Beach House - Heart of Chambers (Live...obv)


So yeah, blackcabsessions.com is my new favorite website, besides maybe stereogum, which is where I found it. It's basically indie artists recording songs in the back of taxi's. What a strange, awesome idea. I don't think I would have thought of it in a million years. Anyway, if you care for that kind of thing, check them out. (This isn't a youtube video, so hopefully it'll fit as nicely into the blog space as they do.)

Today I helped my brother pack up to go back to school tomorrow. I'm sad to see him go and I'll miss not having him live here, but I know he's doing what he needs to do and back at school is where he belongs. It's so weird, we used to NEVER get along as kids. We were constantly fighting. And now I think we get along pretty well. For the most part.

I set up my fish tank the other day. That's a total geek out hobby for me. I haven't gotten any fish for it yet, but I'm thinking probably in the next couple of days. I'm thinking swordtails to start out with. I've had them before and they're cool little fish. They're livebearers, which means they have live young. It's kind of fun because every so often you'll look at your fish tank and there'll be a bunch of baby fish swimming around. Of course, you have to be careful because the other fish (including the parents) will eat the babies (a modest proposal - ha), but you can usually find and catch at least a couple of the babies in order to keep them separately. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in the history of the universe that could ever get excited about that, but I think it's pretty cool.

Blogity Blog Blog Blog

Two Gallants - Long Summer Day (Live)

(This song contains some racial slurs, but it is a pro-black song, so I kinda let it slide. If you feel you might be offended please don't watch the video.)

Ok, so remember when I said I was going to look for a bunch of blogs to read. I did. A lot. More than I should have. So I'm thinking this blog entry I will do reviews of other blogs. Just like a really short synopsis of what the blog is about and what I think of it.

Everything Everywhere is Gary Arndt's travel blog. He's been traveling around the world since March 2007. I don't know, this seems great for people who love the idea of traveling, but can't really get away from extended periods of time.

Help Me Bubby is an advice column similar to dear abbey and that other one, but less annoying. AND written by a 90+ year old lady. She also happens to be the oldest blogger in the world (they think.)

I'm going to go head and skip over icanhascheezburger.com/ because I'm pretty sure you probably already know what it is. I'm guessing you love it or hate it, but you definitely know what it is.

Then there's treehugger An environmentalist hippie blog. I'm just going to give you their info on their website, because I am lazy: "TreeHugger is a fast-growing web magazine, dedicated to everything that has a modern aesthetic yet is environmentally responsible. Our influential audience stops by frequently to check out the latest news, reviews and recommendations for modern yet green products and services. Consumers also rely on the directory to help facilitate their buying processes. TreeHugger is the most effective way for them to find well designed products that are also ecologically sensitive."

Then, there is ecogeek. This is actually the environmentally friendly weblog of Hank Green of vlogbrothers fame.

Last, but definitely not least there's stereogum. It's a great blog about indie music. They feature different bands that I've never heard of. Check out the new Bowerbirds video they feature. It's awesome. I would have stolen it and put it here, but that just seemed kind of lame.

That's about all I've got. I'm sure I got some spelling mistakes or whatever in there. Please feel free to correct them.

<3,
JD

Invisibility Cloak FTW

Maria Taylor - Xanax


I'm a little embarrassed about how much of my music is angsty chick rockers. I don't know, it just seems so stereotypically gay. I don't know. It's easy enough to just read the blog if that's all you care about.

Invisibility cloak? Yes, please. I know I'm not the only nerdy one out there that's excited about the possibility of this. Think of all the uber-creepy applications involving locker rooms! The possibilities are endless!

So anyway. I've decided that I need to read more blogs. I'd like some really good, interesting ones. Especially if they update fairly often. So I want some suggestions. Any ideas?

Yeah, I didn't really have anything interesting to say. Just a pointless "I'm bored" entry.

Dear Diary

Bloc Party - Two More Years


I really like Bloc Party. They're so 80's. I don't know, is the whole 80's thing over yet? I don't keep up with the times I guess. This guy I used to know turned me onto them, and I didn't like them the first time I heard them, but upon listening to them a few more times I'm a fan. I do that a lot. Not with people generally, just music.

Anyhow.

I didn't do all that much today. I caught some of the Olympics. It was kind of interesting. I'm almost never interested in watching sports on TV, but there's something about the Olympics that makes it bearable. Today I was thinking about how old that tradition must be. I think it goes back to the Greeks or Romans, right? That's pretty interesting. All of the athletes always seem like really good sports. I don't think I would be. I kind of wonder if when the cameras are off they really hate each other and have huge rivalries. I bet they do.

So what's the deal with people reading this shit and not leaving a comment? That's lame. I know there are some of you out there. I had 8 page views today and no comments. Lame.

Gay Parenthood

Hot Chip - Keep Falling (Live)


I have decided to start my blog posts with a music video each and every time. I like the idea of blogs having a multimedia aspect to them, and it will take up space and make it look like I have more to say. Plus I like the way they fit perfectly into the layout of the page. It pleases me.

Sometimes I cyber-stalk a friend of mine online. She had a baby a couple of months back and it always puts a smile on my face to see her photos of her running around with her baby in tow. It kind of makes me feel like I might want a child one day. Anyone who knows me is checking the horizon for horsemen of the apocalypse, but it's true. One day I might want a child. Maybe. I don't know.

I'd be really scared of getting one and then being a terrible parent and fucking them up for life. I don't think everyone should have children. I just don't know if I'm one of those people. Plus, it's not like one is just going to fall into my lap, so I can kind of wait it out and see how it goes. I know I wouldn't want to have a kiddo unless I felt like I could be a really good parent, and that the person I was with could be a really good parent also. Them's the breaks.

I guess a lot of people don't even think gay people should have children. I think that probably everyone would expect me to be outraged at this and flail my arms around and get all pissed off. But I really don't know. I can't really think of a reason why gay people wouldn't make good parents. Who knows if children who grow up with gay parents are more likely to be gay? Does that matter? I mean heaven forbid there be more gay people in the world.

But I just don't know. I guess I just feel like a lot of people feel like having children is part of growing up. Like the natural progression of things is to graduate high school, go to college, get a job, get married, and have kids. Personally I think that cookie cutter approach to life ends up fucking a lot of people over. If not the individual themselves, then the kids they end up with because they feel like they're supposed to have them. I guess I don't really have a point or anything. Just some "verbal" diarrhea. Enjoy.

So I was reading bbc news today and I stumbled on this: Cher fan has his stereo destroyed. I couldn't help thinking, isn't the real tragedy the fact that this guy was hanging out in his house, rocking out with his music so loud that the neighbors can make out the lyrics, and the best he can come up with is Cher and U2? I'll bet you $20 it was a 55 year old gay man.

Dear Neko Case,

I take back everything bad I ever said about you. I've fallen in love with your haunting melodies.

<3,
JD

Neko Case - If You Knew (Live)


So today was uneventful...until my mom asked me if I had ever smoked crack.

I didn't really know how to take that. My mom was a counselor for a number of years, so her views on drug use have always been a little skewed towards the out of control and crazy. I mean don't get me wrong. I've had my crazy fun times, so I can't exactly get on my high horse, but I'm no crackhead either. I used to joke about it, so maybe that's why she thinks that. Or maybe I just act like a crackhead. Who knows?

Other than that I haven't really been doing anything much lately. Just trying to come up with get rich quick schemes to avoid getting a jorb. Anyone know of any get rich quick schemes that work, or (I guess) jorbs? (Emphasis on the get rich quick scheme.)

Middlesex

Ok, first off. I'm not particularly thrilled with any of Blogger's layouts. They all seem functional, yet kind of boring. Can anyone point me toward one that's a little nicer, but won't distort my blog completely. That would be great.

Also, I'm kind of curious how people actually even find this blog. Apparently I've had 27 page views so far, and I had one short, stupid blog. So, if anyone actually reads this blog entry, think you could let me know?

My day has been pretty uneventful so far. I had blood drawn earlier to see if they can figure out why I'm so tired all the time. $20 says they won't be able to tell me much of anything. Any takers?

So I'm reading this book called Middlesex, and it has me thinking about gender and gender identity and stuff like that. I think a lot of the problems people have with gay men stem from feminist issues. I'm sure calling them "feminist issues" is the wrong way of putting it (and maybe a feminist can correct me), but basically I think people aren't able to understand why a man would want to take the passive role in a sexual relationship. It's not really something I want to discuss in great detail, but I just thought I'd mention it.

I personally am not interested in being a woman, or dressing like a woman, but as a gay man I can understand what it's like to be discriminated against because of your sexuality and so I respect and welcome those who are interested in becoming women, or dressing like women with open arms.