Fallen Thoughts

:: 12.24.2002 ::

merry christmas, everyone!

I hope the time with friends and family relieves all the stresses that come along with the year's end. here's to another year gone by and all the best in the coming one. everyone have a great new year's eve celebration (I shall) and be careful.

:: posted by Michael at 6:44 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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after a talk I had last night, this quote was an especially interesting find:

"Our society doesn't encourage its children to dream: from school, they put in your mind that you can never earn your living by doing what you want. They say that nothing is easy, that the life is a test - you have to work hard, you have to slave away. In our educational system, talent isn't recognized; it's stifled because it scares people. Talent and creative gifts are disturbing because they're not based on merit, they don't come from the sweat of your brow. In our materialist world, where there's no place for fantasy, talented people are looked upon with suspicion while the greedy idiots who fight to become bosses - even if it means hurting others - are considered as men of real ability, men with ambition." -- Ben Harper / courtesy swer.net

amen, Ben.

:: posted by Michael at 3:40 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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there I go again, capturing the moment
was it always this way,
or was your observation made influentual?

they say a picture is worth a thousand words -
can a few words be worthy a picture?

I could open the shutter
and capture a moment in time
instead, a few lines are written
infused with rhyme

making photographs of my mind

:: posted by Michael at 3:45 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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happy thanksgiving, everyone!

digesting for round two..

:: posted by Michael at 2:53 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I recently posted about my friend mary ellen's recent misfortune and asked for a few kind thoughts. I just wanted to let everyone know that a site has been set up for friends and supporters to keep up with her condition. there is also a message board in place for everyone to drop a note to her with well wishes.

if you have a chance, drop by and give her a little message - she needs all the energy she can get in this tough time. thanks to everyone who has continued to keep mary ellen in your thoughts and for all the great wishes.

"feeling alone but we are here
paying the toll for our little world
days like these seem to take some time
when they're over, you will be fine"

come back to us soon, sleepy monkey..

:: posted by Michael at 4:30 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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22 - the age of self-mastery.

finding the great power within you and using it to do great things to benefit many others, learning not to limit yourself yet not glorify yourself (being guided only by the needs of humanity and how your abilities can be put to use in a big way), being a visionary and being a builder.

been a great day so far.. had a great conversation 'til almost sunrise last night and slept in until lunch. woke up to my own special birthday lunch, followed by cake & ice cream and opened presents from the family. I got some new clothes and a few other things, but the gas card has to be the most clutch gift of all. time to go enjoy the fruits.

:: posted by Michael at 3:08 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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looking out across the span of the middle oconee
the barren arms of a frail tree reach for the sky
a single leaf on each tip, yearning to fly

she doesnt utter a word but I know she's there
the first rays of moonlight tickle her hair
an unconscious stare and I wonder if she sees

the waters rush downstream while thoughts move slow
night navigates the trails
the canopy catches a cool night breeze in its sails

and we return to the gates
and my mind divagates
without uttering a word I wonder if she knows

:: posted by Michael at 11:31 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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here is the setlist from our show:

TOOL - 11.07.02
Leon County Civic Center - Tallahassee, FL

Intro
Cold & Ugly
The Grudge
(-) Ions
Stinkfist (Extended)
46 & 2
Long Jam
Schism
Short Jam
Parabol
Parabola
"A Message From Our Sponsors"
Third Eye
-----(Strange Intermission)-----
Disposition
Reflection
Triad (w. Tomas & Fredrik from Meshuggah)
Positivity Speech
Lateralus

and a few reviews of the show can be found here.

we (me, kyler, keith, jl, lacey, dewayne, & brett) got out of douglas around 4pm and had a pleasantly uneventful ride down to tallahassee. we missed a road and got a little lost, but after a quick stop at walgreen's, we were redirected and made it to the civic center.

we found a couple of spots in the lot around 7pm and started the usual lot rituals. we were soon interrupted by an old man with a lot to prove. he promptly made us pour out our beer, reminding us that it is against the law to drink within 500 feet of a college sports venue. because you know, people don't drink at college sporting events, right? anyway, we were respectful and made our way up to the door as he rudely demanded. we made our way in and headed to our section. just as I looked upon the letter 'k' on our row of seats (which were perfect), the lights dimmed for the opening act, meshuggah.

their singer was a little lame and the stage presence just wasn't what it could be, but I don't care for ranting on negative points of experiences. so instead, I'll say a little something about tomas haake, the drummer from meshuggah. holy shit - this guy was unreal. his barebones drumset would surely cower under the towering setup sported by most hard rock drummers, but he played the hell out of what was there. as their set progressed, I found myself just staring at him and smiling as I hung on his every move. so yes, bravo to tomas for a great display of drumming genius. after a good 45 minute - 1 hour set, meshuggah thanked the crowd and cleared the stage. lights up, roadies out, stage prepared, and after a short break the lights went down.

the band took the stage one-by-one, each receiving a gracious applause. I was anxious to see what maynard's attire would be and he did not disappoint. he stepped up and took his spot on the riser, decked in black (which he'd soon reduce to only black shorts) with a complimentary black stripe running down the middle of his head and face. a short introduction led into the opening song, cold & ugly - all the way back from their debut album, opiate. next up was one of kyler's favorites, the grudge. after ions, the band played a blistering stinkfist. then came a jaw-dropping segue of 46 & 2 > schism > parabol > parabola that did just that. as we were recovering, maynard announced a brief message from "our sponsors" and the crowd was inundated with the words of tim leary and bill hicks. the place roared as everyone anticipated what was coming - third eye. maynard wailed through his words with bullhorn in tow as the band played with what seemed the highest energy of the night. the stage lights began dimming and each member left the stage beneath a bluish purple haze and the strange sound of static coming from the speakers.

we seized the opportunity to sit down and have a smoke and get our shit together before the second set began. they came back out and hit us with disposition and reflection and then a set of rototoms were brought on stage. the guitarist and drummer from meshuggah joined the band for an epic triad, completed by a thunderous drum duet from tomas hakke and danny carey. afterwards, maynard gave a short speech on taking something positive from their show and doing something creative with it, as well as an urge to question authority. he ended with "drive safely and we'll see you on the other side.." just as they tore into the lateralus encore.

we made it out of the lot pretty quick, thanks to a low sidewalk. we took a (ahem) scenic tour through fsu, made a quick stop at arby's, and then made our way out of tallahassee and back to douglas. we all made it there and back in one piece with no big obstacles and everyone had a great time so I couldn't ask for much more. the show was really amazing - from the setlist to the stage presence and setup. the banners, backdrop, red glitter, floating parabola orbs - all added just that much more to a great show. so if you get the chance, go out and see them and you can thank me later..

:: posted by Michael at 8:50 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm going to see TOOL tonight.

:: posted by Michael at 10:01 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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please send your best wishes and most positive energy to a good friend of mine, mary ellen. her and a few of my best friends were out in new orleans for the panic run and after seeing a wonderful show on halloween night, mary ellen was struck by a car while crossing a street. she is in the hospital and has kevin and her family with her now and I'm hoping for the best..

:: posted by Michael at 7:57 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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happy belated halloween - boo.

:: posted by Michael at 2:23 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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late conversation
as light creeps through my blinds
we talk about tomorrow
and I wish I could leave today behind
more anxious to see your face,
to sit and laugh and share my wine

unanswered apologies for inconvenience -
to accept would not be right
no better way to end my day
than hearing your laughter take flight
no better way to lie asleep
than after softly saying goodnight

:: posted by Michael at 3:15 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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my mind combines intertwined rhymes
as these basslines find time
between snare hits and organ chimes

smoke rises from glass as seconds pass
got no grass, not a drop in the flask
eighteen in the fridge, wonder how long that'll last

sweat pours down my frosted mug
and I shrug at the living room rug
while Kraz signs his name through a plug

free jazz, the musical drug

a nod to inspiration.

:: posted by Michael at 3:58 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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guess what's one month from today?

it starts with 'b' and ends with 'irthday'..

first one to get it right gets a firm pat on the back.

:: posted by Michael at 10:00 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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about the healing..

my sister was at work the other day and a woman was in her co-worker's office. the woman came out and wasn't sure where to go to exit the building, so my sister offered to walk her out. as they walked, she told my sister that she was a sweet and beautiful girl and was just very friendly for walking her out. as they reached the door out, the lady asked my sister for a hug. she did, and as she went to pull away, the woman held on to her and wouldn't let go. my sister got a strange feeling in her head, but just thought it was because she'd been a bit sick lately.

when the woman finally pulled back, she looked at kelly and said "your ear infection is gone - it won't give you any trouble anymore." a warm feeling circled around in her head and then a cold wave went down through her body. now this is the crazy part. not only did kelly not know the woman at all, she hadn't told anyone at work about how she'd been feeling dizzy and faint lately. she'd told us, of course, and had made an appointment to have a CAT scan done after a couple of doctor visits hadn't turned up anything. no one had ever told her she had an ear infection, but it's very likely that the symptoms she'd been having could have been caused by one.

the whole experience shook kelly up and upset her, so she went back into her office and started crying. her co-workers asked her what was wrong, but all she could manage to say was "that woman.. that woman.." finally, someone asked the co-worker whose office the healing lady had been in who she was. the co-worker told kelly that the woman was her mother and that she healed people. she said she didn't mean to upset her, but she just does it randomly. when she meets someone and senses their illness, she can see the problem through touching them and can supposedly heal it.

kelly went and had the scans done, but they couldn't find anything wrong. and since that day, she hasn't felt any of the symptoms again.

:: posted by Michael at 3:35 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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my sister and I were just having a conversation and I thought I'd pose it here for the readers to ponder..

why do the commercials for herpes medication always feature really nice looking women in beautiful fields of flowers and visually pleasing backgrounds? doesn't that just over-glorify the situation a bit much? I want to see some dirty ass girl with canker sores around her mouth and some fried-out over-permed hair with more roots than an oak tree. it's called truth in advertising.

in other news, my sister was "healed" today. sounds crazy, but it made her a believer.

:: posted by Michael at 3:00 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I was going through my favorites and updating them and found that jennifer nettles has updated her site. it's a great redesign - both cosmetically and in ease-of-use. if you haven't heard her music, drop by her page and check out a couple of tracks. she has a few mp3s to download and a couple of videos here from gigs at her recently-purchased venue, eddie's attic.

also, as I was looking over her upcoming tour dates, I noticed the next couple of shows are being supported by maroon5. I don't know their music, but I knew the name seemed familiar. then I realized that I had read about them over at listen up! not too long ago. it seems that .sara digs them a lot, and I would guess that jen and her band share the sentiment.

so if you're around statesboro or columbus thursday or friday, respectively, go check out the show!

:: posted by Michael at 8:47 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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sheptastic is no more.

I wonder how long before they snatch up the domain, mays-style?

:: posted by Michael at 4:18 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I find an innocence in animals.

Lost in the significance.

The muscles of my soul are cramping beneath the weight of my mind.

:: posted by Michael at 4:14 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm the biggest packrat ever.

someone help me..

:: posted by Michael at 2:52 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I would love fries with that.

and to think, when I went to Mill Valley, I stopped by the In-N-Out and ordered a "milkshake". and what did they give me? a milkshake. weak. sauce. next time it's KFC or nothing at all.

:: posted by Michael at 7:31 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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"Berkeley is like a tiny San Francisco on crack."

no wonder all the Cali-locals told me I was an idiot when I said I really liked the place. I thought they were just jealous..

courtesy: the queen of berkeley.

:: posted by Michael at 5:04 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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if you are in or around the Seattle area, it'd be worth your time to drop by and check this out. not only do you get to see some great music for free, but you'll also be helping to support the rally against Bush's bullshit logging plan. "healthy forests initiative". right, Dubya.

:: posted by Michael at 1:39 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I finally gave my two step intros site a long-needed renovation. I've added lots of new intros, with a gracious amount of help from smitty's site. it's now much more easy to navigate the site and find the intro that you may be in search of. everyone stop by and check it out and let me know what you think. also, I just replaced the old version with this one, so I'm still looking over it for any errors or bugs. if you come across any, please leave a comment or send me an email and let me know about it. and I'm always accepting new submissions, so send 'em on!

many thanks to eric and jenks for their help.

:: posted by Michael at 3:43 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I just ordered tickets.

hell. yeah.

:: posted by Michael at 11:07 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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"pop" or "soda"?

which do you say?

thanks for the link, 'evil'.

:: posted by Michael at 11:22 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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the small picture on the top left of this page was taken one afternoon as I was walking from a friends house in athens, ga. the subject is a large wooden railroad trestle that has been out of service for quite some time. the overall appearance of it - over a centuries worth of wear, the contrasting lines, and the way it emerges from its surroundings - coupled with the lush background just screamed photo op. the picture turned out well, and I thought it a fitting photograph for my personal journal. it depicts one of my favorite haunts, the biggest small town in the world, athens, georgia. the trestle also serves as a symbol for history, travel, and a link between people. perfect for an online journal, right? but little did I know, I was snapping a shot of a very special landmark to quite a few people. after hearing about a newspaper article on the trestle from my good friend Josh, I hopped on the web and was quite surprised at the fame of this dilapidated structure.

apparently, this trestle is the same one which graces the back cover of R.E.M.'s 1983 release, Murmur. in recent years, the fate of the trestle seemed bleak as city officials were faced with deciding what to do with the town's century old trestles. though others were destroyed and cleared away for access to the land they occupied, the murmur trestle was saved when countless fan emails poured into the mayor's inbox pleading for it to be spared.

since then, many fans have began making donations to help preserve the trestle and its legacy as a part of R.E.M.'s, and the town of athens' history. another large contribution was made by Ethan Kaplan of murmurs.com, using his oft-visited fansite to raise a considerable amount of money for the trestle through the sell of t-shirts. obviously, the band was very appreciative of their fan's support on the issue and have continued to return their support for the memorable landmark.

..and knowing is half the battle.

:: posted by Michael at 10:03 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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a bit of freestyle conversation, with slight grammatical editing:

bustas can't ignore the repertoire we've busted before,
wood duck up to explore avenues and that's what the word is for.
so I'll move with perogative, my hobby is to live.
I'm driven from within to find the secrets that connect yesterday
with tomorrow, history with today, all this time trying to keep my way.
trying to keep what I say woven in the minds by these lines
like I'm the dream weaver.
seems the believer will read words and turn them into actions.

I got a good paragraph in store for the rafters of your mind,
supporting the roof of your skull, holding the weight of a world of ideas.
turning fears into realizations, uniting nations in the simplicity
of the need to love each and every soul.
making you feel somewhat whole, when your words roll
so effortlessly from those dark corners onto the page
and the indications are realized ten-fold.

so speak with simplicty, no need for I believe.
we'll make waters ripple, make the children within giggle
and move past the individual torwards what the lord calls us here for.
the sangha is inseperable, this soul community
with the sole purpose of immunity from the world's materialisms, this blurred delerium.

I can't speak down on material
as we keep in touch through the power of these thousand dollar machines,
I can only hope that soon Man will incorporate
more thought towards nature in his ever-progressing dreams.
streaming waters to streaming audio, ripples to ripping mp3s.
makes it hard for this simple mind to conceive the possibilites of what the future may hold.
I do know my streets of gold may well be straw,
for soft travels as I look out on an entire world to behold.

yet I pray I'll know when to refrain,
for sometimes I feel like the straw man without a brain.
and the crows are coming from all around to eat in my fields and laugh in my face,
but I feel a smooth draft will replace all that.
my streets of gold unfold into the yellow brick road leading to the wizard,
and until he is heard, I'll blurt out "there's no place like home".
and you'll know I mean douglas g-a,
where your ugly mug sprays into the early morning rays.

I'd play a masterful Lion, I've surely got the mane.
I have far too many thoughts to be lacking a brain.
I love far too many things to not possess a heart.
it's my lack of courage that brings the most pain.
a constant refrain from the possibilities of my abilities,
arresting these thoughts with my cowardly chains.
let the wizard grant me the motivation to let my thoughts be heard
and arm in arm we'll travel along that yellow brick road again.

skipping thoughts off the mind's waters like stones,
but with no bones, for we both know we're in the zone.
in the depths of despair, we share the light.
we care to cite the manual of north pearl that's kept in the shell
only when the mouth shuts and the mind swells with no outlet.
can't forget the wood duck outfit, rockin' the tees like a modern socrates.
droppin' the beat, proppin' up the feet, speaking of souls complete.

:: posted by Michael at 6:56 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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unchanging relations between nations leave doorways closed
centuries of struggle in the name of their Gods
only to find the resolution lying just under their nose

I suppose that through war, man feels secure in himself
gaining justification because they're killing in His name
absurd that millions more will die before reason is pulled from the shelf

:: posted by Michael at 5:04 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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one year ago today, I was at such a loss. I sat on the edge of my bed and didn't say a word as I watched.

that afternoon, I sat in spanish class and reflected the faces of everyone around me. I wrote a poem.

9.11.01

Crumbled concrete covers the ground
Sounds of sirens muffled by headfuls of why
A symbol of peace in an ignited mound
Thick clouds of darkness inhabit the skies

Thousands of fallen faces parade through my mind
Leaving space more vacant than a room of Amontillado wine
'For the love of God,' their thoughts as they watch the situation unwind
'For the love of God,' their thoughts as they piloted their suicide

it seemed no matter who I talked to or what they said, no one had the words I needed to hear. it was that evening that I found a new appreciation for online journals. throughout the night and the days following, I browsed through numerous journals. I read feelings of sadness, depression, anger, carelessness, revenge.. and no matter how those people felt, regardless if I agreed with their views, it served a consolation that I hadn't found until then. if I could, I would list every page that I read and I would thank them. instead, I offer a general thanks to the people who put their minds out there for others like myself who were looking for a place to find peace.

:: posted by Michael at 4:31 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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look who updated!

:: posted by Michael at 4:49 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm off to Athens for the first time in a couple of months.. have a great weekend all!

oh yeah, someone else is on vacation, too. he's just better at announcing it. enjoy, mr. roberts!

:: posted by Michael at 4:31 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Bonnaroo journal cont'd..

when we woke up on Sunday, Kayla had to head back over to Barbarino and see what the plan was. they had all decided to go ahead and ride back on Sunday, due to school obligations on Monday. we'd all had a great time going to shows together the day before, so I was pretty sad to see them leaving when we had an entire day of great music ahead of us. Chris came back over to our camp and we tried to convince him to stay, but he's a good boyfriend and of course he had to go back with Amanda. so we said our goodbyes and got ready for day three.

after sleeping in for a bit and seeing the Barbarino kids off, we were a good way into the afternoon. Esther came by the camp and checked in with us, and we made plans to meet back with her at camp after the Trey set. she took off to meet her friends and we decided to head straight for the Arena stage for the 4PM Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer show. Kev and ME are both Bela fans and I'd seen him put on a stellar set with the Flecktones a couple of months earlier, so we were all excited for the show. we ran into a friend of Kev & ME's from Savannah early in the show. he had a digicam with him and showed us some pictures from the press tent earlier that day. soon after, I took advantage of the well-spaced crowd and made my way up front for some pictures of my own. I wasn't able to get very close for many of the sets, so I was really happy to be just a couple of rows back and center stage for a bit. I took a few shots and headed back out to enjoy the show from afar. the set was truly a showcase, showing just how talented Bela and Edgar are. since they met, Edgar has encouraged Bela more and more to get into classical music. at the Midtown Flecktones set back in May, Bela came out and did a classical piece solo, so he'd obviously been working on it. he also just recently completed a classical album, Perpetual Motion, which features many guest artists, including Meyer. it was a quite nice change of pace - hearing some brilliantly performed classical pieces beneath the Tennessee sun. speaking of, about midway through the show, the unrelenting sun stepped behind the curtains and it began to rain! for 80,000 sunburned, thirsty, water-lacking people, it was truly a miracle. it was just a short summer shower, lasting maybe 15 minutes, but seeing everyone dancing in the rain with their heads back and smiles on their faces was one of the most memorable scenes of the weekend.

after Bela and Edgar came another decision time. we all knew we wanted to go see Phil and Bobby, but at the same time were three other great acts - The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Norah Jones (rowr..), and the SuperJam. I'll never understand why they couldn't have scheduled the SuperJam to start just after Phil, but I suppose that's how things go.. regardless, we picked up and headed over to the Stadium for Phil & Friends. I've just gotten really into the Dead in the past year or two, and had never seen any of the original members perform, and now I was fortunate enough to see Phil and Bobby on stage together! also a treat was seeing two other favorites, Jimmy Herrin and Rob Barraco, play with them, too. somewhere in between stages, ME ran into a friend of hers, Eric, and he joined us at the show. the crowds at all of the shows were great, but everyone at Phil & Friends seemed to be in such a great mood. we were treated to some amazing songs - a set opening 'Liberty', a classic segue featuring 'Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower > Night Of A Thousand Stars > Jack Straw > No More Do I', followed by 'Not Fade Away' and 'I Know You Rider'. after a very short break, they came back out for a well-received encore with 'Sugar Magnolia (Sunshine Daydream) > Tennessee Jed'. I was really eager to catch some of the SuperJam, so we headed back over to the Arena beneath a beautiful sunset and the sounds of 'Sunshine Daydream'. as 'Tennesee Jed' faded behind us, the sounds of 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' greeted us. we watched the remainder of the SuperJam set and then made our way back over to the Stadium for the final show of the weekend, the Trey Anastasio Band.

we danced through the crowd to the eclectic spinning from DJ Z-Trip and found a nice spot to watch the show. there had been many rumors of a Phish reunion during Trey's set, but they were quickly discounted as the weekend went on. still, a very drained crowd amassed at the Stadium for the final set of the weekend. once TAB started up, it seemed there was no stopping them. I'm not very familiar with their music, but it seemed as if Trey were a director more than simply a frontman. he led the group through a blazing first set that topped out at around 2 1/2 hours. needless to say, the crowd was beat and as the band took their leave for intermission, everyone just seemed to topple to the ground. the intermission was quite long, giving everyone a much needed rest. we sat and smoked for a bit with some of our neighbors and snapped some random pictures of the surrounding pholks. I had gotten quite comfortable and when the 2nd set started up, I found myself still relaxing on the ground. after a couple of songs, I regained my feet and enjoyed the rest of the show. soon after, Trey picked up an acoustic and sat down for a couple of unplugged tunes for all the phans. this was personally my favorite part of the show, hearing him do beautiful renditions of 'Wilson' (with some great crowd interaction) and 'Bathtub Gin'. the orchestr.. er, band reappeared and they closed out the set. afterwards, a couple of folks from AC and Superfly came out and thanked the crowd for the great weekend and wished everyone a safe return home.

we slumbered our way back to camp and found Esther relaxing. we all sat and talked about the weekend and had a bite to eat. Kevin passed out pretty soon, so the three of us smoked and enjoyed our last night at the camp. after Esther and ME fell asleep, I began cleaning up a little and getting ready to retire myself. as I was walking around the camp, I heard the sounds of guitars and mandolins coming from across the path. I hadn't had the chance to play all weekend, so I headed over to see what was going on. to my surprise, a guy who had walked over to our camp earlier was there along with some of his friends. they had a nice setup and an RV and invited me to sit. we sat and jammed for a while, and I got to play a nice acoustic and another guy's mandolin! after seeing music all weekend, I was very eager to play and very much enjoyed the chance to pick with them. I finally walked back over to our camp as the sun was creeping over the horizon. after watching an amazing sunrise, I drifted away with a smile on my face and thoughts of a great weekend dancing in my head..

the next day was sad, indeed. we woke to find the area suprisingly empty, but there were still many long, long lines of vehicles trying to make their way out of the campgrounds. we, of course, were in no big hurry and took it easy, slowly getting our things together and bringing down the camp. we got the car loaded up around 3PM and made our way to one of the lines off the end of 8th. we pulled up and came to a standstill, not moving more than 3 or 4 carlengths in the span of close to an hour. it was pretty fun, seeing everyone waiting in line and partying in the face of inconvenience, but obviously everyone was ready to get on the road and make their respective trips home. our saving grace came in the form of an older guy on an ATV. he rode up and let us know that the back gate, which we had unsuccessfully tried to make it through earlier, was now open. we all piled back in the Honda and struck a trail for the exit. in no time, we were out of the grounds and riding through a neighborhood just outside of Manchester. just like that, we were back in the real world. we made a quick stop at a station for gas along with many other 'Roo-ers and then we were back on the interstate and heading for home.

the trip back was beautiful. it had been dark when we were coming up from Atlanta on the way there, so we weren't able to see the mountains and lush scenery around Chattanooga and north Georgia. it was quite nice enjoying the surroundings while watching other carloads of blue-wristbanded folks doing the same. we made it back to Esther's hotel and dropped in to rest our weary bones. we decided to all have dinner together and walked down to Steak N' Ale, another first for me. after eating bagels, pizza, and sandwiches all weekend, I felt like a king - we were actually being served! sweet tea, salad, bread, chicken.. I felt spoiled, to say the least. it was a great way to bring our time together to an end. we said goodbye to our wonderful new friend Esther and were once again on the road.. Douglas or bust! we pulled into North Pearl late Monday night and began unloading Kev and ME's things. they still had a little trip ahead, having to ride back to Savannah that night. so they got packed up and headed out and with that, our Bonnaroo weekend came to a close.

I'm guessing that it's obvious in my writing a novella that I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life that weekend. I do have a few regrets - with there being 80,000 or so people there, it wasn't always easy running into those you know. two of the most wonderful girls in the world, Shelly and Whitney, were camping there all weekend and although we played phone tag a few times, we never managed to get together. I had been looking forward to seeing some music with my girls, but unfortunately it just didn't happen. I also missed Covey, Ivey Hughes, and a few of the Nancies folk who were in attendance. I missed some good music that I'd have loved to see, too, but with the list of shows I did see, I'd be crazy to be the least bit ungrateful. regardless, I had a great group of folks with me for the weekend and I want to thank all of them for sharing such a wonderful experience with me.

prior to the weekend, I put together a little Bonnaroo site to try and get in touch with everyone and let them know my plans. since the weekend, I've posted up a few aerial photos of the grounds that everyone should check out. it really gives you a new perspective on just how huge the event was. I'll be posting my journal entries there soon and I'll also post my pictures from the weekend there just as soon as I can get my scanner in order again. I hope everyone who went had as great a time as I did and for those of you who missed it - maybe you were able to experience it vicariously through my memories of the weekend.. thanks for reading!

:: posted by Michael at 6:09 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I watched a great meteor shower the other night and I've been working on some new music over at North Pearl. I logged on with intentions of finishing up the Bonnaroo epic, but I'm just not in the mood right now.

so instead, this:

Where Everything Is Music

Don't worry about saving these songs!
And if one of our instruments breaks,
it doesn't matter.

We have fallen into the place
where everything is music.

The strumming and the flute notes
rise into the atmosphere,
and even if the whole world's harp
should burn up, there will still be
hidden instruments playing.

So the candle flickers and goes out.
We have a piece of flint, and a spark.

This singing art is sea foam.
The graceful movements come from a pearl
somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach up like spindrift and the edge
of driftwood along the beach, wanting!

They derive from a slow and powerful root
that we can't see.

Stop the words now.
Open the window in the center of your chest,
and let the spirits fly in and out.

from 'The Essential Rumi' - translations by Coleman Barks

and if you're reading, I hope the root canal wasn't too bad..

:: posted by Michael at 5:31 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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rest easy, Mikey..

my heart and thoughts go out to the entire Panic Family.

"I awoke from this beatific binge
With prismatic eyes, now lite is tinged
With all the vapors that the vile humans brew
Shining through the.. blight of you"

- brute., 'Blight'

:: posted by Michael at 5:17 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I had to cut in the Bonnaroo story to get this out:

I've never had to deal with someone close to me being murdered before. I got "the call" yesterday around 11AM. I haven't slept much since then.. it's a feeling like none I've ever experienced before. it opens your eyes so wide to a world that can be so very cold. it makes me wish I could blink and erase such cruelty.

Thomas was the kind of guy that you could meet once and feel like you'd known him forever. I was fortunate enough to meet him and have him as a friend. a great friend. I just wanted to tell all of you great people who read daily, stop by now and again, or even just happen to drop by - please send all of your positive energy to Thomas' family and friends. and to all of my friends who may be reading - much love to all of you.

please remember that no one is promised tomorrow.. speak your mind, follow your heart, reach as high as you must to grab your dreams and bring them down so that you may bring them to life. treasure the time we have together..

"I can't tell you how many ways that I've sat
And viewed my life today, but I can tell you
I don't think that I can find an easier way
So if I see you walking hand in hand in hand
With a three armed man, you know I'll understand

But you should have been in my shoes yesterday
You should have been in my shoes yesterday"

- Blind Melon, 'St. Andrew's Fall'

:: posted by Michael at 3:50 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I woke up for day two feeling much better than the day before. being cracked out from lack of sleep isn't the best of feelings. I came around at about 10 or 11 AM. when the sun rose in the morning, the tents turned into little ovens, which made it pretty hard to sleep very late. this was a good thing, though, as there was always music going on. can't enjoy the music with your head buried in a sleeping bag.

Chris showed up at our camp around noon. we snapped a few pictures of the camp and hit a good bowl, then walked over to his camp to see what was shakin' in Barbarino. they didn't bring a tarp with them, so the girls were baking in the afternoon heat. knowing the value of shade, we decided to set them up a little makeshift roof with the rain cover from their tent. worked like a charm. I sat and enjoyed the fruit of our labor for a bit and then headed back over to my camp to see what Kev and ME were up to. after a bite to eat and a couple of beers, we packed up the cooler and went back to meet the Barbarino kids. we got everything together and then struck out for the Stadium and Ben Harper.

the performance at Bonnaroo was the first time I'd seen Ben in over a year, last seeing him and the Innocent Criminals at Music Midtown in May 2001. it was also the first time I'd seen a solo set from him. as we approached the entrance to the Stadium, we saw a massive sea of people channeling through the small gates like sand through an hourglass. we stopped for a moment, thinking we might just head back over to the Arena and catch Robert Randolph's set with a much smaller crowd. when we were just about to head back, the gate security saw their dilemma and decided to give in. they stopped checking bags and whatnot and took a step back, letting the waiting crowd pour through the gates and in to the show. we joined right in and made our way through the crowd to a nice spot mid-stage.

the show kicked off with a new version of an old song, 'Steal My Kisses'. after a beautiful string of acoustic songs, the crowd was treated to a song off of Ben's upcoming album called 'When It's Good'. this was another first, being my first time hearing it played. just before, during 'Please Bleed', I got up and made my way a bit closer to try and get some decent pictures with my not-so-decent camera. in my carelessness I got lost from my spot, but I realized that getting lost at Bonnaroo was about as easy as blinking. so I got a few shots and wandered around for a while, just taking in the music and the crowd - such a great, great crowd. after a bit I found my crew again and sat back on our blanket to enjoy the rest of the show. about the time I got back, Leon Mobley came out to join Ben for 'Burn One Down > My Own Two Hands', 'The Woman In You', 'Forever', and 'Mama's Got A Girlfriend Now'. Ben closed out the set with 'Sexual Healing' and then came back on with a beautiful 'Pleasure & Pain' for the encore. when he was done, he thanked the crowd and told everyone he'd see them over at Jack Johnson.

during Jack's show, ME took off to meet some friends at Disco Biscuits and the Barbarino girls found a nice spot to put a blanket down. Kev ran into some folks he knew and held our ground with them. Jack has only been touring a little over a year, starting his touring days opening for Ben & the Criminals in early 2001, and has one album, 'Brushfire Fairytales', under his belt. he and his band got quite a nice turnout for their Bonnaroo set and they did not disappoint. Jack got tuned up and played a couple of songs solo to start out the set. then he invited a special guest on stage - an audience full of smiling faces watched the cutest little 9 year old girl make her way onto the stage. Jack introduced her as Scarlet and said she was going to play the drums for us. Jack and Merlo (the bass player) then joined her for 'Three Is A Magic Number', after which she recieved a rousing applause. (just IMAGINE being 9 years old and playing in front of 30,000 - 40,000 people. amazing.) just after a nice 'Sexi Plexi' that featured a little tease of Paul Simon's 'Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard', Jack invited DJ Logic out to scratch on 'Stepping Stones' > 'Rodeo Clowns'. nearing the end of the set, Jack got the crowd pulsing with a long medley of covers, including 'Who Do You Love?', 'Trenchtown Rock', and 'Garden Grove' among others. after 'Mudfootball', he brought out his good friend Ben Harper to sit in with him for the Band Of Gypsies tune 'Who Knows', and then ended the set with Harper on 'Flake'. he got a great response from the audience and although I was the only one of our group that had seen him before, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the show.

when Jack's set was over, String Cheese Incident had already started, so we took off back towards the Stadium to catch the rest of their set. I've only had the pleasure of seeing SCI once before, so I'm still pretty new to their music, but I knew what to expect. I'm not good with song titles at all, but I think we walked up during 'It Is What It Is'. when we established a spot to watch the show, Nershi introduced a "new friend" of the band that was going to join them on stage. Steve Winwood came out and played with the boys on 'Latinissmo' > 'I'm A Man'. the latter track was a nice treat for the fans, as it was the first time the band had covered the song live and it brought out another special guest, Karl Denson. a couple of members of Denson's Tiny Universe came out for the next couple of songs, followed by the set ending 'Black Clouds' > 'Kashmir' > 'Black Clouds'. the group came back out to begin the encore with the always a treat 'Search > Drums > Search'. the Disco Biscuits set was ending about this time and Kev thought we should try and go hook back up with ME, so we made our way out of the Stadium to the sounds of the drums. I danced my way out, fresh off of another wonderful show from SCI. I look forward to seeing them again as soon as possible..

as me, Kev, and Chris (not sure what happened to our girls during this time - that part's pretty hazy) were walking past the Arena to go find ME, we were sucked in by the sounds of the band onstage. the sounds were that of old-school hip-hop and they were courtesy of the band Jurassic 5. after hearing a recording of the full show, I found that we walked up right after they played two of my favorite tracks, but nevertheless, we got DOWN for the remainder of the set. we walked up, sat the cooler down, and danced our white asses off. it was such a nice change of pace to hear some good old-school style hip-hop.. I just wish I had pictures of our faces during that last half-set. I'm not too familiar with all of their music so it's tough to throw out any song names, but regardless, it was a blast! I'll surely be familiarizing myself with the group and their music in the years to come. when the music stopped and we had our damn-that-was-great smoke, we found the cooler empty and we had about an hour until it was time to Panic again.

we struck out for Barbarino to go take a break from it all and re-up for the rest of the night. after a short rest and a cooler cram, we were back on the road to the Stadium. on the way back Chris wasn't feeling that great, but we could hear the show getting started and he was determined to make it. once we arrived at the Stadium, we made our way to a great little place on the right side of the stage. after stellar versions of 'Blue Indian' and 'Pigeons', the boys broke into 'Happy Child'. as they were segueing into 'Ain't Life Grand', Dottie Peoples and her choir made their way onto the stage to help out with 'Ain't Life Grand' > 'Tall Boy' > a RARE 'Testify'. the harmony of the choir brought so much to the songs, giving them wonderful layers of vocals. they exited as Panic brought it back to 'Tall Boy' and closed out the first set. and talk about dancin'.. whew! I was almost glad to see the first set come to an end for fear of my legs giving out. during the first set, we met a great group of kids beside us from Arkansas(?). Holly and Tom come to mind, but then again I could be completely wrong. we also met a very nice girl named Gray Moore who ended up giving us a copy of the setlist after the show. thanks! regardless of my lack of recollection, they were great concert neighbors and it wouldn't be the last time we'd see them.. the second set opened with a nice medley of 'Disco' > 'Thought Sausage' > 'This Part Of Town'. soon after, George McConnell (see: Kudzu Kings) joined the stage for 'Stop Breakin' Down Blues'. for their next trick, the band brought out two more good friends - Athens native Randall Bramblett got in on the act and Steve Winwood hopped on the keys. Winwood led the way through a first for Panic - a cover of 'Glad', written by Winwood with his band Traffic. then they segued seamlessly into another Winwood-penned tune, 'Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys'. Winwood's vocals and soft keys blending with JoJo, along with Bramblett's subtle sax made for an excellent 'Low Spark'. they seemed to think so as well, extending the song into a long jam before leaving the stage to let Sunny do his thing on 'Drums'. as if we hadn't already been treated to a multitude of talented special guests, Ben Harper percussionist Leon Mobley and DJ Logic took the stage to join Sunny for a riveting drum display. after the intense first set and the songs with Winwood, much of the crowd took a seat at the beginning of 'Drums'. but almost as soon as they were down, most everyone came back to their feet thanks to the glowing stage presence of Mobley. with only his djembe in tow, Mobley put on an amazing display keeping rhythm with the superb percussion work of Mr. Ortiz. Logic made himself known from the shadows of the sidestage, layering his scratches over the onslaught of percussion. one-by-one, the band made it's way back on stage to fall into 'Vacation', and then ended the set with 'Space Wrangler' > 'Love Tractor'. after a short break, they returned for a great 3-song segue encore of 'Visiting Day' > 'Arleen' > 'City Of Dreams'.

during some part of the second set, Chris took off and said he'd be right back. famous last words.. me and Kev waited around for a bit after the show to try and find him, but we finally decided to just join our new Arkansas friends and walk over for the late-night Galactic set. when we got to the tent, it was already packed out and the Galactic funk was in full effect. Kevin made his way into the tent, but I couldn't deal with the crowd, so I found a place just outside and got down to the funk. I was pretty out of it so I can't recall what part of the show I heard - I do remember a song with Les Claypool and another soon after with Michael Kang of SCI. finally I got so tired that I just walked away from Kev and the Galactic tent as they were doing a wild rap medley. I made my way over to the other tent to see what was going on with moe.'s set. their tent seemed to be even more jammed, so I filed in behind a little security golf cart and made it through the crowd and out to the campgrounds.

with hopes of getting off of my feet as soon as possible, I headed to the closest camp. when I got to the Barbarino Kids' camp, I found the elusive Chris sleeping HARD in his tent. I'm still not sure how or when he got there, but it was obvious that he had done the right thing. I took a load off and had a smoke while listening to the music still pouring from CenteRoo. after a few minutes Amanda, Kayla, and Kate showed up and we caught up on the evenings events. it wasn't long before Kate and Amanda had joined Chris in the tent, so Kayla and I sat and had a great conversation while watching the fireworks and hearing the bands behind us. we finally decided to make the walk over to my camp and fell asleep to the sounds of Bonnaroo..

stay tuned..

:: posted by Michael at 7:04 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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as we pulled onto the campgrounds, the reality of it all began sinking in like an anvil in quicksand. this would be our home for the next four days. and oh what an amazing four days it would be. as we came through the gate, we were supplied with a Bonnaroo CD (the sweet sounds vol. 2 - but, where is vol. 1?), a wristband, and a map of the site. looking around, we found ourselves in the midst of a huge sea of people, cars, RVs, and tents - just beautiful. it was around 9 or 10 AM when we went in, so naturally, we had to head to the back to find a nice spot to camp. after riding for a while, scoping out a few sites, running into Mary Ellen's brother, and just taking it all in, we found a cozy little spot off of 8th Ave. in Camp Tootie.

the organizers of the event chose to set the campsite up in a sort of grid, with eight avenues running across the camps and three or four roads running perpendicular to them. each block was a different camp, which were all named for various TV characters from over the years. while there were many great names for the different camps - Camp Tubbs, Camp Rosco P. Coltrane, Camp Apu, and Camp Re-Run come to mind - we decided to call Camp Tootie home. we only had a couple of hours or so until the first of the music started, so we decided to unload some stuff and get our site set up. we set up my big tent (thanks Kevin's mom) beside my car and the little tent just above it. soon after, we realized that a tarp was necessary, as did most every other camp there. we draped the tarp from my car over to the big tent, giving us a nice area beside the car to relax and stay in the shade.

we went for a walk to try and establish our whereabouts and whatnot. we soon found that Kevin's sister and a group of her friends were camping in the same camp as us, and I walked across the street into Camp Barbarino and found another group of friends who'd drove up the day before us - Chris, Amanda, Kate, and Kayla. later, when we found out where the folks were that Esther was meeting, it ended up being just a bit down 8th from our camp, so everything looked to be going perfectly so far.

after Esther found her people, we decided to pack a cooler and go hear some music. we got a bit of a late start, so the first show we hit up was Soulive at the Arena. I'd heard about these guys after getting a show of theirs from Conner, and I really liked what I heard. they have a nice jazzy groove and love to jam. Kevin and ME (short for Mary Ellen; not an egotistical attempt at drawing attention to myself - that's why I have a blog) had also been listening to them a bit lately, so all three of us were pumped for the show. the original three members of the group - Neal Evans, Al Evans, and Kras - took the stage and set things off right with a fiery rendition of 'Steppin''. next up was 'Turn It Out', during which their newest member, saxophonist Sam Kininger, joined them for the remainder of the set. after a few songs, Al asked the crowd for requests. there were a few 'Jesus Children's and 'Shaheed's called out, but of course the loudest would call out for 'Steppin''. Al replied with something along the lines of "well, we would play that one, but we opened the set with it.. didn't someone say 'Jesus Children'?", and they ripped into a blazing medley of 'Jesus Children > Who Knows > Drum Solo > Who Knows > Jesus Children'.

the show was everything I had expected from this foursome. naturally, you would expect me to be ecstatic after my first Soulive show and eagerly anticipating the next show from Gov't Mule. and I was, but there was one small problem - I hadn't slept yet. since I left home. there I was about 30 hours later, of which about 11 or 12 were spent driving, in the mist tent (aka - heaven) wondering how much longer I'd be able to go on.. I'd had a couple of beers and smoked a bit, which I found didn't mix well with sleep deprivation, 12 hours on the road, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. before long, I started walking towards the campgrounds, almost unknowingly. I wanted more than anything to stay for Mule, but I just couldn't take it anymore. as I trodded through the campsites, I realized that I didn't know where in the hell our camp was. so I walked. and I walked some more. I thought I would surely blackout a few times, but I just kept walking. I finally found a nice place to lay down and I passed out for a bit - after a brief nap, I moved on and finally found our camp. I then proceeded to pass out with authority, not to mention a roof over my head.

Kev and ME came back to the camp and woke me from my two-hour power nap. though it may not sound like much, I was literally a new person after those two wonderful hours. we headed back to the musical mecca and prepared to Panic. true to form, we missed the first few of songs of the first set, but we managed to find a few familiar faces and got a nice place at the Stadium to watch the show. the first surprise came with the appearance of Randall Bramblett on sax, sitting in for 'Down' and 'Sometimes', after which the boys closed out the first set with 'Imitation Leather Shoes'. the remainder of the show was awesome. I'd heard Another Joyous Occasion and a few other random shows featuring The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, but I'd yet to see the two collaborate live. that is, until now. after an amazing 'Driving > Porch > Driving > Breathing Slow', the DDBB came on for 'Red Hot Mama' and 'Fishwater'. they were followed by a nice 'Drums', which featured Matt Abts of Gov't Mule. the encore brought things to a close with a moving 'Old Joe' and the sounds of 'Travelin' Light'. the show was full of energy and surprises, thanks to the brass sounds of Bramblett and the DDBB and the pulsing drums of Mr. Abts. after the show, with the help of the Clean Vibes crew, the remaining crowd cleaned up the ENTIRE Stadium area, which wasn't small by any means. I thought it was amazing how such a small group of people could clean such a large area in just a few minutes. it was the first time I'd seen this done at a show and I hope it won't be the last.. "noooow that you're goooone, baby I'm sooober every night.. I caaan't get hiiigh, oh, can't get it right." sorry, got stuck in the moment. and I can't get out of it. heh.

after Panic, we were running low in the cooler department and were pretty hungry. we decided to head back to camp to re-up and grab a bite to eat and then return for the Keller Incident and KDTU. we got back to camp and Kevin decided to cook up a few chicken quesadillas with the tortillas and chicken tenders we acquired on the way up. little did I know, I was about to enjoy the best meal of the weekend. needless to say, the quesadilla hit the spot, leaving us all full and satisfied - and TIRED. after ME had fallen asleep, Kev and I figured we could get a short nap in and then head back for some music. alas, with the closing of our eyes came the end of night one, a beautiful beginning to a weekend I'll never forget.

to be continued..

:: posted by Michael at 6:24 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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now that I've had a week to let it all sink in, my thoughts on last weekend remain the same. Bonnaroo was amazing! in the weeks leading up to it, I tried to not anticipate it too much so as to not build myself up for a (hardly possible) letdown. when it came time to head out, I was pretty much beside myself, but I kept it cool.. gotta get there first.

the day started out with a trip over to North Pearl to pick up Kevin. he'd stayed up late the night before catching up with his old roommate and had to be up at 8 AM for an important appointment. of course he was exhausted, so he decided to catch a quick nap - about 10 minutes before I showed up to pick him up. so I sat impatiently waiting for a good 2 hours when I decided I should probably go ahead and take care of a couple of things around town and give him a chance to wake up. I got back about an hour later and there he was, sleeping like a baby. he came around pretty soon and we got on the road around 3 PM and headed out to Savannah to pick up Mary Ellen and a few things for the weekend.

while on the way there, we found out that Mary Ellen's bags had been lost somewhere on her flight from California. it didn't necessarily slow our trip, but she had to rummage through years of old clothes to find something to take for the weekend. by the time we got to her house, she was all ready to go, but of course her mom didn't think so. after about 30 minutes of cleaning out her kitchen, she felt we were prepared and we said goodbye.

next stop, Kevin's house. of course when we get there, his mom has a full course meal waiting on us.. bless her. we sat down and ate and then it was HER turn to be a mom. she filled the den with so much stuff - it was like being in a sporting goods store. being the nice guys we are, Kevin and I decided it'd be best to go outside and throw the frisbee while the women did all of the packing. so we got all the stuff in the Honda and we were off again. we made a quick run to the Savannah Airport in hopes of Mary Ellen's bags being there, but no luck. so now it was on to Atlanta to pick up Esther, who had been waiting at her hotel for us to pick her up for WAY too long.

after getting lost for a bit, we finally made it to Esther's hotel. I walked in and caught a dirty look from the doorman, quickly reaffirming my guilt for leaving her waiting for a good half-day. I looked across the lobby and saw her sleeping quite uncomfortably with all of her bags surrounding her. guilt trip #2. I woke her up and gave her a big hug and helped her with her things. she gave a warm goodbye to the doorman and the woman working the front desk, which I couldn't help but find hilarious. I'd left her waiting so long that she was now on a first name basis with the ENTIRE hotel staff. as we're packing her things in the car, she shows me the things she brought for me - a variety of beer, a pack of dutch camel lights, and a great smile. guilt trip #3. we somehow managed to fit everything in the car (Kevin and Mary Ellen could pack a family of ten in a dorm fridge, I swear.. - and what's even funnier is that I brought one bag of clothes, a loaf of bread, and a jar of peanut butter. you do the math.) and we were truly Bonnaroo bound. sure, it was 2 AM and we were just leaving Atlanta, but hey, we're going to Bonnaroo!

after a short drive, we reached the exits for Manchester. well not actually.. we got about a half-mile from the exit ramp and came to a standstill mid-interstate. little did we know, we'd be watching the sunrise from this very spot. about 4 hours and a mile later, we made it to the convenience store. woo! a little stretching, a little breakfast, a little bad coffee, and we were back in the procession to the gate. about an hour later, the gates came into vision. we made it! the guys at the gate checked our tickets, gave us our wristbands, did a brief (and I mean BRIEF) check of the trunk, and we were in. Bonnaroo, at last!

to be continued..

:: posted by Michael at 3:30 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm back from Bonnaroo!

plenty of stories, pictures, and memories to come..

:: posted by Michael at 4:42 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm off to Bonnaroo!

:: posted by Michael at 11:01 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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my good friend Chris and his girlfriend Debbie left for Europe a few days ago after a short visit in Douglas. they just made their first stop through Amsterdam and now they're on their way to Praha.

at any rate, I just wanted to let you all know that despite a long bout of inactivity, I think Chris may use his journal to write about different parts of their trip when he gets the chance to use a computer. his site is in my sidebar to the left, so check it now and again to read about his travels..

have a great time, man!

:: posted by Michael at 7:38 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I used the URL for my poetry page to create a poem. it was made using the poem generator, which I found earlier while browsing around through .sara's page. what's funny is that she may not even know about the poem generator, yet through her site I happened upon it. oh, the neverending tangents of the internet..

here's the finished product, with a bit of editing for effective purposes.

***

Poetry place
Unturned pages enrage a simple common sense
Kindly request silence from
The cruel embrace
In an overbearing hand
Heard endlessly whispering help

Another blank page
And light brown hues of sirens
Muffled by headfuls of Amontillado wine
The end

The cracks in whisking leaves,
Contorting orange innocent trees of her
But through bushes
And what flows from standing in
A steady flow teems
And right venture into the impact
The end

The light in a ray of an unknown tune
The girls
As the pain undeniably dropping into morning,
Then the air only sees
Confused to moan
The rhythm so small it finds its way through their minds
Do is a whisper,
Heard endlessly whispering help

Another round with it seems
Kings and vines throughout the mind
Her faintest smell
He slowly tosses his thoughts,
Her love,
You or you
That tickle the night dedicated to moan
The tide rolls in

Rhymes
Ideas are surfaces fortifying with birth,
Frozen inside these notes until my soul
I could tell you to my mind
Take it.

:: posted by Michael at 8:01 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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amidst the day's browsing, I came upon this review of my journal by the good people over at meateaters inc. many thanks for taking the time to look over my humble abode..

:: posted by Michael at 12:30 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I think I'd make a great South Park character..

click the image to make your own!

:: posted by Michael at 11:15 AM (0) comments [+] ::

[===]

I'm working on a Bonnaroo site so hopefully everyone I know can get together at the show and have a great time. the page is still in its early stages, as I just put it together in the last couple of days. I'll be updating it frequently, so if you're going to Bonnaroo, be sure and check back often!

and also, check out my bay area pictures.

:: posted by Michael at 3:51 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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one of my mother's gardening efforts.

:: posted by Michael at 9:15 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I got our Bonnaroo tickets yesterday.

they're frickin' YOUGE.

:: posted by Michael at 12:39 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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if you get a chance, ride a dirt road.

thanks for the link, J-La!

:: posted by Michael at 4:12 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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"'I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards comfort and ease, a balanced society with security and permanence as its watchword, it had attained its hopes - to come to this at last. Once, life and property must have reached almost absolute safety. The rich had been assured of his life and work. No doubt in that perfect world there had been no unemployed problem, no social question left unsolved. And a great quiet had followed.

It is a law of Nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change. Only those animals partake of intelligence that have to meet a large variety of needs and dangers.'"

excerpt from H.G. Wells' novel The Time Machine, page 97. spoken by The Time Traveller.

:: posted by Michael at 5:07 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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tip o' the day:

never give a crackhead on acid a ride. anywhere.

:: posted by Michael at 2:52 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I just got home from Valdosta. had to go visit Dr. Dasher and get four wisdom teeth cut out. right now, I'm still kinda out of it from the gas/IV combo they put on me in round 1. needless to say, by round 2, I was outta there. everything went well, so now I'm just hoping for no dry sockets.

speaking of dry sockets, do any of you readers have some personal experience with wisdom teeth/dry sockets that you can lend to me? I'm just wanting to do everything to make sure I have as little trouble as possible with these things.

well, I just took my gauze out and I look like Gene Simmons from KISS. or maybe Ozzy after he just bit a dove's head off. ha.

I might be out of commission for a couple, but I'll be around soon..

and for all of you in Douglas, come see me! bring movies, sex toys, drugs, etc.

:: posted by Michael at 6:04 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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hmmm..

:: posted by Michael at 4:34 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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this year was my fourth Music Midtown in a row. I first went back in '98 with my sister and she and I made a return trip this year. every year they've had some amazing and diverse lineups, but each year it seems to double in attendance. given, it's a large area in which the event is held, the area around the stages aren't so huge. the 99X stage was just ridiculous this year. once you got about halfway to the stage (by halfway, I mean almost close enough to see the SCREEN and barely hear the music), it was just shoulder-to-shoulder people and crowd surges that left you hoping that everyone around you could stay on their feet.

due to the circumstances, we missed a few great bands that I would have loved to catch. yet at the same time, I was introduced to couple of new bands that I might have never heard.

friday night we caught Butch Walker, Hoobastank, and Incubus:

the Walker guy was a little crazy. I'm not familiar with his music at all, but he seemed to play a lot of cover songs. a highlight for me was the cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". just after the for meeee, fooor meeeeeee, for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! part, they ROCKED OUT. the entire crowd, and it was a massive one, was pulsating with energy.

Hoobstank surprised me. I had written them off as an unoriginal Incubus rip-off, but they were actually a decent band. they had a great stage presence and a nice sound live. they're OK in my book.

Incubus were just great. a guitarist with great licks, strong and smart basslines, a very versatile drummer, a perfectly infused DJ, and a great frontman with such poetic lyrics. a very full live sound and the band seemed to be having a blast. their signature song "Drive" seemed to drag a bit, but they made up for it with intense renditions of "Stellar" and "Pardon Me" among others. an overall great night of modern rock.

saturday was an odd day:

we got there too late for Jack Johnson's set, but just in time to see Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. I can't say I'm a huge fan of theirs and I don't have any of their albums, but I've been hearing their music since my early days of high school. they put on a LIVE show and had a huge crowd bouncin'. they played a standard festival set of the hits, along with a new song for which they brought out a member of The Outlawz, who gained much recognition for their work with the late Tupac Shakur.

we then went to see Counting Crows, but this is when we encountered the ridiculous crowd amassed at the 99X stage. after about 10 minutes in the mix and about 1 minute of deliberation, we decided to liberate ourselves from that mess. after browsing around the artist's market, we made our way over to the Fox5 stage. it was a smaller stage off to the side and the feature that night was Zydeco music. I'd never heard much before until seeing Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers at Midtown last year. it was a great time then and this night was the same. Rosie Ledet and her band put on a great show and they were immediately followed by Gary DeLafonse. both were great groups and played music that kept a smile on my face. and we were front row and not crowded at all, to boot.

sunday, our last day there:

this was my personal favorite of the weekend. it seems that I always have great sundays at Midtown. as soon as we got to the gate, we headed for the Z93 stage. walked right up to the front and found a nice spot, dead center and about 5 rows back. we just missed the Disco Biscuits, who would've been nice, but got there just in time to see Karl Denson's Tiny Universe come out. they had a great set of funk-jazz, showcasing the entire band's talent. they played one particularly jazz-heavy tune that I loved and did a nice around-the-world band intro build-up that led into another jam. another nice surprise was a visit from the Flecktones' Jeff Coffin for a song.

up next was Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. what else can I say about them? AMAZING. as tight as always, full of character, and playing wonderful music. a few new tunes mixed with some of the classics. of course, Vic had a couple of mind-blowing solos. a huge highlight was Bela sitting on a stool solo and picking a classical piece. wild what he can do with a banjo..

our last performance came from the wonderful Bonnie Raitt. "I Can't Make You Love Me", an acoustic "Angel From Montgomery", a guest appearance with Oliver Mtukudzi and a couple of members of his band, and a welcomed surprise with a cover of David Gray's "Silver Lining". she told the crowd of her new album entitled "Silver Lining", and gave high regard to Gray's music.

all in all it was a great weekend. I said I'd never go again, but I was just ill from the big crowds. I've heard that this year may have been the last, but if they do have a Midtown '03, you'll probably find me there.

my pictures didn't turn out so well, but there were a few keepers. as soon as I get this scanner back on its feet, I'll post them up for your viewing pleasure.

:: posted by Michael at 2:29 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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took my last final yesterday. SUCH a relief.

now I'm about to head out for Midtown. running late, like always..

have a great weekend everyone!

:: posted by Michael at 12:21 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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My Guide To Getting Fit

smoke a pack a day and write as much as possible. have a conversation with a complete stranger. read. step outside and be humbled. see the world. don't merely like music; EMBRACE it. light all of your candles and a stick of incense and relax. drink a glass of sun-brewed sweet tea, iced, of course. challenge your mind. sleep. dream. lose yourself and find your way back. value the experience.

Used Books

what good is a book that's never been read? much like used cars, you can put a used book through hell, but it'll still take you so many places. a book with a previous reader's notes can give you new points of view on various subjects throughout the work. they can lead you to see an idea from a completely different perspective. read books, accept the knowledge it brings, and then pass it along to the next reader. what good is knowledge if it can't be shared?

Dirt Roads

an escape from the daily grind. paths to new places. passages through nature yet to be destroyed by progression and the technologies of man. roll the windows down and unfasten your seat belts. put in a relaxing CD and get high. have a beer. turn the music down and have open-ended conversations about whatever topic arises. enjoy the fresh air. take pictures. snap mental photos of places you hope may go on unchanged.

return to the asphalt entombing the Earth.

:: posted by Michael at 8:32 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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sorry I haven't had much time to update. classes have been winding down the last couple of weeks and I've got finals coming up this week. I'm about to head out for the night to enjoy my last night of freedom until friday.

wish me luck with finals and the same to all of you taking yours!

:: posted by Michael at 10:43 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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happy 4.20 everyone!

I had a great session on the dirt road this afternoon with Andi.

I've been trying to get my 4-track figured out, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm an idiot. maybe one day I'll screw up and do something right so I can let you folks hear some of my music. I have a track down with Andi that wounds great so far, too, so I hope to serve it up soon.

and I bid you goodnight.

:: posted by Michael at 11:08 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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see the little striped (and unintentionally color-coordinated) circle in the left corner? click it.

now is it just me or is there something wrong with that picture?

discuss amongst yourselves and share with the group.

:: posted by Michael at 1:43 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I just added a link to my poetry page under [-links-].

everyone check it out and let me know what you think!

:: posted by Michael at 4:26 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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alas!

I have found my calling.

:: posted by Michael at 4:41 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I just added a new guestmap to the page. it's up top next to my contact button.

everyone give it a click and leave your mark!

:: posted by Michael at 12:47 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Happy Easter everyone!

my spring break comes to a close today. I can't say that I've done much with my break, but it has been a nice change to be able to relax and not have any responsibilities to deal with. my good friend Josh came to town and we got to hang out. speaking of Josh, all you guys should go hit up his site and overload him with comments. maybe that'll inspire him to write more than once a month.

tomorrow, it's back to the grind. this coming weekend my other friend, Tubbs, has a show at Tasty World with his band Mother Jackson. if any of you guys are in the area, go check them out Saturday night.

hmm.. hungry. food. now.

:: posted by Michael at 6:26 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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for those of you who don't know..


The Bonnaroo Music Festival

"Set to take place just outside Manchester, TN on June 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2002 , the BONNAROO Music Festival will be a three-day camping-and-music extravaganza offering a rich and varied celebration of the live music experience. Just 60 miles southeast of Nashville on a peaceful 500-acre farm surrounded by lush Tennessee woodlands, the event will bring together some of the biggest acts in the industry, including Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, String Cheese Incident, Ben Harper, and many others."

"BONNAROO will feature two stages, late night tents, an unparalleled musical lineup, cutting edge DJs, and Sunday morning gospel performances. In addition to an extraordinary array of music, there will be a festival village, featuring a wonderful variety of quality foods and beverages, along with a creative and unique assemblage of arts, amusements, vendors, and a variety of special events."


advanced order tickets go on sale tomorrow on the Bonnaroo website. they're for a special price AND have special edition artwork. SO special. graaab your ticket, cooome get with it.. Bonnaroo Expressss, Bonnaroo Expressss!

=P

:: posted by Michael at 10:47 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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attention all Jack Johnson and Ben Harper fans!

go here for a high bandwith download (in .mpg format) of the the two performing Johnson's "Flake" on The Tonight Show.

thanks to Tina Temple for the link.

:: posted by Michael at 2:41 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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My Dave Matthews Band album is...

This quiz was created by Krazy K. Take it here!

many thanks to alissa @ kaleidoscopeyes.net/ for the link.

:: posted by Michael at 10:14 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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woohoo! they got their shit together.

to celebrate, I want to offer a gift to you all.

Set Of Five

a wonderfully pleasing background courtesy of the good people over at maysable.com/.

enjoy!

:: posted by Michael at 2:51 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm having service provider problems.

hrumph.

:: posted by Michael at 2:21 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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A single ring encircling my whirling finger
As my pen lingers over this page
On a circular table, pondering my next fable
Embracing the thoughts of my age

:: posted by Michael at 2:32 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Humming tunes in hum-filled rooms
Skipping stones on polluted waters
Saving stacks of quarters in order
To purchase your next fast-food meal

Brings a strange chill to my soul
Realizing people's hearts so cold

Shuddering at what the future may hold..

:: posted by Michael at 2:31 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Such a warm comfort brought on by candlelight
Listen to that hornman blow
Legs crossed, sitting on the floor
Head back, letting your mind take flight

Swooping, soaring over the tops of all life
Wax drips beneath the soothing glow
As fingers bounce upon that upright
Body follows thought into the depth of night

dedicated to the 1005 North Pearl Association.

:: posted by Michael at 2:25 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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it's so strange how the more you want something, the harder it becomes to get it.

I went and turned in my graduation application yesterday and it was such a nice feeling. as a 3rd year sophomore, I'm VERY much looking forward to my final day at SGC. I've been doing pretty good with attendance and whatnot so far this semester, but I ended up sleeping through my computer class today.

now usually, this wouldn't be a problem. but it's the same computer class I had a couple of semesters ago and failed because I missed too many days. same teacher, too. and to top it all off, it's only a once-a-week class, so that gives me less leeway for absences.

anyone else think they should do away with attendence policies as a whole?

ah well.. time to go work on my PSYC midterm.

:: posted by Michael at 12:49 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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since 9th grade, all of my good friends and I have had this place we've always hung out. it's a little spot back behind my best friend Tubbs' house that we like to call 'back there'. not only is it a catchy and easy to remember title, but it has a nice anonymity when talking on those notoriously screened cell phones we love so dearly.

well my buddy Josh wrote a post a few days ago about 'back there' and I fuckin' love it. go hit up his site and look at the topmost entry. I'm not even gonna go into detail with it because I can't say much more than what he has already said..

..but I CAN provide thee with a couple of visuals.

this one is a picture of our fire ring, adorned with 'back there's mascot, the wooden moon.

this one is me trying to see what happens when you mix wasted and large branches.

sorry I don't have more or better pictures available. usually, by the time we get there, we're all trashed or trying or damndest to get there. then the next day I think "hmm. shoulda took some pictures." ah, so is life..

it's been FAR too long since we've made it 'back there'. y'all ready?

:: posted by Michael at 12:29 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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remember the ex I blogged about a while back? well she's popped up again. so far I've caught her on some kids show as a backup dancer during this funny little dream sequence. then I saw her in one of Lit's videos on MTV.

this time? The 5th Wheel. it's a show that comes on the WB. takes two guys and two girls and puts them together to see how well they get along and see if any sort of attraction comes about. then about halfway through the show, when the foursome are just getting comfortable, they throw in a 5th guy/girl to disrupt things.

of course, Sara was the 5th wheel. and of course, they both picked her. hilarious.

and her ending quote? "looks like in the end I just played them both."

bwahahahaha! d-town for life.

:: posted by Michael at 4:04 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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• I have to finish cleaning my room.
• I have to burn many CDs for those whom I am trading with.
• I have to go to the 24/7 slumber party to get my money.
• I have to figure out this 4-track > computer business.
• I have to finish the poetry section of my site.
• I have to find books for my other two classes.
• I have to go have a smoke...

:: posted by Michael at 9:34 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I cleaned my room up today. FINALLY. it was really ridiculous how messy I had let it get. the thing is, I've been going so much lately, that I'm hardly ever in my room. I just kinda open the door, throw stuff in there, and then I'm gone again.

but alas, it's clean now. makes me feel good. I think I'll lay in there later tonight and read. it's always nice to read in a clean, comfortable room.

and that completes the most boring blog EVER.

:: posted by Michael at 7:36 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Happy Birthday, Tiff!

hope you have a good one..

:: posted by Michael at 6:36 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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OK, I'm gonna have a contest of sorts.

my buddy Mad-A came upon a CD a while back and has kept it since. it's just a compilation CD of a bunch of different songs, with many of them being instrumentals. we've all sat around and listened to it and busted freestyles on it for fun. well this track in particular is just WAY too tight to not know who it is that we're listening to.

so what I'm gonna do is post up an mp3 of the song for you to download. the first person to reply in the comment section with the right answer gets a free show from my live music collection. the song is very jazzy with a hip-hop backdrop. even if you don't wanna deal with the contest aspect, at least download the song and nod your head properly.

Mystery Jazz

grab it and let me know who I can give credit to every time I hear this song and smile..

¦^D

:: posted by Michael at 3:24 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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here it is 8 AM and guess who hasn't been to sleep yet? you got it.

saw Mule last night and they brought the house down. I'm still not all that familiar with their stuff, but I can give a meager attempt at some of what was played: lay your burden down, while my guitar gently weeps, thorazine shuffle, into the mystic, this land is your land > rockin' in the free world > watchtower (tease) > rockin' in the free world, 30 days in the hole, soulshine, and fallen down. I'll stop there and let you all wait for the official set in order to keep me from making a complete jackass of myself. oh yeah.. Kevin Kinney (see: Drivin' N' Cryin') came out for the encore..

and that this land > rockin' > watchtower tease > rockin'? WHEW.

then I headed down to the 40 Watt to see my buddies' mom, Moe Tucker (see: The Velvet Underground). unfortunately, she shared the bill with a couple of other folks and she took first spot. so I missed her set.

but I saw the Mule. so it's OK.

fortunately, I was on the guestlist, so I got to waltz in like I owned the place. also fortunate, I got there just in time to see Jonathan Richman (see: Something About Mary) start his set. just a guy with a little gut-string acoustic and another guy standing playing a 4-piece drum set. and they fuckin' rocked. reminded me of seeing warren haynes and matt abts open for ben & the criminals. it says a lot when two guys can break it down to basics and still capture an entire room.

ultimately ended up at someone's house watching JAWS. yes, the first one. the BEST one.

now it's almost 9 AM. I've been walking about the house and talking to folks while putting this post together. looks like I've got an epic on my hands. I think I should get some sleep soon or I'm going to pass out standing. I could pack this one-hitter a few times, too.. so yeah, GREAT night. feel like I've been up an entire weekend and it's only Friday morning. should be a time..

go see Gov't Mule sometime. Moe Tucker, too. AND Jonathan Richman. see 'em all.

:: posted by Michael at 8:54 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm going to see Gov't Mule in Athens tomorrow night.

they're playing at The Classic Center.

this makes me VERY happy. details when I get back..

:: posted by Michael at 5:03 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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everyone should see this..

the miniature earth

thanks to Tiff for the link.

:: posted by Michael at 4:09 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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i'm in class now. I have my homework.

that makes me happy.

only an hour to go..

:: posted by Michael at 7:32 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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Talk so small it finds its way through the cracks in the floors.
He pours another round with hopes of keeping conversation lively.

A familiar sea of faces.

The tide rolls in and comes crashing upon my shores,
Only to roll back out as the last rounds drown the night.

Now I'm free..

---

and with that said, I'm getting the hell out of this town. Athens or bust!

have a great weekend everyone..

:: posted by Michael at 12:49 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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they've been sheltered long enough.. had to let everyone hear a little something for the days of old. these clips are of my old band, Continuous Point, playing in Danny's, a little restaurant here in my lovely town of Drugless. not sure of the date, but I'm thinking it was sometime around May of 2000. or 2001? damn years.. anyway, me on rhythm guitar and vocals. mac vining on lead guitar and backup vocal. david 'slowhand' sheffield on the bass. garrett winters handling the percussion.

Red House

and for the DMB fans that pass through often..

Trippin' Billes

both acoustic, though maybe not so much of a *treat*. not bad for a 2nd or 3rd gig.

enjoy..

=)

:: posted by Michael at 10:02 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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anyone know the Heimlich? I'm CHOKED.

I was sitting here looking at my blog design and got this notion that maybe the colors of it affect the things that I post.. it's a generally dark page, giving ideas of night, cold, and other negative adjectives. not that they're necessarily BAD things, just on the dark end of the symbolism in color spectrum. I was thinking maybe if I had a happy blog, I would think happier thoughts and speak of happier times. or maybe if I had a blog with a more Zen appeal, I would come to ponder things of a more calm and spiritual level. still yet, I could break it down to the basics to better emit an unaltered version of my thoughts..

what this really boils down to is my need for change. on my blog, of course. the weather here has been nothing like late January/early February, so maybe I'm being teased into an early au revoir to the winter months. look around, though. around my blog, of course. it has a very nightlike, winter feel doesn't it? that's it. I'll just make a blog for every season with a day and night version of all.

muhahaha.. now I have a goal.

:: posted by Michael at 9:25 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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I'm rockin' a new link - Wood Duck Productions.

just a place for some friends and I to gather thoughts and help bring together a beautiful idea..

got a couple of new journals up, too - Asha and Bobo. check 'em.

:: posted by Michael at 4:56 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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The wind whispers over the tops of all life,
Carrying with it years of hopes and dreams.
A fog so thick, easily cut by knives,
But through each droplet a ray of light beams.

Through the streams and rivers a steady flow teems
And in the snow-capped mountains a whisper is heard.
Wild horses run carelessly it seems,
But through their gallops still a whisper is heard.

In a thick rainforest the conversations of birds
Twist their way through bushes and vines.
Throughout the jungle a whisper is heard
Yet none stop and take time to reply...

Maybe one day the vastness of its presence will be felt,
One small whisper dying to be heard, endlessly whispering "help".

:: posted by Michael at 3:54 AM (0) comments [+] ::

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and another thing..

has anyone else who uses Stats4All been having trouble with their stats? my symbol hasn't worked in a while, and according to my stats, I haven't received a single hit in the past 3 or 4 days. hmmm..

anyway, just wondering if anyone else was having the same problems. guess I need to check into this.

:: posted by Michael at 9:56 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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• Alana Davis
• Allman Brothers Band
• Average Joe
• Barenaked Ladies
• Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
• Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
• Big Ass Truck
• Blueground Undergrass
• Blues Traveler
• Bob Dylan
• Cee-Lo Goodie
• Col. Bruce & the Code Talkers
• Dave Matthews Band
• Derek Trucks Band
• DJ Spooky
• Field Trip
• Galactic
• G-Love & Special Sauce
• Goodie Mob
• Gov't Mule
• Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters
• Jack Johnson
• Jeff Healey Band
• Jennifer Nettles Band
• John Mayer
• Kenny Wayne Shephard
• Lil' Brian & the Zydeco Travelers
• Moonshine Still
• New School Of Gov't Mule
• OutKast
• Ozomatli
• Parkbench Blues Band
• Proseed
• Robert Bradley & Blackwater Surprise
• Soul Miner's Daughter
• String Cheese Incident
• Train
• The Wailers
• Widespread Panic

just a little running list of bands I've seen live. kinda crazy how many I've seen. didn't really realize it until I started writing them out. any of you guys seen the same? share some stories.. I'm still working on it, so maybe I'll post a more complete version soon.

next up? gotta figure out the dates of all the shows I've seen. don't worry, it's just a project of boredom.

:: posted by Michael at 9:42 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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posting from class just because I can.. got these desks with built in computers. CLUTCH.

I really should do more of this, I know, but I'm at school so much these days. 15 hours is a first for me. I'm feelin' like I live at this place.

I've been writing a lot lately, as you can see below. just one of many ways to pass the time. could call it verbal doodling. I did earlier, so you can, too. go ahead, say it out loud.. VER-BAL DOOD-LING. has a bit of a ring to it, no?

I'm gonna get it back in order, no doubt.. got all of the necessaries for my 4-track, but now can't figure out how to cleanly transfer from it to my computer. when I do? yeah, it's on. I've been trying to devote more time to music. have a good 4 or 5 shorts recorded and managed to get a track laid with my good friend Andi (see: comment box in below post). hope to get that going soon and give you folks some good music to hear.

hmm.. think class is about to "really" start, so I'll leave it at that.

unless it gets tough and I learn how to type veeeeewy qwietly.

shhh.. I'm tryin' to catch me a wabbit.

good evening to all!

:: posted by Michael at 6:22 PM (0) comments [+] ::

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