#40 It Was The Best I Ever Had

TWO FLAWLESS RECORDS.
POP PUNK SUMMER.

#39 I Had A Place To Live In, I Had A Job Worth Quitting, I Had Some Things I Had To Chase.

So with life here still being amazing but difficult at the same time, Due to public transport, Lack of shifts and pay rate, And Sadie working so much. Things ARE getting easier. I recently got a store transfer at work. So instead of traveling all the that way i usually would, I am now working at the store around the corner. Not only is it closer, But my boss is a full blown legend. I would have to say the best boss i have ever had. Good staff too, Who like the same music ( so good music is actually played, not just shit dance music ). I also managed to pick up a second job, I also work at Gamestop now. So yes i sell music and video games for a living. I have also learnt lately, That Hot Topic will pay for you to go to gigs. So any tickets i buy, I am reimbursed for. So now i get to see anything i want for free!. Gotta love job perks. Also Sadie had an interview at Hot Topic Headquarters, And she got the job. So she will be working 9-6, Mon – Fri at HQ. Then 7a-7p, sat – sun at the hospital. She is going to lose her mind, But be making bank at the same time. It sucks, But it is not permanent. It is just to get herself ahead with money for future plans.

Dad sent me out a big parcel full of things i missed. Bickies, Milo, Vegemite, Lollies. So that was awesome. Made me feel pretty good. He spent a lot of money getting it here, So i kinda regret asking him in a way, i didn’t need the stuff THAT bad haha. Ok so i still have not received my ID yet. I called the DMV, And apparently because i am a foreigner. It can take 8 months. Cool, That is real useful. Lucky printing a card is a difficult job.

Me and Sadie scored some door spots to go and see A Loss For Words. Which was with Larry And His Flask and Streetlight Manifesto at The Glasshouse in Pomona. Larry And His Flask played before A Loss For Words, And they were unbelievable. The band consisted of 5 guys. A stand up drummer who also sang, A guitarist/vocalist, A Double Bass / Trumpet / Harmonica player / Vocalist, Another Guitarist / Vocalist, A Banjo / Trombone player / Vocalist, And a Trumpet / Mandolin player / Vocalist. They were all over the place. I can only describe them as Mumford & Sons on Redbull. A Loss For Words didn’t really fit in with the tour so they had a weird turnout that night. But they played really well as always. And We left after because i don’t give a shit about Streetlight Manifesto. I caught up with Matt from A Loss For Words, which was great since i haven’t seen him since last time i was out here. So we plan to catch up next time he is in town.

We also went out and saw Impending Doom, Stick To Your Guns and Norma Jean a few days later at The Glasshouse again. Impending Doom were heavy as always, But there were a few push mosh warriors near us, Which was not near the pit. First gig idiots. Then followed Stick To Your Guns, Who were energetic and tight as always. There is just something about that band, Maybe it is the fact they have a lot to say on stage that makes them a little more real, But they always impress me. They closed with a little surprise. Hannah Sciurba, who sung This Is More as a bonus track on The Hope Division. Made an appearance with her ukulele and did her little number. To which they went into the song and closed with it. So that was kind of a one off thing, But i was impressed.

So my filthy ex room mate Kelsey moved out. We agreed to keep the peace, but after i heard she was still talking shit i feel like all bets are off. So good riddance to dead ends. But on the plus side we have a new room mate, My ex co worker Joe. The guy is an absolute legend. Likes good music, Tattoo artist, Ex Marine, Has a miniature Sausage Dog called Slayer and he is just an all round good guy. So having him live here the last month has been a breeze.

Been working a bunch, and was made District Employee of the Month again and was also promoted to Key Holder position. It took a little longer than i had planned but let’s see how fast i can make it to Assistant Manager. I was also offered a promotion at my second job at Gamestop. Not sure if i will have the time to take both.

So for my birthday Sadie had big plans for me. And this is how it went. She came home from work and picked me up. We were already on a tight schedule, and got lost a few times trying to get to event one. We arrive at the K1 indoor karting raceway, Get our helmets and race a few laps. It was pretty fun, But everyone else there was taking it a bit to seriously for it to be fun. Next stop was supposed to be a nice sit down dinner but we were running short on time. So we decided to cut our losses and do the next best thing and head to BJ’s brewhouse to get me drunk for the next stop. BJ’s was packed out, so we found somewhere else quick and simple. It was a mexican place, which i did not feel like but i just wanted to get drunk. We make it 10 minutes before happy hour ends and we walk in and sit down at the bar. The bar tender asks for our ID’s to which we hand them over, And we were pretty fed up from racing around and things not going right, And to which i turn to Sadie and say if for some reason they reject my ID i will lose my shit. So the bar tender takes my ID to the manager and returns and tells me they cannot take it due to it being a foreign ID and asks for my passport. To which i reply, i am 24 today, and i am out drinking, Why would i carry my passport. And i have been waiting 6 months for California to send me my ID. He rejects me again, to which i lose my shit and abuse the guy and leave. At this point Stop number 3 was no longer appealing so we went home and i got wasted in bed. Birthdays always go wrong for me. Luckily things picked up the next night when we had a birthday bash at my house. Funnily enough the people you think you can count on being there never showed. Those people still have failed to stay in touch since. But the night was a blast, made new and better friends. And Sadie bough me a brand new bike to get to work, Some vinyl and merch that i also wanted. So that was a great surprise.

Sadie and i headed out to the ‘Take Action’ gig at the House of Blues in Anaheim and saw ‘The Swellers/Bayside/Silverstein’. Bayside were absolutely flawless, And The Swellers were great as always. Can’t wait for that new record. We also drove out to Hollywood and saw Jacks Mannequin for $7, So i have zero complaints with that. He played a perfect set list, Minus not playing any Something Corporate covers. But he did play 2 new songs, Which were both amazing too. That record should be pretty interesting too. We saw Cartel headline play a one off headline show at the Chain Reaction too for $15. I love the USA.

We had Diggo come stay with us for a few nights and we showed him around. We drove out to Canoga park 2 nights in a row to see some gigs. First night was Evergreen Terrace headliner for $10. Gotta love that. Then the second night was Legend/Lionheart for $10. Can’t complain about that either. We went bowling and did some funny shit here and there then he jumped on a plain and went back home. About a month later we had Eli, Fed, Jake and Locksta come stay for a few nights too. We went Bowling, Played Mini Golf, Went to Costco and filled there van with food and supplies. It was great seeing familiar faces and being around old friends. It got me a little homesick, and envious of their travels but that’s just life i guess. They will be back around after they see Mexico. Best of luck to them and their travels.

So I guess now is as good as time as any to break it to the world. I am an Engaged man. And to set the mood, This is how it went down. I prepped food all afternoon, And bought some new Candles, Tablecloth, Wine and other things. Sadie arrives home, and i am in my boxers in the kitchen. I convince her to go shower and when she walks out. I have laid out her full outfit for the night in the bathroom. She walks out of the bathroom and all the lights are off. I am standing there completely dressed up and holding a rose. Behind me is the remainder of the roses in a vase with the glow of the candles giving the room the little light needed. There is a brand new bottle of wine and plates ready to be filled with the dinner i have prepared. I tell her everything on my heart and mind and then ask her to spend the rest of her life with me. I then present her with the ring that i bought that also holds the diamond of her mothers ring, For tradition. She says yes…..
We sit down and eat the Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni i had made and enjoy the bottle of wine, And top it off with the Caramel Bread and Butter Pudding i made for desert. We then head out to celebrate the night with friends.

We further celebrate the occasion by driving out to Las Vegas listening to old classics like, New Found Glory, The Starting Line, The Academy Is only to spend the weekend alone. We stayed at the Luxor. It was a pretty interesting hotel. It is shaped like a pyramid and has a whole Egyptian theme going on. To celebrate our engagement we went out to dinner at a Brazilian restaurant called ‘Pampas’, Which specializes in assorted meats on swords. You pick from the salad bar, And various waiters approach your table and describe to you the meat on their tray and offer you a small amount. We ate i think 7 different types of meat that night, Various steaks and lambs, and some ham and chicken. It was incredible. We spent most of our time relaxing by the pool drinking and finally getting a tan and i drank my first Four Loko and hated it, 12% of filth. While spending the first night in our room, We noticed our air conditioner was making odd sounds so we contacted the front desk and they upgraded us the next night to a suite. The room was twice the size of our first room. We gambled a little again, And we have basically decided to throw in the towel with multi-hand blackjack. It is to difficult to win, So now Craps is our game and we actually came out on top this time. Not much, But it is better than being under!. We made our way down to Fremont Street and looked around again, Ate $1.99 Shrimp cocktails and i put $5 into the ‘Wheres The Gold’ slot machine for nostalgia and tradition sake. No dice, I lost. We went back home for about a week until we made our way back out to Vegas again for the long weekend since Sadies parents had a room and said we were welcome. We had our own room over at Excalibur, Before checking in we drove down to Fremont St and took some Engagement photos. We basically spent our weekend how we spent the one before. Relaxing by the pool and drinking, And gambling a little. We went out to dinner with Sadies parents to a French restaurant called ‘Comme Ca’ which was in the new Cosmopolitan Hotel. The food was incredible, Both Sadie and I had the Beef Strogonof. We Also had a small platter of Patte and Assorted meats and cheeses. Everything was so elegant and proportionate. We watched the Volcano Errupt at the Mirage, And watched the Water Show at the Belagio. I love it, It’s always so entertaining. We went to the giant Coca-Cola store, And sampled the ‘Coca-Cola Tastes of the World’ tray. It was $7 and it was 16 cups of different Coke products from around the world. We got through about 4 cups and started to feel sick from all the sugar. We sampled all 16 and it was a great but bad idea at the same time. After all the Sun, Driving, Drinking, Late nights i feel like i need a vacation from my vacation.

Also, There are some great movies out. We went and saw Thor, Bridesmaids, Rango, Hangover 2 & Pirates of the Caribbean 4. They were all amazing, definitely worth the money. Gotta love watching movies at the drive in we discovered down the road from our house.

I have a few new albums that i haven’t listened too, I feel like i don’t have time for new music anymore. Even though i have all the time in the world. I guess it doesn’t help i don’t have my usual sound system either haha. I Listened to new All Time Low, That band has gone so downhill. What kind of pop punk band name drops Kesha in a good way.


Birthday!


Birthday!


How About That Ride In..


The Luxor


The Excalibur


New York, New York


Volcano At The Mirage


Water Show At The Belagio

The Lights Of The Strip


The Lights Of The Strip

Where Rich Become Like Everyone Else


Fremont Street


16 Flavors


Sugar Coma


Diabetes


Shakes


Shakes


Absolute Filth


The Pools of NY,NY



Love The Sleepless Nights


Smile / Smirk


No Dice


Tourists


Coca-Cola


Memorial Day Fun


Beers, Pools & Vegas


Real Tan, Fake Boobs


Stoked?


Coming Home


All The Boys


Proposal


The Last Single Dinner Ever


Chef Funny Man


Engaged


Why I Am Currently Broke


Pierce The Veil - Hollywood Palladium


Bring Me The Horizon - Hollywood Palladium


A Day To Remember - Hollywood Palladium






A Loss For Words - Glasshouse





The Swellers - House Of Blues: Anaheim


Bayside - House Of Blues: Anaheim


Silverstein - House Of Blues: Anaheim





The Acacia strain - Glasshouse






Cartel - Chain Reaction



Evergreen Terrace - Cobalt Cafe



Jacks Mannequin - Roxy