i've learned during the past few months that while riding public transportation, you should be ready for sudden stops and lurches. well, apparently, i wasn't overly ready on thursday evening. i was sitting down when the bus took a sudden turn to the left. my body slipped off the seat and was thrown to the floor. i laughed as I picked myself up, but couldn't help but notice a sharp pain in my leg.
i am now 29. i don't feel old, but several people asked me if i felt that way. i know my body looks different. i know some of my thinking patterns have changed. i know i've made some good and bad decisions. and apparently, other things have been happening in the universe that have influenced the things that are happening now. and so on.
the czech don’t mess around when it comes to pyrotechnics. on new year's eve we went to old town square to see the fireworks. at one point, i was walking through the crowd with some hot mulled wine. i saw an opening and thought, 'oh, that's convenient.' i had just entered the clearing when two bottle rockets suddenly flew skyward to my right and a loud explosion went off somewhere on my immediate left. i spilled some wine on my hands and made some sort of painful 'ahh!' noise.
so it's 2007. it sounds more futuristic than 2006. soon we'll have crystals on our hands that will flash red when we're scheduled for carousel. sanctuary!
to all of you who have followed the progress of this endeavor, i thank you. remember, this album is now definitely and undeniable yours. it was made for you. listen and interpret in whatever manner you please. high volume, low volume, different speakers, change the order, phones backward, walking, driving, flying, sitting, alone, with friends, angry, happy, sad, whatever. it's never really finished. all i can do now is let it go...
i finished watching angels in america last night. i know it's been given all sorts of awards and what not, but i have to say it is one of the best works of art i've ever seen. thank you tony kushner.
no matter who we are or what we do, we are all 'citizens.' we are human beings searching for answers out of oblivion, yearning to love and be loved. and we are all, every one of us, prophets.
'the great work begins...'
i was flipping threw provokator, the magazine for which brooke has been writing film reviews, and found an article on a punk rock show centered around anarchism, anti-racism, and anti-fascism. and it was happening that very evening. and it was just down the street. as i left for the show, i walked out my front door and found this.
i bought some medicine today at the pharmacy called coldrex. coldrex? sounds organic. so far i still feel abominable. like a snowman. but it's cold out. and it gets dark at 4pm here. or 16.00 i guess. but that has nothing to do with snowmen. or germs. or anything...
another two weeks without a post. ok, let's see...we traveled to cesky krumlov for our anniversary...i saw a beastie boys documentary...i opened a bank account...i finished three new songs...i read notes from underground...i mailed a postcard...i watched ghost dog again...i recorded the subway...i cooked enchiladas...i missed the robocop kraus show because i'm stupid...i purchased two tickets to barcelona...i came a little closer to pronouncing r with an hacek correctly...i got a good night's sleep.
there's some other stuff in there somewhere...
on friday night after a party with some friends, we all went to a place north of town called the cross club. it consists of 3-4 floors of narrow, dimly-lit hallways that open up at times into larger rooms for bars, sitting areas, or dancefloors. i say 3-4 floors because even after spending a couple hours there, i'm still not sure how the place is laid out. it had a slight twinge of that scene near the beginning of the matrix where neo meets trinity. only cooler. sadly enough, here's the only picture i could manage from the evening.
it's a metal sculpture in front of the building. there were many more variations on this theme inside the club. and other than getting extremely lost on the way home, 'twas a very enjoyable evening.
Here are a handful of other photos as well.
HERE'S MY NEW STUDIO SETUP.
it's not very glamorous. i brought a guitar as well, but i couldn't fit that into the picture. hopefully soon i'll purchase a harmonium. i have to find one first though. i saw one near wenceslas square being carried around amidst a group of hare krishnas. maybe i'll follow them around and ask where they got it.
next is a photo of the menu at the local kfc.
i asked my friend svatka what "proklate dobre" means in czech. she said "damn good." i don't consider myself a kfc aficionado by any means. but i have to admit that's quite persuasive.
we went to see coffee and cigarettes at kino lucerna last night. as much as i enjoy a good jarmusch film, anything you watch here is definitely going to enhance your viewing experience. it is certainly the most romantically constructed movie theatre i've ever seen. plus, there's an outstanding David Cerny sculpture in the lobby. and a cafe downstairs with cheap beer. and a music bar just down the hall. and a guru who sits in the corner and explains all of life's mysteries. as you can see, it very well-rounded.
what should i be for halloween?
i know i could put an image of the actual album here, but that wouldn't be much of a surpirse, would it?
last night i went to the rudolfinum to see performances of shostakovich's moscow-cheryomushki, rachmaninov's piano concerto no. 4, and tchaikovsky's winter dreams by the czech radio symphony orchestra. here's a picture of the auditorium.
for the past two weeks, i've been walking around hearing the sounds of various classical instruments spilling out of windows preparing for the autumn music festival. the sound of a random oboe as you're walking along can definitely lift one's spirits.
this time to prague. the golden city. in the czech republic. in europe. on earth. and so on. since we arrived i haven't had time for much of anything but logistics. so my apologies for the lack of posts. but here's a photo.
we've been sleeping on the floor for the past week. but no worries. it's enough just to be here. so far it's pretty amazing. and cheap. i hope you are all doing well in your respective locations. i miss you all.
with love, dustin
i was in cincinnati for some reason at a local record store looking through some old vinyl. the proprietor and some of his friends were sitting around talking and listening to different records on the communal turntable. i began to recognize several of the songs being played as bands from louisville when i was growing up. soon, as one song came over the speakers, the guy sitting next to me said, 'oh, i hated this band.' then i realized the man had actually been the drummer and singer of that band. i said "hey, you're ___ ____!" and everyone began to laugh. as he tilted back in his chair, he reached a tipping point and began to fall backwards, still laughing, everyone laughing. he fell on the floor, hard it seemed, his friends quickly gathering over him. they all cackled uncontrollably. at this moment, overcome with excitement, i said "i went to so many of your shows!" they all let out a triumphant yell and began to applaud their fallen comrade, helping him to his feet. then i woke up. what the hell? i wonder if the musicians i admire from all those years in louisville would like or dislike the music i've written. my brain says probably not. i wonder what all those people are doing right now. wherever you are, thanks.
here are some photos from my recent trip to key west. i'm sure you would rather listen to a new song or something. but maybe this is entertaining too. and i needed a vacation.
