11.3.08

Still fine weather, nice walks
Fav. temp- between 50 and 95

Lots of voting- i don't know who they are, makes my head hurt

I'm completely, totally, over "Really?" as a statement, comment, joke. It ran its course, people need to let it go. Only time it was brilliant was "It's Always Sunny", everything else is sad & tired.

11.2.08

Yard looking better, just in time for terrible weather
Great weather, won't last, but nice for the moment
Best beer of wknd: Rogue's Dead Ghoul Ale. Wish the state was smarter, I'd buy a few pints right now.

10.30.08

Love halloween, one of my favorite holidays. All fun, no pressure. robbed of it again this year
not pleased, it's ruining the whole week

Bachmann & Palin would be great as Obama's press sec. I like looking at them, but they're morons.

Fall 2000, everyone joked about how W. ruined/failed/bankrupted everything he had ever run: oil, baseball team, state, and how he'd prob. drive U.S. to bankruptcy as well, put it out of business. Ha Ha.

10.29.08

Not giving up on summer yet. The winter will kill me if i give it half a chance.
Who has the time to go to a rally on a Wed. morning?
Only "dance" music I enjoy = LCD Soundsystem, !!!, & The Faint (sometimes), but Of Montreal has bought enough stock with me over the years that I've stuck with their last 2 albums, and it sounds great. Would probably sound better at midnite in Brazil or Coachella, but, eh.
Long day, slow start, catching up quickly.

10.28.08

Keep getting lost, need roads on a grid
Saw an ominous sunset last nite, menacing trees, apocalyptic darkness, not used to those sights.

First song on new Ray LaMontagne album is best soul song in 30 yrs

10.27.08

Quiet Monday- no alarms & no surprises
Too many things not done over wknd, need more rest during week, stay fresh

Yard looks terrible- grass too high, covered in leaves, hopefully dry Fri/Sat for yard work.

Finished "The Wordy Shipmates" by S. Vowell yesterday. Good book, not near great, wish it was short story + essay instead, but take what you can get

10.26.08

First snow of the season
55 degrees yesterday, obv. temp drop
very light, almost like rain, but not, and that's the point

Fine feeling- waking up early & tired on cool morning, with nothing to do but read and let coffee wake you up. Not too many mornings like that, get bitter when interrupted of them.

Good new books & music to come.

Ghosts

When I was growing up, a mile west of Philadelphia, I always thought that it was the greatest city ever. Mike Schmidt was the best ball player, Randall Cunningham & Reggie White already belonged in the Hall of Fame, Charles Barkley was my role model, some years it snowed on my b-day, some years it didn't snow at all. The shore was an hour away and for all the talk about Philly Chzstks (which you really really really have nver had), it's the pretzels. Got to be the pretzels. They are so amazing (again, you haven't had them). The Mets were my enemies and Chicago was my nemesis. My best friend visited Chicago in '89ish, and my idea of it & the midwest was largely "Uncle Buck", so I though, blah, why bother with that place. I eventually grew to love it, though it's always been hard for me to feel like I fit in, more so in Milwaukee & Minneapolis, but even as a lad new to town, the word pop sounded retarded. The most interesting thing to me about the first night game at
Wrigley was that it was against the Phillies, but otherwise the Cubs were division rivals. The Fog Bowl soured me on da Bears for a good long time. Back in the day, Buddy Ryan had a heart attack(?) eating a pork chop, and Ditka renamed his chop (at DITKA'S) after Buddy. I didn't like Ditka or Chops for some time afterwards.
When I was leaving Chicago at the end of July, my dad and I got together for lunch (as we usually did every month) and we had lunch at DITKA'S in Oakbrook. I had the Chop. It was amazing. My last meal out living there and it was the best chop I have ever eaten. I'm finally proud of Ditka's chop, and I'm proud of how much he helped Barack's political career. Amazing what could have been...

He walked down a busy street
Staring solely at his feet
Clutching pictures of past lovers at his side
Stood at the table where she sat
And removed his hat
In respect of her presence
Presents her with the pictures and says
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you.
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you

Opened up his little heart
Unlocked the lock that kept it dark
And read a written warning
Saying Im still mourning
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts that broke my heart before I met you

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
Its not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

He went crazy at nineteen
Said hed lost all his self esteem
And couldnt understand why he was crying, crying, cryyiiing...

He would stare at empty chairs
Think of the ghosts who once sat there
The ghosts that broke his heart.
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts that broke his heart
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts
The ghosts that broke my heart before I met you

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
Its not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

He says Im so lost,
Not at all well

Ooooooooooohhh x2

Do as done and there is nothing left to be
Turned out Id been following him and he'd been following me
Do as done after it was over
We were just two lovers crying on each others *shoulder*

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
Its not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
Its not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

The Truth About Sarah Palin

via Rolling Stone

THE MYTH: "She took the luxury jet that was acquired by her predecessor and sold it on eBay. And made a profit!" — John McCain, at a campaign stop in Wisconsin

THE FACTS: No one bought the jet online. It was eventually sold through an aircraft broker — at a loss to taxpayers of nearly $600,000.

THE MYTH: "I told the Congress 'Thanks, but no thanks' on that Bridge to Nowhere." — Sarah Palin, convention speech

THE FACTS: Supported the infamous pork project in her 2006 run for governor, even after Congress had killed the bridge; derided its opponents as "spinmeisters." Reversed her stance a year later — but kept the money, doling out the $223 million in federal funds to other pork projects throughout the state.

THE MYTH: "We ... championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress." — Sarah Palin, convention speech

THE FACTS: As mayor, employed a lobbyist who also worked for Jack Abramoff to secure $27 million in pork spending for Wasilla — more than $4,000 per resident. In her two years as governor, requested $453 million in earmarks. Alaska ranks first in the nation for pork, raking in seven times the national average.

THE MYTH: "I found ... someone who stopped government from wasting taxpayers' money." — John McCain, introducing Palin

THE FACTS: Signature accomplishment as mayor: building a $15 million hockey arena that plunged the city into debt. Broke ground on the project without finalizing the city's purchase of the land; the resulting fiasco cost Wasilla $1.3 million — roughly $200 per resident.

THE MYTH: "Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems — as if we didn't know that already." — Sarah Palin, convention speech

THE FACTS: "I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't drill our way out of our problem." — Sarah Palin, July 2008

THE MYTH: "We began a nearly $40 billion natural-gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence." — Sarah Palin, convention speech

THE FACTS: With federal approval years away, not a single section of the pipeline has been laid. State could end up paying the pipeline's contractor $500 million — even if it never breaks ground on the project.

THE MYTH: "She's from a small town with small-town values." — Fred Thompson, convention speech

THE FACTS: Wasilla and the surrounding valley recently named the meth capital of Alaska, with 42 meth labs busted in a single year.

THE MYTH: Palin has "taken on the political establishment in the largest state of the union." — Fred Thompson, convention speech

THE FACTS: Served until 2005 as director of fundraising group associated with indicted senator Ted Stevens.

THE MYTH: "She's fought oil companies." — John McCain, introducing Palin

THE FACTS: Collected $13,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas lobbyists, including Exxon, BP, Shell and Chevron. BP was a sponsor of her inaugural ball.

THE MYTH: "She's been to Kuwait. She's been over there. She has been with her troops. The National Guard that she commands, who have been over there and had the experience." — John McCain, highlighting Palin's national-security credentials

THE FACTS: Never had a passport before 2007, when she made a brief photo-op trip to visit troops in Germany and Kuwait. Has never been to Iraq, and has not met a single foreign head of state.

THE MYTH: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending." — Sarah Palin, convention speech

THE FACTS: As governor, sought travel reimbursement for 312 nights she spent in her own home.

this is mine:

THE MYTH: She looks just like Tina Fey

THE FACT: She looks just like an elf Tina Fey

Not Much

Sitting up, cant get to sleep yet again, been a busy lil bit fer 'ol Nate, but not really all that comparatively busy. Went swimmin in the Gulf of Mexico, spent a week sweatin in the hills of Virginia, spent a few days digging Cincinnati, spending/wasting time at home, summer will be gone too soooon. Gettin ready to move on out in a month, relocate, rejobcate, recreate existence elsewhere.
Mysteries abound, answers hovering beyond the tree line- not really any help. Wanted to spend more time swimming, but not likely at Century Point Apartments- a formerly decent complex overrun by outlaws, drug addicts, lawless fools, and the children of all of em.
Joe Pug is a great source of peace in the early hours. His lyrics escape my search, but they are a treasure pouring out of my weak headphones.
Hype Machine, Pandora, nationofheat.com, myspace, just get it already.

There is something evasive about the night, besides sleep...

Went around the way for you
Did all the things you asked me to
I thought it was the perfect day
To see just open love to say

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
Things ain't like they used to be

I headed out to Lester Hill
But that just made me weaker still
She's got the kind of love I need
The kind that's never good on me

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
That things ain't like they used to be

Walked into the battle blind
It happens almost all the time
The yard is kinda overgrown
And all those happy times are gone

But it doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
That things ain't like they used to be

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
Things ain't like they used to be

Good day

Well, sort of. Right now just hanging in there, like a boxer in the 11th round. But...I'm digging the nice weather, the Cubs wins, and Discovery Channel's lil reason for continuing to exist

As seen on TV

Oh Lordy, it's a nice one to day. Sun is out, warm (but not really), no work tomorrow, new "Earl" tonight, it is almost all good. Went to the bank, put in some monet, got some good stuf at the library, just trying to make it right now.
Not too hard, since I'm listening to the M Ward/Jim James concert from SXSW. You can get the zip file here. Best decision you've made all day.
Hey, if you're interested in new tunes, Slingshot Dakota is a great shot. Imagine Rainer Maria, Mates of State, and a bowl of Fruity Pebbles grinding in da club.
I really like my ear buds.
March Madness surgery update: All my faves quickly dismissed, last year and this year are killing me, but great games this weekend. For me to poop on.
Had a disappointing Buffalo Chix wrap yesterday, I like the one at Target better, but totally redeemed with great Loaded Fries. Fredo's Back pizza tomorrow night, some killer beer in the fridge.
I know it's still early, and prob don't mean nothing for un season in enfe, but nobody wants to lose 2 straight games. It's just not fun.
Spring Cleaning Mixtape: (randoming songs sitting around on my comp)
Slingshot Dakota: The Golden Ghost
Wilco: The Thanks I Get
Loudon Wainwright III: The Swimming Song
Karen O.: Hello Tomorrow
Drag the River: Rangement
S. Pumpkins: Dancing in the Moonlight
Strokes: Modern Girls and Old Fashioned Men
Dawn Landes: Young Folks
Drag the River: Brookfield
Jeff Tweedy: Be Not So Fearful
Slingshot Dakota: Until the day I Die
Petra Haden: Don't stop believin'

Now go download that MW/JJ show.

Diva, etc.

Last monday, went to the Tivioli in the DG to see this flick, Diva, with their After Hours Film Society. This was a great old theatre, just solid thru and thru. And the film was sweetified. Bike messenger, opera singer, aviator sunglasses, corrupt cops, 'tutes, and triple cross. Yeah.

Watched Atonement last night, first half. Good and sad. Southland Tales was nice, Richard Kelly sure loves time travel. Got a ton of good flicks to watch, some tasty books as well, but throw it all out, because I went to the doc, pissed in a cup, gave a blood sample, got the tests back, and, I've got march madness!!

www.hulu.com legal & legit tv and movie website.

Okay, so here's what you need to do

Go out and get every Black Keys album. Listen to em over and over for the next 3 weeks. Then, pick up Attack & Release on April 1 and find satisfaction in life.

Don't watch the Oscars

I learned my lesson a few years ago, done with all awards shows, just dumb. Better to read the results in the paper the next day. Saw few movies in the theatre, but that's cuz I know what's worthwhile. Much bigger is the SHOWDOWN between Jen & Ang, but it's not even on tv. I'm just wringing my hands thinking about it soooo much. Anyway, I have some invisible parasite draining my energy and joy all week, I sleep 8+ hours and can not keep my eyes open during day. Sentences don't work or make sense. Juno good but not that good. No such thing as best actress, only 2 great movies, No Country for Old Men & There Will Be Blood, only great actors are the stars of those films. Go Irish!

As You Were

2008 is just too long already. Worst year evah.

Stale as a 2 day half full beer.
cigarette boats float around in here.
a field in my gut lacking sunshine.
put down like a teenagers first drink.
i cough up compliments.
i think you're better off walking away while you still can.
she was passing through to climb a hill.
as you slipped and slid on my gut spill.
my better half was praying for you to fall.
rotten like a 3 week half full glass of breast milk.
drunken off my ass.
i would give anything to erase the past nine years of my life.
put down like a prostitute in court.
all liberty soon to abort like my sanity,
like thoughts of you.
she was passing through to climb a hill.
as you slipped and slid on my gut spill.
my better half was praying for you to fall.
praying for you to fall.
so pitiful.
praying for you to fall.
i'm fuckin' pitiful.
praying for you to fall. so pitiful.
Praying for you to fall.
So fuckin' pitiful.

Mid Winter recommendations

Okay, everyday sucks, but everyday I listen to the Matt Dahl show on the internet. It airs every day from 12-1pm but I do it iTunes style. I'm always fighting the giggles for the whole, commercial-free, hour. Tune in for your own sake.
Replaying Dillinger Four's albums in this Minnesota-style frigid, bleak, dark winter days, and looking forward to their upcoming new disc.
Hey, you, why don't you get LOST

okay...

I don't care, so whatever. I'm trying to embrace winter and working and etc., but it ain't doing it for me. I want summer and good summer tunes, or at least mid-March round here. Nothing to report: work and drink and sleep, repeat.
Band that re energizes me at the moment: The Loved Ones
it's what punk rock should sound like in 2008