High as Hell and Born Again.

2008-09-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

You know what? I went to a really great concert last night with my fabulous girlfriend and probably had the most fun I've had in a VERY long time. It was great to be there with her and not be concerned with who I'm going to see or what new friends I'm going to make or how can I this or that or whatever. We just went and got our hairs cut, ate at a totally amazing Korean vegan restaurant, then went and saw Neko Case with like 400 50 year olds. It was so relaxing that I think I'm going to go gray just to blend in and hang out with more older people. I never thought I'd say this but I'm tired of dj's and parties and people and blahblahblah. It's good to be out and about and to know who you know but to make that your life is just so tiring. I don't want to turn my back on fashion and blogs and 'the scene'(persay) altogether but it's just not as satisfying as hearing some steel guitar and not particularly caring about what anyone thinks. It finally happened. I'm over it. And boy does it feel good.

2008-08-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

Until We Bleed - Kleerup feat Lykke Li

2008-08-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

No Kinda Man - Junior Boys
I am no kinda man to be leading. The most I can do is pray and love and ask God for patience...and listening to lonely sounding electronic soundscapes.

2008-07-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

"You never blog. You hate me."
-Love you girl.

2008-06-04T14:20:00.001-07:00

me & julio down by the schoolyard - Paul simon
Hello Summer.

Lyrics

2008-05-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

So summer has begun. And this is the craziest one so far. I thank the Lord that He instilled in me both a desire to never be boring and to always be the most fly. With that said, here're a couple songs with highlighted lyrics that I've found to be most inspiring this week.
all my firends - lcd soundsystem
"You spend the first 5 years tryin' to get with the plan, and the next 5 years tryin' to get with your friends again."

Soldiers Grin - Wolf Parade
"I rode horse shaped fire dragon stereowire."

Words for Pentecost

2008-05-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today is Pentecost. Here are some super appropriate words from the Mos' himself. "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin."

I am learning that it is not my job to care for everyone. I can only do what I can for those that I care about. God fixes everything, not me. I hope that I will retain this.

2008-05-11T15:47:00.001-07:00

Me: "I wish I had one glaring flaw that I could see was bringing me down."
A prayer:" Dear God, please make me less prideful and less selfish. It is eating me alive and hurting many people. I keep pushing others away and pretending like I don't need help. I am not the end all and be all of everything. I am not as cool as I think I am. In fact, even this post is about me. Make me an honest, truthful, upright, respectable, open, kind, humble man. We've got 60 years, let's get started. Please?

2008-05-11T15:16:00.001-07:00

Yuto Miyazawa - 8-Year Old Japanese Guitar Phenom! from Metal Edge TV on Vimeo.
Uh huh.

2008-05-07T16:50:00.001-07:00

Also this is quite applicable at the moment.

2008-05-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

In the interim, please enjoy this.

2008-05-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Okay. I've got quite the long one coming later and it's very, shall we say interesting, so I hope you're waiting with baited breath.

2008-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Alright sooooo.....now what do I do?

Confession

2008-04-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

I really have no idea what to do. For the first time in my life I am at a loss. It could go either way and with regards to that statement, I am scared. I just don't understand why I don't want what's good for me. It's like someone asking me to bake a cake and me saying, "Nah, I'll take the other cakes that took less time to bake, are essentially unfulfilling, and could possibly give me a disease. Thanks but no thanks." I just wish it didn't seem like a choice and that if I picked the one that most logically makes sense, it didn't seem like death or a prison or whatever. I am tired of being mean and cold and distant(at the root of it all)and I can safely say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I literally want to give up. Not on life dumbasses but on God, the whole deal, etc. I don't know why anything would ever be this hard. Basically, I'm at my wits end and I hurt. I'm going for a glass of red and then going to bed.

2008-04-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

2 Things:
1)Steak and Ale=WTF?
2)Lobster Bisque is not something you eat on a hot day.

2008-04-11T15:36:00.001-07:00

Dear God is an amazing site for a multitude of reasons. If you are interested at all in Christianity, whether fleeting or permanent, or just generally keen on looking into evangelical culture, please, please, please take a look.

2008-04-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

Some things that are occurring to me at this moment in time can be summed up in these beautiful verses:
-Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.
-A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
-Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
-Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered...
-Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
-"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry...
There are a billion more but you get the point. I sure do hate when I've got the grumpies.

2008-04-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

This song makes me so happy.

2008-04-05T23:36:00.001-07:00

What a nice evening. Thank you Jesus.

2008-04-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

I'd vouch for this one. Buy this album when it comes out, that's an order. And yes, I am also interested in the pertinent practices of felicitous fondness and appropriate ardor and affection. Where would one procure an application?

2008-04-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 12 is totally shredding my face off. I'll update with highlights later.

2008-03-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

In memorium of being at Paul's house and enjoying his kindness and overall magnificience, I am posting this song because it makes me think of him.

P.S. Today is not so bad.

2008-03-29T07:52:00.001-07:00

"If Charlie Parker was a gunslinger, there'd be a lot of dead copy cats."

P.S. I'm 23 now.

2008-03-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

"...and the guitar player gets restless."
-Torn and Frayed

I've always felt kind of partial to those lyrics and this album. Thank God for the spring thaw out, the sun, and summer albums.

2008-03-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

If I had to recommend one site with all my heart as of this moment if would most definitely be hulu. Full episodes of 30 Rock, The Office, It's Always Sunny, House, Arrested Development, King of the Hill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and 150 bajillion more. It pretty much rules.

2008-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Compare: Exhibit A vs. Exhibit B.

2008-03-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons why I fear being a teacher.

2008-03-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

Worth the $15? I really want a new poster for my new room but I need some opinions.

P.S. Although moving one person is 143,856 times easier than moving three it still sucks and leaves you sore and tired.

An Inquiry

2008-03-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Provocative Vs. Evocative? What are the connotational or denotational differences if any?

2008-03-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Back to reality. It's weird because there are no open bars and you have to pay for everything. An official, pompous, half-assed, partially objective review is coming later. Have a good cloudy day.

Sweet Band South By

2008-03-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

So I finally caved in, now that I'm all scene kid-y, and decided to make the trek down to SXSW. Below is my itinerary. I've included it so that in the event of a misplacement of myself, I may provide those on the lookout for me at least some indication of where I might be.

-March 14th, 2008
• Garage party
-421 W. 3rd St. @ Guadalupe
-till 2 a.m.
o Santogold-6 p.m.
o Cut Copy-8 p.m.
o S.M.D. (dj set)-10 p.m.
o Amanda Blank-11:30 p.m.
o Diplo- 12 a.m.

-March 15th, 2008

Rachel Ray Party- 12 p.m.
-Raveonettes- 1 p.m. @ the Beauty Bar(617 E. 7th St.)

Hot Freaks III
A Place to Bury Strangers
-3 p.m. @ the Mohawk-912 Red River

Levi’s/Fader Party
204 E. 4th St.
• Santogold- 6 p.m.
• Spankrock- 6:45 p.m.
• 2 Live Crew- 7:35 p.m.

Mess With Texas Party
12th and Red River-Waterloo Park
• Simian Mobile Disco-8:30-9:30

That's pretty much it.

P.S. Here's to drinking Lemoncello because it's the only thing in the house.

Taking care of business

2008-03-03T17:41:00.000-08:00

Here's the plan for tonight:
-go to church to hear Steve's testimony.
-go see Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes at Haileys.

Plug

2008-03-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

You like design? You an aesthete? You like 'em pretty things kemosabe? Well try this on for size. I'm promise you won't be disappointed.

(via goldenfiddlr)

2008-02-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

It lives up to the hype.

2008-02-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

Getting the 'come to Jesus' talk twice in one week is making me think...maybe I should? It's just that I feel that there are definetely parts of us all that we could stand to lose and there are parts of us that make us who we are and the rub, I believe, is trying to find out what needs to go and what needs to stay. Pray much me? Anyways, I had a long(for school anyways) conversation about Daft Punk with a 6th grader. Trickle down orphicness? It was pretty cool regardless because in sixth grade I was into the Toadies and Bush. But that was a different time. 1996 . And wait, those bands are cool. Anyways, I'm tutoring for Indian food tonight so here're the links cos you know you want 'em.
-Erotic Falconry.
-Mr. Person, this is all for you.
-Why We/I/Whomever Hate(s) Zach Braff.
-Whatever you do ladies, don't take the veil.
-Hot For Teacher.
-I'm not gay, but if I was...
-I have a feeling that this is what I missing out on all during 7th grade.

2008-02-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

You know, for someone who was such a little shit in 6th grade, I didn't even think twice when I put this pic into my powerpoint on space shuttles today. Then 1st period came 'round, then the snickers, then the "Oh no, that looks like a dick" thoughts, then the blogging about it now. What can you do?

2008-02-24T21:08:00.001-08:00

You know, it actually feels great to get caught. Thank you for forcing me to be honest God. I know this all has a purpose and I pray that Your Will be done expediently. Sleep well friend-o's. Keep the goodies close and the baddies even closer.

Continued

2008-02-24T00:46:00.000-08:00

Seriously, one of the best date movies ever. Now all I need is a date.

P.S. Read an article about it here.

A Recipe For A Saturday

2008-02-24T00:08:00.000-08:00

So you wanna know how to construct a pretty fulfilling (feeling at least) Saturday?
1) Get up a 6 am to take a 5 hour long test.
2) After you're done with the 2nd hardest test taking experience of your life buy a bottle of Saison Dupont, drink it, eat some brioche, then go to sleep.
3) Wake up from your half-drunken nap.
4) Eat dinner with Mike and Jason.
5) Set up a nice little movie date with yourself.
6) Blog about it then go to sleep.

Quotes

2008-02-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

Okay I have this idea for when I have my own classroom. I will decorate the aforementioned classroom with quotes running the perimeter of the classroom. These quotes not your boilerplate "Do better because I'm trying to motivate you" bullshit. These will be meta-cognitive fostering, self-reflective engendering, "huh?" type quotes. With that said, does anyone have any quotes they like, that in turn would be appropriate for a 6th-12th grade classroom taken from either a book or a song that the kids would be able to intake and feel more reflective about? Respond at your leisure.

2008-02-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

Things I have learned from the movie Vacancy:
1) Carry a gun. Even if you're staying in seedy motel, way the fuck in the boonies, with a creepy guy at the desk and you think that everything is green light, carry a gun.
2) Your wife is always afraid of rats. Shut her up or you're gonna die.
3) Don't play the tapes on top of a VCR in a seedy motel, way the fuck in the boonies, with a creepy guy at the desk.
4) No matter what it's always, always about snuff films.

2008-02-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

You Might Be A Spears If...
You see your teenage pregnancy as a form of birth control.

(reblogged from GoldenFiddle)

2008-02-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

I think I might be on a cuteness overload. Check these tunes and tell me if you think they are a little much on the sheepish, twee bullshit.
1)

2)

Weekend Update

2008-02-14T22:32:00.000-08:00

So yeah. This week was pretty great. I started it off with church(always a good idea) then a nice day outside playing frisbee with Judson, Mark, and some other people. We had a good time. Then I went to homegroup. Monday was crew quarterly and Tuesday was relatively uneventful save the fact that Annie moved back home and called a very sleepy me to inform me of that fact. Sorry I did not share your enthusiasm. I was dreaming about Abe Lincoln. Wednesday was membership class and a late night meeting. Both went really well. Thursday and Friday, I can't really remember save the fact that I accidentally ate the custodian's lunch and sheepishly pretended I didn't do it right in front of her. Oh God, that was awkward. I drove home last night, ate some pizza, saw my hilariously cut up sister, and faded into R.E.M. about 10:30. Today is H.V. from 2 until 6:30 tomorrow. I've never done it before, s.c. that is, so it should be interesting at least. Now onto the more important stuff, the links and the commentary.
-I can't really explain why I like this song. There are no lyrics to speak of and the chorus is just a bunch of yelling and nonsensical jibberish. This article does a great job of explaining Soulja Boy's brand of arbitrary bizarreness. I guess it's just when somebody's up in my face I wanna yell, "Yah, trick, yah."
-The St. Valentine's Day piggy.
-This is a good song/video. (via Spence)
-I know everyone's talking about this but because it hits so close to home, I have to join the mob.
-Fimoculous.
-This is so much wrong with this I can't even being to expound upon it. Seriously, what the hell?
-My mom said this was weird but I still don't believe her. The Beating Heart Pillow.
-Again with a matronly reference.
Mom: "That sounds like the ultimate slob thing."
Me: "But it's got sleeves."
The Slanket.
-There's no blood on the shovel at the end. Totally unbelievable.
-Looks like old Jimbo was ahead of the mark on this one. Welcome to the world that we've created.
-Anyone remember when lastnightsparty was just a corny photo site? Jesus, what happened to you L.N.P.? You sure got porny quick. (NSFW) You know that's my first NSFW tag. I knew it was coming some day. Go me.
-Oh dork heaven, how good it is to find you.
And finally, a shameless promotion. I love you Rev.

P.S. I've been tumbling like whoa. Check it out.

2008-02-13T03:51:00.000-08:00

Oh I have a feelin'...that it's all about to come crashing down.

2008-02-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

This one too.

My Funeral

2008-02-09T16:02:00.001-08:00

Play this at my funeral. That's an order.

Movie Calendar

2008-02-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

February 15th at the Angelika Dallas.

February 22nd at the Magnolia.

P.S. I finally got a Tumblr. Yah. Here it is.

Pancakes

2008-02-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows how much I love pancakes so, you'd pretty much have to be stupid not to take advantage of IHOP'S FREE PANCAKE DAY!

Weekend

2008-02-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

So I lost at Risk last night. South America always seems like a good idea but it never materializes into a world power, too sandwiched between North America and Africa I think. I fell asleep on Scott's couch and slept at Jason's beneath a very loud sorority party. I had to fight myself a bit to keep from going up there and getting into some sort of trouble. I didn't but did stay up and watch a very interesting documentary on Caligula which inspired me to bid on a copy of the 12 Ceasers by Suetonius. I find this kind of stuff very interesting mainly because of the Christian mindset of "This is the worst time in history, the end is near, blah blah blah." What people must realize is that this has happened before and it will happen again. Boethius, luckily for you, a Christian philosopher, has this to say about the general nature of history(taken from one of my favorite films of all time), "It's my belief that history is a wheel. Inconsistency is my very essence says the wheel, "Rise up on my spokes if you like, but don't complain when you are cast back down into the depths." Good times pass away, but then so do the bad. Mutability is our tragedy, but it is also our hope. The worst of times, like the best, are always passing away". Nothing more true with regard to the progression of life here below the sun has been said. What people do not realize is that there within the historical annals, lodged deep inside the catacombs of time, lie corollaries to each and every thing that has happened in mine, in yours, in everyone's life. There is nothing new under the sun and to find wisdom all one has to do is consult your horometrical sources and you'll be just fine. Oh yeah and that one dude that lives in the clouds too.
It's housekeeping day today. My area is crazy out of control and it needs to be tamed...with Lysol and Mr. Clean and whatever else I feel like using to expunge the grime and gunk. I'm also doing a bagillion of loads of wash so that's fun. Check the links and I'll catch you on the flipside:
-Great Hitchcockian(?)reference pictures with this year's Hollywood outlook.
-Reason #4,623,842 why I don't want to have children.
-The NYT book blog.
What do I want for my birthday? You shouldn't have asked. Really.
-Beautiful Children.
-Twin Peaks.
-Grafuck 3.
EDIT:
-Why the above film is one of my favorites.

2008-02-04T17:32:00.000-08:00

School went pretty well today. I can't ever really tell if I attribute people's behavior to the fact that it's Monday or they're tired or what have you just because people say, "Oh, it's Monday", "Oh, I'm tired", or whatever. It's like I see them and I don't think anything but when someone says in response to my "How are you today?" interjection, "Oh it's Monday", I think "Oh yeah, they do seem a bit tired." It's like people think they said be tip top 100% of the time when really if they just accepted what they had to do and shut the fuck up about it maybe then you wouldn't have to formulate a damn excuse every time it was African Independence day and you didn't want to go to work. This is the first night in I don't know how long I'm actually home and it feels weird. So I've taken to the Paula's Texacello and I can safely say I don't know why I spent something like 30 dollars on it. It's tart and boozy, puissant and sturdy, and pretty much like eating a lemon from an Irishman's mouth. I'll clear the bottle(not tonight of course) because I finish what I start but I won't promise that I'll enjoy it. The new Beach House sounds a little better when filtered through it though. Still hazy, sedate, and stoned, the sounds on Devotion seem a little more produced and more lucid with of course your standard touch of 'through the marquisette and yellowed drapes of a old beach house in the late winter.' This is one of the few bands wherein the utterance of its' appellation actually elicits thoughts and simulacrums of its' sobriquet. I commend thee dearest Beach House.
Going on, I had quite the interesting weekend. If you'd like to know more you know where to find me. Tomorrow is the size and distance of the solar system lesson and I get to do it so...yeah. Check the links below and have a wonderful Mondayevening:
-Fail.
-So maybe I should go for the ugly girls.
-Step away from the children sir... and the bad Photoshopping.
-Wow. This is just...wow.
-Put this on the list of things not to do when I get a job.

Getting Around To It

2008-02-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

1. Name one thing you do every day.

Completely and totally overanalyze everything.

2. Name two things you wish you could learn.

I wish I could learn to eliminate that nagging feeling in my heart that says, "You're losing it. Hold on to what you have because the person you are now is the best you'll ever be. Don't change. Everyone should adjust their lives for you and not vice versa. You are the best, fuck every one else." It's quite disabling.

I wish I could learn to deal with my crippling emotional imbecility. No one will think you're weird if you call them more than once a week Nick. No one will think it's strange if you actually act interested and want to get to know them. You've got a problem.

3. Name three things that remind you of your childhood.

That light under the microwave.

Mystery.

Screen doors.

4. Name four things you love to eat but rarely do.

I don't really not eat anything but if I had to pick, which I do, I would say:
-empanadas(the dessert kind)
-Sushi. It's just so damn expensive.
-Chile Relleno
-Ceviche.
You can also add just basically anything that's unhealthy to that list as well.

5. Name five things or people that make you feel good.

Nick Cave

My grandad

Erring Christians

Booze

Children

Dear Miss

2008-02-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Dearest Ms. Seymour,
What big hair and nice shoes you have.

Nick

-In other news, here we have some canned apologetics.
-Funny bunnies.
-I told my dad to stop that shit.

Have a lovely Sunday.

Play it as Lays

2008-02-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

Boy am I tuckered. I worked all this week then I was out till 2 last night catching this show. The Fiery Furnaces were way better than the Super Furry Animals. I really didn't like them but now I guess I do. We missed Holy Fuck but I can't really say I ever heard them save from that Vice article so I'm not really bummed. I had to be at church at 8 this morning then I did my napping till 6 thing which means I'll be up late tonight. Great. Tomorrow, I'm headed to a screening of The Band's Visit followed by a Q and A with the director after the flick. Should be cool. For right now, I'm just going to post links and then shower and then maybe consider sinking back into the delirium from which I just arose.
-Call me masochistic, but I really want to see both Downloading Nancy and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. I don't know. Morally dense, heavy films, that verge ever so slightly and teeter over the edge of evil just call to a certain part of my soul. Must be the German in me.
-If you have a Flickr account, please check out Ben Pearce. It's super good.
-Chad Farmer, I respect you.
-More great photos. I like the 3rd one and the 6th one down.
-God I love grumpy people.
-Ever since I saw The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and even quite possibly before that, I've had a thing for French music. Blow Up Doll has filled that void.
Lastly but not leastly, and to paraphrase Joan Didion, there is a malignant electricity that lies within some nights. This is one of those.

One Last Thing

2008-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

Good Day

2008-01-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

I had a great day today. I taught the kids about the galaxy, which is way rad. I used the planet size comparer and they all thought that was way cool. Tomorrow they have a spelling test and then we'll talk more about planets. Next week, we're doing a hands on planet size and distance activity. It's cool as shit. The plans for the weekend are as follows:
Friday:
-Hit Persepolis at the Magnolia then hit Zubar for The Party. (Hopefully I'll win those Justice Tickets.)
Saturday:
-Hit Arlington for an oil change and a bite to eat. Catch Cloverfield and then head back to Lil' D.
Sunday:
-Do The V from can see to can't see then hit homegroup then pass out. It all sounds good to me.

-Good God.
-MyFreaks. It's not what you think. Judging from the amount of my female friends who put 'in a relationship' as their status just to avoid the creepy dudes, I would say that the content of this site is warranted...and funny.
-Frangry's Tumblr. I linked to this before but you need to check it out if you're into spiraling deep down the no-fly zone known as the internet.
-Finally downloaded The Teenagers "Reality Check" and man is it pure pop candy. Three hot dudes and a drum machine sing songs for millenials who could care less about Don Delillo and the social politics of PYSCH 101 and more about making out. Soundtrack your next date with that girl or boy that's way too hot for you but is completely vapid and just another excuse to be romantically destructive(thank you Baumbach and Kicking and Screaming)(1, 2) before you have to face the music and ultimately deal with your problems by settling down with someone you can argue with. Hmmmm.
-This one's for Shane.

One More Thing

2008-01-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

I watched the trailer for this before both There Will Be Blood and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and I was blown away. I cried like a little baby when Kate Beckinsale sobs on the bed. I love David Gordon Green specifically because of All the Real Girls and now that I know he did Pineapple Express as well, I am certain that I will love this film. Hell, The National is even in the trailer. I have to love it right? I'm going to bed. Goodnight friends.

Martin Luther King Day

2008-01-21T11:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Martin Luther King Day everyone! I hope you are all enjoying time off work and if you're not then I hope you are planning to sue your respective company for racism. In the same vein of that people of different ages hitting a drum video I posted below, check out these amazing pictures that a father took of his daughter as she grew up. I've included the following links in my "How to Waste Your Time" section but I will include them here as well because they are good.
For the fashion conscious:
-Face Hunter.
-Go Fug Yourself.
Run of the Mill internet stuff:
-Tweebiscuit.
That is all.

Sick Days(A.K.A. I've fallen into the internet hole and I can't get out)

2008-01-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ugh. The children have tainted me with something. I feel like my head is occluded to the nth degree, I can't find anything else to put my snot in(or on), and my throat feels like I had 6 bloody mary's, hold everything but the Tabasco. But that doesn't mean I can't blog the shit out of the blogosphere. Here goes:
-I've been listening to this this song alot.
-See, the bible is not just some crazy book about some sky wizard, his minions, and his kid. It's practical too.
-Would I be too fratty if I said that this was funny?
-I'm pretty excited about these guys' new record. Listen to some of it on their space.
-Similar to that thing I posted about a while back, I really like when people personify the internet. So with that in mind, enjoy a party at Google's house when her parents leave for the weekend.
-NY Times rips Cloverfield a new one. I don't really care, I'm still seeing it.
-Thank the Lord. Something for us repiners.
-Were it not for the fact that I love irritating all my church friends and I'm a liberal by default(and a lot of other colorful reasons we shall not speak of), I would vote for John McCain on the off chance I would get to meet his daughter. She is so Sorority Row hot I'm drooling in my protein powder shake right now. Alpha Chi Omega all the way.
-I'm pretty interested in this movie only because for some strange reason, I like to squeeze cats with a passion. Ask my sister, she'll tell you.
-Peep the kittichan.
-Lastly, I am so glad I'm not a Scientologist.
Double lastly, for your weekend viewing pleasure, enjoy a taste of the new Cave album with this here vid-yah.

2008-01-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

"There are no new waves, there is only the ocean."
-Jean Luc Godard

First Days

2008-01-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

Me: "Hey Kendrick, what happened to your head?" (this student has a sutured-up gash about an inch long right above his left eye)
Kendrick: (waits a bit and does his best 12 year old smarmy) "Church."
Oh the things you hear in school. Today was the first day back and although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, there were some things. I'm exhausted and I feel like going out for a drink then going to bed. Before I go though, check out this video that makes getting older seem all that much cooler.

Illusory Saturdays

2008-01-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

What a nice, quiet Saturday. Last night was a blast and tonight should be great too but for now it's dredging the internet and cleaning up my room. I'm a little nervous about school starting on Monday what with inevitable end of my college career so very near and the fact that I will have to ""get a job"" and face this cold, cruel world alone looming large in my tiny, tired, besotted mind. But as the bumper sticker says, "Shit Happens." This is pretty much true. For now and for until tomorrow, enjoy these songs and breath easy brothers and sisters.

2008-01-10T08:21:00.000-08:00

Long time no blog, eh? Here's some cool shit for you guys to check out.
1-Apparently there are a lot of clumsy people in Canada that end up killing themselves so the clever inhabitants of said country came up with a series of ads emphasizing there are no real accidents, just lazy people who don't do their job and end up killing other people. Check these so-gruesome-you-can't-help-but-watch-'em-all videos here.
2-Needless to say, I love this video. I found it via Golden Fiddle's Tumblr(I swear I'll get one of those one day) and he found it via Frangy's. I would show this in my classroom; it's that revelatory and amazing. It's French so it addresses the serious issues with appropriate gravitas and an "it's all bullshit so why don't we make fun of it anyways" bent. Watch and then watch it like 1,400 more times.
3-I know I said I would post a year end thing and here it is, halfway through January and no list. WTF Nick? You're such a jerk. Anyways, I pretty much agree with this list about '07 movies.
4-Last but not least here are some old ads that are pretty cool. My favorite, and I quote, is the one that goes, "You can't beat the Axis if you have VD." A truer truism I've yet to hear.

2007-12-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

Is it bad that I like this song?

The video is pretty sweet, but she should still have a big nose and be dating me. (One of those is not true.)

Year End

2007-12-17T08:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know Pitchfork and Dusted and weshotjr and everybody else are doing their giant year-end things and for once, I don't particularly care what they say. It's very liberating. I listen/have listened to so much music this year that it'd be real damn hard to A)Pinpoint something strictly out of 2007 that was real awesome and B)pin down what I've been listening to at all. I just don't have the short term memory for that kind of thing. So be prepared for a year-end post featuring some shit that I thought was the bomb that may or may not be from this decade sometime soon. But for now enjoy this article about Christians and atheists, David Cross's year end list, and this video of the klaxons doing 'golden skans' nortena style. If you listen closely you can here a drunk British dude.

Truth

2007-12-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

Yeah, this is pretty much true.

P.S. Oh bezerk dancing woman(a woman who was dancing wildly not a crazy woman who was dancing, although I could be mistaken), it was fleeting but it was memorable.

Will graduates tomorrow and I'm pumped. I've got a can a'beans and a good throwing arm.

More Holiday Music

2007-12-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, I may have spoken too soon. The first 8 Tom Waits albums, now there's some Christmas music for ya.

2007-12-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Walkmen=Holiday Music. Let's all go drinking on gray days and be tacitly august.

The Season is here...I think.

2007-12-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

This song is responsible for bringing me into the holiday spirit. Now where the shit is my booze?

P.S. James 4:2-3 c.f. Mark 11:22-24. Help.

P.P.S. I just found two great kids names for children I won't have. Girl, Delphine. Boy, Balthazar. Maybe we can do Delphine Rosencrantz and Balthazar Gildenstern. We'd read Tom Stoppard instead of Mary Had a Little Lamb...who knows?

P.P.P.S. I added a bunch of links on the "How to Waste Your Time" section. This will increase my geekage by 46%.

2007-12-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Radio UTD is killing it today. I'm serious. If you don't believe me, check it.

P.S. Besides all the shit people usually give them, the Dallas Observer is mostly just something I use to keep track of new restaurants and to score free movie tickets. Strictly utilitarian. But this article is very funny and very true and it made me think...am I a $30,000 millionaire?

Melting Point

2007-12-01T19:09:00.001-08:00

This is just so sad.

2007-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

I cannot get this song out of my head. It sounds more and more like Kings of Leon but at first it sounded like Phoenix and Kings of Leon to me. It's gonna be a long weekend, so get to prayin'.

Vice...let me count the ways I love thee.

2007-11-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in all its' sinful, debaucherous, marginally epicurean
rhetoric that it does or does not believe in, I forget why I came to
love the magazine in the first place. Because they learnt me upsomethin' fierce.
Here are some reasons why you should read Vice:

1-The Vice Guide To Everything: Oh the places you'll go my
little one. This piece basically taught me how to converse with people
and carry myself as my old method of shouting at them about my life and
making fun of them until they ran away or cried didn't really paint me
as Mr. Saney-Pants.

2-The
Vice Guide to Girls. You know when you and your buds get
together and have a little dude pow-wow about what Rachel is thinking
or why Diane did what she did even though she totally let you get to 2nd? Well, fuck that. Read the above article and you should be good. I felt like Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon when I was reading this shit. It opened up my mind.(said in a real echo-y type way). Plus it was written by Leslie Arfin and Amy Kellner, the former being super hot and the latter being really into unicorns. It's a win-win situation.

3-Lastly, and this may just be me and my fuzzy, dipsomaniac memory, but this is just golden. I'll always have a thing for short girls with big noses and that's no lie.

Tastemakers as they may be, if you'd been eating dead rats and someone offered you a falafel, wouldn't you take the falafel? So thank you Vice for telling me I was eating rats being the falafel giving rag you are.

Love,
Nick

P.S. Kill your parents.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

"Drawing a sword, cut into water, water again flow:
Raise cup, quench sorrow, sorrow again sorry".
-Ezra Pound
Here's to upcoming days of no school and drinking and writing and reading. Give thanks or I'll kick your ass.

Name Changes

2007-11-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Consider this...Nicholas Al Amendola. Any thoughts?

2007-11-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a post from Stereogum, I'm real excited about the new Ravonettes record. It sounds super fuckin' good. Reverby, distorty, beautiful in all aspects as it stands right now. In other news, this is a funny article 1) Because I like big words and 2)I like big words and I am now a new fan of the 'dick factor'. Lastly, I know where I'm vacationing this summer..

P.S. It finally has a trailer. I'm pretty stoked.

P.P.S. Dig these amazing photos.

Diggin'

2007-11-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

The things I am totally diggin' on this week are as follows:
1-Phillipians 1: 15-18
2-Two Free Movies in a Row
3-The new Yeasayer album.

4-I know I'm late on this but I'm feeling' Bangers and Cash fo' real fo' real.

Descriptive Nonsense

2007-11-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

How would you describe yourself?
Willfully Orphic, bifurcated, lachrymose to a point, hopelessly possessive of a motivating sense of ennui, itinerant, culpably obdurate, doltish, dopy, mopey, green, infantine, and last but not least, gladly accepting of it all.

P.S. Funny comment of the week: "Who is she, Quetzalcoatl's fat hooker?" Seriously, that was the bomb.

Strange Days

2007-10-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Today is and has been, by leaps and bounds, the strangest day I have had in a long time. Getting up late, having to do 3 things at once, exasperated and tearful minor reconciliation(hopefully en route to wholeness), being asked to do something I've always wanted to do, making plans, and a tiny human creature on the way all make for quite the unsettling and perplexing mid-morning. All I can say is 1) Thank You God 2)Thank You God 3) Thank You God. I don't know and I don't think I ever will. He is mine and I am His but I don't know why. That's not my job now is it?

P.S. Read this story. It's quite interesting...and not in that way that the rape story was, 'kay Bianca?

2007-10-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

I'm on the edge. I think I've got it, the very snaking neb of it. He's trying to tell me something.

2007-10-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

"[He] would date occasionally, but merely as amusement."
-Hmmmm John Cale. Sometimes I wonder.

P.S. Isaiah 43:18. Boy oh boy. Boy oh boy, do I need help with this.

Here We Go

2007-09-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

That is not a Pat Green reference so much as a statement regarding my life at this point. It's about to get batshit crazy and I can only pray that I am ready for it. UNT 14 hour Mondays, RV Tuesdays, Membership Class Wednesdays, while teaching both Wednesday and Thursday. Oh Lord, keep me awake...and that's just the beginning.

Foodie Confessions

2007-09-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

Olea huh? We'll see.

Pity with a side of Lesson Learned

2007-09-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Stream the AMAZING new Iron and Wine here...and pray for a poor identity theft victim.

Meta-Critic

2007-09-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Both of these are really funny, but only to people who've wasted vast amounts of time on messsage boards, doing absolutely nothing.

2007-09-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

C.F. this for how I feel about the gentle sex right about now(funk soul brother). I just think that my eyes do more of the convincing than my brain. I'm working on that though.

Smitten

2007-09-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

Things I am currently obssessed with:
1-The Silver Jews
2-T Pain.

I don't care how ridiculous this is, I still like it...today at least.

2007-09-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Vice has always pushed the envelope, journalistically speaking, but this story has really struck a chord with me. To say that it is provocatively indecourous would be an understatement, and to say that within the piece there are ideals and cultural signposts that beg to be discussed would also be like saying 'Hitler sure was a dick.'

Crushing

2007-09-04T09:48:00.001-07:00

I'm not gonna lie, I'm totally on an Amanda Blank tip today.

It's Late and I'm Nesting

2007-08-31T00:44:00.000-07:00

Sleeping for 5 hours then getting up and staying up all night is always a recipe for strange tales. This is how it goes. I'm not sure at this point in my life if I want to have children or not. I mean, they're so damn expensive and require alot of work and what if one of them turns out to be like me, and what if, what if, what if? Shows my true character don't it? I guess I could clothe my non-reproductive desires in environmental robes, but I'm not sure if this is self-deception and justification of poor ideals or I'm just shirking responsibility. Time will tell, but I can safely say that I do not plan to get myself into any procreative situations any time in the near future. With that said and the groundwork laid, I really really really want to name kids. Like I'm so sick of Chris and Morgan and James and all the other relatively square names(I have to put relatively because I'm a teacher now) so in response to these boilerplates I've concocted a few of my own. Here we go:
1-Lizaveta Ommie Amendola (She can go by Liz or Veta)
2-Aristotle O'Nassis Amendola (We can call him 'Ari O' for short)
3-Bess Fitzgibbons Amendola (She can go by Bess or Fitz)
I'm working on something with Tennessee as a first name but because of extemporaneous circumstances, I'm having trouble with the mids. It just occurred to me that I could adopt but again, I don't feel this is an issue until I get a bit older, a bit wiser, and a bit more well endowed...with the green.

Splurge

2007-08-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm really on a music tear today. Here's the what's what. It started with Gorilla Vs. Bear's write up of Studio. They're like Strategy but a little more Cure-ish, circa Disintegration if you ask me. I really like them. Someone compared them to The Happy Mondays so I went to check them out and low and behold, they're pretty boss too. Then all this disco got me into thinking about how much I need to get Prins Thomas' Cosmo Galactic Prism. It's a sick cycle, I tell you what. I'm not really going to buy any of these things, because I don't really need them and I don't have the money to do so. I'll just find ways to get them for free until I can afford them. Like if you check out the end of the imeem on your left, you'll find a whole host of Happy Mondays tunes, and the entirety of the Studio album less the closing track. I then went on Netflix and added It's Always Sunny to my queue so I wouldn't have to buy it. Oh yeah, I really want to go and see This is England when it starts playing at the Magnolia this weekend. Dinner at Dan's on Thursday. Beyond that I'm at a loss. I can't let what I want or what stimulates me creatively become what I am. It's a tight rope and to quote a good friend, "I guess I just have to come to grips with the idea that I'll never have it all together." And the congregation said...

Funny Ha Ha

2007-08-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

If you really want a laugh, and to waste 30 minutes of your day, check out a preview episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It's funny, I swear. If you don't think it is, I'm afraid we can't be friends.

Song of the Day

2007-08-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Last night was pretty intense but I ate for free and had some awesome cake at about 2:30 in the morning. I got my mineral water and my greasy food this morning so I think I'm alright. This song is very good and makes me reconsider whether or not I like Rogue Wave. All of their songs pretty much sound the same but that doesn't stop me from liking Interpol, does it?

2007-08-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Alright. So thanks to Golden Fiddle, I've got a laundry list of movies that I plan on seeing and telling you about. First is Lars and the Real Girl. I think it's funny that Paul Schneider and Patricia Clarkson are in this and All the Real Girls. They must really be into real girls(not funny). This looks good not only because of those two but Ryan Gosling as well. Secondly, there's Rocket Science. This looks interesting in that it's kind of a 'finding yourself' movie and that it features a character that stutters in the lead. That fact coupled with an amusing trailer sold it. I guess I'm in. Lastly, I don't know where you're going to be next Friday or Saturday at midnight, but I know exactly where the hell I'm gonna be. I'll be at the Inwood seeing motherfucking Electroma. You know it kid. I'm pumped. Not only because it's about robots, but because it's 74 minutes long and there's no talking. My kind of shit, for real.

Ride the Faders

2007-08-12T19:59:00.001-07:00

This is my new favorite song of the evening. It seems to me that I've been getting into this deep, trancey, gauzy, gossamer kind of beat heavy music that sounds like a million rays of light coming at you. It just appeals to me on so many levels. First, it sounds cool. Not like awesome cool or sweet cool, but like icy cool. Secondly, it's sort of balm in/of Gilead. Lately, I've felt really, not necessarily ennui-ish but like I'm not where I should be. Like the hand I've been dealt is not enough. I know that this kind of comes with not having a job and generally being a bum, in the lightest sense of the word of course. But I've sort of filled this need for accomplishment, this will-to-be-affirmed, with books and things of the sort and I feel that they've served their purpose but it's all to a point. I'm glad Chadwick said something about having alot of time on my hands today. More power to M.B. I think this music just sort of soothes my soul and makes me feel at ease, contrary to about 80% of the stuff that usually fills my ears. Everyone should give Walls at least one listen, if not a few.

2007-08-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Wow. Theology and Film at The Village was boss tonight. Very cool and very powerful. Hotel Rwanda gets 4 stars but it's one of those 4 star flicks that I wouldn't really care to watch all that often. In response to that and a 3 hour phone conversation with topics ranging from cryptozoology to exorcisms, I can only post these songs and go to sleep. Good night my friends, you'll never know how much you mean to me.

2007-08-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

I figured you could use a little bit of ridiculousness to start your day.

Cool Haus

2007-07-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Holy Balls the new Kelley Polar ep is good. Great cool out tunes. Know what? I'll just post 'em for you.

P.S. If you ever need to know why summer is awesome, listen to some My Morning Jacket.

2007-07-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

I forgot how good this was.

2007-07-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well well. I went and saw Evening on Tuesday with Scott. I really liked it. I was crying at the end. It was just a very good film albeit a little scatterbrained. I can understand why the reviews have not been kind. It's hard to keep up with the film when it flashes back and forth from now to 50 years ago. Another streitpunkt was the fact the soundtrackers, in their infinite wisdom, decided to use that dingus Michael Bublé instead of some Glenn Miller or Sinatra or something from that period. Probably a monetary issue but it scuffed my corns nonetheless. Prayer meeting yesterday was pretty intense. I kept getting this feeling that the distractions on my mind were put there by something. I need to get back to the point is what I interpret that to mean. Get back to the good book. It'll work if I tell myself to do it. I'm going to Arlington tonight to visit with Roger and some old friends. That should be fun. If you look to your left you'll see a last.fm widget added to the jumble of junk that sits over there. Now you can seem what I'm actually listening to along with listening to it on the imeem. Pretty cool if you don't mind me saying. Last but not least, as a result of Evening there is a new woman in my life, and her name is Mamie Gummer. Knecht-Milne be damned, I'll fancy a bird if I chose. She has that sharp turn of a nose, something that speaks without speaking. The skin tone recalls something like meringue out of the oven, hot, delicate, and light, tawny and bright white simultaneously . A wry smile and a bright face round it out, not to mention the blonde hair and green eyes. Not completely Aryan but I don't mind. I mean I'm not in jackboots and I'm not von Verschuer am I? Quite the looker if you ask me.