I was going to die the most: Thursday Night, around 10:30pm. Sara and Kristen know what I mean.

Most Metal Moment: The page long tribute to Dimebag Darrell in the SA Current.

Best Coffee: Denny's...probably around 10 refills.

Worst Coffee: Jim's, 12am. Enough said.

Oh Texas...you confuse me. I like the people, can't stand the place.

MOST REDNECK MOMENT EVER: So I'm at Kroger, standing in the checkout line, and I look towards that machine that'll convert your change into dollar bills. I had to look twice, but I swear, there was this guy with the most amazing mullet I've ever seen, emptying two bottles of change into the machine. But as this was no ordinary mullet, these were no ordinary bottles. Two huge Crown Royal bottles, filled with pennies. Trust me, if you had been there, you would have died of laughter, which I almost did. Ah...Columbia.

-ed

Best Songs of 2004...

Before I list them off, I would like to say that the vast majority of these songs were released in 2004, but I keep this list open to older songs I might have discovered this year along the way, such as the Cat Stevens song. That said, here's my picks for best songs of 2004, in the order randomized on my iTunes play list:

1. Sweet Summer Night in Hammer Hill - Jens Lekman
2. Hoist That Rag - Tom Waits
3. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
4. Paperwings - Damien Juardo
5. Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights - Aqueduct
6. Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
7. Miracle Drug - A.C. Newman
8. The Art Teacher - Rufus Wainwright
9. Ocean Breathes Salty - Modest Mouse
10. Our Mutual Friend - The Divine Comedy
11. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
12. Evil - Interpol
13. 10 A.M. Automatic - The Black Keys
14. He War - Cat Power
15. In the Devil's Territory - Sufjan Stevens
16. Even Tho - Joseph Arthur
17. Passing Afternoon - Iron & Wine
18. Banquet - Bloc Party

And there you have it...my favorite songs of the year. I'll gladly burn a copy of these for anyone who wants them...the are amazing. I'll follow with the Top 10 Albums of the year soon, promise.

NO MORE BYRNE.

I defended my honors paper like a friggin' champ.

I am now done with that part of my life.

This is something worth noting. And celebrating.

Whoo!

btw...I want to live in whatever fake 70's Belle and Sebastian and Josh Rouse currently inhabit.

Things that amaze me about Columbia, TN...

1.) How, at 2pm on a Sunday, the Cracker Barrel (barell, barrell???) in the middle of nowhere between Columbia and I-65 can be so packed that people are parking in the overflow lot with the truckers.

2.) How people continue to call the county "Murry" when it is spelled "Maury"...surely there are other educated people in Columbia that this pisses off also.

3.) The library is closed on Sunday. Not that I would go, but I remember the SA library being open all week. Seems logical, right?

4.) They have Sun-Drop flavored Icee's at the movie theater. Personally, I think that is awesome.

5.) The mullets are beyond compare. It's not even ironic anymore.

-ed

Sometimes I think "Liberals" don't really think out their arguments...

And of course the same can be said for conservatives. But anyways, take the case of an article written by Mike Greenberg on the SA Express News, the arts and entertainment editor. Here are some excerpts from his writing, and my take on it.

The consistent message of exit polls last Tuesday was that Bush voters, the conservatives, were heavily motivated by fear — specifically, fear of terrorism and of same sex marriage, but more generally fear of ambiguity, the unknown and change.

Ok, this is partially true. But after his first two valid points Greenberg then proceeds to give a dictionary definition of conservatives...afraid of change. Personally, I don't think it's fear of change in it's basic terminology that drive conservative voters. It's more fear of things that they believe are morally wrong. Change is all fine and well if it benefits society in some way. Allowing gays to marry, which the majority of America believes is wrong, despite what hollywood would have you believe, is just a "change" that has really no benefit to society besides allowing gays to feel "accepted" even though they do everything else they can to show that they are "different."

By contrast, Kerry’s voters were motivated by opportunity — hope for economic opportunity and equality of opportunity in particular, but more generally the opportunities for experience and growth that are associated with ambiguity, the unknown and change.

Opportunity? Are you serious? The many Kerry voters I have spoken to haven't a clue what Kerry's agenda was, beside the sole fact "He's not Bush." Liberals aren't striving for "opportunity," liberals are motivated by hate, to be really honest. The hatred they had for Bush was more driving than "opportunity." And seriously, what opportunity was John Kerry going to bring to them? A hope for higher taxes and an ineffective social security reform? Perhaps.

The conservative attitude is insular and closed. The liberal attitude is cosmopolitan and open.

Man, don't even get me started, Mike.

The arts thrive in such cities — and most artists are politically liberal — because the rapid, broad and fearless exchange of ideas is crucial to the arts.

Mike, you want to know why most artists are liberal? Because it's trendy. No shit. The only coherent artist I've ever heard speak on behalf of liberals is Moby. That's it. Everyone else is dumped into "Bush bad" camp. Artists latch onto liberalism because it is ingrained in them to be nearly mindless in their political policies. "Fearless exchange of ideas"...Mike, I do believe you are dramatizing things a bit too much. It's one thing to keep an open mind. It's another to be "fearless" and seriously Mike, have you ever noticed the widening gap between "art" and real "society?" How what is cutting edge on the theaters on NY would never run on a stage to more than 20 people in any other city? Is it because you are so open, or the fact they have lost touch with society. There used to be a time when art did not exist to needlessly "challenge" us and instead existed to inspire us. Do you remember? As a musician who does not buy into the wholesale liberal agenda, this distresses me.

enough.

-ed

..Oh Man, Oh Man...

So there's this "Dance Party" in the basement of Heron Hall on Saturday night. I asked Kibbe if I could be a guest DJ and of course she said yes. There's nothing better than subjecting people to your bad music, and thus I will be Saturday night. Here's the track listing, heavy on the remixes:

1. Doing the Stand Still - The Dismemberment Plan
2. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
3. Y Control (Faint Remix) - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. Wonderful People - Q & Not U
5. I Need Your Love (Ewan's Stay in School Remix) - The Rapture
6. Breathe In - Frou Frou
7. Take Me Out(Morgan Geist Remix) - Franz Ferdinand
8. Deceptacon - Le Tigre
9. Me and Guiliani Down by the School Yard - !!!
10. Glass Danse - The Faint
11. Such Great Heights (Remix) - The Postal Service
12. The City - The Dismemberment Plan
13. Still In Love Song (Extended 12" Remix) - The Stills
14. Everything is Everything - Phoenix
15. Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights - Aqueduct
16. Jenny Was A Friend of Mine - The Killers
17. One With the Freaks - The Notwist
18. Crumble - The Russian Futurists
19. Evil - Interpol

And there you have it...my dance mix.

-ed

So what ever happened to...

The Old Testament God who smited everyone? This benevolant God just isn't striking fear into anyone's hearts. Maybe he should, you know, smite someone in a high profile position in full public view, I'm not saying who or how, but maybe a spontaneous combustion, just to get everyone's attention. Not trying to tell you how to run the world Lord, but what's a combustion here and there? As long as it's not me, ok?

-ed

Rushmore...

That was an absolutely amazing film. In some ways it reminded me of SMH (you know, with girls added, of course) with the people throwing money at stupid crap just to get their names on a building. And of course, the stupid clubs...robotics club anyone? Oh, the hillarity ensues. I was just glad to finally see a film that showed a school that resembled the one I went to, quasi-religious (chapel?) but firmly secular in its actions. Man, I'm gonna send my kids to public school I think, just so I don't get sucked into any of that. Kudos to my parents for staying out of the inner workings of SMH.

-ed

Ok, seriously...

The Texas Department of Transportation offices are total shit. I just got my new Tennessee drivers license and the building in Columbia is freaking amazing. All the Texas ones are these pint-sized boxes where everyone is pissed off and nothing ever works or something is always wrong. The one in Columbia had windows and natural light, a courteous secretary, and an actual waiting room and nice people to get me my license. And they joked with me, and I made up stories of my Polish grandmother who came over on Elis Island and narrowly avoided the holocaust. And the woman believed me, which was even more amazing. Gotta love TN education.

-ed

To Everyone Who is Voting For Bush and Kerry...

Are you serious? How the hell can you justify your vote? These are both HORRIBLE candidates. How can Republicans back a president who has sunk us into even more debt and got us into an unwinnable war? It sickens me when I see kids my age with stupid "W" things in their AIM profiles...they don't get it. They are most likely doing that because their parents are doing it. And then if not, they try to pull a "Christian" slant. Utter crap. There is nothing remotely "Christian" about anything Bush has done this year. Go to war? Kill innoncent people? Weapons of Mass what? Bush is a bad president. He needs to go.

HOWEVER

As I've writen before, John Kerry is a douchebag. Of the highest caliber. There is no way I can vote for him because he is a political oportunist with no real plan for anything but to throw more money and soliders at it. What a shitty strategy. I will spend no more time on him.

So who am I voting for? Ladies and Gentlemen, I am voting for the Libertarian candidate, Michael Badnarik, because they have more common sense than anything the other two parties throw out there. I mean, there's no chance in hell that they will win. But any party that advocates free immigration, totally free press, free international trade, repealing totally useless drug laws, and the disbanding of Social Security, people, I can put my stamp of approval on that. Now, I now that my voting for Badnarik could lead to Kerry winning, such as how Nader destroyed Al "I invented the internet" Gore's hopes and let Bush in. But, hey, one of those two are going to win, I might as well be able to say I didn't back either of them.

-ed

Reflections on the camping excursion...

So, that was awesome. Nothing like freezing for the love of nature. It just reaffirms my belief that TN is so much more beautifual than TX. TX...the ugly girl at the prom. No idea what that means...shut up.

Anyways, things I learned on this trip:

Things that are so much better when you are intoxicated:

1. Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights.
2. Scattergories (in where for the letter "G" everything I put had the pre-fix of "Giant")
3. Playing Weezer's "Say It Ain't So" on a guitar in a cave.
4. Warming your feet by the fire...you don't realize the rubber on your soles are melting.
5. Hot Dogs that are cold in the middle.
6. Walking down a trail where you can't see, only to find out in the morning that there was a 50 foot drop right next to you.
7. Burnt Marshmellows
8. Peeing in the middle of the woods

BTW, I like hiking, as long as it's not up a steep hill with shoes with no traction and in the middle of a hunting club's property.

Nice!

So every once in a while...

I'll be reading the San Antonio Express News website and I'll come across an article relating to the family of a kid I went to school with. Now, I know I went to school with the elite of San Antonio, but it's still surprising to see something like "Businessman blah blah millions of dollars blah blah prostitutes blah blah." and then realize I went to school with his son. Weird.

So, am I just like the Audio 1 Assisting Whore or what?

Seriously, I don't know if it's just luck of the draw or people have actually heard my name, but all these Audio 2 and Production students are calling me asking to assist them. And normally, like the assisting whore I am, I would say yes, but I'm already booked all the time. And in some ways I feel bad for turning them down, but then it's like, LEAVE ME ALONE!!

Seth Strawbridge came back this weekend. Immaculate. I walked out of my room at 5am to use the bathroom and he and Clint were talking in the hallway, just like last year. It nearly brought a tear to my eye because these things just don't happen anymore. Oh Third Floor of last year, why must Kyle and I carry the torch? We were the good kids!!

Whoa!