Dreams Away

How about a bunch of random things thrown together? Let's go. Been awhile since my last post. Been very busy and nothing really seemed worthy of an entire post. However, lots of little things should do the trick...

Rush - "Tom Sawyer"

Van and Erica are halfway through their leave and it's been great seeing them a few times over the past week. It's really hard to see my little brother married, but it's ever so easy to know that he's happy and has such a wonderful woman standing by his side. Over the past couple years he's grown up a lot and doesn't really feel like a "little" brother now. All in all, we're both grown men (it seems true sometimes, right?) and it really doesn't seem right to think of him as anything less than my contemporary at this point.

Plus, I'm really looking forward to being ripped from my dreams at 2:00am to answer a baby-related question. Know, Van and Erica, that I'll happily answer your inquiries... or I'll probably just pass the phone to Kim and get back to a hopefully lucid dream. You know, let's just cut out the middle man; you have Kim's number, right?

MGMT - "Flash Delirium"

My uncle, Keith, retired; my cousin, Brittany, graduated from high school. Good times. It was good to see lots of familiar and [somewhat] friendly faces on Friday. Food at the reception was fantastic. Who could find a way to not enjoy endless amounts of pulled pork, chicken, and beer? A good time was had by all.

And then Kim and I got to spend the evening and the next day with Kim's grandma, Jo. I hadn't seen her since Christmas and hadn't actually been to her house in Waterloo, IL since... I really don't remember when. The only rough patch came when Gavin had to sleep between us... in a full-size bed. Most of you know my body type (hold the fat jokes until the end, please) and might be having trouble picturing how ridiculous I might look with only 1/3 of a full-size bed for myself. Honestly, it probably wasn't even that much; Gavin managed to get himself sideways on more than one occasion that night.

Coheed & Cambria - "Everything Evil"

Last Thursday was a special day: our fourth wedding anniversary. We've been together for over nine years at this point so I don't know what I really expected. Either way, a very normal, uneventful day is what I got. We each acted quite professional about the thing... literally. I worked the day and Kim was scheduled that evening just like every other Thursday evening. I was pretty bummed about it at the time because I don't remember the last time we actually were able to spend an anniversary together (that's a lie; we spent our very first anniversary together. It was Super Bowl Sunday, 2002. Great day and I don't even remember who was playing that game).

The night went on, I bathed and put Gavin to bed, and I think I finished off The Pacific. It might have had a little to do with The Pacific finale, but I had an epiphany that night. Sure, it sucked that we didn't get to do anything specific to celebrating our anniversary, but I found peace in knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life with a gorgeous, caring, remarkable woman. And that's all that really matters. That she comes home at the very end of the day and we find even the shortest moment to reflect on four wonderful years of marriage. In the grand scheme, it's really the little things that mean the most.

Iron Man 2

Before I get into my mini-review of Iron Man 2, an update concerning my last post. The "sex-crazed teenagers" living upstairs? Remember? Yeah... pretty sure it's two females. However, they're a tad bit androgynous so we aren't completely certain. Let's just call it "90% chance of lesbians" at this point, okay?

On to Iron Man 2...

Start off by saying that the sequel is every bit as good as it's predecessor. Define "good"? Did you enjoy the first one? If you answered "yes", would you also call it a "good" or even "excellent" film? Apply that same formula to Iron Man 2 and you should have a pretty decent bearing before AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill" kicks in during the opening flight sequence.

That said, I know a few deviants that didn't enjoy Iron Man and - for that reason - I really can't recommend the sequel. You weren't enamored with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) the first time around? Well, he's still the same charming, eccentric "war" (see also: "peace") mogul. You didn't think there was anything special about a flying metal suit of awesomeness? There are two in this one (not counting the generic throwaway enemies obviously) so you might end up doubly disappointed. What's that? You don't find Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) witty or even easy on the eyes? Somehow you'll surely find fault with Natalie Rushman / Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). Summing it all up, don't even bother with this one if you think Tony Stark is a wimpy Bruce Wayne wannabe. Just trying to save you some time.

Does it rival Citizen Kane? No. Apocalypse Now? I'll just stop naming the greatest films ever made as it doesn't hold a match let alone a candle to them. Is it on par or better than any of the Spider-Man films? Absolutely. X-Men? Ja. It's an above average action film - a fantastic movie within it's own genre of comic book adaptation - and it does a great job working toward the Avenger-centric film a couple years down the road.

Back to the lesbians. That's right; we're officially calling them lesbians. Two very distinct chick voices coming from above. Anyway, now they're frolicking. And frolicking above Gavin's room. It's going on 10:30pm and they woke Gavin up with their shenanigans/foreplay. Keeping my wife and myself awake is one thing. Disturbing my spawn is quite another. I'm not implying that I'll take action. Gavin fights his own battles. Just a word of wisdom for our new neighbors: don't keep him awake and never, ever take his drumsticks away.

Just Take One Dip and End It!

Had really hoped to get a decent amount of sleep tonight after getting up at 5:00am to wish my wife a happy Mother's Day by brewing coffee and making breakfast. In bed by 9:30pm sure did seem like the right move...

Anyone seen High Fidelity? Remember that scene where John Cusack and Iben Hjejle are lying bed overhearing Tim Robbins and one of his many female friends go at it? I now know that pain. We've had neighbors that got loud from time to time, but this is just sad.

First, each "session" thus far hasn't lasted more than five minutes. Seriously?! And I'm still reeling over the fact that I literally made my place on the livingroom couch after the beginning of round three. Given both the duration of each session combined with this dude's ridiculously short refractory period, I have come to the conclusion that I have sex-crazed teenagers living upstairs. Fantastic. Top it all off with this chick putting on an Oscar-worthy performance and an unnaturally squeaky bed and you've got yourself a pair of indecent, inconsiderate animals.

To make matters worse, the broad (I'm just assuming it is THE broad) starts cackling like a cracked out lunatic during their intermissions. I didn't even get the chance to doze off during one of their many smoke breaks.

I'm too tall to sleep on the couch for any reason whether it be a direct order or personal preference. Looks like I'll be up for a little while longer. After all, how long could this really go on, right?

... Damn, I hope I'm not dealing with teenagers here.

Got All Night

There really isn't anything like two best friends in awe, legs aching from constant standing and ears crackling like blown speakers. Mind racing, wondering anxiously as to what might come next. Fast or slow, ballad or anthem, hit or b-side. In the end it didn't matter; all we could do was smile and shake our heads.

Part of me thinks Pearl Jam is a polarizing band, but I don't think that's quite the case. They have a fairly large fanbase that just know the hits (as most bands do) and then it goes either way from there. I wouldn't dare classify them as "edgy" or even "innovative" at this point. Plain and simple, they're unapologetically good at what they do: make above average rock music and play live shows with unparalleled intensity and ferocity.

Obviously, I fall into the "diehard" category whereas some of my friends are on the other side of the spectrum (staring nastily at both Justin and Abe). That said, the band as an entity may not be polarizing by definition, but Eddie Vedder's [inconsistent] vibrato certainly is. There are two schools of thought here: either you think he sounds like he's singing "with a pickle in his mouth" or you think his unorthodox style, great lyrical ability, and endless supply of energy make him one of the greatest frontmen to ever grace the scene.

However, I think the argument concerning Vedder's voice is both tired and untrue at this point. Whether it be by choice or physical damage, his vocal range has been fairly consistent going back to Binaural. He's not Tom Waits, but it sure sounds like that's where he's aiming.

To the point, I had the pleasure of seeing Pearl Jam in Kansas City and St. Louis on consecutive nights. Dustin and I left early for Kansas City to make the most of the man-date and had a great time even before the show. Wound up in McFadden's for lack of somewhere better to go and I can't say it was the worst experience. It filled up fast right after we found a table, but in the end we were seated with beers in hand and a passable appetizer in front of us.

Check paid (thanks, Dustin) and one great cigar later (thanks again), we were headed inside the Sprint Center to get our seats. We were there well ahead of the opening band, Band of Horses so we grabbed our apparel in an effort to beat the unavoidable lines that would spring up shortly thereafter. Got this one for Van and Erica's little one (we'll call him "Odin" for now). Found our seats and some 30 minutes later Band of Horses went on. It's tough to describe the act, but I guess I'd say they could pass as an indie Ben Harper quintet. Definitely a good act to get the crowd into the swing of things.

The wait between bands seemed like an eternity... so I'll move it along to spare you that series of painful moments. Getting right to the setlist:

Of the Girl

Animal

World Wide Suicide

Got Some

Unthought Known

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

MFC

Johnny Guitar

Amongst the Waves

Even Flow

Gods Dice

Present Tense

Daughter

Wishlist

Insignificance

Do the Evolution

**Encore Break 1***

Off He Goes

Just Breathe

Given to Fly

The Fixer

Life Wasted

Porch

***Encore Break 2***

No More

Black

Better Man

Alive

Rockin' in the Free World

Yellow Ledbetter

Star-Spangled Banner

Damn.

That was about all we could say after that barrage of... everything. The concert had it all whether it be radio hits ("Even Flow", "Alive", "Better Man") or obscure b-sides ("MFC", "Gods Dice", "Insignificance"). The two hours back to Columbia was filled with discussion concerning the concert in St. Louis. We didn't know what to expect given the myriad of songs we had just heard. Laying in bed that night I somehow knew they wouldn't disappoint in St. Louis and fell asleep in between a subsiding adrenaline rush and lightly buzzing eardrums.

Like most young children, Gavin doesn't believe in sleeping past 6:30am or so. Sleep deprived, we made it through the morning and Dustin and I - along with the ladies this time - headed to St. Louis (there was cheesecake along the way). We grabbed some wings and each a single drink at Hooters near Busch Stadium this time around. Timed our arrival at Scottrade near the end of Band of Horses set. And then the Pearl Jam setlist from that night looked like this:

Sometimes

Corduroy

All Night

Do the Evolution

Why Go

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

In Hiding

Even Flow

Unthought Known

Save You

Down

Pilate

Severed Hand

Not For You

Glorified G

1/2 Full

Daughter

The Fixer

***Encore Break 1***

Inside Job

Just Breathe

Jeremy

Got Some

Rearviewmirror

***Encore Break 2***

Garden

Alive

Baba O'Riley

Yellow Ledbetter / Little Wing

So... yeah. Another amazing show. Five hours of music (55 songs total) between the two nights and - of those - we only heard ten songs that were played on both nights. For someone that wanted the complete experience, it was money well spent as far as I'm concerned. And Kim and Bridget both seemed to have a good time so... bonus. :)

I still wouldn't consider myself "rested" four full days later, but I'm getting close. Until then, I'll consider my lessening fatigue a reminder of neverending memories.