24

Today I am now 24. Came to work, and am currently still at work. I think the plan for tonight is me and a friend are going to see Grand Analog and stick out like sore thumbs at a hip hop show. But it should be fun.

Monday we went to the grand re-opening of the West End Cultural Centre. It was awesome, Hawksley Workman was hilarious. He's an egomaniac (in the best possible use of the word), but incredibly entertaining. It was super cool, it was just him with his guitar and Mr. Lonely on piano. Very intimate, between songs, he would do what seemed to be a stand-up comedy routine. Like I said very entertaining. He has amazing vocal abilities. I would definitely go see him again. I could see how every show he does is a different experience from the last. The way he would strut across the stage was awesome and amazing.

Greg MacPherson was cool. I love his songwriting style, it's very storytellerish. I totally love song writers who tell stories with their lyrics and melodies. It was just him on stage with his guitar, he switched between an acoustic and two electrics. It was sort of empowering/inspiring to see him on stage just himself and his guitar. It's like you don't necessarily need a band, just you and your guitar, and that's it.

So that sort of got me into a songwriting mood. After the show, and started penning a country tune for a friend. I wrote my own lonesome country tune a week or so ago, and coincidentally my friend's life is like a soap opera. Based on her experiences over the past week and a bit, the song practically wrote itself. It's like the Simpsons when Homer writes Baby on Board, there was a moment when I was writing and was like "hey this song practically writes itself".

I need to practice guitar as I often say. But I can rarely get the focus I need, or the patience. I'm very easily distracted, at least with writing it's purging and getting everything out. But practicing guitar is a very different thing. I hate when I get an awesome lyric or line in my head and I'm driving, and it's just not possible for me to pull over to start writing, otherwise I'd be on the side of the highway for hours. When I finally get to my destination the line is now gone. It's such a peevish quality of mine.

But Grand Analog should be fun tonight, and should be a low key event. Tomorrow night is Subcity Dwellers, the Farrell Bros' and The Magnificent 7's. That also promises to be a good fun time.

Back in Black

I ended up going to see Sub City Dwellers, 2 Saturday's ago. It was a blast, I showed up just as they were going on. They put on a good show and I danced my worries away. I was in Lake Louise all of last week. I left Monday, and was back Friday around midnight. I had a great time while out there. Did a bunch of fun shopping, got to see the mountains, etc. I bought some awesome new Cd's. I'm really digging Buck 65 right now. I also bought Tim Armstrong, MGMT, and Goldfrapp Cd's. I'm feeling in a dancy/upbeat mood. But yes Lake Louise was awesome, a week off with my bestest was just what I needed. I got an awesome new tattoo, and got a few ideas for some new tattoos, whilst out there. I'm so heading back there in the summer time. I can't wait. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, I have no plans as of yet. This Saturday I'm going to see Propagandhi, and quite possibly The Real McKenzies. I watched Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang last night. Damn was it a good movie. The other night I watched Choke, I've been waiting forever to watch it, it was definitely worth the wait. I think after work today I'm going to go grocery shopping, and whatnot. Good fun times. The cupboards have been empty at my house for the past little while, and I think it's time to change that.

Excitement

Things have been going better as of late. The past week I've been getting back to my normal self. Last night a lot of questions were answered, and have also helped my resolve. I'm going away on my vacation on Monday, I'm super stoked for that. After tomorrow I have 9 days in a row off, also excited for that. For five of those days I'll be hiding in the mountains. I might be checking out a show this weekend, an awesome local band (Subcity Dwellers) is playing at a bar in town, should be fun. Last time I seen them in November they rocked the house, and they played a few Rancid covers. Speaking of Rancid, I got my tickets to go see them in Saskatoon this summer. I'm way stoked. Road trip to Saskatoon is totally in order. I love Rancid to death!! I've been really into ska and punk music as of the past few weeks. In fact I think it's ska/punk that's bringing me out of this funk. It's just so fast and upbeat. This summer another awesome show, I'll hopefully be going to is No Doubt. They set a date in town, and tickets go on sale this Saturday, I truly hope I can score some. But yes, things are looking up in Charlieland. This week off should really help me recuperate or just go completely wild. I'm feeling less melancholy and more like myself. I don't think I'm completely back to myself, but I'm almost there. A visit with my bestest next week should definitely bring me back!