Mmmm My Foot Tastes Good

Not sure what happened

With where that conversation went

But I want you to know

I will always be there for you

When it counts

When the chips are actually on the table

Not when you are pulling a bluff

And everyone calls you on it

I will always have your back

And will always be at your side

Whether figuratively 

Or metaphorically

But I just can't call bluffs

I can't bluff 

Even to save my own hide

And if I could, I think my credibility 

Would be completely shot

So please

Don't be mad

Don't hold my loose tongue

Against me

Realize that if I were there

And able to see all that happened

I would have kept

My trap that has sunk

My battleship many times

Shut tighter than the seams 

Of my waterproof tent

I'd much rather 

Not say a word

Than upset you

Because I like the taste

Of my own foot

Veteran's Day Blog/Rant (Don't F with Vets)

It is Veteran's Day. A day to thank those who have served this country and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I posted my thanks on Twitter today, asking others to thank a vet for their service and received some very rude comments from @Ray_Peterson, the first being "Vets protect the interests of the wealthy and the powerful. They do it because it is their paid job" and followed it with "Vets are the paid company cops of the wealthy & powerful." Like I told him, he obviously never served this country and he obviously has no understanding of what the military really is. We are all aware that it is run by a corrupt government; however, we don't blame the troops, we support them. They enlisted for various reasons. Some joined because of a family tradition of service. Others join because they just want to serve their country. Some join because they know no other means out of their poor economic circumstances. Others join for the enlistment bonus, whatever it may be. But all have done one thing that many will or would never do, and that is try. They go in and do the best they can, whether they make it a career or are hurt during basic training/boot camp. They did their part to the best of their ability to serve this great nation, to no longer take for granted the freedoms most of us do not think about but when they are violated. All who serve make sacrifices. Whether it is the comfort of home, job opportunities in the civilian world, a limb, or their life, they sacrifice to make sure that each of us can go to bed at night knowing that we still can worship whatever god we want, say pretty much anything we want, including bashing and belittling those who have served.

I know that some of our rights have been infringed on. The Patriot Act is one of the worse bills ever passed, and it violates so many of our rights. However, this is NOT the doing of the soldiers, it is the government. There is a difference and obviously some people are too narrow-minded to distinguish the difference between government and the military. I can only pray that one day their eyes will be opened to see that there is a difference.

With all that, don't fuck with a vet on Veteran's Day. I'm a vet myself, I was in the Army in 1999, got multiple stress fractures in both feet and in my right knee cap. I do not go on long tangents about my service because there are so many others who have served longer and done more for this country than I could ever do. I would never take back my time in the Army, I loved almost every minute of it. The parts I don't love is a blog for another time, and probably will never happen. But even when I was in high school, and a raging anti-government, anti-war pacifist kid, I NEVER disrespected the vets. I know what the Vietnam vets went through upon coming home from a war that no one agreed with. I don't agree with Iraq and Afghanistan has gone down hill and we need to restructure, but I would NEVER bash those that fight. They do what they are told. If you bash a vet, you bash me and many of my friends. Since my feet are pretty much all better (still can't run though), if you got something to say, say it to my face... Yeah, see what happens.

Music Rant

So today I was talking with a guy in my literary theory class about the underground hip-hop scene in Colorado. Not sure even how it came about, but I had recently noticed that some of the groups and artists that I follow go through there ALOT. Well I say that there is a decent scene there and this dude, who established a couple years ago in another class that he was into metal, decides that he suddenly knows something about the underground scene here and in Colorado. He starts going on about how there is a scene there but the scene here in the Dallas area is way bigger. I counter that I was in the scene due to my ex (thank you soooooooo much Chris for that) and the scene is almost nonexistent. His counter "oh no, the scene here is bigger, what do you call that 'dance party' show that is broadcast in several states?" I looked at him with a look that was a mix of contempt and disbelief.... "You mean the show where they play only songs that are played on the radio? That ain't underground dude, that's mainstream bullshit," I said. He ignored my response and kept on about how he lived in Colorado and there is this scene and that scene, but not a hip-hop scene. I told him then how do explain Lyrics Born being their for 3 different shows this month alone, or Sage Francis being there about once a year when he hasn't been to Dallas (which according to him is one of the hubs, the other is Houston, of the "underground" scene)? His only retort then was that he lived there and KNEW. Yeah, sure dude, you know about something that you have absolutely NO experience in. Sure, you know, sure.

Well, I at least know better. Too bad though I don't live near Providence, RI... I know I missed an awesome freakin show tonight. Many may not know this about me, but I love goin to shows. I promised B though I'd lay off the mosh pits. I do need to get to a good metal/rock show too, but I've been to a rock show since the last time I've been to a hip-hop show and it's a totally different vibe.

Anywho! So I come home and I'm sitting here doing homework. I take a study break and add a couple artist I hadn't previously, like Buck 65, and the new group I was told about Saturday, Doomtree, who I just found out has this guy Cecil Otter in it who's on Strange Famous Records as a solo artist... So I get this add, which I get bands adding me from time to time since about 2/3 of my friends are bands. I do give each band add a chance, but I only listen to 2 tracks and I listen only about 1-2 minutes in. Well, I click on the profile and I'm greeted to what sounds like a crappy MIDI file. The guy's bio says "If you listen to the radio, you've heard my style." First of all, on the rare occasion I do listen to the radio, I know for a fact, I haven't heard your style, well not since the first music files were on computers. Secondly, you sound like shit! Yeah... I've heard MIDI files sound better. So, I denied him. But not just cuz it sounded bad, but cuz he referenced the radio like he did. That's not to say the radio is bad, however, the commercialization of music has made much of it lose something. I'm so glad that Radiohead doesn't get the radio play that some think they deserve. I'll agree, everyone should listen to Radiohead, but with that type of hype, certain things are expected of you and they are not good. I like Radiohead, and all the others I listen to, just the way they are.

And by popular request, here is a quick list of some of the artist that are on my iPod. Check them out and if you have a suggestion for something new I might like, please leave me a comment!

Sage Francis

Soundgarden

Alice in Chains

Doomtree

Lyrics Born

Type O Negative

Horrorpops

Atmosphere

Aceyalone

Murs

Aesop Rock

Static X

System of a Down

Buck 65

Tool

Johnny Cash

Nine Inch Nails

Anjulie

Audioslave

Bad Acid Trip

Gorillaz

Beyonce (*snicker*)

Bjork

Tricky

PJ Harvey

Massive Attack

Portishead

Blackalicious

Bloodhound Gang

Qwel

Blue October

Bush

Busdriver

Saul Williams

Non-prophets

Cake

Collective Soul

The Cure

The Cult

Guns N Roses

Stone Roses

Flobots

Gift of Gab

Incubus

Korn

Marilyn Manson

Lacuna Coil

Live

Machine Head

Subtle

Doseone

Pantera

Pharcyde

Pink

Prodigy

Radiohead

The Roots

Seven Dust

Slipknot

Anticon

Sneakerpimps

Soul Coughing

Eels

Spacehog

Tears for Fears

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Tori Amos

Ani DiFranco

A Tribe Called Quest

Typical Cats

Visionaries

Living Legends

2Mex

Awol One

311

All American Rejects

B. Dolan

Dead Milkmen

Lords of Acid

This is not everything, but a lot of it. Check it out, make some recommendations. I like all kinds, even weird stuff like Ween (those guys are hilarious!).

Shootin Stars

I can't sleep

Once again

Insomnia

Homework

Stress

Whatever the reason

I step out

Barefoot

Dew on the ground

I stand in the yard

Staring at the sky

Curled in my jacket

The wind is cool

But not actually cold

I just like how the fleece

Feels wrapped around me

And I locate stars I know

But the city lights

Even at 4 am

Have overwhelmed

All but the brightest

Venus

Mercury

Orion

The Moon

And along the Belt's arc

A thin line of brillance

Archs

Orange

White in the center

And as soon as it showed

It fades into the lights

A shooting star

The second in so many weeks

And I make my same wish

One that I know will come true

I wish for this

So instead of a dream

It becomes fact

How many more shootin stars

Will I see

Before it becomes reality?

Enough to ensure

Dreams become reality