The Art Of Misplacing Cool

The last day and a half I've been pondering a topic I've never really thought that much about before: Attention.

The art of gaining attention I think is one of the hardest things one can possibly do in this world.

One works so hard to gain someone's attention, and it can be lost so fast. It is a constant uphill battle.

Being both a musician and single, the art of gaining attention is something I'm constantly working at for both professional and personal gain.

What makes attention hard is the aim of the attention. What kind of attention you're wanting to get is hard to achieve. As a musician I want attention for my band, but not in the form of like a horrible revue or something like it, so like attention can also be one of those things that you can regret sometimes as well.

I've also tried to get back into dating lately, and have had mixed results. I feel like I have a hard time getting someone's attention. It seems like I just bother people lately, I don't know what the deal is.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the topic of attention and told me my problem was i'm just being too neurotic about it and i'm misplacing cool. Of course if I'm misplacing cool then I had it to begin with right?

I'm sure it's not as doom and gloom as I pretend it is, but I feel like a baseball pitcher in a rut lately. I'm just waiting to get back on track with my fastball instead of throwing junk all the time. Why can't I keep people's attention? I've been told my three people in the past week that I'm a strange guy. Strange guy is not the kind of descriptive adjective I'd like to use when describing me.

I'm leaving tomorrow for South Bend, Indiana for a week so I hope is fun. I'm getting closer and closer to getting my own place in Chicago and I can't wait for the day that happens, and maybe that's just my problem is my housing situation is just driving me crazy right now.

I have made some travel plans and I'm going to Milwaukee in early August, New York in late August, and back to Massachusetts in October so I am kind of stoked to do some traveling again.

I told myself I wouldn't write blogs this long anymore, but today I couldn't help it.

Flotsam & Jetsam

Another weekend war gone and past.

Played at The Subterranean last night. The show went really well, and sounded great, but the only drawback was the crowd was not as large I had hoped. We did impress those we had not heard us before, and our friends who came out said it was definitely our best show as a band. All in all it was a good experience.

I worked like mad this Friday and Saturday, but made some bank which I'm still getting use to having a good chunk of change in my pocket again.

I was reading today Vampire Weekend is in the studio, and I can't wait to hear their new album which is suppose to come out this fall.

July is already here, and in the summer is in full bloom in Chicago. I'm hoping to be moving to Logan Square soon, but we'll see what happens. All you can expect is the unexpected.

"I need perspective."
- Peter Gabriel

Good Day Sunshine

I noticed I haven't blogged much lately. I've just been pretty busy lately with work and the band and other things.

I've very pumped for this Sunday, my band is headlining at The Subterranean in Wicker Park and is one of the biggest shows I'm going to play thus far in my career.

I had a long conversation with my dad today that went really well. We've been at total disagreement the last couple of months, and today we had a pretty cool conversation and I feel pretty good today.

I got my ID Card from DePaul University and I feel like a real graduate student now.

Off to work selling veggies for the next couple of days, and then back to Chicago on Sunday, it should be a fun weekend.

Travel Weary Carpricorn

Get your bearings, know the time.
Don't you worry, weather's gonna be fine.
All the world knows what I'm saying,
All the world knows what I'm saying,
When we all find out.

Get together, work it out.
Simplicity that's what it's all about.
All the world knows what I'm saying,
All the world knows what I'm saying,
So stand up and shout.

Intensional Logic

Pure as we begin
Pure as we come in
Pure as we begin
Pure by will alone

Pure as we begin
Here we have a stone
Gather, place, erase,
Shelter turned to home

Spark becomes a flame
Flame becomes a fire
Forge a blade to slay the stranger
Take whatever we desire

Pure as we begin
Move by will alone
Leave as we come in
Pure as light, return to one

Move by will alone

Never Be A Machine

I will never be a machine.
I will not feed the machine.
You just might be one, if you don't know what i mean.
I will never be a machine.

I will always follow my heart.
I always listen to the beating of my heart.
They want us all to think like a machine and fall apart.
But I will always follow my heart.

People are easy to control.
What has happened to us all?
The past is usually ignored, and the future I don't know.
Don't let them take away your soul.

I'm not so easy to control.
Don't be easy to control.
There's no point to be a sheep and live your life in that role.
Don't ever let them to tell you to lose hope.

Blonde Ambition

I was reminded today why I remained in Big Rapids after I graduated from Ferris State University. I wish I could go back and relive some of those moments.

I received a wedding invitation from one of my best friends in the world, who I also played in a band with for over two years. I couldn't be happier for my friend Josh and I wish him the best in all of his endeavours.

I also received a text today from my ex-roommate and also former bandmate who was my best friend up at Ferris and one of the best persons I've ever met who I haven't talked to since last Christmas.

I was also reminded today of another one of my best friends up at Ferris who has influenced me in a way he'll never know, he is just one of those people who personifies cool and one of the funniest guys I've ever met. My friend Brian is the reason I route for Ohio sports teams whenever playing Michigan teams. I remember the first time Brian ever did a power hour which was at my house with my roommate Kyle, which was a hell of a night. I also remember when Brian, my friend Ryan and I went to a crazy house party in Grand Rapids and was one of the more memorable experiences up at Ferris. Brian was one of the biggest and best fans of my band. I remember a gig we had at The Gate in January of 2008, and Brian came to the gig and was our biggest supporter there and after the gig we got a beer at the bar and I told him why I thought Barack would win the presidency and it was a great night and I Josh, Kyle, and Brian to thank for it.

I'm usually never nostalgiac, but I find myself thinking of the past right now and I really don't feel bad for flashbacking to days past.

When I was younger I use to dye my hair blonde, and I haven't done it in three years, but recently a couple of friends of mine have encouraged me to do it. I'm thinking about maybe dying my hair blonde again, but I don't know if I should do it or not.

So the question is to let my hair remain brown or dye my hair blonde?

This is a call to arms to live and love and sleep together. We could flood the streets with love with light with heat, whatever. Wave your hands make it rain, the stars will rise again.