Newlyweds?

If these crazy kids can't make it, who can? I don't think I have been this sad since my own parents told me they were getting a divorce. Next you are going to tell me that Brad and Jen broke up...

Jessica 'Doing Great,' Says Ashlee
http://entertainment.msn.com/music/hotgossip

Nov. 28, 2005

Now that our trytophan-induced stupor is wearing off and the cold, harsh glare of reality is setting in, it's time to deal with the intense feelings of grief brought on by Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey finally, inevitably putting a fork in their problem-plagued union. And what better way to work through our sorrow than by checking to see which way the spin is blowing. Here's the latest ...

"Jessica's doing great," her sister Ashlee assures Star magazine, which released the unfortunate cover story, "Jessica Finally Pregnant! Is This Her Gift to Nick To Save Their Marriage?", just before the dysfunctional duo announced their split to Us Weekly. "We all had a good Thanksgiving, all the family was together and we had a wonderful time."

The Simpson clan reportedly spent the holiday holed up in Texas, where we're guessing Jessica's father/manager/overlord Joe gave thanks that he finally had his little girl all to himself, without a pesky husband along as a third wheel.

"We didn't even talk about Jessica's breakup from Nick," continues Ashlee in the "exclusive interview." "It wasn't something we wanted to dwell on. Jessica's happy and she's absolutely fine. The only thing that stressed Jessica out was our grandparents' worry over all the attention she's getting. Jessica spent most of the holidays trying to reassure them that she's OK and that everything is good."

Simpson was back in L.A. on Sunday and life seemed to continue much as it had before the breakup announcement: She hit a tanning salon and showed off her diamond ring-free finger to paparazzi.

Lachey, 32, meanwhile, indulged in some testosterone-fueled activities on Turkey Day, with "Extra" reporting that the sometime ESPN commentator watched football with his pals in L.A.

This guy time comes on the heels of his recent "boys' weekend" in Miami Beach, where, according to People, he and recently separated buddy A.J. DiScala "unwittingly" wandered into a salacious soiree hosted by Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and hirsute porn veteran Ron Jeremy (they quickly exited). Lachey also chatted up a "pretty blonde guest" at another bash, says the mag.

"Nick seems relieved that it's all finally out in the open," a snitch tells the apparently now plugged-in Star. "I think he feels he can now start getting on with his own life at last. He's really sad that things didn't work out between them but it hasn't been working for a very long time and it's probably been torturous to keep things together for so long."

According to the insider, "As far as Nick is concerned he's going to keep things very clean and he's adamant that he's not going to get involved in any mud slinging and name calling. He just wants to be able to move on to living the rest of his life with as much dignity as he can."

Dignity may be in short supply given Lachey's upcoming plans. The Hollywood Reporter says he's just signed on to star in an in-development WB sitcom, playing a newly married baseball player. No word on whether his small-screen bride will be blonde, buxom and unable to tell the difference between seafood and poultry.

Meanwhile, there's already speculation as to how the nixed "Newlyweds" are going to divvy up their assets. If there's no prenup, as has been reported, they will have to split everything 50-50.

While this arrangement worked out fine for Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, whose holdings were about equal, Simpson, 25, with her cosmetics and clothing empires (and her ability to carry off an itty-bitty bikini on the big screen), is said to be worth millions more than her less-marketable (but far more thrifty) hubby.

"... A while back, Joe was complaining to everyone who would listen about all the alimony Jessica would have to pay Nick," an insider told Us.

And finally, it seems the telegenic twosome's decision to fess up that the tabloids had been right all along ("After three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways ...") on the night before Thanksgiving didn't sit too well with some entertainment news show staffers, one of whom griped to the New York Post, "They got their holidays, but we didn't. They couldn't have waited one day? This was so calculated."

The word you're grasping for: Duh.

If you want to relive the good times, be sure to pick up the DVD reprising the fourth and final season of "Newlyweds," which hits stores on Dec. 6.

Happy Birthday, Chip!

Blue, you're my boy!

Googled

Well, it was a long weekend. A fantastic weekend, but long just the same. Anyway, I've been spending most of today recovering whilst at work (read: not really doing much work) and out of boredom I just googled myself. I decided to take a chance, and instead of pressing the regular "Google Search" button, I pressed the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. It took me straight to my companies webpage. I don't think that is how I want to be associated. What a bummer.

Not too much else to report. Actually, strike that, it's a lie. There is a ton to report. But, all of the details are still a bit sketchy, and I don't want to say anything that isn't true, so instead, I will leave it at this: I had a fantastic weekend at home!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will be taking a brief break from blogging this weekend while spending time with my family and friends in New York. So, here is wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

Think of All That's Come to Pass...

It’s getting to be that season, the time where I begin to evaluate the past year, the decisions that I have made and what the implications of those decisions have ultimately been. That’s right folks, it’s the holidays! As I was saying, this time of the year tends to bring much self-evaluation my way. It all begins a week or two before Thanksgiving, when I start to try and compile a mental list of all of the things that I am thankful for. You see, it has become a tradition that on Thanksgiving, before we dig in to the wonderful food, my family and friends have to go around the table and list the things that we are thankful for. On a worldwide basis, 2005 has been quite a tragic year. Between tsunamis, hurricanes and wars, I have seen that there is so much for me to be thankful for. I have an amazing family, wonderful friends and my health. This year, I have been trying to live my life knowing that the small stuff is just that, small. Keeping things in perspective, for me at least, seems to be the key to happiness. If I don’t get angry about a small incident at work and instead try and let it roll off of my chest, I find I am happier in other aspects of my life. To be honest, letting the small stuff slide isn’t always an easy task, and there are often times that I find myself “buying-in” to meaningless drama, yet, I know that I am much happier when I don’t. So this year, I am thankful that I have a job, and while I don’t love my job, it affords me the opportunities to live a fantastic lifestyle. I am 23 years old, have a lovely apartment, I pay all of my bills without problem, I travel a great deal, I have a wonderful support system and I am making strides to get my life together. I am, in essence, living the dream, and I am so thankful for everyone and everything that have gotten me to this point… So, I urge each and every one of you, to take some time over the next month or so to take stock of your lives. Think of how lucky we all are to be living our lives in a healthy and happy state, and how much worse off we all could be.

“Think of all that's come to pass, and all the things that fall away so fast… Had you tried could you have made them last?”

Dead Parrots (and Other Assorted Randomness)

I must apologize for being so incommunicado over the past few days, but lo and behold, I’ve been quite the busy bee. But, it’s Monday morning, and I am back and better than ever. Let me start off by saying that I am in a fantastic mindset this Monday… My favorite holiday of all time is in a couple of days and on Wednesday I get to make my way (back) up to New York to spend some quality time with my favorite people on the planet, my family. Now, where to begin? Thursday, Umphrey’s McGee came in to town to perform at the 9:30 Club. What a fantastic show! The energy both on stage and off was at an all time high, and personally, I was loving it! I got to see so many people who I hadn’t seen in a while at the show, which was great, and I got to dance my ass off watching one of my favorite bands get down. Then, came the after-party… Ah, you know its trouble when Umphrey’s comes to town on a Thursday night. I honestly didn’t realize quite how late it had gotten until the sun was coming up and the bus was getting ready to leave. Needless to say, work was a little rough on Friday (I was working on absolutely zero hours of sleep) and I made the executive decision NOT to go up to NYC for the weekend to see Umphrey’s. As soon as I got home from work, I passed out. I was so happy to be asleep and be in for the weekend. But, at around 10 pm, my phone began vibrating to let me know I had a text message, and surprisingly, it awoke me. The message was from a friend who was at the show and it was as follows:

Immigrant song! And Huey Lewis, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman are on their way.

It was at that very moment that I realized there was insanity ensuing up in NYC, and that if I didn’t make it up for the final night, I would really regret it. So, I made the executive decision that the next day I would take the bus up to Delaware to meet my friend, and the two of us would drive up to the city together. So, the next morning, I began my trek up North…

So much happened on Saturday night, it would be impossible to mention all of it, but there are definitely a few key moments that stick out in my head. First of all, I got to see/meet so many amazing people, including my biggest childhood crush, Huey Lewis, oh, how my heart melted! OK, some random funniness:

-My buddy and I walk in to Irving Plaza and make our way upstairs. We are both immediately accosted by this chick, Ann, who I had met at an Umphrey’s show in Philadelphia. She starts talking at a mile a minute, and very quickly makes her motives for being so friendly known. “Yeah, so I was backstage for the entire show last night, and for some reason, I don’t have a pass today, and I really don’t understand why. It must be a mistake. I’ve been calling people, but I can’t get in touch with anyone, can you guys bring me with you?” Well, last time I saw this girl, she was a pretty major bitch to me, and I totally saw through her little act. Everytime I left the VIP section, there she was, trying to get in. I avoided her, because I was pretty sure that if anyone had wanted her back there, she would be back there. Anyway, the show ends and bunch of us are hanging out. I am standing with one of the guys, and his phone begins to ring. He looks down at who is calling him, and sort of tosses his phone on a chair. I enquired, and he informed me that he drunkenly gave his number to some chick and that she had been calling him about 15 times a day ever since. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same chick I was talking to earlier in the evening. Anyway, I didn’t really think much of it, until two or so hours later when a bunch of us leave to go to some party (awesome party by the way, thank you so much for the hospitality Matty G and wife!)… We go out the back door, and there are some random fans milling about, hoping to meet the guys. I spotted the chick pretty much immediately, and made sure to keep my head down. Anyway, she immediately spots my friend and begins questioning him on what’s going on, blah, blah, blah. I stay sort of close by, and after two or so minutes, he comes running up to me saying, “That is the crazy stalker-chick!” I laughed and explained that she had been begging me to get her backstage all night… I can’t believe those guys actually have groupies, it was hysterical.

-For some reason, I have gained a reputation amongst my friend Jake that I am a joker. I know I have told him jokes, but I am pretty sure that they are the same jokes, always. Anyway, somehow we began talking about donkey punches (I am pretty sure I brought it up) and he starts talking about dead parrots. I look at him inquisitively, and he was like, “You don’t know what a dead parrot is?” Very naively, I enquired, “you mean, like a dead bird?” The conversation that ensued was probably one of the funniest conversations I have had ever!
Jake: Yeah, you should definitely give someone a dead parrot sometime. It is hilarious!
Rook: Uh, yeah, that would be funny [looking down at my self]. But, uh, in case you didn’t notice, I am a chick.
Jake: Yeah, I know you are. We are going to have to develop a pill or something.
I ended up making up my own version of the dead parrot later that night…

-We walked around Manhattan for nearly an hour, looking for this party. I think there were seven of us. Half of us were actually from the New York area. I wondered why we were having so much trouble and then realized that of all of the people we were with, we were letting the wicked drunk dude who is from Indiana lead us. Once that became apparent, we were at the party in a flash.

I could keep going, but I won’t. It really was great to see/meet everyone over the past few days, and I am really pumped that I made the last minute executive decision to trek on up to NYC. Thanks to everyone who made these past few days so great! It truly was an unforgettable weekend! Oh, and Monks, you can really eat a dick for having my camera (still love you though, wish you were there)!

P.S. For those who are interested, these are the setlists from the past couple of nights (taken from www.umphreys.com):

11.19.05 - Irving Plaza, New York, New York
Set One: Miss Tinkle's Overture, The Bottom Half, Kabump > "Jimmy Stewart" > Hajimemashite, Wild Side, Higgins, Ain't No Sunshine^, 2nd Self, Nopener
Set Two: All In Time, Robot World > Norwegian Wood jam > Walletsworth, Red, In the Kitchen, Believe the Lie
Encore One: The Weight^^, blues song^^
Encore Two: Hurt Bird Bath
Notes:
^ with Ugochi on vocals
^^ with Huey Lewis

11.18.05 - Irving Plaza, New York, New York
Set One: Great American > Andy's Last Beer, Syncopated Strangers > Immigrant Song, Roulette, Resolution > "Jimmy Stewart"* > Prowler > Divisions
Set Two: The Triple Wide** > Wife Soup, Bad is Bad^, Women Wine and Song^, Plunger > Glory, Bridgeless, Sister Christian^^
Encore: Heart and Soul^, Pay the Snucka$
Notes:
* with All In Time jam
** with Star Wars theme jam
^ with Huey Lewis
^^ with Jeff Austin on vocals
$ with Stairway to Heaven tease

11.17.05 - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Set One: The Crooked One > Atmosfarag > Push the Pig > "Jimmy Stewart" > Slacker, Utopian Fir*, Carol of the Bells jam**, Anchor Drops, Last Man Swerving > Mail Package
Set Two: #Cherub rock, Dump City > Partyin' Peeps, Blue Echo > Jazz Odyssey, The Fussy Dutchman, piano solo^, Ringo$, Believe the Lie Encore: Panama
Notes:
* with Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand) jam and Don't Fear the Reaper teases
** with Stairway to Heaven teases
# with Tom Sawyer (Rush) tease
^ Joel on the venue's baby grand piano; with Stairway to Heaven tease
$ with Take Me Out, Stairway to Heaven, and Don't Fear the Reaper teases

Police Search for Gary Glitter in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam - Authorities said Thursday they are searching for former British rock star Gary Glitter over his alleged relationship with a Vietnamese teenager.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said officials have confirmed that Glitter, 61, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, was residing in a home in southern Vung Tau city and had applied for permanent resident status in Vietnam.

Glitter rose to fame with glam-rock songs in the 1970s, most notably his only U.S. hit, "Rock and Roll Part 2," a largely instrumental song that has been a staple at stadium sporting events for years. Among his other songs hits were "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" and "Do You Wanna Touch."

Glitter fell from grace in 1999 when he was convicted in Britain of possessing child pornography. He served half of a four-month jail sentence before being released. He later went to Cambodia and was permanently expelled in 2002, though Cambodian officials did not specify his crime or file charges.

Dung said that Glitter had left the house on Nov. 12, and police are seeking his whereabouts.
"At present, relevant authorities Ba Ria Vung Tau province are trying to trace this gentleman, and clarify the relationship between this gentleman and a Vietnamese juvenile," he said.
Dung said authorities have conducted interviews with a 15-year-old girl who they found in the home rented by Glitter.

"If evidence of a (legal) violation is found against Mr. Paul Francis, and especially evidence of sexual child abuse, I believe that very strict legal measures will apply to him," he said.

In Vietnam, the crime of sexually abusing a child can lead to the death penalty.

Sample In A Jar

Sample In A Jar
Originally uploaded by Beezwaxxx.

I shuffle by alert but numb
To all the glances and the glares...

Dirty Jeerz

From today's express:

62,000: The number of New Jersey slogan suggestions sent by the public to state officials. Among the entries: "New Jeresy: You Got a Problem With That?", "N.J.: How You Doin'", and "The Ocean, The Motion, The Magic."

Man, I hate Jersey.

Potty Mouth...

Beeswax: I want to design a new style of urinal
schwink: ummm
Beeswax: one where there's a game involved
schwink: care to elaborate?
Beeswax: like the squirting water in the clown’s mouth game?
Beeswax: ...sorta like that
Beeswax: like you get points for peeing in certain parts of the urinal
schwink: I am laughing my ass off here
schwink: that is fucking hilarious
Beeswax: the longer you do it the more points you get
schwink: and ingenious
schwink: would be great for potty training
Beeswax: there would be a little scoreboard like skeeball right above you
schwink: would you get tickets?
schwink: to trade in for cheap prizes?
Beeswax: and if you get over a certain point value the siren would go off
schwink: haaaaaaa
Beeswax: well... I was thinking about that part
Beeswax: I think there should be but who wants to take tickets from someone that just held their dick in their hand
Beeswax: so instead, there is a slot to insert your card
Beeswax: and the points add up on the card
Beeswax: then you can use the card like a debit for gift certificates etc.
schwink: my god
schwink: that is sounding very complex
schwink: for taking a piss
Beeswax: each time you pee it'll cost you some $ but it'll be a lot more fun
Beeswax: yeah... but it's better than tickets
Beeswax: and better than peeing in a lame ass white urinal
schwink: man
Beeswax: they should at least make the urinal cakes smell better
schwink: you are a strange and complex man
schwink: and for that, I love you
Beeswax: you said it sister
Beeswax: and I love you Rook
Beeswax: for being my ultimate cheerleader
Beeswax: so... any ideas about new urinal cake smells?
Beeswax: scents.... sorry
schwink: um
schwink: no
schwink: sorry
Beeswax: I was thinking pussy smell but everyone has a different taste when it comes to that
Beeswax: and there are very few people that get off on pissing on pussy
Beeswax: IMO
Beeswax: anyhoo... I think I could do stand up after all :)
schwink: whoa
schwink: tmi
schwink: yeah, not with the pussy info
schwink: wouldn’t go over well
schwink: imho
Beeswax: look at Andrew Dice Clay
Beeswax: he was a billion times more offensive
Beeswax: and he made some freakin loot!
Beeswax: “Mother Goose... I fucked her”
Beeswax: love it
Beeswax comic genius

Feel Like Makin'...

Something you may not know about me-I am sort of a classic rock junkie. I love classic rock radio stations, and I am particularly fond of 1970’s power-rock (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, at times my taste in music is questionable). Well, one of my favorite songs from that era is the power-ballad, “Feel Like Makin’ Love” by Bad Company. I was reminded how much I loved this song a couple of weeks ago, when I had the chance to sing it with one of my musical heros (along with another one of my favorite songs from that era, “Let it Bleed”, but I digress). The thing that I have always found endearing about this song is the dichotomy between the songs verses and its chorus. For those of you who don’t know the song, the lyrics are as follows:

Baby, when I think about you
I think about love
Darlin’, don’t live without you
And your love
If I had those golden dreams
Of my yesterdays
I would wrap you in the heaven
’till I’m dyin’ on the way

Feel like makin’
Feel like makin’ love
Feel like makin’ love to you

Baby, if I think about you
I think about love
Darlin’ if I live without you
I live without love
If I had the sun and moon
I would give you both night and day
Of satisfyn’

Feel like makin’
Feel like makin’ love
Feel like makin love to you

And if I had those golden dreams
Of my yesterdays
I would wrap you in the heaven
’til I’m dyin’ on the way

Feel like makin’ love
Feel like makin’ love
(repeat many times)
Feel like makin’ love to you

So, as you can see, the song starts out very sweet. It seems, at first, to be a song about how much the writer loves his significant other. He would give her anything, do anything for her and fears that he would not be able to live in a world without her love. Almost brings a tear to your eye. But, after the first verse, the power guitar starts pounding, and the singer sings about how he “feels like makin’ love”. For a long time, I was really skeptical about this song. It seemed to me that the singer was feeding the recipient of this song a bunch of lines in order to get her in to bed. In fact, I often wondered how many times Paul Rodgers crooned this ditty to women whilst on the road in order to get them in to bed (I’ll be honest with you, if someone sang this song to me, I am not sure I’d be able to say no). But, I listened to the song again this morning, and I have decided that I do not think there is an ulterior motive behind this song. I now think that is truly a declaration of love, recorded the most honest way a man could. Whatever the song does or does not mean, I still love it, and I probably always will. I wonder if it is inappropriate to have the lyrics, “feel like makin’ love” in a wedding song…

Spinal Tap: A to Zed

Tufnel, Nigel (b1944): As he was growing up in Squatney, Nigel took an assortment of odd jobs that included cleaning up gum at Bakerloo Station, marking seconds with the number 2 at Marks and Spencer; and combing out horsehair mats used for slides "cause all these fat, smelly kids had been sittin' on 'em" at Battersea Amusement Park. (MH3) Received first guitar, a nylon-stringed Big Ben, from his father, who paid 10 shillings for it, although the boy had asked for a concert grand piano, a bassoon and a harp before settling for the guitar. (GP) That same year Nigel met David, who also had a Big Ben. Influenced by artists such as Little Elliott, Irish rocker James Brophy, Maine bluesman Jimmy Alfano, and Jimmy the Spot, a Squatney youth who was playing skiffle when Nigel was four or five years old. Jimmy encouraged Nigel to play loud. The young guitarist also had an early interest in women. He recalls his first crush: "I was going to school in Squatney. And on the way home from school, where me mum sent me, I saw this little girl across the street, this tiny little birdie. And I, uh, I took out my, y'know, what you call in America, my wanger." (IST) After the 1982 tour, Nigel was kidnapped and pressed into service with the Swiss Army. Upon returning to England, he retired to his farm, Brinsby, in Kent, before traveling extensively to exotic locales such as Micronesia, Central Africa, Polynesia and some islands near Tasmania, he stopped briefly at the legendary Pei-Pei and Poo-Poo Islands to study native rhythmic traditions. (STR) He also spent time visiting every U.S. state that begins with the letter "I" (TV) and became active in animal rights, organizing Travel for Animals to fight "for the rights of animals to travel and live in other countries" and get them tiny passports. (ME) Shortly before Tap regrouped for its 1992 tour and album, Nigel bought a castle in Scotland under the mistaken belief it would save him money on his taxes (the locals called it "the ruin"). Continues to be a collector of fine guitars and automobiles, and has a great interest in "the legends of English lore-that's sort of my department in the group." (MH3) Among his hobbies is Nerf chess. "No one gets hurt." (RL) Living in Tunbridge Wells in 1992 (QM). Favorite drink: Glenlivet. Favorite food: Fish ("I'm a real fish nut"). Nigel in 1995 became a junior icthyologist at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Southern California (VH1). He recently was promoted to the big tank. "There's more than five different kinds of fishes, I've learned: Big, tiny and medium," he explained. "The big fishes, you put your hand up and say don't hurt me. This is a sign that they know. The medium fish are the ones you've got to worry about because they have a chip on their shoulder. The medium-sized fish will say 'you, come here. I'm gonna bite you? I'm gonna bite you on your bum.' Which happened to me." See also Biopic; Cher; Digital; Dooley, Chic; Flekman, Bobbi; Guitars; Inventing Shed; Jazz Odyssey; Little Elliott; Mandolin; Pettibone, Jeanine; Schiff, Philip; Simmons, Gene; Skiffle; Sleep; Solos; Squatney; Swiss Army; Theory of Music, Nigel Tufnel; Theory of Physics, Nigel Tufnel; Tobacco; Tufnel Family Coat of Arms; Tuna; Violin; Weiss, Leo; Yardbirds

The Shot Heard Round the World

The Shot Heard Round the World
Originally uploaded by AnomalousNYC.

"Whatever my individual desires were to be free, I was not alone. There were many others who felt the same way." --Rosa Parks

"The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating." -- Mahatma Gandhi

A mugshot photograph of Rosa Parks, taken by an unknown deputy in the Montgomery Alabama police station on the day of her arrest for refusing to give up her seat on the local bus to a white person. The photo, along with dozens of others from the Civil Rights struggles there, was discovered last year in a police storage room and was put on Display in Montgomery in July 2004. Image recolored and slightly altered by me.

I hope you will look, and look, as I have. A fascinating moment, and an image of monumental importance. The flash of that bulb was a pivotal moment, not only in American history, but in that as yet unwritten history of the better world we are all still struggling to create.

Rosa is the patron saint of good timing, a classic case of the right gesture by the right person in the right place at the right moment. But before her there were others and after, right up to this very day, there continue to be others. Blacks in this country continue to be treated as disposable Americans, as we have seen illustrated with excrutiating clarity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

I hope everyone will remember that there are thousands of Rosa Parks all over the world. People are refusing to take the back seat on the bus in Palestine and everywhere else. Unlike Rosa Parks, they are often simply murdered or imprisoned for their disobedience, and their stories never make their way to us.

Right now, largely unreported by the media, tens of thousands of Palestinians and hundreds of Israelis are waging a major grassroots nonviolent campaign of resistance to the construction of Israel's ethnic incarceration Wall. Palestinian farmers, workers, mothers, and students, together with Israeli and international volunteers, are braving teargas, beatings, bullets, arrest, and even death to block the construction of the Wall with their bodies. Civil rights and Human rights struggles like theirs are takign place in every corner of the earth.

When you think of Rosa - and you should think of her - think of all the others you will never know, the innumerable invisible millions who with gestures of resistance and defiance both great and small stand up daily against humiliation, debasement, racism, subjugation.

There is surely some of her in you - please remember to say thank you.

Uploaded by AnomalousNYC on 2 Nov '05, 7.39am PST.

All You Did Was Wreck My Bed, And in the Morning Kick Me in the Head

So I just spent the last hour strolling around DC listening to my i-pod on shuffle. It’s amazing to me that there are so many songs that I can pretty much totally forget about, and once I hear them again, they still manage to conjure up so many memories. I honestly think that is the best part of the shuffle feature on i-pods---hearing an old song can sometimes be like seeing an old friend. Well, today, I had that sort of experience. As I walked down 14th Street, an old Rod Stewart standard titled, “Maggie May” began playing in my ears. I can’t tell you the last time I heard this song, but instantly I was transported back to a pub I used to frequent in London. The pub (whose name is escaping me now, which shocks me, because I was there daily for a period of about 3 months) had this great jukebox filled with many of the British greats of Rock and Roll. Me and my buddies would get good and drunk, play these songs and have massive sing-alongs (usually towards the end of the night). Well, one of the songs that I would constantly play was “Maggie May”. In Fact, I played it so often that me and one of my girlfriends (who also happened to be one of the bartenders) made up a really silly interpretive dance to it. Well, one summer afternoon I was sitting at the bar chatting with my girlfriend, drinking a Pimms and Lemonade, when all of a sudden, I hear the opening notes to “Maggie May” come at me through the speakers. Wondering who shared my absurd love of Rod Stewart, I turned around and scanned the bar to find out who could have possibly made the selection. I found a very attractive guy named Darren, who had the same shaggy haircut that Rod Stewart once possessed and spoke in the same scratchy type voice. Anyway, Darren and I began talking and we discovered that not only did we share a love of Rod Stewart, but we also both enjoyed pints of Carlson and had immense intrigue for each others respective cultures. Darren and I spoke for the rest of the day, and he serenaded me, singing along with the jukebox to other Rod Stewart songs. It was at that moment that we drunkenly decided that we would enter in to a marriage of convenience. If we were to get married, I would become a citizen of Great Britain (and no longer need to obtain an illusive work-visa) and Darren would, in turn, become a citizen of the US, a place he had always dreamed of living. I woke up that next morning with a massive hangover and a cocktail napkin tied around my left ring-finger. As the days went on, what started out as a joke began to get much more serious. Everyday Darren and I would sit at the pub and make plans for the wedding. A date was set, a bridal party was picked out and regulars were coming up to the two of us and sharing their congratulations. I think we decided that we would marry on a Saturday, after the England Football Match. Well, the day approached quickly, and I still wasn’t 100% sure if this joke of ours had somehow actually turned in to the real deal (plus, I was already very hot and heavy with someone else). But, instead of taking the time to figure it out, me and a friend hopped on a plane to Cyprus the day the big event was supposed to occur. I never saw Darren after that, but I was told that he sat at that bar all day, supposedly waiting for me to show up. I really haven’t given much thought to the whole situation since, but today, just hearing “Maggie May” brought all of those memories back to me. I wonder if Darren ever did find someone else to sing Rod Stewart songs to...

Mission: Accomplished

***Edited on November 7th, 2005, to say: There used to be photographs of the night posted where this statement is.***

Folks, to say my week has been crazy may just be the understatement of the century. I came off an insane trip to Vegas, and just when I thought things couldn't possibly get more insane, lo and behold, they did.

Wednesday night was the Leo Kotke and Mike Gordon show at the 9:30 Club. Mike and I have a bit of history with each other at this point (see previous post, "I Blame Mike Gordon") and the expectations for Wednesday nights show were at an all time high. The general Aqualounge consensus was that come hell or high water, we would get Gordo to come back to the lounge, post show, for a good old jam session. My mission began the moment I walked in to the venue. Jen and I scoured every backstage entrance known to man, in order to try and make our way backstage so we could talk to Mike and convince him to come and jam with us. Keep in mind, I was decked out to the 9's---cowboy hat, Rook shirt and sign, all a blazing. Well, after much trying (and getting to talk to Keller Williams for a bit-I swear, I am destined to never make a good impression on that man), Jen and I were closer to be kicked out than to being let backstage, and it was nearly showtime. At that point, we made the executive decision to go down to the floor and enjoy the show.

For those of you who haven't been there, the 9:30 is a pretty intimate venue to begin with, but on Wednesday night it was even more intimate than usual, with rows of chairs set up on the floor. Everyone on the floor was sitting, except for Jen and I, who were dancing our asses off on the floor. After every song, I held my sign high, waiting for some sort of recognition from Mike. Well, the show was FANTASTIC (Old Habits, Twist, Rings---I could go on forever), and after one song Mike called me out from the stage. I heard screams of "Rook" from the balcony, and at that moment in time, that was really enough for me. 1/4 of my favorite band of all time recognized me, called me out and turned all of my fantasies into a reality. I think most would assume that this is where my tale ends. But, it turns out that fate was on my side that night.

The show ended and everyone in the posse met up on the floor to talk about our next move. It seemed that the majority of the crew was ready to call it a night and head on home, but something inside of me told me not to move from where I sat. Ten minutes or so go by, and I look up to the balcony and who do I see standing there but the man himself, Mike Gordon. Well, I shouted up to him and he told me to come up to the balcony to meet him. I told him the staff would not let me upstairs, and he informed me to stay put and he would meet me on the floor. Mike came down, and the fairytale night began. We started to chat, and he asked me if anything was going on after the show-he said he remembered hearing something about the Aqualounge from all of the messages... GAME ON! After signing many autographs and taking some photos, Mike got in to the front of Monks minivan (due to limited seating, I was sitting on his lap---what a surreal drive to Virginia) and we headed to the lounge to hang.

Well, we ended up hanging at the lounge till around 3:30 am, chatting (mostly us asking him questions about Phish) and playing music. So many amazing things happened that night, but I know for sure that for all of us that experienced it, none of us will forget a moment of that night, and I feel that giving every detail would ultimately cheapen the experience.

And to think, this all started with some harmless calls to the hotline...

Leah and Mike

Leah and Mike
Originally uploaded by Beezwaxxx.

In case you had any doubts of how hard Rook rocks... this picture says it all...

What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas

Well, I have returned and lived through numerous adventures. Unfortunately for my readers though, the old adage, "whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is 100% true, and I have no stories that I can share with you, my readers. Take my word for it though, it was a fantastic time that won't be soon forgotten. Tonight is Mike and Leo at the 9:30 Club. If you run in to me there, I may be willing to tell some tales from the insanity that was my trip to Vegas.

I did get an e-mail from 30-funnel-Steve while I was gone though, and that my friends, I can share with you:

hey whats happen'
just got my dsl hooked up in my new apt. in new hampshire, i know your probably thinking, bostonsteve in new hampshire??? but ya its true, not sure how it happened but it did. gonna check out some pgroove shows next week. and yes there is talk of another 30 funnel challenge, i said i would as soon as the leg is fully healed. the cast comes off nov. 8th so im guessing the challenge will take place on the 9th. haha wasting no time, keep up the blogs they bring a smile to my face everyday.
pardy hardy and be safe, easier said than done.
peace~bostonsteve~

And on that note, I urge you to keep on keeping on.