operation pullpin

I really need to stop injuring myself....


Today I'm going in to get the pin from my left collar bone removed. It should be a relatively easy procedure and may not even need sedation. I'll be asking if I can keep the pin too! I'm really excited as I will be able to continue with my life once it gets pulled. It may be a week or two before I head back to the rock gym but knowing I can move on is excellent.

In other good news, my application for re-entry to James Madison University was sent yesterday. I had a pretty stressful day about it. I had begun to worry about being able to complete everything, including classes, I needed before the end of this summer. I made a great discovery when I found out I'll be able to take the TCC classes I looked up and they will transfer as part of my prerequisites. If everything goes smoothly from here on out, look out Harrisonburg!

I know you're hot in August, but so am I!

this is not fiction

I know I haven't followed up on my word, about this whole posting about my trip to Europe. I'm potentially writing up a longer document but I'm not promising anything. I think the best thing I can relate is that the trip was inspiring, in many small ways but also in a very big way. I'd take as motivation to make sure I'm moving on this year. At this rate, I don't see how I'll ever do the things I want, the way I want to do them. So as I've said many times before, change is required.

But for now, the non-fiction does not involve me. I'm usually less involved in taking my daily dose of the news, taking that few minutes everyday to browse cnn.com or turn on NPR. With the acquisition of my rental car (equipped with Sirius radio), NPR has been the only station I've listened to when in my car. Of course, I've done myself the favor of misplacing the car keys and have no way of driving at the moment. 

Driving to work one morning last week, I stumbled upon a program about Acrassicauda, the only metal band known to have come out of Iraq. A documentary, Heavy Metal in Baghdad, was released last year I believe, which followed the band for 3 or 4 years between the start of the band and their exile to Syria. I honestly have to suggest this film to everyone, regardless of whether or not you are open to heavy metal. I especially suggest this for anyone who hasn't watched any documentaries specifically on Iraq and post Sadam regime conditions. 

The film is less about the music than it is about the musicians being Iraqi and living in a country torn by civil war. Democracy is a joke, freedom is nonexistent. And these guys chose to play heavy metal amidst all the turmoil, risking their lives to pursue activities that were soon to be outlawed. Gun shots, mortar rounds, helicopters, body guards, mercenaries, the list goes on and on of common sites in the film. Every one of the band members, during interviews while living in Iraq, admit they have accepted the fact of death, and are ready to die at any moment.

The film basically blew my mind. I wouldn't invest too much into criticizing their music, as you will probably be doing a lot of it. It gets better near the end, but I imagine their resources are limited and won't be the one to judge. Watch this film to hear the story of the Iraqi men involved and the lives they are living. It's certainly a humbling story. 

From what I understand, the band was able to make it to America after having expired visas in Syria, relocating to Turkey by way of donations from people who knew the story and then selling their possessions to make the final leg. 

I wouldn't mind playing a show with these guys. 

digital memory: Paris

some choice photos from my p&s.

fml

Paris stories/information will take a while to unravel. I'll probably run a photo post of digital pics I liked when I get them to my computer. Otherwise, I may just write a small book or something about the whole trip and make all of you pay retail price to read it.

fml:

Sunday night in Fairfax, VA, right after dinner and getting back from the airport, some 16 year old fuck pulled out in front of me while I was crossing an intersection with a green light and caused me to hit him going 50mph in my car. No one was hurt but imagine the joy I had to contain within myself at having gotten in my first accident when I all I wanted to do was get home. The accident was purely the other driver's fault, so hopefully I don't have to deal with a ton of bullshit.

And I still have plenty of medical bills to enjoy....

americans in paris

Well we made it. Quite the over night journey via plane and then of course the train and metro works were circuses. Anyway just thought I'd mention that I'm successfully here. I may be writing here if Matt makes this nap time a routine thing. I'm off to wander around the streets for a few...

dundee, whiskey and waiting

I put myself into a pretty deep rut last night by way of browsing the internet and such social devices as facebook. It's slightly embarrassing but happened none the less. Luckily I still had some whiskey left and as soon as I popped on the tele, the beginning of Crocodile Dundee melted it all way.

I thought about for a good while and realized it's just a matter of time. When people tell you "Patience is a virtue", they really have something of worth there. I've been suffering restless leg syndrome so to speak and am quite impatient about making something happen. Trying my damnedest, it's been next to impossible to instill some sort of this virtue in myself.

The best thing I've figured out to do is to look forward to things. Now, this sounds pretty easy because you figure, I'm a 20-something year old out in the world. I don't have much to do on most days when I get home, and often lack of motivation to change that, so it doesn't always work out in favor of being that young, motivated person. But before I get too contrived in my own lack of "life" so to speak, I have to admit, I'm pretty lucky to have this trip I'm taking next week.

I hope to feel rejuvenated and motivated when I return. I'm also lucky to return after the change of day lights savings and maybe my unperceived and self-fulfilling case of SAD will fade away. Then it's on to getting this menagerie of a "band" back in shape and to fill up my time with that until the end of this summer.

So if there's anyway I can leave this post with some sort of thought or suggestion, the best thing I can come up with is this.

Patience is a virtue.

snow day....at work

I woke up this morning and had totally forgotten about this chance of snow in the area excitement, mostly because I knew I would still be at work. Being in a client based business, it takes a lot more to shutdown operations at an office where it's snowing and people in sunny San Diego still need you to run batch jobs for them.

The bigger concern is the status of my flight. Racine, Wisconsin is calling my name and I'm on the fence one whether I want the flight to work out or not. It's a business trip and I'd essentially be losing 2 days worth of free time having to be at the airport during that time. But it does get me out of the office for a day and half which can be refreshing. I'm beginning to think it doesn't matter since I'll be leaving the country in 4 days. Yea, a lot sooner than I thought too.

This was weekend was quite the whirlwind. Saturday night we endured harsh winds and cold rains to "crawl" from bar to bar for the Ghent Winter Bar Crawl. It was honestly a great time despite the conditions, I spent all the money in my wallet and slept in the stairwell at Nick's apartment building. Somewhere in there I saw random people I know, handed out Monster paraphernalia and managed to begin drinking again by 1 the next day.

I come out on top, almost every time.