Most Important Events of the 2000's and More!

The Most Important Events of the 2000’s…

- I fell in love with a stupid smelly lake surrounded by Palm Trees and decided to go to the University of Miami.
- I changed my name/moniker from BJ to Will.
- I drove some guys on my dorm floor to a club, (scaring them half to death, because well it was fun) and through them made some of my closest friends of the decade.
- I switched from Journalism to Motion Pictures.
- My brother had a baby and got married.
- My Grandparents let me live with them for a year. Worked at the Cheesecake Factory.
- My Dad told me he had another family.
- I traveled to Foreign Countries. Italy. Peru. Bolivia. Argentina. Singapore. Thailand. Hong Kong. And Canada.
- Gabe invited me to live on his floor in Los Angeles.
- Corey got me a entry level night job at Herzog.
- I bought the new guy on the night shift from Maine a McChicken. Who said McDonald’s couldn’t change your life in a positive way.
- I sold out and jumped onto those crazy Pirate Movies and watched myself climb up the corporate ladder. (Sounds kind of gross when I put it like that.)
- I decided to fill in for Lindsey on her Maternity Leave.
- I started doing Yoga, because I thought my mind and body weren’t in sync. Found a great teacher.
- I permanently left the Night Shift and decided to take more control of my work career.
- I went to my 10 year high school reunion and realized that I was perfectly happy being single, and happy that I had not forced myself into some situation that didn’t fit what I wanted in life, or did something because I thought I had to.
- I accepted a job overseas and had one of the craziest adventures of my life. Thanks Sandrine.
- I tried to cultivate an attitude of never saying no, no matter how mad I got about it.
- I decided that you really are what you eat, and I felt really shitty about it.
- I went to a psychic who kind of told me some really important things about my life, that I needed to work on.
- My Brother had a second baby.
- I traveled across America, and took my time, for the most part.
- As my brother has told me, I became West Coast.

I had a lot of fun in the 2000’s. A LOT OF FUN. I had a lot of hard times, too. I lost two years of my life/memories to Night Shifts, although I’m still hoping to do a data recovery. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I gained weight, I lost weight. I had my Wisdom Teeth removed. I ran a lot and I busted my knee. I DID A LOT OF STUFF. I spent a lot of time doing nothing. I made almost nothing. I made a lot of money. I bought a lot of stuff. I got rid of a lot of stuff. I painted walls and I put down my stake and declared this my land. I made a lot of friends and I lost a lot of friends, but I made sure to keep the keepers.

I learned a lot, about myself, about the world.

My problems, my worries, and my hopes are pretty much the same as they were at the start of the decade, but I’ve learned so much, about myself and about the world, that I consider myself on top and ready to tackle the next decade.

If I spent much of my teens, the 1990’s physically growing up, then I spent the 2000’s my twenties psychologically growing up. Learning the hard way, by doing, by feeling, by being.

What can I hope for in the 2010’s?

To keep learning. And I hope this might be the decade where everything, er most of it, well at least a few parts of my life really come together. And if it doesn’t then I guess I have the 2020’s to look forward to.

But I can tell you this, either way, I’m going to keep “Kick’n Ass,” because you know, I have nothing else to do with my life.

Or more poetically:

“Oh mistress of fate, sweep me up into your arms and let us dance the night away.”

QUOTES from the 2000

Some Amazing/Slightly Revealing Quotes from my Journals from 2000-2004.

Well, I am now Will ~ BJ Gong 2001

I hope you never feel this shitty ~ Will Gong 2002

We are our own answers ~ Will Gong 2003

I hate Avid ~ Will Gong 2003

Women are meant to be loved, not understood ~ Oscar Wilde (A Long time ago)

Listen to the Dead ~ Mike Smith 2003

Last night, I sunk to a new low in Compound Misery ~ Will Gong 2003

I almost died on a Rugrat Vitamin ~ Will Gong 2004

Why do we have to make order out of things immeasurable? BLAH!!! But I’m happy to be alive, because I have nothing else to do. ~ Will Gong 2004

A Look Back at 1999

So a little history, at the dawn of this decade er 1999, I was a:
- Community College Student
- Waiter. Lifeguard.
- Living at home in Virginia.

Today I am a:
- Occasional Part time Student.
- Writer/Producer/Editor thing
- Los Angelinos.

Huh. Okay, that seems pretty interesting, but it’s not really painting a very clear picture.

Interests in 1999.

- Movies & Music & Books.
- Frappachinos.
- Weight Lifting.
- Girls

And here is a list of my favorite things from that time period. (Another choice journal entry.)

A List of Favorites from 2000.

Spinning Fast on things in parks; The Rock Cliffs in Nahant, MA; Skiing; Waking up in a tent covered in Snow
Being on stage, Sailboat Wars; The Ocean; Driving to new places; Finishing Stories
Fight Club; The Matrix; The First 3 Star Wars
The Prydain Tales; Clive Barker Books; Persuasion – Jane Austin; The Count of Monte Carlo
Surviving Car Accidents
Discovering the Beatles; R&B, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Dr. Dre, Tim McGraw, Oasis, (What did I disown Shania at some point?)
Making 200 in a day at Glory Days
Les Miserables; Singing
Playing in Freshman Football Games; A Killer hot streak shooting the Basketball
Young Life Summer Camps; Camping; Hot tubs; Sneaking out at night
Being Pulled over is Fantastic
Starbucks!
The Pool.
Women.

All right, that helps fill in a little bit, but you may want some historical context. So, let Me Take You Back. Way Back.
Back into time.

In 2000 there was no, Kanye, no White Stripes, no Kelly Clarkson. There was really no Coldplay. Think about that, a world without Coldplay, and for a second when you think, hey maybe that’s not bad, remember, it was a world of the Backstreet Boys, of Creed, of Limp Bizkit. LIMP BIZKIT!!! I mean, hell, I still had hope Oasis might make a good record again. Oh, and I was obsessed with Shania Twain.

In 1999, I was making fun of Harry Potter! Making fun of Harry POTTER.
In 1999, I was bench pressing 160, and feeling really good about it. Most of my meals consisted of restaurant food, fast food, and frappuchinos.
In 1999, I was chasing after a lot of girls, especially the unavailable type of girl.

I was working at Glory Days Grill, deciding what college to go to, and doing a good bit of underage drinking. I was going to Northern Virginia Community College, and my GPA was stellar, so I could pretty much have my pick of schools, at least the ones I wanted to apply to.

At the same time, I was really uncertain of where my life was going; I knew I had to go, but I didn’t really want to. I didn't really have any life ambition, other than to probably hook up. My Dad was going to foreclose on the house and my Mom was going to get the boot. I had no idea what my brother was gonna do, but he was annoying. But on the other hand, I was a big fish in a small pond at the restaurant. I had a great group of coworkers and we had a great time. How was anything going to compare with that? And at the same time, I didn't want to get stuck. I wanted more, I just wasn't sure what more.
It was a crazy time for sure.

So what happened between then and now? Well, I’m glad you asked.

The Most Important Events of the 2000’s…

The B.J. Gong Journal 2000

An Journal Essay from Jan. 2000. I have no idea what this was for.

“Over the last year and a half at Northern Virginia Community College, I’ve seen a few things. I’ve seen a man watch his life and dreams fall away in the wasteland of a mall booth. I’ve watched underage athletes drink themselves into being fat men by 21. I have seen women destroy lives by getting pregnant and vice versa, just to give their lives meaning. And I have seen men, women, and children lives who are so stuck in self imposed misery that they have become soulless vessels.”

“ What I’ve learned from all that I’ve seen is that there are no guarantees. No faith, belief, religion or institution will guarantee happiness. It’s all how you live it. But what separates most of the successful people I seem to know is a college education.”

Hmm… I feel like this is missing a conclusion. What did I think, oh well, I guess I’ll have to go get a college education now. Okay. Weird.

Well, let me respond to myself here.
“Over the last ten years, I have seen people’s lives destroyed, but I have also seen people’s lives reborn. I don’t think you need a college education to be successful, I think you can do whatever you want as long as you’re willing to fight for it. So Fight.”

The End of Decade: The Blog Returns for now

END OF THE DECADE: 2000-2009

So I’ve been told (Hutson) that the decade does not really end until 2011 begins, well, you know, when a new number rolls in I can’t help but get nostalgic, especially since, I pretty much enter a new number at the same time. So, alas, My 20’s, we have a little under 5 months left together.

So to commemorate this, I’ve decided to get back onto the the blog and write up a few on some of the things that have been going through my (now) old head. Because, really, what better time to look back on who I was and see who I am.

Nutz! The End of Hulu?

Okay, so I remember about two Years ago, I heard of this wonderful little idea that someone had called "HULU" I remember signing up for the beta testing version of it, and watching old Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes and some Burn Notice. But then I got real busy, and then Hulu really launched and it became the SHIT! Everyone loved it, and it was the toast of the people's people. And subsequently, it might have started killing TV stations and TV shows.

Well, it's all done now. In 2010, Hulu Starts charging. The Networks have had enough, they need more money so they can make more bad shows, and bad reality shows. So, Hulu, Adios.

The Dream Box

One day, her Father presented her with a box,
Glittering of Gold and sparkling of Emerald.
He said, Daughter what I give you today,
Cherish forever, for it is a Dream Box.
Daddy, what is that? As she held her hands out,
Her palms barely big enough for a platform.
It is a place for wonders, it is a place for desire,
For all the things you will ever ask or ever wonder.

Daughter opened the box, and a fairy came out.
She spun and she danced and off the girl pranced.

And as his little Girl ran off, a tear formed in his eye,
For he knew that the Dream Box was a lie. The box
Was a box, but it's four walls the life about her.
A magical dancing fairy, spinning through a lifetime
Of fantasies she would conjure up to thrive.
Fighting the cruel hand of fate, for her to survive,
Sometimes those dreams would have to die.

Have I Returned?

I haven't blogged since I was in Toronto. I kind of made a decision that if continuing the blog was too draining or became too big a deal for me to do, I'd just drop it, and that happened. And it happened right around the time I got to Montreal. At that point everyday became an adventure, wrapped up in events that I wasn't entirely in control of.

And once, I left Montreal, I kind of felt like I'd gotten everything I wanted out of the trip and that I was ready to go back, of course I still had three to five more weeks left. And hopefully, I'll get to recapping some of what happened during those few weeks. But for now, I will leave you with this.

Home

Home is a funny thing, conceptually, and like so many words and concepts, as you separate from what you know and fling yourself out into the world, meanings and beliefs twist and reshape, but here’s what I’ve come to think about when I think of home.

Home is home; you know what it is and what it isn’t. Home is where you rest. Home is not just the place you pay rent, it extends out from where you are temporally to where you are spiritually. Home is where your friends are; it’s where your family is. Home doesn’t mean you’re happy, it doesn’t mean you’re comfortable, it doesn’t even mean you have to feel anything. Home is where you can go into the kitchen, pull a cup from the cupboard, and make yourself some tea without ever having to ask. Home can live on in your imagination and live up to your dreams. Going home can be like getting a hug and then getting slapped, or vice versa. Home is a place where you can find love, a place where you can be a bastard, and a place where you can make a huge mistake and still hope to be forgiven, which is why you made that decision in the first place. Home is to be taken for granted, although people are not to be.

A Modern Spin

Falling backwards onto the bed, plugged into the newest sound,

We celebrate the comings and goings of our age.

For you let the guitar strings pluck your heart and soul,

As the beats pump the blood through ya' veins.

While, the piano sweeps from side to side caressing your brian,

All the Neurons dance to the sound from those tiny speakers.

Thoughtlessly, you open your mouth, singing along to the

Words that hold no meaning but mean everything, all at once.

Never Alone, we do this together, night after night. Passing out,

To the UpsandDowns and joys of life forever and ever.

Bojangling in Plymouth

Today is a quintessential Ryan Adams day. Dreary, misty, rain is a certainty and I know that the Sun isn’t going to come out and save me. I couldn’t sleep last night, body tired from too much, and too little, and from slipping in and out of time, and I couldn’t do anything. Sleeping in the suburban hidey-hole that my friend has crafted for his life.

So now I’m just kicking it in this coffee house, where the bathroom is painted like a tree house. Such a cool coffee house, makes me wonder what the hell is wrong with Los Angeles for not having anything so conceptually interesting yet simple, intricately crafted and at the same time so funkily bohemian. This is Plymouth, Michigan. Just chalk it up to one more thing that is wrong with Los Angeles.

I know I’ve got to go to Toronto, cause I booked housing, but I really don’t want to go anywhere or do anything. This feeling is hard to pinpoint, the effect is moodiness and the cause, I’m only half able to understand. It’s more that I really don’t want the present to propel me into the future, cause I don’t feel anything is really worth going towards. I know this moment will pass, and I’m not bummed by it, I just don’t want it and don’t want to do anything. I feel no excitement and I have no idea what might snap me out of it.

See a Ryan Adams day ain’t just about listening to Ryan Adams songs. It’s really about being locked into the mindset that so many of his songs take place in, and then his songs actually become uplifting, even the depressing ones. It’s not that I’m not excited about all the amazing things I am going to see, experience, it’s just that I can’t feel a damn thing. No Matter how much coffee I drink. It’s not that I hate all of the Los Angeles Coffee shops, it’s just that nothing is good enough when you feel like this. And even if I could muster an intention for today, I wouldn’t feel good about it, it’d just be, “meh.”

But I don’t feel too bad about this, because I know it will pass, in an hour, a day, hopefully not much longer, but it will and I’ll feel the inverse and it will be amazing. I think that’s just how it works. So just know, that right now, in this coffee house in Plymouth on a rainy Monday morning, I’m smirking.

So Close to the Sun

When you’re so close to the sun and driving high,

You don’t see that the wheels are falling off.

So Long as you keep moving you feel free,

But you can’t fight mother Earth, for her

Bountiful Clouds drown out the sky.

And I can’t slow down and I can’t see,

I want to be lifted up, taken from here,

To dissolve into the atmosphere and take my last breathe.

Where possibilities are endless because there is nothing.

Yet my old friend the sun brings me back.

He hates being alone up in these mountains,

Washing over the same rocks day after day,

So I ask him the questions of just this day:

Can there be freedom bought from this hopelessness?

And can you find something without looking for it?

And in his light I find the questions. And in his warmth,

I feel love, and his gaze I find the pain. And in his

Endlessness I find an answer.

Elizabeth, Put Down Your Bible

The waves crash down around you on this beach.

Those electric cracked, gray skies reflecting your lost dreams.

Where you’re at, is a crossroads of thought.

The sorrows set in; your next step might be your last.

Soaked in salt; your dignity lost, you approach.

Your voice is strong, but your heart is weak.

I watch you hide behind those circled blue sunglasses,

The ones that make your tears look all that more beautiful.

He left you, a single parent caring for a table of two,

But He left you a hole that you can’t fill with…

So, you’ve been cradling that Bible for 14 months now,

Your eyes run the pages, but your heart’s dropped the race.

Let the water rush over you and take up your pain,

Isn’t that why you came here in the first place?

Can you forgive yourself for the sins that you

Did not commit, but the ones he made you feel?

Oh Elizabeth, put down your bible.

Don’t let your year be measured from Romans to Romans.

Oh Elizabeth, put down your bible.

I know he broke your heart, but does he get to take your life.

Oh Elizabeth, put down your bible.

Know and take solace, for your journey is mine and we do it together.

Ameritrek Watch 2009 - Breaking News

News Night In America Jingle:

Fade to:

Good Evening America, this is John Johnston Daniels the Third, with breaking news on Ameritrek 2009. I send you to Kansas City, Missouri with our girl on the Jo Jo Rawlings.

"Hi J.J.D, I'm standing on the corner of 54th and Leavenworth Lane, where Eyewitnesses have reported spotted Will Gong jumping out of a 2001 white Ford Escort to vomit, or throw up on this lawn. The Lawn's owner had this to say:

"If I had seen him puke up on my yard, I would've come out here and shot him. Just terrible. No worse way to disrespect a man, then to disrespect his lawn."

Jo Jo continues, "I've also talked with forensic expert, Jerry Long, who had this to say:

"Uh, well, you know I've never uh, been interviewed, well, uh, you know, actually, there's really nothing here. Uh, I mean, we'll have to run a DNA test against this carrot, but that's all we've got."

Jo Jo continues, "So there you have JJD: was Will Gong here? Did he vomit on this man's lawn? And why was he in Missouri in the first place?:

Back to John,

I guess we'll have to find out and see how this all plays out Jo Jo. And now back to real news. Did you know Cell phones can give you cancer? Find out after the break.

Ameritrek: Best Sign So Far

The Coffee Shack:

Best Coffee.

Best Girls.

Best Service.

So when you're next in Northwestern Montana, you should look it up, because I was not abel to validate their points. And if you can't make it up to Glacier, you should just hit up one of the thousand Coffee Drive Thru shacks in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains!

The Lord of the Road in the Kingdom of Hay

When you’re the Lord Of the Road,
You’re always leaving something behind,

A lock of hair, a trinket, a memory, or something
Deeper that was meant to be forever.

But you can’t fight your own nature, and I feel,
I feel the rush of the wind that blows my hair gray,

The change of scenery, from mountains to sea,
And the knowledge that this life is mine, all mine.

With that said,

You can always smell it before you see it.
There is no sneaking up on me, not the hay.

The land grows flat and green, those long stalks
Beg me to stop and stroll, but before I respond,

It’s gone. The machines have ripped them out,
Rolled them up and stacked them miles wide.

He comes out to greet me, hand in the air.
The Ruler in the Kingdom of Hay.

I pay my respects; for all that he stands for,
A long life lived well and the cares of a Wife.

Her golden flowing hair blows in the wind,
And her scent fights the grass to whisper to me.

The king smiles, remembers what it’s like to be young,
And to wander the Earth before he settled on a life.

They turn from me and walk away, they’re hands entwined,
On the way home. To creature comforts and childish delights.

I see myself through his eyes, and feel his sadness,
His sameness. Too bad. That’s his life; it’s not mine.

Poems

Well, as everyone knows this trip has been something interesting, maybe something special.
So i thought I'd try to capture some of it in a way that might be more artistic, maybe lay down a
few poems that come to me through this trip. I've got two planned so far, and we'll see what comes after that.
I haven't written one in like 6 years, so this should be fun!

A Matter of Choice

Sitting in a quaint Portland Café, in the hippie/trendy neighborhood of Hawthorne I stumbled upon an intriguing idea. I stumbled like this
- Why do I live in Los Angeles? I hate Los Angeles. Okay, I don’t hate Los Angeles. There are a lot of worse places to live. But either way, why?
- Because I have to live there for work.
- Because I can’t work in the movie business anywhere else.
- Where else could I make enough money to survive.
- The battle of the back and forth between liking and hating where I live and etc, etc, etc.

But where this led me was that I have so many excuses for hating it and yet for staying, wouldn’t it be amazing to make it a conscious choice. How many of my decisions are actual powerful, conscious decisions? I don’t know.

I’ve spent a lot of time, over the last ten years, particularly between the ages of 22 and 27 talking a big game about “Going wherever the roads of life take me.” And they’ve taken me pretty far, but I think it’s easy to forget that you are the one actually making those decisions when you reach a fork in the road, you’re the one who is taking the steps. I forget that constantly, especially in my head, and I play the excuse game, which is ridiculous.

Now, I do know If I am going to continue to live in California forever, but I would rather say that I am living there because I choose to do so, rather then being like, Well, I don’t have a choice, or my work is here (and that coming off as an excuse.) I’d like all my choices to really come off more like decisions and less like I fell into it.

It just seems so much stronger to take control of my life, and really more to the point, I think it’s about damn time that I become responsible for all of my decisions; actual, real internal responsibility for all of them. There are only so many outward/external factors that can really make us do something that we don’t want to do.

We’ll always be on this road of life til the end, so until that day, I’m gonna try to remember that I am the one making the choice when I see a fork.

Ameritrek Watch 2009

News Night In America Jingle.

Fade to:

Good Evening America, This is John Johnston Daniels the Third.

In tonight's special segment on Ameritrek, we'll bring you all the relavent information on Will Gong's Trip Across AMERICA! Stay Tuned.

Commercial Break: A Skinny, Bald Asian Man walks through a room of practicing Yoga Students. His Smile is spiritual, but warm.

"I've been a Yoga teacher for five years now, some of you know me as Marisha NakaDu Kwan, but you can call me Kwan. As a yoga teacher, I can't tell you how excited I am about so many Americans picking up Yoga."

The Class moves together through a Vinyasa.

"But I'm here today to tell you that Yoga isn't safe."

A Man Cries out and reaches for her Lower back.

"You have to be in amazing shape if you want to do this."

A Woman balances solely on her head.

"And sadly most of you aren't."

Another Woman crumbles to the floor.

"This isn't to say that you will never be able to do this."

A Man holds himself in handstand as his legs fall back into scorpion.

"But most of you are going to look like this."

A Man's lays on his mat, barely conscious

"So please, keep coming, cause we love our money, and please keep buying our insanely marked up eco friendly mats, because it's good for you and it's good for the world. Namaste."

Voice Over: This public service announcement has been brought to you by the "Friends Of Rachel."

News Report Returns:

We're back, I'm John Johnston Daniels the Third. And this is Ameritrek! 2009!!!

He's been seen in Seattle, Washington smelling fruit at a Market. He's been seen in Olympic National Park, talking philosophy with a group of Germans in the Sol Duc Hot Spring, and worst of all is the picture that Paparazzi grabbed of him sneaking into a Twilight themed Gift Shop in Forks, Washington. And now it's been reported that Will Gong has been spotted driving along Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park in Montana.

What is it that Will Gong is doing up there, well that is exactly clear? Jo Jo Rawlings is in Montana.

"Hi J.J.D. According to local eye-witness witnesses, Will has been hitting up the saloons, spending thousands of dollars on girls and booze.

Another EyeWitness says and I quote, "He sleeps all day and only comes out at night, and then he runs out of that hostel he's staying at naked, and I swear I can hear him in those woods, but I really can't say what he's doing."

And a third account comes from Cody, a Physics student coming from Portland Oregon. He says, "Will Gong you say. Well, I don't know about the Gong part, but we did run across this guy, all by himself, sitting on a rock on the hike up near the chalet. Yeah, he joined our group as we headed up to the mountain pass to see the glacier. Cool Guy, except for his weird third person expressions. I don't really understand that. Oh and he worked on Pirates 3. Nobody liked that movie."

When it comes down to it, any of these could be the truth, your guess is as good as mine. Back to you John."

And there you have it. Will Gong. A Man of Mystery. What will he do next? And what is he doing right now? You be the judge.

And until next time; this is John Johnston Daniels the Third. Good Night and Buenas Noches.

Three Sunrises

1.
The phone rings, but it’s not a call, it’s an alarm. It’s 5:00 AM and freezing in this tent on a campsite on Crater Lake, Oregon. Why is the phone ringing? What time is it? Did I actually sleep? I hit snooze, blink a few times, and suddenly realize that I have to pack up, clean, and drive up to Watchman Overlook to watch the sunrise. And why didn’t I wear my longjohns to bed! SO COLD!

And after a quick cleaning in the bathroom, (God, I need to shave) and the most organized pack of my life (I stumbled into how to fold my tent, amazing!), I booked it at 25 mph up the mountainside to Wathman’s Overlook.

I kept stopping to catch each angle of the lake as the blazing flames of the sun began to sneak over the mountains. How many pictures can one man take? And then straight bolted from my car off the side of the Rim Road and up a pack of stairs and out onto the rim of the deepest and cleanest lake in the United States. You can see the sun in the sky and reflected in the water. It’s incredible.

2.
Hours later descending from the Willamette Pass Mountain, on the road to Portland, Oregon, they sky was shrouded in fog. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, whined out of my speakers. Ryan - being my choice for sad depressing morning drives, or extreme hangovers, and heartbreak of all kinds.

The roads were slow, the logging trucks and 12 wheelers were even slower. Ryan was doing his thing, while I pitifully mumbled along. And as I passed through a creek surrounded trees and thick leaves, magically sun began emerging in beams through the fog, bouncing brilliantly against the leaves. Beautiful.

There is something extremely powerful about the way that the sun breaks through the clouds, the fog, and ultimately, the darkness. Internally, I believe that this might have to do with our need, our inner hope for the hardest, darkest, deepest fears and anxieties we have to be overcome by something in the world, some blinding light that will champion for us, harkening back to the creation of Myths, Gods, and today’s Super Heroes. Or maybe it just a cool visual trick.

3.
1993
There was no way I was going to school today; I had had enough of it. The embarrassment of being a teenager and daily humiliation of myself and everyone else had driven me to complete avoidance of people. I had retreated into days of playing with the fireplace, watching the same 10 movies over and over again, and reading comic books, constantly. Oh yeah, and sometimes I went to school.

One morning, my Mom rebelled. The usual pattern was that I would stumble down the stairs and act my way into a sick day. I would be all woozy, dizzy looking, I’d warm my head by the lamplight, stir up a bunch of flem, which was easy, because I had a mild Lactose Intolerance, that I wasn’t even aware off yet.

So, given all that, one day My Mom had had enough of it. I have no idea what her reason was. Perhaps, maybe she’d had enough, was my acting not up to snuff, would I have to force a visit to the doctors? (Thank you Flem! I think I could get the world record for most Sinus Infections.) And then again, she might have been looking out for my best interest.

Whatever the reason, she’d had enough and believed that I could make it to school. So she sat me down at the kitchen table, looked me in the eye, and said “I want you to try something for me.” And I said, “Cough, what?” “ I want you to drink some coffee, and if you drink and still feel like not going to school, then that’s fine.”

This sounded like a fair deal to me. So she poured me a cup. She filled it with Vanilla Coffee Creamer. I sipped it. It tasted like Death. I was mortified. How could anyone drink this, goopy, oily, muck. I could literally see the milk and oil swirl on the top of it. I took another sip and proclaimed, “It’s Killing me!” and then I went back up stairs and pretended to sleep and read comic books.

I was 13. And maybe if I had started drinking coffee before the end of my Senior year of high school, I might not have ended up where I am today, I might have become a lawyer, a doctor, or maybe a politician, but I waited unaware of the energy, the power that was waiting to be unleashed by that small cup of black oil.

But no, it’s September 1, 2009, I’ve been posing as a Writer/Producer/Editor/Whatever in Los Angeles. I’ve lived an awesome life with some truly remarkable memories, but now I don’t know what the hell to do with it, and I’m on a road trip to “Fill in the blank.”

And I’m tired, I’ve been driving for only three hours, and I’d tried to get a latte from McDonalds, but it’s all sugar and milk, and it’s making me gag. So I pull off and search for a Coffee Shop. I’m 70 miles out of Portland, I swear I’m going to find a coffee shop, like a real coffee shop somewhere. Ten Minutes of searching lands me at Safeway’s Starbucks.

I grab an Americano, light on sugar and cream, and get back on the highway. Drinking this black oil, which is really black gold, I suddenly don’t care about all this muck in my life, all these thoughts, fears, and anxieties. Where am I going? Who am I? Fuck it.

They’re all gone, like the fog in the sky, like the dark of the night, burned from my brain, driven away by caffeine. I kick Ryan Adams off the radio and turn on Journey, “Don’ Stop Believin’”. I’m cheesy and I love it! With clear mind, I kick it into top gear, and hit the fast lane. “It’s time to get Busy up in the MOTHA! Portland meet Will Gong.”
Too Bad the Coffee wears off.

The Ameritrek Route

View AmeriTrek 2009 in a larger map

Like a Bullet through a Burning Sky

I don't have to tell you that I was ready to go, ready to leave behind Los Angeles for a few months and get away from everything I know. This "Getting Away" from everything I'd known and believed had been a big priority for me in recent times, for I felt that it was time to take a step back from my life to see what really matters and what was a real, true part of me, or what was something that had been imparted to me from society or family and was something that i might want to let go off.

This trip, which was devised over half a year ago, I realize, had been in the works for years, many things had been leading up to it. My restless nature, my dissatisfaction for parts of my life, like where I lived, like what I do, and the direction that I felt I'd been going. I'd been close to this trip, dipping my toe into the idea of it while going through Asia, but I hadn't gotten my footing under me, I didn't have clear through line then, I was wondering, unfocused, not ready. This time, I was setting the intention before I got going, and I would follow it to the end of the line, and maybe it will change, evolve as the trip goes on, but it would be there from the start.

And so I waited, I waited at work, I waited at home, I waited at the beach, although more pleasantly at the beach then at work. I half heartedly packed, shopped for goods I might want to take, but I knew that it didn't really matter what I brought, because as long as I head my head about me, I could get through any scrape. I took long walks, tried not think about anything, I played video games, because they are an excellent time killer. I started to read at least three books, anything I could do to kill the time before the trip finally began. I was like a bullet in a gun, just waiting to go off.

Excitement was an issue, excitement has always been an issue for me. I can be either manically enthused or completely unemotional, before settling into my normal go-getter state. So before Friday, when people asked me about it, I was un-enthused, I would say all the rights words, like, "oh yes, I am really excited about the trip. Can't wait." But I wouldn't give the appropriate emotion to back it up. And that wasn't necessarily the truth of it. I was excited about the trip, but it was just that I knew once it had started it would be akin to starting a new life and I didn't want to tamper, color it with possible false, unreasonable expectations, and I also didn't want to set myself for any kinds of disappointment. I felt like it would be better just to go in without expectations and be open to anything.

Of course, Friday came, and feeling it coming the next day and feeding off the excitement others had for the trip, I bounced and bounded upon the city, the streets, and stairwells with extreme glee, you know, like Tigger might. I celebrated the night of leaving with some of my closest friends and said goodbye to many others

And like the the gun that had been sitting in the cabinet, loaded and ready to go off, Saturday morning arrived and the metal crashed together, the flame was ignited, and I was shot out of city of Angels; past the fires and smoke that burned the skylines and mountain tops of the valleys; past the desert plains and signs screaming "Congress caused the Dust Bowl;" past the gas stations, Starbucks, mini-malls, and Outlets that line our better known freeways; and out of my mind and body, just a clear voice singing my freedom out to the whole world.

And that's how the trip begins.

With a Sigh of Relief

Apparently, news is filtering in that Noel Gallagher, leader, songwriter, guitar player of the rock band Oasis has finally quit the band, while on tour, killing the tour, he states that "he could not go on one more day working with Liam," his brother and singer of the band.

For those long time readers of the Will Gong Journal, I can say that you understand that I take this news with a sigh of relief, because I will never have to spend 10 more dollars on a subpar Oasis CD, again. I hope.

Oh and in other news, Rachel is indeed recovering from her dislocated knee cap. We have confirmed that she did not hurt the knee cap after class, it was after the harder section of the class, so her status as a pansy has now been dropped. Good day!

The Immortal Words of Marsellus Wallace

In the classic film "Pulp Fiction," Marsellus Wallace talks to Butch before a fight that Marsellus is paying Butch a ton of money to throw. Marsellus tells him.

"The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That's pride fucking with you. Fuck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps."

As most of you know, Butch does not throw the fight. He ACCIDENTALLY kills the other fighter and then has to escape Los Angeles, Marsellus, Zed & the Gimp. All this happens because he didn't listen to Marsellus, his pride wouldn't let him.

I think back to this quote quite a bit. Mostly because, these days, in life, I've gotten to a point where I'm really good at some things, and there are other things that I'm not good at, and the idea that people may see me in a weak position is absolutely terrifying to my EGO. And in order for my EGO to be completely satisfied it doesn't even want to be close to a potentially embarrassing situation, so I'm steered away from them by the most ridiculous excuses. I can magically just not appear places, or suddenly get sick, or freak out, or go cold, and robotic.

Ahhh.... If only Marsellus Wallace could come up to me before I'm near a potentially embarrassing situation and repeated his immortal words. Could Marsellus get through to my Pride/Ego? Could he slap some sense into him?

"Will, the night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That's pride fucking with you."

"I don't know Marsellus, I think that the fight be more painful then giving into Pride."

"Fuck Pride."

"No Marsellus, I don't think you understand. Let me break it down for you. If I go through with "the Fight," I will be embarrassed red faced. I'll lose my reputation. I'll be a laughing stock. Ya hear?"

"Pride only hurts, it never helps."

"That's easy for you to say, You like have a bajillion dollars, a hot wife, and the respect of god and the Devil. We are

just not on the same page." Marsellus shakes his head.

I guess if Marsellus can't help me, I'm just going to be strong. No Fear.

What would life be like if we weren't afraid? We'd be invincible.

Summer Movie Report 09

What a Weird Summer for Movies? Summer, year, weird. Movies, I wanted to be good, were terrible (Terminator) and movies I didn't think would be good were great (Ice Age3 really? It's probably just the 3D). Good movies made some money (District 9), bad movies made A LOT OF MONEY (Transformers.)

This summer, I have so many examples of how Audiences were smart and stayed away from really bad films, but then there's Transformers, (oh wait, I kind of enjoyed that.) So anyway, audiences on some weird subconscious level, seem to be getting smart. YAY!
I swore that I didn't see that many movies this summer, until I started looking at the list of films that came out and was reminded. I've seen SO MANY MOVIES THIS SUMMER. Anyway, lets do the rundown.

Awesomeness

1. Star Trek - Do I need to say anything else other then, I've seen it 4 times. Ugh. Science Fiction, if it's too scifi, I get turned off, but if it gets more whipcracking action pop culturally savvy, I'm all in. I just can't help it. This movie rocked! I watched all the old Star Trek films leading to this one, and there was not one I could stay awake in, not one, until I saw the new one.

I'm going to have think about my scifi street cred, because uh, I don't think I have any.

(500) Days of Summer - Awesome. You take my brain and personality. And you put it into a movie, and it probably looks something like this. I know a few people who didn't like it that much, or didn't get it, but damn if it didn't work for me. Casting a magical spell over the trials and tribulations of love and dating today. And this is all purely subjective because everyone is different, but this one was for me.

District 9 - Whoa. If you haven't seen this yet, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER. Just go to the theatre and be prepared to be blown away. Not for the faint hearted. This movie just rocks.

The Hangover - Come on. This movie had an amazing marketing campaign, and it almost lived up to it. It was HELLA funny. Was it hella good. Doesn't matter. It sacrificed goodness for awesomeness, and sometimes that's all you can ask for. I know that Los Vegas was glad this movie came out, because it reminded all the youngish to middle agish guys that they should be in Vegas. (ugh. my head already hurts.)

Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince - I thought The Hangover was the funniest movie of the year hands down, til I saw this. This damn movie had me rolling. Well made, beautiful, a little slow, but speedy towards the end. Potter films are great to see to visit their world. Yeah, they're not anywhere near as good as the books, but hey, fuck it! I'm just glad to be there and see it. No matter how much they change the story.

Up - It's pixar! But alas, the magical spell did not work on me quite as much as others. Awesome. Structurally Sound. Well made. Beautiful. But something in it left me a little cool. It's the whole father son complex thing (yeah, like my, not loving nemo thing. I'm an outkast I tell you.)

Drag Me To Hell - Totally Gross. You laugh, you cringe, you turn away, it was like Inglourious Basterds but tighter(thankgod) and made on the cheap. For anyone who loved Sam Raimi before Spider-Man, this was like a gross out love letter.

The Brothers Bloom - Funny, beautiful, well told, well acted. Such a solid movie that was not for everyone (well almost no one saw it), but really good nonetheless. Who knew that the Maker of "Brick" would create the movie that Wes Anderson just can't seem to make anymore.

Great to Enjoyable with some Reservations

Ice Age 3 - A Movie for kids, but a lot of fun nonetheless, I really wish it could be in the top tier, but it's Ice Age, I just can't. But it was sooo muchhh funnnnn...

Inglourious Basterds - Ah, Tarantino. I wish you could separate the Writer from the Director. Such a beautifully made film, but perhaps not crafted well, no oversight from anyone other than Tarantino. Too Long. Too talky. Too Lazily shaped. I mean really, do all of his films need Cards. It's LAZY! (some will say it's his style. Whatever. IT'S LAZY!)

But then again, It's amazing. AMAZINGLY Acted. AMAZINGLY shot. There are scenes in this film that blow away anything in theaters today. Like really. Without even breaking a sweat, this guy creates riveting and powerful scenes that will like haunt you for days. Ah, just if the damn connective tissue was better.

So as it is, Tarantino gets BETTER and WORSE as he continues his career.

The Hurt Locker - Some might say that the measure of a good film is it's escapist aspect, the fantasy element, leaving the theater feeling good. And then there's The Hurt Locker. For those who want to get a little deeper, but not too deep than your typical action movie. It's looks like a character study that doesn't really want to give you too much details about the character. It wants to let you fill in the blanks. But what it really is is an exploration of the very realistic idea of the ultimate adrenaline junkie in the ultimate job. But if you want to dump all that psychological crap, it will also thrill and shock and leave you on the edge of your seats.

GI Joe - Hehe. This is what Transformers 1 shoulda coulda been like, oh without Steven Spielberg to want it to have a little substance, and without Michael Bay to want it to be Bay-Riffic. Stupid, but fun as hell. Great scenes. Bad Scenes that make you laugh without taking you out of the film. Yeah, there were some missed opportunities and it's derivative as hell, but you smile the whole time.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Oh, How could such a terrible movie make so much damn money. Hmmm... let me count the ways.

1. It was enjoyable. I've been flogged so often for this statement that your picks cannot hurt me anymore.

2. Robot fighting. Good, bad, doesn't matter. We love it.

3. Hot girls. Megan Fox, and the other one with the frightening tongue. Pointless Hot Girls.

4. A consolidation of what people seemed to like from the first one. No one cared about the story of a Boy and Alien robot. Weak. So they didn't really create a story. When you have alien robots, does logic matter. Nah, fuck it. Does anyone care about anything other then Megan Fox running around. Nope. So we can just focus on nothing but... Megan Fox running around and Robots beating the crap out of each other. Oh wait, but that's like an hour of the film, okay, well add in some other shit. Bay has a bunch of great ideas for things that would be really really cool. Great, add them in. Oh, and you know people complained that it wasn't like the TV show, okay, we can steal from that too.

Adios Spielberg touches, hello more Michael Bay + More Transformers the TV show.

This was Bay's opus. His epic. This was ALL BAY, ALL THE TIME. No more then during this movie, did we see why his teaming with Jerry Bruckheimer was a good thing. Bruck cared a little about story and what the audience might want. Bay only cares about himself and his own sensibilities. This was like that scene in Being John Malkovich, when he goes into his own head.

Now as far as audiences cared, if you look at items 1, 2 &3, that was apparently more appealing then the downside of Baydom.

Side note: This movie was horrifically racist, down t its bones. It was done to be funny, and to me and many many others, some of it was funny, but it was funny to me in the same way that when you watch Borat, or any of its lets bash all cultures ilk, you laugh, but then go home feeling dirty.

Turkeys (And not in the bowling way.)

Terminator Salvation - There is a good 30 minutes in here. And they come before the mid-point. That left a lot of time for bad movie. There were some good ideas in here, then again there were some real stinkers. Did I miss Arnold? HELL YEAH!!! No one can set the Terminator tone better then he can, and this movie was bleak. It looked good, but that ain't enough. Although, it did have Sam Worthington, future star of tomorrow today in it, so i guess it wasn't that abysmal. Speaking of Abysmal ---

Time Traveler's Wife - I was bamboozled by a really good trailer. There was more emotion in the trailer, because of that damn Lifehouse Song "Broken"(99centsItunesplug) then there was in the damn short 90 minute movie. Don't see the movie. Buy the song.

No, but seriously, I really really liked the book. This movie doesn't even make me want to read the book. If I saw it without reading it, I'd be like why the hell did they make this into a movie. FOR ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO ADAPT a BOOK INTO A MOVIE, see the film and see how IT IS NOT TO BE DONE LIKE. You take a book, and you reshape it into a movie, this movie took paragraphs and dialogue and just cut and pasted it into a script. And then it was over. Story doesn't work like that! ACK! Twilight is a better movie then this!

But! in its defense. It is a beautifully shot, well acted movie.

Land of the Lost - What a bad idea for a movie? A 70's tv show no one remembers and Will Farrell comedy. Really? Universal? Someone needs to get punished for this film. When you advertise a movie to be the biggest, biggest, biggest thing ever, you have a recipe for Big Flop!

Public Enemies - I fell asleep 10 times. That's all I'm gonna say.

So that's it. That's summer. Next summer might be good, it might be bad, it will be less due to Hollywood cost cutting cause of the economy and dvd sales. But it will always be FUN!!

Keep on Truckin!

Will Gong Journal - A New Look: A New Mindset

So recently I've been thinking a whole lot about patterns and change. Patterns in my life, in my head, roads I've taken, the things I think, and whatnot. Which is probably why I blogged about schemas a little while ago. And then change, not just for change sake, but for your life's sake.
And what I've decided is that, like, we really do have control over our lives and if we can find focus we can change some of the patterns that we may start to feel like we've outgrown, or are holding us back from going towards what we need and what want. I think I've waffled on the issue depending on my mood, but I've definitely decided that we can change our patterns. Life isn't hopeless, no matter what we think. We can go after what we want, and we can let go off what isn't serving us. We just have to focus, and really, really want it, because the path of the new can be potentially painful, especially during setbacks.
I figure, I just know so many people who have broken free of painful patterns and strived for what they really needed recently. It's awesome and it's inspiring, to be reminded of the fact.

Beatles Mania 09

Hello FRIENDS!!!

Well, you know, here we are in 09 and suddenly it seems like the Beatles are IN again. At least the marketing & media of the world are making it seem so. Let me show the ways.

1. All of the Beatles music is being remastered for all music outlets.

2. The Beatles catalog will make it's way to Itunes.

3. Beatles ROCK BACK!!! Crazy!

And what inspired this little blog was that Robert Zemekis and Disney are going to remake the Yellow Submarine! (with Motion Capture, you know the weird CGI where the characters almost look human, but also have the dead eyes. DEAD EYES!)

I'm just curious Why? I mean, I guess The Beatles are big business no matter what. But the thing that I'm really curious about is if people actually care, if all the kids and humans of the world are suddenly re-listening to their music. (I know at one point I did.) And you know what, i think their rock band will be a big deal. I will try to embed the trailer below. IT IS A MUST CHECK OUT!

UPDATE: Okay it's too big to embed. :(

So here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSLLxRmR3nY

A Possible Retraction:

Voice Mail Message:

Rachel: Will, you got it all wrong. I didn't dislocate my kneecapp when the class was over, it was still going on, well, it was towards the end. I'm not an old lady... okay, I'm not that old. Sigh... Call me back!

Dear Readers,

Please stay tuned as we look into what actually happened to Rachel's knee. And at the same time, we here at the Will Gong Journal will try to find out the current condition of said knee. We all hope she's alright.

For now, good night.

AMERITREK 2009: Pre-Production Blog 2

10 Days Left! 10. 10 IN BOLD. I’m that serious.

I feel like in TV show land, Season 4 of the “Will Show”, and the “Herzog Show” have ended, and now I’m just waiting for Summer Hiatus to begin. But I STILL HAVE TO WORK!!!

Oh, and I know some of you already know this, but I’ve called the “AND” Credit on the Herzog show. (You know the Herzog Show stars, “Mark Herzog, Chris Cowen, Matt Goldberg, Jack Kney, Lindsey Bogard, Aaron Skotland, Joy Lissandrello, Jeremy Cook, Corey Reeser, Hutson Hayward, Brett Jacobson, Josh Rosenfield, Morgan Hanner, Leanne Crowley, Lauren Woods, AND WILL GONG, with Barbara & Jerry, introducing Leya Oakley. Also an incredible slew of SPECIAL GUEST STARS – YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!)

Anyway, this whole trip thing is starting to really get close. And I’ve officially booked my first Hostel. In Portland Oregon, WOO HOOO!!! And I’ve gotten AAA membership. And also I’ve emailed a few friends about when I’m going to meet up with them.

Sadly, I’ve had to cut a week from the trip. SO OFFICIALLY I COME BACK NOW on the Oct. 20. Of course, this could change if there is no work for me, and then I’ll just continue my trip, because that’s the UTAH parks section, so that ain’t going to cost too much.

This stupid Economy! I’ve also been struggling to figuring out when to stay in Hostels and when not to. And if I do stay in one, will do one of those Dorm Rooms with like 6 to 8 people in it. The last time I stayed in a Hostel was in NYC and I swore I would never do it again, and now I’m doing it in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, for sure. But you know you do what you have to do. DUDE, to stay in Chicago is EXPENSIVE!!! Expensive. And it’s not like I can camp there.

Ugh, after doing a little more research today, I can that I haven’t a clue where to stay in Denver or New Orleans. The two things that are really messing with me are, Location & Reviews.

Let’s take a closer look.

1. Location – How close to you want to be to the action? Do you want to be driving all day to just get somewhere? But if you get too close it’s too expensive. And then that really sucks. But then you know you have to consider if the neighborhood is good. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE REVIEWS.
2. Reviews – They totally suck. How the hell can you tell what place is good if like everyplace has like 3 good reviews to 1 terrible review. And most are like this!!! It’s too much for someone’s brain to try to process. And of course somebody is going to mention the dreaded BED BUGS!!!!

So I’m going to just have to use the force on this one. With so many places and so many hotels/hostels/prices/deals, choosing where to stay will be the real adventure.

August Music Update!

THE AUGUST MUSIC UPDATE:

So, I was going to write an entire Blog about The "Third Eye Blind" Conundrum, but I couldn't get around to it, so I'll touch on the subject, but also talk about some good music too.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT MY RAMBLINGS ON THIRD EYE BLIND SKIP TO THE NEXT ALL CAPPED LINE.

To Begin, Third Eye Blind has a new CD coming out on Tuesday. So, I have to ask does anybody care? NO. Yeah, it's true. I wish I did, Third Eye Blind's first CD was so solid and important to the 17-18 year old B.J. that like I always want their new music to go back there. But really, this is only their FOURTH CD in like 12 years. HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP FANS if you never put out new music. And then, you know LIKE WHY THE HELL DID I EVER LIKE THEM.

I guess here's the thing. Their First CD is really awesome and was like a big old synthesis of 90's rock, but coming at the peak and being the synthesis, you really don't have anywhere else to go, so you have to evolve and evolution can kind of be a bitch for a rock band. But you have to do something, at least right good lyrics.

So then comes their Second CD "Blue", and for anyone that has ever listened to Blue. The first half is really good, very strong, lots of great hooks, good guitar playing, interesting instrumentation and odd but relatable lyrics (It's third eye blind, you know). And then second half comes and you're like what the fuck! Is this even third eye blind? Why the hell can't I hear what he's saying. This totally sucks. IT all falls apart.

After this CD, the lead singer/songwriter, whathisface, fired his lead guitarist and co-writer, it was an EGO thing. And this EGO thing is A BIG DEAL. Because on their third CD "Out Of The Vein," is really self important, but musically SO MUCH LESS INTERESTING, like they can't create new guitar riffs or sounds, so recycling comes in. THEY RECYCLED ON THEIR THIRD CD, and is it coincidence that they fired their Lead Guitarist. Hmmm... "Out Of the Vein" Plays more like a CD that should have come out before their first CD, except for the strong feel of rock star self importance. Aparently, Whatshisname, was having a really hard time getting over Charlize Theron. Geez.

Well, next week their fourth cd comes out, it's called "Red Star." And I've heard some of the tracks and the most interesting, catchy one, is ruined by terrible lyrics, it's called "Non Dairy Creamer." I mean for christ's sake the first Line is "They Call it KFC, cause it's not really chicken, HA!" But it has that classic third eye blind guitar riff, and you really want to like it, but I don't think you can. They actually chant. "Young Gay Republicans." Where the fuck is this guy's mind.

So, I guess people will buy like One or Two of the songs on Itunes or download it illegally, and you know that kind of sucks, because I really did love that first CD.

START READING

Now, if you want to hear a really solid, well constructed, relatable rock cd, go and check out Our Lady Peace "Burn Burn." Some really good songs in their Our Lady Peace type mode. Big bold simple songwriting sung passionately, with good hooks.

Also, it came out last year, but I haven't brought it up. TV On The Radio "Dear Science." This CD is like what you'd get if MGMT were a real band. Not that they're bad, but you know until they put out their second CD they really seem like two really musically talented kids who really nailed 2 SONGS. But TV on the Radio, they're for real. They're what you'd have wanted Bloc Party to evolve into. Well, if Bloc Party was American and from New York they may have, but whatever they're Londoners. Check out "Dear Science." You won't regret it.

For those that want a little more Pop, but in a weird way, you should look up Miike Snow's self titled first CD. Their Songs sound like if you crossed Gorillaz with Peter Bjorn and John and Reading Rainbow. The First Four Songs are STELLAR!

And just for the hell of it, I'm gonna bring up The Dead Weather, another Jack White side-project. If you ever listened to the White Stripes songs where Meg sang, imagine that, but with MUCH HARDER GUITARS and a Girl that can actually sing. The guitar work here is amazing, and the songs intense, in a grungy, dundgeony kind of way. Great for, I have no idea what it's great for, but it's cool. Check out "Cut Like a Buffalo."

Well, that's it. Not bad, if ya'll have any new awesome music you'd like to share, please put it in the comment section or drop me a line, I'm always trying to be open to new music.

A Rachel Update

Readers!

I just wanted to throw it out there that our Dear Friend Rachel, has dislocated her knee cap. Please wish for her quick recovery.

Uh, I guess you probably want to know why. Well, after a Yoga Class, when she was packing up, I believe she stood up and it went POP! (That's where you cringe.) And she's been trying to take it easy ever since.

Rachel, we hope You'll back to full recovery and kicking ass soon.

Fight Club on Blu-Ray

FINALLY!!!

Daily Horoscope 8.14.09

Today's real horoscope says.

Dear Taurus,

If things start to get rough, remember that you have the ability to keep your cool. Not only is this an extremely important tool, but also it is essentially vital to maintaining any sort of stability in the situation. Keep your footing at all costs. Your Sanity Depends on it.

Now over the past few days, I've written some funny ones, but then this comes in. I would NEVER have been so dramatic to have written the "Your sanity depends on it." Crazy. Anywhoo, hopefully today isn't as dramatic as this line and that perhaps this horoscope isn't really accurate.

We. Shall. See.

Daily Horoscope 8.12.09

Dear Taurus,

Today will be filled with many mixed blessings, keep your head above water and don't let your hard luck press on your sunny disposition.

Dear Horoscope,

I don't know what to do, I'm so confused, and I just need something, something else.

Dear Taurus,

I'm not your psychologist.

Dear Horoscope,

I hate you.

Herzog Featurette Online

Hi Friends,

Here below is a little Featurette that I helped out on. What did I do? Well, I did some research, found some good soundbites, and helped find ONE of the interview subjects, my man Professor Kazerooni. And I finished, like made it look pretty, but not super pretty, someone else did that.

ANYWAY, may I present to you "The Surrogates" - The Futurist.

http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=27966

Uh, click on the link or copy and paste into browser. I would love to embed, but it's not anywhere I can embed it yet. And yeah, I know you have to sit through the stupid commercial, but still.

Daily Horoscope

Dear Taurus,

Do not be afraid, for today you will be emotionally volatile, combative, and struggle with taking orders. Stay Humble. Also, your daily routine will be thrown out of whack. Embrace it!

Dear Horoscope,

You know where you can stick you and your wisdom...

Dear Taurus,

Suck it.

Celebrity + Young Women = Naked Pictures on the Internet

Howdy Folks,

So as I sit in my bay watching the day fly by, I was again presented with the TOTALLY THRUTHFALL FACT that so many young Actresses' Singers' who are about to break out tend to take naked pictures of themselves, and then AFTER they make it big, said pictures are revealed, usually on that sleazeball Perez Hilton's website. Today it was one of the Vampire Girls from Twilight the one who plays "Alice" (no I will ot post a link to these, because that would be raw) But this seems to happen, and now the girl Ashley Greene is threatening a lawsuit, and will probably make a big deal of this, because well, she may have lost her movie career, because the BRAND of Twilight is being so carefully watched and controlled. BUT, BUT on the other hand, they could have actually leaked these pics in attempt to get more Male Viewers into Twilight. So I guess the morale is, anyone, actress or not, should probably not take Naked Pictures of themselves if they do not want it to end up on the internet. EVER.

Schemas

sche⋅ma  [skee-muh] Show IPA
–noun, plural sche⋅ma⋅ta  [skee-muh-tuh or, sometimes, skee-mah-tuh, ski-] Show IPA , sche⋅mas.
1. a diagram, plan, or scheme.
2. an underlying organizational pattern or structure; conceptual framework.
3. (in Kantian epistemology) a concept, similar to a universal but limited to phenomenal knowledge, by which an object of knowledge or an idea of pure reason may be apprehended.

Recently the conversation of schemas has been brought up and discusses along with how scary and painful it is to have them challenged and all, and I couldn't really remember a time when I was seriously on the fence about changing them in a way that was scary, but I could totally remember a few times when Rachel has called out my schemas, and you know like shattered them. For an example, see below:

One day, a long time ago.

Will says "Something incredibly stupid."

Rachel says, "Will, do you know how incredible stupid and moronic, one sided, unthoughtout, ridiculous, and in some deep down way, utterly frightening, what you have just said was."

Will says, "Uhhhhh....."

Rachel says, "Let me, uh, break it down for you, see the problem is you didn't think of this this this and this, and because you probably think this and that, and that's stupid and etc, please see above."

Will says "Schema shattered."

Will cries a little.

Rachel laughs a lot.

So, I have no choice but to wonder if it would be more painful to question my own schemas then to have Rachel or someone like her shatter them for me. I guess I'll never know.

The New Phone

I believe that a few of you, nearby know that I got a new phone recently, and I Love my new phone. I asked them to give me the best phone possibly that was not a smart phone and did not intuitively want E-Mail. And again, it's great. The ONE thing that I do not like about it, is it's uncanny ability to do things on it's own in my pocket. So I've made numerous accidental phone calls, and also activated many of it's features or had it talking to me. No Bueno. So, if I accidentally call you and you just hear muffled sounds and my voices, I apologize. Hasta!

Ameritrek 2009: Pre-Production Blog 1

With Pre-Production beginning on Ameritrek 2009, I have 25 days left to prepare for the big day. And the amount tasks required to go is daunting. Mostly because work is so hectic right now. I'm working on like 3 fracking projects right now! And just trying to get some good sleep in is hard, but you know some things need to happen, like for instance:

- Getting a good pair of sunglasses.
- Getting my Car's AC working, and getting a pretty good check up.
- Seeing GI Joe, Inglourious Bastards, District 9, and probably (500) days of Summer (again.)
- Getting a new backpacking pack (Damn Straps!)
- Figuring out my budget (this is not a feature film where you can go WAY OVER BUDGET and just not tell anybody, alternatively, I'd hate to fire myself and never beable to work again, and yeah, I know I combined be and able, but I'm just way too lazy to go back and fix it.)
- Getting a new laptop battery. (I'm getting about 20 minutes of battery power at this point.)

But, on the bright side I have a schedule now. Here's some of the highlights.

- 20 Locations in 2 months, including 12 days in the East Coast.
- Seeing many friends I have not seen in YEARS!!! (And some friends I saw last month.)
- Blog updates about the different kinds of yoga that I plan on hitting up.
- Scheduling in a good 2 or 3 hours of writing every day, and sometimes in extremely beautiful locations.
- Singing in the car at the top of my lunges, in the most beautiful locations (See the pattern.)
- Being with my Brother when he has his second child (he would probably say, showing off his new jet ski.)

Next up, I need to mail out my Calender to a few friends that might be interested in hitting up a leg or two of the trip, (if I were you I'd do the Nashville, New Orleans leg, (seriously. For Real.) )

I also have to tell my roommate that I just don't have the energy to sublet the place so he's going to have the whole apartment to himself for 2 months (there is something criminal about it, I almost want to saddle him with a 45 year old divorced male actor moving here from Wisconsin, but you know that would be spiteful, and I'm just too tired for spiteful right now.)

It's a Crazy Crazy World

So... if you were like a vampire, don't you think right now would be the best time to come out. The world loves you right now. The media loves you right now. Teenage girls LOVE you right now. And Teenage Girls kind of RULE the world, or at least that's what the media kind of believes. I mean, Titanic kind of proved that.

All I'm saying is that, if there is a secret WORLD of the Vampires, a Vampire Nation, don't you think that they are probably having internal high-level conversations about if they should reveal themselves to the world. I mean, can they stay hidden forever (well, okay they probably could.) But they should at least consider it, because now is probably their only real chance of finding some kind of acceptance. (Which would probably change, once massive amounts of Teenage Girls lined up to stay Teenage Girls forever along with their older, but equally romantic loved starved cousins and mothers, and then there would be a witch hunt to kill the vampires and the Girls/Women, and that would totally suck, because then there would be a worldwide sausage party, which nobody wants. NO BODY WANTS THAT.)

But you know, in this over-saturated Vampire world that we live in, I kind of long for the days when liking Vampires was something you did secretly, a time when it was dark and lived in the darkness, because it made you feel special, it made you feel like you weren't with the popular ones, and you weren't a loser like those people who worshipped Marilyn Manson.

But now everybody's into it. And it acceptable to everyone to dig the vampires, kind of like, but worse then the Capt Jack Sparrow, making Pirates cool, but on a whole different level, because you know, Pirates are still kind of not cool. Anyway, Thanks "Twilight."

I wonder what those loner high school students are into now? Where do they go when they want to be alone, when they want to identify with other iconic loners? Do you think they can join in with their popular, cheerleader cliques, and scream when the "New Moon" trailer plays. Do they all get in be at the party and get along, holding hands and stuff? I don't know, but I think that I don't see this ending well. We shall see.

Back from the Depths

Cough.

Cue the Dramatic Music with Japanese Taiko Drums.

Voice Over Guy, "Deep within the jungles of Los Angeles..."

Random people's voices ---

"Will, are you ever going to blog again?"

"Hey Will, why aren't you blogging? WTF?"

"Dude, whatever happened to your blog?"

"You know what, Fuck you, and your blog."

Voice Over Guy "Stood one man. Alone."

In a bar, after 5 whiskeys, Will looks out, bloodshot eyes, "I can't do it. I can't keep blogging. I've got nothing to blog about. All I think are negative things, things that would make people sad." He breaks a glass in his fist.

Cut to: Will stares at his bleeding hand in the shower, "Dammit, I keep starting a blog and it gets all negative and then I stop and erase, I CAN'T DO IT!!!" A tear is shed, but no one can see it because of the shower.

Voice Over Guy, "And day's passed, and months passed, but one day..."

Will looked out through his eyes, through his car window, and into the sky and he said, "I can blog again. I can do this."

Voice Over Guy, "Faster. Stronger. And still Crazy. Will Gong is back!"

Yup, it's true. I'm back and here to get ya'll prepped for the Crazy Trip I am planning, but more on that tomorrow.

Cough, I hope.

Awww... Hell No!!!

Look, I can understand my man Ebert not liking "Star Trek" (okay, I really can't, but that's beside the point.) BUT TO GIVE "NEXT DAY AIR" a better rating then "Star Trek" is ridiculous. RIDICULOUS!!! just saying...

Random Thoughts #17

2 Thoughts:

The No Doubt Reunion Makes me feel older then turning 29.

And I think that Nicole Kidman is starting to look like Candice Bergman. (Sorry Candice.)

Pro Basketball. I'm loving It!

Hello Friends,

As you can tell I haven't blogged much, and this has much to do with the fact that this time last year, the Wizards were getting knocked out of the first round by the Cleveland Cavs again, and I had much hating on Lebron to do. This year, the Wizards didn't make the Playoffs by a long shot and so I have not blogged.

Not that I'm protesting, but you know some times we need things like the NBA playoffs to make us Blog.

So this year, I wasn't even really interested in the playoffs until the Bull Vs. Celtics turned into a boxing match. These to teas are putting on the most intense, amazing, brutal, mind blowing series ever! They've had like 7 overtime periods in 6 games. Everyone is playing out of their mind. This is where superstars are born. This is where Rajon Rondo "RONDO!!!!" can become a star, and as one of the smallest players on the court, beat people up and not get kick'd out "HELL YEAH!!! Short Mischievous Bad Assses." Where Ben Gordon, can run around and just throw up a giant piece of crap and the ball goes in. Where the guys who no one knows are becoming legends (BIG BABY DAVIS!!! Who does HE Happen?). And Ray Allen is the Man. DUDE IS SO CLUTCH!!! Him going to Boston is like the best thing HE could have ever done for himself and for basketball.

IF, IF you don't respect Professional Sports for being a bunch of spoiled rich selfish millionaires, you should a get a tape of GAME 6 and watch these two gritty teams duke it out for Four Hours. FOUR HOURS!!! I can't wait for Game 7 on Saturday Night. Who knows what will happen? WHO KNOWS!!!

Pulling a VC

You know friends, in life we all go through some hard times, sometimes externally brought on, sometimes internally brought on. And it's hard and trying, and you wonder jeez how am I ever going to get through this. I just want it to stop. I want a new life, a new world, this old one sucks.

And at this crucial juncture point, you may be tempted to "Pull a Vince Carter."

Named after Vince Carter, because he so fabulously admitted to playing like complete shit in Toronto in order to get traded, sent out of town. This guy was loved. But he hated his town. He hated his job. He hated his team, but he definitely loved himself. Dude, betrayed his team, his friends, his fans, and then went back to being Vinsanity when he got to the Nets. I still can't believe he admitted to tanking himself. Who does that?

Anyway. When life is in the shitter, don't go to the darkside. Don't "Pull a Vince Carter." You'll be happier later, and your fans won't throw shit at you. (And yes, we do have fans, although you probably shouldn't call this to their faces, or you'll get slapped, like a lot.)

Open Letter to the Editor

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
"You do not write on your blog in weeks. I open
my Google reader this morning and see that you
have written on said blog. With some interest, I
open said blog reader and then I am sadly
disappointed in said blog. It says nothing important.
It's not funny or profound or thought inspiring or
interesting - it's just words - Boring! I stopped writing
my grant proposal and wasted 30 seconds for that.
Note to Will: a take two on writing said blog must occur
soonish.
Rachel"

EDITORIAL RESPONSE:

John Madden Retiring is a big deal. Big Deal. And now it may take me weeks to write again, because god only knows how hard it is to find something interesting to write about. Sheesh. Now I feel pressure. Thanks.

A Sad Day

No, it's not sad because I've finally decided to blog again.

It's a sad day because John Mdden has retired from broadcasting. I've been busting his chops for a few years, because his announcing skills had gone down to the point where he was almost a caricature of his old self, but I still loved the old guy.

Adios John Madden.

My Essential Album List (2009 Version)

I recently asked an Intern at work to put together a list of her essential albums, because I was curious about what a 20 year old would put down. So in all fairness, with a couple of hours set aside, I decided to work out my own list.

Putting together a list of your most essential music albums is like take a trip back through space and time. It's about finding the CD's, records, tapes that during a point in your life you could not live without, they are part of you, they help define you, and forever, no matter how embarrassing, ingrained into your DNA.

Each track, or single are the dishes that help create a meal, and when you come across a dinner where everything from the wine, to the entree, to the dessert is top notch (or riddled with delicious fat product) you remember it forever. Sadly, most dinners/records are just eh, or mass consumed and forgotten for the upcoming trip to Taco Bell.

The albums on this list are not Taco Bell albums for me, but they might be for you, which makes all list reactions exciting, curious, and intensely nerve racking, like the placing of two souls up against each other looking for some semblance of similarity. If someone doesn't get your music, then they don't know you, they only get you, and in time might understand you, but it's not that Moment when you're driving and suddenly you both hear a song that you love and it might inspire you to shout that "YOU LOVE THIS SONG" and then the other person reacts the same way, and you look at each other and you know that you are two of the same at least in that Moment.

But life moves on, and you don't forget those moments, those songs those albums, but you grow and change and so does life and so does music.

The List (2009)

- Michael Jackson - Thriller (Helped Define my childhood, )
- Billy Joel - Greatest Hits 1&2 (also helped define my childhood, Loved it in the backseat, loved it when I rediscovered it)
- Madonna - The Immaculate Collection (Songs I made my family listen to, no matter how much they hated it), Ray of Light (might be her best album, introduced my brain to all kinds of new sounds, may have led me to yoga.)
- Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl (who didn't love her back then, this CD is like a greatest hits album)
- Boys II Men - II (amazing for a teenage boy in love with everyone and I wanted to sing it to all of them)
- Jodeci - Diary of A Mad Band (I was a teenage boy in love with everyone, and I wanted to well... just listen to it.)
- Aerosmith - Get A Grip, Pump (awesome songs, awesome guitar work, awesome music videos.)
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits (One of the best greatest Hit collections of all times, powered by the Unforgettable Greatest Hits single "Mary Jane's Last Dance." (probably pointed the way to country music)
- Stone Temple Pilots - Core_ Purple (great music to get mad to, or happy to, or to pretend that you could headbang)
- The Rembrandts - L.P. (God this is embarrasing, but damnit those songs were catchy)
- Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle (I've bought this damn thing more then I have any other tape, cd, because I love it, and it had a profound effect on my development as a teenager, eventually destroyed by Shania)
- Tupac Shakur - Strictly for my Niggaz (Listening to Tupac made me feel strong. I can't really explain that.)
- Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales - (Dude, fields of gold, might have made this whole thing worth it, but really the cd takes you on this strange trip.)
- A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (wow. So smooth. The whole thing. If there was a rapper that I could totally get behind, it would be Q-Tip.)
- Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (I was really really mad at the world, and this CD captured that), The Fragile - (One of the best headphones CDs of all time, It was The Downward Spiral mixed with the Wall.)
- Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (revelatory)
- Seal - Seal 1, Seal 2 (before he was a soul singer of adult ballads, he was kind of cool and awesome and edgy, and a soul singer too.)
- Hootie & The Blowfish - Cracked Rear View (who didn't i ask you. who didn't!)
- ALL BEATLES (I disappeared from the Music world for 18 months because I had so much Beatles to digest)
- Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory, Definitely Maybe (I made it a point to hate these guys, until i couldn't. really couldn't, and today I wish I had stayed that way)
- Janet - Janet (If? Every song? If?)
- Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (those cracked people made some damn good songs.)
- Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow (Sometimes you need sheryl crow)
- U2 - Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree (I don't need to explain these)
- Shania Twain - The Woman In Me (The CD that officially said i liked Country) Come On Over (oh man...uh the perfect pop cd, maybe, the CD that made me lose all street cred, yes. All Street Cred.)
- Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind (The Soundtrack of my senior year of highschool)
- Semisonic - Feeling Strangely Fine (Time, People, Experiences, life)
- Barnaked Ladies - Rock Spectacle, Stunt (perfect cds for that time.)
- Tim McGraw - A Place In the Sun (The Rabbit Hole was always a girl)
- Go - The Movie Soundtrack (Techno? Cool.)
- Pink Floyd - The Wall, Darkside Of the Moon, Wish You Were Here (I can actually say these records changed my life. I mean REALLY changed my life.)
- Radiohead - The Bends, OK Computer (amazing. Discovered the bends way too late, but it's my favorite because it was needed when I Found it.)
- Guster - Lost and Gone Forever (bongos suck. Wait, bongos are cool!)
- The Strokes - This is It (Listening to this CD makes you feel cool, no matter who you are.)
- Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (Yes, an EMO album I could love!)
- Blink 182 - Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (The solidified their sound and their songcraft with this song for song awesome field trip through high school emotions)
- The Vines - Highly Evolved (So weird, and so cool, and so derivative, I loved it.)
- Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker, Demolition, Rock N Roll (And other stuff of his) (For years and years upon discovering all of this guys music, It was like I found someone who made music like we were on the same page, his influences, his tastes seemed to mimic mine, that is a little different now, because I think he's sober but I've found so much comfort in his music.)
- The Streets - Original Pirate Material (A revelation) A Grand Don't Come Free (another revelation)
- The Police - Very Best (Could never listen to any of their whole cds, but this was perfect.)
- Liz Phair - Liz Phair (I am universally hated, and mocked for loving this CD. Whatevs)
- Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash (YES!!!)
- Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (wow, they made the best follow up Oasis Cd that was never made. But one I could relate to, because there not conceited brits.)
- Outkast - Stankonia (Dude, it's rap for Rock fans, er, the other way around, I don't even know), Speakerboxx/The Love Below (how much did I love this before everyone else did, I made it a point to get the cds on the day they came out, loved them for a month, and then Hey Ya! killed The Love Below, but at least I still had Speakerboxx)
- Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind (the album I really love, but other Stevie work is equally powerful
- Prince - (Greatest Hits Collection 1&2) (Wait, why did I hate Prince in the 80's, oh my MOM hated him, ahhh.... this guy is AWESOME!!!, his 80's output was sick, he can play guitar, he doesn't always sing in falsetto.)
- Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
- Kanye West - The College Dropout (What's with the Teddy Bear, oh that's a joke, wait a moment, OH MY GOD THIS IS LIKE THE BEST CD EVER!!! oh man, what's with this terrible 8 minute diary entry with him and Jay-Z, boooooooooo.... excess.... booooooooo DAH!!! He's insane, and I like him much the better that way), Graduation (not as good as College Dropout track for track, but powerful and danceable, and Hennessy Drinkable.)
- Green Day - American Idiot (really? Yeah, so much better for me then anything else they made.)
- Nickel Creek - Nickel Creek (Wait, do I like bluegrass music? Wait, what is bluegrass music again? oh, it's country, wait I'm confused)
- Pete Yorn - Music for the Morning After (Nailed my mood, hopeful, pessimistic, well made.)
- Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (I got an Ipod, I danced to this album while cleaning.)
- The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow (perfect)
- Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (felt important to me, and then I realized I really liked the whole damn thing)
- We Are Scientists - With Love And Squalor (not particularly well crafted, but really strong hooks, and the lyrics are good to terrible to great)
- The Old 97's - Fight Songs, Satellite Rides, Too Far to Care (Exactly the records I needed when I found them, thank you Rachel.)
- Feist - The Reminder (wow... she's so cute... these songs are so mellow, maybe I can like music like this. love music like this)
- Rhett Miller - The Instigator (perfect pop rock songs.)
- Bon Ivor - For Emma, Forever Ago (I heard the first track and fell in love with it.)
- Zox - Line In the Sand (New, but awesome.)

AND MANY MORE, SOME FORGOTTEN, SOME UNRECORDED

Another Year, Another Jorge's Mix

Hey kids!

So every year or so, (Okay there was one point where I took almost 3 years off) I put together a Jorge's Mix CD. And the only prerequisite for a Jorge's Mix is that Jorge should like the songs. One year, I think it was Jorge's Mix 3, I put too much rap on it and he didn't like it, and I had to make some changes.

Anyway, This morning I began work on Jorge's Mix X (not 10, because well my numbering for these things is all messed up, and would probably need a total retcon at some point).

And I worked furiously, and I think it's done.

It's funny. I think this is the most Electronicy of them since the first one. But this one also kind of has the most Retro-80's synth music attached to it. And it also might be one of the darkest in tone and lyrics, uh, but you don't actually have to listen to the lyrics and you can just ride the wave of sounds. Anywho,I Like the shit out of it. So whatev's. If anyone wants one just give a hoot and I'll send you a CD.

Jorge's Mix X - All My Friends

Featuring Songs from ---
Bloc Party
Madonna
LCD Soundsystem
MGMT
Lady Gaga
M83
Phoenix
And other fabulous Artists you've never heard of... uh like Kanye West (right. Like no one's ever heard of him, fricken sellout Will)

Damn.

So Today, I was ichatting someone and could not remember how to spell

soiree

So I googled what I thought might be the spelling but kind of thought it was totally wrong. I typed in

Swaray

And then the first hit was Urban Dictionary. And it said this:

1. swaray
How stupid people spell soiree.

Random Quotes#14

AFTER SEEING the film "The Watchmen", Rachel remarked:

Oh my god, I would have rather stayed home and dealt with the smell of a skunk spray under the house, our toilet did not working, and having no electricity then watch "The Watchmen." I've lost three hours of my life.

Right On#02: No Line on the Horizon-Review

A little perspective.

There are few revelations when in it comes to music. Moments of clarity. A few for me.

- Realizing that The Beatles sang ALL of those songs. (And in less then 10 years)
- That I loved Rap Music.
- That if I actually like Country Music for reasons more then that Hot Girls liked it too. (I’m still bitter about this.)
- That Prince was kind of important and that I really should’ve back him in the 80’s other then that other guy. (I was a kid. Okay. I didn’t really understand Michael Jackson.)
- And this is the important one for the blog. When I was like 15, I figured out that the same people who sang “Mysterious Ways” also sang, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”.

After realizing that U2 was U2, I did some back tracking. There were albums that I liked most of them and their albums where their were 2 or 3 awesome songs and bunch of ehhhh… But I did realize that they were kind of awesome and special, but you know also that I kind of missed the WORLD WIDE LOVING U2 bandwagon. I mean they had already put out Zooropa, been through the most of their rockstar excess, and would soon put out Pop. So a lot of hating had started.

So I’ve only been able to really get excited about some of their least Awesome Cds. And after How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, I was kind of like, ok, good stuff guys, but please next time, make a real album. Not just a CD, front loaded with some good singles, or crap about peace and some not so great songs at the end.

I mean it really is The Joshua Tree’s fault. They were following the formula of that album, without recreating a whole cd of great songs. So be it.

No Line On The Horizon takes a lot of steps in the right direction. And it takes a few in the wrong direction. It’s nowhere near the Masterpiece a few reviews have called it, but it’s not a terrible blunder of crap that some have called it. And the biggest problem in most cases is that you really can’t compare it to their other work.

I mean, I mean this in the least abrasive way possible, they kind of are our generations Beatles. (Radiohead, could also claim this, but really, they don’t give a shit enough about what people think of their music to really qualify,) And we’ve kind of entered the period that the Beatles never got to, because they broke up. So basically, we’re in the 70’s solo years. And this album feels that way.

It’s not a greatest hits album. It’s not a pastiche, but it’s like on some songs they’ve decided to revisit certain interests and other songs they hit up some other interests and in the middle, they dumped a bunch of songs they hoped could be rock radio hits (which they probably won’t be, but I never really liked “The Sweetest Thing.” So what the F do I know.)

So let’s review. And I’m not going to compare it to their other work. I’m going to go at it like if I was like 12 or something, or a Killers fan. (which is really an impossible task, because you either Like U2 or not, and if you are the kind of person to like them, you probably really like them and their songs, whatever.)

Things I liked.

- I liked how much of the theme was being lost in your world and how you need to feel. But sometimes it’s hard to feel anything.
- I also liked how much of the album was about letting go, not fighting and breathing, which are very yoga like concepts. Live in the Moment.
- I liked all of the minute long intros to the songs. They kind of wash over and then all of the sudden the song kicks in, and you’re like HELL YEAH. (In a kind of mellow Hell Yeah way.)
- I like that it really is a head phones album, but that it also works when you’re driving, especially if the weather sucks, or you’re depressed.
- Liked that they didn’t fear failing on some of these songs, or tried to write some of the lyrics with character.
- You actually might be able to do yoga to this cd and not feel bad about it.
- Much of it is weird.
- I liked how they didn’t front load the cd with the best songs. Means I’ll listen to the whole thing more.

Songs I liked.

- “Magnificent” Really Good Song. Gets you really into the album in a way that “No Line On the Horizon,” kind of doesn’t. I mean it kind of is pretty standard U2 music. But it’s really well done. “
- “Breathe” – Wow. U2 makes a song that tells you to Breathe, and live, because that’s the most important thing, it’s like “Beautiful Day” but about something else. But the verses are really dense, but it works and he says “joojoo man, joojoo man.” It’s great. Great singalong.
- “White as Snow” Simple, Pretty, Deep lyrics that don’t feel like Bono tried too hard. Not the kind of song that you expect from U2. It’s like a lot of those not so great songs at the end of All That You Can’t Leave Behind, or How to Dismantle, they finally figured out a way to make them work with this song. But it’s a grower.
- “Unknown Caller” I thought I was going to hate this song, with it’s weird Computer terminology shouts during the chorus. The thing is if you just get used to it, there is a lot of awesomeness to appreciate. And damn if the opening doesn’t lead up to a pretty great song that nails it and is pretty inspiring. And a great singalong.
- “Moment Of Surrender” The idea might be better then the song. It’s kind of slow, and dark. But the lyrics are good. And again, when you’re depressed you’re there with Bono and it works.

Things I didn’t like.
Some of those lyrics that give the songs character are terrible. (“Get On Your Boots.”
- That you can really feel the differences between the quality of the recordings. I know they recorded this in many places, but dammit there needs to be some sound quality consistency. It’s not that any of it is bad, but in the middle, suddenly the Open Sound texture earphone space is shut down for a WALL OF SOUND attack, squeezed compressed feel, and then it goes back to open sound.
- The BABY BABY BABY middle eight of “I’ll go Crazy if I don’t go Crazy Tonight.” It kind of screws the song up, and the chorus never really reaches the point the lyrics want to take it, but it’s a happy song, so I don’t dislike it.
- Again they did not nail the sequencing of the CD.

Songs I didn’t like.

- “Get On Your Boots”. It’s really the worst song on the album, thank god. There really is not a whole lot of change up in the song. The chorus sucks. But it’s ok background music, and I do like the Meet Me In the Sound bit at the end.
- “Fez- Being Born”. This is not really a song. It’s more like the B-side of a single or a 5 minute Outro to another song. (But it’s alright for like background.)

The Others in order of liking to ehhhhh…kind of liking.

- “No Line On the Horizon.” Good Beat. Nice Moments. Chorus breezes in a way I do like. Pretty good. Just don’t love.
- “I’ll crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight.” Damn it. It’s a happy song. Just not as awesome as it could be. Kind of seems like a sellout single.
- “Ceders of Lebanon.” Not bad. But not memorable. Kind of a solemn close to an album.
- “Stand Up Comedy.” Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t.

OVERALL WRAP:

I really like more of the songs then the ones that I don’t like or don’t care for. And that’s kind of a big deal. It’s better then their last two albums and might be as good as Pop and Zooropa. I think I like this CD more then Coldplay’s. But I might not. And I’m kind of okay with that. Because no matter what Coldplay does they don’t inspire. They don’t make one of my shit days a little better. I don’t hear their songs and say, yeah, Chris Martin is really speaking to me. And that’s what U2 can do. And on this album they’re really doing that. So it’s special.