cgm13.net :: the boy wonder: October 2004

“MY DEATHBIRD is Not DEAD.
HE CARRIES ALL MY TEETH: MY SMILE OF UNFORGETFULNESS, MY LAUGH!

VRYKOLAKA!

I am the man unburied who CANNOT sleep IN FORTY PIECES!!!!!

I am the girl, dismembered and unblessed,

I am the open mouth that drags your flesh and will never rest until
MY DEATH IS WRITTEN IN A ROCK THAT CAN NOT BE BROKEN!”

And these are the orders from The Dead.
Diamanda Galas - Orders from the Dead [10.6 MB]

D.
Stressed out friends ...
R.
Weeping friends ...
A.
Feuding friends ...
M.
Freaked out friends ...
A.

For once it's not me freaking out. A nice strong cocktail would be great right now.

How silly of me. I didn't want black bookcases after all. Metal is the way to go! I think these will look really cool with my computer desk (which has a silver base and frosted glass top). Just gotta get the shelves painted to match the molding. Will the painting ever end?

WHO NEEDS FLU SHOTS WHEN RHINO HAS THE CURE!

Highly Anticipated Cure Reissue Campaign Begins With Expanded, Remastered THREE IMAGINARY BOYS December 7th.

LOS ANGELES - Twenty-five years after The Cure began their global pop invasion with their debut disc, THREE IMAGINARY BOYS, Rhino Records gives the album its first-ever U.S. domestic release with a deluxe two-disc edition loaded with previously unreleased tracks. THREE IMAGINARY BOYS will be available December 7 at all retail outlets and at www.rhino.com for a suggested retail price of $18.98.

The album marks the kickoff to Rhino Records' revitalization of The Cure catalog. Each title will receive a sonic upgrade and be released as a deluxe double-disc set featuring the original album on one CD and numerous rarities on the other. In addition, each release will come with a 16-page booklet filled with photos and tour memorabilia from the personal archives of vocalist Robert Smith, as well as a track-by-track commentary and notes by U.K. music scribe Johnny Black.

Cure fans have long clamored for THREE IMAGINARY BOYS, an energetic 1979 U.K. debut which features "10:15 Saturday Night," "Grinding Halt," "Fire In Cairo," and a quirky rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady." The band's debut U.S. album, Boys Don't Cry, featured many of the songs on THREE IMAGINARY BOYS along with singles like "Jumping Someone Else's Train" and "Boys Don't Cry." The Rhino reissue offers the original U.K. album with an added previously unreleased instrumental ("The Weedy Burton"), as well as a 20-track bonus disc which includes the additional tracks from Boys Don't Cry, previously unreleased studio and home demo versions, live renditions, and other curiosities. In total the package includes six previously unreleased songs, eight previously unreleased versions of songs, and 17 tracks never before available on CD.

Johnny Black's liner notes, which make use of extensive and exclusive interviews with Robert Smith, provide fascinating insight into the making of this classic album. One interesting story tells how The Cure managed to get the album recorded with virtually no budget: they simply snuck into Morgan Studios at night once the Jam had finished their sessions, and, using the Jam's gear, recorded through the night till dawn.

It's been almost three decades since a 17-year-old Smith formed The Easy Cure in Crawley, England. Despite various lineup changes, The Cure have forged an ongoing career highlighted by an astonishing run of artistic and commercial successes, including chart-topping hit singles, gold and platinum records, countless awards, critical acclaim, and an international fan base that follows the band with religious fervor. They have secured their place in music history by shaping modern rock as we know it today.

#####

THREE IMAGINARY BOYS

DISC ONE
1. 10:15 Saturday Night
2. Accuracy
3. Grinding Halt
4. Another Day
5. Object
6. Subway Song
7. Foxy Lady
8. Meathook
9. So What
10. Fire In Cairo
11. It's Not You
12. Three Imaginary Boys
13. The Weedy Burton *

DISC TWO
1. I Want To Be Old (SAV Studio Demo 10/77) *
2. I'm Cold (SAV Studio Demo 11/77) **
3. Heroin Face (Live In The Rocket 12/77)
4. I Just Need Myself (PSL Studio Demo 1/78) *
5. 10:15 Saturday Night (Home Demo 2/78) **
6. The Cocktail Party (Group Home Demo 3/78) *
7. Grinding Halt (Group Home Demo 4/78) **
8. Boys Don't Cry (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78)
9. It's Not You (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78) **
10. 10:15 Saturday Night (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78) **
11. Fire In Cairo (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78) **
12. Winter (THREE IMAGINARY BOYS Studio Out-Take Cassette 10/78) *
13. Faded Smiles (aka I Don't Know) (THREE IMAGINARY BOYS Studio Out-Take
Cassette 10/78) *
14. Play With Me (THREE IMAGINARY BOYS Studio Out-Take Cassette 10/78) *
15. World War (on early copies of BOYS DON'T CRY album 1979)
16. Boys Don't Cry (Single‹also on BOYS DON'T CRY album 1979)
17. Jumping Someone Else's Train (Single-also on BOYS DON'T CRY album 1979)
18. Subway Song (Live In Nottingham 10/79)
19. Accuracy (Live In Nottingham 10/79) **
20. 10:15 Saturday Night (Live In Nottingham 10/79) **

* Previously Unreleased Song/Instrumental
** Previously Unreleased Version

Finally. This weekend. Do you want to play a game?

Finding black bookcases in this town is about like trying to get a date in this town ... impossible. I have a mighty need for black bookcases.

What bullshit the sticker attached to the dvd of the "Dawn of the Dead" Unrated Director's Cut is. "Too Scary for Theaters" my ass. The stuff that has been added back in is cool ... more blood, gore and character development. The sticker should read "Contains Scenes that the MPAA Deemed Too Violent & Gory for You to See." Guess what? It's a zombie film. We expect lots of gore. We expect heads exploding in messy glob of blood and brain matter. We want it no other way. That's why we like horror films.

NC-17: No One 17 and Under Admitted
Signifies that the rating board believes that most American parents would feel that the film is patently adult and that children age 17 and under should not be admitted to it. The film may contain explicit sex scenes, an accumulation of sexually oriented language, and/or scenes of excessive violence. The NC-17 designation does not, however, signify that the rated film is obscene or pornographic in terms of sex, language or violence.

It's a shame that the NC-17 rating has not faired any better than the X rating. Movie theaters and rental chains still shy away from carrying such films. I don't suppose it helps most the NC-17 movies have not been all that good anyway. Maybe when "Haute Tension" hits theaters it will help ease that stigma ... that NC-17 movies are just all about sex. That they can be about some hardcore killin' as well.

Home Improvement News:
Well, just a few more days and my office will be finished. I have to let the floor "cure" until Sunday before I can put any furniture on it. That allows me some time to get the finishing touches done. I'll put down the baseboards tonight and spend the next couple of days getting my bookcases painted. Then it's on to ripping my bedroom to pieces. Whoo. A handyman's work is never done.

DVD News:
The Unrated Director's Cut of "Dawn of the Dead: 04" hit stores today. Yes! More Gore! More Blood! More Chainsaw Action! More Zombie Carnage! I am not the least bit excited ...

Theater News:
Friday we perform "Coyote on a Fence" again before our trip to competition on November 6. This is the show in which I play an imprisoned Nazi skinhead. So, if you happen to be in Salisbury, NC on the 6th, you should drop by and watch us in action at the Meroney Theater (home to the Piedmont Players). That night we will find out if we go on to represent our state at the Community Theater Competition at the Southeast Theater Conference in March of next year.

Other Randomness in a Random Order:
1. Been listen to too much Diamanda Galas.
2. The greatest holiday of the year is Sunday.
3. I heart "Arrested Development."
4. My flirting skills are as suspect as my typing skills.

Worry over really needing to sand and start from scratch on the floor was heavy on my mind Sunday as I started the refinishing. Would Varathane's Renewal system do the trick?

Yow! Renewal provided a vast improvement. There are a few stained spots and high traffic areas in the room that would have benefited from sanding ... but considering I spent $70 and only one day, I am very happy with the results.

And here is what I spent my Saturday night doing. Striping spots of old paint off the hardwood floor is fun I tells ya. Much more fun than relaxing with a beer.

This weekend:
Yep. Got a really hot time planned for this weekend. Hopefully I will get treated right. I decided to try this product as I don't know jack about hardwood floors. Hopefully it will work well enough so that I don't have to sand, sand, sand, stain and seal the floor. Yep. I have floor restoring products instead of any prospects for a date.

In other news:
My bosses gave me a shirt for some reason. It's got Homer on it. This Homer. Not that Homer.

For the record:
Ladybugs are fuckin' evil.

Yep. Still plugging away at the office. Got molding up around the windows last night. Whoo. Still have to get base boards and crown molding done. Then work on the hardwood (the floor, people) to get it cleaned up some. With any luck I will have 'er all done by Sunday and can get started working on my bedroom next week. Hmmmm. Maybe I should rename this site "The Handyman's Journal" or something like that.

*sigh*

Yep. October is a fun month. Tomorrow is Evil's birthday.

I have done nothing. I have bought no present, no card. Sure I'll send him a crappy little free online card. And that will be that.

A while back I was about getting him gifts. One year for his birthday I got him a stuffed monkey (fucker loves monkeys) and the Criterion edition of "Brazil" on dvd. On top of that he got dinner and I carted his ass all over the place so he didn't have to drive after celebrating too much. Yep. I am that stupid.

So, tomorrow it rolls around again. I still have a Barrel of Monkeys necktie and a Barrel on Monkeys (in red) sitting on my dresser. I was going to give them to him one Christmas and never could bring myself to wrap them. They sit there on my dresser as a reminder. Yep. More stupidness on my part.

I try not to obsess too much (yeah, don't laugh) about him now that he is down in Florida. But, the recent visit and innuendo-laden birthday message have done nothing to calm that side of my feelings. Grrrr.

The word that describes this week best: D.R.A.M.A.
What the hell else is your family for?

Yes. I can say with no shame that I am currently lusting after Jason Bateman.

What a shock. "'The Simpsons' The Complete Fifth Season" DVD Set will hit stores December 21st. That's mere months after the Forth Season hit store. Maybe they finally heard the cry of fans that "I want to get all the seasons sets before I die!" With "The Simpsons" at 16 seasons and going strong it still may be an impossibility. Here the episodes we finally get to own ...
"Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
"Cape Feare"
"Homer Goes to College"
"Rosebud"
"Treehouse of Horror IV"
"Marge on the Lam"
"Bart's Inner Child"
"Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood" [One of favorites!]
"The Last Temptation of Homer"
"$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"
"Homer the Vigilante"
"Bart Gets Famous"
"Homer and Apu"
"Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy"
"Deep Space Homer"
"Homer Loves Flanders"
"Bart Gets an Elephant"
"Burns' Heir"
"Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song"
"The Boy Who Knew Too Much"
"Lady Bouvier's Lover"
"Secrets of a Successful Marriage"

Blah, blah, blah. Been in a foul mood since Saturday. Seems like everyone around me is able to get what they want. Maybe I am too much of a "nice guy." Maybe I should have kissed him when he said, "Don't try and kiss me."

Changing subjects ...
I have discovered that I don't like dealing with molding. Grrr. Is it ever a pain in the ass! Though using the miter saw does make my cock feel much bigger.

Last night, the electrician showed me what I had done wrong when I almost blew up the house while rewiring. Pretty simple if you toss out all you think you know about hot wires and neutral wires. Mmmmm, hot wires.

New toys make life (somewhat) bearable.

You are .mpg You live life like it was a movie. Constantly in motion, you bring pleasure to many, but are often hidden away.
Which File Extension are You?

Things that I gotta remember to buy this weekend:
1. Toothpaste
2. Shower Cleaner
3. "Harsh Realm" DVD Set
4. Porn
5. New Cock Ring or Strap

Heaven forbid that you think I have stopped work on the house. Now you can thrill to more home improvement photos. Yipee!

As you can see, I have added a stripe going around the room. The first step (of course) is to tape off where the stripe is gonna go.

Next, the stripe gets painted in. Yes. It was as much fun as you think it would be.

Pull that tape off and waddaya got? I nice green stripe goin' around the room. All that I need to do now is to get the molding painted, put up and this little project will be history.

And, yes. For certain of you fellas out there (you know who you are), I wore my jock while doing the painting of the stripe. A solo video waiting to happen? Eh, probably not.

Just how great was the Concrete Blonde show last night? Words can't even begin to describe it. Johnette Napolitano is a goddess. I want to have her children.

After the show I got to chatting with the attractive couple (guy and gal) next to me (see I do actually talk to strangers in public). The boyfriend was very drunk and cute. He was so happy to have seen the band play. It's his birthday today, so he had been celebrating. When I informed them that my birthday was Wednesday, the girlfriend hugged me a gave be a big ole smooch. She said all birthday boys got hugs and kisses. I guess you gotta take it where you can get it.

So, let's just imagine that you're a straight fella and you have a good guy friend who you know is crazy over you. Would you send a birthday e-mail like the one pictured above? See. It comes complete with a wink ;) and a photo entitled "my_cock.jpg." How cheeky. It's a picture of a rooster. Funny, is it not?

A big "Thank You!" to all who wished me "Happy Birthday" yesterday. It was a pretty low-key day ... but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I received a few cards (paper and e-mail), more than my share of Simpsons merchandise, the dvd of Firefly," makings for fresh pesto and some beer. All in all a pretty nice day. Tonight I get to go see Concrete Blonde at The Peel. Yes! It should be sweet even though I am having to go by myself.

One the other hand, my inbox here at work made me unhappy this morning. More on that later ...

Checking out the five star atmosphere
You want some expertise
If you got treasure a-payin' for the pleasure
It'll bring you to your knees
Silicone romance, what's your name fancypants?
Got your eye on the employees
Forget about the reel-in, talk about the feelin'
Solid gold ... oh, my God what's this?

I saw the bedroom toys and now I'm stallin'
I can't believe my eyes
I saw the bedroom toys and now I'm crawlin'
I learned to improvise

You want it... you got it... now what you gonna do with it?
Duran Duran - "Bedroom Toys"

So ... who's a big ole dork on his birthday?

I was in the Post Office a little earlier today to get stamps and get some bills mailed. While I was sticking the stamps an older gentleman (who I don't know from Adam) came over and started talking to me about "Sweeney Todd." He asked if attendance had been better, and I said it had pick up since the first weekend. He then proceeded to tell me about how he had no idea why we picked "Sweeney Todd." I was informed that he thought the show was "abysmal" ... that was the word he used ... and that all the folks sitting around him hated it as well. He then launched into how he and his wife went to Flat Rock Playhouse all the time and that we should be more like them. I guess that means we should perform the same ole tried and true shows that every other group in the area does. I can't even count the number of time crap like the "The 1940's Radio Hour" has been done in WNC. Geez. He proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't take it personally. Fucker.

Grrrr. The Man's mention of jock straps in a comment yesterday made me dream last night of wearing jock straps just for his viewing pleasure. Its was a black jock and I was trying to stealthily put in on with people all around me. Can you tell someone needs a date ... or a good lay?

Busy weekend. The goal of getting new insulation in the walls of the house before winter is quickly getting past me. Grrrr. So, I spent the weekend getting the office ready, fucking up the wiring for the lights, almost blowing up my house, dealing with "Sweeney Todd" and putting up with "Evil." Are you sick of home improvement photos yet? Well, too bad.

Patch Work
With the (g)old fan down and the previous ceiling box covered, it's time to patch and paint.

New Fan
Hooray! The ceiling is painted and the new fan is up. I guess I should have explained that the "blue" for the ceiling is more of a darkish blue/grey color. It looks good.

Getting There
Yes! The walls are now painted as well. Next up is to prime the doors the windows and get those painted tomorrow.

No Rest for the Lonely
So, hopefully, by the end of the week the major work on this room will be done and I can get started on my bedroom. A homeowner's work is never done.

Ah, you old ceiling fan ... your days are numbered. I won't have to look at your sorry gold and white ass much longer. I won't have to hear you rattle from being installed so poorly. It's nothing personal. I just hate gold ... and the fact that your off-centered in the room.

See. That's where the new fan is gonna go. Much, much better.

Mmmmmm ... a new ceiling box. See how it's just waiting for new wiring and a new ceiling fan.

Painting will commence tomorrow. First the ceiling (see above color) and then the walls. Whee!

Fresh Drywall Ready to Paint
Now that I don't have to be at the theater every single night I have spent the week getting some much needed work done in my office. The mudding of the new drywall got completed yesterday. Yes!

First Coat of Primer
Last night I got the first coat of "Drywall First" on the walls. If you have never done any home improvement stuff, the main thing to remember is prime that fresh drywall before you paint with your chosen colors! I can't stress how important this is (like I'm an expert, right?). Un-primed drywall sucks up paint faster than you can believe.

Tonight I get to play electrician with the new (and not gold) ceiling fan. I get to mount a new ceiling box, re-run the wiring, unhook the old one and patch the hole where it used to be. Yipee!

Hardwood Floors!
Ah, the hardwood floors (underneath all that crappy carpeting) make me ... well, hard. They need some work but are gonna be oh-so-sweet when refinished!

Handyman Extrordinaire
And, who's the hottest home improvement man in town? Yeah. You know it.

Take a wild guess who gets to deal with "Evil" this weekend. I do. I do.

It's big! It's huge! It's highlights from Act One of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." [20 MB]

In other news ...
The mudding is about done (finally!) in the office and I will get to start painting within the next few days. Whee! This makes me so happy that I could wet myself. Then is a scrub down of the uncovered hardwood floor, the moving of furniture and then I can start tearing my bedroom apart. Hooray for crappy carpeting going "bye, bye." Hooray for no more wood paneling. Hooray for insulation. Hooray for mess!

HOME STATUS REPORT
* * *
Room One: Destruction - Complete
Room One: Rewiring - Complete
Room One: Insulation - Complete
Room One: Drywall - Complete
Room One: Paint - Pending
Room One: Molding - Pending
* * *
Room Two: Destruction Pending ...

Oh. My. God. I just found out that Skinny Puppy is rolling through Charlotte on October 31st! How sweet would it be to see Siouxsie, Concrete Blonde and Skinny Puppy all in the space of two months? Pretty. Fucking. Sweet.

Well, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is all over but the crying. We have completed the first weekend of the show and have two more to go. The audiences seemed to like the show even if they were a little thin compared to other shows we have done. Speculation is that our usual Florida folks (a big chunk of our regular audience) aren't around as they are all off dealing with the hurricanes and such. Some also say the subject matter may be keeping people away as well. Ah, who cares. We kick ass! And now for the crying part ... all my director's fee will be going towards the bills that have piled up from my little medical adventure in June. Grrrrr. Expect a video clip with highlighs from Act I of the show sometime in the next few days. Act II Highlights should appear sometime next week. Whoo.

Janet Leigh dies at age 77.

Ah, the mayhem of opening a show. Last night the Cosmotology students from HCC came in and did make-up for the cast. Apparently they have "stage make-up" as one of their classes and hooked up with us for the practice. Talk about making things crazy (but fun) at the last minute. We have about 30 watching the final dress rehearsal, and things could have gone better. "Sweeney Todd" is one of those shows that moves so damn fast that it can get away from you before you know it. Some pretty major musical fuck-ups happened reminding everyone that concentration is of the utmost importance. So, we move on to the "opening" crowd tonight and some much deserved cheap booze and blood filled pastries.