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Sunday, July 20th, 2008
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1:02 am - Volta
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...and afterword, later this century when you and I have become corpses. Let's celebrate now, all this flesh on our bones. Let me push you up against me, and enjoy every bit of you.
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, July 18th, 2008
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2:04 pm - No fear, no death
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The dying man is like the wave that fears death upon the shore, until it looks inside and realizes that it is water.
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(comment on this)
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| Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
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10:29 pm
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It occurs to me that none of us are quite sure how to live
we stumble through life in the dark like ancient deep sea divers.
Fumbling in the dark through oversized gloves we try to reach out
and feel the world through two inches of rubber.
Deftless we dance around in oversized boots designed to keep us down.
Sinking without drowning and floating without swimming,
none of us will ever be a fish.
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(comment on this)
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| Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
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2:15 am - Less Known Facts About Daniel
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Daniel pretty much does whatever Steve Jobs tells him too
Daniel plans on naming his children after towns he's never been too
Daniel is dancing with himself
Daniel has more fun being a dork that you ever will being cool
Daniel is apparently Spanish for "cute Canadian boy you should make out with"
Daniel will do his scientific best to command your fleet
Daniel is way too indie to have friends who can keep up
Daniel will listen to anything with accordion and cow bell
Daniel just learned how to play the bongos
Daniel is planning for the Delica Diaries, and you wish you were invited
Daniel is currently eating grilled cheese.
Daniel is ready for bed.
Daniel is zzzz...
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, June 13th, 2008
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10:06 am - An open letter to concert organizers
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Re: Sasquatch Music Festival @ Gorge Amphitheater
Dear Live Nation.
We, your patrons, understand that organizing an executing a three day live music venue for over thirty thousand visitors can be a challenging undertaking under the best of conditions. We also understand the challenges involved in the hiring, training, and retention of a quality workforce to staff such an event. That said, we would like to take a moment to express our bewilderment at the swear stupidity and incompetence of your event staff and security personnel.
But first, a clarification. My friends and I greatly enjoyed your event, were on the whole satisfied with the level of service, and applaud your efforts in bringing this event to us. A portion of our enjoyment was no doubt derived from the constant amusement of observing and commenting on just how mentally deficient your staff members are. Because lets face it, the security guards at your event are not just retarded, they are comically retarded. However, after three days of exposure to dangerously high levels of such baffling stupidity, our general amusement faded to annoyance, and finally concern for our own safety.
To reiterate, your staff are comically inept. During the third day of the festival one member of "beverage enforcement" spent the entire day circling a piece of wooden scaffolding at the base of the amphitheater, shooing people out of its shade, out of fear that the structure would collapse. This same individual later acted extremely suspicious of our groups uncanny excitement over freshly squeezed orange juice.
Clearly, the staff at your events are overly concerned about the danger of collapsing structures, and yet completely disregard the dangers inflicted my deficient vitamin C intake. The fresh orange juice was necessary to ward off the increased risk of gastro-intestinal infection due to the fact that absolutely no soap or hand sanitizer was provided for the majority of the event. thirty five thousand people shitting in honey-buckets and not washing their hands, that pretty much sums up my experience of the planning your organization put into this event.
Sincerely, with disdain
Daniel Gray, & Team ALEXXXXXXXXX!
Ps. Honey Buckets have to be the most misleading name possible for a box that people shit in. where you guys trying to be ironic or what?
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(comment on this)
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| Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
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11:05 am - Skills
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I'm Really Bad At:
1. Hearing tones. I tried tuning Shauna's guitar by ear and each string was off by about 3 steps.
2. Relating to the common man. Let's face it, I'm kind of an elitist. In the coffee wars between Starbucks and Macdonalds I actually think the 'bucks is too plebian. Also, i use the word plebian in sentences.
3. Guy stuff. I know no hockey stats. if someone asked me to describe a sports car i would say what color it was first.
I'm Really Good At
1. Obscure knowledge of social theory and 20th century history.
2. Cooking. This is my one true artistic expression. You've heard of musicians that smell notes? well i see flavour and hear textures. Show me a picture of a dish and i could perfectly replicate it, as well as suggest and create appropriate accompaniments.
(seared cilantro lime pesto crusted tuna on mango red pepper salsa)
3. Fiddling with technology. From small engines to computers, if it has parts i can take it apart. I just can't guarantee I'll be able to put it back together. Also, im an expert at stringing techi sounding words, like "bios" and s-video, together in just the right order to give you the impression that i know what i'm doing.
4. Latte Art. I'm happy to say my time as a barista has imparted me with the most impressive and most entirely pointless skills.
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Monday, May 19th, 2008
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6:20 pm - Hookers and the End of Days
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"Hey, do you smoke?" Asked the hooker missing all her middle teeth. Her remaining neighbor teeth had since spreed inward filling the gaps to create the jagged landscape like a city skyline.
I tear myself away from the sink hole of her mouth and life and focus on her question. do i smoke "no" i reply, more out of habit than conscious thought. At the same time im taking in her practiced mercenary smile, the desperate soulless glint in her eyes, and her pimp adjourned in a nearby stairwell.
She has nothing to add to my response. the slight shifting of her feet and her best possible attempt at what could vaguely be described as a "sexy face" says it all. I appologize to her on behalf of her upbringing and the world at large, and make my escape while mumbeling something about being in a hurry to get to work. "He says he's in a hurry!" she cat calls half to me half to her pimp. He looks up and calls after me jovially "You messing with my woman?! hehe
Not knowing exactly how to take this, ive interpreted his final remarks as meaning roughly: "I AM AN IMPOTENT STAIN ON THE SOLED UNDERWEAR OF HUMANITY!!"
Soon afterwards I'm serving a customer a bagel with cream cheese, and make a friendly comment about the weather. He responds positively, and goes on to explain the techniques used by the new world order and the nation of Israel to control weather patters with thermal radiation, all with the ultimate end of creating hurricanes to destroy New Orleans and Myanmar. Apparently this is not only the will of God and the execution of his wrath, but also a sign of the return of Christ and the subsequent apocalypse. I smile, "so how come the weather channel can't get the 14 day forecast right?"
To this question he continues for another 10 minutes or so, but i mostly just drifted in and out from that point.....The rest of my day was actually pretty good....
current mood:  confused
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
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8:27 pm - Life Goal #46
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| Sunday, March 30th, 2008
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4:31 pm - Good Things - No Specific Order
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-Huey Lewis - The Power of Love
-Collin's Special at Ferris'
-Disco Coffee single trad cap
-cherry blossoms
-working in the dirt
-Apple products
-Danny Boyle's films
-bicycles
-a spring croquis
-Phillip's Phoenix Lager, cold
-the smell of sawdust
-kitten's named after vikings
-Einstein
-Kalimata olives
-Cat Power
-hot tubs
-lolcats
-my fiancee
that is all
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, March 28th, 2008
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10:31 pm - I am Legend
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Firstly, they went completely overboard on the CG. Secondly, the whole thing was swarmed with ridiculous product placement from start to finish. I mean how much do you think Ford paid for that opening bit where Smith is racing a mustang through a herd of deer? then theres the XM satellite radio adds everywhere, or the 10 minute seen staring Shrek. It's as bad as Smith in I-Robot with his "retro" converse sneakers which are apparently going to be so cool in the year 2035. All in all i liked this movie alot better when it was directed by Danny Boyle and called 28 Days Later.
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, March 17th, 2008
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9:36 am - Rant
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Sometimes i wish i could follow the lives of strangers who make random comments to me on the bus. Are they just naturally friendly people who say the first things that pop into their heads to complete strangers? or are they really quiet introverts who've spent their whole lives hiding from social contact, and have picked this moment of all moments to come out of their shell and tell me how much they like my coat? These are the questions that plague me.
I caught an awkward conversation on the bbc this morning. An economist was on talking to the anchor about China and its economic development. He was saying how inspiring the development of China has been, that they have been able to move into capitalism so quickly. In a rare break in character the bbc anchor says "well what about the people of China, are they happy? What good does a booming economy do them if they're still making ten cents an hour making Gap jeans?". "umm, i don't follow you" the economist replies. "well, has their standard of living improved"
Clearly, the idea that economic growth and GNP was ment to reflect the lives of actual people was a completely alien concept to this economist. Just numbers on a page. He kept stammering on about progress, why has it taken us so long to question what progress even means. like ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tres_chouette was saying yesterday with the Mardi Gra beads, whats the fucking point?! We have a world bank in place to make loans to developing nations to improve their infrastructure so they can build factories and make more beads so we can throw them at women who show us their breasts. THANK GOD we've progressed so much, otherwise we would be paying 2cents more a piece to make our meaningless plastic crap!!! GAHHH! IT HURTS MY BRAIN!
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
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8:59 pm - ce sera sera
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I've spent the last two months worrying about the ways the human race is destroying all hope and love on this planet. I blame my anthropology professor, Dr. Bouting. She has this way of sucking all the oxygen out of the room, and once she's finished doing her lecture on sweat shops or genocide or female circumcision you just feel like going home and building a bomb shelter to ride it all out. But i'm done, im tired of living my life through the horrible things happening all around the world.
Things which may or may not matter. Don't get me wrong, there are horrible things happening every day, but history has taught me that most of humanities problems have come about in search for solutions to other smaller problems. What if the solution is to just stop. stop taking in too much of the garbage of life. live in your bubble, help those closest to you, fix whats within your reach and leave everything else to the mysteries of the great beyond.
You know i feel better already.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, March 6th, 2008
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2:16 pm - March
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I walked around Fernwood for 3 hours today looking for a cafe I would possible like to work for in the future. I like the barista gig because I believe cafes are among the last refuges of honest human interaction. They have all the elements of a bar without the alcohol induced disinhibition necessary for people to talk to each other.
Anyway, on my way back from this epic walk I realized how much i identify with my own neighbourhood. In the rest of fernwood it was as if i had blinders on, I could have been walking through downtown for all i know. then as soon as i hit graham st all of a sudden all these associations spring up. "oh, theres the corner where i fell on my longboard" or "oh, theres that house we challenged to a streak-off".
The cherry trees are about ready to explode, next week the streets will be nothing but pink cotton candy.
I miss absolutes. when did morality and logic become such a gray area.
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(comment on this)
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| Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
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5:10 pm - Tell me about you
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1. Are you currently in a serious relationship?
2. What was your dream/goal growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had, or had developed?
4. If I offered to buy you a drink, what would you order?
5. Favorite vegetable (not fruit)?
6. What was the last book you read? What did you think of it?
7. What zodiac sign are you?
8. Any tattoos and/or piercings? Explain where.
9. Worst habit or character flaw?
10. If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Do you have a negative or optimistic attitude? (Be honest.)
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. What are your hobbies?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you.
16. Do you have any pets?
17. What would your reaction be if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
18. What was your first impression of me?
19. What do you think of clowns?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or can soda (or beer)?
25. If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
27. What's your favorite place to hang out?
28. Do you believe in ghosts (and the supernatural)?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. What's one of your pet peeves?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. Do you believe in/appreciate romance?
34. What is your current favourite song?
35. What are your religious beliefs?
36. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Sunday, December 30th, 2007
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9:18 pm - 2007 In Review
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| Monday, December 10th, 2007
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11:07 am - 2007
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Stolen from Lauren, Shauna, Kirsten, and Jordon
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Began to realize my academic potential
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I can't remember or find any evidence of my resolution from last year, so im going to assume i didn't make one
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? no babies
4. Did anyone close to you die? no
5. What countries did you visit? the american nation, and the imagi-nation
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? a degree
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Febuary 12th, for that one moment when i did everything right and said all the right things.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? A's
9. What was your biggest failure? never did sort out that drivers license thing, or write the lsat
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? well, the year started out with norwalk virus
11. What was the best thing you bought? ipod nano has been saving my life lately
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Shauna, she's worked so hard, in every possible front
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? the Burmese government
14. Where did most of your money go? School, rent, exotic cheeses
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? social work, sasquatch
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? No Cars Go - Arcade Fire. or just the whole album
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? more of the same
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, or heavier in general been eating right and working out
iii. richer or poorer? more debt, but working more and managing money better
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? self improvement
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? squabbling
20. How will you be spending Christmas? In Egmont with families, one of the few times of the year thats enjoyable
21. At any point in this past year did you do something that you consider to be completely out of your usual character? I'm sure theres something, a moment of bravery, a moment of coolness, a spark of insight
22. Did you fall in love in 2007? already was
23. How many one-night stands? nope
24. What was your favorite TV program? The office, weeds, bsg, lost for when it was on
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? there's one guy i wouldn't mind giving a punch to the face. and thats saying alot coming from me
26. What was the best book you read? Blink
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Arcade Fire. hands down. all of sasquatch actually. Patrick Wolf, St Vincent, Ghostland Observatory. I discovered that i hate the Hold Steady.
28. What did you want and get? Excitement, adventure, an ipod, a fiancee, a kitten
29. What did you want and not get? an iphone, a puppy
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Children of Men, Pan's Labrythn, Hot Fuzz
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 22, had dinner with the tragically hip and then had an orgy.
32. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I had a committed partner to work through any obstacle with.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? About 4 different tshirts, a poor boy hat, and a massive peecoat
34. What kept you sane? the buddha, cooking, love, and for that matter who says im sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Neko Case, Clive Owen, Owen Pallet, i dont know, a bunch of musicians, actors and poltiicans...
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Burma, Iraq, Tasers (pro), Olympic mascots (pro), and military recruiters in schools (pro)
37. Who did you miss? all the friends ive accumulated over the last few years who have slowly drifted away
38. Who was the best new person you met? I couldn't say at this point
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: Change is everywhere and everything. There is no static or solid being. If you try to hold on and posses anything then in the end all you will posses is the idea of what you desire, not the reality.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Smile, like you've got nothing to prove, cause no matter what you might do theres always someone that is cooler than you. I know its hard to believe, but there are people you meet who're into something too big to express with their clothes. They'll put up with the posses you through, and you wont even know that they're not sizing you up, they know your mom fucked you up, or maybe you watch too much tv.But they'll still look in your eyes to find the human inside. You know there's always something in there to see beneath the veneer. Not everybody made the list this year. Have a beer"
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Sunday, August 12th, 2007
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5:13 pm
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| Friday, June 29th, 2007
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11:51 pm
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Yes i know I'm not the first to say it, and probably wont be the last, but Ann Coulter would make baby jesus cry.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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12:41 pm
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I've researched alot of hate today, and i dont think it was the healthiest choice. once you let these things into your mind it opens up a flood gate. suddenly you can't help but picture ever injustice and irrational action. you can remember with crystal clarity every moment of prejudice in your life.
But what are my choices? block out these feeling and forget, and face them and try to grow stronger? What is there to be gained by fighting ignorance? theres so much irrational hate in the world it seems as if it could never be silenced. Mahayana Buddhists believe that the potential exists for everyone to become Buddha... days like today i have a hard time buying that.
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(comment on this)
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10:39 am - obama/osama...coincidence?....um yes more than likely
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I don't like to think that i'm overly fanatical about my politic. I'd consider myself central, or moderate. A candidates deep philosphy is less important to me than the pragmatics of what they hope to accomplish. In short, i believe the only way forward is for both sides of the political spectrum to set aside their differences and open up clear and honest debate to find the best possible solutions for the problems at hand.
and thats why this shit pisses me off.
The video is entitled "coincidence?", and to that i would reply 'yes, it is more than likely a coincidence that a known terrorist and a US senator have similar names, but thanks you for your insightfull observation". A comment on the video by the creator reads "I must be doing something right, They showed it on the daily show". Yes...thats why they showed it... Jon Stewart has run out of material, and so he has turned to youtube, and this wonderful nugget.
but you know, I'm willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt, and a chance to redeem himself. lets see what else he's posted
When will right wingers learn, they can't outshine in political parody, theres simply too much material!
I think i just died a little inside
Okay this one was more sad from a technical stand point. In case you haven't figured out yet this guy has only one trick up his sleeve, and he's not getting any better with the morph tool.
I debated with myself whether to share these with you or not. Would it not be better if these foul creations simply never saw the light of day again? But then i thought, the only way to defeat ignorance is to confront it, and besides, if you're stupid enough to be swayed even slightly by this hack do i really want you on my friends page?
current mood:  annoyed
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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...?