Chaaaa......ya know what?!

This year I have already actually purchased more CDs than I have in probably 4 or 5 years.

A whopping 5.

Inflikted by Cavalera Conspiracy

Death is This Communion by High On Fire

Both versions of Conquer by Soulfly

and Death Magnetic by Metallica

It's quite amazing considering that I bought my first cd (Pantera's Far Beyond Driven) in 1995 ( I had cassettes before that) and by 2002-2003 I had aquired over 600. Plus, at least a hundred that I sold to used cd stores. so that's over 700 in 7-8 years. That's almost 100 per year!! Wow, I like music.

Why don't I buy that many cds anymore?

a) Money. I don't have that kind of money anymore. I didn't then either but anyone with a Student ID card can get as many credit cards as they want. I am still paying for them.

b) Mp3. I can just download any music I want! I wouldn't be buying it anyway (see a)) so why should I be denied the pleasure of hearing it? I would say I download an average 1 full album every day. If I didn't I would never have heard many of the bands I go and see in concert. So I am supporting the artists by going to the concerts and maybe buying a shirt or a button or a sticker. Maybe even the album if they impress me enough live. You can't download a t-shirt.

I'll leave you with a couple albums that bored me this weekend.

Intronaut - Prehistoricisms: Not bad really but I think I expected too much. Not as heavy as Void or Challenger. I think I'd have to be in a real jazzy post-metalcore mood (read: stoned) to really get into this one. In 3 attempts I haven't been able to listen to the whole thing yet.

Dragonforce - Ultra Beatdown: Yup, you can play really fast. Yup, you are influenced by and are featured in video games. But when it gets right down to it, Dragonforce is just a power-metal band writing pop-metal songs at speed-metal speeds for kids with ADHD and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

PRETTY MUCH THE BEST THING EVER

PRETTY MUCH THE BEST THING EVER

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Here's a question for ya!

You're all familiar with the toungue twister:
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers
did Peter Piper pick?

i'm not so much concerned with the amount of pickeled peppers but rather
how they got pickled BEFORE they were picked!!

On that note, why have rubber baby buggy bumpers? Hows about we don't bump
the buggy against anything. I'd much rather that.

The weekend that was (I know it's Wednesday)

Friday I went with Uncle Steve to put tires on his car, then Amelia and I
went shopping. Walmart: Death Magnetic (review posted later), Metallica,
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD, and some cdrs.
XS-Cargo: new hair clippers. That store has no carts. Why not? So I had to
put Amelia down and let her run around the store. She was laughing to beat
all hell and the empolyees were laughing at her too.
I was going to go the golf liquidators at the Cat 4-pad, but....
Saturday Dad and I went to the 10th Annual United Way Warehouse Sale in
Belleville. There was some pretty sweet deals. The wait was so long to pick
up our order that we left without getting it. But I did get some stuff at
the Wilson Sports cash and carry tent. I got 2 hats for $2 each, a lefty
ball glove for Grace (smallest one they had, still way too big)$7, and a
putter, a sand wedge and a driver for $10 each.
SUnday we went to the farm and then went and got Grace a new bedding set.
comforter, 2 sets of sheets, shams, 2 valances, and 2 decorative pillows
and a bed skirt all together.
Sunday night we watched The Happening. Weird.

Things I Have Realized Today

Today I Realized:

That I am out of shampoo. (For all that hair I have)
Why I stopped using bar soap. (I'm hairy)
My reflection in the mirror wearing a sweater and boxers looks funny.
My reflection in the mirror makes me look really buff. (Then I put my glasses back on)

And everyone with kids is tired. Almost, I never see Gerry saying he is tired. Jenn must take of all that.

Son of a BITCH!!

How do the Eagles manage to score 37 points and still not win? Oh right,
they were playing the Cowboys.
Shittay!!

What's with the socks??

I'm gonna get a little personal here.
If I am wearing pants, I like my socks pulled up high. And I like them to
stay there.
But if I am wearing shorts, I hate socks. I like them as low as possible.
And if it wasn't for smelly feet, I wouldn't wear socks with shorts at all.

With that being said, why is it that so many people (at least at work)
insist on pulling their socks up to the highest possible altitude when
wearing shorts?? I don't get it! Are your legs cold? That doesn't make
sense. If it was cold you wouldn't be wearing shorts! Do they think it
looks good? I hope not! Is it a generational thing?
Ya know, if you don't like the feeling of your socks bunched up at your
ankle, they do make short socks. I have several pair myself.
I don't know why it bothers me so much when I see people with their socks
hiked up. But it does. God forbid (awesome band, new album early next year)
they should get a tan!! white below the knee!! There would be this band of
tan from the bottom of their shorts to like halfway up the lower leg ( or
higher). Insult: Hey did you sign up for Brown-knees again this year?

Whatever, just me being me again. Judging others. No offense to any high
rise sock wearing people. haha

Why J.P. Ricciardi should be fired

I'm basically only going to base this on the 2008 season because my memory
is crap. And really, there are enough examples in this one year.

Not hiring Cito back early enough. John Gibbons was just as his name
indicates, a gibbon. A trained monkey could have done better.

I will admit the Rolen trade was good but bringing in Eckstein was stupid
when you have John McDonald and Marco Scutaro.

Trading away Reed Johnson. Dumbest idea ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but it
was pretty dumb. They could have platooned Johnson with Lind and had a very
strong Left Field, but instead they had a crazy concoction of Matt Stairs,
Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench with the eventual winner, OH!! Adam Lind!!

Seriously mishandled the Frank Thomas thing. yeah, let's piss off our
leading RBI producer from last year. great idea!

Why did he trade Matt Stairs away?
Oh look at that, Eckstein is gone. What a waste of money.

and that is just this year. I know I missed something here too.

Do you think Burnett would stick around if the club was better managed at
the GM level and up? Or will the late season turn around be enough to keep
him in Toronto?

Personnel in who didn't make a lick of difference : Eckstein, Mench,
Wilkerson.
Personnel out that could have made a difference: Johnson, Thomas, Stairs.
Personnel from within the organization who did make a difference, once they
were given a chance: McDonald, Inglett, Lind, Purcey.

just get rid of Ricciardi!! Could you imagine if they had brought Cito back
before the season started?? it would have been a whole different ball
game!! (pun intended)

Well, that occupied my mind for about 45 minutes or so. That was the whole
point!!

Words Amelia Can Say

Amelia is about 17 months old and I think her vocabulary is pretty good.
Here is what I can remember, in some case I will write what she says
followed by what she is trying to say:

mine
no
dad
mum
hi
hello
bye
okay (but sometimes it's sounds like oooooooooo.....KAY)
hat
kikki (kitty, she gets it sometimes)
yay-a (Leia),
puppy (with panting)
uh-oh
nigh nigh (night night)
tyler
pitty (pretty)

I know there is more but I can't think right now....

Thank you
Yummmmm
High five
Ta-da
Whas dat
Grampa
Grayy (Grace) Thanks Hun

I'm an Uncle again!!

My brother-in-law and his wife had their baby this week....2.5weeks early....a Boy....Zekariah James....Zeke was 6 lbs 2oz and only 15inches...I guess he is just a wee little one...I can't wait to see him when we are all well. I guess all their kids wanted a girl. The girls wanted another girl to play with and Aaron wanted to be the only boy. Oh well!!! I think Zeke is an awesome name. So that means on Becky's side there is 3 boys now to the 5 girls. So IF, IF, IF Becky and I decide have another one LATER LATER LATER, it could push the ration to a healthy 4/5, or the girls could double up on the boys. BIG IF AND BIG LATER. On my side, it's all girls. I'm cool with that. They are all healthy and you can't ask for more than that!!

Amelia's Been Sick

We have had the sickies invade our house...it hasn't been good. Amelia has been back and forth to the hospital and doctors...they thought she had meningitis! She couldn't move her head..it was so scary. She had been battling a fever for a week at that point but we figured it was teething. She came back negative for meningitis but positive for a UTI with white and red blood cells in her urine. He thought it was strep as well so off we went on antibiotics with a follow up on Monday. She was up ALL weekend....no sleeping for anyone. She had her Doctor appointment and he said she has an ear infection as well. So off we went with a follow up on the 15th. She screamed and screamed and I called Wednesday to the pharmacy to see if she was having a reaction as she seemed to be in so much pain! They said to call the doc...we got in right away and he said her ear was in fact worse. And that sometimes the pain in the middle ear can be so intense so he gave her codeine syrup....she has been sleeping great!!!!!! So she is on the mend and I am sure that Monday will bring great results.
Both Becky and I ended up with bad colds because we are so rundown. When I dont' work, I stayed up, when I had to work Becky got up with her. She would get up at the same time everynight (1130ish) and be up til 3 or 4. Once we got the codeine, and the cold meds (ya ya I know)into her the other night, she slept for 7 solid hours. However, it was on my chest, on the couch. But at least she slept! Last night i gave her all her medicine before I put her to bed about 745 and she laid right down and slept til about 9 this morning!! Oh, WOW!! Thank you!!
Here's hoping the infections are clearing up and she isn't in any more pain. Poor girl. I especially hope the sleeping keeps up because I am going in on nights and can't spell Becky off at all!
Wish us luck.

Grace's First Day of School

First of all, Becky emailed this to a friend and I just changed the I's to She's and stuff like that. She's a better writer than me and I didn't want to type that much today anyway. But I did add some details. Besides, I have a couple other posts for today so I'll be typing plenty. Here goes:

Becky had sensed Grace was nervous so before she went to bed she made an affirmation board for her with her magnetic affirmation kit. It said "Grace is...." and she listed everything she could fit. Sure enough at 7am she was crying at the door saying she didn't want to go to school. She said she already liked the friends she had and that she would miss Fiona. Peanut thought that she couldn't keep the friends she already has! So once she explained that things weren't going to change with her friends she already has and that she could still see Fiona she was fine.
She ate a good breakfast. We all walked her to the bus stop where there was other kids waiting. 2 of them were fellow Hinches. Different family. They are both in her class. Poor teacher. I think there was 6 kids all together including Grace. When the bus was coming up the street she was so excited. She was spinning around yelling "bus-y, bus-y!!" She hopped on the bus no problem, turned and said "Bye!" and found one the few seats left on the bus. It went really smooth! Then we hopped in the car to follow her as we promised we would. We were there when she got off the bus and Becky helped her in the classroom. She did GREAT. She went right over to the carpet and settled in...waved BYE MOM...we had forgotten her shoes so we went to get them and came back and she was sitting so nicely on the carpet beside a little boy who was doing everything he could to bother her...and she was looking the other way ignoring him. This was the exact thing that she was worried about...so I was really glad to see her doing what I suggested and ignoring him. So Becky helped her get her shoes on and on her way out the door there is a wee boy crying...the teacher said maybe if he joined his friends that he would feel better and Becky looks over and Grace's hand is up..."Yes Grace"...."I cried in my bed this morning".....Becky ran out crying herself...sweet girl was trying to make him feel better!!!!!!!!! We were so proud of her. We then took Amelia to her first day of daycare alone. They both did wonderful.
Becky had to take Amelia to the doctor (you'll hear all about that in a different post) at the same time Grace was to get off the bus so she missed that part. I took the dog up the street to get her. As I was waiting for the bus to come I was talking to this little girl that was also waiting (I don't know if she lived there or that was her sitter's) but she was talking about her old dog and how it used to bite. It bit her and scratched her and nipped when she went close to it's food. I said how that was terrible and she said that her parents took it to the wild cuz sometimes doggies just need their freedom (she didn't say freedom but that's what she wanted to say. it was free-something). Could you imagine if I was such an ass that I told her that her parents probably had it put down? haha. I am not that kind of person. Anyway, Grace was the last one off her bus and she didn't even notice me standing there. There was about 10 kids either waiting or getting off the bus, but I was way taller than any of them. She said she had a good day and she met a new friend named Samantha. That's the only one she could remember. Becky took a picture of them sitting in circle and Grace pointed Samantha out.
This morning Grace was very excited to go back to school but unfortunately, she doesn't go this Friday. She was upset but got over it quickly once we explained that she will be going on Monday. I am very happy that she is excited to go. My little girl is growing up!!!
I guess I ended up typing more than I thought. It's okay. I don't have CTS yet!

LIve Review: Terror/The Warriors and guests

What to do on Labour day? How about a hardcore show? Let's see, Terror, The Warriors, Death Before Dishonor, CDC and Trapped Under Ice? HELL YEAH!!
I had been amped for this show since it was announced and theses hardcore dudes from across the U.S. of Obama did not disappoint.
I missed Trapped Under Ice completely and showed up sometime during CDC's set. Just after the apparent human pyramid on stage. Damn! (It's ok, they did it again during Terror's set)
CDC laid down some pretty solid tunes. Dual vocals between the vocalist and guitar. Not all the time though so it wasn't shitty. I wasn't familiar with CDC going into the night so I can't really comment on the quality of their setlist in comparison to their catalogue.
Next up was Death Before Dishonor. Boston hardcore. oh yeah. At this point, I was still sitting at the back tables, takin it all in. Chatting with Marc and the security guy. I was coiling like a spring, cocked like the hammer of a gun. Waiting to unleash self inflicted bodily punishment. And DBD was good at pumpin' out the vibe I was looking for to get amped up and jump into the fray. The thing with hardcore is, as long as it's done right, by competent musicians, it's good. I didn't really find anything overly special with DBD but they were great in the support slot. No bad haircuts, n o girls pants. No whining. REAL harcore dancing.
I know I had heard The Warriors before. I downloaded an album of theirs a couple years ago. So, I knew to expect a certain level of quality. I got it. I am not the kind of guy that knows all the words and wants to sing along. I want to get into it with my body. Headbanging, throwin' fists, stompin the ground. So the fact that I didn't know any of their songs well didn't really hinder the fact that I had a wicked time during their set. I was in a fair amount of pain at point. My neck didn't really hurt yet but I got a couple flying feet to the back and my knees were all banged up from smashing up against the stage. The Warriors played a very entertaining set. I was really able to get into the music and enjoy myself. Again, not overly familiar with their recorded works to make a valid comparison but they impressed me enough to consider checking more of their stuff out.
Terror. LAHC. These guys now how to do it right. The new album is pretty incredible and so was their set. As what happens when I have an extended "stoner-rock" listening session, I was not in a normal state of mind by this point. I was part of the music, part of the atmosphere. I realized that the next day I was gonna be some kinda sore. It made me really wonder about friends of mine that go to shows ALL the time and don't just stand there. How long did it take to get used to it? Or do they just hurt all the time? I have tried to stretch before shows and it doesn't work. Terror came out with guns blazing and never let up the whole time. The crowd (by which I mean the other bands, less than a dozen of us, and the rest of the people just standing there) was really into it. Maybe they felt the way I did. There was a chick beside me that was REALLY into it. screaming and everything. Like the Beatles. Terror hit hard, and I hit harder. Man, I was throwin' myself around, bangin' like there was no tomorrow. I got a few more elbows, feet, body checks. at one point my glasses got knocked by a flying foot (leg? I dunno) but they didn't fall off. I had to bend them back into shape but it was all good.
I guess I didn't give much of a review of the actual performances,did I?
I don't care!! All you need to know is, if you like hardcore, or heavy music in general, you missed a hell of a show. I didn't know anyone there so I know you missed it. I hadn't had that much fun at a show in forever. (Biohazard? '02?) I had lots of fun at IHS shows (RIP: I Hate Sally) but only during their sets. I had a fun during all the sets this time. I was sweaty, sore and weak in the knees at the end of the night. Too tired to scream along with my tunes on the way home. Too tired to even play air guitar on the steering wheel. Yesterday I hurt all day. and all night. (work) and today is not much better. my back not so much but my neck is still killing me. Is this what whiplash feels like?
Great show. Great time. Totally worth the pain. Probably the best show I will go to this year.

Busy today/tonight

We are taking the girls to the plant picnic today. They should have alot of fun. At least Grace. It's gonna be a hot one though. Better make sure they have sunblock on. It's over at 6 but I doubt we'll make it that long.
Sometime after that, I'll be going to see Terror/The Warriors/Death Before Dishonor/CDC/Trapped Under Ice at Time to Laugh in Kingston. It's gonna be a wicked show. I have no doubt someone will have a broken nose by the end of the night. Hardcore man. Plenty of moshing. Maybe a circle pit or two. I'll have a sore neck, sore back (from elbows) and a distinct ringing in my ears.
It's gonna be awesome.
I'll post a review tomorrow maybe.