| Chapter_2 |
| Christmas Time, 1998. I spend a few days with Kristen�s family in Salem. We have the time of our lives. We eat shrimp, exchange presents, it was the best 3 days of my life. It was then that I realized something: this was going to be the girl that I want to spend forever with. Yes, I was 18 at the time and preparing to be a freshman in college and had (as my mom would say) all the girls in the world at school that would want me. Yes, it�s true. I never quite understood that concept on how girls liked me. What do I have but the worst taste in music and a Bohemian lifestyle and a job at The Shop that attracts the same 500 customers Monday-Friday. 7 Bands That Jim Likes That The Rest of his Comrades in Portland, Oregon Might Differ Upon 1. The Dandy Warhols. Hometown is Portland. I always liked them from when they first came about and always played at La Luna (now known as the Pine Street Theater right across the street from us on the adjacent corner). Whenever they played there, they always came over here during sound check and got coffee and stuff, though they are the very big drinkers and druggies. They knew I was a fan. They always put me and the gang on the guest list and we always went. Their music is like The Stones meets VU meets any other band you want to tie them into. But now, they�ve made a more commercial album and their songs are in big budget films and TV commercials. So much for calling them the local heroes. 2. Superdrag. Another good band from down South in Tennessee that me and the gang see for free (hey that rhymes .. and we only get in for free cause I always talk to bands. It�s cause I�m interning for a local music paper here in town and they just thing I�m so cool and appreciative to all things good. And then they put me on the guest list and I�m like �I have these 5 friends that would love to come as well� and they always give in). Yeah anyway, the Drag, very fan worthy, not sell outs. Left a major label and are just the coolest 3-4 piece around. 3. Weezer. My favorite band in hiding right now. I�m waiting for them to get back together and have the courage to do something after the, as Rivers calls, �horror� of Pinkerton. Last I heard, they have a new bass player cause Matt left, and they are to be working on songs, like they�re gonna be doing a song for the Pixies tribute album. I don�t know, I mean, if fans love a record so much, why do you have to hate it? 4. Catherine Wheel. The one band that after finally hearing them, I should�ve listened to them forever. My cousin always said they were great, so last year sometime while I was home for Christmas during my freshman year at Berkley, I listened to Adam & Eve, and that�s all it took. Very beautiful and melodic. Though I always thought that Adam & Eve would be their best, Cousin Ryan was right ... that and Chrome can�t really duke out too well. They�re good, moody, yet not really miserable, but more just lukewarm and giving a nice feeling to you when you�ve had a rough day. 5. Sonic Youth. The band at one point I claimed as my all time favorite. I mean, they are just fabulous. They�re older than my parents and make some of the loudest, yet, most beautiful music I have ever heard. I went to New York City, only once, and I swear, I saw Lee Ranaldo at a coffee shop, but when I looked back he was mysteriously gone. He is the best member of the group, his vocals, lyrics, timing, everything ... The man knows what he�s doing. I think they played here once, but I was vacationing at some place, so I got on interview, no guest list, no �thank you for making lovely music� .. �thank you for being a fan�. Nothing. 6. You know what? This is called me getting sidetracked. So anyway, Christmas was fun. Kristen just brings out the best in me; the goofy side. She brings out this part in me that I would never, ever dare to show anybody else or any of my closest friends. We just like each other for who we are and that�s about it. Well, I guess the word you could use is like. I went home and I cried that evening. I was really sad and unhappy not having Kristen here with me. It�s right to feel this way; a way of an unhealthy emotion in where a long distance relationship comes in to play. I just wanted to be with her, that�s all. So I went down and saw her again two weeks later, and it just didn�t feel the same as Christmas. Something wasn�t there, something just felt wrong. I would call a couple days later and we discussed everything. This here is the shorter, more right to the point version of the conversation at hand: KRISTEN: �You know, Jim, it was weird this weekend,� ME: �Yeah, it was kinda strange between us,� KRISTEN: �Yeah it didn�t even feel like we were going out,� Right there, that line, �it didn�t even feel like we were going out,� that line made me prompt all of this mess that the story will unfold in to eventually. ME: �You know what, let�s call a truce, just break up and stay really good friends,� KRISTEN: �Oh, ok,� Wrong! This was very wrong of me. Looking back I wish I would�ve never said it. So anyway, I got off the phone and I felt fine. I ran down stairs to tell my mom Nancy, and her fiancee, John. They obviously couldn�t believe it, and were surprised to see me taking this so well. Usually I just sulk and bitch and moan forever. Well I did do that over this, but it takes a couple days. Delayed reaction, a false start of my own usual uncertainty. But it kicked in over the weekend. I was left at the house by myself that following Saturday evening; mom and John went to a wedding, followed to the reception, everyone else working, or having something better to do. Rather than go out, I just decide to sit around and get some movies and order a pizza. Well, you sit there, noticing you�re alone and eventually you piece the whole damn thing together. I had to face it: I was alone and I wasn�t enjoying it. I felt as if I were ditched by everyone on the west coast, and left to throw myself a personal pity party. Well I know for one it isn�t special, and wasn�t the best way to spend a Saturday night. Me being left to wallow in my own self pity made me just think about it all over and over and over again; I was miserable, very miserable. Christ, I was a senior in high school and felt like I was beyond the whole concept of a mid life crisis and was ready to just, as Fatsy once said: to dig a hole (or was it find a hole?), one big enough for me, go in it and die. Well, me alone at the house from five in the evening until my parents arrived home when they awoke me at quarter to three in the morning wasn�t a good thing. And then it just started snowing like a bitch. I would think on how Kristen and I would have so much fun building a snowman .. or better yet having a snowball face. And then I cried, of course that had to happen. Jim Turner, he�s a real man to some I guess. I cry, I show my feelings, and I still get shit for it. Welcome to the real world. NEXT PAGE |