Two Concerts, Two Weekends

I have two pretty enjoyable weekends on the horizon. After about a month of staying local, I am heading back to NY this weekend. Saturday is the homecoming event day at Fordham and I am seeing Titus Andronicus that night.

The following weekend, Mike is coming here and after helping in the Autism Speaks walk we are going to see The Tallest Man On Earth (musician, not some weird side show act at the local carnival) play in Philly.

As for this weekend? Well I saw Penrose play at the docks today, got to play some video games, bought a new shirt and am hoping to tryout my dual screen setup for the games tomorrow. Not bad.

Music Monday

Twitter trends are an interesting thing. I was explaining some of the hash tags to a friend of mine who is new to twitter on our ride to NY earlier today. One of the hash tags you might see is #MM which is Music Monday. Users can post an album, band name, or song and tag the post as music monday. It is a way to contribute to a communal word of mouth music recommendation.

My suggestion - see Penrose if you live on the east cost and can get to a show in the NY, NJ, PA area. I am good friends with all of them and rode up with drummer and eldest brother Tom Murphy. Despite the two of us working 9-5 jobs in Philadelphia, tomorrow being no exception, we rode up to NYC for a few hours for their show. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. No amount of fighting sleep will cause me to second guess my decision tonight. That show was a blast, as are all of their performances, and it beats the dull start to every other week.

I'd rather have this to start the week and have a lousy Tuesday morning that to just have a lousy Tuesday morning anyway. Lets face it - weekday mornings suck, especially earlier in the week. Might as well have something good to replay in your head to counteract it.

Bachelor Barbeque & Penbros

Active Sunday (For A Change)

Most Sundays are spent in recovery. Not that I drink or do much that needs to be recovered from, but until this weekend I was busy every weekend this summer. Sundays were either spent lounging after a friend left from visiting all weekend or driving back from New York, or something else uneventful. It makes sense, then, that my first slow/low key weekend would find me busy on Sunday.

I have been reading a decent amount this past week. I have read the first five volumes of Scott Pilgrim as well as 2.5 more volumes of The Walking Dead. If you are not a comic book person then you might scoff at this being listed as an accomplishment. To me, however, this is a step in the right direction. I have somewhere between 75-90 minutes on my round trip train ride every day where I am able to be productive. Over the past 6 years of my life I have worked 9-5 jobs that I had to drive to. By the time I get home I don't feel like reading either. This time around, though, I am trying to use this time. I am both able to be in transit and do something else. For a few weeks I would read the paper, do a crossword, fall asleep, etc. Those weeks I found myself very tired getting into work. I started watching movies to keep myself more mentally engaged.

With the stack of Scott Pilgrim novels in my possession I decided I would give reading a go. I have a hard time staying awake on the train while reading, but I thought that since comics have images to them and have a faster pace I might be able to get into the routine of reading during these trips. After 5 days I knocked out all five volumes. I then used my low key weekend to plow through the rest of Vol. 2 and then Vol. 3 & 4 of the Walking Dead.

Today I woke up and quickly finished Volume 4 of the Walking Dead. I then drove to Delaware to pick up the next volume. I returned home and watched the Phillies game until it's rain delay. Then I drove to a my friend Alex's house and together we jouneyed into the city to Dave & Busters for a free Penrose show. Our parking voucher gave us 5 dollars off of food, and checking into using the app FourSquare we each got free $5 game cards. So I proceeded to eat, watch the remained of the Phils at the bar, kill some zombies, and then watch Penrose while sitting on the water with a great view of the Ben Franklin bridge over my shoulder.

For what is typically a day spent on the couch, I really enjoy this Sunday. I am also looking forward to this week for no other reason that for what I am going to read. After picking up the next volume in the Dead series, I also borrowed the latest Scott Pilgrim and the novel World War Z from Alex. Can't wait to get started on them.

Ears Are Ringing

It's been a few years since I came home from a concert with hearing difficulty. Tonight, after a very (definitely unnecessarily) loud concert with some of my friends as the headliners I walked out of the venue with my left ear ringing. Now, 2 hours later, I have lost almost all hearing in that ear. Man, this is incredibly annoying.

Off to bed. Tomorrow I want to talk about a package I received in the mail today. I am still blown away by this.

I Love Spring Weekend

The spring week shirts boasting that logo are everywhere right now. Every spring weekend they print a few thousand of these shirts and toss them out at various Spring Weekend-related events. This was the first Spring Weekend where I got a shirt and it's a good one to get. I just happened to catch, of all of the ones they threw out, the color and size that I wanted. Excellent.

This was a great spring weekend. Last year, with TPBA, I had an incredible time. We played to the bigges crowd we ever had and will play for. It was incredible intense to perform in front of that many people, to be a memory of that Spring Weekend to so many, so sing for and sing with so many.

This year, after a year without a show, we out of the blue were offered a spring weekend show. Maybe it was the time off, maybe it was the new line-up, I'm not sure. Maybe it's just that it is hard to recall feelings to the degree they existed in their unique moment, but right now I would say I had more fun and felt more 'right' this past weekend than last year. Our set was followed by an incredible set by Penrose, who played again the next day. I recently was told that they estimated 3,500 people were in attendance for their set on Saturday. I can't even conceive what it must have looked like and felt like for them. And they deserve it.

That was the first spring weekend show I truly enjoyed (no thanks to MGMT), having followed and exhausting but amazing night. Sunday was pretty low key, but it was so, in a good way.

And now, with only days, or hours, left to give to this school I look at my Spring Weekend shirt, my only souvenir from my 4 years here, and have say once again, despite the bitching I might have about Fordham as a school, it has been and continues to be a place of incredible memories.

There are only 18 days until we graduate. That's 18 more chances to have an incredible day here. I hope to capitalize on every one.

Worth the money?

Every year it seems like Fordham waits to long or does not budget enough for a good act at spring weekend. This, our senior year, they managed to book MGMT. This is the most time relevant band they have booked in my time here. In the past we have had Yellowcard, Ghostface Killa, and Guster. MGMT is the closest thing they have gotten to booking a band that students are currently listening to, a band currently big.

To say that Penrose blew them away in presence, talent, and interaction with the crowd would be an understatement. This is a shame for the school because it does not bode well for them putting in the effort trying to book a 'current' band in the future. That being said, it is unfair to compare a 'band' to the musical talent of Penrose. I think it is safe to say they have a lock on opening Spring Weekend as long as Danny goes here. It is also safe to say that I'd make the trip to see them each time as well.

My voice may have been sore, my back and neck may have been strained, but I just couldnt help myself from shouting, singing, and dancing around to them. It's amazing for guys who are so young in the music scene to command the stage so well, and incredibly cool to be close friends with all of them.

(Picture today is of my backyard. Some of the guys in the apartment complex transformed out backyard into a beach/pool. The rager than ensued started around 12:30pm and at 1:45 am it is still happening. So impressed.)

One More Song

Made it to my first legit Penrose show tonight. So happy to finally say that. Also, killing two birds with one stone, also saw my first concert at Arlene's Grocery. Excellent small sized venue. Add in that I got a ride with the guys in the band so no transportation cost, and since I was giving them a hand with the equipment I was considered part of the band and didn't have to pay the cover charge and you can see why it was a great night.

Oh yeah, and they were face-meltingly good. So much energy!

Hypocrite

Recently I played an open mic night at the coffee house down the street from my apartment. I got upset, and posted on twitter how I was not happy with a certain friend of mine who did not come to it. I was annoyed that, knowing he was doing nothing else, he still did not come to show support.

I realized tonight how much of a hypocrite that makes me. A good friend of mine and his two brothers play together in a band. They are all friends of mine, and people I played music with at one point. I have watched them go from just enjoying to play music, to creating music, to recording a cd, to growing as musicians, vocalists, performers, etc. And in all of that, I felt close to them, apart of their growth.

Tonight, I realized after talking to my friend, that despite being a part of all of this, seeing them play on campus, and at house parties, I have not been to a single show of theirs. I have been invited by them, personally, and through facebook, to over a dozen different shows of theirs. Each time one comes up I either cannot make it, or don't go. Several times I have opted not to go out of convenience or having no one to go with. I don't think that there is more than two occasions where I have an actual reason for not going.

It's really upsetting to not only have that as the truth, but to not even realize it. These are great dudes and each better musicians than I am at anything I do. I am not making excuses anymore. I can't pretend to support them and never see them play. And I can't hold anything against anyone who does not come to see me when I, so often, neglect to support them.

One Moment

To maybe look at things pessimistically for a second: I don't think it is possible to have a day where literally everything goes right. I think that something doesn't play out how it was meant to, expected, etc. Maybe there's days where everything is just in the middle, but I think there is some kind of balance that whenever there's a shitty day, something good seems to happen, or whenever there's a great day, there's some moment in it that's sub par.

Today started off terribly. I have been exhausted this week with all that has been going on and have been getting very little sleep. I went to bed last night after running a full day on about four hours of sleep, culminating with helping host and perform in an open mic night.

I woke up this morning for my 10 am class, at 10:45. The first word out of my mouth was not a pleasant one. Turns out, I was able to see what time it was so quickly because my phone was still in my hand. No I don't typically sleep with my phone. What happened was, I was so tired that while I was setting my alarm on my phone I fell asleep. I woke up and realized I was almost there too. Essentially all I had left to do was flip the setting to 'ON'.

I was then supposed to meet up with my research team and head to CT for my first dyad, and get hands on training so that when I take over the Bridgeport Site on my own I will know what I am doing. I no sooner get over my missed class when I get a message saying they are leaving very shortly, am I ready? I texted back and said that I needed at least 20 minutes and that if that was too long, don't bother. The response was basically a - we'll see you next week.

Feeling really pissed I was about to get back in bed. I had already missed class and my opportunity to go to CT, so whats the point in staying awake? Phone rings. "Hey, we are going to wait for you. Hurry up!"

The trip was highly informative and extremely successful. I got back earlier than I planned and felt happy that despite my poor start, today was not a wash. Then I get an email. I had submitted my fund raising event 3 days prior and today was when I was to hear back. Leaving the office after being told 'I hope that event isn't for this semester' left me with little hope. Around 5 o'clock today I received an email explaining that my event had been approved, with the extra requests authorized as well.

I think I may have danced. No, I know I did. And then I told anyone who knew I was worried about this. It just continued to baffle me. I still, as I am writing, can't believe that it went through. It is not like it should not have, but that they basically told me that it was too late in the year to book an event.

To add to things, my good friend Tom Murphy and his band Penrose played an amazing set trying out for the opening spot before MGMT for our spring weekend and they won the competition.

And, a woman whose blog I read frequently got back to me about something I had suggested to her. There is this book that was written for kids that I think that the reason it happened, the book itself, and what the goal for it is are all so incredible. Unfortunately I don't have kids, nor am I close with anyone who does, and so knowing about something like this ends there. I wanted so badly to share this with someone who could appreciate it and read it to their son or daughter, so I sent her the information on it to this woman. A few days passed and I never heard back so I assumed either she did not care/care for it or she did not see my message. Tonight I got a message back from her and not only did she see it, but she loved it, and wants to tell more people about it!

So yeah, maybe today was not perfect, but it was pretty damn close. I'm still ecstatic about it all. And now I need to try to sleep.

ice cream is not a meal

lesson learned - chocolate fudge brownie for dinner = too much for my digestive system to handle. hoping this passes soon. ouch.

in other news im going home...again...
i do love going home and i dont like to say that previous statement with the apprehension i seem to be saying it with because i like home its just that this is the third time i will be going home and its becoming routine and in my senior year thats not something you want to be doing.

i am in the process of buying my midnight release ticket for WTWTA - if you know me then you are not surprised at all and maybe even just rolled your eyes. no worries - for you - the movie is out in one week and maybe then ill stop obsessing...maybe.

not going to apologize for it, though - i love this story and im not alone in it or in the excitement for this movie although the excitement that has been bubbling for the past 18 months with a picture here, a set update there and then finally the trailer last spring has the down side of ending with the release and while i am thrilled it is finally here, i have enjoyed the ride so much that i'll admit it is a shame to be losing out on that. i hope that weloveyouso.com still continues as its a site i have come to check daily for the 3 or 4 posts they have - usually infrequently regarding the film specifically. through them i have found a few bands, other blog sites, a few artists, and some foundations - and i hope that it continues for all of those aspects.

do yourself a favor and go ask tom murphy (or pat) for a copy of their cd. they are giving them away and its very good.

peace!

seasons greetings

while that is typically associated with one specific holiday/time of the year it is not barred from being applied elsewhere. as such - i love Halloween and today i am really in the halloween mood/mind set and so i am adopting said phrase to apply to the fall/halloween season.

i need a pumpkin

started compiling a list of must-watch movies for this month. after last night's film - Trick 'r Treat i started reflecting on how little or few horror movies actually have anything to do with Halloween. There is the obvious Halloween franchise and last nights movie and then Sleepy Hollow. But for the most part horror movies have nothing to with this holiday. This was slightly disappointing to focus on because after last night I am craving more films that are about or take place on Halloween. Anyway - i started compiling a list including the 3 i listed above and then, since the list of Halloween related films (at least ones i know of) ends there I started including classics and other ones i think would just fit the mood. anyway here is my list:

movies for halloween:
trick r treat
halloween
blair witch
saw
shaun of the dead
dawn of the dead
sleepy hollow
nightmare on elm street
the shining
the exorcist

i left movies i havent seen like poltergeist, rosemary's baby, and the evil dead films because i dont know if i would include them having not seen them.

so these are the movies i will be watching between now and october 31st.