Catchy title, right? I just thought of it right now, before I started typing this post. It was either that or, “In Which I Give Thanks,” but somewhere in the back of my mind I feel like maybe I’ve used that before as the title of a blog entry. I know I’ve done this once or twice before — dedicated space to a list of things I’m thankful for — but this year will be different. Do you know why? That’s right…because the title of the post is different!
I hope you enjoyed the past two Collector’s Slum posts. I know Holly AND her breasts did (or so she commented). Sharing music that doesn’t exist (as of my blogging about it) always brings me joy. There’s so much out there that none of us has heard, and some of it is unique enough (like Sis Q Lint and Randy) that it warrants our attention. So if you missed those two 45s, go back and listen to them. Then tell two friends. And they’ll tell two friends. And they’ll tell two friends. And by next week I’ll have made an additional $0.31 in blog advertising!
Why do I keep doing this to myself?
Ten Things I’m Thankful For: 2012 Edition
01. You – As always, readers, I’m really happy that you’ve stuck with me through the years. I don’t know how it happened, but October was one of my most-highly trafficked months in all the seven years I’ve been writing this blog. November is on pace to be another great month. I don’t know why this sudden uptick in activity has occurred, it’s not like I’m getting any better at this online journalism thing…Whatever the case may be, I’m happy you’re all here with me, weathering all the storms and riding out it to its inevitable conclusion. My death. Which will be blogged about, sometime in 2057. Stay tuned! Thanks, you!
02. Yaki – Oh, man. I had some great skewered meats in West Hollywood the other night. A friend and I went to see “Holy Motors” and we stumbled into this place. The yaki was good that night, my friends. Chicken kidneys, squid legs, grilled eel…we had maybe ten or twelve different skewers plus a couple larger dishes and I only paid about $25 once the meat feast was complete. It was amazing, and it restored my faith in yaki bars as some of the greatest places on earth. I really hope I get to Japan next year (it might happen…stay tuned). I’m going to eat my way through Tokyo. “Holy Motors,” on the other hand, was a complete waste of time. I wish I’d read the New York Times movie review first, because there’s nothing I hate more than a movie which has been described thusly: “…you never know where Mr. Carax will take you and you never know what, exactly, you’re to do once you’re there. Sometimes you may be amazed or delighted; other times, you may feel restless or uninterested…If that sounds confusing, it isn’t. Although the movie doesn’t have an obvious narrative through line, its episodes are nonetheless deeply connected by mood, visual style and Mr. Lavant.” I call bullshit! BULLSHIT! Ugh. Pretentious films are the worst. Thanks, yaki!
03. Loose Women – As I type this, one of them is texting me to hang out! I won’t respond though, because I have to be up early tomorrow. Also I’m just not that into her. Not enough substance there, just superficial conversation and cheap thrills. Still, it’s good to have a few loose women around for when you’re NOT training to run marathons, and you can go out on the town and have fun like a regular human being. Usually these girls are cheap dates (they don’t need that many drinks to become uninhibited, they know what they want when you pick ’em up so you don’t have to beat around the bush) and when you’re out with a loose woman odds are your night will end with that very same loose woman doing all kinds of filthy, degrading things to please you. Yup, Louis Armstrong really was right when he sang, “What a wonderful world.” Thanks, loose women.
04. Pie – I’ve been eating a lot of pie this autumn. It started with “Revolution Pie” Mondays at the house, where either Nate or I would bring home a pie Monday night and we’d split it while watching (and hating) the new NBC series “Revolution.” You might recognize the name from my “The Best Worst Show On Television” post. Well, you’ll be happy to hear that I’ve completely given up on Revolution. See, the thing is, shows like “Flash Forward” and “The Event” were so-bad-they-were-good because it was FUNNY how bad they were. “Revolution” is just awful, and it was so bad that I actively started to hate everyone who made the show, everyone who watched the show, and even myself for trying to watch it. It’s not funny, it’s pathetic. The best thing I can say about that piece of shit show is that it made me realize how much I love pies. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cream pie…Heh. I wrote “Creampie”. Aren’t subtle porn jokes the best? Thanks, pie!
05. Refrigeration – If it wasn’t for my refrigerator, I wouldn’t be able to keep these bottles of Stone Enjoy By 12-21-12 and Dogfish Head Bitches Brew (did you know those bottles are selling for over $50 now?) fresh. I wish I could walk downstairs and drink them both tonight, but I’m not allowing myself any alcohol until after I finish the marathon next weekend. I’ll blog more about the self-imposed alcohol ban later this week, but for now all you need to know is that my fridge is going to be a godsend once I return from Vegas, as it will unlock (and allow me to uncork, so to speak) these delicious beers I’ve been saving. Thanks, fridge.
06. Family – My mom and sister are flying out to Vegas next weekend to watch me run for my life (and from the cold) as I compete in yet another marathon. I think that’s a special thing, that two people would pay to fly across the country, stand in the cold for a while, and show you unconditional love and support for doing something that’s completely masochistic and only really benefits you. What do they get out of it? Mom has to pay for expensive meals and they both have to pay for airfare and accommodations. And they’re doing this willingly. Or so they say. I think that’s awesome. Thanks, family.
07. Books – Or, as someone once called them, “Silent Friends.” I’ve been reading a lot lately because I’ve been keeping up this sober thing for a while, from fantasy (“A Song Of Ice And Fire”) to fiction (re-reading “Lolita” and “Sons And Lovers” concurrently…by the way, is the latter considered more fiction or autobiographical fiction?) to non-fiction (just finished a book about “The Wire”) and cookbooks. Cookbooks are awesome. I never thought I could improve my egg-cooking techniques, but suddenly I learned all these new tricks to make eggs even more delicious. There really isn’t anything better than expanding your mind with information and stories instead of alcohol and hallucinogenic drugs. RIGHT GUYS!? THANKS, BOOKS!
08. Friends In High Places – It’s good to know people who work at liquor stores. Not just because it gives me an excuse to go to liquor stores (otherwise I’d feel like an alcoholic), but because sometimes they can score me rare or hard-to-find beers or spirits. That’s how I’ve been able to score almost all of the varieties of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon in recent years. I’ve currently got a bottle of the 20 year in my collection, and my bottles of the 15 and the Van Winkle Reserve 12 year were a hit with friends until they were emptied. I should be replenishing my Pappy horde in the near future. This will make me very, very happy. Thanks, friends.
09. Chelsea Wolfe – I know I’m a few weeks late to the party but I just heard “Unknown Rooms…” for the first time and I was really impressed with the arrangements and stripped-down folk sound. God, do I ever love her. I haven’t felt this way about a female songwriter since I first laid eyes and ears on Nina Nastasia ten years ago. Thanks, Chelsea.
10. Doom – Our own doom is fast approaching if you believe in all that Mayan calendar mumbo jumbo…but why fret about the future (and the apocalypse) when you can embrace and enjoy some EPIC doom metal, courtesy of Seattle’s greatest contribution to the doom metal genre, Bell Witch. Their new one, “Longing,” will most definitely be appearing on the annual Swan Fungus Top 100 Albums of 2012 list, which should be ready for publication sometime AFTER the Mayan Doomsday Apocalypse. But for now, enjoy this slab of sludge:
Bell Witch – Longing (The River Of Ash)[MP3]
