30 minutes last night

Yes the alcohol did make me happy last night!

Visited the Gold Room for a quick thirty minute stay before walking to the Echo for the Kiss or Kill.

People call it divey, I thought it not too bad actually with free bowls of shelled peanuts or popcorn available. Just having more than one bar snacking option puts it over less refined establishments in my book. Maybe its appeal lies in the fact that a Corona plus a shot of tequila will put you back only $4.50, and cheaper if you're a regular like my friend was.

Being a standard bar that serves the residents of Echo Park, our waitress's English was better than my Spanish (I can't even count to ten) and it did cause a mixed up with our drink order. It was close enough though and worked out in the end, in this case a beer+shot combo came back as a second full round for the whole table.

We couldn't refuse the order of course, I mean you're suppose to be drinking at a bar right?
The bible even tells you to booze it up...somewhere. I'm sure it does.

There must be something wrong with me

As I was driving around Gardena trying to talk myself into eating the food I brought in and forgo the Taco Bells, the Jacks in the Boxes, the Empire of Burgers, I wondered what must be bothering me to crave junk food satisfaction.

Life has been alright lately I suppose. Some relationships have been changing and that has been affecting me, and can't forget how much I don't care for the holidays in general. Then I realized that I've had a bunch of recent comments floating around my head from friends feeling the need to remark on my weeble wobbly world. So let me try to address them.

You looked really happy on Tuesday.
I was drunk. I guess more alcohol equals less sour puss face.
Just imagine me after more alcohol and cosmetic surgery.

You are attracted to flirty people.
I'm a flirt on my happy days and I can tell you that us Flirts appreciate other Flirts.
It's mutual masturbation without the touching and the commitment of extra toiletries.

Who are you crushing on these days?
I drew a blank when I was asked this and that void scared me to my core. In the past I've dated my friends, now in the present I'm getting use to being single and making out with my pillow.

What are going to have for dinner?
Mother F'ing KFC

Writing this post didn't make you feel better did it?
Nope. Getting drunk tonight might though.

Me and Joanna?

An ex co-worker sent me this picture for no apparent reason via email.



No Subject, just "Me and Joanna" in the message body.

No Hi, how's it going?
No This is my friend Joanna sitting on my lap.
No Check out my friend's myspace page.
No Look! We have stars on our faces!
Just a random email.

Now I don't mind friends, strangers, or strange girls sending pictures to me, but I would like to know the story or reason for it.

Hmm, I bet it had to do with alcohol.

Test 2

This is a test. Just a test and maybe less boring than a regular post.

Nothing to see, but feeds should be full length again.

This is not my family

I had a Hip Hop Thanksgiving with two cops, a foreign exchange student, a couple of Navy musicians in love, my mom, my little sis, my big bro, MTV Jams blasting on the widescreen, and five Long Island ice teas to warm my soul. Magical moments of swearing with my tequila shooting mom, my sister using a cat to explain what a pussy was and was not in English slang to the student. When did my family become so darn fun?

Friday we did a jump into Berkeley to eat at Fat Slice (best friggin pizza), shopping, and the Triple Rock Brewery for drinky drinks before heading back to the homestead for mom's meatloaf. Later an evening trip to Tiki Toms in Walnut Creek where this cute Jenny the total stranger drunk girl gave me a hug hello at one point in our group conversation.

I felt her lean into me during our equally snuggled hug, moving up and kissed my neck with soft red lips.
"Oh wow"
My eyes closed, my grip tighten, my neck rewarded with a second slower kiss.
"Thank you for the kiss on the neck, I needed that."

Under her short blond hair she smiled with big brown eyes and brows and then hurried back to her boyfriend, him not all that amused with hugs handed out like that.

If it was Thursday again my thanks would be given to family of course and then towards the little things that bring me selfish pleasure: for pizza slices, ice teas with the extra something something, rum and cokes, my big brother cop distracting the boyfriend and the less visible side of my neck in those ten seconds.

Meebo

For you at school, work, stuck behind a firewal, and/or can't use/install an IM client, meebo.com will allow you to IM directly through your browser and stick it to The Man at the same time.

Works with the following: AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber, & GTalk

It is still in alpha mode, so issues might happen sometimes. The only emotional issues will be yours if you get all uppity about it crashing.

Thanks to Go Flock Yourself (the Anti-Web 2.0 Hype site) for posting about this cool thingy.

Kiss or Kill @ El Cid 11.22.05

Let’s just start with my head hurts and that my car was behind police tape until 4.15 AM.

In reverse:

Sunset Blvd took another life from its outstretched lanes this warm November night. I wonder who it was that left El Cid in the one o'clock hour, making a u-turn from her parking space into a passing motorcycle or so I was told.

A handful of friends and strangers had parked within the taped off zone and wondered how much of an extension this night was given. What could we do but watch and bitch and moan about getting home, our next day flights to hometowns and drives up the Interstate Five. Only distractions were doughnut jokes and spying on friends hooking up in the parking lot below the bridge over Myra.

Corey and I walked a good friend to her faraway car, early I'd bit the neck of another, kisses on cheeks of girls in bands, waving an invisible goodbye to DG as she drove off.

I made a point to drink heavily (for me) with Newcastles and a couple squirts from the tequila gun feeling nothing but sober until I just became funny last night. In my head funny.

Oh wow.
Her big blue eyes followed me, meeting me, matching my gaze as I came to pass by her location, guarded only with her smile.
An unexpected greeting from an Untouchable.

come on

Saturday 11.26.05

You're sick of your family. You have no family. Come join this family.



I'm driving back from the Bay Area just to make this show. Actually I coming back that day anyhow just to miss traffic.

Midway is on at 8.30!! $8 - all ages.

Is anybody out there?

You are probably not reading this because you're already on your vacation and hence you suck.

Tonight if you're bored:

A great Kiss or Kill line up at El Cid ($3 / 18+)

The Underwater City People 9:30,
Silver Needle 10:10, Sounds of Asteroth 10:50,
The Whoremones (ramones tribute band) 11:30, Bang Sugar Bang 12:10
and a special cameo appearance from The Randies!

Since it's Johnny 99's (of Silverneedle and KorK co-founder) Superhero Birthday Bash, they are encouraging folks to dress up as your favorite superhero, enjoy face painting, balloon animals, and an Ice Luge featuring Monster Energy Drink/Three Olive Cherry-bomb Vodka Shots.

To top that off there will be a special guest appearance by the Junior Justice League.
Yes little people dressed as Superman, Wonderwoman,
and Batman and Robin!

~~~
At the Viper Room tonight
Porterville
10pm prompt
$5, but the first 40 people are free w/ password "meatus"

~~~~
Up the Sunset Strip at the Key Club
Free / All ages
Looner 8:15, Sharlotte's Web 9:00, Never Heard of It 9:40,
The Randies 10:30, New Maximum Donkey 11:20

I'm still there

Taken roughly from a dream generated many years ago

Hi! How are you? Now with that part out of the way,
What The Fuck??? (as you would say)

"So it is pretty obvious where we stand. That is fine."

Nothing is obvious!
Nothing Nothing Nothing but my frustration with you.
You are the only thing on my mind right now.

Pissed that I overslept

My highlight of my weekend was to be trip out to Pasadena for the Doo Dah Parade.

Every year I miss it for one reason or another, grr.


The best thing about this parade is that for ten bucks you can be in it to do almost whatever wackiness you like showing off.

Over 1,500 participants in over 100 ‘marching groups will appear in Doo Dah’s 29th occasional event this fall. America’s favorite “other parade,” known for its colorful and irreverent satire is a spoof on the New Year’s Day Rose Parade. 45,000 typically attend the annual pre-Thanksgiving event, which was named by The Reader’s Digest as the Best Parade in 2004.

Last year had these groups:

Queen Cherry Capri, Snotty Scotty and the Hankies, Men of Leisure Synchronized Nap Team, North County Sweet Potato Queens, Dead Rose Queens, The Spawn of Captain James T. Kirk, Bastard Sons of Lee Marvin, BBQ Hibachi & Grill Team, Satan Santa, Tequila Mockingbird & the Royal Doo Dah Orchestra, Macho Dog & Bones, The Howdy Krishna’s, Hare Krishnas, Hairy Krishnas, The Dead Robert Palmer Girls, Confused About Parking?, Claude Rains & the 20-Man Memorial Invisible Man Marching Drill Team, and Horses on Astroturf

great pics @ Flickr tag doo dah parade

water fun

sfgate had an article on the new thing to do:

Street Wars:
Water Gun Assassination Tournament

"The idea is to squirt your assigned victim before you get squirted by the player who has been assigned to squirt you. Entering the game costs $35. Whoever gets squirted is out of the game, and the last person left dry gets $500."


I would kick ass on this.

Um

A new Randies picture. So predictable of me.

Upcoming Shows ( view all )

Nov 22 2005 8:00P Key Club/ Ruby Tuesday Hollywood, CA Nov 26 2005 8:00P Doll Hut w/ Frontrow for the Meltdown anaheim, CA Dec 2 2005 8:00P TBA Tuscon, AZ Dec 3 2005 12:00P Fashion Show Mall Apple Instore Las Vegas, NV Dec 7 2005 8:00P The Clubhouse w/ The Eyeliners Tempe, AZ Dec 8 2005 8:00P The Whiskey w/ The Eyeliners Hollywood, CA Dec 9 2005 8:00P The Epicentre w/ The Eyeliners San Diego, CA Dec 20 2005 8:00P Red Devil Lounge w/ The Pervz San Francisco, CA Dec 21 2005 7:00P Bourbon St. w/ Phenomenauts/ The Pervz Concord, CA

Finished, or so I thought

The visitors have left.

My office mates scramble into the conference room to feast on the bounty of treats. An assortment of sugar and starch, fresh fruit, and the largest grapes I've ever seen. My hand holds my second blueberry bagel slathered with freshly made cream cheese, a favorite combination I haven't enjoyed in over ten years I realize.

How a single taste sensation can bring back so many feelings.

Happier memories of happier times;
Of early morning walks to the local bagel shop, the morning fog. Our destination is hidden across the street, but I can smell my desire from where I stand.

She laughs at my eagerness.

Hearing the end of cars pass us by, I pull her free hand, the body follows as a cigarette dangles behind her like tail lights.

No like fireflies.

I'm hiding in my office

I walk into work this morning to find every member of the mfg. crew scrubbing walls, moping, or wiping down the desks and cabinets.

As they run around with hurried looks, I stop one and I get a rough translation that the Japanese are coming! The Japanese are coming!
(Please tell me you remember this modified movie reference, so I don't feel old)

Not that I have to deal with our Japanese customers, but it would've been nice if someone had told me they were showing up today. My jeans and dressy t-shirt is not really cutting it.

To top of it off, my stupid assistant should be answering the phone (a big part of her job) and not socializing with the guests. They're talking about filming some infomercial thingy and she's just standing there, pretending to understand what is being said.

I'm a little surprised she isn't blowing one of them already, since kissing the owner's ass is already second nature to her. She’s probably blowing him too.

grrr.

K

T: Wanted to let you know that I had a parent/teacher conference today about K. She got 3 As and 3 Bs on her report card. She is a good student but tends to get comfortable and space out sometimes which means she's not pushing herself to do any better. And she has shown some tendencies in group discussions to be a little bossy so we need to watch that.

Just wanted to update you.

Me: yikes, she sounds like me.

T: That's what I was thinking.

Me: I didn't think I was all that bossy!

T: It’s the whole "I get it, why don’t you?"

Me: That is not being bossy. That is just natural superiority.
duh.

T: Yep, I see where it comes from.

KorK 11.15.05

Showed up for the last song of Ze Auto Parts, almost 10 PM and the main room was already packed. The next band Slow Lorries was the main reason for the crowd I came to find out later. The band was made up of former members of the defunct band Palo Alto, and then someone else said something about how it was the QOTSA drummer’s band too. I don’t think that information was right but I did recognize the bass player as the guy from the The Action Cats from a few years ago.

The Sound of Asteroth were great, I wish more people stuck around for New Fidelity, and I ended up stay late enough for The Letter Openers, well worth the fours of sleep and the raging headache I have right now.

The good folks of Bang Sugar Bang were back out at KorK, my first time seeing them since they got off tour with the Addicts. I know they've been resting for at least a week, yet that worn down, driving across the country look still hung about them. Except Cooper who looked hot as usual, while Matt was very huggy drunk last night. Sentimental fool.

Conversation of the night:

I was hanging out up front, when a friend was on her way out.
"Do you want the rest of my Heineken?"
I happily take the nearly full beer from her hand.
"It only has a little of my spit in it," she smiled with that constant twinkle in her eye.
"Oh wait!"
She pulled the bottle out of my hand, I never lose eye contact with her as she takes a long swig and hands it back to me. I swallow my thought ”Well this is as close as I’ll get to exchanging spit with you, I might as well take you beer,” and keep the words unspoken. Her eyes remind me that I should’ve made the effort when I had the chance four months ago.

Random things I was staring at:

Watched a guy slide his hand around a friend’s waist as he leaned in to talk. He wasn’t making a move on her as far as I could tell, but I would've done the same maneuver to show interest. [I also avoid people for the same reason]

Saw a girl's neck get kissed by the Honey Pot, her eyes closed down tightly in that brief moment forgetting where she was, or so I imagined.
Be warned: The Honey Pot has secret ninja make out moves.

A cute girl with glasses smiled at me twice, oh the little meaningless things like this make me smile. The second time she returned my glance, then my smile. Considering I have a hard enough time talking to cute girls I already know socially, it was the best I could do.

Playfully called one friend a big ball of trouble, describing her much like Pig Pen from the Peanuts comic: kicking up a dust cloud of trouble wherever she walked.

As I was leaving the Echo later, I saw the insulted one outside and pointed my rolled up LA Weekly at her.
"Good Night Trouble"
"No! You’re trouble!" Thats all she had to say, I thought it a weak retort.
I kept smiling, walking down Sunset past the two ladies grilling hot dogs and onions at the sidewalk table.

Another perfect 2 AM in Los Angeles.

This is why they pay me the big bucks

Can anyone fit a 1,000 ml hand-soap pouch in a 500 ml only dispenser?

When you're the friggin' MacGyver of the office you can.

It would be like that movie Singles

Saturday was a total waste with Ashley yapping until 3 AM, my little self didn't wake up until 1.30, missing the Apple store opening that morning. Honestly I just wanted the t-shirt so I could sell it on eBay. There are some pictures here that looked very nerdy.

That night I'd planned a 20 mile trip out to see Get Set Go and Yes Dear (former members of Ozma, Arlo) High Fidelity at the Santa Fe Express Café, with the first band at 8.30. This place is located right at the Fullerton Metro Link/Amtrak station, with the bands playing outside on the platform next to passing freight trains.

8.30 I was finished with my shower
9.30 I was still sitting on the couch eating Taco Bell.
So I got ready, sat around, decided I wasn't going, realized I was hungry and then decided that a burrito sounded good.
Exciting Saturday night alone.

I was invited to join some folks I know that night for a Stripper Thanksgiving as part of their Decadent Poor manifesto. This co-ed meet-up was at the Koo Koo Roo on Wilshire for turkey sandwiches and then a trip to one of the many strip clubs of Los Angeles. Throw in a crush triangle between one of the leaders and two female friends, an East Hollywood/Silver Lake soundtrack, mixed with cheap Mexican beer and taco trucks and you have your next hipster movie.

Sadly it will suck because they'll cast that turd Jared Leto in it.

I'm listening. Really I am.

I've been laying low, sleeping, driving fast through the early morning fog blasting the Rentals - remembering old songs I still love. I slept eleven hours last night and my pillow sends it's regards.

Ashley drove to the outer reaches of LA County to hang out with me on Friday night, my need for conversation outweighing my desire for solitude. I've been know to turn my friends away from entering my troll like existence in fear of disturbing my thoughts, violating my comfort zone, but mostly forcing me to clean my house a little sooner than I want to.

Not that my house is disgusting or anything like that, I'm just a single guy who can go through periods of laziness and appreciates simplicity in lifestyle. Putting books back on shelves, straightening papers require serious thought to which I dedicated most of Sunday for that bit of work.

This is simple chipmunk survival mode or what I like to call "WWACD?"*, a motto I try to live by. I’ll cook ten meals on Sunday and horde the batches for weekday consuming, freezing the rest until the need for nutrition arises. I dress from the clean clothes still piled in the laundry basket, why bother hanging clothes up if I'm just going to iron them? I wear mostly black socks bought in bulk to stop mismatching in its tracks, elastic disintegration avoided when they no longer have to be bundled in pairs.

Less time getting ready, less confusion, less wear and tear, viva La Vie Boheme!

Okay that’s stupid.

I have a horrible habit to daydream when people are talking to me, such as my boss, my co-workers, and especially significant others. I've come to the conclusion that I really just don't care what most people are saying after the first two sentences. Meetings at work are the worst because I already figured out what needs to be done half the time and I tire of the “Let’s see how many times we can all say the same thing in an easy for the boss to understand manner” game. All the times I’ve sat there nodding in agreement in the conference room or the dinner table with one side of my brain imagining flying off to NY in my invisible Wonder Woman jet, and the other hears only the Charlie Brown "wha wha whan" words of the adult owner.

Anyhow, as I told Ashley that night, this doesn't happen when I'm talking to her, which is a nice change from the wha wha whan of the voices in my head.


*What Would A Chipmunk Do?

Anti-Walmart Movie - Free showings

Thanks to blogging LA for the tip.


The filmmakers for Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price are premiering this anti-Wal-Mart documentary through any possible venue this week. From the site:

While would-be Hollywood blockbusters book thousands of theaters months ahead of time jockeying for the best opening weekend, we're looking to book thousands of churches, family businesses, schools, living rooms, community centers, and parking lots the week of November 13th - 19th.

Click on the picture above or here, type in your zip and then RSVP to a free screening near you.

Today is special

Today is Veterans Day which is special to me for two reasons:

First today is payday which means I'm going screw around all day until my paycheck shows up in the old fashion paper form.
Yes, this company is that stupid.

Secondly, half of us losers don't enjoy the benefit of the day off, instead we just don't have to deal with half as many commuters. Hopefully driving home will be just as quick.

Oh I should be wishing my friend Cortney a happy Veterans Day if I believe my assistant's retarded logic. She’s under the impression that one had to serve in the army to become a veterinarian.
Yeah, she is that retarded.




Stream Gemma Hayes's new video for Happy Sad

The Roads Don't Love You album drops 11.15 I think.

help

I can't believe I just posted about McGriddles.

I need to get out and doing something or tomorrow I'll be posting about how I only wear black socks, most without patterns. I mean really, what purpose do white socks have in this world? Is it a conspiracy by Clorox and the bleach producing cartel?

Things I should do this week/end

Drink
Get Set Go in Fullerton this Saturday
Chumscrubber preview tonight. (hmm on Sunset - maybe not)
God I'm a loser - Is that all I have planned as possible things to do for the next four days?

UPDATE:
11.10.05 Porterville @ Spaceland $7
$5 with RSVP: Send Your Name/Number Of People to: events@rockinsider.com

11.12-13.05 Brewery Artwalk in the old Pabst brewery (free)

McGrossy.

I made a mistake this morning.

I ate a McGriddle from my local McDonalds for the first time, lured in by the $1 everyday promo price on the bright shiny blue sign.
Damn shiny signs
::shakes fist at shiny signs::

Someone commented online that McDonalds was playing God with our breakfast meal reality as we know it. Sausage, ham, cheese (only in legal FTC terms), bacon, muffins, biscuits, pancakes, syrup, all perfectly normal morning fare, but those syrups balls imbedded in pre-formed pancake discs are a substance created not from nature. No, from pure evil I tell you.

Half way through my first Mc Griddle (yes I ordered two) I longed for a simple muffin, a flakey biscuit, an ambulance for the chemically flavored, sugar substance induce cardiac arrest.

I think it would've actually tasted better with spam.
::shakes fist at Hawaii::

Randies @ KEXP

If you're still sitting if front of the computer later on, The Randies will be live today on the great KEXP out of Seattle. One of the best stations out there - excellent music, guests, and streams.

They are on @ noon. Go to kexp.org to stream.

You can even stream it to most web enabled phone or hand held devices (pda) info here.

Brea Apple Store

Finally an Apple store close my house at the Brea Mall

First 1000 people to show up will get the free t-shirt this Sat. Nov. 12th, but no mention of the surprise gift bags that they use to do. Additionally you have a whole month to enter the "Digital Lifestyle Collection" contest at this location, and I need to win, so don't enter please.

Valued at over US$2300, including a 17-inch iMac, iPod nano, Canon Powershot SD400 digital camera, Canon ZR100 digital camcorder, and an Epson CX4200 printer.

Official
Brea Apple Store info

Unofficial Apple store info and new store rumors at ifo applestore

This is my new desktop background pic thingy

Uber random thoughts

A block from work a Pathfinder drove right into someone's house taking out a large chunk off their living room. I feel a little sucky for saying "Wow! That's cool" when I drove by.

Did I try to kiss you back in 1987?

The Internet must have dried up and crumbled in to dust.
Why can't I find the one story that will make me laugh today?

Small smiles are the best.

When you left I was pissed off for at least an hour afterwards.
Then I had dinner.

I hate you KorK

I'm achey, stuffed up, tired and wasn't going to Kiss or Kill tonight, deciding this back on Sunday even. As I was still going to post about, I took the time to listen to some of these bands while looking for links and I would say they seem interesting enough to check out.

I always love these strange line-ups for the strange mixture of fans.

Kiss Or Kill - Tues, Nov 8th (back at THE ECHO)

• INDIE MUSIC VIDEO FEST
  Video Screening Starts at 6:30 PM.
  Go here for the list of videos to be screened.

She's Your Sister 12:10

From Chicago




Nu-tra11:30 (sounds like a harder version of Devo)


Sounds of Asteroth 10:50

Amazingly fun band




Star No Star 10:00 ( I'm not sure if I saw them last time)


Bubble 8:30

Watch video on their site for a better idea of what they sound like live.
Much harder than the name Bubble would lead you to think.

TI update

Towers, farm seen for Treasure Island
Self-sustaining neighborhood of 5,500 residences proposed
from sfgate.com

Some of you know about my fascination for Treasure Island in the middle of SF bay, and the new development plan released today gets a big whoa from me.

Originally there were to be @ 2500 new residents, but now they are planning mutiple 20 story and a couple 40 + stories residential units on the west side of the island.

This is good thing actually.

The City of SF is going develop it regardless and they really need to develop the fuck out of it with the proposed 5500 housing units, a new ferry terminal, along with a 20 acre farm to make it as self suffcient as possible.

The article link above gives a better overview.

I would still have to win the lottery to afford even the 30% percent of units sold or rented below market rates and that's a sad reality.

Helping people help others

My evening was spent tutoring one of the most eloquently speaking gang members I’ve ever met on the use of his new computer last night. I flaked on him Sunday night and decided it would get it out the way and not try seeing the Makeout Bandits in Glendale.

Reinstalled some drivers, cleaned up the spyware, and found myself a nice little hina to kick it with later.

During the spyware scan I came up behind her and said, “Hey, where you stay at?" not waiting for an answer I continued, "How ‘bout you stay with me tonight?”

She smiled softly and told me she would be right back after she thought about it. I finished with the computer and bumped into her chatting with a small group of girlfriends.

"Oh hey, there you are"

I smile and scan their faces as she turns backs to them and says, "Yeah thats the dude."

All and all it was a good night and I found the beatdown very welcoming. In return for my services I received ten dollars, a soda, and someone I can call if I'm having a "problem" or need to teach someone a "lesson".

Yes, I'm doing "quotation marks” with my fingers as I type this.

Cat Food

All dressed up for Saturday night at the less than supermarket, again walking up the same aisles pulling my usual life sustaining needs off the shelves. Pepsi, chili, hot dogs, including the largest bag of hot dog buns, other assorted crap.

Picked the cuter of the two young cashiers, about 5'4", dark hair pulled back, thick rimmed Weezer glasses, brown eyes. She sliced through three customers in four minutes including her own bagging and chatting with the next cashier. I was impressed.

She was four items into my pile when I interrupted her with a "Hi, how are you?" Stalled for a second for her to look up, then continued towards the exit to walk my plastic red basket back to its home, a clean stack waiting to receive him back. I threw it on top not caring that it landed skewed, settling for a close enough in my effort.

"So you're going to have chili dogs, sir?" She continued to scan.

"Oh yeah."

More scanning.

"So the chili is for your dogs?"

"Huh? No?" I looked at my bag of cat food she just slid over the scanning glass.

I swear she said this next: "So you're going to give the chili to your dogs? Sir"

"Uh...No," I quietly responded.

Was she crazy? Was she fucking with me? I don't have any dogs I strongly thought.

Her face never changed; no sly smile hidden within her red lips, no I'm just screwing with you look behind those glasses. Did she not see the cat food I was buying?

She finished ringing me up and said have a good night Sir, my bags already filled and waiting for me at the far end away from her. Grabbing my bags I looked directly into the brown nearing black eyes again and saw nothing.

Nothing but pure evil.

Oh so tired

Oh Spaceland.

I'm a bit in the middle if I like this venue or not, on one hand it’s smallish and personal enough in the way Slims is up in SF, but on the other it lacks any real personality to it. Give me a show at the Troubadour anytime over Spaceland.

Saw Kay Hanley going out to her car as we were walking in to Spaceland, where the Ettes were already on stage playing.

Nothing groundbreaking with The Ettes but I really enjoyed their set. The singer had a cutesy voice, silly in her announcing that they had two songs left after every two songs played. They reminded Corey of a cuter, sweet version of Ze Auto Parts, but not as good. I'll add that Ze Auto Parts are just so much dirtier in a better way. Don't get me wrong - I will see the Ettes again.

Kay Hanley introduced new songs that were great and as catchy if not more so than her current solo work. I forgot to link to her music streams so here you go.

Didn't bother staying for the last band - forever sealing my un-indie reputation, as I shall write poetry and kill myself over this now.

Meet up afterwards with Ashley, Tara and Joe at the cool Ashley Mom’s house, where we sat on the new concrete benches drinking cheap wine and then downshifting into miller high-life when the Ravenwood was finished.

Ashley helps runs the landscape design business out of her mom's house, so not only was the inside filled with cool visual stuff, the front garden area was fascinating to me even in its not fully grown stage. Ths is an older WIP picture without the benches.




newer pic




Good times lasted until four a.m., the one exception when I broke my new try not to talk about blogs rule. Hi I'm Robert. I'm an Internerd and blogaholic. The next stage in treatment might have to be pain induced behavior modification, so just kick me or something if I start up again.

I'm awake

Oversleeping and being TWO hours late for work= bad

Four point five hours of sleep instead of two= good

This will be me when the coffee high wears off.
Well, except the girl part.

How can I say no

photo by Robert E. Klein

Corey is inviting me to see Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo fame tonight at Spaceland.

I think I havta, gotta go.

Also playing:
The Ettes

Deadboy and the Elephantmen, who is Dax Riggs of Acid Bath, which shows how un-indie I am for still not knowing who this is. I'd suppose I'll figure all this out tonight.

Le Zen Sushi

In short:

Walked in for King Cheetah’s last song, immediately putting a smile on my face.

Skipped the Invisible Humans to chat with friends in the patio. The best non-musical part of the night underneath bamboo covered beams talking and listening to conversations crossing over my legs. Thank you friends, thank you conversations, thank you padded bench corners.

Sounds of Asteroth had an amazing start to their residency and the best green hair singer expressions. Any band having that much on stage is guaranteed to please.

Soda and his Million Piece Band played that perfect musical moment in my little head for me last night. With a slight buzz, darken room, just feeling the music, watching the slide guitar, the horns, Soda (does he go by that?) slouched over his retro microphone, the way the female singer smoke and sung lyrics I couldn't make out and then spoke French in-between songs.

Ashley asked if I like them and I told her I loved them in thirty words longer than that.

In long:

At a different Sushi place tony worked his magic. Again.

I'll settle for the golden glitter between her fingers, sparkles wiped from underneath her eyes and nothing else to remember.

Rent

Before heading out for Kiss or Kill last night I watched two cool things: A overly dramatic NOVA episode on Volcanos and a commercial for the movie version of RENT.

Seeing the West Coast run back in 96/97 with Doogie Howser in the lead role remains one of my best memories of my early LA days.

I somehow managed to convince the Ex to take a chance on a musical neither of us knew much about other than it won a bunch of Tonys. You have to understand that getting the Ex to do anything other than mall hopping was an effort I had given up long before.

I remember a warm LA night, looking out onto the Downtown lights from the Music Center railing and thinking this was my new start in life in this City of Angels. We smoked and talked about how strange to end up in LA, how blown away we were by Rent even from our backrow seats. One of my very few perfect memories as it turned out.

While it's no Le Miz, I'm looking forward to this enough to listen to the soundtrack non-stop for the last 24 hours. There is even a Rent (movie version) music player on the site listed above.

closed office doors

I am feeling very paranoid about work today.

The owner is back from China doing the only thing he knows, sealing deals and spending money. Unfortunately running a company, dealing with personnel, making everyday decisions, delegating, or understanding the markets he competes in are virtual unknowns to him. Ugh.

Today's goals:
Finish end of month stuff
Search Craigslist

Golly

I knew after I posted "you guys don't care" that it was going to sound all whiney. Yes I'm grumpy, sickly, moany and what not today, and I was griping about not feeling well enough to go out tonight.

The point that I made zero attempt to get across with that line was that I assume you come here to read about the stupid things I say to people, and not to read that I was sleeping and maybe or maybe not going to Kiss or Kill.

I don't care to re-read those posts either so I try to make them short and not often, but I write for myself first, so you'll get some of boring parts of life - @ 98% of my life actually. I'm boring and I'm cool with that.

You see, I know you would rather read posts like this (I would too):

• 3 am
  
  She was a violent kisser.



• Starting at 10pm (none of this is true)
  
  4.30 am I'm stuck at a train crossing watching the longest train ever pieced together pass by. Blue box, red box, my eyelids drift downward, head and body tilt right as it relaxes until jerking back awake knowing I'm only a few miles from my house.
  
  Before this I received a birthday late night invitation to the house for wine and getting to know you's as she phrased it. Our IMs made it clear that we valued the speaking our minds connection, the understanding of human complexities. We resided in the gray part of any conversation, where nothing is as simple as it seems.
  
  This all fine and swell before the two bottles are finished off, and now joined by the honey pot and new friend's sister*, we started to talk about our lust for the same girls in our social group. Smoke billows up through cracks of the patio's sheet metal roof, Christmas lights dangle off the edges.
  
  I realized that the honey pot is quite the fitting name and tried to explain to her that "thing" that drew me to her sweetness. I also tried to ignore it.
  
  She goes back inside and returns 20 minutes later with more wine.
  
  "I love your sideway looks." This is the first thing she says upon sitting down across for me.
  
  "Huh? You mean my evil eye?" I respond with a raised eyebrow.
  
  I'm smiling and she smiles almost embarrassed.
  
  "No, no. I love the sideways looks you give me"
  
  The conversation continues about stares and how these can be misunderstood, but we never go any deeper into what she mentioned. How many times in passing we made eye contact, how many times we find ourselves standing next to each other in front of our favorite bands and give that quick smile, those sideway glances?
  
  I knew exactly what she meant.
  
  
  *I've never talked to her before - just passing smiles and hellos before she stopped hanging out at the same places.
  
  From 5.9.05
  
  One night, large crowd.
  Arms slightly touching. I noticed the second time and the third. We easily could've moved away from each other like strangers normally would. I looked around the room to see if she or anyone else noticed, but never got a look back.
  
  Another night, another large crowd.
  Bouncing until the music was over with stranger's arms around my neck and waist. Found myself holding her hand and wondered how I grabbed it by accident or if she did. Felt it a few seconds too long as our fingers slowly slipped away from each other.



• Stating the obvious
  
  Tempted by the honeypot - her blond hair now cut short - I reached up to run my fingers through the back layers.
  
  "Did I tell you how incredibly cute you are?"
  
  "Did I tell you how incredibly cute your new hair looks?" My mouth instead spoke out loud.
  
  "No you didn't. Thanks" Her eyebrows shifted up to the right with her smile, pretending that I didn't just say that.

sad, so sad

I fell asleep by 8 PM last night, original plans falling apart, back up plans skipped. I'm not feeling well at all today.

This sucks. I was looking forward to Kiss or Kill tonight, a nap and OTC drugs might be enough to drive me back out to Zen, but we'll see. Or I'll see...you guys don't care.

The King Cheetah 9:30 The Invisible Humans 10:10
Sounds of Asteroth 10:50
Soda and His Million Piece Band 11:30 The Atomic Missiles 12:10
= all great bands + good pull too = fun crowd, fun night.

So sad about last night not working out. I know I would've made a complete fool out of myself and there would've been pictures too!