2ndclepunkbuddha

Hard to believe, but a third friend has died this year.  It's been rough having to see those who we love die around you, but this was truly unexpected.  Just last Saturday night, I was in Munroe's presence at the first Halloween party of the season and he was perfectly fine.  Bedecked in hip hop clothes, a sideways baseball cap and plastic, fake gold jewelry, he looked hilariously age inappropriate as a man in his early sixties.  We talked about nothing, or we talked about everything, or just how good the cupcakes tasted and he showed me he had brought a jug of vodka as it was a BYOB party.  And then, only two days later, he died of a heart attack (although not confirmed as the autopsy is not back yet as of this writing). Munroe was part of the Tremont scene, a staple at the main bar, Edison's (a.k.a. The Office).  He was an artist with a definite sing song quality about his voice, and he managed to be artistic without being pretentious about it.  He...

The next day, we awakened to trek out to a local movie theater that was rented so we could view the most recently released live concert footage DVD, "A Diamond in the Mind", on the big screen.  This was kind of the Comic Con moment since those who were hosting the event as well as those who had just finished some creative projects (related and unrelated to DD) were presenting a showcase for their work.  While sitting there listening to their presentations, I could not help but think of something in the recent past.  I managed at some point during this busy weekend to approach our cohosts, R and A, and told them that I too had hosted a fan party in my hometown in 05 for my a-ha group, and I knew the time and effort and tremendous stress involved in events planning and I commended them for their undertaking.  But I also backed off as well, because there are times that you as the host are so frazzled by all the craziness and organizational skills called to arms that the...

Social media has truly changed our lives.  Weeks ago, I had friended someone on Facebook who I knew was also a DD fan and who would be coming to the Chicago weekend.  We began chatting on the Instant Messenger and, long story short, we decided to become roommates for the weekend.  Some said when I explained it to others that I was crazy to room with a bunch of people I don't know, but I said it's kind of like college, boarding schools, summer camp or even starting a new job : you are suddenly thrown in with a bunch of people you don't know and you have no choice but to be friendly.  If they turn out to be psychos, you'll find someplace else to live.  It is a hotel, after all.  Just a few days before we left, C mentioned to me that there was someone else that she had met on Twitter who said that they were also from the Cleveland area who would be traveling on the same bus as me!  I searched for Twitter handles that might be who I was or wasn't looking f...

I am fully aware of the fact that people find me a bit odd, they always have from the time I was a child.  It doesn't bother me that much, it's just a fact that I was born that way and this fact is not going to change anytime soon.  True, I would like to think that I have changed and matured over time, as we all do.  We outgrow some things and we create new ones.  During that changing period from childhood to young adulthood (now referred to as the Tween years, approximately age 9 through 13-15 depending on maturity levels), while hormones were raging, causing us to go through physical and mental changes nearly psychotic in nature, there is a tendency to lean towards obsessive behaviors.  At some point, a thoughtful and innovative person or persons in publishing, marketing and entertainment industries decided to apply products, create an industry, and make a profit out of it.  Hence, the teen idol. Having written on this topic before, ...