The Grind is On

So, the new Audioslave CD is currently rocking my world. I told a friend that I liked it and immediately had to defend my indie status. It's alright to delve out from the tepid bowls of the underworld to bask in the lukewarm light of popular music, isn't it? I'm not going to lose my elite indie status because the CD I'm currently bugging out to is number 6 on the Walmart top 10 list, right? In any case, y'all should be listening to the new Audioslave CD. When I first gave it a listen, I thought that I liked the first CD better. Most of the sounds on the second are re-hashes of the basic melodies of the first, and even the Tom Morello solos seem contrived and forced. Y'all know that not all CDs are instant loves the first listen, so I uploaded the CD to my mp3 player and went for a run. Yeah, things do seem clearer in the run. I'm in love with the CD now. I haven't stoppped listening to it for days. I am particularly enamored with Don't Remind Me, for some reason.

The new M. Ward CD is also nice, but it's being overshadowed by Audioslave right now. I'll have to write more on that when I actually listen to it a few times.

I got an estimate on my bike. $1700, parts and labor. Ouch. Apparently, both front rotors were warped, and both tired were bald. I can't afford the repairs and I need a ride now, so I'm selling the bike. I have a buyer coming to look at it tomorrow and hopefully I'll have cash in hand for a junker car. I'm quite dissapointed with this turn of events, but it's out of my hands. The nice thing about unloading this new love is that I can afford a new bike a few months down the road. I'm torn between buying a new interceptor (I've grown to love the V-4 engine), or getting a Daytona 955i. I've always been enamored with Triumph motorcycles and triples are just sexy, hm?

Last night, I went out to a deaf event that I just happened to stumble upon while bit-surfing. I happened to meet a lot of the local deaf folks and was invited to a house party, to take place this evening. I am happy with this turn of events and hope to integrate myself into the local deaf community quickly and effortlessly.

I'm off to read some more Bulgakov. Daedalus out.

Crescendo

Things are starting to improve. I'm not talking about the kind of improvement where one wakes up and the sun is streaming down with all the virtuosity of a woman in the throes of orgasm. I'm talking about the kind of improvement which is on the level of the sun peaking through the clouds only to dip away again like some kind of damned tease. I'm not going to complain too much. An improvement is an improvement. My computer works. Not only does it work, it works faster. It runs as if someone stuck a cattle prod into its metallic behind. I probably didn't need the new power source, but it is handy and things zip along like a mutha, if you'll pardon the ghettoized expression. Know what was bringing my system down? Dust. Yeah. I thought I cleaned it out, but apparently I hadn't done the job well and heat was having a field day with my processor. A can of compressed air did the job well enough and now I can actually play music. Oh, and I have internet on this thing.

I've also been stepping through lines of red tape. I got my drivers license. I rolled my finger prints. I opened a new checking account. I asked for all my transcripts. I've been asking for references. In short, I've been a pretty good boy. Once everything goes through, I'll be able to get that damned job and make some money. My debts are piling up and I have to begin repaying my loans. Speaking of loans, it's about time I consolidated them. I think I'll do that tomorrow.

I've also been going to the weight room. I haven't been to a weight room in over a year. I've been lifting on my own, but it's not quite the same and I appreciate being in a place where I can lift in peace for an hour or so with all the equipment I desire. The problem with the weight room is the dichotomy between my mind and my body. My mind is used to the younger me, who was skinny and without muscle, but quite strong. My body, however, is a man with a man's muscles. I'm bulked and toned, but physically weaker than I was in high school. A few years does a lot to a man's body, and now I have to work a bit to reunite my former strength with my current body.

I have, of late, been reading Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. It's a pretty cool book so far. The devil and his cronies are running amok and people are going insane and/or dying. That's the gist of it so far. Bulgakov was censored by Stalin and went insane because of it. I've always had a thing for Russian writers and it's a bit sad to see what happens when an artist is suppressed because of political reasons. It makes me think about the distinct possibility of such a thing happening in today's America. I would write more on the subject, but that is a rant deserving of its own piece.

The bike shop still hasn't called about my bike. I will have to call them tomorrow. And, oh yes, consolidate my loans. Dastardly things, loans.

My room is about set. That pleases me to no end.

On the flag

This isn't a real entry, but I'm watching my mother shop for pottery and
thinking of a few things. If I don't write them down, ill definetly
forget. In the spirit of memorial day, here are a few things I've seen
that I believe are disrespectful to the american flag. Now, I'm a
liberal, but I believe in the power of symbols. What you do to a symbol
defines it, and sends a message in the process.

Now, without further ado, things that I believe are disrespectful to the
flag, but are sold anyway.

American Flag welcome mats
American flag toliet paper
American flag napkin
American flag plates (paper and real)
American flag toys
American flag slinky
American flag underwear
American flag shirts
American flag socks
American flag condoms

Anything you eat on, wipe on, wear, or use for carnal pleasures should
not bear the symbol of our country.

Really, it confuses me. The same people who become upset about burning
the flg have no qualms about wiping their feet, or their face on the
same flag. I think the latter is the greater sin because it is
desecration in ignorence.

~ I write with your life and my own ~