Three Day Weekend

When I Come Back Here

2011-12-15T10:55:00.003-06:00

I think of this blog very fondly and enjoy going through it's back pages every so often to remind me of where I came from. I used to be a different person than I am now. It wasn't always panic and worrying. Sure, I was a lot younger when I started this thing, and I've definitely learned a lot more about myself and the world around me since then, but I sure don't have as much fun. I don't find things as funny as I used to. I wont work as hard just to make myself or someone else laugh, because there is always too much I need to get done.

I'm unemployed again. The restaurant I've worked at off and on for over five years got sold and is currently being remodeled. It will be much better. It already ran better under the new management. The name is... unfortunate, but the menu will look a lot better, and the atmosphere will be much more conducive to people trying to get laid. That's what bars are about, right?

However, I'm trying to get out of the bar scene. Yesterday I paid for two classes at Metro State and I'm job hunting. I'm really bad at job hunting! I completed a career counseling course at the U of M that was supposed to help me identify what I'm supposed to be doing with myself and it was helpful in getting me to go back to school, but for right now? Not so helpful.

Mostly I blame the internet. Apologies to my gf for being a headcase.

Fucking these winter blues away with Kava and Vitamin D,
RC

Comcast!

2011-08-02T00:47:00.002-05:00

analyst Hazel has entered room

HazelACBL: Hello Ryan, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Hazel. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Ryan: My Issue: No Problem Given
HazelACBL: I hope your day is going well.
HazelACBL: Before anything else, would you mind if I call you by your first name?
Ryan: Go for it!
HazelACBL: Thank you, Ryan.
Ryan: So I have two questions:
HazelACBL: How may I help you today?
HazelACBL: Sure.
HazelACBL: I would be more than happy to answer and fix all your issues today.
HazelACBL: We will fix that one at a time.
HazelACBL: What is the first concern please?
Ryan: First off, I signed up for a Performance internet deal that was supposed to be $40 a month, but I'm being charged 57.95
HazelACBL: I understand that you have a problem with your bill as you were charged for $57.95 instead of $40.00 a month. I am happy to help you.
HazelACBL: Did you keep the confirmation number of the $40.00 offer or deal that you have signed up?
Ryan: i don't think so
Ryan: It might be in my email?
HazelACBL: That is right.
HazelACBL: You may want to check it.
HazelACBL: Let me check that on the account first.
HazelACBL: Thank you for providing your account information. Would you please verify the information I received is correct?
HazelACBL: Your account number is 42069, isnt it?
Ryan: Actually it says 36.99
Ryan: I found the email
HazelACBL: Did you sign up via chat?
Ryan: no
Ryan: My account number is 42069, yes.
HazelACBL: Did you sign it up over the phone?
Ryan: No
Ryan: Through a link online
HazelACBL: How did you sign up for the promotional rate please?
Ryan: "Order Summary: Performance Promo Total Monthly Fees: $ 36.99 Total One-Time Fees: $ 10.00"
HazelACBL: Oh I see.
HazelACBL: Did a live chat representative confirm the order?
Ryan: No
Ryan: I have not chatted with Comcast before this
HazelACBL: I am sorry to hear that.
HazelACBL: Please be reminded that once you signed up for a promotion online, that must be confirmed by our live sales representative to avoid this to happen in the future.
HazelACBL: By the end of this chat I am sure we will have resolved this issue together to your satisfaction.
HazelACBL: I will do my best to fix this.
HazelACBL: Would you please give me 2 minutes to access your account so I can provide you with the accurate information?
Ryan: go for it
Ryan: I have to leave it 15 minutes to go to work
HazelACBL: Our goal is to provide you with a consistently superior customer experience that’s our guarantee. We value your time with us and you may want to check about Comcast Customer Guarantee at your convenience while waiting. Learn more about the Comcast Customer Guarantee at http://www.comcast.com/corporate/Customers/CustomerGuarantee.html?fss=customerguarantee.
user Ryan has left room
Ryan: I did not leave the room
HazelACBL: Thank you.
HazelACBL: Thank you for waiting.
HazelACBL: Thank you for your patience. Would you mind waiting for another 1 to 2 minutes?
HazelACBL: I need to exhaust all my tools on this.
Ryan: Haha sure
HazelACBL: Thank you.
HazelACBL: Thank you for waiting.
HazelACBL: I am sorry for the delay.
HazelACBL: I apologize, this is taking more time than usual. Would you mind waiting for a minute or two while I finish it? I would deeply appreciate it.
Ryan: Sure. I'll be back in a few to check on it.
HazelACBL: Thank you very much.
HazelACBL: Thank you for waiting.
Ryan: Yes, I need to leave very soon.
HazelACBL: I am reprocessing the offer now.
HazelACBL: Give me 2 more minutes please.
HazelACBL: I will make sure that this will go through.
Ryan: That's all I can give you.
HazelACBL: Thank you for waiting.
HazelACBL: I am all set.
Ryan: Ok
Ryan: All good then?
HazelACBL: I am pleased to inform you that the $36.99 per month for 12 months including your modem rental for $7.00 a month adjustment that were submitted on your behalf has been approved and applied to you account.
Ryan: Thank you!
HazelACBL: You should see the credit appear on your bill in the next 1 to 2 billing cycles. You can check the running balance after 24 hours online as well for your viewing.
HazelACBL: You are most welcome.
HazelACBL: Now that we've resolved your issue and reviewed the details, do you have any additional questions or concerns today?
Ryan: Will I get a new bill?
HazelACBL: You should be able to get the next bill with this adjustment that I made.
HazelACBL: I'm glad I had the opportunity to resolve your issue today. It is my goal to exceed your expectations.

swearz

2011-07-22T00:44:00.002-05:00

FUCK TOURETTE'S

Randy's Asian Slaw

2011-05-15T01:22:00.004-05:00

1/2 head cabbage, finely sliced
3 medium carrots, shredded
3 green onions, diced
2 tsp minced ginger
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup canola (or whatever) oil
2 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Credits

2011-05-05T17:49:00.001-05:00

Alice's Restaurant

Long time.

2011-04-19T01:38:00.002-05:00

Wow, my neighbors suck. They're moving out soon. I hope that someday when they're throwing their garbage out the window into my parking space that they accidentally throw each other out the window, as they are far more filthy than the condoms, washcloths, socks, sardine tins, and tonight's potato that fell two stories. The potato was actually on the hood of my car. That's a first. Great aim.

This is my hummus recipe:

1 29 oz can of chickpeas (drain, but save 1/2 cup of liquid to add to hummus)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tahini

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbs crushed red pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3-4 cloves of garlic, sauteed

Food process the fuck out of it. Don't all the chickpeas in at once cuz it can be hard on your appliance.

The Love Song of A. Wilbur Meshel

2010-12-31T15:11:00.002-06:00

Vinyl at 320kbps
RIYL: Terry Jacks, Harry Nilsson, Muswell Hillbillies

Angst In My Pants Lyrics

2010-12-14T00:51:00.000-06:00

I hope it doesn't show
It'll go 'way
It's just a passing phase
It'll go 'way

You can dress nautical
Learn to tie knots
Take lots of Dramamine
Out on your yacht
But when you're all alone
And nothing bites
You'll wish you stayed at home
With someone nice
But when you think you made it disappear
It comes again, "Hello, I'm here" and
I've got angst in my pants

You can be smart as hell
Know how to add
Know how to figure things
On yellow pads
Answer so no one knows
What you just said
But when you're all alone
You and your head
What's the computer say, it's mumbling now
It says "hey Joe"
It's spelled it out and
"You've got angst in your pants"
"You've got angst in your pants"

But when you think you've made it disappear
You're sure you made it disappear
And you've still got angst in your pants

I hope it doesn't show
It'll go 'way
It's just a passing phase
It'll go 'way
I hope it doesn't show
It'll go 'way
Give it a hundred years
It won't go 'way
And I've got angst in my pants
I've got angst in my pants

FMITF!

2010-12-03T11:36:00.000-06:00

click

Hmm?

2010-10-10T12:05:00.001-05:00

3 Day Weekend
Danny B Cool
The Tumbler
Look On the Bright Side
I wanna be around you
What Did I Tell You
Song For A Liar
Motorcycle Mona
Like Ricky
i can't see you
teenage you
Alice's song

Top Ten Ways 2 Get A Beautiful Women To Love You

2010-09-12T19:32:00.004-05:00

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Thinking About Reading About Thinking

2010-09-09T02:34:00.000-05:00

"I don't get so wrapped up in compulsive thinking. When I feel stressed, insecure, and insufficient according to whatever standards I have bought into throughout my life, I can take a deep breath, and return my focus to the present in the way [my psychiatrist] has taught me: to notice the feeling of the laptop keyboard keys under my fingers, the sensation of my feet on the ground and my butt in my chair, the cool breeze blowing on my neck from a nearby fan, the soft way my shirt drapes over my shoulders.

I can move out of the mental and into the physical, which always exists now, in the present.

I find myself being more spontaneous. More likely to engage strangers in conversation, to dance at a party, to crack a joke at any moment. Even my athletics have improved. I'm simply more relaxed, less anxious, more confident, and ultimately, better at the sport. Romantically, I'm less wrapped up in anxieties and more able to feel, and enjoy, myself and others."

Wow, I just realized

2010-09-09T02:32:00.001-05:00

I haven't been woken up in the mornings by people being super loud outside my door in over two months. Can you believe it?

Teenage Anything

2010-09-08T13:32:00.002-05:00

2003-2004: Black (Black Keys, Black Dice, Black Lips)

2005-2006: Wolf (Wolf Parade, Wolf Eyes, Superwolf)

2007: Structures (Crystal Castles, Mystery Palace, Haunted House)

2008: Scary creatures (Vampire Weekend, Ghostband, Vampire Hands)

2009-2010: Teen (Teen Dream, Teenage Moods, Teenage Strangler)

What's next?

Oh puppies (thanks BL)

2010-08-25T10:32:00.001-05:00

Movies

2010-08-11T10:19:00.002-05:00

Recently I've seen a few movies. These are they:

Toystory 3D: Well I locked my keys in my car during this one and was a little distracted the entire time. I'm not really a fan of the Toystory franchise the way some people are... This kind of "heart-warming" feels more like heartburn to me, but I put up with it for pretty good 3D animation

Inception: I was pretty entertained throughout this movie, but the ending left me a little annoyed. Seeing Leo in the similarly-themed Shutter Island six months ago affected my understanding of his character, kind of like how I confuse Michael C. Hall's roles in Dexter and Six Feet Under. Maybe that's a personal problem.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: I know this isn't a new movie, but I needed to escape the heat and a dollar theater sounded perfect. Whoaaaa dude. I had no clue what this movie was about and I absolutely loved it. It's been awhile since I watched something with subtitles, but I was able to pay attention. It was a great mystery story that was fairly complex and ended happily, but the sentimental-ness of it seemed very genuine compared to Inception and Toystory 3D. I'm happy I saw three of these movies, but Girl With The Dragon Tattoo blew me away.

I just wanted to remember this

2010-06-20T02:56:00.000-05:00

Dear Diary,

Baseball is awesome... especially when the Twins win.

Love,

Randy Crouton

My Contribution to Kinkade's DUI

2010-06-17T16:58:00.000-05:00

captchaz

2010-06-15T09:49:00.003-05:00

Cleaning/Finding

2010-06-10T11:58:00.001-05:00

An unopened envelope contained this photo and note:

The Complete Auto-Tuned Carl Sagan (so far)

2010-06-06T10:30:00.004-05:00

MP3 links and more info here

Top 10 Favorite Movies (off the top of my head)

2010-06-06T00:17:00.004-05:00

1. Kill Bill Parts 1&2

2. Punchdrunk Love

3. Brewster McCloud

4. The Big Lebowski

5. Amelie

6. Inglourious Basterds

7. The Producers

8. Bottle Rocket

9. Princess Bride

10. Cool Hand Luke

NEW MIX!!!!!!

2010-04-26T12:30:00.003-05:00

[The Beach Boys - In Blue Hawaii]

[Eroc - Horrorgoll]

[Lucio Battisti - La Nouva America]

Ariel Pink - Bright Lit Blue Skies

The Buzz of Delight - Christmas

[Pantha Du Prince - Water Falls]

[Gila - Kontakt]

Happy End - Ashita Tenki ni Naare

Bryan Ferry - Heart on My Sleeve

The Caravelles - Don't Blow Your Cool

[Sun Ra - Sometimes I'm Happy]

[Silver Bullets - Sister Polygon]

Cults - Go Outside

[Washed Out - #7]

[M83 - Couleurs]

Al Green - It Don't Take Much

[J Dilla - Don't Cry]

The Flamin' Groovies - Sometimes

The Beach Boys - When Girls Get Together

[The Short Wave Mystery - Ecaterina Szabo]

[Shahs - Pablo Picasso]

Holger Czukay - The Photo Song

My Teenage Stride - Theme from Teenage Suicide

[Eroc - Ostergloingg]

[Selda Bagcan - Nem Kaldi]

[Oh No - Electronic Monsters]

[Animal Collective - Seal Eyeing]

Oppenheimer Analysis - Security Risk

[Music of Africa Series - Tabarirevu woenda (Ndau)]

[Music of Africa Series - Madumbu ne manyere (Zezeru)]

Jaga Jazzist - Banafleur Overalt

Lucio Battisti - Due Mondi

[Metro - Overture to Flame]

[Michael Rother - Katzenmusik 3]

Eroc - Abendfrieden

touch me >>> HERE

Next week...

2010-04-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

m brooks

2010-04-15T01:13:00.002-05:00

It's springtime for hipsters and skinny jeans

Uptown is happy and gay

We're tweeting at a faster pace

Look out, here comes the trustfund race

Springtime for hipsters and skinny jeans

Seward's a fine land once more!

Springtime for hipsters and skinny jeans

Watch out, suburbs

We're going on tour!

Springtime for hipsters and skinny jeans

Tinkling and...

2010-04-05T10:57:00.002-05:00

and what? I'm on the edge of my seat.

Hold Down Shift

2010-04-03T01:14:00.001-05:00

To turn off the flash in Photobooth. SOoooooo helpful.

Morning Light

2010-03-26T11:46:00.003-05:00

Songs About Not Being Loved

2010-03-21T13:34:00.002-05:00

Does Dusty Springfield seem a little too timid for you? Lori Burton may be exactly who you're looking for.

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

LIARS!

2010-03-20T12:07:00.002-05:00

So... This is a really fun album. One of the songs is called "Don't Sing Love Songs", and it's credited to the artist, but it's actually a really nice rendition of "Silver Dagger". Ehhh. Don't know how they got away with that.

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

More Deuce Seven on Trains

2010-03-17T18:00:00.002-05:00

The Sexiest Voice

2010-03-15T21:08:00.001-05:00

In Japan!

Not the cleanest copy, but it works. Thanks, Bob.

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

Windswept

2010-03-10T18:06:00.005-06:00

"Untamed landscape is a perfect setting for the restless heart. Reckless -- we see nothing -- we hear nothing -- is it a feeling only, or a state of mind? We only know we're swept away... the stuff that dreams are made of.

Vinyl... the stuff that discs are made of -- dreams themselves cut deep into a thousand grooves, like hieroglyphics on a tablet. What lies beneath the ebony surface, hard and gleaming and darkly reflective of deeper things?... secrets recovered only by diamond drawn across dark mirror of vulcanite.

Vulcan's mountain lair, where he fashioned from fire his terrible art, might well have been the Swiss alps. On the shores of Lake Geneva they will tell you how in winter, out-of-season, everything shuts down, and Montreaux becomes a ghost town. This splendid isolation was the perfect setting when Bryan Ferry arrived in the autumn of 1977 to make his new record.

In the spring of the next year he emerged with the controversial Bride Stripped Bare, which had been destined at one point to be a double album. These three previously unreleased songs are from the collection.

-S.P.P."

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

Lotta Lotti

2010-03-10T17:49:00.003-06:00

For the record (no pun intended), this was ripped from a white-label promo with a different cover. I wish I'd written down what it said on the cover about Ms. Golden being a 19-year-old and blah blah blah. It was pretty entertaining. This sounds like some sort of cross between Patti Smith and Janis Joplin doing a confusing and a spontaneous concept album. It has some pretty good moments though.

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

Reunion Wilderness

2010-03-07T13:31:00.003-06:00

Sounds like if Paddy MacAloon was singing for The Smiths... maybe.

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

Cool Record Coverom

2010-03-04T09:26:00.002-06:00

At this moment in my life, I wish I'd bought this... just for the cover. I just looked it up and it's not worth anything.

All Green

2010-03-04T00:53:00.005-06:00

This album's Myspace genre would be:

Gospel / R&B / Disco

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

Randy Crouton in the News

2010-03-03T17:31:00.000-06:00

First Place

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Buzz of Delight

2010-02-25T12:32:00.004-06:00

Matthew Sweet before he was Matthew Sweet.

(Not to be confused with Michael Sweet.)

Link

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

The Gyuto Monks

2010-02-25T12:28:00.003-06:00

I bet you didn't know that terror and peace can be the same thing.

Link

Vinyl Rip @ 320kbps

The Music of Africa Series: Rhodesia I

2010-02-23T23:31:00.004-06:00

Here it is. This is the link.

Vinyl rip @ 320kbps

My Favorite Rappers

2010-02-18T08:05:00.002-06:00

Inspired by the Vibe Best Rapper Alive Bracket

6. Drake

4/5. Pusha T & Malice of Clipse

3. Lil' Wayne

2. Talib Kweli

1. Bun B

But I'd still probably listen to Madlib instrumental tracks.

Saint Paul

2010-02-17T22:16:00.004-06:00

I'm in St. Paul right now. I'm dogsitting two cute dogs named Darryl and Spike. Darryl just had surgery and it all fucked up usually. Spike is a little freak. My favorite thing about them is the absolutely obnoxious sleeping positions they assume.

New Diet

2010-02-04T08:47:00.002-06:00

So, what I've been dealing with is Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. It basically means that due to stress, lack of sleep, etc, my adrenal glands gave up on me. Now I have to kiss their asses a lot so that they want to be a part of my body again.

Diet is a huge part of this. I almost feel like I'm a diabetic because of how careful I have to be with the foods I eat. Basically, my diet breaks down like this:

35% Veggies

35% Whole grains

12% Beans, nuts

12% Meat, dairy, eggs

6% Fruit

The fruit thing is what's absolutely killing me. I love fruit! Bananas are really terrible for me, and I usually eat one every day. :(

Not only do I need to be careful about what I eat, but I have regular eating times so that I have a constant stream of energy in my body. So this is what my typical day of eating looks like:

8:30am

Oatmeal with walnuts, cinnamon, and a splash of soy milk

11:30am

Brown rice, beans, veggies, and a chicken breast

2:30pm

Whole wheat crackers with hummus, olive oil, and nutritional yeast

5:30pm

Soup, brown rice, a small glass of kombucha

9:30pm

Maybe a few more crackers and a cup of licorice tea

And to bed by 11pm

So yeah. It's not a whole lot of fun, but it is pretty tasty. I'm really not used to eating whole grains, so that's the hardest thing for me. It's gonna be awhile before I can have a Heggie's.

Indian Princess Pop

2010-01-30T10:37:00.001-06:00

This is a vinyl rip I did

Hello Blog

2010-01-29T14:38:00.002-06:00

"I have not posted here in a long time."

"Why?", you ask.

"Well there are many reasons. Initially, I started posting less because I was having too much fun. I was rarely home or alone. It was nice. That's a great reason not to blog."

"But if you're having so much fun, then why are you blogging right now?"

"Well, I haven't been having very much fun for a week. Apparently all those nice times wore me out. My chiropractor and acupuncturists all told me that my adrenal glands were drained and that I was exhausted. A Western doctor also told me she thought I was exhausted."

A smile starts forming on your lips. I know that smile. I hate that smile.

"Exhausted? You don't really do much of anything but watch TV, work, and kiss beautiful women. You can't be exhausted. And IF you're just exhausted, why wouldn't you start blogging more?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure how it happened either. There were definitely a few nights where a beautiful woman kept me from my usual 8 hours of sleep, but I don't think that's what wrong. I worked a lot of long, busy, stressful shifts that I think definitely contributed to it, and I did a fair amount of drinking which may have added to the problem. I've also been worried about my health which probably only makes things worse. I'm exhausted enough that when I walk to the store and back all I can think of doing is sleeping. Staying up too late causes my heart to race. The doctor said I was getting by on adrenaline which is really bad. She prescribed Trazodone to help me get more rest, which it does, but I don't feel like I'm getting any better."

"Oh, so it's kind of serious then? And you still didn't answer me about the more blogging thing."

"I don't know how serious it is. I'm going to continue with the acupuncture, Trazodone, and adrenal supplements the chiropractor gave me. I'm going to see some specialists next Friday if things don't get better by then. I've been blogging less because I got out of the habit. I guess I just don't care about it that much."

"Cool, well that answers all of my questions, I guess. I hope you start feeling better. I don't really read your blog that much anyway, so I don't really care if you blog, but I care why you don't blog. Does that make sense? I still think you should post some of those vinyl rips you did."

"Haha. I don't do this blog for you or anyone else. It's for me. I will try to get some albums posted soon. Thanks for talking!"

You didn't say goodbye. You smiled. I know that smile. I like that smile. And then you waved and walked away.

In the New Year, I'll Be Really Artsy

2010-01-01T13:46:00.002-06:00

Albums of the Year

2009-12-31T11:19:00.001-06:00

1. Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion"

2. Bill Callahan "Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle"

3. The Flaming Lips "Embryonic"

4. Washed Out "Life of Leisure"

5. Atlas Sound "Logos"

6. Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest"

7. Animal Collective "Fall Be Kind"

8. Vampire Hands "Hannah and the Mansion"

9. R. Kelly "Untitled"

10. Girls "Album"

Favorite songs of the year:

2009-12-31T09:23:00.006-06:00

1. "My Girls" - Animal Collective

This song accounted for at least 3% of all smiles in 2009.

2."Lust for Life" - Girls

This is the song that I always get stuck in my head even though the only lyrics I remember are "I wish I had a boyfriend. I wish I had a loving man in my life". The song is good enough that I'm not embarrassed by singing them out loud.

3. "Too Many Birds" - Bill Callahan

There were two other songs on this album that I probably listened to more than this song, but that's because they were the first two tracks on the album. The simple yet stunning buildup of "If you could only stop your heartbeat for one heartbeat" is maybe the most memorable part of a wonderfully purposeful album.

4. "Sing Sang Sung" - Air (Youtube Disabled Embedding)

This song is what it feels to be a piece of toast while peanut butter and honey are being spread upon it. Gooey sweetness.

5. "Walkabout" - Atlas Sound

Bradford Cox is one of the most prolific songwriters of the last few years, and this song is him at his most infectious.

6. "Deadbeat Summer" - Neon Indian

This song is the reason "chillwave" will be added to the dictionary next year... and then forgotten about.

7. "Handreader" - Shahs (Check discography for full EP download)

I don't think I've ever heard a cooler vocal effect.

8. "Feel It All Around" - Washed Out

Washed Out's "Life of Leisure" was my favorite EP of the year. I can't tell if this song is more unfuckwithable or fuck-to-able.

9. "Eight Legs" - Vampire Hands (This song isn't streamable, but check out the others)

The thing that separates Vampire Hands from most modern rock bands is that Colin Johnson's lyrics are as beautiful as the music that he sings them over.

10. "Echo" - R. Kelly

By :20 into this track it's pretty easy to understand why this is one of The Undisputed King of R&B's best songs ever.

11. "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear"

This probably would have rated a little higher if I wouldn't have listened to it, like, 5 million times already.

12. Maybe So, Maybe No" - Mayer Hawthorne

Mayer Hawthorne is a dorky white dude has the silky smooth voice (and balls) to pull off neo-soul.

13. "Hole in My Head" - Box Elders

Omaha's Box Elders are young, dumb, and full of short songs that illustrate the previous two points.

How to make yourself...

2009-12-30T19:26:00.001-06:00

Do Them. Do Them Now.

2009-12-27T01:33:00.001-06:00

Christmas Breakfast

2009-12-25T13:22:00.002-06:00

Hash browns, 2 fried eggs, black beans, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa!!!

The Difference Between Boyfriends and Girlfriends

2009-12-21T09:34:00.002-06:00

New Mix!

2009-12-08T12:45:00.001-06:00

From Germany, With Love

A Krautrock Experience

sam

2009-12-02T18:52:00.003-06:00

Room

2009-12-01T23:33:00.000-06:00

Decisions, Decisions

Relatives

2009-11-26T18:04:00.001-06:00

have ugly things in their houses.

Hard to Sleep Here

2009-11-10T00:52:00.001-06:00

Strep!

2009-11-03T00:52:00.002-06:00

Such a simple solution! Penicillin! That's not bad at all.

I posted some new raww tracks on Spiritual Mansions' Myspace page.

"Strawberry Poor"

"Fall With Autumn"

(L to R) Scarface, Half-Assed Eskimo, Medusa

2009-11-01T11:59:00.004-06:00

I'm Sick

2009-10-30T00:07:00.004-05:00

I used to keep a list of all the CDs/LPs I owned. I don't know when I stopped counting, but it was pretty cool.

I have a really bad sore throat right now. Last night I had a headache too, but that's gone now. I don't think it's H1N1, which is really too bad because I want to get that shit over with.

This is my sick outfit:

I've been playing: Shadow of the Colossus

I've been watching: The World Series, Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7, Bored to Death Season 1, Madmen Season 3

I've been drinking: Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Peppermint Tea

Country Love Jean Shoes

2009-10-23T14:14:00.001-05:00

Team Twerk

2009-10-15T13:28:00.004-05:00

Monday Morning

2009-10-13T00:44:00.000-05:00

This is what it looked liked today.

Hippies.

2009-10-09T21:12:00.002-05:00

So, I work with a lot of hippies who listen to jam bands. I listen to a lot of the same older music as them, but we have different taste in a lot of newer music.

Hippie music was the counter-culture music of the late 60s and early 70s. As the 70s wore on, the hippies burnt out or sold out and punk became the music of the far left. Punk evolved into and influenced many other genres of music -- some which acclimated to pop-culture and some that didn't. I would say that the current manifestation of counter-culture music is noise and experimental music.

To me, jam bands today are not part of the counter-culture although I would assume they are left-leaning and still like taking drugs and partying. However, the music that they are playing is about as controversial as a 2-piece bathing suit.

Music evolves and musical tastes should evolve with it.

Terrible Writing

2009-10-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

That was not a bunt

2009-09-29T23:41:00.001-05:00

And that run should have counted, asshole umpire.

new blog idea

2009-09-25T01:49:00.002-05:00

List of Assholes.

Pictures of peoples names being written across cool/expensive records.

The Name of the Dance Studio I'm Going to Op

2009-09-23T21:38:00.001-05:00

Hips & Salsa

ahhhhhhhh ummmm

oh wow

2009-09-20T23:26:00.001-05:00

Bubbly

2009-09-18T00:07:00.001-05:00

My Remains

2009-09-15T19:19:00.001-05:00

If/when I die, I would like to be cremated and have my ashes thrown off the tower on Mt. Baldy.

I think that sounds nice.

An Instrument.

2009-09-14T02:34:00.003-05:00

This instrument would make tones. Tones of friction. Hues of myriad fabrics and elements. Rubbing. Weight pressure.

In My Room

2009-09-11T23:32:00.003-05:00

I've been spending a lot of time here lately.

Bacon!

2009-09-11T02:01:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Aaron Gleeman.

Floss

2009-09-11T01:41:00.000-05:00

I think that flossing is conspiracy invented by dentists. I rarely floss. I do if I have food stuck between my teeth, but c'mon -- your gums get bloody and it hurts. I've never had a cavity. I dunno. Seems like some real bullshit to me.

Deuce 7

2009-09-10T21:58:00.003-05:00

Saw these on my bike ride today. Love him!

J E M T A R G A L

2009-09-10T01:20:00.003-05:00

feeling luck e y?

i'm sorry, but this is the coolest music i've ever heard.

you can buy it here

the artwork is amazing

My Spirit Animals (from Internet Quizzes)

2009-08-30T03:07:00.002-05:00

Crow

Unicorn

Eagle

Cat

oh. my. gosh.

2009-08-29T01:31:00.001-05:00

Pho Toes

2009-08-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

To-Day

2009-08-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

This Band Wanted Me To Play A Show With Them

2009-08-25T12:06:00.001-05:00

At Big V's. Haha.

Things I Want To Do

2009-08-22T23:19:00.002-05:00

Stop drinking

Stop eating most processed foods

Sell my records that I don't want

Have a clean room

Get a nice acoustic guitar

Have less ugly clothes

Be in love

Move away forever

Haha instead I just deleted Facebook and Myspace whoops. Half-way there.

5 Things That Make Me Tick.

2009-08-22T02:36:00.006-05:00

In no particular order:

Biking

Minnesota Twins

K-

Writing songs and singing them

Clothing

New Mix

2009-08-13T12:29:00.001-05:00

Download

Kevin Ayers (Soft Machine) - May I

Moondog - I'm Just A Hop Head

Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys) - The River

Billy Nichols - Life Is Short

Caetano Veloso - Lua, Lua, Lua, Lua

Roy Wood (E.L.O., The Move) - Wake Up

Television Personalities - Geoffrey Ingram

Jem Targal - Dance With Cha Girl (Sorry about the terrible quality on this track)

Shahs (To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie) - Handreader

Chrysalis - Cynthia Gerome

Alton Ellis - Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream

Van Dyke Parks (Jungle Book, Smile) - John Jones

Mouthful of Bees - Enhance Your Starry Night

The Left Banke - Barterers and Their Wives

The Poppy Family (Terry Jacks) - Happy Island

Scott Walker - Rhymes of Goodbye

The Pretty Things - My Time

Acupuncture vision.

2009-08-13T00:23:00.002-05:00

I've Got A Secret

2009-08-12T01:10:00.001-05:00

Where does...

2009-08-07T00:53:00.002-05:00

Bubbles Face

2009-08-06T00:44:00.002-05:00

Captcha Fun Again

2009-08-05T21:50:00.002-05:00

Uncensored Old Phone Pics

2009-08-05T00:09:00.001-05:00

Nice try

2009-08-04T22:36:00.001-05:00

hello

how are you?

oh fine

sick

sleepy

im sorry

ehh i'm trying to be positive about it

i wanted to talk to you and possibly get to know you

haha year

*yeah

you did, huh?

true

so what are you looking for?

satisfaction

so dating/long term?

yeah i mean

i dunno

dating is easy

long term is not

true

so what are your interests?

music, bicycles, natural health, baseball, football, basketball

nice

music,baseball,basketball,tennis,movies,twins games,bowling

i'm terrible at bowling

unless i'm drunk

never gone bowling drunk

would be fun tho

well you're supposed to get drunk as you bowl

yeah i know

lets go drunk bowling sometime

lol jk

haha

unless you wanted to sometime

naw probably not

fine

it's okay

so what do you look for in someone you would date?

someone i'm attracted to who lives by me who i can talk to / listen to

thats nice

Ugh

2009-08-01T09:21:00.003-05:00

I don't know what happened to the formatting on the last post, but I'm just going to chalk it up to the supernatural/supertechnological powers that be. Anyway.

2009-08-01T00:59:00.002-05:00

Today was live drums and bass day!

Sam and I played scratch guitar/vocals/keys while Fred and Anthony recorded bass and drums for:

Afternoon Blues

I Wanna Be Around You

Untitled (Office Song) - The funkiest Spiritual Mansions ever

Becky - They played the second half

Look on the Bright Side - It's going to be a gorgeous song.

I'm exhausted. It was a long day after a long day after a long day. Everyone else ate at Pepito's but I had Subway. I really associate Subway with making records for some reason. Gross. I also played Tony Hawk for awhile. That was pretty fun.

$400 down, $2600 to go.

I would like to see Quentin Tarantino do this

2009-07-28T09:41:00.002-05:00

Somewhere in the middle of a movie, in a segment building towards the climax:

Do a montage of everything that's happening at the moment... so and so planting a bomb, so and so overdosing, so and so fucking, so and so buying a new car. But make this be the credits for the movie. Cut out the talking, just some nice music and the credits. Miley Cyrus as Courteny Bembelstein, Jonathan Taylor Thomas as The Freak, Billy Bob Thorton as Rex Scuttleberry, Scarlett Johanssen as Nymphopottomus. Etc etc etc.

I just think it would be a good idea.

Check Card

2009-07-27T14:30:00.001-05:00

I've only used mine four times so far in the month of July. That's kinda cool. My paper trail is thin!

Recording Day 1

2009-07-24T01:38:00.002-05:00

Today Spiritual Mansions started recording our second full-length. I think I have a name for it. It is somewhere on this blog.

I/We recorded:

2 guitars (played by Eben and I) and vocals for "You Know How I Am". Eben's part is gorgeous.

Guitar and vocals for "Becky".

4 guitar tracks and vocals for "Empty Harvest".

Guitar and wind chimes for "Look on the Bright Side" and it's reprise.

Guitar for "Sidewalks"

I was too excited last night and didn't get a lot of sleep so I was completely exhausted at the session. Next session scheduled for next Friday... We will be doing some live takes of a few songs. Yikes.

Baby, It's Been So Long

2009-07-22T01:09:00.002-05:00

I would like to remember today as the day I pretty much stayed in bed until 4pm and still felt like I had a productive day.

I spent the day recording a song in bed. I finished a song that I started writing about 2 years ago. I finished the final 2/3 of the lyrics and nailed down the arrangement. The song is fairly simple, but it means a lot to me because it combines romance and religion and perhaps drugs. That's a fine mix of things.

Around 4 I finally showered and walked over to Uptown Tattoo to give a friend her t-shirt back. Half a block away I somehow recognized Danny talking to Chelsea on the sidewalk. It was the first time I saw him since he came back from Italy. We went back to my place to get my wallet so we could go to a happy hour. On our way to the bar we decided to go to a liquor store instead. On our way to the liquor store we decided to just drink the gin that I had at home. Upon our arrival, we discovered that the tonic water was flat, so we went to the gas station. I also bought some of my new favorite incense: Indian Temple.

We each had 2 gin at tonics while talking about women, music, and drugs. Then we each had 3 tacos while talking about how good tacos taste. Then he left to go look at an apartment.

I left at about 8pm to go to band practice. It was very productive.

We practiced:

"Look On The Bright Side" - The song I finished today... folk+electronic+a Fleetwood Mac-esque hook?

"Ricky & Me" - Got a new feeling for this song. Think 50s high school girl pop band.

"Untitled" - The song about role reversal. We practiced it. Sounded tight at least, but I need to nail down it's identity.

"Becky" - Whatever easy peasy.

Now I'm home goodnight.

Longer Legs

2009-07-13T10:21:00.002-05:00

I raised the seat on my bike by about 1 1/4" because I felt like I wasn't getting to use my entire legs to pedal. It feels a lot better now, but I'm working new muscles and I can't go nearly as fast. Hopefully some new toe clips will help that problem, but it's weird not to be able to go super fast.