September 11, 2003

Two years later and I am still reeling in the aftermath of tragedy. Today, it struck in the form of a co-worker who assaulted me with assignments so devastating that I was forced by my corporate oppressors to stay at the office for an extra forty-five minutes after I was supposed to go home. It was tragic because I like to go home on time. I am now certain that we will, as a people, never be able to return to the normalcy that was our lives before the World Trade Center disaster. Cheap jokes aside, I have two thoughts on this day. One, I can feel for the families of those who were lost on September 11th. I feel bad. I wish there was something that I could do about it. Sitting 35 floors up like I do every day, it is easy to understand how helpless you are in that situation. So, I feel some sympathy and some empathy and wish the world was a better place. The bright side of another September 11th Day of Remembrance, and the ridiculous amount of media coverage and offensive level of patriotism that it brings, is that it means that we have not been hit with something worse. The World Trade Center disaster was not an every day event like it is in some Middle East countries. Thank God that September 11th was the big one and pray that nothing ever happens so bad that this day seems like just another day.

posted by Thea at 7:19 PM

September 10, 2003

I watched the movie “Jesus’ Son” tonight. It sucked. That is funny. I don’t remember Denis Johnson’s book sucking. Actually, the book “Jesus’ Son” is very good. The movie, starring some nerd and featuring Jack Black, Dennis Leary and Dennis Hopper, was way to hey-look-at-how-weird-this-all-is-just-like-“Twin Peaks”-but-on-drugs. It missed all of the dry irony of the book and instead opted for surreal – as interpreted by MTV. I usually like the artsy and I usually like the fartsy but sometimes that blows up in your face and bites you in the ass – just like a good woman. See. That is what the movie was like. Not good.

posted by Thea at 10:00 PM

September 9, 2003

I have these days at work where I can’t get anything done. Paper keeps piling on my desk. I jump around from project to project. Distracted. Nothing ever gets finished. If I do give somebody some result of what I have been doing, it comes back to me with the instruction to do more work. I like writing things down on my list of things to do and then crossing them off when they are finished. Most days, I do not cross anything off. It seems like the only time I get anything done is when I work all day to just to get my desk clean. That was not today. My mind was racing from start to finish. Constant circular motion. No end in sight. It normally ends when I leave for the day. I can get it back together at home. I can focus. Not tonight. My mind kept spinning and I am just sitting down now for the first time today. I am not tired – just really agitated.

I am always looking for new jams – always - and rarely finding anything new.

I practiced with the Dreadful Yawns yesterday. Great band. Good guys. I am playing with them at the Grog Shop on Wednesday, September 17, 2003. I am filling in for their drummer who just had surgery. My prayers go out for him for a quick recovery. And you should join me in praying that I rock. No. That should be a constant prayer for the whole wide world. God, please let us all rock. Amen.

posted by Thea at 9:52 PM

September 7, 2003

BLOG. Weekend Edition.

Friday. I am trying to think what I did at work. I am pretty sure that it was nothing but I also did not get anything completed on a personal level either. I think I just wasted time. I went to the radio station with Thea to pick up a Dreadful Yawns record. I wasted more time. I went home early. I did some laundry. Dirt and I went to Pat’s in the Flats to see the Volta Sound do “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground and Red Giant play the Stooges. There was an opener who I did not catch because I was having a rap session on the patio with the Sinner, Thea and Dirt. All other bands canceled. The Volta Sound were excellent. Red Giant threw shapes. Dirt and I bailed early.

Saturday. I wrote for a couple of hours and then read “Infinite Jest” for a couple of hours. I continue to get deeper and deeper into this book. It is consuming all of my free time, either by actually reading it or thinking about it or carrying it around. I listened to jams for most of the afternoon with a trip out of the house for more jams and groceries. I ended the afternoon with a power walk. That calve muscle that I pulled will not get better. Laurie and I went to some warehouse art opening thing on West 96th Street. It was pretty cool. It was a huge space and from where I was seated, it seemed like the nice mix of people were having a good time. Remember: if there is a seating option, I am taking it. On the way to the warehouse, Laurie and I tuned into “Studio-A-Rama” on WRUW 91.1 FM and heard some guy rapping up a storm. We decided to pass on “Studio-A-Rama” this year and there was much moaning about it by us. Guided by Voices to this? I realize that variety is the spice of life and one of the missions of college radio but I really just like to rock and this is pretty much it. In order to rock, Laurie and I went to the Beachland Ballroom to see the Bellrays and Nebula. We got there just as the Bellrays were setting up. Timing is everything. We said hello to everybody that you always see at the Beachland Ballroom and then we got our space in front of the stage. The Bellrays rocked. Holy shit. I was completely pumped up (almost throwing my own air shape) and Laurie bounced up and down like a little girl while they kicked it. The Bellrays are turning into to one of my favorite bands. I love them. The last time Nebula played the Beachland Ballroom, it was too quiet and there was all that fighting with the old school ragers and the skinheads. Next, Nebula played at the Grog Shop, opening up for the Supersuckers, and they were too wasted to rock. Last night, no skinheads, just enough stoner and Nebula got Isaac from “The Love Boat” to play bass and he totally ruled but they were too fucking loud. It was ridiculous. I know too loud. I have seen Boulder. I have seen Motorhead. And this was too loud. We left after about ten songs because I could not take it anymore. My face was hurting from the volume. That’s not good. It is a shame because Nebula was playing kick ass but I just can’t be assaulted by decibels like that anymore.

Sunday. Laurie and I are about to head out to the Cleveland Museum of Art to see “Masumi Hayashi: Photographs of Indian Temples”. And then we are coming home to eat snacks and watch the Browns. And then I think we are going for a walk. I will tell you all about it on tomorrow’s Assholier than Thou Good Times Happy Friends Monday Morning Radio Show.

posted by Thea at 10:49 AM