Top Line from the Album

In the voice of a wise old Asian man:

"The answer you seek, my son, only poses more questions. Ask many women why relationship has failed; each woman offers unique reason for demise. One woman may say, 'Man could not commit.' or, 'Man is douche and is now free to make love to himself instead.' Another woman may say, 'Man has changed.' or even, 'Man is no longer satisfactory dad.' But, my son, ask many man same question all over the world, 'Why has relationship failed?'. Each man, each time, will give same, simple answer."

This is the prologue to "Bitch Went Nuts," which starts with "The bitch went nuts!"
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Now playing on iTunes: Ben Folds - Bitch Went Nuts
via FoxyTunes

Sea-Bug Ahoy!

I got a Red Lobster gift card for Christmas or my birthday last year. I never remember which; they're fourteen days apart. Anyway, it's worth $25, so I'm gonna use it tonight. I'm gonna feast on about 2 million calories of bug. Woo!

Afterwards, I apparently volunteered to help Alicia move a large quantity of something-or-other.

My old man got a new computer recently and I took the liberty of installing iTunes and all my music, and since iTunes allows for shared libraries, I can now listen to music I don't have room for on my hard drive, like this DMB.
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Now playing on iTunes: Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me
via FoxyTunes

The Ballad of Johnny Jones

I work with this guy named Johnny Jones who may be the most American man I've ever met. He's in his mid-forties, spent years in the army and fought in Panama and Bosnia and Iraq I and now owns a farm in Glencoe. Anyway, he put in a ticket for the $200,000,000 Powerball and was wondering what he'd do if he won, and asked me a question that goes a lot farther than I think Johnny realized at the time:

"If someone you knew won the lottery, how much would you expect? What's the amount that is high enough so you don't think he's a cheapskate and low enough so you don't feel like you've played him?"

I thought it over and gave him my own answer, but I want to ask you guys. If one of your friends won the lottery and was, for all intents and purposes, set for life, how much would you expect? I'll give you some time to think about it and provide your own answers before I give you my answer.
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Now playing on iTunes: Billy Joel - We Didn’t Start The Fire
via FoxyTunes

Free Coffee Town

I've been listening to this song all day. It's the current favorite, just because it's so stupid and funny. Ben Folds:

They were really horrible words. He writes these really earnest lyrics from the point of view of someone who's really short on brain cells. Like, 'In Jared Reynolds' free coffee town utopia the dirt is chocolate, beer flows from the ground and every woman you see makes out with you right there in the chocolate dirt.' It's just so dumb. I'd be thrilled [if it went to Number One.]

I wanna live in a land where there's free coffee
and the beer flows out of the ground.
The women are nice and they dont think twice
about kissing you and fooling around.

I wanna live in a place where there's lots of diamonds
and the parties last 'till dawn.
The fights don't hurt and there's chocolate dirt
and the weed is grown instead of the lawn.

Is there such a place? Well, I guess there could be
if we all could be so gentle; if we all could be so free... coffee.

Is there such a place? Well, I guess there could be
if we all could be so gentle; if we all could be so free... coffee.

I wanna live in a place where there's free coffee.
Bury me in the ground.
I'll have a smile on my face; I love life
in this free coffee town!

Is there such a place? Well, I guess there could be
if we all could be so gentle; if we all could be so free... coffee.
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Now playing on iTunes: Ben Folds - Free Coffee Town
via FoxyTunes

Okay, now I'm pissed.

I started second shift on June 2, 2008. I called CBS two weeks ago to tell me that they'd been underpaying me since then. They said they'd fix it. I am still getting paid fucking $9 an hour. CBS is still fucking short-changing me. I am not amused. I'm going up there tomorrow and getting this fixed.

Also, got Darius Rucker's solo album from Alicia.
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Now playing on iTunes: Darius Rucker - Don't Think I Don't Think About It
via FoxyTunes

Sweeeeeet

So Ben Folds leaked a fake version of his new album in July, and I just torrented it. It's actually really good. I'll be distributing it with the real "Way To Normal" to whomever asks for it.

The Rolling Stone interview is pretty funny and explains why he did it and song-for-song how it differs from the real version that comes out on September 30th.
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Now playing on iTunes: Ben Folds - Bitch Went Nutz
via FoxyTunes

The Future is Insane

Here's what it looks like:
Friday is Julie's 20th birthday party. "Oh, man, I am going to have to jackass-proof my house." -Meagan
Saturday is the Beechwood Invitational, which I'll be working from 7 PM until the campus is clean again in the wee hours of the morning.
Next Tuesday is Alicia's 21st. I'm the DD.
Next weekend is my MSF classes. By the following Monday I should be in the market for a shiny new motorcycle.
The weekend after that, October 11th, I return to Louisville to hang with Sarah.
The 18th is the Boone County show. Alicia and I will be there, as will Beechwood.

It'll be a riot.

Also, the new Ben Folds album comes out on the 30th. I MUST HAVE IT.
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Now playing on iTunes: Ben Folds Five - Army
via FoxyTunes

Holy living fuck!

I was poking around Yahoo! and noticed a little guy running around the title icon of the homepage. Upon hovering my mouse above the little guy, the words "START WEARING PURPLE" appeared. I clicked the link and found this.

I have no idea what's going on, but it amuses the shit out of me.

And just in case the song isn't stuck in your head yet...

Success!

My grand plan to wake up earlier seems to have worked out. I get rather more done now that I'm up around ten instead of noon or one. The next step may be hitting the sack around one and getting up at nine. That'd give me a solid six hours before work to do stuff.
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Now playing on iTunes: Coldplay - Viva La Vida
via FoxyTunes

Updates and Adventurisms!

Went to Louisville this weekend. 'Twas uneventful!
Government just keeps absorbing more debt. We're at $700 billion now. Go socialism!
Gonna run to Cincinnati and pick up a shiny new fountain pen today. Woo!

Next few weekends are alternately very busy or not at all. This weekend is free, so if all else fails I'll hit the road yet again. The weekend after, I get my bike license (Fucking finally!). The weekend after that I'm open, and then Saturday, 10/18, Alicia will be at the Boone County band show. Hot damn! Not as busy as July and August, but still a lot to look forward to. Also, Alicia turns 21 on September 30, so I took off work to be the driver. :D
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Now playing on iTunes: Reel Big Fish - Beer
via FoxyTunes

Dog's dead. I decided she was months ago and immediately set about detaching myself, so it doesn't bother me at all. It's kinda dumb, but I know my friends will take this harder than I will, because I won't take it hard at all. Fucker was ancient. If I get that senile, I'll be pissed if someone doesn't kill me.

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Now playing on iTunes: Frank Sinatra - Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
via FoxyTunes

Micro-Blog 40

Little Updates:

Power's back.
Recently acquired:
-Coldplay's "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends"
-Frank Sinatra hits album
-Katy Perry's "One of the Boys"
Hera will most likely be dead by day's end.

Song that's been stuck in my head since I left Louisville:

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Now playing on iTunes: Coldplay - Viva La Vida
via FoxyTunes

Hurricane-Fucking-Ike

Ladies, gentlemen, I give you Cameron at his most furious. Why, you ask?

-No power. Experts say I get it back Saturday. FUCKING SATURDAY. I run my life on the fucking internet. I cook food from a refrigerator in the microwave. I have a phone to charge and a million little details to take care of and every one requires power. I have no power because Doug Kyde has a tree in his yard that should have been removed years ago that is now on the power line. Lines downed by trees and negligence are rated dead last on Duke Energy's priority list, so I get to spend two percent of a fucking year with no electricity and watch the food in my fridge and freezer go bad because Dougie is a fucking motoard.
-My right wrist is mistreating me. Again. It was pissing me off in June, but I ignored it and it stopped being an issue after about a week. Normally, there's no issue. I can just be careful at work. Last night, I had a 59-line, 569-hub order. Hubs, mind you, are 10 pounds each on average and come in boxes of four. Moving 5000 pounds of stock with a bum wrist is just a bit painful. The whole day went like that, too. By the end of the shift, I moved easily four tons of auto parts and returned home to learn the above about when I'd get power again.
-Due to goddamn Ike, gas went from an almost-acceptable $3.70 to $4.15. Four dollars and fucking fifteen cents per gallon. Over the course of twelve hours. On the bright side, I have no access to a secure internet connection, so I have to go to the bank to see how much money I have left.
-Last Wednesday. Yes, a week from today. Five days before the storm hit. I saw the predictions. They called the path of Ike, it's strength, and the damage done. They had it within a few miles. They knew this five days before the first winds picked up and nobody did shit to prepare for it. Nobody. This makes it just like every other disaster in this god-forsaken city. We always ignore the warnings and then wonder how the fuck something like this could have happened.
-My only source of music is the Jetta. I have access to whatever I have on CD at present. Unfortunately, I listen to a fuckton of stuff I don't have on CD or can access only through MySpace and YouTube.

I was gonna be home this weekend. Maybe go camping with Crystal or something, or hang out with Alicia and the other friends I've been neglecting. I'd have talked to Sarah online and whatnot and it'd be just fine. I'll be in Hillview again. I'm not complaining. Not at all. But it is expensive to drive there once a week. I'm going to drive back home now, stopping at Starbucks on the way. I'm gonna dig through my closet for more cargo pants, because the washing machine requires electricity. I'm going to fucking murder Doug fucking Kyde with a goddamn axe, should I see the fat ugly fucker.

I haven't been this stressed out since February, when I realized I was about to be a college dropout.

Cut Loose

Once again SKF is shy on orders, so I'm off work tomorrow. Since Sarah works Saturday and Sunday nights, I'm headed down tomorrow so I have a night where she's off to do stuff. This means I'm skipping James' event. You kids have fun with it, though.
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Now playing on iTunes: Rise Against - Survive
via FoxyTunes

31 Days

Sunday is the One Month. Naturally, I'll be in Louisville. Sarah works the usual time Saturday night. If you're down there, expect a text or three. I leave sometime before noon Saturday. :)

When (if) her damn auto starts functioning, she'll be able to pop up here from time to time. That'd make planning things real easy-like as I know the area and the people up here.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Lashes - Sometimes The Sun
via FoxyTunes

Autumn Repair Series

The car's engine is running like a dream. I now begin Phase II of the repairs and move on to cosmetic damage!

Stuff that needs fixed, in order of urgency:
-Headlights. Need to be re-aimed and need new covers. [price unknown, probably around $50]
-Front Fender Insets: At the bottom of my bumper are three extensions of the grill. The center piece is good, as is the driver's side. The passenger's side bit needs to be replaced. This can wait until risk of snow, since all I need them for is keeping snow road salt off the engine. [price unknown, probably around $30]
-Passenger's Side Wheel Well Liner: Needs to be replaced before first snow, as it keeps road debris and snow from entering the engine compartment and the inner bits of the unibody. [price unknown, probably around $50]
-Bumpers: Crooked. Need to be removed and reattached. [free]

The wheel well liner requires removal of the wheel, which is easy enough. The bumpers will take rather more effort and a second person, so that'll get done when Alicia is free to help out and I own some decent jack stands.

Phase III can wait until next year, as they have to be done professionally.
-Rear Middle Seatbelt: Doesn't work, but two people barely fit in the back. I've only had a third person in there maybe five times, ever. [price unknown]
-Rear Driver's Side Window: Doesn't go down. Machinery is fucked up. [approximately $350]
-Something is squealing, so the ball joints in the drive wheels probably need to be lubricated eventually. [price unknown, probably around $100]

Phase IV: Possible upgrades.
-New stereo, with Auxiliary Input jack. Remove nonfunctional 6-disk trunk changer. It'd be possible to replace the whole stereo with an MP3 player and put a hard drive where the disk changer is now, allowing me to carry my full music collection on the road. May figure out how to do that. [price varies]
-New headlights. I'd like to retrofit foglamps, and if possible get lens-style or HID lamps. [$500-$1000]
-Other small stuff, such as new clear covers for my turn signal lights to replace the yellow covers they have now and new cup holders, since those I have currently blow. [price varies]

This sounds like rather a lot of damage, but it's all extremely minor. Most people wouldn't pay any attention to said defects. My car will forever be a work-in-progress.
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Now playing on iTunes: Sublime - What I Got
via FoxyTunes

Nine Emails

Seven of them were blog post comments. Some of those comments warrant replies.

First, the five letters.
Kaitlin, yours is the first of the new letters.
Jimmy, this isn't a new trend. It's a trend from April that I brought back from the dead. Also, it's basically a reverse honesty box. If I included names in these at least one friendship would end immediately. I'm all for bluntness when being forthright is required, but subtlety is my style.

Next, "Overrated"
Kaitlin: What?
Brandon: Own it, own it, seen it, seen it, seen it.

Also, this might be my favorite Third Eye Blind song.
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Now playing on iTunes: Third Eye Blind - Motorcycle Drive By
via FoxyTunes

Overrated

I recently laughed at Andrew for not having seen Super Troopers. I realized today I haven't seen a lot of really mainstream, overrated films. I think I need to start grabbing movies from the library and watching one a week. I'll start with Casablanca and Rent, then move on to any Bond films I haven't seen yet. Any suggestions?

Also, iTunes 8 is out. It has shiny new features!
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Now playing on iTunes: Tegan & Sara - Back In Your Head
via FoxyTunes

Five Letters Revisited

Back in April, Kaitlin started the trend of five anonymous letters to people. I think I'll revisit them by posting five new letters to the same people along with a second set of five letters to different people.

Dear _______,
I'm not gonna lie, I'm just waiting for the day you walk out of my life and I'm hoping it comes soon. Something changed in the last year or so and I can't fucking stand you anymore.

Dear ____,
I was irritated in the last letter. Now I just know that leaving people behind is your style. I'm not complaining. When we talk it's still friendly and hauling you across the state left me with a girlfriend.

Dear ______,
We're not as close as we used to be, but I'm really happy that you're stable now. I just hope the boredom doesn't drive you back to the self-destruction you worked so hard to escape.

Dear ______,
Who knew something so incredible could come from an Uno game and some bored conversation in Thayer's lecture hall?

Dear _____,
Streetlight Manifesto still reminds me of you. We've both become kinda reclusive lately; maybe we should get out more.

The five new:

Dear _______,
You're so sad all the time these days, and the sibling urge to help conflicts with the fact that I have no time to do so. We need a concert.

Dear ______,
You've owed me money for quite some time, but you're finally starting to repay it. I don't hate you like I did, but you're getting cut out of my life the second I have that back.

Dear _____,
I can see the changes you've wrought on my personality every day, and I'm strangely unwilling to resist the tide of change. I usually hate change, and you're a hell of a change. You're the one exception. Ironically, this is one of the things I'd really rather not alter.

Dear ______,
I hope you're enjoying life in Louisville, and see that you really enjoy what you're there for. It's fortunate that I'm down there so often and get chances to run into you. You're exactly the sort of guy who learns about his city so he always knows when something is going on.

Dear _____,
It's weird getting to know you again, but always a pleasure to attend one of your myriad events. Amusingly, the last memory I have of our grade school days is listening to Q-102 in the middle of the night and you winning tickets to see some boy band or other.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Format - Career Day
via FoxyTunes

They like me! They really like me!

So once again I'm popular at work. Seems every job I have ends up with the managers loving me. I don't kiss ass or work particularly hard. All I do is stay positive and cooperative at work. Every once in a while Smoky will pull me aside and point out that I am unique. It doesn't matter which assignment he gives me or how unpleasant the work is, I just nod, smile, and tell him the work will get done. I don't bitch or slump or roll my eyes. It's all the same fucking work with slight variations. I get an assignment and I go do it. Real simple, right? Apparently not. Nobody else does it. Everyone else has an attitude. I don't give two shits about what I'm doing and the supervisors love me for it. I actually get something out of being cooperative, too: Variety. Most people get assigned something and are stuck with it the whole shift. I start doing rushes on paper, then move on to the RF gun, and half the time get pulled out of RF picking to do a special order type (transfers) that everyone else apparently hates. Janet now gives transfers to me whenever I'm available to do them because I don't gripe about them. I just do them quickly and correctly and then get back to RF without a word. Turns out all you have to do for your managers to love you is, strangely enough, your goddamn job. Who knew?

On a completely unrelated note, I see the only member of the fan club is my girlfriend. You fuckers can do better than that! :D
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Now playing on iTunes: The Format - Wait, Wait, Wait
via FoxyTunes

Hometown Tourist

I try to have a pretty good knowledge of the best spots around Cincinnati to hang out, and can easily pop over to the best view of the city, some of the strangest restaurants and hangouts, and nearby spots where you can look up and actually see the stars. Hell, I even know the price and hours at the Carew Tower observation deck. What I assumed was entirely useless knowledge really comes in handy when you have a girlfriend who lives a hundred miles away.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Format - Time Bomb
via FoxyTunes

Nice Job, SKF.

So when I switched to second shift four months ago, Jerry, the warehouse manager, told me he'd get all the paperwork taken care of and notify CBS and all that. This is kind of important because there's a 50 cent or so shift differential. I just got access to my pay stubs and found that I was still getting paid $9 an hour. You know what sucks about getting underpaid for a quarter of a year. You know what doesn't suck about it? I called CBS and next week's check should, in theory, contain four months of back pay. Woo-hoo!

Also, driving around and running errands is a hell of a lot more relaxing than people give it credit for.

"I'll tap the break while you crack the window.
The smell of smoke is making my lungs explode.
The 51 is backed-up and too slow.
Let's tune out by turning on the radio!"
-Tune Out by The Format

Hot Sun and Helicopters

I really didn't enjoy class. I wasn't really amused by extracurriculars. The thing I'm gonna miss about college is spending all day wandering around campus. Fortunately, I can drive up there basically whenever after Alicia moves back into Wesley. So long as I have a parking space behind her place, I can go for random walks around campus and pretend like I belong there.

That sounds a lot more pathetic when I write it down.
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Now playing on iTunes: Ladybirds - Shark Party
via FoxyTunes

Wait... I did what!?

Remember that kegger at James' place after the fireworks? I do, too. Unfortunately, not all of us are so lucky. If you took any pictures during the course of that event, do us a favor and get the fuckers online!

Thanks,
Cameron and James
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Now playing on iTunes: The Format - Give It Up
via FoxyTunes

Placeholder!

Another weekend goes splendidly. I rolled down Saturday afternoon and chilled for a bit before Sarah went to work, then texted Joe and we hung out. Took Joseph to Ear X-Tacy for the first time. Got "Interventions & Lullabies" by The Format. The album is awesome. I'm still at the point where I like the album, but don't know the words yet. After that we stopped by Thai-Siam behind the Krispy Kreme on Bardstown Rd. for some food, where we met up with Stevo. Stevo led us to his place in Louisville hall, rather near where Plate lived last year. The guys met Sarah after she got off work at 11:00 and we went on a mini-adventure. Sleep was uneventful. Sunday consisted primarily of a stop at Lynn's, a weird-as-fuck restaurant somewhere in Louisville a mile or two from U of L, where I had a half-pound bacon cheeseburger and cinnamon-sugared yam fries. They were delicious. Then came more chilling and a nice drive home. Relevant details:

-Sarah's car problem has been patched by the cheap rental of a 2007 Chevy Cobalt with expired tags that got her pulled over today. I'm so used to being pulled over that I had the dome light on and the registration out before the car was off.
-The Jetta's gas mileage has vastly improved.
-Did I mention that I really like this album and the band responsible for it?
-Next weekend is the month. It's hard to believe it's only been a month. Goddamn.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Format - Tie The Rope
via FoxyTunes

Micro-Blog 39

Got unlimited text. Gotta teach parents to text at some point, so I don't have to call them again. Got Darius Rucker's "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" stuck in my head, which marks the first time I've wandered around singing a country song to myself.

Silenced

So, uh... I'm out of texts this month. Maybe I was out of texts last month. Either way, Dad wandered upstairs and pointed out that I owed him $25 for being 174 texts over. I'm gonna leave my phone in the car at work until I get unlimited texting and if I'm out this month I'm not likely to reply to any of your texts. The other phone kept track of the texts and allowed me to clear the logs easily. This one won't let me clear the logs at all so I have no real way of tracking my texts. It might be worth the fifty bucks a month to leave the family plan for 200 minutes and unlimited text. My current plan gives me 500 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, and 500 texts per month. Cincinnati Bell has a plan that's $29.99/month for 200 minutes and 1000 night and weekend minutes and I can add unlimited text and data for $14.99. I shall look into it!

Also, my dad's healthy sense of paranoia is keeping the Jetta in my hands. As much as I really hate that I can't help the girl, dad is always right. Period. Always. And as much as I like being around the girl, three weeks is nowhere near the point where I can feel comfortable sharing $6,000 worth of equipment, regardless of the circumstances. His common sense versus my desire to save the day... I guess you don't have a kid at twenty and end up where he is without knowing what the hell you're doing, though.

That might be a future post - The Origin of Cameron, a minibiography of my family. It'll be way limited in scope because I know almost nothing of their history, but I can try.

So Many Updates!

I haven't posted this much since I got the blog. Goddamn!

Upgraded to the new layout. Finally. I'd been using the old gadget-free layout previously. Relevant changes include a better archive, a list of blogs I read, and the option to subscribe to mine. I haven't tried running Xanga blogs through to see if it'll pick up on them, but I might after I post this. Join the fan club. Do it!

EDIT: Works on Xanga.

Surrender!

I've been listening to XM a lot recently, and since it expanded to Canada it gained a pair of French rock/pop channels. I knew nothing about it, but French indie rock is actually pretty good. Expect more French-language videos in the semi-nightly list.

Also, I apparently need to pick up the new albums by Slipknot and Coldplay.

I've gained increasing exposure to country both as a result of spending time with Alicia and working a warehouse, and I can now completely tolerate the genre. Weird stuff...

Just because I think it's funny, tomorrow's list includes a single from Darius Rucker's country solo album. Yeah, Darius Rucker. The black man from Hootie and the Blowfish who apparently sings country and grunge and is actually good at it. I guess there's a Darius Rucker for every good white rapper, though. It'll probably end up being Sunday night's list in reality. When I'm on a music kick I have the videos prepared at least a day ahead of time.

This all proves once again that with enough exposure, I can learn to enjoy any genre.

Roundabout

The party Brandon and I planned for Saturday currently has two attendees. I think I'm gonna call it off. I need to drive to Louisville Saturday anyway because of the situation I'll explain in the next paragraph. I might spend the whole weekend there, but Sarah works Saturday and Sunday night from 5-10, I think. Joseph, you're the only definite reader I have down there who isn't Sarah. Doing anything? Need some company? Perhaps Nikki would like to visit Plate if she has the time.

Sarah's problem: She drives a Mustang from the nineties that is currently on its second engine. Some fairly important part is shot and requires $1700 in repairs that she presently can't shell out. Continuing to run the car with the current engine trouble risks destroying the engine. The 'Stang is the only car available to her and her mom, so it's kind of important that she have it running to get to school and work. Since I can just drive the truck, I'll lend her the Jetta while her car is in the shop. The truck gets shitty gas mileage and doesn't have power windows, so for probably the next two weeks at least I'll do as little driving as physically possible. Yeah, I know, best boyfriend ever. :P Honestly, if I don't do what I can to help when she actually needs it, I'm fucking up.

So I guess tomorrow I'll clean the Volkswagen and get the tires rotated and see how this shit goes. Woo!

[The title, Roundabout, refers to the fact that my first car came from Louisville and I drove it up here for a month or so with Jefferson County plates. The Jetta's gonna spend a few weeks cruising Jefferson County with Kenton County plates.]

Keeping Up with the Shuperts

Ha. Bad reference to how often she posts. :D

After a shower, a quick chat, a little music, and a bowl of cereal, whatever resolve I lost last night is back with a vengeance. Woo!

Also, the reason I've been omitting FoxyTunes tags recently is because it isn't compatible with XM Online's player.

Oh, shit...

"I can do my job there in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded," she added. "But really all of that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God." -Sarah Palin

Looks like McCain's Veep is a Christian wing-nut. Damn. Time to dig out my assassination boots.

SOURCE

Document the Insanity

Last night was the first time I've fallen asleep in one of those moods, and it had interesting consequences. I have no idea when I was actually asleep last night and my perception of time is off. I know it's still September 4th, but I have no idea what of the last month or so of memories is valid and what I created last night as I slept. I just woke up, so my head is still pretty foggy. I suppose it'll all sort itself out.

Hiding from the Future

I think part of the reason I like second shift is that I never run into my family. Dad and I basically ignore each other. Ethan and I manage the same most of the time. What I really ran from was mom. I bumped into her tonight after work. I always get the same conversation, too. She wishes it was 2006. She tried so hard to take us out of Bellevue and give us opportunities and I back-slid into everything they tried to avoid. It's blatantly a guilt trip and it shouldn't work on me but for some reason this does. For some reason every time I hear it I want to grab the woman and shake her and shout, "God damn it, I know! I fucking know! You think this is easy, knowing I failed? I'm a college dropout. Every one of my dreams has died because I failed to do anything about them. Just let me sort shit out!"

I mention getting out and hear that they're not trying to get rid of me. I know they mean it, but I want to get out. I'm almost 21 and I'm still stuck at home, working a dead-end job, knowing the past was so much brighter. I want to get out of this place and stand alone, away from the shadow of my parents. I need to be a functioning member of society.

I was having a pretty good day until I got home, only frustrated that Sarah was having a rough day and I couldn't do shit from 100 miles away. At this point, I don't think I've ever been more angry with the length of I-71. Seems like both of us could do with a hug.

To-Do List

If I'm gonna hit a rut, I might as well hit it right. Stuff to do this week:
Find a way to keep my camera handy so I can take more pictures.
Reinstall XM in the VW.
Find out the best time to drive 2 hours north.
Clean my damn room.

Anyone have any ideas for the weekend? Anyone want to meet me at Nathan's Famous sometime this week for lunch? It's on Kenton Lands right behind the Taco Bell.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Fratellis - Ole Black 'N' Blue Eyes
via FoxyTunes

Reality Bites

Today I was more sore than I have been in a long time. The ground Sunday was hard and pointy, the alcohol left me quite dehydrated, and I made use of some muscles I don't often use on Monday. By this point in the day, the wounds are healing, the water is back in balance, and the sting is out of my arms and back.

Other updates:
-Meagan's mouse Jacob died. Chilled with her and Chris tonight and buried the mouse.
-I raced a Camaro on the way to work today. It's good to have a friendly competition every once in a while.
-Sarah asked me to link her to your blogs. I'll return the favor.
-Alicia will eventually have a blog to document her random adventures. Should be pretty neat.
-Gotta get my tires rotated this week. I mention it primarily because I read this thing and I'll remember to do it if I see it here.

It's been one day and I already feel myself settling back into the rut of my boring daily grind. I need to plan more adventures. Gotta hit up Louisville and Jackson Center at some point. With any luck school will settle down and the official Party Season 2008 will enter full swing. It's weird looking to the weekend and knowing I have absolutely nothing planned. Weird and unpleasant. Maybe I'll surprise myself and do something random.
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Now playing on iTunes: Westbound Train - A New Hope
via FoxyTunes

Spring-Stepped

It was a motherfucker of a weekend. I'm beat. Dead. A twitching, glaze-eyed zombie. I'm dehydrated, tired, hungry, and in need of a shower. In lieu of actual prosaic description, I give you the Weekend Rundown: Labor Day 2008!

Friday, work was on my side. Noon to half past eight, mostly rushes, and the excitement of knowing my car would be waiting for me at home. It's working better than it has in more than a year, and getting fuel economy I can accept. Alicia came at me with Sherman Alexie. The weekend started dramatically, unfortunately. James' first party went bust. An infamous "That Guy" arrived and immediately got way too drunk, stoned, and nauseous. Brian arrived and rocked Nikki with fury. I spent the party lurking and slightly freaking out when Alicia spent the car ride home crying. It was an ominous sign.

Saturday began the turnaround. Alicia continued to break down and I drove south to grab the girl. The way the car ran had me happy and I began collating the music Sarah would be exposed to over the course of the weekend. The return drive was uneventful, as was dinner at Perkins. We saw Wall-E, which had little dialogue and the sort of weird cuteness that makes it an ideal film for girlfriends and small children. Pixar wins again. The night came to a close in Bellevue and Newport, where Sarah met Alicia, Jimmy, Julie, Chris, and Sean. Alicia and Sarah get along remarkably well and are likely plotting my death as you read.

I accidentally repaired the futon in the basement.

Sunday was key. Sarah was exposed to Moe's Southwest Grill and my former hometown of Bellevue. After a stop at the Greis House, we set off for the riverbank where James, Nikki, Alicia, Sarah, and myself met up with Meagan and Alison and saw Courtney and Sam. The fireworks, while not as long as in past years, where still as bright and thunderous as ever. The sight of the sky burning over the skyline of Cincinnati is always one of my favorites. The after party was in perfect contrast to the previous event at James'. I had more to drink than I had in months and witnessed no drama whatsoever. None. I wandered around, talking and hugging and amazed that Sarah was accepted as just another part of the crew.

I woke up Monday slightly groggy and fairly dehydrated, not knowing what the day would bring. We chilled. We talked. I let Sarah drive my Volkswagen home. I stayed longer than expected. Sarah liked me because I was dominant in public and wondered when that might come into play in the background. It doesn't, really. I manipulate subtly. I force the situation when it needs forcing, but only the masses need a firm hand. Gentle prodding can get single people into whatever situation is required.

Now, I shower and I eat. I return to my life and my job and the daily grind. I wait for the inevitable Facebook pictures and begin planning the next adventure. When I really think about it, nothing has changed. When I don't, I realize that nothing will ever be the same. It was a motherfucker of a weekend.
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Now playing on iTunes: Panic At The Disco - When The Day Met The Night
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