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RACCOON SOCIETY LIVE Q&A in CHICAGO this SATURDAY

Posted on December 14, 2009 at 06:27 PM

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Raccoon Society-- Ask Mat--- ROUND 17- ART BASEL, ESCAPE ARTISTRY

Posted on December 9, 2009 at 04:49 PM

Click HERE to follow Mat on Twitter.  Click HERE to follow Kill Hannah on Twitter.

This has been an interesting week for Papa Raccoon.

I’ve always tried to live my life in accordance with a strict set of personal rules that aim to achieve that perfect balance between 'terror' and 'boredom'… I guess being home from tour for more than a week sort of threatened that balance... in a dark direction. Maybe it was the blistering subzero temperature… maybe it was the overwhelming ugliness of the coffee-colored streets and sky. Maybe it’s the fact that I have to dress up like the world’s only fully-grown 1st grader, just to survive the painful walk to the liquor store. Let’s face it; Jack Frost is a dick, and evidently he lives in Chicago and eats souls.

Every time I touched the piano, a funeral dirge came out. Slow. Sad… bad. Unless our next record was to be called A Jaded Misanthrope Sings Melancholic Songs of Disenchantment in the Key of Fuck My Life, i needed an escape route. Fast.   

Without much of a plan, I boarded a plane to Miami, Florida to attend Art Basel, the country’s preeminent modern art exhibition. Held in a gigantic convention center, hundreds of galleries show their finest works by hot international artists. On the plane I sat next to a renowned physician whom I drilled with questions about anti-aging and the future of medicine.

Me: “In terms of medical discovery, what’s the biggest enemy of progress?”

Him: “A lack of cooperation. There needs to be a more exchange of data between research labs”

Me: “Are multivitamins a hoax?”

Him: “Probably”

Me: “What’s the most important factor in aging? a. Clean living b. Diet c. Exercise d. Stress ?”

Him: “e. Genes and sleep.”

Me: “Great. I’m doomed.”

Here are some pics from the exhibit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, I met up with the Misshapes DJ’s, DJ Cat, and Junior Sanchez, and proceeded to Rockbar and Delano where my memory ends. (Maybe hotel surveillance footage will explain where the pillowcase full of African beer bottles came from, and why there was spinach in my shower.)

The following day, I accepted a ride from a good friend to Tampa to catch the epic outdoor 97x concert. Backstage I caught up with some good friends from 30 Seconds to Mars, Sick Puppies, and Rise Against. 

Flew home physically damaged but artistically revitalized by the music, the exhibit, the sun, and the spirit of spontaneity…  -pockets filled once again with scraps of paper smeared with lyrics, cover art sketches, band photo/video concepts, and random babble. On one bar napkin I’d written:   

“Ask fans to start a petition! I want to be the first person in the world to drink moon water!”

I love that some of you are starting to respond to one another... that’s so cool…

The questions this week were deep and complicated, as expected.. far beyond my scope, tho I tried. A lot of the heavier one's seemed to fall into one of these three categories, which I’d like to attempt to answer next week in general terms:

1. How to break up with someone

2. How to get over some one

3. How to get someone back

In the meantime, some quick thoughts: Ashley, thanks for the most clever run-on sentence ever. Sabeen, thank you for correcting my use of the word “Jihad.” Erin, Dump current BF. Natalie, what’s your Etsy profile? Nicole, never settle.

THANK YOU to Travis, Hunter, Drew and Dan of WE THE KINGS who took the time to briefly answer a ton of your questions, in a drive-by style… We all wish them luck on their new release! Thank You also to the fans of WE THE KINGS…  you are all now honorary Raccoons.. Welcome to the community. 

<<<<Join us NEXT WEEK when my guest will be JEREMY DAWSON from our long time friends SHINY TOY GUNS. Click HERE, and you’ll be routed to the COMMENTS area where you can leave a question for either of us. Just add “???? JEREMY” or “???? MAT” to the title>>>>

ok here we go.

1. OLIVIA writes:

?????Mat, I've never dared write or speak these words before.

All my life, I've been living by the saying, "go through the motions" - in hopes that someday, I'll have convinced myself that I'm beautiful. (Or, at least, not ugly.)

I'm not some depressed 18-year old cutting herself. Add ten years, and no cuts, but lots of scars, and that's me. Yes. Real scars.

I got hurt in an accident at 3, and later in a new accident at 13. Both times, the accident gave scarring in my face.

As a young woman, this of course was pretty devastating, having everybody ask what the scars were, and how I got them. And even getting called names: “Scarface, Scarface”.

(Oh god, I've never told anyone this before. I'm actually starting to cry just remembering this.)

I'm strong, or at least pretend to be, so every time I've just laughed or pretended not to hear. I've never worn much make-up, and pretend not to be bothered about the scars. But they do bother me. I wish I could go to a job interview without being stared at, having people wonder what happened, but not daring to ask. I wish I could look pretty from all angles in photos, and not always having to turn my face just so, in order to hide my scars as much as possible.

My question, Mat.. How do I ever get over this? How do I really, and not just keep pretending, ignore my scars and deal with it? How should I speak about them? I hate showing my weaknesses, but I guess it's better to share them sometimes, than to make pretend all the time.

 

MAT writes:

You mention how you “pretend” to be strong. I hope you realize that you ARE being strong. “Going through the motions” is a survival technique, and especially as a kid, it takes a tremendous amount of courage where many others would have just given up. That said, it only gets you halfway there. Now that you’ve survived, it’s time to find a way to truly heal.

You cry because its painful to remember what it was like, to suffer such cruelty as a kid… but you can’t run from that pain.. If you want to move forward,  you have to first go back and TRULY focus on those feelings you had.. in order to fully process it, in therapy, you have to allow yourself to feel sad… but you also have to believe in yourself.

Members of my clique happen to really love unique features on girls, even if they are strange.

I just spent 2 days in Miami, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting some kind of “gorgeous” model (or prostitute). They’re everywhere.

But the ONLY one I remember, was a latino salesgirl with a huge dark purple birthmark that entirely covered one side of her face. By all common definitions, she was disfigured, but the way she was smiling and engaging a couple people in some cool story, you couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

Also, in Boise last summer after a show, our touring guitarist, Gil, was approached by a stunning girl who just happened to be missing her left hand. They ended up hanging out all night, and the rest of us were totally envious..  here’s why: She was actually INTRIGUING. imagine that.

See, there’s a natural assumption that if a girl is missing a hand (or covered in birthmarks or scars) and yet STILL has the confidence to dress with style, and approach a band member, then she MUST have something to offer. By virtue of the obstacles she’s had to overcome, automatically, she MUST think about things on a deeper level. 

MOST traditionally “hot” girls are used to getting things easy, based on their looks, not their merit. Their inner value as a person rises and falls based on how much attention they can demand from others. As a result, they are boring, shallow, and crazy. They’re insecure, co-dependent, and freak out over bullshit. They attract young, idiotic tools, and superficial old rich Pakistani men that smell like musk and sandalwood.

If I met you right now, at the VERY LEAST, I’d know that you are grounded and that you have stories to tell. Trust me, the right guys will dig you, or they already do.

 

2) AMAL writes:

????MAT,
i really need some advice on how to ignore rumors. A girl at school found out that i was bi and now is using that as an excuse to spread nasty rumors about me to practically everyone at school, most the stuff she says isn’t even true, i am not the kind of person to ignore stuff like that so it really gets to me, i mean i'm a great student at school, i'm really quiet and stick to only talking to my friends but since i'm not great at ignoring stuff i tend to try and stand up to the girl in class but fail and get told off by the teacher for talking in class! i really don’t think its fair and would REALLY appreciate it if you could help me with ways to just ignore it, because i mean, some of the stuff she says make you physically sick

MAT writes:

Let her talk trash, Amal. She’s making you famous.

In the 80’s, Rod Stewart’s record label PAID thousands of dollars to a PR firm to spread a false rumor that he was gay. As a result of the controversy, his record sales soared. That dumb bitch in your school is doing PR for you. For FREE.

She’s obviously jealous, and likely a closet lesbian. She’s also somehow oblivious to the fact that “bi” is neither defamatory nor insulting. It’s a serious turn-on to most guys, and despite how people may respond to her attempts to slander you in public, I assure you that privately, the same people are fascinated by you.

Ultimately, actions always speak louder than words. Idiots like her will come and go throughout your life, but your character and reputation will remain in tact based on the real choices you make. Truth always wins, and she will fade away into suburban obscurity.

In the meantime, just put on your iPod, stay quiet, mysterious and bi… Give her a smile every time you pass her in the hallway, -cos you know something she doesn’t: -that in 5 years, she’ll def be working at Walgreens, but right now, she’s working for you.

 

3) ELAINE CLARKE writes:

???????MAT,
 i'm 26 yrs old and i'm 3 months pregnant with my 3rd child. My two daughters spend their weekends with their real dad who i'm not with. I could really do with some advice. I go for my first scan tomorrow and my kids’ real dad doesn't know i'm pregnant, and he doesn't know i'm seeing someone else. I'm scared of telling him incase he stops seeing my daughters. I don’t want him to fall out with me over this. I really don’t know what to do

MAT writes:

There’s a phrase they use in Alcoholics Anonymous: “You’re only as sick as your secrets.”

You have no idea what his response will be. Don’t be terrified by how you assume he’ll react.

I would call and tell him over the phone, very soon. (The longer you wait, the more he could feel betrayed and lied to, -and those are actually legitimate grievances) You can be upfront. “Listen, I waited 3 months to tell anybody, because I wanted to make sure this was real, but… “

The bottom line is, if he doesn’t want to see his own children because his EX is getting serious with someone else, then he’s a piece of shit, and that’s nothing you can control by lying to him. 

Your future baby has nothing to do with him, and has no direct effect on his life. I would guess that he may be slightly hurt for a bit, but he’ll come around. Any decent man would choose to focus on his relationship with his own daughters and his own life. 

ps: Please name your baby “Karate”. That’s the coolest one I’ve come up with.

4.) EMILY writes:

?????MAT,
In terms of age difference, what's acceptable for You and what isn't? I’d appreciate your point of view… hopefully it'll help me to find a way out of a mess I’m in. Answer is desperately needed.

MAT writes:

I know a thing or two about getting in to messes. It was the summer of my 26th year… she was 17 and resembled Natalie Portman from The Professional. She had it all: Encyclopedic knowledge of post-wave brit pop, a car, a therapist, braces… but that’s a story for another blog.

Step one is to get informed. Every Tour Manager worth is salt, asks his band to memorize the state-by-state chart on Ageofconsent.com. (They will learn, ironically, that some of the same southern states, which are so proudly known for their religious zeal and “conservative family values”, are also creepily the most lenient and relaxed when it comes to banging 16-yr olds. (hello, Georgia.)

If you’re willing to travel, there are dozens of countries (eg: Nigeria, Spain, Peru, Bolivia, etc…) that allow consensual sex at age 14. 

The African country Burkina Faso, (Spring Break 2010 anyone? You bring the beer, I’ll bring the vaccines) even permits sex at 13.

---But there’s still ONE country where depravity and hedonism know virtually no bounds. One final bastion on the planet where rapists run free and the sickest pedophiles can indulge their twisted carnal vices with pure immunity… The ONE country where the governing body is so vile and corrupt as to LEGALLY declare sexual maturity at the ripe old age of TWELVE: The Vatican State

Now, once you are in the realm of what is permitted by LAW, you can move on to what is permitted by society, and common decency.

For guys, the typical formula is this: Half your age + 7 years.  (For example, a 40 yr old man usually shouldn’t dip below 27.) There will always be a vast range of maturity levels, and many cases are unique, but that’s the general rule of thumb.

Cougars (hot women over 40), on the other hand, have only one rule: Go for whatever you can get.. That 20 yr old pool boy is in play. That’s why they’re called ‘cougars’. Coo coo ka choo. I hope that helps.

5) EVE writes:

Dear Mat, What are your thoughts on the Straight Edge lifestyle?

MAT writes:

I think it’s borderline ridiculous, and since High School have mostly filed it in my brain under the “who gives a shit” category, but I’ll go there for you.

For those of you who don’t know, “Straight Edge” refers to “a lifetime commitment to refrain from drinking, using tobacco products, and taking any recreational drugs”

It spread from the vibrant D.C. punk scene in the 80’s, where bands like Minor Threat and 7 Seconds (whom i dig a lot)  endorsed the policies of a clean lifestyle on and off stage. From there, it gathered momentum and spread... influencing a lot of other bands and fans, the more militant of which started to add 'Veganism' to their list of virtues also.

Now, as with any extremist system of beliefs, this one began with the best of intentions, but over time became polluted, misinterpreted and just.. I don’t know.. kind of… ‘embarrassing’ I guess is the word?

I mean, OF COURSE it’s a better cause than most. It's especially noble for a punk scene to have a message that's positive rather than self-destructive. Unfortunately, it’s just a) incredibly hypocritical, b) narrow-minded, and c) very elitist. Predictably, it’s proponents inevitably end up adopting an attitude of moral superiority over outsiders who don't share their opinions. I guess that’s where I have a problem. I’ll address each in turn.

a) Hypocrisy: Straight Edge is founded on principles which are indeed admirable, such as “strength” and “independence” and the “courage” it takes to stand alone in the face of popular peer pressure. I get that. Those are cool virtues that I endorse as well…  my issue is, if peer pressure is so evil, and independence is so prized, then why do most Straight Edge punks have the EXACT SAME tattoos, wear the EXACT SAME clothes, and listen to the EXACT SAME bands? In my experience, members of the Straight Edge community are incredibly judgmental, and ironically have MORE of a “need to belong” than those on the outside who they judge as weak-willed.

There’s also hypocrisy in the very definition of “recreational drugs.” -because, while Speed in pill or powder form is expressly forbidden, it seems very convenient that RAGING addictions to caffeine in liquid form are somehow all kosher)

b.) Narrow-mindedness: As with the Christianity, Skinheads, The Third Reich, and the Davidian Cults, most members of the Straight Edge community pledge allegiance at a young age, when they are most impressionable, and easily swept up in the excitement and zeal of charismatic leadership and an environment where they find acceptance and protection.

Any “lifetime” commitment takes a certain maturity that no kid is capable of possessing. Words like “vigilance” ARE sexy, but be careful; the next thing you know, you’re 36 yrs old, and adhering to the SAME exact beliefs, listening to the SAME bands, eating the SAME foods, hanging with the SAME people…. 

What’s wrong with allowing yourself to grow?  What’s wrong with CHANGING YOUR MIND? What’s wrong with GROWING OUT OF something? I mean, can you fathom if we ALL got tattoos of what we liked when we were 17? We’d look like goddamn idiots… Freddy Krueger and Christy Brinkley and Big Macs and Mr. T and the A-Team and shit...  

- It just doesn’t behoove the Straight Edge community to recruit people over the age of 21, because they start asking too many questions. GOOD questions. LOGICAL questions… questions like, “WHY?” or questions like, oh, I don’t know... “Who gives a shit whether or not i drink a beer?”

c) Moral Superiority: The Straight Edge culture makes the very unfair assumption that the value of your ENTIRE character is based on your choice of whether or not to drink or do drugs. --That life is no more complicated... They tend to believe that their discipline (again, an admirable trait) entitles them to some kind of ethical higher ground over the rest of us… 

-But just like perverted Catholic priests, in my experience, that’s simply just not the case. We toured once with a Straight Edge band who i still love.. and while, it’s true, they never smoked weed and never drank... they evidently had no issues whatsoever with vandalism, brawling, or sex with minors after the show. ha.

Another important thing to note, is that WHEN a member of the Straight Edge scene falls from grace (and they almost always do), THEY FALL HARD. See, when you spend your life judging things about which you have ZERO first-hand knowledge… when you believe the lie that ALL drugs are evil… when at some point you FINALLY take one sip of a beer and realize that it doesn’t turn you into an idiotic brain-dead monster, your ENTIRE foundation of beliefs comes crashing down… you let go of it all.. -even the stuff that has value.. EX-Straight Edgers tend to go to the opposite extreme, substituting one kind of lunacy for another.. (the way ex-junkies and murderers become born-again Christians)

I can't even TELL you how many weed dealers I know who USED to be Straight Edge.

To summarize, I believe in an individual sense of moral responsibility. I believe in one’s choice NOT to do drugs or drink.. but I do not believe that you are DEFINED by that decision alone. 

I also believe in intelligence and common sense, and maybe THAT’s where I diverge from the Straight Edge manifesto. Straight Edge assumes that common sense is impossible without some sort of large organization imposing a concrete set of rules or a mythological threat to govern peoples’ behavior.

THAT, to me, is pretty insulting... I must have more faith in the human race than they do.

 

5)  Rather than focus on a few key questions at length, the boys in WE THE KINGS have answered many of you in a condensed “We the Kings -Raccoon Society Cliff’s Notes” of sorts. Check it out.

To AMBER:

We believe that when you meet the right person, you'll know when the time is right to date.  Never do anything you aren't comfortable with, so don't let someone try and talk you into something you don't feel right doing.  Relationships are built on trust and if you don't trust your partner- there's no foundation for a relationship.  Don't feel like a loser- your time will come!

To ALISHA:

Our parents and family are some of the most supportive and important people in our lives!!  We would not be where we are without them.  You have to show your parents that you are really serious about being involved in the music industry.  Maybe as a compromise you start off with an undeclared major (taking the basic general education courses), do REALLY well in all of your courses and maybe they'll change their mind!

To KARIE:

We DID!! I remember that teddy bear!! We didn't name it but I will name it Karie now!! :)

To NESS:

A close friend of ours went through something similar, and it's a really terrible feeling.  You just need to sit her down and let her know exactly how you feel and how its affecting you.   Prove to her that she needs to stop drinking, not only for herself but for her daughter.  If you can't get through to her, you should speak to a professional and try to have her speak to someone as well.

To KRISSY:

We'll be on tour from January 23rd to March 4th!!  It's called the Take Action Tour with Mayday Parade, A Rocket To The Moon and There For Tomorrow.  Of course we will hang out after the show, we can't wait to meet you!!

To JESSICA:

Haha yes, sometimes I do play barefoot.  Thanks so much for coming out to the show, it was great meeting you!!

To ALEXANDRA:

We try to keep our personal lives separate from our careers- but we completely understand fans being curious, it comes with the territory!  That's why we love Twitter so much- lets us share our personal lives with fans.

To NATALI’s MOM:

PLEEEEEASE let Natali come to the show on December 10th. We need her there because we can't play the show with out her!!

To PAULINA:

We would love to come to Mexico!!  We really hope to tour there soon!!

To NAZ:

Staying positive is the most important thing you can do.  We try to always have a positive look on things and stay optimistic.... Smile kid :)

To KYLIE:

Hey Kylie, we would love to play a show in both cities!! We were just in Portland, OR and we loved it!!

To KATHERINE:

Our inspiration came from all our favorite bands growing up and all the people that supported us. When we have road block we just move on and just re-visit. If something gives you a hard time you can't be stuck on it for too long and just have to Keep on Keeping on!! ;)

To SYDNEY:

Although we loved every date of the GK Tour, our favorite show was in Salt Lake City.  The kids were amazing and weather was beautiful.  A girl has got to have a good personality or else there's no point in getting to know her!

To ALANNA:

We announced the Christmas show already!! Its on 12/28 at the Hall in Palmetto FL!! Hope to see you there!

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A Dream Comes True For One Lucky Raccoon ; Perks of Being a Wallflower

Posted on December 1, 2009 at 04:56 AM

Reading: A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov (marvelous), Video treatments for New York City Speed. The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens

Listening to: Chapterhouse Whirlpool, Depeche Mode Songs of Faith and Devotion

Eating: my rainy day remedy…Lobster club sandwich, tomato soup, Hydrocodone  

Drinking: Ginger Green tea, Provenance Cabernet

Watching: Training Day special features

Youtube: Historic skateboard tricks I and II, Spike Jonze behind the scenes, bass eats mouse

I don’t necessarily believe in omens, but this is the third time I’ve seen a pigeon eating frozen puke off the sidewalk, and I’m starting to question the basics.

Suddenly it’s THAT time of year again in Chicago... when the gods toss a dark grey blanket of shit over the city for 4 cruel, cold months… when the glistening skyscrapers turn into towering gravestones…when the cold air caves in, and to look straight up at the swirling doomsday clouds, you’d swear you’re at the bottom of the Caspian sea.

Our tour documentarian once asked a girl outside our show, “So, do your Mormon parents think you’re going to hell?” to which she replied, “No, we’re already there.”

Everyone suddenly gets depressed. Psychologists call it Seasonal Affective Disorder. (S.A.D.) and I’m it's poster child. –I’m tempted to print a T-shirt: “What doesn’t kill you, only bores you.” 

 

If nothing else, this weather tests your artistic spirit. -and in that sense, it’s actually inspirational. I’ve been writing daily on the piano, and we’re doing a ton of prep for the New Heart For Xmas 7 weekend.. coming up in 2 weeks. Those shows will be monumental. (click HERE for info)

I hope all you American Raccoons had a festive Thanksgiving… I was thankful that I no longer had that Third Eye Blind song in my head. You know the one? “Wish you would step back from that ledge my friend...” I swear to GOD I’d rather stick my dick in a termite nest than hear that song ever again.

I’m also thankful that I’m not this guy.   

Or this guy. 

<<<I'm giving everyone another week to get in your questions. My guests are We the Kings. Just CLICK HERE and put either "????WETHEKINGS"  or  "????MAT" as the subject of your COMMENT. Nothing is off limits! >>>> 

In the meantime, I’d like to leave you with something very special:

Last week, a Raccoon named Samantha posted a heartfelt story…-a grim portrait of her life under the regime of a tyrannical dickhead mom, and a plea for help. In it she also mentioned one of my favorite books of all time, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky.

Stephen is a titanic talent and a cult hero. His ability to realistically capture the drama, humor, romance and angst of youth, is the reason why top critics have called him “the J.D. Salinger of our generation.”  He’s also a friend, so I thought it’d be interesting to send Samantha’s question to him directly. Generously, he responded with a deep, sensitive letter of encouragement. Rather than paraphrase, I’ve reprinted almost all of his email below:

 

SAMANTHA WRITES:
Mat, I read another person’s question saying that their mother did not allow them to listen to certain music. My mother is the same. I've tried desperately to have healthy conversations with her when the subject comes up, but it usually ends with her screaming at me that I'm a “mistake”.

I love music. It’s what keeps me hopeful through all the pain in my life, and yet I have to secretly smuggle it into my room. -And it’s not just music. I'm also not allowed to leave the house, hang with friends, read most books or even to visit the library. I wanted to read The Perks of Being A Wallflower and again she yelled at me for it.

She sees everything as “satanic” or “evil”. To make things worse, she finds it much easier to scream and hit me than anything else. I know I'm not a good enough daughter, despite my efforts, but I still can't take it anymore. I hoped she would understand especially since she's a social worker.. I'm suffocating from my home life. I don't know how much more I can handle. I would greatly appreciate any advice you have...

STEPHEN WRITES:

Hey Mat,

     Thank you for forwarding this email to me.  I have spent the last 15 minutes trying to craft a response, but every road I take leads to another dead end.  Truth is, it seems like this poor girl is being abused by her mother, but it's so hard to say for sure when we are only hearing one side of it.

     Hitting her?  Calling her a mistake?  Everything is satanic?  She's not allowed to go to a library?  And... her mother is a social worker.  I honestly don't know what to make of it.  It seems like a very sad and tragic mess.

     For what it's worth... if I were to sit down with the girl, I would tell her is that she is not alone.  So many kids get hit.  So many kids are told hurtful things like they're a “mistake.”  -Millions actually.  The problem is that too often, such abuse makes people feel like they're the only ones experiencing it.  Because they feel so alone, they reach out to someone on the internet instead of a friend, a teacher, or a social worker (who's not their mother), who might be able to get in there and help them. 

     So, in the end, I'd tell the girl to reach out to someone in her actual life who can help make sense of this awful situation.  If she's unwilling or unable to do that, all you can do is tell her that there is hope... with time.  She will turn 18.  She will get out of there.  And the more she makes it a habit of saying that her mother is wrong to call her a mistake.  The more she tells herself that she doesn't deserve to get hit.  The better she will be when she does get free of that house.

     With all that said, I will offer one thing.  If she is not allowed to go to the library, but she wants to read my book... I will gladly send her a personalized autographed copy.  All she needs to do is give you her full name and her school's address or a friend's family's address or somewhere where she knows she'll get the book.  I would do that for the poor girl in a heartbeat.  Anything to give her a little hope and let her know that strangers can care.

     So, let me know if that will help, buddy.  And good luck with this girl.  If you think any piece of what I'm saying to you will help her, feel free to pass it along.  I just can't write to her directly.  It fucks me up too much.  I take way too much of it on.  I hope you understand.  Thanks man.

Steve

THANK YOU, STEPHEN!

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