new song in the works

i’ve not completely sold on how to end it, but i’ve been stewing on a new song. the working title is lost balloon, although i’m not entirely sold on that either. if i can figure out how to post audio, i’ll make a quick demo of it. the words are:

hold me tighter now
because i just can’t catch myself
tie the anchors down
i could use a little rest
no i’m not afraid to fly
i’m just scared i’m gonna crash
tumbling through the sky
my first flight could be my last

so i’m counting on you
to keep me safe & sound
keep me tethered to the post
keep me safely on the ground

reach out for me now
i can’t reach for nothin’ else
my hands are stretching out
and i think it’s in my grasp
no i’m not afraid to try
i’m just scared i’m gonna miss
see that ring go moving by
just beyond my finger tips

so i’m hoping that you
will be my easy out
be the one with hell to pay
be the one who lets me down

if you love me, say you will

so there it is…feel free to offer your interpretations or thoughts.

newton dominey, international pop star?

got this email a couple of days ago regarding my entry into the international songwriting competition. read on…

“We are pleased to inform you that the song “Stupid Mouth,” entered into the AAA
category, has advanced to the next round of judging for the 2006 International
Songwriting Competition. Please read all of the information below thoroughly.

Congratulations on this achievement. With over 14,000 songs entered into ISC 2006,
making it this far along in the competition is a great accomplishment and a
testament to your songwriting talent.”

brian wilson, yes THAT brian wilson, father of pet sounds and innovator of almost all things harmoniously awesome in pop music, is one of the judges. i believe that if i make it to the next round of the competition, he’ll listen to my song.

color me estatic.

running observations

so i’ve been running now for right around a month, maybe 5 weeks. in that time i’ve noticed a few things about running and myself. here’s the list, as it stands now, in no particular order of relevance, significance or logic.

-running in bad weather makes you tougher and should be looked at as a special treat.
-if you’re going to run in the winter, it’s a lot of fun to grow a beard. ladies, i wouldn’t necessarily recommend this.
-depending on your workout program, it’s entirely possible to achieve a personal best every week, either in speed, distance, or duration.
-it’s fun to blow snot out of your nose while you’re running (but it’s not very fun to clean said snot out of the aforementioned winter beard later).
-people in cars wouldn’t pay attention to you if you were running with a neon arrow above your head that said “runner.” be aware.
-25 minutes of icing your knees and ankles after a hard run feels better than you can imagine.
-you should always dress one layer LIGHTER than you think you should, lest you feel like a vegetable roasting on the spit 10 minutes into your run.

more as i think of ‘em…

mohawk? no-hawk!

well, i got bored with the mohawk and decided this weekend to have bwe shave it off. so, while i’m enjoying a haircut as short as demi moore’s in g.i. hane, i’m also taking suggestions for a new hairstyle. it doesn’t necessarily have to go with the beard (which has grown in quite nicely), since that’ll be gone as soon as winter passes, but i will need you to provide me with a picture or, at a minimum, of a link where i can preview the coiffe you think i should rock next. you can even take a picture of me (widely available) and digitally superimpose your idea on my melon. have fun, be creative, but don’t be offended if i tell you your idea is el sucko.

that’s right, i’ve taken things to a whole different level of interactivity. pick my haircut, please.

quick hits

-half marathon training is going very well. just this month, i’ve already completed runs of 4 & 5 miles and have run in the rain (it’s really fun) and in the freezing cold last nite (not as fun, but not as bad as you think). my mileage for the month is just over 21, putting me on pace for almost 41 miles this month. pretty cool.

-getting excited about friday’s show at preservation pub in knoxville. i’ve been trying for a while to get on there, and i’ve heard really good things about their crowd, so i’m hoping it’ll be a good show.

-the preds play the (much hated) red wings tonite. a win puts nashville into first place FOR THE WHOLE FREAKIN’ NHL. this is by far the biggest regular season game in predators’ franchise history.

-i’ll have to record it and watch it later since bwe and i are going to see jeff tweedy tonite at polk theatre. i’m very, very, very excited about this show. i’ve intentionally avoided reading reviews, set lists, etc., so i can go into the show with very little expectations other than the fact that i’m seeing one of the most talented & creative musicians in the industry today perform a solo acoustic show. color me excited.

-still working on my inner morrissey.

-still working on my outer beard. it’s going quite well, thankyouverymuch.

get your air guitars ready

duh nuh nuh nuh neh neh nuh nuh… 

I SAY IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!

duh nuh nuh nuh neh neh nuh nuh…

IT’S SO FLIPPIN’ COOL YEAH!!

duh nuh nuh nuh neh neh nuh nuh…

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!

duh nuh nuh nuh neh neh nuh nuh…

I’M GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME!!

(one octave up)

duh nuh nuh nuh neh neh nuh nuh…

AND THEN TOMORROW I’M GONNA GROUT A FLOOR WOO!!!

kind’ve an anti climatic ending, no?

magical drawers

note: read no further if you don’t want to hear me talk about underwear.  

i went shopping the day after christmas for a handful of new items, one of which was not underwear. HOWEVER (!!), i managed to find some new magical drawers that might turn out to be the most important purchase i’ll make in 2007. that’s right, i found me some magical drawers. they’re made by ex officio, and cost anywhere from $18-$25. yes, that’s a lot for some skivvies that don’t involve lace or or tassles or well placed lack of fabric. trust me, they are worth every penny if you’re involved in any of (or all of) the following activities:

-running
-hiking
-climbing
-world travel (i’m assuming this one…i haven’t left the country since i bought them)
-any other activity where one might produce lots of “there” sweat
-hockey

even though i’m normally a boxer/boxer brief kind of fella, i bought the briefs, thinking that there’d be less material to get in the way while i was doing whatever sweat-producing activity i chose. boy, was i ever right! they’re moisture wicking, fast drying, lightweight and, as i found out last nite, don’t chafe at all. i went for a run after work yesterday and realized after running for 35 minutes, in a steady rain, that while i was soaked to the bone and had, unfortunately, discovered the hard way why distance runners cover their nipples with band-aids, that all of my bits were comfortably held in place, with nary an irritation to be found.

what’s better is that they were almost dry 2.5 hours later. just from sitting in my car while i was climbing. that’s pretty awesome if you ask me. the package claims that you can get by with one pair of underwear across 6 countries in 6 weeks (or something like that). after last nite’s experience, i believe it. wear ‘em, wash ‘em in the sink, hang ‘em to dry, grab ‘em in the morning and go. pretty awesome stuff.

so there you have it, ladies and germs, newton’s first product endorsement of 2007. ex officio underwear. go buy a pair or three.