The Events of Today

While today wasn't too eventful, there are a few things that I'd like to share with the good folks who read this here text/photo/video-based missive. Aside from reading and turning in rent to our oddly entertaining landlord, I had a bit of a dilemma in deciding whether or not to mosey on over to the local Best Buy to purchase a few CDs to make a part of my collection. After much internal struggle my knees buckled and I started Marionette into an adventure that neither of us were expecting (which really wasn't much of an adventure...and Marionette wasn't much part of it). I made it to the Best Buy and found the CDs I was looking for, but while I was in the middle of a text message I happened to hear a familiar tune coming from the God-awful "Guitar Hero" (which also goes by the lesser known title "Get a real guitar, you loser"). Yes, it was the sweet melody of Metallica's "Fuel" and for reasons unknown (eh, eh) I was in the "M" section. The following transpired in the 'ol noggin' 'o mine:
Brain: "Andy, I think it's time."
Andy: "You think so, brain?"
B: Andy, it's been a long time coming
A: I know, Brain, but I really shouldn't be spending the money right now.
B: Andy, do you remember high school?
A: Yeah, of course I do, I hated most of it
B: Remember the fun we had listening to Metallica?
A: I know brain, and while I'd like to return to the good times we had listening to...ok

And it's been worth it. I'm not yet done with Death Magnetic, but it's a whole lot of fun.

After my over-expenditure at the Best Buy I shimmied over a parking lot to dine on the sweet nectar of life also known as fast food. More specifically, Carl's Jr. Before entering said restaurant I noticed the not yet smelly or disgusting homeless fellow waiting ever so sadly in front of the restaurant. While I tend to have a bad history of giving money to people I shouldn't, I was certainly glad the only currency in my pocket was a George Washington (he's coming) and some funny money (also known as pesos), but he did not ask for change or food or anything, he merely looked at me with those sad, defeated eyes that the sane homeless people tend to have. I ordered my tasty Jalapeno (I don't know how to insert the "~" on the internets) burger with chili-cheese fries and a side spicy chicken sandwich (they're only 99 cents) to-go. While waiting for my spoils of war (reward for purchasing albums) I happened to look outside at the man waiting ever so quietly by the door. My conscience (as always) got the best of me and after receiving my goods I stepped out and offered the man my spicy chicken sandwich. With eyes aglow he gladly accepted and that was that.

Feeling in a somewhat giving and up-beat mood I then stopped off at the grocery store to pick up a two-liter bottle of Hawaiian Punch for Scott. I ended up buying two (which was mainly because I didn't want to put $2.00 on a charge card) and even donated to their breast cancer research thingie that they pitch when you're about to pay. I know it's not like I've won some sort of kindness award or anything, but I do feel somewhat good about myself. I think the reward for my deeds today was a good parking spot upon my return to Apartamiento de SuarSon (or BensRez).

That's really all I've got.

A Couple Days Ago

A couple days ago I bought myself a new printer/scanner/copier combo thing as my old printer was on its last breath. With Lex (the old printer) I was at the point of force-feeding it page after page as otherwise it would choke on multiple sheets and not get the job done, not to mention its odd choice to stop printing in color. I finally decided it was time to force Lex into retirement. Fortunately my new partner in crime, Viv, was fairly inexpensive and gives me some good quality photo prints. This means that I might actually be able to compile a portfolio for future endeavors in the photographic field (because I still need to sign up for development lab classes at the local JC). This also means that my combo machine thing will lend itself to some very odd creations with the scanner (because I'm not good at photoshop). Anywho, I've gotta get back to reading and such.

Ah...

From the Avett Brothers' latest EP entitled The Second Gleam here is "Murder in the City" just released today (the video, not the song).

It's Monday

Here are a few photos of mine from adventures long gone (with captions!).
They originally cast me for the part of Jim West (desperado, rough rider) in the Wild Wild West movie. I did a few screen tests and took a few photos, but I figured Will Smith needed the work more than I did what with his speech impediment and all. As you can plainly see, this photo was taken at the beach on a hot summer day.
Me and the flamingos partying it up for my 21st. Belmont (on the left) and I totally powned in beer-pong.
This is from when I went on tour as a Latin female pop-star sensation. It didn't work out too well.

To Ease Your Suffering

From all of the 80s music I've been posting, here's one of my favorite Ted Leo/Pharmacists songs called "2nd Ave, 11am". This is taken from the DVD Dirty Old Town which was released a few years back before Shake the Sheets came out and you can find the song on their album Hearts of Oak. I can't remember the keyboardist/tambourine shaker's name, but she's (thankfully) no longer in the band and neither is the other guitarist. He's been replaced by James Canty. I'm not certain of the guy who filled in bassist Dave Lerner (because he's in his own band called Spectacular Bird these days), but I'm sure you don't care either way. Anyways, enough out of me, here's the damned video.

Thank You, Abe!

You've started me on the path to glory! With this scheme I'll rule the world! All I need now is some paste and the will power not to eat that paste.

Oh, Sam

I know that your computer isn't working, but once it is I hope you peruse the posts of mine you missed to find this glory! I love the 80s. And I'm not talking about the VH1 program either. And for those of you interested, this is a band called Kick Axe using the alias Spectre General (which I like better) and the song is "Nothing's Gonna Stand in Our Way."

And while we're on the 80s again, here's some more Stan Bush. This is "Dare."

Sorry for all of the Transformers music. I finally watched it again today because it's been on my mind for the past week or so. It just reminds me of some really good times.

Some People I Genuinely Hate

The Jonas Brothers. I don't really know who these smug bastards are, but about a month or two they started showing up everywhere. I can't go to the grocery store without seeing an advert for Camp Rock or some sort of meet and greet they're required to do. From the commercials I've seen of these no-talent puds is a bunch of Disney channel marketed, no-good ass clowns who need their collective shit-eating grins beaten off of their faces. It's no wonder today's youth is progressively getting dumber. Fortunately for those of us with some sanity left we can count on at least one of these colostomy bags developing horrible drug addictions and numerous STDs hopefully leading to an early grave.

McCain - Obama Debate

For those of you who either missed the debate or want to watch it again, here is the full 96 minutes.

Imagine Your Worst Nightmare:

Machines take over the world!

Oh, You Idiot, You

Locked my keys in the truck again. I blame the heat. Thank you, AAA, for overlooking the fact that my card has been expired since May (which I just noticed today. Rhyming unintentional, I must say).

What's That?

Andy skipped class? Yes sir (or ma'am), and the fruits of my lack of labor thus far have been a hearty and artery clogging breakfast of eggs with red meat, onions and bell peppers topped with some delicious pepper jack cheese (and not to mention a side of Mr. Coffee Nerves) and a new song for you! Those of you not on Birdmonster's mailing list should sign up, otherwise you'll miss some fancy pants things like the alternate version of "I Might Have Guessed" or the "Mean Version" as they're calling it. Also, stay tuned as in the near future for they will be releasing their video for "Born to be Your Man" on the internets pretty soon. Along with said video and song, they're likely to release an album of B-sides, but I'll let you know for sure as soon as I get more information on it. Now? I'm off to listen to that alternate track a few times in a row and eventually get some reading done. Maybe a movie.

New Site For You All

I honestly don't know why I haven't shared this with you before. Maybe it's because he doesn't update often, maybe it's because it slipped my mind, but here's the fine blog of one Gasoline Hobo. It'll be in your quick link toolbar thing over on the right there. Enjoy.

What A Day!

Marionette's healthy once again! She's running better than ever! I love my truck! I'm marinating some steak for consumption later to-nite, I'm caught up with reading, I even read ahead. I had lunch with a friend, took a nap at school, said a brief hello to an old professor of mine. Stopped by my old place of work, avoided people at my old place of work. Walked a whole lot, rode the trolley, smelled the tangy scent of urine and sweat from the bums sitting next to me, felt disgusted at the lack of respect some people on the trolley have for others, listened to Birdmonster, ate some Messican food, defeated alien warlords (not Xenu), typed this post.

BLAST!

Marionette is in need of another trip to the doctor's. A couple days ago she began to make the sound of PFFFFSSSSHHHHHHH! (otherwise known as the sound of air decompressing) when I'd bring her to a stop or even a slight decrease in speed. She'll be limping to the doctor's tomorrow, but once she's out she'll be right as rain.

I'm currently sitting on the grass at school and in front of me is a large woman with obscenely long acrylic red nails ever so gently petting her phone.

The hunger gnaws.

I'm wearing shorts. At school. I've had these shorts since the 7th grade. That's not an exaggeration. They've been sewn and re-sewn over the years. They're quite comfortable. The grass isn't nearly as soft as it should be. I wish I had my camera with me. I'd be taking pictures of all of the hefty folk. Secretly. I should be reading. I'm not.

It would appear as though the hipsters have their own biker gang. But when I say "biker" I mean actual bicycles. A bunch of non-meat-eating, tattooed, earing-wearing, capri-sporting, fixed-gear using tools. They won't eat meat, but they'll smoke a cigarette. Just wait until your fad ends and meat-eating becomes the cool thing to do. Just wait until your hipster band tells you that the consumption of innocent animals is ok, then you won't know what to do with your life and you'll wonder what it was all for and you'll battle with the "moral" choice and the "hip" choice. You'll eventually cave. Whether it's that delicious smell wafting in your general direction from the local blood-joint (because all vegetarians refer to places that serve meat as "blood-joints") or that once friend who you've shunned for eating meat sees you and offers you a little taste of his gyro. It's cool, the gyro's healthy for you. Yeah, that'll be your first step. You'll say "well, it's healthy for me, so it's not as bad as those red-meat eating, pro-life loving, republican voting, plagues on humanity." Yeah, you'll justify yourself. You'll disguise it, but you'll soon develop that secret craving for it. You'll be a vegetarian around your friends, but late at night you'll have your secret rendezvous with the In 'N' Out Burger a town away. Because you can't let Lyle see you eating meat again. No, because Lyle would tell Geraldine and Geraldine would tell Mick, and Mick's cool, but Mick doesn't like people who eat meat. Mick can't know. Mick will never know. But you can't go a town over because all you have for transport is your fixed-gear bike. You'll have to kill Lyle. Or Mick. Or both. Not Geraldine, though, because that one time she burned you a copy of that Bright Eyes album that you really like. And y'know...you listen to Bright Eyes for their "artistic" lyrics. Geraldine's ok. Gerry for short.

For the record: Meat never has been and never will be cut from my diet.