Turn left or get shot

Just some stuff. The last might move from page to skin, but I'm not sure yet.

Rain rain go away.

So I'm sitting in the hall of the Art Building, waiting to get a seat for my terribly enthralling extremely exhilarating Art History 1. And I'm wet because it's raining outside. It's not too bad but bad enough that a ten minute walk turns into "Where the hell is the damn building?" and "I wish I had a fucking umbrella."

I ordered some Simple Shoes off of their website today. They are made from completely sustainable material such as car tires and hemp and organic cotton. I can't get a picture of them on here so I'll take a picture when they come in the mail. I hope they come soon. My poor poor Chucks just can't do it anymore.

Also, NoSweatapparel.com also has some really good deals of shoes that support union workshops and not sweat shops (and look like Chucks but aren't).

Good times.

Touch the sky...

Moved in to the new townhome the other day. Things are going pretty good, but there are always some bumps in the road when it comes to new transitions to new situations and what not. However everything is settled and moved in and a new life is beginning. Classes start on Monday.

I have a couple drawings in my sketchbook that I haven't put up yet.

I am the Michael Phelps of Mario Kart!

I told Angel that would be the title.

I sort of moved in most of my things last night into my new place in Kent. Pictures will come soon. I also did a couple more drawings in my sketchbook but my scanner isn't set up yet and we won't have internet until Saturday.

More to come!

Just a little more...

Just a few more pictures from Wanterstock. That's all.

(P.S. - In case you folks didn't know, you can click on the pictures to make 'em bigger.)

Join the Marines!

(but don't really.)

Today was Wanterstock 2.0 in Seville, OH in Adam Wanter's barn. The turnout wasn't as high as expected but good times were still had by all. There are some pictures up there. Saint Ohio played a great set, I am very much a fan. The kid yelling at me to join the Marines while I was playing, not a fan. Sorry Johnny America, go back to wrestling practice with the rest of your ignorant in-breeds. Oh and I might be playing this Friday at the Nervous Dog Coffee Bar & Roaster in Akron, OH with Overcoming the Trial and Blast Shields Up! so come out if you don't have anything else to do.

Audrey got me a vegetarian cookbook and sketchbook for my birthday as well as some other stuff. Here is the first drawing from the sketchbook.

All in good fun...

Found that here. I thought it was good for a laugh.

Move-out-of-one-place-into-another day is soon!

Insert Here by Chris Wallis


A Statement of Strawberry Flavor by Chris Wallis

The Olympics

This is a summary of the Olympic coverage by the media:

Phelps, Phelps, Phelps...swimming, Beijing, Phelps, Phelps, Beijing, USA, Gold Medals (by Phelps), Phelps, Michael Phelps, Bob Costas, some other sport, oh and how awesome is Michael Phelps?

For real.

Revolution is all around!

It really is!

Today I read some more of The Strawberry Statement and revolution is abound! The things I would do if I could be on that campus in 1968. Also, Angel and I watched Persepolis, a very well animated film about a girl that survives a revolution and a war in Iran and struggles to deal with the state of her homeland and her identity. Excellent film! It was only released in select cities before but now it is on DVD everywhere so go watch it!


I also listened to Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin on my way home from Angel's house. This album I will listen to until I'm 100 years old.


I bought some new music from iTunes the other day (thanks Uncle Rick!). The first album being Bedouin Soundclash's 2004 release Sounding a Mosaic. Great reggae/dubrock with some acoustic tones and good lyrics.


The second is The Black Keys debut The Big Come Up. Great Midwestern bluesy-duet-dirty-rock. And no, I don't just like them because they happen to be from Akron. They're great musicians and were a perfect compliment to the next album I bought...


The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson, king of the Delta blues. This collection of his recordings is great, encompassing everything he ever put down on tape in the few short years before his death. If you get a chance, listen to I Believe I'll Dust My Broom.

Also, as I was listening to my new collection of Robert Johnson (who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads to play guitar like he did) on my way to work on Saturday I noticed I was behind an older bus, teal-blueish in color. I thought it was a nice vintage bus of a cool color and failed, until I was almost at work, to notice what was emblazoned on the back of the bus in large orange script: CrossRoads. I wish I could've gotten a picture. It's good to know at least somebody's lookin' out for me. Thanks Bobby.

Oh, and in case anybody cares, Russia invaded South Osettia the other day and is currently at war over control of the small country with Georgia (no, not peaches and Ray Charles Georgia), another small country that lies to the south. The last death toll I heard was 1500 people and Georgia seems to be withdrawing. You can read a little more about it here. Too bad we live in a war desensitized culture that doesn't even seem to flinch at the idea of people losing their lives over imaginary lines and ideals and all these intangible things that, at the time of death, don't mean shit.

Testify!

That's right, I said it.

My day was okay but very jam packed, and work was shit. I guess that's why true Communism never works because no one barely wants to do what they are supposed to do let alone any extra work. But I did get to snag most of a German Chocolate cake. Mmm.

I broke my Kanye West boycott tonight. After nearly two months, I listened to Late Registration on part of my way home from work. I'm not mad at you for Bonnaroo anymore, Kanye. I think there was maybe some egotistical outlandishness on your side and some bad planning on Bonnaroo's side and some miscommunication on both sides, but it's all water under the gold-plated bridge. You're still my homeboy, Ye.

I began reading The Strawberry Statement today because I finished Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Very exciting.

Today was also a gorgeous day and I wish I could have done more things outside. Hopefully it's as nice tomorrow.

Responsibility

I saw the new trailer for Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince today!! You can watch it right here. I can't wait for more trailers to come out and of course for the film. I should probably read the book again.

I'm spending way too much money on my car but hopefully after this it will all be over except for routine maintenance. I would much rather ride my bike everywhere I went.

I got my student ID today as well and while I was on campus I got that sickening feeling of being stressed out and having papers due and the summer being over. Bummer.

When you wanna get down, down on the ground...

Well the weekend is ending, and a new week beginning. Less than a month until I move out and in to our new place at Kent. I didn't work all weekend but somehow managed to stay busy.

Friday I biked to the eye doctor's downtown to get my sweet new prescription sunglasses (which were just old ones that I got new lenses for). Angel and I also went on a 7 mile bike ride on Towpath in the Cuyahoga Valley and it was beautiful! We saw two Blue Herons and got bike on a nice, easy path next to a river.

Saturday I went to the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club and got to follow Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh for their first three holes. Then at night it was my Mom and Mike's first Luau party and I was selected to cook. It was a good time but the highlights of the night were drunk middle agers, cornhole, and tai chi lessons.

And today I am doing nothing.

Oh! My George Bush mask came the other day! To be used for...well, you'll just have to see.



"And when my friends got me into tai chi I got into...uhh..like I realized that the Beatles were the greatest thing!"

The Harvest

Thought I should post this because it's just really good:

http://www.dshed.net/harvest/

Watch it and you'll see.

Oh, and Wanterstock 2.0 is on August 16th, so if you don't have anything better to do come out and support local music! It's also free.

Oh vinyl, how I love thee!

Good finds while record shopping today.


The first to grab my eye was The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by...well you know. The spine is cracked and there is some other cover wear but the record seems to listen just fine. Some of my favorite Dylan songs are on this record such as A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Girl From the North Country, and Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. Score! (Upon further listening Don't Think Twice, It's All Right has some scratches in it which make the song skip and subsequently make me look like an idiot when I'm singing along, but the sheer awesomeness of the song make it okay.)


The next would be Street Legal by Bobby again. This record is mediocre as far as Dylan goes but the opening track, Changing of the Guards, will forever remind me of Luis Morales, 823 Turner Ave., among other things.

The next record I bought was Slowhand by Eric Clapton. It's a timeless album, and one of his first after separating from Derek & the Dominoes I believe. And it was only a dollar!

The only new album I bought was I'm Wide Awake It's Morning by Bright Eyes. It came with a free mp3 download, which is one reason why I have so many new LPs. There are so many I want to get still! Anyways, this album is great, continuing my as-of-late Bright Eyes kick.

I successfully managed to not make brownies tonight, but it isn't my fault. The oven wouldn't heat up. But when it does, those are going to be some delicious brownies! I also succesfully rode my bike to the store today without half killing myself and succesfully paid off one of my credit cards today. Sounds like it was a succesful day, huh?

Or the Paris of the South...

I've been listening to Cassadaga by Bright Eyes a lot recently and have discovered an entirely different side to the album. Before, I received the album just as part of the Bright Eyes' library. However, after listening to the album over and over and over again, it has become it's own beast. It has taken on a sort of folk-rock-country-alt-country feel collectively with each song being independent and different in its own right. All the tracks together and in order meld perfectly and completely to form Cassadaga. I previsouly thought that Conor Oberst's voice was on the border of too "emo" for me, but after listening more closely, I realize that he makes it his own very successfully. When he wants to, Oberst can have a good voice, as in he can sing well and very well at that. If you don't like Bright Eyes or maybe haven't thought about listening to it before and you feel that you are such a person that appreciates music, listen to this album. Otherwise, you're missing out. Oh, and the vinyl/cd package is very very cool, so go out and buy it and support your local record shop.

I drew a picture of Ginsberg (again) last night but couldn't quite seem to get his eyes right.

Crash!

And that is exactly what I did this morning.

Today is a beautiful day! So I decided to ride my bike across town to the bank. While taking this leisurely ride to the bank, I came upon a part of the sidewalk that didn't quite agree with me. I raised my handlebars to get up the sidewalk and when I came back down, disaster! My front wheel went haywire and I flew maybe a foot or two over my handlebars. I used my hands to block my headphones and my head from being damaged but managed to get some nice cuts and sprain my right hand. Pics from the damage below via cell phone. Fortunately for me and my semi-broken bicycle my mom and Mike were in town and came and picked me up. All is well and hopefully nothing comes up that is worse. Now for portabella mushroom burgers!

Bummer!

Man, what a bummer. Only $25 to see some awesome bands in an awesome city with an awesome girlfriend and some awesome friends and they're alllll sold out. I guess shit happens, right?



Angel and I watched Meet Bill last night. Aside from the so-so acting, the movie was pretty great. Bill, played by an overweight Aaron Eckhart, is stuck in a dead end life with a wife who is having an affair and a job he hates and blah blah blah. The movie progresses as Bill's student partner who he is supposed to mentor sets him free, albeit via a joint or two of White Widow. I would recommend it, and if you can get through some of the cheesier parts, it's not half bad.

We also watched Be Kind Rewind featuring the talents of Danny Glover, Jack Black, and Mos Def. It wasn't too bad, considering the last Jack Black movie I watched was School of Rock. In the film, Jack Black becomes magnetized and erases all the videos in the store, and so him and Mos Def (and eventually almost the entire cast) have to recreate all the films as they rent them and it turns out to be a huge success! Until a very angry Sigourney Weaver fines them for copyright infringement and they owe like a trillion dollars. They then make their own movie and the day is saved, sort of, because their building still has to be demolished and Danny Glover still has to go live in the projects, but they go out with a bang screening their original film that they created for the entire city.

All for now.

I gots a fever!

For counterculture icons that is!

Tonight I downloaded Timothy Leary's Turn on, Tune In, Drop Out speech recorded in New York in 1966 that I stumbled upon. Awesome find. I got it here. I also drew a picture of Allen Ginsberg.

Cheers!

Boycott Beijing!

And I mean it too. Nothing should stand in the way of human rights. Granted, the United States has many of it's own human rights issues to straighten out (did someone say Guantanamo Bay?) but boycotting the Beijing Olympics would at the very least be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, there is too much Olympic fever to stop that train now, so the only thing that each one of you can do is ignore the Olympic Games like they aren't even happening. Paste magazine had a special Olympic advertisment with some bands recalling their "favorite" Olympic moments. It wasn't too bad until at the end I saw 3 Doors Down staring back at me. I guess if you were a washup band with no talent and depending solely on if the mainstream will swallow you back up for your livelihood you could ignore human rights too, right? I guess some people will do anything for fame, money, etc., etc., etc.,...

Visit boycottbeijing08.org.