the aftermath

The Dayton Flyers are 40 minutes away from possibly going to The Final Four. i am actually having a hard time fucking believing i just typed that sentence. if they beat Florida tomorrow night, welcome to the apocalypse. also, say goodbye to the campus. there was 28 arrests after the win last night. they might have to arrest everyone in the city if they win tomorrow night. HOLY SHIT.

i went to the doctor today. he believes i am progressing really well with my pinched nerve. i brought up some concerns on some pain i am having in my shoulders and ankles and my family history of arthritis. so, he gave me a drug for that since i really don't take much medication at all. now, i'm not sure if it was the fact that sun came out today or the basketball game from last night, but there was some fuck up between the doctor's office and the pharmacy. and i didn't get that drug when i was there with my mother earlier today. she didn't get all of her meds either. so, i'm hoping i will start that tomorrow. and if that works, that will get me off of the pain pills completely.

the New York Rangers play in Calgary tonight. hopefully their winning ways can continue.

i was feeling a little artsy fartsy today and bought some markers and paper for markers at the store. i'm thinking i might come up with some new shit for a YouTube video.

i'm planning on doing some writing late tonight. i've got a few ideas racing in my head. that's what happens when i spend most of the day people watching at the supermarket and at the sports bar.

i'll be on here sometime after Manchester United plays in the morning. hopefully they win and put me in a good mood for the Dayton game Saturday night.

hopefully this dream never ends.

that's all for me kids. hope this finds all of you well. until we meet again.

peace and chicken grease...

music:

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
M83. - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

"I always wanted to be a basketball player." - Ronnie James Dio

sometimes all you can do is sleep

i can tell this is a massive weather system getting ready to roll through here as i have been in pain ALL day long. and nearly every 30 minutes or so, i catch myself starting to fall asleep from the pain. the type of pain where the pills don't work anymore. it's just lovely.

so, here is a quick recap of my life in the last 24 hours...

for some reason, 10 PM rolls around anymore and i become a situational narcoleptic. so, i fell asleep last night and missed the ending of wrestling, the local news, and the first 30 minutes or so of The Tonight Show. i woke up with a blanket on me and wondering what the fuck happened. good times.

The Voice last night was pretty good. i believe Adam got the best performer of the night.

Monday Night Raw was pretty good as well. i did enjoy the Daniel Bryan occupy moment. that was interesting to watch. i love how the company gave in to the public pressure and made HHH vs. Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania with the stipulation that if Bryan wins he gets to be in the main event. that should save that match from being boring as fuck.

a big thanks to YouTube for having all the shit i missed in my slumber.

today has been pretty damn painful. the subscription i won to Maxim started today. so, i suppose that could be a bright spot. i've spent most of the day brainstorming on what songs i'm going to include on my cousin's cd. i figure once i have my 10, i'll download his 30 and get to mixing. hopefully i'll have that done by the weekend.

i've also been in and out of the start of the free agency period in the NFL. i always try to keep track of that for fantasy football purposes.

the New York Rangers play here in a few minutes. Hank will be going for win number 301, which would tie the franchise record. and it would extend the Rangers winning streak. hopefully i am enjoying a victory beer later tonight.

i'll also be flipping to the new episode of The Voice tonight, which should conclude the blind auditions. and some college basketball as well this evening. plenty of league championship games that determine tournament teams are going on.

i believe the thunderstorms are supposed to start around 4 in the morning. and then it is supposed to turn to snow around noon or so. not exactly sure when i'll get out to the cats. i tried to give them enough food to make it for longer than 24 hours. by Thursday morning the temperature is going to be around 4 or so. it was near 65 degrees today. fuck me.

i suppose if the power or the satellite goes out tomorrow, i might try to get some writing done. stumbled upon another site i want to send to.

that's all for me today. hope everyone is well and properly inebriated. not sure when i'll be on here tomorrow. that is pretty much in Mother Nature's gnarly fucking hands.

later...

music:

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
The Pogues - The Very Best of The Pogues

"A promise made is a debt unpaid." - Robert W. Service

back on the grid

i haven't been able to check my email or anything up until a few hours ago. when the tech from Frontier Communications noticed that our signal was lower than dial up, the genius realized something had to be done. whatever he did do, so far, it has worked. and i was able to get through the 82 emails i had in a little over 24 hours in less than 30 minutes. before the change, i imagine that would have taken me over 6 hours. a huge fucking difference.

so, i will try to squish 2 posts into 1 for this one. my thoughts on Monday:

i didn't watch much of Home Run Derby but i did get the winner right. as for Monday Night Raw, it was excellent once again. they did a great job of setting up some major angles for the next PPV. plus, having RVD wrestle Y2J made the wrestling fan from 10 years ago smile widely.

now from yesterday:

a big win for team USA over Costa Rica, 1-0. they win the group and are pretty much the #1 seed for the quarterfinals for the Gold Cup. next match is on Sunday.

i was very happy to see that the hammer of god won the All Star MVP. sadly, i was watching when Cano got hit with a pitch in the 1st inning. i nearly threw the remote through the tv when it happened. just what the fucking Yankees need, another damn injury.

Deadliest Catch was great as usual last night.

i have absolutely no clue what i'll be watching this evening. i will do my best to avoid the shit programming on ESPN this evening. i guess i'll watch some Big Brother and then maybe a movie on one of the 100 or so movie channels i have. who knows, maybe some more writing.

i did write 6 poems during my time off the grid. i typed them up yesterday and they are really good. i need a few more and i'll have all the poems together for the 3 places i'm sending to. i really hope (especially if the internet doesn't flake on me again) to these submissions out by the end of the week.

the weather here is still a big hot mess. hopefully we'll get a little rain here soon. i doubt it will provide much relief, but the crops could definitely use a drink.

funny, just as i was typing that the internet has gone out again. i always wonder what my life would have been like if i would have listened to the 8 year old me and grabbed the rope and ladder and climbed the tree. well, at least i got through the damn emails.

and now i'm going to keep typing like a fool who thinks the internet will come back on and this will actually get posted.

music for the last 2 days:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Van Morrison - Moondance
Willie Nelson - The Essential Willie Nelson
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty

"Study the past, if you would divine the future." - Confucius

the day after

i did my best to get the grass cut yesterday as fast as possible. so, like a dumb ass, i only took 1 water break and got it all done in just about 3 1/2 hours. not the smartest decision i've made and i'm paying for it today. but, it's out of the way.

i was a little surprised to learn that the New York Rangers fired their coach while i was out mowing the grass. surprised as in i thought it would happen much sooner, like the night they got eliminated. none of the names mentioned so far really excite me. i just want them to find the right guy who gives them a chance to win another championship sometime before i die. that's all i'm asking for.

i am completely fucking dumbfounded how the Yankees have made the Mets look like a good baseball team. more shitty pitching and not enough offense. and to give up 9 runs to a team that couldn't score 9 in a week if they tried is totally fucking embarrassing. final game of the series is tonight. i have no clue if i'm going to bother to watch or not.

i did catch a good bit of the team USA soccer friendly against Belgium. until the USA finds better defenders or actually learns how to play better defense, they are NEVER going to be able to compete at the highest level.

and i did watch most of game 7 between Detroit and Chicago. when the ref made a horrible call in the 3rd period to take away a possible winning goal from Chicago, i laughed. at that point i was hoping Detroit would win just to see if the ref would make it out of the city alive. Chicago won in overtime on a goal by a guy (Brent Seabrook) who has been on my fantasy team for years. i'm very happy for him. so the final four in the NHL are the last 4 teams to win the Stanley Cup (first time since 1945). i don't think there could be a bad final with any of the four teams. hopefully, the games are great and have plenty of overtimes.

i did watch that concert for Oklahoma last night. i thought it was pretty good. hopefully they raised plenty of money, seeing that the towns are under a tornado threat again today. crazy.

looks like we'll have a chance at a few inches of rain over the next couple of days. as long as it all doesn't come at once and kill the crops, i'm fine with it. should be a good chance to see how the changes to the drainage here on the farm are actually working. hopefully, they are working. i really don't want to see two years in a row of major crop loss.

if we do get all this rain, it should give me plenty of time to get some writing in. the summer months tend to be when i slack off from it. i'm hoping to change that this year.

that's all for today. i'm off to go find a cold bed and some cold washcloths to help deal with a bit of a sunburn. i guess 110 SPF is only so good. fuck me.

music today:

Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs - God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise
Waking - The Maze
Seven Mary Three - American Standard
Candlebox - Candlebox

"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me." - Fred Allen

the start of a long day

today is going to be a long one for me. shit to do all day long. i've got my 5 hours of sleep. no rest for the wicked.

the Yankees got some great pitching yesterday and rediscovered the home run, winning 7-2. they go for the sweep later today. i'll try to sneak a peek from time to time.

i fell asleep and completely missed the horse race. no triple crown yet again.

i caught most of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night. i think Alex Lifeson might have given the best speech i have heard in my life. seek it out on YouTube and enjoy.

Saturday Night Live last night was great. the sendoffs for Bill Hader and Fred Armisen were just about perfect. hell, i even enjoyed the performances by Kanye.

finished up the night with a little ROH. i almost forgot how much i enjoy Steve Corino, especially providing color commentary. plus, watching Kevin Steen and Adam Cole wrestle never gets old.

today marks the final match for Sir Alex Ferguson as the manager of Manchester United. it will be his 1,500th game in charge. remarkable. i really hope the lads play great for him. it wouldn't be right any other way.

right from that is the Yankees game and after a few innings i will be switching over to watch the New York Rangers. this is a damn near must WIN game for them. i don't think they can get down 2-0 to Boston and come back to win it. a split would be just what the doctor ordered. my fingers are crossed.

somewhere i need to fit in the cats, the trash, eating, a nap, and whatever else needs to get done today.

the usual Sunday night shows and then hopefully something more than a few hours of sleep. all depends on how the writing session goes and if there are any late-night phone calls.

hope everyone is doing good. later.

music today:

Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

"There is nothing new in art except talent." - Anton Chekhov

sometimes the fog doesn't burn off

i woke up this morning to dense fog, a back that was aching more than usual, and a right ankle that felt like it was kissed by a demon named arthritis. all of which made perfect sense to me given my night last night.

it was the kind of evening every sports fan knows happens from time to time but is always painful nonetheless. where to begin.

watched the New York Yankees lose last night 3-2. they had plenty of chances to tie or win the game but never took advantage of those chances. the kicker to it all was 2 more damn injuries. it's gone beyond the point of ridiculous and laughing instead of crying. they start a series with an improving Blue Jays team tonight. great.

and about 5 minutes after that ended i watched the New York Rangers lose in overtime 3-2. nothing quite like watching the team you have rooted for since you were 6 get absolutely manhandled in OT. and then to watch yet another damn turnover end up in the back of the net, all after your goalie played on his head for most of the game. way to reward him guys. and if i'm this frustrated 18 hours later, you could just imagine me after the game.

needless to say it was a quiet evening after that. checked some email, put on some blues music and went to sleep.

not feeling very creative at the moment so no new YouTube video to promote the book. but, i can still manage to do this:

be sure to get your copy of Sofisticated White Trash today. available at Interior Noise Press as well as Amazon.com. be sure to take advantage of any discount you can get on it. also, if you'd like to buy a autographed copy from ME, feel free to drop me an email and i'm sure we can work something out.

some of the bird feeders were messed with this morning. i figured the deer had to get to the one and most likely squirrels with the others. i put out some critter mix and sprayed some keep away from my fucking feeders spray. hopefully it works.

looks like rain on and off all weekend. that should help with my mood. i know i need to sit down and do some writing. i have plenty to write about (casting an eye over to a certain someone). maybe a long weekend session where i crank out 10 or so is in order. if the creative juices get flowing again, look for a new video. if i can get a thunderstorm to happen at the right time, i've got something in mind.

hope everyone has a great and safe weekend. peace and chicken grease.

music today:

Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S.
Buddy Guy - Living Proof
Various Artists - Mom + Pop Sampler Vol. 1
Van Halen - 5150

"I write most of my songs when I'm in a bad mood." - Trent Reznor

sunshine on a cloudy day

didn't sleep well at all last night. between my anger and the cold front moving through (that does wonders for my back) i doubt i slept more than a few hours.

after breakfast this morning i did get some good news. my mother got through her procedure this morning with no complications. that relieved my mind a bit. i never know how this shit is going to mess with her diabetes. she gets the results in 2 weeks. i'm going to do my best to stay positive during that time. i believe eliminating the crazy out of my life is a good start. of course, if anyone has any positive words to send my way, feel free. lord knows i could use them.

did listen to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds new album "Push The Sky Away" this morning. you can find it here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/feb/08/nick-cave-push-sky-away-stream
i really enjoyed it.

also, started reading "More Than The Alley" by Doug Draime. so far so good. i've always enjoyed Doug's work. you can find more info on the book here:
http://www.interiornoisepress.com/INP_HP_Draime.html
just judging from the first 50 pages alone, i'd recommend this book.

i did manage to write a quick poem today. i've got a feeling i'm going to be writing some pretty dark shit for the next few weeks. hopefully i'll write some more later on this weekend.

other than that, not much going on today. better than watching it snow i guess.

music today:

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
Imagine Dragons - Night Visions
Buddy Guy - Living Proof
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass

all things must pass

as i said here a few days ago, my writing session last night was either going to be one of glee or anger. and despite a win from Manchester United earlier in the day, although they played the last 45 minutes holding on for dear life, the Dayton Flyers brought me the anger i was expecting. sort of.

not winning at Xavier is nothing new, fuck, they haven't done it since 1981. but to be out-rebounded like a bunch of pussies was really hard to watch. 1 damn rebound here and there and they win the game easily. i did appreciate the coach saying after the game that the basketball gods don't reward teams that don't deserve to win. no shit.

so, my writing session was 7 poems long. a few winners i think. i typed them up this afternoon while watching the snow come down outside. i know 1 of the poems will go to Jeremy Benson for the poetry e-book project he is putting together. you can find out more about the project by going here:
http://blog.jeremy-benson.com/2013/01/enter-your-poem-free-e-book-for-all.html

and now allow me to address the comments left on this blog by my "best friend" Debbie Kirk, the queen of wannabe tough women. and trust me, that last comment has her pissed off already. not sure why she wanted to air the dirty laundry in public, but that was her choice. i only feel it is right that my retort is public as well. let me peel back the onion a bit so you know how all this bullshit started. Debbie didn't like my first YouTube video. it is completely her right not to like it. she gave me some criticism on it, which i took, but apparently not in the way she wanted. i assume that was by agreeing immediately and kissing her ass. when i posted my next videos, she ate a bit of crow and said they were improvements from the first one. now, over a week later, last night she brings it up again. her big problem is that some people actually like the first video and they shouldn't. apparently personal preference is not allowed in the world of Debbie Kirk. i can't give 2 shits either way in this. i'm simply thrilled that people have taken the time to watch them at all. so, long story short i told Debbie enough was enough, which of course was met with you never tell me to stop talking, blah blah blah. which i replied with i will tell you whatever the fuck i want just like you do me. if you can't show me the same respect i show you, who has the problem? she typed back i have the problem and i told her to fuck off.

little did i know that she didn't have the balls to call me on the phone but instead chose to blast me in a public setting. now, i think i must set the record straight and get the FACTS out there.

if anyone needs to know anything about me, all you ever have to do is ask. but since i am hiding behind some fake image, allow me put it all out there. i'm 350 lbs. i'm 37. i live with my mother on 80 acres in Ohio. i haven't had a girlfriend in 10 years. i haven't had sex in 2 years. i have had sex with 11 partners in my life, all female by the way. as for my poetry being about situations i have never been in, i believe some people call that IMAGINATION. but, let's be honest. most of my poems are about masturbation, porn, taking a shit, wanting to kill myself, life on the farm, the drive into town for the mail, etc. etc. i fucking wish all of that was some imagined bullshit. my life would be perfect. do i write like i'm a badass, sure. anyone that "really" knows me knows the joke. also, anyone that "really" knows me, knows all the personal shit already. you know, like the poems i wrote about being molested in my grandmother's house by a female cousin when i was a kid or how i nearly died 5 years ago from blood clots in my left leg and both lungs. or, are those all imagined bullshit as well?

and now from her comments this morning... you do realize that the photo shoot with Anna was over 10 years ago right? why the fuck are you bringing it up now? and why are you taking it upon yourself to tell me things that she never told me? i need to know shit from 10 years ago? as for your husband, if he has something to say to me, allow him to say it. he has my email and my number, i'd be more than willing to have a conversation. as for talking down to you. guess what? it's a two way street. the day you stop talking down to me i'll do the same. as for questioning my Christianity...that's a good one. am i perfect? far from it. do i have a high opinion of myself? at times, but honestly, it's called a healthy ego. try it sometime. and i take pride in being an asshole? guess what, you do the same shit. and not once have i ever questioned your faith in anything. never will as that's not my job to do so.

to think i have spent nearly 15 years listening to all your problems, all your family bullshit, all your downs, all your highs, you telling me the same fucking story for the 5th time in a week because you can't remember if you told me at all and just letting you go on, letting you get it all off your chest, and this is how you choose to repay that friendship. guess what Debbie? i want the best for you. i want you to be happy, to have a great life and find the peace you deserve. i want you to enjoy your marriage and all the fruit life brings you. but since i'm such a fucking drag on your existence, i will remove myself from the equation.

i'll leave it up to you if you want some fake fuck like me to continue to edit your book. if not, that's cool. if so, that's cool as well. i don't dick over people, like some people i know.

thank you for making me a better person. and i thank you for blowing this friendship up in a spectacular fashion. i can't wait to write these poems. of course, they will all be fake and not any good. the funniest thing you typed was how none of this was to be mean. perhaps you should have tried a less public option for me to believe that bullshit. and if you honestly believe that my meanness is an act, ask my family. you happen to have the gift of catching me at the wrong time more often than not and 2 strong willed creatures can't exist without friction. none of it is good for either of us. and i will not be your excuse for not getting better.

and lastly, something i have never shared with anyone. but since we're airing dirty laundry, when in rome... the real reason i think all this shit with the YouTube video has lasted is your fear that if any of your cool friends thought my video was stupid, and you being my friend and all, they would think you would be stupid as well. and god forbid, you can't have anyone on this planet thinking a negative thought about Debbie Kirk. maybe i'm wrong, or maybe that's much closer to the TRUTH than even you want to realize.

i hope everyone enjoyed a nice behind the scenes look on much of my life for so damn long. guess i'll see what this freedom thing is like now. hope everyone is good. look forward to seeing the insanity Debbie writes in response. hopefully she knows i'm childish enough to drag this out for as long as she wants to. does that make me a bad person? yes, i know it does. i just enjoy the consequences of such things.

and to think all i really wanted when i sent you the link to my first YouTube video was for you to be happy that i was taking a chance and doing something completely out of left field for me. but, i guess in hindsight, that was simply too much to ask for.

music today:

Bruno Mars - Unorthodox Jukebox
Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
Imagine Dragons - Night Visions
Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

"True friends stab you in the front." - Oscar Wilde

back on the horse

watched team USA play Russia to a 2-2 draw that they totally didn't deserve. if it wasn't for Tim Howard, the Russians would have scored 5 or 6 goals. i am happy for Michael Bradley though. he is really coming into his own and hopefully can be the midfielder this team has needed for years. the defense played like absolute shit once again. that has to get better or the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying will be gut wrenching in 2013.

seeing that it was International Friendly day in soccer around the world, most people interested will be talking about the bicycle kick goal from 35 yards out in the Sweden vs. England friendly. some are calling it the best goal they have ever seen. it's close, but i doubt think i have ever seen a goal as good as the one Wayne Rooney scored against Manchester City a couple of seasons ago. in a game that mattered. against your in city rivals. PURE FUCKING BRILLIANCE. look it up on the internet one day. you won't be disappointed.

sat down today and realized i have written 2 poems in the last two months. so, in order to change that, i went to my room, put on some tunes and forced myself to write. one hour later and i'm typing up 8 poems, a few true gems as well. i'm always a bit leery of forcing creativity but i'm getting better at it. i know i have to combat the lazy fuck inside of me.

i will hopefully get a couple of submissions out before turkey day.

check out episode #34 of The Sam Roberts Show Online. especially if you need a good laugh. i highly recommend it. it can be found at iTunes, Stitcher, and at notsam.com. help him out if you can as well. Sam totally deserves to be heard by many more people.

home alone tonight. not sure if dinner will be just beer or some food as well. i figure if i get drunk enough, i'll break out the watercolors.

until we meet again my friends.

music today:

Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
Ruckus Roboticus - Playing With Scratches
Jeff Buckley - Grace
The Black Crowes - Greatest Hits 1990-1999
The Firm - The Firm
Grant-Lee Phillips - Green Corn Songs (Live at McCabes)

"Never be afraid to sit awhile and think." - Lorraine Hansberry

the opposite of fun

saw the first flakes of snow this afternoon as i was pumping gas into my truck. all i could think was fuck, the holidays will be here soon and i'll be fucking miserable. dysfunction, molestation and apathy aren't the greatest qualities to be afflicted with as a child if you truly want to enjoy the holidays as you get older. the joy of experience.

what a totally fucking shitty Sunday. bad enough i watched Manchester City come back to win, but my fantasy football teams absolutely shit the bed. or, as i should put it, their owner did as well. i bet, even with the stats from tonight's game unknown, i have players on the bench of all 3 teams that if i had started them, i wouldn't be bitching right now. unforced errors are the absolute worst. i'll be beating myself up over this for a few days. unless of course a miracle is pulled off tonight by the Steelers. let's just say i'm not holding my fucking breath.

i doubt i will watch much of the game. The Voice is on tonight with probably my favorite group at this point of all 3 seasons. also, The King makes his return to Monday Night Raw tonight after his heart attack a few months ago. i should have gone as the show is in Columbus. the joy of being poor.

between wasting time on google+ and remembering all the people that have forgotten me over the years, i realized i haven't written shit in a few weeks. seeing how the cold front that came through dropped the temps over 30 degrees, i got a feeling a pen and paper will meet rather soon. and given the pain in my back at the moment, blossoms of rage will be all over the pages.

music today:

Ryan Bingham - Tomorrowland
Ana Tijoux - La Bala
Red Wanting Blue - Live at City Winery

"Getting angry doesn't solve anything." - Grace Kelly

waiting for the worm to turn

first off, let me highly recommend The Sam Roberts Show Online #27. this episode finds Sam chatting with Bert Kreischer. if you need an hour of laughing your ass off in your life, you have found it. you can find the show at Stitcher, ITunes, or www.notsam.com. leave comments on the contact page and help Sam out if you can.

my internet has moving slower than shit today. constantly going in and out. combine this with the Yankees having their asses handed to them the last 2 nights in Chicago, and i'm in a great fucking mood. i'm home alone for the next 2 days or just about and in a pissy mood. bad combination. i'm thinking of doing some writing tonight or maybe some painting. all depends on the Yankees i suppose. if they get swept i might actually get to see what my angry paintings will look like. with the lead in the division down to 4, i can wait for my angry paintings.

other than that, got my fantasy football shit in line. have 3 drafts lined up for NFL and got my college teams ready for games on ESPN.com. hard to believe it's that time of year again.

on the poetic tip, i seem to be in a holding pattern. waiting on my book to come out. waiting to hear back on some submissions. waiting on some money that's supposedly coming. thank god my patience is biblical. i hate to see what crime i'd be in jail for if it wasn't.

music today:

Red Wanting Blue - Live at City Winery
Trampled by Turtles - Burn For Free
Walk The Moon - Walk The Moon
Brett Dennen - Loverboy
Fun. - Some Nights
Gotye - Making Mirrors

"Music stops you from thinking." - Peter Weir

so there's a few good ones left after all

i want to start this off with a big fat THANK YOU to Russell over at The Camel Saloon for recommending a poem i sent him would be better off at Jellyfish Whispers. i can probably count on one hand the number of editors/publishers that have done that for me before. whenever i'm near your neck of the woods, the first round is on me my friend.

not exactly sure what my feelings are about the Yankees signing Derek Lowe. it's bad enough that my mind won't let the 2004 epic collapse ever go away, but to see a member of that Red Sox team wearing pinstripes makes my stomach turn a little. of course, if he wins a championship here like Damon did, i'll get over it.

big home stand this week for the Yankees. get some timely wins over Texas and Boston and that should help put the AL East to bed. struggle this week and the last 6 weeks of the season will be nail biting time.

another rather cool day here. the weather this summer has been totally bizarre. and each day i drive down the lane to get the paper and mail i try not to look at the corn. just too fucking depressing.

hoping to have another writing session sometime this week. i feel like i have some good ones coming given all the shit going on in the world. let alone going on with people i know. i need one of those couple of hours where i bust out 10-15 gems and my fall will be looking good.

i did catch a little of the closing ceremony of the Olympics last night. hadn't seen Fat Boy Slim in quite some time. when he popped up my mind quickly thought back to my drug filled teens/20's. good times.

music today:

The Chemical Brothers - dig your own hole
Metallica - Beyond Magnetic
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing

"Always make the audience suffer as much as possible." - Alfred Hitchcock

Friday the 13th, who gives a shit

i always laugh at people who think of some crazy shit just because it's Friday the 13th. do yourself and the world a favor and think of crazy shit all the time.

i will admit though, today is pretty fucking weird. only because i find myself totally agreeing with something Dane Cook said. hell might have just froze over. it was in regards to the whole Daniel Tosh bullshit (rape jokes) going on, the world's most over-hyped comic ever tweeted out that anyone who is easily offended should kill themselves. i raise a glass and say bravo. now, if he would only put himself at the beginning of the line.

thin the herd.

getting the itch to check out some music festivals this summer. only time will tell if that itch is greeted with a credit card or not.

baseball gets back in the swing of things tonight. hopefully the Yankees can start off the second half on fire and put this damn division to bed early. the 6 game home stand to start off won't be easy. playing the Angels and Blue Jays in that bandbox has home run derby written all over it. or better, beer league softball. as long as they win, i couldn't give 2 shits how.

shout out to Ben on the kind words regarding my writing. totally appreciate it. maybe one day the rest of the world will understand.

went a little heavy on the music this morning

Anthrax - Sound of White Noise
Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Tool - Undertow
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

"He who angers you conquers you." - Elizabeth Kenny

when it's too hot for a holiday...

a good July 4th to everyone. hope this finds you cool and with a cold beverage in hand. the last time i recall a heatwave like this was back in 1988. i was 12 and ready to die. not much has changed...

if any of you are into podcasts i urge to go over to http://www.notsam.com/ and check out the Sam Roberts Show Online. a highly entertaining podcast if i must say. an enjoyable way to pass the time.

i'm hoping the Yankees can avoid the sweep today but my hopes aren't high. the quicker they can get out of that dump the better.

no real plans for today other than napping and watching tv. i'm hoping an urge to write erupts inside of me, but i really don't know if i want to force it out of me. if the earth moves, i'll be sure to pass along an update.

either the cats are hiding from the heat (85 degrees by 9 am) or they are dropping like flies. my gut says hiding. but we all know my gut has shit for brains. if they all end up going, i guess the cat food won't be eaten by raccoons, skunks and groundhogs anymore. just ask anyone who has ever been out here. it's a fucking zoo.

music this morning:

R.E.M. - Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011

"A pun is the lowest form  of humor, unless you thought of it yourself." - Doug Larson

an afternoon with no internet

my internet was out from 8:15 this morning to 5:09 this afternoon/evening. that's alot of time to fill.
so, i want to thank the Dan Patrick Show, a trip to the post office, doing the dishes, reading the paper, jerking off to QVC (don't ask) and my constant need for music for getting me through the day. i don't know if i have ever played chess vs. the computer so many times in one day. i actually won a few for a change.

waiting on Parise and Suter to stop holding NHL free agency hostage. after those two make up their minds, the Rick Nash sweepstakes can begin. if the Rangers can get him without giving up any of the key kids, i'm all for it. it seems like he wants to be in New York, a welcome change from most years.

with the holiday approaching i'm hoping to get some writing done. those are my current plans for the 4th of July. i'd like to have a big submission pile by mid July, hopefully to take my mind off my book coming out soon. anxiety can be a mother fucker at times.

afternoon music:

Foster the People - Torches
Social Distortion - Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." - Mark Twain

find the pleasure in the pain

got a little too much sun yesterday in my 5 hours of mowing grass on the farm. woke up with the shits this morning. the joy of being fair-skinned. my left leg got it real good. combine the heat, sweatpants and where the exhaust comes out on my riding lawn mower and you can imagine all the different colors my left leg is today. fun.

a big thank you to those who have inquired about the broadsides. they will be arriving shortly.

really enjoyed England vs. Sweden today in EURO 2012 action. a spectacular goal from Danny Welbeck to win it for England. certainly makes all of us Man U fans proud.

looking forward to the Yankees and Nationals tonight. should be an interesting test for both teams. hopefully the train keeps charging along.

an early happy birthday to my mother. you don't look your age.

i will spend the weekend writing, staying away from the sun, hopefully posting pictures of my paintings on here and praying for rain. we're more than 5 inches behind where we should be. and the soybeans are certainly showing it.

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway