[atsonicpark]

That was fucking brilliant. Seemed like a Burroughs novel at times!... But in all seriousness, I don't know what flac is, so I can't help you... But in all seriousness, I am just at the point where I don't really care anymore. There was a time when I really, truely believed I could hear every great band ever, and I set about on my search to do so. At this point, I maybe, if I'm lucky, have heard 0.00000001% of the great music ever. There's just too fucking much! I buy a few cd's, I see a lot of bands, I download tons of shit, but I just can't keep up with all that's coming out, all that's came out, etc. It's overwhelming to the point of exhaustion, especially if you're someone like me who really, genuinely has OCD anyway. Gotta hear it ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do miss the days when I had to actively search out bands, to an extent. There's some pluses and minuses with everything, but when I was 13 and discovering Melt Banana and Babyland and Dillinger Escape Plan and Atari Teenage Riot and Mr. Bungle and all that shit for the first time.. jesus. That was like entering a whole new world. A lot of music has excited me since, but really, thinking long and hard about it, I'm not really surprised anymore. The last musician to truely excite me, since I only REALLY started listening him in the past year and a half, is probably Fahey. That opened up a new world for me.. recently. And man what a world. The problem with me is that I've seeked out music for so long, and I've played music for so long, that I just get kind of burnt out with all of it. I hate my own music most of the time, I hate the way I play instruments, you know? I am not as critical as most music, giving it the benefit of the doubt unless it's completely tuneless and artless in a boring way. Sound in general is really interesting to me, but it's not as interesting as it used to be. I miss that. But you know what? It's my fault. I can easily stop downloading. I can easily unplug the burner. Well, my burner doesn't work. So, I could unplug my friend's burner. I think I'm going to do that in the immediate future. Just as soon as I finish downloading the Muslimgauze discography. That was a joke. But yeah, it's pretty hilarious and frightening how much information is out there, for us to consume. Fuck it, I dunno. It's not just music. The world in general has become too big and too... creepy. I don't know what an iphone is, I barely know what an ipod is, people show me their cellphones and I'm like "wow, that's nuts!" I don't pay attention, and it seems like there's this massive movement growing around me. Most of the music I listen to anymore is minimal. I live in the woods, so it's fun.. when I'm not worried about snakes.. to go into the woods and explore. I like to just be alone most of the time. Not alone and on the computer. I like to sit alone, in a silent room, and just think.

I think our whole world is becoming more cold and distant, which is odd and somewhat contradictory because these devices we're using are made to connect with people. However, in a way, this "connection" is REPLACING interaction with your fellow man. I know a few dudes who only exist online and that's it. Fucking WoW and shit. But when the real world is so fucked up, it's hard to blame them. I don't feel like i've lost my stride as far as connecting with other people goes... but I certainly do feel a bit out of the loop when people talk about their bluray players and shit. What the fuck is a blu ray? Didn't I just recently, like 3 mnoths ago, start replacing some of my favorite VHS movies with DVD's? And there's already more formats since THEN?! What the fuck?!

I dunno. Just in general, I am trying not to think about these things. There's more important things in life worth thinking about. I just want to get back to the simpler times in life, like when I was a child. Or when I was 13 and discovering Melt Banana for the first time. You know? I want to get back to those times. But first I need to unplug the internet for a few days.

I realize my reply didn't totally reply to the points you brought up in your post, but I think this overwhelming cultural explosion of insanity and technology kind of motivates all of us to be the way we are. Your post was brilliant and hilarious, btw.