Super slackin’

So yeah I haven’t updated in forever, but not many people read my nonsense so it probably went unnoticed. Since it’s been so long this update in my life will be really long. To let everyone know about the last post, Anathallo were awesome. So recently I’ve had the pleasure of building a friendship with an amazing artist and person over the past month or two, and his name is Jared Paul. Everyone meet Jared: See, I chose this picture because it has everything to do with how I started conversing with him. During the Republican National Convention in 2008 Jared had traveled to St. Paul Minnesota to cover the happenings from a veteran protest organizers point of view. I could explain the whole story but it’s laid out a lot better at, ConspiracyToRiot.com the short version of it was that Jared along with hundreds of others were unlawfully arrested and detained for most, if not all of the convention. My distaste for any abuse of power, especially from a group that has been holding ritual gang rapes on our personal freedoms, led me to write a creative assignment for my English composition class about it. I had heard of Jared’s struggles through Sage Francis’ record label, www.strangefamousrecords.com, and decided that what better source to cite than the first hand experience from one of the arrested. After conducting the interview he asked me if I was interested in trying to get his and Bernard Dolan’s(www.myspace.com/bernarddolan) “Direct Democracy Tour” at LSU. Needless to say I was more than happy to try to make this happen. Little did I know that LSU isn’t in the business of making things happen, most of my e-mails received no reply and if I did get a reply they directed me to other people. Heck, even the leader of Student Democrats completely ignored my e-mail. Luckily Jared knew some awesome people down here, shout out to Anna and Zero, who secured the Ephemeral Gallery(EphemeralGallery). It’s a metal workshop attached to a brick building that burnt down back in the day, so the old building forms a courtyard from the brick walls that are left. The event came together well, especially for Bernard and Jared’s first time in Baton Rouge. It was a real good vibe with some really talented poets. My favorite moments of the night were Jared’s “Rib Cages, Canaries, and Coal Mines”, his version of “Sea Lion” and Bernard’s “Still Electric” and “The Skycycle Blues.” They both really humbled me and inspired me to start writing again, and have made me want to do things with my life, well more things. I’ve already been doing some shit with my life. Here’s some videos of two of my favorite performances by both Jared and Bernard: Here’s Jared’s myspace and his band Prayers For Atheists myspace, www.myspace.com/jaredpaul www.myspace.com/prayersforatheists

While you guys are getting all this cool new shit to look into check out knowmore.org. This is Bernard’s non-profit website used to raise our awareness of corporate abuse and greed. Now we can talk about some of the stuff that they’ve inspired me to do other than to just start writing again. I’ve finally decided to no longer eat red meat. I’ve known about the health risks for a little bit now, and all the discussion of how we waste an insane amount of grain and water just to produce a few pounds of usable beef. Well Bernard and Jared’s words(especially Jared’s) finally got me to commit to ending my consumption of red meat. Yay for being healthy and effecting the world in a positive manner. I also plan on raising more awareness about the environment to more people. Also I’ve always wanted to adopt children, and Jared just reaffirmed my desire to do so even more. I’ll tell you about more of my awesome plans in a later blog.

Random picture time:

This picture is from freshman year when we decided to chalk the wall. We made sure no brick of the same color touched, except for the middle design.

What else is going on in my life? Uh, school, but it’s been going really well. I might be able to pull off 4 A’s and 1 B, so that’s good news. That’s the best thing about not having any math, I can focus on things I actually enjoy. I’m really really glad I decided to switch my major to Sociology with a minor in Psych. I can still eventually get my grad degree in Social Work, which is the only reason why I’m getting a degree in the first place.

Celeste and I are doing well, we’re going to Austin from the 8th to the 11th for Spring Break/My Birthday. Yeah, I turn 20 on the 11th, not a teen anymore. Oh snap, I had to stop my mustache growth due to some job interviews.

Oh, I am currently listening to my brother’s new songs. You’ll hear more about him later. Tryumf

I’ve been slacking.

Yeah I haven’t posted anything lately, sorry. I’ve been focusing on school because I’ve had midterms for the past 2 weeks. Midterm grades came in and I’ve got 2 A’s and 3 B’s, good thing I don’t have a math this semester.

Tonight Celeste and I are going to see Anathallo.

This’ll be my third time seeing them, both of the other times they were opening for Brand New so I’m excited to see them headline. It’s also right down the street at The Spanish Moon, so yay for it being close.

So you wanna know one of the most annoying things in the world? The sound of somebody blowing their nose. I don’t know why it bothers me so much but the noise just awful. It’s about time for me to look for a job unless some one wants to pay for my existence and donate to The Ryan Johnson Fund(haha, seriously, do it.).

Currently listening to: Neutral Milk Hotel- “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”

That was a long movie…

So yeah, I went to see The Watchmen on Thursday at midnight, and I got to see people dressed up at a movie for the first time too. Anyways, the movie was pretty awesome even though it was really long and Celeste felt like she was going to have a heart attack(I was willing to leave, she wouldn’t have any of that). Rorschach is clearly the best of all The Watchmen characters.
I’m really excited for the new Wolverine movie, especially because they finally brought Gambit into an X-Men movie. I’ve been waiting for this to happen since the first movie, he’s always been my favorite.

Other than seeing The Watchmen my weekend has been uneventful. I started working on a script for a skit for French class, I had to film one last year too. Here it is haha:

I’ve been sucked into Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family, I can’t wait for the movie to come out since they friggen pushed it back. They also eliminated the final battle and Dumbledore’s funeral from the movie, dumb dumb dumb.

Jared Paul and Bernard Dolan are coming through Baton Rouge to the Ephemoral Gallery on March 23rd, if any of you Baton Rouge folk are reading this, be there, or don’t be my friend.

Throwback Picture:

Shit this picture is from around 16 years ago.

Currently listening to: Minus The Bear- “Guns and Ammo”

Here’s to ending the week well…

So this week has been fairly terrible. I’ve had an annotated Bibliography, two essays, a French video skit to write, a French essay, and masses of French homework to do all by tomorrow, but luckily to the help of my lady friend I have overcome and the end is near.

I’m going to see The Watchmen at midnight tomorrow, I’ve never been to a midnight showing in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge movie fan. I probably see at least 3 a month, if not way more than that. I’ve just never really had the motivation to go see a movie at midnight. So I’m pretty excited for this, and from what I read of the graphic novel it was awesome. I’ll tell you how it goes on Friday probably, I won’t be home from the movie till after 3 A.M.

So, as some of you may know, I’m not strictly a rock fan. I enjoy a lot of rap, especially underground rap, and one of these under ground artists is Louis Logic. Well he’s back on the scene with a new project called Spork Kills. If you’ve never heard surf rap, which you probably haven’t because they invented it, then you need to give this a listen. It’s like your ear drums are on ecstasy and they’re rubbing against silk blankets, or at least that’s what I’d imagine it to be like. Here’s a little taste of it:

Alright it’s about time for me to sleep, here’s another throw back photo:

(The Mangs, Freshman year of highschool)

I’ll explain who The Mangs are later.

Currently listening to: P.O.S.- “Drumroll”

Ryan

I’m gonna gets a mustache.

I like to collect vinyl, so I’m gonna show you part of my collection. Name any records you recognize, also does anyone know where I can get a needle for a record player cheap?

The Harry Potter movies are letting me down again, they’re eliminating the final battle and Dumbledore’s funeral from the Half Blood Prince Movie. I mean with the movies trying to become more and more dark, what better way to end the movie other than one of the most important character’s funeral, as well as one of the most emotion provoking parts of the story?

Next thought, March is Mustaches VS. Cancer Month, so I’m going to be growing a mustache. If you’d like to sponsor my growing a mustache you can donate here http://www.mustachesvscancer.org It’s a good cause, and any little bit helps. I will try to update with pictures on here, I’m sorry I can’t grow a very good mustace, but I’ll do my best. If I concentrate on it hard enough it might grow fast and full!

Haha, here’s a throwback picture(2 years ago):

Listening to: Kevin Devine- “Write Your Story Now”
Currently Reading: Catch 22

I took the above picture on my girlfriends computer, I don’t have a mac.

Today I am sick. Boo to that.  I’m lucky though, my girlfriend is taking care of me, yay to that!  I made it through most of my classes, I only missed one out of five because it’s a night class from 6 to 9, it’s also a joke.  I’m pretty much guaranteed an A, shit participation alone is 25% of the grade.  

I have the sudden urge to watch James and the Giant Peach.

I haven’t seen this movie for a long time, people over look it a lot, even I’m guilty of this.

I’ve decide I’m gonna recommend music to you guys in every blog.
Iron & Wine – “Naked As We Came”

That’s all for now, I promise a better blog when I’m feeling better.

Ryan

First post, yo.

Well I decided to start a blog.
I’m Ryan, I’m 19(20 on April 11th, send me gifts!) I currently reside in Baton Rouge, LA while attending LSU.
My hometown is Fairhaven, MA but I don’t plan on living there once I graduate.

I don’t really have any specific topic I’m gonna write about on here, but I’m guessing a lot of it will be about music. So I mine as well list some music I really enjoy, here it is:

Brand New, Vic Chesnutt, Minus the Bear, Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, Anathallo, Ra Ra Riot, Sage Francis, Atmosphere, P.O.S., Frank Sinatra, Colour Revolt, Kevin Devine. I have a lot more I could list but that would take too long so you’ll have to read this to hear about more of them.

Another thing I’m sure that’ll be a recurring theme will be the exploits of my girlfriend Celeste and I. So here’s a picture of us from back around October:

Now a little random rant, it’s Mardi Gras time down here in the dirrrty. It was weird, I went outside of my apartment tonight and it was so peaceful. I live on one of the busiest streets in Baton Rouge and there weren’t any cars out because everyone is in New Orleans. I think Mardi Gras is grossly overrated, my blog picture is of me taking a nap during Mardi Gras last year, my first Mardi Gras and it wasn’t even exciting enough to keep me awake.

Well that’s all for now, I’ll make the next post more exciting.