3 posts tagged “asbury”

stepped into a little bit of luck last week.
found some good goodies on the bar room floor.
won free tickets off the radio.
thought about driving to atlantic city, but questioned whether i was pushing it. (and once you start to question it, you lose it)
ANYWAY
tonight is the Jose Gonzalez show and given the weekend i just had, it couldn't have come at a better time. Steveo and i are going (plus some newbies and siblings and the usual crew). the show is at the pony, which is legendary, and drinks and dinner will be scattered throughout asbury park.
so thanks brookdale public radio for the free show

i was going to do this during thanksgiving, but time often escapes me.....

2007 has been one of those years. like 17 when i found freedom between the chipped white metal of a 1986 volkswagon cabriolet or 19 when i found it in that $250 rent payment.  it has been one of those years ~ discovery, awareness, excitement.  being that i am no longer 17 or 19, i have come to the realization that those years are not my sole creation. those years are the collaboration of many; therefore, i will attempt to thank everyone who has made it one of those years (with no weight associated to the order)....

i guess the year technically began in january, but i have never been one for details and technicalities. to me, every year begins with spring, but i'll stretch my thanks back to february.

February

to Shelia for finally understanding sweat fest

and steveo for always being the first to get water

March

to Megan and Dan who are the only couple i would want to emulate. for finding your corresponding puzzle piece and holding on. for facing uncertainties with visions of hope and for burning me copies of the hold steady, hot chip, and arcade fire

to steveo for making me go to that shins concert at the efactory, despite all my belly aching

April - it truly begins

to everyone and anyone involved with or who attended the birthday bash (holy shit rain in manhattan), but mostly bobby for going, wilson for dancing, kelly for wanting to party, tifany for dealing with the directions, megan for turning 30 (and as she constantly reminds me, being the coolest person ever), shelia for understanding the pain that accompanies a night you just don't want to end - also to the cops who finally busted it at 5am - you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here

to terre for having the best birth date ever

to tom nofi who made for a modest night 

May

TO THE HOLD STEADY for reviving my love of music and lyrics and anything that gets your heart pumping, your mind racing, and your body so covered in sweat that you wish you were naked (well maybe not anything that does that, but live music at least) for the best show of the year. for being free, for having fun, for loving what you do. for the most massive night - window dancing, crashing proms, way too much delicious beer, for reconnecting with old souls

To M for shaking up my stale vision, to honesty, and being good with words

To seaner for always making me laugh, for turning 21 alive, for listening to everything and covering my ass on anything, for being my little brother 

June

to the kid who sat next to me on the plane ride to london for following a passion, despite the emminant failures looming ahead

to the lady who works for the world vegetable program for finding truth in simplicity

to Kenya for being so fucking dark and then illuminating with the first ray of hope (or sun however you chose to look at it)

to Mama Betty, Ibrahim, and others at the CCS house for making me feel welcomed and secure

to Abass for being such a friend, for believing the good in people, for your beautiful honesty and Amsterdam cookies

to my shikamoo Vanessa - since we first met i knew you were someone i would know forever, for believing i am beautiful and worthy, for being open-minded and sincere, for unabashedly sharing your life expierances

to Brittany for being real, for not hiding your true self, for listening to all my concerns and for dancing with the elephants in your living room

to Thomas for the delicious seaside feasts and that honeymoon suite over the Indian Ocean

to Light in Africa for showing me love and teaching me wealth

to Zanzibar for being paradise, for being beauty

to Tanzania for stealing my heart

July

to Sean for sharing music and culture and a long flight home

to Bobby for all your patience and understanding - you accept me  more then i accept myself - for being there when i come home no matter how hard i try to lock you out          i never felt so wicked as when i willed our love to die

to kelly for always making me laugh and this time for making michelle and steveo laugh too - they are stairs, not that difficult

to dan, shelia, nicole, sean, bobby, karen, steveo, jamie and others who let me go exploring through highline ballroom and to megan for joining the explorations

to Jersey for being home and having beautiful, private, quiet beaches

August

for Beasties touring again and Festival Pier (those aren't trains passing under the bridge, they are trails)

for killer tailgates at the Tweeter and steveo crossing into philly (more for shelia's reaction honestly)

for Wood Brothers being mellow and Prospect Park being massive

for stage storms, shoes dropping, wedding proposals, losing glasses, finding glasses, and long drives home

for joey and always being up for an adventure - to that guy at 7-11 with the face tattoo (or not a tattoo) and Spring Lake for dealing with geese shit by sending birds to the gas chamber (oh to be stupidly wealthy - or stupid and wealthy)

for johnny boy and pizza smoothies and modest mouse in the rain

to Conrad and Deeana for providing adventures and long drives to Lancaster and Tractor Beam and sweat

for Kelly in Lakewood for stealing the show and biting that stranger

September

for being the last September of my undergraduate career ( Tommy: hey, a lot of people go to college for 7 years Richard: Yeah, they're called doctors)

for shelia standing her ground at g love and at McCarren's - for sweat fest '08

for not getting arrested on the drive home from Farm Aid (credit: steveo)

yet another free hold steady show and for Dan, always the hook up, always the backstage VIP view

for my mom for being another year older and progressively less sane

for the Phillies!!! and my Dad for always getting us cool stuff like the last game of the season when we take it from the Mets

October

not for the Phillies anymore

for brownies and LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire

for the fastest bus back to Queens ever

for Bruce being the boss and Bobby getting us tickets (despite a terrible fight I recall over something stupid like school)

for Sean for being my partner in Philly - dealing with that crazy girl and my trivia teammate but most of all, my favorite dance partner and stage stormer and drink stealer 

again, The Hold Steady

for Halloween and my orange house - jumping out from behind bushes, costumes and wine

November

to Caity and Nick for twisting my arm and making me spend the night in Joey's basement, to brown otters, upper-lip-a-saurous, hungry turkeys and all the other wild animals found in SLH

to trips home in the sliding rain

to Terre for laughing till you pee your pants (or puking till you pee your pants), dancing at the Stone Pony, beers at the Brickwall and revelations in the dungeon

to Steveo for back seat advice

to Nicolas and Isabella and Max for bringing children back to my life

to Shelia for turning 30 and yet again, The Hold Steady

to Bobby for being extravegent

to Montreal - a winter wonderland

December

to finals, for signifying an end

to the ladies of the wreck for pajama parties

to Caity, Nick, and Greg - more exploring, this time with the festivities of Christmas

to my family and friends because you save me  

he said Under the Blacklight is too poppy
and Dylan is cliche
he stood on the corner of Cookman in Asbury shouting profanities at Springsteen
i knew the conversation ended when The Hold Steady was just ok

we ate mushrooms a few hours ago
and i was still waiting for the golden age
to tell you how i'll save the suffering
with a simple twist of fate