Skacore in the Jersey Underground

mom: "it's 6:58am. you better get up or you're going to miss the bus, and i'm not driving you to school today."
ryan: **several unintelligible grunts and the sound of a 6'3" 17-year-old rolling over in bed**

by my senior year of high school, i had nearly perfected the art of getting up exactly 12 minutes before the bus showed up. get dressed, eat life cereal, brush my teeth, equip for the day, and catch the bus on its exit trajectory out of my cul-de-sac (i didn't know it was spelled that way until just now either). for the 1 out of 10 times that i didn't make it to the end of my driveway in time to join the endless procession of "the wheels on the bus," i would get my mom to take me.

mom: "i told you to get up and you didn't. now, you missed the bus. i told you i'm not taking you to school."
ryan: "that's fine. it was my fault. i'll just not go to school and not take a test in one of my millions of honors/AP classes. tests aren't important anyways, they just determine my grade. i was probably going to fail that class anyways. i mean i didn't really want to get into a good college. really, it's fine. whether i take that test or not, i was probably going to get a associate's degree at ITT Tech, go on picnics with all of my sweet new friends, and buy a hyundai. so don't worry about it mom. you don't have to take me to school. i'll just drive hyundais the rest of my life. oh, it's cool that i live in the basement for the remainder of eternity too, right?"
mom: **sigh** "go get in the car."

this is the earliest i can remember waking up without an alarm since i was about 8 years old. seriously, 7:31am (i know it's past eight now, but it took me a long time to find out how to spell cul-de-sac. on a related note, did you ever notice that spell-checkers are counter-intuitive for words that you have no idea how to spell? you have to be pretty close, like a single omission/addition/transposition away, for spell check to actually help you out. that sucks for me. my ability to spell exists in two completely polar states - no prob at all or not even close. accordingly, spell check rarely helps me out)........what's up with that? i suppose this is the consequence of not being able to breathe. stupid head cold. **shakes fist at nothing in particular** it sucks that being sick makes it harder to sleep, because you actually need sleep to get better. it's kind of a kick in the balls when you are already down. oh well.

anyways, the real reason i started this post was to talk about the show that i went to last night at the First Presbyterian in Pitman. When i first got there, i had no idea where to go and most of the church was dark. normally, when i go to random local shows, i just follow the tunes which usually lead you down 14 stairwells, past the utility basement, over the bridges, and through the woods. the problem was that i couldn't hear any music playing, so i just to started wondering around the outside of the church, in a very shady manner, until i happened upon a single 8.5x11 sheet of paper taped to a side door labeled simply - "Ska Here." Classic. It's been a good 7-8 years now since i was hanging out at VFW halls and church basements on a normal basis, but i'm super psyched to see that not much has changed. Forget the radio and billboard charts and MTV award shows and all the other crap. This is music. Kids hanging out on a cold Friday night in the jersey underground just dancin' it up, chillin' with their friends, and rockin' some tunes. that's how it's suppose to be.

Kenny's band, The Sandinistas, was playing which was my reason for being there (despite popular belief, i was not there to meet 14 year olds). it was great to catch a show since i haven't seen them play since the summer when they still had a horn section. they play as a three-piece ska/reggae/punk ensemble now. they did a pretty good job. it's tough being the first band to play but they still managed to get some kids dancing. go get in touch with your jersey underground and check them out.

i'm a little sad cause i can't do my travel stats to end off this post. it's unfortunate because it was such a great way to conclude everything i had to say. so, now, i am forced to think of some other amusement to satisfy my desire to not leave all of my future posts......unfinished.

hmm, ok. i just had a thought. maybe i'll do favorites (or least favorites) with a little explanation. for instance:

favorite type of bread:
italian
i don't know why they even bother to make other types of bread. they all taste like crap compared to italian bread. it's super good with butter or accompanying some sort of dish involving tomato sauce or gravy.

hmph, i liked that. that was good. yea, i think this will be the new way to end posts. also, this is a great way for anyone that actually reads this blog to get involved. put in your favorite (or least favorite should the situation warrant) in the comment section. it'll be fun. and, of course, you are always welcome to comment on any of the other crap that i talk about.