Michael Braun's Blog

Tomorrow I will head back to my aunt’s house to begin, again, working on her house. I am still in the process of sanding the whole thing to get all the remaining paint to be level so that I can paint over it. This step will end up being 75% of the project. It is exhausting and boring work. But, with ear plugs in, the time can fly by. I am going to start working faster, even if that means not getting everything perfect. The upper parts of the house are not visable to those below and a few parts not sanded quite as well will not matter as much. Even though most of my other estimates have been wrong, I am hoping to be done with this by the 15th, when I will head north to my grandparent’s cottage for a week. Once I return, all I will have to do is paint, which will be a big relief.

I got an interesting phone call today from Megan. I know I had previously talked about my anger towards her and frustration that I felt she didn’t care about me now that she has a new boyfriend, Rusty. I don’t believe that any longer. At the same time, I felt some pressure lifted off of me. I don’t feel like she is depending on me anymore, and I don’t necessarily feel like she wants to get back together with me. We talked for nearly an hour, some about her and her depression (mainly because I think I understand it better than anyone else, including her), but mostly about things going on with people we both know. She did have a reason for calling – she wanted me to keep my eyes out for a Maine Coon kitten for her mom – but I felt that the call made its way very naturally beyond that. I am willing to go as far as to say that I think it was the best conversation we have had post-breakup. She did not tell me any embarrassing information, but we were still able to relate. Whether we like it or not, we have a deep connection and a long shared history. Those things are not easy to lose. On an interesting side note, Rusty told Megan, so she says, that he doesn’t think he can live up to me as a boyfriend. Well, either he’s selling himself short in order to prepare Megan for future disappointment, or she has told him positive things about me. I guess it’s obvious which choice I am hoping for. I would like my legacy to be a positive one, even as we grow further apart.

In other news, Alecia (Tony’s ex-girlfriend) has been posting a lot more on her blog lately. This is something I have suggested that she do a few times, more to fulfill my own morbid curiosity about her life than for her own sake, but I really do believe that there is a lot of good to recording your thoughts. When you are able to put down how you are feeling, it helps your mind stay organized. Anyway, she has certainly been having some troubles lately, and oftentimes reading her blog is a depressing experience. She has been having some serious issues with depression lately (well, since she left Tony), and a lot of her problems are things that someone thinking rationally would be able to buck off as only inconviences. I guess this is the true danger of depression. Something as simple as dropping your cell phone in some water becomes dehabilitating. It can be hard reading, but it’s interesting as well. There are a lot of insider references that I often don’t understand, but I do enjoy reading what she posts. If anything, it can make me feel better about my own life. If interested, you can check it out here.

After some discussion last night about the song “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani, Dan and I started making mock versions of the song, fake verses, and so on. I then decided to make a mock version of the song. Last night I downloaded both the lyrical version and the instrumental version of the song, and this morning I started working on my version. Less than 4 hours later, it was complete. Titled, “Hollaback Bitch” the song takes the perspective of a boyfriend of Stefani’s upset that she is a slut. He says, “Few times you been around that track, and I thought you’d changed after all of that, but you’re just a hollaback bitch.” The song is comical, though does contain some offensive language and sexual situations. It is not recommended for sensitive ears. Anyway, you really ought to give it a listen. Check it out here.

I also posted some pictures from my trip to Michigan. They may not be all that meaningful without explanation, and I do plan to write something that will be viewable with the album, but it isn’t there yet. Until then, take a look anyway. The photos are available here.