I Use a Camera

100 Features Andrew

2010-12-23T02:02:00.000-05:00

From 12232010

Tumblr

2010-12-13T10:47:00.001-05:00

The Boy Came Unplugged: My Micro Blog.

One Picture To Prove I Am Around

2010-12-04T14:35:00.000-05:00

From 12042010

Family Photos

2010-11-26T14:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, November 25th, was Thanksgiving. The weather was sunny with a perfectly warm, fall breeze, which stirred the bees out of their slumber and confused the temporally impaired about the season. I drove to my dad's house to visit my family. I fell into the trap most Americans do on Thanksgiving and ate too much turkey and three servings of pumpkin cheesecake. I ended the day at my dad's playing Apples to Apples with my step-siblings and their ilk.

I drove to my mom's house in Unicoi and picked her up. She did not have anything to do on Thanksgiving. None of her family were celebrating. She wasn't exactly welcome to my dad's house. So, we went back to my apartment and watched Doctor Who for a few hours while my nephew ran around taking pictures with my "big" camera.

The holiday was peaceful. I tried to be as nice as possible to my family. It is not always easy for me. I was a little miffed about my step-siblings giving me the nickname: Intellectual. I suppose I read but I don't think I'm an intellectual--I just make a habit out of thinking.

My three-year-old nephew, Mathew, took the first picture, and I took the two pictures of him.

From 11252010

On the Roof of the Jackson Building: A Journey From Johnson City, Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina

2010-11-10T23:49:00.001-05:00

In March, I was frustrated with the spring 2010 semester at East Tennessee State University. Joe Volpe, a friend from Savannah, Georgia randomly drove to Johnson City, Tennessee to visit me. He wanted to see Asheville, North Carolina. He convinced me to cut class and drive to Asheville with him. Joe and I decided to bring my neighbors, Andrew and Nicole with us. Joe brought a camcorder along, and he shot a short movie of our trip to Asheville, in which our group found its way to the top of the Jackson Building, Asheville's oldest and tallest skyscraper.

Last March, I found myself in an uncomfortable, impossibly hard school desk at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. It was the sort of desk that I have been shifting and fidgeting in since elementary school as teachers and professors drone on about interesting subjects that I would be entirely enamored with if I were not taking five other subjects of similar enamorability. Basically, university is interesting, but dammit, I do not have the mind-muscles or brain-flexes—maybe if I were a Hindu god. A male Shiva with six information collecting arms; I could catch all the data, like I caught all those Pokémon in primary school. I was ready to snap. It was two months into the semester; spring break was a long drive away. And I can only read so much Hegel, Kierkegaard and other wordy Germans until I am forced to take a smoke-break from academics.

I left school, thinking, Spring break will not come soon enough. I walked to my house on the tree streets. The tree streets is a hip neighborhood located directly across the street from ETSU's campus. The neighborhood consists of students, professors, and random old conservatives who choose not to turn their gigantic houses into apartments, because they like to sneer at the loud, rambunctious students who have ruined their precious, historic neighborhood. The tree-streets has a few parks, too, which are great for sneaking late-night joints or taking strolls with potential lady friends, or both. When I arrived at my house, Joe Volpe was casually leaning on my porch's railing. He was a tall kid with blond hair, who looked like a surfer even though he had never surfed a day in his life. He was an out-of-town friend. He lived in Savannah, Georgia. I did not expect to see him that day, but I was pleased to see him. He shouted at me.

“Hey, Jason!”

“Joe, what the hell are you doing here?”

“I decided to come visit, you busy?”

“Nah, dude. I just got out of class.”

“Dude, skip tomorrow and head to Asheville with me. I've never been and I want to check it out.”

“Yeah, man, totally. I need a break. University is weighing me down. We should see if Andrew and Nicole want to go.”

“Yeah, dude! We should. Do they still live around here?”

“Yeah, two houses down the street.”

Joe made me promise a few more times that I would skip school and go to Asheville. We agreed to meet at my house in the morning at eight which really meant ten or eleven. He left my house to visit his family in Kingsport. Kingsport is an industrial town thirty minutes north from Johnson City, and Joe hails from there. Joe and I went to high school together, and then he went to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia and graduated with a film major. Joe and I have kept in touch—thank you, Internet.

The next day came in a flash. I slept through my alarm, and woke to Joe's loud knocking on my front door. I opened the door and noticed Joe's camcorder strapped across his chest. The March weather warmed that day, the sun was out, and birds were chirping, and it was in every way better than the awful, freezing cold weather Johnson City had experienced the days and weeks prior. That winter was too arctic. There were piles upon piles of dirty brown icy muck and rock salt all over the roads, decomposing shiny new vehicles. However, that March day was a beacon of the spring and summer to come. With Volpe's arrival, the much improved weather, and my decision to give school the finger for the day, we ditched responsibility and left my house to pick up Andrew and Nicole.

By the way, my neighbors Andrew and Nicole were roommates. They absolutely could not stomach each other. Andrew was a lanky, brown-haired, elitist music snob, studying computer science and slinging constant references to the magnet schools he attended as a youth. Nicole was a cute, smart-mouth lesbian with a quick wit and an in progress anthropology degree on hold, because she was too busy doing an anthropological study on the geography of local lesbian bodies to stress about university assignments. I was surprised they were both willing to skip class and head to Asheville. But Volpe was in town, which is a rare occasion, and Andrew, Nicole, and I enjoyed his presence, so, the trip was a definite go for all of us—Differences aside, we all wanted to take a break from studies.

We organized at Andrew's and Nicole's house and then crammed into my green, nineteen-ninety-six Nissan Sentra. It was on the constant verge of death—it developed a new problem daily in its constant pursuit to baffle the mechanically inclined. With a little help from my heavy foot and jerky hands, the car wobbled and rocked itself to Asheville, North Carolina that day. The drive only took two hours, which was great, considering the trip takes forty-five minutes to an hour in a car that can actually go faster than fifty miles an hour without shaking its body apart. We found parking in downtown Asheville, which is a hip city, full of hipsters, hippies, yuppies, beatniks, tourists, rejects from the nineteen sixties and seventies, and pot-smokers—well, pot-smokers may be redundant. Pot-smoking is an obvious trait for most of those stereotypes. We hopped out of my car and asked each other about what to do. Joe wanted to see the city. Andrew wanted to drink. Nicole wanted to explore off-limit places. I wanted freedom; I was up for whatever. We decided to get beer and lunch at the Laughing Seed, a vegetarian restaurant.

On the way to the Laughing Seed, we lost Nicole. Nicole is one of those people you expect to lose. She meanders. If you look away for a second, she is on the other side of the world, on top of a building, or entering an area clearly labeled “Do Not Enter.” I shrugged my shoulders and went into the restaurant with Joe and Andrew. We found the bar and ordered a round. Volpe sat on a barstool, his video camera in hand. He filmed the bartender pouring beer. Andrew pattered on about microbreweries. Andrew always ordered fancy, dark beer. He was of the opinion that it was better than the refined, golden yellow, mass-produced American beers. I agreed with Andrew on this point, but I ordered PBR, because it is easier on a poor student's income. I sipped on my piss beer and pondered about Nicole's location. We were waxing our enthusiasm with drink. Our group was choppy to action, but we all knew adventure would grab us as the alcohol hit our trained-fighter livers.

“Hey, where did Nicole go?” Joe asked, putting his camera down.

“Probably, swindling some helpless dopes on the corner,” Andrew mumbled.

“She will be back,” I said.

She would be back. She always came back, like a cat looking for free food after spending a vacation in the alleys and gutters of a small city-town.

Nicole sauntered into the bar as the exchange was happening and slid into a stool near Volpe and me, keeping her distance from Andrew.

“Hey guys! You gotta check this out!” Nicole channeled the excited voice of a fifth grader gathering a group of first, second and third graders to do her bidding.

“What do we have to check out…?” Andrew grumbled, his voice dripping lukewarm coffee.

“Okay?” I quirked an eyebrow, wondering if this would be silly or worthwhile, or both. I was probably hoping for both, anything to return home with a new experience. It is a hard job making every one of my days count, but I keep punching the clock.

Volpe simply shrugged—always up for whatever as long as it did not involve leaving his camera at home.

“Alright, alright,” Nicole slid out of her seat and waved her hands around chaotically as she spoke, “There is this skyscraper,” she stretched her arms wide, making sure her hands were as far apart as possible, “Down the street. I noticed a lot of the windows are open. I think we could walk in there, sneak into an office, climb out of a window to its fire escape and up to its roof. It would be excellent, and we have to do it. No ifs, ands, or buts.”

“Excellent! I’m in,” Volpe exclaimed behind the safety of his camera's view-finder.

I said, “I'd like to check it out.”

I lit a cigarette. I always get a little nervous about breaking the law, and Nicole was suggesting semi-breaking and entering. The nervous feeling builds in my stomach, almost paralyzing, until my adrenaline and pride say, No, Jason, you are alive and you got to take chances. Nervousness leading my psyche to action probably has a little to do with my do-it-yourself childhood—it was not always pleasant, but I learned to survive.

“I’ll go, but if we get caught...” Andrew—always the optimistic one.

We finished our beers, closed our tabs, and exited the bar. We weaved about the sidewalk, following Nicole through the sickly sweet smell of people who bathed in incense and exhaust—the smell of burned motor oil with camp fire marshmallows. We reached the skyscraper Nicole told us about. It was the Jackson Building, a neo-gothic building built in the 1920s—Asheville's very first skyscraper. The gargoyles looming on its top-four corners were glaring down at our group as we approached the revolving-door entrance.

We entered the Jackson Building single-file through the revolving door. The receptionists at the front desk gave us the cold glares business-people and their ilk reserve for the jeans and T-shirt attired. I tried my best to ignore the stares as I followed the group to the stairwell near the elevator, but it was hard not to notice those middle-aged, droopy eyes following me like a renaissance painting. I sprinted up the stairs with the group. Volpe was in the front, with his camcorder attached to his eye, he was spinning, sometimes running backwards, filming us, sometimes running forward, filming up the stairs or straight up, because these were a set of stairs where you could look directly up and see the ceiling. Each set was roughly twenty stairs, and then there was an “L” shape bend and another flight of twenty stairs. Two sets made a story. These were small steps. The Jackson Building has thirteen stories.

We reached the end of the staircase and ran out the door. We were on the sixth floor. It was filled with doors to offices and fluorescent light. We were not even close to the top floor. There were at least five more stories above us. We looked around for another staircase and could not find one so we went back to the previous stairwell’s entrance. The door to the stairwell we were just in was magically locked. Apparently it was one of those doors that would open from one side, but instantly lock on the other side—The worst kind of door.

“What are we going to do now?”

“What the fuck, Nicole?”

“Shit, we're going have to talk to security...”

There was negativity from all around, except from Nicole.

She was on the move into an office, pushing a window open and hopping outside, onto a fire escape, giving Andrew, Volpe and I the over-here-guys hand motion, and we obliged.

“How are we going to get down?”

“We’ll figure that out when we get up there,” Nicole pointed to the top; it was touching-the-clouds high.

“Um, yeah, I suppose we will.” I lit a cigarette, thinking this will not be good, but the view will be excellent at the top.

Volpe and Nicole were already running up the fire escape with excited grins. Andrew and I slowed a bit. We were trudging up the fire escape, both a little worried about the legality of what we were doing and the fact that we did not have a definite way down—jumping was not an option. It took a journey from all of us to reach the top; five stories is more stairs than any of us are used to climbing. On the roof of the Jackson Building, we could see everything in Asheville, point out various locales, and watch micro-people stomp around their city grid. It felt oddly safe on the roof. I was surprised the ladies at the front desk did not call security; no one else seemed to have noticed their angry glares when we entered the bank. I was surprised the cops thirteen or so stories below were not radioing backup to get us off the roof. I was surprised by how fresh the air was at the top. I was mostly surprised at how invisible my group and I were at the top of the world. We could see everything, and no one could see us. I was filled with the sense of victory, of stealing a girl from a deadbeat, of stealing a moment in time in which I could step out of time and observe the world at large. I was crammed full with delicious life.

Andrew said, “We should probably get down,” which is something someone was predestined to say at some point.

It was time to give up our macro-view of the world and join the micro-people below.

Instead of entering the building through the window we entered the fire escape on, we followed the fire escape all the way to the bottom. Of course the fire escape did not go all the way to the ground—outside fire escapes never do. It did go to the second story, and the drop to the alley was only like nine or so feet, the same amount as a deck on a two story house—doable, plus there was a dumpster below us for us to land on, so, a five foot drop max. We each braced ourselves and one after the other dropped down from the fire escape into the alley. None of us were hurt, although some of us may have slightly hurt our egos by staying up there a little longer than others, looking down, wondering if our ankles would survive the concrete ground below, and they did.

We meandered back to the pay-and-go parking lot where I parked my car. We talked about climbing the Jackson Building and what we could see from the top. We piled into my car and the excitement of being on top the tallest building in Asheville began to subside. I slid the key into the ignition of the ugly green Nissan and turned the key. I was greeted with nothing but a sputter. Frick. I tapped the key and turned it again. Still nothing. The group looked on anxiously.

“Dude, what’s wrong with your car?”

“I’m not sure, it does things like this.”

“Eh, whatever, just give it gas as you crank it.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m doing that.”

“Hey, hey guys. We were on top of Asheville. It was awesome. Maybe we should just grab more beers and come back to the car. It’ll probably start later.”

“Um, I don’t think it works like that, Nicole,” I mumbled, and the car started.

“Beautiful. It worked.” I said.

“Hey, Jason when we get home, can I use your computer to edit this video footage?” Joe asked.

“Of course, dude.”

Joe Volpe filmed most of our journey that day. He edited the video footage after we got home, and he put it on YouTube. The footage appeared on the Mountain Xpress' website a few weeks later. The Mountain Xpress is a local magazine in Asheville. The magazine lists events happening in the city and runs articles about things to do in Asheville. It is a free publication, but it has a plethora of readers and can be found in newsstands all around Asheville. They used Joe's Asheville video on their online blog to show off the possibility of fun and adventure in the city.

Moogfest 2010, Asheville, NC

2010-11-01T00:17:00.000-04:00

This will be brief. I returned home from Asheville a few minutes ago. I was at Moogfest. It was a great festival. Before I went I worried that the venues would fill up and it would be near impossible to go to the shows I wanted to see. I was wrong. It was very organized and I had no problem finding my way to the front at every show I decided to see.

Devo joined forces with the Octopus Project.

From 10372010

I hung out with Dan Deacon and Javelin between their sets...

From 10372010

Then there was Panda Bear.

From 10372010

Javeline

From 10372010

Jonsi caused tears. Seriously, one of the best performances I've witnessed.

From 10372010

Tesha and Rachel fighting...

From 10372010

Four Tet What I saw was incredibly. I left a third through the set, I was light headed from all the spinning.

From 10372010

This is good advice.

From 10372010

These things were everywhere.

From 10372010

Manifest Whatever

2010-10-15T14:28:00.000-04:00

I spent seven dollars to watch bad hippity-hop-folktronica at the Acoustic Coffeehouse. By the way I hate genres. There was a fire out back. We wore our best autumn sweaters. I drank enough to get a buzz, but I did not go overboard. They say I have been more sober lately. I tend to agree. I kind of prefer right now. This is becoming more stream of consciousness as I type forward. I want to get out of town. I want to go to Moog Fest. I want to fast-forward time and be done with these research papers. I want May. I want summer clothes. I want to teach English in Japan. I want that really expensive piece of paper. I want to be useful. I want to mend old wounds and inflict new wounds. I want to high five a grizzly bear. I want to surf with dolphins. I do not want to go to work. I do not want to do the work required. I will do it. Oh I will. I want to end this ramble about now.

From 10152010

Little Days, Big Nights, and the City is on the Run

2010-10-02T19:15:00.000-04:00

From 10022010

A witch was talking to an officer. First Fridays are strange.

From 10022010

These kids share my interest, but I don't really know them.

From 10022010

I wonder if they put on a good show. I did not stick around. My curiosity will have to be sated another time.

From 10022010

She had a gallery show.

From 10022010

She was happy about the turn-out. I was there!

From 10022010

Wine in a fancy plastic cup.

From 10022010

She always has a cell in her hands.

From 10022010

Damn fine beard.

From 10022010

His shirt has buttons.

From 10022010

Eden is in the west.

September Birthdays Unite

2010-09-26T13:14:00.000-04:00

My birthday was Monday, Maddie's was Friday, Jaqcueline's is today. This was a week of birthday partying. Sadly, I forget to charge my camera because it does not charge by USB and I think USB should be the defacto charging for all of my devices. USB is an international standard unlike our silly American AC plugs. I digress.

I took some pictures of Jacueline's small get together last night! I like them.

By the way, I wrote a small piece about climbing the tallest building in Asheville. I am editing it at the moment, but I will post it later. I think you readers will enjoy it!

From 09262010

School has not stopped. I am real busy learning constellations, Japanese, and writing techniques. Graduation seems closer everyday. I feel myself improving in all of my endeavors.

My heart won't let me get as close to people as people would like. I suppose it is something I need to work on.

The Moon Has Circled Me Some Three Hundred Sixty-One Times. Gross.

2010-09-21T01:17:00.000-04:00

In lieu of writing an essay, I am updating my blog. The essay is half-complete and it is how I have been spending my birthday night. I am having fun writing it, but my brain experienced some turbulence and I am changing course...

Rhythm and Roots was this weekend. Dr. Dog and the Two Man Gentleman Band were my favorite acts. I spent most of the festivities wandering and wondering what to do. I did run into a plethora of old friends. Many who I would like to know better or at least as well as I did in the past.

From 09192010

My Air Sacks Have Never Felt So Good

2010-09-12T23:32:00.000-04:00

I dreamed I died. I stood in an endless black room with a menu bright, 8-bit choppy and white hanging behind me: Start Game, Resume Game, Options, and Credits. Since I was dead, I decided to look at the credits. Producer: Me, Director: Me, Writer: Me, et cetera, et cetera. Apparently, when I die I can start over. Guess who had the high score? Me. Guess what, I did not beat my high score, apparently, that game of life was not my best.

I bet if I score higher next time the "Game Plus" option will appear.

From 09122009

The Oddities of Life Ceased to Astound

2010-09-08T00:13:00.000-04:00

I stopped drinking on weekdays to save money and spend more time studying. I am on week two and I enjoy university way more not hungover.
I believe this semester will be my hardest to date. Honestly, I worry I am taking on more than I can shoulder. However, I know that is not true. I can do whatever I set my mind to. I am a stubborn man, a rock in certain ways, which means I will keep rolling back no matter how hard things push me.
I want to go rollerskating soon. I think I will organize a rollerskating event...
I want to jump on trampolines and play arcade machines.
I want to hop in my car and drive somewhere far away, and come back with my car covered in road salt.
I want to find a few things I buried a long, long time ago.
I want to drink better coffee.
I want to shake hands and make amends with my ghosts.
I want to sleep.

From 09082010

These Critical Notions Are So Tiresome

2010-09-07T08:44:00.001-04:00

I shot myself from a cannon to a dreamworld this weekend. Seriously.

From 09062010

At 3 AM, he exclaimed, "I found the sun!" It was under us...

Life Dependent on Caffeine

2010-09-04T21:25:00.001-04:00

I have a new camera!

From 09042010

Did I mention I have a new camera? Okay, I have not been able to use it much. Seeing as it is new. I plan on using it more and more, and more. I like it. It is my entry into the DSLR world. I prefer the controls on my film camera, but I like the DSLR more than I liked my point-and-shoot.
School is tough this year. I am taking nineteen hours and I am working two part-time jobs. Thus the radio silence.
Good night, Internet world. I am going out.

99 Cent Jolt Colas, Hot Atlanta, More See-Offs, and the Trail of Tears

2010-08-24T17:03:00.001-04:00

Lyle and Amy left for Peru at five o'clock this morning. Yesterday, they met at my house and we drove to Atlanta. Chris, Emily, and Mark tagged along too. Chris, Lyle, and me traveled in my car and the others went in Amy's car.

I passed a pretty girl in a compact as I was leaving Johnson City and it nearly threw a spear in my day. However, the antics of Lyle and Chris quickly brought my trademark smile and banter to bear. There were jokes and tales of old times, and punch bug. Road trips are never complete without punch bug. The international game of those who travel by car.

I also remembered how much I love darting in and out of Atlanta traffic. Seriously, you can drive like an indy racer and the cops are busy doing other things. So, super aggressive driving was checked off my summer bucket-list. I miss doing it all the time, but as I have gotten older, I have lost my ability to pay countless speeding tickets. One day, when I have more money or a license to do whatever the hell I want...

We went to the King Center. We ate at Varsity. It is not very good. We partied at a hotel. We swam, shared whiskey, and beer. We peaced out in the morning.

I took back roads home. If my camera had any life in it, I would have taken pictures on the way home.

From 08242010

Scrabble, Vile, Hot Springs, and Naked People

2010-08-19T22:17:00.001-04:00

I do not know much, but I know I went to Hot Springs, NC. I expected it to be a movie-esque-Japanese style place. You know, large stone tubs with bubbly water, but honestly, it was just jacuzzi tubs filled with underground water. I suppose it was cool. It was very comfortable.

I moved this week...

I am ready for the semester to start.

From 08192010

The Past, Magic, and Future

2010-08-16T09:47:00.002-04:00

From 08162010

Hello, Jens Lekman

2010-08-14T15:48:00.000-04:00

I have missed this guy. Seriously, when his last album Night Falls on Kortedala came out, I was wandering around listening to it on a discman... It was 2007, I was a late iPod adopter. I was also helplessly in love with a girl across the sea. I am prone to infatuation. I am excited about the new album. Just saying, Night Falls on Kortedala was one of my favorite albums that year. 2007 is a serious year, because a lot of my favorite albums are from that year. It was such a good year for music, that it took me until two-thousand-fine to find a few albums from two-thousand-hate that I actually enjoyed.

Oh yeah, it looks like I am seeing the Broken Social Scene on the 9th of September, heading to Dragon Con the last weekend of September, and doing Moogfest for Halloween. September and October will be awesome.

We Did Some Justice Before We Stamped Those Cards

2010-08-12T13:15:00.000-04:00

I wanna be a scoundrel and a scholar.

We hiked along the trail that I hope to conquer in the next few years. Just a small section of the AT, but when I head out there I cannot help but feel a little more at peace. Honestly, I think it is the air. It becomes so crisp at high altitudes away from the hustle and bustle of factory brain drains and the rushed workers taking fast food interludes between punching the clocks and their march to cancer, heart disease, and the dreaded heart attacks. My heart attacked a girl once...

Wait what? There I go. Rambling again.

From 08122010

Tales From the QWERTY Side of Life

2010-08-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

Well! I hope everyone is happy. I am most of the time and when I am not I am faking it. Watch my smile soar and it may well infect you with a warm, fuzzy smile too. My radiance is contagious and I have a hammer to combat the morose and negative.

From 08112010

OH YEAH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIA!

The photos are grainy from my ISO settings, which some of you may know.

Some film is developing at some department store. I will post those later. Maybe, tonight. It depends on if I am feeling it!

So, I am sending my HTC Hero back. I hate it. I love the Android OS and think it is great for pocket computing. However, the HTC Sense interface is terrible for making phone calls and sending and receiving text. I think I am going with a super simple, red flip phone. I will rock it like it is two-thousand-two, back when people did not carry the smart phones. Honestly, I just want something simple with awesome battery life, because I have a sweet computer and better cameras than can be found on phones...

I have an adventure to find!

No Home, No Girl, and Lots of Plans

2010-08-07T15:21:00.000-04:00

I love the toy camera mode on my Android phone. Give me a few weeks and I will be back to taking pictures with real cameras. However, phone cameras are real cameras too. I do not care what anyone says or thinks on the subject. A camera is a camera is a camera.

Speaking of cameras, I am considering selling my Samsung digital point and shoot on eBay. I may sell my iPod classic too. I want to get a DSLR camera. I want, I want, I want. If I put them up for sell, I will put links here to their bidding pages! You can look at them and consider buying my awesome stuff.

Grace Soko is an astounding woman. Her husband is too. They have kept me sane this summer with their elderly wisdom and war stories.

From 08072010

Last night was another night, I am not sure about. I made some choices. I do not think they were wrong, because well I hate apologizing for things--even though I do it, occasionally. I went to a party. I breathed fire. I threw water balloons. I had a blast. I even ran at one point.

I-26 and 81--My Crossroads Equal 55 and I Can Drive 55

2010-08-06T03:33:00.003-04:00

I spent a small part of the past few days down in the dumps. Seriously, I was waking up, stumbling to my chair, sitting crossed-leg at the box, and bathing in my monitor's glow for hours. It would have been worse, but out of state friends (or out of place friends) show up when you want them most. So, the distractions and the trips to Kingsport and various other places, such as Big Rock and the river, helped ease my noggin.

From 08062010

I am not much at explaining what is going on in my head. It is filled with a lot of trivial stuff that I learned to keep inside a long time ago, because most people do not want to hear it. Honestly, I let more out than I should. I have a problem where I want to talk about me, constantly. At least, I am honest about my ego. It is big, maybe bigger than yours.

From 08062010

Van's was bigger and grimmer.

In all seriousness, the summer is ending and it has been one interesting summer. It included the key ingredients: heat, random road-trips, new people, new perspectives, heartbreak, emotions, festivals, carnivals, a few fights, confrontations with Nazis, music, hobbies, broken habits, rediscovered habits, drink, and merriment.

My last year at university is around the corner. It probably will not be my last year as a student, but I plan on doing a few things, like ESL, before I head off to graduate school or law school--I need to make that decision, one of these days. It has been fun being a nontraditional student at university. I began when I was twenty-three after toying with the idea of joining the military--It was weird, they asked me to repeat some words, but I did not want to make any promises, so, I left a cold, badly lit place in Knoxville, ignoring angry stares from men in uniforms and signed up for classes (one of my better choices.) I also made some promises to myself--I have kept them.

Right now, my reality seems so solid and real like a hard wave--I believe very soon, I will be adrift in the water, but there will be currents and more waves (hard and soft,) and more of me swimming against them or going with them. I will not stop swimming.

From 08062010

To bloody hell with wherever you are, the hunt's made me sick.

2010-08-05T05:28:00.001-04:00

Italian food, bookstores, thrifting, straightened hair, a new phone, swimming, sun-dried and burned, instant curls, feinting spells, Chinese food, birthdays, and old friends...

From 08052010

Austere Like a Kid on Too Much DARE

2010-08-01T04:18:00.002-04:00

From 08012010

I decided to give a lot up. Sleep was not on that list. I think sleep penciled its self in.

I watched the worst, best movie in years tonight. It is Bad Biology. The movie is about a woman with seven clits and man with a sentient penis who are made for each other. It is a capital "C" cheesy horror movie and caters to everyone who enjoys dead baby jokes.

I set my alarm for eight a.m..

I dread past-tense.

2010-07-31T22:00:00.003-04:00

Since I Cannot Remember His Name

2010-07-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

Spectacular cats, motorcycles, bluegrass, old friends, late nights, uneaten food, the guitar, cartooning, focusing on too much...

A time for meditation.

From 07312010

Radio silence is a phenomena, I am accustomed with. Sometimes, I lose focus and the voices around me turn to static, the words lose their meanings, and I stare blankly, taking in the smells and the colors. I nod or shake my head, based on expressions, and wait for meaning to return. I let bright, fake smiles shine and hum. Fakin' it is simple as...

I read the Cryptonomicon. I would recommend it. It is tied in my head with Kafka on the Shore as the best novel I have read recently.

The Cryptonomicon follows characters from WWII and the 1999 Dotcom Bubble. It is about cryptology's evolution and taking a bloody leap of faith, because reason only gets someone so far. Seriously, the intricacies of its story-line is hard to express, it is one of the most sprawling, well put together novels written. Check it out.

Kafka on the Shore is my favorite coming of age, love story.

I put down Demons and started One Hundred Years of Solitude. Demons has become the book I read in-between books. I cannot stay focused on Dostoevsky lately.

So, the first fifty pages of One Hundred Years of Solitude is very solid. It has alchemy, gypsies, flying carpets, piglets, sex, adventure, and violence. I will not regret reading this book--I am not sure I have ever regretted reading a book.

I am way into the new Arcade Fire album the Suburbs. The songs We Used to Wait and the Sprawl I & II are quickly becoming my favorite thirteen minutes on any album to date.

Life is Easier in Negative Space

2010-07-23T01:29:00.001-04:00

I lost my feel for colors.

From 07232010

I cannot believe the spaces I have explored.
I cannot believe how some old friends turned out.
I cannot be happier about how a few people never disappoint.

I am a shape-shifter.

Don't Make Me Blue

2010-07-17T04:20:00.001-04:00

From 07172010

The bacteria on my silly man legs dragged me around town.
~~Tonight was a success. There was a Pente party.~~

An Error Has Occurred

2010-07-14T08:45:00.000-04:00

From 07142010

I have a tiny headache.

All Night Abstract

2010-07-07T04:20:00.000-04:00

From 07062010

I must keep myself awake for three more hours. If I do not keep myself awake, my graveyard shift will bite my shorts tomorrow.
I am itsy-bitsy delirium, without the violence.

Another DJ and the Dancing Kids--This Fad Comes and Goes

2010-07-05T14:42:00.002-04:00

The Polish Ambassador played Chrome. I went to take pictures. They let me in for free. Honestly, I think I could just carry around my camera bag, start arguments with door guys, and get into most things for free.

From 07052010

P.S. Chrome is not my scene.

P.S.S. There would have been more pictures but my camera literally fell apart at the show. It is fixed now. I spent the morning performing surgery on it. However, last night when I was loading film pieces just began falling off the camera: the film-rewind-lever, the film-advance-lever, and the camera grip. It filled with me a sense of a hopelessness, so, I bailed.

Real One Dollar Value

2010-07-02T00:42:00.004-04:00

From 07022010

I'm where life took a sojourn.

Monsters in My Backyard

2010-06-29T12:01:00.000-04:00

From 06292010

They came back and I shot them.

Kick It In

2010-06-28T03:38:00.001-04:00

Remember how I own a film camera. I do too. I developed some film. The film went through hell, according to the developers it twisted around itself in the canister and they had to break the canister and perform surgery to salvage some of the pictures.

Here we go again.

From 06282010

Light at Night and the Ghost Skies

2010-06-27T11:31:00.003-04:00

From 06272010

From 6132010

I lied.

Happy (Late) Birtday John

2010-06-25T18:39:00.000-04:00

Andrew discovered birthday is a hard word to spell. It figures he was an English major at a prestigious school for three years. Kids and their literature forcing their hand to spell in weird vernaculars.

Andrew threw John a fanflippingtastic birthday party and I took some pictures of some of us playing with balloons.

From 06252010

(Hey, next time I'll post a short story instead of a boring, blah, blah, blah, my life is awesome blurb.)

The Washed Out and Doubled Exposed

2010-06-22T14:59:00.000-04:00

I joined a writing group. I am writing some short sci-fi prose for next week, because I'm up for critique. I suppose I'll put it on the blog after I fix the things my friends mention at said critique.

So, I have this group photo of Daniel, Animal City (Levi, Doug, Dakota, and Salvatore), and me. I sort of like it. It's double exposed with a shot of Sal flicking some wind chime.

From 062110b

Animal City Returns

2010-06-21T01:46:00.000-04:00

So, Andrew was coming by today to pick up an MP3 player. I hear a knock on the door and I answer it. It wasn't Andrew. It was Animal City from Chicago, stopping by to visit. They're on tour--not playing a show in Johnson City, but they decided Daniel and me are people who should be visited when travelling the southeast--rightfully so. Andrew happened to show up exactly three seconds later. Anyway, chaos and drinking ensued.

From 06212010

Tea Time with the Shadows

2010-06-19T02:29:00.000-04:00

I want to write an abstract phrase that gets across a feeling I can't pinpoint. Problem is I can't pinpoint the feeling, so, I don't know how to describe it. However, it is there and I want it to be known that I'm learning what it is. When I learn what it is, I'll describe it in the vaguest way possible and I'll hope you'll understand what I mean.

From 6192010

According to my declining figures, I'm selling blood next week to get out of the red.

Bonnaroo Ten-zees!

2010-06-13T19:34:00.001-04:00

I was so sick on Tuesday. Seriously, I was sneezing and coughing up a storm. I was trying my hardest to celebrate John Grant's birthday, but I was not healthy. Anyway, Lyle called me while I was out at Barnes and Noble with John.

Lyle was like, "Jason, come to Bonnaroo. It's free."

I'm like, "I don't know, Lyle."

Eventually, he explained we would be saving the Earth and vending justice. I couldn't turn down saving the Earth and vending justice, so, I agreed to go.

I had to join SOCM first which is the Statewide Organization for Community Empowerment. They are also known as Save Our Cumberland Mountains. They basically fight injustice and try to save mountains.

So, I went to the 'Roo as a vendor and found out that vendors have just as much fun if not more fun than the people who pay to go to the 'Roo. Sure, I didn't get to push my body to the limits by doing too much, because I was working occasionally--working was playing frisbee and trying to convince random people to join SOCM--it wasn't what I would call difficult. I caught a few shows. Honestly, this year's lineup wasn't what I considered great, but a lot of people seemed to be enjoying themselves--including me. And, I freaking loved the Local Natives, Neon Indian and the Flaming Lips...

I liked other bands too, but they won't be mentioned.

Okay, I'm rambling. Pictures.

From 100SSCAM

That Little Girl Turned Three

2010-06-06T21:42:00.001-04:00

My favorite little girl-kid turned three today. John and Andrew threw her a party. John made homemade truffles and a Boston creme pie for her. There were presents, people, and bubbles galore. Basically, it was one of the few good non-alcoholic party.

From 6062010B

Blue Plum

2010-06-06T04:06:00.002-04:00

I didn't take many pictures.

From 6062010

The Immovable Thumbtack on Your Map

2010-06-03T22:03:00.001-04:00

I want to overhaul this thing. The design. The service. The way you view pictures. Everything.

From 6032010

I don't do this enough.

Luchador Event Arising

2010-05-22T12:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Nicole experienced her first day past a quarter of a century. So, we celebrated!

From 5222010

Blogger annoys me. I want to switch services, but I hate the idea of changing my URL. I may buy a domain and start something new. I'm sick of how limited blogger is. It seriously drives me crazy.

Should I give WordPress or Tumblr a try? Maybe, I should I just build my own site from the ground up. I'm not sure--I'm conflicted.

Kansas Ain't Kansas No More

2010-05-15T21:16:00.001-04:00

Pictures.

From 5152010

Broke Summer

2010-05-14T12:08:00.001-04:00

Well, I successfully knocked out another semester at ETSU. I only have a couple more.

I'm broke. I need a second job. I've put applications in at a few places--I hate the application waiting game. I wonder if I should put in more applications and then I wonder what I should do if I get a job somewhere, then another job calls me up and is like work for us, and I want that job more. Oh well, I'll take whatever I get.

I've been running everyday.

From 5142010

Science Grows Dinosaurs in Jars

2010-05-11T18:52:00.002-04:00

From 5112010

I've been absent. School ended and I have excuses galore--Screw it, I need to take more pictures.

I like the world to have an idea of what I do. I think it is important for people to know, because knowing is something worth doing.

From 5112010

I've been reading, smoking a pipe, and listening to music. I've also been sleeping. I developed a new found love for sleep. Seriously, I'm trying to do it twelve to fifteen hours daily.

From 5112010

This Bad

2010-05-06T00:44:00.001-04:00

There is a new band on the horizon--an electro-indie-wave-pop explosion. Honestly, they're just completing their first song and I am terrible at describing music. I either like it or dislike it, or I'm "meh" to it. Sometimes, I simply tolerate it.

What am I saying? I love music. I like it more than most people I know. I should probably learn how to play an instrument and create my own music, but I don't create music, because it's not in my skill set. Luckily, my skill set is ever expanding, so, maybe one day. Until then, I figure I'll talk about my friends Daniel, Evan and Andy and their project This Bad, because it's going to be chill.

From 2010-05-05

Ink and Fire

2010-05-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

I walked to Stay True Tattoos to sit with Rachel while she got her new side piece. I liked it so much that I decided to take some pictures and post them on my blog. I didn't capture a picture of the final product, because every picture I shot of the complete tattoo was out of focus for whatever reason--I guess had shaky hands yesterday--there was a lot on my mind.

From 5022010

The stencil.

From 5022010

Beach House and Washed Out

2010-05-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

I decided to take a chance yesterday by going to Asheville to see a sold out show with my buddy Evan. It was stupid how easily we found tickets. We saw Washed Out and Beach House. The show was awesome. Washed Out was good, but Beach House rocked it. Seriously, their live presence is awesome and their lead singer reminds me of Stevie Nicks in a good way--not that I can be reminded of Stevie Nicks in a bad way.

Anyway, the lighting was terrible. I refused to use my flash and my pictures are a little strange because of it, but all in all I kind of like them.

After the show, I went to Adam Volrath's place and enjoyed a glass of Three Philosophers ale...

From 5012010

A Party

2010-04-25T15:40:00.000-04:00

I wandered through a suburb with Marcus and Steven. We wearing pantyhose over our faces to conceal our identities. We kidnapped Rachel and took her to a dinner party at Megan's, then we went to Melissa's and studied while sipping grownup drinks.

From 4252010

Art Shows and Adventures

2010-04-24T12:36:00.001-04:00

Jamie Santos-Prowse made some art and stuck it on walls in a room for the kids to see. The overhead lights in the room were a little oppressive. The focal lights trained on the walls and arts were not so bad. Jamie is good at what she does, even in bad lighting.

From 4242010

Later, I hung out with different people--Rachel, Evan, Steven, Julie for a little bit, Meghan, and Melissa. We wished Rachel a happy birthday at midnight, laid in a yard, perched on decks, looked at stars, went to an all night dance party and light show, bounced on a trampoline, experienced a bumper's view of Johnson City from the bed of a truck, and caused a slight ruckus to our heads.

Evan snapped this tree. I like it.

From 4242010

This is what last night looked like.

From 4242010

Happy Birthday!

2010-04-24T12:16:00.000-04:00

It's Rachel's birthday, yo!

From 4242010

Celebrate.

No Shooting Stars, No Broken Wishes.

2010-04-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

I went to the top of Roan Mountain last night with Rachel and Steven to watch the meteor shower. I didn't see a single meteor. At least, with the last let down meteor shower, I spied a couple of meteors plummeting toward the stratosphere. I may have not seen a meteor last night, because it was way cold and I didn't want to be outside on top of a mountain. No one wanted to be there.

I developed my first roll of film from the Canon AE-1. I need to work on using the Canon, but I think I'm going to start snapping some neat shots with it soon--perhaps. The film had nothing to do with meteors.

From 4212010

Easter Photos

2010-04-21T11:44:00.000-04:00

Let me jump back in time to Easter.

I hung out with my parents for a bit. My mom, my nephew Mathew, and me did lunch. I visited my dad and the step-family. And, I ended the day taking photos of Peyton for John and Andrew.

I actually liked a lot of the Peyton Easter photos and meant to put them on the Internet. Some of the photos are hanging in John and Andrew's house, which makes me a little happy.

From 452010

We Never Built a Tee-pee

2010-04-18T17:02:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I visited Appalachian State's sustainable farm with some friends. It was a field trip for their anthropology class. The place was interesting. I seriously doubt, I'll ever convert my toilet into a compost toilet, but if it works for the hippies, then I guess, cool, whatever.

We were going to build a tee-pee. Maybe, we will next time.

From 4182010

She has been getting ready for the zombie infestation since nineteen eighty two.

From 4182010

Worms!

From 4182010

Lamb Chop!

From 4182010

Blue Ridge.

From 4182010

The Rambunctious Dead Beat Set

2010-04-16T15:09:00.001-04:00

Has it been a while since my last update? I'm not certain--a couple of days for sure. I've been busy. School is coming to a close and I have a lot of assignments due over the next few weeks. Nevertheless, I will update as often about my awesome life as possible.

So, last night. I had to break the not spending money rule I set for myself, because I found out some of my favorite guys from Chicago were playing a show at the Hideaway with my roommate. So, I paid the cover and went to the show. I had a blast. The guys from Chicago aka Animal City, came back to the homestead and we chilled. They needed a place to crash, so, we offered them couches. It was a good show. Their music reminds me of my younger but still awesome days.

From 4162010

A Break from Productivity

2010-04-14T01:06:00.003-04:00

So far, I am sticking with not spending money this week. However, I did receive the camera I was talking about in my last post by trading some old books for it. It is a Cannon AE-1 Programmable with a flash, a 28mm lens, a 50mm lens, and a 100 to 400mm lens with a ultra high resolution filter. I'm stoked about shooting pictures with it. Hopefully, I'll be doing a lot of shooting with it this upcoming weekend.

The camera

From 4142010

The camera bag. It was included with the camera.

From 4142010

Spring Hit the Ground Dancing

2010-04-11T17:54:00.001-04:00

Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons. I don't care if it is generic. I love warm weather. Actually, I love hot weather. I dig dancing through walls of humidity and shaking sweat off my brow.

The flowers bloom. The world is attacked by a myriad of colors. The color green dominates, but the blue skies are always vying for attention, but somehow, they're regulated as a backdrop to the sparkle of rejuvenated life.

From 4112010

I cut up my debit card. I'm challenging myself. My challenge is not to spend any money for the next seven days. It sounds easy, but I have a feeling it will be harder than I think. I have to get my spending in check. I'm tired of pissing my money down empty bottles.

I sold most of my books. I'm selling some old textbooks tomorrow at the textbook shops. I hope they'll buy them. What the textbooks shops don't take, I'll sell at the used bookstore. What the used bookstore doesn't take, I'll donate to a library, a Good Will, or a Salvation Army. Books are meant to travel; they're not meant to collect dust.

From 4112010

I want Rachel's Nikon. Actually, I want a DSLR camera, eventually. However, I'm buying a Cannon AE-1 Programmable Camera made in 1981 with a plethora of lenses. It's a 35mm SLR camera, I have on layaway at a bookstore. I won't buy it this week, because I'm not spending money, but I should have it on the 25th of this month, then I'll start a monthly film photo post. It'll be awesome, trust me.

From 4112010

Gator Golf in Johnson City, TN

2010-04-09T15:07:00.000-04:00

Gator Golf is a serious sport in this part of the hemisphere. Its only rivals in participation are Red Rover, Tug-o-War, and the lofty often dangerous Circle of Death.

The match was set between three time master Daniel Sexton and the up and coming challenger Patrick Donovan. Daniel was off to a crushing start, but his putting game fell apart at the end. Donovan, however, never missed a beat or a swing? Whatever. Donovan crushed his opponent by a few putts.

Talks of a rematch are already in progress. Basically, Daniel's press is waiting for Donovan's press to mingle and when they mingle, it'll be a tango--seriously. This will be the event of the summer--maybe.

From 492010

Javelin and Yeasayer, Asheville, NC

2010-04-07T02:00:00.001-04:00

Evan drove Rylan, Robin, Rachel, and me to Asheville. We ate at the Laughing Seed, wandered around the city, and finished our night bustling about the Orange Peel to loud tunes from Javelin and Yeasayer.

Serious fun time.

I think a shadow person stole my words, because I have little to say lately. If I get my words back, I'll have a lot of talking to do in a lot of medias.

From 472010

Oh, I watched How to Train Your Dragon, today, and I highly recommend seeing it.

Amost Wordless

2010-04-04T22:55:00.001-04:00

Easter Eve was one of those good nights. I bar hopped from the Coffeehouse to Cahoots. I met Evan's brother and some interesting kids, and caught up with a couple of old friends.

I really don't have much to say, tonight.

Pictures will do.

From 442010

A Little Information

2010-04-03T11:58:00.000-04:00

I am a caretaker. I am in charge of looking after Grace Soko on Mondays and Fridays. She's a fairly impressive woman. She graduated from Yale when it was uncommon for women to go to college. She double majored in English and Japanese. She went to Japan at the start of World War Two to teach English. She left Japan when her husband died in a skirmish with Japanese soldiers.

She went to seminary school when she returned to America. She finished seminary around the time, we dropped a couple of atom bombs on Japan. She was horrified. Sure, she had built up a bit of hatred towards the Japanese, because her first husband was killed in the war, but the atom bomb was too much in her mind. So, she bought plane tickets to Japan and returned to teach English and learn to forgive the people she had once hated.

This is an abridged account of what I know about the lady. She has thousands of pages of letters and journals, that I've been going through. They're fairly interesting. I want to do something with them. Her husband Bob Soko is also a fairly impressive guy. Maybe, I'll talk more about them in the future...

Grace Soko

From 432010

Okay, in other news. We enjoyed a nice spring day at the Dock. Evan and me checked out the Penny Dreadfuls. And, I rode my bike all over Johnson City. I feel like I should have taken more pictures.

From 432010

The Penny Dreadfuls

From 432010

The Busy Part of the Year

2010-04-01T10:01:00.000-04:00

University has kept me busy the past few days. Next week is looking busier. However, I've taken a few pictures and I've done a few things. I sat at Titpons with friends for a little bit. I took a few silly pictures, using long shutters and flashes to make lights and ghost, because I think it's fun. I also went hiking with Leanna and Amanda, and took a few pictures around Buffalo Mountain.

I'm already yearning to have a new camera. I plan on taking a photography class next year as an elective. I suppose, I'll have to buy a film SLR camera for that class, but I think I'm going to start saving up for a DSLR too.

The animated movie Mary and Max is awesome. It made me cry. I'm glad the person I watched it with didn't notice.

Gotta go to school.

From 3312010

Asheville Revisted

2010-03-28T22:56:00.005-04:00

Back on the 24th of April, I went to Asheville with Joe, Andrew, and Nicole. I took some pictures and Joe made a video. Well, here is the video.

The Weekend Review

2010-03-28T14:00:00.000-04:00

There was a birthday party at my house for Madison on Friday. I only caught a few pictures, because I was having too much fun talking to people.

I walked like ten miles yesterday. On the way back to my house, I stopped at the coffeehouse and spoke to the Donovan brothers, because they were there. Rachel came and picked me up.

Rachel and I went to John and Andrew's to give Andrew the Wind-up Bird Chronicles by Murakami, because I've been telling him to read it for nearly a year and a half now.

And, then we went to Melissa and Erin's and played with blow dart guns, darts, knives, and other sharp weapons.

Hooray for abridged weekends.

From 3282010