Hey there livejournal... what's going on chum?? Thanks for the securing the memories... not...

Who still uses this?

I'll open with the Merry Christmas, since as hard as it is to believe, it's Christmas again already. Time is just blazing past too fast for me these days. With that in mind, I've been working on a lot of changes. I went back to school this past semester for those who didn't know. I am hopefully leaving my job of over 3 years soon, and finding a new one(if anyone has any ideas, let me know please). I rearranged my room around a lot.

And most importantly, I got an iPhone! So this means a few things. One of them being that I am no longer on Verizon, or "In" as we know it. The main problem with that is text messages, which I am somehow limited to 200 a month. Bummer right? Nope, because you can just as easily contact me by sending anything to my email! That e-mail is (Hipstermafia@yahoo.com). The other thing is the phone gives me super easy access to my Facebook account. So with that and pile on the fact that Myspace just isn't what it used to be, I am deciding to dedicate more to my facebook and work mostly off that. Find on Facebook with:

Name: Michael Paden
Email: Hipstermafia@yahoo.com
Network: Poughkeepsie, NY

One more thing, since I have a new phone I need new contact information for everyone. Please send me the following(can be to my email or message me on facebook):

Full name
Cell
Home(if you're like me and have crummy cell reception at home)
Email Address
Home Address(don't have to give me that, but in case I ever need to get quick directions to your house, i can use that on there)
aim/icq/yahoo/msn names

I shaved most of the beard off.. ran a mile today.. whitened my teeth a little. I'm doing better.. slowly but surely.

And LJ deleted my entry about America?? Why?? Fucking liberal pieces of shit.

New car pictures time!

Counting down my last couple hours as a kid.. getting old sucks.

Okay so let me say that this isn't about vegan/vegetarians in general.. that's a whole 'nother can of worms that I won't bother getting into at the moment. Just certain ones I'm gonna go into now. First, what annoys me, for no good reason I'm sure, is how they need to specify what they eat/cook is vegan.

"I just made some vegan brownies."
"I just had some vegan mac&cheese."
"I just ate some vegan pizza."

*Note: Quotes are not from anyone specific, just some of the more common ones I see/hear.

Now if you want to have that lifestyle, whatever, I'll never understand it but I suppose you do so run with it. But is it really necessary to specify what you're eating? Can't you just say "brownies"? Granted, that shit is not brownies.. apple sauce has no business being in fucking brownies.. but yeah you have an obscure eating style, we get it, just go on living like a human being and stop making a big deal about it. If we know you're vegan than its most likely implied anyway. Someone missing an arm prob isn't going to be playing two-hand-touch football.(bad example? I dunno, all I could think of.)

Just seems to me a lot of vegans(not all) have this idea that they're better than people who eat meat. Get off your high horse, remember, you're the one with a weak immune system! And don't even comment me denying that statement because I know so many vegetarian/vegans who have gotten seriously ill because of their eating habits, regardless of how they do it "right," theres just no proper substitute for what you get in meat. Some of the people I know got so ill that they eventually even said "okay.. enough of this.. im eating meat."

Oh yeah.. my favorite are the ones who say they went the lifestyle because of "Babe." Can you be more generic? The movie sucked, and it had nothing to do with eating meat. If you wanna be that way, great, but at least come up with a better reason than the movie Babe.

Oh yeah.. and fuck peta.. that is all.

First thing that pisses me off:

When people do this:




































































































To try to make their message seem more dramatic. All it is is annoying. Cut it out. There is no need for so many blank lines. Get it out of your profile, get it out of your away message, and type shit like a fucking human being.

Okay so I really have no interest in writing about what I do anymore, noone cares about how someone went to the bank. So, this is more going to turn into a place where I put my rant's. So, if you don't want to hear what I'm gonna have to say, I suggest you de-friend me now, because I'm likely to turn into a really big asshole with this. Just a fair warning. First entry tonight? We'll see.

"Is that Peter fucking Frampton?"

High Fidelity, good movie.

You don't fuck with God.
You don't fuck with America.
And you don't fuck with Mr. Paden's beard.

What a shitty weekend...
Almost got arrested, people almost died.
Bah.. thank god it's over.

Random nonsense entry after not posting for months? Why not..

go ahead!

I had my big realization today of how different I really am from 2 years ago. Maybe this is why I had to be rid of her.. she was the one thing left in my life holding me to my past. It was dragging me somehow, not really her fault, but inadvertintly. I've made so much progress the past couple weeks. So maybe that was what bothered me all along.... well no, there was definitly other things, but, that sure didn't help matters I'm sure.

It's time for the "Fall of 06" Mr. Paden. I normally hate the fall.. stupid leaves falling everywhere, work sucks because it's cold. I feel like I'm a better person but this rediculous weather may just make me equally as bitter. What the hell.. it was like 40 the other day, I was wearing a heavy sweatshirt and was still cold. And today.. 85... 85??? In October?? How I don't get sick from this is beyond me.

I've fallen in love with the Decemberists double-lp. Seriously.. not even to the 2nd record and it's prob the most amazing album I own now. Anyone who doesn't own this..should go get it. And buy a record player if you don't have one. It's well worth it, I am so blown away by this. They have tap dancing in their music!

Speaking of music.. I don't understand something. People these days listen to bands who wear girls clothes, wear makeup, pierce anything on their body they can, yet still claim to be sensative. I listen to folk and other light stuff. Written by normal people with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a pretty voice. Yet.. for some reason.. my music is the music that people call "gay." Seems sort of backwards to me.

Why can't people just appreciate good music anymore? Why does it need to be about how "brutal" of a breakdown a band can have, how clever their nonsense wanna-be-poetry lyrics try to be, how many crazy electronic samples they can fit into 3 minutes(can you say overproduction?). Call me crazy.. guess I'm just a sucker for bands working off a talent for their instrument. Don't get me wrong, I like all that music('cept hardcore.. gross) but to exclude so much good music because it's "gay" is just asinine. Not to mention close-minded, completely going against how "ecclectic" you say your music taste is just because you have "take on me" and "ghetto superstar" on your ipod. (yeah.. I have both of them on mine, so that almost makes me a hypocrite, but theres also thousands of other things as well.)

I feel the need to experience so much more. I think I should move. Maybe to like.. Kansas.. or Canada.. something random.

Kay so.. I think my life is finally falling into place. Without going into too much detail.. I've driven out a lot of undesirables(mostly people.. not everyone I've lost was wanted but.. most definitly were. If you have to question it, you prob were. If not.. talk to me, I just may miss you.), I'm content with work, school is great, I have two amazing music projects, and dare I say theres a girl of my liking that may actually be able to be everything I'd need. I should learn my lesson to not get too happy when things are looking up, but at the same time, to hell with negativity.

On another good note.. I'm on another quit smoking thing. It's been about a week and a half though, and I've done fairly well. I've had maybe 4 in that time. I'm okay with that. If I could smoke 4 ciggerettes a week I'll be just fine. You know.. gotta have those few to match the alcohol in the other hand. But considering I don't even really drink anymore.. that doesn't work as much of an excuse.. oh well. I'm just glad to have cut it down. Last Saturday I just felt really sick.. I don't know if it was the cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon beers that I pounded down during a mean game of 'think while you drink,' the first I've played that game in a long while btw, or from the smoking but... I had to cut them both out. Sorry PBR, sorry Marlboro.

Anyway.. today.. today was a great day. I saw Jeanne for the first time in weeks which was just brilliant. I borrowed Jay's banjo to practice, I brought it with me and practiced during my break to try to get decent. I actually feel I made a lot of progress on it today. I figured out how to play 'Turkey in the Straw' and 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore' on it. But the best thing is, I never knew what a chick magnet the banjo could be! Seriously, I think atleast a dozen girls started talking to me solely because I played a banjo. I can't wait till I get really good on it too.. damn.

Also some fantastic news, Peter Paul and Mary are going to be performing in the area on Nov 3rd and Nov 11th.. I think people need to go with me. This just may be the most important concert I ever go to.

Also today.. Brandi has a phone again!! Yaaaay!

And lastly.. I closed my day out today by making a trip over to Rhino Records in New Paltz.. and I fucking made out amazingly! For 55 dollars, I got the following:
-Meatloaf "Bat out of Hell"
-Creedence Clearwater Revival "Cosmo's Factory"
-Diana Ross "Joins the Temptations & the Supremes"
-Billy Joel "An Innocent Man"
-Billy Joel "Streetlife Serenade"
-Blondie "Parallel Lines"
-The New Christy Minstrels "Tell Tall Tales"
-Manhatten Transfer "The Best of"
-John Denver "Back Home Again"
-Bill Cosby "Revenge'
-Bill Cosby "Why is there Air?"
-Bill Cosby "Wonderfulness"
-Peter Paul and Mary "In the Wind"(my favorite find)
-The Mamas and the Papas "self titled"
-The Mamas and the Papas "The Papas and the Mamas'
-The Shams "Quilt"
-The Decemberists "Picaresqueties" double LP

17 records.. damn. I kicked ass. Even the guy at the register was pretty blown away. The Bill Cosby records may be either the worst buy I ever made, or the greatest find I ever had. I'll have to listen. Actually.. I have a lot of listening to do. So, so long!

"Women can fake orgasms, but men can fake entire relationships." - Sharon Stone

I couldn't think of a better way to start the entry. So heres an update..which there isn't much. Schools going well. I've skipped a couple more days than I would have liked to already but.. I'm still getting used to this. Work is the same as always. I just found out today we have to fire another person.. with good reason but still.. sad to see someone go.

The only big news I have is I went away this weekend. Waaaaay upstate. Up by Syracuse, to Quixotic Fest. I was weary about going to this at first, but I ended up having the time of my life. More people need to come with me to the next one, I really can't exlain the amount of fun I had. We had the perfect camp spot, we were 10 feet from the late night stage. Needless to say, lots of dancing went on.


The main stage.


( +9 )

And.. just to close the entry off. A couple shots from my latest photo assignment.

I finally got my college schedule into some sort of order. I dropped drawing and 2d design because the teacher was a terrible and horrible person. I picked up B&W Photography and Colour Photography. I'm gonna spend a lot of the next few months shooting.. I'm back in the game, thank god. I was afraid I was gonna gain some rust. Not that I havn't already..

I hung out with Jay last night and we had the most amazing time playing with his max backtalk.. a toy from the mid 80s(prob older than I am) that he's had since he was little, and it still works and it's fucking amazing. They made shit to last back in the day.. not like the crap we have these days.


Bless you Milton Bradley.

Now I'm off to figure out what's good for tonight. Hopefully a good weekend lies ahead.

On a final note.. my bands playing in Brooklyn next Friday, and people should go. Contact me for any more info.

I havn't written in awhile, obviously. I had a lot of things to take care of, a lot of experiences to go through, and quite a summer to live. If I had the capacity to remember it, I'd go into every detail that happened, unfortunately, I don't. But here's some stuff to read about.

I went back to working at the auto glass. I hate to say it but the other job I was doing was killing me. It's for the best really. Interesting way I hooked back up with Empire though. I was at a friends house with another friends, both of whom work for Empire, doing our damn thing, when one of them got a call saying someone else who worked for the company's van broke down in Yonkers. So we all went as a trio to get him. When we got back to Newburgh, the boss invited everyone to El Charro, not knowing I was with them. I was expecting heavy arguements...nope. Everything went smooth. Couple days later, I get a call with an offer for my job back. Turns out, this guy Jeff who I worked with was just talking a lot of shit about me, saying how badly I screwed jobs up. The truth being, it was him that broke everything. Screwed over? Yeah, I certianly was. But, everythings good now. I didn't get to stay long because college started.

When? Today! Today was my first day as an actual college student, not counting the summer class I took. It was decent. My first class, History of the US, the teacher never showed up.. easy way to start the day. Second class was Social Problems in Todays World, awesome teacher. Friendly old man with a great sense of style and humor. Probably will be one of my favorites. Last was english which.. well.. was english. I rarely like english but, I'll deal. After I got out of class I ran into my old friend Ashley while I was walking to the parking lot and we decided to grab some lunch together, a long with her boy. Best thing about this was.. we were all Nintendo DS nerds. So we all popped them out and played mariokart in multiplayer up in the lounge. After that Ashley's boy parted and me and her met up at Fun Central and rocked some minigolf, pool, and air hockey. I miss being a kid.. More people need to go and do lame fun stuff with me.

Let's see.. what else... I dyed my hair red recently. Personally, I like it. I've gotten mixed feelings on it. But, I'll prob do it again. I've had the same hair since sophmore year, it was time for a change.

Femme-Fest was this weekend. My first show with a new band. All in all, I had an awesome time. We had a few mess-ups but, not bad considering the lack of practice we've been able to have. We may have another show next Friday in Brooklyn, I think some of you guys may need to come. It'll be fun, I promise, we work very hard to make an enjoyable show.

On the way back from Long Island, I pass by this harbor that I adore. I'm sure as anyone from this area will know, we had awful weather this weekend. So I'm driving along it, in the rain, and I look to the side and... I see this.. guy, with long brown hair, an open button up long sleeve white shirt, just walking towards the harbor, with his arms raised, just soaking up the rain. It looked like something out of a Creed video.

I suppose that's about it.. except... I finally saw Snakes on a Plane last night. I don't care what anyone says.. it was amazing. It actually had a decent story line, plenty of good comedic relief, and some badass action scenes. Plus.. it had Kenen Thompson! and he actually says "That shit was bananas!"!!!

I've been addicted to that Baz Luhrman song... ugh.

It's almost 6AM as I start to write this.. and I'm having a really hard time sleeping. No idea why.. I just can't fall sleep. And today is a big day too.. besides the fact I gotta work.. but I start college today. Yeah.. that came fast! Just a little summer class but.. still. After 2 years out of the game I'm going back to school. I didn't even realize it 'til like yesterday that the time was here. Let's see if I can actually follow through with this.

Not many things in my life have been happening that are worth speaking about. No big news, no new girl, no gossip. So I don't have much to write about.. sad since it's been a looong time since I wrote a real entry and I wish I had something to write about.

This past few days have been fairly interesting though. I went to a prom this past Thursday. Yeah.. Mr. Paden, in all his creepy bearded old man glory went to a prom. Did a looot of driving this weekend. Hung out with 2 different Brandis for the first time in the past week, both of them really cool. Summers been off to a good start.

I'ma try to go to sleep again.. I'm going to need it.

So.. I've been extremely busy... doing shit... as usual. But, things will be lightening up.. I made my schedule for college... check it out.. anyone else going to Dutchess let me know what's good..

Summer Class(June 26th-Aug 10th)
Monday/Wednesday
Lifetime Wellness and Fitness(fancy term for Health and Gym)
5:30pm-9:40pm w/ Seyfert

Fall Classes(Aug 28th- Dec 20th)
Monday:
History of the United States II
9:00am-9:50am w/ ???

Social Problems in Todays World
10:00am-10:50am w/ Miller

Composition I(eng101)
11:00am-12:15pm w/Kushner


Tuesday:
2D Design
10:45am-12:30pm w/ Blum

Drawing I
2:00pm-3:50pm w/ Swann

Commercial Art Seminar
4:00pm-5:50pm w/ Struve


Wednesday:
History of the United States II
9:00am-9:50am w/ ???

Social Problems in Todays World
10:00am-10:50am w/ Miller


Thursday:
2D Design
10:45am-12:30pm w/ Blum

Drawing I
2:00pm-3:50pm w/ Swann


Friday:
History of the United States II
9:00am-9:50am w/ ???

Social Problems in Todays World
10:00am-10:50am w/ Miller

I havn't slept on my bed in like a week. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's perfectly made(it was done by a woman) and I don't want to mess it up. It's amazing how quickly you can get used to something. The couch isn't so bad really, I used to sleep on it all the time.

I went to the carnival at the mall on Friday night with miss Casandra. It was a grand time. Took lots of pictures, as the myspace whores that we are. The poor girl had never been on a ferris wheel before.. but I convinced her into it. She did well, I think I was probably really freaked out my first time on one as well...but I was also like.. 6 then so I can't really remember.

Band practice today. Trying a new member out.. we'll see how that goes.

I havn't written here much lately.. I don't know.. I've had a lack of inspiration. I did a couple blogs on myspace but.. it's not the same. So, apologies to anyone who has actually cared enough to keep up with me. I think I'm going to just post everything on both, because not as many people use LJ as they used to. Anyway.. here's some thoughts going on in my head right now..

I did my first windshield by myself today. It's a big step. And I did it fairly well if I say so myself. Got it done in a little over an hour, Charlie says it usually takes someone 2-3 hours to do their first one, and he also said the one I did was a really hard one to do, mostly because the glass was completely shattered. So, I'm sort of proud on that.

Also, today at a gas station, a woman asked me where to pour the oil for her car. And I knew it too. And this may seem like nothing to most people, but I don't know anything about under the hood of a car, so to be able to help someone else out with it, almost gave me that "real man" feeling.

I was driving along the other day and a saw an old man in one of those rascal power scooter things, and he had his grandson(I would assume it was his grandson anyway) on a tricycle tied to the back of it, pulling him along. I really had to smile at that one. A poor old man stuck to a wheelchair, still finds a way to have tons of fun outdoors with his grandkid. It's a beautiful thing.

Allergy season has come, and it's been hitting me hard. I havn't breathed through my nose in about 5 days. And I have no time to make it to a doctor to get some real medicine for it. I've been taking benedryl but.. that stuff is crap. I take twice the amount I'm supposed to and it still barely makes any difference.

My longtime online friend Maria came to visit me this weekend. This is the 2nd person I've known online for a very long time that I've met this year. Overall, it was very enjoyable. I picked her up Friday night up in Poughkeepsie, we watched some tv and fell asleep. Saturday we got up early and went down to the city. We wanted to catch a show, but, fate wouldn't let us do that. Seats were either not next to each other or too expensive.. so we just played tourist for the day. Went to central park, the met, battery park, and the empire state building. Came back, went to bed, woke up really late Easter day. Had dinner with the family, then just drove around. Stopped at 218, I havn't been there in ages. Stopped at barnes and noble, picked up Walk the Line and watched that. Went to bed.. woke up the next day and went to the commons. Which.. I rarely find that place to be much fun. So we didn't stay there very long, after that I took her to the train station and dropped her off.

After all that, I headed over to the New Paltz and stopped in at Rhino Records. Found a lot of good stuff there. A perfect conditon "Abby Road" tops it off. As well as a couple good Billy Joel and Styx records. I also ran into Kate McCurdy and Brenna there, 2 ladies I havn't seen in maybe a year, so that was nice as well.

Other than that... not much to speak of. I need to become a better writer.. I'll keep practicing.