“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
with this being ‘Blaxploitation Week’ in the house, I got to thinking about a ‘Whiteploitation’ movement…which got me thinking about this book, which always makes me laugh.
some of the list of things white people like, from the aforementioned:
…you can find more here.
hi there. you good?
I feel we never talk - oh, sure, there’s the occasional ‘here’s what I’m doing’,
but never anything about you.
but since you don’t have a blog,
I’ll just tell you more about ‘what I’m doing’.
the book is coming along - slowly, but still coming along. writing it was easy, going back through each page and making it make sense is another. but thanks to a random email from someone I barely know, I was given an idea of how to make it all work. so, thanks random friend.
got me some new-old boots on the way. I’m quite excited.
headed back to Hawaii on Thursday - which will be fun.
which means I’m gonna have to rock my Frank Zappa on the islands.
need a new addiction? this tea is insane.
this song has been played a lot these past few days - the Swedes really can do no wrong.
I’ve become addicted to Netflix - and shall be posting some of the better ones soon. [it's Blaxploitation Week this week - lucky Lori!]
if you need a ridiculous sausage-and-rice recipe, I’m your man.
we attended some Gay Polo yesterday in Santa Barbara before hitting some wineries for tastings - you know, your basic Sunday.
I think I’m going to like Kodak Gallery is doing for storage these days.
…and I think that’s about the highlights.
I hope it’s nice-and-cool where you are. this time of year it should be nice-and-cool.
[and isn't that a great picture? I snapped that at St. Vincent De Paul's]
well, this sucks.
see yesterday, I had me a book.
it was big and thick and I showed it off.
today, I have a mess.
a mess of red ‘fix it!’ notes.
arrows with ‘eh?’
chapters that don’t make sense.
it’s been an entire one day since I printed it off,
and it’s back to being a mess.
there’s more work left than I thought,
and that’s just before sending it to the publisher.
and I’m tempted to go back to what I had yesterday,
throw in some photos
and return to have something nice again.
-
there’s a few books people have bought me,
to help along the way.
it’s too late to open them up now,
as I’ll realize most likely I did it all wrong.
-
does everyone have a book in ‘em?
absolutely.
but maybe, just maybe,
the smart ones sleep well just knowing that.
-
a mess, I tell you.
a mess.
well, there she is.
the first draft.
12 chapters.
366 pages.
85,923 words.
367,012 times I hit one of these keys.
-
‘writing is re-writing’ says my friend j-dub.
which means there’s still a long way to go.
problem is now there’s no going back.
-
it was obviously not all written at one time.
some things from my diary,
some from this blog.
some while on a bus
or on a plane
some sitting right here.
-
I’ve written in bad moods,
sometimes of out desperation.
there have been happy pages,
and some sad.
a few things I should have probably taken out
but kept in despite what might happen.
-
it sounds like a travel book,
but it’s anything but.
a confession, a look-back
some realizations
and then some more.
I’d like to have taken those out,
but need to keep them back in.
-
a book.
shabby, mis-spelled, no grammar
but a book nonetheless.
should I find myself unable to fix it,
it’s still a book.
-
and that makes me pretty happy.
happy, whilst shitting myself.
-
on second thought though,
I might need to change a few of the names.
over the past week, I’ve written more than 20,000 words in the novel. I’ve been diligently staying off of Facebook [for the most part, of course], and have thrown myself into getting the first draft done.
I’m not a writer, but have friends who are. different things drive them - be it love, tragedy, money or for the simple fact that they like writing.
I suppose that all of those things at one point or another have driven me.
but none more than what you see here.
it started with a little patch on my chin, this was during my time in Nepal, stuck due to the Bangkok Airport riots and not being sure how I was going to get home. a family doctor would tell me that ‘it wasn’t a big deal, happens to some guys and was probably just stress related’.
but it kept spreading.
and I started freaking out.
it was called alopecia areata but I stayed away from calling it that - mainly in due part to an episode of Arrested Development where the guy has it all over and basically becomes the laughing stock of the entire episode.
I laughed a lot when I saw it myself.
this was before I got it.
it might grow back, it might not. in some places, little white hairs grow and in some places they do not.
am I scared it will spread to my head? of course I am. but then again, I like hats, so as long as I get to keep my eyebrows, I’ll be able to deal with it.
but recently, I’ve taken it as a push.
do I consider myself to be ridiculously good-looking? no. a strong 7 and that’s the truth.
do I think I’ve gotten some of the opportunities I have been blessed with because I’m on the better end of the cute stick?
yes I do.
so, the thought of not having decent looks to sell whatever it is I’m doing scared me.
shallow? self-obsessed? sure. I’ll admit to both of those.
but it made me start writing. a whole lot.
and if you see the novel picture of me in a beret, please don’t think I’m trying to be arty.
it’s just that I received a hard lesson on what is really important.
and hey, I used to draw a goatee on myself when I was 13 with a Sharpie - and I’m not adverse to trying it all again.
just please God, let me keep the eyebrows.
sometimes I pick up diary and start writing - remembering that I forgot to write earlier about whatever it is I was referencing.
so, skip this if you want. skip ‘em all if you want, but that would kind of negate you being here.
anyway.
- the fires here are insane. it looks like something set up by a sfx crew from down the street. the mountains we can see from our window have been outlined with an amber that would impress even the best of j.r.r. tolkien fans. it’s scary and beautiful. kind of like patricia arquette.
- I woke up the other night with the lyrics to an onyx song in my head and had to write it down on a piece of paper and my hand as not to forget. I then downloaded and wondered why and how the hell I dreamt about them. it did lead me to revisit the soundtrack to ‘judgement night’ which was impressive for it’s time - one of the first fusion attempts. living colour + run dmc / de la soul + teenage fanclub / sonic youth + cyprus hill = goodness.
- I’m writing. a lot. about 2000 words a day in the book. which is painful - for many reasons, but mainly having to revisit the old shanghai diaries for reference and man. I wasn’t too happy about being there. and I had better hair. ah well.
- this book has kept my attention for the past few days. and I like it. and this is on the way - which excites my head a lot.
- I’m an official netflix fan. every 2 days I have a new film. and I’m loving it. a list is coming. old news, sure - but it’s been a decade since I’ve lived here.
- my bro riaad is a funny man. very funny. kid should be on the onion.
- this week’s ‘rough sundays’ was good. but I liked having people co-host more. I’m looking forward to the new show, but I’ll miss my gospel as well.
- last night I made the best tequila-cajun-lime shrimp you might have ever had. mmmmmmm. no kiddin’.
- do you think mos def and I would get along well? I’ve always thought so. his ‘black on both sides’ is on right now and I just feel it.
- I’m on a hip-hop trip. but good hip-hop. c’mon.
- I’ve still yet to use the word ‘douche’. seriously. not because I have anything against it, I just always forget.
- I’m most excited about this film coming out. mostly because I love goats.
- yesterday in the mail, I got a) posters from Adam b) 40+ moon pies from friends of Lori’s and c) ‘choke’ from the aforementioned netflix. not a bad haul.
…is that all?
I don’t know.
probably not.
[photo of me in the toilet at the tate modern in london. how creative I am!]
a funny thing happens when you enter a serious relationship. well, lots of funny things, I suppose, seeing how I’ve been out-of-reality for the past decade, but there comes a certain privacy protection.
see, this isn’t just me anymore, there’s a we. an us. and sure, there’s enough content there to write about, but, as I once wrote about how I am with writing about my family, this is mine.
for me.
not that you had found yourself overly concerned, just wanted to explain the quietnessity of the past while.
but here’s what’s what:
- los angeles is los angeles. good parts and image-obsessed people who are nice. traffic and mexican music that plays a lot at the park across from where I sit. I was lucky enough to land and get working on a few projects, one of which I’m rather excited about, but can’t say a whole lot until it’s certain.
- the rough sundays shows took a nosedive with the u.k. shows, but it was important that I do them. the 3 newest ones are back to what I wanted them to be which is also great.
- I’m reading the John Peel bio I’ve wanted for a while and the memoirs of Picasso’s mistress that I picked up on the side of a Brooklyn street. I suggest, not highly, but still, both.
- listens? The Call. She Wants Revenge. a 1940’s compilation and a new fave Babs Gonzales [thanks Lone!]. and the new[ish] Yeah Yeah Yeahs is brilliant.
- Sarah came in town for her Roller Derby. it was important that we meet up. as well as understanding the intricacies of the lesbian-leaning sport.
- I refuse to apologize for liking the newest Kayne West-cameo track. even though I want to.
and I think that’s it.
oh yes. happy birthday, me.
yes.
by far my favorite author I’ve come into contact with in the past few years - if you’re not a klosterman fan and you’re between the ages of 24-and-47, treat yourself to ’sex, drugs and cocoa puffs’ or ‘killing yourself to live’ - which houses one of the funniest takes on cocaine I’ve ever read:
‘…there’s no question in my mind that the dangers of cocaine have been greatly exaggerated by the anti-drug lobby. oh, I’m sure it’s not good for you, but you can certainly enjoy it recreationally, assuming you have disposable income and you hate yourself. unlike pot or mushrooms, it doesn’t shift reality; it just makes reality louder, brighter and more interested in the availability of fashionable footwear. it makes you feel like you’re walking down the street - minding your own business - and the smartest, most-attractive person you’ve ever met suddenly jumps out from behind a bush and gives you a compliment’.
I wasn’t moaning, by the way. I’m just tired. got up this morning at 1.30am for a volcano bike ride. and it was great. but I’m still tired.
I’m sorry.
ummm, what’s what:
rough sundays 9 is up and is kind of, well, awesome. I enjoyed it. you might. the next one [hawaiian] is going to be funner.
I’m writing about Hawaii here, ’cause they’re nice and they’re paying me. even quaint little tales about boarding the wrong plane. impressive, yes. thanks.
some photos - up ’till now - of the trip so far. fatigue aside, it’s been amazing.
rihanna is today’s guilty pleasure. which is ironic seeing how she made news for pleasuring the guilty.
I wish I could connect in lax to see miss f - a few drinks with her would do us both good. [laugh + laugh + serious face]
someone walking below my balcony right now has very squeaky shoes.
it’s a few days back in bend, then a week in nyc, then england, then I’m not sure…it’s all up in the air. which is nice, I suppose. it keeps changing.
this is one of the best photos I’ve ever seen from guangxi, china.
if Hawaiian swag is your thing, then I’m your man.
I’m reading ‘the dead walk fast- stalking nosferatu‘ and it’s not as good as chuck klosterman said it was.
give me a good night’s rest and I’ll be chock-full of exclamation marks.
Okay you’ve earned your beer for the day, off to the pub with ya (and you’d better... mmmm sausages! British chef Jamie Oliver just won the TED prize...