What A Beautiful Face I Have Found In This Place

I'm going to go ahead and pull a Dan and say that I am currently listening to the album 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea' by Neutral Milk Hotel. This album was released about 7 years ago, at a time when I wouldn’t have bothered listening to it if I didn’t know everyone else was too. Face it, that’s just how things were in middle school. Something like a year and a half ago, a fellow by the name of Mitch burned me this CD and told me to listen to it. And I did, about halfway through, on the way home from his house. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but there was something about it I didn’t really like. I didn’t think the music was very good, I didn’t think the vocals were very well trained, and I couldn’t really understand what the singer was singing about. It all kind of jumbled together, and didn’t really make a lot of sense to me. So I put it on the back burner for a while. I kept it in my car, but never really gave it a second listen. And then one day I did. I don’t remember why, maybe I didn’t have anything else to listen to, maybe I was just in the mood for something different. Whatever it was that made me put this CD back in the player, I’m glad it did. Upon further listening, this is possibly one of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. The sloppy guitars and the strained vocals suddenly turned into a beautiful melody, and the lyrics went from mindless babbling to a coherent story. The story of Anne Frank, it turns out. A year and a half after my first listen, seven years after its release, I make it a point to listen to this album at least once a week. It’s probably one of my most played albums, and it’s one I could hardly stand the first time I heard it. With that said, lets get on with life.

I was talking to ChelC yesterday over the computer, technology these days, and we both decided we were pretty bored. This was at about 1/4 to midnight. I for one try not to comprehend the existance of time. I understand it in the sense that everyone has to go through the cycle of life, but when it comes to the numbers I just don't care. I can't think of anyone else who would be up for going to Steak N' Shake at midnight besides ChelC and Dan. I didn't want to call his house that late at night, so I just went ahead and went to go pick up ChelC. At first we had no idea where we were going. We just had to get out of our respective houses and do something. I drove around and killed some gas for a little bit until I decided to make a huge circle and just stop at Steak N' Shake. We sat and just had some time to talk and get to know eachothers insights on things. I can honestly say that as small and uneventful all this may sound, it was a hell of a time for me. I have never actually gone out to a restaurant at midnight and stayed there until 4 in the morning. It was amazing. I think that was the most coffee I have ever drank in one sitting. I usually have the bladder of a bullmoose, but man did I have to go. Anyway, we sat and had an eventfully chatty night. For some reason we ended up going to Nick's Patio not long after that. We weren't there for nearly as long. We sat and had some more coffee and ChelC ordered some pancakes. I wanted to get a copy of the newspaper so I could see what is going on around this hell hole. I was too lazy to drive down to the gas station to get a copy, so I gave ChelC my keys to go and grab one for me. As small a favor as it was, it was very sweet of her. I was not surprised at all to find out that there is absolutely nothing worth while going on in the Michiana area. I should have known that there wasn't anything going on, but I had an urge to get the paper anyway. You know that there is nothing going on in your town when the top story is how a 10 year old boy got his bike stolen by a local bully. This is shit that happens everyday, I mean give me a break, out of all the times this has happened why all of the sudden is it top page news? We don't exactly live in Pleasantville, U.S.A. You don't see me taking a shit and then running to the presses to tell them how much of a relief it was. I'm just sayin. I had ChelC home a little around 6ish sometime. Once again, I don't care about time so I just guessed. I really had no urge to go home, at this point there was no purpose in falling asleep. I end up going to some random little diner in Niles. It was one of those diners that just has a bar for eating. I end up sitting next to this elderly looking man. I mean why not, they usually have a good story. Anyways...we engaged in a pretty weird conversation - which I can imagine you can figure out by the fact that I'm posting a blog about it instead of being in the "real world". I sat at the bar for a little while next to this WWII veteran. It was all interesting, until I realized he's still living in 1943, and the dates and the places change, but the stories remain the same..."I met this girl in a polka dotted dress in Memphis, and banged her until her privates matched my Navy blues"...."I met this girl in a striped dress in Germany, and banged her until her privates matched the Nazi blues"...yadda yadda yadda. I excused myself to the restroom and didn't return. Now, had he actually taken the time to discuss how he later dismembered them and served 20 years in the stockade for his crime, it would have at least been interesting. But there are only so many things you can discuss with a 200-year old man with a bum leg....and I wasn't about to sit there and listen to him anymore. So instead - here I am. Talking with you. Because you stay nice and quiet and listen to me without interrupting. I appreciate that.

Theresa called me today to give her, Taylor, and Amanda a ride to Mancino's. Apparently they thought it would be a good idea to walk there from Taylor's house. I'm not gonna lie, that is the most retarded idea ever. I've done my fair share of walking, I walked home from school that one time, but not in 90 degree weather. Las Vegas doesn't count either, that place is in the middle of an F-ing desert. We're just in the middle of a humidified shit hole. Anyway, being the nice guy that I am I give them a ride and hang out with them for a while. It was a pretty good time, I got to hear of Taylor's appearance in a Hawthorne Heights music video. That would be pretty cool though, least I think it would. It was nice, I haven't hung out with Theresa for a while and it was a really nice feeling. She looks good, I miss her.

Dan and myself made an adventurous trip up to Lake Michigan yesterday to go hang with Wood at his beach house. I have to say that it was amazing. The view of the beach they had was beautiful, especially when the sun began to set. It was just so calm and relaxed. I really didn't have a care in the world when I was on that beach. I just lost myself and enjoyed bein with my muchachos. That and the fact that we had fun with lighter fluid. It was a beautiful escape from life though.

I went to Ian's after lunch and just hung out with him and Ryan. We sat up in the loft and watched Formula 51 starring Samuel "Mother Fuckin'" Jackson. I love that movie. It was like a reptile house up in the loft though. I have experienced hot in Indiana, but up there is nuts. I don't know how Ian can sit up there and take it. We went outside and started up the hookah. Ian and Ryan both crapped out on me leaving me to finish the bowl by myself. That sucked in the best way possible. Whitney came over a little later and we all just sat around and had a good time as usual. We talked about this shindig of mine tomorrow, aptly dubbed "The Horwarth", and who all is coming. If it were up to me, anyone could come. Tell your friends to bring friends, that sort of deal. I don't want to be responsible for that many people though, so we'll just keep it V.I.P.

In my downtime, I have figured out some things to do when you are bored. I just compiled a little list.

1: Call an addiction hot line, and tell them you are hooked on phonics.

2: Go to the airport wearing a suit of armor, and try walking through the metal detector.

3: Wash out a gas can, punch a hole in it, then fill it with water and carry it down a busy lunch-hour sidewalk while smoking a really huge cigar.

4: Call the Q-Tips 800 number and say that one of the cotton swab parts just came off in your ear. When they try to talk to you, just keep shouting, "What? What? What did you say?"

5: Fill an inflatable love doll with a small amount of helium. Just enough to make it float. Release it at rush hour on a windy day. Chase it down the street, yelling "Come back, you filthy little tramp!"

6: Call National Acme Company. Ask if they have any products you could use to kill a roadrunner.

Thats all I have for you kiddies tonight, its been fun and I'm sur you've listen to me rant long enough. I very well could have put some more Emo-ish stuff in here, but I decided against it. I think the title speaks for itself.

And to George: Sorry about your Hot Hot Houston burns

And to ChelC: Age doesn't affect how wonderful a person you are

And to Ian: Quit playing with fire

And to Dan: Just a pinch of Trent Yeoman

And to everyone else: Use protection...I mean peace, love, and a toothy smile.