Good weekend...

Friday was an interesting show at the Knitting Factory: MGR, House of Low Culture, Red Sparrowes, and Jarboe from the Swans. Keep in mind that interesting is not always good, sometimes it's just being polite. Red Sparrowes were fucking great, I'm not sure what the 'official' term is for that type of music but it should be be 'awesome.' It's a side project from a few guys in Isis and Neurosis, with no singer and more upbeat than either of them. Really impressivley put together stuff, amazing live. The rest of the bands deserve a hearty 'meh' except Jarboe who deserved (and recieved) an 'oh shit my ears are bleeding let us run like hell out of here.'

Saturday was fun too, saw Trivium and In Flames. Trivium was ok, good sound and performance, but the guy really should not have talked at all. In Flames were fucking great and the singer was drunk as fucking hell, which did not hamper his performance and it made him hilarious in between songs. My only disappointment was that he dragged someone out of the crowd to sing one of my favorite songs because he was out of whiskey and had to step away for a bit. Seriously.

Sunday saw the US Men's soccer team embarassing Norway. It was fun, I sat right behind the goal. Killer.

Another week of fun is just ahead!

Moving

The key thing to remember when moving is that if something can go wrong it will, and horribly so.

My whole last week was a blur due to my office moving and all the fun shit associated with that. Between the phone company giving us the wrong number, the previous tennants changing their move date a few times, the building not finishing work until the day we were moving, the movers cancelling on us the day of the move and the fact that somewhere in there my wrist got all screwy, moving was a fun time.

But it's over and the new office is much better, still needs some organization but it's definitely way beyond where we were before.

I'm just happy to have a window.

Oooff!

I have tried to update this about three times since I got back into town, but work has just been so crazy, I'm in the middle of launching the second half of our major fundraising campaign and it's just keeping me floored here at work and when I get home the last thing I really want to do is sit in front of the computer.

That said, outside of the craziness (campaign AND moving this coming Monday) work is great. Finally had my review and it went over well, small valid note for improvement, but otherwise very positive. I knew I was doing alright, but still enjoy the feedback (especially since it was good), and I think my boss is overall happier with my performance than I am. I can always find lots of little things that I need to improve, but that's because I'm insane about looking over my own soldier.

Random...listening to lots of new music lately, and here's a list of things that fucking own your soul: LCD Soundsystem (yes the 'single' can be a little old and kitchy but there's some fucking genious on this), Jamie Lidell (new soul from a white European dude, great programming + soul = upbeat awesomeness), Gorillaz (lot better than I was expecting, great driving music), Avalanches (older but good,hard to describe, sort of cut-up style of Prefuse 73 but with more funk and soul as opposed to hip-hop).

Yeah, otherwise same old shit, just hanging out in LA, waiting for something to happen, might be taking a trip to the other coast in March/April, but not 100% on that yet, but it would be nice to go somewhere other than Chicago for once.

Yeah, next entry will try and be more 'interesting' but this was just a 'catch-up' post.

Here in my car...

Since I always post about the damn mythological beast that I liked to pretend my vehicle is, here is a recent pic of the bastid.

(Yes, there is a real reason to click it.)

Just because

Faith

Faith is a funny thing. I'm not talking about the religious 'fall to my knees and ask forgiveness from a statue' sort of faith. I'm referring to the faith and expectations that we hold of our loved ones, family and friends alike. And how truly irreparable it can be. A conversation I had yesterday destroyed what I percieved about two people. One I can't stop feeling for and the other I can't imagine how I will ever fake a smile in their direction again.

Strange...

Here I am writing in my blog, and strangely enough my car is still working; I think this is the first time in about 3 months that this has happened.

Things here and crazed I guess, Turkeyday was great, a good friend let me sully a family gathering so that I did not have to spend it alone (i.e. last year) and I had an all around good time. Things have been going up in the air about what I'm doing in regards to my living situation in the next month or so. I thought I was moving with some friends, then I wasn't, then I could, then I didn't think I was, so I was going to have to live by myself, now I may not even have to move and I might have a roommate. Won't be sure of that last part until early next week, but I'll be sure to forget to update the three who care.

Work is also taking a turn for the better, I feel like I'm slacking on so much stuff, but I'm working as hard as I can, we might actually be hiring someone else soon which would make me happy, and less stressed.

At this point I'm just really looking forward to resting for another two days, and then working my ass off for a few weeks so I can go home. The positive bit is that I'm actually getting to at least three concerts this month which is great since it's been a dry spell for the last two months or so.

I think I should get back on track with this thing as I thin it's good for my mental health to vent, but there's still shit I don't feel I CAN write about here which blows, so if you want to know my cark secret you actually have to talk to me.

NP Killing Joke - Killing Joke - Complications

Why

Why is it that everytime I feel like posting my car is dead at a mechanic?

Anyone want to buy a paperweight with working moon-roof?

Blackout fun!

but not for me...

I'm sorta sad, most of LA suffered from a huge blackout this morning/afternoon (supposedly someone accidently cut a wire there), but my work was untouched.

I like my job, but am extremely lethargic this morning. It doesn't help that I have had about three people call me from work because they're 'bored and can't do anything else' so my nose is being rubbed in it the fact that I'm working and they aren't.

Bastards....

Nothing big and new here in the land of fun. Car's running great, like it always did, but now the $750 CEL is off. Whoopee!

Cars are fun!

I shouldn’t be doing this, but mentally I need to stop for a minute and do something not work. Things have been crazy here, which isn’t a bad thing, because I really do like the place a lot and the things I’ll be doing here are great, but it is crazy at times, and that can be stressful, which is something I’m learning to deal with. But this isn’t really about work.

It’s about the death of the automobile.

Or hopefully mine.

I want to kill it, many times.

It’s in the shop right now, which is the 4^th time in less than two weeks that it has gone in to the shop.

The beauty of it?

It runs fucking great. Unfortunately, the check engine light is on, and has been for the entire time I’ve had the car. Though it annoyed me that no mechanic (I’ve had it at three different VW specialists) could get the light to stay off for more than 25 miles, I never sweat it because I take good care of it and make all its scheduled maintenance. I still don’t really care about it because it runs fine. The issue? It won’t pass smog, even though it will (and has) passed the emissions part of the test it doesn’t matter, it automatically fails with the light on like that.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Oh well, I have my car. Until this smog thing is taken care, then I’ll be back to enjoying it.

Adjusting

Hello again.

Yeah, been a bit, but between my disappearing to the Midwest (where the 0.5 people who look at this no doubt saw me) and adjusting to the new work (still doing that for weeks to come) I haven't had much time, or desire, to say anything.

I'm skipping Chicago because you all know what happened there.

Side note, if you ever have a tremendous amount of free time (Dano), or at least can deal with reading one book for about two months, read The Count of Monte Cristo if your previously haven't. I have somehow missed this heaping text until recently, and upon finishing this past weekend, have deigned it one of my favorite books ever. I was quite upset when it was done, even though I had just finished approximately 1500 pages of text, I did not want it to end. READ IT.

Music, hmm, nothing big, still waiting to find a CD that supposedly already came out a few weeks back, but is being freaking evasive. Damn you Nine Black Alps. Damn also everyone else. Why? Why not.

After four days in a way too quiet office, I bought a shitty little CD player to keep me company. Life is good.

Stabbing hookers since 1776™

I find myself bored so easily lately at work. Part of that is because as the post below states, I am leaving in a few days and really have little reason left to be here other than I have nothing better to do so I might as well get paid for it. The other part, larger, part of it is because I have dedicated so much fucking time to job-hunting since OCTOBER that other habits I used to have, like writing more, have fallen by the wayside. I guess it’s only a problem at work, when I have nothing to do, or when I don’t give a fuck. I guess it’s not really an issue because I’m actually excited about my new job and I will be damn busy. At home I can always find stuff to do, even if it’s just read a book (I bought 24 of them yesterday).

Cousins can be pests. Not much to do about it I guess. Maybe I should sic a gnome on him?

Do not go see The Island if at all possible. I had no real interest in seeing it, but it was free. Even after a decent filling meal, and some wine, there was nothing whatsoever compelling/interesting/entertaining about this film at all. Big example of having not paid anything, yet still having been ripped off.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one massive freaking book.

Nick Cave freaking rules. If you don’t believe it listen to Murder Ballads (the classic) and Nocturama, his 2003 release that is just flat-out awesome. Additionally, Prefuse 73: kicks ALL of your asses. And he shows no remorse for your sore booty.

Real Countdown

20 Work hours left until I leave!

54 Total hours left until I leave!

Countdown!

Three full workdays left here!

I started a trend here, someone else gave notice less than a week after me.

I'm Über-hip!

I love being the guy who's leaving, everyone unloads on you and then I hear all sorts of ridiculous stories about what goes on. I feel bad for these people because they're trying to unload and they're in turn only making me happier I'm leaving.

Good News! (Plural)

1- I just, literally 20 minutes ago, gave two weeks notice at my crappola job.

2-Yesterday afternoon I accepted a position as the Project Manager for the national office of Variety - The Children's Charity.

Rulination!

I swear to God:

Good news tomorrow!

No, I'm fucking serious.

Look, I know I suck, deal with it anyway

Say hello to the new boss job, same as the old boss job.

Technically, I have a new job.

Technically, my Master's degree is useful.

So I don't know what my title is, but I don't care to be frank. I've now got a shittier place to sit, with less privacy, and less respect. What is a supposed to be a promotion actually puts me in a research position, which is amusing because this was a development position when I agreed (reluctantly) to it. I dislike research, strongly.

I need one of my alcoholic friends to relocate to SoCal so that I can enjoy myself more fully, with less guilt and more beer.

Rally monkey!

Angels fans suck.

We're talking about the "Los Angeles Contradictory Angels of Anaheim" that is, not those old harpies who buy calendars and statues of angels and calendars of babies dressed like angels. (Though they really do suck, they are not the subject here.)

So, since someone had an extra ticket I decide to go see the Angels V. Mariners game this past Sunday, figuring, that even though I don't really give a fuck about either team (though the Angels losing is good for the Sox) it could still be fun.

Wrong, dead fucking wrong.

The angels took the lead early, then the mariners caughts up, then the angels took the lead again, then the mariners, then the angels ALMOST took the lead with bases load and (I think) only one out. Why am I laying all this out? Because it seems like no one there knew what was going on. Not a single fan gave a flying fuck. Yes, I know they had just dropped three in a row, but please pretend to give a shit about your team. When I saw the Cubs V. Dodgers at dodgers the dodgers were losing as of the second pitch of the whole game, yet they were still energetic the whole way through. The only time the angels fans acted like they were awake was after the 7th inning when they started showing the 'rally monkey' on the big screen. Granted it was amusing, but for fuck's sake people, is the monkey better than your own team blasting a homer out of the park when your down?


Fuck Anaheim.

Definition time!

Karma (kärm) N. The total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny.

My own definition of karma is slitghly different. It goes something like this:

Your name is Mary, you suck. You are part of a major group project in your Master's class. Your partners are two very nice hardworking people. You, as stated earlier, suck. You screw up the project and presentation by doing, well, nothing but sucking. You are stangely ignorant or oblivious (must be used to it in all aspects of your life by now) of your sucking.

Fast forward a year.

You, still sucking, interview for a position at the office one of your nice hardworking partners works at. You are friendly and try to be nice with him in front of the people you are interviewing with. You suck at it. You interview (presumably suckily) and leave. The people you interview with decide to turn to your old partner to see what he knows since you made it obvious you knew him. He makes it obvious to them the details of your suckitude. The next day you are officially a "negative" for the job.

Now that is karma.

nothing to report

I guess I’ll write about life a bit.

It inspires me.

To drink.

In fact, when I leave this shithole (work) I think I will go home and crack open a bottle of something that is tinted with the happiness that is alcohol.

I haven’t drank since that silly little grade school reunion almost two weeks ago now. The fact alone that I went to that shows that I’m off kilter.

Nothing interesting to report, I spend each day at work coming up with new ways to flip off every person I work with.

I see too many movies these days, I have no other life. Go see Batman Begins.

I’m listening to different stuff these days, but I don’t feel like talking about music right now. I want to drink. I need a real desk so I can hide a flask in it.