If I said...

I woke at 7am that might be somewhat of an exaggeration. However, if I said I woke about ten minutes to 7, was up and dressed and had the dogs out, relieved myself and took out recycling by 7am, that would not.I put myself to bed last night at the obscene hour of 3:29am. I watcher Zero Dark Thirty earlier in the night, dicked around on facebook for awhile and had hopes of finishing the book I'm currently reading but you know, road to hell and all that.

So... I listened to an episode of Aisha Tyler's, Girl on Guy podcast, one I had not heard before, with one of my most favorite comics ever, Bill Burr! That took me to 3:29 am and by that time, my back was hurting to the point that breathing was becoming somewhat painful. Rather than take more ibuprofen, I laid down and started, Dark Side of the Moon. Yeah, that was not going to work so, I switched over to this guy, Tom Segura

After the change, all was good in the hood, as the kids are fond of saying these days. I've only just recently discovered Tom. I like his comedy. It's like observational humor but with an edge. Loss of consciousness due to chuckling, only to wake a mere three hours later. Apparently I had a hair across my ass about getting shit done today. We'll see how that goes.


I hope you all are well.

Cheers,
JJ

P.S. WHAT'S UP MANNING STREET, TORONTO?! PEEKABOO!!!!

I didn't know...

it at the time but the 90's were pretty freakin' sweet. Never in my life have I had more free time and discretionary income as I did during the Clinton era. Love him or hate him, those were some good years.

1991 saw me liberated from the four year sentence know as, "high school." Know matter where I go, or who I talk to, they refer to that period in their lives with what I can almost call an unhealthy reverence and nostalgia. It's not like nostalgia is lost on me, I get it. I tend to go there a bit too often myself but, when I do, the last place I want to go is back to high school....EVER.


The early 90's for me were all about enjoying the freedom not having to be in school afforded me. While I admit I lacked direction during this point in time, I really do think a break from the classroom was what I needed. Looking back, had I had any sort of guidance from a counselor or an older brother or maybe just someone I was not supposed to be diametrically opposed to, like my parents, I think it might not have taken me so long to put the rubber to the road so to speak. Eventually the desperate times call forth desperate measures and luckily I was able to get out of my head, get out of the asshole of the country and go away to college. I had less direction that before but at least I was moving, maybe only laterally so but I was moving and that is more productive than treading water. Besides as fun as being a wage slave and going to see bands 3-4 nights a week was, it was not going to last forever.

Watching, "PJ20" I can remember the emergence of Gen X, grunge and how at the time, if we had all been a little more aware then, my generation would be even angrier now. I could be wrong but that's just one mans opinion. The part of the documentary that sticks out the most to me is the Andy Rooney segment they aired, I'm assuming, during Pearl James rise to stardom. The loveable curmudgeon rips on the young people of the day and asks, something to the effect of, "what's the matter with kids today and what have they got to be so upset about?" I suppose at the time it was a fair question. Those same kids he felt were, "belly aching" at the time, well some of them have grown into people who will work until the day they drop dead and not all of them at their dream job.

I don't fault Rooney for taking that position, for all intents and purposes, it's his job. I do however feel that line of thinking was a bit myopic even two decades ago. Either way, having a flash of rage and saying, "Fuck You Andy Rooney!" is not going to change anything and realistically only made me feel better for a few seconds. After finishing the film, I decided I was going to go and listen to the bands discography, since I was only really familiar with the first two or three studio releases. It took the better part of three days and I'm pretty confident in saying I would rate the catalog 9/10 on the whole. Yes, there is not a whole lot of what was put out on their first release, "Ten" but Pearl Jam are a great rock band, who have crafted some amazing music. If you are not familiar or have forgotten about them, I recommend going back and giving them another listen.

I hope you all are well.

Cheers,
JJ

It's the first...

snowfall of the year and the picture to the left reminds me somewhat of the street I grew up on, except there would be less trees and more dog shit-style triple-deckers. Even so, it was still a decent place, until I was about fifteen or so. Even then, there could have been MANY worse places to live. It's all about perspective, at least that's what I believe &  what I tell people.


The big holiday is right around the corner and even though there are less than a month of Sundays before the big day arrives, you'd never know it here. Maybe two houses on the street lit up. We've got a wreath with lights and stuff but, it's over the fire place and not on the door or anything, There is not an official boycott on the big holiday but I'd be lying if I said things are not tight. Between my medical issues and others medical issues in my family, we're pretty much glad to just be alive. I'm putting myself to sleep with this post.

In addition to my usual well wishes, I'd like to ask everyone to be a little nicer to everyone, not just those people who need it, and there are certainly those, but until you've walked a mile in their shoes, you have no idea what they go through. Evan as uncomfortable as my shoes or shoe as the case may be, have been this year, I would not trade them with most people. So, do what you can. I'm not asking for sainthood here. Hug someone who needs it. Call or email a friend. Mend a friendship that has fallen by the wayside. Tell someone you love them. Honestly look at what you have and be grateful.

I hope you all are well.

Cheers,
JJ

The bus is...

Sending out an S.O.S

so far in the ditch I have no idea how to pull it out. I’m like a diver with a bad, bad case of narcosis so, I’m calling all the angels and praying to every god I know and some I don’t. I’ve even said a few nice things to gods who have no idea who I am and just so I can feel like I’ve got all the bases covered, I’ve even asked the advice of the one and only blogfather.

Ive been

eating my vegetables

trying to get a good nights sleep

and made sure I’ve drunk my Ovaltine

any advice, positive vibes or good juju sent my way would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you all are well.

Cheers,

JJ