eaglet's hideaway: 07/01/2004

31.7.04

about the fourteenth of may

Worked from 10.15 until 5.15. Evie came by, that was good. I love hugs, especially ones from behind.

Went to see The Bourne Supremacy with my family, well, my mother and father. It was awesome.

Went to Applebee's, saw Katie. She changed her makeup.

Called Eve when I got home, talked to her for about 24 minutes until it was 10 and had to stop talking to her. Good times.

30.7.04

all is one, all is mind, all is lost and you find, all is dream

Work was fine today. Didn't get to talk to Joanne like I wanted, oh well. Evie called me, I should call her tomorrow.

Nothing much to talk about.

29.7.04

mr. nelson wouldn't like to hear it said

I don't know what to say.

Back from the movie.

Had tons of fun.

Girls were great. Discovered I'd read Joanne's teen reviews for the local paper. Discovered I have her one of Episode I cut out and on a posterboard in my closet. Discovered they liked Remember WENN and Joanne is friends with one of the dudes on it.

So yeah, had fun. I can now quote the movie up the wazoo.

I have lots more to say, but it's late and I want to go to bed and this is a public blog.

28.7.04

can't you see i'm trying i don't even like it i just lied to get to your apartement

Well, I guess question's answered. Seeing Napoleon tomorrow night, and I'm needing to pick up Joanne and...yeah, Evie.

Excitement.

My mum's doing her doula thing today, so I'm home alone. Can you say football?

27.7.04

oh yeah, here come the painbirds

Fun day today.

Saw NP with my mom. The sound was screwing up, so I complained, and got an 'emergency pass.' Yay. I should complain more often.

Hung around, played some football.

Joanne left me a message, apparently a group of people from Teeter are going to see NP on Thursday, and I'm invited. Big question: will Eva be there? Does it matter? Tune in next time.

tryin' to earn my keep

Got up, taught piano, took a shower, got beaten (17-14) by Jake.

What am I doing today?

Maybe lunch with mother, maybe Napoleon Dynamite by myself. We'll see how things go.

26.7.04

and now i'll never ever ever feel like i am safe again

Work was fun.

I played with balloons.

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Piano tomorrow, hopefully I'll go see Napoleon Dynamite again, and hopefully Joanne'll call me about bowling sometime.

i just learned the lowest form of life is the buffalo

No work till Thursday, I have nothing to do but clean my room.

25.7.04

we passed Taipei, through the Taiwan strait, we sailed on in, me and my mates, it was my first time, running my own ship, but my buddies didn't care

Remember a month ago I was going to Waxhaw to play piano and I put on the Modest Mouse CD in and when I got home it was just finishing up?

Like the CD was the exact right length for the trip?

Well, I put in Blueberry Boat when I left, and when I got home I was halfway through the third track of a thirteen track album. Gotta love 76 minute albums. :-D

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Charlie's coming to church tonight, and then we're having people over after.

24.7.04

so i drove up to springfield in my wife's new car, and i went and had a drink at my buddy's old bar

A dancable pop song comes on the Musak. Joanne starts dancing to it. I glance to make so no one else is looking, and then spaz-dance out for just a moment, and then go back to normal. She laughs.

'Good moves.'

'Thank you. I save them for special occasions, when no one is looking.'

'Why can't people see them?'

'Well, I wouldn't want to blow their minds. Mind-blowing is a bad thing. Gets messy, what with the brains everywhere and everything.'

'Right.'

'And plus, we could get in trouble, you know, if the managers saw us dancing on the clock.'

'We'll have to do it sneakily, then.'

'What was the movie where they weren't allowed to dance, but did anyway?'

'Footloose.'

'Exactly. We should make Footloose: Harris Teeter.'

'We should.'

'I could play the hugely attractive guy, a role I was born to play.'

'And I could be the baby-faced girl.'

I enact a scene.

'Joe! Look! Over there!'

Joanne does a quick dance move.

'Brilliant! I don't think he saw it!'

i'm still suprised at how mad you get--well what'd you expect?--that you wouldn't try and wreck your little brother's happiness

ROLL CALL

I've recently wondered how many people are reading my blog, so I figured I'd go ahead and find out. I'm gonna do it a little differently, though.

If you're reading this blog on a regular basis, do NOT add a comment to this blog post.

Thank you very much.

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In other news, I've been smoking too many cigarettes recently.

Gum.

Chewing.

I've been chewing too much gum recently.

i had a locket, a little silver charm, give it to me, so to keep me out of harm

Saw Napoleon Dynamite today. Wasn't the funniest movie of all time, but I have the feeling it was so quotable and lovable that after about the third viewing I will consider it the funniest movie of all time. Watching it first time through was just an appetizer to the amazing experience I'll have later. And I MUST have a 'Vote for Pedro' shirt. NOW. I at least need one of the 'Vote for Pedro' pins that a dude at the theatre had.

Two quick notes about the film:

The film opened with one of my favourite tracks from White Blood Cells, 'We're Going to Be Friends.'
At one point, a character is mumbling Radiohead lyrics to himself as he's at a computer, as if that's what he's typing. It was stuff from 'Fitter Happier.' No explanation for this behavior was ever given. Weird, but immensely cool.

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That was basically my day, aside from working a good long shift in the evening. I was extremely witty when talking to Eva's sister for a while we were very slow for a bit of time there.

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Playing piano at Waxhaw in the morning, then hopefully Charlie will come to church tomorrow night. Right now we're playing phone tag, but hopefully we'll be able to get in contact before too long.

silence

Home from...LAN party...so sleepy...need sleep...comepletly p0wned most of the time...but still tired...

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Probably Napolean Dynamite tomorrow afternoon, then working 6 to 10 or something.

22.7.04

yeah, i'm gonna blind you

In today's post...A stupid mother is stupid, an awesome Starbuck's employee is awesome, my parents are nosy with Katie, and some other various things.

First up:

So I'm running a lady through the checkout, and she has her two young children with her, a nice, happy girl of around 7, and then an annoying little brat of a kid at 4 that's trying to climb out of the cart at any chance possible.

The little girl is very nicely trying to bring things out of the cart for me, and although at first I ask her not to, eventually I get into a rhythm with her, and it's great. Meanwhile, the brat is screaming, sticking his hand on the ice cream and yelling 'It's cold! It's cold! It's so cold! The ice cream is cold! It's cold! Ahh! It's cold!'

Then the stupid brat throws something at me. I use all my self-control to keep from snapping the kid's neck right there, and am relieved when the mother takes a step towards the cart.

Where she grabs the previously smiling little girl.

'DON'T TOUCH THE CART GET AWAY FROM THE CART HE SAID NOT TO HELP GET AWAY!'

I stand there stunned, meanwhile the little brat goes completely ignored, keeps yelling at me, throwing things...arrrrgggh! I wanted to yell at that woman so badly...

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Next up, A Starbuck's employee is awesome:

So I do my nightly stop into Starbuck's for my refill on caffeine and pretty girls.

Speaking of which, there's a new girl there, even cuter than Holly. At least, I think she's new, I'd never seen her before.

About seven feet from the counter, the one dude says 'Sorry, we stopped giving out free water.' I curse under my breath, and walk away, and the girl starts laughing. I walk up to the counter, mock angered, saying something about a five dollar cup of coffee I want, the girl's still laughing, then takes my order.

I take my receipt, and she asks 'So how long have you worked here'--she's glanced at my nametag'--'Gregory?' 'Uh, about a month or so.' 'And how do you like it, Gregory?' 'Okay, now I need to know your name.' 'Kate.' 'Kate.' 'Kate. How old are you?' '18.' 'Really? Have you just graduated, then?' 'No, I'll be a sophomore...in college...' 'Really? I mean, so will I, I'll be 19 next Saturday, but--'

At this point the guy behind the counter says something smart about loving his job, and Kate decides she needs to write name tags for her and him. Writes a nice 'Kate' on a bit of register paper, then 'I love my job Ryan' on another, then uses masking tape to sloppily pin her's to her, then his to him. Then, a couple other people walk up, Ryan hands me my venti mocha frappacino, says 'Take it and get out of here!' 'Alright, alright,' I say, walking away chuckling to myself.

Kate later calls me 'low maintenance' when I buy some chocolate covered raspberries. She seems nice.

Will she become my new obsession? Stay tuned.

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So my mom informs me that Katie (girl at Applebee's, remember? Married?) is 20.

'Um, great. How'd you find out? Tell me you didn't ask her.'

'Well, she brought up how you called her 'ma'am,' and how you're sort of the same age, which was a perfect time to ask.'

'Wonderful.'

So my parents are having conversations about me with the Applebee's girl.

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In other news, Amanda (girl I work with) is rather nice once she gets to know you, and I wish I worked with Jason more often. I think he told me I do a good job of registering, but I'm not sure.

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Work tomorrow is like 1 to 8.30, and then I'm heading to play 16 player Halo at some guy's house.

they're just humans with wives and children

'Oh, oh dear.'

'What's the problem, ma'am?'

'Um, hm. Um. I, I forgot one thing. Um.'

'Okay, well, you can just tell Charles here what it is, and he can run back and get it for you.'

'...'

Lady looks around her, sort of like she's looking for something, sort of like she's lost. I think she didn't hear me.

'Ma'am, Charles can help you if you...'

'No, I'll get it myself.'

'Really, ma'am, it's okay, Ch--'

'No, it's...it's...it's a feminine product.'

I stare at her blankly.

Does she think I have no clue about the inner workings of the female? I'm eighteen years old, I think I can be told what pad or tampon or personal cleansing cloth you are attempting to buy...

I felt like the guy on the show where he plays a doctor, and the women's been shot in the chest, and he has to remove her shirt to get at the wound:

'I'm a professional, ma'am.'

21.7.04

what is the light that you had?

I have two main catchphrases:

"WE COULD DIE!!"

and,

"That's my 'M.O.'"

They can be used in many situations, although hardly in the same situations.

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EPSN NFL 2K5 rocks my world. And at only $19.99, it rocks my world even harder.

they lifted up the sun

Back from work.

I think I've been accepted by the Teeter girls. Now to work on the Teeter guys.

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Picked up ESPN NFL 2k5 for $20, gonna go play it.

Yay for custom soundtracks!

as the dawn began to break, i had to surrender

Not much to talk about today.

I have a thing where I'll slightly wake up, and then read the time on the clock, but I'll misread it because I'm not really awake. I did this this morning, saw the time as around 10.30, and slightly panicked, because I was wanting to be up at more around 9. However, I was too sleepy to do anything about it, so I closed my eyes again.

I'm not sure when I opened them again, but now the clock clearly read '8.00.' Oh, great, now I can get some extra sleep, I say to myself. I'll close my eyes, and open them in an hour and be great.

I opened my eyes at 10.30.

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Played The Soft Bulliten in the car with my mum...she completly doesn't get it. I won't even try Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots on her.

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Put ESPN 2k5 on reserve at EB, it's only $20, and it's been getting great reviews. Jason should be getting it too, so we should be able to play online together.

EB should be calling me any minute to say my copy came in. Actually, they should have called at 10.30, but they didn't, and now I'm slightly peeved.

20.7.04

you get me closer to god

Made a mix tape for Charlie last night, thought I'd share it with you all. Link below is to a ZIP file with all the below songs on in order:

Charlie's Mix Tape

Playlist:
1. 'The Late Greats,' Wilco, a ghost is born
2. 'Bukowski,' Modest Mouse, Good News For People Who Like Bad News
3. 'A Drop In Time,' Mercury Rev, All Is Dream
4. 'Attak/Reload,' KMFDM, ATTAK
5. 'The Spiderbite Song,' The Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin
6. 'Heavy Metal Drummer,' Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
7. '40',' Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand
8. 'Cut Your Hair,' Pavement, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
9. 'Monkey Gone To Heaven,' Pixies, Doolittle
10. 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),' Nancy Sinatra, Kill Bill Vol. 1 Soundtrack
11. 'Take It or Leave It,' The Strokes, Is This It
12. 'Dark Center of the Universe,' Modest Mouse, The Moon and Antarctica
13. 'Subterranean Homesick Alien,' Radiohead, OK Computer
14. 'Closer,' Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral
15. 'Hundreds of Sparrows,' Sparklehorse, Good Morning Spider
16. 'Maps,' Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever To Tell
17. 'Across the Sea,' Weezer, Pinkerton
18. 'Fight Test,' The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
19. 'Rape Me,' Nirvana, In Utero

I put a lot of work into making this for my blog, so be sure and let me know what you think, and if you'd like to see other mix tapes by me in the future.

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Wore my black and red Chuckie's (with the black and white checkered laces) into my old work today, somebody saw them, and said to me:

'Nice kicks, yo.'

I guess he liked them.

system failure we're in control

From the 'Gregory Makes An Ass Of Himself' files:

I occasionally screw up when trying to wave hi to people.

A few years ago, I was trying to wave to a neighbor, however, my hands were occupied with holding something. I thought I simply made a 'hi' expression, but I later looked back (and this was confirmed by my brother), and turns out I stuck out my tongue in a salutatory gesture.

Oops.

This was topped today, however.

I was on my break, drinking a venti mocha frappacino (mmm, Holly...), and a guy I knew walked by the window. Attempting to not 'spaz out,' I simply told my brain to lift a finger or two in a very cool and collected manner. However, with most of my fingers being solidly attached to the top of my cup, only one of my fingers actually lifted.

My middle.

I flipped off a friend of mine in greeting.

And he was outside, so I couldn't apologize, so I couldn't quickly apologize, I was stuck not making a big deal out of it, hoping he didn't notice. I'm sure he did, though.

Dang it.

Watch for a few months from now, when I find myself unzipping in a very salutatory manner...

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I voted today.

As a Libertarian.

In a Primary election.

...

I got to vote in the non-partisan elections.

Which was a court of appeals judge appointment.

...

My guy lost.

19.7.04

i dreamed of you in my farm, i dreamed of you in my arms, but dreams are always wrong

Shlept around the house until 4.30, when Charlie called and we went with her and her boyfriend(?) Drew and the Perk to the mall, where I got some stuff. Then we ate at Taco Bell, then we went back to Target, and then I went home.

Ooh, Perk and Charlie tried on dresses. Charlie looks teh rock in dresses, I must say. Drew was rather wowed as well.

I got some laces for my blue All-Stars (red and black checker) from Hot Topic and then an armband from Clair's that matches perfectly. I also got some white and black checkered ones for my black and red All-Stars that I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep or not.

all i wanna know is when it's check out time

Got a pair of All-Stars today

18.7.04

it's a war on war

Charlie almost came to church, and then stuff happened, so she didn't, and I was disappointed.

But I played piano rather well, and then came home, watched some of Soderbergh's Ocean's 11, then played PGR2 online with a couple of the Erb brothers. Not bad for a wasted evening.

No work tomorrow, probably gonna see Chaz after her work tomorrow, maybe help my mother set up for the polls tomorrow.

Sorry, no waxing philosophical tonight, haven't had much time for deep thinking recently.

what was i thinking when i let go of you?

http://www.gregoryharbin.com

I...am a mega-geek.

Or, really really cool.

I can't figure out which.

empty out your pockets, the world's without a soul

Good web comics:

http://www.questionablecontent.net
http://www.penny-arcade.com
http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
http://www.pvponline.com
http://www.theaterhopper.com

17.7.04

we're all uptight

Not a bad day today.

Got up at 7 because I had work at 8.30, slid into work at, oh, 8.29, tried to clock in, was told I was too early. Checked the work time listing, found that I wasn't expected in until 9.30. Stood stunned for a moment, then wordlessly walked back to my car and into bed for forty minutes. Awoke promptly at 9.18, slid back into my clothes, clocked in at 9.30.

Had an eventless work day, aside from two events:

Sarah showed up out of the blue. I went on break, talked with her, then she left.
Eva showed up out of the blue. She walked up to my register, said hi, I said hi, we exchanged pleasentries, and then she left. At least, I think that's what happened. I can't really remember it all.

Then got home, cleaned up my room, practiced piano, then call Charlie to go out to dinner and mall with her. Ended up inviting Perky along too.

Ate at Applebee's, of course. Was chided by Katie for calling her '"ma'am." I do it because I like to, not because I am trying to be respectful in my speech, but she won't understand that.

Went to mall, walked in and out of some stores, bought Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, a pin and a Nirvana sticker, then some high-top Converses from Rack Room for forty quid.

And that was my day. Thoughts on said day may come after I've had time to digest, if I feel like it.

16.7.04

you and me and hercules inbetween

Found out today that my cousin Charlie is going to be (is?) the assistant manager of the new Starbuck's in the Target that's remodeling right now.

Ahem.

THE Target.

I will have a cousin that works in THE Target.

And on top of this, she's gonna be in a position of power. My 16(17? I lose track, sorry dear if you read this) year old punk(?) cousin.

In related news, in my Harris Teeter, they're also doing remodeling, and they took the 'S' off of the coffee shop sign. So right now, it reads:

TARBUCK'S

Tis funny.

i tried to guide my love my starlight

Work was long. By 'long' I mean five and a half hours.

Holly (girl at Starbuck's) is tres hot. Maybe I'll ask her out. I'm itching for some rejection.

Is it pathetic to not brush ones teeth to keep the taste of the cappuccino a girl gave one in ones mouth for as long as possible?

Which reminds me, working with Eva's sis is...weird. They've got the same laugh. Okay, seriously, I'm not that torn up about all this. I'm more torn up because I subconsciously just want to have some drama in my life. Because without the drama, my life is rather boring. My life is a series of me doing things to inject drama into my boring life. Like going to the mall with Eva, getting semi-attached, when I knew there was only a 10% chance that I wasn't going to have to not ever see her again. I'm self-defeating.

Went to Applebee's today. Katie wasn't there. She was probably with her husband. I would call her a name here, but this is a family blog.

Me: My dating life is going to be a series of finding girls who find my stupidity adorable.

Her: This is true. But at least you know this and don't think it's 'cuz you're actually, ya know, attractive physically.

I had more to say here, but I forgot. I'm sure I'll be back later.

i kept it out of habit i kept it real clean

It's hard to find any sort of comfortable lying down or sitting position when one's back hurts like mine does.

15.7.04

i wish you could seeeeeeeee, it ties you to meeeeeee

This Mercury Rev album is really nice.

My Top Five Albums I Own, in Chronological Order:

1. Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes (1982)
2. Pixies, Doolittle (1989)
3. Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)
4. Radiohead, OK Computer (1997)
5. Modest Mouse, Good News For People Who Like Bad News (2004)

My Top Five Books I Own, in order of Meaning to Me:

1. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)
2. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)
3. Strong Motion, Jonathan Franzen (1992)
4. The Lost World, Micheal Chrichon
5. I'm Not Really Here, Tim Allen

My Top Five Friends, in order of How Much they've Screwed me Over:

You didn't really think I was going to do that one?

dodging holes and telephones poles through the dash

Is it pathetic to buy a $5 cup of coffee for the sole reason being that the incredibly cute girl at the Starbucks will make eye contact with me?

14.7.04

head's like a kite

Woke up.

Kicked a bunch of things.

Called Eva to do the pre-break up thing.

Kicked some other things, probably cursed a little.

Called Sarah to commiserate.

Kicked more things.

Cleaned my room.

Kicked things.

Cleaned up room again.

Kicked more things.

Gave up, finished watching Speed, starring Keanu Reeves. Wow, Sandra Bullock used to be a hot in a Sandra Bullock sort of way back then.

Kicked yet more things. Ate some ice cream.

Went to church, played a sad Chopin tune a bunch of times. Wondered why I needed to go outside and talk to people when I can play music this amazing. Someone came in and started listening, so I played a ragtime tune until they left for a minute, then I jetted out of the room. I hate it when people listen to me playing really good things, because I put so much of me into my playing, even though they don't know it, they're hearing my raw emotions, which I hate, in a clichéd sort of way.

Went outside. Watched teenagers be teenagers. Was bored. Slight flirting with a girl who, as expected, ignored said flirting.

Listened to my dad teach a lesson on something.

Talked to a different girl about some different things, was glad to talk to her, went back into depression mode after she left.

Felt sorry for myself.

Went home.

Played Project Gotham Racing for a bit, a waste of time.

Got on the computer, found that I had had my head bitten off for biting the head off of somebody.

Kicked some more things.

was seventeen, working on a desk, when i appeared

'But it's just dating, we're not getting married!'

Maybe it would have been easier if she had just gotten mad. Or cried. Or something other than running through the rational arguments that I had rational arguments back for.

At any rate, whatever levels of non-single I've been over the past couple of months, I'm now back to completely single again.

Guess it's time to go lobster fishing again.

13.7.04

this is a song about a superhero we call it tony's theme

I'm not looking forward to tomorrow at all.

I thought watching Say Anything... would make me feel better. I was wrong.

I think, at 18, I can safely say that every relationship I will ever be in will have been doomed from the start.

12.7.04

i only watched her walk but she saw it

You'll be happy to know I'm depressed again.

that's why we only work when we need the money

Bought a Simpsons pin, two Say Anything... pins, and a Ninja Turtles pin.

Bought the Franz Ferdinand debut. Bought KMFDM's ATTAK.

Had a cute girl smiling at me for three hours.

All in all, a good time.

set me free, cause i think you need my soul

I don't really have anything to say, but I felt obligated to post something.

Um, played poker and smoked tonight. Came in second on the poker. Sure, I played safe, but second is second, and we had a bunch of guys playing that I beat. And I was working the guy down, I only lost because we had to leave.

Monday and Tuesday off.

10.7.04

in a land called

Bands don't understand what power they have.

A singer, a drummer, and a few guitars, and a bass.

Tons of notes.

A ton of words in the English language.

Weeks of preperations.

And they all they can't come up with is CHUGH CUGH CHUGH CUGH BAP BAP 'I GAHHWWAAAA GGDSAAWWWD YYRORSSFDFS!!!!' CHUCH CUUUUUCH BAP BUCCCH 'AFFFFUCCKGIGESSSUDCK DSDFUC SDSFKVC DSFSDF!!!!'

That's an actual quote from one of the bands tonight.

I didn't get to stay for The Verdict, so I can't say they're bad, but all the others were.

I still hope to hear Verdict some time, I met a member, she seemed really cool, and completely unlike the people in those other stupid bands.
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Two days till Eva.

//dances

the magic dragon, lives by the sea

Called Eva today, made plans for Monday.
Going to Verdict Saturday night.
Working 8.15-4.15 Saturday.

9.7.04

Pink>Maladroit>Blue>MySpace Covers>Green

Okay, to explain why I think the blatantly controversial statement that I posted as the title, I must first explain what exactly I like about Weezer.

1. Rivers Cuomo – I do not listen to Weezer for Pat. I don’t listen to Weezer for, um, who are the other people? Mikey, Brian, um, that…other guy. I liked what Matt brought to the band, don’t get me wrong, but musically, I don’t think the other people bring much to the band that makes me want to listen to it. I listen to it for River’s voice, for River’s writing, and for River’s arrangement of songs for the album.

2. ‘quirky’ lyrics – This is pretty much what most reviewers state as the reason that, in retrospect, Pinkerton was such a masterpiece. However, what they really mean by that nebulous word is ‘specific’ lyrics. Speaking about a half-japanise girl, singing about a girl who left her cello in his basement, that’s what I love about River’s best writing, because what a lot of people don’t realize, when you write so specifically, the words zero in on people more specifically than general words can. ‘Ooh, oh oh, don’t let go’ may be the experience of a ton of people, but ‘guess what I received in the mail today? Words of deep (mild) concern from my little brother’ makes me think of MY brother, and the relationship WE have, and it makes me care about what he’s singing about.

3. Hard rock music behind an expressive, fragile, breaking voice – Go back into Pinkerton, and listen for Rivers. Go back, listen to Blue, and listen to Rivers. I’m sorry to say this, but there’s vibrato. It is him straining his voice. It is him not having a powerful enough voice to really sing these songs. But what is so awesome about this is that his lyrics show a man (boy) who is not powerful enough to live in this world, who is straining himself, breaking at the seams to live. And his vocal style (in blue and more so in pink) reflects this perfectly. But it’s not just a fragile voice; it’s the glaring, hard, smashing, ugly guitar and drum work that goes over this fragile work. IMO it signifies the world that Rivers is trying to keep up with, but can’t. Tired of Sex is a perfect example.

With those things in mind, I would like to look at the four periods in Weez’s history that I’ve ranked above. I’m skipping Summer 2K for time reasons, but if you’re interested in my thoughts on that, please let me know and I’ll type of something about that as well:

Pinkerton – Here we have all three of my favorite things from Weezer, all together on a single album. A short album, but a great, great album. You can hear Rivers hardly being able to sing the lyrics, because they hurt himself so much, you can hear him bleating out what he can, and you can hear the rest of the band screeching out some of the best rock music I’ve ever heard behind him, throwing him further and further through the album, until it’s done, and by the end of the album, you realize Rivers has gone to a place he never wanted to go, and you feel dirty for having invaded his private thoughts so much, but at the same time, you feel comforted for knowing there’s someone else out there like you, and you feel a sense of catharsis for having gotten all this out. At least, that’s what I get out of the album. Name me another album where a leading man is so honest.
As a side note, I completely respect Rivers for not wanting to play Pink on stage. No one likes to face their demons.

Blue – Blue is great pop rock. Rivers himself has said the album is fake, fake to the core. He was acting on the tracks. Granted, acting is better than not acting (we’ll get to Green in a minute), but acting is acting nonetheless. He wrote a few good songs, a few crap ones (I’m sorry, Buddy Holly does nothing for me, and SIAS isn’t good if you hear the fakeness in it), recorded them, put them on an album, got Spike Jonze to make a few amazing videos, and became rich. More power to him, and the album is good to listen to, but there’s nothing amazing or brilliant about it. Well constructed, but not as well sung as Pink (or Maladroit, we’ll get to that). Only In Dreams is one of the best songs Rivers has ever written, by the way.

Maladroit/Green – Okay, I know that loving Maladroit is the ‘in’ thing to do among people who want to not be seen as people who bash Rivers, and by new fans. But hear me out. I HATED Maladroit when I first heard it, just like you guys did. I also hated Green. But as I read what Rivers wrote, I read what Karl wrote, and then I go back to listen to them, I came to a new conclusion, a wonderful new way to approach the albums…and now I love one of them. And I hate the other.

Maladroit and Green are, simply put, concept albums. They is Rivers trying to do Nirvana and Beach Boys in his way. Simple, easy to sing pop songs, not a whole lot of variation in the verses, the music is same from the beginning of the song to the end, and the songs are all short, because they can’t withstand too much listening before they fall apart.

So why do I love Mal and not Green? Look at the reasons I like Weezer. Green does not have River’s great singing voice from Pink or Blue, does not have quirky lyrics, doesn’t have a hard rock backing. Green might have been good if he’d used acoustic guitars, and then it could have been a The Shins-type album. But what it was instead was trying to d Beach Boys with a pseudo-Blue style. It didn’t work, it failed. Green pains me to listen to, especially as I hear Rivers not caring at all in any of the songs.

Maladroit, however, has the hard rock. It has HARD ROCK. It is awesome rock. It is guitar solos that are completely different from the melody. It is Rivers getting back to the old voice, the Pinkerton voice. It’s Rivers doing quirky lyrics with a Beach Boys sentimentality. No, they mean nothing, but as Rivers said, listen to them, attach your thoughts to them, and they start to mean something. And it’s fun to rock out to. No, it’s no Pinkerton, but it is slightly better than Blue because Blue is so fake. Mal is Rivers TRYING DESPERATLY to please his fans. You can hear that in every ounce of Maladroit, his longing to make these people like him again, and that, my friends, is better than hearing him belt out a couple pop-rock songs that he doesn’t know if it’s going to take him anywhere or not.

MySpace covers – It doesn’t get much quirkier than Rivers singing ‘Invincible.’ It doesn’t get much more Rivers than Rivers with a guitar and a moog. Sure, no hard rock, but it does let us hear Rivers singing as only Rivers can. Rivers Rivers Rivers Rivers. I love the guy, I know. But if you don’t like his singing on the covers, you can’t love his singing in Pinkerton.

Okay, in conclusion. I understand if you don’t like Maladroit or the covers if your reasons for liking Weezer are different from mine. But perhaps you can see where Rivers is coming from, and perhaps you can see where some fans like me are coming from.

I have more to say to this subject, and I’m sure I haven’t answered everyone’s objections, because I’m not psychic and I cannot predict what everyone is going to say. But if you raise an objection, I will surely be back with a well thought out, reasoned response.

8.7.04

back off baby, I'm a loner, I've gotta lotta things to see

Manual labor is the antithesis of fun.

You could say that as the value of labor (x) goes up, the value of fun (y) goes down in an inverse manner.

I would give you a formula but I'm terrible at maths.

In other news, Monday's suddenly looking very cool. I say this simply for posterity.

i can't change now

Status: Working on it
Orientation: Rather straight
Hometown: Matthews, NC
Body Type: 6'3" / Slim / Slender
Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Religion: Christian
Sign: Gemini
Smoke / Drink: Sometimes / No
Children: Someday
Education: Some college so far
Occupation: Cashier
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Calling people I hardly know is hard and weird and disconcerting.

the land of the free, and the home of the brave

You don't have to worry about pulling up your zipper at Harris Teeter, because you wear a dress-like apron that covers the front of your pants.

7.7.04

well what can i say?

The bathroom is a five minute paid break. Go there whenever possible.

Have nothing to say that can be said on a public forum. IM me or call me if you want to know what's up.

6.7.04

i said uh oh

bone something or another

Picked up Surfer Rosa and The Lonesome Crowed West.
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Officially am no longer working at McAlister's. Awesome.
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Met someone really cool tonight, am looking forward to seeing them again.

5.7.04

shakin' at your touch, i like you way too much, my baby i'm afraid i'm falling for you

Read the title today, it's important.
-----------------------
Amazing thunderstorm today while I napped while listening to Weezer. Amazing. Bass that KICKS you in the groin and walks away laughing.
-----------------------
Still reading The Great Gatsby.

Really good books don't just give you a good story, they teach you how to act in social situations. Gatsby is a really good book.
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Had to do something weird today. I've been invited to bowling with some people from Teeter tomorrow, as I think I've mentioned. Well, the one girl called up again today to invite me to her house after bowling, for swimming. Okay, maybe I'm just being anti-social, but I'm not gonna go swimming with people I hardly know. So I sort of had to make up an excuse over the phone. I almost said I had to wash my hair, but I settled on something a little less silly, but still as vague.

Watch me kick myself when all the hot girls are there.

all the things you said all the things you said running through my running through my head

Wow. I didn't get home tonight until like 12.45 AM. Shows you what happens when you go to a party with your parents...

Not much happened today, I played piano at church, everyone said I did absolutely perfectly and flawlessly...I didn't, but if everyone thought I did, then it's okay.

Went to family friend's house for a 7.4 party, had mostly fun. Good varied human interaction all around. Even took a good 40 minute walk with a nine year old girl, a rather intelligent one, had some fun conversation, even if it wasn't the deepest. I love when I get to play the 'adult' role.

4.7.04

i'm just here for dictation

Have you ever...

...danced around naked when no one's watching?
...danced around naked with people watching?
...sung along to a song on the radio while driving?
...pretended to get drunk to impress people at a party?
...kissed someone on a dare? (subquestion: ...and liked it?)
...hurt yourself while doing something overtly stupid?
...cursed in front of your parents? (subquestion: ...in front of clergy?)
...been mad at someone just to see their reaction?
...been nice to someone just because you secretly hate them?
...been purposefully deceptive to a friend for your own personal gain?
...told a friend that something you want them to do would be in their best interest, when it was really in yours?
...said something to a friend's significant other so as to make that person mad at your friend? (subquestion: ...on purpose?)
...took credit for something that you cheated on to accomplish?

the universe is shaped exactly like the earth

First episode of Figlet TV has been posted.

Well, officially, it's episode .5. And I'm not in it at all.

But watch it anyway, it's funny.

Here it is, go here to download it.

In other news, happy American Revolution Day. Actually, Happy Day We Wrote A Letter That Got Mostly Ignored Day.

3.7.04

on a private beach in Michigan

Weird.

I had a bunch of things to post when I got home, then I totally forgot. I'll do my best to reconstruct:

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There's a really cute girl that works at the Starbucks in Teeter. I keep meaning to find out her name, then I forget.
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Someone called up Teeter today posing as an employee (one of my buddies, who was WORKING at the time) to get the number of the new girl, Amanda.

'Hi, this is Jason [whatever], and I need the number of...Amanda.'

'Um, Jason's working tonight.'

'Uh.'

*click*
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It's funny how I keep wishing people a Happy Fourth, and thanking them when they wish me the same, when I really don't like American Revolution Day, nor do I really celebrate holidays anyway. All part of my fun switching off my brain thing I do at work. Makes for weird when people I know come up to my register, and I have this vague feeling I should act differently to them, but I still don't.
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I completely made an ass of myself in the deli nearby Teeter. I go in, there's NO ONE in the store, and I walk up, order a sandwich from the semi-cute girl at the counter, and then I get a drink, and then I sit down. And spill my drink. Great reflexes, I get none of it on me, but I make a mess everywhere. And the girl spends basically the entire time I'm there cleaning it up. I felt like such a jerk, but there was nothing I could do about it.
--------------
I'm reading The Great Gatspy, it's really good.
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I have a feeling I'm really gonna love Wilco A Ghost Is Born once I get to know it better.
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I got invited to bowling with some people from work, including this girl that's extremely nice, especially to me. Weird, but what can I do. I'm not working, so I'm going. Interesting.
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Going to see The Verdict on Saturday at Tremont, then probably Pyramid ect. on the 31st. Everyone reading this within a workable area should come, especially to the first show, because I have a feeling I'll be bored with the music and will need another form of entertainment.
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It rained a TON for about half an hour today, then abruptly stopped.
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The unisex bathroom at Teeter is going to be the end of me. We had to shut down the Men's room, I don't know why, so everyone goes into the Women's room now. Wouldn't be a problem (I sure as heck don't mind, I think all bathrooms should be unisex, would make lines to the ladies' room always shorter) except that they installed a lock for the stupid Americans, so ONE guy or women goes in there, and LOCKS the room, there's like three stalls, (s)he locks it, and now I can't go in!

Other than that, the whole thing's interesting, tis fun to play around with our social boundaries like that, I'm in there washing my hands, a female co-worker comes in, and I don't miss a beat in saying hi, not even acknowledging that this is weird. Because I don't find it weird. But she did. For a second, until she realized I didn't find it weird. At which point she was fine with it. This needs to start happening around the country.

I'm considering starting a campaign at UNCC to convert all the bathrooms to unisex. I think it would rock, and would make everyone happy, especially since a lot of the time the men's and women's rooms are a hallway away from each other, so it would make everything easier if everybody could just walk into either bathroom. We're fricking COLLEGE students, I don't think they'd be a problem, especially considering how many GAYS are at the school anyway, if people should be worried about unisex bathrooms, they should be worried about being in a bathroom with other guys (or girls). My point is, they shouldn't be worried about either.
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Church tomorrow, then nothing Monday, then bowling Tuesday, then work Wednesday, then nothing Thursday, then work Friday, then work Saturday, then Verdict Saturday night.

please bury me with it

Name: Gregory David Harbin
Birthday: 22.5.86
Age: 18, obviously
Hair Color: brown with strange blonde tips
Eye Color: brown
Nationality: Americano
Sex: Mail
Height: 6'2"ish
Weight: 160ish
Where were you born?: Charlotte, NC
If you were born the opposite sex, what would your name be?(if you know): I have no clue.

Family

Brothers or Sisters?: Yes
If you're an only child...do you want any brothers or sisters?:
Parents/Guardians name?: Jim, Loretta
Who's your favorite?: Mom.
Do you like your family?: Mostly.
If you could, who's parents would you have?(out of your friends): I have no clue.

Friends/Enemies

Best friend(s)?: I don't really have friends, but Perk and Chaz in RL, and Nines and Fig online.
What do you have in common with them(or he/she)?: They're just interesting people that i can talk to.
What do you like to do with them?: I don't know, things.
Who's the person you talk to most on the phone?: Actually, Nina, funnily enough.
Do you have any friends that you have never seen?: Seen? I've SEEN all my friends.
Who do you see the most?: Perk, probably.
Who have you known the longest?: Lol, Charlie.
Who's your worst enemy?: Once I dislike a person, I just write them off, I don't sit and stew, having an 'enemy'
What don't you like about them?:

Favorites

Color: Blue. Red. Black. Green. Yellow.
Food: Don't know.
Music Genre: Alt/Indie/Rock
Band: Radiohead
Number: what?
Letter: huh?
Swear Word: I don't swear.
Song: I'm not even gonna try to answer that one.
Day of the week: favorite...day...of the week? You're kidding me, right?
Month: huh?
Season: I guess Winter?
Fruit: favorite FRUIT?
Veggie: This quiz sucks
Ice Cream: I like rocky road, but who cares?
Movie: Depends, really, you know?
Junk Food: Whatever's in front of me
Cartoon: CarTOON?
T.V Show: West Wing?
Reality Show: Joe Schmo is good...
New York/California: New York, baby.
Batman/Superman: Both suck.
Half Empty/Half Full: Half empty.
Day/Night: oh, night, for sure.
January/June: January.
Christmas/Valentines Day: Bah.

Have You Ever

Drank Alcohol: yes
Smoked: yes
Gotten Drunk: not that I recall
Gotten High: not that I recall
Dyed Your Hair: not that I recall
Kissed the Same Sex: not offically
Hated yourself: How could I hate myself? I rock.
Liked someone way older than you: Hasn't everyone?
Liked someone way younger than you: Way younger? Not really, no.
Broken a Bone: Hmm...no.
Had Surgery: not that I recall
Talked to Strangers: all the time
Ran Away From Home: Home? What home?
Did the opposite your parents told you to do/not to do: not...that...I...recall...
Sang in public: Oh, of course
Worn a Dress: not officially
Worn a Suit: yep
Gotten in to a physical fight: What is this 'physical'?
Hurt someone emotionally: Hope not. People that I'd want to hurt shouldn't care about me enough to actually get hurt.
Hurt someone physically: Like a small bruise? Sure.
Made someone cry: See two questions ago.
Said you loved someone: Sure.
Said you hated someone: All the time.
Talked to a stuffed animal: Every day.
Talked to yourself: I make the best conversation.
Driven a car: Yep.
Danced in public: I don't...dance.
Danced when no one was looking: Okay, I do.
Sang when no one was looking: All the time.

Do you believe in Love: Sure.
Love at first sight? Oh yeah.
Your Definition of Love: No clue.
Your definition of a true friend: No idea.
Do you go to church: All the time.

well you've got the perfect disguise, and you're looking okay

"Now, so Nina's your main squeeze...if Perky decided Saturday she was dumping her boyfriend, and wanted to go out with you, what would you do?"

2.7.04

My heart is a mulberry tree

I understand theatrics too well for my own good. Theatrics meaning all those special words you use, the special tones, everything you're supposed to do in polite society.

I can make costumers at Teeter feel that I really care about them.

'Hi, ma'am, how are you doing today? Have a good Fourth, now!'

And they completely believe that I care. While I'm thinking about something completely different then them.

I can also make pretty much anybody that I want to like me, like me, being completely disingenuous the whole time. It's actually a bit scary.

The problem, then, is that when I realise how easy it is to be completly disingenous, I start to hate all theatrics when not needed for my job.

So, when, for example, I'm talking to my father, I'll attempt to strip away all the theatrics, and just be blunt with him, because that's what family's for, right?

Doesn't work.

I'd talk more, but no one cares.

Go over to my site and download my two newest 'songs.'

of course, I wouldn't let it happen

Work from 11.15 to 7 today. Yay. Or not.

Nothing really interesting for me to say right now aside from that I'm still a tad tired, I heart my nines, and that modest mouse rocks.

1.7.04

I want to sleep, why won't you let me sleep?

True story:

So I'm taking a walk tonight, and it's dusk, and I'm walking by houses.

And everyone has their lights on, and I can completly see inside, and I know they can't see outside at all, 'cause it's dark out and they're all bright inside.

So I think to myself, 'wouldn't it be great, and hilarious, and awesome, if some naked girl walks by one of these windows, thinking no one can see her?'

At that exact moment, I'm looking into this house, and through a window I see a MIDDLE AGED GUY, in nothing but his TIGHTY WHITIES, and he thinks no one can see him, and he's completly shameless, and I'm HORRIFIED!

I was kidding! I was kidding about the whole thing with the naked girl! I swear! I take it back now! Please, stop, don't do this to me! My memories are stained by thoughts of three-quarter naked men!

but then she like another guy, i fall down dead she never see the tears i cry

"If there is one person you can't stop thinking about, post this same exact sentence in your journal."

Katie, the girl at Applebee's that I am in love with...is married. This sucks.

those evil-natured robots, they're programmed to destroy us

Okay, I've now seen this at too many places not to post it here:

1. Who are you?
2. Are we friends?
3. When and how did we meet?
4. Do you have a crush on me?
5. Would you kiss me?
6. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.
7. Describe me in one word.
8. What was your first impression?
9. Do you still think that way about me now?
10. What reminds you of me?
11. If you could give me anything what would it be?
12. How well do you know me?
13. When's the last time you saw me?
14. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?
15. Are you going to put this on your Blog and see what I say about you?

your heart felt good

Happy July, everyone.

No work today. That makes me happy as a june bug, that's for sure.

Met someone really cool last night, that also made me rather happy.

Someone else also makes me rather happy. :-D