Digging through the crates this week, came across this album. Yes, ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ is the catchy dance song, but the record is full of 1985 goodness.

I’m not going down on my knees,
Begging you to adore me
Can’t you see it’s misery
And torture for me
When I’m misunderstood
Try as hard as you can, I’ve tried as hard as I could
To make you see
How important it is for me

Here is a plea
From my heart to you
Nobody knows me
As well as you do
You know how hard it is for me
To shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue
In situations like these

Understand me

Some people have to be
Permanently together
Lovers devoted to
Each other forever
Now I’ve got things to do
And I’ve said before that I know you have too
When I’m not there
In spirit I’ll be there

Here is a plea
From my heart to you
Nobody knows me
As well as you do
You know how hard it is for me
To shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue
In situations like these.

Understand me

Why do you let me stay here
All by myself?

Why don’t you come and play here?
I’m just sitting on the shelf

Why don’t you sit right down and stay a while?
We like the same things and I like your style

It’s not a secret
Why do you keep it?
I’m just sitting on the shelf

I’ve got to get your presence
Let’s make it known
I think you’re just so pleasant
I would like you for my own

Why don’t you sit right down and make me smile?
You make me feel like I am just a child

Why do you edit?
Just give me credit
I’m just sitting on the shelf

Alone on a train aimless in wonder
An outdated map crumbled in my pocket
But I didn’t care where I was going
They’re all different names for the same place.

The coast just appeared when the sea drown the summer
I’ve no words to share with anyone
The boundaries of language are quietly cursed
All the different names for the same different.

There are different names for the same things
There are different names for the same things…

So, I traveled to my Mom’s this weekend to do stuff around her house and to meet up with old High School peeps on Saturday night. I hadn’t seen/talked to most of them in 18 years. The biggest mistake I made was going out Friday and getting wwwwaaaaayyyyyy trashed. I was out of sorts Saturday and had to fight from reverting back to high school-insecure-skulking-in-the-background Dan. I’ve spoken at conferences, met with higher-ups from county, been on TV more than once, DJ’d in front of big crowds, etc… but a hangover and old High School people are apparently all it takes for timid Dan to return. It was a little weird, a few of these people were more important to me than anything else back then; now we are telling the last 18 years in two paragraphs or less. All in all though, it was great fun and I hope to do a better job of staying in touch over the next 18 years.

Disappear from your hometown
Go and find the people that you know
Show them all you good parts
Leave town when bad ones start to show
Go and wed a woman
A pretty girl that you’ve never met
Make sure she knows you love her well
But don’t make any other promises

The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
Cause nothing happens here that doesn’t happen there
So when you run make sure you run
To something and not away from
Cause lies don’t need an aeroplane to chase you anywhere

I once heard the worse thing
A man could do is draw a hungry crowd
Tell everyone his name, pride, and confidence
But leaving out his doubt
I’m not sure I bought those words
When I was young I knew most everything
These words have never met so much to anyone
As they now mean to me

The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
Cause nothing happens here that doesn’t happen there
So when you run make sure you run
To something and not away from
Cause lies don’t need an aeroplane to chase you down

I’m in the phone booth, it’s the one across the hall.
If you don’t answer, I’ll just ring it off the wall.
I know he’s there, but I just had to call.
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone.

I heard your mother, now she’s going out the door.
Did she go to work or just go to the store?
All those things she said, I told you to ignore.
Oh why can’t we talk again?
Oh why can’t we talk again?
Oh why can’t we talk again?
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone.
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone.

It’s good to hear your voice, you know it’s been so long.
If I don’t get your calls then everything goes wrong.
I want to tell you something you’ve known all along.
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone.

I had to interrupt and stop this conversation.
Your voice across the line gives me a strange sensation.
I’d like to talk when I can show you my affection.
Oh I can’t control myself.
Oh I can’t control myself.
Oh I can’t control myself.
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone.

Hang up and run to me.
Oh!
Hang up and run to me.
Oh!
Hang up and run to me.

What’s the matter, why don’t you answer
What’s the matter with me
Cause it’s so hard to be
Free and easy, we’ll disappear completely
Hardly as I’ve known it’s glad

You’re heart is broken, and the doors are open
As you’re hoping to be
There’s brighter places to see
Hands need warning, early in the morning
Hardly as I’ve known a surprise

No, don’t warn me
I know it’s wrong, but I swear it won’t take long
And I know, you know,
It makes me sigh; I do believe in love

Another season, but the same old feelings
Another reason could be
I’m tired of aching, summer’s what you make it
But I’ll believe what I want to believe

Wow, it has been a while. The site had been taken over by malicious code and there were thousands of spam comments. One afternoon spent upgrading WordPress has cured those woes, so it is now onward and upward.
Quick and dirty update:
Just moved into a new place…actually still moving into a new place. This is my first time living away from Cameron Village and Downtown in several years…I kind of like the new place, but I have a feeling that when the short lease is up (in December) I will be out of here.

Cupid come from coffee cup
Sickly heavy heart
Semi-set adrift in your
Lifted sugar eye
Come back down I’m waiting here
And lick me with your fire
Connected silver tounges
Our lips beside

Everytime I look at you
Pins me to the ground
Mirror me your memories please
And let me help you down
Swallow me into your bed
With glimpses of your thighs
Forget your vanity
Come cupid come

My flight from Raleigh to Chicago put this song in my head.

Vocal samples of  Rickie Lee Jones, guitar samples of Pat Metheny, a song that inspires a smile as it conjures memories of many 5am’s.

Mom and I headed over for the Ocrafolk festival on Ocracoke. This is our 2nd year making the trip together, it is my 3rd Ocrafolk in a row. I caught old friend Tiffany playing and singing in her and her husband’s band the Barnraisers. She has quite the on stage persona. Below are a couple of videos of them and a couple of the Green Grass Cloggers. The first clip is a part of their semi-famous cover of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” There are also a lot of pictures up in the gallery.

I am having some flash issues, so if the videos aren’t playing well, click on the title of this post (Ocrafolk 2008) then try them out again.

“All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply.  But at the end of the day, we aren’t the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn’t do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — we cannot afford to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say – let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.”

Well, I talked about the part they’ve played in my life before.  On this, the 35th anniversary of a boy named Danial having his name misspelled on his birth certificate, this one is speaking to me:

I met someone at the dog show
She was holding my left arm
But everyone was acting normal so I tried to look nonchalant.
We both said, I really love you,
The shriners loaned us cars
We raced up and down the sidewalk twenty thousand million times

Why did they send her over anyone else?
How should I react? these things happen to other people
They dont happen at all, in fact

When youre following an angel
Does it mean you have to throw your body off a building?
Somewhere theyre meeting on a pinhead
Calling you an angel, calling you the nicest things
I heard they had a space program
When they sing you cant hear, theres no air
Sometimes I think I kind of like that and
Other times I think Im already there

Gonna ask for my admission
Gonna speak to the man in charge
The secretary says hes on another line,
Can I hold for a long, long time?
I found out shes an angel
I dont think she knows I know
Im worried that something might happen to me
If anyone ever finds out

Why, why did they send her over anyone else?
How should I react? these things happen to other people
They dont happen at all

When youre following an angel
Does it mean you have to throw your body off a building?
Somewhere theyre meeting on a pinhead
Calling you an angel, calling you the nicest things
I heard they had a space program
When they sing you cant hear, theres no air
Sometimes I think I kind of like that and
Other times I think Im already there

When youre following an angel
Does it mean you have to throw your body off a building?
Somewhere theyre meeting on a pinhead
Calling you an angel, calling you the nicest things

The girls I’ve found myself dating on past Halloweens have all laughed it off, but I know that when I find the one who wants to dress as Captain and Tennille with me, I’ve met Mrs. Right.

Love, love will keep us together;
Think of me babe whenever
Some sweet talking girl comes along singing a song –
Don’t mess around, you got to be strong,Just Stop, ’cause I really love you,
Stop, I’ll be thinking of you –
Look in my heart and let love keep us together.

You, you belong to me now,
Ain’t gonna set you free now;
When those girls start hanging around, talking me down,
Hear with your heart and you won’t hear a sound.

Just stop, ’cause I really love you; stop, I’ll be thinking of you –
Look in my heart and let love keep us together, whatever.

Young and beautiful someday your looks will be gone;
When the others turn you off who’ll be turning you on?
I will, I will, I will

I will be there to share forever;
Love will keep us together.
Said it before and I’ll say it again, while others pretend,
I need you now and I’ll need you then.

Stop, ’cause I really love you; stop, I’ll be thinking of you –
Look in my heart and let love keep us together, whatever.
I will, I will, I will

Stop, ’cause I really love you; stop, I’ll be thinking of you –
Look in my heart and let love keep us together, whatever.
I will, I will, I will, I will.

Here’s a romantic little tune about a city that I romanticize.

Summer journeys to Niagra
And to other places aggra-
Vate all our cares.
Well save our fares!

I’ve a cozy little flat in
What is known as old Manhattan
Well settle down
Right here in town!

Well have Manhattan
The Bronx and Staten
Island too.
Its lovely going through
The zoo!

Its very fancy
On old Delancy
Street you know.
The subway charms us so
When balmy breezes blow
To and fro.

And tell me what street
Compares with Mott Street
In july?
Sweet pushcarts gently gli-ding by.

The great big citys a wonderous toy
Just made for a girl and boy.
Well turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy!

Well go to Yonkers
Where true love conquers
In the whiles
And starve together dear, in Chiles

Well go to Coney
And eat baloney on a roll
In Central Park well stroll
Where our first kiss we stole
Soul to soul

And My Fair Lady is a terrific show they say
We both may see it close, some day

The citys glamour can never spoil
The dreams of a boy and goil
Well turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy!

Last night I was helping a friend hang a light in his apartment. I once spent part of a summer as an electrician’s assistant and at times like this that experience proves useful. While putting the fixture in the ceiling my friend commented that if this was he and his boyfriend putting up the light there would have been raised voices. Phrases like, “Well if you could just hold it in place, maybe I could finish screwing it in”, “I don’t know how it looks, it’s kind of hard to see with your hand in the way”, and “I didn’t ask for your opinion, I asked for you to read the directions!” would have been thrown around.

Now, my question for you: what does it mean that thinking about those little quibbles makes me nostalgic for relationships? I seriously miss those pointless arguments. The memories of passive aggressive, sarcastic remarks not only make me smile and look back fondly at relationships from the past, they also make me want to meet the next future ex.

If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I’d want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and greeen
All I’d want is you to shade me and be my leaves

If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I’d want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and greeen
All I’d want is you to shade me and be my leaves

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a river in the mountains tall,
The rumble of your water would be my call.
If you were the winter, I know I’d be the snow
Just as long as you were with me, let the cold winds blow

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a wink, I’d be a nod
If you were a seed, well I’d be a pod.
If you were the floor, I’d wanna be the rug
And if you were a kiss, I know I’d be a hug

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were the wood, I’d be the fire.
If you were the love, I’d be the desire.
If you were a castle, I’d be your moat,
And if you were an ocean, I’d learn to float.

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If I could open my arms
And span the length of the isle of Manhattan,
I’d bring it to where you are
Making a lake of the East River and Hudson
If I could open my mouth
Wide enough for a marching band to march out
They would make your name sing
And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings.

I wish we could open our eyes
To see in all directions at the same time
Oh what a beautiful view
If you were never aware of what was around you
And it is true what you said
That I live like a hermit in my own head
But when the sun shines again
I’ll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in.

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown

Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna…

Love of mine some day you will die
But I’ll be close behind
I’ll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles brusied by a lady in black
And I held my toungue as she told me
“Son fear is the heart of love”
So I never went back

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It’s nothing to cry about
Cause we’ll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

A grey day. Country roads. Christmas. If you were in a climate controlled environment and couldn’t feel the 60 degree air outside you would probably say that it looks like snow. A lethargically beautiful grey day. Due to a completely random sequence of events the Cure’s album Disintegration is playing. I am driving my father’s car. I am taking the long way.

The thing that strikes me about this scene on this day is that I have experienced it before. It was 17 Christmas’s ago and, by strange coincidence, I was 17 years old. It was a tape playing the Cure, not a cd of MP3’s. It was my parent’s car I was driving. I was taking the long way.

My age has doubled and yet I find myself in the exact same spot again. Have I traveled some weird, 17 year long circuitous loop? Or, maybe I have passed this point before without realizing it.

Of course the geek in me is wondering, “What medium will I be listening to Disintegration on the next time around?”