Beirut Song of the Weekend

There are very few qualities about myself that I find interesting. Like at all. I find most of my life to be mind-numbingly boring. Mostly because I've lived it. I guess. Or something. Anyhoo, one of the few things that I do find interesting or "cool" about me is my memory. Like I pretty much actually remember everything that has happened to me while sober. Ok, not totally everything. But at least a good 70%. My sister seems to think that I have an Eidetic memory. Which I don't totally believe. But, hey, anything that compares me favorably with Matthew Gray Gubler I'll take.

Anyhoo, this may seem like a great thing. And for the most part, it is. It helps me at work. It helped me even more when I was in sales. Hell, it helps in remembering random stuff, like Wonderbear3000's love for Toto's "Africa". But for the most part, it's a burden.

For example. Let's say I was dating someone. You know, ever^sd. And I forget something. Like the anniversary of our first kiss. Or the first time we made out. Or something random like that. I'd get grief for it. And deservedly so. I'm the one running around telling random people I remember everything.

That's a kinda hypothetical stretch though. That would never happen.

Ok. Let's try this. What if your cousin, who was also one of your best friends died? Like unexpectedly? I mean, sure, most people would remember that. Maybe even most of them would remember the exact date. Or how they heard. Or where they were.

Me on the other hand, I remember all of that. I remember vividly. And I remember it every year on the day it happened as if it was happening all over again. August 20th, by far, is the worst day in my life. Well, it used to be at least. But I'll get back to that last point.

I didn't go to Ron's funeral. I was at school, it started like 3 days later^sd2. And I wasn't coming home for it. Because I prefer remember people like the last time I saw them. And if I went to the funeral, the last time I would've saw him would've been dead. And I don't want to remember him like that.

What I do remember most about Ron, if I had to pick out one specific time. One specific moment is listening to this song with him for like the first, or maybe 50th time. I don't know. I do remember that I just got back from a program at Kenyon like two weeks before, I had to actually go to school at Kenyon like 5 weeks later, and we were just hanging out, driving around the streets of Cleveland. We were listening to "We Are the Streets" and we were stopped outside some random friend of his', and this song came on. It was lightly raining, and for some reason, we started dancing. I remember for some reason someone brought up the line about the Air Force Ones with yellow checks.

It was a great day. Restropectively, one of the best times we spent together, actually.

Anyhoo, "Fuck You" by The LOX has, subsequently, become one of my favorite songs ever. Like to the point in which if I ever run for election, I want it to play when I win. Hell, the term "Fuck you" is probably my favorite thing to say ever. And I'm not sure if the two are connected.

But back to what I was saying earlier. I know that for a while this day and subject, and other days and subjects were days and subjects that I was horrible about. Like overly emotional and otherwise intolerable. But you see, today, 9 years later, I did a wonderfully good and probably stupid thing. And because of this a) I learned that on some things I just need to move on. and b) that I will not have any opportunity to have any fun ever outside of State games besides this blog.

I know I haven't been writing, or doing much of anything w/r/t cofabg, OMWD, "2160 Fulton" and "Attack of the Moving Bush". It seems as though I've been on a little break. Worrying about, you know, my personal life. Whether or not i should look for a new job. Breaks are good. It's not a bad idea to take a break every now and then. I mean, this isn't the easiest thing to do. Write something. Put some thing of yourself into something so public, so all can see. But it's probably something I need to do more often.

So I'm telling you like this. Break's over. I start getting more awesome on Monday. Or thereabouts.

Also: sorry about the youtube. Hopefully, I'll fix the grooveshark thing, and change this later.

Also: there might be some profanity in these lyrics. Just sayin'

Fuck You
The LOX
We are the Streets

Today's BSOW, which I'm like 85% sure I've done before but am too lazy to check, is "Your Hand In Mine" by Explosions in the Sky. For two, very good reasons.

1) It is Frakking Awesome.

2) It is the beginning of "FNL" here in the Mind of a ditriech.

Ok. Let me explain the latter point.

I have a bunch of weird rules, traditions and shit that I do because I'm not normal. Like at all. Most of them revolve around football, predominately Ohio State football now.^sd. One of these traditions, that I'm pretty sure no one knew of before like now^sd2 is FNL.

It's simple enough really, Basically, starting with the first Friday of August (i.e. today) I watch FNL every Friday until the collegiate football season is over if at all humanely possible. This is, actually, quite normal for me so far. The insane part started about 2 or 3 years ago when I decided that just watching the movie wasn't enough. I had to make a drinking game out of it. This too, isn't all that odd. The worst part is that I made a drinking fantasy game.

That I play by myself.

For like 16 weeks.

Well, technically 15. The first week is like a preseason to get me used to drinking Miller Lite again.

...

At home that is^sd4

But yeah, in case you were wondering the rules go like this:

Points are only counted during the 30 minutes pregame before you are watching FNL^sd3, during the movie itself and for an hour after, but only if a) you don't immediately watch something else and b) you play at least three songs from the sdtk while drinking.

...

I know

Continuing: each 12 oz can/bottle of Miller Lite is 5 points.

Each 12 oz can/bottle of Miller High Life is worth 4.5 points

Each 12 oz can/bottle of MGD is worth 4 points

Each 12 oz can of The Beast is worth 3.5 points.

For each 24 oz you drink, you add 1 point to the score. For each 40 oz, 2 points. For each 22 oz, add 0.8 points.

Highest point total after The Game wins. Low man has to buy the high man a beer.

It's fun. I'll be updating throughout the year via twitter.

Explosions in the Sky
Your Hand in Mine
The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place/Friday Night Lights sdtk

Ok, so.

I can’t sleep. Like ever. I have pretty severe sleeping problems. Always have. This is part of the reason why I love Fight Club. Because it makes total sense to me. I mean, fighting (natch)  insomnia, chewing Valerian root-these are all things that I capital “I” Indentify with.

This is how the Griz and I first became acquainted I guess.

Unremembered to most people beside MRWAD^sd Griz and I had a group. It was basically just us. We were called “The Insomniacs”. By, you know, us. And really no one else. But we did “vandalize” other people’s whiteboards by writing things like “THE INSOMINIACS ARE HERE” and shit like that on them.

I guess what I’m saying is, actually, I’ve been an asshole for a while now.

But then again, you knew that.

Anyhoo, the band known as “Chicago” after the great...uh. City. Or something. I’m to lazy to research this. But! They made this one song called “Saturday in the Park” and someone thought that I might like it. I did. Then, they suggested “25 or 6 to 4”. Which, obviously, I loved too. So I listened to it a lot. Then I stopped for a while. Because that’s how I am with music.

This is all going to come together^sd2 I promise.

Also, when I was 14, like everyone else, I fell in love with Green Day^sd3.

No-not love love. But I really liked listening to their songs. So of course “Brain Stew” came across my radar at some point in time. And, naturally, so did “Jaded”, Because, you know, how hard it is to hear “Brain Stew” without hearing “Jaded”?

But here’s the kicker. “Brain Stew” and “25 or 6 to 4” are the same song

Well, maybe.

It’s totally possible that “25 or 6 to 4” is not a reference to not being able to sleep at 0335 (or 0336) while trying to write a song. It could be about banging a whore.

...

Oh, come on now. Don’t get all PC on me. If you use Cockney rhyming slang 25 or 6 to 4 clearly rhymes with whore. So it could be about banging whores. You never know.

But at face value at least, these songs are the same. Both are about being awake. Not being able to sleep. Similar theories in similar songs.

And by “similar” I mean “HOLY SHIT THE BASSLINE IS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME”.

That kind of similar.

I mean, i found out by happy coincidence that my iTunes playlist played these two songs relatively close to each other. And now, as it should, it hurts to hear “25 or 6 to 4” without hearing its cousin (brother?) of “Brain Stew” after it.

And we all know “Brain Stew” is best followed by a rousing rendition of “Jaded”. Which, naturally, followed by the crippling fact that you are no long 14. Welcome to real life asshole.

Anyhoo, here they are.

I have a friend who plays guitar. Well, actually, I have a lot of friends^sd who play guitar. But! He's the only one that I know that actually like plays in front of people. Normally, that is. Last week, he had a show and only three people showed up. Including me and his girlfriend. Luckily, it was on a day I absolutely needed to drink. But that's not the point^sd2. There were only three people there. So, he got to basically do whatever songs he wanted. So, of course, he chose some originals. One of the songs was a breakup song. But, what he said was "Hey [ditriech] you'll like this, it's a breakup song".

Now, I did like the song. But the greater question is why do I like breakup songs. Because I honestly do. And it's weird. I mean I've never had a bad breakup for me^sd3 so there's no way that I can Identify with these songs. Though, to be honest, some of the crushes that I've had might have completely skewed my views on what a relationship can and should be^sd4. This is all possible. But I don't think it is the cause of my love for breakup songs.

Whatever the cause is, breakup songs resonate with me and, if you put me in a corner, with a gun to my head, I'd probably say that its for pretty much the same reason why I love Grunge music. There are few instances in which you (or, you know, the artist) are emoting so much. I mean, it's definitely more evident in breakup songs than love songs to me. Partially, because breaking up is the most public private thing that most people do.^sd5. Actually, that's mostly the reason. Because after you break up, you are really able to let all of your feelings about the relationship go. Or something.

Anyhoo, this week's BSOW is "Think Twice" by Eve 6. Which, is probably a breakup song. I don't know. I'm just a blogger. Taking about relationships I don't have.

Nevertheless!

"Think Twice" is frakking awesome. It is, at any given time, one of my top 5 favorite songs. Because it is so good. And, actually, it's not about the lyrics. It is about (mainly) the guitar play. And the music. Because, woo-oo, I will listen to it. Especially if it is this song. So you should. So that I can not be alone in my love for this song.

Think Twice
Eve 6
It's All in Your Head

I am not an excitable person by nature. I'm just not. When I was in school I never got excited about good grades^sd1. I wasn't excited when I was named a starter for the first time. Nor, actually, about sex in general. This is more ore less because I figured these things were more or less inevitabilities. They were going to happen sometime or another. To me, it was like getting excited that you fell asleep or something. Not a big deal. So when I get excited about something, you can pretty much bet that it's important. Or, you know, at least important to me.

What may or may not shock you is the fact that I am familiar with the inside of many bars. In fact, one could go so far as to say that I "love" bars and the "drinking atmosphere that is created within a bar as to make one seem like he isn't such a big alcoholic". Theoretically. That being said, I've become accustomed to the typical music that is played in these establishments. And, in general I don't like it. This is probably due to the fact that I stopped listening to the radio a while. So I really don't understand the music the kids are listening to nowadays. However, every once in a the jukebox or the DJ or whatever will play a song that interest me. But, the only song that actually gets me excited in a bar is "Smells Like Teen Spirit"^sd2.

I know that this might seem like a bit of a cop out as a BSOW pick. Mostly because I'm pretty sure that I've used it as a BSOW or S!O!TW! at some point in time before. Also, because it seems to be too easy. It's probably Nirvana's most mainstream and popular song^sd3. And, this is true. With a gun to my head, it probably not even my favorite Nirvana song. Though, if you do have a gun to my head, you should hope that I don't have one as well. I mean, uh, my favorite song would probably be "About a Girl". But, seeing as it is their most mainstream song, it is also the song that is most likely to be played in bars. So there you go. Also, I meant to write this BSOW for the first week of the season. But then, then I thought that I should save this for the beginning of the Big Ten season. Or something^sd4.

^{Nirvana
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nevermind}

Let's pretend like there is a serious room. A room that, no matter what you had to be serious in. If someone were to place me in this room and ask seriously what I want to be when I grow up^sd1 there'd be a few answers, to be honest. But the one that that would be most true^sd2 would be that I want to be an overnight radio host.

For various reasons, when I was younger I listened to a lot of sports talk radio. I mean to the point in which I used to call into shows and voice my opinion. This started at about the age of 11, or whatever sixth grade is^sd3 and continued well into my teenage years. It got to the point in which I was unable to sleep without listening to sports radio. Then, due to a Snickettish turn in my life I was unable to sleep. Well, sleep much. And, seeing as my radio was already tuned to sports radio, I got the chance to listen to the overnight radio hosts.

These guys, at first "The Regular Guys" on Sports Byline I believe, then when WKNR switched over to ESPN radio for its late nights Todd Wright during the week and Bob Valvano^sd4 on the weekends. And because of these guys, I fell in love with the idea of doing radio. For someone who regularly cannot sleep, like ever, to be able to sit up all night and talk about sports with people around the country seemed like the perfect job.

Now, I know you're asking what this has to do with Beirut, Songs, or Weekends. Well, Bob Valvano is the weekend overnight host for ESPN Radio (still!) so there's that. But one of the songs he played as a bumper was "Cha Cha Cha d'Amor" by Dean Martin. And I fell in love with it. But couldn't figure out how^sd5 to find this song. One day, however, I was listening to satellite radio^sd6 and I heard it. The song. And then played it. A lot.

Dean Martin
Cha Cha Cha d'Amor

Cha, Cha, Cha, DAmour - Dean Martin

ED NOTE: this week's BSOW is just turrable

I know I've gone on record before with this but I don't dance. Like at all^sd1. I just am too self-conscious^sd2 to even attempt to dance while sober and in front of other people. But it is important to this story. Obliquely, at least

Anyhoo, back in college, I had a crush on this girl who we'll call Serena^sd3. For like a while^sd4. In contrast to the rest of my crushes during this era^sd5, I rarely saw Serena. I mean, we had maybe a couple of classes together early, and of course in the dining halls every now and again. But she seemed like she was rarely around.

Fast Forward to 2005, after a series of (extremely unlikely events that led to me to hanging out at the Beta Acland semi-regularly^sd6. I was there one night during Senior week hanging out, and for some reason the conversation turned to Serena. It seemed as though everyone else there had the same general feeling about her: that she was comely, but unattainable. She just didn't--or wouldn't-- talk to anyone on campus. After a while, and with enormous amounts of liquid courage I^sd7 decided to go next door (which, conveniently, is where she lived) and talk to her. So we knocked on the door and her sister answered. Being that I was drunk (and that it was like 4 years ago now I don't remember what I talked with her about), I do remember that I told her who I was, and that I wanted to talk to Serena, who she said was upstairs asleep. Or something. I then told her about how I had a crush on Serena for like 3 years, yet was scared to tell her for numerous reasons^sd8. The primary one being that I was afraid she wouldn't remember me. After chatting for about 2 or 3 minutes, I turned to leave.

As I was walking back to the Acland, Serena said "I remember you Alan^sd9." So we talked for a while, I'm pretty sure I told her I had a crush on her then I left and went home or to drink more or something. Actually, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Anyhoo, the next night was "80s dance party night" and "Midnight Breakfast" . Seeing as I don't dance, I went for the breakfast option. Because bacon and hash browns are good at any time of day. But especially at like midnight. But, because I have a crippling addiction to 80s Power Pop^sd10 I went upstairs to listen for a while. And, because there wouldn't actually be a point in telling you this if it was otherwise, Serena was there. We look at each other. I went over to talk to her for a while (while, natch, this song was playing), and then I left to go play Kings.

Not the most exciting story in the world, I know, but it is the reason why this song is in my head every three months or so.

Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money (f. Ronnie Spector)

Eddie Money (f. Ronnie Spector)
Take Me Home Tonight
Can't Hold Back

One of my favorite movies of all time is "Friday Night Lights". This, actually, makes complete sense to pretty much everyone. However, I don't love the movie because its about football in general or high school in particular. Nor because it has Connie Britton^sd1 in it, though normally either one of those would do it for me. FNL: The Movie, is about perfection. Which makes it right up my alley.

I don't know if anyone knows this but attempting to be perfect is the thing that gets me to do, well anything. It's the only thing that makes me try new things^sd2. Perfection is pretty much the goal in everything I do. Naturally I fail almost all the time. But that's not the point. The point is to try to be perfect each and every time you do something.

But what is perfection? Well, Coach Gaines defines it by saying:

Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There want one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect.

And I think that's a pretty good example of what personal perfection is. Perfection can also be when everything seemly comes together in a strange confluence of instances that can't really be explained or repeated.^sd3

Why am I talking about perfection all of a sudden? In a BSOW no less.

Because this week's song is frakking perfect.

I mean it. It's my favorite song in the history of songs. For a multitude of reasons. Mostly because it's just happy. Seriously. I mean, it makes me get up (or want to get up) and dance. And I can't dance^sd4. The beauty of this song cannot really be explained. It just has to be experienced

Postcards From Italy - Beirut

Postcards From Italy
Beirut
Gulag Orkestar

The first time I heard this song, I was drunk^sd1. In fact, I was drunk and at my favorite bar (so far) in the DC area. The coworker I was with went over to the jukebox and said, "This is the music I used to listen to when I was in high school just high out of my mind^sd2." He told me the name of it (as-no kidding- a large portion of the bar sang along with the song) but I didn't remember it. This was like May of last year. I knew it was Pink Floyd and that's about it. About a week or two later I downloaded every Pink Floyd song I could, trying to play the songs and hopefully remember what it was. No joy.

About a month ago, I was at work (at a different job) and another (much younger than the previous) coworker had this song on his iPod. And I was able to download it^sd3, and fall in love with the song all over again.

Anyhoo, I think DFW said it best^sd4:

This had been one of Hal's deepest and most pregnant abstractions, one he'd come up with once while getting secretly high in the Pump Room. That we're all lonely for something we don't know we're lonely for. How else to explain the curious feeling that he goes around feeling like he misses somebody he's never even met? Without the univer­salizing abstraction, the feeling would make no sense.

Missing someone or something is a feeling that is universally understood. We have all missed things at various points in our lives. Hell, that's what nostalgia is: missing something that happened in the past. And this song normally makes me feel nostalgic. Makes me think of times that I've had in the past. The joy and laughter. The pain and the tears.

This song is dedicated to the college football season. Hurry the fuck up will you?

I mean, seriously.

Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here

I've spoke before about earworms. This we know. We also know that I have exceptionally odd musical tastes. We deal with this and move on. Or, you know, at least I do. Anyhoo, on my pilgrimage to the Last Great Vestige of Civilization^sd1, the local radio stations could not stop playing this song. Though, I guess a large part of that was the nature of terrestrial radio. And, seeing as I have such a malleable mind^sd2 I could not get this song out my head.