Started out early from Springfield, lost a windshield wiper. Had to stop in rockford. Bitter sweet to be there at the very least. didn't stay long, didn't visit anyone. got the part and left. Rockford sums up a lot of weird feelings of lonliness for me. maybe i'm still running. maybe you shouldn't be.

Stopped for lunch at the Orange Moose in Black River Falls. had a beer for what was essentially my breakfast. awesome. Knocked off after that and caught some ZZ's. Slept through the Twin cities, which sucks. Stopped in Monticello and no one had a swedish accent, god damn it.

Stopped again outside of Fargo at a gas station that was closed but the pumps still worked. would have been extremely creepy if i was a girl. trucker prolly watched me pee. North Dakota was really really sparse. slept again, missed little i'm sure. i'll get the gist of it tomorrow i'm sure.

gonna shower and crash. brando's already sleeping. fucker drove all day today and made me feel like a slacker.

look and see, concrete and paint.
cracked and worn; patched with pitch.
veins snaking across her skin
little blood cells moving
unthinking of where they go of
endless adventures
could be as easy as
taking the next off ramp.

You see a highway;
an insterstate.
I see a way out of here;
an escape.

I'm Slacking, I know. I still got one i wanna get set right before I post it.


I went up to Rock Cut last friday, in a bid to get out from four walls that have been slowly closing in on me here. Most of my time spent is "in the city", and I've been craving to escape to a more rural enviroment for a few weeks now. It's not that it's a long drive to get out(especially where i'm at in the city), but it has been finding the time during the day and justifying the hidden expense of going on a drive. So I made up my mind and went.

It was a sorely needed purification ritual, if you want to get existential about it. Helped get my mind ordered and onto a more positive track. Walking among the lake's shoreline, looking out and seeing a couple of tents out there was something I never thought I'd see, especially in march. Hey, call me simple in my amusements.

I didn't stay out too long because of the biting wind, but I did get a few pictures on the mobile. I didn't need too long to set myself right anyway. The adventure of driving out there and back during daytime was half the enjoyment slash refresher for me. Actually being there once I cleared my head made me only think of ther last time I was there, last July. While the reminiscence is nice for a time, I couldn't dwell in it too long, lest I end up undoing all that I had accomplished by going out there in the first place.

Taking a final draught of near-freezing country air, and left to get some sleep. I stayed up way later than i normally should.

Anyway. a couple of pictures beofre I shutdown for the day.

Ice Fishing

Another part of the lake

Footprints

A frozen prairie


Read/Watch/Listen/Play

The Fermata; Nicholson Baker.
Hellboy: Director's Cut; Ron Perlman, Salma Blair, Jeffery Tambor.
Good News for People who Love Bad News; Modest Mouse.
Stronghold; Firefly Studios.



Well you disappeared so often
like you dissolved into coffee

Guilty Parties modified.

This is it. The party's over. The bags are packed. Months of anxiety, nailbiting, and worry. All about to be over with. Bittersweet, Almost.

Today I start a march of war on the north. All that is left is questions.

Will I find what I have been looking for? Will everything end up okay? Am I going to be throwing some people off the top bunk? Will it possibly change me? Am I running away? Where are all those hopes and promises? is this the age of ascension?

All I know is what I am leaving.

Great friends. The best anyone can hope for.

A past I am neither proud nor ashamed of.

Ghosts.

A father who dosen't care.

A mother and grandmother who does.

An extended family(K and M being the notable exception) that dosen't even know who I am because I was born one town over.

My true family down south.

A lifestyle.

A culture I never fit into from day one.

Memories of the beginning of a relationship.

And the memories of the the endings of so many more.


So, what's the last bit of wisdom i want to leave you with for a while(I will be back online soon hopefully, I promise you)?

Those of you what are still here in Southern Illinois, Get out while you still can.

To the SoIL expatriates: Continue to be a beacon for those that are still here and trying to get out. Let us know we are not alone. Encourage a much as you can.


So here we go, little boy. Almost the last in line in the Great Christopher Diaspora. No more hiding. No more waiting. Time to be a man. Don't let them change you.



Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes Ma
You'll see me

It's official. I am now past the point of no return. Throwing the brakes now, even if I wanted to, would do more damage than going forward into the great unknown. I have so much to do. I have so much to plan for. So many contingency plans to make, revise, get wrecked, toss away, and hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I am not afraid of leaving. I'm flying almost totally blind right now. that scares the hell out of me. It's all coming at once. the car. the apartment situtation. the looking for a job. finishing packing. amassing money. Hopes, dreams, the threat of absolute failure riding upon already burdened shoulders.

I just want it to work. I don't care how. I just want it to work and everything be okay and make it. So tired of stagnating, waiting, existing. I want to be more. I want to take a good thing and make it better. I want. I need.


45 days. in some ways, an eternity. in others, too soon.

Nothing left here. Nothing but to close my eyes, take the plunge and hope the bitch called chance casts a favorable chance on me just one more time.


Oh up down turn around
Please don't let me hit the ground

Work is work.
I nearly renounced my Atheism on account of a customer who just wouldn't leave.
I really have to try to like people sometimes.
Love life sucks, still and seemingly forever.
My Walls have been rebuilt.
Spent 5000 fake dollars gambling in my fake life.
I lost 20 bucks of my very real money.
That was a bad idea.
I wanted to do an April Fool's Update.
I didn't have time.
Next Year, flag semaphore.
Maybe.
Brandocrap would shove Jesus for A chance with Kari Byron.
I would murder all of you if I had the same chance.
Or even for a passable look-a-like.
I'm Morally Questionable.
I don't mind that so much anymore.
My Throskie is only a 63 :( and wears outdated gear.
Year Zero is absoludicriously fucking awesome.
You knew I would say that.
Alanis Morissete does My Humps.
you've probably Seen it.
Tori Amos does Raining Blood.
You should hear the Classic first.
I'm a future 419 Scam victim.
I could go on and on.
Getting the fuck outta here on a one day trip.
All work and no play something something something.



Here, I Haven't done one of these in nearly forever. Enjoy.

Read/Watch/Listen/Play:

Promise of the Witch-King; R.A. Salvatore.
300; Gerard Butler, Rodrigo Santoro, Vincent Regan.
Collected; Massive Attack.
God of War 2; Sony Computer Entertainment of America.




Nothing's right if you ain't here
I'd give all that i have just to keep you near

(Super West Coast Death Trip: Retold. A continuing collaboration between Me and Brandocrap.)

Kingsburg, CA.

Made it here Safe and sound. Had a late night in Flagstaff on the internets and sitting in the hotel lobby eating potted meat, cheese and crackers out of my mess kit. We stocked up on water and car stuff in Kingman, AZ, then grabbed a quick bite of potted meat, cheese, and fruit cocktail. We brought a cooler full of food(and a satchel full of canned food) to cut down on food stops, and in the event of worst-case scenario, we also brought a tent and other camping supplies, the most treasured of the camping gear being being Papa Jones' pocket knife, as it conferred a feeling that I finally made the hallowed ranks of being considered "The third Jones boy".

When we left Flagstaff, I was still amazed that arizona has trees, let alone a National forest. it was also something like 45 degrees when we left, so I put on a long-sleeve shirt and a t-thirt over that. as we were going along, the terrain did start to shift into something I was more expecting. When we stopped at the John Wilkie rest area in Cali, the temperature had doubled. I remember remarking to other people stopped at the rest area as I was stripping off the long sleeves "Bet you can tell i'm not from around here". I'm glad we choose October to Go through the Mojave, where it was only 90 degrees. The Mojave wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Brandocrap keeps talking about how desolate it is, and I keep telling him to wait till we get to Utah and Wyoming. at least this desolate has some pretty to it.

The closer we got to our destination, the weirder the conversations got(I think we recorded some of it), not to mention that brandocrap was getting really tired of hearing my rendition of "California Love". It was also somewhere around this time I discovered a neat feature on my camera which allowed me to take three pictures in rapid succession by holding down the button long enough, Meaning a better chance of getting a good picture. hooray for Technology!

Once we got to our hotel, it was Denny's(so much for getting the local treatment tonight, everything's closed) and a dinnerside treat to a ten minute thunderstorm, complete with the power going out. When Katy(my local contact) arrived, we made introductions and she asked us what we thought about the storm, informing us that it was the worst storm the area had seen in six months. for your information, This storm barely wet the ground and had a total of probably 30 flashes, and none of them came close to striking fear into our hearts like the ones at home can. so, we then went to Albertsons for a cheap as hell booze run(It was a good night to be a PBR fan). Naturally, after procuring dice and cards, Drinking games ensued. Yes, we drove 2200 miles to play a game of Three-man and Asshole.

Right now we're chilling at Katy's house, grabbing some breakfast before we figure out what we're going to do today. Probably be a low-key day, as we're planning to hit the Pacific tomorrow, then figure out which way we're going to go back thurday. Most likely jump up to 80, which means Utah and wyoming. Blech.

It's been a Beautiful drive to get here, and I'm glad I Scraped enough cash together to pull this off, and i'm also glad i did this while i'm relatively young. you wouldn't believe how many RV's we've seen on the remains of the Mother Road.

Will update again if I get a chance to before I hit home. Anyone who has my number is welcome to call if you're on our way home. At least I can wave as i'm going through your city.



Well, you can see a million miles tonight
but you can't get very far

(Super West Coast Death Trip: Retold. A collaboration between me and Brandocrap.)


Flagstaff, AZ.

Safe and sound so far. We fell behind on travel time last night from stopping in to see the Joplin crew and grabbing a bite at the ever delish J-Town(also, I have a girl bladder and piss every hour on the road, it seems). Ended up staying in a hotel in Weatherford, Oklahoma instead of Amarillo. Sorrys to Oblidarn that I didn't call. It was getting late and I figured you had to be up early in the morning. Up to this point, we have survived getting lost in the OKC area, conversations about what I'd do if I was a gazillionare, a weird concidence involving mandy.exe, and explaining to Brandocrap the ins-and-outs of bridging into a phone trunk line, or as people "in the know" at the time called it, the "CIL Party Line". We've Brought a Dictaphone to record some of the more "interesting" conversations when we think of it. Much like my smart decision to not start taking pictures until we got to texas, we have been a little lax in talking to the box every single moment. Nonetheless, to be a fly in these walls....


Texas was actually kinda cool, and not quite what I was expecting. I tried to Climb a hillock, and it was shall we say.... disasterous. Brandocrap made it to the top and took some cool pictures, but the hiking boots I had were a borrowed pair(and didn't fit at all), and I'm fat and I smoke. Also, I remember hearing about how texas is warm. I call bullshit, at least, your top half is a bit colder than I expected. oh, and this sign made me Crack up for a good ten minutes.

New Mexico was awesome to go through. Just as we got over the border, we stopped at a rest area, where as you may have already read, we resolved just what the fuck we were going to do on the trip. There was this hippie couple there that was broke down at the rest area and looking for money to try to get to somewhere on the east coast, I think. It dawned on me right then just how far away from home we were, and how easily that could be me and Brandocrap if things go wrong quickly. Minus the whole couple thing, naturally. NM was good to see during the day, for some reason, we didn't think of turning on Weird Al when we went through Albuquerque, instead, Brandocrap took a picture of his crotch.

We made it across the border to Arizona around sunset. Was suprised to see lots of trees along the highway, as it's not something I would think of seeing in AZ. this was also the point where the only tiff bewteen us happened, which basically involved me leaving my set of keys in the car while both of us were in the gas station. as I already said, it's dark, so we missed the Painted cliffs.

Tomorrow we make the final march to Fresno, where we will use as a jumping off point to the ultimate destination: The Pacific Ocean. Only one last thing stands in our path, and it's a doozy: The Mojave Desert. Once in fresno, We'll idle around for a couple of days(I think) before making our swing Home from Sacramento, going on 80 then droppiong onto 70 all the way back to STL(I think).

I'll update again when I get to Fresno to confirm return plans, and to assure everyone we haven't killed each other. Yet.

Part of me is fighting this
But part of me is gone

You are so so very lucky, my dear readers. I started to post Warcraft Screenshots of my character doing various stupid things.

But I'll not bore you with such things, yet. Let us talk about other things.

A year ago, me and Brandocrap Went on a road trip. Pictures were taken, Audio was recorded, fates were decided my some form of a coinflip, and good times were had. But for the most part, we've been tight-lipped about the events that transpired during that week. Mostly becuase a lot of it is in-jokes and mostly boring stuff that nobody would probably find interesting(the term "Steakhouse" comes to mind, as an example).

But now, by way of a sort of collaboration, we're going to share what happens when you put two guys in a car together for a week.

During the trip, I made occasional updates to a chatsite I frequent, as NewBloodStudio had went down a week before I left, and I hadn't started my tenure at Bloghorn yet. I had later reposted the entries at bloghorn, but they have since been eaten by the internet version of the cookie monster. I recovered the orginals at SOI, but we'll get to them soon enough.

My story dosen't quite start yet, as I hadn't started making updates until we were well along the way. So for now, I can only Direct you to Brandocrap's site so you can get an idea of how things started. Later in the week, you'll get to hear my side of the trip, as I'm sure Brandocrap's recollections will stir nearly-forgotten memories. hopefully, that will be a good thing.

Either way, Pull out your Google Earth and Stay tuned, if road diaries with A/V supplements interest you.

In the meantime, Check out America in color and be thankful I didn't bore you with things of the highest dorkery.



Let's get up and leave this town

One of my most dog-eared chapters in my copy of DP is the chapter on North Korea. To me, it's the most interesting read in the entire book, due to the vast amount of bullshit that one has to swallow in order to sustain some form of existance(Things such as the "Leader" being the main force behind Toasters, cheeseburgers, and the Sun rising and setting each day. Ok then.) in this literal prison-state. The words used to paint the DPRK are so bleak you almost can't believe it's real. Looking here and here, I kept thinking of another photo shoot I've seen: The Zone of Alienation. Talk about dream vacations for me. I have a thing for being in places that I'm not supposed to be, and I blame that on my natural curiosity that compels me to check out roads marked "Road closed" and "Dead End" when I have the time to.


On a happier note, Justin Sane sent me a link that I think is awesome. Customer Service + MMORPG'S + Morons for customers* Hilarity = Bannable offenses. check it out.

I wanted to talk a little bit about my new-found love for DosBox(now that I figured out how the hell to use it), Moxie, and other things, but I'll save that for another time.



Your first burning breath
Was a symphony

38/51. 30 of them in the last 12 months.

I'm Home now. More later.

Inspire in me
The desire in me
To never go home

Washington, D.C.


Woke up yesterday, packed up, and left from the cottage, and headed out to Pemaquid Point for some early Morning east coast view(Again, Maine is so Beautiful), and some Breafast at the local Restraunt. Eggs Benedict, oh how I love thee. What a Wonderful Change from all the seafood i have ingested the last several days( I've had lobster every night since Montreal, and some kind of Seafood every night since the trip started). Nunkie had the biggest damn plate of Pankcakes I have ever seen.


Holy Christ that was a Long as Drive. 14 hours Yesterday from Bristol Maine to DC.

a couple thoughts of the states we hit since Maine:

Massachusetts: Slept through most of it. Someone started talking about My Briend Brike again(long story).

Rhode Island: I thought this State was small? why the fuck haven't we blown through this state yet?

Connecticut: I wish this State was as Small as Rhode Island. I'm never coming Back here. Traffic Sucks and these people have no clue how to drive.

New York: Uh, Guys... We're in the Bronx. And Saw some guy flip off someone else in the most extragavant manner possible.

New Jersey: Holy shit, it really IS dirty as hell! Also, we Forgot our turnpike ticket(actually we got inthe wrong lane, but the lanes are confusing as Fuck when you're just trying to escape New York)

Delaware/Maryland: i don't care. cool. Let's Eat, Let's get to DC... OH Hey Baltimore! Wer'e almost there! it's... Wow... Why tdoes the NSA get it's own Entrance off the highway, and then have it Say "RESTRICTED Employess only" on it? Jackasses. that's Not very Secret, is it?


Anyway, After a long long Road trip, We're here, and i finally have internet Access, so i did a little Post date manipulation and posted them basically around the time stuff was going down. This stuff was been hastily Written, so expect a lot of spelling errors.

anyway, i'm going to get off the Computer and figure out what we're going to do next. It's nice not to have to be in a Car at all for a couple of days.

Bristol, Maine.

Got into Maine from Montreal late Monday night. The drive was nothing Short of beautiful. The Cottage was awesome(we all got our own bed, sweet) and sleep was the order of the day, as we Had a Kayaking trip tuesday.

Tuesday we Got up, got some breakfast at a mom and pop place(everything in this part of Maine is Mom and Pop, it's kinda weird) and headed to Maine Kayak for our thing.

Now, I hadn't been in a Kayak in about four years. It was on a Lake in SoIL, and it was an Opentop Kayak by Ocean Kayak. The Kayak i was in was much more confined. With all that out of the way, needless say i was a bit nervous, and ended up dumping out of the kayak about five minutes into the adventure.

great, now I'm wet, cold as fuck(though the wetsuit helped for the most part), got salt up my nose, and now I look like a complete simpleton becuase I end up riding in tandem(Two in the same boat) with the Guide where eveyone else was by themselves. Oh well, Fun was had by all, and it made for an interesting story to put up here, and most people know i'm a goddamned idiot anyway, so why not?

the Kayaking Trip was flat-out awesome. Seriously guys, if you go to Maine and look to get on the water, go to Maine Kayak and get a trip going through them. The guide was the owner and he was a hell of a guy. After the trip we headed to a place near the cottage called Shaw's Wharf for Some Kickass Seafoos and A bit o the Beer to make us eveen more sleepy.

Anyway, going to rest up now(we're all a a bit sunburnt and sore as all hell) and put out for wash DC tomorrow. Got a long drive ahead of us.

Montreal, Quebec.

The Canadian Side of the Falls was Awe-inspiring. And there's a Lot of Indian(as in India, not Native American) Cuisine in Niagra Falls Area, at least the American side. We chose to stay away from such explosive foods and head on Back to the Amiercan Side of the border, so as to drive through the rest of New York on our Way to Quebec.

One thing i'm going to Say right now is that the Border Patrol guy when we were coming back into america was an Absolute DICK. He sounded like he wasn't convinced that we were american(nevermind the fact that two of the three of us have passports, and the other Had multiple copies of his Birth Certificate and Photo ID) and that we were just three guys that were traveling just for the fuck of it(Yes, i realize they are supposed to ask Questions "for our security", but you don't have to be a complete dickbag about it). I guess someone had a little sand in thier vagina, and it wasn't me.

Anyway, We Get through the Border unmolested, make it through NY and cross back into Canada(where the border patrol was all kinds of cool about our reasons for traveling), and Make it to Quebec.

Quebec was... interesting, to say the least. Anyone who has been to Canada was seen almost all signs in English And French. Now, I knew Quebec was primarily French-speaking, but I had figured that, like the rest of Canada, it would also be Bilingual.

Oh, how i was So wrong.

People Spoke English one you indicated that you dind't know french, but almost everything leading into and in Montreal was in french.

We got to the Hotel A-OK, and from there we kinda puttered around the hotel. Brando and Nunkie end up puttering out kinda early again(can't blame them), and I, feeling adventurous(and not quite tired because I keep getting catnaps in the car) head on out to walk around dmidtown Montreal.

After getting throughly drunk in the hotel bar, I stumble out and walk about for a while. I ended up finding a bar called Vinyl just a couple of blocks form the hotel, and I only found it because I Heard the Music as i was passing by the street it was on.

Now for the win, Picture this: A classed up Livingdead, Drinking something called Rhum-and-Tings(they were goddamn delicious),in a bar that looks like a cross between Fearless's(the furniture) and my basement(the Size). And it's Blaring out the latest Rastafarian Mixes.

Whata Fucked up Night.

Niagra Falls, NY.

Flew through Austintown today, and had dinner with Jehboah, Justin Sane, and Noelle. My little niece didn't even recognize me(and she got big and Walking on me) but she warmed up to me again when I let her play with the cell phone for a while. she seemed to take to Brandocrap and Nunkie pretty easy, though. We only ended up staying a couple of hours before we hit the road, making it to Niagra Falls by sometime around 12:30am.

Our Hotel Was Right across the Street from the Seneca Falls Casino. I wasn't tired, and the Casino was open 24/7, So I broke one of my own rules and decided to go for a walk around the casino. Nunkie warned me that it can be a rather sad affair, what with people throwing thier money away. I would usually Agree, but i had neever been in a casino, so it was time to find out for myself.


So in I go, and well... I had a hell of a time, actually. I played the nickel slots(The Price is Right Rocks!) and cashed out everytime I made double the amount I put in. I ended up doing okay, Then I wandered over to the Roulette table and bought some chips with my winnings and threw it on Black Twice and ended up Doubling My money.

I walked in there expecting to lose 25 bucks, and Walked out with 80 AND I got free drinks. All in all, A good night.

time for bed. Gonna hit the Canadian Side of the Falls tomorrow.

I've been really wondering what I should write here for my sendoff. I haven't really been stressing about it, but I did make a promise to put something up before I go. At first, I thought about pointing you towards a game. Then I thought about maybe you would appreciate something to chew on mentally. Or Perhaps, I should upload a screenshot or two of What kid of madness I delve into with Half-Life 2(that is, when it's working for me and not stuttering worse than Quake 1 on dialup, goddamnit).

Then I thought... well, it's 1:30 in the morning, I'm tired as shit, and I'm leaving in roughly 6 hours, and i'm going to be doing this on the road, so the hell with it.

So, there's your update.

See ya on the road.

They choose the path that no one goes

Super Coast Death Trip 2: Electric Boogaloo in five days.

Like last time, I will be update at every available oppurtunity. I wanted to do this on the California Trip, but Newblood was down, so the only people who got updates was the denziens at SOI/BWR(I had reposted them all in one long article at one time back on Bloghorn, but appearantly is was lost somehow though the various changes that happened to the page that I really didn't care for, but Ben was nice enough to try to help a whiny bitch like me out). This time, as long as internet access is available, I will make updates. I know I haven't been too keen on doing it as of late, but you know, that Real Life thing just keeps getting in the way.

Anyway, back to the map. It's pretty self-explanatory, except for two things: The route isn't a complete replica as Streets and Trips favors interstates, hence no representation of Vermont, and the route home isnt shown. It should be as simple as getting on 64 and zipping back to IL, but there's the off chance(time willing) that we will go fight sharks in the Carolinas or lay siege to Ted Turner's castle in Atlanta, trebuchet and all. That may sound ludricious to you, but keep in mind that I have encountered a Minotaur and a Land Kraken in Southern Illinois alone, so anything's possible.

Short update, I know, but I'll bang out at least one more before the trip. Promise.


To Kill a Dead Man

So, I believe I left off about halfway through saturday night.

Me, Nunkie, RVZ, Brandocrap, the Slowbeks, and Braddong head out to a place called Noshville for dinner, and delish it was. Upon stepping outside, however, we end up getting hit up for money by two different panhandlers at the same time. One of them was "a christian man whom him and his daughter have been stuck in nashville for a week, I have money, but can't get to it, would appreciate any help..." It was actually a very long and drawn-out process, not to mention a giant run-on sentance that was too well-rehearsed. The other was a rather uncreative "Spare some change for the homeless?" Nope, sorry. I'm poor too, pal. Hate to sound so heartless about it, but I'm a bit jaded. Anyway, it was raining and after a couple moments of confusion(Hey, is that the Wendy's where Tapeface happened?"), so we dogpiled into a cab and headed downtown to attempt to meet up with the rest of the group.

Although there are a couple other bars we visited that were noteworthy, I was a bit "Eh, it's alright" about the bars we were going to at that point. Some of the group broke off and went back to the hotel as we cruised through these bars. As we headed along after mulligan's, we turned a corner, And suddenly, I was no longer in a world I was used to. No more of the bars that, while cool, all begin to run together after a while. These new, alien to me bars and the time I spent in them is What galvanized my opinion of Nashville. I didn't know it just yet, but it was what made me sit back and go "this I what I wanted to See in Nashville. This is The Nashville Experience I was hoping for.

The first bar we entered was The Bluegrass Inn, complete with country band, cowboy hats, and shelves made of 2x4's. throw in two hot bartenders, PBR, And a "down home" crowd, and you have a recipe that, for some strange reason, I'm finding myself liking. Me and Brando took up seats at the bar, and drank everything in. While I wasn't interested in leaving, I was out of smokey treats and they didn't sell smoke. I told the bartender I was going to make her famous in Illinois(which got a wink out of her, so either I should have stayed and played my slim-to-none odds of scoring or she thought it was a cute remark from a drunk fat kid) and the crew left.

At this point, the group splits again, leaving three: Me, Tman, And Brandocrap. we head next door To what would ultimately be our last, and in my Opinion, the best bar of the night: Robert's Western World. RWW was more upscale than it's neighbor(read: Nice Shelves) but had a kick-ass house band Named BrazilBilly, and fried baloney sandwiches("Friggin delishious", cried the Tman) georgeous women, and cheap, cheap PBR.

Tman would get a head start on us back to the hotel, as me and brando closed out the bar. On the walk home, we got encountered three authentic Georgia women who were staying on the same floor as us, and I got into an arguement with one of them over where I was from:

"You're from Chicago, aren't you?"

"Nope. Christo-"

"You're from Peoria, then. Which is just as bad."

"No, I'm not. I'm Near ST. Lou-"

"You shouldn't lie, Yankee. I can tell by your accent."

"Riiiight. Whatever you say, But I'm from SOUTHERN Illinois. We were for you guys in the Civil War."

After some Drunk Dialing by Me and Brando, I end up passing out somewhere around 4 in the morning... only to be woke by a constant rapping on the hotel door at 9:30 by the Slowbeks, Nunkie, and RVZ(Brandocrap was already up and showering, and Braddong had Left an hour earlier...I think) Appearantly, answering the door In my boxers with my eyes completely closed and closing it in the middle of whatever Slowbek was saying so i can go back to sleep for another hour is secret code for "Come on in and be as loud as you want! Keep telling me I Need to get up! Be disgusted that I am in my Boxers! Don't forget to fart on me becuase it's Teh Funnay!"(I don't really mean anything by that. I just hate being woke up.) we all check out, head back to Clarksville, eat at the Olive Garden, say our goodbyes, and home we go.

All in all, it was a great weekend for me. Got to hang out with good friends(Some I hadn't seen in a long, long while), good food, and great bars. I know some of you may be scratching your heads out there in internet-land about my love for the country bars, But consider this: It's places like this where some of the biggest names in music got thier start in these little homely bars. You go there and you just... slip into an element that feels alive and happening. All those country songs I grew up to on the radio(Thanks to Gma) made a lot more sense now that I've been there and seen this place through thier eyes. It's something I'm not likely to forget anytime soon, and I plan on going back to drink in more of the Nashville Experience.

That, and I promised Gma that I would take her to the bar that Ralph Emery Was in.

Old Hank made it here
And We’re all sure that you will

So, Last night there was a lot of uncomfortable postions in Clarksville, mostly relating to the fact that i had to sit on Nunkie's Lap as there was 12 people crammed into 2 taxicabs. The cabbie got a kick out it(plus, we tipped him well). Going through White Castle drive-thru was the worst part. Everyone got home okay, and Copious amounts of Slyders were consumed. Also, Everybody was fucking Smashed.

about five hours later, the slyder attacks claimed thie first victim: Me. I Swear to Christ I opened the portal to hell this morning in that toilet.

Anyway, Back at the Hotel in Nashville, after a little stint out at Sam's cafe and grill Watching the Kentucky Derby. Naturally, I picked the loser and got nothing whilst the slowbeks, Sarah, and Papa Salmo ended up picking The Winner. This is why I don't Gamble.

I'm not sure what's going on next, but when we pulled up in the shuttle(which took half of forever due to wrogn directions) there was a lobby full of young women that deserve the kind of attention i'm ready to give em.

Considering my current lucky streak, they're all going to be like 15.


More Later(i'm forgettign a lot of shit right now and i realize that) if I am still sober enough to operate the letter clackie thingies.

I'm drunk
And right now I'm so in love with you

Gone to NashVegas.

Will Be back Monday.

So, I watched Hostel Today after work. Not too shabby, if I say so myself.

But, I do have an issue with the whole premise of the movie, which I am going to try to explain as best as I can without actually spoiling the movie, for those of you interested in seeing it.

The thing I don't particularly care for is the ignorant fear that it will generate in americans about traveling abroad(nevermind the indifferent mentality Americans have towards any country that isn't "Americanized") As it stands, a low number of Americans even own a passort(Actual estimates vary, but generally the WAG is about 20%. You're welcome to Come to your own conclusion By taking a look at a more in-depth, but a few years outdated, summary here), and Hostel isn't going to help get more out of the reclining chair and out to see the world at large.

I know that it sounds absolutely retarded that a movie would cause such a negative opoinion within the general public, but allow me to offer two completely subjective, and convincing supporting facts:

EXHIBIT A: Every single fucktard that asked me "Can the tanning bed scene in Final Destination 3 really happen?".

EXHIBIT B: People actually believe that "The Texas Chainsaw Massacare" actually happened.

I rest my case, your honor.


Keep your eyes peeled. Uncle Livingdead's got some goodies for you that will appear within the next couple of days.



We'll ride the spiral to the end
And may just go where no one's been

Well, it was a crazy weekend, alright.

Thursday was spent working, getting out of town late, and getting to Lebanon to meet up with brando, whereupon we discussed things that pretty much bought us yet another upgrade package on the express airline to Hell. A little Stank and Spank, and bedtime for all parties.


Friday, Nunkie comes up, we meet up with an alumni who transplanted to Springfield and went barhopping. Sammy's sportbar to Two Brothers(sadly, by bartending angel wasn't there, le sigh) to a place called Coonrod's. Think Italian club in Springfield. Jamie D suggested the place, yet never been there. for all we knew, we coulda been walking into a gay biker bar. It ended up being cool. Mostly older clientele, but we were old drinking pals withthe bartender within the hour.

We watched the Illini Game(well, I drank myself stupid, they watched the game), and afterward some guy waved some money in my face and said "Hey, will ya play some music?"

"Sure, I guess." Thinking my selection was, much like the IC, was going to be limited country and AC/DC.

I couldn't have been more wrong. I started with some old crowd pleasers: Cash, Stones, and a couple of others I can't remember because I drank a lot, Then came the Massive attack, Portishead, Rentals("Holy shit! I can get the Rentals on here?") and Brando got the NIN on there, and that's when one of the regulars got pissy and complained to the bartend, who basically said "Sorry, but we don't get young ones in here that often, they paid for it, they get to hear it". Awesome.

Then there was the cool old guy with the business cards and other assorted practical jokes, but that's another story altogether. All in all, a fun night. A little drunken late night dinner at the Stank and Spank and off to bed.

Saturday was Gauntlet Dark Legacy(to wash out the awful taste of Seven Sorrows), Nunkie becoming horribly ill, and later on, me and Brandocrap meeting up with the Jacksonville tribe at Mowie's, and kicking ass at Shufflepuck against Gina and Jeff, and a nightcap at... you guessed it, Stank and Spank.

Sunday was the drive home, and some Nightmare Diablo 2.

All in all, a good weekend. But I'm pretty fucking sick of Steak and Shake.

Let's see what this week brings, and if I can keep away from Urban Dead to do an update about it.

This ain't no game
I'll show no shame
I'll birth this bane
I'll twist the game

Oy, I slacked off. Sorry about that folks.

This isn't going to be much of an update either, but hey I'm trying here. I haven't had much to say of late anyway

Heading up to Springfield in about an hour for a weekend of cra-zay. Was going to Chi-town for the southside irish parade, but that kinda fell through.

Anyway, it's that time of the year where they have come out of hiding. They, you ask? those malicious, hard to kill confections known as Peeps. Maybe this will give you a couple of ideas on what to do with those unamerican bastards. you DID know they were terrorists, didn't yoU?

pushed back to square
now that you've kneed her
in the throat
well there you go

Sorry. been busy all week with work. I'm splitting time between two stores now, and I can't really say I enjoy it, But it gives me some more of the all-important money. I haven't had much to write about of late anyway. there's only so many ways you can write "Life sucks and I hate the world" before you start resorting to bad Poetry. and since i'm not a memeber of the cure or a teenaged goth/emo kid, i'll spare you.

Going to the NIN concert in champaign tonight, first concert of thier second leg of the tour, so hopefully it'll have a different setlist than what me, brandocrap, and slowbek saw in STL back in October.


Been playing a lot of Diablo 2 again, which is another reason why there haven't been many updates of late(especially on the weekend). It's a time-killer, and since the bars are in decline as of late, I'm down with that.

Working this Valentine's day. Yippee. I get to see a bunch of couple come in and rent movies that they aren't going to watch anyway. Fuck them. and fuck Valentine's Day. I hope the world ends that day.

ever the bitter peach,

Livingdead



i just made you up to hurt myself

well, I'm back home from yet another Joplin Gathering. Fun was had, New friendships were forged and old ones Refreshed.

I'm still a bit wiped but here's a list.

20 random thoughts About Joplin 2005:


1. Me and Susanna Sinister make awesome traveling partners.

2. Jack van Tyruce Still can't read a map, be anywhere on time, and be trusted to pick up alcohol.

3. Buckeyes are single-handedly the Greatest thing I have ever Tasted. If Catiana Made a Buckeye-Flavored Ball-Gag, she'd made kazillions and could retire well before 30.

6. I suck at taking pictures of People on the sly. half my pics turned out blurred.

5. Huntress's Presence(among other things) was sorely missed. Hope you're feeling better Hon.

6. Using the Phrase "I'm an Internet personality" As a justification for anything simulaniously pisses off and cracks up Karma and her hubby.

7.Evil,loyal sidekicks. Beast-man is to Skeletor as Zealot is to Oblidarn.

8. Bringing cool movies to watch instantly boosts your Popularity Score(especially with Teddy).

9. Three words: Joplin Swap Meet. You can get Human Meat there if you Ask the right person.

10. Anybody can run at the speed of light when you have an angry Teylynn Darkshadow giving chase.

11. I'm the Greatest Goddamned Lunch Money Player in the world when i'm drunk.

12. Glow in the dark penises, Technicolor-enhanced orgasms, and cybernetically-enhanced Nads are weird-ass topics to cover.

13. Grace Moure Might be Scarred from hearing things about #12. Also, Grace Moure's underwear is Teh Hawt.

14. Red vs Blue is still awesome.

15. The Helm Of Power was reforged this year. Woe to All. Next year: The Armor of Power.

16. Azah and Warlord were not the leat bit fazed upon finding out that i was eating horse feed. Also, Said horse feed runs straight through the system.

17. I still don't know what the inside of Lej'ardamaine's house looks like.

18. Only one of the lil' ones Liked me, which reaffirms that i still do not need Children. Telling them that You know how to make Baby Stew didn't help relations, either.

19. Some people put sugar on thier Grits. This Practice is as unnatural as necrophilia and should be stopped.

20. A Joplin first: No drunken Posts from me.

There's Your monday(whoops, tuesday) update.

mdame


Never thought all this could expire
Never thought you'd go break the chain

Wow. I'm here in Joplin, and i gotta tell ya, It's the old times. The good old times that i missed so much. I didn't get as hammered as i thought i would last night. trying to plan the trip down here all week was nothing short of a nightmare which i will explain more later.

Up early because the house is full of screamin babies, to which i continue to wander around from screaming baby to screaming baby telling Them "yeah, i know. It dosen't get any better, trust me".

Went to J-town last night. didn't get on any of the bartender chicks this time, and sucked Ass at pool. Came back to the house and played a Game Called Lunch Money, and it was nice. I must buy this game and introduce it to you guys, so you'll think i'm awesome again. Got hammered on Rusty Nails. Talked Angel's ear off last night whilst Intoximacated. Poor Girl.

In Short, I'm Having a Blast. I even walked by a mirror this morning and didn't have one of those "WTF am i doing with my life" moments.


I'd Type More but i'm really Hung Over and I think we're getting ready to either have Grits or go to the Swap Meet. Either way, I need to wake Steve The Okie Becuase He'll be pissed if we leave without him.


Later Kids. Maybe another one tomorrow. we'll see who i have to kill to get on the Compy.

mdame


I love you
But what are we going to do?

first and foremost(other than the awesome picture). New URL: http://livingdead.newbloodstudio.com

if you're linking me, please update your links. i don't know how long the old URL will be valid. right now both point to the same page, but this one is a lot easier to remember, thus, i'm expecting the more faithful of you to spread me like the virus that i am.... and i should get a million hits a day by next week. Other updates are going to be made as i go along as i monkey around more with the PHP code. i can already tell that some changes that are different that i gotta get hammered out.

anywho, Weekend was great. got to finally meet My niece Noelle, who is quite the ham. I can tell she's going to be cool, becuase she liked me right off the bat for being a total stranger. I think she can tell how cool i am... so what's your guys' problem? anywho, had a weekend of playing around with her, Playing some Campaign Halo 2, ate some good food at an irish sports pub... and went to Evans City, which is awesome on so many levels. my first nightin Ohio was rather uneventful due to the fact i had been up for 30 hours, so all i did was sleep. but the rest of the weekend has fun-fueled chaos. more pictures will be posted later this week, as time allows.

Got to see Chicago from the air for the first time, which was another awesome. these days i don't really make much of an effort to go up there due to personal reasons, but seeing it from above made me remember fonder times in that city. maybe i'll actually want to go sometime soon and see what other better days i can remember, or better yet, create. i can tell you one particular memory i created this weekend in that city already.

I was wondering around O'Hare during a layover after coming in from having a smoke break. well... i obviously looked lost or something, becuase this guy comes up to me and asks if i need help. "sure, looking for concourse F..." i said. he points me in the right direction, and i thank him, ready to go on my way.

"Oh sir! could i talk to you for a minute?" he says as i turn away.

"uh, ok." i didn't have anything better to do.

"you're a big gentleman, very hardy-looking."

"that's what i hear." i'm half-creeped out and half-annoyed at this point, as a strange, effiminate man has just politely called me fat.

and this is where i learn that Hare Krishnas no longer wear bed sheets at airports. I get to hear a little bit about stuff about the ocean(which is why i think he mentioned that i was a big'un), and he showed me all this cool sanskrit, and then a kickass picture of a minotaur with a axe getting ready to sever the head of a cow with a human head. then he wants to give me this big book, that appearantly holds the keys to a deeper understanding.

for a donation.

"The Gideons give me a free bible, why can't you?" I also mention i was joking to him before he gets offended.

"Look, all i got is four bucks, can i buy it for that?" which was true, becuase most of my money was on my card, which, much to my chagrin, was in the red all goddamned weekend becuase appearantly, hand deposits don't show up as a pending transactions like they do when i go to the ATM. jackasses. he didn't look like had a Credit card machine on him either-which was good.

"Let me give you the travel edition."

So, for four bucks, I got the "you didn't spend enough money so you're going to be roach in your next life" edition of the book. but hey- i bought four bucks worth of good karma, which, if you have followed my shakespearian nature of my life for the last year, i need all the bonus points i can get.

most likely though, i used it up the moment i went to MCdonalds and bought a couple of cheeseburgers. which i did right after i met him.

I can't win for losing.


mdame



You've got that look I wanna know
You've got that look the hy pro glo
it burns a hole inside my mind
it burns a hole inside my mind

Hey-

just a quick update to let you know that yes, this place is alive and still kickin.got lots of pics to upload and a story or two to tell.

stared at some grey ohio skies, the bright moon out tonight that somehow still reminds me that i'm not all that far away from you, and flying into chicago...more reflection on all this crap later.

Anywho, gotta get some rest for my flight tomorrow.

good update sometime this week,

mdame


If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
If I'm alive and well
Will you be there holding my hand?

oh SNAP i didn't write an update last night, so here it is.

one week till i leave for ohio.

and if anyone has any good ideas on how to get to california before the end of the month on the cheaps, i'd like to hear them. Difficulty: Hitchhiking is out. I'm too old for that. I may not be able to do the Tour of the dead like i wanted to, but i'll be damned if i'm going to spend all summer around here.

And there you have it. your update, good and not so good peoples. sorry this is so short, but i don't have a whole lot to say. nothing that hasn't been said before at least.

mdame


So fuck ya'll
All of ya'll
If ya'll don't like me
Blow me
Ya'll are gonna keep fuckin around wit me
And turn me back to the old me

Can't talk long. Waiting for Brandocrap and Nunkie to pick me up for a trip to Springfield.

But i gots a Date Saturday. Yeah, i don't know how the fuck this happened either. We'll see how this turns out. My Guess is that this is yet another trainwreck in the works, knowing my luck.

Got pulled over on my way to work yesterday, and thankfully, got out of a ticket by the skin of my teeth. the entire time i was just thinking "wow, i definately see a pattern here in my life."

Hopefully i won't go to jail anytime soon.

oh well. Whatever, fuck it. Kinda tired of giving a damn. Life will find a way to fuck me, i am sure of that.

but we shall see.

mdame

slowly move on
how did we get to here
it all went wrong
gravity claiming all your tears
everything looks so much better now
looks so much better now

well... i'd rather not get too into my weekend. but i'll give you a couple of things to chew on:

1. smashed for three out of four days
2. Drunken phone calls to and from me
3. hot chicks ALL OVER THE HOUE
4. catching up on old times with great friends
5. best 4 day weekend i've had in a long time.

I seriously considered never coming back home. and i about damn near cried when it finally came time to leave.

anyways, enough about that. becuase i love you all so much, i wanted to share a nice little movie with you.

mdame

we live in a wheel
where everyone steals
but when we rise it's like strawberry fields

At an internet party here in kirkwood. having lots of fun. Sorry i'm missing everyone at home, but you guys more than anything know that i needed this.

worry not, i am fine and in one piece. and i still have something to say which will be saved for the anniversary update.

anyways, hope everyone's well and i'll tell you more about it if i make it home monday.


cheers,

mdame



I'll tell you my name
F U and C K