all growns up

Tomorrow marks a turning stone in my life-my little girl is going to daycare for the first time. Now, I know it might not seem like a huge deal but to me its the start of something really amazing. She is for the first time going to be around a lot more kids and away from her momma and dadda all day while we are off at work. The place seems really nice and when we brought her there to see it Mabel was really excited and playing with all the little kids and didn't want to leave. Anyways, I'm happy, scared and all around in awe of how fast my little angel is growing up. Not gonna be surprised if the waterworks start flowing as I drive away, but who cares right?

thanks

cheers!

saving

between paying off bills and saving for my little girls future, 5 dollars here and 5 dollars there will someday bring me out onto the open road. I got all the time in the world.

100 posts

fresh pot of coffee, making some phone calls, finding a day job, and putting on my boots and working on my yard one last time before the snow hits. happy holiday, zip your coat up, it's gotten really cold out.

one month and eight days after i was born

enjoy

last rites

"Spaghetti alla puttanesca (whore's spaghetti) is a spicy, tangy and somewhat salty Italian pasta dish that culinary experts regard as modern and reflects the bounty of the market rather than the garden. The ingredients are inexpensive, easy to find and typically Mediterranean. Italians refer to the sauce as sugo alla puttanesca.

Various accounts are given of the sauce’s origins, but it is likely that they date to the mid twentieth century. The earliest printed reference to this dish, as identified by the Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, is Raffaele La Capria’s 1961 novel Ferito a morte which refers to spaghetti alla puttanesca come li fanno a Siracusa (‘spaghetti alla puttanesca as they make it in Syracuse’).[1] According to the Professional Union of Italian Pasta Makers the sauce became popular in the 1960s.[2]
As to place, both Sicily and the Bay of Naples have been suggested. The 1971 edition of the Cucchiaio d’argento has no recipe with this name, but two which are similar. The Neapolitan Spaghetti alla partenopea, in which the anchovies are added towards the end of cooking, is flavoured with generous quantities of oregano, while spaghetti alla siciliana is distinguished by the addition of peppers to the ingredients"
-stolen from Wickapeeeeeedia.

*find the best here:
www.cafe-madison.com

Tim Kasher

first time I saw The Good Life was in Montreal-he heckled me bc I was wearing a Yankees hat and he is part of the "The Nation." So much for first impressions. The album "Black Out" was a pinnacle record for my mind state in a shitty state of mind at one and another shitty state of mind from it's origin in 2002 till present. But, Cursive along with the likes of their sister band The White Octave (and recently Criteria) have always kept me sane with good mid to late 90's "deep elm" and "jade tree" sound and crunchy guitar parts. Although cheeeeeeese dickish in most of their newer LP's, this single off the new "Swollen..." Lp is well written and the video is damn near perfect for the song except for Douche Bag A with the hair who couldn't land one of those girls if they were allow sex for currency. Anyways..bong bong "another band video?" yeah sorry.



cheers

Cormac M.

always pleased when another great novel looks to have the potential on the "silver screen." I think I might treat myself to this when it comes out.

"you'll always have a friend in me"

I remember the first week of college was the worst. It was 2000, I'd recently been through the kind of shitty high school relationship that defines how every other one follows will be judged and for the first time in my life I was completely alone with no safety net to fall on (ie: twin brother, family, friends etc). For the first couple days after class all I would do is push around on my skateboard and get kicked out of every campus spot there was to skate. That's when I met Chip. We had a lot in common including sharing the same birthday and year, both skated, hated our current roommates and also loved hardcore/punk/whatnot. He told me that he saw a flier for a show downtown Plattsburgh in the basement of some Church. So that Friday after classes were over we skated down there to see what the local music "scene" had to offer. There were a couple opening bands including Layton Avenue, whom I would later become really close with and then On The Might of Princes. I'd heard them before but never got to see them (LI bands or any other band didn't venture up where I grew up at all). They played a really good set and the place was packed - when I think back of all the people who were there and would later become some of the closest friends I'd have up there it's insane. Anyways when they finished their set they played this song. I remember sitting back against a wall holding my skateboard watching every local kid sing along and have the time of their lives and think to myself, "Man i really want to be a part of this" and for the first time I didn't feel alone anymore, even in a room full of strangers. From then on I went to every single show I could, or as many as I could squeeze into a weekend. Too many other great memories to dig up at once about that time and place but this song always brings me back.

Cheers to my Nordic friends.

beautiful hazy days

Summer is on the brain, last and next. MC3 is going to be epic, going to take Mabel to Block Island to play in the sand and ocean, Sean and Carolyn's little guy will join us in this world, tattoos in Cape Cod, Vorce will be living downstairs with the spiders and ghosts at my spot, and Mabel's first Stanley Cup parade in the city after the Rangers will win it in game 7. Get your canvas shoes ready-take off your socks, cut up some old chords and make some homemade tank tops - I'll be outside waiting on the back of the Tealgate.

cheers

thriller

so while looking up New End Original videos on youtube (because Thriller has been on rotation in between whatever metal and "core" my ipod seems to be downloading keeping the "pansy" side of me alive) i stumbled across this GEM...

...my new life goal while raising my daughter is to find this guy and beat the living shit out of his stupid face.


Thank you internet, you have yet to fail me.

Get Thrashed!

Live with Slayer at the Saratoga Civic Center Feb 12th 2010. Not at all displeased with this...not one bit....not even a little.

more here:

http://poststar.com/entertainment/music/article_a645060e-d3a1-11de-9ef3-001cc4c002e0.html

#16

How could you hate this guy? He plays smart/cocky/out of ordinary hockey but still drops his gloves and lays his helmet down on the ice when he fights like a man. It's pathetic the NHL doesn't back this dude and red flags his every screen, poke check and puck battles. He's gotta start playing to their "rules" again if he wants more ice time off the 4th line and that sucks. He's got an uphill battle because he's doing shit most dudes don't have the balls to do or because he called out some skank for banging a dozen dudes in the NHL after him? The league needs to relax, let dude play his way...



ok...maybe not always smart-but still awesome.

educate/destroy

download ep here: bigfatsatanist.blogspot.com

get into it.

"throw your arms in the air tonight"

new National song.

D.Thomas

Nothing says inspiration like Rodney Dangerfield and Dylan Thomas.

S. Coleridge

Till a great sea-bird, called the Albatross, came through the snow-fog, and was received with great joy and hospitality.
At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came ;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.
It ate the food it ne'er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit ;
The helmsman steered us through !

And lo ! the Albatross proveth a bird of good omen, and followeth the ship as it returned northward through fog and floating ice.
And a good south wind sprung up behind ;
The Albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariner's hollo !
In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine ;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine.'

The ancient Mariner inhospitably killeth the pious bird of good omen.
`God save thee, ancient Mariner !
From the fiends, that plague thee thus !--
Why look'st thou so ?'--With my cross-bow
I shot the ALBATROSS.

familiar faces

I stole this idea from Mosca's blog because it really hit home and got me thinking about everything-but at a slower pace. It's a great feeling when you know you have some of the best friends and family surrounding you in whatever time and space you are occupying. The holidays are at the front door and it's going to great seeing those I haven't been able to connect with for whatever reasons. And to step back into the hope and light of maintaining the reality of all the things that truly matter the most.

I love this time of year.

thursday

great song to start another day! back to more coffee, cartoons, playing outside in the leaves and my daughter!

cheers

how i miss thee

Mattie and Claire, writing leisurely, MS Paint Brush, movies on my Ipod, walks with Jer, bike rides to get milk shakes, reading the news paper, and getting paid to experience it all with full benefits...oh the perks of a full time State Job.

Oh well-apply apply apply, back to the grind and take what i can get-bigger fish to fry.

"this small part of me..."

The first and only time i saw Small Brown Bike was with my late and great friend Daniel Keeler. I was in my junior year at Plattsburgh State and Danny was in his sophmore. We both had a mutual friend named Dave Terra who hosted a hardcore/punk/etc radio that we would go visit in the studio every weds night around 8pm i believe. It was pretty fun, i can't remember how many cds we stole from that place but anything new and played once was fair game until i think the heads of the dept started to figure out us randoms walking out with hefty backpacks prob wasn't such a solid move. Anyways Diamonds and I bought tickets for the Small Brown Bike and needed a ride, I think my jeep was being fixed or i was just too broke to drive, but i remember it was cold as shit out but there wasn't any snow. It's always like that in Plattsburgh, it could be June, I swear. None the less, Dave offered to drive us all up and that seemed like no problem for Danny or I (I'm pretty sure after 3 years i was just sick of driving to shows and my jeep was broken into in Mtrl soon before). That day i remember i was really excited-i never saw them live and missed them in Albany and Syracuse a couple times before. Ok so back to the story-Dave picks us up outside Danny's apartment (these were the "living with Tim and Jer" years) in the most fucked up piece of shit car I/We had ever seen, I mean this thing was a pile of pure retarded shit with over 6 different shades and colors all of which were not bright. Danny and I looked at each other both said "what the fuck" and climbed in. Dave explained it was his roommate's car and his wouldn't have made it to Montreal and back, as if this thing had a chance. Like i said it was cold, and this thing def had no heat except to snuggle your sneakers under whatever trash was piled up at your feet and put your Bane hoodie up. We get to the border and Dave rolls down the window and I can tell imediately the RED flag is up for this hunk of shit we're rolling in. The normal questions are asked and the ID's are exchanged and of course we are told to pull off to the side, park the car and please wait inside until we are called back out. So, we all sit and wait these hospital like chairs for prob 30 mins until Dave is called up to the desk. Danny and I are sitting there not happy to say the least staring at Dave talk to the frog behind the counter who is also NOT happy. Soon Dave walks back towards us with a displeased look on his face and he sits down and says "shit, im in trouble." Danny and I are now more than worried and ask "WHAT THE FUCK DUDE?" Dave explains that the year before at his apartment they ran out of toilet paper, so instead of going to the corner store or using a fucking paper towel he went to the campus library and decided to steal a back packs worth only to be caught on camera and arrested by campus security. I say, "Sooo, when you were asked back there at the booth if you had ever been arrested and you said No-you lied" Dave said "Yeah pretty much." Danny said "Awesome dude." We sit for another 20 minutes not really saying anything and Danny I are trying to figure out how in the hell we are getting home when we all get escorted back out to the nice metal turd parked outside. That's when shit got real awesome real quick. They start to search the car and sift through the trash-most of the agent speaking French to each other when one says "Ok everyone empty your pockets" I lay out a lighter some cigs my wallet and Danny lays out his wallet and some pocket change while Dave decides to pull out this fucking wad of 3000 dollars in cash. OK, another RED flag goes up and they start in on him once again "What does you's need such money for?" the biggest guy asks "For drugs?" Dave starts to explain that he just cashed his college refund check and didn't go home before the bank-mean while Keeler and I are looking at each other like "holy shit dude." Then RED flag number three decides to show up when this lady border cop starts FREAKING out in French in the front seat where all the agents rush up only to walk back to Dave holding a nice stinky fat ugly mangled piece bud of weed. "What is this? Is dis pot? Smells like pot. It is Pot is it yes?" Dave's response "Uh thats not mine, it must be my roommate's this is his car" Danny and I are looking now at each other like "HOLY FUCKING SHIT DUDE" when RED flag number four decides to join the party. "Ok Mr. Terra, not your drugs? Lets see whats in the trunk" Dave's response, "Umm there is one problem, the trunk doesn't open, it's jammed" "I don't care what it is that trunk is opening tonight" said the big dude again this time holding a crow bar. Now at this point Danny and I are pretty sure we are going to jail too and never going home or getting deported and Im so nervous i start to laugh, Danny on the other hand gets into his "take matters into your own hands" mode and says "YO! gimme that thing, I'll open it." He then proceeds to BEAT THE FUCKING SHIT out of this trunk with those skinny little arms but all in all just dents it even more for about 10 minutes with everyone of us just staring at him. At this point I think even the cops are amused when the big guy says "Ok Mr. Terra, if you ever think you can cross dis border again with tons of money, drugs and a car like dis again you will not make it, now get rid of it and go" he says handing Dave the pot and pointing to Montreal. We all sit dumb founded for a minute pretty sure its a joke and we will be shot at the first sight of movement when Dave says "Ahhhh what?" "GET RID OF IT" said the cop. Dave looks at Danny and I and tosses it over his shoulder into the roadway and walks slowly to the car, as do we. We get in and head towards Montreal in disbelief and none of us a said a word to each other. Anyways, long as story short- we made it to the show in time to see Small Brown Bike and I posted up at the bar and got drunk and Danny stood there pissed off and stewing the whole show and I'm pretty sure Dave went outside and got high most of the set. We headed back still in silence only to be waved by the US customs agent reading a book, ironic.

-This song reminds me of my friend Danny and i would have to say it was one of the best shows I have ever been too and a story i'll never forget and the fact that I got to experience it with a good friend like him only makes it that much more real to me every time i think of it.


Cheers.

Diamonds are Forever

I can only imagine what it would be like to lose my daughter and even at the thought of just those words it starts to curl up me on the inside. To watch and raise another life and teach them right and wrong, love and happiness, and the true values of how to become the person they are is an honor. And every little step they take in life is little step for you when you are a parent. And when they hurt, so do you. When their eyes well up, so do yours. And when they look you in the face and smile or laugh it is a feeling only you can know that words are even worth describing. I wouldn't know what to do if someone and something so special to me was taken away-and just like that, gone. These past couple weeks have been some of the worst I have ever known with too much to describe and too much already said. But my friend Jeremy sent me this photo tonight and instantly what little i've known as a parent in just the past 19 months shines a little brighter. Life is short, and sweet and the sour times and things that take away from the good aren't worth drowning in. So all I can say is THANK YOU Zoe for showing me in a simple picture what ive tried to come to understand for a long time, your son and my friend will always be with us and nothing can take that away. This photo is awesome, to say merely the least. thanks

umm yeah

teddy better have been there or he blew it big time. wish i had the chance to see this band one more time. side note-check out the tool who gets on stage and sings in the other mic, there has to be one at every show. awesome.

pinching pennies

sooner than later

the definition of....

crazy,

sane,


kind of the same when your world is left with both to define themselves. I couldnt be happier with my life_tomorrow is just another day with those i love the most. The moon is out and the sun wants to wake up. enjoy another night on this oddly shaped thing called earth

15 again

when i was 14 till i was 19, I worked in the kitchen at a spot called The Cape Restaurant and Lounge where i started out doing dishes and left working the fryers and cooking bar food late nights. It was my first job and in a lot of ways i feel like i grew up there. But the one thing i hated most about the job was that the owner/head chef always had the radio set on "Froggy 93 FM" a HORRIBLE new age country station where no joke they played the same songs on repeat every hour i believe. Anyways long story short this past week our pals in Deer Tick played at Rev Hall in Troy and out of no where covered this song. I sat there wondering why and how i remembered the words and who the fuck sang it. Im not sure if this dude is the original singer but I remember hearing it ALL the time when I was younger and hated it- I alway thought "what the fuck does this dude know about Hank Williams" - and well now after hearing it this past week and have it rack my brain till today I gotta say, I kinda like it. Maybe it was the whiskey and coors light that got me singing this shit or maybe it was a selective memory of a time and place you sometimes forget about coming up randomly to make you appreciate where you came from and the people who taught you a lot.

cheers

feeling old

i think this was taken at my 22nd b-day party, none the less im still sweaty and heavy and vorce is still creepy.