Binary Tuberculosis

Lately I’ve been getting into a lot of hard rock/metal music. Well, back into it I should say. After having Arcade Fire, Postal Service, and Mogwai under heavy rotation, this feels quite different. What do I blame it on? System Of A Down.

They released 2 albums last year, Mezmerize and Hypnotize, both around six months apart, and they’re amazing albums, absolutely amazing. Their lyrics have lost some of the punch from Toxicity, but their music has evolved into something more rashly elegant. I think I prefer the short album cycle than having a 2 CD album, gives you more time to immerse yourself into the new songs. The original idea they had was to make both album cases pieces of each other, so that you can slide one album snugly into the other and voila, 2 CD set. Thought that was pretty neat.

And Death From Above 1979, wow. Their music is just pure metal with heart, if there is such a thing.

Just got hold of Mogwai’s next album, Mr. Beast, which is due March 7th. Will give it a listen and see how it fares, I seriously consider Mogwai and Trent Reznor the greatest instrumental geniuses that exist today.

Welcome to the year 2003. I don’t know why this album passed right over me, but it’s probably why The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism flew over me in 2003 as well, shrug.

So how can I describe The Kills? Well, think of The White Stripes, but good. I’ve got nothing against The White Stripes, heck, I absolutely love a couple of their songs, but after listening to a few of their albums several times, only liking 1 or 2 songs isn’t that special. I’m glad others like them, since they’re so much different from Generic-Rock (TM), but they’re not really my thing, I consider them a “meh”.

Anyway, back to the The Kills. Their music just flows into new realms, they’re completely different (not The Mars Volta different, but a different different). The lead singer is a female while the backup vocals are done by a dude, and the vocals…PERFECT fit of a square piece into the square hole. The guitar, while being “normal” rock-ish, sometimes has a nice twang to it, which complements the depth of the vocals adding a new sound to the music.

Give them a shot if you want something different yet the same yet new to listen to these days.

What the hell is Chondromalacia Patellae you ask? Well it’s Runner’s Knee and after Googling for my symptoms, I think this is what I have.

At first I was a bit surprised, a sports related injury…to me? Other than the usual bruises, scrapes, and soreness, I’ve never really had a genuine sports related injury. I thought it was pretty exciting, especially since I was the fat kid that usually got picked last.

Well I woke up yesterday and my knee felt 100 times better than it did the night before, which was great, I almost went running, but figured it was a stupid idea, mainly because my parents over-reacted the day before and started throwing out words like “lifetime injury” and “surgery”. Weirdos.

So I’m going to wait until next week to do anything strenuous on my right leg, hopefully everything will be super-back-to-normal-fixed-in-working-condition by then. If not, then sigh, I’ll go to a doctor because I told my mother I would. What a pain.

Well, at least let me tell you what a Runner’s Knee actually is…

…is a degenerative condition of the cartilage surface of the back of the knee cap, or patella…The condition may result from…chronic friction between the patella and the groove in the femur through which it passes during motion of the knee.

And the weekend is coming to end, but I still have a lot left to do. Deeds left for Keene, good seeing her again, thanks again for the chocolate. What did we do? Eat, complain about the cold weather, see the Lincoln Memorial (mostly the gift shop since it was heated), and eat some more, and then end it all with a good meal.

Now I’ve an exam on Wednesday I need to study for, pretty hard core study actually. I’m giving my knee one more week, if the pain doesn’t completely subside by then, then to a doctor I go. It’s just annoying pain now, won’t let me run and then out of the blue will just go on overdrive and my knee has to move……extremely……..slowly.

I’m on campus in the library and some dude behind me just farted and acted like he was shifting his seat.

Sick dude.

An update on me knee. It hurts like balls, but that’s mainly my fault. On with the story.

I woke up Monday, all ready for my run, went “hey, my knee feels a lot better, I could probably do a good run today, it’s only a little bit sore, so it’ll be fine”. Well crap, it had gotten better compared to last week (where I couldn’t run after 3 miles), but yesterday I couldn’t run more than 4. So I hobbled back to my apartment and took a painful shower. What an idiot, I should’ve waited another week or at least a few days.

Well my sister called, her laptop died and she really need her school notes off it. Obviously I couldn’t do anything so last night family drove up, so she could drop off the laptop (dead drive, needs a replacement), and we all went to dinner with sister’s fiance who happens to be a doctor.

Well, while I was getting out of the car (mind you, I can’t bend my knee at all or put any pressure on it) my mom noticed my painful face and slow movement getting out of the car. Wasn’t really a big deal but mothers…She made a huge deal out of it and got the fiance to doctor me up.

It turns out I’ve got fluid build up in my right knee and I was an idiot for running on it. I was all up for putting a needle in there removing all the fluid, which is possible, but apparently it hurts a lot and it’s better to go the other slower route and my mom freaked out again when I mentioned the needle part. So I can’t go running for at least a week (probably 2) and I have to take 2 Advil’s in the morning and evening AND I need to wear a knee brace. If not better in 2 weeks, I need to get an MRI. Boooooo.

So my bed smells like ice/hot now and with no running going on my sleep is going to suck, I’m going to be lazy at work and school, and food is going to taste like dung. Damn knee, what the hell dude?

Went home this weekend, why you ask? Well I’ll tell you, damn nosy ape.

I had to hang out with BQ. He’s back in the Western Hemisphere. We did what all the hip cool guys do in Carytown, coffee + music. Was great seeing him again, I hope his ass moves back to Northern VA, keep your fingers crossed people.

Then of course I dined (more drowned) in amazing home cooked meals. Oh man I wish I could reverse time, throw up, and get my self a second helping. Actually, that doesn’t sound so appetizing.

Sunday, awesome breakfast. Mom make me french toast PLUS a veggie/cheese omelet. Dude, I was still full from the night before. Then of course dinner, oh man, dinner. I would have to be bard to describe the taste, for only music can explain the synaptical joy I experienced.