Ok. I've had a few bizarre dreams lately, but I want to elaborate on the one in the previous post, since it was so vivid and here a week later it is still fresh in my mind.

I remember seeing my father in the hallway arguing with others in the hallway of the hotel. I don't know what he's saying but its something to the effect of "I know what is coming." We all shuttle into this large hotel room. We are up a few floors and there are huge windows. I am there, my father, my sister Carrie, her husband, Rider her son, my sister Angie and her husband Steve. The room fits all of us and has room to spare. It really is big. No one seems to be taking the scenario serious but we all know what is coming. I said like a Terminator scenario but what I really mean is the image in Terminator 2 where Sarah Connor sees a nuclear explosion going off near a playground and everyone is incinerated.

My father locks the door to the room. He doesn't bar the door, but locking it is sufficient apparently. We huddle around the window, but I know what is coming and try to pull the blinds close. Nobody else likes that idea and they open the back up. Off in the distance a mushroom cloud appears. The reason we choose this room was because the glass was extra thick to withstand the explosion and blasts. The mushroom cloud erupts in the distance.

A sonic boom and gust of winds starts flipping over cars and people. Trees are uprooted and debris is flying all over. I seem to be the only one disturbed by this in our room. But we are all safe and seem to know it. Across the street is a tall brick building. It has a tower on the side straight out of a medieval castle. I see an older man on the top trying to hold on as bricks from the tower are blown off. As the tower crumbles on him I turn away. And wake.

I've had other vivid dreams in the last week. In one I discovered my car parked somewhere other than where I had parked it. And it was half on a sidewalk. I had another where I was falling through the air. And a third where a snake bite me. Bizarre all around.

I've got a lot to add on here....but for now...

I had one of those Terminator dreams last night. You know the world destroyed by nuclear bombs as I watched. There is more to the dream but I leave it there. The blinding light, sonic boom, the wind searing my face, people being thrown apart. Crazy realistic.

I was supposed to be on the road now. Or near to it. Now I'm at home...having a beer and about to take a long nap.

A couple of things happened today. Each of which has pissed me off and I'm going to sleep for a long fucking time and then drive.

A) My iPod power adapter and tape cassette adapter were stolen. Or borrowed and not returned. I'm not sure which, but I don't have them. I use them almost extensively at work for music during the day, and when I drive. On occasion I've left them at work accidentally. But work is locked up every night immediately after I leave except for the custodial staff. Yesterday on my way to leave I was about to pack up both when a custodian asked if I'd leave them. I'd left them there night before, just forgot them (not the iPod, but the adapters), and they had used them to play music while they were cleaning with one of their iPods. So I said sure, I was biking anyways. Well they certainly weren't there this morning when I came into work. And out of all the custodians, the one who doesn't show up tonight is the one who asked me to leave it. Now he's worked there for the last week or two, but what I found out today is that he was there as part of his community service. Not a paid worker. So this asshole has my power adapter and cassette adapter for my iPod. I am livid, but decide I should stop at Radio Shack and get replacements for my 7 hour drive tonight. The fucking cassette adapter cost $21 dollars. And because my iPod is one of the older models (it's a 20 gig model that only does music, no video or pictures) the current power adapters they have won't work. (This is what the guy tells me, and it makes sense since it wouldn't work in my friends iPod alarm clock.) I can't even plug it in to my computer to charge it because the cable is attacked to the power adapter. I have plugged in my even older iPod to charge for some music. That manages to hold a charge for 90 minutes of use. Lovely. So that sucks ass and pisses me off.

B) Two weekends ago I was in Buffalo for a friends birthday. I just got two tickets in the mail from the New York State Thruway authority saying my EZ pass didn't register or doesn't have funds or something (I used the lanes with no EZ Pass lights because you can go faster through them). So each ticket is $3, plus a $25 surcharge. How fucking sweet is that.

C) On top of that, I try to log into EZ pass online to pay the tickets or do whatever I have to. I can't remember my password or name. My account is supposed to autofill with money so I don't have to think about it. So I have to run out to my car (keep in mind I'm already pissed about A and B) to get my EZ pass tag thing. I bring it in but still don't remember my password. So they e-mail me a replacement one and I have to create a new permanent password. I do that. Then the EZ pass website stops fucking working. Yeah. I can't pay these tickets. So the website that let me create a new password immediately stopped working before I do anything even relatively productive on it. Looks like I'll be carrying cash for tolls on this trip. Awesome.

So in conclusion..... I'm fucking pissed. Not a little pissed. A lot. And If this were any other trip than Delaware..... I would postpone the whole thing and start hitting the liquor hard tonight.

Fuck fuck shit crap ass nut. I'm going to bed.

I should be packing. I'm heading to Delaware on vacation for a few days with the fam. Just lounging on the beach. It'll be wonderous. But instead I need to post this.

The amazing thing about writing a blog you actually keep up with is that you never know who will run across it. I once had a disc jockey from San Diego repeatedly e-mail me comments about my blog. It was bizarre. I often get a lot of hits from Europe. I get a lot of hits from people searching "Luck of the Fryish", a Futurama episode.

Today I got this e-mail from Edith Frost. It didn't say anything, but it did have the song I was looking for attached. I needed it for my High Fidelity collection. How freaking amazing is that. I was confused until I looked at the reply address. Edith@EdithFrost.com. It made my day.

So what does she sound like? Reminds me of the Cranes. Although I am judging it based off the song On Hold. I have not yet checked out her other songs (the business of the day has prevented such....work....fixing my bike....driving cross town to give a key to my friend to feed my cats....and finally home). However there are multiple resources to find out more about Edith Frost.

My list of sites about her so far:
Edith Frost
Wikipedia
Flickr
Demos (a whole freaking album online for free listening and download)

I am predicting becoming an avid fan in the near future (post vacation). You should check her out. Very soothing. And she made my day.

I had a dream I woke up and my neck was all black and blue and bruised and I didn't know what from.

Literally from my chin to my upper chest was purple and blue and sore to touch. Once I had gotten up my pillow I couldn't lay back down. And it was bizarrely realistic also. I really thought I had woken up with a bruised neck. Odd.

A few months ago I participated in a CD swap on Facebook. 10 strangers (relative to me, with the exception of one old high school friend....friend? Acquaintance? Were we really friends? I don't know that we were. We knew of each other. We never hung out. We never did anything outside of school - that I can recall - however now we chat often. Strange how life does that.)

Anyways, I digress. It was to make a mix CD to distribute to other people who you didn't know to basically show off your music tastes. The only real rule was to stay away from mainstream popular music. Which was relatively easy for me. The latest challenge is to make a Deserted Island Mix CD. A CD that you would want to listen to over and over again.

I got to work today on it. But then thought a little bit. If I were on a Deserted Island what kind of music would I want. Would I just want my favorite songs of all time to listen too? Would I want comfort music? Would I want upbeat music to keep my spirits up? I started with current favorite songs. But then thought about how often my music changes. Not my musical tastes, but what parts of my collection I listen too. A year ago, ten years ago, totally different music would be on this CD.

And the music I put on there so far, the current favorites (which does contain some old school songs) are not the happiest songs. They're reflective, I suppose, of my mood currently. Not depressed, but not the happiest most jubilant point of my life either. And its probably not the music I'd want to be stuck on a deserted island with. Although if I am completely honest I wouldn't be happy on a deserted island. Although it probably depends on my duration there. I am a lonesome creature. Or can be for a long while. But everyone needs some sort of contact to make them happy. So yeah.....maybe a not depressing but not happy uplifting feel good music is a good deserted island mix.

Or maybe I'm putting too much thought into a mix CD?

And because I've gotten multiple inquiries..... Out of the 69 songs played or mentioned in High Fidelity, these are the ones I'm still searching for:
Song / Band

Little Did I Know / Brother JT3
I'm Wrong About Everything / John Wesley Harding
On Hold / Edith Frost
Hyena 1 / Goldie
Soaring and Boring / Plush
Leave for Home / Chemical Brothers
Four to the Floor / John Etkin-Bell
Loopfest / Toby Bircheno and Jan Cryka
Get It Together / Grand Funk Railroad
This India / Harbhajhn Singh and Navinder Pal Signh
Good and Strong / Sy Smith
Chapel of Rest / Dick Walter
Homespun Rerun (Cornelius Remix) / High Llamas
Hit the Street / Rupert Gregson-Williams
Little Latin Lupe Lu / Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels / The Righteous Brothers

I know I can buy some of them off iTunes if I have too. But I'm looking to acquire them through other means first. So if you have them or come across them please send me the song to help me along. Anyone that helps can have a copy of the collection.

Does everyone have a crazy inner monologue?

Maybe not monologue, but thoughts. My mind goes a mile a minute when I'm not engaged in something. Driving tonight I was realizing that mind starts random conversations with myself. Not like "voices" but I am just thinking of soo much. I wish I could just record myself to put on here. I may just start doing that with my phone. Record the thoughts I have and then type them out.

Everything I see becomes some sort of amusing comment to me. The mini-van that was old and rusty that passed me going 70 pumping loud rap music. Come on. Its a mini-van. Family vehicle. With loud bass coming pouring out and an extremely vulgar rap song playing. Or the seagulls around the top of a building. Or why did only one boat out of hundreds have lights on it. Or the two drunk guys trying to help a third parallel park his truck into a spot too small for it. Or the guys outside my apartment building congratulating themselves about having such a great night.

All of these turn into inner monologues. Long thoughts I have to myself. That I wish I could capture.

I'll scan and upload daily drawings tomorrow. I promise.

I haven't been feeling well lately, so I decided to indulge myself with comfort food and rest tonight.

So after biking home I called C-Town pizza. Placed an order for a large cheese and tomato pizza and an order of chicken fingers. Total, $15.25. They said it would be twenty minutes. I then hopped in the shower for ten minutes. I walked down to Costanza's Market and bought a half gallon of OJ and a 2 liter of Cherry 7-Up (with antioxidants....woooo). Total was $4.58. I walked two doors down and picked up my order. I got there in just under 20 minutes and my food was ready. Sweet.

Out of the $20 in my wallet. I am left with 17 cents. Not a bad 20 minutes and $20.

Now to spend the evening relaxing and resting.

I'm tired (didn't sleep well last night... woke up at 3 am for a long while).

I'm sore (my back is really sore this morning for some reason).

My nose is still running.

The back of my throat is a little tingly (sign of a cold?).



Time to bike to work!!!

And its supposed to reach 87 degrees today. Woooooooo!!!!!

Due to how often I've been blowing my nose this morning, I'm going to go with slightly ill as the cause for my tiredness lately.

That means....BIKING TO WORK again today. That's right. I buck the smart choice today of driving to work. Time for more exercise. It'll help flush out whatever ailments affect me. Yes. That's how it works I'm sure.

A train of thought narrative is supposed to just flow. Everyone has them, but you they are supposed to written down for ideas, or just for others to see how you think.

So here we go:

Heartburn. Just now. PBR maybe. Not how I thought I would start this. Of course the heartburn may just be from the food I ate today. Not a healthy day by any means. Coffee, BLT for lunch (turkey bacon of course), tortilla chips, bag of skittles, lots of water, piece of carrot cake, small personal pizza (with some chicken added to it) with hot sauce, and a PBR. Not a lot of food. But still, not a healthy day as far as eating goes.

And I did bike to work today. Third day in a row. 9 red lights on the way to work this morning. I actually counted. And of 8 slow downs. Slowing down for a red light hoping it turns green. So at least once a mile I had to come to a complete stop. I still had an average speed (according to my odometer) was above 17 miles an hour.

Ha. Just remembered. At a red light this morning a guy in a car shouted to get my attention. He said "You're a fast fucker on that bike. I passed you 30 blocks back and your right here next to me."

Angelo is driving me crazy. I don't want him on my lap tonight. Its kinda stagnant in the apartment right now. And he's pretty adamant that he deserves to be on my lap (he doesn't..... he crapped on the floor a few nights ago).

So back to where I was before. Wait no I'm slouching. Shit. This is the wrong chair to slouch in. Hurts my hip. Need a new computer chair. But I've been saying that for a while. Probably wait til August.

Feeling kind of tired lately. When I get some from work I just don't want to do anything. I even backed a carrot cake yesterday. But don't really want to eat it. So it sits in my kitchen. Swig of beer. I may have some sort of slight bug. I have slept a lot the last couple nights, but still tired.

Just yelled at Angelo. Probably shouldn't. He is after all, on of my best friends. Even if he is a cat. But dammit just go lay down. Or play with your toys. Or with Oscar. I fed you and scooped your shit today. Leave me alone. Just for now.

Hommmm...I have to scan my daily drawings tonight. Just got a headache. Swig of beer. Maybe taking my contacts out will help. Was about to get up and take out my contacts. Just sat here instead. Swig of beer. Guess I'll do that now.

Didn't help much. Glasses are dirty too. I'll clean them later. Now its time to finish tonight's drawing and scan the others.

Train of thought. There you go.

Few more things. Just came to me. There's a garden at work. I've never been a big gardener but everyday I find myself weeding the garden and watering the plants. Makes me think of my dad. Every now and then something new comes along that reminds me of how many similarities there are between him and I.

There was something else. Forgot for a second, but recalled again. Wussy. Listening to them right now. But also there is an excellent review of them from NPR on their latest album. You can read it right here.

I should go to bed. I've got Twitchy Eyelid Syndrome. I've read up on it. Its a real problem. Apparently stress and lack of sleep can cause it. Essentally my upper left eyelid starts twitching subtle for no reason. Well I mean I just gave the reason. And its one of those things that when the stress is gone, or get more sleep, it just goes away. You would have to look really close and carefully to see it. When I look in the mirror to find it I can barely tell. But it happens.

I was soaking wet an hour after I started my day. Biking to work in the rain was not smart. Not that it was raining when I left on my bike. Just a minute into it. And the whole way. And I got a flat tire. So I changed my bike tire in the rain. Ever had to wear wet shoes all day long. It sucks. Thankfully I had clean dry clothes packed. But still. All day. Soaking wet.

Time for sleep.

I took the Helen Fisher romantic chemistry and personality test. Apparently it has been on all sorts of shows lately or last year or something. But out of four personalities I came out as an Explorer / Director. You get a primary and secondary personality. This is what it says about me.

Personality:

You are very curious and you love adventure, either or both intellectual and physical. So when you get interested in something, you can become extremely focused on it, sometimes to the exclusion of all around you. You pursue your interests thoroughly, too, often with originality and exactitude.

You are adaptable, competitive and a problem-solver, as well as skeptical, tough minded and determined. Because you have a lot of energy and tend to be enthusiastic about your theories and projects, you can be very persuasive. You are eager to make an impact on those around you, too, as well as in the wider world.

You are irreverent and highly independent. So you can be oblivious to authority figures, as well as to rules, schedules and social customs. And although you enjoy people and can be charming and humorous, you are not interested in routine social engagements or anyone whom you regard as boring. Instead, you seek stimulating and focused conversations; and you are comfortable being by yourself, pursuing your own many interests.

Love and Relationships:

As an Explorer, you look out not in; you are foremost interested in the world around you. So you are attracted to a mate who is also intellectually and physically adventurous and interested in dissecting this complex, tangible universe. You particularly like imaginative and theoretical people, a "mind mate." And you like a partner who is sexual, because you regard sex as an important aspect of a relationship. You have nerves of steel and thrive on the edge. You are also decisive and direct. So you are unconsciously drawn to those who can balance out your highly independent and tough-minded spirit--those who are novelty seeking, yet compassionate, verbal, intuitive, trusting, flexible and emotionally expressive.

Relating to Others:

You like to have good conversations on important topics; so people tend to admire you for your knowledge and innovativeness. You shy away from emotional or self-revealing conversations, however; introspection leaves you cold. Instead, you derive intimacy from doing things with friends or a partner. So you make an exciting, although at times aloof, companion.

Things to Be Aware of:

• You can be highly emotionally contained, even pretending that you are fine when you are in deep psychological or physical pain.
• You become impatient with cautious people or wordy conversations.
• You can become so wrapped up in your own interests that you spend too little time with your partner.

You are attracted to:

• You tend to naturally gravitate to EXPLORER/negotiators.

Funny thing. Jenna took the test (she's the one who told me about it.) She's a Negotiator / Explorer. Fun to do. Not too far off my personality.