the note monkey

....

2005-08-25T05:30:44Z

I figured I should make a "FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL!" post, but I won't.

Quote of the now:

"If you want to get laid, go to college, if you want an education, go to a library"
--Frank Zappa

Van Vliet

2005-08-19T03:36:44Z

You can live alone with the Needleyoze, but in the end, why would you? These things are more fun with other people, excepting when you’ve gotta wang the bastards with a clawfoot pipe to show ‘em the real meaning of “The Truth!” You try living in a 10 foot by 3 cabin for six months with a sycophantic, mumbling son of a bitch! If you haven’t regressed to an animalistic state by then, you’re truly a better person than me! Kill the bitch, that’ll solve it. Don’t suck up to me, lady, I’m not the one who insisted on moving into this goddamn shell!

storytime

2005-07-24T07:24:09Z

Barton awoke, and sprung from bed to read his day planner, but alas, it was under the bed. Once he got that settled, he cracked it open to reveal the mysterious contents of the day ahead. "It says lunch at 12:30," he read aloud, to noone in particular but himself. "That was a half hour ago. Guess I just wasn't awake enough to notice eating." There was a birthday party scheduled that evening, for a friend of his. Beneath the heading, there was a note: "Your ex shows up with her new boyfriend and is really mean to you. Would suggest not going. If you do attend, bring bound cake." Barton was sure that her standards had fallen significantly after they broke up, not that he was that standard to begin with, but standards of standardness notwithstanding, he was something to look at when he wanted to be. He figured that this new fella, who's name was one often used by women, would be a bigger substandard dork that he was.

Had he gone to the party, he would've found that he was right. He ate the bound cake and took a bath. It was a good night.

hot damn!

2005-07-19T07:33:01Z

GLORY BE AND SAINTS BE PRAISED! I MADE ANOTHER MIX CD!

Under the Covers
A mix compiled by Brandon Beck

1) Bohemian Rhapsody -The Flaming Lips (Queen)
2) Caroline, No - They Might Be Giants (Beach Boys)
3) Baroque Hoedown (Pop Version) - They Might Be Giants
4) New York City - They Might Be Giants (Cub)
5) Immigrant Song - Oysterhead (Led Zeppelin)
6) Common People - William Shatner (Pulp)
7) From Pizza Towers To Defeat - Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke (Frizz "Boom Boom" Fuller)
8) Piece of Work - Jimmy Buffett (Will Kimbrough)
9) Sledgehammer - 70 Volt Parade (Peter Gabriel)
10) Up On Cripple Creek - Dave Matthews and Friends (The Band)
11) You're The One That I Want - Tenacious D (from the film "Grease")
12) Making Flippy Floppy - Umphrey's McGee (Talking Heads)
13) Ring of Fire - Frank Zappa (Johnny Cash)
14) One - Warren Haynes (U2)
15) Beatles Medley - Tenacious D (The Beatles)

you know you want one

appropriate?

2005-07-18T05:39:48Z

I just stepped in dog shit.

In the laundry room.

Joy.

LIVE MUSIC IS FUN!!
a CD compiled by Brandon Beck

1) Psycho Killer - Talking Heads ("Stop Making Sense)
2) Once in A Lifetime - Talking Heads ("Stop Making Sense")
3) Bohemian Rhapsody - Keller Williams (10/26/2002)
4) Clone - Phish (2/26/2003, Worchester Civic Center, Worchester MA)
5) Hoedown - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones ("Live at the Quick")
6) Mr Bad Example - Warren Zevon ("Learning To Flinch")
7) Stomping Grounds - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones ("Live Art")
8) Back on the Train - Trey Anastasio (5/4/2005, Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte)
9) Love is Freedom - Trey Anastasio (5/4/2005, Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte)
10) Dig A Pony - 70 Volt Parade (5/4/2005, Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte)
11) Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd (6/2/2005, Live 8 Reunion Concert, London)
12) Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd (6/2/2005, Live 8 Reunion Concert, London)
13) Devil Went Down To Georgia - Trey Anastasio Band (Bonnaroo 2004)
14) Stairway To Heaven - Frank Zappa ("The Best Band You've Never Heard in Your Life")

Total Running Time: 1:14:01

Inquire within for a copy.

I know it's stupid butwhatthefuck

2005-07-14T05:18:03Z

DAMN THAT FAST EDDIE McCLINTOCK!

FIRSTS
First job: Running lights for a show about druggies at theatre charlotte. I got paid something like 40 bucks for two weeks.
First screen name: Elwood2000
First self purchased tape: Not quite sure
First funeral: Grandpa Bill (grandfather on my dad's side)
First credit card: Visa
First love: Hmm....
First enemy: this kid named Cameron in pre-school who called me a Ukelele-Head, the bastard!
First big trip: England after 6th grade. It was a school thing, and the only people that went were myself, the teacher, and Jenna DeCarlo. Oh the joy of it all.
First concert: Weird Al
First musician you remember hearing in your house: probably Jimmy Buffett

LASTS
Last big car ride: driving home from Atlanta after seeing Weezer in a converted church.
Last kiss: I like surveys like this, precisely because you don't have to answer all the questions if you don't want to.
Last library book checked out: Some books on Tibet and "The Rum Diary" by Hunter Thompson.
Last movie seen: Fantastic Four
Last beverage drank: Dr Pepper
Last food consumed: McDonalds nuggets. They're awful, but there's something oddly appealing about those little bastards
Last phone call: Katherine, to suggest stopping for pizza instead of coffee. She didn't answer.
Last CD played: "Truckin' Up To Buffallo," disc one, the Grateful Dead (live show from July 4th, 1989, I believe)
Last annoyance: "We're sorry, the inbox is full, please try again later"
Last soda drank: Didn't you already ask this question?.....oh, yeah, I see, that is different. My bad. Dr. Pepper.
Last ice cream eaten: Strawberry icecream milkshake. It counts, motherfuckers! Don't question it!
Last time scolded: When I drove to another county when my parents were out of town and didn't tell them.
Last shirt worn: Warren Haynes Acoustic Tour ringer t-shirt from last year's Dead tour.
Last website visited: Livejournal

I AM: the walrus.
I WANT: to stop relying on this sense of ironic detachment to get through things.
I HAVE: 19.7 days worth of music on my computer. It's sad.
I WISH: to be happy
I HATE: there's not really anything I hate, but there's ALOT of shit that pisses of me off. Jason Arim, for one. List could go on, but he's probably up top.
I FEAR: loosing contact with people I care about, being "alone" at school next year.
I HEAR: David Byrne and some bongos
I SEARCH: for stuff.
I WONDER: if trying to make a career in "showbusiness" is a good idea.
I REGRET: being shy, not ever taking any sort of risks in areas where I'm uncomfortable
I LOVE: playing music, laughing, being on stage in any sort of capacity, being involved with a show, the voices of Bob Weir and David Byrne (perhaps a little too much)
I ACHE: thinking about loosing everyone next year
I ALWAYS: wind up looking like an ass
I AM NOT: your fucking khakis
I DANCE: a little too much, in perhaps too little clothing
I SING: too much, and usually outside of my vocal range, but I don't care
I CRY: not as often as I probably should
I AM NOT ALWAYS: the nicest guy (unintentionally)
I WRITE: stageplays, various other bits and pieces of things
I WIN: more often than I'd like to admit
I LOSE: less often than I'd like to admit, but always at things that hurt the most
I CONFUSE: many a thing
I NEED: to figure alot of things out
I SHOULD: get a grip.

YES or NO:
x. YOU KEEP A DIARY: Yeah, this old thing. Used to keep one in a real notebook, but kinda stopped once I got my life worked out.
x. YOU LIKE TO COOK: Never really given it a shot. Looks like it could be fun.
x. YOU HAVE A SECRET YOU HAVE NOT SHARED WITH ANYONE: yes. yes yes yes.

DO YOU...?
HAVE A CRUSH: yeah. it's a pain in the ass.
WANT TO GET MARRIED: eventually, but not untill I get my life figured out, trying to do that with somebody else in the equation seems like it'd be pretty difficult.
GET MOTION SICKNESS: for some reason only in the backseat of Clay's car
THINK YOU'RE A HEALTH FREAK: no, but just paranoid about getting bald and fat.
GET ALONG WITH YOUR PARENTS: yeah. I'm the good son, so I can pretty much get away with anything as long as I'm not drinking heavily or doing crack.
LIKE THUNDERSTORMS: yeah
CURRENT HAIR COLOR: reddish/blondish
EYE COLOR: blue
BIRTHPLACE: Charlotte

FAVORITES:
NUMBER: never really given it much thought
COLOR: blue, green, or black
DAY: Friday
MONTH: December, January, November, February
SONG(S): "Soulshine" by Warren Haynes, "Ship of Fools" by The Dead, "Wading in the Velvet Sea" by Phish, "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads, among thousands of others
SEASON: winter, fall, anytime I can wear a jacket and sweater
DRINK: milk, orange juice, Dr. Pepper

PREFERENCES:
CHOCOLATE MILK, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: chocolate milk
MILK, DARK OR WHITE CHOCOLATE: white
VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE: no preference

IN THE LAST 24 HRS, HAVE YOU...
CRIED? nope
HELPED SOMEONE? yeah
BOUGHT SOMETHING? "Truckin' Up To Buffalo," by the Grateful Dead on CD, and "Sight" (The new Keller Williams live DVD)
GOTTEN SICK? nope
GONE TO THE MOVIES? nope
GONE OUT FOR DINNER? sorta
SAID I love you? I wish
WRITTEN A REAL LETTER: nope
TALKED TO AN EX?: yupp
MISSED AN EX?: nope
WRITTEN IN A JOURNAL?: yupp
HAD A SERIOUS TALK?: sadly no
MISSED SOMEONE?: too much
HUGGED SOMEONE? : yupp
FOUGHT WITH YOUR PARENTS? nope
FOUGHT WITH A FRIEND? nope

Would you ever:
1. Eat a bug?: not so much, no
2. Bungee jump?: could be fun
3. LOSE IT?: I have.
4. Kill someone?: nope
5. Kiss someone of the same sex?: dunno
6. Parachute from a plane?: could be fun
7. Walk on hot coals?: kinda don't like pain, so probably not
8. Go out with someone for their looks?: would try not to
9. Cheat on someone?: hopefully not. I've been an accomplice, though, and it fucking sucks, and destroyed some things I really took for granted.
10. Be a vegetarian?: I'm too lazy, really
11. Wear plaid with stripes?: kinda have, I think. Unintentionally, though
12. IM a stranger?: yes
13. Sing Karaoke?: I rapped "On the Road Again" at camp one year. It was a bad idea.
14. Get drunk off your Ass?: not on my "to do list," but might happen one day.
15. Run a red light?: kinda have, but not in a couple years.
16. Star in a porn video?: that'd just be rude
17. Dye your hair blue?: nah
18. Be on Survivor?: nah
19. Wear makeup in public?: probably not
20. Not wear makeup in public?: kinda do every day
21. Cheat on a test?: I cheated on a spelling test in 2nd grade. Well, tried to, but felt bad about it so I changed my answer back.
22. Make someone cry?: I have, and it's not a good feeling.
23. Date someone more than 10 years older than you?: not really sure. Depends on the circumstances.
24. Stay up all night? sure

psycho killer

2005-07-06T07:32:42Z

listening to David Byrne's "Feelings" album, and it's awesome. Check it out. Hell, get pretty much anything the man's involved with and it'll make you feel all tingly inside.

FUN WITH DAVID BYRNE
1) Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads
2) Little Creatures by Talking Heads
3) Remain in Light by Talking Heads
4) Grown Backwards by David Byrne
5) Feelings by DB
6) Live Phish 15 - The Boys cover Remain in Light, and Trey tells an interesting Col. Forbin's Ascent involving David Byrne throwing rocks off a mountain

Realized my concert downloading habits are probably not healthy. Downloaded a Phish show, a Grateful Dead show, a Benevento/Russo Duo show, and a third of a Zappa show today. Add to that that I bought a Soul Coughing live show, I think I need help.

Then again, it's something to do. At the rate I'm going I'll probably have gotten into some sort of screaming fight with each one of you within about a week and a half or so, thus making all my friends want me dead as opposed to the two (That I know of) right now.

This is TEH BEST SUMMER EVAR!

Also, my left eye appears to be bleeding. Or to at least have blood in it. This is unsettling at 3:49 in the morning.

Pigs (three different ones)

2005-07-03T06:40:54Z

As I plummet toward my senior year at a somewhat wreckless velocity, I've begun to realize something: I'm running out of friends. I'm not talking about "Oh, hey, how's it going?" in the hallway type friends, but "sure, I'd take a bullet for you, if the money was right" friends. The ones who've got their priorities straight, and know that teenage bullshit is just that: teenaged bullshit. At this point in time, I don't honestly think there's anybody in the senior class I can call a close friend. I've got a legion of juniors, and a sophomore or two, and who knows about the freshmen class, but as far as soon-to-be-seniors go, I'm pretty much fucked. Now, some of this may be due to shit that I've done, and that's the most worrying part to me. I was talking with somebody a few days ago, and they told me that somebody said something to the effect of "Brandon? He's an asshole." This wasn't a close friends, or somebody I even know, so that was kind of a shock, seeing as I'm only an asshole on purpose to people I really like. To clarify, I don't mean asshole in the "kills your mother" or "disconnects your cable" type of asshole, but the "cute" kind of asshole, who you know is doing it out of some freakish sense of friendship and love that is not of this earth.

In the last few months, I've been told by people that I disgust them, that they never want to see me again, and, in so many words, a complete and utter shithead. Granted, some of this is probably due, but I was fucking hurt. Yes, I did break a commandment, but it's not like it was A) on purpose, B) I wanted to, or C) I didn't try my damndest not to. I was sitting at a rock concert, and I was thinking to myself "God damn, (Person) would've fucking loved this" and I got truly sad that I couldn't even him about it.

Stupid Pink Floyd. Their setlist was Breathe, Money, Wish You Were Here, and Comfortable Numb. Hearing Wish you Were Hear and Comfortably Numb when you're dealing with this sorta thing is insanely fun, let me tell you.

Fuck you, Pink Floyd, you've made me emo.

Assholes.

pigs have flown

2005-07-03T06:29:46Z

I'll admit it, I got teary eyed while watching Pink Floyd. It's almost surreal seeing one of the rock bands I grew up with, a band I never thought would ever play again, playing live on the picture box and kicking all sorts of ass. This makes me no less of a man, and if you think it does, well, I'll fucking cut your eyes out with a rusted barb wire. Asshole. Called some people while watching, telling them to turn on their TV. Regardless of whether they cared or not, it's Pink Floyd, they need to care. It's the law.

be careful

2005-06-26T19:30:32Z

I just listened to the album "Be Careful What You Wish For" by Gabby La La, and it is truly one of the strangest records I've ever heard, and I've heard hours of Ween and a large of Frank Zappa's catalogue. Gabby is, I believe, some sort of strange elf woman from beyond our galaxy who has come down to earth to make strange, carnival music accompanied by the sounds of a somewhat rusty baroque music box. Produced by fancyboy Les Claypool (who twangs out several of the musical parts) the record is the auditory equivalent of some sort of worm crawling into your brain and making you go slowly, happily insane. I have no idea whether I enjoyed the record of not, but it was a very unique experience. My reaction may be similar to the first time I listened to David Byrne's "Grown Backwards," in that it was so different from what I was expecting it to be I didn't really dig it at first, but once I realized "this isn't Talking Heads In 21st century" but David Byrne trying his hand at some operatic music, I really began to dig it. Will the same thing happen with Ms. La La? Who knows.

Tried to go see Galactic last night, but it sold out right before I got to the door, so I went to see The Blue Dogs, who didn't disappoint.

I'm frightened to go to my friendly neighborhood coffee shop, pizza-style-pie parlour, and various other parts of the arboretum shopping-style-centre.

flagabluga

2005-05-29T01:06:31Z

Your Birthdate: January 16

Your birth on the 16th day of the month gives a sense of loneliness and generally the desire to work alone.

You are relatively inflexible, and insist on your being independent.

You need a good deal of time to rest and to meditate.

You are introspective and a little stubborn.

Because of this, it may not be easy for you to maintain permanent relationships, but you probably will as you are very much into home and family.

This birth day inclines to interests in the technical, the scientific, and to the religious or the unknown realm of spiritual explorations.

The date gives you a tendency to seek unusual approaches and makes your style seem a little different and unique to those around you.

Your intuition is aided by the day of your birth, but most of your actions are bedded in logic, responsibility, and the rational approach.

You may be emotional, but have a hard time expressing these emotions.

Because of this, there may be some difficulty in giving or receiving affection.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Not entirely sure how much of this is accurate. eh, whatever.

just in case you wanted it

2005-05-22T05:26:11Z

In case anybody wanted it:

-----------------------

Glinda enters with a flourish.

GLINDA: (Ad lib about losing her wand) Oh, I didn't see you there. Is this an award show? Maybe there's going to be an award for me--

Witch music. The Wicked Witch enters with a(n evil) flourish.

WITCH: Gliiiiiinda! And who invited you?

GLINDA: The Wicked Witch of the West! My, I thought you were dead!

WITCH: The rumors of my demise have been greatly ex-ag-ger-a-ated, just like the rumors of your beauty, and charm, and…

GLINDA: (Almost saccharine-like) Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…

WITCH: Words will never hurt you, blah, blah, blah. You’re so predictable.

GLINDA: Predictable? You obviously don’t know me very well.

WITCH: Me? I don’t know YOU? (GLINDA makes her way into the audience) You’re obviously forgetting the time I had my monkeys capture that little what’s-her-name brat from Kansas, or when I enchanted those poppies to, uh, to do, um…What are you doing?

GLINDA: (From audience) Nothing. Just keep talking, I’m listening.

WITCH: You’re not allowed to be sarcastic, that’s MY job.

GLINDA: Oh, I was being perfectly serious.

WITCH:(beat) I don’t like you.

GLINDA: (comes back on stage, holding a cup of water. She drinks from it every once in a while) Sticks and stones may break my—

WITCH: WOULD YOU STOP THAT? You think you’re soooo smart, you think you’re soooo clever.

GLINDA: But I am, remember?

WITCH: You don’t have to gloat about it.

GLINDA: Oh, I would never gloat about anything….I have people that do that for me. Like the Munchkins, they love me you know.

WITCH: I’m very well aware of that. I was there, I heard them singing.

GLINDA: Ah, yes, munchkin singing. They’re such a nice little group, but a few voice lessons wouldn’t hurt anybody.

WITCH: Why Glinda, was that an insult? Did you just say something vaguely insulting aboutto another human being?

Glinda takes a long, deliberate drink from her cup.

WITCH: Glinda?

She keeps going. The Witch begins to get very un-comfortable.

WITCH: What are you doing? What’s in that cup?

She stops.

WITCH: Is this about the shoes? If it is, I’m over it, really! Let the kid have them…or the lion, whatever, I don’t care!

GLINDA: My dear Wicked Witch of the West, in my hand I’m holding a glass.

WITCH: I know.

GLINDA: And would you care to take a guess as to what is inside that glass?

WITCH: Fruit punch?

GLINDA: No.

WITCH: Lukewarm milk?

GLINDA: Not quite.

WITCH: An apricot flavored energy drink?

GLINDA: In my hand I’m holding a glass of a little something I like to call di-hydrogen monoxide, also known as....

WITCH: N-o-o-o-o…

GLINDA: Yes, my dear, yes. Water.

WITCH: No, please, anything but water! Please, I can’t take that again! It really s-t-i-n-g-s. Plus, it’s just getting a smidgen overdone.

GLINDA: Oh, believe me, I know. I’m smart, remember? What are we? Once dampened, twice shy, now?

WITCH: Please, I’ll do anything, just get that…stuff…away from me!

GLINDA: Alright.

WITCH:(Beat) …alright?

GLINDA: Yes. My laundry will be ready tomorrow at 3, my flying bubble needs an oil change…

WITCH: I can’t believe this…Oh, the degradation of it all...

GLINDA: And that pasta looks absolutely delicious, a nice big plate wouldn’t hurt anybody, now would it? With a figure like mine, well, what would?

WITCH: Why don't you take the hourglass analogy, honey, and,…

GLINDA: Go!!!.

WITCH: (resigned sigh) Oh, what a world. What a world! (exit toward food)

GLINDA: And some cheesecake, too! I do love cheesecake, especially when they have those scrumptious little chocolate turtles.

The Witch walks off stage, humming a dejected version of the “Witch Music.”

GLINDA: I do love being the Good Witch.

I can't say enough how great a job Adrienne and Danielle did with this thing in 24 hours. It was my favorite part of last evening's festivities, but working with those two is always fantastic anyway.

the pleasure of insomnia

2005-05-19T14:13:32Z

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting the library at school. It is 10:12 in the morning, and I have not slept for more than 3 hours. I've yet to fall asleep in class, but the day is still young, my friends. Staying up 'till 3:00 in the AM on a Wednesday night with some of your best friends is utterly fantastic. People who matter kickass.

Star Wars, man....

The best way to summarize the film, is to quote "The Farm Film Report:"

"THEY DONE BLOWED UP REAL GOOD!"

weerez

2005-05-16T02:48:21Z

I am back from Atlanta, and I have been thoroughly Weez'd. When you're in a concert hall and you can feel the floor moving with the ebb and flow of the crowd, you know you're in a cool place.

I realized my theme song is "Pardon Me" by Weezer. Check it out, it's great, and makes sense.

I composed a poem.

Driving in Atlanta
by Brandon Beck

Everything moves too fast
There's no personal space
It's like being forced into sex in a prison shower

humbug

2005-05-12T16:56:28Z

I thought was joking with my math teacher, but it turns out that I was just being an asshole. I should stop talking, I think.

haunt you every day

2005-05-10T21:51:35Z

Hey kids, it's a survey! woohoo!

General Info:
Name: William Brandon Beck
Nicknames?: Braggnogg, Dorothy, Arthur
Birthday: 01/16/1987
Eyes: Blue
Hair: blonde/tiny bit of what looks to be red
Place of Birth: Charlotte
Current Location: See above
Any where else you have lived?: Grapevine, a suburb of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex

Favorites:
Food: Dunno
Color: black/green/blue
City (domestic): haven't been to enough to have a favorite
City (foreign): see above
Quote: "It must be Thursday, I never quite got the hang of Thursday." " Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." "This will end in tears, I can tell" - The Hitchhiker's Guide
Movie: There's a bunch. As of right now it's Hitchhiker's Guide, various music documentaries (Gigantic, Bittersweet Motel), The Muppet movie....there's way too damned many to name.
Actor: big fan of Sam Rockwell, john Goodman, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford (hell, anybody from The West Wing), Ed Norton
Actress: not sure
Dirtctor: Spike Jonze, Thomas Schlamme, The Coen Brothers
Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (But NOT THE MUSICAL, which seems to have fucked up and missed the point of what the book was trying to say. It's not about "love conquering all" or any of that crap, it's about how this woman is in pain her entire life, and it never goes away untill she dies)
Author: Douglas Adams, Dave Eggers
Musical (not movie musical): The Producers
TV Show: Sports Night, West Wing, Arrested Development, Boston Legal
Artist (musical): Trey Anastasio, Frank Zappa, Rivers Cuomo
Song: Basically anything by Phish or Weezer, and the good parts of Zappa's millions of songs
Artist (art): Jim Mahfood, Jhonen Vasquez, Bill Watterson
Animal: the three-toed sloth
Game: all work and no play makes jack a dull boy
Art Form: surrealism, psychedelia
Writing form: playwriting
Curse word: fuck. it's simplicity and variety of uses is astounding
Phrase: "Fair enough," "...the hell?"
Thing to do in your spare time: write, listen to music, act a-fool

The last:
Song you heard: Hold Me - Weezer
Movie you saw: The Hitchhicker's Guide To The Galaxy (for the third time in 8 days)
Book you read: all the way through? Searching For the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead by Phil Lesh
City you went to: New York
Person you talked to not in your house: the clerk at the Best Buy
...In you house: Karen
Thing you ate: does a smoothie count? If not, some yogurt with fruit at lunch
Concert you went to: 70 Volt Parade (Trey Anastasio, Peter Chwazik, Les Hall, Ray Paksowski, Skeeto Valdez) at Oven Auditorium May 4th

Do you:
Drink coffee: yes, but I'm trying to cut down severly. Down to maybe one coffee-esque beverage every couple weeks
Dance: I am physically able to. Is it encourged? No.
Sing: I'd like to think so. I'm not the best, but I can do it, I just don't have that magnificent a range
Drive: yes
Drink: nope (I've had the equivalent of maybe about 8 sips of anything in the whole of my existence)
Have a tattoo: nope
Have piercings: nope, but it could be kinda cool
Have friends you can trust: definately
Want to live abroad: of course
Read: a fair amount
Listen to Music: whenever possible

Honest Iago

2005-05-02T04:31:58Z

"Ask me four questions. Any four, no matter how personal, private, or random. I can't promise to answer them all. The ones I answer I will answer honestly. In turn, you post this message in your own journal and you have to answer the questions that are asked to you!"

Hey ma, I mades a see-dee!

2005-04-29T02:30:05Z

Melancholic Thoughts of the Future
a mix compiled by Brandon Beck
Dedicated to the class of 2005

1) Fight Test - The Flaming Lips
2) Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips
3) It's My Job - Jimmy Buffett
4) The End of The Tour - They Might Be Giants
5) What I Do On Saturday - Steve Burns
6) Museum Of Idiots - They Might Be Giants
7) If I Could - Phish
8) Fast Enough For You - Phish
9) Wading In The Velvet Sea* - Phish
10) Ship Of Fools - The Grateful Dead
11) Semi-True Stories - Mac McAnally
12) The Far Side of Heaven - Mac McAnally
13) Baby Bitch - Ween
14) Devils and Dust - Bruce Springsteen
15) Among His Tribe - Ween
16) Nothing - Phish
17) Lucky Stars - Jimmy Buffett
18) I Don't Know and I Don't Care - Jimmy Buffett
19) Oysters and Pearls - Jimmy Buffett

* Live from the Coventry Festival in Coventry, Vermont, August 15th, 2005.

Anybody want one?

a note from management

2005-04-28T02:09:22Z

The management would like to apologize for the client known as BECK, BRANDON W., as he is experiencing a bit of an existential crisis. We're working on getting things back up and running at their normal pace, and have dedicated several people and conference rooms to this.

Thank you,
Management

same as it ever was

2005-04-12T02:27:43Z

I feel like I'm being shut out of the production of my play.

I know I'm not the director, and I'm not trying to be, just at this point I don't feel valued at all. Mr. Fratinni wanted me to add another character, just so we could have more people in the one-acts, which is ridiculous. Felt like I was being taken advantage of simply because I COULD add a character, regardless of whether or not it was actually needed.

Then it feels like I'm not wanted anywhere near the production, when the script is still very much a work in progress. Lines need to be tweaked, things that I can't see untill there's a cast and I've heard them read it, but apparently I'm not wanted at rehearsals, so that's out of the window. I'm not even talking about every rehearsal, I just want to come to one at the beginning to hear it read, and one towards the end, just to see it before it's done, but that's apparently too fucking much. Feel like after all my hard work and revising and re-working and eventually handing a very, VERY complex play, I feel like I've been given a big "fuck off!" and had the door slammed and locked in my face.

And there should be NO FUCKING GORE IN THIS DAMNED PLAY!! There wasn't any in the fucking script, so there shouldn't be any on the fucking stage, regardless of how "cool" it might be! But it's not like my stage directions or anything matter at this point.

I don't want complete control, I just want a little fucking respect.

'bout that funk? Make it P-Funk, please

2005-04-02T07:20:44Z

Trey Band
("70 Volt Parade")
April 1, 2005
Higher Ground

soundcheck: sand, mr completely, night speaks, new song

Set I: Night Speaks, Cincinnati (very heavy), Low, Love is Freedom(Accoustic), Cayman Review, Drifting, Mr Completely.

Set II: It's Ice, (acoustic song), Push on, New song: (doesn't know what it was),I am the Walrus (Beatles)->some kind of jam

E) 46 Days

THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!

I don't know if you guys understand the pure, unbridled awesomeness that is this setlist. It's Ice was one of Phish's most fantastic songs (from their masterpiece "Rift") and I just can't wait to hear it interpreted by the new group, with Trey on vocals no less!! (Page McConnell, the Chairman of the boards, sung it with Phish). I'm so completely psyched about seeing Trey twice next month.

Add to that the Weezer show the next weekend, and the fact that the first Trey show is three days after the end of the one-acts, a week after prom (thought that's probably lowest on my list. Still gonna be awesome, I hope, but C'MON!!), which is a week after Gov't Mule (with special guests The john Popper Project featuring DJ Logic. Logic is fucking phat as hell [yeah, I said phat, fuck you[ and John Popper is....well, he's John fucking Popper! Big Poppa Popper!) and I think the next few months are going to make me a very happy man.

I had another thing to say in here, but I forgot what it was. Fuck me.

make my funk the P-Funk

2005-04-02T07:14:31Z

So yeah, haven't updated this fucker in a long time:

Went to a funeral today, for my great grandmother, Mama Ruth. It was, as all funerals are, not a particularly fun time, but put me in reflective, "the fuck am I doing with my life?" mode. The second guy to speak, Dr. Ross, seemed to be a pretty cool guy, and he got onto this riff about thinking about your life and what you're doing with it. This was after my dad gave a eulogy, which went over really well. I was proud, turns out he's a pretty good public speaker.

It was difficult to make the connection between the person in the picture on the program, and the person lying in the box about 10 feet away from me. Maybe it's because she was somebody I didn't know very well (can't honestly remember having a prolonged conversation with her), but still, things were generally sad, but the vibe from everybody seemed pretty positive. Yeah, there was the crying and general funereal whatnot, but overall the general mood was "life is good. this chick had one that went on for 90 odd years, so I think we all win" or something less blasphemous. Is that blasphemous? I haven't a clue. Something Dr. Ross said stuck with me, and I don't know why. It was something to the effect of "The moment I was most aware of the presence of God was the moment when Mama Ruth went to heaven." I myself am not a very religious person. spiritual, mayhap, but not religious in the sense of "higher being" type of guy. If there is a God, I haven't really noticed, and if there isn't, well, that's that. I just love the fact that there's something that can help alot of people feel better about life, regardless of whether or not I agree with it, or support their varying degrees of fanasticism (that's generally only worst case, Jimmy Swaggart/other asshole scenarios, though). The fact that something like this exists makes me happy, regardless of whether or not I'd my kinda thing. Mama Ruth made me happy, regardless of how well I knew her. Lady could make damn fine biscuits, I can tell you that much.

....

2005-03-14T04:33:34Z

holy shit.....

four months ago I had no intention at all of being involved with The Wizard of Oz. cut to today where I'm getting emotional at the end of the show backstage. 'twas truly one of the more amazing experiences I've ever had, along with one of the most frustrating and draining as well.

the hardest part is the fact that this is my last show with all these amazing people I've come to know in the past several years, some I've been doing stuff with for six damned years. hell, back in sixth grade I never thought I'd have a large role in a musical with harrison carter, I didn't even think I'd hang out with him after sleeping beauty ended, but I did. same for the andersons, and many other folks.

jesus. it's difficult to put all of this into words. all I know is that I'm so damn lucky to be a part of all of this and to be friends with such amazing people.

"I'm dizzy from all this spinning"
--Dave Matthews

bring me the head of parker sheedy

2005-03-09T04:22:01Z

so, yeah.....

anybody caught in my insane rage attack tonight, sorry 'bout that. It basically continued the entire way home.

fuck parker sheedy, fuck stupid people, and fuck double casting a role IN THE SAME GODDAMN SHOW with people who do not look REMOTELY alike. LeBlanc and myself look vaguely similar, but PARKER SHEEDY DOES NOT LOOK LIKE ME!! He also has no goddamn idea how to play Professor Marvel. LeBlanc doesn't do much better, but it's an improvement. There's no continuity between the way myself and the other actors play the part, SO IT MAKES NO DAMN SENSE, AND RUINS THE END OF THE SHOW!!!

AND THE WORST PART IS THE FUCKING DIRECTOR AGREES!!!!!!! At least SOMEBODY in power's got their fucking head on straight, and itsn't worrying about some motherfucker in chorus getting to have some speaking lines, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN ACT!!!!!!!!

licorice

2005-03-07T04:16:16Z

"The Grateful Dead is like buying a kit from radio shack. The audience gets to help put it together.....and it might not work."
--Bob Weir (paraphrashed)

Beginning to get VERY worried about next year, in terms of theatre and the like at school. All sorts of kids are graduating or leaving or moving on to bigger and better things, leaving the rest of us stuck back here like swine waiting for the slaughter. It's going to be confusing, hard to breathe, and end with somebody getting a nail through the forehead. I know alot of you guys have other stuff like this that you do outside of school, but I'm one of the unlucky sods that doesn't, this is all I have, and to see something I love look like it's going to crumble like some crumbly thing makes me really distressed. Yes, there's going to be a few kids left over, and some newish type people, but we're losing a big chunk of the talent base. To quote Mr. Horse, "No sir, I don't like it. Not one bit."

You guys should totally not graduate. Or move. Or go to new schools.