February 20, 2004

Today is my younger brother’s 30th birthday. Big ups and props go out to him. I called him this morning in California on his cell phone before he started work. He seemed like he was in a bad mood. No, he was. I don’t know which one it was - getting older, going to work or the fact that he is in the middle of building a new home in the desert. Eh, it’s probably a combination of all three. I know I would be crabby it if was me in his position, probably worse. This sentence is about the loving tribute that I was going to give to my brother in this BLOG.

I rode the bus down Clifton Blvd. with Mike “Hook Boy” Uva this afternoon coming home from work. He was reading a book by the same guy that I am reading now although it was not the same book. Blank minds think alike. Mike is playing a benefit show right now that I am not at for political reasons. He also hipped me to a benefit show tomorrow night at Pats in the Flats for a magazine called “Don’t Blame Cleveland”. (Possibly a homage to my high school fanzine “Don’t Fuck with G-Heights”?) He told me that if I bought a CD by Machine Go Boom (good name) he would offer me (not you, me) a money back guarantee. I am thinking about going out tomorrow night. How about that?

I spent the evening looking for a piece of paper that is critical to my future as a working adult. I did not find it. I did find, however, a bunch of old correspondence and my personal copy of “Oh, My Brother”. Life is sweet. After going through the archives, I cleaned up the office and put a bunch of crap away so I can read in peace in the sitting chair without thinking that I need to get the office squared away.

I just got home from a run down Lake Avenue. I feel pretty good.

I would like to close by taking the opportunity to tell everybody that thinks that they could live my life better than me to go fuck themselves.

posted by Thea at 10:27 PM

February 19, 2004

I saw the Sinner’s sitting chair a few times before I really noticed it and a few more times before I sat down in it, on an angle in front of a television in a dormer on the third floor of his house. I sat in the old worn-in sitting chair. It was nice. “I need to get me a sitting chair,” I said. “All I am working for, all I want out of life is my own private sitting chair on the third floor of my house. Let her have the rest of the house. Just give me my third floor sitting chair.”

Short version of the story: I got my sitting chair yesterday. Thank you Martha. She tried to throw my sitting chair away with her old bed. I debated for a few minutes. Laurie and I would have to carry it up a lot of stairs. Where are we going to put a sitting chair? I think about the debate now. I laugh at myself for thinking about it even for a second. This morning, naked, reading a book and drinking coffee in my sitting chair, was the greatest morning of my life. Per-fucking-iod. I told Laurie, as she left for school, that I was going to stay home from work and sit naked reading, maybe listen to some jams, all day in my sitting chair. Of course, I went to work but I thought about my sitting chair all day. I am looking at it now. Pretty soon, I am going to be sitting in it. My prayers have been answered by a hand me down piece of furniture. Wasn’t that simple?

I would like to share my happiness with people without the notion that whoever I was sharing it with wasn’t thinking that I was full of shit. I would like to tell people that I was sad without them saying: “I thought you said you were happy.”

posted by Thea at 8:53 PM

February 18, 2004

Sure signs that I am leading an ultra low stimulus life right now:

I woke up late because I was out late last night watching the Dreadful Yawns – later than normal but not late enough.

The book that had me in its grip yesterday continued its hold on me today. I am thoroughly enjoying the experience of reading for the first time in a while instead of reading just to get through the book because that is what I do.

On the late bus to work. Not quite the dregs of humanity but getting there. I saw kids who looked like they could have been involved with Columbine for the first time since working at the Used Record Store. Trench coats. Granny-styled sun glasses. Combat boots. Losers.

The office was a slow blur of tedious busy work, Yusef Lateef and nasty paper cuts. The blood. The blood. The blood.

Went down to the radio station after work to drop off the CDs that were bought with the benefit money. The trip there and back during rush hour seemed to take forever.

We had a homemade sexy fish dinner tonight. So fucking sexy. That fish ruled.

Quality time with Laurie. Listening to the Cavaliers lose. Going to go running. Going to help Martha move some furniture. Going to go to bed.

It seems like I have been through all of this before. It seems like everything that I just wrote has been written before.

posted by Thea at 8:20 PM

February 17, 2004

I woke up early. I did not get out of bed when the alarm went off. I turned over. I wanted to go back to sleep. That never happens to me – ever. I figured it was a bad sign.

I worked pretty hard while listening to “We Free Kings” by Roland Kirk several times and then “Veedon Fleece” by Van Morrison more than a few but not as much. I was sitting at my desk for just over nine hours and these were the only two records I listened to while listening to music all day. That means I heard these two records many times.

I kept a joke about a fake play that I am going to write going at the office and with Chuck all day. Calling anybody at work who I think has a sense of humor and saying: “OK. The next scene is…”

I talked to Doug from Quazimodo now in Texas. I could barely hear him on his cell phone and found the whole experience frustrating. Also, I now feel compelled to perform for Doug instead of actually talking to him. That’s not good.

I talked to Thea on the phone. She said that the “Who Wants to Marry a Midget” show is her favorite television show ever.

I got lost in a book on the bus on the way home. Even with some dude sitting too close to me. Man, that was sweet. I forgot everything and just read – completely tuning out the world. Wow. I hope that happens again tomorrow.

I stood behind some dude and his big haired overly perfumed old lady at the music store for ten minutes while he traded in one amplifier for his electronic drum set so he could buy a bigger amplifier for his electronic drum set. While I don’t want to shit on anybody’s trip and try to live by a rock and let rock philosophy, some things are just too fucking lame for words.

I hung out with Andrej for a couple of hours tonight and I am waiting for him to call me so we can get our rock on at the Grog Shop with the Autumn Defense and the Dreadful Yawns. What can I say about St. Andrej? They named a cheese after him.

Laurie has told me to be quiet twice today. I don’t think I like being told to be quiet.

Andrej just called. Have a good night.

posted by Thea at 9:12 PM

February 16, 2004

Set List for the Rock and Roll Radio Show – 02/16/04 @ 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Phobia – Means of Existence – Means of Existence (Relapse, 1998)
AC/DC - Live Wire (live) – Bonfire (Eastwest, 1997)
The Soft Boys – Rock ‘n’ Roll Toilet - Invisible Hits (reissue) (Rykodisc, 1992)
The Soft Boys - There's Nobody Like You - Underwater Moonlight (reissue) (Rykodisc, 1992)
Paul Weller - Leafy Mysteries – Illumination (Yep Roc, 2003)
The Jam - To Be Someone - Direction Reaction Creation (Polygram, 1997)
The Jam - Move On Up - Direction Reaction Creation (Polygram, 1997)
Curtis Mayfield - Get Down - Roots (reissue) (Rhino, 1999)
Yusef Lateef - Livingston Playground - Yusef Lateef's Detroit (reissue) (Collectables, 2002)
The Misfits – Violent World - Walk Among Us (Ruby, 1982)
The Misfits - Astro Zombies - Walk Among Us (Ruby, 1982)
Roky Erickson & the Aliens - I Walked With a Zombie - The Evil One (plus one) (Sympathy, 2002)
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators - Slip Inside This House - Easter Everywhere (Collectables, 1993)
Destructor – Sonic Bullet – Sonic Bullet – (Auburn, 2003)
Abdullah – Burning Away – Cleveland - Ain’t it Fun – Volume 2 (cleveland-aintitfun.com, 2003)
Disengage – District 2 Electric Boogaloo – Cleveland - Ain’t it Fun – Volume 1 (cleveland-aintitfun.com, 2003)

posted by Thea at 7:20 PM

February 15, 2004

I just excused myself from the opening ceremonies of the NBA All-Star game after Laurie said, having just witnessed Christina Aguilera’s spirited rendition of the National Anthem, that if she ever saw Christina Aguilera on the street, she would punch her in the face. That’s my wife. That’s my Valentine. We had a kick ass St. Valentine’s Weekend. We hung out. Listened to jams. I finished reading two books. We watched “American Splendor” and “Lost in Translation” on DVD. We ate the supposed best pad thai in Cleveland, OH. I rocked out. I ran. Basically, it was a great weekend. There were points yesterday where I was the most relaxed that I have ever been in years – at least since our second honeymoon in Miami, FL. It was awesome. Looking forward to this week: I am going to be rocking out at the Grog Shop three times. Monday = Nebula/Disengage/Abdullah. Tuesday = Autumn Defense/The Dreadful Yawns. Saturday = Keelhaul. I am doing the Rock and Roll Radio show tomorrow from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. I have practice on two other nights and maybe some extra jamming on the side. So, yes, I am looking forward to this marathon week. I think that I am not going to be sleeping too much. But that is how it goes if you want to rock out.

I will tell you about other people that Laurie wants to beat up tomorrow on the Assholier than Thou Good Times Happy Friends Monday Morning Radio Show Starring Baby Fea (yea!).

posted by Thea at 8:51 PM