On a Regular Day...

Every morning I get up around 8:15am. I get dressed, brush my teeth and all the rest, and then make a cup of coffee (single-cup style) which I drink in front of my computer screen while reading Drudge, Pitchfork, and a few other music blogs. Sometimes, to change things up a bit, I'll have a granola bar. Then I go to class. Then work (where I check Drudge, the music blogs again). Then more class. Then more work (depending on the day). Sometime in between I might (if I have time) have lunch. Sometimes I'll do a little catch up work or take an hour off and play guitar between classes and/or work. At about 4-5:30, I sit in my room and waste time on Facebook or more Pitchfork or whatever. Sometimes I'll watch The Office or 30 Rock. Sometimes I'll read some poetry. This is that awkward time of the day when I refuse to do anything productive. Then I eat dinner. Then I spend approximately 6:30 to 12am on school work. I allow myself a break every other night to practice piano.
And believe me, this never changes. It is pretty much the same monotonous routine every single day. I need change. I feel something already growing up inside me that will change me if it hasn't already. I'm thinking of entering this writing contest for the Atlantic. I had a dream about being published. Ha.
I've been reading Dostoevsky and Nietzsche and poetry (Lowell, Eliot, Pound, Carson, Bensko). Watching Match Point, Miller's Crossing, and The Office. Listening to a mix I made that contains Bright Eyes (digital ash), Arcade Fire, Rancid, Ratatat, Great Lake Swimmers, Beatles, Dylan, Animal Collective, Jenny Lewis, David Bazan, Casiotone, Sufjan, Ryan Adams, Daniel Johnston, Damien Rice/Jurado, Menomena, Belle and Sebastian, Nirvana (unplugged), Simon and Garfunkle, Sufjan, Wilco, etc. In other words, being unoriginal again.
Here is what I have been up to:



PS, I know this shouldn't be for ranting, but I couldn't help myself.
PPS, Here is the real reason I posted: http://rhodesradio.org
It is the radio station I help out with at my school. I'm hosting a music show with my friend Scott, so as soon as that is up and running, I will let you know (whoever "you" are).
PPPS, ONCE will be on DVD in December. Preorder HERE.

Across the Universe

Across the Universe - or, "Let's present the most stereotypical review of the 60's we can create!"

Across the Universe is the worst fucking movie I have ever seen. I am not kidding. I have seen Plan 9, Flash Gordon, etc, yet Across the Universe is the worst fucking movie I have ever seen. Living in an off-the-track college town, this film was finally brought to our shores this weekend and I, quite giddily, pursued taking part in a viewing on Friday night. However, after about 15 minutes of contrived plot lines and stereotypical characters, i couldn't handle it anymore and simply started heckling the movie from my seat. Granted, an immature approach, but I really stopped giving a shit about looking mature.

Don't worry folks, this movie contains it all! Hippies, Vietnam, the "Janis Joplin" character, a circus, and Bono - thats right, Bono. Fucking Bono! Once i heard Bono (playing their own adaption of Timothy Lear) started singing "I am the walrus" I pretty much lost all hope in this film achieving anything, and just sat back to watch the legacy of the Beatles crash and burn. By setting forth our main characters, Jude, the Liverpool welder, and Lucy, the suburban conservative, (don't worry, she is soon converted) the audience loses any interest in the survival of a couple whose entire relationship is built upon the fact that they are cute and have Beatles songs named after them.

For those who are not entirely caught up with the complete Beatles discography, the illiterate listener is kindly presented with a series of "hints" (I would call it bad acting) in which every song is foreshadowed exactly one minute and thirty seconds before it is sung. Throughout the film, the audience member is forced to oblige director Julie Taymor, as she slowly, painfully, "develops" these two character through the most stereotypical review of the 60's, fight against Vietnam, bring about a "revolution" and tie it all up in a kiss. Don't worry, they all live happily ever after.