Post labels?

For a brief moment, I considered going through my backlog of posts and assigning labels to them. This especially seemed like a good idea since I have a pretty good mix of the serious stuff from my ever-churning soul and the random musings from the murky depths of my mind.

But then I just wanted to label all of them "awesome" and since that wouldn't really do anything, just assume that they are all awesome.

Thanks.

If you can't be a romantic and an audiophile at the same time, I'm in big trouble...

So I'm on the bus on my way to work today and I see this teenage couple sharing the earbuds from the guy's ipod, each with one earbud in their ear.

My first reaction was something like, "Oh... how cute! They want to listen to the music at the same time!"

Then, the auralist in me reared it's ugly head, screaming things like "How inane! They're messing up the stereo field! Don't even get me started on instruments that are hard-panned... they won't hear them at all! One of those dumb-asses probably can't even hear the high-hat! HAHAHAHA"

I can't sleep.

It's 55 degrees outside, and colder still in my house, but that doesn't stop my face from burning.

My mind is racing with fragments of conversations that don't yet exist.

I've listened to this same song for the past hour, but it doesn't seem like enough yet.

There is a hard, tight knot in my stomach and when it comes undone, it just might be worse than not having it there anymore.

Got any slaw?

Every other week I get together with a group of guys for cigars and scotch and some good round-table conversation. The topics are usually God and girls, or the lack of either.

Anyway, since the SoCal weather has turned inclement (below 70 degrees) we've taken to using a firepit during these nights to stave off the bone-chilling winds. However, since the meeting takes place moderately close to the beach, the air is damp, which means the wood is damp, which means that it takes forever to get the fire started, which also means that the fire creates TONS of smoke. This is a small price to pay for precious, Doc Marten melting heat(don't ask. actually, go ahead and ask.), even when the smoke burns your eyes, like some You-Tube video you wish you could un-see.

I've grown a full beard lately and I'm pretty fond of it. It's a responsiblity that doesn't come without it's caveats or pitfalls. I have to wax it all the time, carry around a food comb, but it's worth it. Well, turns out there's another negative: Smoke adheres to beards. Like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth or a grabby, hormonal teenager and his new ladyfriend.

So for a few days, I smell like a delicious brisket, or camping.

When I shower, it smells like a forest fire.

My friend brought over his new Boston Terrier and it worked my beard like an ice cream cone.

I'm going to need more beard wax.

Blogging from the hip

So this is one of those potentially precarious times when I sit down to write with no point necessarily in mind. If I offend or amuse, then I guess my work is done.

Right now I'm listening to the incredible album 'a future lived in past tense' by the band Juno. It definitely does not diverge from the steady diet of Shiner and The Life and Times I typically feed myself, and that ain't at all bad. It's just really complex and beautiful rock music. The loud stuff being interspersed with not loud stuff makes the loud stuff louder. I never really thought of it, but these dynamic variations can mimic the tone of my life and perhaps that's why I connect with this music so strongly. I am not a lyrics guys, instead looking for a passionate and honest vocal delivery. I'm looking to make an emotional connection on very base, physical levels as well as on higher intellectual levels. Just check out the album and I hope that you like it. It's equally the room shaking thunderclap as it is its gentle echoes.

I'm phenomenally excited about this physics class I'm taking in the spring. I really enjoy learning new things and I love nerding out on my new obsessions. I just hope that I'm not the only guy that is stoked to be doing these experiments. Actually, that could be great if the prof is cool. I'm a little apprehensive about studying and doing homework and things of that ilk after having taken such a long break from school, but what good is life if you can't put yourself in situations where you are being stretched and learning new things about yourself and the world you find yourself in?

Speaking of being stretched, well... okay... this might be preemptive. Moving on. Let's just say that some new and good and interesting things are happening in my life. The school thing, I had a cool afternoon at the studio of a pretty cool songwriter that an hopefully provide me with some contacts/work/etc. I'm in a place where I'm taking my faith more seriously than I ever have before. I'm achieving some real growth and it's really exciting. In any relationship that you want to nourish, you need to invest time with that person to make it grow and deepen that bond. That is true whether I am referring to a friend, a new and amazing girl I'm interested in or... [gasp] God! If I want to be closer to God, I need to spend time with Him. A close relationship doesn't happen overnight and it certainly doesn't happen it by willing it to happen. The closest and most important relationships in my life are a result of work and investing myself and my time into them. It's foolish to think that that would be any less true of my relationship with God.

Did you ever notice...

that some fast food containers look like the Hamburglar? It's true.

I'll try to find proof.

No, really. For fun.

A little update on my career crisis.

I'm not giving up on music yet.

However, I am going to take a class this spring. It's a conceptual physics lab and I think it's going to be pretty sweet. I love science and I think this class might be a good way to kind of test the waters for a potential return to the world of academia. Plus it just sounds fun. Yeah, you heard me.

It's two nights a week, so I might be a little less available for those of you I have the pleasure of seeing in the flesh. If you're desperate to hang out, maybe you can come over and help me make a model methane molecule out of foam balls and pencils.

Just thought I'd share...

A little piece of my past I dug up recently. This was my old, old bio on my myspace page and it gave me a chuckle.

Being stupid would be awesome. There's no pressure involved. Your screwing up is taken for granted and nobody cares. On the rare occasion you actually do something worthwhile, praise is heaped on you and you feel like a hero.

Being smart is for suckers.