Hell of good show Friday night at Rafters (even though it was at rafters) with Powerman 5000, Shinedown, and Reach 454. I have never been so sweaty and wet after a concert before. Here is what happened:
During the first show - Rex, CroMag, Hippy, and myself were at a table most of the set. These guys were ok, weakly ok. Shinedown came on and the place started really rocking -- we all moved over to the edge of the crowd ebbing from the stage and started making our way in. After about half the set, Rex and myself move back out - just too damn loud - real good, but too way too loud (this is a major drawback at Rafters). At the start of PM5K, I was near the back and moved back up to where I last saw Rex and company. After I could not find them, I got to the edge of the crowd again and saw a friend from SW Virginia (near Blacksburg) whom I had met at the Saliva concert. I kept seeing opening to move foward and I, uncharacteristly moved my way foward. Before I knew it I was 3 rows back from the stage. There were 2 ladies in front of me and they were looking like they were having a bit of a hard time with the crowd. Then a mosh pit breaks out behind me and every so often I am pushed into these ladies. After many apologies, I decide to hold my ground and form a barrier with my arms around the ladies. I do reasonably well as the mosh pit stays just behind me. After a particulary big surge, one of the ladies gets moved on forward while the other one stayed put. I stay where I was - still helping protecting this one lady. On the very last song, she turns to me red faced and wet from sweat, "I have got to get out of here!" I turn, extend an arm to her (and she latches on) and plow my way out. She was suffering from heat exhaustion and I get her to the back room for some air. The heat in that place was up to all time high standards and it was amazing that anyone didn't pass out.
One funny moment from the show was when someone from the crowd made it on stage and sprinted across the stage. The security tackled him on the right side of the stage, punching him as they shoved him down, stage right and quickly yanked in out of view.
Hell of a night.
Saturday I was a zombie around my apartment - with no energy to anything. I had planned a big rant about Rafters $2 re-admitting policy but decided not to waste the space. Fucking Rafters!
Monday, June 23, 2003
2:55 PM
Down with the Sickness
Hell of a weekend. After the Saliva concert at the Otter I come down with a helluva sore throat and head cold that has kept me down the entire weekend. I managed to get out and see Endo at the Otter - but left shortly thereafter (and the only drink was a warmed bourbon mixed with lemon and honey that Jimmy the bartender said would help ease my throat - and it did somewhat :)
The first nice weekend in about 2 months and I am sidelined at home. Why doesn't that surprise me?
Seems all my spare time has bee going into doing updates and sprucing up the Team Rock site.
I haven't forgotten about this site though. Since my return from Nashville, I have been to Charlotte for the Heroes Comic Book Convention and spent some good quality time with my family in Bristol. I will be back here to update happenings and thoughts soon.
OH, huge concert in Johnson City tonight - SALIVA outside the Sophisticated Otter. Hope to see everyone there!
Visit Team Rock for more info.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
2:39 PM
Past Weekend Rambles
Last weekend my buddy Rock and I rambled to the Nashville area to see the Trace Adkins Chrome 300 Busch Nascar race. The Nashville Superspeedway is located between Lebanon and Murfreesboro. We headed straight to the track was able to see a little bit of practice before the rains came. When the rain started around 3pm (cst) everything at the track was put on hold - the rest of practice, qualifying for the 300, and the ARCA race that was suppose to be later that night. After a few hours the rain let up for a few minutes. At the time I was huddled under a souvenir trailer watching qualifying for Winston Cup in Pocono, PA. They souvenir trailer had a satellite hooked up, so it was not a total washout - I got to see qualifying from Pocono at the Nashville Superspeedway :) . When we found out qualifying at the track was cancelled and the ARCA race signifigantly set back, we decided to leave and head back to the motel where we had reservations.
We decide to travel the 30+ miles on into Nashville and to 2nd Avenue. The rain picked back up on the drive and would be with us the rest of the night. Luckily most of the rain in downtown Nashville was a steady to moderate drizzle so we didn't get too wet. Nashville had their country fan fair that weekend and parking ranged anywhere from $5 to $15. Luckily we found a $5 dollar garage. We made our way to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner and then set out to find a place to go after dinner. We were hoping for a non-country bar with live music - but we were in Nashville. We found an bar with alternative music near an Irish Bar on 2nd avenue but decided to pass as it was pretty crammed packed for a little "hole in the wall." We decided on a dance club called Hurricanes. Inside Hurricanes we were treated to some close female action that more than paid for the $5 admission price. These women didn't care who saw them dancing and making out. They were up on one of the risers groping each other with full intensity. Of course they quickly attracted a crowd with guys surrounding them yelling and whistling at them. When the scene would get a little too hot for the club, they would douse the dance floor with the fake smoke, making it nearly impossible to see (and a little burning to the eyes.) Just before we left, the DJ announced that they had prizes to give away and the first 5 ladies to prove to him that they deserved the prize (movie ticket) would get them. A line formed around the DJ booth of women bound and determined to prove this to him. Most would dance extremly close to him and show him a little skin. One of the before mentioned girls lowered her mini-skirt down just past her upper thigh to reveal a thong she was wearing. Afterwards, she got back to the dance floor with thong still showing and her "friends" surrounded her and began groping at her @ss. Interesting night to say the least.
The next day we had time to kill so we hit the local Wal-Mart and the Outlet Malls. After lunch at this neat little place called Steak and Spagetti Factory we headed back to the track. I got in line to get a Sterlin Marlin Bobblehead that was exclusive from the Nashville track for the for 4000 people in while Rock went to get his autographs. I was able to secure 3 bobbleheads - one for Rock, one for me, and an extra one. After securing the bobbleheads I decide to just wander around until time for the Trace Adkins show (come on - it was free ;) .
I hear a band playing that sounded similar to No Doubt but heavier. I wander over to the where the band is playing and watch their entire show. The bands name is Mink and it was a tremendous show. I find my way to an ATM to get $10 for a CD.
This is post I put at Minks website:
What a damn good show! It was really a pleasant surprise to discover Mink at the Nashville Superspeedway. They were set up outside the track in the parking lot. My only regrets was that I had to leave the show before they finished to get some money from the ATM to buy their CD. I was worried though that if I didn't go before they finished, that I would miss getting them to sign it.
I am glad they got Budweiser promoted them there to give another flavor to the track's music (instead of purely country). After the show, I got marked by Jonda. She was elated that I had an extra bobble head of Sterlin Marlin that I gave to her. Everything got a little blurry after that and I don't remember much.
Thanks again for a wonderful show and we gotta get you guys to Northeast TN (Johnson City) again soon! Here is the website for Ansley Roberts Productions, who books shows in NE Tennessee . Ansley Roberts Also here is the link for the web page that I co-author for NE Tennessee shows. Team Rock. Hopefully I will see you guys sometime soon! Good luck on the rest of your tour!
After all that I get into the race track and find my seat just before Trace Adkins starts. I was surprised by his show. I liked it more than I thought I would have. After the show, the 2hr pre-race show begins. Rock finally made it to his seat about five minutes for the race began. The race was great - my favorite driver in Busch series (Scott Riggs) dominated the race - leading more laps than anybody had previously done at Nashville Superspeedy in the four years it had been open. After the race they were going to run the race from the previous night that had been rained out, but it was already 10pm there (11pm our time) and we decided to leave and begin the 4.5+ trip back. Great weekend - and check out the Mink website!
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
2:47 PM
New Short Story
I have a lot to type from last weekend. I will get to this shortly. First I wanted to post a new short story I have written. This story is using the themes from another set of short stories that my friend Raieth (over at Lost Inside) is writing. I proposed to him that he do an anthology of these stories in journal form written by people he knows. In his stories, Lucifer has quit Hell and has totally moved out. I figured that now he all kinds of free time on his hands, he might as well keep a journal. I have set this up as the first entry for the series, if he decides to try and do it. If he does, he may redo the order of things. I hope this does not offend anyone. It would fall under the heading of FICTION - remember that. :) You have been warned.
JOURNAL OF LUCIFER; LORD OF FLIES AND FORMER MASTER OF HELL
ENTRY 666 - number 1
I love women.
Women are the best things that SHE ever created, truly after HER own image. I suppose my love for women stem from my first encounter with Eve. She was so gullible that I almost felt guilty. She was the perfect woman too. Her body was in perfect proportion and her lovely breast would rise and fall when she ran through the garden. I would watch her day and night. But being only a lowly snake, I couldn't really appreciate the true nature of women. The day I got her to bite that apple - what a day that was! I royally pissed HER off and at the same time, they were kicked out of THE garden.
That opened up a whole new world for me.
After Adam and Eve took up residence outside THE garden, I went to eve the first time as the Master of Hell. Hell then was quite lonely and I knew I could always count on her for a laugh. To my surprise, she didn't want me around. She blamed me for her mistakes and said that she never wanted to see me again. One time she started throwing rocks at me. I was still in snake form, mainly because that was the most recognizable form that she knew, and made it out safely enough.
I quickly realized that SHE wasn't protecting them anymore. SHE had given them full power of choice. Either they could worship HER or not, it was truly up to them. What I hadn't realized was just how much they would come to like the process of procreation. I needed to explore this further.
When Adam would go away to hunt food, I would slither to their property and watch Eve as she worked around the house. I noticed that everyday, now that we had them, she would take a nap during the afternoon. One day hiding carefully, so that Eve would not see me, I waited until she fell asleep and silently slithered into her bedroom. She would twist and turn as she slept and had this little snore that was so cute. When she turned the right way, I would take my tail land move it up between her legs. That was when the real fireworks began. I knew she would probably squash my head if she woke up, so I was real careful.
After the first time with Eve, she woke up in an extremely good mood. The look on her face as she realized that she was wet was truly perplexing to her. She knew what it was, as her and Adam was already going at it like rabbits, but to wake up with fluid down her legs was apparently a first. She didn't seem to mind though as she made her way over to the small stream they used as their water supply and washed her off.
When Adam came home with their meal, she quickly took it over to the fire and started the process of the evening meal. Later in bed, Adam wanted to satisfy his needs and turned to his mate. She knew the look, but tonight it was different. Instead of welcoming Adam to her, she turned over facing away from him saying nothing. Adam reached out, putting his hand on her shoulder, and she moved away from his touch saying something about her head not feeling right. I missed what she exactly said as I was too far away to hear them fully.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Knowing that I was responsible, I gave a slight chuckle to myself and went back to Hell. I realized that I could use this for centuries and the variations were endless. This was truly the beginning.
end.
Ok, now to everyone who says I am going to Hell for doing something so offensive and blasphemous, I say this: I hope you can realize what is fiction and what is not. This story is really on more levels than what it appears to be..
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
10:56 AM
Rock's Swimming Pool / Grill Out in Jonesboro
It has been a busy couple of days since my last Blog. (When is it ever not busy?)
Monday after work I head out to Rock's place on Boone Lake. We get his Coleman rafts and head down to the lake to have some rest and relaxation on the water. Once in, we paddle around the bend to a more narrow section of the lake. This corridor has trees on one side and houses on the other. Also, paddling the rafts was not that easy of a task. In order to get out of the way (of a boat) you have to be ready. Knowing this I decide to stay closer to one side.
The first boat that went by us was flying with a uber wake. I was already out of the way when it went by and braced for the incoming wake. Rock was paddling in his raft next to me as the wave approached. I started yelling, "Turn it into the wake! Turn it into the wake!" I just got the raft turned around when the wave rolled under my boat. The first one wasn't bad. My raft went up and then down twice the distance up. My immediate thoughts were, "Oh shit this is gonna be fun." It didn't let me down as I picked up speed going down and almost thrown up the next wave catching some air as I go over. When I hit back down I start wheezing - "eeee, oooo, eeee, oooo" Rock was looking at me like I had lost my marbles. I manage to get out...."water...cold...down my back..." and Rock starts laughing.
We row back over to the dock side (far enough away from the speed boats to not worry about big waves) and just sit and twirl in the water. A short time later, Endbringer (Hippy) shows up and get in the paddle boat. After the lake, Rock shows Hippy the DVD of Super Joint Ritual (Lead singer of Pantera, Hank III) and we go to Logan's to eat. Another one of our Team Rock girls comes to join and we stay there until 10:45.
Tuesday night I spent with former neighbors of mine when I lived at Bart Green Apartments. I had heard about a grill out that they had planned but one of the Logan Duo couldn't get off work. So I suprised to hear from them that afternoon saying, ok, the grillout is on! 7pm BYOB. I stopped on the way to get some Michelob Ultra and then it was on to Jonesboro. The houses they are renting was great. Two story country house with a font and back porch, trees everywhere, and the only sounds (besides the occasional car on the road) are the cows. After the sun went down and the rain let up the lightening bugs were everywhere. That is something that you don't see much anymore in the city. I make it home around 11:30 and pass out on the couch watching Animatrix - which is damn good.
Sunday, June 01, 2003
9:13 PM
Slackerness Ad nauseam
My blog slackness is reaching heightened stages again. I am constantly thinking about things to write down but just can't get myself to do it. I have even sat down a couple of times to blog and found myself saying (sometimes out loud), " I just don't feel like typing right now..."
Instance 1
A week ago last Friday night I went to Roan Mountain with my family for a dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's place in Burbank. Wonderful evening - topped off with a well-timed thunderstorm after dinner. We sat out on the front porch by the stream and, talking over the sounds of the river and rain had a great family discussion. My Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Mike were in from Oregon and they were telling us about a "White Trash Party" that they were involved with in Portland. Instead of me rehashing the story, I will let you read her own words as they sent an email a couple of weeks ago. This from my Aunt Jeanne:
Hey Guys.
Well, we went to a party last night that will be in our dreams, or should I say our nightmares for a very long time. Our "White Trash Party". We're in this gourmet club and we decided to just do something a bit outrageous this time. We all dressed for the occasion and brought dishes that would be appropriate for the theme. I took garlic/cheese grits, a mess of greens, a pot of pinto beans, cornbread, and a soda cracker cake frosted with cool whip and topped with canned pineapple, marchino cherries and pecans. Others brought deep fried dill pickles, country fried steak and gravy, pork rinds, Velveeta cheese dip, mashed potatoes, vienna sausages, and Spam. The outfits were just amazing. Dad [Uncle Mike – Xyon] wore an Elvis wig, flip flops, orange parachute pants, a T-shirt with "Jesus Is My Homeboy" written on it with Tabasco stains down the front. He wore that cap of Dad Stringers that says "Hole Captain". I wore a fuchsia pink sleeveless, short house dress, knee high support hoes with the big toe cut out so I could wear my jelly flip flops, my hair was teased out all over but not combed, I had a rose tattoo on my arm, and bloomers that hung down below my dress. We were the tame ones! Brenda, showed up barefoot and pregnant carrying a little black baby she was nursing, David had this outrageous mustard yellow sport coat with sleeves too short, a little short tie, and pants above his ankles, and white socks with sandals. But he had this very long, very stuffed penis hanging, not so descretely, just inside his pants, down the side of his leg! All night we were referring to it as his "johnson" and grabbing hold of it. Dick Kirwan was the most realistic and down right scary! He had on a "wife beater t-shirt" with mustard stains, this very authentic mullet hair wig and a cap with a real tacky caption, and these "Billie Bob teeth" that were all rotten looking and stuck out. He just looked too real to be funny. As the night progressed we all took turns trying on the Billy Bob teeth and having our pictures taken with them on! Lynn had on a hot pink house robe and a red halter top with little dangle pompoms decorating the front, blue toe socks, and a home made corsage! After dinner and lots of wine, we decided that we should go out for one last drink. We all got in the elevator and walked down to this very snooty wine bar called "Vinge". It's the stuffiest place in the Pearl. We all bellied up to the bar and ordered wine. The stares were unbelievable! A couple of times, someone would come to the door and look inside and saw us and backed back out! It was fun to watch the reaction to us! We had a blast, as you can imagine. It was a great idea for a party.
Freakin' hilarious!
The storm ended and I was headed back to my apartment in Elizabethton. I ran back into rain going down the mountain. The closer I got back to Elizabethon, the harder it would rain. Around Hampton, it was raining as hard as I can ever remember driving through. I was down to 30mph in a 50mph zone and probably should have been driving slower. I finally made it home in only 1.5 hours after leaving Burbank. Roughest drive I have ever made from Roan Mountain.
So where was I? Oh, yeah, my blogger slackness. I am not sure why I go through these phases. I am blessed with so much constantly going on in my life and have a seeming endless list of things to talk about. Sometimes I make myself type something and shorten stuff down so I can be done with it. Then there are times when I want to blog so much, I get caught up and have no stories to tell and force stuff.
Instance 2 –
After I returned from Roan Mountain, I call Rex to see what they are doing. I find out that he, Cromag, and Sky were going to the local karoke bar called Dixieland. They told me to come on down so I go and they do a great job. Rex did a great job with Harry Chapin's Taxi and Sky did an Elvis tune that was a remake of a Sinatra song. Most of the other singers were struggling quite hard to carry whatever they called a tune. I drank bottled water all night (because of a modified Adkins' diet I am on) and it was a quite an enjoyable time.
It has gotten to the point that I have to do quite long blogs to catch up on all the stuff that happens between when I post. I think one thing that is contributing to my slackness of blogs lately stems from last semester of school. I had a lot of classes (mainly film classes) where I had to type a lot of papers. This, combined with school now being over, has to be part of the reason. Burned out from an overload of typing for school.
Instance 3
Last Tuesday, Rex and I were supposed to watch one of the hockey games at my place. If you have been reading his blog, you know he has been quite sick. He called and said he couldn't make it, so I ended up going to the movies to see Bruce Almighty with Rock. Going into the movie I was hoping that Jim Carey wouldn't push the religious envelope too far. Of course he did, but it was all right, because the end of the movie justified why he did what he did and was a really uplifting. Uncommon for Carey to have a morally uplifting theme in his film but it was welcomed. I came out of the movie in a good mood and had thoroughly enjoyed the movie. After the movie we met another friend at Chili's for a nice dinner. Then I walked over to Barnes and Noble to browse the books where I ran into Angelman. We walked and talked until I had exhausted my usual haunts at the bookstore.
Well - I seem have found my voice again. I am typing tonight like I haven't in quite awhile. Today was interesting. I get up (after 12pm - which is unusual as of late, I am usually up by 9am) turn on the NASCAR race, fix lunch, and fall back to sleep midway through the race. I wake up to my cell phone ringing. It was Rock. I had missed a dinner I was invited to go to and he told me about the end of the race. Then it was time almost time to host my bird chat on AOL. I fixed a protein shake and hosted my hour-long chat.
Instance 4
Friday night my parents come over and to help install a ceiling fan I had gotten back on memorial day. They had come down for breakfast and my step-dad went with me to Lowe's to help pick out a good fan for my living room. I fix dinner (back to Friday night) and we install the fan. It is perfect for the living room. Then we watch Adaptation with Nic Cage, Nic Cage (he played the twin brothers Kaufmann), and Meryl Streep. Tremendously good movie and I highly recommend it. After they leave I go to Bailey's to meet my buddies who are in from Rogersville. My buddy Jonesy has been going through a hard time and I wanted to see how he was doing. Because I couldn't get there until pretty late, and because they had already been there for a few hours ahead of me, they to leave for RogVegas shortly after I arrive. I understood perfectly and we make plans for Saturday night.
Saturday came pretty quickly as I was up at about 8:30 to meet Rock to go to Knoxville. We were going to the toy show where a bunch of has been sci-fi celebrities were going to be. I saw the likes of Lou Ferrigno, Erin Grey, Dirk Benedict, the original Lois Lane, the guy who played the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the midgit who played Cousin IT and the robot in Buck Rogers the guy who played Michael Meyers in Halloween II, etc... Rock wanted to get their autograph and I just wanted to see what they had become. I would have gotten their autograph as well if they didn't want $20 and sometimes $30 for their autograph. Good Grief!
After we left the toy show, we headed to Seveirville to eat at TGIFriday's. TGIF is probably my favorite place to eat and since we don't have one in the Tri-Cities, I try to eat there whenever I can. After Lu-Dinner (3:30pm) we head to the Five Oaks Outlet Mall where I buy an outfit from Tommy Hilfiger. I got quite a deal on a great pair of slack, shirt, and belt. We get back just in time for a nice hard rain and have to wait to unload the car until after it ends. I go home and fall asleep after eating some left overs from TGIF's. That night I go down to the Sophisticated Otter to see a pretty good band. Rock and my buddies from Rogersville are already there. Our Teamrock Girl finally made it down (she had called earlier and said she was coming). I had a few Michelob Ultras (2.3 grams of carbohydrates a beer) and make it home around 2:45am.
As I sit here finishing up my blog entry - (the posted time will be a lot earlier than the time it is now because I started writing this earlier this evening and then posted it without publishing it...sorry tech talk) - I am hoping I will be able to go to sleep because of all the sleep I have had today. I will sit here and watch Law and Order: Special Victims Unit hoping I will get tired enough to go on to sleep. Hopefully I will make myself blog a bit more instead of having to make such a long entry. Whew.
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