Ten years ago, part one

The other day I stopped by the place of my first employment, the Big K[mart]. I was sixteen when my parents decided that I needed a job, so I applied at numerous big box stores [was really hoping for Best Buy]. The Big K had just opened [December of ninety-seven] and was hiring a ton of people, perhaps too many people. I was immediately hired as a cashier, but I spent the first few months of work rounding up shopping carts in the snow, mopping up dropped slushies and cleaning restrooms. It sucked. I managed to survive the February-retail-slowdown-cuts and get placed on a register. I lasted there most of that year, and ended up chatting with the toy and seasonal manager who talked me into working for her.

Working in the toy department may sound like some joyous thing to some of you, but I can assure you that it isn't. Consider that hordes of children are wandering through the aisles all hours of the day, picking up toy after toy and putting them down where they don't belong. Not to mention adults who are doing the same, especially in regards to collectibles such as Hot Wheels. In terms of retail, it's a fairly difficult department to keep up with.

I ended up staying at the Big K, and in that department, off and on until the summer of two-K. I grew fairly close to my manager, and together we kept the toy department running smoothly - we worked remarkably well as a team. In my first full year of employment, ninety-eight, I was awarded part-time employee of the year. I'm still amazed by that, and still think it to be quite an accomplishment considering that I was just seventeen. I developed a lot of people skills there, not to mention learning to endure in frustrating work environments [retail is not for everyone]. I understand what it's like in that sort of place, and that's partly why I treat retail workers kindly, because I know how tough it can be and how they are often treated quite poorly.

Thinking about this brought back a lot of memories and feelings. It provoked this thought, which I shall leave you with: I'm not sure that I will ever truly feel like an adult while living so near to where I have grown up. Do you resonate with that? Do you disagree? Please, discuss. you have my love.

The track of a storm

Since I've stopped posting on xanga I've missed updating my "currently..." list, so I thought I would dedicate a post to what I have been listening to, reading, etc. Enjoy.

Reading
- A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens, I've spent way too long on this book, I'm hoping to finish it within the next few weeks. I just got to the last third of the book, so my hopes should be fulfilled. Yeah?
- next? Maybe the Bowerman biography, or perhaps the Alice in Wonderland books.

Listening to
- Mason Jennings, In the Ever. I really like this album, good folk, fun songs.
- My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges. Also an album that I really like. Diverse songs, I feel like I'm listening to the Allman Brothers on some songs, I've had to make myself take a break from it this past week.
- Beirut, Gulag Orkestar and The Flying Club Cup. When I first heard this at a friend's house I thought it was Andrew Bird. Not exactly Bird, but still very good music.
- The New Pornographers, Twin Cinema and The Challengers. When I get bored listening to folkier music I plug this or Vampire Weekend in. Quality indie pop rock.
- Vampire Weekend. Also quality indie pop rock, I could listen to the first six songs all weekend long.
- The Current, a Minnesota Public Radio station that plays a variety of indie rock, and you get to listen to it live via the world wide interweb. My only qualm is that I can't listen to it in my car.

Watching
- Bella. I was told that it was a "chick flick", not so. A touching story, told really well, filmed really well and acted really well.
- Eagle vs. Shark. You have to get past the Napoleon Dynamitesque characters, and when you do you find a good film and a sweet story. Unlike NapDyn you come to understand, to some degree, why the characters act the way they do.
- The Snuggler @ Adult Swim video [and part two]. Watch it and laugh. Also search the videos for "Dr Steve" dummy!
- The Euro Cup. Man, Porto blew it. I think the Netherlands have the best chance now.

Playing
- Perfect Dark. We busted out the N64, it's old skool fun.
- Mario Kart on N64.
- Super Smash Bros. on N64. I never really played this game until lately, it mostly consists of me being Pikachu and being annoying to the guys who are actually good at the game.

That's it. Let me know what you've been listening to, reading, etc. Also, for those that are keeping track: I ran a little over four miles this morning and my knee feels fine. Let's hope it stays that way. you have my love.

The Weez

I'll admit it, I bought the new Weezer album. I've bought all of their albums but the Green album, a copy of which was given to me. And I have to say that I'm fairly disappointed with the Red album. The first four or five songs are fun and decent, but the rest of the album is... odd? Something like that. After listening to it a few times I decided to listen to Pinkerton instead. After five or so listens to that album over the next few days, I decided that after years of loving Pinkerton it was time to name it as one of my top five albums. It's a great, great album, musically, lyrically, it's full of raw emotions and there are fun songs and sad songs. And it truly is sexual frustration converted into musical form. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but it's true.

In listening to both albums, as well as bits of Green and Blue, I developed a bit of a theory regarding Weezer. If you aren't aware of the history of their albums, it is thus: Blue was hugely popular and put them on the map - pop rock at it's best, Pinkerton is waaay different and was immediately criticized and has sold very poorly, but eventually it was embraced as a classic [see Rolling Stone's flipflop on it], Green was a return to pop rock and decently, Maladroit, Make Believe and the Red album have been given increasingly worsening reviews.

My theory: Rivers Cuomo poured a lot of raw emotion into Pinkerton, and it was immediately rejected by everyone who expected something much more like the Blue album. After that Rivers went into depression, the band barely stuck together, and the bassist left the band. Is it any wonder that they returned to the world of pop rock and, seemingly, have left all depth and emotion out of all albums since then? It's like someone getting left at the alter and then never taking another relationship seriously. And after Pinkerton was rightfully embraced as the great album that it is, many people want that raw emotion in their albums, but the band, being scared to be rejected again, refuses to comply. Who knows, maybe we'll see some brilliance in the latter Weezer albums years from now. But until then I accept their reluctance and will continue to love Pinkerton.

Weezer-talk aside, life is good. I passed my management class with flying colors, and my second summer class starts tomorrow. I've managed to avoid the floods and tornadoes that have taken up residence in Iowa, though I'm still hoping that the warehouse is somehow destroyed by some natural disaster [though not while I'm in it]. I've been running here and there, but still feeling knee pain - I'm hoping that changes soon. I went to the NCAA track and field championships, which was awesome, so much fun. I can't wait until the twenty-ten USA track and field championships. That will kick ass. Also, watched the movie "Eagle vs. Shark" today, and loved it. Go rent it, right after you but a copy of Pinkerton. you have my love.

Bike Gang

As noted in the previous post, here are the lyrics to my spontaneous song I sing when riding bikes with my roommates. The song is loosely to the tune of the "McGruber" theme song.

look out we're coming down the street
maybe running a red light
bike gang
we're gonna steal your girlfriend
or maybe talk about the Bible
bike gang
we're gonna race each to Steve's house
and then complain about being all sweaty
bike gang
why don't you come on over later
we'll watch a movie on cable
bike gang
if you don't want to, that's cool
we'll just plant a mother f----n' garden
bike gang!!

Summah

Afternoons on the veranda [thanks faux gf] with some sweet tea and some friends, maybe a little grilling out, some yard games, yeah, summer is back on my good list - for now. Come August with your humidity and death heat, and summer may be back on the outs. But let us consider the goodness that is in the now. Open windows are just as qualified as air conditioners, as long as it isn't raining and raining and raining, which happens here and there [but mostly here]. We ride bikes to our Monday night Bible study and I sing a song about our bike gang [lyrics forthcoming]. My first summer class isn't terrible, and I'm actually doing really well in it, so that's good. And I've been able to get up early and enjoy the summer mornings whilst running just a little bit.

Speaking of that - I did indeed finish my half-marathon, and with a better time [2:03] than I expected [2:10]. Much thanks to all of you who encouraged me in the days leading up the race!! I felt great as I finished, and then a half hour later the bottom fell out of my legs, figuratively speaking. My fascia lata [IT band] has been sore, but is getting better and I have resumed some light running. I now know what an actual big race is like, and so in October, in Grand Rapids, with a beard and some friends I am hoping to do much better - I have four and a half months to get on it.

A group of us went to Parkersburg this past weekend, and it was astouding to see such destruction [an F5 tornado crushed the South side of the town]. As my friend Kevin and I surveyed the damage he noted that "it's just wind", but how fierce a wind. We didn't do much, but I'm glad we went, and we might set up an ongoing realtionship with the family that we helped. What else? Yeah, that's all I have for now. you have my love.