Here is a new bio I've composed.
SANDMAN: Montana’s Rappin’ Cowboy
Sandman’s music has many facets, but country and rap shine clearest. The influence that drew these two sounds together for him was cowboy poetry, which he heard growing up in Montana and North Dakota. Perhaps the poetry's absence of "music" allowed him to pay closer attention to subtler sounds in the environment, such as the rich vocal inflections of his ranch relatives, the bellowing of Hereford bulls, and his barking Border collie, Heidi. Sometimes the space between the willows and the barbed wire roared the loudest. Sometimes the bludgeoning rhythm of the tractor and post-pounder caught his attention.
Sand lived most of his childhood on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana, where his maternal great-grandparents homesteaded in the early 1900’s. He lived in the country seven miles from where he attended school. Hip hop culture hit "the Rez" in 1983, which began with Michael Jackson’s moonwalk and ended with Boogaloo Shrimp’s gravity-defying head-spins. Chris and his 6th-grade friends enthusiastically practiced break dancing, but by the next year most of his pals had lost interest. Sand was hooked on the lyrics and soul, however, and he transferred his passion diagonally to rap. When working with his dad, he'd listen to George Strait and Alabama, but in his spare moments he'd crank Run-DMC and Chaka Khan.
As he progressed through high school, Sand became frustrated with country isolation. Luckily, he discovered both Bob Dylan and Ice T. This music, and the unlikely discovery of early-'70's reggae, allowed him to persevere and finally graduate.
College followed, as did Sand's first rap band, "DJ Dave and Sandman." DJ Dave eventually moved back east, and Sandman, well he fought some forest fires, traveled, and learned to play guitar. In 1993 he moved to Olympia, Washington, to finish college at Evergreen. While there he mingled with the love-punks, anarchists, and riot grrrls, and found himself a home away from home.
Since then Sand has put out fifteen-or-so tapes and CDs and done some touring, sharing bills with acts ranging from Spearhead to Mirah. Sandman makes a lot of people happy and some people angry. His music is political, sexual, and distinctly western. He has reclaimed the word "cowboy" and made it mean something vivid again--something beyond rodeo and Marlboros, Texas oil barons and Toby Keith.
Perhaps Sand has stepped in enough cow manure and listened to enough songs to know that music isn't necessarily more worthwhile than a good night’s rest, a tall glass of water, or silence. It's just another good thing in a world full of many good things. If you're ever in the mood to hear cowboy philosophy and music through the filter of a post-modern troubadour’s hip hop heart, you’ll want to meet Chris Sand, AKA “Sandman”-- Montana’s rappin’ cowboy.
Monday, March 29, 2004
It's 72 degrees outside! I've had a great week-- through the rain and shine.
While it was raining I holed up in my newly-scrubbed shack and read a 750-page novel, Cloudsplitter. Actually, I still have 100 pages to go. It's such a great, great book that I can barely put it down. It's a fictionalized account of the abolitionist John Brown and his endeavors to end slavery. It feels pertinent to the present era because he, like many of us today, worried that his nation was not doing what it was "supposed to" in making the world a better place to live for all humans. I remember while reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X, Mr. Shabazz proclaimed that John Brown was the only white person he'd ever trust. By that point, John Brown had been dead for ninety-seven years. I recommend both people, and books.
Ivan and my tour is coming together winningly and I've not been very stressed at all about it this week. Wish you were here. ; )
While it was raining I holed up in my newly-scrubbed shack and read a 750-page novel, Cloudsplitter. Actually, I still have 100 pages to go. It's such a great, great book that I can barely put it down. It's a fictionalized account of the abolitionist John Brown and his endeavors to end slavery. It feels pertinent to the present era because he, like many of us today, worried that his nation was not doing what it was "supposed to" in making the world a better place to live for all humans. I remember while reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X, Mr. Shabazz proclaimed that John Brown was the only white person he'd ever trust. By that point, John Brown had been dead for ninety-seven years. I recommend both people, and books.
Ivan and my tour is coming together winningly and I've not been very stressed at all about it this week. Wish you were here. ; )
Monday, March 22, 2004
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Happy St. Paddy's Day!!
Yesterday I worked ten hours doing tree removal. The first two hours were spent pruning a jungle of bamboo. My arms and face are still recovering. The small, broken stalks sliced my wrists and forearms and the leaves rubbed their rough spikes across bloodshot eyeballs. (Mel Gibson would have been pleased.) Being a soldier in Viet Nam must have really sucked. Gratefully there were no mosquitoes or shrapnel.
Yesterday I worked ten hours doing tree removal. The first two hours were spent pruning a jungle of bamboo. My arms and face are still recovering. The small, broken stalks sliced my wrists and forearms and the leaves rubbed their rough spikes across bloodshot eyeballs. (Mel Gibson would have been pleased.) Being a soldier in Viet Nam must have really sucked. Gratefully there were no mosquitoes or shrapnel.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
From a (slightly modified) letter I wrote last Fall:
Dear Mr. Mockesmeller,
Hello. I am writing in regards to your inquiry of becoming a venture capitalist in my new music project. The project I speak of is A Year in the Life of… Slippery Goodstuff, which is a full-length Rap/R & B album I’ve worked steadfastly at over the last fourteen months and which is near completion. If the slogan “sex sells” is accurate then this new CD may very well be my biggest selling work yet, as every song on it works to tell the story of a sex-crazed (but lovable) character by the name of Slippery Goodstuff. Individual songs off of it have already proven to be hugely popular amongst my friends and fans and the hip hop production styles match the works of other currently successful pop and rap stars. This album is my most playful work to date and I believe will prove to be a big hit if promoted correctly, and there is the rub. Another slogan seems appropriate now: “it takes money to make money” which, of course, you know. In my zeal to complete this album, as well as to continue building my reputation as a touring showman, I’ve had to decline job offers that I felt would have sabotaged my career’s momentum. Thus, I have run out of income. My proposal to you is this: lend me $50,000.
Thank you Mr. Crockerella for your consideration in this project. I believe it will not only be financially fruitful to us both but also exciting as we watch this dream unfold.
Chris Sand
Dear Mr. Mockesmeller,
Hello. I am writing in regards to your inquiry of becoming a venture capitalist in my new music project. The project I speak of is A Year in the Life of… Slippery Goodstuff, which is a full-length Rap/R & B album I’ve worked steadfastly at over the last fourteen months and which is near completion. If the slogan “sex sells” is accurate then this new CD may very well be my biggest selling work yet, as every song on it works to tell the story of a sex-crazed (but lovable) character by the name of Slippery Goodstuff. Individual songs off of it have already proven to be hugely popular amongst my friends and fans and the hip hop production styles match the works of other currently successful pop and rap stars. This album is my most playful work to date and I believe will prove to be a big hit if promoted correctly, and there is the rub. Another slogan seems appropriate now: “it takes money to make money” which, of course, you know. In my zeal to complete this album, as well as to continue building my reputation as a touring showman, I’ve had to decline job offers that I felt would have sabotaged my career’s momentum. Thus, I have run out of income. My proposal to you is this: lend me $50,000.
Thank you Mr. Crockerella for your consideration in this project. I believe it will not only be financially fruitful to us both but also exciting as we watch this dream unfold.
Chris Sand
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Sand Pan's deep thought for the week:
"Is this Music that we channel a Fiery Ball of Mystic-Magic that can not be contained or understood by mortal beings? Is it formed and risen through the shifting, melting sands of Xanadu and delivered to Earth unpenetrable? Will no one understand the Miracle that happens inside our hearts when we hear It?"
Alas, can It truly ever be explained?"
"Is this Music that we channel a Fiery Ball of Mystic-Magic that can not be contained or understood by mortal beings? Is it formed and risen through the shifting, melting sands of Xanadu and delivered to Earth unpenetrable? Will no one understand the Miracle that happens inside our hearts when we hear It?"
Alas, can It truly ever be explained?"
Friday, March 12, 2004
What to say, what to say? Where's Osama? What's Britney up to? Blah, blah, blah. Who'll win the election? Yada, yada, yada. Nice weather for this time of year. So on and so forth. Janet's boob, the Governator, gay marriages, American Idol... LeBron James in a movie? Aristide kidnapped? My circuits are frying. Spain attacked!! Shazbott-- Asian Bird Flu!? It's hard to sort through sometimes...
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Sorry my posts are so scant. I'm in a strange psychic universe currently-- booking shows, hustling work, recovering from tour, and Trisha just got back from Mexico and is staying at my house for two or three weeks until she finds a place. My new computer works good for emails but doesn't allow me to post journal entries which is annoying.
Today I did tree removal. The weather is nice-- 70 degrees! Tomorrow I'll do some carpentry for the Martin Apartments.
When I said 319-JOE made it all the way back to Oly, I didn't tell you the whole story. About forty-five minutes outside of Olympia his windshield-wipers started slowing and the headlights started going dim. By the time I was ten minutes away the wipers stopped altogether and the lights were barely on. Miraculously we crept into my driveway where JOE gave up the ghost; not to start up again. Fortunately, Garf's girlfriend, Marie, is a mechanic, and she diagnosed it as a dead alternator. Yesterday she put a new one in and now JOE and I are cruisin' around town like it's no thang! Garf and I were so lucky we made it to every show on tour and made it all the way home without towing expenses or mechanic fees.
Today I did tree removal. The weather is nice-- 70 degrees! Tomorrow I'll do some carpentry for the Martin Apartments.
When I said 319-JOE made it all the way back to Oly, I didn't tell you the whole story. About forty-five minutes outside of Olympia his windshield-wipers started slowing and the headlights started going dim. By the time I was ten minutes away the wipers stopped altogether and the lights were barely on. Miraculously we crept into my driveway where JOE gave up the ghost; not to start up again. Fortunately, Garf's girlfriend, Marie, is a mechanic, and she diagnosed it as a dead alternator. Yesterday she put a new one in and now JOE and I are cruisin' around town like it's no thang! Garf and I were so lucky we made it to every show on tour and made it all the way home without towing expenses or mechanic fees.
Friday, March 05, 2004
I'm back in Olympia; 319-JOE made it all the way! I swear that car runs on magic.
Although this tour made me rich in many ways, I am now financially in the hole and am racking my brain for ways to pay the last two months of rent, credit card and phone bills. Although I made $150 for shows played and $350 in merch sales, I spent $200 on gas and $310 on Folk Alliance not to mention toll and parking fees, an oil change, food, and countless other expenses.
By next year this time I should be way ahead, but until Summer I will be sweating it out. It's a good thing that Joe didn't break down!
Stay tuned for a tour review... It may take a while, though, as I need to start booking the Spring tour with every free second I have.
I wrote a song last week which Garf helped out on. Here it is:
Jade's Song
Oh, chain-smoker
Sex, drugs and poker
Alcohol... goodbye
I did not know her
And I did not hold her
Mardi gras... goodbye
We're still so young, Rachel
Shoplifting newspapers
Smoke in your eye... just cry, just cry
Oh, sweet soldier
Blonde-haired bull-dozer
Last cigarette... goodbye.
Although this tour made me rich in many ways, I am now financially in the hole and am racking my brain for ways to pay the last two months of rent, credit card and phone bills. Although I made $150 for shows played and $350 in merch sales, I spent $200 on gas and $310 on Folk Alliance not to mention toll and parking fees, an oil change, food, and countless other expenses.
By next year this time I should be way ahead, but until Summer I will be sweating it out. It's a good thing that Joe didn't break down!
Stay tuned for a tour review... It may take a while, though, as I need to start booking the Spring tour with every free second I have.
I wrote a song last week which Garf helped out on. Here it is:
Jade's Song
Oh, chain-smoker
Sex, drugs and poker
Alcohol... goodbye
I did not know her
And I did not hold her
Mardi gras... goodbye
We're still so young, Rachel
Shoplifting newspapers
Smoke in your eye... just cry, just cry
Oh, sweet soldier
Blonde-haired bull-dozer
Last cigarette... goodbye.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
We rolled into Nevada City and parked next to a theater that coincidentally was selling tickets for the musical Woody Guthrie's American Song. It was, luckily for us, "pay what you can night" so we bought four tickets for $15 and I invited my friends Cedar and Ruby who live half-an-hour outside of town (in a tee pee and on the land adjacent to the poet Gary Snyder's property). I actually once acted in this very same play back in 1996, but the Nevada City version was higher end. Afterwards Garf and I decided to drive to Corvallis which took ten hours. I drove until 6:00 AM and then we switched at Grant's Pass, OR and I slept until Eugene. I have a massive caffeine headache right now. We are at my cousins, Kirby and Megan's, house preparing to watch Megan perform in an oratorio this evening.
Garf and I are really bonding as bandmates and have had some great late-night conversations. At one point during a cosmic philosophical moment at a truck-stop near Redding a huge white owl flapped overhead between the moon and Jupiter. This morning we saw a fat bald eagle sitting in apple tree next to the river. We are very hopeful about the future.
Garf and I are really bonding as bandmates and have had some great late-night conversations. At one point during a cosmic philosophical moment at a truck-stop near Redding a huge white owl flapped overhead between the moon and Jupiter. This morning we saw a fat bald eagle sitting in apple tree next to the river. We are very hopeful about the future.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Monday, March 01, 2004
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Monday, February 23, 2004
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Egads! I must leave for tour now. My goal is to sell a lot of shirts, make a lot of friends, and keep li'l JOE running smoothly (prioritized in reverse order). And talk a lot with Chad.
Here's a prayer my mom used to always say before driving long-distances:
Our Lady of the Highway
Protect us on this journey
For all your ways are beautiful
And all your paths are peace.
Amen.
Here's a prayer my mom used to always say before driving long-distances:
Our Lady of the Highway
Protect us on this journey
For all your ways are beautiful
And all your paths are peace.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Not to seem paranoid or anything but I've had my hotmail account broken into twice this week. If this is related to my relationship with CrimethInc. then whomever you are please use this password from now on so I don't have to keep resetting it: "patriot_act". Now you can read my emails everyday without hassle for either of us. I'll warn you though, they're pretty boring.
Today is my last full day in Olympia before tour and I feel relaxed and ready. I just have to get a hair-cut and wash some clothes. The new cds have arrived at CrimethInc. and will be assembled by tomorrow morning. Scottie and crew have to fold and glue each envelope. My friend Kat came over last night and helped fold one-hundred "You Can Do Anything" zines which I'll tuck into each packet.
I can't think of anything else to say at the moment.
Today is my last full day in Olympia before tour and I feel relaxed and ready. I just have to get a hair-cut and wash some clothes. The new cds have arrived at CrimethInc. and will be assembled by tomorrow morning. Scottie and crew have to fold and glue each envelope. My friend Kat came over last night and helped fold one-hundred "You Can Do Anything" zines which I'll tuck into each packet.
I can't think of anything else to say at the moment.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Damn I've been productive today. I haven't stopped hustling since early this morning and now its 3:33 a.m.!
Well, I ended up cancelling that show in San Fran I was talking about in my last web-entry so that's good. I can now focus on the big April/May tour as soon as I return from San Diego. The highlight of the day for me was seeing that CrimethInc. has dedicated a whole-page presentation of The Long Walk Home on their web-site. Barefoot Scottie rocks! I encourage you to order from them rather than me, 'cause I'll probably charge you $10 instead of the $6 that they charge. Plus if you buy over five at once they only charge $3.50 each. That means you can order five copies for a grand, postage-paid total of $17.50 (and they'll throw other interesting anarchist propaganda into the mix gratis). They use recycled paper and have included a miniature version of one of my "You Can Do Anything" zines with each cd. They've also added a hidden track of, shhhh-- don't tell anyone, "Curtis Lumber" and rearranged all the songs to make the album flow better. You should order five copies off their site tomorrow and distribute them to your carpenter buddies as gifts. They'll then treat you to a generous lunch at Myrtle's Soul Kitchen next Tuesday and everybody'll win! Then with all that money you saved order one of my damn Slippery Goodstuff albums or maybe Love's Hangover Sale. Buy 'em both for a total of $25 postage-paid and I'll send you one of my new "Sandman" pillow-cases. Rent is overdue, again, as if you didn't know...
Well, I ended up cancelling that show in San Fran I was talking about in my last web-entry so that's good. I can now focus on the big April/May tour as soon as I return from San Diego. The highlight of the day for me was seeing that CrimethInc. has dedicated a whole-page presentation of The Long Walk Home on their web-site. Barefoot Scottie rocks! I encourage you to order from them rather than me, 'cause I'll probably charge you $10 instead of the $6 that they charge. Plus if you buy over five at once they only charge $3.50 each. That means you can order five copies for a grand, postage-paid total of $17.50 (and they'll throw other interesting anarchist propaganda into the mix gratis). They use recycled paper and have included a miniature version of one of my "You Can Do Anything" zines with each cd. They've also added a hidden track of, shhhh-- don't tell anyone, "Curtis Lumber" and rearranged all the songs to make the album flow better. You should order five copies off their site tomorrow and distribute them to your carpenter buddies as gifts. They'll then treat you to a generous lunch at Myrtle's Soul Kitchen next Tuesday and everybody'll win! Then with all that money you saved order one of my damn Slippery Goodstuff albums or maybe Love's Hangover Sale. Buy 'em both for a total of $25 postage-paid and I'll send you one of my new "Sandman" pillow-cases. Rent is overdue, again, as if you didn't know...
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Here are my two-days' earnings: $112 for tree removal, $138 music related = $250! That gives me half of last month's rent. This little west coast tour I've been working so dilligently at is going to be a big flop, though, unless I can get about five more shows. Add to that that I have to get back down to San Francisco for one coffee house gig a week after I return to Olympia. I'll lose money with that gig unless I hitch-hike and live off of 3-for-1 hot dogs and toilet water while on the road. Drats. I suck at booking tours anymore. The big U.S. tour with Ivan looks more promising, fortunately, since I'll have his and Andras' help with it.
Last night's Valentine show with Senayit and Mr. Queen went well. A lot of people showed up and hooted and hollered all night. These two HOT sirens were trying to corral me for some midnight rodeo, I think. I can never quite be sure of these things, but that's surely the way it seemed. They were too drunk though to make it past my sheep dog. (That don't mean that he didn't miss 'em when they left, though, 'cause even dusty old sheep dogs get a little lonely come Valentine's Day.)
Last night's Valentine show with Senayit and Mr. Queen went well. A lot of people showed up and hooted and hollered all night. These two HOT sirens were trying to corral me for some midnight rodeo, I think. I can never quite be sure of these things, but that's surely the way it seemed. They were too drunk though to make it past my sheep dog. (That don't mean that he didn't miss 'em when they left, though, 'cause even dusty old sheep dogs get a little lonely come Valentine's Day.)
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Happy Valentine's Day!! Three cheers for LOVE.
The show at the Matrix Coffee House went well. Low turnout, but a cool environment. They fed me a huge plate of pork-chops, peas, and potatos. Baby Gramps, the eccentric legendary guitar vaudevillian, happened to be drinking coffee when I arrived and he decided to hang out a couple extra hours and watch my show. He was on his way to Portland from Seattle. What an all-around cool guy Gramps is. He gave me a lot of inside contacts of places to play and people to call and expressed interest in playing a series of shows together at some point. I'd open up for him for free just to tap into his huge audience.
I'm busier than ever booking shows until June and preparing for the West Coast tour in five days not to mention a show at the East Side Tavern in two hours.
And I almost forgot to mention; my parents are about to buy a house. They live in a small, over-heated apartment in Killdeer, North Dakota, but found a really cool, old house for sale for only $25,000. That's one year's rent in Manhattan! It turns out that my dad's great-uncle built it ninety-or-so years ago (which they were completely unaware of when bidding for it). Meanwhile my dad is also building a house on my grandparents' ranch on Killdeer Mountain. Now they'll have their Winter and Summer homes only eleven miles apart! I love North Dakota.
The show at the Matrix Coffee House went well. Low turnout, but a cool environment. They fed me a huge plate of pork-chops, peas, and potatos. Baby Gramps, the eccentric legendary guitar vaudevillian, happened to be drinking coffee when I arrived and he decided to hang out a couple extra hours and watch my show. He was on his way to Portland from Seattle. What an all-around cool guy Gramps is. He gave me a lot of inside contacts of places to play and people to call and expressed interest in playing a series of shows together at some point. I'd open up for him for free just to tap into his huge audience.
I'm busier than ever booking shows until June and preparing for the West Coast tour in five days not to mention a show at the East Side Tavern in two hours.
And I almost forgot to mention; my parents are about to buy a house. They live in a small, over-heated apartment in Killdeer, North Dakota, but found a really cool, old house for sale for only $25,000. That's one year's rent in Manhattan! It turns out that my dad's great-uncle built it ninety-or-so years ago (which they were completely unaware of when bidding for it). Meanwhile my dad is also building a house on my grandparents' ranch on Killdeer Mountain. Now they'll have their Winter and Summer homes only eleven miles apart! I love North Dakota.
Thursday, February 12, 2004
Today was incredibly warm and sunny for this time of year. I can't believe that Chad and I leave for tour in only one week! I have a lot of stuff to do. My groin injury is lessoning. The chiropractor doesn't think that it's a hernia. I accidentally rubbed Ben Gay on my testicles last night at 3 AM and spent a good hour howling and cursing. I took a shower and tried to wash the ointment off which seemed to make things worse. I put ice-cubes on it and then sliced a potato in half and applied it in an attempt to suck the poisons out. Nothing worked! Eventually I had to do this deep meditation and just let the fiery pain wash over me until I passed out at 4:30 AM. Not fun. Tomorrow I do tree-removal starting at 7:15 AM and then drive to Chehalis for a show in the evening.
In April, May, and June it looks like I'll be touring with Ivan Okay! Our very seminal tour schedule looks like this:
APRIL
fri 23 milwaukee
sa 24 madison
su 25 cincinnati
mo 26 canton
tu 27 waterloo
we 28 toronto
th 29 ottawa
fri 30 montreal
MAY
sa 1 quebec
su 2 lennoxville, pq or burlington
mo 3 portland, me
tu 4 boston
we 5 new haven, ct
th 6 brooklyn
fri 7 NYC
sa 8 philly
su 9 DC
mo 10 charlottesville
tu 11 Asheville, NC/Black Mountain, NC
we 12 nashville or Murfreesboro
th 13 nashville or Murfreesboro
fri 14 little rock
sa 15 new orleans
su 16 denton or austin
mo 17 el paso
tu 18 tuscon
we 19 las vegas
th 20 san diego or lake elsinore
fri 21 LA
sa 22 SLO
su 23 santa cruz
mo 24 SF or east bay
tu 25 SF or east bay
we 26 chico
th 27 eugene
fri 28 portland
sa 29 olympia
su 30 vancouver
mo 31 Anacortes, WA
JUNE
tu 1 spokane
we 2 missoula
th 3 SLC
fri 4 denver or laramie
sat 5 omaha
sun 6 minneapolis
---------------------------------------
APRIL
fri 23 milwaukee
sa 24 madison
su 25 cincinnati
mo 26 canton
tu 27 waterloo
we 28 toronto
th 29 ottawa
fri 30 montreal
MAY
sa 1 quebec
su 2 lennoxville, pq or burlington
mo 3 portland, me
tu 4 boston
we 5 new haven, ct
th 6 brooklyn
fri 7 NYC
sa 8 philly
su 9 DC
mo 10 charlottesville
tu 11 Asheville, NC/Black Mountain, NC
we 12 nashville or Murfreesboro
th 13 nashville or Murfreesboro
fri 14 little rock
sa 15 new orleans
su 16 denton or austin
mo 17 el paso
tu 18 tuscon
we 19 las vegas
th 20 san diego or lake elsinore
fri 21 LA
sa 22 SLO
su 23 santa cruz
mo 24 SF or east bay
tu 25 SF or east bay
we 26 chico
th 27 eugene
fri 28 portland
sa 29 olympia
su 30 vancouver
mo 31 Anacortes, WA
JUNE
tu 1 spokane
we 2 missoula
th 3 SLC
fri 4 denver or laramie
sat 5 omaha
sun 6 minneapolis
---------------------------------------
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
I pulled carpet all day and I'm so tired. Earned $93. I hope the IRS doesn't read my journal. Which reminds me...
I had a dream last night that Ronald Reagan was president again and he got busted siphoning U.S. tax money into his personal checking account. It was in all the newspapers and talk-shows and impeachment seemed inevitable. The next day, however, Ronnie came out with a State of the Union address railing against any American who might find it unfair that the President of the U.S.A., "the man with the most responsibility in the world", should have to account for a ridiculous discrepency such as this. He argued, "My doctor makes more money per year than I do, and I'm the leader of the friggin' free world!" Before nightfall 75% of all Americans had come to the conclusion that he was right and, ashamed, we again fell in love with this good, smart, leader of men who refused to buckle under pressure. His ratings sky-rocketed. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted and felt a little dizzy, and had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. It was a relief to wake up and realize that it had only been a bad dream.
I had a dream last night that Ronald Reagan was president again and he got busted siphoning U.S. tax money into his personal checking account. It was in all the newspapers and talk-shows and impeachment seemed inevitable. The next day, however, Ronnie came out with a State of the Union address railing against any American who might find it unfair that the President of the U.S.A., "the man with the most responsibility in the world", should have to account for a ridiculous discrepency such as this. He argued, "My doctor makes more money per year than I do, and I'm the leader of the friggin' free world!" Before nightfall 75% of all Americans had come to the conclusion that he was right and, ashamed, we again fell in love with this good, smart, leader of men who refused to buckle under pressure. His ratings sky-rocketed. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted and felt a little dizzy, and had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. It was a relief to wake up and realize that it had only been a bad dream.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Tonight is the first time I've ever used my own computer to post a journal entry. I've always used either the library's or the Evergreen computer center or my roommate Lenny's or an internet cafe but never my own! My pal, Christian, gave it to me for cheap. I've christened it "Abbie" after the late, great Yippie activist, Abbie Hoffman, whose autobiography I'm almost finished with. He had just the right amount of mischief and seriousness to make an impact on his generation (and mine!), and thusly I now have confidence that this PC will do the same. The screen is small but it does it all. The mouse-pad sticks but does the trick. The keyboard is funky and the modem is clunky but now they're mine and I think they're just fine.
And speakin' of cheese... my Wisconsin pal Ivanhood, and I, have begun planning an "around-the-USA-in-thirty-days-in-May" tour. I'll keep you updated as to where we'll start, etc. as we figure it all out.
Today I saw a double-feature with my friend Candyce-- Peter Pan and Big Fish. Both were pretty entertaining, I thought.
Tomorrow I'll be removing carpet at the Martin Apartments. Kurt Cobain tromped all over that carpet in the late 80's/early 90's. Truth.
And speakin' of cheese... my Wisconsin pal Ivanhood, and I, have begun planning an "around-the-USA-in-thirty-days-in-May" tour. I'll keep you updated as to where we'll start, etc. as we figure it all out.
Today I saw a double-feature with my friend Candyce-- Peter Pan and Big Fish. Both were pretty entertaining, I thought.
Tomorrow I'll be removing carpet at the Martin Apartments. Kurt Cobain tromped all over that carpet in the late 80's/early 90's. Truth.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Barefoot Scottie at CrimethInc. just picked up the The Long Walk Home cd envelopes and says they look awesome! The cds themselves got held up due to an east coast snowstorm, but will be shipped by next week.
I spent today at Evergreen forwarding as much tour-information as I could to Andras so that he can start booking me some decent shows. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have Andras and Scottie on my side. My dream-team is forming around me it seems. I've been realizing today how rich my life is. In spite of certain debts looming over my head and a car that might not make it much longer I sometimes feel like such a wealthy man. I have really fantastic parents who live like the rural, North Dakota gnomes they are, and who write me daily. I habitate an artistically thriving town with lots of friends. I have mentors like Calvin Johnson and Lois Maffeo and Bret Lunsford and Jason Traeger and Al Larsen. The new Sandman image that Trisha drew is classic and appealing. Chad's my drummer. Jonah's my deejay. Shawn and Carl produce me. KAOS and the pirate radio station play me. I'm still in love with all my current and ex-girlfriends (Trisha, Jen, Nina, Candyce, etc.)! I've watched lots of babies be born and grow up, who like me. Lucinda is now ten-yrs-old. Random's eight, I think!! I live in the greatest old house in Olympia with the cheapest rent and good room-mates. I have the nicest boss (Greg Lukens) who only needs me about once a week and pays $13/hr. for enjoyable work (tree removal). 319-JOE, the "Sea Biscuit" of all cars, keeps on tickin'. He's a true populist hero who carries me near and far without complaint-- so sleek, so road-worthy, I love him like no other. I play in a band (Step-world) with two of Olympia's finest songwriters (Jason Traeger and Peter Connelly). My favorite cd, A Year in the Life of Slippery Goodstuff, hasn't even officially been released and it's already outselling all four of my previous releases (in the time span that it's been available). The moon is full. Spring is knockin' on Winter's door. I have allies in many states. I like my guitar, cowboy hat, and Adidas tennis shoes. My mutton-chops grow thick and fairly evenly. I'm surely forgetting some things which will have to be added.
I spent today at Evergreen forwarding as much tour-information as I could to Andras so that he can start booking me some decent shows. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have Andras and Scottie on my side. My dream-team is forming around me it seems. I've been realizing today how rich my life is. In spite of certain debts looming over my head and a car that might not make it much longer I sometimes feel like such a wealthy man. I have really fantastic parents who live like the rural, North Dakota gnomes they are, and who write me daily. I habitate an artistically thriving town with lots of friends. I have mentors like Calvin Johnson and Lois Maffeo and Bret Lunsford and Jason Traeger and Al Larsen. The new Sandman image that Trisha drew is classic and appealing. Chad's my drummer. Jonah's my deejay. Shawn and Carl produce me. KAOS and the pirate radio station play me. I'm still in love with all my current and ex-girlfriends (Trisha, Jen, Nina, Candyce, etc.)! I've watched lots of babies be born and grow up, who like me. Lucinda is now ten-yrs-old. Random's eight, I think!! I live in the greatest old house in Olympia with the cheapest rent and good room-mates. I have the nicest boss (Greg Lukens) who only needs me about once a week and pays $13/hr. for enjoyable work (tree removal). 319-JOE, the "Sea Biscuit" of all cars, keeps on tickin'. He's a true populist hero who carries me near and far without complaint-- so sleek, so road-worthy, I love him like no other. I play in a band (Step-world) with two of Olympia's finest songwriters (Jason Traeger and Peter Connelly). My favorite cd, A Year in the Life of Slippery Goodstuff, hasn't even officially been released and it's already outselling all four of my previous releases (in the time span that it's been available). The moon is full. Spring is knockin' on Winter's door. I have allies in many states. I like my guitar, cowboy hat, and Adidas tennis shoes. My mutton-chops grow thick and fairly evenly. I'm surely forgetting some things which will have to be added.
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