Weekend Off + Other Thoughts

Well after my first two-day off stretch since I started my job, it's back to the grind today. Not really too much going on, other than a very weird stretch of movie-like dreams (which I'll try and go into more detail later) which has left me listening to the following songs on repeat for the past couple of days.

Songs of the Second:

Longview - When You Sleep (my favorite song of the year so far)
My Chemical Romance - Helena
Unwritten Law - Save Me

A day off what a mise.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

That's the sound of me waking up without an alarm, realizing that it's 7:30 am, and turning right over and going back to sleep for another couple of hours. Today's mission: get the cards for my PTQ deck on Saturday, and also make a duplicate copy of the same deck for one John Marks. Kyle Boddy, a manchild, and I are gonna go on a magical mystery tour of the World (not of Warcraft) in said attempt. We'll see how it goes I guess.

Work Sucks, I know...

Work is really starting to put a dent into my social life. Any day that I work 8 hrs, I find it difficult to want to do anything but rest afterwards. I'm not sure how some of my gainfully employed friends do it (looking at you Chris), but hopefully I'll get used to it. Today was the usual Saturday debacle, with the compounding factor that we had two call-offs. I was so busy that I didn't even have time to think about anything else really but work. We ended up being stuck there for an additional 1 hr 45 min past the scheduled time, which put me at nearly 10 hrs 30 min for the day. Enough is enough, especially when I have to be back there again at 8 am tomorrow. Frowns all around.

Sunday brings another 9 hr workday then hopefully some relaxation followed by Monday's school/work combo. Dur.

Who Cares? Grow Up!

You know something? I've put way too much stock in the past. I think it's time to let it go and get on with my life. I failed, big deal, it happens. I'm far from perfect, and it's unrealistic to hold myself up to the standard of never messing up. I fell into a rut, but come on now, it's been nearly 4 years since that happened and it's time to shake it off and get going on the right track. I've made some strides in recent months but I think it's time to take those strides to the next level. Put some effort into school and work and really make life good again. I've said this before, but I think I mean it this time. Granted, I don't know exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I don't want to be in this rut anymore and school is a way out. I'm tired of looking around at my friends like Sean, Mazzola, Brian Nally, and many more and seeing success while I drag myself around feeling sorry for myself and not doing anything about it. So this is my mission statement and some goals for the upcoming year.

1. Continue my education while searching for academic focus.

2. Get out of debt

3. Move out

4. Regain my focus at MTG, since I'm clearly pretty good at the game and enjoy it.

5. Live life like it's the last day of school (aka Carpe Diem)

6. Avoid bad relationships. This means romantically and socially.

7. Stop being so melodramatic...just because it makes for a good story doesn't mean that it has to become one.

9. Learn to count.

10. Try to find validation within myself and not worry so much about what others think.

11. Continue to be the best friend that I can be.

12. Listen more, talk less.

13. Get fresh on the mic, like a milkman on duty

14. Improve my health and overall well-being.

15. Return to intellectualism a bit. (especially in daily lingo)

Man, I need to get my music off of my other computer's hard drive. There's a ton of platinum hits on there, songs that I want access to at all times.

Songs of the Second:

Jimmy Eat World - Work
Relient K - Be My Escape
Unwritten Law - Save Me
Senses Fail - Buried a Lie
Mae - Suspension

Movie of the Minute:
Glengarry Glen Ross (Always Be Closing)

HAUMPH 

Getting A Job

"Get a job, get a job."

--Mr. Gagliardi

During the summer while he cut the grass on his riding mower, he would pass my window at 10 am when I was invariably sleeping and scream that out. Like some sort of demented chorus, I probably have heard those words a few thousand times over the course of the past 8 months since I left my last job. During that time, I went back to school and got myself on the right track for the first time in forever. Unfortunately for me, my dad decided now would be a good time to start charging for room and board, which means that my finances are in a state of ruin as usual. Unlike in the past where I just figured out a way to spend money I don't have (nods towards Sean), I did what any sensible person would do and finally caved and got a job.

I'm now a pharmacy tech at Neighborcare, a giant pharmacy with no customer that fills scripts for nursing homes. It's tedious and the hours are kind of rough in conjunction with school, but hey, I need the cash so whatever. Sadly, it puts a rather large damper on my plans to travel to various MTG events such as this weekends GP: Boston (gl guys). In fact, I have to be at work in an hour, which sorta bites. This week, with training, school, and my normal work hours, I am taking a vicious beating.

I do have off for the Super Bowl, and I think I may root for the Patriots after all, if for no other reason than to root for the giant bag to win, since we all know he's going to, and to hate on all the Eagles bandwagoners (not a word). I'll do a post on the game itself with more detailed predictions later.

I watched the Royal Rumble this passed Sunday, and I have to say that it was awesome. I'm considering watching wrestling again, so if anyone wants to join me, let me know so that I can have someone else to be a giant dork with. Also on the horizon is Fantasy Baseball, Pro Tour: Atlanta, and perhaps some servings.

Movie of the Minute: You Got Served

Song of the Second: Everclear - Strawberry

Top 10 Songs of 2004 and More

Top 10 Songs of 2004

10. Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out - The first time I heard this, I was amazed. The 5432543532th time, not so much, but taken on its own merits, this is one hell of a rockin' song. The build to the first chorus is brilliant. Good choice for Madden and mising music too.

9. Muse – Hysteria - Musically, this song is completely ridiculous. The guitar work, especially the bass is truly something to hear, and the theme played throughout the song never gets lazy and instead remains strong up until the last note. This is the perfect example of a song that I want to hear every single day, but really no more than once a day. When you're getting ready for some sort of competition though, there might not be too many better songs.

8. Relient K – Be My Escape - Speaking of music that will perk you up when you need it, this is the quintessential example from the past year of a song that does just that. I understand that it's technically Christian Rock, but they don't deny that, and it really doesn't intrude on the music, which is great. I think a huge key to the band is the soothing vocals, which is a nice departure from most pop/punk bands. This song is very simple, but there's nothing wrong with a Return of Simple (wink).

7. The Used – Take It Away - From one extreme to the other, soft soothing vocals give way to the screams of Bert McCracken as his rage carries this song (and his band). So mad. A very intense track, one that gets the blood flowing after a long day of doing something tedious or before something that requires effort. The one problem with this song is you have to be in the mood for it, which as I write this, I'm not so I don't feel like saying much more about the song. What an awkward way to end a paragraph...

6. Straylight Run – Existentialism on Prom Night - "Siiiiiinnnnnnnng Liiiiiiike Yooooooooou Thiiiiiiiiiink Noooooo Onnnnnnnnne's Liiiiiiissssssteniiiiiiing"

5. Jimmy Eat World – Pain - Interesting thing about this song is that it was near impossible to find on LimeWire or other similar services. Part of the reason I like the song so much is that I could only hear it on the radio for a solid 3 weeks before I finally acquired it to play at home. That made the song less overplayed and gave it a strong shelf-life for me, which weighs heavily on the placing on this list.

4. Taking Back Sunday – A Decade Under the Influence (w/piano!) - Great tempo changes throughout this song, and the piano at the end is very haunting and makes the whole song great. Something underrated here and in music in general: mood. The song really puts the whole "desperate but resigned" mood out there for all to see in a wonderful way.

3. Coheed and Cambria – A Favor House Atlantic - Good eye, sniper! The whole song rules in a way reminiscent of last years #1 song, AFI's Girl's Not Grey. A song that holds up today even though I originally heard it in December of 2003. That means only one thing, and that is A Favor House Atlantic is a terrific song.

2. MC Lars – Hurricane Fresh - I would be lying if I said I didn't download this just because of the name, but it went on to become an anthem for an entire year (or at least the second half of one). An awesome road-trip song, as discovered on the road to GP: New Jersey, Hurricane Fresh held up because of the cool, smart lyrics and FRESH Scorpions sampling throughout.

1. My Chemical Romance - I'm Not OK (I promise) - In the end, there can only be one #1 song of the year 2004, and this is it. Pure emotion, with some completely ridiculous lyrics and feeling during the song capped by the simply ridiculous bridge/final chorus combo which has not been topped often in my musical listening. Extra props for a very cool video.

Artist of the Year: Death Cab for Cutie - No one put out a better album in the past year than these guys, who in addition to making a kick-ass record are amazing live, giving them the edge as the 2004 artist of the year. They have so many awesome songs just off of Transatlanticism alone that they could fill a "best of" list. Recommended tracks include The New Year, Tiny Vessels, and Transatlanticism itself. You really cannot go wrong with Death Cab, so check them out if you haven't yet.