Long ago my parents inherited the farm that my father's parents raised him in. I remember being a kid, and getting shipped off to the farm to spend a few weeks hanging out in the country with my grandparents. I was decidedly a city kid. There were all kinds of things that I simply could not stomach while I was there. Be it the smell of the pigs outside, the lack of cable tv, the utter lack of children to play with, or the grotesque slop bucket that sat in the kitchen corner, I simply couldn't stand being there.
A few weeks ago the farm house burned down. The authorities believe that it was due an electrical fire. When I alerted my brother to this news he seemed to be taken aback a bit. I didn't really think much about his reaction. I assumed he would handle the situation the same as I. I was stunned, and then realized that I never went to this place, and had no real connection to it anymore. His subsequent reactions were in direct opposition to mine.
We stood in front of the burned down house taking it all in and taking a moment to reflect on what had happened. When I looked over at my brother he had a look as if our grandparents had just died all over again. Once we were back in the car, he said how it was official, "we have no where we can go home to anymore." This struck me as very very odd. I never really considered the farm house to be home. I spent a fair amount of time there, but I never considered it some place that carried all the traits of home. This lead me to understand a fundamental difference between my brother and I. For me home consists of the people in my life. My home is wherever my friends are (though lately they are all spread so damn far apart). I base everything off my experiences with my friends, while my brother bases them off of his childhood memories of family. Personally I think he has the better approach.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A Blur and a Differnt Feeling
On Sunday October 28th 2007, my baseball team (The Boston Red Sox) became World Series Champions. It was the second time in four years that we won the World Series.
Baseball has no real off season for me. Sure there are a few months were we are not playing games, but I busy myself obsessing about the free agent market, and what young players can be called up that can make an impact on the big club. I spend countless hours pouring over the newest statistics that can give the Red Sox and my fantasy baseball team that all mighty edge.
Once the season has started, I have already spent tons of money on making sure that I can see every single pitch. I bought a lovely HD TV. I purchased the Baseball Package so I can watch my Red Sox play every night. I purchase MLB.TV to watch the game via the Internet in case there is a day game, or I am unable to be at home. I ditch plans with my friends in order to watch the game. It is nothing short of a sickness.
Yet once all of the October dust has settled, and my Team and I stand victories, it is all a blur. Oh sure I have clear memories of everything that happened. I have countless stories to tell of triumph, indifference, and heart ache. Though this year the stories were mostly of triumph, but it is rather hard to put it all into words. It was like years and years of living crammed into a 173 games.
Before when we won the world series it was like a weight being lifted. It put an end to countless jokes. I had ammo to fire back at Yankee's fans. Now though...I am just happy to be able to enjoy watching a game and know that there isn't some silly thing that is going to get in my way. At long last I am just a fan.
Baseball has no real off season for me. Sure there are a few months were we are not playing games, but I busy myself obsessing about the free agent market, and what young players can be called up that can make an impact on the big club. I spend countless hours pouring over the newest statistics that can give the Red Sox and my fantasy baseball team that all mighty edge.
Once the season has started, I have already spent tons of money on making sure that I can see every single pitch. I bought a lovely HD TV. I purchased the Baseball Package so I can watch my Red Sox play every night. I purchase MLB.TV to watch the game via the Internet in case there is a day game, or I am unable to be at home. I ditch plans with my friends in order to watch the game. It is nothing short of a sickness.
Yet once all of the October dust has settled, and my Team and I stand victories, it is all a blur. Oh sure I have clear memories of everything that happened. I have countless stories to tell of triumph, indifference, and heart ache. Though this year the stories were mostly of triumph, but it is rather hard to put it all into words. It was like years and years of living crammed into a 173 games.
Before when we won the world series it was like a weight being lifted. It put an end to countless jokes. I had ammo to fire back at Yankee's fans. Now though...I am just happy to be able to enjoy watching a game and know that there isn't some silly thing that is going to get in my way. At long last I am just a fan.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Lance Hahn
It was the summer of 1997. I was riding somewhere in the sweltering heat with Luke Hall. He is playing some really catchy and fun pop on the cars tape deck. In the next few minutes I would learn that this band was known as J Church, or as he most likely put it, "THE ALL MIGHTY MOTHER FUCKING J CHURCH...BITCH!" The album was, The Dramatization of Alienation. This album became a main stay in my record collect for the next three to four years. It was spun so often that i feared it would break in half. It lead to shopping at record stores while traveling just to see what J Church records existed in that town that didn't exist in mine.
To call J Church prolific would be understatement at best and an out and out lie at it's worse. This band has a discography so complex I question if even they knew its full contents. There are maybe two other bands who I own more releases by then J Church, and I still do not think that I grasp what the band was all about. The songs run the gambit in style and sound, and I never really knew what to expect from one release to the next.
Over the weekend the founding member of the band (Lance Hahn) succumbed to illness. I was aware that he was sick. I had just received the newest J Church release (as well as a benefit CD for Lance) in the mail right before I left town. I never even entertained the idea that anything bad could happen. I had already moved on to thinking about what the next J Church release would be. Now I am forced to figure out what it will be like knowing there won't be anymore ultra obscure J Church records for me to stumble upon while record shopping. I am not a big fan of this new reality and truly wish things could go back to how they were before.
To call J Church prolific would be understatement at best and an out and out lie at it's worse. This band has a discography so complex I question if even they knew its full contents. There are maybe two other bands who I own more releases by then J Church, and I still do not think that I grasp what the band was all about. The songs run the gambit in style and sound, and I never really knew what to expect from one release to the next.
Over the weekend the founding member of the band (Lance Hahn) succumbed to illness. I was aware that he was sick. I had just received the newest J Church release (as well as a benefit CD for Lance) in the mail right before I left town. I never even entertained the idea that anything bad could happen. I had already moved on to thinking about what the next J Church release would be. Now I am forced to figure out what it will be like knowing there won't be anymore ultra obscure J Church records for me to stumble upon while record shopping. I am not a big fan of this new reality and truly wish things could go back to how they were before.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The NLCS
Let's get one thing out of the way, I am American League baseball fan. It is not because I think the Designated Hitter is the greatest thing since sliced bread (though who wants to see most pitchers hit?), but more because I happen to root for an American League team. I watch far more American League games then I do National League games because of this. I do however have a fair amount familiarity with the National League because of fantasy baseball.
With all that said, can we please stop saying "that no one saw the Arizona Diamond Backs or the Colorado Rockies coming." If you spent even five seconds looking at a projection system before the season started, you would know that both teams had a really good shot a making the playoffs. A great deal of that is predicated on the fact that pretty much everyone expected the N.L. central to be a salute to mediocrity again. Guess what, it was. Sure the Brewers had a pretty good year, but honestly I kind of expected that as well.
Both the Rockies and the Diamond Backs have been stock piling young up and coming talent for the last 3-7 years. It isn't surprising that young talent eventually matured into great major league talent. I would argue that it was inevitable. So please I am begging the talking heads to stop acting as if we should all be SHOCKED AND AMAZED that two smaller market teams made the NLCS. Also if they could stop talking about how MLB and TBS are pissed that two smaller market teams are in the NLCS that would be great as well. God forbid people watch the game solely because it is the best team sport there is. ..
On a side note: Sure my Red Sox have a huge pay roll, but don't act like we didn't get huge contributions from our farm system as well.
With all that said, can we please stop saying "that no one saw the Arizona Diamond Backs or the Colorado Rockies coming." If you spent even five seconds looking at a projection system before the season started, you would know that both teams had a really good shot a making the playoffs. A great deal of that is predicated on the fact that pretty much everyone expected the N.L. central to be a salute to mediocrity again. Guess what, it was. Sure the Brewers had a pretty good year, but honestly I kind of expected that as well.
Both the Rockies and the Diamond Backs have been stock piling young up and coming talent for the last 3-7 years. It isn't surprising that young talent eventually matured into great major league talent. I would argue that it was inevitable. So please I am begging the talking heads to stop acting as if we should all be SHOCKED AND AMAZED that two smaller market teams made the NLCS. Also if they could stop talking about how MLB and TBS are pissed that two smaller market teams are in the NLCS that would be great as well. God forbid people watch the game solely because it is the best team sport there is. ..
On a side note: Sure my Red Sox have a huge pay roll, but don't act like we didn't get huge contributions from our farm system as well.
Friday, October 5, 2007
This is home.
I am without a doubt one of the biggest homers you could ever meet. I will sit around an extol the virtues of Memphis to whomever will listen. It is my childhood home. It is the place were I decided what I would do when I grew up. It is the site of my first kiss. It is the site of my first heart break. It is the site of the place where I first landed a varial over a set of stairs. It is also the place I left with both middle fingers waving back at it.
During my six years away from this town I learned and saw more things then I can possible put into words. I was convinced that Memphis was the worst city on the face of the Earth. I can't express how wrong I was to even entertain such thoughts. This town has more potential and character then most others I have visited.
We just recently had our city elections, which lead to all kinds of negative hype about the city. Most of the arguments you hear against the city are true. There is a great deal of crime. There is a huge separation between the races and the rich and the poor. It is a very difficult city to move to and meet new people. It is anything but pedestrian friendly.
I cannot argue with any of those statements. All I can do is try. So from now on, I am going into "Super Posi" mode. I am refusing to be one of the Memphians who talks bad about their city all the time. I am going to pimp its virtues. I ask those in all cities to join me in the act of stopping people from tearing down their cities and instead attempt to build them up.
During my six years away from this town I learned and saw more things then I can possible put into words. I was convinced that Memphis was the worst city on the face of the Earth. I can't express how wrong I was to even entertain such thoughts. This town has more potential and character then most others I have visited.
We just recently had our city elections, which lead to all kinds of negative hype about the city. Most of the arguments you hear against the city are true. There is a great deal of crime. There is a huge separation between the races and the rich and the poor. It is a very difficult city to move to and meet new people. It is anything but pedestrian friendly.
I cannot argue with any of those statements. All I can do is try. So from now on, I am going into "Super Posi" mode. I am refusing to be one of the Memphians who talks bad about their city all the time. I am going to pimp its virtues. I ask those in all cities to join me in the act of stopping people from tearing down their cities and instead attempt to build them up.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
On race relations
Top 5 things that I hate in no particular order
1) When the whiskey bottle is empty and there is no more in the house.
2) The fact that most of my favorite bands have broken up, and I am faced with a lack of new music to choose from.
3) When people try to tell me that I am not black enough, or that they are more black then I am, despite the fact that they are white.
4) My dog eating the stuffing out of the couch.
5) Living in suburbia and the long drive from the bar it entails.
Actually all of those things except two and three are pretty much bullshit, and don't bother me all that much. So lets address number 3.
The other night I am out at some rock show with friends, when a drunk acquaintance of mine comes up and starts rambling on about various non-sensical topics. At some point during this conversation the fellow turns to me, and proclaims that he is in fact FAR more Black then I am. This a person who I believe to be of more or less Irish and German descent, and I am not talking about the Black Irish either.
Please allow me to go ahead and set the record straight on this topic once and for all. Pay close attention. If you fall into the category of the person mentioned above, no matter how many hip hop records you buy, no matter how many Spike Lee films you watch, no matter how much you attempt to hide your natural speech pattern, you will never (repeat NEVER) be more Black then I am.
Being Black isn't about fitting into some sort of stereo-typo that was mostly conceived through some sort of false advertising. It's a mind set to be sure, but step one to being Black, is to have the skin town to back up your claim. Not saying you can't be one of the "light skinded brothers", but you certainly cant be 99% German either.
1) When the whiskey bottle is empty and there is no more in the house.
2) The fact that most of my favorite bands have broken up, and I am faced with a lack of new music to choose from.
3) When people try to tell me that I am not black enough, or that they are more black then I am, despite the fact that they are white.
4) My dog eating the stuffing out of the couch.
5) Living in suburbia and the long drive from the bar it entails.
Actually all of those things except two and three are pretty much bullshit, and don't bother me all that much. So lets address number 3.
The other night I am out at some rock show with friends, when a drunk acquaintance of mine comes up and starts rambling on about various non-sensical topics. At some point during this conversation the fellow turns to me, and proclaims that he is in fact FAR more Black then I am. This a person who I believe to be of more or less Irish and German descent, and I am not talking about the Black Irish either.
Please allow me to go ahead and set the record straight on this topic once and for all. Pay close attention. If you fall into the category of the person mentioned above, no matter how many hip hop records you buy, no matter how many Spike Lee films you watch, no matter how much you attempt to hide your natural speech pattern, you will never (repeat NEVER) be more Black then I am.
Being Black isn't about fitting into some sort of stereo-typo that was mostly conceived through some sort of false advertising. It's a mind set to be sure, but step one to being Black, is to have the skin town to back up your claim. Not saying you can't be one of the "light skinded brothers", but you certainly cant be 99% German either.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Web Comics Redux
I am in the middle of testing out code that takes about three hours to run. I could fill that time by doing all sorts of mind numbing things that I don't enjoy, or I could bring some joy into the lives of my readership. I personally prefer the later as opposed to the former. I did some true Internet surfing for the first time in awhile and stumbled across some new stuff.
There is a new Copper comic out. I am can't express how happy this makes me.
I discovered this comic (Octopus Pie) today while looking around on the Bolt City site.
David sent me to this site featuring some pretty rocking art as well.
Ugly Hill may be my new favorite comic.
Let's see... I feel like I should give you more. I have had some thoughts of substance as of late, but I can never really decide on a way to serve them up for mass consumption. Not that anyone actually reads this blog... So how about a quick brain dump?
Changing the world is a daunting and scary task. You are not going to be able to simply draw up a road map to take you from Point A to Point B. It doesn't work like that, and nor should it. Choose an area that you can improve upon and work to improve it. If everyone does that, we are going to be just fine.
Why exactly does MLB wish to speak to Jay Gibbons but it doesn't want to speak to Rick Ankiel or Troy Glaus? This makes little to no sense. Is it because Gibbons is not a very good player and Ankiel and Glaus are? Why are people not as out raged about this as they were about Jason Giambi or Barry Bonds? Has the bar been lowered that much? I am going to choose to hope it has not been. If it has been, we may be seeing my last days as a sports fan. While were talking about Performance Enhancing Drugs, (can we please for the love of all that is holy and right in the Universe come up with another name for them?) I don't mind the double standard as it relates to drug use between baseball and football as long as we are held to a higher standard.
cheers!
There is a new Copper comic out. I am can't express how happy this makes me.
I discovered this comic (Octopus Pie) today while looking around on the Bolt City site.
David sent me to this site featuring some pretty rocking art as well.
Ugly Hill may be my new favorite comic.
Let's see... I feel like I should give you more. I have had some thoughts of substance as of late, but I can never really decide on a way to serve them up for mass consumption. Not that anyone actually reads this blog... So how about a quick brain dump?
Changing the world is a daunting and scary task. You are not going to be able to simply draw up a road map to take you from Point A to Point B. It doesn't work like that, and nor should it. Choose an area that you can improve upon and work to improve it. If everyone does that, we are going to be just fine.
Why exactly does MLB wish to speak to Jay Gibbons but it doesn't want to speak to Rick Ankiel or Troy Glaus? This makes little to no sense. Is it because Gibbons is not a very good player and Ankiel and Glaus are? Why are people not as out raged about this as they were about Jason Giambi or Barry Bonds? Has the bar been lowered that much? I am going to choose to hope it has not been. If it has been, we may be seeing my last days as a sports fan. While were talking about Performance Enhancing Drugs, (can we please for the love of all that is holy and right in the Universe come up with another name for them?) I don't mind the double standard as it relates to drug use between baseball and football as long as we are held to a higher standard.
cheers!
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