11.22.2008

Cory Osterhout and the Rain-Slick Precipice of Personal Bullshit

You know how you can have all kinds of problems going on, or maybe just one or two big ones, but you're okay because you get complacent? You accept that (insert current bullshit) is the status quo, and you just... get used to it. It's like anything else I suppose- the more you do something, the easier it gets, whether it be playing an instrument, learning a language, a job, killing people, etc. But with the more negative things, like coping with personal bullshit, you have days where you just think, "Wow... really, this pretty much blows. How can I be so complacent about something like this?" And those days SUCK.

I am having one of those days.

Grudging acceptance and grim determination, that stiff-upper-lip attitude, can only get you so far before it breaks down and you're forced to REALLY see how bad the situation is. You can spill all kinds of rhetoric about seeing things through and being patient and all that kind of thing, but sometimes, shit just SUCKS. And it gets you down. Does that make you weak? That all depends. Do you let yourself slip into the "Shit just sucks" attitude on a fairly consistent basis? Then, yeah, you need to suck it up. Asshole. But if you go through most of your days confident that the world is not going to end tomorrow, and only occasionally let yourself have those days, then I think that's okay. Sometimes you just gotta cry, you know? And by crying I don't necessarily mean literal crying, it can be whatever works for you. Moping around your apartment by yourself while listening to Linkin Park, drinking heavily, writing miserable dashboard confessional-style acoustic songs; any of these things can easily substitute for (or even go with!) crying. Just don't do any of them too frequently (especially listening to Linkin Park).

Anyway... right now, shit sucks. Tomorrow I'll probably be back in stiff-upper-lip mode, but today... shit just sucks. And I've noticed that lately these sorts of days are happening more frequently. The answer? No idea. But it probably involves more, or possibly less, booze.

We shall see, my friend. We shall see.

11.21.2008

So

The new Staind album sucks, no surprise there. Not nearly as bad as the last one though. I'd say it's... as bad as 14 Shades was. Raise your hand if you miss Dysfunction!

11.20.2008

Good Lord, I just had some sort of orgasm that I have yet to understand.

I'm listening to Billy Howerdel's new (well, for me) band ASHES dIVIDE's album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright. And holy flying fuck, what an album it is. I absolutely adore A Perfect Circle, and Howerdel was and continues to be a huge influence on my guitar playing and musical style in general. I'm only on track 3 and I LOVE this album. Sam, please jump in on this one.

I would fuck this man's guitar tone like there was no tomorrow, if physics didn't prevent me from doing so.