Henry Rollins, Post PAX Announcements & Sucker Punch

Well, I have finally begun to recouperate from PAXEast by getting a bit of sleep and spending some quality time with my fiance and the newest addtion to our family, Jackson. This past week we have started to settle back into our routine of getting up early to walk the dog, going to work, coming home to a somwhat stressed out puppy (he is struggling with some separation issues, but getting better every day), watching our shows on tv and crashing to begin the whole process over again the next day. Last week we went out to dinner and returned to find Jackson had broken out of his kennel (one of the wire ones, which has since been replaced with a sturdier Versa model) and rearranged the trash about the house. So we are trying not to leave him alone too much until he settles in a bit more. He is such a good, loveable dog it is amazing given what he has been through.

So last night was our first chance to actually go out on the town a bit since we got Jackson. We made sure to take him for an extra long walk in the morning and give him a peanut butter filled kong to play with while we were gone. Then it was off to get some food and check out Henry Rollins' spoken word show at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA. More on Henry in a second, but first our dinner. So we went to check out this organic pizza & bowling joint called Flatbreads that I had been hearing a good deal of buzz about from friends. Located in Somerville, MA (about 15 mintues north of Boston proper), Flatbreads specializes in pizzas, salads and beers made from locally grown, organic ingredients. The pizzas are cooked in hand-hewn stone ovens and the entire place has a rather hipster vibe that suits somerville perfectly. The food was amazing, the Charles River Porter went down well and the staff was gracious to a fault. When our pizza arrived looking a bit oblong (something that I typically expect when getting "flatbread" pizza) our waitress offered to make us a second, small pizza to make up for the difference in volume between our pie and what is typically served. She did this unsolicited. So not only did we have a great dinner, but were given an entire pizza to take home for today's lunch.

After an amazing, though very low-key, dinner we headed over to the Brattle Theater in Cambridge to check out Henry Rollins' spoken word show. Henry is probably as closest person to a "hero" (next to my grandfather) that I will ever have with regard to someone in popular culture. I tend to treat "famous" people like everyone else and have never really understood the pedestals that we tend to place certain people upon. Henry is an exception. I have followed his work since I saw him front Black Flag in 1984 as a sophomore in high school. What has always amazed me is his mix of pure agressive energy, intelligence and insight. It has also been very interesting to see him grow older as I do (he is now 50 to my 43). I have seen him play live with various encarnations of Black Flag or the Rollins Band at least a dozen times and have witnessed about half as many of his spoken word shows. The intensity that he brings to his spoken word endeavors parallels that which you would witness at one of the musical shows. He spoke for over two hours about his experiences traveling around the world, always clutching the mike like a hammer while perched on the stage in his trademark stance, knees slightly bent like he is about to launch himself off the stage and into the crowd (or mosh pit) below. Throughout his monologue Henry touched on his belief that the world is changing (for the better) and that some of us may not survive, due mostly to our stubborn opposition to the reality that nothing remains the same. Life is chaos and entropy. We can either ride the bull by the horn and embrace what comes next or lay down in the road and get run over. Henry always talks about "burning lean muscle", his way of saying to remain still is to be dead. In my college days, we followed a similar motto "en Coelo quis es" or "In heaven there is rest" which we took to mean "You can sleep when you are dead." I look forwad to seeing Henry hammer on through the next 50 years, kicking people in the ass to wake them up and making observations along the way. 

Win Cool Stuff From 2old2play

Well, the time has arrived for us to announce the winner of the TRON Console drawing. Doodirock will be making this announcement via the Community Pulse Podcast tonight. So if you donated money to help support Childs Play (We heartily thank those that did) be sure to check out the podcast and good luck to those that entered.

We are also giving away 5 pairs of tickets to see the 9:30 pm screening Zack Snyder's newest movie Sucker Punch at the Jordan's IMAX in Reading, MA this Friday, March 25th. So if you live in or near Boston, be sure to follow Derek "DSmooth" Nolan et moi via Twitter this week. Each day, today through Friday, we will be posting one Zack Snyder trivia question via our Twitter accounts. Be among those who submit the correct answer for your chance to win one pair of tix to see Friday's screening. Check out our Sucker Punch story for more detals and good luck!