A Bit of This

Hi. How you been?

The Antlers Part I

Jen and I headed to Akron Saturday night to see The Antlers play. It was at a place called Musica, and it wound up being a really cool spot. We met up with my cousin Johnny who is always down for something new, and leaned against the back wall of the venue (for Jen's sake) to watch the show. Jen and Johnny were both good sports, but weren't in love. I, on the other hand, was. I'm a sucker for what The Antlers do, and they sounded amazing.

There was a couple standing beside me that looked to be in their mid twenties. She, a little pixie of a thing, and he a dead ringer for a young Thurston Moore. After the show was over, I immediately turned to talk to him.

"Anyone ever tell you that you look like Thurston Moore."
"Yeah, I've gotten that a few times."
"Yeah well, I'm going home and telling everyone that I saw The Antlers with Thurston Moore, ok?"
"I wish I were Thurston."
"Yeah, who doesn't?"

We stood around and talked for a few. Turns out his name is Mike and he drove in from Cleveland to see the show. We chatted about Shoegaze, why people bother coming to shows if they're just going to stand around and talk during the set, and how it's a shame Spiritualized peaked so long ago. It's rare finding people that dig the same music I do, so it was cool to chat. It would have been cooler if he actually had been Thurston though.

The Antlers Part II

Technically, this was the first show for Weezy. After it was over, Jen told me Weezy started kicking up a bit after the band finished their opener "Kettering" and kept it going for awhile. According to the good folks who post baby facts out there on the interwebs Weezy has been able to hear for a couple of weeks now, though it most likely sounds something akin to what you and I would hear when swimming underwater. Still, I was excited getting her out to her first show already (especially since I'll have to wait so long before we can do another one together).

Then, the new inexperienced father part of me kicked in, and I worried that it'd be too loud for her. I called Jen's doctor's office to ask if it'd be an issue. I could hear the nurse's smile in her voice.

"Just keep her out of the mosh pit and she'll be fine."

Sophia Jerky

While reading about umbilical cord care I got a little grossed out, and was telling Jen about it the other day as we were riding around in the car. Just the idea that it basically turns black and rots off is disturbing. I've read that it can be a little stinky, and then eventually it just falls off, leaving a cute little belly button behind. It creeps me out that we could be changing her one morning and "Pop!' off it goes onto the floor where the dogs pounce on it like so many Honey Nut Cheerios.

Jen doesn't like it when I read.

Winter of Our Discontent

Like the places you are all most likely from, it's cold here. I don't know the exact temperature, but I can generally judge what it's like outside by the reaction of our two dogs. I sent them both out before putting them to bed. Immediately they run to the yard, squeeze out just enough pee to ensure I'll concede they have "done their duty", and let them back in with a quickness. If I'm not fast enough with my duties as doorman, they'll lean against the glass with their front paws making small scraping sounds, and stare into the kitchen like a fat man stares at the last piece of pizza.

Mmmmmmm....pizza.

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I've started reading "Dead After Dark" by Charlaine Harris. Actually, I ordered the box set of her books because they were used as the basis of "True Blood" on HBO which was one of my favorite shows of last year. I'm two-thirds of my way through the first book in the series, and I still don't know what I think about it. I do get the feeling that if I hadn't loved the show so much I would have given up on the book awhile ago. I'm just so ready to be blown away by something, and it's not happening yet.

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I think it's something I've been hinting at, but I'm getting cubicle fever. It's a restlessness and it's growing right now. I've been in office environments long enough to know that the feeling comes and goes. Some times are just harder than others.

I think it goes back to my statement above about being ready to be blown away by something. I'm ready to plug into some new experiences, or new art, or something. I'm wondering if Jen's feeling the same way. I'm getting some hints that she's ready to get out there into the big bad world a bit more. I haven't really talked to her about it, so when she reads this I guess she'll let me know if I'm talking out of my ass or not.

I think the winter has a lot to do with it, now that I think of it. This last year was really our first active year being outside through the seasons and doing stuff. It seemed we were always hiking or biking or off to see something or another. Now that winter has settled in with its cigarette smoke colored skies and damp cold, we're holing up in Merryman Manor a lot more. I think we'd feel better if we just got out and did something.

Gimme Shelter

Jen-E-Jen and I decided to try to get a bit more involved in our community, and we're starting that up by volunteering at our local animal shelter. We found a joint called Citizen's for Humane Action (http://www.chaanimalshelter.org/ ) , who are staffed by approximately 95% volunteers. Wednesday we did Orientation, and then worked our first shift last night. It was really fun. When we showed up we were pretty much put straight to work walking dogs.

This shelter gets each dog out of their dog run multiple times per day. They have a rotating group of volunteers that come in and take them out. It gives them a chance to go sniff some flowers, bark at bicyclists on the paved bike trail right behind the shelter, and roll around in the grass. Last night, there were enough volunteers that every dog was able to get out for 20-30 minutes each. After that, we helped two of the more established volunteers, Ed & Julie, get the dogs settled in for the night and get their breakfast ready.

The cool thing about this was just being around people that are passionate about something. We have been so isolated and hermit-like the past few years, that it's refreshing to be around people that are inspiring. It's addictive. On the drive home, we found ourselves talking about pitching in on other projects for the shelter. I think I'd like to get involved in the Fundraising Committee since they have some cool events that they schedule throughout the year. I think I could learn a lot about Event Planning while doing some good at the same time.

In the meantime though, I'm just going to roll around in the grass with some dogs.

Bits of Tid

A new Portishead album hits tomorrow. I burned a leak of the new disc over the weekend to check it out and cannot wait to buy it this week. Seriously, ya'll...support the artists financially that you believe in. They have enough people taking money out of their pocket, they don't need you doing it too.

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Today is Mario Kart Day for me and mine. Tonight should be full of high-speed hi-jinks (after working out, cleaning the kitchen, and playing with the dogs, of course). The fifteen minutes I actually get to play are going to be amazing...I can feel it.

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Speaking of the dogs, I had to drop them off for grooming this morning. We generally like them natural looking, but break down and have them fluffed and puffed a few times a year. It's always a nightmare, because our dogs are generally ill-behaved. Otis believes everything he sees at the vet's office (where we have them groomed) belongs to him, and as such, pees on everything if you let him. He's an eleven pound dog when we get to the office, but by the time we leave I think he weighs two pounds due to fluid loss. I don't know where it all comes from.

Our other dog, Lucy, barks. I know you're thinking, "No shit, she barks. She's a dog." But, just like there are people that take a simple thing from life and focus and explained on it, elevating it to an art form, there are dogs that do this as well. Lucy is one such creature. While not discerning, Lucy's barking is no simple disgruntled yelp. Her bark pierces and echoes. It slices through the air and rattles around your head several minutes after the actual barking is done. She barks at dogs, televised or real, cartoon or actual. The other day, she actually growled at a picture of herself that came up on our computer's screen saver. Genius.

So, between trying to keep her quiet enough to talk to the groomer and praying to God that Otis doesn't piss on my leg out of frustration for me not letting him claim the Reception Desk as his own, my morning kind of blew. I think the groomer heard my instructions, but if I pick them up tonight and they have mohawks, the dogs will have no one to blame but themselves. For the record though, I would be totally down with some mohawks.

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It was a beautiful day yesterday, so we headed up to Mohican State Park to go hiking. It was a good day. We climbed a Fire Tower to check out the valley and took a relatively short four mile hike. Saw some deer and acted like idiots. I haven't checked out the pictures yet, but if there's anything worthwhile, I'll throw them up here later today.

That's all I've got.

A Mercenary Whelp Men Stern

Did an anagram search of my name today. Here are some of my favorites:

A Permanence Wrestler Hymn
A Carpenters Newer Elm Hymn
A Penances Remelt New Myrrh
A Creamer Renews Lent Nymph
A Mercenary Whelms Pen Rent
A Spacemen Renew Lent Myrrh
A Cleaners Preterm New Hymn
A Cleaner Hymen Perm Strewn

But, my all time favorite is: A Mercenary When Lent Sperm

You're goddamn right a mercenary when lent sperm. Don't you forget it, you.

Oh, and I named the Great Blue Heron I see most days. I started calling him Stanley for no real reason. Tonight though, I pulled up an old short story that needs some love, and realized the dog in it is named Stanley too. I feel like I'm going to have to find another name that fits. Who would have thought I would only be able to come up with one name for a dog and a bird?