Well, here is my year-enderer list that may appear rather unconventional and/or lame but nonetheless, its honest. This is not a comprehensive list by any means, but its 11 big things from 2011
NOOK
Last year for Christmas Julie got me a NOOK COLOR and it has changed the playing field. Not only is my NOOK used for reading e-books, but I use it to connect more frequently with the Internet to keep track of my favorite blogs, my e-mail and facebook. I use a notebook type app to also use my nook to pen poems and rough draft versions of articles for ...THWART! and the NOOK is even instrumental in my creation and development of my creative writing and my first short story (read on). You know, my spelling is by no means as incredibly bad as it may appear, I just have quite a time with my sausage fingers and the nook keyboard... In many ways, my nook has been the number one thing that has shaped this past year for me and put it all into perspective. As potentially sad as that is on many levels.
DIRTY SHEETS
I suppose it all started with me becoming a regular reader of DIRTY SHEETS. Checking that blog out sort of jump-started my renewed re-interest in music. Headed by longtime associates Gunther 8544 and Josh Rutledge, DIRTY SHEETS reminded me how much I like not only listening to music, but reading about music and more importantly writing about music! I refound my enthusiasm for music in the comments section of Dirty Sheets by posting regularly and replying to associated post by Gunther and Josh. Before long all our commenting led to Gunny declaring us the DSSS (Dirty Sheets Secret Society)...DIRTY SHEETS made me re-think all my past endeavors into writing and my future with writing. DIRTY SHEETS put it all into perspective that led me to possibly reviving THE NEUS SUBJEX or asking to be a part of DIRTY SHEETS... Just as Josh and Gunther would flex out and begat new, additional blogs with Josh's FASTER AND LOUDER and Gunthers THE RUNG, I would decide to leave THE NEUS SUBJEX where it was and form a new blog attempting to create something that melds my views and enthusiasms for my different interest all into a one-stop blog called ...THWART! So by way of THE RUNG and FASTER AND LOUDER, DIRTY SHEETS is the single most influential thing of the past year. DIRTY SHEETS put it all back in perspective for me. I’m grateful to Gunny, Josh and their written endeavors and most importantly, their inspiration.
Check out Dirty Sheets HERE
Check out The Rung HERE
GUNTHER 8544
This past year has been sprinkled with regular communication with the infamous Gunther... I have known Gunther for years now from the early days of THE NEUS SUBJEX...He has been highly inspirational in the re-discovery of what Shawn Abnoxious is, of what I am. I place great value on our phone convos, which always leave me raiding the cupboards for a snack. Gunny has a way about himself that has made 2011 worth it on a social level.
FACEY PAGES
Everyone has their pet names for Facebook and I use the same one that my wife uses, Facey Pages. Facebook reintroduced me to my friends and what they are doing... Brighty has said that I am 'e-loud' with my twitter, facebook and youtube sites and I suppose he is right. But I figure if someone has a real problem with it, then they don’t have to 'e-listen'
...THWART!
Roughly 6 months old now, I’m still trying to make ...THWART! into something that represents all my major mediatric, artistic and philosophical interest in one place... I’m beginning to think that years from now I may still be trying to do this same thing...
JOSH RUTLEDGES UN-NAMED! YET TO BE FINISHED DYSTOPIAN NOVEL
So, Josh is in the process of writing a novel and has been sending me excerpts of the novel every so often that I have developed a whole routine that not only involves reading them, but also includes a hole-punch, three ring binder and quarts of Labatt Blue. I have declared myself a consultant to this novel, a declaration that Josh plays along with... Josh’s excerpts and writing style have been highly inspirational to me in the development of my own creative writing.
THE LAST AMERICAN
Inspired by a PDF version of a collection of short stories by JOHN BURRIS and JOSH RUTLEDGE, my fray into actual shorter fiction has proved to be something I’m definitely going to explore more of in the next year. To date more than 50 copies of the story have been electronically downloaded (with distribution help from Facebook being verily influential) and now, a print-edition is available for the good measures of all the people who cant (or wont) download it for free. Comrade at arms, Raul Kennedy; Last American Ambassador, has cited the story as inspiration for his patrol of the wild, wild west and carries a copy with him on his journeys. He has also been asking the big question to various passers by "Who is the Last American?"
Download a free copy of THE LAST AMERICAN HERE
FUNCTIONAL INCONVENIENCE (Fi)
This year has seen a reassertion of the endeavor of THE NEUS SUBJEXS attempt at on-line radio. Now, with thanks to facey pages, FI is becoming more of a stand-alone force. In all my artistic endeavors, Fi is one that I feel is truly an original effort, and way of doing something different a different way. I really owe it all to the co-host, Brighty, a long time friend and comrade who has really pushed me and Fi to be what it is now... Just wait until what it becomes with a regular show schedule and an ever-growing audience. Feel free to remember, it is all Brighty's fault.
Listen to an episode HERE
B.A.G. (Blog Alliance Guild)
…and the DSSS turned into the BLOG ALLIANCE GUILD (BAG). With Greg Mongrolls involvement into the confines of the DSSS... Just after everything was up concerning my new involvement in Facebook, Josh, Gunny and I all started posting in a facebook group... All it took was a little bit of opening up, letting in Greg and others and soon enough, BAG has become a sort of facebook within facebook for many of its members. BAG also remains a place where blog editors STILL support each other’s endeavors. Because of the nature behind such groups and efforts, BAG remains free from disinterested assholes who just want to bitch and hide behind a screen name...
BRAD RYAN'S 'SOFT' HEADBUTT
In March, at a regular open mic event called CREATIVA I had gotten into a verbal disagreement with one of its patrons concerning stage etiquette and artistic fortitude. One thing led to another and because of my words, a fellow named Brad Ryan assaulted me and according to his words, dealt a SOFT head butt to my face that he felt he deserved to wield and declare something I actually deserved. I did not retaliate with violence; I did my best to set an example to my peers of all ages at Creativa and used words to prove my point. Thanks to Brad I have a bloody napkin framed as a reliquary to remind me that words ALWAYS get the last word and remains the deadliest weapon mankind has ever created.
There have been a few instances where I hear bands and say "Now THAT is punk-rock!" When I first heard Vegetable by way of Brighty during a taping of Functional Inconvenience, I was BLOWN AWAY by what the two songs on this single sided 7" had to offer. Vegetable shown me that there are still new bands out there doing the same old shit that matters (to me) and are doing it in a way that excites me!!! Sometimes, my enthusiasm embarrasses even me.
Check out the label that released the 7" HERE
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