yewknee.com

4x4

Only because Ronnie tapped me to do this am I participating in the upcoming insight into me. Yewknee.com really isn't so much about me but just about crap I'm seeing on the web. So, if you're not into reading about some fairly pointless anecdotes about my life please skip this entry. Regardless. Here goes:

4 Jobs You've Had

Grocery Bagger - I, like many teens, applied to be a grocery bagger at the tender age of 16. It obviously looked easy and I wanted some income. Upon receiving the job I went in for "training" and was informed that if I was sixteen years of age or older I had to work for 4 hours a shift. My mother had informed me that I could not work for more than 3 hours a shift. So ended my time as a bagger. I never touched a single grocery but I did receive a check for $4.25 to pay for my training time.

Telco - After my grocery bagging dreams were squashed I got a job at a 'Telecommunications Solutions' plant where I was drawn in by the wage of $6.15 an hour (high for the time) and the promise that I would be working with payphones. Being a wannabe amateur 'phreak' I couldn't pass it up. I ended up taking apart handsets for awhile but eventually "graduated" to such tasks as cutting various lengths of wire and building parts for air conditioners. It was not a "fun" job per se but I did not hate it.

Movie Theatre Manager - after working in the vaguely sweatshop-ish environment of Telco I moved on to something a bit more appropriate for my age and worked at a second-run movie theatre. Tickets were $1.75 and all the movies were long past their due date of having left the main complexes. I moved from concessions to projectionist to assistant manager in my time working there and it was probably the greatest job any teen could possibly hope for. Tons of my friends worked there and once I got keys to the place it took things to an even better level. We had cookouts on the roofs, threw a few parties after hours and watched a crapload of movies. Most of my fondest stories come from this time.

Webmaster at Spongebath Records - I don't recall the specifics of how this went down but once I moved to Murfreesboro to go to college I ended up writing an email to the webmaster at Spongebath Records to inform him of an improper link or maybe some "design insight" that I felt I had the right to share. Regardless, that webmaster ended up being the guitarist from Fluid Ounces (Brian Rogers) and somehow had me come in to meet with the label owner (Rick Williams) about fleshing out the site and improving the web presence in general. I worked there for a number of years doing my best to make halfway decent recommendations for internet marketing of the bands and maintaining the site. I actually think I did a pretty good job - though I admittedly "borrowed" a bit too much inspiration from the A&M Records site of the time. For the most part this was a job opportunity that helped establish where I am today and I am extremely grateful for it.

4 TV Shows I’m Watching

LOST - duh. I think everyone I know watches this. I stopped trying to "figure out" what was happening and am just enjoying the ride.

Breaking Bad - I really really really can't recommend this show enough. It's about a down-and-out high school chemistry teacher that finds out he has 6 months to live so he turns to making meth to scrounge up some extra cash for his family before he departs from this world. Sounds absolutely absurd but it's an incredibly well written / acted dark dramedy. And it's only 7 episodes, so it can't hurt to get invested, right?

Black Books - I actually just finished this series last night. "The show is based around the lives and often surreal antics of its foul-mouthed, eccentric, misanthropic, alcoholic Irish owner Bernard Black, his assistant Manny, and their friend Fran." It's a superbly solid piece of comedy from start to finish.

The Mighty Boosh - yes I'm still watching it over and over again. Yes, I still love it. It's bizarre but there is something about the production values (lo-fi but not too lo-fi) that keep me coming back. Oh, and the undeniable characters, writing and interactions between Vince and Howard. I can't thank Mason Bernard enough for introducing me to all I know of British TV.

4 Places I’ve Been

I wrote up a bunch of crap about some places I've been but since I've yet to go outside the US it seems really boring because all of the best trips I've taken have been made great by the people that were accompanying me along the way. I mean, most cities are basically the same anyway, right? Here's the short version.

Chicago, IL - Winter 05 - group trip with tons of my Tenessee pals.
Austin, TX - SXSW - every year I go, every year it is better than the last. Basically everyone I know that resides in Austin is the best.
Vegas, 2006 - Ronnie, his wife Claire, a bunch of Scots, the Hales, the Harkeys. Amazing.
New York - CMJ - I don't even remember what year this was but I do remember it being grand.

Other notable metropolitan areas I have visited: DC, Norfolk, Charlotte, Raleigh, San Francisco (so good it's like a second home), Atlanta, Memphis, Phoenix, LA, Seattle and a bunch more.

4 Music Artists I’m Listening To Right Now

Blockhead - Uncle Tony's Coloring Book
Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Hah
Hotpipes - Future Bolt
Various Artists - Hibernation Realization Mix (may be a cop-out but I had to listen to it alot to get the tracklisting together).

I officially tap Paige and Mixel to take on the task of answering these questions.. though it is quite the time commitment so I understand if they pass.