Infodump

Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? I've been seven varieties of busy these past few weeks, and haven't really felt like dealing with the internet. Sure, I've been checking my e-mails, and keeping up with my favorite news sites, but I couldn't work up the gumption to update either my Los Infartos site, my myspace page, or this blog. Much has transpired as of late, so instead of dwelling on one topic, I'm going to type a bit about a bunch of things:


Uncle Drunkle

First off, I became an uncle two weeks ago this Tuesday! My sister gave birth to her first child, Caitlin Julia Eswein (8 lbs. 10 oz.). I finally got to see the little booger last week, and she rocks. It's funny to see my Shannon all maternal and shit. Her husband, Glenn, is frightened that my she and I are going to corrupt the poor child with our twisted taste in humor, music, and movies. God help him, he's right. I hope sometime in the next few years they have a son, so I can pass on to him all of my strange little toys and action figures (Evil Piggy, Mariachi Froggy, and Hypno Monkey included).


"I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!!!"

The preceding quote is taken from an SNL sketch with Will Ferrell. I know this because I have heard this phrase about 5,000 time over the past two weeks. If you're not familiar with it, go here http://snltranscripts.jt.org/97/97kdinner.phtml The reason I have heard this so many times is because I, too, now drive a Dodge Stratus!
Yup, Flan's car is now mine. It's in great shape, and compared to driving my shitty Topaz, it's a fucking dream! I'm even digging the fact that it doesn't have a CD player in it, cassette only. I've been listening to old Burgundy Bishop, Spare Change, and Hedge recordings. I also dug out a bunch of Black Crowes, Mr. Bungle, and Tom Waits bootlegs that I haven't heard in years. After Christmas, though, I'm going to pop a disc player in there. Perhaps a subwoofer, as well. Pimpin' my ride, bitches.
I just feel bad for Flan. He bought the car new, and developed an attachment to it. I told him if it means so much to him, I'll let him have visitation on the weekends, as long as he lets me drive his new Escape...


Gigs

I have a whole bunch of gigs coming up, and since I have a hard time keeping track of that shit, I'm posting them here. Aside from QKF and Menthol Box gigs, I'm sitting in with CHUMP for a bit, until they can find a new bassist. It's a fucking nightmare trying to juggle three different gig/rehearsal schedules, but I'm working on it. I seem to have misplaced the little piece of paper I wrote the Menthol Box dates on, but here's the rest (to the best of my knowledge-dates are subject to change, as always):

NOVEMBER:

24th (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door (Pompton Lakes, NJ)
25th (Thurs.) Menthol Box- The Lakeside Pub (Wayne, NJ)
27th (Sat.) QUICK KILL FORMULA- The Continental (NYC)

DECEMBER:

1st (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door
8th (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door
9th (Thurs.) Menthol Box- The Lakeside
11th (Sat.) Chump- The Wreck Room (Wallington, NJ)
15th (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door
17th (Fri.) QUICK KILL FORMULA- The Red Zone (Queens, NY)
18th (Sat.) Chump- The Side Door
19th (Sun.) QUICK KILL FORMULA- Don Hill's (NYC)
22nd (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door
23rd (Thurs.) Chump- Dingbatz (Clifton, NJ)
29th (Wed.) Menthol Box- The Side Door

Fuck, typing all of that sucked. I'm not even going to deal with the January schedule yet. Not to mention the fact that I just realized some of those dates are double-booked. I told both the Menthol Box boys and the Chump fellas that Quick Kill is my first and highest priority. On the days I have QKF gigs, The Box and/or Chump will have to get a fill-in bassist.
Aside from all of those gigs, not only is QKF working on our next album, I'm also in the preliminary stages of writing/recording with Andrew R., formerly of Hedge. I haven't seen 'Drew for four or more years, but he's got a handful of tunes he wants to record and shop around, and I'm downright flattered that I was his first choice to play bass on the demo. It looks like I'm gonna be a busy little beaver for the foreseeable future. Which brings me to...


Single

Yes, I am presently without a "girlfriend." This doesn't necessarily mean I am devoid of "female companionship (God bless rock and roll)," but I'm not actually in a "relationship." That doesn't seem to be bothering me at all. I'm so busy with "the music thing" lately that I can't even imagine any chick putting up with my schedule. It would bother me, as well, to want to spend time with someone, only to have my "career" get in the way. Also, "The Holidays" are always more stressful when you're with someone. You not only have to worry about finding THE PERFECT GIFT for your partner, you have to deal with working out your schedules so you can hang out with both of your families. That's not even factoring in whether or not one or both of you come from a "broken home." Then you may be dealing with up to FOUR different family functions, if not more! Fuck that shit.
I have been single for the past several Christmasses, and I find that I prefer it. No lie. Apart from not having to deal with the above mentioned bullshit, it's easier for me to spend time with my friends when I'm on my own. It's a tradition for Deano, Flan, and myself to get together either on X-Mas Eve or Day to hang out and have a few drinks. Now that we're all older, and some of us (not me-THANK GOD) are married and/or have children, it's more difficult for us to actually hang out at Christmastime. My "singlehood/singleness/inability to maintain and nurture a relationship" makes it easier for me to tailor my schedule to fit my pals' itinerary.
Plus (and I'll tell you this since we're tight like that), it's ridiculoulsy easy to get laid during the holidays. Just go to your local bar. Any chick who is there without a man is dying to go home with you. Trust me. You may find it sad/desperate/weird/whatever, but I've been down that road a few times, and nothing is hotter than banging a near-stranger underneath the Christmas tree. As long as it's understood that it's just two people celebrating "the magic of the season." That's hot.


Looking back over this post, I realize I use a lot of quotation marks (""). It's kind of annoying, isn't it? Or is it just "annoying?" Heh.

Fuck it. It's late. I'm tired. I'm off to watch some Aqua Teen Hunger Force (vol. 3!) and then it's time to make sleep. I'm not even going to spellcheck this drivel...