A Short Story About A Long Night

The brightness of the morning is shocking. As I leave the sanctuary of a friend’s house, the amount of light dilates my eyes, signaling the first of a number of natural responses usually unnoticed now awkwardly pushed to the forefront of perception. My senses begin to respond and I take a breath of the outside air. Immediately my body is struck with the desire, the need to be comfortable, peaceful and alone. Now comfort means the opposite of everything natural, the opposite of this overwhelming reality. Comfortable means dark, quiet and familiar. With senses artificially heightened, I must take matters into my own hands; bring the stimuli back down to acceptable, ignorable levels. I’m speeding home now, air filling my lungs and blood pumping to my muscles. Powered by desire, fear and intoxicants; excitement grabs hold of my mind sending it racing. I must get home as quickly as possible, avoid every aspect of this bright, loud, active morning. I arrive at home and my mind is tackled with an immediate need to darken the room. As I try to suppress this sensation I realize how unsupresable it is, I leap up determined to rejoin the dark. A state as close to sleep is desired although obviously unattainable. I must now rely on my mind to create an atmosphere resembling unconscious tranquility free from perception. I wonder how my friend is holding up, left to his own devices, mental facilities and personal whims. How much light is invading his sanity and I wonder if similar ridiculous, fleeting thoughts are being pondered about me? As necessity is the mother of invention, I devise a plan and put it to action to combat the light. Cognitive ability, patience, energy, and materials, these are my limited resources. I study the invading light and find a weakness. For a moment a chain of thoughts collide and present a solution. For a moment I am filled with excitement; setting my mind to task with such immediate results is reassuring and surprising especially given the circumstances. Reeling from my conquest, my brain, inspired develops philosophical theories then moments later proving there validity before being forgotten as my mind continues to race. Times like these call for way of quickly transferring thoughts to a medium that can be scrutinized and pondered when sober. I wish I had a tape recorder. The chaotic processes of my mind continue, preventing me from obtaining what I want most; sleep.

Mr. Miyata!

I love my bike! For a long time I was using the public transit and whenever I had to go somewhere somewhat close, but too far to walk I would hop on my skateboard. Skateboarding was rough with the streets in Chicago being F-ed up one way or another. Now I have a super light Japanese 12 speed. It’s the most efficient mode of transportation, compared to walking and skating. I can now go further and faster than I ever could have gone on my skateboard. Also I don't have to rely on Public transportation witch is very unreliable and often leads to long waits and stressing out. With my Miyata I have been able to make it down to Wicker Park from where I live in five or six songs which is about a half hour. Now that is about ten minutes longer than if I were to take a car! Thanks Mr. Miyata. Biking in Chicago is not that dangerous because most main streets have bike lanes and traffic is often slowed my numerous lights and stop signs. It's amazing how much fun riding a bike can be and I often reminisce about biking as a kid when I bike through quiet neighborhoods. Another great thing is that biking allows you to take side streets and alleys that you would never take with a car and it gives you a better knowledge of the City itself. Also, I like the ability to listen to new Mp3s on my Ipod as I flow thru traffic, it's a great way to listen to music and helps pass the time on long rides. Ever since I got my bike its seems that I have been more open to going somewhere at the drop of a hat. Now that Chicago has this cool brisk air I can't help but think about when I was a kid biking around. For some reason I really enjoy the brief cool Octoberish weather which makes biking even better; it’s cool enough to keep you from sweating to death and brisk enough to wear a light jacket in. Love It! So far, I have had little to no problems with my bike, on the two occasions that I took it in to bike shop, both commented on how my bike is "a really good bike" and I always say "I know, Thanks". Yea, I love my bike.

Good Reading All Around

Moments ago I was wondering what to write about. Numerous topics floated in and out of my brain before I rejected them. I was begining to panic, in desperation I turned to the net. I was beginning to feel paranoid about the direction of my blog when I stumbled upon something that I felt I could write about. Chuck Klosterman. Chuck Klosterman is the author of Fargo Rock City, Sex, Drugs and Cocoa-Puffs and Killing Yourself to Live. I have read the last two and just purchase Fargo Rock City, his first book. He is a rock journalist with small town newspaper experience. I happened upon Klosterman's second Book, Sex, Drugs and Cocoa-Puffs after reading a blurb in Time-Out Chicago. The blurb was a on the spot interview with a girl in downtown Chicago. A five questions, on the go type thing that I think they do in every issue. After reading that Oldboy was the best movie she had seen recently , I decided this girl had good taste. At the time I just saw Oldboy and wished Time-Out Chicago interviewed me so I could have recommended it. As it turns out the next question was about the last book she had read and it was Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs and Cocoa-Puffs. I was in love and I had to get the book. Anyway, I went to borders and bought it. It was great. It was just a collection of essays but I related to the author and his experiences. Anyway, a few days ago I finished his most recent novel and purchased his first. He is my new favorite author. Back to the blog. So im on the internet and I find a interview with Chuck. I read it and it mentions how he was trashed by a reviewer. I think nothing of it and read on. I finish the article and decide to go to another link, and by accident the link is to the article that is mentioned in the interview. The one that trashed him. A paragraph in to it and I think Chuck is the super cool because this review is hateful and Chuck takes it quite well. It is comical how much the review slams Klosterman and its long, real long. Anyway, if your familiar with Chuck Klosterman you'll get a kick out of the interview. If not you can read the hateful review and be amazed at the hate. Good reading all around.

Three picks

This blog entry was supposed be a list of my favorite concept albums, however I just decided to make it a top three from three categories. Hip Hop, Rock and Electronic. The first two being the concept albums that inspired the list.



1. Hip Hop. Lovage Music to make love to your old lady by. (2001) This CD is amazing. Produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and featuring Kid Koala, Mike Patton (Fantomas) and Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields). Personally I believe it is Nakamura's best work. Lovage is a homage to the French singer songwrighter Serge Gainsbourg known for his voracious appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, and women. This disk is a combination of cabaret and hip hop that is full of breathy vocals, sultry moans and suggestive lyrics. Aside from its wack/humorous interlude Herbs..., the entire disk is brilliant. Filled with amazing beats and samples, stylized vocals and non stop dreamy sexuality that rocks as hard as the cover. This disk is great way to make that special someone feel hot and bothered. Mostly bothered, but in a great super sexy lyrics way.


2. Rock and Roll. David Bowie the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. (1972) A glam rock masterpiece built around an androgynous alien rock star named Ziggy Stardust who comes to earth and becomes a rock star. This is one of David Bowie's best albums and is a great listen all the way through just like Lovage. Combining glam rock, a cabaret esque sense of melodrama and a decadent dystopian view of the future, this is David Bowie at his best. This album allowed Bowie to transform himself into Ziggy Stardust and his band into The Spiders from Mars, while producing some of the most influential and exciting rock and roll. His last show as Ziggy is chronicled in Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars the Motion Picture. The Best of Bowie Video Collection also offers some live fotage and videos from the Ziggy era. I listened to this CD and subsequently fell in love it even with having a less that favorable image of David Bowie. This album completely changed that. With amazing lyrics, catchy hooks and great guitar riffs this disk one of Bowie's best. Give it a listen and decide for yourself.



3. Electronic. Takako Minekawa Fun 9. (1999) The wife of another Japanese musical sensation Cornelius, Takako produced an amazing album that is great. Her cutesy whispered voice may take some time to get used to but once you do this album may become your favorite. Apparently a fan of cats, keyboards and French pop, Takako Minekawa produces some of the most soothing electronic music. Filled with girlish sounding blips and lush sinths this is a great album that is very playful yet polished. A girly japanese cartoon soundtrack is a good way to describe it. Guaranteed to make you feel better...give it a listen.

Dawn Of A New Political Age

We certainly live in interesting times. For years it seem like our government has been on autopilot. It has been argued that our president has stolen two elections and his inability to give a speech is a national disgrace. We are in the midst of a war that many feel is unjustified, and predicated on false reports of weapons of mass destruction. Our government is coming under criticism for its late reaction to the crisis left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. With rising gas prices and a national disaster to deal with, it seems the economy is headed for a downturn.

When discussing current events it is hard not to talk about how the future is going to be shaped by these events. Will there be a congressional hearing to determine if the Government turned a deaf ear to the hurricane victims? Will bush's top aid Karl Rove face criminal charges for leaking the name of an undercover CIA agent's name to the press because he was trying to destroy her husband's career? Why, because he reported on the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. It seems inevitable that this administration is going to go down in history as the worst ever. Personally I think the white house is going to find a way to slip out of all of this. Today, I read in Newsweek that Bush plans to oversee an investigation to determine what went wrong and why. What the F#@K is that all about? That’s like me leading a poll to determine if Im the number one lover man in the Chicago land area. It turns out I am the ichiban lover man in the Chicago Land area...who knew? Thank god congress is going to hold a seperate investigation.

Although Im hoping that this administration collapses under the weight of its lies and incompetence, I hardly believe that a congressional hearing is going to force Bush to resign. I predict that the country will begin to question the government’s policy more and any criticism of the government will not be seen as unpatriotic. This government just lost its 9/11, criticize the government and your un-American, unpatriotic, antiwar shield that stifled many criticisms of the past. What I am personally hoping for is a national political awakening in which young people, minorities and the poor to take an active interest in politics.

Hurricane Katrina

Well it hit me Friday night that this disaster was of overwhelming proportions. Earlier in the month I heard and disregarded the news about the approaching hurricane. Starting this week, I began to see and hear about the damage caused by the hurricane. Then I heard reports of looting and video of Hurricane damage. Only when I turned on the news on Friday night did I realize how bad this disaster is. I was immediately struck with shocking images of thousands of people displaced, desperate and alone. The video of survivors and their pleas for help shocked me. All I can think about was the lack of emergency responce. This is three disasters in one, the hurricane, the levee collapse and subsequent flood and the lack of proper emergency relief. I had no idea that New Orleans was underwater because of Levees breaking allowing water from the Mississippi river and Lake Pontchartrain to pour into the city that is below sea level. This made me realize that this tragedy was larger that just a hurricane. Unbelievable were the reports of Murder, rape and chaos within the New Orleans convention center where refugees were gathering. And the seeming lack of quick emergency response for a hurricane that was not a surprise. The lack of law and order and emergency relief is unacceptable for an emergency within the United States. This disaster makes me question the inability of our government to respond to a domestic disaster. This is especially concerning given that we have been lead to believe that our government has been making tremendous strides in homeland security to deal with emergencies not different from this one.

For information on how you can help visit:

http://www.airamericaradio.com/katrina/

Here is another good link that shows discrepancies between statements made by federal officials and reports from the scene.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

This link is to a news story that describes the anger of New Orlean's mayor regarding the relief efforts and George W. Bush

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=66123504&p=66yz38x6&n=66123884

My First Blog

Well this is the first blog entry of many, hopefully. This blog is intended to help maintain communication with friends. I think I have a bit of difficulty maintaining long lasting relationships and my extremely small social circle is evidence of this. This is entirely out of laziness not revolting social habits. (I think) I’m not much of a phone person either. Hopefully, this bog will act as a way for you (you being my close or once close friend) to have some contact/communication with me even if it is severely limited. Some of you may take comfort in this type of limited communication the same way a text message can be strangely comforting in certain situations. It is my way of maintaining a home base for communication that would otherwise go untransmitted. So even if we haven’t talked in awhile, feel free to check and see what I would be saying if we were. In any case this blog is intended for my friends, so I am going to be extremely candid and try to be honest when posting new entries. I have wanted to start this project for a couple of weeks and am excited about it finally becoming real. In any case, I believe that this blog will be a great way to prevent the loss of contact that slowly separates people. And I hope all of you enjoy hearing about my wonderful, horrible, life. Ill try to be witty, honest and insightful, so try to enjoy and feel privileged. No obligations on your part. Your level of activity with this blog is entirely up to you.