I can't believe a week has gone by since my last post. Sometimes, working 12 hour shifts in the middle of the night will just toally mess you up. Seriously, I don't ever know whether I'm coming or going. But at least if you're in the bathroom, it's easier to clean up the mess. Bah-dum-chee! That joke is so painful, but yet I keep repeating it. But yet I keep repeating it. But yet I....nevermind. I'm going to try to keep this brief, as I would like to go to sleep soon so that I can run errands today, like getting new tires and a haircut. I shaved the crazy Menonite beard thing I was growing, and trimmed my classic goatee, so I look like me again. I'll look even more like me when I get my hair cut. And then I'll go into the city and chill for awhile before heading down to Acme Underground to watch Bravado (the artists formerly known as ThisYearsModel -- I guess TYM was too emo (three word name) or too Elvis (Costello, of course) for those crazy kids, but nevertheless, the rock is unaffected) rock the joint, and to chill with some buddies and spend too much money on drinks for them.

Speaking of drinks with friends; tonight I went over to Sean, Jen & Larissa's house with Will, Dallow & Silbowitz to hang out, unsure of what we would do. Well, somewhere along the line, it was decided we were going to high-tail it to Will's house and pick up his DVD of Stephen King's "The Stand" miniseries and watch ALL SIX HOURS OF IT!!! Luckily, we thought of this scheme at 9pm, so we got back to Sean's (after a quick stop at 7-11 for snacks, coffee and booze) just a hair after 10. The film had started by 10:15. Silbowitz was already planning an escape by 10:30, using his dog Max (who was with him) as an excuse. He stayed until about midnight, but only because he had to wait for Sean to leave the room, as the one rule of his house is that once a movie starts, it does not stop and nobody may leave before it is over, or they are not allowed back over for two weeks. Or Sean may just decide to punch you in the throat. So ya gotta move quick. The rest of us sat back with our drinks (I bought and passed around some Jack Daniel's Strong Cola -- or whatever their alcoholicola is called - either way, it's damn good, and I drank enough of it quickly enough to get dizzy and happy) and snacks of choice; I bought the entenmann's chocolate lovers doughnut variety pack, Sean bought the plain crumb-topped, and Dallow got the Cheez-Its. Before we even started the movie, there was talk of other possible future all-night miniseries viewings, such as "V" (the original, not the remake thing) and Lars Von Trier's "The Kingdom" Parts 1 & 2 (since I own both, at about 5 1/2 hours apiece -- and in Danish/Swedish with English subtitles, no less-- so of course, that was my idea), as well as other Stephen King novels-turned-into-miniseries. It'll be fun to watch "The Kingdom" with someone new, since the only person I've really watched it with was Christina.

I've gotta say, I really enjoyed the miniseries. But I had never noticed Molly Ringwald's messed-up eye before. And I've recently watched "The Pick-Up Artist" and "Pretty In Pink." Maybe it was because her hair was black instead of red that I noticed. Hmmm. Now I have to go back and watch some more Molly Ringwald movies. Or maybe she just couldn't stand looking at and making out wiith Gary Sinise? Hmmm. Interesting. Anyhow, it was a good way to start my three-day weekend, as the last week or so has been nothing more than a faint blur to me. Not that it has been bad. Just draining. But I had another job interview at work, and received some complimentary words here and there. So that helps make the other stuff wash away. I did spend a nice chunk of change at Tower Records the other night, so I've been enjoying some new things...

One cd I bought was a re-issue of a Section 25 record. I had heard of Section 25 because of their association with the early Factory Records scene in Manchester. But I really didn't know what to expect, aside from the fact that Bernard Sumner of New Order produced this record, and that Mark Robinson of Teenbeat Records (Unrest, Air Miami, Flin Flon, etc) likes them a lot (enough so that he once released a bootleg cassette of them at the DC Space on the label back in its early days). Well, "From the Hip" is an interesting album, which one would immediately recognize as Factory Records, early 80's (it is in fact from 1983, with bonus tracks spanning from 1982-1985), as defined by Joy Division/New Order, Crispy Ambulance and the like. Fans of dancier New Order tracks from this time period, like "Blue Monday," or the more atmospheric ones ("Elegia") should love this album, as it combines an almost New Agey etherealness with hard programmed beats, which New Order took to the masses with tracks like "The Perfect Kiss." Instrumentals are blended with songs sung alternately by Larry Cassidy and his wife, Jenny Ross. There are five more Section 25 re-issues by LTM to check out, including a live one, all featuring bonus tracks and extensive liner notes. I will definitely be picking up more of them, and highly recommend this release to fans of the Factory Records scene from the 80's, before that Happy Mondays crap came up the pike.

Wow, sorry for the mid-blog accidental record review. Guess I'm gearing up for the deadline I missed this week for PLAY Online Music Magazine. Ooops. While at Tower, using my "I worked there for so long that my former manager feels bad, so I still get to use my discount " discount , I picked up "Songbook" by Nick Hornby, which was actually on the banner ad at the House of Chicken & Waffles blogspot above a post I made where the first words are "Much like the fictional Rob Gordon..." I also finally got my hands on the Velvet Underground "What Goes On" Australian box set when I paid a visit to Record Stop, on a tip from my dear brother Matt. WOO HOO!! I still haven't sat down with it yet, but I've waited for a good 8 years or so, so a few more days won't hurt.

Okay, it's now almost 8am. So much for going to sleep early. HA! Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm. Must wake up by 1pm.............................................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

that's me sleeping until 5pm again. I hope not. Let me sleep Monday before work.

So yeah, I played my second solo show ever last night at Saints N Sinners. That was a good time. I wasn't drinking enough, tho. I was still way too nervous, considering that there were only 30 or so people there, anyway. I dunno. Mostly it was all my friends. My friends are amazing people. Some of them travelled almost an hour to see my sorry ass. And I was almost totally deaf. It made it very hard to even tune a guitar. Tuning was the first 5 minutes of my act. And I only played two songs. Just read a bunch of random writings of mine. Excerpts from my book and whatnot. Nobody told me I suck. So I'm beginning to think maybe I don't. I mean, I'm pretty confident in my writing ability, and I know that if I could do justice to my own songs, they would be great. But my performance skills need a lot of honing. Maybe when I get my hearing back I should start rehearsing more. Hopefully I can. Well, I gotta eat so I can go to work tonight. My friends are awesome and ridiculously supportive. I love them all so much. Thanks guys and gals!

xoxo,
j-ro

current music: My Dad Is Dead - The Taller You Are, The Shorter You Get

Yeah, so, apparently, Friday morning I was starting to hear a little bit, I could definitely hear Built To Spill in my left ear, ever so slightly. And then I went and blew my eardrum. Dumbass. I was getting antsy, and decided to "help" my hearing come back faster. So I blew my nose. Hard. Oh yeah, and a lot. Note to other village idiots like myself: blowing your nose like the shofar (that's the ram's horn that crazy Jews blow into to welcome the new year, for all you goyim out there) when you can't hear is NOT a good thing. Keep on yawning, is all I gotta say about that, I guess. It apparently takes like a week or ten days or more to grow back. So basically, i have to sit and wait...and not stick things in my ear...you know, like water, fingers, little children who sleep with Michael Jackson...that kind of thing.

So, yeah, now I'm sitting in a room with a broken eardrum. I thought I heard a lot of white noise all the time before... now that I can't hear anything at all in my good ear, it's like there is a symphony of locusts inside my head on a summer's night. And they never sleep. No, they never sleep. And when I'm not listening to the locusts and cicadas dueling it out over my eternal soul, "Big Shot" by Billy Joel keeps playing at random times on my mental jukebox, and I can't stop it. "You went uptown riding in your limousine with your fine Park Avenue clothes. You had the Dom Perignon in your hand and the spoon up your nose..." You know, when that album, 52nd Street, came out, I was pretty young. I didn't know about fancy champagne and cocaine. I was picturing this woman holding some Italian guy in her hand while there was a spoon sticking out of her nose. At the same time, I was convinced that the Doobie Brothers, who were only urging the world to "Woa oh, listen to the music," were actually telling me that "The whole world wants to abuse you..." I was one messed up five year old. Now I am a messed-up 29 year old, sitting in the computer room after work at 8 in the morning whining about breaking my eardrum and hearing locusts in my head. What's not to love?

So I've decided to shift the focus of my set Thursday night to more of the funny J-Ro than the sensitive singer-songwriter J-Ro, since I can't hear myself well enough to sing too good, as they say in the biz. But please be sure to make it down to Saints And Sinners at 9pm, because even if I suck, Desirae will be awesome, as will Nan Turner (of Schwervon, formerly of Bionic Finger), who has a new EP (yay!), and Major Matt Mason USA, also of Schwervon, as well as being an antifolkhero and Olive Juice Music label impressario (wow, that's a lot of hats to wear). Fun for all kids 18 and over, for only 5 bucks! And if you think I suck I'll buy you a drink. HA!

I just started reading End Zone by Don Delillo. His writing fascinates me. His characters always seem to have this darkness bubbling just beneath the surface, and his imagery is amazing. I wish I could write like that, but I don't know how. I will just continue to plunder the mines I've been digging at for as long as I can remember. I suppose the world needs my vision of skewed romanticism, although arguably perhaps not as much as I need my eardrum to rebuild itself. So, are there like Dozers inside your ear repairing it, while Fraggles play in the free spaces of the skull? Hmmm... now that would be fascinating... (fade out to a dream sequence in flashback form, but you gotta make it up yourself. I'm low-tech.)

Sitting here, unable to hear, discussing with Charlie the messy state of my union. This not being able to hear thing is making me depressed and irritable. I'm really scared that I won't have my hearing back in time for my show Thursday, and that I may have to not perform, making it the second show that hasn't happened for me. I tried to play a little today, but it's hard to practice when you can't hear. Sergei told me the Ruber family secret way of dealing with it... put a heating pad on your... wait, if I tell you, it isn't a secret, now is it? Well, screw you, then pal, trying to extract information from me like some kinda little whiny stool pigeon guy with big ears and a large gap between my front teeth. Stinkin' bastages.

Still can't hear yet. Thanks for asking. It feels like stuff is moving, but I guess after 3 months of sick without much treatment, there's a lot of stuff. Are you there God, It's Me, J-Ro --- Please let me hear again. Not that it will get me to go to synagogue or any of the bullshit other people say when they ask you for stuff. I don't like to lie like that. Yep. That is all. Thanks, chief.