Category: Personal
Fire on McGinnis
Not that long ago I was trolling around Craigslist looking for any local bands that might be in need of a drummer. This is something I have done every 4 or 5 months for the last 4 years. My heart has always been crushed by the lack of anything music related in Alaska’s southeast search results of Craigslist.
Recently I struck pay dirt and found a local Celtic rock band that goes by the name of Fire on McGinnis that was in search of a drummer. With the information I found on their Craigslist posting I sent them an e-mail not expecting a reply. Like I said, I have lived in Juneau for 4 years and most attempts at being in a band have not worked.
The next day I did get an e-mail back from Fire on McGinnis saying they where interested and would like to meet with me and talk. They let me know right up front that they did have two other drummers who where trying out for the part and that they wanted me to be aware of that.
The following week I met with one of the members of the band and we had a 15 minute conversation where I was brought up to speed on the band’s history and what they where looking for and hoping to find in a drummer. Again I was told they had two drummers ahead of me waiting to try out, but I was asked if I could sit in on a jam sessions with two of their members next week. I said yes! I was handed a demo CD of the bands work to listen to.
That week could not come fast enough, but when it did come I was ready. Myself and two members of the band setup our equipment and played a song off the CD and I Played the drumming part all most identical to the CD. When we finished the song they all said it sounded great, but that they wanted to play it again the way I wanted to drum it. Not the way that was on the CD. So, I did and it turned out they liked my changes to the drumming part.
For the most part now I have changed all the drumming parts on all of the bands songs and they have liked all of them. I take notes on all the songs we have played and keep them logged in a Moleskine Notebook which works out pretty well for me.
Fire on McGinnis is what happens when a pipe and drum band gets bored playing “Scotland the Brave” over and over for 10 years.
As it stands the band has a show planned for med January. I think if things go really well there might be a new years show too. It all just depends on how quickly I can learn all the songs and when the band feels we are all ready.
Lets Please Brake Up Weezer
My brother Abe, pointed me to a damn funny post in The Stranger titled: Want to See Weezer Break Up? Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is! Essentially James Burns, of seattle (who I now think is one of the smartest people in the world) has this game plan of getting 10 million dollars together to give the band Weezer, if they will break up.
James writes:
I have never been a fan of this band. I think that they are pretty much horrible, and always have been. Even in the early 90’s.
But this isn’t about me. This is about the Weezer fans. They are our brothers and sisters, our friends, our lovers.
Every year, Rivers Cuomo swears that he’s changed, and that their new album is the best thing that he’s done since “Pinkerton,” and what happens? Another pile of crap like “Beverly Hills” or “I’m Your Daddy.”
This is an abusive relationship, and it needs to stop now.
I am tired of my friends being disappointed year after year.
I am tired of endless whimsical cutesy album covers and music videos.
I’m sick of hearing about whatever this terrible (and yes, even if you like the early stuff, you should be able to admit that they are wretched now) excuse for a band is up to these days.
If all 852,000 of you (really?) who bought “Pinkerton” pitch in $12, we will meet our goal.
I beg you, Weezer. Take our money and disappear.
I am standing behind james by making a donation to this (what can only be described honestly as a) humanitarian cause. If this works and James is successfully able spare the world from another crap fest album from this shitty band I can only hope he will shift his attention to getting other bands to stop.
My suggestions? Lenny god damn Kravitz.
So what happens if James raises the 10 million and Weezer refuses accept it. James has this to say:
One of the most pervasive criticisms of this campaign is that the money could be used for a better cause.
And after reading many of the comments on The Point site and others, I have decided to do just that.
So IF we raise the Ten Million (and remember, no money changes hands until we do,) and IF Weezer declines the money (because calling them “mediocre” would be generous, and they should just go away, really)….
…wait for it…
…wait for it…
I am going to be donating the ten million dollars to RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) programs across the country. Because for fuck sakes, most of y’all’s reading comprehension is for shit, and it appears that most of you don’t read well enough to appreciate humor.
I might also open a journalism school. Teach some of you copypasta “journalists” how to do something called “fact-checking.
Geez oh pete, you people are insufferable.
James is a damn funny guy and checking out The Stranger site and The Point site just to read the comments and his replays is well worth the time.
Youseph Takes A Yoga Class
Hannah has been asking me for a few weeks now to join her Yoga class at the local overpriced GYM in town. I finally conceded and joined her recently.
Now personally don’t have anything against Yoga. It seems like a very healthy and smart activity for anyone to partake in. I however like to just stick with a couple of the same pieces of work out equipment when I go to the GYM. It’s not that I am scared of change, it’s just that it’s a class.
After work one day recently we drove out to the gym to attend this basic Yoga class. Hannah is perfectly capable of attending a more advanced class, but I did not want to push it my first time. I wanted to make sure I could handle the basic class before attempting something more advanced.
When we walked into the class at the GYM and it was clear that the room we walked into clearly is used for other aerobic classes. Hannah walked across the room and grab us both a mat while I stood sheepishly by the door not sure what I should be doing with myself. Their where other people in the class talking and stretching. Hannah motioned for me to come over and said into my ear “You need to take your shoes off hunny”. I looked around and saw that everyone else in the room had their shoes on, but I was desperate for something to do rather than just standing out-of-place by the door. So I walked back by the door and took off my shoes. Hannah saw this, grabbed her water bottle and walked up to me.
“You need to take your socks off too” she said.
“Are you fucking kidding me! You still have your shoes and socks on!”
“That’s because I am going to go fill up my water bottle now. Just take off your socks and go sit Indian style on the mat I laid out for you and you will look like you fit in”. Which is what I did all while trying not to laugh.
It seemed like as soon as I sat down on the matt everyone else in the room pretty much followed suit with me. Which I am glad for because It made me feel a little less out-of-place in the class.
Hannah came back and sat next to me on her mat and the class began.
The class lasted an hour and I started to sweat halfway through. I was able to perform 97% of all the odd poses that were requested of me and in general I really did enjoy the class. Chances are I will be attending this class a few more times.
I Win at Failing and I Fail to Win, But You Will Be Owned
Recently I have been reading about words and sentence structure. The proper use of words and how they should be applied to sentences. It’s help me put into writing one of my pet peeves about words in this digital age.
I can not stand the use of the word ‘FAIL‘ as a stand alone expression of failure. It drives me up the wall! The thought that it is sufficient to us a single word to express someone or somethings inability to succeed as a form of mockery is enough to make me throw my MacBook Pro out the window. Also, the person who thought up using the word ‘WIN‘ to express the opposite can just burn in hell.
On the other hand I am a big fan of using the word ‘OWNED‘ to express a failed attempted or ones triumph over another. Why ‘owned’ doesn’t bother me but ‘FAIL’ does, just personal preference. Also, all the ass holes out their who us the word ‘POWNeD‘ can just fuck right off.