This morning was normal. I got up at 6:00, drove to work, made coffee and such and then clocked out. The afternoon however involved a quick drive to a place that by Central Texas standards is far from normal.
It's a place known as the Lost Pines in Bastrop County about a half-hour east of the city. It's name is derived from the fact that there is no really good reason for a sizeable forest of pine trees to exist in this part of the state...at least a couple hundred miles from the nearest rational pine forest. Apparently the soil there is just unusually conductive to the growth of thousands of beautiful pine trees, and even allows them to survive the periodic drought that affects Central Texas.
The idea to make the afternoon trip came from a recently aquanted friend of mine named Vince. On the drive back into Austin we coined the term "cone zone" as a way to describe this ecological anomaly. He just moved here from the other side of the country and I am excited because I have a chance to really make the transition to Central Texas life a cool one for him and to kind of be this dude's personal tour guide. I like being a tour guide, I'm a natural at it...I just don't think I would enjoy being a guide on the same tour every day. I'm just not the type to stay in one place for long.
But that's exactly the state that I find myself in.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
I Am Obsessed with the new MewithoutYou Album
This piece of pure artistic beauty, known more commonly as "Brother, Sister" by MewithoutYou, came out last month and I continue to listen to it obsessively...right now actually.
I've always appreciated MewithoutYou. Creative, eccentric, great in concert, thought provoking, and of course...rad. However, this album has significantly elevated them in my estimation. I am already certian that I like this album even more than their much loved (by me, and anyone else with a soul that has heard it) [A -> B] Life. That album is in my top ten of all time, which means this album is likely to sqeeze in there as well. I've actually never truly defined my top ten favorite albums of all time...but I have probably said that at least 17 or so albums are in my "top ten".
In the freaking name of all that is holy...I really like this album, a lot. So much that I put the new Mars Volta aside in order to become properly obsessed with this album.
I recently went out of state on a road trip with a couple of close friends (who also happen to be similarly obsessed...or even more obsessed..with this band...so the new stuff got a couple of quality spins and even made driving across Oklahoma somewhat bareable.
It was even playing in two other cars over the weekend...unsolicited by eagerly appreciated by myself.
To make things even better, they're coming to Austin on the 26th with Piebald. The downside is that they are not headlining...not only that, but they're opening for a band that I don't particularly like...but oh well, I'm going anyway and I'm as excited as I have been for a show since Lagwagon...and only because I had never seen Lagwagon and I've seen MwY twice...but it's been at least a couple of years or so...or 18 months...or something...too long.
Buy this album, or at least listen to it, or just check out the website or something.
I've always appreciated MewithoutYou. Creative, eccentric, great in concert, thought provoking, and of course...rad. However, this album has significantly elevated them in my estimation. I am already certian that I like this album even more than their much loved (by me, and anyone else with a soul that has heard it) [A -> B] Life. That album is in my top ten of all time, which means this album is likely to sqeeze in there as well. I've actually never truly defined my top ten favorite albums of all time...but I have probably said that at least 17 or so albums are in my "top ten".
In the freaking name of all that is holy...I really like this album, a lot. So much that I put the new Mars Volta aside in order to become properly obsessed with this album.
I recently went out of state on a road trip with a couple of close friends (who also happen to be similarly obsessed...or even more obsessed..with this band...so the new stuff got a couple of quality spins and even made driving across Oklahoma somewhat bareable.
It was even playing in two other cars over the weekend...unsolicited by eagerly appreciated by myself.
To make things even better, they're coming to Austin on the 26th with Piebald. The downside is that they are not headlining...not only that, but they're opening for a band that I don't particularly like...but oh well, I'm going anyway and I'm as excited as I have been for a show since Lagwagon...and only because I had never seen Lagwagon and I've seen MwY twice...but it's been at least a couple of years or so...or 18 months...or something...too long.
Buy this album, or at least listen to it, or just check out the website or something.
The Theoretical End of Summer and Other Observations
Because I like to observe things.
---
The Weather: What a change. After spending the majority of the first half of October in or near the 90's...a cold front moved though (with a lot of rain, which was interesting in itself) and today's high temperature...with sunny skies...was only 70 degrees. Unreal. "Sweater weather" for Austin in October. Supposedly we're finally done with the 90's...which is nice except I've already heard that a couple of times already this month.
---
I've become frustated (again) with the overall political debate...the shallowness, or the lack thereof. Shallow advertisments attacking donors, vague accusations of corruption, the conversational marginalization of the Iraq war and the incredible and increasingly uncessary suffering of both troops and innocents overseas and the refusal of the increasingly totalitarianistic White House to face any sort of anything remotely resembling reality on the issue...even with the pure greed ridden and perhaps evil intentions of several cabnet members exposed on a near-daily basis.
When you have the two sides arguing over how many hundreds of thousands of civilians have actually died since the U.S. invasion and subsequent Civil War...er...sectarian violence...then something is really messed up with the fabric of our political society. By the way the U.S. troop death count is now over 2,800...but that's only 6 to 7 times the size of congress...mabye putting it in that context would help them understand things since it's hard to see outside of that big and comfortable building.
But of course I'm not trying to downplay the deaths of our own troops...it's tragic...I know people that are/have been over there...it would be helpful if Bush did as well.
"So you're saying we should put Saddam Hussein back in power?"
Shut up.
---
Just because "9/11 was an inside job" makes for a catchy bumper sticker, doesn't mean it isin't a really really really laughable conspiracy theory when you factor in things like reality. That said...I do believe that 9/11 was a good coincidence as a political bullying tool...even a happy one...for certian people in the White House such a Donald "Let's invade Iraq before going after Al Queda in Afganistan" Rumsfeld.
---
Save Darfur? Why should we care, they don't have any oil or political clout. Saving thousands of lives there wouldn't make the price of gas go down and make it cheaper to fill up our H2's...so we can all afford to add that third story onto our six bedroom houses.
---
If you're in Texas...I would recommend voting for the following people before Rick Perry for Governor:
- Chris Bell
- Kinky Friedman
- Marc Katz (the deli guy)
- Willie Nelson
- Kirk Watson
- Tony Sanchez
- James Werner ("the libertarian guy", as I called him in person, it was embarrasing)
- Selina (would still do more good than Perry despite not living)
- Bill Parcells
- The ghost of Cesar Chavez
- Joel Osteen (only slightly less evil than Perry)
- Leslie
- Manu Ginoblli
- Chuck Norris
- Cedric Bixler-Zavala
- The "Rich Texan" on the Simpsons
- And I guess "Grandma" Strayhorn...but only if the Rich Texan is invalidated on the basis of being a cartoon character
---
The Weather: What a change. After spending the majority of the first half of October in or near the 90's...a cold front moved though (with a lot of rain, which was interesting in itself) and today's high temperature...with sunny skies...was only 70 degrees. Unreal. "Sweater weather" for Austin in October. Supposedly we're finally done with the 90's...which is nice except I've already heard that a couple of times already this month.
---
I've become frustated (again) with the overall political debate...the shallowness, or the lack thereof. Shallow advertisments attacking donors, vague accusations of corruption, the conversational marginalization of the Iraq war and the incredible and increasingly uncessary suffering of both troops and innocents overseas and the refusal of the increasingly totalitarianistic White House to face any sort of anything remotely resembling reality on the issue...even with the pure greed ridden and perhaps evil intentions of several cabnet members exposed on a near-daily basis.
When you have the two sides arguing over how many hundreds of thousands of civilians have actually died since the U.S. invasion and subsequent Civil War...er...sectarian violence...then something is really messed up with the fabric of our political society. By the way the U.S. troop death count is now over 2,800...but that's only 6 to 7 times the size of congress...mabye putting it in that context would help them understand things since it's hard to see outside of that big and comfortable building.
But of course I'm not trying to downplay the deaths of our own troops...it's tragic...I know people that are/have been over there...it would be helpful if Bush did as well.
"So you're saying we should put Saddam Hussein back in power?"
Shut up.
---
Just because "9/11 was an inside job" makes for a catchy bumper sticker, doesn't mean it isin't a really really really laughable conspiracy theory when you factor in things like reality. That said...I do believe that 9/11 was a good coincidence as a political bullying tool...even a happy one...for certian people in the White House such a Donald "Let's invade Iraq before going after Al Queda in Afganistan" Rumsfeld.
---
Save Darfur? Why should we care, they don't have any oil or political clout. Saving thousands of lives there wouldn't make the price of gas go down and make it cheaper to fill up our H2's...so we can all afford to add that third story onto our six bedroom houses.
---
If you're in Texas...I would recommend voting for the following people before Rick Perry for Governor:
- Chris Bell
- Kinky Friedman
- Marc Katz (the deli guy)
- Willie Nelson
- Kirk Watson
- Tony Sanchez
- James Werner ("the libertarian guy", as I called him in person, it was embarrasing)
- Selina (would still do more good than Perry despite not living)
- Bill Parcells
- The ghost of Cesar Chavez
- Joel Osteen (only slightly less evil than Perry)
- Leslie
- Manu Ginoblli
- Chuck Norris
- Cedric Bixler-Zavala
- The "Rich Texan" on the Simpsons
- And I guess "Grandma" Strayhorn...but only if the Rich Texan is invalidated on the basis of being a cartoon character
Monday, October 16, 2006
Me Myself and I
I am self-absorbed. So self-absorbed that I have almost become unable to think of others or of ways to help them. I had a well-timed conversation with a friend that brought this to light in my head. Here I am writing about myself to prove it.
When you seek independence you get it...and when you do...be ready to not do anything for anybody else until you begin to pull away from that selfish desire.
We were made to be in community. Always in community. Never alone. Never truly in charge.
When you seek independence you get it...and when you do...be ready to not do anything for anybody else until you begin to pull away from that selfish desire.
We were made to be in community. Always in community. Never alone. Never truly in charge.
People are Awesome
There is something amazing in my life that I am not nearly thankful enough for. That would be the unfathomably cool but geographically group of people in my known as my good friends.
These people bring so much joy into my life...sometimes God even speaks to me though them...sometimes to them through me. I would be skeptical of what I just said if it wasn't for the fact that I have such a bond with certian people that I cannot explain.
Some are here in the Austin/San Marcos area...others in other parts of the state...others still at a small school in the middle of nowhere...and yet others scattered across the North America.
I often daydream that we could all be in one place...just us...just hanging out all the time and laughing and enjoying each others company week after week. I was thinking about this on the way back from a recent trip to visit one of my best friends and several other people who are good friends that I've met though him. I was thinking about it when I realized that that idea is the closest that I have ever been to envisioning heaven.
These people bring so much joy into my life...sometimes God even speaks to me though them...sometimes to them through me. I would be skeptical of what I just said if it wasn't for the fact that I have such a bond with certian people that I cannot explain.
Some are here in the Austin/San Marcos area...others in other parts of the state...others still at a small school in the middle of nowhere...and yet others scattered across the North America.
I often daydream that we could all be in one place...just us...just hanging out all the time and laughing and enjoying each others company week after week. I was thinking about this on the way back from a recent trip to visit one of my best friends and several other people who are good friends that I've met though him. I was thinking about it when I realized that that idea is the closest that I have ever been to envisioning heaven.
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