sometimes

there are things that are worth posting about on this blog that aren't solely involving music. although this post definitely does have something to do with music. but other stuff too.

so there are all these things all over the internet, facebook, myspace, twitter, whatever, and since i started at the beginning by getting a blog, i feel like i need to keep it up so i try and get whatever stupid bullshit people come up with to interact with each other through the interweb.

but there is this new website called formspringme and i have to say, it actually is a lot of fun. basically you set up an account and people visit your page and randomly, and most importantly, anonymously, ask you questions. it's like a little social interview done by all your best friends without you knowing who any of them are. it's kind of great.

so my most recent question was:

"If there is one moment in your life where you were truly inspired, what is it? "

and i answered that question, quite well i might add, with three specific moments from my life that hold great significance with me. and i thought i would share those moments with some other people too, because, why the fuck not?

now i realize this is my third blog post within the last three hours, so i promise i'll lay off, because my eyes are starting to hate me for how much i stare at my computer screen. but here is my response...

if there is one moment in your life where you were truly inspired, what is it?

when i was fourteen years old i went to st andrews hall to see the killers. they were my favorite band at the time (hot fuss is still a killer album) but one thing i realized when i was there was kind of the ugly truth of rock and roll. listening and following and watching the killers (until that point) was one of the main thing that really inspired me to try and just, do it, ya know? brandon flowers made me want to grab a microphone and just own it i guess.

but then i saw them. and they weren't bad live or anything, it was just kind of at that point (RIGHT before they blew up) i realized they were kind of douche bags. which is okay, because pretty much anyone involved with music is a d-bag.

anyway, the most important thing that happened that night was that ambulance ltd (one of my now all time favorite bands) opened up for the killers. ambulance fucking killed it. they just got up there, just the four of them, their lead singer dreamily strumming his guitar and crooning, and the rest of the band kind of just effortlessly making this gorgeous music.

and here is the real kicker: ambulance almost got booed off stage. people were drunk and pissy and, well just being detroiters and they wanted the killers so boos were yelled and beer bottles were thrown but ambulance soldiered on and, i really just looked at them in such awe. with such respect. that was kind of a moment where it all came together for me. my first real live show in a club, seeing bands with real talent, and getting no respect for it. and now that is kind of the way i live my life.

so that's big for me.

i'm sure there are some other times too but really there are just a few main ones. there are a couple brilliant and just incredible people i've encountered over the years that have really inspired me, most of them being teachers.

my fifth grade teacher was a woman named mrs. boik. she was simply one of the most incredible educators i've ever had the pleasure of being taught by and one of the most amazing human beings i've ever had the pleasure of knowing. she was just one of those people that knew how to handle EVERYTHING. she was just so fucking good at her job it was just like nothing could stop her.

then right in the middle of that year, tragedy struck, as it does, and mrs. boik got cancer. she didn't make it. she passed on that summer after that year and it was so fucking sad but every time i saw her, even right up to the end, she never lost that spark in her eye. she was just an incredible human being and if i could ever affect even one other person in this world as positively as she did to me (and countless others) then i would be truly happy.

as cheesy as it sounds that is pretty much why i want to be a teacher. i think people loose focus of what is important. so what i might not make a shit ton of money, i get to mold little minds and that is just incredible.

the third and final story i will recount happened more recently. it involves my father, who has always been a big part in my life, because he has paid my expenses since birth, provided for my family, worked his ass off and been a generally good dad.

but it wasn't until recently that i got to level with him as an adult. and that is something really special when that happens. when you can look your own father in the eyes as your own man and have a real conversation.

we were driving somewhere, maybe to or from atlanta, maybe to or from a movie or something but we were just talking and it hit me mid conversation how real we were being. and it made me realize how much i respect and adore my father and it made me realize how important he really is in my life. because he is the one person that when he turns to me and says "it's going to be all right," i actually believe him. and that is big.

ps. my formspring account can be found here if you want to ask me questions, and i highly suggest to everyone that they immediately download the latest album, "big echo" by the band called - the morning benders. it is a gorgeous album, and as i told my friend, it makes me think of a darker dr. dog. take care.