creative riff

This week coincides with my sister’s “Myrtle Beach Week.” That means a lot of strange unfun stuff is bound to happen with lifelong relationships. There are many times I find myself wishing the drinking age was 18 or even 16. This is one of those times.

So I heard back from VCU. It turns out that I am not accepted into their “copywriting program” but they want me to consider their “communication strategies” track. The only problem – I never took the GRE. So I am in the process of applying to two schools in Atlanta while I find out more information from VCU. Kind of a bummer. I’m not going to be deterred. This is a business of subjection, not absolute truths.

I also found out that my parents will be unable to visit Italy through my mom’s work. The pesky economy has caused one too many people to drop out driving the costs up exorbitantly. I do hope that my parents get to go on a trip to the region in the coming years.

My dad also turned 60 this past weekend. Kinda nuts to think that 38 years seperate you from your father. That is almost two me’s. I’d say he has pretty good health for someone of his lack of physical activity. I hope I keep up daily walking/jogging/cycling long into my fifties.

Speaking of which, I have cranked out new short stories over the past couple days. I’m not sure if anyone will like them, but they are a product of despair, hope and youth. See what you think.

Job Interview

Fresh Air

This past weekend was a blur. My sister finally finished high school and is now at Myrtle Beach until Thursday at Beach Week. The actual graduation ceremony was a raucous affair (much more so than my own) and I nearly went deaf from all the unnecessary whistling and cowbells. Next time the rodeo is in town feel free to inform me.

I’ve been keeping it low watching the NBA Finals. Now that the Lakers took it I have to say that this may be the first year so far as I can remember that I actually watched almost every game from the Quarter Finals on. Everything from the Magic/Celtics, the Most Valuable Puppets Ads and the Denver Nuggets exceptional run made it worthwhile. I can’t wait for this fall. Hopefully, Shaq (Big Tweet) will be able to help Lebron win another and cement Cleveland as the Rock City that Drew Carey made it out to be a decade ago.

Cast of The Drew Carey Show

Enjoy the fresh paint, everyone, and expect more out of me. I won a 16 gig iPod Touch the other day on eBay and plan to do more mobile updates and linking to appropriate content. Expect some more ads out of me by the end of this month.

Cheers!

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Saw this one on Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List.”

Free 9 song live album Left Right Left Right Left by Coldplay as a gift to fans.

Album Highlights (after multiple listen sessions yesterday between my sister’s baccalaureate church services):

I: Glass of Water - Loved this one since it was released on Prospect’s March EP. Heavenly.

IV: Strawberry Swing - Clearest link to late-Beatles Harrison. Makes me want to stomach a Prius commercial.

VI: Viva La Vida (crowd goes rightfully nuts) – This needs to be next World Cup anthem. OOOOOHHHH AAAAHHH OOOOHH AAAHH

XIII: Fix You – Oh, Coldplay, you know how to give fans exactly what they want. Best power ballad of all time. Try not singing it at the top of your lungs when listening to it in the car with friends.

Source: Coldplay.com

It’s Memorial Day Weekend! That means the pool is open and the hot dogs are cooked to a fairthy well. I’m going to spend this weekend starting today until next Sunday at the beach house at Sunset Beach, NC.

I hope I have an internet connection so I can send some updates on my progress with VCU. Take care all!

Memorial Day Weekend Tip #1: Don’t go see Terminator Salvation. I felt like Christian Bale and crew were as cold and hollow as the machines they were trying to kill themselves. Netflix it while wearing your “Purity Rings” y’all.

Lastly, that picture was taken by me on Bird Island, the next beach down that actually contains the South Carolina state line.

Internet web game fans have something new to play this summer. Mobile developer Cellufun announces a free social multiplayer game that taps into the infamy of ponzi scheming Bernie Madoff in a game entitled Made Off.

Fans use fictional cellupoints instead of real cash as they try to duplicate the Madoff’s success as a slimy fund manager. The idea is to deceive enough people before the Feds knock on your door with a battering ram.

Neil Edwards, chief executive of Cellufun, says that the game is intended to poke fun at Madoff and not at his victims. The game is supposed to be educational in helping people learn how not to fall victim to investment schemes.

“When your fund goes broke, you go, Holy crap, I didn’t invite enough people,’” says Edwards.

Sources: Kotaku, Cellufun and Pocket Gamer

It’s all over. My time at UNC is over that is. My general graduation and departmental graduation for my journalism degree was Sunday, May 10. I spent the better part of yesterday unpacking, organizing clothes and finishing out the last episodes of Californication and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I already admit that I am a huge James Cameron nerd so I am hoping [praying] that this summer’s Terminator Salvation doesn’t completely blow.

Driving back from Chapel Hill I had the strange desire to open my senior year high school yearbook. I remembered that I had a senior quote that was “bad ass,” but I couldn’t quite remember what it was. After opening the dusty tome I found that I selected one from John Locke. The funny thing is I think I might actually start watching Lost this summer after enjoying J.J. Abrams’ brilliant revision of Star Trek.

I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts. – John Locke

In other news, I am wait listed at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brand Center. I have been tasked with writing headlines for the following three brands: NY Times, Lexington BBQ and All-Bran Cereal. Once completed I will hopefully have something to do this fall. I will update with my progress. As of now I have completed my research – now to begin putting finger to keyboard and pen to paper.

As for now, I am attempting one more internship or hoping to find a job in order to fill the time between May and August. I hope I don’t have to take up waiting once more but this economy makes everything so unpredictable.

In the meantime I am dusting off my vinyl collection and jamming out for inspiration. I promises substantive posts will follow in the next few days. Right now I am fighting off a raging headache while listening to the rattling echo of Desmond Tutu’s sermon in my ear. My newest inspirations include:

Wilco’s A Ghost is Born

Jeff Buckley’s Grace and Sketches

Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue

St. Vincent’s Actor

Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak

Sufjan Steven’s You Are The Blood/Dark Was the Night

Despite Pitchfork’s recent review of the Silversun Pickups’ latest effort, Swoon, I am kicking myself for not picking it up at Best Buy for $9.99 today. The band may be the best reincarnation of the Smashing Pumpkins’ distinct ’90s alternative rock blended with the fun of ’70s fuzziness, but “Panic Switch” is alone worthy of your purchase. The rest of the album is some of the most reminiscent rock I have encountered in years outside of The Darkness.

My tagline: Don’t Panic… [Switch] this summer – pick up Swoon and ease into humidity with some sweat-infused ballads. I apologize already.

If you haven’t already listened to Phoenix’s new single “1901″ check below:

There are more than a few remixes on Hype Machine, my favorite being DLID’s. Check it out for yourself –> Phoenix – 1901 (Customised by DLID)

The Cornify button could be the most awesome thing to hit the Internet since the scrolling text marque. Click it. Brighten your day.

Source: Cornify.com

Scrunchies are back

Also, when did Scrunchies come back on the scene? Color me surprised.

So I just got in my bed to take a short nap around 4:50. Next thing I know I hear someone in the hall yell something to a friend. Then as I look over to my iHome it reads 6:35 p.m. I feel like I just had the kind of sleep you have when you are sure you have come down with something or possibly after the most passionate night of your life. Or whatever a trucker must feel after driving Route 66.

The dream starts with me getting an e-mail informing me that I got into VCU or something. I have to get to Richmond. Prior to all of this I marked out on the forms that I have relatives that live in Richmond (I do) and that two girls have expressed interest in living with me. I am sent their information in this e-mail, but there is some information error and I never get to know their names until later (it’s important to the story).

I meet the two girls on a train or airplane. I am not driving. I somehow get a seat between the two. These girls are not over attractive but one is a brunette and the other is a red head and both have cute faces with gentle slopes for cheeks and noses. They are both slightly big boned for their particular body type. Not knowing these girls names I introduce myself and quickly try to bury myself in a book. Before long I am passed out. I wake to the sensation of these girls smiling at one another and rubbing my body with their elbows. This is a surprisingly nice thing to wake up to.

We get to Richmond and I take them and their luggage up to the two rooms upstairs. My grandparents are not home. We hardly bring up the suitcases  before we begin to make love. I would elaborate but for some reason this part of my mind only now remembers bits and pieces.

I wake up again. Crap, I have to be somewhere. Where? At UNC’s Keenan Flagler Football Stadium or at least a place that resembles it. Why? I don’t know. I awaken the two girls I am once again sitting between and we head over. For some reason my family is watching a game in the adjacent football stadium and I actually run into him while getting refreshments for the girls. He tells me that my whole family will be having dinner tonight and that my friend from sophomore year and UNC cheerleader, Jason, is coming along too. Also, my dad informs me that the two girls are named (Miranda) and (Lucy) and that they should wear something special.

I walk back to the girls who are laughing and giggling and tell them the news. We decide to leave early so we can head to the mall to buy new clothes. I love how the light reflects on the Miranda’s freckles and the sun dress she is wearing.

As the three of us are leaving the football game vs. University of South Carolina, I run in to Jason. He tells me that he will be over in my room (?) in an hour. I don’t question him. I take the two girls to the Shops at Willow Lawn in Richmond. The two girls decide to steal a dress they find and mall security does it job for once by giving chase to us. We manage to escape out of some roof exit and the two girls look at me in a longing manner as we descend the rooftop by some a fire ladder.

As we get back to my room (in Richmond), I let the girls get dressed so I can go meet Jason. I actually drive all the way back to UNC again to meet him even though he earlier told me he would just drive over in an hour. I find him and we discuss Miranda and Lucy. We get back to my room and I peek my head in first. For some reason, I am afraid Jason might judge me negatively if the girls were naked or worse when we entered. The two girls are in fact looking under my bed and laughing at one another. The brunette gazes up at me and says, “Did you mean to keep all of this stuff that is under there?” I mumble that I have been meaning to clean it out for some time. It felt like part of my initial passion for the two was beginning to already wear off.

I turn around and Jason is already dressed for dinner. He was not a moment before. My father calls for me to get ready. I hear a loud yell from outside my dream. I wake up. It is 6:35 p.m.

I am not sure what to think about this dream. I feel very rested. It also felt risque. I’m almost 23 and the two girls acted 17.

There is a new short story I have been working on for the past two weeks or so online. This one’s a bit longer than the previous one I posted. I just hope I’m a better writer than Miranda July.

My next story will hopefully be up before exams are over.

Story can be found here –> Gunning for an End