Most days and...

If you were fast enough, you may have actually read my last blog. If not, you are better off. It wasn't the most cheerful rant to date. Not sure why. I guess we all have off days. Perhaps there was something in the air today. A handful of people I spoke with were in a similar mood. Not upset or depressed, just a bit out of sorts. I think it was just a semester's end funk. I think tomorrow will be a much better day.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Death Cab For Cutie - Stability

An empty bottle

Never before have I drank Bordeaux. It's not bad. Quite intoxicating, actually. Ahh yes! Alcohol humor. But, yeah, the bottle of Mounton Cadet I've been drinking is quite good. And I'm feeling quite good as a result.

I realized tonight that I haven't been going out much lately. I have so much to take care of with school, especially since I'm still waiting for my former prof to send me the letter of recommendation she promised to write for me. She better not screw me over. Ugh! Not fun to worry about such things. Well, nothing I can do about it tonight. And once my class is over I plan to go out more.

Today was a fun Friday. I didn't open the store for the first time in months, so I felt a bit off. I didn't stick around until close though. I left an hour before close, but at least I wasn't there until 9:30pm. I attempted to buy magazines to cut up to make mix CD covers, but I ran into someone I knew and was trapped in a conversation which kept me from my mission. Damn!

I just finished watching Four Brothers. I didn't think I would like this movie when I saw it in the theater, but it was quite good.

Hmmm... Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm drunk.

Ok, goodnight!

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
All-Time Quarterback - Rules Broken

The One Up Downstairs

Welcome to another post-midnight installment of the Sergei Chronicles!

So, here I am sitting on my bed with my iBook, watching Law & Order: SVU, and wandering the internet looking for new and fun things to occupy my time. I'm on my third Cap'n & Diet and hoping this one does its job. I poured the last of the bottle into this drink. Luckily I have some Jameson left if I'm in need of a sleepytime cocktail. I'll need to stop at Slim & Harry's tomorrow for a fresh supply. While I'm there I should get some wine. Perhaps a nice shiraz. Mmmm... Shiraz!

I paid off the plane tickets I charged to get me to TN for Nicole & Keith's wedding. It's just over three weeks away. I'm look forward to the end of May. Just a few more weeks.

Polyvinyl release The One Up Downstairs on iTunes a few days ago. It features Mike Kinsella (Owen, American Football, etc) as well as Steve Lamos (American Football) and members of Very Secretary. It was the pre-American Football band that broke up shortly before their sole 7" was released. It's only $2.97 to download, and it's quite worth it if you are a Mike Kinsella fan.

Hmmm... Well, I guess that's it for now. Perhaps I'll be struck with something entertaining to write about later. For now I'll just watch some TV & play the ol' geetar. Goodnight!

-Sergei xo

p.s. - (added 45 minutes later) I'm not a phone person, but I love drunken phone calls!

Song of the Day:
The One Up Downstairs - Champagne

Delays can be good

I was scheduled to give my oral presentation in class today, but the lecture we attended ran late, and a good portion of my class wouldn't be there, so it was postponed to next week. Though I'd like the presentation to be out of the way, I'm glad to have more time to prepare. And once the presentation is over I'll be forced to write my 15-page paper. This does not excite me.

Phones should not chirp. Hence Nextels should not exist. That is all.

One good thing about today is that I worked from 12-3pm, left to go to the lecture, then worked from 6:30-9:30pm. I got a sweet break in the middle of my day. Granted, I had no idea what the lecturer was talking about, nor what anyone who asked her a question was talking about, but I did get a break from work.

Family Guy... so good!

I'm pretty bored right now... with the exception of Family Guy being on. What to do? What to do? Perhaps I'll watch a movie. I hear the Anchorman bloopers are funny. Perhaps I'll watch them.

I hung my regional manager's coat from the ceiling today. I have a habit of messing with my co-workers. Usually hanging their personal items from the ceiling in the stockroom. Well, our regional manager, Ben, was doing a visit today. So I decided to include him in the fun. Luckily, he has a sense of humor and knows I'm an odd person, so he appreciated the joke. The way I see it, just because he can fire me, doesn't mean he should live outside the range of my twisted sense of humor.

I can't wait until this semester is over. No homework for the entire summer. It would be nice to get another class out of the way, but having a few months to myself will be nice as well. I won't know what to do with myself. It will probably be a lot of working, then coming home and watching movies. I know, I know... I lead a crazy life. Feel free to be jealous.

Ok, I'm done.

-Sergei xo

p.s. - Here's a fun tidbit of info: The lyrics to the chorus to Taking Back Sunday's "My Blue Heaven" from their new album were written by Fred. How do I know this? Well, they are the same lyrics to the chorus of "Wedding Dress" by Breaking Pangaea from their album 'Cannon to a Whisper.' Hearing those lines included on the new TBS album is a like a nod of respect for where Fred came from. I miss seeing Breaking Pangaea, but I'm extremely happy for Fred.

Song of the Day:
Taking Back Sunday - My Blue Heaven

Long day

Since waking up this morning I've been working on my oral presentation. My brain is now officially fried. I worked on it in my car at the laundromat, then I sat on an uncomfortable, metal, folding chair for ten hours while I organized the outline, wrote a two-page reaction paper, and filled out a myspace survey during a procrastination down time. So, yeah, it has been a semi-eventful day.

So the old WEIH website is no more. I got the news a few minutes ago. Sean met with Lee tonight and found out the site has been lost forever. Although, Lee has a team of web designers on staff whom he will be using to build us a new site. Lee is a fantastic person who is nicer to us than we deserve. Thank you, Lee!

I hate our president. Not just because the gas prices have gone through the roof again, but because he is a complete douche. Every time I see him I get angry. I'm not an angry person, but he really pisses me off. Seriously, fuck that guy.

That's about it. I didn't do much else today. I didn't even leave the house to get pizza like I had planned. I didn't have the time.

Ok, this blog has been pointless. I'm done.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! - 2nd Gun

Sometimes the jokes fail...

And sometimes people fail to get the jokes. I was at work tonight (as usual) and a woman came in and set a pair of shoes on the counter. She had purchased them in another Journeys thinking they were guys shoes -- they were not. Still unaware, she asked me, "Are these girls?" I responded, "No. These are shoes. Girls are much different." She didn't get it. The "What?" that she shot back at me was filled with much angst. All I could muster up, having been taken aback by her nasty reaction was, "Uhhh, it was a joke. Never mind." A girl was standing to the woman's right (my left) holding some shoes. She got the joke. She even chuckled slightly. I thought I had found an ally in the face of madness. I was wrong. Though she seemed like a normal person, who had a sense of humor, she apparently did not. I tried joking with her while I helped her and her friend with shoes, since joking is just what I do, but the jokes fell flat. The friend laughed. I realized i was dealing with another crazy, bitchy customer when I mentioned that Cleopatra was Greek & not Egyptian. She thought I was lying, so I explained the emails i receive once a week filled with random tidbits of information. It did little to quell her bitchiness. Well, at least her friend was nice. 1 out of 3 customers isn't such a bad ratio, I guess.

Sean sent me the new TBS last night. Fred is amazing. I know I've said it before, but I never liked this band until Fred joined. Such a good guitarist. I couldn't be happier for him. And i wish I had half of his guitar playing abilities.

I fell off the wagon tonight... I bought another CD. I had no desire to buy a CD until I heard "Head Over Heels" playing in the stockroom on Bryan's iPod mini. I have the best of Tears For Fears, but I really wanted the album, "Songs From the Big Chair." And I found a used copy at FYE for $7.99. A new copy was being sold for $19.99. So the way I see it, passing on such a bargain would be foolish.

For the record, I am not Steve Carell. Just thought I should put that in writing.

I guess that concludes tonight's installment of Sergei's Idiot Theatre.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Tears For Fears - Head Over Hills

1 split lip, 2 black eyes

I look like someone beat the crap out of me. My lip is split and I still haven't had a chance to get replacement blistex. Tomorrow I will surely pick some up. As for the black eyes, well, that's from lack of sleep. Seriously, I look housed.

My oral presentation is on Wednesday. Not looking forward to it. Not a fan of presenting in front of a class filled with my peers. Luckily, the criticism I'm presenting on is an easy read. Some of the essays we read this semester would have made as much sense if they were written in Sanskrit. I still don't know how to pronounce the writer's name; Ngugi wa Thiong'o. I'll need to look it up before I present, or try to only mumble it quickly and never mention his name again.

I drove through lakes to get to work today. Damn rain! Some guy in a minivan must have assumed his vehicle was impervious to water damage. As I slowed down and drove through the middle of the road attempting to find the highest ground, the jackass in the minivan blasted past me. Refusing to slow down, the driver sped through a second lake-like puddle. This time the water had the last laugh. The minivan jerked a bit, slowed down, and eventually stalled at the end of the second puddle. I drove by grinning. Mean? Yes. But still satisfying.

Ok, it's late and I'm housed. Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Antarctica - Absence

Wine & Film

Yeah, I'm pretty much drunk. I'm not completely housed, but I still have some sips left in the bottle. I may be drunk by the end of the bottle. The film of choice this evening is Wedding Crashers. Christopher Walken is a brilliant man. He can make even the worst movie ok. Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah! Sorry, that was the wine talking.

I need to go to the movies. Once school ends, I'm going to attempt to see at least one movie per week in the theater, not to mention how many I plan to rent. I haven't seen as many as I would like to lately. Just a couple of weeks until I can feel free of school again. It's funny, when I'm in school I can't wait for it to end. When it's over I can't wait for it to start up again. It will be nice to have the summer off though.

Ok, I'm pretty drunk right now. Hitting all of the letters on the keyboard is becoming difficult, so I think I'll stop.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Van Halen - Jump

Lost my blistex

I can't find my blistex. Damn! And I split my lip. I'm not a fan of having split lips. It's the worst. If I laugh, it hurts because it reopens the wound. I must pick up a new one tomorrow. Perhaps I will buy a few to have backup blistex.

Knowing that the current semester is almost over is quite exciting. Knowing that I still have to give an oral presentation and write a 15 page paper is not. Ugh! The next few weeks are going to be hell. How I survive each semester's end is beyond me.

I upgraded my phone plan today. Since I rarely use my phone for standard conversational purposes, choosing to send text messages instead, I decided that the messaging aspect of my plan was extremely limited. Having only 100 text & 10 picture messages available, and sending/receiving more texts than that any given week, I realized I needed a better deal. Now I have unlimited messages to Verizon customers and 500 to outside users. I think this includes text & picture. I was strung out on caffeine when I made the change, so the details are still cloudy. Anywho, feel free to message me all you want. I may stop talking all together.

I may buy a new phone this summer. I was tempted to buy one tonight after finding out that I was eligible for the promotional rate, but the Verizon representative I spoke with told me they were getting new phones this summer, so I think I'll wait. Perhaps a new, fancy phone will become available.

Hmmm... What else?

I assembled another mix CD tonight. These are the things I do when I should be reading for class. It's ok though. I'll be trapped at home all weekend preparing my presentation and figuring out what I want to write about. At least I only have one paper this semester.

It's after 2:30am. I should be sleeping, since I haven't slept much in the past few days. Sadly, I'm not too tired. Perhaps I will attempt sleep after this. We'll see.

Well, I guess that's it. I can't think of anything else to talk about. Ok, I'm done. Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Con Amore - The Shore, The Waves, The Ocean

Friiiiiiiidaaaaaaaaay!

I missed a day of blogging. I was busy watching The 40-Year-Old Virgin and having five hour internet conversations. Updating the blog slipped my mind. Not like my life is so exciting that I need to pour out the details every day. But I do like to stay constant with my entries.

I saw Elbow tonight @ Webster Hall. They were fantastic! The first band, on the other hand, was not. In fact, I was so bored I was falling asleep. Of course, having slept just under 4 1/2 hours the night before, working all day, forgetting to eat following the bagel I had at 8:30am, and drinking two strong Cap'n filled drinks didn't help me stay awake either. Regardless, the first band was awful, but Elbow's set made up for the shows terrible start.

I have a ton of work to do this weekend. Achoo! (Sorry, I sneezed). Anywho, so I have a lot of work to do this weekend. I have my oral presentation on Wednesday. Normally, my class is held on Tuesdays, but we're meeting to go to a talk being given by some author. I think that's what she is. I can't find my notebook, so I can't say for sure. But I do know we are meeting on Wednesday this coming week for the talk, and our class is meeting afterwards to discuss the talk and then I'll give my presentation. At least this gives me an extra day to work on it. Though I also need to start preparing for my paper. It's to be 15 pages long, and the due date is May 9th. But as soon as I finish it and hand it in, I'm done until Fall... provided they accept me into the Master's program. Keep those fingers crossed.

Ok, I feel like I'm rambling. I think I will stop for the night.

Later.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Cara Beth Santalino - Life is Sweet

Geetars, day 5.

I feel accomplished. It's been a good day. Somehow I wrote a 2 page reaction paper on a book I never read, comparing it to two books I have read, and sounded like I knew what I was talking about in class today. After class I got my haircut, thanks to Joy. She did a fantastic job with the massive head of hair I had upon arrival. To close out the evening, Sean and I went to APT to track more guitars. It was another late start, but we did get one full song completed. We worked on "Kill Broadcast," which, despite being the shortest song on the album, is not the easiest one to play. Actually, I should rephrase that. It's not that it is a difficult song to play, it's that with the amount of gain we were using to get the sound we wanted every little sound was emphasized. So it took several attempts to get a decent recording. We then thickened the choruses with the '74 Broadcaster. Such a sweet combination.

I took some pictures of the amp setup and some of the guitars. I open a new picture site to post recording pics. I think it will be a nice, visual compliment to the recording blogs. Ya know, something for the music/recording geeks out there.

Tonight's track:
Kill Broadcast - Fender on entire song, Broadkaster on choruses

Perhaps next recording session I will accomplish more. I am close to finishing my tracks though. This is quite exciting. The record is coming along nicely. Oh, and we're playing on May 11th with Gracer, Villa Vina (ex-OTMOP), Nakatomi Plaza, and Slingshot Dakota. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be playing with these bands again. They are definitely some of the most talented people I know. And there awfully nice people as well. And my class will be over two days prior, so I'll be in Summer mode. So exciting.

I'm watching Wet Hot American Summer on Comedy Central. Ever see it? Such a funny movie.

Here's a little fact about roosters: If you're not careful, they will hypnotize you, thus affecting your judgment. Some affects of rooster hypnosis include watching bad movies like Cradle 2 the Grave and liking it. So be careful. You don't want this to happen to you.

Ultimate Crumb Cake is delicious.

Ok, it's late and I'd like to get up early for some reason. Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
The Snake The Cross The Crown - On the Threshold of Eternity

Thank you, backup pair!

My love for Vans has just increased. I was going crazy searching for my letter of recommendation, trying to think of what ridiculous place I would have I possibly could have stored it. Finally, I thought, "Hmmm... I wonder if I put it in the box of my backup pair of Vans Old Skools." And there it was. So I feel less insane now.

-Sergei xo

Vacations aren't vacations anymore

Class tomorrow. I didn't get half as much accomplished as I needed to. I can't seem to locate one of my letters of recommendation. It must be here, but I can't remember where I put it. I thought I knew, but apparently I don't. This makes me quite nervous. I need to find it before class tomorrow. And I have a ton of work to do for class tomorrow. Ugh!

More guitar tracking tomorrow night. I'm hoping to get a haircut after class. I have to call Joy tomorrow and see if we are still on. I so need to get this head of mine fixed. The hair situation is terrible.

Ok, I have nothing interesting to say tonight.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Death Cab For Cutie - Talking Like Turnstiles

Owen

I saw Owen @ Knitting Factory tonight with Sean & Dawn. This show was even better that the NJ show in February, not just because I didn't have to go to Jersey. He played a longer set this time. Some new tracks I didn't know and some I did, as well as songs from his albums. And, as always, the humor level was set to ridiculous. I got a chance to talk with him after the set, and he didn't ask me if I was depressed this time. We joked around for a few minutes. I told him how I went running today and felt weird about wearing my Owen hoodie with the pink writing, since my next door neighbor is named Owen. He then asked me my name, and suggested I have Owen make a "Sergei" hoodie. He then asked if I was Russian, and when I said no and explained that my parents just liked Russian names, he said, "Can I do that? Like, can I give my kids Asian names even though I'm not Asian?" This may not seem as funny to you, the reader, but to Sean, Dawn & I it was quite amusing. Especially since it was his second Asian-related joke. The first involved getting an Asian instead of a dog. That sounds bad, but it really wasn't.

I bought two new Owen shirts. One of which is the "Owen Hates Kids" t-shirt. So excited! He was out of it when I saw him in Jersey. Oh, and I bought two new CD's. The first band, The Snake The Cross The Crown, was surprisingly good. I didn't really like them when a former co-worker lent me one of their CD's, but they were really good live. Definitely different than their albums. Anywho, I bought their EP & full length. So I'm up to 17 CD's in 3 weeks. I've been told I'm out of control. There may be some truth in that.

Ok, It's almost 4am. I need sleep. Much to do in the morning. Well, in a few hours, that is.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Owen - Lights Out

Post 3am post

I say post, but I mean blog. Blog 3am blog doesn't make sense. You get the idea.

Another Saturday night gone. I saw V for Vendetta tonight with Alph & John. Damn good movie, but the pre-film drink session made me tired. I wasn't even too buzzed. The late nights and lack of sleep of late may be taking its toll on me. How I don't have mono is surprising. Running myself into the ground is how I got it in 12th grade. But I was also more of an idiot back then. Anywho, the film was great. Not only was I excited about the Shakespearean quotes, which I already knew were used, but the entire Guy Fawkes concept running throughout the film. I learned of Guy Fawkes from my Shakespeare professor this past Fall. So if you are not familiar with the gunpowder plot, you should look up his name. Perhaps a Google search. For me, at least, it made the storyline more interesting. But I'm also quite geeky at times.

I received the greatest set of IM's tonight while I was at the movies. I tried to copy and save them, but my AIM decided to be a jerk and turn off. So I have permanently lost them. Damn you AIM!

The new Maritime album is awesome. It's nothing like the last album. I do enjoy their first CD, but this one is much more mature and more interesting. Still catchy, but not in the super-pop kind of way. Best part is that it comes out Tuesday, but Insound shipped my CD early. Kudos to you, Insound. If only AIM was as reliable as Insound.

I have a ton of reading to accomplish before tomorrow night's show. Let's hope Owen doesn't cancel this show. I'm not a fan of New Jersey, so I don't want to be forced to go back just to see him play again. Though I will if it is deemed necessary. This is the price I pay for good music.

My friends at the Kidz store had a Sergei drawing contest on Friday night at work. It was all a joke at first, but it turned into a contest. This is how I understood the story, at least. Definitely flattering -- the thought, not the pics -- but so, so strange.

I'm awfully tired, but I could definitely go for a cup of coffee. Mmmm... Coffee!

Ok, I'm done. I have bored you enough with my daily recap. Join me again next time. Same Sergei time, same Sergei channel... er, web address. Oh, to be Batman!

Goodnight!

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Owen - She's a Thief

And the knot tightens

I just submitted my online Master's program application. Though I'm relieved to have finished this part of the process, I can't shake the nervous feeling in my stomach. Waiting for an answer from Stony Brook is going to be rough. While I wait to find out if they accept me, I'll have to start figuring out a backup plan for if they reject my application. Ugh! Cross your fingers for me. Mine are all crossed and I need all the hope I can get.

-Sergei xo

p.s. - "Ugh!" is my new favorite expression.

Death Cab x2, and so on

I'm back from my two-day Death Cab adventure and it was quite a couple of days. I went with three people who had never seen them live before. For me it was show #10 & 11. What can I say? I'm an addict. But to be a party to their first live Death Cab For Cutie experiences was amazing. Knowing they were in for a fun show made it worth the price of admission. Day one I went with KB = Fred. Death Cab opened with Passenger Seat, the one song off Transatlanticism I had not yet heard live from that album. Franz Ferdinand was not our band of choice, so we spent their set laughing at the funny dancing styles of those around us. There were two guys who had a dance style that involved bobbing their heads heavily and thrusting their butts at us. Disturbing to say the least. Day two was with Alan & Meg. I was somehow able to buy an extra ticket despite the show being sold out weeks before. Strangely, the initial tickets I bought were for the mezzanine. The third ticket was for floor level. Though I wasn't able to watch the show with them, I was excited to know that their first experience was from a spot they could see everything. Besides, I had The Cap'n to keep me company. I'm very tired, but I had a great two days.

I have to be up in a few hours to finalize my letter of purpose for my Master's application. I have to submit it tomorrow.

I am being stalked by a big, black spider. I tried to kill it, but failed. He's in my room. If I die mysteriously tonight, it is because this spider killed me in my sleep. Ugh! I hate spiders!!!

On a lighter note, the new Maritime CD arrived today. It's supposed to come out on Tuesday. Woohoo! If I survive the night, I'll have a new CD to listen to tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Ok, I should be sleeping. Goodnight!

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Death Cab For Cutie - Passenger Seat

And the stacks increase

I bought four more CD's and one DVD today. I'm certainly out of control. My intention was to buy one specific CD, as well as the DVD. Here's where I went astray: I went to FYE looking to purchase Minus the Bear "Menos El Oso" and the Death Cab "Directions" DVD. Well, the DVD was available and not too expensive (only $15.99 surprisingly.) Minus the Bear was nowhere to be found. So, of course, I checked the used bin where I discovered Morrissey "Bona Drag" for $7.99. I could not pass up such a bargain. Still needing a copy of Menos El Oso to replace the low volume files on my computer, and needing a better copy to finish a mix CD, I stopped by Best Buy on my way home. I found the CD right away, then figured I would finally buy the last Elliott Smith album. Strangely, there was no Elliott Smith section. I've seen his CD's there before, but neither the CD's nor a section marker were present. Then I spied a copy of John Vanderslice's "Pixel Revolt" for $11.99. I figured I would get it if I couldn't find Elliott Smith hiding anywhere else in the store. I looked around some more, then picked up the John Vanderslice album. But before i could leave, I needed to look in the section where Elliott Smith should be stocked one last time. This time I found it, completely out of its alphabetical order position. I figured, "Fuck it!" And I bought all three albums. I need to be stopped.

My right hand was shaking today every time I tried to hold anything in my grip. I noticed it after making a coffee @ 711. I picked up the cup and my hand began to shake. It was disturbing. The uncontrollable shaking was definitely noticeable. I think the muscles in my arm were spazzing out. That is the only explanation I have. The tremors have finally subsided, but I was freaked out thinking I had developed some type of nerve damage. Anywho, I'll see how it is tomorrow. If it starts up again I may go see my doctor. It may just be that I'm old and decaying. Damn you, 28-yrs-old!

Ok, laundry & essay writing time.

Later.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Death Cab For Cutie - Talking Like Turnstiles

An actual day off?

I decided kind of late in the day to not go into work tonight. I don't have to go in since it is my day off, but I usually go in after class. Not having class tonight, but having tons of things to take care of, left me multi-tasking for the past 5+ hours. I have spent a good portion of my day burning my entire iTunes library from my old computer to data discs to move them to my new computer. Now I'm in the process of importing 2,300+ songs back into my iPod. I'm currently in the 1,700's. Should be done soon, then I get to walk the dog. Exciting! (Yes, that was meant to be sarcastic). Most of my time has been spent burning the data discs, importing them, as well as other CD's, into the iBook, and reading for class. I need more hours on the clock and more days on the calendar. Can anyone put me in touch with the people who can make these time related changes?

I'm almost in the 2,000's with the importing. Soon I'll be back in action. I had wanted to go running today, but that didn't happen. It's getting kind of dark now, so I don't think I'll go running today. My legs will thank me. It has been months since I last ran. I'm not looking forward to the first few days following the first run. My legs will be a disaster.

Ok, time to walk the parent's dog. Let's hope he doesn't spy a woodland creature and decide to take off running. He almost ripped my arm from the socket the last time. This is why I like cats and small dogs. Preferably cats.

Later.

-Sergei xo

Geetars, day 4. "Short night"

Another night of guitar tracking. Not much recorded tonight. We spent a lot of time trying to find sounds. Testing out the '73 Nashville & the '67 Super Chet. There may be a loose wire in the Nashville, so we scratched the idea of using it tonight. We did get a couple of tracks from the Super Chet for layering though. We then attempted to get a good sound for the Strat, but were having a tough time finding a distortion sound we liked for the song we were working on. It was almost 1am, so we decided to hold off for another night instead of forcing sounds we would be unhappy with later. Besides, we were all a little tired.

Tonight's tracks (it's a very short list):
Blueprints - Choruses & 3rd bridge section (Super Chet)
A Game of Lines Crossed - Bridge (Super Chet)

I woke up early this morning. Well, in actuality I overslept. But in relation to the time I fell asleep, I woke up early. I had promised Brian that I would go with him to Middle Island so he can pick up his grandmother's car. She fell outside of a King Kullen the other day leaving her with stitches in her forehead and hand, I think, and possibly breaking a bone and bruising herself severely. I don't remember the specifics of the injuries, but she did mess herself up quite a bit. So he said he would drive her car back to her place. I went along to follow Brian back in his truck. Then I went to work, thinking it would be busy due to schools being closed for Spring Break. It wasn't busy at all. Well, at least I had some extra slacking time. That's always nice.

I received one of the best voice mails ever tonight. "I Dream of Jeannie! I Dream of Jeannie!" Drunk friends are awesome.

I have so much to do and no time to do it. Can I get an extension on the calendar please?

Hmmm... I guess that's it. Until next time...

Later on.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
American Football - For Sure

"Long night, last call...

Bloodshot eyes from some drinks too tall."

Last night was one of the best Saturday nights I have had in a while. Nicole & Keith were on the island for Nicole's grandfather's birthday, so we all met up afterwards @ Dave & Buster's for some drinks. It wasn't about where we went, as much as it was about getting everyone together. These days I don't get to see my friends often enough. And I never get to see Nicole & Keith, which made it even more special. Our group stayed until it closed at around 2am, then Nicole, Keith, John, Joy and I went to The Irish Times for some additional drinks. We closed out the bar at 4:30am. By the time I got home and in bed it was 5am, leaving me just under five hours to sleep before work. Surprisingly, I woke up feeling ok. Not too tired. I was probably still riding high on having seen so many of my best friends at the same time. I really can't wait until TN.

I may finally get a haircut this week. I spoke with Joy last night, and she may be able to pencil me in one night to fix the disaster that is my hair. She has always done fantastic work on many of my friends, so I'm quite excited. It will be nice to not have to go to my local barbershop this time. Haircuts there are always a crapshoot.

I bought a few more CD's over the past few days. I picked up Spoon's "Kill the Moonlight" and The Cure's "Pornography" on Friday, then I ordered Maritime's "Glass Floor," and pre-ordered their new album "We, The Vehicles" before going out last night. It's funny, despite all these purchases -- 11 in the past two weeks -- I still don't feel inspired. *sigh. One day I will feel it again. Perhaps Mike Kinsella will put out a new Owen record and fill the void in my musical world.

Ok, time to restring the Nashville and the Super Chet. I'm hoping to use them for some guitar tracking this week. Oh sweet, sweet Gretsch tones. How I love thee.

Later on.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Owen - Poor Souls

Abre Los Ojos

It's too bad Tom Cruise is such a maniac. Vanilla Sky is a good movie, and knowing how ridiculous he is changes the way I see that movie. I can't stop thinking, "Yeah, this guy is a moron." But I'll still buy the movie eventually.

In less than 24 hours I'll be hanging out with one of my favorite people in the world. This makes me happy. She and her fiance will be visiting from TN. It has been many, many months since I last saw either of them. Crazy! It may have even been a year, or close to it at least. Damn! Too long, I tell ya.

I still need a haircut. Tomorrow morning. Seriously. It has to be done.

Yeah, I have nothing to say tonight. Oh, except for that all pets should be named Walter. Yeah! That's it. The end.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Spoon - The Way We Get By

Geetars, day 3. "The acoustic hangover"

I'm tired, hungover, and I just recorded some acoustic tracks for the album. Not much tracking tonight. We got a late start and then decided to stop by the Peter Pan diner for some chipotle-smothered goodness. But the tracks we did record sound pretty sweet. Many thanks to my brother for lending me his acoustic guitar.

Tonight's tracks:
Perfect Endings - layered acoustic track for 2nd verse & bridge
Bridge Lights - verses

Eventually I will record some tracks for the other songs I have not yet touched. I hope to be less hungover when I attempt them.

Does anyone else find it odd that Iron & Wine's cover of "Such Great Heights" is used in an M&M's commercial?

Ok, I'm housed. Goodnight!

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Sun Kil Moon - Floating

Tennessee

I finalized my travel plans for my trip to Tennessee in May. I'll be flying out of Laguardia @ 6:50am and arriving in Nashville @ 8:12am. I didn't want to fly out of Laguardia, but it was the only direct flight. I didn't feel like sitting in an airport for 3 1/2 hours waiting for my transfer flight. And my hotel is booked as well, so I'm pretty much set. It shall be a crazy, drunken escapade. I can't wait.

Ok, I have to go work on my Letter of Purpose for my Master's application.

Later.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Slowreader - Politics, Music & Drugs

Corrupt documents... ugh!

I just spent the past 2+ hours attempting to correct corrupt Word documents. In order to get the last recommendation I need, my former professor has asked me to give her copies of papers I once wrote for her. I may have mentioned this in another blog, but I am in no mood to check. Anywho, I don't have the originals, so I had to pull up the old files. Here's where things get tricky. I originally wrote these papers on my computer when it still had Windows Millenium Edition. When I wanted to use my iPod, I had to switch over to the free copy of Windows 2000 my friend Dan got for me. So, Sean helped me save my papers to a CD. I had no problems, at first, when I loaded the papers back into my computer. But one day they ceased to open. And the CD would no longer work as a way of pulling up the files either. Somehow I was able to open the files through Word on my iBook, but the files were all messed up. There were strange characters scattered throughout the documents, and several portions were out of order. I had to replace the strange characters with the correct punctuation and cut and paste sections that had been moved around. I think now I may have three somewhat cohesive texts to present her. Let's hope it's enough. I still need to write my Letter of Purpose. I think I'll do that tomorrow morning. I'll explain it's a rough draft. Maybe she'll give me some tips on how I can make it better. I just hope I get this letter and get into the program. If not, there are going to be some major changes in my life. It may get wacky.

One of my Kind of Like Spitting CD's (You Secretly Want Me Dead) arrived today, as did my Weebl & Bob DVD. I can't wait to check out that little gem.

Ok, I need some sleep so I won't be a complete wreck in the morning when I write this essay.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Ryan Ferguson - Wait For Me There

Life?

My Ryan Ferguson CD arrived today. Now I'm awaiting the two Kind of Like Spitting CD's. This urge for new music is consuming me. It's been a while since a band has really sparked my interest. I like all of the CD's I have purchased over the past few months, but I still don't feel fulfilled. Few albums since the past two matt pond PA releases and the Owen collection have really gotten me excited about music. Maybe I'll feel better after the Owen show on April 16th. It's funny how music as depressing as Owen's can put me in such a calm mood. Maybe I'm a permanently depressed person and I feel normal listening to depressing music.

I just typed some weird paragraph about two customers I had a music related conversation with tonight. Then I realized how pointless and boring the paragraph was. So I erased it and decided to jump right to the moral. Don't prejudge a person's musical preference based on their appearance. People can surprise you sometimes.

On to sweatpants... Do you know what's funny about sweatpants? Everything. I hate sweatpants. Seriously, when the hell did it become fashionable to wear sweatpants? When I was in Elementary school, boys wore sweatpants to school in place of jeans. It was the early form of jock wear. I never got into sweatpants though. I see them as "It's Sunday, I'm old, and I'm going to K-Mart wear." But these days people will spend $50 on sweatpants from places like Abercrombie (the store I hate more than any store ever opened). Do you know what the difference between sweatpants from K-Mart (insert any Mart-like store of choice) and sweatpants from Abercrombie (insert any overpriced, pretentious store of choice) is? The overpriced, fashionable sweatpants don't have elastic around the ankles. That's it. So, if you think about it, they should be less expensive since they contain fewer materials. And speaking of Abercrombie, what the fuck happened to Fitch? Why does every overpriced T-shirt say "Abercrombie," but you never see a "Fitch" shirt? Fitch is getting ripped off. Wait... Wait! Fuck Fitch too!

Ok, consider this rant over.

Goodnight!

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Elliott Smith - Oh Well, Okay

Geetars, day 2

More guitar tracks completed this evening. We decided to mix things up and record some of the heavier/distortion parts. Tonight's guitars of choice were the Fender Strat & the '74 Gretsch Broadkaster. Surprisingly, the Broadkaster worked well for some heavier, layered portions of songs. It added a new depth to the sections on which it was used. Our original intention was to use it for clean tracks only, since it has such a smooth, clean tone, but we discovered it's rough tones to be quite useful.

Tonight's recording session:
Perfect Endings - bridge (Strat)
Channels - verse, chorus, bridge (Strat)
The Chemist - verse, chorus, bridge (Strat)
Silhouettes - chorus & 2nd bridge section (Strat & Broadkaster)
Bridge Lights - bridge/end (Strat & Broadkaster)

I guess that's it for tonight. Not much happens 'round these parts.

Goodnight.

-Sergei xo

p.s. - Our show on Wednesday has been cancelled.

Song of the Day:
Supergrass - Tales of Endurance, Pts. 4, 5 & 6

Don't forget to wind your watch!

Daylight savings. More like One Hour Thievings. I want my freakin' hour back. Why couldn't they do this next week? I have to be up in five hours for work. Damn!

So, we played a show @ Empire Discs tonight. First time in several months that we have performed as an entire band. It felt good to play again. Not sure how it sounded, since everything sounded like fuzzy mud to us. Gracer sounded huge. I love those bastards. Getting to hang out with everyone made it that much better. Playing in a record store and shopping for used CD's between bands and after the show was also a plus.

Tonight's purchases:
matt pond PA - I Thought You Were Sleeping
Supergrass - Road to Rouen
Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway
Rye Coalition - Jersey Girls

As I got near work today, I saw four kids, probably around 12 or 13 years old, running up the block and turning onto Middle Country Rd. Of the four kids, one was wearing a costume designed to look like a beer bottle. So strange. I forgot all about it by the time I pulled into the parking lot. Something my friend Davecat said tonight made me think of this scene. Funny thing is that I now can't remember what Davecat said. Oh well, it's time for sleep.

-Sergei xo

Song of the Day:
Breaking Pangaea - Lullaby