It Was a Dark and Rainy Night...

I just got home to Ohio over an hour ago which consisted of driving for five hours in non-stop rain. There were moments where I sorta feared for my life because the rain was falling so hard. I'm not the best driver to begin with, so having to drive in the darkness and rain was hellacious. I really hate it when trucks and vans spray water all over you. I'm pissed at Mother Nature. It seems like she has some sort of sixth sense when a holiday approaches to give the worst weather conditions. It's like, "Hey, it's Thanksgiving, how about some flooding?" At least it wasn't snow which was predicted earlier.

Anyway, I'm home safe and sound. My room is finally finished. It's all fixed up and there's new carpet and furniture. At least I don't have to sleep on the couch anymore. I am wary that another car is gonna plough through, but what are the chances of it happening again? I suppose it's possible. Today was a long day. I worked till 3:30 which sucked. I managed to interview Aimee Mann in there, though. I absolutely love her. I've been such a huge fan for years and I got to chat with her today. She has this sorta laconic voice, and she's very cool and laid back. She's doing a bunch of Christmas shows (including one in Chicago on Dec. 11). She invites all these other musicians and comedians to perform with her. I don't typically like Christmas themed shows, but I guarantee it'll be better than Nutcracker. Hopefully I'll get to go. I've been thinking about the sacrifices you have to make for your art. I read this article yesterday and it was very enlightening. Kevin Barnes from the successful band Of Montreal mentions how when you work a job you dislike, you have to see it as a way for you to take that money and go make more art, that it sorta buys you freedom. Bands get so much slack for selling their songs to commercials, but it's really the only way they can make money and make more records. What does selling out mean anyway? Just because you involve yourself in capitalism doesn't mean you're selling out. If so, we are all selling out because we are all trying to make money to survive. Money can be a good thing. So, I keep thinking working jobs I hate sucks, but if I look at is as they are working for me, not the other way around, it sounds better....that the money I make will inevitably help me to afford to live and thus help me to create. Or, whatever. Sometimes I wonder who indeed is reading my stuff. Does anyone really read my articles? Are people like, "There's that Garin chick, again." I hope so. I know I pay attention to names.

Last night I went to an open bar where they were forcing people to smoke. Since I don't smoke, I was there for the free wine and food, but it was a "tobacco tasting" for people to sample cigarettes and get drunk. There is another one next week. I've been handing out my handy My Open Bar biz cards and I handed out a couple last night. Some douchebag called me tonight and left a message asking if we were looking for writers. Um, first of all, email, don't call, and secondly, no thanks. I should be more discerning who I give them out to. I don't need random douches calling on Thanksgiving Eve. Speaking of which, tomorrow is T-giving. My brother and his family are coming down and I haven't seem them since Easter which is so ridiculous. How time flies. I like T-giving and all, but I don't like turkey so it seems pointless for me to even be present for dinner. I like chicken but for some reason I think turkey is too chewy or something. I'm weird like that. I'm glad I have a few days to chill because it'll go by fast and then back to the grind. I think for once I'm actually looking forward to this holiday season. I think there's gonna be lots of activity to keep me busy. Hopefully drama-free activities but knowing me, what's a holiday season without some drama? I need to fix some things with some people, though. I really need to pull my life together by the end of the year. This sure has been one insane year. It's like you hit 30 and all bets are off. I guess I want to feel more certain about my life and right now I don't. I wish I knew what was going to happen. I wish good things would happen. I feel like I've made some progress this year, but it's still not enough. I always find myself back where I started. I need things to stick, more. Like money. I need to move ahead somehow. Well, I can't think about this right now. I need to go to sleep so I'll be all rested in order to prove to my family I'm not wasting my life and living some pipe dream and also to be on guard when my nephew shows up and tries (and mainly succeeds) to kick my ass all day.