In the wake of the announcement me and some friends have been pondering what this will actually mean, and how much we need Ryan's music. Need is the right word there. Man, I can't speak eloquently enough about what music means to me, nor so many others. I can say there have been many the night where I've laid on my old couch, earbuds plugged into my iPod and sat there in the dark weeping along to "Dear John" or "Two" or "Sylvia Plath."
Ryan turns my insides into weakness like no other artist around. His music sticks to my gut and stays. He has given me joy, and pissed me off, and broken me forever. It has been a long week where my own mortality has stared me in the face a little too closely. To see something that means so much to me coming to an end so soon, hurts. All lives must end, all music must stop playing. Here's to hoping he feels better, and finds there are some more songs inside him.
"People Get Ready" Curtis Mayfield
From Live in Holland
Download the MP3
I spent this morning at an employment agency filling out mountains of paperwork, watching asinine company videos and generally trying to make myself look employable. Since being back in the States I have been working for my dad. He is a contractor/house builder and I have been doing all of his cleanup. It is grunt work, and boring and is definitely not something I want to continue doing. When I hired on I told him that I would help him out until the new year but then I would have to find something else.
The other day I logged into an employment website, searched it for the town I live in plus all areas within a 30 mile radius, and told it to find me every job available. It came back with four results.
Four. Jobs. Total.
The agency this morning told me about the same thing. They had nothing, but would be sure to let me know if something came in. Standing this side of the new year I find myself worried, scared, and freaked out of my mind. I know that I am not alone in this. I am thankful that I at least have money still in my account. I am thankful that I have a family who can help me out. I know so many others are not so fortunate.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
I feel your pain Mat. It's been a couple of decades since I lost my own grandma ("nana"), but I remember all of it well -- the awkwardness in that hospital room, and finally the loss itself.
More recently, I got laid off (no, not from Blogcritics, but from the job that actually fed me and paid the bills), and yeah, it's pretty bleak out there. I also feel the same optimism about Obama. I supported him in the election, and I still feel like he could be one of the great ones...potentially an FDR or a Kennedy.
He does have a hell of a mess to clean up, and anybody who expects Christ-like miracles overnight is kidding themselves though. Still, I feel a lot better with him driving the boat than I would have if it was the other guy. And like you, I'm scared to death to think what happens once the severance package and the bank account (which was already damaged by another lay off last year) run dry. Scary shit.
As for Ryan Adams, once he sobers up, detoxes, or whatever he has to do this time around, I'm sure he'll be back. I mean the guy can't go two weeks without making another new album, right?
Great article.
-Glen
2 - Mat Brewster
Thanks Glen. I have high hopes for Obama, but I realize there is only so much a president can do.
I'm sure Ryan will be back at some point. I'm just glad he's going to finish this tour since I have tickets. I just hope his "retiring" doesn't mean the show will suck.
3 - El Bicho
well done