OH YES

Seriously. If you know me, you know how much this rules for me. Fuck yes. John Cusack is my fucking idol. This is probably my favourite ALL song. This puts a big grin on my face.

I wonder what I'll think of this in 5 years

This goes back a bit. In grade 11 my parents were really worried about where I would go after high-school and what I was going to do with my life. While deciding on a university to attend in grade 12, there was stigma around those who chose to pursue a general arts program, like myself. Since I went to a private school many people either went into health sciences or business programs, which would lead to high-paying jobs when completed. When I chose to drop economics in grade 12 my guidance counsellor asked me “you realize that you won’t be able to take business programs in university, right?”

I guess what I’m trying to get at is why is everyone so concerned with setting up a life that might provide them with enough income but will most likely make them feel like shit?

Right now I’m in a 4 year Bachelor of Arts program with a major in art history. Unless I pursue this further in a master’s or doctorate program, people won’t exactly be jumping over each other to give me jobs. But honestly, I took a lot of different courses while I was still undeclared in my major. I had never liked a subject in school until I took a first year art history survey course. So when I finally found a subject that I liked, I decided to pursue it. Shouldn’t that be the point of education?

It took somebody else to make me realize this. One day I was talking to my friend TJ, who I honestly barely know. I mentioned that I was going to major in history, but I was really enjoying the art history course I was taking and was thinking about minoring in it. He replied “Well, why don’t you major in it?” I realized, why the fuck not? I liked it, that’s reason enough.

This might just be me trying to be too punk for my own good, but I would take being poor and doing something that I’m passionate about over some stupid office job that would probably make me depressed. Both my parents are prime cases for this. My mom knew she wanted to be a history in grade 4. My dad graduated with a degree in English but now has a landscape architecture company.

Granted I know I’m not taking into account supporting a spouse and family, but I can’t look that far down the road yet. Plus how am I going to get married when I suck with women the most of anyone I know? Sorry.

But back to the point. People need to stop focusing on what they don’t have and focus on what they do have. Sorry to break it to you, but chances are you aren’t going to get everything you want in life. Especially with the type of TV shows on now, people dream big. Most likely you aren’t like them and are a better person. I mean yea, I would love to have a big house and a million comic books, and a $5000 bass guitar. But who cares?

I know there’s the big idea that “oh yea, I’m a man. I need to make a fat paycheck and keep the wife at home.” Honestly, it isn’t the 50’s anymore. You’ll probably get fired from a factory job and hate your boss in an office. Do what you like and say what you feel because those who care don’t matter and those who matter don’t care.

"I don't give a damn about no greenback dollar, spend it as fast as I can. For a wailing song and a good guitar, are the only things that I understand"

It's Kind Of Funny

I've realized that the time when I get back from school, the month or so in between exams and full work schedules, seems to be the time when I can put everything in perspective. I guess it's because I have nothing to do all day, but it seems like when I remember all those time periods, they're the ones when I seem to have my shit in order.

Maybe I'm just having a moment of zen here, like the eye of the hurricane, but it seems to be working so what the hell.

I am extremely excited to see three of my favourite bands tomorrow. If Bayside really kills it live, they are really going to be up there as a through and through favourite band of mine. I've been kind of sick so hopefully that doesn't damper an evening of fine pop-punk.

I've started watching How I Met Your Mother and it's pretty funny. I'll most likely end watching a whole ton of it this week and next. I'm going to start watching Eastbound and Down as well, because it sounds fucking hilarious.

The Blue Jays have the best record in Major League Baseball, hot damn!

If only I was this positive all the time.

"But I saw, sunset, tonight"

What The Scene Means

So there's thing the ska calender coming out. On the site for they have people from a bunch of bands talk about what the ska scene means to them. Here's my version.

A big part of who I am is because of my high-school. Not that they were the best years of my life, and I made friends I’ll never forget and it prepared me for life, the exact opposite. I didn’t fit in whatsoever. Everyone was a jock or a gino. Everyone had skin tight Hollister shirts and played hockey and chewed skoal and said “unreal” all the time. I was a scrawny kid in a suicide machine shirt.

I had listened to ska music for awhile, no doubt about that. But I hadn’t seen a ska band live. At The first warped tour I went to there was a band playing beside us while we were getting food. Everyone there looked like they were having the most fun of their lives. Instead of trying to kick the shit out of each other the audience was just dancing around in a circle and having a lot of fun. He band threw a giant inflatable microphone onto the crowd and made the audience do this thing where they crouch down and then jump up on the count of ten and go crazy. I was amazed by the aura around the stage when the planet smashers played.

It was later on that year when I got a random call from my guitar teacher telling about a show that was going on that day. I called up a few friends and went to my first ska show ever. It was the planet smashers, the toasters, the pietasters and the pylons. The pylons were just ending as we got their and the show wasn’t that full yet. As soon as the pietasters started everyone went crazy. My friend had been to a show before and dragged me into to “skank” with him. I was having a blast. For the entire show everyone just went crazy. We were up on stage dancing with the bands, singing back-up vocals and everyone loved every second of it.

I left that show feeling incredible and that was all it took. From there I became entirely immersed in the scene and the music. I’d go to at the very least one show a month and during the summer I would be at shows almost every weekend. Bands like the Makeshift Heroes, Keepin’ 6, One Size Fits Most and The Flatliners had shows around the city almost whenever I wanted. This was a place that was free of the judgement of high-school.

I’m not the ska dork I used to be (well I’m still a dork). Most people start off liking one genre of music in particular and then expand to many different ones later in life, I’m no different. I mean when you see me now I’ll have on a Bane shirt and camo shorts, but don’t even think for a second that I don’t still bust out my Bosstones records every now and again.  I’ve thought it many times, that when you feel down there’s only so far that a lyricist like Cuomo or Raneri can take you. Sometimes you just need a good, fun and upbeat ska record to make you realize that life ain’t so bad.

I’ve loved ska for the better part of my life, from hearing “Superman” and “New Girl” on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to seeing Less Than Jake for the first time. I’m sure I’ll love it for years to come as well.

turnpike

Sometimes a song just grabs you. The lyrics just hit you right in the chest and say exactly what you're thinking. The riff is exactly what you need to hear. You wonder why you haven't been listening to that song your entire life. You have to just keep blaring that song at full volume because no other song in the world can make you feel like that one does. It lets you know you're not alone. It makes your problems go away.

Turnpike Gates is one of those songs.

All Night ride

I feel like it has been far too long since I've posted anything of substance in this blog. I'll change that when I'm done with these exams and have some more time on my hands.

But anyways here's some recent quotes of my brother describing me:

"Nice beard, you look like Wolverine."

"You look like you belong in an African tribe."(in reference to my stretched ears)

"Are your jeans painted on?"

"We can put a golf tee in Tim's Ears."

"You weigh negative 5 pounds'"

hello shitty

bayside fucking rules the hardest.

self titled is flawless victory.

It's not working

...and I'm trying my best.

Ugh.

Anyways, little know fact: I love to cook. If you come over to my house I would be glad to make you a meal. Cooking for myself and others makes me pretty happy, and I like to think I'm okay at it.

I'd Tell You Face To Face

I've been on a posting streak lately. This song is very important to me.

panic's got me by the collar

"tune the electric bass to the third, fourth, and fifth and sixth strings"

been a crutch since I got it.

300,000,000 points and title of most likely my favourite person if you catch the reference.

power ballads

Honestly, dinosaur comics brighten up my day, every single day.

My Beard of Defiance

I'm gonna give it one more shot. Most likely my last beard of the year, so that I don't get some ridiculous tanlines. Honestly, growing beards is so much fun. If you can stick it out past the itchy/grimy phase than you're in the clear. Whoo-hoo!

"Here's a lesson with corporatization, stick to the man, because the man don't own your face"

yadda yadda yadda

Even though no one cares, update on my life!

Well I guess a big thing is second year is coming to an end. I have to say I'm pretty stoked to be heading home. I mean living on your own sure beats the hell out of living at home, and I'll miss the partying and stuff, but honestly I need a change of scenery. Things I'm stoked on about moving back to Scarborough: not paying for groceries, not paying for utilities, skating all day, playing super smash bros when ever I'm not skateboarding, drinking pbr in Halbert Park, the possibility of finally doing the kool-aid scheme, having time to myself, maybe trying to finish songs I've been writing, maybe trying to do something with said songs, writing a lot in general, going back to work and having money again. 

Not gonna lie, it's going to suck not seeing people who you're with pretty much every day, but I guess I'll see them here and there over the summer and then before I know it I'll be back for third year anyways. Extremely stoked to see my home friends, because honestly I miss the hell out of them.

I've been going through a trying time emotionally, and I've been pretty down for a while. I'll bounce back eventually though, until then I'll just have to throw on a favourite album and do my best. Don't worry about me, because honestly if there's one thing I hate doing it's spreading my own problems out onto other people. Oh well. One positive is that it's gotten me off the cannabis wagon. I started doing it a lot again when we got the house because it was just always around. One thing I noticed is that when I feel shitty and then smoke weed, it amplifies that feeling ten-fold. So I just stopped and I'm glad I did. It's definitely going to be a long-term thing. 

Sort of on that note, I'm going to start running again when I get home. Last year I would always see the track team practice while I was playing intermural soccer and it made me realize how much I missed it. So yea, as soon as I get home I'm going to get my ass back in shape, god knows I need it after this year.

Side note, this is a very good way to put off that modern architecture essay I should be doing.

I am completely unstoked on missing all the rad shows in the last little while namely: This Time Next Year, Polar Bear Club, Bane and Four Year Strong. 

Bands I've discovered in the last little while that I am happy to have found: Hostage Calm, The Steal, I never realized that the first Saves The Day's first album is a straight Lifetime rip-off, which definitely puts them in my good books, Dag Nasty, finally getting "ALL" by ALL, Make Do and Mend, Sinking Ships, Bangarang!

So yea, sorry.

"What am I supposed to say? How's the weather anyway"