The Witching Hours...

"Sleep is the product of caffeine deprivation" - Author unknown

I just woke up. Feeling pretty refreshed. Got a nice chunk of sleep, uniquely uninterrupted by a needy dog or a thug kids car exhaust. Problem is...

It's 4:30 in the morning...

The biggest dilemma for me in dealing with insomnia is this element. I'm ready to start my day. Brew some coffee and walk the dog and grab a paper and sort out a plan to tackle the hours ahead. But insomnia, among other things, leaves me out of sync with most of the world. I'm ready to go, but the world isn't awake yet.

This issue isn't terrible when I'm at home. I have a couch, movies and a computer...food in the fridge and a closing door to where my girlfriend sleeps. I can wander around in the witching hours generally doing my thing without incident. Luckily I have a profession that allows these sorts of flexible hours. The only true everyday downside is an occasional bout of grumpiness, and I guess diminishing years on the end of my life.

The spotty sleep can be a terrible problem on the road. I've spent many a night wandering the grounds of a European squat house looking for a sliver of light to read. Or sat in a room, zombie-like, staring to the middle distance surrounded by slumbering bodies. Or pretending to be dead in a moving bus bunk. Less options for distraction on tour, in the middle of the night anyway.

One time in Trier, Germany...I was flopping around in a bunk bed and broke a 2x4 that landed on my drivers chest while he was sleeping. When I left the room a minute after, I was greeted by a gang of over sized and sinister looking German rats. If anyone has ever read the Maus books, you'll empathize with my panic.

On the good side of things. I've seen the sunrise creep over Niagara Falls with one leg in America and one in Canada. I've seen the sunrise come up over the driftwood and calm surf off the coast of Victoria. I've seen it come over an endless stretch of road in Kansas, being the first thing that greets you in hours, just barely tinting the horizon.

For all the frustration not being able to sleep brings, it's also an opportunity to use time that no one else gets to use...

Easy Rider...

"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Keruac, On the Road

Today, I'm heading out on a mini road trip. Just me, my car, some needed distractions and a couple of destinations ... all it takes. This is one section of the American narrative that I love and cherish. Many parts of my countries history are ugly, violent and obtuse. This one is exciting and dusty, and most of all ... kind of romantic.

I've spent almost half my life periodically driving around like this. Whether it be for music, love or adventure. Perhaps that's why too much time in one place gets me itchy, when the little man inside of me freaks out and needs to jump around. Maybe crime rates would drop if everyone had a running car and a good map.

I haven't done this in a couple years. Since Gaslight has gone full time and started traveling over 8 months a year, I seldom find myself very itchy to leave once I get back. Especially since I can afford a livable apartment now. But with the longest stretch of time to myself in 5-6 years, I found my eyes/ears perking up again for something different ... something new.

Anyway, I'm gonna buy a giant cup of coffee, start up the car and get the collected works of Queen shuffling on my Ipod now to begin the mini quest. I hope a hillbilly isn't offended by my long hair and shoots me like Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider. I think I'll be alright though.

Train courtesy...you jerks.

"The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools" - Doug Larson

I like when people give up their seats to the elderly or ill on trains. Often I'll see an old and obviously distressed person who is clearly struggling to reach and hold onto the bars while the train careens through the tunnels. At the same time, I'll typically find a row of mostly young men and women, seated, ignoring the situation. I can never tell if this is a situation of people being selfish and rude, or being truly aloof. It's hard to tell, without asking I guess...maybe next time I'll decide to delve into their douchebaggery and conduct citizen surveys while riding.

I know some people feel too bad for themselves to pry their asses off the seats. They had a long day of work, and were fortunate enough to snag a place to sit, especially on the commuter trains. I can sympathize, many times I've felt the sweet relief in my knees and feet after a long day trudging around the city. This is when the act of kindness is done begrudgingly, but it is still necessary for a general working order or human beings to exist. Old people sit, young people stand...it's easy. If my knees hurt now, I can easily find the compassion to put myself in their shoes, and sincerely hope when I'm at that advanced age a younger person would help me out.

To the aloof section of the population. The ones who stay seated due to social parities based on where they're from, or a general lack of knowledge in concepts of social graces. I give slightly more of a free pass to these people, you can't blame ignorance. But, if you ride the train more than 3 times and see what's happening around you and can't adapt, then you should be brought behind the barn and wacked with a shovel. Like a groundhog making holes in a farmers field.

It's a small thing, I know. But a microcosm of some of the selfishness and self-absorption that's rampant these days.

Sometimes I like to wear a fake mustache on the train. Just to assess peoples' reactions, and give myself a comically imposed superiority to the other riders. It's good fun, and one time Alex R. walked by me in the tunnel and didn't recognize me. Mission accomplished.

Love,
The eggplant shaped man who occasionally updates this blog.

Shameless self promotion...

I know I haven't written in a while, not due to a lack of trying. Just don't have anything good to say right now. So this one is dedicated to giving myself and my friends a cyber handjob.

My new project BottomFeeder, with Corey from Let Me Run, Dan and Mike from Gates, and Derek from Jaguar Shark has just finished our demo. It's super jersey and fun. 2 songs are posted at...

http://bottomfeedernj.bandcamp.com/
or,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bottomfeeder/219810618039694?sk=info

Spiro Agnew booked a show on September 2nd at Maxwells. It's Let Me Run's record release with The Scandals and Gates. Come out if you're local...

Gaslight is continually hanging and writing songs. The group of them we have going right now are a cool step for us and making us even more excited to keep writing more. Next record is gonna be a trip.

That's it for shameless self promotion.
Now time for lobster dinners and naked lady yacht parties...

Benny.

The People Zoo

I like cheesy movies, one of which being Love Actually. The beginning and end scenes of that movie show heartfelt re-unitings at the airport. All sorts, husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, little kids and grandparents, you name it.

I'm sitting at an airport right now, staring, and I haven't seen anything remotely sweet in 2 hours. Alex Rosamilia calls this the "people zoo". When you sit back and keenly observe human beings habits like you're a researcher at a zoo. Social habits....eating and smelling and scratching and moving. Sometimes the only difference I can see are that humans wear clothes, because of their lack of fur.

I try not to judge, but as an ameutur student of the human condition, I can't help but wonder what the stories are behind these faces and walks and attitudes. Is this German kid really a thug in his Yankee fitted and oversized cargo sweatpants, or did he just watch a 50 Cent video when he was younger. Is this upscale looking man in a suit really a succesful businessman? He could very well be a struggling beeper salesman or a drug smuggler, or not even a man at all. It would be fun if I could read people like the Terminator, just to get a brief synopsis of what I'm seeing.

It's impossible to know what people are all about on first glance, but I guess the little devil on my shoulder is pretty sure I have it figured out. I once read a book by Diablo Cody that detailed in memoirs her brief career as a dancer/stripper. When she would dance in the glass booths, her oddest recollection was a young, good looking businessman who entered the spank tank, paid his money, and got off by licking the semen off the floor and walls of the patrons prior to him. I mean, what the fuck. If I saw that dude at the airport, my interpertation would've been well off.

Just like I have to assume that most peoples perceptions of me would be well off if they based it from first glance. Because of that, I should probably stop doing it. But I don't think I will.

St. Micheal vs Frodo Baggins?

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx

I just realized that I can put anything I want in here, and based on my peers efforts, the bar has been set way lower than I anticipated. I don't write that often, and it's typically because I'm daunted at "putting together" something at least halfway interesting or informative for you, and not committing the all too common crime of adding to the dreck of society, rather than feeding it nutrients, metaphorically speaking. The .01% percent of me that thinks the rapture actually might come in 6 more days is fairly pleased with my efforts thus far, and thinks I may have bought myself a cheap ticket to happy-land eternity-ville.

Classic agnostic thinking, always leave that back door open....just in case. I don't know, I did just watch a documentary on the relationship between God and the Devil the other day. As per the usual, I didn't walk away changed or convinced. I'm actually stunned at how often I was comparing the story to the Lord of the Rings. The ever present threat of a dark force, gaining power and living subtly amongst us until it's time for the great coming, or dawn of a new time. I'd like to think of myself as one of the elves, but I get the feeling they don't have as liberal of a showering policy as myself. Orlando Bloom looks like he smells fantastic in that movie, just saying.

I spend far too much time looking for the answers. Recently I discovered I've been eating tofu for 15 years and never stopped to think about where that white blob comes from. I literally thought you plucked it out of a rice patty or something, looking the way it already does. I also never remember peoples birthdays, my family included. I have a giant list on my desktop of peoples birthdays, and I typically open it for reviewing 3 days after I missed another one. This is a microcosm of a big problem for me. So intent on finding out these answers before the end, that I can ignore the present. I bet Derek Jeter doesn't live like this.

Lots of music stuff happening. Went down to the studio to visit Ian and Brian working on the Crowes record, it's sounding super smooth, people are gonna be stoked. Spiro Agnew is still having "situation room" meetings every Sunday, new material is written and a resurrection is looming. Also started a "melodic hardcore" type project (nameless) with Cory from Let Me Run, Mike and Dan from Gates, and Derek from Jaguar Shark. We'll be laying down a few songs before Gaslight leaves for the Europe tour. It's been heaps of fun playing music like that.

True!

I'm so confused...

Ironically, I was at one of the most standard of American places, a diner, when I heard that US military operations succeeded in killing Osama Bin Laden. I have mixed feelings on how you celebrate a persons death. I don't feel relieved, I don't feel pleased, and I don't feel sad. For some reason my heart is racing and I feel anxious.

I received a text from a friend who serves in the military, when I asked him how he felt about it, I got a text back that said "I have never before rejoiced in someones death, and I hope I never have to again." That's some pretty heavy stuff to ponder over waffle fries and rye toast. But like I said, I don't know how to feel, and I'm having a difficult time garnering a sense of patriotism through this.

Trust me, Bin Laden was a terrifying and ice cold person in my eyes. Along with many people whose soul dedication on earth is positioning themselves for what is coming in their next life. Therefore negating any interest in a healthy, peaceful and natural life for anyone not consistent with their beliefs.

Sadly, the main purpose for his life was the protection of Islam under the belief that it was being attacked by the "West" in a crusade-like manner. And the concept that killing Americans and people with pro-western views was not only positive by their religious views, but necessary to be a faithful servant to God. It's an incredibly dangerous concept, one that has robbed thousands of innocents their lives over the last half century of conflict. I think it's most likely a load of crap, and a disgusting injustice that each one of those people have been robbed of their singular hopes and dreams due to such dreck.

My problem is, as a believer in human psychology and what you can do to a human brain if you start manipulating it early enough, is that in some way, like with everything really, these terrorists were once normal little kids with an empty palette for a brain that was colored in with bullshit. Because of this, my thoughts get grayer. I don't agree with it, but I can understand how a person succumbs to such a perception. In reality, if you're smart, you can essentially steal a persons free will by getting to them young enough. The same reason that I was raised with tolerance, education and non-violence as my mantras. And wow, big surprise, it's what I still believe in as an adult today.

I guess it goes beyond in the belief of a concept, and more in my diminishing belief in human beings ability to unite worldwide in some idea of collective harmony. (An idea, as a kid, I was certain was the only way) So when I hear about his death, I'm not relieved, I feel like we just took one step closer to the wrong thing for some reason. I can only hope it's a catalyst for something positive. Revenge just isn't doing it for me.