Familiar Places, New Faces

Well, despite my previous entries and determination, I’m not in New York. I’m actually back in the place where I grew up, which is both unfortunate and fortunate. I’m looking to start some sort of business while also trying to find some sort of job down here. It’s not the easy situation to be in, but we’re mostly good. Coming back here after over a decade away is kind of bizarre. Friends I’ve had pretty much my entire life kinda don’t know the person I’ve become over that time, but it’s still good to be around a decent amount of people that actually care about you.

There are other things, too, actually. Awesome things, in fact. My wife and I are, for the first time, actually doing something together musically, which is so incredible. I’ve always wanted to do stuff like this, but I’ve either not had the tools, or I’ve not been taken seriously as a collaborator. Also, I’ve done some actual, honest to God graphic design work, but I’m really looking forward to doing more of that, but it’s just a tough business to crack into down here.

Times Get Tough (Hard Times, Daddy pt. 2)

It’s easy to get down sometimes. It is. Life throws loads of obstacles in your way, and it’s our jobs to find a way over, under, around, or through them. It’s nuts, but one thing is for sure, it doesn’t take strength to get knocked down and give up. It takes strength to either get knocked over, and get yourself back up, and it definitely takes strength to not even let it knock you down. It takes a strong person to get run into and not budge. That’s what I aspire to be. That’s who I aspire to be.

Hard Times, Daddy

Albums That Shaped My Life: H2O – F.T.T.W.

For my 100th post here on Post Modern Age/Hunter LIVES!!! I wanted to do something special. I think my favorite thing to write here is easily the “Albums That Shaped My Life” series, and for this one I wanted to focus on something that’s extremely special to me right now. The album that I’m listening to the most right now, and the one that is summing up everything going on with me is H2O‘s third full length album, F.T.T.W., which I’ve seen stand for “Faster Than The World,” the first track off the album, or “Follow The Three Way,” which is the final listed song on the album. However, for me, it’s “Found The Truth Within,” which just so happens to be the eighth track on the album, and my personal favorite.

The album, in my opinion, is their best both musically and lyrically. As usual, Toby Morse brings the PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), but the band delivers, as a whole, a much more sophisticated release than their previous H2O and Thicker Than Water. It’s not jaded or anything, and they hadn’t gone super glossed up and mainstream, but it’s a much tighter record, as a whole, and can be described by saying it’s more mature, which the band wears well. But enough of the critical ear, this album means much more to me than just listening to something really good and rocking out in my car, or in my earbuds. No, this album appeals to me on a deep, deep level. It hits me directly in my heart, and ladies and gentlemen, I’m about to tell you why.

To: CM Punk, Thanks For Everything – Hunter Camp

I love professional wrestling for a variety of reasons. It’s silly, funny, dramatic, exciting, and in some spots, absolutely inspiring. Recently, one of my favorite wrestlers, CM Punk, decided that he was done with the WWE, and he left the company. After Monday’s Raw, it became clear that it wasn’t just a storyline, and that CM Punk would not be coming back. For me, I will greatly miss his contribution to the world of wrestling.

It’s not just because he was a great performer, and it’s not just because he was athletically gifted and a truly special speaker on the microphone. CM Punk was a huge inspiration in my life, recently, and it flat out sucks that a.) fans will never get to see him perform again, and b.) that I’ll probably never be able to let him know that he’s impacted me. When I admire someone, or they’ve influenced me in some way, I always try to make it a point to let that person know that they’ve done some serious good in the world, and it’s important for me to let that person know.

Moving On

I don’t even really know where to start with this. I’ve posted my Grant Morrison entry prior to this, but finally things seem to start picking up. I’ve also stated that I’ve been back to myself recently after what I would deem somewhat unsuccessful run here in the mid south region. Sure, I’ve made a lot of friends, had some laughs, and grown considerably as an individual, but in being honest, it never felt like home. Oddly enough, there’s only one place where I’ve felt at home, and that’s where I’m going. Where? Spoilers, right? If you know me, you know where I’m going. If you know me, and you don’t know the time and the place, just message me, and we’ll work it out. But I digress…

I’ve felt personally at odds with the music business for a while now. I’ve always felt it was my calling, and I’ve had the chance to work at some great places with some great people and wonderfully talented musicians, but it was never right. Enter doubt. Doubt’s a tricky jerk, isn’t it? Doubt can mess with you and completely make you forget why you ever wanted to do what you always wanted to do in the first place. It’s humiliating when you’re told you’re not a right fit. It can emotionally destructive, and that’s what it did to me. I doubted myself. Am I really good enough to do this? Is what I’ve always wanted to do really what I’m supposed to be doing? I had no idea. The thirty year mark rolled around, and I was devastated. What was I supposed to do?

Albums That Shaped My Life: Green Day – Dookie

God, I can’t believe I’m doing this, but yeah.. Dookie is  one of the albums that shaped my life as a youngster. The album is now 20 years old, so I was 10, going on 11 when this album came out. The first song off Dookie that I heard was “Basket Case” and the only word that can describe my emotions was excitement.

Green Day’s Dookie exposed me to an entire world that I never knew existed. It showed me a dirtier, mumbling in your face attitude that’s sound was a perfect representation of how I felt at the time.

Eleven Historical Headstones

I was gathered amongst some companions earlier, and the topic of comic books and comic book creators came up. One of my favorites, Jack Kirby, was brought up in regards to the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom, and I mentioned that Jack Kirby’s headstone is one of the few I’d want to visit of a, not necessarily pop culture icon or celebrity but more like a historical figure.

This got me thinking, what headstones would I actually want to make a point of visiting before I am placed in front of one, myself. I thought that this might make an interesting look at who I am and what inspired me the most as a human being. Morbid, I know, but it still seems like a decent idea.

2014: Getting Back to Myself

Over the past year or so, I’ve tried to focus on a career, tried to focus on changing things for myself to make dreams come true, and ultimately I’ve been left losing a sense of myself. I’m a guy that’s passionate. I like goofy things, I like goofy things that I don’t think are goofy, and I also love serious things that should make a person think.