Down

I've hit another blogging milestone today! As of just after midnight, I've had 5,000 page views. In the grand scheme of things, it's really not that many. That would be like selling 15- 325 page books. But for me it's exciting because I know people are reading what I write and it makes me want to write more. I ask of one favor from you: if you have any favorite posts, or you particularly like one in the future, share it. There is a link at the bottom of every post that allows you to share it on all of the main social media outlets, and it would really help me get my message out, whatever my message might be that day. Thanks now.

This will be my last weekend of lock down. Again, like last weekend, I’ve spent about four hours on both Saturday and Sunday, doing community service at the Goodwill Outlet. It’s not particularly boring or stressful, but without fail, every week, I’m the only one that keeps moving, working, hustling. I don’t take breaks, and I don’t sit down. It almost certainly is the type of place that beats a person down over time as they pay minimum wage and don’t offer much in the way of benefits. It is very clear that nobody enjoys working there. That’s why I try to liven things up by trying on funny hats. Don’t get me wrong, I have fun and we laugh a lot while I’m there, but I wouldn’t want to be stuck there five days a week. Which reminds me, I’ve worked or done community service now for 14 straight days and I’m feeling pretty good. Five more days of work after this stretch and I’ll be taking next Saturday off, which I will use to finish a project for my Grandma. It will hardly seem like work and it will be great to see a member of my family that I have not been able to see for over a month.

My schedule is packed for this next week. Meetings, fellowship, free time, work, I can’t wait. It will be really nice to pick up where I left off with my sponsor reading the Big Book, and finally getting a start on these steps that I’ve heard so much about. I really need them in my life because I’ve gone a bit downhill in the last month. I’m kind of a dick, and that’s not what I want to be. It’s tough being cooped up and I think it has definitely begun to get to me. In the month of restriction, only one person visited me. One. There’s got to be a reason for that. And I assume it’s me and not that I’ve chosen to have only ass holes as friends. Oh, and that one person wasn’t even family. So, maybe I’ve come to be a little bitter, but I unquestionably haven’t reached out to people to come spend time here, but why would I living with my mom? Yep, I need to keep on working on that change that I started before they took my time from me. This hasn’t been quite like a return trip to prison, but it’s as close as I’d care to get.

This has been the hardest time for me since my release. I have tried so hard to remain positive but I can only hold out for so long before I start to crack. OOOh! Did I say crack!? That’s one of my triggers, and now I feel like smoking a little crack. I mean, I’m joking a little there, but this month has been filled with urges, spontaneous thoughts of use, perfect opportunities to use and get away with it, and many, many pictures of delicious beer passing in front of my eyes at work. But I’m stronger than all of those triggers. I’m better than that, and I know the only path they can send me down. And a week from now, my spirits will be up, the sun will be shining, and I will at last be on that beautiful road to freedom.

Counting Down

First off, I'd just like to remark that I cannot wait for this Presidential campaign to be over. For the first time it's not the candidates themselves that are pissing me off with their terrible advertisements, it’s people on Facebook. Nothing anybody has ever posted regarding anything has ever changed my mind regarding anything. The only time I was ever legally able to vote, I checked the box for our current President. I probably won’t ever vote again even if I ever do get my rights restored not because I don’t think my vote will matter, but because I just don’t care. Politics is dirty, and it gets people too worked up, and I don’t know a thing about it so I’m going to stop there.

A few things: I said in an earlier post that I was getting paid for having ads on my blog page. Well, you people are doing a fine job at it and I hope you continue to do so. I’ve made a whopping $14 in roughly three weeks. So, keep on clicking, because it’s funded my 35 in 35 postcard adventure, which is also going well. I still need some names, but I’m sure they will come. So far I’ve mailed to three counties, two states, and one country aside from ours, of course, with many more on the horizon.

The restriction is coming to an end this Monday, which means I can start my free time again on Tuesday. I scheduled four hours from 6-10pm. I don’t even know what I’m going to do, but I know I won’t be home, and that will be a nice change. If I’ve learned anything from being locked down for 30 fucking days, it’s that I probably wouldn’t do very well in solitary confinement. I was stir crazy here at home and I had plenty of entertainment resources. Many of you have read Six Days in the Hole, my experience upon arriving at Moose Lake prison about 13 months ago. I cannot envisage what I would have been like after 30 days of complete quarantine.

It’s not the end of the world. And for the rest of my stay on I.S.R., I will be dotting my I’s (with tittles) and crossing my X’s and everything should go smoothly. I’m keeping as busy as I can by doubling down on community service throughout the weekend, and well, that’s about it. I do get to go shopping in a few minutes, and I have a meeting tonight so the day should fly right on by.

You know something, I’m fascinated by technology, and I just spent the last three minutes trying to decide which dictionary I wanted to install with Word, and when I made the decision, it took my computer four seconds to download the entire English language. That’s unflappable (it came with a thesaurus, too).

Well, that’s it. I’m keeping this one short and sweet. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Mixed Tape 3

At least I can see outside from where I’m typing. All day at work I could only see outside whenever trucks would back in and we would open up the bay door. Sunshine! Oh, it was beautiful. I got to work at six this morning so when I got off at 2:30pm, the sun was still high, and I took a little more time getting home than I do when it’s rush hour and I just want to get the drive over with.

I had the windows down, my arm hanging out, and on to the radio came the song that I seem to hear every year, save for last, around the time spring is in the air. Dancing in the Street by Van Halen really set the mood for the drive home. I’ve been thinking about doing a mixed tape for you people because I haven’t done one since I was in prison and I didn’t have a radio, and with the advent of YouTube, I can link you to cool live songs, too. So, here goes.

First up, David Gilmour’s rendition of a song written by Roger Waters while they were in a band together about the very man Gilmour replaced, Syd Barret. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is a long song, and this doesn’t even include the second part, but it’s the best version I’ve ever heard and I’ve been a Floyd fan for over 20 years. (Not as long as they’ve been apart) Part 2 if you’re interested. It’s at a different concert, but great in its own way. I would give up at least one of my testicles to see David before he dies.

This woman can just flat out sing. I’m sure her songs are on pop radio stations all the time, but I wouldn’t know because that’s not what I tune to. I found this by accident the other day and you should hear it if you haven’t yet. Sia reminds me of Janice Joplin, yeah, I said it. I mean her voice, not the style of music, although this probably wouldn’t be too far from what she would be playing if she were still around. So, enjoy: Reaper.

Next up, another dead legend. Like many, I never cared for Nirvana until I was a little older. Now every time I hear Plateau I find myself wishing I could have seen him in concert like so many that passed away before their time.

And speaking of dead singers, Bradley Nowell recently celebrated another birthday that he wasn’t around our world for. Who doesn’t like to be caressed down every now and then? Classic Sublime.

Since we’re on to songs with dirty lyrics, who remembers where they were when they heard their first Tenacious D song? Wait, you’ve never heard of them. Well, that’s probably true for half of you. After you hear this song you probably won’t look them up, but I think it’s a classic. Grandma, don’t push this link.

Very few people have ever heard of John Fartham. I know I hadn’t until I saw the movie Hot Rod, a movie you should all see. You're the Voice comes on in the middle of the movie and a riot ensues and there’s looting and I’m not going to give any more away. It’s a funny movie, and a decent song and I sing it to myself at random at least once a month.

Okay, that’s a lot of clicking and you’re probably losing interest, so I will leave you with one last song. I thought I would close the loop, and share with you the absolute worst music video I have ever come across. Ironically, it’s another version of Dancing in the Street, only this time sung by even more famous people. I swear, just when I think they’re gonna kiss, they just break apart and start “singing” again. So, without further ado, D in the C, again.

Honorable Mention 

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