Yoga has been fun. Tiring, fulfilling, and it has definitely improved my posture.
It's a start.

So of course one day after declaring my intent to write more often...I don't write.
It wasn't intentional. For some reason yesterday, I was exhausted. I got home from a staff retreat and instead of schlubbing around my apartment, I called a friend and walked to the local library.

I grew up in Brooklyn. I would walk everywhere, and if I was too tired to walk home, I would take public transportation home. It was great. It was liberating. It made the world seem alive. Where I live now, the library is the closest walkable destination. No sidewalks, no shops on the way. Just a tiny library, with a better movie selection than reading options. What does that say about America today?

Anyway, after this walk, which took the better part of an hour (growing up the library was 5 minutes away, now it is 20), in a strong summer sun, I was beat. I watched some TV and crashed, and boy did I crash. I passed out and next thing I knew it was time to actually go to sleep. That nap ruined my day. I didn't sleep well and woke up late, missing my time at the gym. I have been out of sorts all day, exhausted and cramping, and left work early.

Now, 4 hours later, I am feeling back to normal. I started one of the books, but am still working on feeling better in my, as my sister says, dome piece.

Thankfully, I have the vote of confidence from some friends, so that helps.

Teenage Bottlerocket "Mutilate Me"

First things first: I love this band. To me, this band is what pop-punk should be- quick paced, tightly played, catchy hooks, and vocals that are just off enough to make you love them. I saw TBR once at Club Europa in Brooklyn, and they blew me away. They had an hour set and just did not stop playing. Everything about them screamed energy and fun.

They make me want to play in a band. I'm sure you know that feeling.

Anyway, earlier today I got a hold of TBR's new single "Mutilate Me" and quickly tweeted (look how up on shit this guy is) that this song was probably the best pop-punk song of the decade.
Everything I said about the band applies here. The song is just long enough, punchy and catchy with incredibly tight instrumentation that doesn't break the genre in half but rather pays an amazing homage to the history of pop-punk. The vocals aren't going to win any awards (in the public arena, at least) but the slightly nasal tones just compliment the lyrics so damn well. The song, about S&M, is so damn catchy. I have found myself rewinding it (read clicking back on my iPod) over and over just to sing along with the chorus "I want you to dominate me/I want you to violate me/I want you to, then for what it's worth/ I want you to pretend you hate me."
Unlike other songs on this subject I've heard, this one actually makes the process sound enjoyable and again, it has the hook. The chugging guitars provide a sexual rhythm that works well with the song and well, just listen for yourself.



I cannot wait to see them live again. Pick this single up, like, yesterday.

Getting dressed after a night out is the hardest thing ever.

Nothing screams "I love drugs" quite like a picture of yourself at Burning Man on okcupid.

A benefit of being short: saving money on clothes by shopping in the children's section.
Flip side: the odd looks you get as the bearded guy in Old Navy Kids.

Life as a male internet dater is rough. I am positive that there are two distinct species of men on dating sites:
1)Dudes who are looking for a series of quick lays
2)Dudes who are actually looking to meet someone meaningful
Nothing in between. And dudes that fall into category one totally ruin it for the guys in category two. Trying to start a conversation with a woman on one of these sites is so hard, because as a guy who claims to fall into the latter bunch, I have to fight through the perception that I am just out there to get laid.
Here are some other things that suck about online dating:
Everyone claims to be a unique free spirit who loves to hang out with friends, go out or stay in, enjoys wine and the same indie bands. Stop it.
It doesn't matter how nice you are, because everyone has the idea that they are going to meet the absolutely right person online, and that if you do not meet their incredibly high standards (which, let's face it, we're online dating, take a chance people), you are not worth their time.
Super-awkward first dates. Both parties are going in mostly cold, and that is incredibly hard on the psyche.
Verbal first impressions are tough. I have been on quite a few dates and on more than one occasion have been told that I am much shorter than they expected. Here's a hint- I put my height in my profile, check it out. While I have never been explicitly dumped for being short, I have had many people stop seeing me and mention the fact that I am short/thin/smaller than they are as an underlying reason. Seriously?
Profile based judgment.
Not specific to online dating, but it seems like the main skills in dating are all designed so you never have to use them again, ideally.
Now part of this is on me as well. I am pretty darn isolated due to work and so I do not have a chance to get out and meet people in a more organic setting, so I am limited to the web. Have I had success? Well, I've been on a lot of dates, but have yet to sustain a relationship. Which is fine, but sometimes, I just want to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, what I see, is a history of hilarity.
So here is my plea: we are dating online because we want to meet someone. Let us give each other chances but be realistic. Treat everyone else with humanity, since we are all human and are engaging in this behavior because we want to fulfill some aspect of the human condition.
But I'm not bitter or anything.