the angels, they surround my heart
telling me to let you go

i bet he couldn't
i bet he couldn't recognize
but i played right into it
who am i to criticize
somehow i'll get through it
and you won't even realize
falling through your own disguise

it's like over and over
you're pushing me right down to the floor
i should just walk away
over and over
i keep on coming back for more
i play into your fantasy
now that it's over
you can lie to me right through your smile
i see behind your eyes
now i'm sober
no more intoxicating my mind

even the devil wouldn't recognize you
i do

so I'm there
charging around with a juggernaut brow
overdraft, speeches and deadlines to make
cramming commitments like cats in a sack
telephone burn and a purposeful gait

when out of a doorway the tentacles stretch
of a song that I know
and the world moves in slow-mo
straight to my head
like the first cigarette of the day

and it's you, and it's May
and we're sleeping through the day
and I'm five years ago
and three thousand miles away

do I have time?
a man of my calibre
stood in the street like a sleepwalking teenager
no.
and I dealt with this years ago
I took a hammer to every memento
but image on image like beads on a rosary
pulled through my head as the music takes hold
and the sickener hits; I can work till I break
but I love the bones of you
that, I will never escape

and it's you, and it's May
and we're sleeping through the day
and I'm five years ago
and three thousand miles away

and I can't move my arm
through the fear that you will wake
and I'm five years ago
and three thousand miles away

if I listened long enough to you
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true
knowing that you lied, straight-faced, while I cried
still I look to find a reason to believe

when I get to warwick avenue
meet me by the entrance of the tube

things the grandchildren should know

Today I finished reading Things The Grandchildren Should Know, the autobiography of Mark Oliver Everett (a.k.a. "E" of eels). It's an astonishing recount of the series of tragedies that he has faced in his personal life. The poor guy. What bad luck. Makes you want to give him a hug.

What do you do? When, after having been raised in a neglectful home wrought with dysfunction and mental illness, after your sister commits suicide and both your parents die, when you are the only one left, and you struggle with loneliness and depression and your own string of neuroses, and, not surprisingly, you have a thing for crazy women...

He deals with it. He copes the only way he knows how. Create music. And try to make a living out of it, which also proves to be a major challenge. But he succeeds.

It was sad reading about all of the misfortune in his life. But, in the end, I found it inspiring. His acceptance of it all. Somehow he prevails -- and manages to find hope. You never know, I'd say he might be just about as normal or crazy as the rest of us, considering.

I recommend the book. If you're a fan of his music, it places his songs into context, which explains a lot. Also, his writing style makes for an easy read, as Sam says. It's conversational. It felt like I was listening to a friend talk. Makes me happy that I smiled at him that last time we saw them perform at Tipitina's. He was finishing a song at the keyboard with his head down, then he looked up at me. I was sorta right there in his face. I smiled. He smiled back -- barely, but nevertheless. It seemed real. I felt like I had had an affect, that we shared a moment. I hope it cheered him up. Wish I could remember which song it was. Hang in there, E!




what if i was not your only friend
in this world
can you take me where you're going
if you're never coming back

i'm gonna fly on down for the
last stop to this town
i'm gonna fly on down
then fly away on my way

asking for flowers

it's complicated
technically I'm certified
a walking declaration
of everything I couldn't get right
time is just an anchor
but 7 years I think I'm right
now you've changed your number
it's like a noose around my life

every pill I took in vain
every meal for you I made
every penny I put away

asking for flowers
is like asking you to be nice
don't tell me you're too tired
10 years I've been working nights

my life is like a picture
left out too long in the sun
now I'm trying to remember
all the faces of the names I've loved
and all that's left of me now is
a cigarette burning bright
and a fading memory of all the things
I tried to get right

every pill I took in vain
every meal for you I made
every plan I tried to make

asking for flowers
is like asking you to be nice
don't tell me you're too tired
10 years I've been working nights

every pill I took in vain
every meal for you I made
every bill I went and paid
every card I signed my name
every time I poured my heart out
every threat you made to move out
every cruel word you let just slip out
every cruel word you let just slip out

I make the dough but you get the glory

blazing a trail to the southern cities
from the streets of our hometown
basement bars we played from the heart
in the company of our friends

if I write down these memories
that I have saved away
photographs of the years that passed
inside my little brain

you're cool and cred like Fogerty
I'm Elvis Presley in the 70's
you're Chateauneuf, I'm Yellow Label
you're the buffet, I'm just the table
I'm a Ford Tempo, you're a Maserati
you're the Great One, I'm Marty McSorley
you're the Concorde, I'm economy
I make the dough, but you get the glory

big fish small pond and some cover songs
we sang along the way
we used to midnight run to the Vesta Lunch
cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes
once I got drunk with Jeff
I told him I was in love with you
but I love you like a brother
so at least half of it was true

you're cool and cred like Fogerty
I'm Elvis Presley in the seventies
you're Chateauneuf, I'm Yellow Label
you're the buffet, I'm just the table
I'm a Dodge Sparkle, you're a Lamborghini
you're the Great One, I'm Marty McSorley
you're the Concorde, I'm economy
I make the dough, but you get the glory

me and you and the world

good things

I've got a long, long list of things
that no one needs to see
desk drawers filled with picture frames
postcards tucked in underneath
we were only young when we moved away
it went on and on for years
you fell in love and now you live in the city
i'm my own company out here

don't get down
good things come when you stop waiting around
good things come when you stop looking
so don't get down
you've just got to stop looking

little bird, with your beak pressed against the window
there are no seeds for you today

maybe in slidell i'll find my joy

don't you wanna make me feel
like i'm a thousand stories high
don't you wanna make me feel
i'll never fail, i'll never die
don't you wanna set me free
we'll overwrite the history
turn to find our destiny
and never turn away

2007, my year in review

Let's start with the subject of travel... The major highlight of my travels this year was the cruise. Our first cruise was a week-long jaunt over spring break with family and friends wherein we found ourselves sailing into exotic ports along the Western Caribbean.

We climbed ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico, experienced some of the culture and natural beauty of Guatemala, snorkeled the barrier reef in Belize... Very exciting, very memorable!

I landed in New York City for the third time, accompanying members of my family on their first trip to the Big Apple. You could say I was a sort of tour guide. It was a lot of fun. Shut up, it was!

After a few days of sightseeing, we struck off for New York state to attend my nephew's momentous graduation at the esteemed West Point Military Academy. We toured the historic campus and got to hang out with Danny.

We squeezed in a trip to the beach... Orange Beach. Sipping margaritas and splashing around with the stingrays. We had a great time. Maybe next time we'll try parasailing? Not!



We completed a weekend roadtrip to Dallas, Austin and back, in three days, to see Rufus Wainwright perform two great shows -- one at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie and one outdoors at the legendary Stubb's BBQ in downtown Austin.

Mid-August. Outside. 6 hours. Standing in one spot. It was totally worth it.

In other concert news, I saw Tori Amos perform for the 12th time! Her shows are always an experience.

While we were in Houston, we visited the Butterfly Center at the Museum of Natural Science. It was pretty cool.

On the way home, I saw Galveston for the first time. It has its own thing going on. It was nice.

Some other shows we caught closer to home...
Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveShow at the New Orleans Arena. Quite a production!

Matt Wertz at the Parish, where I discovered Jon McLaughlin and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers.

Francis Cabrel at Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette. I still can't believe he came here to perform -- est-ce que ce monde est sérieux?

Fest for All in Baton Rouge. I went to check it out while everyone else was at Jazz Fest in New Orleans.

The Police reunion tour at the New Orleans Arena.

Dave Barnes and Matt Wertz Two Birds / One Stone Tour at the Varsity, a.k.a. how I discovered Gabe Dixon.

And let's not forget Josh Kelley at Wal-Mart on Siegen! (You know, the guy who just married Katherine Heigl a week ago.)

Some miscellaneous events that occurred...
Dave Eggers reading from his latest book at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. (Neeerds!!!) What is the what?

Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade (Should I mention the Isis parade?)

Monster Truck Show at the Centroplex Baton Rouge River Center



Femme Femme Femme exhibit at NOMA

Kathy Griffin FTW!!!1 How awesome is Kathy!



Movies I enjoyed...
Helvetica special screening courtesy of the New Orleans Film Society!

Paris je t'aime

Into the Wild, which I had the pleasure of reading before I had the pleasure of viewing on the big screen.

Other book moments I liked...
On the beach, leafing through some of Wil Wheaton's short stories.

Eat Pray Love. How else can you sum it up? Just remember that I read it before Oprah (and potentially Julia Roberts) ruined it.

What else?
I played music for the first time in years at the family reunion.
I think I did a funeral too. Did I make it through the year without doing a wedding?? Not to worry, I already have two booked for 2008. :)

Almost had jury duty for the first time.

One of my childhood friends died in a car wreck.

Another friend moved away.

We lost Uncle Gene. :(

Some of my best friends at work got better jobs and moved on. Literally and, I'm hoping, figuratively as well. The world has turned and left me here. Should I mention that I almost got promoted? Nah...

Made some new friends. McGregor, party of four?

My niece got engaged.

Matt got engaged! (All my babies are growing up!)

At least one of my siblings got divorced, possibly two?

I tried a yoga class!

Experienced what I would consider my sickest day ever.

And... I started a blog!

Suck on that!

Here's to 2008!

happy new year

my dear acquaintance, it's so good to know you

for strength of your hand
that is loving and giving
and a happy new year
with love overflowing
with joy in our hearts
for the blessed new year

raise your glass and we'll have a cheer
for us all who are gathered here
and a happy new year to all that is living
to all that is gentle, kind, and forgiving
raise your glass and we'll have a cheer
my dear acquaintance, a happy new year

all of those who are hither and yonder
with love in our hearts
we grow fonder and fonder
hail to those who we hold so dear
and hail to those who are gathered here

and a happy new year to all that is living
to all that is gentle, young, and forgiving
raise your glass and we'll have a cheer
my dear acquaintance, a happy new year

when someone said count your blessings now
'fore they're long gone
i guess i just didn't know how
i was all wrong
they knew better
still you said forever
and ever
who knew

one more smile I fake
and try my best to be glad
one more smile does the maker make
because he knows I'm sad

someday

someday I'm finally gonna let go
'cause I know there's a better way
I wanna know what's over that rainbow
I'm gonna get out of here someday

af 607105

melancholy
aviation
chocolate
perfume
cigarettes
frequent flyer
stow away
dislocation
sleeping
jets
wave goodbye
feel homesick
tranquilizers
bill of fare
cry easy
dvt
disappear into thin air

we wish you all a very happy pleasant flight
this is a journey to the center of the night
and the inflight entertainment's out of sight
here on af 607105

time difference
you're waking
chase the sun into your eyes

sleeping cities
dust hotel rooms
passengers look to the skies

fly over
your lifetime
and never touching down

my heart
is breaking
somewhere over saskatchewan

we wish you all a very happy pleasant flight
this is a journey to the center of the night
and the inflight entertainment's out of sight
here on af 607105

your life in
the wrong hands
savannah and frozen wastes

the flight path
the wingspan
below the earth rotates

i love you
i miss you
i cannot see your face

invent a
new persona
drunk here on the edge of space

all the things i carry with me
and all the things i left behind
and all the things that wait to meet me
hover in the air tonight

if i can only keep on moving
and never stop and think of me
and freefall through the years and decades
terminal velocity

we hope you had a very happy pleasant flight
this is our final destination so goodnight
like a stone we are now falling from the sky
farewell from af 607105

the cabin
is burning
i smile and feel complete

here amongst
total strangers
27 000 feet

suspended
isolation
kids throw toy planes in the street

one final
blaze of glory
viewed from a window seat

one cool remove
one cool remove
and forever let me stay
one cool remove away

how will you know if you found me at last
'cause i'll be the one, be the one, be the one
with my heart in my lap
i'm so tired, i'm so tired
i wish i was the moon tonight