Mommy. . . can I go out and, kill tonight?!?!

I quit my job yesterday. Yeah, pretty much rules. Except for the whole being in horrible debt and no longer having a source of income other than donating plasma.

- posted by Jonathan@ 8:53 PM

 
Saturday was Edgefest. A day filled with sweat, hardcore, and some good times. Me and Ian left around 10:30ish (after showering a packing lunches) and arrived around 1:00. Oh, and on the way there I got a speeding ticket. 83 in a 65. $230.60. Yeah, no good. But anyways, I wasn't going to let it ruin my day. The first band was called Black Hand Tactics and they basically ruled. Then there were a bunch of other bands, then Fallen Sparrows. They tore it up as per usual. Then some more bands, then In the Face of War! Those guys were so sweet. If you like Comeback Kid and the like, you should check them out. And I talked to the guitarist, and they might just come play Janesville on the 20 of May. Because I told them I'd hook them up right. Then more bands. There were two really sweet bands called Vindicated and Underminded. They were both very different but very sweet in there own ways. Then finally, the reason I went, Nodes of Ranvier. They dominated of course. And after their set, me and Ian skipped out of Haste the Day in favor of getting home to sleep. We made it in around 1:30.

Here's pictures: Fallen Sparrows























Nodes of Ranvier





















- posted by Jonathan@ 2:34 PM

 
I got a letter in the mail yesterday. Well, two letters really. I found out that I won third place in the fiction category and second place in the poetry category for the YS creativity contest. They're going to publush my stuff this summer, and I made 115 bucks in prize money. Not to bad eh?

- posted by Jonathan@ 11:11 AM

 
Wow. It's freaking late/early. Depending on how you look at it. I like to think of it as late. If I haven't been to bed yet, then it's late. When I have to wake up, then it's early.

I saw Sin City tonight at 10:00. Didn't get home until 1:00-ish, and have been burning cds ever since. I need sleep. How was the movie you ask? Well friend, it was pretty wonderful. Very. . . violent. Bloody. Violent. But it was fun nonetheless. Also, boobs. If you're not a fan of boobs/cleavage, then skip this flick. Also, if you are not a fan of Jessica Alba looking really hot, then you should really reconsider what you are doing with your life. And not watch this movie. Or ever look at her.

(Mona, don't beat me up, please.)

I got a digital camera! Yes, it is as wonderful as it sounds. I will take some cool pictures with it and post them sometime. As people with such cameras are oft to do. I will be one of those people. Posting pictures of croquet games, super fun parties, and the rest. And, ummm. . . Mona. Because she is cute. And fun to talk to. Have you met? You should consider it, she will make you smile.

Oh! Hook it up, the last cd. Goodnight my loves.

"I memorized the lines and shapes of your hands and face."

- posted by Jonathan@ 3:20 AM

 
"Just do it, or I'll light my hair on fire and start punching myself in the face."

". . ."

"That probably wasn't the best way to get make myself clear, was it?"

- posted by Jonathan@ 3:15 PM

 
Reader's rejoice! The time has come for a segment, which shall henceforth be known as. . .

Shorts and Swayts* with William Butler Yeats

This is where I will post some very sweet (short) poems by my man, Yeats. So, without further adieu. . .

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

The Lover Pleads With His Friends For Old Friends

Though you are in your shining days,
Voices among the crowd
And new friends busy with your praise,
Be not unkind or proud,
But think about old friends the most:
Time's bitter flood will rise,
Your beauty perish and be lost
For all eyes but these eyes.

These Are the Clouds

These are the clouds about the fallen sun,
The majesty that shuts his burning eye:
The weak lay hand on what the strong has done,
Till that be tumbled that was lifted high
And discord follow upon unison,
And all things at one common level lie.
And therefore, friend, if your great race were run
And these things came, so much the more thereby
Have you made greatness your companion,
Although it be for children that you sigh:
These are the clouds about the fallen sun,
The majesty that shuts his burning eye.

On Being Asked For A War Poem

I think it better that in times like these
A poet's mouth be silent, for in truth
We have no gift to set a statesman right;
He has had enough of meddling who can please
A young girl in the indolence of her youth,
Or an old man upon a winter's night.

To A Poet, Who Would Have Me Praise Certain Bad Poets, Imitators of His and Mine

You say, as I have often given tongue
In praise of what another's said or sung,
'Twere politic to do the like by these;
But was there ever a dog that praised his fleas?

* This title must be read in a snobby British accent. Wherefore, "swayts" is really "sweets". Also, that last poem is quite the burn, would you not agree?

- posted by Jonathan@ 12:54 AM

 
Our Purevolume account has finally been approved. So if you prefer that to Myspace (good choice) you can listen to the songs there instead. I might put a different one on the Purevolume account somtime. We'll see.

http://www.purevolume.com/walkenwi

- posted by Jonathan@ 11:43 AM

 
My plans were foiled! Curse'd rain. I was out naught but twenty minutes when the skies opened above me. And just to illustrate to you what a wonderful outing I had planned, I'll share with you a list of my supplies. . .

1. My guitar
2. My homemade book/journal (with pen)
3. "Selected Poems and Two Plays of William Butler Yeats" (C.) 1962
4. "Conrad Aiken: Selected Poems" (Inside cover reads: "For Jon, 2004, 'Imitatio Christi' Love - Barbara"
5. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Favorite Poems"
6. "Leaves of Grass and Selected Prose by Walt Whitman" (C.) 1950
7. "New Enlarged Anthology of Robert Frost's Poems"
8. "The English Poems of Milton" (C.) 1923
9. "Palgrave's Golden Treasury with Additional Poems" (C.) 1923

Ahhhh. . . tis' an unlucky tale, Mother Nature and I.

- posted by Jonathan@ 3:25 PM

 
Beautiful weather. I've been waiting for this for so long. Me and Yeats and Whitman and Aiken and Frost and whoever else wishes to join are going to go sit in the grass and bro down. You're welcome too of course. My address is 3141 Bond Place. Janesville, WI. I'll be in the backyard.

I've been having problems with my feet. Like I can hardly walk. Today is better though. I got some freaking painkillers. Breaking the edge. Some shoe insert things. New kicks for work. And so on. There is still uncertainty as to what caused it all, but I have a podiatry appointment on the 14. I feel like an old woman.

If you haven't already, go here to listen to a few songs from my band's brand new EP. I would appreciate feedback. Not just compliments, but truely, what you thought of it all.

To the backyard!

- posted by Jonathan@ 2:42 PM

 
I wish I knew better how I could love those around me. I'm tired of failing. I'm tired of trying to be like my Father, and always letting him down. My heart is full to the brim, yet I don't seem to ever pour it out correctly.

I am a jerk. I am a hyprocrite. I am a liar. I am a sinner. I am a horrible person.

I am trying. . .

- posted by Jonathan@ 11:59 PM

 
Day 6 - Mixing: Me and Ian and Patty (Zach had to work) went there at 10:30 and were there until 5:00. It was really long, and really tedious, but we're finally done. And we have a freaking cd! And honestly, it's really good. Like, I'm not just saying that because it's my band. I would so rock this cd. We're probably going to change out name though. I went to hook up a purevolume account (it's not up yet) and there are already two Walkens. Also Myspace already has some Walkens and all the cool Walken domain names are already taken. We're looking into other possibilities. The name of the album was going to be ". . . And Ahead of Us, Rockets Blazed Through the Sky", but we might make that the band name instead. We'll see.

You can go to our current Myspace account though and listen to a few songs. Click here. Tell me what you think.

- posted by Jonathan@ 10:43 PM

 
Day Five Proper: We're back at it again. Ian is tracking some drums. I alread have my guitar part done sans the over dubbs. We'll see how it goes. We want one more song at least today. Pizza should be here soon. No lunch break today. We've too much work to do. Ceamona is here too. It's pretty awesome. Her and Patrick are actually getting the pizza right now. I am so freaking excited for this record. It's already so amazing. I can't wait for everyone to hear it. Later.

The Missing Day: We didn't record. Jim's mom was sick and he had to take her to the hospital. But good things came of our time anyways. We destroyed a few rounds of croquet, ate some food, played some video games, hooked up some hot tub. . . all around good times. Then, that night we picked up Patrick. Then we got milkshakes. Then we got Jenny G. Then we went hunting. We went to Elkhorn in two pickups. Patrick and myself in Zach's, and Jenny and Ian in Ryan's. Me and Ian were elected to travel by foot into the woods with naught but a flashlight. Ian freaked, but in his defense, it was freaking scary. We could have been eaten at any given moment. The Beast of Bray Road doesn't eff around. Unfourtunately, we didn't really see anything. I'm still a believer though in full. You know the Bray Road Beast is real. You know it.

Afterwards was bed for me, and who gives a crap for everyone else.

- posted by Jonathan@ 12:39 PM