One of those days

It is just one of those days when you get out of the wrong side of bed. You know, those days when everything just does not seem to go your way, and you are sighing more than you should. You wish you could head back home and sleep the day away, wake up with a new day, reset.

While waiting for the hours to pass by, you look for solace in another cigarette you steal from your colleague. Or hide in the washroom stall for a few more minutes, just to cry for a while or to hide away for a while. Or put on your headphones and turn the volume way up, sifting through the many “comfort songs” to feel better again, in hopes they will make you feel better again.

Comforting sounds. Falling rain. Wheels running over wet roads. The setting sun. The breeze. Your lover’s deep bass voice on the other end of the phone, beside you in bed, in your head. Your cries. The turning pages of your favourite book. Blaring silence. The repeats of your favourite song. A consoling voice, an emotional melody, a soothing orchestra.

HERE is a comforting sound.

Be well.

Oh look, a book review

“Did I do and say these things? Yes, I did. Are there any mitigating circumstances? Not really, unless any circumstances (in other words, context) can be regarded as mitigating. And before you judge, although you have probably already done so, go away and write down the worst four things that you have done to your partner, even if – especially if – your partner doesn’t know about them. Don’t dress these things up, or try to explain them; just write them down, in a list, in the plainest language possible. Finished? OK, so who’s the arsehole now?” – p.72

Oh! Right there, point blank, at the crotch.

The first time Nick Hornby got my attention was when I had to read an excerpt from 31 Songs for Uni (Puff, the Magic Dragon – about his autistic son). I thought the book was quite an intriguing idea, so I went out and bought the book. However, I was not really impressed. I know; 9 books and 5 of them made into movies. Something is not quite right.

So, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt before writing him off. And knowing High Fidelity is a book revolving around the world of music, I decided to start with that. But, me being me, I never got around to it – brought the book to Australia and back, then to KL to sit on my shelf for a year – until a few months back.

First off, I love Hornby’s voice in his writing. It is one of those I-don’t-give-a-fuck-I’ll-say-what-I-want-what-can-you-do-about-it kind of voice. You know how certain writers would perfect the tone and grammar until everything is rigid and poised. Hornby is nothing like that. Very conversational. Something you would hear out of your friend’s mouth when he is shooting shit during a cock session. In fact, a kind of tone that you would like to give the speaker a good smack in the face for talking like that.

Countless times I would love to slap Rob Fleming. Face it, he is a loser. In his 30s and only just owning a lousy vinyl store that thinks it’s too good for anyone who listens to something siding towards the mainstream. Yet, he is sick of himself being a loser; he frowns upon losers who are losing more than him, and gets all high and mighty when he beds a not-so-famous musician. (At least, he gets to fuck the musician – and without strings attached – what have you to show, eh?)

I bet every reader would love to knee his crotch just to shut him up. But you won’t. You know why. Because there is a small part in us that is a Fleming. Someone who has hated their ex for dumping them and insisted that you don’t need them. Someone who has gone through a depression, whether you want to admit it or not, while subtly trying to get your ex back. Someone who sits around and complain everything bad about life but won’t do anything to fix it. Someone who is just an ass. Especially if you are a guy, you would probably punch him just because he is right.

Straight up, it is a dick lit. I doubt all guys are like that, because not all girls are like what Sophie Kinsella depicted. But of course, there will still be a small part of us that is well, bimbotic. But I am surprised I enjoyed High Fidelity, because the last time I checked out something dick related (physiques not included, of course – or maybe it is, hmm), I did not quite like it.

And yes, it has everything to do with it being musically oriented. I like how he talks about the art of putting together a mixtape. Exactly how I would put together mine. Delicate words you borrow from someone to help tell how you really feel. And also the order of the songs you put on the mix. There has to be a flow or a meaning behind the arrangement.

So, if you like music, and if you like someone who are not afraid to be blunt in their writing, and if you like someone who will dig for your worst fear about yourself and rub the stink all over your face, how about setting aside your headphones for a change and read a book. Or if reading will take its toll on you, watch the movie. Whatever blows your hair back.

[choose a song you think it's nice from the movie soundtrack - get from amazon - youtube it]

Alexis(not)onfire

Like the water element to the fire, Dallas Green is like the old soul that has had enough of screamo rock. He took down the gothic posters from the walls and settled for the plain plaster-torn emptiness that surrounds him, sold off the bass and drums and amps, and bought himself a harmonica, banjo and an acoustic guitar.

For people who have heard of Alexisonfire, you would have recognised Dallas Green smoothing up George Pettit’s aura-breaking screams, like Mike Shinoda would for Chester Bennington’s. (OK, fine, that was a bad example, but you get what I mean). And it was a total 360 when he started his side project City and Colour.

Gone were the angry shrieks and complicated drum and guitar choreographs. All that is left was Green’s honeycombed voice. Everything is stripped down bare. In Bring Me Your Love, you could still hear the clumsy preparation of opening the guitar case and settling down on a high chair. His lyrics are nothing flowery or outstanding, his riffs nothing but acoustical picks, yet his voice managed to bring out the simple honesty that burns between the lines, between the notes. And that is what I like about him. A guitar and a voice, and Green still managed to make my heart ache.

Here is one for the ladies, just in case your man has not the guts to tell you this. Don’t be too hard on them; it is not easy for them to bare it all like that – at least Green has done most of the part for them.

Download The Girl HERE.