silly Jess....

Funny Video of Jess all stoned. I believe this would be in August 2005 Also in this video are: My mother, My brother Tim and his Girlfriend Dolly, and my brother Jason is taking the video. I'm the one who can't stop laughing....

House of Blues (which means more to me than it may at first glance)

Well... atleast for about 5 minutes, I am going to rejoice. I have just purchased Unearth tickets. Just under a year ago, Ian sat me down to watch the RoadRunner United's documentary on their metal groups getting together in many different ways (drummer from one band, bass from another) to make an album. This was my first introduction to metal. It was all noise. It was nothing to me. After watching the doc we listened to select songs from the album and for the first time I could kind of hear the skill. Almost. At least, I was appreciating it more because I had SEEN what these people were doing with their hands and fingers and was impressed. A couple of weeks later we watched Sam Dunn's doc, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. This was even more interesting because it broke metal down into sub-genres, talked about history, violence, death, and sound. I still couldn't hear the music, or atleast, I couldn't hear it over the screaming. I remember understanding that the vocal should be like another instrument. I remember thinking that I was supposed to hear it as a whole, but I couldn't. I asked Ian for a little metal on my ipod. Just a little... and I got Unearth's then new album III: In the Eyes of Fire. The last track on the album is an instrumental. Now here was something I could get behind! It was like balls to the wall, orgasm-inducing, fucking-turned all the way up loud - BADDASS! I blared that shit. All over town, baby. About the 7th time I listened to it I was stopped at a stop light, and a truck was stopped next to me. I had this shit up fucking loud and the guy in the truck leans over and screams, "That sounds Fucking AMAZING!" "Fuck, yeah, it does," I said. Fuck Yeah. Here was the moment that I finally felt like I heard it. It was like an epiphany. I went back and listened to the whole album, and slowly I started listening to other things: Lamb of God, Trivium, Chimera....fast forward to now and I am reading text books about the history of Death Metal and Grindcore...listening to Children of Bodom, Arch Enemy and dozens of others. I spend time talking about the influence of Swedish Melodic Death Metal on the New Wave of American Metal. I geek out over horrendous album covers. I feel like I AM Metal. Like it's in me. It's like I discovered a part of myself I didn't even know! At 24! This, of course, I owe to Ian, to marijuana, and especially to Unearth. Concert is next Wednesday....--

Fuck.

Unrelatedly************************************************************



Hot Fuzz: **** (that's 4 out of 5)
Did you like Shaun of the Dead? I did and, I therefore like this movie. Fucking hilarious use of the cop-movie stereotype (they talk about cool things to say after killing people:). Great action-editing. Basically everything you think is funny about cop movies/action movies/buddy movies, is in this one. It was a little long. I like my comedy right at about 1hr 45 and I feel like this was a solid 2 hour movie... I think it could have come in about 30 minutes shorter without losing anything funny... there is some preliminary beginning shit that might have been able to get cut... anyway... people do eventually get shot/impaled/blown up: quite graphically. If you think brits are funny, like action/comedies, or enjoyed Shaun, then smoke a bowl and see this shit. (I guess the bowl is optional...)

more posting!

Sorry but this day is just really weird...and getting weirder.

First I always sneak out at 11 to smoke a cigarette...usually this is some quiet time for me...I bring the ipod, listen to something (1up, GFW..today it was Tool's Lateralus) and smoke my cigarette... but as I sit in the sun to enjoy my stolen 5 minutes, a girl sits down and starts talking to me. I remove the earbuds and she is going off about how they are shooting a movie down the street and she can't cross. She starts screaming about how this is bullshit and she has to go to work. I asked her if she could walk up the block and around but, no, that was too much. She was just going to sit there and wait the movie-people out....

Then I am reading on 1Up.com a review that one of their guys wrote about the new NIN...anyway I am reading the comments and I come across this

********************************************************************************
idn't know about it. Point me in the right direction if you would. The faux government sticker on the back of the CD case is a hoot. Here it is.
USBM WARNING:Consuming or spreading this material may be deemed subversive by the United States Bureau Of Morality. If you or someone you know has engaged in subversive acts or thoughts, call: 1-866-445-6580BE A PATRIOT - BE AN INFORMER!
***********************************************************************************

anyway...I called that number and that shit was pretty funny... in the scary, ohjesus-someone-probably-thinks-this-is-a-GOOD-idea way. anyway... at the end of the recording this auto-woman told me that I was 'now part of the problem' . Hell Yes!

And one more thing: I was just asked to hand out a memo to the staff containing things to look for in packages in order to determine if they are, in fact, bombs. This included many helpful things such as: excessive tape, odd shapes, unusual powder, grease stains, misspelling, extra postage, and (THE BEST) protruding wires. So, if you were thinking about opening that funny, dirty, sticky, package with all the wires sticking out of it.... well.... is anyone else thinking new-age-natural-selection....

Four Twenty

Doesn't it make sense, on today of all days, that I would walk the 1/2 mile to the L from my house only to realize I didn't have my CTA pass. This wouldn't have been awful.. I could have used an ATM to gimmie some cash but, I had left my wallet at home, too. So I walked back and got it and still managed to make it to work right as the clock hit 8! woohoo for not being late.

In other news, I am going to see Troilus and Cressida tonight...alone I think. I am excited nonetheless because I was in the shop while this show was being built and the costumes look EFFING awesome. So much leather. So many hot dudes...not to mention hot women, blood, war, an interesting set design and some truely creepy music. I hope it pulls together because it seems to have all the right pieces.

Metal tomorrow with Drew and Emin? Lazy outside weekend? These things may also be in my future.... and maybe a brownie... if I'm lucky:)

By the way: Grindhouse: *****
Casey and I finished Part 1 of the 6th season of the Sopranos. We are almost caught up... and if we had comcast, we would be watching it with the rest of the world.....

लिल्यिरिस

Virginia

My Heart goes out to everyone.... I just can't believe...I'm sorry...I can't finish this post...

and so it goes...

my tour hath ended. coporate hell, here I saddly come....

Hustle....and Flow.

Hey kids.
Gosh, everything just got all crazy...in good ways and in some bad ways as well. Let's start with Bloc Party! Casey and I went to the Congress on Friday to see them play a show. Pretty good. I gave it a 3 out of 5. They weren't the best live show ever, but it was awesome to hear This Modern Love in person and to dance to it with about a zillion 17 year old hipsters.

I went to a party with Emin this week where I got to talk about monogamy with some long-time gay couples. You are all probably wondering why I keep talking about monogamy, nonmongamy, polyamory, and the like.... and it has just really been on my mind lately. I didn't realize that there was a way that I could be who I was, sexually, and not end up cheating. I didn't realize that because you are in an 'open' relationship, you don't have to go out and have random sex....I know it sounds silly but, it didn't occur to me... David and I tried being in an open relationship for about, like 2 months, I guess, and I remember feeling like, 'well I better get to it, now that I am allowed to!' Really, 2 weeks ago, I realized that that was about the wrongest way I could look at things. I have never been successfully monogamous. Never. I mean completly. All that kissing people in college.... lots of people think that was cheating. I think it was kissing, since no emotion was envolved.... it was just kissing.... .... and why can't I want to be with 2 people at the same time! Why do I always have to choose?! It just seems so silly.....

anyway... I could ramble about that shit for days (poor Casey and Brenda must be SOOOO sick of me talking of nothing but nonmonogamy!) ....

There was some sad news in the world of Jess' Dating.... but I was honest with someone about something and I am proud of myself for this.

I got up at 3am on monday morning to be at Navy Pier at 5am, to go to Wisconsin, do a show for Chicago Shakes, and to return home (FINALLY) at 9pm. I was tired, to say the least. I am also really allergic to Wisconsin.... I spent all day yesterday feeling awful...and I don't feel much better now. Why is it that all I want when I am sick is just someone else to make me feel better? I am sure that this is what most people want.... it's just a funny time to want someone around... but I guess at times like those, we want to feel like people love us and want to take care of us despite the fact that we may be covered in snot and gross....I just wanted someone to make me tea and pet my head.... I am feeling better today, which is good... and I brought a box of tea and a bag of cough drops to work, so I'm set:)

I'm feeling all snuggley today.... and LOST is on tonight.... although I think I just ran out of the green stuff.... should still be good:)



The Host: *** (out of 5)
The Host is a crazy korean monster movie. Right now, you should know if this is for you. I just said, "crazy-Korean-Monster movie". Either you are in for it, or you aren't. Good monster.... good death... good explosions... good suspense... AMAZING score.

I also saw this again...

Hustle and Flow: *****
If you haven't seen this and you need a recommendation.... here it is. This is brillant and hip-hop and honest and about Man, Dreams, Truth, and Fucking-Doin'-It!

Neil Gaiman on the pronuciation of his name...

Q: How do you pronounce your last name? Is it gay-man or guy-man or something else?

Neil: It's Gaym'n.

I win.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/faqs/ongaimanfaq