What’s this birthday thing?

So another year has come and gone. I’ve actually written this blog for longer than I ever thought I would. It sure as hell hasn’t been consistent. I’ve stopped writing about political stuff for the most part. I guess it frustrates me to the point that I don’t really give two shits about it. I also used to try not to cuss in my blog. I guess I don’t give three shits about that.

Maybe people say that cursing is a sign of stupidity, a lack of vocabulary. I would have to agree. I am both stupid and have a small vocabulary.

Though this last year has been marked with some trepidation, it has been on the whole a good year. My old band dissolved and got mixed into the solution of my new band. We’ve had a monster response so far. We’re saving up money and should be able to hit the studio in a few months.

I also finished my book. I had sent it off to some friends. One friend could not get past a graphic scene in the third chapter and refuses to answer any of my calls. A second friend read it once, thought it was great, wanted to read it again, but it depressed her even more the second time. The third friend I never really expected to read it, besides he’s in grad school and waaaay busy with too much stuff. Anyhoo, second friend is sending the book back. I’ll maybe tone it down a bit and send it off see anyone can stiffle their gag reflex long enough to reject it. Or not.

I started going really bald, so I preempted all and started shaving my head. I’ve been getting back into metal and industrial and away from hip hop and whatnot.

I’m not sure what else is happening, but I’ll keep me posted as I see fit.

Mr. Smith Goes to Billings

My wife and I just went to Billings to visit my family, in particular my brother who was also in town. It was the first time in a couple of years that the whole famn damily was gathered in one place and it went off fairly smooth imho.

Though I won’t get much into detail about the trip, especially family specifics since I don’t like to publish all my secrets for free, I did want to share some random thoughts about the trip.

#1) Billings is getting spruced up. I remember growing up on Russell Street two blocks off of Broadwater Ave. The streets surrounding our house were decrepit at best. Pot holes plagued the streets, but that never seemed to stop my brother from driving full bore at angles to miss the worst of the damage.

The streets seem to be a lot better in the city. Maybe I came at the right time of the year, but it suddenly struck me how pleasant it is to drive in Billings (especially when you know how to get around). People’s yards look nice. Almost too nice. I wonder how many Billingites are actually concerned about the possible ecological damage that those lush lawns pose. In Western Montana, we’re looking at an aquifer that might be drained within my lifetime. Though, it is nice to have some shade in that blistering sun. Coming back to Missoula was a shock. Partly because it was rainy, and partly because we barely noticed it was rainy.

#2) Billings is still growing at a clip. Yet, it is still affordable. Sort of. Sure, it has the half a million and million dollar houses, but my cousins managed to buy a house for less than a hundo-thousand! That category does not exist in Missoula. It doesn’t matter what part of town you live in, how bad the house is. Nothing. Those houses do not exist over here.

#3) Eastern Montana thunderstorms are still cool. Our last full day in Billings ended with a barbeque. Rain threatened the entire day. I would go stand outside to watch the impending clouds, seeing and smelling the rain, knowing that it was on its way. In Missoula, if you can see the storm, you’re about to get wet. With valley living comes the inevitable fact that the weather has no place to go except for the valley. In Billings, though, the storm seemed to split up. Half of the storm went north while the other half went south. We were spared and the barby was a success!

#4) Our “new” car (an 89 Camry) gets great mileage. On the way down we got an average of 33.5 mpg even with some random in town driving whenever we felt like stopping. We got this in part because we actually drove 75 mph instead of my usual 80. Plus we weren’t blasting heat (like during our last trip in the winter) or AC. What a difference that 5 mph made! I tried going a little bit slower when possible, but 334 miles is a long drive to take real slow. Trust me. I know. And not because I remember when the speed limit was 55 on the highway (which I do, though I was too young to drive it), but because I had a van that could only go 55. Eight hours is far too long of a drive between Missoula and Billings.

The thing was, even at 75 we were passing people. It used to be that I went 80 to 85 and lots of people passed me. I saw truckers pass more cars then I’d ever seen before. It made me think that perhaps other people are trying the same tactic: driving slow to save fuel and money.

I read in USA Today that people are actually on average driving less than they were. I’d believe that. We already drive less and only keep a car because it is a bit cheaper than taking taxis or buses to all of our hard to reach places (my band practices outside of Missoula).

I’m still working on ending, so I’ll just abruptly say this: Johnny Cash, 50 Cent, Ludicris, Britney Spear’s bald head.

Yule Year

So this Christmas was still fairly interesting. We went to my in-laws for Xmas Eve but couldn’t stay the night. The bloodsuckers wanted my wife to work Xmas day.

It struck me during the presents how much waste goes into Christmas: the wrapping, packaging, etc. We filled up bag after bag of junk and still had a ton of boxes leftover to burn in the fireplace. Reduce, reuse, recycle seems to have little place at Christmas. We did our best by wrapping presents in old newspaper and paper bags. It wasn’t super fancy, but it did the trick. Though sometimes I have that little voice in the back of my head say, “You old grinch. You scrooge. Who are you to take away the glitter and pizz-azz of the holidays ?”

I distrust that voice. That voice reeks of commericialism. It’s the same voice that tells me to buy more presents than I can afford. The same voice that tells me I need a five thousand square foot house all for my very own. That I need a new car. That I need all these new cds, books, clothes, etc. I say fuck that. I don’t need every little thing that I see. I can barely read all the books that I have now, much less the magazines or teh internets. I listen to music still and I still like to collect cds, but as far as most anything else, I just hate filling up landfills with more packaging from me.

Where’s That Church Again?

Ahem. Not that I want an XBox 360 or anything.

Halloween comes earlier to Valleyville.

Oh, those rotating holidays!  With Halloween on a Tuesday this year, and both my wife and I needing to work the next day, we went out to the KMo dance last night.  A co-worker gave us a ride and we glided in a 9:30ish.  Our costumes? 

While we couldn’t beat two years ago when my wife went as Michael Jackson and I went as a ten year old boy, we had much to improve from last year in Rome.  Nobody except for tourists celebrate Halloween at RCHQ.  Strange though how the Colosseum was absolutely buzzing.  The stones were emitting an energy all their own.  But going as tourists in a tourist city when vendors give you broken roses instead of candy and still demand money is not my idea of a good time.

Last night… now that was a good time.  I had been working on my wife for months, maybe even over a year.  Finally, with less than three hours until dance time and no costumes made, she relented.  She went as a cardboard box and I went as a bum. 

Never before has she gotten so many compliments!  However, most people didn’t get the joke.  I was dressed to a P (I even managed to urinate on my leg a little bit).  I had the dirty jeans, the scruffy shoes, the patchy beard, and to give off a rank odor I ate a clove of garlic and some coffee grounds.  When people came up to compliment my wife’s costume I’d spang for a quarter.  Christ on a Catheter!  The lights went off in their eyes just like I was a real bum.  They’d back away and stammer that they didn’t carry change.  I told one guy that I accepted twenties and Visa.  Besides it was all for my box anyway.  To pay for property taxes I explained.

A wasted night alone in the cave of my weird humor.