jueves, 31 de diciembre de 2009

Decade Done and Gone





















Sing us the song of the century,

that's louder then bombs and eternity.
The era of static and contraband,
leading us into the Promised Land.

miércoles, 30 de diciembre de 2009

Adios 00's























Who wants to live forever?
-Queen


Zeitgeist is a great movie. Scary. It makes you think. I didn't believe it all - a lot of the accusations are shocking and unbelievable. It got a bit out there, yet i bet a lot of it is true. Terrifying really. But i highly recommend it. It's worth seeing. It predicts a world that would be a cross between BRAVE NEW WORLD and 1984. Scary stuff. Oh well, i'm not going to live forever, so it'll be alright.

TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE DECADE 2000 - 2009

(In alphabetical order)

American Idiot - Greenday
In Absentia - Porcupine Tree
Marbles - Marillion
The Power to Believe - King Crimson
Professor Satchafunkalis - Joe Satriani
Snakes and Arrows - Rush
Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The Grand Pecking Order - Mr. Oysterhead
Audioslave - Audioslave

martes, 29 de diciembre de 2009

Creeping Malaise

Xmas dinner: Sofia, Caroline, El Dude, Zowie, Meaghan, Karina

i woke up ready to continue cleaning, but there was no water. It seems a 'tube' broke. We finally have water that runs clear now. It's 17:00. Ahhh! You can't clean without water! So i go to it now. Ugh! And the house is cold even though the heat is on. Bring me back, sunshine!


The hall runs like clockwork

Their hands mark out the time,
Empty in their fullness
Like a frozen pantomime.
Everyones a sales representative

Wearing slogans in their shrine.

Dishing out failsafe superlative,
Brother John is No. 9.

-Genesis


17:53

Whew! My bedroom is rearranged so that my head is not against the outside wall. And i need a wall so i can read and watch movies in bed. Time to run to the Chino (thrift store) and get a few things like a basura (waste paper basket). This room was dusty!

Phase Two - On to the Sitting Room!

Walking across the sitting-room, I turn the television off.
Sitting beside you, I look into your eyes.

As the sound of motor cars fades in the night time,

I swear I saw your face change, it didn't seem quite right.
-Genesis


Listening to:
Return of the Manticore, disc 1 - ELP.
A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson (1976) - King Crimson
Martes

It's warm and rainy. It's 55F. rain, rain, rain. It's like England. I have no idea when last i wore my sunglasses, which are usually a fixture around here. The creeping winter malaise is settling in. I here a Noreaster is going to hit CT and NY soon. Yikes!

Miercoles
00:17

Time shifts and drifts. I have a class at 8:15 tomorrow morning. Aye Carumba! I studied some Spanish tonight. Trying to improve. Not having the left ear has been a setback, but it's improving. Otherwise the left ear is fine.

My room is set up and fairly clean. The never-ending laundry continues.
And the last dregs of the year tick away.

domingo, 27 de diciembre de 2009

New Year's wishes

Sofia, El Dude, and Meaghan on Xmas


The Seahawks and the Giants both got blown out. Both are eliminated. I also watched the Jets beat the Colts, which was nice. Even though the Colts rested a lot of starters for the 2nd half, i am happy Indianapolis will not go undefeated. After Indy won the Super Bowl, John Cougar Mellencamp was there to speak when they raised the banner on opening night the next year. As long as i live, i never want to see that again. If Mellencamp is the biggest star your state has to offer, your state sucks. And something about Peyton Manning just makes me want to bitch slap him.

Wishes for 2010;
  • Axe Jim Mora. Now. Name me Head Coach of the Seahawks. Por fin! (At last!)
  • Renewable energy that can power cars and is also an aphrodisiac
  • A low fat cure for global warming
  • Peace between Palestine and Israel. Couple's counseling perhaps
  • That all the muckity mucks who caused the financial crisis are forced to give 75% of their net worth to a fund that helps people who are losing their homes. And i get to beat each of them with sticks wrapped in a towel for ten minutes apiece
  • That i get to lick Jerry Jones' tears when the Cowboys are eliminated from the playoffs
The sun is blinding
dizzy golden dancing green
through the park in the afternoon
wondering where the hell i have been
-Suzanne Vega

sábado, 26 de diciembre de 2009

Boxing Day


I had an absolutely awesome Xmas. I talked with Mum. I chatted on Yahoo with Mel. Saw about 20 friends and ate more beef and turkey than one could imagine. We had a secret Santa too, so it was really fun.

I went to my friend Polly's on Xmas eve. There were all sort of gypsies begging on the Metro. We watched BAD SANTA and had pizza and wine. Then they went to mass. I walked them to the door and decided to bail. But i was punished for my sins as the Metro was closed (what?). Everything shuts done on Noche Buena, even the Metro i guess. SO i got a cab but the driver was deranged and was driving 100km an hour on streets where you should go 50km! He hit a bump so hard that his Led Zeppelin 1 disc didn't play for two minutes. I also thought i was going to hit my head on the roof. Asshole. He also took the long way and it was 16E for what should have been a 10 or 11E ride. I wasn't going to argue. He was in his 50's and looked like he wanted to take his life because he was alone and working on Xmas. I gave him the 16E and he told me it was wrong. I pointed to the meter that read 15,80E "Noche Buena, suplemento seis Euros" he told me. So now he was demanding 21E! I said no way, you took the long way. I got out of the car. He got out of the car. i was not paying this crook 21E! I walked back towards him and said FUCK YOU! He backed away. "Quieres a llamar los policia, muy bien. Venga!" You want to call the police, go ahead. He got back in the car, like i knew he would. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

So i got home and watched the 2000 remake of ON THE BEACH. Not really a happy Xmas movie, but i loved it. Apocalyptic stories make you appreciate all you have.
In an attempt to use less chemicals and save the environment, i bought a ball that washes your clothes without soap. It has little magnetic balls and ionizes the clothes clean. My purchase was prompted by the fact that the laundry machine doesn't rinse well. So i went new age. I am going to watch THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO after dinner. I read the book this summer and it was great. I am halfway through the second book.


Christmas, i went and fed the birds and then went back to Polly's at 15:00 for a great day. It was relaxed and chill. Just what i wanted.

What a long strange trip it's been
-Grateful Dead

martes, 22 de diciembre de 2009

X Marks the Spot

Santa Claus is coming to Town!
-Traditional


Martes

The rain keeps coming down. At least it's not snow. Much warmer now. 45 F and will get up to
50 F today. I wish i was on the beach, sunny and warm. But Madrid will do.

Merry Xmas to all of ye. I love you all, unabashedly.

Miercoles

19:40

Last class done! I will have a few classes over the holidays- keep a little money flowing in. I wish you all the merriest of Christmases. I will miss not seeing Mum, Mel n Jan, The Smiths, The Tietjens, The Sheridans, and the only 'Grecos' left, Susan, Annie and Fripp. Mum changed her name. Mel n Jan have dif last names. I am a singular noun. So Annie, Sue and Fripp are all that's left of
The Grecos. Ironic. Life is SO odd sometimes.

Algunos del fin de ano

Here's looking at you



















Across the inner cosmos he is flying
His tank is isolating
In his mind he's elevating
All the things that mean the world to Dr. John C. Lilly

Are you still floating Dr. John C. Lilly?

-Oysterhead


I am ironing and cleaning and washing (laundry) and also listening to the first of 17 albums, trying to Rank the best Albs of the DECADE (Mother of Pearl! Yes, I said decade, the 1st decade of the 21st Century. WTF? I thought we'd AT LEAST have
Jetsons {Los Spupersonicos en Espanol} technolgy by now). What a gip. Days go by. The decade counts down. It's been a wild one! I started married, ended single (Who's NOT your Daddy!). I can remember standing in the courtyard of school alone when i was in 2nd Grade (not many kids played with me back then, this is before Geeks were Hip in culture) and calculating how old i'd be in the year 2002, and coming to the conclusion that i would be 31 years old. It seemed like science fiction, that i would ever be so old! Ah, memories. My Mum always had the utmost faith in me, even though i think i was kind an odd kid. But even if i am odd - screw it. I have had, and continue to have, a good life. What more could you ask for? Well, maybe you could ask for a hip, hot chick who loved progressive rock, futbol, beer, meat and sex. I'm just throwing that out there even though i know heaven does not exist on Earth. Have i been typing for half an hour? Blah, blah, blah.... listen to me. Ugh! What do i really know anyway?

What i know :)

There are many fools
Who dare propose imposing limits
On my power
Those ungrateful who've been swayed by
Intellectuals in their ivory towers
-Oysterhead

lunes, 21 de diciembre de 2009

A month in the life....

The last ice age














I am listening to the
Tom Petty Live Archive which came out this year. Live from '78 -'07 it's both massive and remarkable. Very diverse. The first time i ever saw him live was many moons ago at MSG with the Seester and Stabile. What a night!

What a difference a month makes. Last month i was homeless. Twice! And now i have not one flat to myself, but two. Don left for the holiday this morning. And i have Cara's every other day when i feed bird Verde and bird Azul. Parakeeta Verde is friendly and likes to sit on my finger. Bird Azul won't come near me and may be plotting against me. So it goes.

I had no classes today. 4 tomorrow. 2 on Wed. Then that's pretty much it. Doing laundry. Then cook some burgers. Hope the Giants win tonite. They need a win badly.

We had snow last night! Just enough to make it messy as hell. I had to dig out my boots which were still in a box from moving. Things just get more and more surreal this winter. First bitter cold, now snow. We may be in for a long cold one. Maybe climate change is causing a new ice age. Have you ever read Maggie Gee's The Ice People? It's bleak as hell, about a new ice age that settles in after years of increasing temperatures. Great book though.

the waiting is the hardest part

-Tom Petty

domingo, 20 de diciembre de 2009

End of the Line

12:22
I hate the end of the semester for PLT. We have to do these progress reports. Normally there not so bad, but i teach 5 different sets of students that rotate every week. Impossible to remember people's names when you see them once eve
ry five weeks, or accurately assess them.

20:44

Life is odd. Things come and go. I had a good friend tell me she was admitted into the hospital last night because of an overdose of Adavan. I guess that's a depression drug. I'm not sure what else was involved, but i'd be lying if i said it was altogether surprising. I don't know the circumstances. I was supposed to meet her at a Metro Stop, but when i got there, she called and gave me the short version and said she wasn't up to going out. But she's okay. That's the main thing. Rough stuff. I'll see her tomorrow. No work tomorrow.

I have another friend here who tried to commit suicide long before i met her. She's good now. But that's scary stuff. She's showed me the scars.

The things i have seen. And i am grateful for all the things i haven't yet and hope to never see.

The first time i ever sent pen to paper to write a story, i thought;
Someone (God? Satan?) must want me to write or all these wacky things wouldn't happen to me. I could have altered that to; Or all these crazy things wouldn't just happen. Life would be more sane.

All i know is.... i'm still writing. And that can only be a good thing.

We get through, somehow, we crazy humans. We do what we can.

Sorry to be so heavy. It's been a heavy day.

I'm just so happy she's alright. In the end, you have to just carry on.

Light creeps through her secret tunnels
Sucked into the open spaces
Burning out in sudden flashes
Draining blood from well-fed faces
-Peter Gabriel







sábado, 19 de diciembre de 2009

5:00 AM


Tired. Good night all. Can't keep eyes open. Dark and cold here. -8 C. That's about as cold as i ever seen it here.

i won 20E last night playing poker. I rule!

Saw Avatar tonight. It was stunning.

Nighty night.

jueves, 17 de diciembre de 2009

Watcher of the Skies





















Or at least the Watcher of the birds, while Cara is back home in Portland and Wyoming. I fed themtoday. They were happy- green bird and blue bird. Parakeets really. I am exhausted and full of allergies. It's been a busy week. Time for sleep.
Viernes Class at 18:30 with my student Nu. Then the weekend. 3 C at 16:00. What?


Judge not this race by its remains
-Genesis

lunes, 14 de diciembre de 2009

Best Albums 2009

Yes, i know you all hang on this, waiting hear what albums i'll select, most of them ones you have never heard of.

Best live Album: Happiness on the Road - Marillion 15, February, 2009

Best Studio Albums:

6. Embryonic - the flaming Lips

Adios to the popish leanings of the last three albums, hello experimental freakishness!

5. 21st Century Breakdown - GreenDay

A very solid follow up to American Idiot. Daring to go for another concept piece

4. The Hazards of Love - The Decemberists

Kind of like early REM on acid

3.Everything that Happens Will Happen Today - David Byrne / Brian Eno

Byrne's most Talking Heads sounding album since he left with a nice dose of Eno weirdness

2. Insurgentes - Steven Wilson

Wilson is the driving force behind Porcupine Tree. Sweeping, rocking, moody, experimental - brilliant

1. The Incident - Porcupine Tree

The Incident Suite is 55 minutes of of unabashed progressive rock. Jammy, quirky, thoughtful and intricate.Gavin Harrison's drumming is otherworldly. The second disc has 4 more new songs and two live tracks from 2008.

It's 8:11 AM and it's -1 C!

domingo, 13 de diciembre de 2009

Xmas Time




God bless me, every one
-Dickens as interpreted by El Dude

All the guys from J & J's got together yesterday for lunch at this amazing buffet - steak, shrimp, crab, sushi, etc. It was awesome. Then i went to Cara's and got the key so i can feed her birds over Xmas. Then i met up with the guys again. We went from bar to bar, house to house and i got back at 8am! Ahh, bachelor life.

Then a fry up with Tamara and Pete to talk about the band. Steve just was not working out, so he's gone. And we have a new guitarist, Ruben, a fried of Tamara's. We go through guitarists the way Spinal Tap went through drummers. So, here we go again. But it's a good change. Steve was becoming a bitching and moaning cancer. And he really just couldn't keep time very well. So - out with the old, in with the new.

The game is just 2 minutes old and the Seahawks are already losing 7-0 to Houston.

miércoles, 9 de diciembre de 2009

Ariel


Annie as the Little Mermaid, Halloween 2009

Adorable! She seems to like a party as much as i do. She's a very good influence on her mom, and vice versa. She's just a very happy kid, as they all should be in a perfect world.

But the world's not perfect, is it (It's not, holy shit!!!)?

So, you just enjoy it when it is good. Lately it's good. Look at that smile! Annie screaming for candy and dressing up like a freak. Man, I love that kid.


One little victory
the greatest that can be
-Rush


martes, 8 de diciembre de 2009

La Inmaculada Concepción




Another day off, this time for the Immaculate Conception. And the bario where it happened, and the corresponding Metro stop, are just up the road from me. I would have thought she was born in Nazareth, Galilee. Who knew?

Today is the last Champions League Game for Atleti vs. Oporto of Portugal. They are already eliminated from the next round, but can advance to the next round of the Euro League with a win tonight or with Apoel (Cyprus) losing to Chelsea. Brian and i are going. It's odd because it's the first time i'm going since i moved. I used to be so close to the stadium. Oh well. No biggie. Vamos Atleti!

2 weeks until work shuts down. Where does the time go?

He's going to end up, on the dirty boulevard
he's going out, to the dirty boulevard
He's going down, to the dirty boulevard
-Lou Reed

lunes, 7 de diciembre de 2009

Constitution Day



Sunday was Constitution Day, when they celebrate the beginning of the Republic after 4 decades of Dictatorship. It's a Puente (bridge) Weekend, which means long weekend. I only have 2 classes tonight, then tomorrow off.

The Giants (Mum and Mel were at the game) and the Seahawks won exciting games yesterday. It's the first back to back wins for the Hawks all year and it was over division rivals SF.

Twas a lazy weekend. I was feeling quite lazy after such a busy and hectic couple of weeks.

...But now I'm back again
and things are gonna work out fine

-Genesis

sábado, 5 de diciembre de 2009

BUYING NEW SOUL part 3

Annie drinking sparkling cider ("Champagne") at Thanksgiving

I still wave at the dots on the shore..
-Porcupine Tree

days go by. things change. things stay the same. i can't make any sense of it. i'm not sure i really need to.

Just keep moving forward, i guess - in all ways, if possible.

My body is adjusting to winter. It's not bad after the first week. That's always a shock.

The Seester pointed out that she matches the table! Only Sue....

And all the time that's passed me by....
It hardly seems to matter now
Not now
-Genesis

6 Degrees of.....Celsius

You and I
We're movie-rich
We're reflected in the window
The dark night's black mirror glass
Distant lights from the wrong side of the tracks

Christmas lights
Go by in the houses
Anonymous windows
Anonymous rooms of
Anonymous souls
-Marillion

It's winter in Madrid. Finally. 6C right now at 13:00, that's like 42F.

Work is fine. I have 6 hours from Celia and the other 12 are my own students, which is great.

No band practice that night as Tamara is down with a bug. I think we'll get together to work out arrangements tomorrow.

Adios to the Dark Time

Other than that, life is fairly NORMAL. I never thought i'd see normal again. But i am sure that the Dark Time is over. I am feeling better every day. I have a flat now, and a good flatmate. I have work and great friends and family. Tuesday is Constitution Day, a holiday. Classes will be meager on Monday too. But a short rest is good. I leave the house for work around 12:15 or 13:15 and don't return until 21:00 or 22:00. So it's a long day but i love to teach (and eat and have a place to live, go out, etc...which the teaching makes possible). And no waking up at 6:30 to get to an 8am class for a lousy hour of work, which makes working so late easier.

The USA will play England, Algeria and Slovenia in the World Cup Group Stage next June. They should be able to advance to the round of 16.

Happy Birthday Nana! She would have been 94!

martes, 1 de diciembre de 2009

Same as it ever was

i am so tired i can't sleep. What the hell? Up is down and down is out. What does that even mean? I am beyond the point of exhaustion. I've been working til 8 or 9 every evening, which is great.

It's December. What the hell? All the Xmas lights went on in Madrid today.

Finally sleepy. Nighty night.

PS - Cougar Town with Courtney Cox is hysterical.

Now i won't sleep because i've embarrassed myself.