Mitch Hedberg.

Saw him here last year:

An escalator can never break, it can only become stairs. You would never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.

I don't own a cell phone or a pager. I just hang around everyone I know, all the time. If someone wants to get a hold of me they just say "Mitch," and I say "What?" and turn my head slightly.

I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughtnut... I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I give you money and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I can't imagine a scenario that I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. To some skeptical friend, Don't even act like I didn't buy a doughnut, I've got the documentation right here... It's in my file at home. ...Under "D".

I thought he had some funny things; it was strange how he could rattle off a couple dozen jokes unconnected.

Taco Tuesday.

I get it now.

When Dr. Sullivan says "This second test is a lot easier than the first," that actually means it's a lot harder. When he says "This test is difficult, I won't lie to you," he is, in fact, lying and means that it's easier than the FCAT.

The Blogger people had the following blog under their list of prominent blogs:
Things I hate about my Flatmate.

I think it's trite, but perhaps someone else will enjoy it.

I inadvertently stole another riff (kind of) from Franz Ferdinand (when we were freestyle jamming). At first, I was not particularly taken with that disc, but it's just got so many riffs!

This weekend-- FSU circus performs, 50s night on campus, Midnight Movie Grease, more showings of The Life Aquatic, Sin City comes out, and honors Coffeehouse (free coffee!). Okay, so that last one's on Thursday; so what?

Differing Perceptions.

Eternal silence sounds
unhindered through empty halls.
In the space it bounds
To and fro before it falls
Out of aural recognition;
And though he thinks he hears;
it’s true, its transmission
falls on deaf ears.

‘Tis strange, at least,
I think it true
neither man nor beast
can possibly construe
what things I now hear-
some must think me mad
though I do not fear
I’m glad for what I’ve had.

Differing perceptions
create different truths.
Apparent misconceptions
label one uncouth.
Despite obvious opposition,
he continues his life today,
Put in a position
where others stay away.

***

Hahaha, well, I was going through old files, and I rediscovered my poetry project for AP Lit. I remember those days... anyway. I remember spending a lot of time writing the other poem I submitted, and then just cranking this one out the night before (not even sure that I knew what it meant then), although I did have the opening line for a while before I wrote the poem, though. At this point, I would make changes (like entirely delete the word "possibly" from that line), but I don't like to go back over anything I work on and edit, or change stuff. So, I won't.

oh, we're crazy now.

Banksy's Current Art Exhibitions. This guy is my personal hero:

The images above - exclusive to the Wooster site and provided by Banksy - are of Banksy installing four pieces in New York's most prestigious museums - The Brooklyn Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Natural History.

Dressed as a British pensioner, over the last few days Banksy entered each of the galleries and attached one of his own works, complete with authorative name plaque and explanation.

He says - "This historic occasion has less to do with finally being embraced by the fine art establishment and is more about the judicious use of a fake beard and some high strength glue." Banksy continues -"They're good enough to be in there, so I don't see why I should wait"

Staff at the New York Met discovered and removed their new aquisition early Sunday morning while Banksy's discount soup can print took pride of place in the MoMA for over three days before being torn down.

(source: wooster collective)

Banksy's main website

Can't Focus.

Fashion Flesh sucks.

Viva Voce, in comparison, rules.

I've seen/heard so many good bands, well, so many bands period, that I've reduced the process of evaluation to a pass/fail system. Works much more easily that way.

I don't use my textbooks, I should hock 'em and use the money to buy more CDs.

We were talking about Gender Identity Disorder and related sexual topics in Abnormal Psychology, one of those days were people liked to ask a bunch of questions, and after we talked about this condition where an outwardly-appearing female actually had male genes and would not become fertile, this black guy in the back with his sideways hat raised his hand and asked "So, you can't tell that they're actually ... guys?" And our monotone professor responded "Yeah, so you better watch out." Hilarious.

The other day, when I was asked to find pictures of representative characters from works of literature that people would be familiar with, I realized 1) It's hard to find such pictures, and 2) I haven't read all that many classic works of literature. I did find a couple- Scrooge, Long John Silver, Old Man and the Sea, Three Musketeers (haven't read any of those...), but try finding a picture of a Holden Caulfield, or an Edna from the Awakening, or a Gatsby! Oh, well.

It's alright, 'salright, 'salright, 'salright, 'salright, 'salright.

I'm glad I'm not the only one disappointed with my current major. But, as I've written before, changing it now would not be very practical- not since I've sat through Research Methods, and not since one more semester of psych. classes would get me a nice piece of paper with my name on it.

I'm still tossing coins over my next decision for a major.

Sometimes I really do wonder...

about being in a full time rock band. Move west. Work, compose, play. Repeat.

about all the bands roughing it with extended tours, possible negative reviews for their records, but still pouring their time, money, and energy into their work.

about taking the classes that I want to, and not the ones people tell me I need.

I've experienced a few of those moments of soaring musical magic with LTTE- when I'm not nervous, anxious, concentrating on forgeting words, or thinking about other things- like the times in jr. and high school band where I would just come off a great performance and be ready for anything. I imagine doing this for a living and experiencing those moments as well as paychecks for having them.

When realism sets in, I acknowledge that I don't really have an idea of what to work towards, realistically. Still waiting for that opportunity I know will come along within the next two years...

And they all say "don't worry about it."
And they all say "you must decide now."
And I say "I don't care where we eat- as long as it's heavy."

Still haven't started that article...

I really do work better the closer the deadline approaches. This whole planning ahead nonsense just adds unwarranted stress.

Friday: (a) Picked up first ($10) paycheck from the FSView. I'm thinking of blowing it all on an extravagant evening of, say, eating at Momo's... or buying a CD.
(b) Practiced with LTTE.
(c) Finally received press release on article that was due today.

Saturday: (a) Woke up at about 2 PM.
(b) Defeated a Monte Cristo at Bennigans.
(c) Spent the day wondering if I would be able to see The Incredibles, or if I would have to play at some drunken, hippy, ESP party.
(d) Played with LTTE at some drunken, hippy ESP (Environmental Services... Pundits or something) party, which celebrated "National Earth Day" by lighting a bonfire in some girl's backyard and playing rock music.
(e) Added the local band Grand Canyons to mental list of entertaining local bands.
(f) Received no response concerning interviews from guy for whose article was due today.
(g) Went to sleep at around 5:45 AM Sunday Morning.

Sunday: (a) Woke up at about 1 PM.
(b) Received approval for an extension on my deadline that was due today because I couldn't get an interview with this guy for the Rainbow Concert.
(c) Began studying for my Abnormal Psychology test, which I have today at 3:35 PM EST.
(d) Went to, and shopped at, Club Publix.
(e) Went to see The National (good), Calla (run-of-the-mill), and The French Kicks (great) at the CDU.
(f) Went to sleep around 2:30 AM, wondering why I didn't study more for my test, or my Latin quiz that I had first thing this morning (aced it).

***

Man, that Monte Cristo was a beast!

You see that? - That's psychic energy.

We went to this presentation by a ghosthunter. John Zaffis and his hundred psychic pictures and slew of stories about little girls and possessed dolls. Seriously, folks; two hours of this banter- but at least it was really funny at times. I especially like the moments where he could only explain what he encountered by comparing it to scenes in movies.

He made a museum in his home with the several hundred "possessed" objects that he's collected over the years that's he had "cleaned" and displays for people to see (*indicates money by rubbing fingers against thumb*). AND he kept saying funny things like "Are churches, synagogues and other holy places haunted? HECK YEAH! If you're ever in them, start taking pictures and you might find something." Wonderful advice. He admitted that he had thousands of pictures without anything in them... yeah. Then, when we were walking out, Kat said she saw a lot of things that were in his photos in hers- when she screwed up in the photo lab and developed the picture wrong. I laughed.

I rented the game Mercenaries yesterday, but I haven't played it yet.

I emailed this guy three times about an interview, AND he attends FSU, and he's managed to not get me one two days before my article is done and I've managed to write zero of a minimum five hundred words...

Oh, that reminds me. On that night of the Xiu Xiu concert, I ran into a lot of people. First were my editor and a "senior staff" writer, and they started telling me how good my articles were. And then I realized that I should probably start reading the FSView, because if I am running into these people, and they're talking about the paper... I should know about it then.

Then, I saw the guys from Look Mexico (with whom we played Monday), who work at the CDU, and then I saw Alex from Latin class, and he knew Dave from Look Mexico, and then I saw guys from the film committee and chatted with them. Very cool. Then, on top of that, the concert was cool.

Late for Class, but must post.

I've been trying to post for a while. Server's been unreachable.

Monday's show went rather well. Played with Sourgreen, who had a mix of southern rock and grunge (didn't really appeal to me, but their instrumental breaks were cool), My Anomaly, who were Incubus, and Look Mexico, who have gotten a lot better and seem to be influenced by Denison Marrs and such (pretty entertaining).

I thought we did a lot better than our October's show at Big Daddy's. Still had some flubs, and my left hand went numb after about 20 minutes- I'm out of shape. Need to practice more. Now that that's done, I suppose I can crank out some new material and then even more new material over the summer.

This led me to create a list of my personal favorite local bands:

1) Northvia (whom I saw Tuesday with Xiu Xiu at the CDU): They play instrumental rock. They are very entertaining- nice arrangments, good effects, trance-like, blistering build-ups, everything man, everything.

2) Believe in Toledo: Don't know if they're still around, but they took punk/pop rock and just killed it. Not original, but very good and lively. It was better the second time I saw them as a three-piece (I don't know what happened to the second guitar player, but it was soo good then).

3) Pocket Novel Mystery: Pleasant mix of southwestern rock and something else. One of their songs really sounds like Interpol (which is not a bad thing). Good sound, decent singing, good drumming.

4) Broken Sound: Haven't seen these guys in a while. I think the only reason they're on this list is because of their keyboard player. Yeah.

5) The Ums: Quirky quirky light kind of lounge rock. Interesting.

6) Look Mexico: Funny. Keytar. They're making it.

I guess those in the order of which I would see if all of them were playing at once.

***

What else What else What else?

I registered for some pretty cool classes for the fall (with Dr. Zwaan, and one with his wife!) and then Mark in the lab told me not to take transformational grammar because that is what everything in the Zwaan lab is working against. Hmm...

Anyway, I actually went through and read the lyrics to a grand don't come for free and I was just floored. Definitely one of my favorite evers now.

Oh yeah, and I signed a year lease to Tuscany Village. Doesn't seem like too bad of a deal...

SB '05

Listening to The Strokes' Room on Fire. Oh, man. Haven't listened to this in a while. New record this year, reportedly.

Over spring break:
(yeah, colon, yeah)

[The rest of this post will use the passive voice. Starting... now.]

People were seen.
Spades was played.
Sideways was watched.
Sleep was obtained.
Books were read (Fight Club was finished, Catch As Catch Can was nearly finished).
Lotsa food was eaten.
Lotsa of driving was done.
The Party People were seen in Orlando (fun times were had).
An article was written after an interview was conducted.
Umm, lots of stuff was not done by me, as was predicted.

[ehh, /passive voice off.]

At least I read some good stuff. And then I brought five more books up with me to add to the stack of books that I won't be able to finish within the next six weeks.

Oh. Talk of apartments was made. Looks friggin' schwee.

Nothing else really exciting went on or is going on. Except that I'M AWESOME. I'M ASHTON KUTCHER. ... I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME KUTCH!

Ahh.

Huzzah. 

Huh.

Apparently, thefacebook.com creator d'bowed the idea from some people he was working with (who made a service called ConnectU):

(from ConnectU's short history)
Over the course of development, we've had our ups and downs. We've cycled through several programmers, even one who stole our ideas to create a competing site, without informing us of his intentions.

(from the first news link posted on facebook's press listings)
[Mark Zuckerberg], who acknowledges that he worked briefly on the competitors' site before launching his own, denies the allegations. His attorneys filed counterclaims that ConnectU's founders, three recent Harvard graduates, had defamed Zuckerberg and hurt his business.

Okay, now that's just stupid (or really, really smart). First, he rips these guys off. Then, he makes a site that is more popular than theirs. Now, he answers the litigation with counterclaims that they hurt his business.

C'mon. I never hear any say "hey, you hear about ConnectU"? Probably cuz it's too dumb of a name- you can pronounce it like [co-neck-tu] instead of [co-neckt-you]. No, it's people always saying "this guy on facebook wanted to date me" or "I got your message on facebook" or "I'm a facebook master!". The site has grown to be a behemoth, but I will admit it has its useful moments. Mostly for the part where people from 10 years ago contact me and tell me they're going to be a pilot. Yeah, right.

Drab details of a dull day.

I get all these emails from advisors and honors people talking about scholarships, internships, work studies, graduate school, honors in the major, and opportunities for minorities. I usually glance over them, think something like "sounds like a good idea/program/money-maker" and then continue onto my other emails, pretending to make a mental note to go back and read the details in them before the applications are due, or the meetings are scheduled, but knowing pretty well that I will just forget them.

I can't concentrate in Abnormal Psychology. I sit there in the front row, looking between the powerpoint slides and the instructor, usually holding my chin as if in a state of intellectual curiosity about the material, but really thinking about what order we're gonna play our songs for our set, and then singing the lyrics to myself, and wondering about when I'm going to do what and how I'll divide up my hours until I go to bed and don't get enough sleep that I'd like to get.

Then I start listening to the instructor again, realizing I missed a good 2-3 slides and 8-10 minutes of material. Then I realize he's talking about external versus internal blame, global versus relative, and that other stuff that I learned in speech class (for some reason... man, that class was really diverse in subject matter- way to go Ziegler!). So, then I daze out again, write ellipses on my paper, and continue to think about other things.

Abnormal Psychology isn't as exciting as it sounds or I thought it would be. This whole having-a-major thing isn't either.

But, hey, ... you know me- I can't complain.

Dude, dude, dude, dude.

Some slick weez fan snuck some cell-phone camera shots of the new video for their Beverly Hills single... at the Playboy Mansion.

=w= punkt sweden

Some comforting from the band's pal/webmaster/historian, Karl: "Beverly Hills" is a pretty catchy track and was practically begging to be a single, but its important to know that its but one piece of a fairly complex album pie, and to any concerned that Album 5 is just a collection of 'fun' songs, fear not - theres many flavors to come. (weezer.com/news)

I have high hopes for this one. Weezer's starting European tours in June, and I am going to try my best to see them this time around... who's with me??!?!??!?!?