Back In Waco

Well, I made it back from Boston and am back in Waco. I just had my first day of class in about five months, so that was kind of strange. And this is the first time I’ve been back in Waco for an extended period since pretty much last November, so that is kind of strange too. But it is really nice, I’ve had so much fun seeing everyone and catching up. And it’s nice not to have to be doing the whole “see you in a few months/never goodbye.” It’s almost novel to me right now to say “See you tomorrow!” On a different note, I am kind of concerned about losing the habits I picked up in Boston, such as reading constantly and making lots of music. I haven’t cracked a book in days now, and my guitars are sitting in my room, very lonely and confused. I hope I can keep up those hobbies as the semester progresses!

A few other things: I am converting my bicycle to fixed gear. There was a time when I would say “Fixies are stupid and dangerous.” And now I have one. So I guess that means I am also stupid and dangerous. It’s a pretty big project turns out, lots of little mesaurements to make and such. Hopefully it will be up and running by the weekend!

In my first class today, the professor asked me if I prefer “Robert,” at which point Christy and Molly both turned around with big puppy dog eyes, and I caved, and said, “You can call me Bob.” So, as far as Dr. Hanks and the rest of my Children’s Lit class is concerned, my name is “Bob.”

I found out a few weeks ago that my grandfather has cancer. He’s been doing radiation for a few days now, and will start chemo pretty soon. I am really nervous about it, because chemo is so rough. Also, my old choir director, who I was pretty close with, just had a brain tumor removed today. They found out about it last week, and he had surgery today. It looks like everything went well so far. Thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

And finally: I don’t know what’s going to happen to the blog right now. I am so busy doing stuff, and don’t have enough time to be witty and finely-painted and well-crafted and all that. So, if I post, I post. If I don’t, I don’t. And on that ambiguous note…

YEAH WAY TO GO CAMBRIDGE [THIS IS ME BEING SARCASTIC IN ALL UPPER-CASE LETTERS]

It was such a lovely day/week. The weather has been great, I’m finally finished with almost all of my work, I bought a new pair of Toms, got some new music, I could go on. And then today happened and ruined the whole good-feelings-vibe I had. My bike got stolen today. Right outside my office. In broad daylight, on a busy street. I locked it up to the wooden stairway outside my office’s front door, and some jerkface ripped the banister off and jacked the bike. I was going to sell it today. The police are here. BRB.

OKAY. I am back. The cop told me they would keep an eye out and call me if anything shows up. He actually seemed slightly optimistic that they would find it. Too bad I am leaving in four days. And what is happening to my bike right now? It’s been kidnapped by some fiend, who doesn’t know its personality and quirks. They don’t know to be gentle when switching between third and fourth gear, and that the back brake is a little loose. I hope they crash. Well, not really. I should be forgiving, even though my trust was broken.

I keep having fantasies that I will see it on the street, and then I will borrow my coworker’s bike and chase him down, and then get into a brutal cycle-fight. Where I will then emerge victorious and triumphantly take my bicycle back. I put a note up on Craigslist, telling them if they see someone riding it to kick their ass for me.

Looking out my window right now I see a Budhist monk walking by. Coincidence?

Conor Oberst Voice < A Dog’s Bark … but I still Like It

So, I know there are a fair amount of Bright Eyes haters our there (ahem, CW). And let’s face it, Conor Oberst’s voice is terrible a little rough around the edges. But I’ll be the first to tell you, that man knows how to write a good tune every now and then.

So, I am pretty much digging his new self-titled solo album (I know, I thought Bright Eyes was a solo project too). It’s got that great alt-country/folk/blues grit that I’ve learned to appreciate over the past few years (see: Wilco, Rocky Votolato, Mojave 3, Sufjan, Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, et cetera). If you haven’t checked it out yet, or were just thinking of writing it off as more of that “emo-folk-Bright-Eyes-crap,” well, check out the video below and then reconsider:

In other things I like right now, I just finished reading Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, which was hauntingly beautiful. Waugh is kind of like a British and Catholic version of F. Scott Fitzgerald, so that gets him pretty high marks on my list immediately.

He has a wonderful way of merging his Christian beliefs into writings without preaching, really blurring the line between sacred and secular. Which I think is not only beautiful, but very important as well. It’s kind of hard to explain why that appeals to me so much, but I think that the Christian artist shouldn’t see the world as off limits. Our spirituality is a really sticky thing, all wrapped up in this living that we do, and so art should reflect and express that. It’s like Coldplay’s new album. Even though it isn’t a “Christian” album, it certainly reflects important Christian beliefs and values. The last song has a beautiful line:

No I don’t want a battle from beginning to end
I don’t want a cycle of recycled revenge
I don’t want to follow death and all of his friends

In summary: Conor Oberst reminds me of a battered Fender Telecaste guitar, Evelyn Waugh is the man, and way to go Christ Martin for not boxing yourself in.

Revolutionary War Water Gun Battle

[UPDATE: Photos are now here! Thanks to Tom5 and Flickr for sharing. If you look closely in the second one you'll see me]

I just got back from Banditos Misteriosos’ “Revolutionary War Water Gun Battle.” It was ridiculous. Banditos Misteriosos is a group of college grads who organize “urban playground” activities, such as the activity today. I signed up on their webstie a few weeks ago and got an email last night with my army designation (Colonial) and instructions to wear blue and bring a water gun and a thing of bubbles.

So I showed up this afternoon at the Esplanade (a park downtown on the banks of the Charles) and met up with the “Colonial Army.” After much hurrahing and chanting and cheering and filling of water guns we charged across to the field towards the “British” and it was mass chaos and soooo much fun! I got soaked. There were probably around three hundred people there, including a two-person fife and drum corps, and oddly enough a small regiment of robots, who appeared about halfway through the battle and requested that we stop fighting and blow bubbles instead.

It was wonderful way to spend my last Saturday in Boston. And I’m having a hard time believing that the summer is almost over. I remember when I was younger waking up some July mornings in a panic, because I would realize that there were only five weeks left of summer, and then of course those last very bittersweet days in August, lingering by the pool with the dreaded knowledge that school was just around the corner. And even though part of me is really anxious to get back to Waco—friends, Dubl R and Burger Barn, class, UBC—I really like it here too. Things here have just been so nice over the summer, with beautiful weather, and always fun and interesting things to be doing, and I just want to stick around and see what the rest of the year would be like.

So, my only solution is to soak it up while I can. Hence I have made an ambitious to-do list for my last week. Most of it involves eating (ice cream at Herrell’s, ice cream at JP Lick’s, Pinoccio’s Pizza, the Greek Corner, et cetera). I guess I like food alot. Anyways see you all next week!