None of these pictures belong to me. If you recognize something as your own I will gladly credit or remove.

The Good:


The Bad:


The Ugly:


The Moral: Smoke. Drink. Stay indoors.

Happy late Birthday, penance_ . I remembered this afternoon at work and did not have a chance to wish you a grand day out. Hope you had. See you soon.

Though it isn't official, Bloodpenny.com is live.

Ugh. Haven't drank like THAT in a long time. 3 whiskey drinks, 2 shots, and a martini. I'm certainly regretting it today. Thankfully, I have the day off work so I can suffer well. If it wasn't for the one water I drank and the handful of fat dinner rolls I ate before I went out, I doubt I would be awake yet. As it stands, I really want these mutant butterflies in my stomach to die off soon or quickly make their escape through any available means. Oof.

Surprise! I made it home whole, much to the shock of me especially, considering my still-inconsistent state of being. I've got razor blade on my lapel and finger and a razor wire ball in play. Had a good time, yes, a shockingly grand time at Ground Control and now I'm feeling dot dot dot so I better sign off and sigh relief at sleep and dreams and parallel heroism cuz' I'm hovering at the brink of madness here in the here now. See you in the morning, fuckers.

Had some Turkey Day stuffs at the Dark Violet estate and watched Forbidden Planet and Wrath of Khan on the HD TeeVee!! Whee!

Now we're back at Chalet Menthe eating ice cream and drinking Stella Artois.

It's been a fine fine day.

Photo by Penance 2009

Here's an excellent video Penance took of "Skeleton Goes To Town" during our Friday night performance in Oakland.

I look forward to seeing you all at Ground Control tonight. Oh, yessss

As expected, based on previous adventures to the Bay Area, Friday night's Unextraordinary Gentlemen gig at Oakland's Stork Club was a booming success and, in my opinion, one of our very best performances to date.

My gravelly voice worked out swimmingly, especially for certain numbers. I gonna kind of miss it but at least I'll be able to sing in my upper(ish) register again.

Had dinner and drinks with Jill Tracy on Saturday, which was a treat.

Spent time with peeps I had met at various times and places (mostly relating to Burning Man) and got to know them a little better, so that's awesome.

I'm glad to be home.

I'll be back up there next April with BloodPenny at the same venue. Looking forward to it!

So, despite still sounding like an old Jewish comedian with a long history of booze and cigarettes, I found out at my friendly neighborhood ATM today that I have NO CASH for my 3 day trip to the Bay area.  Fantastic! 

Turns out the 150 dollars I had writ upon my whiteboard was a big ol' lie.  I balanced my accounts and it all checks out.  I missed several withdrawals.  Fooey.  

Luckily I have 85 dollars for expenses if I use both my credit cards.   Yeah.

That bump at the front of my tongue that tastes a bit like copper means I just burst a taste bud to top things off. 

Talking funny and I ain't got no money,
Schreeck

We've made it so far but we're not out yet.  Sinus infection and cough lingering.  The coughing leads to sore throat and I'm still constantly dehydrated. 

I may bring a white handkerchief spattered with a little fake blood and pretend to have consumption when I suit up in Oakland.

Still have the sickness.  Three days in now and very little sign of relief.  That's not true.  I do feel better than before.  Everything's moved to my head.  If I'm not better by Friday, Unextraordinary Gentlemen is going to find ourselves fronted by a man sounding like a cross between Dylan and Bowie stuck under water and forced to sing, and occasionally violently cough.  Wonderful.

So, I've a cold.  Scratchy throat, persistent cough, general ooginess.  I'm awake and posting this at 3:30 in the morning after being asleep, or at least sort of asleep and coughing, since before 7.

I hope everyone had a good time at Ground Control and hope to beat this thing before my weekend trip to O-town for an UXG gig.  Ugh.

I certainly hope the theater superstition of great dress rehearsals mean a disastrous opening night doe not extend to bands because BloodPenny practice fucking rocked tonight!  If we play half as well at the Ipso Facto Anniversary gig this Sunday (starts at 6 in Fullerton) then it will be a fine evening indeed.

I just finished re-arranging and embellishing upon poems my mother wrote and sent me at the beginning of 2007 and present them here for your enjoyment.  Also, I was going to set up a new blog just for writing snippets and novel progress, etc. but I know I'm going to lose track of my social networks if I start yet another so instead I'll just start using the "Writing" Tab.

A FRAGMENT
Lyrics by Linda Piedlow/ Eric Schreeck

Dawn becomes delusion
Takes away with doubt and confusion
Watches you die
From the inside
Dawn becomes delusion
Designed to end your dreams
It takes away
Innocence

A fragment is all you have
A fragment is all you have
A fragment is all you have

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A SONG FOR WINTER
Lyrics by Linda Piedlow/ Eric Schreeck

You
All my life I hoped
I dreamed about you
The ache of not knowing
Growing inside me

Hooking into corners
Into dark places
Could it be you?

Just a whisper of what could have been
Out of reach
Before I ever could know you
A silent word was spoken

You
All my life I looked
I dreamed about you
An unexplained wanting
Coming on strong

Looking into corners
Into strange faces
Is it you?
Could it be?

Just a whisper of what could have been
Out of reach
Before I ever could know you
A silent word was spoken

So this is goodbye
Goodbye
So this is goodbye

Just a whisper of what should have been
Out of reach
So this is goodbye

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THE FIRST CRACK
Lyrics by Linda Piedlow/ Eric Schreeck

Stay away from the wall
I was told
For it will fracture you in shadow
Use your will
To resist the pull

Sitting in the shadow of the wall
Is easier than standing in the sunlight
Resting in the darkness of the wall
Unrevealing to friends and to my enemies

Don’t go back to dark
I was told
For it will hide you from sun-fall
Us your will
To resist the pull

Deep inside the shadow of the wall
The fire burns inside me brighter here
While my body shivers in the cold
I stay in the shadow of the wall

I can feel the cracking
I am brighter than the sun
Can you feel the cracking
I am hotter than the sun

The wall comes tumbling, tumbling down
The wall comes tumbling, tumbling down
The wall comes tumbling, tumbling down
The wall comes tumbling, tumbling, tumbling!

Simon Pegg's favorite Literal Video, according to his Twitter.