And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And you still act like you're in freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
I've been waiting about eight years to sing these lines like I mean them. Yup, I'm twenty-three today. When it comes to starting a birthday right, waking up at 7am for a Spanish exam isn't the best option. But now I'm in Austin hanging with a friend, and the drinking should begin soon. Today's cool, but it's just a nice pit stop until some bigger/more awesome goals later in the year. I have a week off from school, so I suppose I'll write a review or two and play guitar.
ESPN's "This is SportsCenter" ads are the best 30 second spots in the history of television. When I should have been studying I recalled the genius of these commercials and looked some up on youtube. Below you'll find one that gave me a good laugh - you can expect to see more of these pop-up here in the future.
"...But the world is so full of people, so crowded with these miracles that they become commonplace and we forget...
I forget.
We gaze continually at the world and it grows dull in our perceptions. Yet seen from another's vantage point, as if new, it may still take the breath away."
-Doctor Manhattan
If every life is a miracle, let us cherish without discrimination.
This seems like a good time to plug myself to anyone who takes interest in keeping up with this blog. If you're into the online friend scene, you should definitely add me on AbsolutePunk.net (head to my profile > click "Add to Friends"), then you can check me out on Facebook and Myspace. I'll often let comments sit for a while before getting back to the people trying to contact me, but I'll try to put in more of an effort. In fact, I just returned a bunch of wall comments that I've always meant to get to. Yup, that's me - I read every e-mail/PM/wall post, then take years to return them. I'm probably not selling myself too well, but hey, I'm a busy man, right?
Hey, look at that, my Facebook page has changed. I can't wait for my favorite website AP.net to be updated as well. Wink wink, Jason.
For those of us who didn't get a hold of Saves the Day's limited Bug Sessions tour EPs, iTunes is offering the three volumes for $11.99. Though I don't personally take to buying songs online as opposed to purchasing hard copies of music, the cost of these EPs on ebay is too steep for most people, including me. So, I picked these up, my first iTunes purchase. Twenty one songs for $11.99 isn't a bad deal at all for a Saves the Day fan. I'll admit I've been finding Chris Conley's voice a bit grating in regards to recent recordings (see "Stay" from Volume II), but it's not a massive displeasure. The first volume is the strongest of the trio, but I'd probably pick "This is Not an Exit" from Volume II as the best track of them all. I've been wanting to give these EPs a shot since I first heard about them, and I'm glad I finally had a chance to own them without selling any major organs.
If you're a Saves the Day fan and dig hearing these guys perform on-stage with acoustic guitars, you have plenty of reasons to pick these up.
Ever seen The Truman Show? If you haven't, you really should. I've been a fan of Jim Carrey since his antics on the comedy skit show In Living Color, and The Truman Show is most likely his peak achievement. The movie is comedic and dramatic, balancing both amusing absurdity and eye-opening, and even prophetic, realism. In short, it's brilliant. This short description of one of my favorite movies is meant to usher in my new avatar for August, Major Burbank. The Truman Show was first released on June 5, 1998 - cheers to its ten year anniversary.
You may find yourself in another part of the world.
You may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife!"
You may ask yourself, "How did I get here?"
I actually slept for eight hours last night and I'm feeling like a million bucks. It's dark and cool, I'm restless and energetic, and I know just what music to put on.
I'm thinkin' she needs me.
Well do you, girl? I guess we'll see.
I haven't heard much of Relient K's catalog, but this song is proof that I should change that. "At Least We Made It This Far" is Matt Thiessen with an acoustic guitar and missing his girl. The worst part about being on the road is the separation from loved ones, and this song is dedicated to the one he loves. It's sentimental, it's honest, and it's clear the phone is no proper substitute for physical contact, heavens no. This is the sweet sound of longing.
I'm so tired of the phone, baby.
I don't like the tone
Of the way we say "I love you"
A thousand times.
We say those words, But we can't look into each other's eyes.
Oh, and I guess we made it,
Or at least we made it this far, And it all looks smooth from here.
Oh, and in a future day there may be waves,
But I must say the skies have never looked so clear.
Oh, and I guess we made it,
'Cause it ain't far to go from here.
I'm so tired of the road, baby,
Drivin' through the snow.
Just maybe you'll sit back, Think about the times
When we said those words And we looked into each other's eyes.
Oh, and I guess we made it,
Or at least we made it this far,
And it all looks smooth from here.
Oh, and in a future day there may be waves,
But I must say the skies have never looked so clear.
Oh, and I guess we made it, 'Cause it ain't far to go from here.
You have given me a heart attack
You'll never know What it's like to have to face the fact
You might let go.
Now I won't stand for any thought of that, Heavens no.
'Cause I will cling to you And always have a stronger hold.
Oh, and I guess we made it,
Or at least we made it this far,
And it all looks smooth from here.
Oh, and in a future day there may be waves, But I must say the skies have never looked so clear to me, baby.
Oh, and I guess we made it,
'Cause it ain't far to go from here.
I realize this Brand New song is old news to everyone, so I'm re-posting it here mostly for my own pleasure. If it's here I won't somehow forget about it and can replay it some more. The combination of electric (not acoustic) guitar, the delivery of the lyrics, the sudden screaming - I dig it.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
Release Date: July 18, 2008 (USA)
“Some men aren’t looking for anything logical. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
- Alfred Pennyworth’s analysis of The Joker
Batman Begins introduced us to Gotham City as a realistic metropolis sick with corruption, and The Dark Knight finds the city aflame. Gotham City has never been this dark outside the pages of a graphic novel. There is a certain mood created and maintained by this film; it’s one comparable to being set in a guillotine, waiting for the unseen blade to fall. It’s a wonderful, exhilarating tension to experience, and it is where we are immersed for over two hours.
The Dark Knight is character driven, and control is a central theme. Factions battle for control of Gotham City, which beats with a pulse, and heroes struggle to maintain control of their fragile morality. This is the antithesis of an empty summer action flick. Now, I realize some would prefer to separate The Dark Knight from other comic book movies (Batman Begins not included) due to its distinct quality, but I argue otherwise. The perfectly dismal setting, tested and tragic heroes, careful attention to in-universe mythos – these are the qualities found in the best graphic novels. While watching the film I felt as if I was seeing static panels animated to life. After a climax and resolution I could feel the next chapter beginning. The Dark Knight is a blending of two forms of art: cinema and the graphic novel.
In reality we hope our heroes may remain at ease, but in this kind of fiction, we realize a hero is only as good as his villain. In The Dark Knight, The Joker is an adversary who elevates his counterpart to the highest level. You’ve no doubt heard the gushing praise of Heath Ledger’s performance as Batman’s nemesis, but allow me to focus in on one aspect that makes Ledger’s Joker so engaging: he is damn funny. Even when he’s sharpening the blade, we’re laughing along, albeit sometimes nervously. The Joker is charismatic, brutal, likable, and terrifying. One moment we are gleefully entertained by his antics, and the next we’re squirming away from the sadistic madman we’ve unwittingly built a connection with. The Joker is a captivating sight to behold. As long as he is on-screen, the word “dull” does not apply.
For all its admirable accomplishments, The Dark Knight is not perfect. Christian Bale’s voice as Batman is sometimes unintentionally comical. A few storyline threads may be cut a bit rough. But these minor issues do not mar this fantastic representation of Gotham City and its key inhabitants. After working to unfold the layers of this film, there’s only one possible conclusion: the bar for comic book movies has been raised, and it may not be reached again for years. The Dark Knight stands alone.
Not enough people have read David Pritchard's (aka ArtfullyAborted) review of The Get Up Kids' Something to Write Home About. So read it, and if you don't own the album, buy it now. It's one of my favorite albums by one of my most cherished bands, and you'd do well to let it into your life.
You're gone, so I worry about nothing else.
Your eyes destroy me every time I think.
I go as far as I can get to still stay close.
-"That's What's Wrong"
"Good Old War" - the band name alone should be enough to garner interest. Keith Goodwin (ex-Days Away), Tim Arnold (ex-Days Away), and Daniel Schwartz (ex-Unlikely Cowboy) form the band, and if you are a fan of Days Away, you should definitely be interested. I've been listening to Only Way to Be Alone for about a week, and I like what I hear. The songs are all fairly brief, so the tracks get the job done without wearing themselves thin. This is boardwalk music for a sunny day. Check out the band's music on myspace, then watch the music video for "Coney Island" below - it's my favorite song on the album (at least for now). If you like what you hear, pre-order the album for $10 plus shipping, and you should receive it soon after August 6 complete with a 16 page lyrics book. I've already pre-ordered my copy, so join in the fun.
I've been in the process of organizing my music library - a process that probably won't be complete until 2009 - and I decided today to re-download Straylight Run's first demos (a release I refer to as Online EP) from B-Sides "R" Us, a very cool b-sides resource built by some of our own AP.net members. What a good set of songs to listen to while feeling down. The following lyrics from the song "It's for the Best" are an example of this:
And now faith is replaced with a logic so cold.
I've disregarded what I was now that I'm older.
And I know much more than I did back then.
But the more I learn, the more I can't understand.
And I've become content with this life that I lead
Where I drink too much and don't believe in much of anything.
And I lie to myself and say, "It's for the best."
The only thing I'm unsure of with this release is the 'official' track listing. Can anyone help me out
with that? I'm not sure whether to trust Wikipedia.
I also went ahead and downloaded Taking Back Sunday's Taking Back Sunday EP. Now there's a set of songs I haven't heard in a while. I always liked "Lost and Found" and "Eleven," so it's nice to hear those again. I'd almost forgotten how Antonio Longo sounds on vocals. Actually, now that I'm uploading all the songs, I realize I've never heard the full release. 2:00am is the perfect time to discover new Long Island music from 2001, I suppose. If you feel like kickin' it old school, you should download these EPs too.
Have you seen the girl
With my heart on her sweater?
Send her on my way,
And send her here to stay.
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