Brian: "Like... like Czechoslovakian-sounding?"

Me: "Brian, not Prague-rock."

My brother, Adam: "Creeps."

Brian: "Did he just call us 'crepes'"?

Brian has a little European floating around, I think. heh. This is why he's my friend. That, and he's incredibly handsome.

"Where do we go from here?" -Filter

Maybe I'm just completely manic and my moods skip more than 2th graders at hopscotch or the audio of some of my more severely-worn CDs, but today (especially right now) I feel a dose of serenity that I've been aching for for a while. It's not without sadness, of course, due to all this recent "coming home" jargon.

My dad said that he had isolated the reasons for my rather negative personality lately, suggesting that my mind was steeped in the bliss of Italy, and suddenly was thrust into a regular work schedule and total lack of friends, and was reeling because of it. I think he's right. I'm making money and that's all, and it's not enough. Even if I had never known Italy, this isn't enough. It's the SUMMER, for god's sake! Chlorine and fireworks and roasting hot dogs and all of that. So what's the word here, then? Work inside all day?

heh. Well, moving on, let's switch CDs from REM's under-rated "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" to something more downtempo... hmm... hang on (even though time is relative Out There).

Well, I suppose I'll just coagulate a data CD of things like Tricky, Jeff Buckley, Zero 7, Fennesz, etc, just more downtempo things as the night yawns.

I recieved a letter (remember those?) from my good friend John/Jack today. He sent me a reply to the "passion" entry on here, as well as a picture of a kid not over 5 years old flipping off the camera, clipped from the newspaper. Thank you, John. God bless you for being alive and being on my side. heh.

Actually, this music, and this album, makes me think a lot of John. John and I driving along downtown to St. Marks and listening to "Electrolite". John and I setting up the "Is This Man Handsome?" survey about our friend Brian and having mall security throw us out (the survey, by the way, met wild success up at Boulder). John and I smoking cigarettes in Village Inne, waiting for Open Mic Night. John and I ranting about anything while we walk around my neighborhood, the sugar of Peach Schnapps still on the tongue. Hopping the fence to the pool and swimming naked. heh. What a guy. And we shall see each other soon, too, I hope.

and with that, /end homage to John.

In other news, I think that, with my current work schedule, I'm going to start shoving a hobby into my life, whether it wants to or not, dammit. I don't care if it's donating a toe to charity 11 times or Bench-Pressing For The Homeless drives, but I just NEED action here. Some guys would complain that they need more "action" in their lives, meaning sex. I mean that I need more motor skill stimulation. More walking somewhere with a reason. heh.

Pause here to think "Man, Jared didn't even have to go to the STORE today! At least I'm fortunate enough to have, hell, a schedule or something!".

Appleseed Cast is now the music of choice. This album has grown so tremendously on me (especially since I took it to Italy as one of the 30 CDs of choice. Considering I'm a music dork, that was a risky move, but it paid off). The production could be classified as "lo-fi" but really, the layers, effects piled atop, and at the center, the excellent drumming, makes for an album so complex that you can't notice the slightly-grainy vocals.

Actually, I look at it this way. In Minority Report, Spielburg filmed with normal film (vs. the digital that George Lucas recently used) and even made it more grainy than usual. Call me old-fashioned (which I almost am, since I'll be 22 this month. Oh god), but when Mister Cruise is leaping around a futuristic city, the grain in the film makes it look like it's not trying nearly as hard to say LOOK AT THE CHROME REFLECTIONS IN THE BUILDINGS AS TOM DODGES LASERS, PILLARS OF INCREDIBLY-RENDERED FIRE, AND ROBOT CREATURES THAT MOVE FLAWLESSLY THANKS TO COMPUTER ANIMATION!

...so I like that. heh.

"Find a way to pull stars down." -Appleseed Cast

Now it's Jeff Buckley. And a lack of things to say.

Like Jeff Buckley but not a good singer, not somewhat famous, and not dead,

Jared