Bike fun.

Chris and Nathan came down from Deland to visit last night, albeit without bikes. We spent a little while wandering around the neighborhood and visting the various places nearby, then came back home and watched the original (as opposed to the shitty American remake) Thai horror film Shutter. We then brewed up some coffee and had some fun via my bike.

Don't buy shit today.

I've spent the past two days - black Friday and Thanksgiving - at home "enjoying" my time with family cleaning the house and sitting at the computer. I am not attending Critical Mass tonight for the second time in a row - not by choice this time, mind you. Thanksgiving consisted of eating food that probably wasn't actually vegan despite peoples' claims that it was, and singing songs for people who didn't have enough courtesy to not leave in the middle of each song. I must suck really hard. Overall, I've felt very apathetic and hateful towards the world the past 48 hours. Once again it's a Friday night and the usual barriers I have as being an over-protected 17-year-old have been put up again.

On the bright side, I ordered some sweet patches from Microcosm Publishing last night (today, I buy nothing) and some people put in some bids for my ebay shit. I've been playing The Ergs! in my itunes after a recommendation from Daniel and I'm quite enjoying them (a lot), and I'm not a huge pop-punk fan. I've even added some ancient Green Day to my recent CD playlist. Happy music!

Now my feet smell like shit and I can't figure out why, and I'm really fucking hungry.
Yay.

Can't wait to get out of here.

Thanksgiving sucks.

Buy my shit.

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/ue_thai_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

I suck.

Disappointment...

...seems to follow me everywhere. Rather than be disappointed by any certain thing, it just seems to be something I can always look forward to. Even when great, fun things are in my near future, I am learning to expect the expected - for them not to happen for me. With winter break coming up and all types of shows and fests on the horizon that I looked forward to, today I came to the realization that the only thing getting my hopes up will do is bring them down at time of arrival. Oh well.

On the other hand, it was a good day mostly, although once again cut short. I came home from Food Not Bombs to get Nhac a backpatch to give to him before he left for NC, but upon coming home I wasn't allowed to leave again. Figures. I spent most of the day having fun cooking with Food Not Bombs and hanging out with friends, and I got some more time to try my legs at riding fixed gear. Nhac also gave me a sweet "Son Of Godzilla" shirt. Fuck yes.

Now I'm listening to HHIG's Monuments To Thieves album, which I picked up on vinyl last night. It's been one of my favorite albums for quite a while, and hearing it on vinyl makes it so much better. Seriously. Love this shit. I'm not too big a fan of 15 Counts Of Arson and haven't too much looked into their other shit, but this album alone is enough to solidify them as one of my favorite bands. Melodic-ish crust/sludge/awesomeness? I think so.

I hope I can find something to do with the rest of my night to keep me occupied. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which is in my opinion the worst holiday ever. So I hope to get that over with quick and easy to make way for Critical Mass Friday (I will sadly not be attending the DYSSS alley cat that night as well...bummer) and maybe a great weekend. I don't really look forward to weekends as much lately unless I know I'm going out of town, which I don't. We'll see!

I love poop.

Win.

I Am Citizen (Against Me!)

It's crazy to see how much good bands change for the worse - my favorite band being Against Me! Here's the super old lyrics to "I Am Citizen" off their self-titled 12".

"Christ we were dying in the streets running one last anthem through your heart. Swearing life on liberty I'll take a dream an ideal die sound in a lonely death. Pass this compromise on...... My regrets to Columbus and nothing more when Reagan became the final word. Just one month later they shot Lennon dead, will anybody cry for me? All nations claim until they day that I die, I am citizen. We'll let music rule our life, celebrate shortcomings. If it's not angry young and beautiful, I don't want any part of it. Who do you have to cheat to get what you want, who do you lie to, to get what you need? You deserve everything you got coming to you..."

Weekend Report: Deland

As I've been talking about for a while now, I had been planning for quite some time to go up to Deland during the weekend of November 22-23 to help them with their first Food Not Bombs sharing which coincided with the Deland Fall Downtown Arts Festival which my dad was displaying art in. It ended up being a jolly good weekend altogether, although only about 3 homeless people came to the Food Not Bombs sharing, and didn't even eat. On the positive side, a lot of people came out to help (Joe - I want those pictures!), I got to see some of my closest friends, and it was a very fun experience altogether. Also, my dad managed to pick up 2 awards in the art show - congrats to him!

For Food Not Bombs, we had a delicious batch of mashed potatoes, spaghetti, falafel, and mac and cheese (the only non-vegan food we had), and various other snacks and edibles. We served at Sunflower Park with no trouble from the cops or anything of the sort. Overall, it was a success - I just wish some homeless people would have actually come by and eaten.

The one thing that perplexed me about Deland was why the fuck Checkers seemed to be the hangout for everybody. And by everybody, I mean stupid townie and or "gangsta" teenagers with no lives - of which there were a lot. Also, some old guy barked at me - which I found to be really weird. I must say though, the Thai restaurant downtown is probably the best one I've ever eaten at - and I had no idea that I knew the owners. But doing so allowed me to eat there twice within 24 hours...we'll just say that.

Overall, it was a sweet time. I got back to Orlando this morning post Food Not Bombs breakfast sharing and hung out with Hugo, Daniel, Wes, and Nhac for the day. I look forward to enjoying the rest of the week off. Let's hang out!

UUUUUGH.

I have OCD. I have OCD. I have OCD. I have OCD. I have OCD. I have OCD.

Anyways.

Plans for the next week//Thankstaking break:

Saturday-Sunday: Deland art festival/excursion/Food Not Bombs/adventure. Hopefully pretty fun. Always good to see frenz!

Monday-Friday: 5 days of pretty much doing anything, for the first time since summer. This means helping with Orlando Food Not Bombs, maybe jamming, biking, and very importantly, trying to make a shitload of monies. Somehow. Anyone with ideas, please submit them to me. I'd like to make around 75 or so. For drugs (sike!). Seriously though. Garage sale maybe? In the middle of the week? Who knows.

Saturday-Sunday after the first Saturday-Sunday: HOPEFULLY take a nice out of town trip using said money from earlier. I didn't leave Orlando almost at all during my last break from school...which was summer vacation. So I'd REALLY like to make it down to St. Pete with some friends. Preferably, I'd like to make it a weekend trip but seeing as we currently can't find (free!) lodging it may just be a day adventure. Oh well, fuck.

I'd love to hang out during these next 9 or so days! Let's do it!

New Iskra!

Or at least a song by them I've never heard before, and I have their discography. It's called "Kronstadt" (as in Black Kronstadt, the band that was an earlier incarnation of Iskra), and there's a lot more black metal influence than their earlier stuff. I think I dig it.

Check it: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=63227755

TOO MUCH POST!!!

Am home too much.
Am on internet too much.
Am no longer using myspace as much.
Yay.

Still loving the weather. Went for a bike ride with Hugo earlier to enjoy and take advantage of the rare cold and sat down with Allison and Pete at Tijuana flats after spotting each other while passing by on our bikes. I came to realize their salsa is delicious and I should eat there more often. Yum.

Currently listening to whatever is playing on WPRK, seeing as the whole family can usually enjoy that.

Once again back to the weather, this type brings a certain band to mind: Agalloch. Definitely not crust, punk, or anything really along those lines. The best description I can really give is ambient blackened folk metal. Earthy music. I got into them a few years ago back when my musical taste revolved mostly between the two polar opposites of black metal and Leftover Crack-ish punk. It's soft, beautiful music with a very dark, wintery feel to it. Vocals wise, they usually stick to the raspy black metal growls but manage to make it work without being cheesy or even bringing to mind the through-the-woods escapades of Immortal or the like. Sometimes they opt for clean singing, which is also pretty cool. Not much distortion either - lots of acoustics and soft instrumentals. Either way, they're a great band to check out and are highly recommended even if you're not into the whole "I'm metal and grim let's hail Satan" scene. CHECK IT!!!!!!

GRIM!

Was up till 1:00 last night doing some serious-ish studding. I used my thumb to do the job - bad idea, it hurts like hell now. Here's the finished result:

I wish I didn't always pick apart things as if I had OCD. Whatever, I'll just leave it. Anyhow, it's cold as fuck still! Grim!

I like this.

This weather, I like. Cold-ness sure does make me happy. For some reason, it also makes me feel more motivated to get out and be productive, or just get out in general. I made plans for my upcoming week-long break in my notebook early this morning over coffee. These involved going to Deland to help out with their first Food Not Bombs sharing, as well as helping cook with Orlando Food Not Bombs, seeing as I haven't done so since summer. I'd also like to go to St. Pete, because I love it there. Earlier I considered taking the Amtrak with some buddies - but tickets would come up to like 42 dollars (round trip) for each of us. So now I'm talking with Chris about riding with him there next weekend - and helping with gas money, of course. At the moment, however, I'm broke - so I also have to figure out a quick way to make said money. Shouldn't be too hard though, I hope.

Last but not least, today I discovered discovered (after already eating a handful) that Planter's sunflower kernels are not vegan - they contain gelatin. I have no idea why they would need to include such in the ingredients, but nonetheless, it left me feeling gross and guilty. Oh well.

Let's get this week started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I don't understand

Perhaps I'm just not d-beat raw punx enough, but I really cannot see any draw to this:


Blackgoat//Goatworshipper. I don't feel like typing up a whole thing on it (you can read all about and download it here), but basically it was Kawakami's (of Disclose, DUH) final musical project before death. It's promoted as "raw black noise", which sounds cool, until you realize that's all it is. Basically, think the instrumental fuzz and feedback of Disclose without the music, vocals, or good.

Yeah.

I just don't get it. :(

Pretty sweet

Not really into buying other people's projects at high prices, but this is pretty sweet if anyone else is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Punk-crust-studded-levis-vest_W0QQitemZ120334718922QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item120334718922&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Ugh.

Today's been a bad day.

First off, I didnt even leave town like I had planned. Life kicked in, in a bad way, and I was left staying home cleaning around my house and being angry about being the only posi personality in my house. It hasn't been too great - in fact, I could go as far as to say it's been the worst day in a few months. Fuck.

But, keeping posi, here's a few bright sides:

- Got to hang out with frenz Chris and Meagan, albeit for a short time because shit got lame again.
-Bought a new jacket from Goodwill, hopefully which I won't fuck up this time.
-Confirmed (?) band practice for tomorrow.
- Saw the new James Bond movie, which was really good.
- Am now eating corn chips and hummus, good combo.

Chris also gave me a pair of black Dogpile jeans, size 32 - a bit big for me. But it's the thought that counts, and seeing as I love Chris, it brightened my day.

I also looked into Amtrak fares to get to St. Pete over the upcoming Thanksgiving break. Not too expensive! Maybe the 24th or 25th? I'd dig that greatly, because I love St. Pete, judging solely on my last visit there.

I'll probably be home the rest of the night, which will suck. I'll just try and tune everything out.

Friday nuggets

I hate Friday nights, because in most cases I have nothing to do except sit at home and use the internets. Being 17 and having restrictions is a pain in the ass - "riding your bike on a Friday night is DANGEROUS" says the parental unit. It's good to have a parent who cares though, and I do see where she's coming from. I'll be 18 in a year, until then, I just deal.

And it looks like I'm going to Tampa tomorrow, albeit some of the above mentioned subjects apply - it's become a "family outing" and apparently not a day of exploring and causing mischief. We'll see how that goes, as there's a few key things I'd like to do while I'm there.

Anyhow, I've been on a music craze the past 2 or 3 days. Mostly, I've been giving a lot of time to old favorites that I haven't listened to in a long time or bands I just listened to briefly a long time ago and am now realizing their AWESOMENESS.

Old Favorites: Nux Vomica, Black Kronstadt, Mischief Brew, His Hero Is Gone
Bands I don't know why I didn't get into the first time I heard them: State of Fear (Really digging these guys), Japanther, Amebix (for the longest time, I only had Arise but I just downloaded Monolith and Jesus Crust it's good!), Anti-Product, Tragedy.

Anyone who hasn't listened to Black Kronstadt, I suggest you go buy or download their Crimes of Capital EP or Free Spirit full-length right now. This is the band that later became Iskra, which is one of my favorite bands. They're dark, blackened crust, not as heavy as Iskra and with dueling (comprehensible) male and female vocals. Go listen, now. They should be available from crustmas if you don't feel like going through the intense search for physical copies or using soulseek.

Otherwise, it looks like I'm home all night, but on the bright side, that means more music to be downloaded and listened to! Fuck yes!

Full moon over Orlando

I went out for a bike ride to do a little bit of cheap shopping, and I noticed the bright, full moon out tonight. I realized it's been a very long time since I've seen a full moon so clear and so bright in the sky (the picture here was taken when I got home...sadly not as great a sight as it was when I first noticed it), and it was enough for me to stop riding for a minute and admire it. I suddenly felt small and in wonderment, remembering that I, and everyone else is just a speck of dust in the mysterious, unending universe.

Anyhow, I took advantage of AC Moore's store closing sale, buying 2 bottles of brown fabric dye for just 5 bucks, and also realizing it was the first time I'd ever actually boughten something from AC Moore before. It was enough for me to smile at the irony.
But not I'm home, listening to Tragedy, just wishing tomorrow would come and once it does for the evening to follow, so I can begin my weekend and hopefully lose some stress. I still don't know what I'm doing this weekend - I'd really like to get out of town, but I feel like that's not going to happen. I can only cross my fingers. If I don't get out this weekend though, I'll get out soon - next weekend will be spent in Deland and Thanksgiving break follows that, so maybe I can go somewhere else too?

I can only hope.

Sore Throat!

I went to the doctor and apparently I have Strep Throat - yay! It's funny, because my throat doesn't even hurt. I just feel like I have a really bad cold. It's awful. My brain doesn't seem to be functioning either. I left my bike at school, forgetting I rode it there when I got picked up for being sick. How the fuck does one do that? Oh well.

Totally unrelated, but something to boil over - people should stop judging other people based on things like who they hang out with and what they choose to do with their personal life. Everyone is different and lives differently, and they can be a cool person by any means. Unless they really do suck, but Ive found that most people are genuinely good people. If not, I stay away from them. So basically - shit talking=stupid.

Food Not Bombs went well today, although I really dislike sharing and eating in the dark. Stupid time change. I'll be spending a lot of time inside the next couple days I'm guessing. I hate being sick. Fuck.

¡EL ESCAPE!

I need to get the fuck out of town.
Tampa this weekend, possibly.
If not, I think I'll bike to my dad's house.

In any case, I'd really like to be here:



Need ride, plz.

Blah day.

I thought today was gonna suck - and it kind of did. I left school early because I "didn't feel well". I took the time off to have some delicious Thai Food - Tofu Basil Fried Rice, sans eggs - and work on sewing up my new vest to fit my skinny self. As is the usual case, I'm never happy with what the result ends up being and in an angry, sudden rage, i just cut the fucker in half, feeling like an idiot. I'll just have someone else do it for me next time. I guess.

In my disgruntlement I decided to take a decently long bike ride from my house in downtown up to the community thrift store in Belle Isle to look for a new vest. Nothing available. So I decided to head back towards my house and stop at Goodwill on the way - only to find the store half empty. Also weird. But now I'm home, tired and pissed off at myself.

Tomorrow: Orlando Food Not Bombs sharing, 5:00 at Lake Eola Park on the corner of Central and Osceola, as always. Come hang out and help share food with the homeless!

See ya!

Veterans day morning and an upset stomach

Not that I'm listening to Amebix currently at the moment, but since it's veterans day I thought I'd post a picture of "THE HORRORS OF WAR!!!", and I like that album cover. Didn't the band Crow use it as well? Someone let me know, I are interest.

Last night I had a strange dream. I had gone to Tampa, somehow, which was a lot bigger than I remembered. It was 12 at night, and I was on a quest to find a good record store. In this dream, somehow Daddy Kool had moved it's location from downtown St. Pete to downtown Tampa, except I was disappointed to find out it had been turned into a fancy-ass restaurant where my most recent ex girlfriend was working. However, it was still called "Daddy Kool". Weird. I was pointed in the direction of another record store, which I had to cross a green pool of slimy abyss to reach, only to find that record store sucked hard. End of dream.

I woke up this morning feeling a lot less than comfortable, as this type of weather does to me. Not that I don't enjoy the weather, I think it's just that when it's like this I'd rather not wake up, which makes waking up a lot harder. Ugh. I'm currently still trying to wake up with the help of an overly-sugared cup of coffee and listening to a very depressed-sounding man talk on WPRK. Seriously, this man needs a hug. Otherwise, I'm just gonna lounge around my house and on the internet until it's time for me to ride to school.

Plans for today:
School until 4:30ish. Ughhhhh.
Foods.
Make money, somehow.
More foods.
Hang out.
Internet.
Sleep.

I'm just hoping today doesn't suck too much, seeing as it's off to an odd start. We'll see!

#1

First post! Okay!
It's a pretty nice night out today and I've spent most of the day inside. Lame! That being said, my day was cut short by a not-appreciated trip to the dentist which has caused my jaw to not feel so great. Ouch!

In other news, I've been downloading and listening to a lot of shit I haven't listened to since around this time last year - I noticed that my general taste in bands changes depending on the weather, how strange. One of those bands being Muga - who to my wonderful surprise recently released a new album - There Is Nothing Eternal Exists. Laugh at the name, haha, it's still a solid album from one of my favorite bands - and I think the first Japanese crust band that I got into. However, I think I much more enjoyed the self-titled first effort by them more. This new album is missing something other than the female vocals from the last one. Oh well. You can download it and tons of other good shit at crustmas.blogspot.com.

Last but not least, I'd like to point out that I believe I may have slight OCD, or something similar. Or I could just be too much of a perfectionist. Perfect does not exist, so I have no idea why my brain is telling me to even try. Oh well. Till next time.

- Dylan