I’m a million men
Marching to a million drums
On a good day
I march toward somethin’.
The hurdles get cleared
The ideas lost in translation
The ups and downs
Animate my persuasion
Calmly I break from a nation
Of self-thought, self-amazing,
Dumb as cows
Human-faced aliens
I can’t relate to anyone
With my ire submerged
In guilt for feeling how I do
I ask, “what can I do?”
I can only be true for you.
I can only do
What I can do.
I sat in the shade
With a vampire today
When the sun came up
She just went away
I begged her to stay
I flashed her a vein
I drew blood
As she stalked away
Everything I could do
I did
Everything I could lose
I did
I slept coiled in a blanket
Snake like, draped in fatigue
My lady came back to me
She came back to feast
When I woke up
I felt the damage of love
I had to see her again
I had to become…..
Everything I could do
Couldn’t stop this
Everything I could lose
I did.
Been in Georgia all week, here’s what’s happened so far:
Got to Dayton Airport two hours too early (1pm for a 3:15pm flight).
People congregated to me and Jables in the waiting area, then got offended when we moved seats to listen to internet radio.
Internet cut out.
Went to the cocktail lounge around 1:45pm and had a couple drinks.
While going back to the waiting area, found out our plane was delayed til 4pm. Typical.
Finally board around 3:50pm.
I didn’t get a window seat, but I was in the 2 seat side of the plane and I think the aisle may suit me better.
A cute woman holding an infant sits next to me.
I met a 2 month old baby boy named Cole. He’s the tits. And Mommy is pretty cool.
The flight is delayed another 20 minutes.
Fly for about an hour and fifteen minutes, making small talk with Mom.
Flight attendants bring Cole a pin with wings to acknowledge his first flight. It was cute and Mom almost cried.
Keeping with my oath of Lent, I help Mom off the plane, boxing out obnoxious patrons and carrying her bags for her.
Walk about a mile through Atlanta’s airport and decide to hop a train, yes a train, to the baggage claim.
Got my bags and went to the restroom as Jables talked with the rental car place.
Pick out a rental and drive another hour to our hotel.
Check in at 8:30pm.
Couldn’t sleep all night.
Woke up and there was no hot water, so I didn’t get a shower — typical.
Worked like a slave while it snowed all day. Snow in GA while I am here — typical.
Ate a great pork burrito at a local Mexican restaurant.
Couldn’t go to the Alkaline Trio show in Columbus tomorrow even though I could have had a free ticket — typical.
Couldn’t sleep, again — typical.
Worked, barely, til 2pm. Finished the store.
Took a nap while they moved our hotel to College Park for tomorrow.
Got the new Domino’s for dinner. I like it.
Killed a fly in my room while Jables just laughed.
Now I am going to bed soon, sleeping in, and then going to Atlanta tomorrow to see the city and hopefully eating at The Vortex for my Pops. I haven’t tried for a Shamrock Shake down here, but tomorrow will be a litmus test. Might be a regional thing, who knows? Either way, it’s March and I am unbreakable.
Stare into the dark
See nothing/everything
Shine your light tonight.
For Lent, I gave up nothing because what does prohibiting one’s self from something do for the rest of the world. I decided that I would commit random acts of kindness. After the first day, I realized that you cannot produce random acts of kindness, but you can change your whole perspective on shit. From that point on, I have been making others winners and winning myself. On Saturday, after I shoveled our driveway, I gave the women at my bank two boxes of Girl Scout cookies (which I bought on Wednesday as an act of support) and gave a teacher the best compliment that I could give her, which was that her class helped me be me. The aftermath got me thinking….
I’ve always been a nice guy and empathetic, but choosing to put aside my indifferences and going outside of my paradigm of kindness has been a rewarding experience. For the last 2 years, I haven’t enjoyed people. I just saw everything that permeates my skin. Four days ago I said that I hate people, but in reality I dislike what they do or what they are doing. Four days later, I realize that perception is deception and it comes from within ourselves. The beggar on the corner has something redeemable — we just have to get to it rather than give him/her a buck and spout out “get a job.” We’re all that person on that corner and we all have walls that keep others out. Perhaps the best thing we can do for each other is to let our guard down. Perhaps I am wrong? But what if I am right? Are we doing this all wrong?
—direct quote from a text message
A day later, I think maybe we’re all just doing what we have to and maybe that’s all we need. Either way, when I crawl through Lent and come out for Spring, I will be a better person. Maybe not one you need to meet, but one you won’t hate meeting. I am wholeheartedly satisfied with my decision and I love that I can grow as a person. I may never truly enjoy people again, but I will do my best to make sure that they can enjoy me.
We’re minutes from March
And a brand new drummer’s beat
New everythings.
A fresh new gimmick
A big and purple Grimace
I think I’ll smile now
Haikus!!!!
For lent I am starting random acts of kindness. I could give up a lot of things, but they wouldn’t change shit. Here’s to 40 days of something.
Dear God,
I’ve never doubted you
Religion has dried up
And died…..
And still I pray
To You.
My faith
Is like a mountain
Let’s move
Give me the the strength
I’ll give all the glory
To You.
What I’ve seen
What I believe
They don’t add up to anything
But I’m still praying.
I’m still relieved.
That you have done everything.
Faith is a perfect world.
