When I talked for a bit about the Obama campaign and the Rev. Wright issue in my last post, I genuinely thought people wouldn't let that crap influence their vote. I gave the American people enough credit that I thought they would make the issues the important part of the vote: not race, not gender, and especially not Rev. Wright.

But I guess I was wrong.

I was excited that North Carolina was getting so behind a black candidate for president. It would be a landmark election if the Old North State voted for a black man to represent the Democratic party. I thought that it was a sign that racism, while not totally gone, was starting to fade and that people weren't as concerned with skin color. The optimist part of me still wants to believe that, but I'm troubled by an article I woke up to this morning from the News & Observer.

It makes me feel like everything I said in the last post and every positive thing I thought about the progressiveness of NC is wrong. Why aren't people willing to support Obama?

Obama "doesn't have the experience and gravitas for this day and time," Gilliam said.
"I don't know where he will fall on issues," she said. With Sen. John McCain, the certain Republican nominee, "at least I know."

OK, at least this is a legitimate argument, even though I don't agree with it. But Gilliam is worried about the issues. I'm really not sure how you don't know where Obama will fall with the issues. Sure, he may not have as deep of a political record to look back at, but just listen to one of his speeches. He says exactly where he stands on the major issues, and exactly what he wants to do about them when he gets into office. Pay a little bit more attention and see if you can't find it.

So what else is troubling NC democratic voters about Obama?

Greg Gallagher, 52, a construction worker who lives in Pamlico County, was so uncomfortable hearing about Obama's pastor that he worries about the candidate himself.

"The more I know, the less I like him," said Gallagher, who is white. "You listen to this guy -- it's not going to pull people together. It'll break them apart."

"I once thought he could change the country," said Adams.

But he has lost some faith in Obama now, wondering how the man could sit for 20 years in Wright's pews. Adams will vote for Clinton in the primary.

Oh no, here we go with the infamous Rev. Wright. Let's just say that the reverend is a little crazy and is making too much of his 15 minutes of fame. I doubt that he screamed that stuff out from the pulpit when Obama was sitting attentively in Wright's pews. If you know anything about Obama, I don't see how you can assume that he might have the same beliefs as the crazy reverend. I think we can blame Wright's comments on one of two things: 1) he has always had these crazy ideas, and now that he gets national press coverage, he's going to use this time to throw out these ideas and let America hear what he has to say, or 2) he is angry about Obama distancing himself from the reverend after the first comments came out, so he is intentionally trying to hurt Obama's campaign by saying more outrageous stuff.

Either way, is this really what we want to base our presidency on? It especially bothers me that Adams was an Obama suppporter and the only thing that has moved him to Clinton is Rev. Wright. There's so much more to Obama than his skin color and his pastor. As an educated people we have to be able to look past that and look at what the issues really are. Stop listening to the pundits on CNN about how much this means to the campaign and how important it is. The only reason it is important is because people make it important, and they make it a much bigger issue than it needs to be. The big issue should be what the candidate believes in, what he says and what he plans to do in office. Please don't make me completely lose faith in the political process and the people of this country.

Oh, I almost forgot. Obama won't pull people together? OK, there is an issue with a racial divide, and I guess you could make that a bigger issue than it is, but I think Obama has pulled more people together than any other candidate in the race. At the Obama rally in Chapel Hill, there were so many different types of people there to support him. I'm pretty sure I could find someone from every demographic in those powder-blue seats. His message of hope and change has united people and made people care about politics. Volunteers come out in droves to make phone calls, donations and knock on every door they can find. Not a day goes by that I don't get a phone call about voting for Obama. Seeing the way citizens have come out for this man, I simply can't believe that he will divide people on a large scale.

So if it's not race, experience or a loud-mouthed reverend that's keeping North Carolinians from filling in the little black circle beside Obama's name, what else could it possibly be?

Like Gallagher, she would vote for McCain or not at all before casting a ballot for Obama. She said he has too little experience, and she doesn't think he's willing to pledge allegiance to the flag.
"That is huge to me," she said.

The flag pin thing again? Seriously? Do you really think a man that didn't love America would run for president, work his ass off for 15 months traveling all around the country and talking to thousands and thousands of people? It's absurd. So he doesn't wear an American flag on the lapel of his jacket. Big deal. Before the Obama rally, the whole Dean Dome was led in the Pledge of Allegiance. As noted in the article, Obama himself has led the Senate in the reciting of the pledge. He is willing to pledge allegiance to the flag, and -- not to sound too gimmicky -- he is willing to pledge allegiance to the American people. That should not be the decisive issue when it comes time to vote.

This article obviously disheartened me, and I'm really hoping that the people that were quoted in it are the minority in NC. I would hate to see these little issues turn the state to Clinton. Like I said in the last post, we can't miss this opportunity to do something big for American politics. It scares me that people, Democrats, that is, will vote for John McCain if Obama wins the primary. That makes no sense. Democrats have to realize that a change is needed, and that either candidate would be better than McCain. I would vote for Clinton before the Republican Party. The last thing we need after these eight frustrating years is to put an old Bush crony into the White House for another four years.

Please, America and North Carolina, restore my faith in you and make this election about the issues that matter. If you're not going to vote for Obama, give me a legitimate reason. That's all I ask. Be smart when you go to the polls.

peace
C

The Fires that Have Burned

I'm sitting in a dark, smoke-filled room with just one candle and the screen of my laptop for lighting. It's one of those nights that I force introspection. I knew it was going to be one of those nights when I got out of my drunk class. I stopped by the store to get the necessary accessories, sat down at the computer and fired up the Led Zeppelin. It was a good night. It was only topped by an amazing afternoon.

I think that you know you've found something special when things as simple as sitting outside, eating grilled bologna and cheese sandwiches and Thin Wheats and hummus, listening to music, and just talking with a person can create an extraordinarily enjoyable experience. I can't think of anything I would have rather done with my four hours earlier today.

I have mixed feelings about the upcoming end to this semester: it was by far my hardest and most stressful school-wise, but it really made me work hard and do things that took me out of my comfort zone -- something I need to work on doing a lot more often. At the same time, I couldn't have asked for a better semester away from classes. I've already talked about this before, so I won't go too deep into it, except to say that there is certain special lady that has made me so ridiculously happy and has helped me to get through these crazy few months.

After classes ended, things started to look up. Monday night I listened to Barack Obama speak at the Dean Dome. He's a great speaker and I believe everything he says. It's not just that I want to believe him, it's that I actually do. He has such great ideas for the country and government, from universal health-care to reforming education and tuition grants. I'd like to believe that he could just step into office and change these things with a snap of his fingers, but that's obviously impossible. What excites me about his campaign and possible presidency is not that he will change all these things, but that he will begin the process of change.

We can only expect so much out of Obama if he wins the presidency. Even if he were in office for eight years, many of his goals and plans would not be finished. But what is important is that he is taking a step toward change. It's the possibility that he may change how Washington works. It's that fact that he is making people care about politics and want to get involved. Obama has inspired thousands of young people (such a generic term, but I mostly mean college-age people) to not only register and vote, but to volunteer for his campaign. His message of hope and change is something that America has been waiting for, and we can't miss this opportunity to accept it.

Sure, when he gets into office he will face problems and will probably make decisions that his supporters don't agree with. That's just part of the deal. But I have to believe that having a president that is so intent on changing the way things are done in government and really trying to right this ship is a positive thing. I just hope that we don't miss this opportunity. And I truly hope that, if elected, Obama will follow through with his promises.

I can't stand political news coverage. I already have problems with the media in the first place, but political journalists are the scum of the scum of the earth. They spend hours filling up time on 24-hour news networks talking about things that don't matter, just so they can get their name out there with hopes of a book deal or regular TV spot. They don't talk about the issues or ideas: they talk about Reverend Wright, Muslim-sounding names, TV commercials and mysterious polls about who 30-45 year-old black women name Maxine like in the upcoming primary. It's a waste of time. The people that are watching these shows know enough about politics and the campaigns that they have already made their decision on who to vote for, and the general public for the most part doesn't care about these things. Maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part, but I think it's true. It should be the media's job to inform the public of the issues so that they can make the best decision on who to vote for. All other coverage is irrelevant and unnecessary.

On a lighter note, this month will be very solid musically. Tomorrow I'm going to try to make it over to the Obama rally in Carrboro to see Superchunk and Arcade Fire play a free show. Yes, Arcade Fire playing a free show. I'm pretty excited. Saturday night I will be going to see the reunion show of the Pressure Boys, an old Chapel Hill band, and Sneakers, a band from Chapel Hill via Winston Salem, whose bassist is my friend's dad. It should be a fun show and I'm looking forward to seeing Mr. K jumping across the stage and rocking out. If it wasn't for the aforementioned drunk class that takes up my next two Thursdays, I would be heading down to Charlotte next Thursday to see longtime-favorites Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers for the first time in a long time. Oh well, I'll catch them next time around. Finally, today I got my ticket for the Ben Folds show in Cary at the end of the month. I saw him for the first time last year and had an amazing time. I can't wait to see him outside at the amphitheater.

I guess that's about all that's going on right now, or at least everything I can think of. I will once again leave you with some bands that I've gotten into recently. Enjoy.

Junior Senior
M.I.A.
Hot Chip
The Weepies
The Apples in Stereo
White Stripes (I know...I'm really late on this one)
And this isn't one that I've recently discovered, but one that I've surprisingly forgotten about and have become re-obsessed with. If you haven't listened to them in a while, it's time to pull the albums out again: Led Zeppelin

peace
C

Untitled...for Now

Disclaimer: This is a free write. I'm in one of those moods where I feel like creativity is afoot and I need to channel it into something. If nothing else, that's what this blog is for. Usually I start out with some kind of idea about what I want to write or some message I want to get across. That's not true tonight. I'm just going to start writing and see where it leads me. Follow at your own mental risk...

There's something undenaibly awesome about exhaling a load of smoke right in front of your face, clouding your vision and irritating your eyes just a little bit. It gives a mystical quality to everything that you look at for those few seconds. Then it fades away into reality. Nothing is really different, but the perception is changed for just a little bit.

As I'm writing this, I realize how absurd and pseudo-intellectual that sounds. But there is some type of truth in it. It's a cool feeling that I love. Half of the fun of smoking a hookah, or anything for that matter is exhaling the smoke. The more, the better.

I get this weird feeling that I need to be creative. It's like I want to force the creativity. There's nothing specific that I want to write about, nothing specific that I want to play, but there's an itch that I can't deny. Like something is dying to come out, but I can't figure out what it is. I don't even know where to start. I'm hoping by spilling out writing I can find it.

The most important life question is this: what are you passionate about? Above all, it's all that matters. It gives your life guidance, some sort of goal or direction that you can strive toward. It reminds me of a website I was told about, where a guy formed an art project where he asked people one simple question and had them display it in a photograph or other art form: Why do you do what you do?

It seems like an easy question to answer. But I've found it's not so easy. Right now, off the top of my head, this is the best answer that I can come up with: Because I desperately need something to inspire and motivate me. I'm happy, I have good friends, I have led a fairly successful life up until this point. But I feel as if there's something I'm missing. Not that my life is lacking, but I have this nagging feeling that I haven't found something important, and that this something will change everything. This is related to the important life question. Here is my best attempt to dissect the question and find an answer.

I love music. A pretty general statement, but I've always felt like it is supposed to play an important part in my life. But what role is it supposed to play? I dig for music like it's going to disappear soon if I don't find it first. It's an insatiable need that I don't think I will ever fufill. I always want to hear more, know more, see more, but I don't think I have the time to wrap my head around it all. At the same time, I've always enjoyed playing music. I still play around on guitar, learning random songs and even writing my own stuff. I have always enjoyed coming up with my own songs more than learning songs that have already be written. The creative process has always been my favorite part of being a musician, not just simply recreating what someone else has already done. So where does that leave music in my life? Should I just be focusing on listening, analyzing and consuming as much music as possible, or am I meant to be performing? What role does love of music play?

I've always loved writing (obviously). In high school I started writing poetry/songs. They were terrible, but I would like to think that over time they have improved. I'm not sure if this is true or not. When I was even younger, I would write "books" on an old electric typewriter. They ranged from ghost stories (in the vein of Goosebumps) to war stories. I always enjoyed the idea of writing a story more than writing the story itself. I would get the inspiration to write, but get bored halfway through writing the story and cut it off early. This still happens. It happened to my NaNoWriMo story. It happened to a story I started in my philosophy class. The idea is so much more attractive than the actual execution. I'm a journalism major, so obvoiusly I plan on writing for a career. I would love to be able to make money by writing. I read Hunter S. Thompson and wish that I could make a career out of going to random places, meeting random people and writing stories about my experiences. That, to me, is what journalism is. It's not writing a daily news article about a school board meeting. That's mechanical, not art. I want my wirting to be art. I would love to write non-fiction, long-form stories about my experiences. I want my stories to be something that I researched for months. I want to be fully involved in them, not just the outside observer. So what will I end up doing with writing? Will I end up at a daily newspaper, or will I get to do the writing that I dream of doing -- the writing that I really respect?

Recently I've become very interested in movies and the art of film. I've never thought of myself as a visual artist, but I love the film medium. It's so dynamic and exciting -- a mix of visual art, writing and sound. It brings together every type of art into one medium that is easily accessible. I would love to make a movie, or to just get a camera and take it around and film things that I find interesting. I can see how my life would play out in the scene of a movie, and I want to capture that. Unfortunately I don't have the equipment or resources to do that now. So are movies just a random obsession, a branch off of my love for music? Or is it something that will actually play a larger role in my life? Should I pursue it, or continue to enjoy it as I do now -- as an observer -- and see what happens?

Or, finally, is it a combination? I could combine my love for music and my love for writing to become a music journalist. This is one of my dream jobs: spending my time checking out new bands, going to concerts and interviewing artists so that I can spread my love for music to others. That's very idealistic, but it would be my goal as a music journalist: introduce the public to bands and help inspire them with my passion for music.

I could combine my love for writing and movies to become a screenwriter. I have no idea how I would start doing it, but I don't think it's out of the picture. I have stories to tell and I can tell these stories through film. I could also do it through writing books and novels. There's no telling where that path will lead me.

I could even combine my love for music and movies to become a music supervisor for movies and TV shows. Picking the right song to set the mood for a scene or to add meaning to a shot is a difficult task. When I hear a song I get a certain feeling, and I can link that feeling to a vision: what I see when I hear a song.

All three of those jobs sound amazing. But how will things really work out? Which one is the driving force in my life that will decide what i do? I can't pick one out. I can't decide what my passion is. Maybe it's just expressing myself or informing others through art. In general. The form is irrelevant, the expression is where my passion lies. As long as I can do that, in any of the ways I mentioned above, or even some that I haven't even thought of, I will feel like I have succeeded.

I've been writing for an hour now, and I have no idea what's going on anymore. I don't know if I actually solved anything with this writing. I don't think that I'm really any closer to a solution than I was a few thousand words ago. But maybe it helps that I've put it all out there and at the same time given myself a chance to think about it. The problem is that I have just over one year of college left, and then I have to start making decisions. What I do can change even after that, but it's not as easy as it is now. I guess deep down I just want something to strike me and make me realize exactly what it is that I want to do. But even though it's scarier, maybe it's better to be leaving college with such an open mind and several dreams laid out in front of me. I won't be locked in to any career and can do what I want: what inspires me. I just wish I could figure out what that is.

If you're still reading at this point, I'm in awe of your dedication. You just went through an entire random thought process that I'm not even sure I understand. I can't imagine what it must look like to someone outside of my head. I'm kind of scared to reread it because I don't even think it made sense. Maybe I'll read it soon, but I don't think I can handle it right now.

In a way of closing this rant, I want to quote the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. When I first heard this joke, I didn't think a lot about it. It was typical Hedberg randomness that made me laugh. But when I think about it, especially in the context of what I just wrote, it makes a lot of sense: "I'm sick of following my dreams, man. I'm just gonna ask where they're going and hook up with them later."

In the meantime I'm going to enjoy the trip and not worry so much about the destination.

peace
C

The Little Tweak

It's really amazing how one change in your life can make all the difference. One little tweak in the program is the difference between a smooth-running machine and a complete meltdown. It really doesn't make a lot of sense. It's all mental, really. If the mindset changes, the attitude changes, the happiness level changes and life changes.

At the beginning of this semester, I was sinking into the closest thing to depression that I've ever experienced. I felt overwhelmed with school, work, band and life in general. I wouldn't give myself a break, worried constantly and stressed myself out more than I thought was possible. I was doubting my career choice, wondering what the hell I was going to do instead, and dreading the idea of graduation.

But then that change came, that one little difference that made it all better.

When I'm around her I just feel relaxed. I could be overloaded with work and fighting multiple deadlines, but I just don't feel stressed when I spend time with her. School and work just don't matter. All that does matter is the moment, the interaction and the happiness.

There has been a notable difference in my demeanor over the last month and a half. There's nothing else I can attribute it to. The Spring weather could have something to do with it if it wasn't still 40 degrees outside. All I can point to is I have something to look forward to at the end of the day. There's something that I'm working towards, something to get excited about. I realize that the stress that I've felt for the last three months is all in my head. I can handle this workload, and I can enjoy this semester.

And I have her to thank.

---

It's March, and that can only mean one thing: it's tournament time. My favorite time of the year, where I can fill out my brackets, get pissed when they end up falling apart, and cheer for the tiny schools that pull the big upsets in the first two rounds. We've got a chance this year, and we've proven ourselves the first two games.

Alright, I lied, it can mean two things. The Spring weather is supposedly coming. The sun is out, the colors seem brighter and, occasionally, the weather gets just to the point that it's tolerable in shorts and a T-shirt. This also means that the semester is finally coming to a close.

I'm thinking about typing more, but I feel like this post will just grow and become random and uninteresting to everyone, me included. So I'll cut myself off at this point and leave you.

peace
C

Spring Break...finally

There must be something about spring semesters in Chapel Hill. Everything goes crazy. Fall semester usually goes fairly smoothly, aside from a frustrating football season. There must be something in the air when the weather starts to get warmer and basketball season gets into full swing.

Freshman year (Spring, 2006):
February 24: Two students fall out of a 3rd story window in Stacy Residence Hall, which is right beside the dorm I was in at the time. One of the students, the RA of the hall, dies because of the fall.
March 3: UNC graduate Mohammed Reza Taheri-Azar decides to drive his jeep through the Pit during the lunchtime rush, when hundreds of students were in the area. Luckily he didn't kill anyone and only injured nine students.
On a personal side of things, I ended a five-year relationship within a couple of weeks of these two incidents.

Sophomore year (Spring, 2007):
March 23: UNC Senior Jason Ray, who played Rameses, UNC's mascot, was hit by a car and killed while walking down the street in New Jersey while traveling with the basketball team to the NCAA tournament. I was in New Jersey with the band when this happened, and had gotten the chance to talk to J. Ray a few times. Nice guy, one of the biggest UNC fans I have ever met. He brought Rameses to life.
April 16: Senior Seung-Hui Cho kills 32 Virginia Tech students before killing himself.
This is the same semester that I rushed Phi Sigma Pi, a national honor fraternity, and met some great friends. I'm still not sure how I did so well in school that semester since I spent at least 3 nights of each week partying with my rush class.

Junior year (Spring, 2008):
February 14: Six students are killed in a classroom at Northern Illinois University when a gunman walks in and opens fire with a shotgun and two handguns.
March 6: An unidentified body was found early Wednesday morning in a quiet neighborhood about a mile from campus. On Thursday, authorities confirmed that the victim was Eve Carson, a senior at UNC and the student body president. I never knew her, but I saw her all over campus. A friend worked with her in student government and said nothing but good things about her. The campus was in shock.
On a personal note, this has been the busiest semester I've had in college. I feel like I never have a chance to breathe. Every week is busy, and there's never a break. Spring break is definitely needed. But while this is my worst academic semester, it's the best semester non-academically. I started dating an amazing girl that gives me something to look forward to after classes and work all day. Just being around her puts me in a good mood and relieves my stress, which is exactly what I need this semester.

So what is it about spring at Carolina? For the last two years pretty good things have happened for me during the semester. But at the same time there have been these terrible events, both at UNC and nationally. I don't have an answer for it all. It just makes you realize that you never know what's going to happen next. Life is random and unpredictable. I'll stop here to prevent from becoming cliche.

I look forward to spring every year. The campus is the most beautiful when the flowers start blooming and students start laying in the quad between classes. It means March Madness and afternoons spent watching Carolina baseball. It's an exciting time.

I just hope that we can make it through the rest of the semester without having to add anything to my list. No more vigils, no more tears.

Everyone enjoy your spring break, but please make sure to be safe.

peace
C

Addiction

I think it's about time I came clean about something. I have to stop denying it if I want to have any chance of overcoming my addiction. So here goes...

My name is Corey, and I'm a musicaholic.

It feels so good to finally admit that. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. Now I can begin my recovery process. That is, after I finish putting 300 new songs into my iTunes.

I just crossed the 8,000 song threshold. Think about that. Most albums have around 15 songs. That would mean that I have somewhere around 530 albums on my computer. If I listened to all my songs consecutively, 24 hours a day, it would take me more than 22 days to listen to every song. It's almost worth trying.

When I bought my 30GB iPod, I remember thinking that there was no way I was going to be able to fill it. "If I ever get that many songs," I said to myself, "there is seriously something wrong with me." Well that moment came and went. Then I had to buy a 250GB external hard drive to hold my music because I filled up the hard drive on my computer. Luckily I still have 170GB left. But I'm sure I'll end up filling it up eventually.

I can't imagine what I would do if I actually had the money to buy all the CDs that I want. I would have to devote a room (maybe my walk-in closet) to storing them all. Try to picture 500 CDs. How about 1000? Give me a few more years and we'll see what happens.

This is the product of musical obsession. I have everything from Arcade Fire to Warren Zevon to Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin to the Avett Brothers. Stuff you've never heard of. Some stuff that I've never heard of.

I spent a few hours just going through my music earlier today. Most of the stuff I have I actually listen to fairly regularly. But every once-in-a-while I come across some weird song by some weird band that I don't recognize. But it's usually a good song. When you have 8,000 songs, some are bound to get lost in the mix.

I have to do something with music in my life. It's my obsession, my passion, and the one thing that I've always cared about. It soothes me, angers me, makes me think and makes me happy. I can't live without it. Now just to figure out how to work it into a career...

As always, here's the list of bands that I've come across recently:
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (great, fun pop group from Missouri)
AA Bondy (country/bluegrass/folk)
Megafaun (country/rock/alt group from Raleigh that's getting some national recognition)
Noah and the Whale (great, goofy pop group. You have to watch the video.)
Whiskeytown (Ryan Adams band before he went solo.)
Uncle Tupelo (alt-country group along the same lines as Whiskeytown...from Illinois.)
Kaki King (great acoustic guitar player with a beautiful voice)

"The one good thing about music: when it hits you, you feel no pain...so hit me with music."
~Bob Marley

peace
C

On The Record

Yeah, I know it's been more than a month. Sorry.

After getting back into reading my favorite music blogs and a few snide remarks that this hadn't been updated in a while, I decided to take the early part of my Friday night to word-vomit into this little box (that's a good mental image, huh?).

I haven't posted since before the beginning of the semester. There's a good reason: this semester is the busiest of my college career. I'm taking three writing classes, one philosophy class, and an ethics class for journalism. That means that on any given week I have an assignment/article for my magazine writing class due Monday, an editorial due Tuesday, an article due Thursday and usually something for the magazine class due Friday. I know I should get used to it since it looks like I'll be spending a few years writing articles on a daily basis once I leave college, but I guess I'm just not ready for that.

Speaking of writing articles, I've become disenchanted with being a journalist. This reporting class I'm taking has drained all the desire that I may have had to work at a newspaper right out of me. I don't care about the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (yes, that is my beat for the class), and I'm tired of calling people and asking them questions just to get a quote out of them. It's fake, stupid and seemingly unnecessary. I know that the news needs to be reported, but I don't want to be the one to do it. I'm tired of churning out formulaic articles about the drought: I want to write something that really matters to people, something that will be remembered for what is written, not for the event it was written about.

I'm going to quote the late Hunter S. Thompson, a writer who has greatly influenced the way I look at journalism and writing: "Journalism is not a profession or a trade. It is a cheap catch-all for fuckoffs and misfits--a false doorway to the backside of life, a filthy piss-ridden little hole nailed off by the building inspector, but just deep enough for a wino to curl up from the sidewalk and masturbate like a chimp in a zoo-cage."

A bit graphic, but I believe every word of it. It's a dirty thing. It's not artistic or meaningful: it's a bunch of hacks who get their jollies by annoying public figures, blowing insignificant events out of proportion, and being first to break the latest "scandal." I don't want to be a part of it. Unfortunately I'll have to play the game, at least for a little bit.

I would rather write for a magazine. At least then I have the time and resources to get close to my subject, to really get to know my sources and dive head first into a story. I'm not just talking to people to get flash quotes for a story that I will churn out in 15 minutes. I'm trying really get into what is going on, how it feels, and how people react to it. That's why I respect Hunter S. so much. His book "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" follows the 1972 presidential election from the first primary to election day. He becomes so involved with the campaign and wears himself out so much physically and mentally that he can't even write a few of the chapters. At one point they just publish his notes, and in another part they have him dictate to another writer.

In the book I'm reading by him now, "Hell's Angels," Thompson follows the Hell's Angels in California during the 1960s, talking to many of the members, going with them on "runs," and many times getting involved with the cops for being around the "outlaws." He has a passion for storytelling (or truthtelling) that I envy. His books are crazy, drug-ridden and evocative, but at the same time they are honest.

I think I've rambled long enough for now. I'll leave with a list of bands/artists that I've really been into recently: that anyone who reads this should check out if they haven't already. Also, for my editorial writing class I have to create a blog about something local. I've decided to cover the local music scene, which is what I've been wanting to get started for a while. Hopefully this will give me the motivation to keep a music blog going for the Chapel Hill area. I will probably create a new website for it (in addition to this one) so look out for it. I'll probably post about it later. Its tentative title: "If Jesus had a stereo."

Here's the list:
Ryan Adams (NC boy)
The Avett Brothers (NC boys)
Broken Social Scene
Lupe Fiasco
Eddie Vedder (the soundtrack for "Into the Wild")
Traveling Wilburys (greatest super-group ever)

peace
C