"The difference between houses and homes"
So I’m finally leaving the nest. It’s as anti-climactic as any big moment in my (or anybody else’s) life. Sure, it’s a step, I’ll be paying my own rent and utilities and everything else for the first time- but the reality is that I’m merely sub-leasing a place for an indefinite amount of time about 3 miles from the house I grew up in.
My Dad, Lauren and Adam (future roomey!) helped me move in all the big furniture on Saturday (dresser, desk, TV, couch, chairs, table) before the snowstorm hit. It’s easy from here on out- just a few trips in the car.
Adding to the anti-climactic aspect is the fact that I’m going to be out-of-town my first two weekends after I’ve moved out. The first weekend of March I’ll be in CoMo taking some documentaries in the True/False Film Festival and taking 4 days to see all my friends (including celebrating my former bandmate/favorite anti-racist skinhead Timmy’s 22nd birthday) there that I don’t get to see in the typical rushed/last minute 36 hour or so trip. I also may come back with another body modification. The second weekend I’ll be in San Diego, seeing
not_on_fire and possibly Kristen or
xmydyingwishx.
While cleaning out my room, I discovered a few things. One was my notes from my road trip to New York and DC in May/June ’05, which I feared I had lost forever. Hopefully these will be another kick in my ass to keep on writing my novel. I’ve given a lot of consideration to writing it solely for myself and not showing it to anyone or attempting to get it published- but my vanity and unrealistic dreams of getting it published may put a halt to that. (Assuming I actually write it). Then there were years worth of pictures, notebooks of writing and doodles, newspaper clippings, show fliers- I’m a materialist in an odd sense. I find treasure in all this junk that is worth nothing monetarily, just for the sake of the memories and emotions that surrounded that point in my life- I can guarantee that I’m the most nostalgic person you’ll ever meet. That’s why I’m a pack rat.
I also discovered change and dollar bills. Lots of them. I now have $96 worth of change and dollar bills that I’ve either liberated from my wallet after purchases or found in my dresser or desk or on my floor. I figure this can either be used for a budget for food and beer for a couple months (excluding basic groceries- this is probably wishful thinking), the beginnings of savings for a flight or the cost of tattoo #2. (What can I say, my back is a canvass). I’m leaning towards the third one, even though it’s the most reckless option of the three. It’s a shame that getting a tatt x’s me out of giving blood for quite a while- especially since my artist is practically the definition of clean, ethical and serious about his craft.
I’ve been actually sitting down and watching movies lately.
I finally saw Green Street Hooligans and it was every bit as great as I anticipated. I’ve always had a fascination with subcultures whether it be straight edge hardcore kids, Satanic black metal bands, anarchists, extreme Christian fundamentalists or football (soccer, whatever) hooligans. In a way the film glamorizes violence, but also shows the cost- overall it’s about comraderie, trust, betrayal and yeah, the subculture of hooliganism- which in one sense is the extremist branch of love for a sports team, but in another is simply an excuse for the violent release of testosterone-fueled emotion. It shows it through the eyes of an American and although it isn’t as explicitly about class issues as Football Factory , there is an underlying issue of the emasculation that white working class males feel.
Also, while I’m not a West Ham United supporter, I must admit that “I’m forever blowing bubbles” is a fantastic team song. On a related note, I discovered the song “Fuck ‘em” by United People- a parody of Frankee’s “Fuck you right back” and Eamon’s “Fuck it” (call and response break-up songs in 2004) featuring a singer ranting about loving Manchester United and hating their rivals (everyone associated with Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and Leeds United, pretty much) with lots of f-bombs. I hate Manchester United. They’re only one of three sports teams I hate (the Yankees and Cubs being the others), Yet, I am fascinated with the song and can’t stop listening to it. I even made a possibly ill-advised attempt at writing a version for the White Sox (replace the above-mentioned rivals with various people associated with the Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins and Indians).
On a quick related sports note, I just finished reading Richard Roeper’s excellent book, Sox and the City - if you’re a die-hard Sox fan or want to understand why I’m a die-hard Sox fan, I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Also my Sox 13 game plan tickets came in the mail yesterday! Opening day's only 5 weeks away, baby!
I saw Factotum last night. I’m kind of undecided about it. Towards the end of 2006, I fell in love with Charles Bukowski’s writing. The film sort of shortchanges the book. I think the main themes of the book are presented well and Matt Dillon is a total natural as Henry Chinaski (aka Bukowski’s mildly fictionalized version of himself). Yet, I think the fact that it’s set and shot in Minneapolis in current times and stays stagnant in one place is pretty damaging. The book managed to define and put anyone who reads it in Los Angeles from the late ‘50s through early ‘70s. It was the undercurrent, the real LA- the people who lived there because they grew up there. Yet at the same time, chapters about St. Louis and Miami were both necessary to show Chinaki’s aimless drifting and failures. Maybe if I see further removed from reading the book I’ll enjoy it more.
Among my more dubious accomplishments lately include joining three (3!) fantasy baseball leagues and messaging back and forth a girl I met over MySpace. I’m still somewhat amazed that she wrote me back.
Anyway, I might write that 2006 entry tonight and post it sometime later this week. Tomorrow I might be bowling with
xmaybesomedayx , I'm excited about that.
My Dad, Lauren and Adam (future roomey!) helped me move in all the big furniture on Saturday (dresser, desk, TV, couch, chairs, table) before the snowstorm hit. It’s easy from here on out- just a few trips in the car.
Adding to the anti-climactic aspect is the fact that I’m going to be out-of-town my first two weekends after I’ve moved out. The first weekend of March I’ll be in CoMo taking some documentaries in the True/False Film Festival and taking 4 days to see all my friends (including celebrating my former bandmate/favorite anti-racist skinhead Timmy’s 22nd birthday) there that I don’t get to see in the typical rushed/last minute 36 hour or so trip. I also may come back with another body modification. The second weekend I’ll be in San Diego, seeing
not_on_fire and possibly Kristen or
xmydyingwishx.
While cleaning out my room, I discovered a few things. One was my notes from my road trip to New York and DC in May/June ’05, which I feared I had lost forever. Hopefully these will be another kick in my ass to keep on writing my novel. I’ve given a lot of consideration to writing it solely for myself and not showing it to anyone or attempting to get it published- but my vanity and unrealistic dreams of getting it published may put a halt to that. (Assuming I actually write it). Then there were years worth of pictures, notebooks of writing and doodles, newspaper clippings, show fliers- I’m a materialist in an odd sense. I find treasure in all this junk that is worth nothing monetarily, just for the sake of the memories and emotions that surrounded that point in my life- I can guarantee that I’m the most nostalgic person you’ll ever meet. That’s why I’m a pack rat.
I also discovered change and dollar bills. Lots of them. I now have $96 worth of change and dollar bills that I’ve either liberated from my wallet after purchases or found in my dresser or desk or on my floor. I figure this can either be used for a budget for food and beer for a couple months (excluding basic groceries- this is probably wishful thinking), the beginnings of savings for a flight or the cost of tattoo #2. (What can I say, my back is a canvass). I’m leaning towards the third one, even though it’s the most reckless option of the three. It’s a shame that getting a tatt x’s me out of giving blood for quite a while- especially since my artist is practically the definition of clean, ethical and serious about his craft.
I’ve been actually sitting down and watching movies lately.
I finally saw Green Street Hooligans and it was every bit as great as I anticipated. I’ve always had a fascination with subcultures whether it be straight edge hardcore kids, Satanic black metal bands, anarchists, extreme Christian fundamentalists or football (soccer, whatever) hooligans. In a way the film glamorizes violence, but also shows the cost- overall it’s about comraderie, trust, betrayal and yeah, the subculture of hooliganism- which in one sense is the extremist branch of love for a sports team, but in another is simply an excuse for the violent release of testosterone-fueled emotion. It shows it through the eyes of an American and although it isn’t as explicitly about class issues as Football Factory , there is an underlying issue of the emasculation that white working class males feel.
Also, while I’m not a West Ham United supporter, I must admit that “I’m forever blowing bubbles” is a fantastic team song. On a related note, I discovered the song “Fuck ‘em” by United People- a parody of Frankee’s “Fuck you right back” and Eamon’s “Fuck it” (call and response break-up songs in 2004) featuring a singer ranting about loving Manchester United and hating their rivals (everyone associated with Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and Leeds United, pretty much) with lots of f-bombs. I hate Manchester United. They’re only one of three sports teams I hate (the Yankees and Cubs being the others), Yet, I am fascinated with the song and can’t stop listening to it. I even made a possibly ill-advised attempt at writing a version for the White Sox (replace the above-mentioned rivals with various people associated with the Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins and Indians).
On a quick related sports note, I just finished reading Richard Roeper’s excellent book, Sox and the City - if you’re a die-hard Sox fan or want to understand why I’m a die-hard Sox fan, I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Also my Sox 13 game plan tickets came in the mail yesterday! Opening day's only 5 weeks away, baby!
I saw Factotum last night. I’m kind of undecided about it. Towards the end of 2006, I fell in love with Charles Bukowski’s writing. The film sort of shortchanges the book. I think the main themes of the book are presented well and Matt Dillon is a total natural as Henry Chinaski (aka Bukowski’s mildly fictionalized version of himself). Yet, I think the fact that it’s set and shot in Minneapolis in current times and stays stagnant in one place is pretty damaging. The book managed to define and put anyone who reads it in Los Angeles from the late ‘50s through early ‘70s. It was the undercurrent, the real LA- the people who lived there because they grew up there. Yet at the same time, chapters about St. Louis and Miami were both necessary to show Chinaki’s aimless drifting and failures. Maybe if I see further removed from reading the book I’ll enjoy it more.
Among my more dubious accomplishments lately include joining three (3!) fantasy baseball leagues and messaging back and forth a girl I met over MySpace. I’m still somewhat amazed that she wrote me back.
Anyway, I might write that 2006 entry tonight and post it sometime later this week. Tomorrow I might be bowling with
xmaybesomedayx , I'm excited about that.