The point is, what is this blog. To be honest, it’s something I’m still trying to figure out. I don’t know what I’m going do with it. I don’t know what it’s going to be. I don’t know if I want anyone else, or if anyone else would want to, write in this here blog^sd2.

Ok, so. Basically, what this probably will start out as, hopefully, is just another way for me to do BSOWs but not on Friday.

Which, especially as of right now, makes sense. Music, more than any other thing ever, drives my emotions. Every good or bad period of time in my life I can pretty much tie to songs, which is what I’m trying to get through when I write BSOWs. They are, in actuality, songs that move me, and that makes me want to share them with everyone. I really have no feelings about what any of these people that read this blog^sd3 or BSOWs in general^sd4. But for some reason I want a record of them somewhere in the cloud. Something I haven’t totally figured out (I have. It’s so when I do die people know what songs to play at my funeral.^sd5

But yeah. It probably will be a single song focus, and the emotions around those songs naturally, blog. And mostly not new music. It may evolve, b ut I doubt it. Besides President Obama, I never was a fan of change.

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sd: Ok, this may be a thing that people ask other people all the time, or it could be the fact that I tend to be really quiet when people first meet me and they think that talking to me about music is a good way for me to open up. It isn’t.^a

sd2: The only three possibilities of people that would want to write in it, actually, are ksg (who might still be writing for it. I don’t know), Zero Dutch^b, and Bizzo (who would basically answer the question with “CELTIC MUSIC AND THE SOUNDS OF WAR. ALSO MEAT!!” I mean, yeah, they would be interesting posts and what not, all of them, actually. Mostly because they’re better writers than I am. And my musical tastes are, well, awesome.

sd3: Bizzo, Dutch, and….

Yeah, that’s it. That’s the list. And I’m iffy on Bizzo.

sd4: Not like anyone reads those either.

sd5: loljk. I don’t plan on dying.

…

Wait. No.

Total lie. I don’t plan on having a funeral. I mean, I’m not going to be there, and what’s a party without the party starter amirite?!??!^c

a:The best way is to talk to me about drinking. Because that’s what I do.

b: both of whom, it should be noted, would answer the question “what kinda music do you listen to with “basically a bunch of hipster stuff”. I mean, I could be paraphrasing, but basically that’s what they would say

c: pretty sure there are other people that would make a joke like that. Doubt most of them would do it in a music blog.

Anyhoo, as of late, the only thing I’ve been afraid of is leaving my bed. Unless I really, really need to. And it’s not because I’m afraid of the dark (though, to be honest, I’m not fond of it). But for a different reason.

You see, something that I didn’t know about DC before I moved here was that there were rodents. I mean, back home^sd2 there were squirrels, and out in the suburbs there are possums and shit. And in a couple of places, yes, there are rats. My cousins who lived in worse areas than I used talk about rats and shit, but I thought that was a myth. Friends, I was wrong.

This became evident first when a friend of mine moved to the Foggy Bottom neighborhood and I lived in Arlington. I was walking home and I saw a rat. I called both my friend and my roommate and they both said it was normal. Which, honestly, scared the shit out of me. Mostly because RATS SHOULD NEVER BE NORMAL.

Look, I love most animals. Truly, I do. But rats and mice scare me. And they are rodentie. I know that isn’t a word, but it should be.

But my problem with mice and rats is this. They are in my room. This is what my problem is. They are in my room.  I am trying to sleep. And the worst part is this small mutherfucker looks at me. AND RUNS AROUND MY FUCKING ROOM. And I hear him. It bothers me, but I hear him. All the time.

Fucking Mice.

In semi-related news, lately one of my favorite songs has been “The Racing Rats” by the Editors.  It’s related because the title is “The Racing Rats”, and rats are one of those things that I’m scared of.^sd3

Anyhoo. right now this is my favorite song. And not just because it is awesome. Which it is. But, possibly, also because it reminds me of the opera. Hear me out. Opera is a big thing. Not like society wise, but performance wise.  Opera, with the dancing and singing and music and all that, is literally big when done right^sd4.   And that’s that’s the type of band the Editors are. They are a big band with a lot going on within their songs. And it is all amazing. Which, of course, is why I love them. And this song.

Editors
The Racing Rats
An End Has A Start

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sd: I actually have no idea what normal is.
sd2: Cleveland, Ohio. The best city and state in the Union. In case, you know, people besides Dutch, Biz, and KSG ever read this.
sd3: Did you know that mice don’t grow up to be rats? It’s true!
sd4: And when done wrong just plain horrible.

Friday Night Lights is  the only thing I’ve genuinely followed, and love, across three different forms of media: book, film, and television. So it holds a special place for me. And not just because it brought the term “QB1”  to mainstream America. But because it changed my life. Mostly the whole concept of perfection. But also, lately, because of a line spoken by Mike Winchell. I’m getting it wrong, mostly because I haven’t watched the movie in about two months now^sd2, but Winchell and Coach Gaines are in a car, on the way to the undisclosed location to break the tie, and Winchell asks his coach the simple question: Do you believe in curses? Winchell does. Winchell believes that no matter what good things are not supposed to happen to him. And I’m wondering if I’m starting to move in the same direction.

I don’t have the greatest luck. It’s hereditary. I think. But over the past couple of weeks I’ve been going through a problem with my landlord. Something that was not my fault at all. But, because I live without a lease^sd3, I have no real control over my housing situation. So, in order to, basically, live where I’m living now, or have any shot of getting my stuff I have to comply. So, basically,  I’m out of a lot of money.  Add this to the fact that I caught my roommate doing drugs in my kitchen yesterday, and it’s a fun week had by all. And by all I mean me.

Anyhoo, the song that most reminds me of FNL(movie) is Your Hand in Mine by Explosions in the Sky. Yes, I know another three guitar band making me 2/2 in song posts so far. But still. It’s an awesome song. And it gives me hope. Because if Winchell can find happiness, so can I.

Or something.

Your Hand In Mine
Explosions in the Sky
The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

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sd: Okay, Okay. I watch Mighty Ducks all the time.
sd2: and purposely haven’t watched it before writing this.
sd3: There are many benefits to not having a lease. This is the detriment

Ok, that’s a lie. You can definitely argue that. But it’s smart for everyone to have a theme song methinks. You need something to ground you and remind you of who you are. Or something. I mean, I have two.^sd. But what’s odd is how this one came to me.

Or, you know, not at all odd for me.

You see dear %n, there used to be a time when young ditriech actually _did_ watch real TV. Like with a cable box and everything.

I know. I’m shocked too.

Anyhoo, because he mostly watched sports, he watched a lot of commercials about beer, Viagra and, well, other sporting events^sd2. However, one commercial in particular stood out to him. It was for Busch beer. You know the one. The one that used the snow and possibly dogs^sd3. And the song “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Now, to be honest, I’d been aware of Skynyrd before. I mean, who hasn’t heard “Free Bird”^sd4? And, I’m almost positive I’d heard “Simple Man” before. I mean, how could I not have? My father and mother both loved Skynyrd^sd5. “That Smell” reminds me of childhood. But it took a beer commercial, for Busch no less^sd6 to make me listen too in.

And listen to it I did. Within the span of a couple of weeks I’d memorized it and used it (mostly at least) as the way I live my life. And, I mean who could find fault in this idea? Why wouldn’t one want to find a woman, and find love? Where’s the controversy in wanting to be satisfied? Who doesn’t want to remember that “troubles will come, and they will pass”?

Anyhoo, the opening post of this blog (that I, for one, hope lives up to the awesomeness of it’s name^sd7) is, apparently, about this excellent, excellent song by my favorite duo, trio or band to drink to. So enjoy. We all know I will be.

Lynyrd Skynyd
Simple Man
(pronounced ‘lĕh-’nérd ‘skin-’nérd)

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sd: at least!
sd2: technically he still does, but with the sound off. And mostly at the Rhino. So he’s mostly drinking.^a
sd3: Or horses. Possibly smallish bears.
sd4: Seriously? You haven’t? Hold on.
sd5: Yes, I’m sure I’m Black.
sd6: I’m pretty positive that I’ve never drank Busch on purpose. Like seen a shred of Busch and said “This is what I’m drinking tonight”. Except maybe once in Perry. But I digress.
sd7: This is actually my favorite name for anything ever

a: I don’t know why he’s using third person either. And yes, I want him to stop too.