Advent - Overcome

if any of you (mom and dad) like hardcore music then advent's new demo, overcome, is the "new hot jamz" .  this makes me miss north carolina hardcore.  love these dudes.  check them out:

ADVENT

its the first track on the player....and here are the lyrics:

OVERCOME

The foolishness of the cross?
Salvation for the lost?
Are we decieving ourselves for our cause?
I still believe in a GOD i can't see.
What foolish things do i cling to?
I stand accused, i'm a fool this cross i cling to (x2)
Will not be removed.
I cling to YOU
I am rooted in the truth.
In the truth
You, ancient of days.
I steep my heart in your almighty ways.
Spit in the face of the
Saviour
Spit in the face of the
Save Your
Spit in the face of the
Saviour
Spit in the face of the
Save Your Breath
Save you mockery
Saviour. Saviour
Save me. Save me from myself.
Overcome
I am not ashamed. To live is Christ, to die is surely gain.
Overcome
this worthless sense of grief
Stare death in the face. I am not afraid
Overcome
We will stare death in the face(x2)
OVERCOME

Next Dream (of what i can remember)

for those who dont know, im straight edge meaning i abstain from alcohol, drugs, and promiscuous sex.  but for some reason, i took on another personality.  only after i woke up, i realized what (or more specifically, who) i became. 

i dont remember exactly what happened in my dream, i only remember bits and pieces.  

I got really drunk (probably off of caleb's favorite wine coolers) and for hours upon hours, i screamed for my kilt!  i dont own a kilt in real like (although that might be a valuable investment soon)  then, still in my dream, i start to sober up and i get really pissed off that i got drunk because i dont do that bologna!  

then i wake up.  and realize that i became my scottish friend iain macpherson in my dream.  when i approached him that day and told him that i got drunk and was screaming for my kilt for hours in my dream, told him that became him....he responded with, "yep, sounds about right"

Dream

ive never posted a dream before but i must attempt to post the dream i had last night because in the middle of the dream i vaguely remember telling myself that i would post this on my blog.  (and when i say 'this' i mean a specific part in the dream) BUT i will just go through all the stuff i can remember.  (this dream, by the way, was the time between 8:38am and 9am when i woke up and then we back to sleep)

ok here we go:

It was a beautiful day out at regent college.  however, regent college looked a bit different.  it kinda reminded me of an old fashioned southern hotel that still had a huge atrium/cafeteria type area for group gatherings.  as i said before, it was a beautiful day.  but it wasnt a beautiful vancouver day but rather a beautiful southern day.  it wasnt north carolina though....but some sort of louisiana landscape.  this is a creepily good picture of what im trying to portray.  gorgeous blue sky with gnarly mossy branches that have more bends than _______ (fill in metaphor)

"oh so we are in louisiana" says the 'hey i like to form conclusions far to fast' reader.  

regardless of the schools original location or even the present landscape offered...we are currently in israel.  dont know why, but we are.

that morning, the atrium is full of students and everyone seems loud and lively as they fill the air with stories of wanton mirth.  im there hanging out with all the usual suspects at regent college but i kinda look a little different than everyone else... apparently i just woke up because with my messed up bed head, i was taking it easy in my tighty whiteys.  two things to note:

1) hanging around in your underwear is not a universal standard for this dream, so i am the only one doing it.  but apparently its normal behavior on my part.

2) i DO NOT where tighty whiteys in real life.

as im eating, brandon curling looks to me and asks, "david and i are going to try out, are you coming?"

i respond with, "whoa, wait, you and david sutton came to visit!?"

i met brandon curling was the first friend i had in middle school that came over to spend the night.  and i met david in high school.  i went to the same school for middle and high school so we all hung out HARD.

this immediately jumps us to me giving them a tour of my 2 story room/apartment which i may or may not have been sharing with another student.  oh, all the students lived on campus.  i show them my bedroom which seemed very long with a short ceiling.  the wall was painted like my old wall back in raleigh but this time...it was a lot shittier.  but they still loved it.  (there sees to be a crowd here but i can only remember showing david and brandon)

well thats done with because now we are all dressed and walking to the gym for try-outs.  im not exactly sure what for though.

the gym is packed and i immediately lose david and brandon.  but good news, i see wes richardson.  i met wes richardson in a parking lot.  (i feel i should explain the great and not creepy story behind this...but im letting the readers imagination take over this one)  he starts running off to get to the try outs that he so eagerly wanted to make.  he runs into a straight line so he ends up running through a group of guys who i remember from my elementary school (why are they there?).  ill note the way he was running because only in retrospect does the running seem "abnormal".  his arms were lifted above his head and hands reaching the sky.  his bent-at-the-knees legs seemed to only rotate around his hip.  holy crap google images are UNBELIEVABLE: here is wes running.

basketballs.  we are trying out for basketball....or at least wes is (and i followed him).  the potential team was sitting in a semi circle around the coach.  as we approach, the coach delivers a mean chest pass to an unsuspecting player.  needless to say, the ball hits the kid in the face and he is unable to catch it.  instead of an apology, the coach quickly yells, "NAME?! what is your NAME!?"

"uh uh uh name that i cant remember", says the player

coach: "well, name that i cant remember, YOURE CUT!! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

the poor kid gathers his stuff and runs off faster than we can sit down.  right when i sit down, the coach says: "whos next?"

well, this next part is unusual to the graham b style but evidently i am a badass in my dreams because without a beat i yell back: "DONT YOU SAY MY FUCKING NAME!!!!" as i point FURIOUSLY at the coach. 

the coach and i have an awkward stare down but he breaks the silence by asking if i was going to be able to run with that helmet.  

helmet?

i look to my right and i quickly realize i was holding a race car helmet and i had a full leather body suit.  i then figured that i was meant to try out for the regent race team with david and brandon.  BUT THAT JUST DOESNT MATTER ANYMORE because i now have this asshole coach that i have what it takes! (to play basketball in a full race suit)

i respond to the helmet question with, "I FALL DOWN A LOT!"

in my dream, that was so badass that the rest of the team OOOed ad AHHHed but thinking about it now......maaaaaaybe not the best "come back"

but the coach was impressed and let me stay.  the man beside me (i say 'man' because he was in is forties) asks me how i did that and then i go on a rant about "power struggle" and upper hand" and "confident intimidation" that probably made no sense what so ever.

the coach yells out for wes and i to participate in a little one on one foot race.  

length:  two basketball courts wide and back.  (trick is: there were games being played on these courts)

prize: undetermined but probably something totally sweet (both in taste and street cred)

READYSETGO!

now usually in a dream, the persons abilities are amped up to "dream-like" status that are usually superhuman.  however, not in my fat filled dreams because this foot race was by far the most pathetic show of running.  im even hesitant to call it 'running'.  it was more like continuously falling forward and at the last second, catching yourself from falling by putting your foot forward.

my shoes seemed like they were covered in baby powder because the amount of slipping and running in place was absurd.  but luckily for me...this WAS a universal standard because wes was doing just as poorly.  in the middle of this shit show, i look to my left and see rick, the regent college maintenance man, racing us on the other side of the court AND HE IS KICKING OUR ASSES!  his stride is flawless (not for a human but for some freak running robot)

but theres a chance for second!  and i am determined to beat wes.  THAT SON OF A BITCH!  as i get a second wind at the end, i make a move to pass him with "lightening" speed.  courteous wes had the time to say, "wow, that was a good move" while i was passing him.  

my leather suit is full of sweat and right before i cross the finish line, i wake up.

i know its unofficial but i feel that i was victorious.  SO to celebrate, i get out of bed...get on facebook and write, "YOU LOST SUCKER!" on his wes' wall.

New Idea?

well its not really a special new idea in a sense that it will altar history or turn tradition upside down....like me going on some sort of diet or something (eating vegetables etc) but rather i need to stop being such a slack ass when it comes to updating this internet private journal thingy that no one but me reads.  i share a lot of stuff with myself.

and yes mother, i DO eat vegetables so please dont send me ANOTHER email about your fear of me getting diabetes.  which i have been thinking about recently... 

mother, YOU (and you alone) are scared that i will get diabetes due to my "irresponsible" eating habits and yet YOU of all people would be held responsible and heres why:

well theres pretty much only one answer to that and that is:

THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!

yes, thats right, i see your secret plan and it all came to me when i was reading this!

ohhhhhhh im on to you "MOM", if thats even your real name!  you play they whole "oh i hope my son doesnt get diabetes because he eats like shit all day blah blah blah", all the while you are cramming chocolate peanut butter balls down my throat.  i DID think it was weird at dinner when the dinner rolls were being passed out, you gave ME the sugar coated fat rolls. 

well, im in canada now so even if i did get YOUR disease (im saying 'your' not that you have this disease but that it was your plan on giving me this plan......maybe even a substitute for coal in my stocking for christmas), canada would just give me as much insulin as i wanted WITH A SMILE!  and of course, i would smile back OH WAIT DAMMIT!!! i have just been rambling on without explaining my new idea!

ok, here it goes...shorter posts so that i can quickly fill peoples in on adventures and stories rather than carving out ample time for regular posts.  so since this post as been going on aimlessly, how about i call it a day for this one. BOOM!

North Carolina

it has been forever since i last wrote in my private journal so hopefully this wont be too long of a post.  it will be about my adventures in north carolina.  ok, here we go.

North Carolina: home of airplanes, cigarettes, confederate flags, deep fried foods, and deep fried confederate flags.  well, not so much the last one but in my honest opinion, deep frying flags is way better (and more delicious) than flying one (or having one on your belt buckle).  

but in all seriousness, north carolina rules.  HARD.  it has the MOST FURIOUS(sexy) state motto:  ESSE QUAM VIDERI which means "to be, rather than to seem".  yeah...pretty bad ass, i know. shut up.

there are good friends, good family, great food.  note that i said great for food ONLY good for family and friends.  my mom's fear of me getting diabetes is probably valid.  i drank so much sweet tea over the holidays that i will definitely be getting some professional kidney stones soon.  regent college will be filled with the screams of a man who has no regrets toward his personal eating habits.

i will miss:

bojangles cajun chicken filet biscuit combo with fries and bo'berry biscuits 

boberry biscuits are blueberry biscuits with icing on them..making them a delicacy.

"why not call them blueberry biscuits?" said the naive costumer....well instead of blueberries, mr. bojangles has decided to use balls of purple "blueberry flavored" sugar balls instead.  its science.  

HEAVEN!!!!1111onewon

little richards bbq is another great establishment that will more than likely go out of business due to my lack of attendance.  i will miss their famous chopped bbq pork sandwich and side of hush puppies.  hushpuppies are pretty much deep fried corn bread thingies that are delicious.

ok, the pictures thus far that ive linked make those food items look unappetizing but I ASSURE YOU!!! they are absolutely wonderful.  i mean, make sure to bring your first date to either of those fine family restaurants if you want to "kiss on the mouth" if you know what i mean wink wink.  

well, just kiss on the mouth, theres really nothing more to that statement.

the best part about the christmas holiday is the delicious home cooking that only presents itself in the month of december.  my mother slaved for hours in the kitchen only to later tell her beloved son, "you cant keep stuffing yourself anymore!"

heartbroken at first but my somber feelings were later subsided by the comfort of more chocolate covered peanut butter balls melting in my mouth.  on one (of many) occasions where i had peanut butter balls in one hand and a slice of grandmother's brown stone cake in the other, my father (with a look of both concern and confusion on his face) said, "graham, you are the eatingest dude ive ever met!"

eatingest.

life goal number 6 complete!  be responsible for the creation of a new word to describe the gluttonous behavior of a single white male.  yes, ladies and gentlemen, i did it.  and i did it with a maximum amount of chocolate running through my veins and a cavity filled smile on my face.  oh, and a fat ass.  i did it with a fat ass....we cant forget that vital part, now can we?

there were two main cities that i visited when i was in north carolina:  winston-salem and raleigh.

WINSTON-SALEM

home of krispy kreme doughnuts, texas pete, camel cigarettes, and the birth place of graham flanagan bennett junior.

my stay in winston was warm, tasty, productive, relaxing, reminiscent, exciting, and most of all tasty1.  visiting with family, friends from high school, and of course the CSC  (carolina slice crew).  this isnt a complete picture but its a pretty close attempt at a full attendance of the boys only club who love music, each other, soccer tennis, and mrs. richardson's sweet pink elixir.  

there were a couple highlights in winston-salem:

1)  SOC (sacred oath crew) FEST.  the SOC is a straight edge crew who holds a music fest each year to raise money and food for the homeless in the community.  it also gave me a chance to see most of my "music scene" friends.  i put quotes around the music scene because i want to make it clear that we do other stuff than just listen to music together.  such activities include:  this.  that.  yep.  come on.  YES!

it was awesome to hang with everyone i hadnt seen in forever.  hard tunes, hard dancing, hard basketball playing (the show was in a gym).  advent played some great covers which was a nice surprise.  torch runner was great.  

2) i finished my triumph bonneville cafe racer!  this was so awesome.  i had been building this motorcycle for about 2 years or more.  it arrived at my door in boxed and with the help of blood, sweat, tears, and john french...it was complete.  and by complete, i mean it was running...old british bikes will never be "complete".  to hear the brit twin roar with no mufflers was so amazing.  the cold winter wind hitting my eyes as i pull the throttle back was the best christmas gift anyone could ever get.  i worked on this bike for so long and touched ever single nut and bolt but could have never imagined the day to riding it.  and then a couple days later I LEFT FOR CANADA leaving my beauty behind.  dammit.

before:

after:

3) visiting my old high school because my sister now works there.  she is the middle school counselor and teaches music appreciation to high school kids that think brittany spears and soulja boy are "musically talented"...they have a lot to learn...from my sister...who is teaching them.  i dont go to this school anymore so this allows me to do two things:

a) visit with old teachers as friends (which is good because they are good people and i like good things with good people that are good and do good things with other good people.  good.)

b) mess with the students.  i focused on two areas:  "boy advice" to middle school girls.  and yelling at boys that said hey to my sister.

lil timmy:  "hey mrs. metzler"

me: "DONT YOU TALK TO MY SISTER, ILL KIL YOU!!!!!11111onewon"

and yes. i yelled out the "11111onewon" part.  lil timmy was scared and confused.  mission accomplished.  mission? more like life goal number 13.  successfully scaring and confusing a 12 year old single white male.

i decided that i probably would be the best teacher in the world because i would more than likely cuss at the kids.  i dont know, call me "dark", "ugly", or any other word that my mother would use to describe anything unpleasing, but cussing at kids is hilarious to me.  

it was funny how much i said, "geez....kids these days..." while visiting the school that i spent more than half my time in the principles office.  i remember in middle school having my name tag on one of the chairs in the principles office.  good (unsafe) times.  but seriously, kids these days...

4) miguel angel saavedra.  enough said.

5) giving the best christmas gift EVER!  oh, just a little pencil portrait of my sister and brother in law.  its 12"x18" of pure golden glory that will safe the world.  

behold!

my dad looked at it silently for a while and then after 10 minutes of studying the picture (or wondering why his son is "not right") he utters, "but why is martha an astronaut?" as if sam being a centaur totally makes sense.

yeah, whatever, im over it.

the standard procedure in winston-salem is to watch movies.  i saw some great ones and some ok ones.  the curious case of benjamin button and seven pounds were AMAZING (shut up garrett, you dont know what you are talking about)

yes man and valkyrie were good too.  i saw yes man with my dad on afternoon (matinee prices!)  and in the large theater...it was just me, my dad, and a single old man.  in retrospect, we should have sat beside the old man and acted as if the theater was completely full...complaining about the cell phone going of 3 rows behind us.  

i wanted to see marly and me because apparently everyone i know that has seen it....cries....like a little baby.  SO, i wanted to see what the big deal was.  i WAS going to go see it but SOMEONE totally blew it and didnt want to go because it was too late and SOMEONE had to wake up early.  ill let it slide.....just this once!

RALEIGH

Bro-Zone Lair....raleigh's only accomplishment.  who to thank for this?  oh, me, karibbean, and cobra.  the "daddies" of the infamous and irresistible BZL.  ladies.....karibbean has mono so try to contain yourselves.  he denies that he received the kissing disease via mouth contact but im just going to assume that he got it while "practicing" on a blind guy in fuquay-varina in exchange for personalized stationary.  

raleigh was great because i got to spend about 4 days there. and let me tell you....those 4 days were FUN FILLED PACKED FUN WITH AWESOME JUICE 2K9.

highlights that make the "normal" person jealous:

1) new years eve party - dancing, prancing, lancing

2) gluttonfest - burgers and ice cream, feel like death, look like hell

3) video game friday - nazi zombies

4) first friday - dave eichenberger is an amazing artist

5) saturday morning bojangles - the usual

6) vintage21

7) post vintage21 brunch. - breakfast burrito at humble pie is the dank bank.

BOOM! 

it was incredible and seeing everyone in raleigh was quite delicious.  i love raleigh and i love the people that live there.  they fill my body with magical feelings and caress my soul with fingers like an angel.  a particularly heavyset angel who has "done bad" and got into the cookie dough....and now is licking all the cookie dough off his fingers with superb grace and surprising dexterity.  a classy sight for anyone wanting to learn how to stick both hands in one's mouth and chew viciously yet leaving the fingers unharmed.  im the cookie dough to the people of raleigh.  or better yet, ill be the angel and raleigh be the cookie dough....thats probably a more logical metaphor.  WELCOME TO LOGIC!

p.s. "special" thanks to jeffron the immortal for allowing me to sleep over and "party" late night.

some good pictures came out of raleigh that weekend:

there were no pictures of all the other amazing people such as jeffron the immortal, thien, spago, don don, dakota, ashleigh, etc so BLAME DARIUS!

this will do:

I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA AND MISS IT DEARLY!

__________________________________________

1 yes, i put tasty in there twice because: a) it deserves it and b) i may have tasted everything twice. shut up, IT WAS THE HOLIDAYS! i can let myself "get loose" with various food items