Wednesday, March 19, 2003

What's the deal with me writing things after I've been drinking? Perhaps it's the ability to become remotivated each time I re-realize that I'm writing (as things tend to pass with less recognition when you've been drinking). Anyway, yes, I just got back from the bar and I'm smelling rather smokey. That's one thing I won't miss about the east coast - the stench that clings to your clothes after visiting a bar. No smoking in bars or restaurants in California may be a pain for the smokers, but it's heaven for the rest of us.

So I'm listening to Rilo Kiley as I type out these thoughts. They're a band I had always heard of but only started listening to this semester. That's the world of the indie band. No matter how much buzz you get or how long you've been around, you have to rely on people getting the motivation to find and listen to your music because you have no radio or other commercial airplay. But yeah, Rilo Kiley has some really cool songs. I think I'm partial to female singers, there generally seems to be more honesty and passion in their voices.

I love guided meditation. Taking a stroll into your own psyche can be a fantastically soothing trip. Of all places, I once did one in my Villanova Experience class during freshman year. The images and memories of that meditation have stuck with me ever since. I found myself walking along the pathway of an English garden surrounded with grass and weeping willows and rows of roses while my friend Josh was playing an extremely melodious and relaxing song on his guitar. After walking a little I was met by an acquaintance from high school, Greg Bowler. He looked me straight in the eye and said, "Surround yourself with books and friends." Those words have echoed in my head ever since. Greg was a kid whose intelligence and excentricity I always admired. I attribute a large portion of my initial interest in Radiohead to him. He was/is extremely well read and full of wit and humor. I haven't seen him in a few years, but he remains as someone I strive to emulate.