looting hospitals? shooting at helicopters? raping in the streets?

four years ago, reactions to chaos were far different.

i just don't understand.

so i just now realized that i totally missed a going away cookout for some friends, LAST NIGHT.

i need to get myself to bed earlier.

what i have lost in noise, i have gained in weirdness.

so, if you've been keeping up, you know that my old neighbor AND his subwoofers moved out a few months ago. peace and quiet now reign supreme. odd behavior, however, seems to be the theme with the new folks.

the most noticeable and creepy characteristic is that sometimes they sit in their cars. outside. in the parking lot. as in, two or three separate people, sitting in two or three separate cars. with their windows down. talking to each other. i think maybe they're... smoking? loitering? staging a coup of the triplex? but why in cars? separately? outside my window?

i was leaving earlier this evening and one was sitting in a truck, the other in a car. windows down. talking to each other. i noted this and avoided eye contact because frankly, people, it's really just weird. guy in the truck started talking to me. "where ya goin'?" i glanced purposefully at the bass gig bag i was stuffing into the backseat, then back at him. "uh. practicing with a band." "oh yeah? i bet you rock it out." "i, uh... yeah. i try," wondering what universe it was that i had stepped into wherein it was perfectly normal for people to be sitting outside their apartment striking up conversations with the neighbors whilst hanging out the car window.

in other news: we're totally going to play "i can see clearly now" at our first gig.