favorite-sounding albums.

distinct tones, flowing with organic sounds

Polar Bear Club, Sometimes Things Just Disappear

Lawrence Arms, The Greatest Story Ever Told

Saves the Day, Stay What You Are

Portugal. The Man, Censored Colors

RX Bandits, ...And the Battle Begun

how the other half lives.

With all these diamonds
come mounds of coal.

this is desperation at your doorstep.

For every man,
a restless dusk.

And as for each bone,
a ruin until dawn.

we are desperation at your doorstep.

. . . of a new summertime.

it's not about the comments.
or for that matter, the hair-flips.

advertise for friendship. commodify "the companion." the sidekick, if you will.

the back porch podcast for the late-night smart ass.
the shins are so comforting. so inviting, I guess.

failure > not trying.

I want new asphalt,
bloody fingers with calloused tips.
interstate highways and cheap food.
unfamiliar faces with something in common.

The sinking pit-in-my-stomach feeling has subsided and deflated and I'm feeling alright. A few more pieces must be put into place before we set fourth and charge into battle, but tomorrow holds promise. We're not blind, you know. It's been a while since I've felt so ready. This is it. "Get off your ass and do this. Try, at the very least." This was never about winning nor was it about giving up. Time won't wait...but that's okay because I won't either. I won't wait until it is far too late.

raise the youth.

the earth is glowing today.
the swings are back in swing.

this postcard landscape.
a film-set neighborhood.

perfect lawns.

drugged up sons,

moms.

a ribbon on each mailbox.
a hole in every heart.

just cause you can't see your cage doesn't mean that you are free
when there are laws against nature,
but it's okay for you to be addicted to over the counter prescriptions

"overcome (the capitulation)"
rx bandits.

the truth is you see troops, not children.

my strap snapped and my belt ripped all in the first minute of the second song.

one bruised lung, a black eye, and a bloody lip - all in one major-bearded blow -
seem to be signs and symptoms of a good show.

it feels good to be back under the lights, sweating profusely, again.
as the rain fell on us, it rinsed away the old and showered us with the new.

let's just take it one day at a time.