Tory Quotes, etc. I was quoted on Tory's blog. I feel so loved. And my internet is working.

I have a couple new tunes up. One has been up for awhile, but I haven't plugged it yet. The first one is "Dear Sister." The second is an alternate version of "Lunita" with Matt (of Miles from Nazareth) on BGV and lead guitar. It's a better version of that song. Here's the link.  ¶ 9:47 PM 0 comments

  These lists go to eleven... Dave had a good idea.

Favorite Records (meaning, albums that either A. changed how I thought about music in general, or B. have strong childhood memories/autobiographical significance, which namely are the Whiskeytown, Young, Cockburn, Mullins and the Lovett albums.) :

1. Heartbreaker - Ryan Adams
2. After The Goldrush - Neil Young
3. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan
4. Summerteeth - Wilco
5. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
6. You Forgot It In People - Broken Social Scene
7. The Jesus Demos - Rich Mullins
8. I Love Everybody - Lyle Lovett
9. Faithless Street - Whiskeytown
10. Good News For People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse
11. Dancing in The Dragon's Jaws - Bruce Cockburn

Currently listening to:

  ¶ 10:56 PM 2 comments

  Trees in Tanzania I have opinions. Not a lot, but I do have a few. However, I'm not particularly expressive of them (for a variety of reasons, not least of which is simply because I don't want to look stupid). Furthermore, I don't get excited about them that often. One thing that I'm particularly excited about, however, is a group called TIST. TIST stands for The International Small Group Tree Planting Program (I guess TISGTPP is cumbersome).

I found out about it a while ago, but didn't investigate it that much. Small groups of farmers in Tanzania (now spread to India, Uganda and Kenya) have begun planting trees in their native lands. Basically, they do this in answer to problem that over two thirds of the world is facing right now: Sustainable development.

These countries' landscapes are dry, hot and desolate. Moreover, the land has been abused. Trees have been cleared away and the soil has become infertile. The trees they plant provide them with shade and protection against wind. They help prevent erosion, which washes away fertile topsoil. Some types of trees even enrich the soil quality directly, while others provide fruits, nuts, animal food, timber, medicines, bee habitats, and even insecticides. In an economy based heavily upon agriculture, the benefits of these trees are enormous.

On top of all that, the farmers are able to cash in on CO2 credits, or GhG credits (Greenhouse Gas), to the UN and to private investors such as yourself. If you don't know how that works, that's okay. I'll explain it (but you probably should read more). CO2 gas exists naturally in our atmosphere. We emit it. Cars emit it, etc. This gas helps the earth retain its heat. The problem of global warming of course comes in here. There's too much of this gas in the atmosphere and we're heating up. The trees absorb this gas, and help restore a natural balance to the atmosphere.

So it's a pretty good deal for everyone involved. The farmers benefit on a multitude of levels. Not only are they able to make some money on the GhG credits, but they are already benefiting from a more productive land. I don't think I have to flesh out for you how this helps their many problems, but basically, this gets to the core of all of them. Hunger, economic development, AIDS - these problems are all helped. Plus, you get some shade and scenery that you didn't used to have.

I became acquainted with this movement via Jerry Martin, who was instrumental in helping it get off the ground a few years ago. This is one of the most positive things I've heard going on in Africa. I have high hopes for them.

Currently listening to:

  ¶ 7:53 PM 3 comments

  Vultures So the current ritual at the Beat here is...well...it's not so much a ritual as it is the norm. Law & Order is on for like, three or four hours on Monday. Excessive? Surely you jest. Anyway, so this one case went down like this: Some dude steals some AIDS infected monkeys from an experiment lab. The monkeys get inoculated by this potential vaccine and then get infected with AIDS. Some die, some live. During the burglary one gets loose and bites one of the lab dudes. He dies. So the case turns into this big animal rights issue. The defense lawyer tries to convince the people that a monkey is entitled to the same rights as a human. And mind you! 150 years ago, African Americans weren't considered human beings before the law, so we must continue this progress of spreading around rights (uh...so Afro Americans are like...monkeys?) At any rate, the defense fails and the guy goes down for Man 2.

Okay. Cool. I love animals. I even dabbled in vegetarianism. Not at home of course (mmm, pot roast). But according to Silliman, even vegetables feel some semblance of pain. So we've got to either A. concede to causing pain to others to keep ourselves alive or B. only eat things that have died from natural causes (as in, "be a vulture," as he put it).

Cool words: (Be sure to check out the beatblog for the list of desciptives about the Beat.)

Skigility= skills + agility
Scrumdiddlyumptious = adj. meaning tasty or n. meaning one's nether regions
Trogdor!!! The Burninator
Pukesgiving = I haven't experienced this thankfully. Probably because I'm not vegan.
Boner = Middle English for "compassionate."
Horrorclaus = Santa after being burned by a giant egg monster.
El Soccerclaus = Santa after the elves graft soccer ball material in place of his previously charred skin.

Aqua Teen in T minus 69 minutes

Currently listening to:

  ¶ 1:51 AM 0 comments

  Lovely People I have a new facebook friend named Ryan Leng. At first, I thought some mischievous youths were playing a trick on me. But he's a real dude. He's almost nineteen years old, in attendance at Arizona State University, and is from somewhere in Illinois. Who'd a-thought? He is (was) a hockey player too...I think.

So then I started investigating (via the Google search) all these people who are related to me. Some interesting findings ensued.

1. Jennifer Leng from Manchester, England (native to Lancashire). Age 21. Dancer, actress, producer. She likes Hockey.

2. Ron Leng is a retired professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of New England. He was born in England. As near as I can tell, he's involved with the UN and such, developing research in the nutritional biochemistry of ruminants (whatever that is). He seems to share the same interests (Chemistry, Agriculture) as my own father, who also possesses the name, Ron Leng, who is caught up at Dow making herbicides and pesticides for a living.

3. Kathryn Leng is a smashing cricket player in England. I think it's all she does for a living! She's like, a fricking pro! Shares a name with my sister.

4. Kristina Leng plays hockey at Wayne State. I think she might be the sister of this other Ryan Leng out there. Note well: This is the third hockey interest. I don't even know these people. They don't know me. But they like hockey. Even one from England! They don't have hockey there!

5. Joanna Leng is involved in research and software development of visualization for UK academics. Not sure what that is. Also resides in Manchester.

6. Mary Leng is a research fellow in philosophy at Cambridge.

Well...those are the interesting ones. There are a lot of Sik Fu Lengs and Chen Wei Lengs. But sweet props for the Manchester folk, man! Joy Division/New Order, The Happy Mondays, Oasis, Badly Drawn Boy...represent! Anyway, I thought there were some interesting people I should mention. The only question remains is how closely related are they to me. I guess the Lengs all pretty much go back to Yorkshire and Durham ancestry. I do remember meeting some of my dad's cousins from England. That was fun. They were great people, not like those churlish sobs from Guy Ritchie's films. Also, Leng is derived from Lange, which in OE and ME means "long." I should know. I'm taking that class and just got out of it a little over an hour ago.

This would be a good place to insert the Leng Crest. But alas! I can't find one.

Currently listening to:

  ¶ 8:08 PM 3 comments

  Things come alive or they fall flat This isn't by any means complete. I'm really unsure about the fourth verse. I'm really just spinning my wheels with it, and I don't know if it all fits together as a unit. If you're going to complain about the "my wife and kids" part, forget it. I won't listen to you, because songwriting doesn't have to be purely personal, and a lot of times, it's better if it isn't.

"Only October"

My mother used to come and watch me sing
About meadows, sparrows and greener things
I'd hit a bad note and I'd cuss
She'd fold her arms and her cheeks would blush
Blush the color of the roses that grew on her wedding day

She said I don't help progress this family
I asked "progress where?" She said "the next day."
I couldn't believe it. What do you say to that?
This is your portion and so you better not turn back
On the ones who kept you since the day you were born

And it's been too long
Just sitting on this sofa without you
And it's been so long
Flicking cards at a hat in my room
Too long
Too long
And it's only October

And my grandfather never said a harsh word
His voice was the calmest thing I ever heard
But most of time he never said that much
And he'd cup his hands like he was carrying a thrush
lighting his smokes while the Mississippi storms
rattled his patio

And I miss my wife and I miss my kids
Like quiting cold turkey when you still need your cigs
When I left my kin, I thought I could survive
Now the only comfort I can even find
Is in the humming of the wheels
that will bear me home again

Cause it's been too long
Just sitting on this sofa without you
And it's been so long
Flicking cards at a hat in my room
Too long
Too long
And it's only October

This next one is about a boy I knew in elementary school who died of a brain tumor. I visited him a couple weeks before died, and he was blind. He was also very happy, and I took great comfort in it. There's a garden planted in the front yard of his house in memorial to him. This song is very basic and I didn't want to get caught up in the process too much. I played it Saturday night, and it's only about a minute long.

"Michael's Song"

Enter in
Put your ear to my chest
Grace begins
for to put your fears to rest

And child you will be
next to me on this day
The pain you've been feeling
will never cross into eternity

Broken eyes
Blinding all of your steps
But d'you realize
That all creation wept

When the sky spit open
On a hill far away
The pain that I suffered
was good enough for eternity

We'll all fall into the ground
We'll all fall into the ground

I wish I wrote this:

"All I know is that I'm thrilled by your kiss,
I don't know any more than this.
Po' boy, pickin' up sticks,
Build you a house out of mortar and bricks."

-Bob Dylan

Currently listening to:

  ¶ 11:07 PM 1 comments

  Gripes These have been accruing over the past couple of weeks.

1. Dry, comfortable, innocent and un-expecting socks stepping on wet floors.

2. The un-swallow-ability of herbal medication and vitamins and how they become lodged in your esophagus forcing you to dissolve their outer shell in another place besides your stomach, which is comfortably and naturally located far away from your tongue.

3. Cheese whiz = 10% cheese, 90% whiz

4. When the water running out of your faucet looks like you have a leak in your septic tank, which you fear may lie irrationally close to your water pipes

5. When faced with an undesirable task, some self-ordained leader in your group says "we have to do this..." when they really mean "you have to do this..."

6. Getting dumped for Jesus

7. The indeterminable spawning of grime and stink on even my most expensive sandals

8. My obsessive-compulsive attention to previous gripe

9. When my rolling papers don't stick and I have to start over

10. People who comment on blogs and the first thing they ask you is 'asl?'. It's like they are serial dating and can't take the time to write out 'age,' 'sex,' and 'location.' If they don't abbreviate it, they'll not meet as many potential cyber lovers.

Currently listening to:
Pneumonia
by Whiskeytown

  ¶ 5:01 AM 2 comments

  Groupie After my show last night, I was greeted by an older, one-legged woman. She was sitting in a wheelchair towards the front. She snagged me and asked to give me a hug. "I just needed that hug today, dear."

We went outside, lit up a smoke, and she asked me how old I was.

"Twenty."
"And how old do you think I am?" she asked.
"Forty-six," (oh Ryan, you seducer among boys!)
"Ha! I wish I was that young," she replied, humoring my feeble yet polite, pseudo-flirtation.
"Well, how old are you?"
"I turned fifty-nine last month. But it's been a hard time lately. My boyfriend left me..."

She mumbled this part...not sure what she said.

"...and I told him to get the f*** out of my house. But now I really miss him. If you know anybody age 55-60, let me know!" (I got this part.)
"Well, forget it. Water under the bridge," I offered.
"You wanna come over and have some coffee?" (God Almighty)
"Nah, I gotta study tonight...and I've been sick, so I'm uh...only drinking tea."
"Yeah, I was sick. I had pneumonia three weeks ago. I wouldn't eat, drink - they had to take me to the hospital. I was such a crab you know." She continued in this manner for a few minutes.
"Well, I gotta go. You take care. And eat something. If I hear you don't, I'm coming over."
"Okay, hun. You too."

That was interesting, and a high point of an otherwise mediocre show.  ¶ 7:04 PM 1 comments

  Denim Dan Apparently, today is national "wear denim for breast cancer" day. They didn't get the memo that every Friday is "Mexican Tuxedo Friday." But it's cool. It works on both levels.  ¶ 8:18 PM 0 comments

  Ryan and The Sweet Hearts























  ¶ 9:56 PM 1 comments

  Legal Highs and Epic Battles with Techonolgy Robitussin DXM, 1.5 bottles of
Salvia, three bowls of

Robitussin, despite its juvenile and pubescent nature, proved to be the more effective legal high for the normally subdued Edmund. I would say he reached the second plateau, but possibly ventured into the third plateau. He experienced a pleasant array of questions posed by certain tripsitters. He spent a great deal of time looking for his "passion of the christ" hat. I don't think he ever found it, despite making the adventuresome trek back to his dorm.

Huggs was dressed in a black ski mask, parading as a ninja. In a rage after a particularly lengthy keg-stand, he ninja-kicked a light fixture into obliteration. He picked up a replacement today, proving one can be responsible in his irresponsibility. Hugger = 1, Technology = 0

A new facebook profile is up for me. Me = 1, Technology = 0

I can't find the remote. I think I'm watching the anime S*cry*ed and it's aggravating me. But it's been on for a long time, but I still have not been able to lift myself to find the remote to change it. Me = 0, Technology = 1.

The fate of Ryan vs. the alarm clock will be decided tomorrow morning.

...signing off,

the 7th beatnik  ¶ 4:32 PM 2 comments