Okay friendlies,
I'm in need of a wipe & refill of the trusty Zen player hereabouts, and I'd like to pick your brains for new tunes. Now, I'm down with much of anything...
provided its not modern "hiphop" (I'm a sucker for oldschool lyricism, though), or neo-country/similar (though, again, I can't help myself when it comes to the classics)
...and will sample all kinds of suggestions to find something I enjoy.
Last.fm has done me right for some time now, but its so impersonal and hit-or-miss these days that I feel I've near exhausted that resource. I'm also hunting with MonkeyRadio, and have been for years, but that's getting to be old hat, too.
I needs new blood, people. New, creative bloody input already!
Lay it on me.

Thanks all!

x-posted accordingly

current state: shake a leg, sweethearts

I'm seriously thinking about getting my first tattoo! I need some advise:

I want to get it in the next 2 weeks or so. From searching online and viewing a couple portfolios, I think I am going to go to Infinity Tattoo. Is this a wise choice?

I totally would like to get a custom design done. I have an idea in mind of exactly what I want, yet I can;t draw worth shit! What is the procedure? I can explain what I want, then the tattoo artist draws up a design. I would hate to have someone spend a lot of time drawing up a tat that I end up not liking. Is it common to be able to make changes once a tat is drawn up so that it's just the way i'd like? Do you often offer to pay for having the idea drawn out? Money really isn't much of an issue to get the tattoo that i've always wanted. It is going to be a piece that will take it a portion of my shoulder and wind around my arm to the top of my forearm. Color. Guesses on how much with will run?

Thank you in advance for any advise or suggestions :)

So, my roommate and I are thinking of taking a trip up to Vancouver BC in a few weeks and I was a bit worried about the necessity for a passport. I know that there were some new travel restrictions implemented after the new year and passports are now required when traveling by air to Canada or Mexico, but everything I've read says that they may be required when traveling by land or sea. So, has anyone traveled up to Canada since the new restrictions and were you asked for a Passport? I ask you all because you are all a vast fountain of knowledge and I'm not sure I can get my passport renewed period let alone in the time frame my roommate and I are looking to go in.

current state: sick

First, about bottles/cans and that darn deposit.  I've never before lived in a state that charged bottle deposit - I've always just put my bottles/cans out for recycling.  Now, I know I can still do that and they'll take them, but the principle of the thing's getting to me.  Where do I have to go to bring my cans/bottles "back" and get my deposit back?  I'm SE (82nd/woodstock) if that makes a difference.  Is it fast & simple or not so much?

Second, I've also never before lived in a state that didn't allow you to pump your own gas, and now I'm wondering...do you tip the gas pumper?  (Do *you* and/or do you think it's customary?) If so, how much?  In the past, I often would, but generally I'd pump my own gas unless it was freezing cold or pouring rain or I was incapacitated or something, and I figured they were doing me a service therefore deserving of a tip.  Dunno why it seems different when I don't have the option to pump my own - they're still doing the service for me - but it does.

thanks

I hope this is okay here. I'm going to assume it is, as I've seen a few promos for shows on this community already.

I went to a battle of the bands at the Roseland tonight, and it's becoming more and more apparent to me that there is definately not a lack of young talent in this city. What there is a lack of, is venues for said young talent to play at. It is nearly impossible to play a show in this town if you are under 21 without going through terrible, sharky booking agents. My question is this: do any of you know of any houses that hold shows that youngish bands can book at? I had a show booked at one called the Dutch House, but that was canceled, as the Dutch House was threatened with eviction if they didn't stop holding shows, so we're looking for a replacement venue. On that note, I would like to promote my band's show, and yeah, we did have to go through a sharky booking agent on this one.

My band, Monster-Sized Monsters, is playing in a battle of the bands at Rock 'n' Roll Pizza tomorrow afternoon, at 4 PM. It's $10 at the door and nine bands are playing. If you can, you should come and support the kids that are too young to play in bars. It should be a pretty good time.