The show this past weekend in Rutland was a lot of fun, considering the weak reception locally. I put up hundreds of flyers and it was all over myspace, yet only about 20-30 people came and I'm including the bands as well. I was really glad that After The Fall came and made the best of it. I was really embarassed when they showed up. I had the feeling they were going to think the show was a total joke. Thankfully, they were really down to earth, kind and put on a great show. They seemed to understand what its like to deal with unmotivated and jaded kids these days. I can't say the same for their hometown though. Albany has the biggest fucking pile-ups at shows. People there will tackle you down for the mic. Weight of the World played acoustically. It was ok. I should practice singing more though. Troy's daughter kept dancing in front of us and distracting me. She was so cute. The Jonee Earthquake Band was great as usual. Dianna scored some really rare LP from them thats out of print. Good for her.
Mike Weins came to the show and filmed the whole thing. It later turned out that the sound from the footage was rather "un-audible," and requires a liking to the sound of paper crinkling. Thats too bad. Maybe he could just put an mp3 of one of the bands songs over the video footage? YOU'RE THE FUCKING FILMMAKER MIKE! He's also a consistent blog author that comes close to archiving his daily life. I wish I could say the same about Torches and Tragedies. Check out flumage. The ATF 7" is pretty cool. I got orange vinyl. The band on the b-side, Transitions is a lot different. They seem inspired by the like of Bane, Have Heart and Comeback Kid. A heavier version of hardcore. However, they play in a standard tuning. I also think I was the only one who knew the words to the Kid Dyanmite cover they did, which by the way was "Showoff." Their new LP, "Fort Orange," comes out sometime at the end of summer. Check them out at www.myspace.com/afterthefall518.
So last night I had the oppportunity to hang out with my friend Miriah, who used to go to Castleton. She goes to Champlain College now and lives right on Buell Street, which is only a few block from here. I hung out with her and her roommates Erica and Eliza at Dobra Te, where we sampled some exquisite asian teas and sat indian style for two hours straight in front of a small table only ten centimeters off the ground. It was a lot of fun and I nearly spilled hot water all over everyone. She then showed me her apartment, which is AMAZING. Its looks so comfy and cozy. I really don't think I ever want her to come over to Maple Street, this place is embarassig compared to her place. So at their place we made lemonade with tequila and proceeded to make atrocious animal sounds out the window to unsuspecting passerbyers.
Later on, Eliza decides to go to a house party, so the rest of us go to Radio Bean instead, to get some brews (well Erica and I anyways...Miriah is still a little baby). We see a bunch of hippies play lame ass folk and spoken word and I drink Allagash White. I almost fell asleep too. But to be perfectly honest, the fact that there is actually a night life on a monday night in Burlington, really speaks lengths at how awesome this town is. The last performance of the night was the crazy dude that looked like Van Morrison and played blues rock, with the most spastic stage moves I've ever seen. That guy was fucking crazy. He definitely thought it was still the lat sixties, meaning he was on acid. I couldn't stop laughing. He even played the guitar with his tongue!
Other news: Mike and I are planning a new film. It will be part of his senior project at Castleton. Ok thats it. No leaks.
I wish work went by quicker than the time I have back at my place. Welcome to the real life Matt.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Is It Time For A Break Yet?
This past week was a whirlwind of events. For the most part, everything was family oriented and two opposite ends of the spectrum: the start of a new life and the end of another. Wednesday, I attend my Grandfather's funeral in Brandon. It was depressing and anomalous for our family. Nobody really knew what to say to each other. My Grandmother was especially offbeat, meaning she didn't seem to grieve at all. She didn't even sit up front at the funeral home. I don't think its hit her yet at all. She didn't cry once. Its quite the disarray.
So next, I have to move to Burlington. Its astonishing how it all went down, or up I should say. I had to work all day last thursday and then somehow move in after. This required the bovine character of my mother who was happy to drive a ton of my shit up just as I left work. Apparently my sister and her boyfriend Jess helped her get my mattress, desk, trunk and assortment of other awakward objects into the back of my Dad's pick-up truck. I can't believe my sister actually did something charitable for once. The move was smooth once my mom arrived with everything. My roommate Mike was really cool and helped me carry nearly everything up. So the first night was weird. I was sleeping in a place that I could call my own home and it wasn't in Rutland. So weird.
So friday, I got up early and set-up a bank account at the Opportunities Credit Union on North Aven. I get free checks, debit card and the opportunity to be a member of a financial cooperative. But thats actually boring, so I'll move on. So then I go home to Rutland (so soon!) and get ready for my cousin's wedding in Mystic, CT. The night was dull at home. I sat around, pet Sizzle and tried to finish reading 1984.
I wake up Saturday at an astonishingly reasonable time of 7:30 AM and begin to pack into the family car to hit the road. It was a shitty ride. What can I say. Who enjoys being packed into an internal-combustion vehicle with three of closest family members? To be completely honest, the party that night in Mystic Harbor was way better than the actualy wedding ceremony the following day. I got super drunk and the best part about it was the open bar. The worst part was the clam bake, so I had the innovative vegetarian meal of bread, coleslaw, carrots and tons of beer. The cruise in Mystic Harbor before the clam bake was really cool though. Great sunset on the open sea. Oh and when I mean clam bake, I didn't mean that my whole family toked up. But that would be pretty cool.
So the wedding ceremony the next day was gnarly as fuck. Actually it fucking sucked. I really didn't enjoy hearing the pastor say that marriage was created by God. As far as I knew, it was a social institution created by people and legitimized through the state. Weddings can be religious, but they weren't invented by God. Oh well, they can believe whatever they want. The ceremony took place right in front of the water in ninety degree weather. I was drenched in sweat and maybe piss. However, my own Gods relinquished my spirit with another joyess open bar full of tastey ale and gin. Later on the reception moved inside to air-conditioning, where I was treated to a portabello mushroom burger and champagne. I even got my dancing shoes on! You should've seen me!
So now I'm back in Burlington and to be completely honest, there is never a break. Now its time to go back to work and get the gays in the county fairs around the state. It should all be an interesting experience. Now lets just see if I can learn how to grocery shop in time for...
MY BELLY!
So next, I have to move to Burlington. Its astonishing how it all went down, or up I should say. I had to work all day last thursday and then somehow move in after. This required the bovine character of my mother who was happy to drive a ton of my shit up just as I left work. Apparently my sister and her boyfriend Jess helped her get my mattress, desk, trunk and assortment of other awakward objects into the back of my Dad's pick-up truck. I can't believe my sister actually did something charitable for once. The move was smooth once my mom arrived with everything. My roommate Mike was really cool and helped me carry nearly everything up. So the first night was weird. I was sleeping in a place that I could call my own home and it wasn't in Rutland. So weird.
So friday, I got up early and set-up a bank account at the Opportunities Credit Union on North Aven. I get free checks, debit card and the opportunity to be a member of a financial cooperative. But thats actually boring, so I'll move on. So then I go home to Rutland (so soon!) and get ready for my cousin's wedding in Mystic, CT. The night was dull at home. I sat around, pet Sizzle and tried to finish reading 1984.
I wake up Saturday at an astonishingly reasonable time of 7:30 AM and begin to pack into the family car to hit the road. It was a shitty ride. What can I say. Who enjoys being packed into an internal-combustion vehicle with three of closest family members? To be completely honest, the party that night in Mystic Harbor was way better than the actualy wedding ceremony the following day. I got super drunk and the best part about it was the open bar. The worst part was the clam bake, so I had the innovative vegetarian meal of bread, coleslaw, carrots and tons of beer. The cruise in Mystic Harbor before the clam bake was really cool though. Great sunset on the open sea. Oh and when I mean clam bake, I didn't mean that my whole family toked up. But that would be pretty cool.
So the wedding ceremony the next day was gnarly as fuck. Actually it fucking sucked. I really didn't enjoy hearing the pastor say that marriage was created by God. As far as I knew, it was a social institution created by people and legitimized through the state. Weddings can be religious, but they weren't invented by God. Oh well, they can believe whatever they want. The ceremony took place right in front of the water in ninety degree weather. I was drenched in sweat and maybe piss. However, my own Gods relinquished my spirit with another joyess open bar full of tastey ale and gin. Later on the reception moved inside to air-conditioning, where I was treated to a portabello mushroom burger and champagne. I even got my dancing shoes on! You should've seen me!
So now I'm back in Burlington and to be completely honest, there is never a break. Now its time to go back to work and get the gays in the county fairs around the state. It should all be an interesting experience. Now lets just see if I can learn how to grocery shop in time for...
MY BELLY!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Strength Through Non-Violence
I've really disturbed by the amount of acquaintances whom I've suddenly learned commiserate with the death penalty. Considering the recent discovery of a 12-year old girl's body who had been murdered through a shocking network of sex rings, I can empathize with the anger and grief people must feel, but I cannot support further violence. When in the entire history of humanity has more violence brought everlasting peace and utopia? Never.
The death penalty, like organized warfare is legitimized state violence that is no better than the unsettling actions committed by the original architect of the crime. To me, it is simple; supporting the death penalty only shows that violence is the answer to solving the most shocking troubles in our society. Kiling more people and building more prisons is a stagnant solution. We are not biting at the core of the issue, which is the deep and hateful seeds of violence, misogyny, objectification, sexism and power that is so omnipresent in our cultural institutions, mainly mass media and entertainment. In a country where over two million of its citizens are in prison and others are murdered for their cimes, I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the way we interact towards each other. Death and imprisonment are not solutions, but oppression. If the death penalty is supposed to be effective, wouldn't people not be committing heinous crimes? And what about the mentally unstable? Are they recieving the care they need, so that they won't lash out violently? Probably not.
I am completely exhausted. I've spent the past week getting last minute recruits to march in Independence Day parades with VT Freedom to Marry and the past three days marching in parades and hosting informational booths in various locations. Its challenging to keep the spirit up when you've only been getting five hours of sleep. I need at least eight. Its been fun working with Sheryl though. Her husband Chris is really cool too. He plays drums and gets along with transvestites. This morning I got a call from a kid who was looking for a roommate on Maple St. just as I was preparing to march in the Brandon parade. I got the room! FUCKING FINALLY. This driving back and forth was starting drive me insane, not to mention the serious price gouging of fossil fuels in the country right now. I'm moving in next thursday apparently. Its a great place. Only a couple blocks from the Church St. marketplace and the RU12 building. Awesome.
On a sad note, my Grandfather died on friday. He had been battling serious illness for the past few months and had been hospotlaized for the past few weeks. I guess he did too much abuse to himself over the years. Too much drinking and smoking. I'm going to miss him. He was always really happy to see me when I came over to their house in Leicester. I have fond memories of the cows he used to have and how one time he took a picture of me in front of one and I just happened to place my head right in front of the cow's head so it looked like I had cow ears. Priceless. I think he wanted me to do that actually. It sure was funny. I just hope my Grandma is doing ok. I havn't talked to her since the last time I visted them in the hospital. Grandpa really hated the hospital. Too sterile for a former farmer and handyman. He really wasn't doing good the past week or so. He was saying alot crazy things and obcessing over mistakes of the past. A few times he didn't even know where he was and seemed to lose all sense of reality. I hope he died peacefully.
I've felt kind of lonely lately. Hopefully that'll change in Burlington. I need to hang out with some heterosexual girls. Everybody I've been around lately is a lesbian or married heterosexual woman. Thats not bad. I just want to flirt I guess.
The death penalty, like organized warfare is legitimized state violence that is no better than the unsettling actions committed by the original architect of the crime. To me, it is simple; supporting the death penalty only shows that violence is the answer to solving the most shocking troubles in our society. Kiling more people and building more prisons is a stagnant solution. We are not biting at the core of the issue, which is the deep and hateful seeds of violence, misogyny, objectification, sexism and power that is so omnipresent in our cultural institutions, mainly mass media and entertainment. In a country where over two million of its citizens are in prison and others are murdered for their cimes, I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the way we interact towards each other. Death and imprisonment are not solutions, but oppression. If the death penalty is supposed to be effective, wouldn't people not be committing heinous crimes? And what about the mentally unstable? Are they recieving the care they need, so that they won't lash out violently? Probably not.
I am completely exhausted. I've spent the past week getting last minute recruits to march in Independence Day parades with VT Freedom to Marry and the past three days marching in parades and hosting informational booths in various locations. Its challenging to keep the spirit up when you've only been getting five hours of sleep. I need at least eight. Its been fun working with Sheryl though. Her husband Chris is really cool too. He plays drums and gets along with transvestites. This morning I got a call from a kid who was looking for a roommate on Maple St. just as I was preparing to march in the Brandon parade. I got the room! FUCKING FINALLY. This driving back and forth was starting drive me insane, not to mention the serious price gouging of fossil fuels in the country right now. I'm moving in next thursday apparently. Its a great place. Only a couple blocks from the Church St. marketplace and the RU12 building. Awesome.
On a sad note, my Grandfather died on friday. He had been battling serious illness for the past few months and had been hospotlaized for the past few weeks. I guess he did too much abuse to himself over the years. Too much drinking and smoking. I'm going to miss him. He was always really happy to see me when I came over to their house in Leicester. I have fond memories of the cows he used to have and how one time he took a picture of me in front of one and I just happened to place my head right in front of the cow's head so it looked like I had cow ears. Priceless. I think he wanted me to do that actually. It sure was funny. I just hope my Grandma is doing ok. I havn't talked to her since the last time I visted them in the hospital. Grandpa really hated the hospital. Too sterile for a former farmer and handyman. He really wasn't doing good the past week or so. He was saying alot crazy things and obcessing over mistakes of the past. A few times he didn't even know where he was and seemed to lose all sense of reality. I hope he died peacefully.
I've felt kind of lonely lately. Hopefully that'll change in Burlington. I need to hang out with some heterosexual girls. Everybody I've been around lately is a lesbian or married heterosexual woman. Thats not bad. I just want to flirt I guess.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Seriously, what the fuck Burlington...
I almost threw my desk out of my office window today. I have been denied for the 11th time to room with someone. This time it was on South Williams St. It was only $375/month and less than ten minutes from downtown Burlington. The kid Matt, explained that his cousin had suddenly moved back to the city and needed a place to stay. Fuck your family. I will be your family. Sometimes I just want to napalm people. But seriously, I would never do that, because I'm a peace-loving hippie with hemp neclaces.
Oh yeah. I totally forgot to mention what happend last thursday before I left Burlington. I met up with a hippie chick named Erin, who needed a roommate asap for their $320/month place! Dirt cheap. But I got denied. I even walked all the way down Bright St. with her and had a great conversation about beer. Apparently she works at Magic Hat and she gets a lot of free booze. That would have been such a perk. But as usual, she called me the next day and explained that her other roommate actually wanted an all-girls place. I thought I was really feminine. If the man-boobs aren't enough, than I don't know what is. Apparently this girl knows this kid named JR Duval, who I went to high school with. I know this, because we saw him as we were walking to her place and she starting chatting with him. He shook my hand. Damn, he's lost a lot of weight. He probably smokes a lot of crack.
Work is getting hard without a place up there. Too much needs to be done all the time and the distance is becoming a disadvantage. Seriously, someone needs to give me a chance. I'm not a pedophile and I don't jack off to Barney. I even smell like roses and adore cute kittens. What could be better?
I finally got the other Shook Ones album I had been waiting for, for nearly a month. It so fucking fast. Nobody likes fast hardcore punk anymore. Especially the kind that throws in melody here and there and has fat bassists. I also found out today that Spencer Crispe, the singer of My Revenge! will be marching in the Brandon 4th of July parade with Vermont Freedom to Marry. Thats so fucking dope.
Oh yeah. I totally forgot to mention what happend last thursday before I left Burlington. I met up with a hippie chick named Erin, who needed a roommate asap for their $320/month place! Dirt cheap. But I got denied. I even walked all the way down Bright St. with her and had a great conversation about beer. Apparently she works at Magic Hat and she gets a lot of free booze. That would have been such a perk. But as usual, she called me the next day and explained that her other roommate actually wanted an all-girls place. I thought I was really feminine. If the man-boobs aren't enough, than I don't know what is. Apparently this girl knows this kid named JR Duval, who I went to high school with. I know this, because we saw him as we were walking to her place and she starting chatting with him. He shook my hand. Damn, he's lost a lot of weight. He probably smokes a lot of crack.
Work is getting hard without a place up there. Too much needs to be done all the time and the distance is becoming a disadvantage. Seriously, someone needs to give me a chance. I'm not a pedophile and I don't jack off to Barney. I even smell like roses and adore cute kittens. What could be better?
I finally got the other Shook Ones album I had been waiting for, for nearly a month. It so fucking fast. Nobody likes fast hardcore punk anymore. Especially the kind that throws in melody here and there and has fat bassists. I also found out today that Spencer Crispe, the singer of My Revenge! will be marching in the Brandon 4th of July parade with Vermont Freedom to Marry. Thats so fucking dope.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Titilating
Not much new going on lately. Apartment search is going nowhere and I'm needed a lot more in Burlington for freedom to marry. Its typical. If anything can be conveniant, it probably won't happen. Dr. Paul picked his closer friend over me. Thats actually not surprising. I'm just sick of the competition. I want someone to say "you're in," without hesitation. Well apparently I'm checking a place out on S. William's St. The dude looking for a roommate is also named Matt. I feel like that happens all to often. Too many people steal my fucking name. Poseurs.
So the band played this past friday with Troy on guitar. He was great. Really precise. I couldn't have asked for more. I couldn't believe we played that tight either. We hardly practice. Now that I think of it, we've all been playing in bands for at least five years or more (Troy more than ten), so its easy to jump in and pick up a simple chord progression and redundant melody (playing fast is fun...I don't care what you elitist metal heads say). The show was cool. Got the new Suburban Showdown 7". They played without their lead guitarist and I was still blown away.
Got really drunk on saturday at my graduation party in the backyard. Yeah, right in front of a few relatives and my sister's boyfriend's parents. Oh well. Thats what you get when your Dad buys two 12 packs of Long Trail and noboedy else is drinking them. I also got some money, but its already gone now. Fossil fuels and hardcore suck you dry.
Speaking of hardcore, I went to 242 main on Sunday and saw a fucking incredible set of bands: Braindead, Unrestrained, Wake Up Call and Ruiner. I went fucking crazy. All really fast and angry hardcore. I couldn't stop running around and jumping on everyone. It was exactly what I needed after that long work week. Ryan, the singer of Unrestrained really through himself into the music. Actually he literally threw himself off the stage a few times and at one point was hanging from the raftors with the mic tied around his neck. Before they played, I saw him wearing a Vermont Freedom To Marry t-shirt. I talked to him and apparently he was at the Warren 4th of July parade last year and apparently he's also the nephew of Andra Kisler, who just put on a house party for house. Vermont seems to get smaller and smaller the more people I meet. The first band at the show, Braindead, was not usually something I would listen to, being that they were so heavy, but they had a lot of atmospherical ambience and landscape like sounds that accompanied their brand of heavy hardcore that I found extremely innovative. Their singer was wicked nice too and he even offered me some vegan chili. I bought their CD instead.
There were so many hot girls at the show. I wish I had the guts to approach any of them and strike up a conversation. Then again, I was sweating like a pig and shouting at the top of my lungs half the time. They may not have appreciated that. But damn, it really got me when one really attractive girl came in when it started to pour like crazy outside. I wish she wasn't so wet and scantly-clad. It makes life difficult.
Wow. Tired. Night.
So the band played this past friday with Troy on guitar. He was great. Really precise. I couldn't have asked for more. I couldn't believe we played that tight either. We hardly practice. Now that I think of it, we've all been playing in bands for at least five years or more (Troy more than ten), so its easy to jump in and pick up a simple chord progression and redundant melody (playing fast is fun...I don't care what you elitist metal heads say). The show was cool. Got the new Suburban Showdown 7". They played without their lead guitarist and I was still blown away.
Got really drunk on saturday at my graduation party in the backyard. Yeah, right in front of a few relatives and my sister's boyfriend's parents. Oh well. Thats what you get when your Dad buys two 12 packs of Long Trail and noboedy else is drinking them. I also got some money, but its already gone now. Fossil fuels and hardcore suck you dry.
Speaking of hardcore, I went to 242 main on Sunday and saw a fucking incredible set of bands: Braindead, Unrestrained, Wake Up Call and Ruiner. I went fucking crazy. All really fast and angry hardcore. I couldn't stop running around and jumping on everyone. It was exactly what I needed after that long work week. Ryan, the singer of Unrestrained really through himself into the music. Actually he literally threw himself off the stage a few times and at one point was hanging from the raftors with the mic tied around his neck. Before they played, I saw him wearing a Vermont Freedom To Marry t-shirt. I talked to him and apparently he was at the Warren 4th of July parade last year and apparently he's also the nephew of Andra Kisler, who just put on a house party for house. Vermont seems to get smaller and smaller the more people I meet. The first band at the show, Braindead, was not usually something I would listen to, being that they were so heavy, but they had a lot of atmospherical ambience and landscape like sounds that accompanied their brand of heavy hardcore that I found extremely innovative. Their singer was wicked nice too and he even offered me some vegan chili. I bought their CD instead.
There were so many hot girls at the show. I wish I had the guts to approach any of them and strike up a conversation. Then again, I was sweating like a pig and shouting at the top of my lungs half the time. They may not have appreciated that. But damn, it really got me when one really attractive girl came in when it started to pour like crazy outside. I wish she wasn't so wet and scantly-clad. It makes life difficult.
Wow. Tired. Night.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Cyclical Normalcy
The title says it all. I've entered cyclical normalcy. Repetition and a strive to pay bills. That is what my life is becoming. I shouldn't be that bitter though, because I'm working to achieve a gay marriage bill in Vermont. The only thing is, there are a few logistical things about being an organizer that can be somewhat arduous. Take the hundreds of phone calls and emails I write. Its challenging, but it is affecting REAL people's lives and my efforts could very help the bill be passed in the Vermont congress next year. Well my efforts and the thousands of Vermonters who are ready to tie the knot and achieve equality.
So I still have not gotten a place in Burlington. I've gotten a lead with Dr. Paul, whose place is on the same street that I work on, but he has not called me yet. Then again, he mentioned by the end of the week. I'm in competition with one of his friends who is unsure of his time commitment. That seems to be the way of things. However, my Dad told me about a place on Cliff St. Its a ten minute walk from downtown. That would suffice. There is no deposit or lease. Just move in and pay $400 a month. I sent the residents an email. Hopefully the get back to me. I'll be going back up to the office on thursday and I'd like to check out the place before I leave.
I got really drunk this past friday, when I went downtown with Drop-kick Chris (my only conservative friend) to Saints 'N Sinners. Its been months since I've been there and I really missed the Guinness on tap. Well I had my share of that deathly dark alcoholic stew, I don't remember what many of my conversations with anybody entailed. I do remember this one cute girl who had a wallet made out of duct-tape. I also remember that Chris drank twisted teas all night and how awkward that was. I mean he's the guy who has a banner on his myspace page that says "real men drink stout." Well I'm glad he did actually, because if he drank anything stronger, I would have been stuck downtown walking aimlessly in a drunken haze.
Work is intense. I'm organizing volunteers for eight 4th of july parade, eight county fairs and the Burlington Pride Parade. Tomorrow will entail hundreds of phone calls and follow-up emails. This friday, however, Weight of the World is playing a benefit show in Charlestown, NH to help raise money to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Check out www.savedarfur.org and learn about this human rights disaster, because you won't be hearing it on the networks.
Saturday, my parents are supposedly putting on a graduation party for Allyson and I. Apparently nobody is coming. That doesn't surprise me at all. It also doesn't surprise me that all of our family and relatives have made up languid reasons as to why they can't show up. We're the black sheep of our family. I don't know why, other than the fact that we're not overtly religious jesus-freaks and bible thumpers who will vote for McCain because he "seems like a nice man." I should have know, state-sponsored terror and murder is a commonality in the old, but nice man contingent. Silly me.
I'm fucking tired.
So I still have not gotten a place in Burlington. I've gotten a lead with Dr. Paul, whose place is on the same street that I work on, but he has not called me yet. Then again, he mentioned by the end of the week. I'm in competition with one of his friends who is unsure of his time commitment. That seems to be the way of things. However, my Dad told me about a place on Cliff St. Its a ten minute walk from downtown. That would suffice. There is no deposit or lease. Just move in and pay $400 a month. I sent the residents an email. Hopefully the get back to me. I'll be going back up to the office on thursday and I'd like to check out the place before I leave.
I got really drunk this past friday, when I went downtown with Drop-kick Chris (my only conservative friend) to Saints 'N Sinners. Its been months since I've been there and I really missed the Guinness on tap. Well I had my share of that deathly dark alcoholic stew, I don't remember what many of my conversations with anybody entailed. I do remember this one cute girl who had a wallet made out of duct-tape. I also remember that Chris drank twisted teas all night and how awkward that was. I mean he's the guy who has a banner on his myspace page that says "real men drink stout." Well I'm glad he did actually, because if he drank anything stronger, I would have been stuck downtown walking aimlessly in a drunken haze.
Work is intense. I'm organizing volunteers for eight 4th of july parade, eight county fairs and the Burlington Pride Parade. Tomorrow will entail hundreds of phone calls and follow-up emails. This friday, however, Weight of the World is playing a benefit show in Charlestown, NH to help raise money to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Check out www.savedarfur.org and learn about this human rights disaster, because you won't be hearing it on the networks.
Saturday, my parents are supposedly putting on a graduation party for Allyson and I. Apparently nobody is coming. That doesn't surprise me at all. It also doesn't surprise me that all of our family and relatives have made up languid reasons as to why they can't show up. We're the black sheep of our family. I don't know why, other than the fact that we're not overtly religious jesus-freaks and bible thumpers who will vote for McCain because he "seems like a nice man." I should have know, state-sponsored terror and murder is a commonality in the old, but nice man contingent. Silly me.
I'm fucking tired.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Always Afraid
I just realized I never made a point to talk about the movie Mike and I put together a couple of months ago. I think it came out really good. For those of you who don't get a chance to see it, its based on a hypothetical totalitarian society (actually Rutland, VT). The plot is relatively simple, but with a complex underlying theme of fascist and oppressive social institutions. In the film, two guys in a relationship are subjugated to daily humiliation and threats from authority for being gay. I don't want to give the whole thing away, so if you want a copy I suggest you contact Mike on his blog "flummage," and maybe he'll burn you a copy. If anything, he should put it up on youtube (its barely a half hour).
I would say that Ryan had the most natural acting out of all of us. Even Jess, who had the shortest role did better than me. Theres just something about hearing your voice recorded that makes you cringe (or makes me cringe anyways). At times it actually sounds like I have a lispe, which is fine considering I was playing a gay character, but Ryan is gay in real life and he doesn't have a lispe! Well I guess not all stereotypes are true. I didn't see him flick his wrist once either or decorate his apartment with Christina Aguilera posters or pink drapery. He's the most heterosexual gay dude I've ever met. Haha. Stereotypes can be funny. But they shouldn't be enforced. Oh shit, I'm a hypocrite.
Aside from my lackluster acting performance, I think Mike did a great job shooting the whole thing and editing it. It has a real cinema verite feel to it, which is good. Some of the shots are rather continuous with few cuts for several minutes. I always like movies like that. They're more realistic. Although somehow Mike was able to have an aerial shot of Ryan walking downtown, through the vision of a security camera, where his profile was brought up showing his criminal charges. That was wicked cool. I don't remember doing anything like that in videoworkshop. But then again, I wasn't allowed to edit, because I sucked hardcore at it and nobody wanted me to fuck up there project. I also didn't enjoy using Final Cut either. Too tedious and boring. I guess its not for everybody.
There are, however, some rather obvious discontinuity errors. For example, when Ryan and I go back to the apartment after our talk four weeks later after getting out of prison, I suddenly have long hair again and pants. I was thankfully wearing the same Jonee Band shirt. And then later on, when Ryan gets arrested for the final time, you can clearly see snow outside, even though an earlier shot there was none at all and it looked like late spring. Oh well. Its not like we had a budget or schedule that was conveniant. However, Mike spelled my last name wrong in the credits. Its "Kimball," not Kimble. I've also seen people spell it as "kimbell." Oh well. He's forgiven. He's a great kid to work with anyways.
I'm really digging the Shook Ones album I got. Check them out at www.myspace.com/shookones. Also check out Wake Up Call from Maine. Just got their album too. Its only 16 minutes long and has 11 songs. Angry hardcore with big breakdowns. Shook Ones is more melodious and super fast, but the singer sounds a lot like Kid Dynamite.
I would say that Ryan had the most natural acting out of all of us. Even Jess, who had the shortest role did better than me. Theres just something about hearing your voice recorded that makes you cringe (or makes me cringe anyways). At times it actually sounds like I have a lispe, which is fine considering I was playing a gay character, but Ryan is gay in real life and he doesn't have a lispe! Well I guess not all stereotypes are true. I didn't see him flick his wrist once either or decorate his apartment with Christina Aguilera posters or pink drapery. He's the most heterosexual gay dude I've ever met. Haha. Stereotypes can be funny. But they shouldn't be enforced. Oh shit, I'm a hypocrite.
Aside from my lackluster acting performance, I think Mike did a great job shooting the whole thing and editing it. It has a real cinema verite feel to it, which is good. Some of the shots are rather continuous with few cuts for several minutes. I always like movies like that. They're more realistic. Although somehow Mike was able to have an aerial shot of Ryan walking downtown, through the vision of a security camera, where his profile was brought up showing his criminal charges. That was wicked cool. I don't remember doing anything like that in videoworkshop. But then again, I wasn't allowed to edit, because I sucked hardcore at it and nobody wanted me to fuck up there project. I also didn't enjoy using Final Cut either. Too tedious and boring. I guess its not for everybody.
There are, however, some rather obvious discontinuity errors. For example, when Ryan and I go back to the apartment after our talk four weeks later after getting out of prison, I suddenly have long hair again and pants. I was thankfully wearing the same Jonee Band shirt. And then later on, when Ryan gets arrested for the final time, you can clearly see snow outside, even though an earlier shot there was none at all and it looked like late spring. Oh well. Its not like we had a budget or schedule that was conveniant. However, Mike spelled my last name wrong in the credits. Its "Kimball," not Kimble. I've also seen people spell it as "kimbell." Oh well. He's forgiven. He's a great kid to work with anyways.
I'm really digging the Shook Ones album I got. Check them out at www.myspace.com/shookones. Also check out Wake Up Call from Maine. Just got their album too. Its only 16 minutes long and has 11 songs. Angry hardcore with big breakdowns. Shook Ones is more melodious and super fast, but the singer sounds a lot like Kid Dynamite.
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