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Ash Wednesday! What does Music Mean to me?

1/12/2021

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Written By: Ash Catcher 

I think that is the most stupid generalized, over asked question someone has asked me. So I am gonna rant and rave all about it. 

Like art, there is just a shit ton of music out there, for every person's interest, all walks of life, demographics,  and languages, which I am listening to Ukrainian 80s synth pop, in a few mins I may be throwing on Mongolian throat singing, and or Japanese industrial music. It varies, and like my moods, that shit's gonna change, like time on a damn clock. I cannot recall a time where I did not have some mild form of social anxiety and musical ADD. I just let that shit flow. I keep reassuring myself if things were more open and you could have just one night out at a club things wouldn’t be so bad. Ya girl's just gotta dance this out. I am not stressed out, I just got something that is knowing away at my psych ya know. I am not sure what it is, but music really has been a saving grace.  

On days I am not working, and nights- they’re few and far between, I really want more time to create. I feel like I have been manifesting this moment for a while now but I am pretty set on taking myself and my art further than I ever thought possible. I am very shy when it comes to sharing my art. It's something that I am trying to steadily get over, in addition I am also super shy about what kind of music I share with others as well. Music is such a personal thing for me that I feel like sharing it with another person is super intimate. That's just how I see things. I could sound crazy, bit when I tell other people that sharing music is pretty personal to me, because ya know memories and shit I can tell you for a fact I am not exactly open to sharing 100% with what I listen to with others, um cause some of it is weird as fuck. 
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I am sure I am not the only one who misses techno, and house music, all the music I have discovered when I was younger is also apparently the taste of a middle aged white man, so I am flattered and semi creeped out. Maybe I should try and branch out. I used to fuck with digital streaming music hard as a kid, my Apple Music library could satisfy me for weeks, and weeks. But after they locked my account I became super bitter about it, and immediately invested in vinyl. I have been collecting them for roughly 15 years now. I have I want to say 100 or so records, I have been obsessed with 7 inches lately. If it's not broke don't fix it. It works, I can find some weird original pieces, which I don't know why is really important to me that I don't have something that someone else has. I guess that is a squirrelly aspect of me I just need to accept. Nut up Ash. 

For not being that inspired lately, I can happily say I woke up after sleeping in till about 9 am, fucking unheard of for me, but I just don't listen to music, I listen to my body too, and apparently I am listening to hella indie, and way way too much beach boys. Send help! But maybe just a song suggestion would suffice. Music is that personal additive, its like something a little extra that you add to your coffee that you don't tell your guest, and when they choke on the coffee gasping “Is that cinnamon I taste?” You reply back and say “No, that's the Newest E.P from Pup, it's just as spicy, but way less calories.” I am not sure my humor can translate via text very well. 

Whatever I would be dead without music, like WAY more dead than I already am. 

See ya next Weds! 

Ash
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It's That Feeling You Get

1/10/2021

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I originally wanted to make this into a Things I Like video about Airborne Toxic Event's self-titled album for our YouTube channel. Then that idea was whittled down to just being about their hit “Sometime Around Midnight” (and I don't care if that makes my taste basic—the song is a masterpiece). Then that idea resulted into a flood of other ideas I thought would be a big enough deal to warrant an article. Before I get into it, I do want to talk about how much I love it, and I promise I'm going somewhere with this.

“Sometime Around Midnight” is a story compressed into a five-minute and four-second song. Basically, Mikel Jollett runs into his ex at a bar and realizes he's still in love with her. She's acting like she's having the greatest time in the world with some other guy, while he's remembering how she looked when she was his.

The beat starts off slow as he's describing the encounter. He starts getting bolder when he sees her leave with someone he doesn't know and his blood's boiling and his stomach's in ropes. Then in the most angst-filled way he shouts, “Then you walk under the streetlights / And you're too drunk to notice that everyone's / Staring at you / You just don't care what you look like / The world is falling around you.” Then he ends with telling himself over and over again “You just have to see her” even though he knows it'll break him in two.
Outside of the genius lyrics, angsty vocals, and master instrumentals, there was something else I liked about this song, but I couldn't articulate it right away.

Finally I realized I liked it because I had this experience too. This song was one of the things that helped me get through every past breakup. I felt understood. I couldn't imagine not having this song in my life at that time. Yeah, I'd survive it and move on, but there's something so special about a song that resonates with you when you need it.

Back in 2012 when I was getting ready to graduate, budget cuts to our arts programs (among others) were finally coming around—or at least, finally being talked about publicly. Around the same time my school was shoving the going to college route down our throats on top of pushing kids towards math and science fields. My family was also telling me to study something practical, instead of art. I genuinely think they both meant well. The school was probably just looking at stats and saw the growing need to fill those jobs in the next few years. My family wanted to make sure I could get a job. I get it.
Science and math make vital contributions to our lives on a daily basis that I am grateful for, but hear me out: Not everything you do is required to result in massive change that affects the lives if billions of people. That's a lot of pressure. By no means does art cure disease, stabilize economies, or save the world from meteors.

But that song might mean the world to one person. A poem might help that person put words to what they're feeling and help them make sense of what they're going through. That reassurance that we're not alone unites us. It's invaluable insight—especially now, in a social climate hell-bent on driving us apart and pointing out our differences rather than what we share.

A friend once made a comment that history was written by the winners—those who are first get to write how it happened. The runners-up just get to push the winners' narrative. That story is a recounting of what the winners consider to be important to pass on to future generations.

Art is by the underdogs. (There are some elitist jerks and gatekeepers who say otherwise, but this doesn't include them.) You want know what people cared about? What they were hoping for? Afraid of? Mull over the lyrics to that song, pick up a chapbook or a novel, or go to an art exhibit. Entire art movements sprout up because people want to be heard.

Art exists on the margins outside of statistics. The answers we give can't always be charted or graphed. What gets you through that breakup can't be found under a microscope. Your joy isn't always a result of careful calculation.

Sometimes you just need to be told, “I get it.”
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I doubt that's the reaction to “Sometime Around Midnight” that Mikel Jollett intended, but well, here it is.

--Maureen










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Ash Wednesday! PLAYin with Myself Part 2

1/4/2021

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Ash Catcher

New year 2021! All new Ash Interviews good good! I am so excited to see what this year brings! 
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  1. Who performs the most random acts of kindness out of everyone you know? My Co-worker, Amanda. 
  2. Who sent the last text message you received? I don't text much. But it was a work thread. 
  3. Who was the last person you ate dinner with? My roommates. We made sushi for my brother's birthday. 
  4. Who was your first Boyfriend/Girlfriend? John McCuen, I should have never dated someone who was 22 when I was 16 years old. That was my bad. My first girlfriend's name was Rachel. 6 years on and off.   
  5. Who was your first Celebrity crush?James Franco, and any other Franco. 
  6. Who was your first friend in college? I did my gen Eds at Community. That show is nothing like what community college is like, so I feel ripped off. 
  7. Who would you tell first if you found a dead body in your garden? I wouldn’t, keep that shit on wraps, chances are I put it there. 
  8. What is your idea of special time together? Cooking dinner, I know I am boring and throwing on some vinyl. 
  9. What is your most embarrassing moment? I was in Kindergarten and ODed on whipped cream during an Ice Cream Social at our school Library. I’ll never forget that. 
  10. What is your most used swear word? Get Fucked. 
  11. What is your star sign?  I am a Cancer. 
  12. What is something that amazes you? I am amazed by squirrels. They are so freaking skittish. 
  13. What is an ideal first date for you? Ironically it is grabbing coffee, and going for a walk. 
  14. What is at the top of your bucket list? To travel to all 7 continents. 
  15. What is something you look for in a partner? HONESTY, and COMMUNICATION. If you wanna say something, fucking say it. I am a very blunt person, but I only invest my time into people who are worth it to me. 
  16. What is the name of your first pet? His name is Fernando, he was my dog growing up as a kid. 
  17. What scares you about aging? Having to be the age where you need to pick out a night cream. I see you 30.  
  18. How difficult is it for you to be honest, even when your words may be hurtful or unpopular? I am blunt as fuck and I encourage others to do the same. 
  19. How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize? My brother mentioned to me the other day that I don't forgive anyone, and he would be correct on that. I don't forgive, and I never forget. 
  20. How far away from your birthplace do you live now? In a few hrs. I was born in New York. 
  21. How has your birth order/characteristics of siblings affected you? I am the oldest so enough said. 
  22. How many Boyfriends/Girlfriends have you had? I have had 6 boyfriends, and 1 girlfriend. John, Connor, ( T2 anyone) Darren, Martin, Kevin, and Shane. Apparently I date a lot of introverted guys because they seem to prioritize call of duty over my ability to achieve an orgasm. 
  23. How many countries have you been to? 5. 
  24. How many oceans have you swum in? 2 but not so much oceans, rather than seas. 
  25. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own? Oooooh  I feel attacked. I have a lot of shoes.  I never got over that platform heel phase. 
  26. How many relationships have you been in? 7 total. 6 boyfriends and 1 girlfriend. Is that alot? This is the second time this question has presented itself. 
  27. How many rings before you answer the phone? I actually don't answer the phone ever. 
  28. How many tattoos do you have? 13. I want another soon. 
  29. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married? I am not sure, I really hate people lately. 
  30. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn’t real? Think I was like 3 or something. I moved on pretty quickly and was more upset about the tooth fairy not being real. 
  31. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? I was 6, and then again at 27. 
  32. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? TJ MAXX. 
  33. Would you ever consider living abroad? 100% I would do anything to get out of the country. Dead, or Alive. 
  34. How many days could you last in solitary confinement? Leggo, and I'll let you know. 
  35. Have you forgiven yourself for past personal failures? Why or why not? I am really rough on myself, so I would probably be self loathing and demand more from myself. 
  36. Have you ever suffered a fracture? Yes my left ankle. 
  37. Have you ever dated two people at a time? I have and it didn’t work out too well, it was in college. 
  38. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? No ew. 
  39. Have you ever ridden on a motorbike? Yes, I had a phase, again in college.
  40. Have you ever taken self-defense lessons? I have taken Krav Maga for over 5 years. 
  41. Have you ever visited a country outside your continent? Yes I loved Europe. I am banking to visit Australia, or Asia soon. 
  42. Have you ever won a trophy or an award? What was it for? Those participation awards in middle school gyms. 
  43. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series? Which one is your favorite? I read two out of three of those. I like to read. 
  44. At what age did you go on your first date? I was 15. It turns out I didn’t know it was a date until after it happened I felt cheated. 
  45. After a breakup, would you rather be alone or be surrounded by friends? I like to be alone, but I will reach out to my friends. 
  46. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister?  I wouldn’t want a sister. 
  47. What flavor of tea do you enjoy? I fuck hard with Matcha. 
  48. What is a strange occurrence you’ve experienced but have never (or rarely) shared with anyone? A lot of weird paranormal stuff happens to me. 
  49. What is one thing you’d rather pay someone to do than do yourself? Why? Change my oil, I hate doing that stuff myself. 
  50. What is the first amusement park you’ve been to? Hershey Park, I was 6 and lost my first tooth on the way there eating a happy meal. I was terrified and thought all Hamburgers housed human dental remains. 
  51. What is the last compliment you got? Someone complimented my eyes the other day. 
  52. What is the most boring movie you’ve watched? The Counselor, with Michel Fastbender, I actually walked out of the theater. 
  53. What is the scariest movie you’ve watched? Idk I love scary tho, so prob a lot. I love any Rob Zombie movie. 
  54. What is the worst grade you got on a test? I’ve failed a few back in my day. 
  55. What is your reaction towards people who are outspoken about their beliefs? What conditions cause you to dislike or, conversely, enjoy talking with them? I hate politics, I really have to choose between two white straight men to dictate how the next 4 years of my life will end up. FUCK THAT. I am not saying I am above politics, but I think it is the stupidest fucking thing to come out of the human race. 
  56. What is the farthest-away place you’ve been? Italy was pretty far. 
  57. What is under your bed? Storage Bins, I have a lot of clothes. 
  58. What is on the walls of the room you are in? I am in my room, so it's a lot of art work, I tried to get art that portrays the city I am currently living in. 
  59. What is one guilty pleasure you enjoy too much to give up? Coffee, and Cigarettes. I don't smoke them alot anymore but I love cloves. 
  60. What is something about yourself that you hope will change, but probably never will? The ability to look at others as human, and forgive them for their mistakes. But fat chance. 
  61. Where do you buy your jeans? I thrift. 
  62. Where were you on Valentine’s Day? I took myself out last year at my favorite place, a guy ended up playing guitar for me. It was super cute. 
  63. Where would you want to retire? The beach. 
  64. What is something you are gifted at? I am good at drawing apparently. 
  65. What is something you wish you were gifted at doing? I wish I was good at gymnastics. 
  66. What is the best compliment you have ever received? You have a cool vibe. 
  67. What is the first movie you remember seeing? The Lion King. 
  68. What is the first thing you do when you get home? I take off my shoes. I think everyone should do that. I hate having dirty floors in my house. 
  69. What is the furthest you’ve ever been from home? What is this Lord of The Rings? 
  70. What is the one item you can’t leave home without? My backpack. 
  71. What do you like about your home? It’s hard to describe, but like the Gothy grandma vibe. .
  72. What do you love about living in your neighborhood? I love the people, a lot of artsy individuals, I don't feel so weird here. 
  73. If you could change something about your home, without worry about expense or mess, what would you do? I would change the fact that I wouldn’t have to drag my trash cans through my house the night before trash day. 
  74. Are you a morning person or a night owl? 2020 made me a morning person, I am in bed by 10 most nights. 
  75. What time do you usually get up in the morning? 5:30 or 6am 
  76. What time is your usual bedtime? 10. I sleep like a rock now. 
  77. What is the first thing you do when you open your eyes in the morning? I am probably reaching for my phone. 
  78. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? What my day is looking like. 
  79. What is the first app you check when you wake up in the morning? Instagram. I am obsessed. I hate it. 
  80. Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? Yes they have been weird lately. 
  81. What is the first time you were allowed to put on make-up? I was 11 or 12 I think, my friend did it for the first time, my mom was pissed. 
  82. What is the first book you remember reading? Harry Potter, But I do recall reading Go Dog, Go. 
  83. What kind of books do you like to read? I have the WEIRDEST fucking collection of books, that are a huge pain in the ass to move. I am sorry for everyone who has had to move my library. 
  84. What is the last book you read? A book about women and their sex roles through history. 
  85. What book are you reading at the moment? “Why does he do that?” The psychology of abusive men. 
  86. What are books on your shelf that are begging to be read? I got a lot! 
  87. What book do you remember as being important to you? Stargirl was super important to me growing up as a kid. 
  88. What is the last film you saw? I saw Sex Drive for the first time, I loved it. 
  89. What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema? I think it was the Joker. It was like back in 2019. 
  90. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Ummmm not porn. 
  91. What is the last thing you watched on TV? I am watching tarot card readings online atm. 
  92. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child? I am pretty sure I could see ghosts as a kid. 
  93. What is the thing you change the TV channel with? The remote, sometimes I'll refer to it as the click clack moo. 
  94. What kind of car do you drive? I have a Mini Cooper, his name is Kylo Ren. 
  95. What language, besides your native language, would you like to be fluent in? I am semi fluent in Russian. 
  96. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother? Tom Holland. 
  97. What medical conditions do you have? I am pretty sure I got some autoimmune things.  
  98. What position do you sleep in? Smack dab in the middle of my bed, with my cow to my right of me. 
  99. What religion will you raise your children to practice? My parents are Jewish. 
  100. What was the best news you ever received? I am not sure, but I am sure i'll write a blog post about it. 
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Good Faith Criticism

1/4/2021

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​Next time you're reading something, or listening to a song, or watching whatever it is you aren't already endeared to, try writing down your thoughts. Not the ones about the last time you shaved under your arms or if you have enough cheese to make it to the end of the week, the critical ones. How ruthless are you when it comes to new entertainment? Are you looking for the positives or leverage to pull the content down beneath you? This isn't a trap. You very well could be open-minded or accepting. Better yet, imagine everyone in your life judging you in the same way you pass judgment unto others. Is that a scary thought to you or a reassuring one? If it's the former, this silly, pseudo-analytical, slightly hypocritical blog post is for you.
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I get angry sometimes, because every time I check, I still have a pulse, yet I find myself stuck in David Foster Wallace's Hell. Everyone is hiding beneath seven layers of irony and eschewing potential in favor of picking the lowest hanging fruit, just to quip about how far down they had to bend in order to grasp it. We have pseudo-criticisms such as Red Letter Media constantly in pursuit of shlock and the propagandist brood of Jon Stewart's Daily Show clipping and recontextualizing news items before sidestepping any criticism sent their way, because after all, they are only comedians. It's criticism without accountability. That's to say nothing against those of us who enjoy our guilty pleasures (though the scripted pundit droogs can take their millions and piss off, considering the damage they've done to modern discourse via the snarkument style they've popularized and their bastardized narratives). I'm a huge fan of B-movies, bad songs, and think Mystery Science Theater 3000 has (or, had, I should say; I refuse to watch the latest seasons) some of the finest comedy writing in television history. At the end of the day, love them or hate them, RLM are successful filmmakers. Many people find comfort in their series and have enjoyed their original movies, which aren't much better than many of the films they lambast on their show, Best of the Worst. Rambling aside, my point is that they are putting their best foot forward and contributing something, even if that foot is wearing an ironic clown shoe. 
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I'm not sure when this trend (which I very well might just be imagining) began of seeing one's love seat as an authoritative throne. To acknowledge the obvious, yes, anyone can have valid criticism and everyone has the right to an opinion. We know. Some things are so abundantly clear they don't need announced, and some people are so dense they refuse to accept that until they are laid out plain and clear. My point is, if you're on the bench, you have no skin in the game. (I refer you to the analogy of the angry sports fan, beer gut and all, shouting at a famous player on the TV for missing a pass that this couch potato clearly could have caught had it been him.) I'm starting to see myself like a washed-up musician when I hear the sound of scoffing. "Where's your masterpiece? If you're so much better, where's your 'Bohemian Rhapsody?'" It's easy to laugh like you wouldn't make such a mistake when you'd never be willing to even put the effort forth. Maybe it is a diversion of my own but nobody reads my books, so, this rebuttal is never in relation to my personal works. One aside I can't allow myself to exclude is the post-modern trend of blockbuster movies not taking themselves seriously, or, if they dare invest in the stakes of its own narrative risk being branded with the modern scarlet letter of "humorless." The obvious example, as it popularized the quipping trend for modern audiences are the Marvel movies. (Once again, I'm not saying every one of these films is worthless; I enjoy a fair deal of them. I'm merely pointing to a cultural phenomenon with which they are associated.) At times, it feels as though the directors (or should I say, producers) are winking at the audience to say, "We know this is just a comic book movie. We're above it, too." They could take their storytelling more seriously but they're just too fuckin' cool. The issue with this constant quipping is that it's hard to accomplish anything if you don't try in earnest. Sometimes, to win big, you have to go all-in. I would say that Indiana Jones and Star Wars have a great deal of humor by way of quips but also know when to respect their material.
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​Remember way back, before I went on a schizophrenic tangent about pop culture, when I asked you to write down your thoughts on whatever you're listening to/reading/watching? Now, try making something of your own. See how much effort it takes to write a corny poem, how frustrating it can be to make a shitty movie, how many hours go into writing whatever song your friend posted on Bandcamp that you made fun of behind their back. (Hopefully that last thing hasn't actually happened to anybody.) Hard work is humbling. Behind many of your least favorite movies is a life spent loving cinema. Some of the bands you love to hate the most have gotten someone through a rough time in their lives. That book you pointed out has a typo also has sixty thousand words spelled properly. One of the best pieces of advice I heard for public speaking is that everyone in the audience wants you to succeed. They are on your side. Nobody wants to go to a bad show. Maybe every now and then you will get a heckler but to paraphrase Minor Threat, "At least [you're] fuckin' trying."
-Todd Daniel Crawford
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Ash Wednesday! ** Up, Up, Down, Across 2

12/29/2020

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A bridge, the gap. Give me the gist. What the actual fuckity fuck is going on? 


P ace, of a god damn snail. It's lonely at the top, but the vibe is higher. Join me someday? 

O bsolete that is how you always made me feel. I was never your priority. 

L ackadaisical, I am so sick of that part of your personality, or is there someone else home, inside your brain house. Who has the keys? Who runs the shows?  

O mnipresent, this maybe extraterrestrial of me but did you feel that? Just now? 

G naw, some days are better than others, I don’t think about you as much- other times it's unbearable. Those are blanket days. 

I diosyncrasy what do you have like 134723958346-093560 billion of these, and did not tell me. 

Z ero in on the better times. I know there were more good times than bad. I try. 

E eavesdropping are you? I can hear you. You are not as slick as you think, fish. 



A bysmal, describes our conversational skills. We are killing it at silence treatments. 

N epotism, fuck your fake ass friends. 

D isingenuous, I am beginning to doubt everything you said. 


M ayhem, in your head again, up again at 2am. I feel you not sleeping. 

E lude my gaze, why can't you look me in the eyes? What did I do to you? What did you do to me? 

A bandon, when I needed you, you would always cut, and run. 

N ettles. Do you listen to the Arctic Monkeys? I can't stand them but they pop on my Spotify. 


I mpasse, we seem to be at a stalemate. I am still not going to be your “friend”. Fuck that. 

T haw out, come engage in convos again.The air is too dry, and still between you and I.  


O mnipresent, I am everywhere.  

K lepto, why did you just feel like you could take everything from me, who the flying fuck do you think you are? 

A nd I think I have said all I can. 

Y ou need to move your ass. 
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Ash Wednesday: Adventures in West Philly: Ditched Digs, a look at the expanding unoccupied homes of West Philly

12/23/2020

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By: Ash Catcher

     There is something so beautiful about these abandoned buildings in Philly. They are some of the most mesmerizing and oddly attractive parts about the city that I live in. While I like finding cool places in the suburbs still, and in the mountains, there is nothing like finding something in your backyard. literally. I plan to highlight more abandoned buildings in my photography, as well as my artwork in the upcoming 2021 year. Here are a few shots I took of a row home in West Philly. It is for sale so technically it could be a great starter home or investment property, but given the surrounding area, many homes like these remain abandoned, but still very much “active”. 
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​What I like most about these houses is the stillness, everything in this house, which has always been a very interesting concept for me. The thought of a perminiment home kinda sort of baffles me at times, I am pretty transient, and move around a lot. It's not ideal but it is what it is. I like these homes because at one point or another they housed a lot of souls. These houses have been the stage for weddings, funerals, fights, make ups, break ups, babies and more. A house isn’t a home until it's been broken into. These homes have been stripped of their details, and decor, and put on display. But the memories still remain. I like to envision whoever lived in this house didn’t want to part with it willingly. I am certainly not willing to part with this hobby of mine, I’ll probably continue to do things like this until I am no longer able to hop a fence, or point and shoot a camera. 
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​It’s been super cold lately and one of my hobbies has once again taken a semi back seat due to inclement weather. I got a tip off a friend of mine about this house in West Philly. It looks nothing like Will Smith says it does so thanks Will, thanks alot. This house from what I can tell like most row homes in Philly, and I can happily say that once you have been in one Philly row home you have been in them all, was pretty cleaned out already. No sign of people squatting, it was relatively free of trash, and no squirrels much to my dismay. 
​I am a sucker for hardwood floors and exposed brick, I have a feeling in a few months this place is going to get scooped up and flipped for more than 3 times it’s asking price. I hope they keep some of the original charm to these houses, I see them all the time for sale when I drive around, even where I live now there are plenty of “condemned”” homes for sale. I wonder why they weren’t more popular. Aren’t we always in some kind of housing epidemic or another? All things to think about. 
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I really can't wait for warmer weather. There are a few places by me currently that I am trying to visit. A really cool house up the road from me is still abandoned and I am trying to get in that shit as soon as it's warm enough. Hoping there won’t be too much mold and asbestosis. I generally like to go in with as little gear as possible. My camera bag is heavy enough, and I do not want to bring too much in with me, it is always smart to go into these places with another person or thing, but I have been flying solo and doing this by myself for so long I often get super impatient with other people I am Urban Exploring with. It is a really personal thing, and taking on past energies is a big thing for me, I cant have someone blocking my signal, ya dig? 
​That being said, anyone who has some sweet spots that are still active please send them my way. I am always looking for my fix of abandoned shit. 

Hope everyone has a good holiday. I'll be working Christmas Eve like every year haha! 

Catch ya later noobs.
-Ash Catcher 
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Ash Wednesday! My Covid 2020 Schedule: Why I have chosen to consolidate my 60 hr work week into 4 days.

12/16/2020

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By: Ash Catcher 
Photos By: Ellis. 
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I am pretty sure this year has, like most people changed the way we view and do things in the world. This year, well mostly starting at the end of March I made a conscious choice to stop working longer, (I was pulling 7 day weeks and working 15 plus hrs a day) to work smarter. Here is what I mean, I now have a great schedule, well as great as one can have given all these weird and uncertain times: I have chosen to work only 4 days out of the week and spend the other 3 going off on adventures. (Smartly, masked, and socially distanced) I mean your girl likes living in a highly populated but I’ll be damned if I can't lose cell service out in the woods at least a few times a week. Disconnecting is healthy and good. We need to be doing it more. 

So what have I been doing? Where have I been going? People have been complaining to me this year that there is nothing to do. I am sorry that's not how I see things like ever I am a scary optimist when it comes down to things. The woods, and beaches are open, you just got to cross over that no trespassing sign, and I love to read, but I love going somewhere restricted even more, ya dig. 
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Yesterday I went back to Ricketts Glen State Park (my 3rd time there)  to go Ice Hiking, we did a 3hr hike where we were slipping down icy terrain, and left me to tell you that shit was beautiful. All the falls were still going at max capacity, and I honestly could breathe for the first time in awhile. I would rather be doing my own thing any day of the week, I was so happy to share this place with my cold family (myself and my 5 other roommates) . It was quite the party. I would and hope that we go hiking again before it gets WAY too cold, but thanks to global warming slowly creeping its head in December more people are out then ever. It is a little bizarre but I rarely ran into anyone else on the trail. ​
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This made for a great escape from my hectic as fuck week, I stopped my night job due to the indoor dining restrictions put in place, so that was a nice surprise. In all honesty 2020 you were quite a year but as one of my roommates just said to me “ You need to take a hike”  I just roll with the punches now and try not to act surprised when some new regulation changes my life in some semi glazed detrimental way. I know the woods will always be there, and there is still so much to explore. 

Catch you next Wednesday!  
ASH
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Ash Wednesday! Anxiety: It's kinda a big deal.

12/9/2020

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Written By: Ash Catcher

Anxiety is something I used to really struggle with, as this year progresses and it gets closer to the holiday season I can see people tensing up, and getting anxious. My anxiety usually happens in social situations, thank goodness it's been over a year since I have had an anxiety attack, but my SADS certainly doesn't help with my anxiety. The ups are ups and the downs are downs so here is a quick tribute to my anxiety, it's just a apart of me but it is not the WHOLE part of me. 
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Partys Over
Ash Catcher: 
Dear Anxiety,
I'm miserable because of you,
making plans and not following through.

You have me feeling as though I am alone.
I don't feel safe unless I'm at home.

I see a stranger on the street,
want to say hi but too scared to speak.

What are they staring at? 
Something must be wrong...
Is there a stain on my shirt?
Is my nose too long?

I'm shaking, find an exit, I must retreat!
Here they come! Here they come!
Quick, I must flee!

People keep telling me that I am fine
but I am not,
not in my mind.

A lump in my throat makes it so hard to swallow.
Pains in my chest consume me with sorrow.
I lay awake, restless, hoping maybe,
just maybe this will all be gone
tomorrow.

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Ash Wednesday! Arch -a-TEXTture: Vexing Adventures in Erie, and other places in PA.

12/3/2020

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Written By: Ash Catcher


I hope everyone had a thankful thanksgiving! I was thankful because I had the pleasure of getting out of Philly for a few days, and pandemic aside, I was safe and wore my mask, social distanced, and washed my hands like I have been preaching to all of and any kid I had the unfortunate fortune of teaching (both in English and in Russian) I got to get away, blast it past route 76 into god only knows country where it's clear the election is still in full swing still? Um guys I am not getting political this is as political as I am gonna get, but I think there was a clear winner. Just saying anyway let's do a take down break down of my pandemic travels: I also rocked out to hella 80s music. By the end of my travels I felt like I traveled back in time. I had a freakin blast! 

The World's Largest Coffee Pot: There are few things I love more in this world then coffee and ever since I have parted my way with alcohol and reluctantly but thankful cigarettes on more than one occasion my addiction to coffee has been sky high. I drank way too much coffee on this trip, even slummed it a few times to Starbucks. I am not proud of who I have become. I was proud however to have visited the worlds largest coffee pot, to my fucking utter horror had no coffee in it at all, not even a cafe. Not cool world's largest coffee pot containing an administrative office, and an abandoned gift shop, not cool. The few proud dudes with rifles were a nice added touch tho, good job Bedford County, I can now happily cross this off my bucket list, and put this dream to bed. 
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Next on my list was I finally got my ass to Lake Erie, I visited the only beach state park in Pennsylvania. It did not disappoint. Presque Isle State Park did not disappoint, the bay side was warm of all heck, but the beach side. She was a cruel mistress. Windiest day of my life 3 jackets and two hats later and I can still not feel my feet. Oddly enough Erie was super genderfied in certain areas, but I expect that with most small towns. The rocks for my rock collection were bombs. Flattest thing I ever found, I just couldn’t skip them, the waves were TOO DAMN HIGH! Over 6hrs from my first destination. I saw a lot of PA, A LOT OF IT!  I didn’t get a souvenir in Erie, the view from my room was enough for me! ​
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On Saturday I went to see Pittsburgh, I never been but It was fucking practacly abandoned when I got there on a Saturday morning and I can safely walk across the street, in Philly I would have been ran over twice already. People are really freakin nice in Pittsburgh. The architecture is also something I was a bit perplexed about; it was like some little kid took a bunch of legos from different play sets and just built a freestanding city. Lots of bridges. I liked that alot and the Indian food I got for lunch was delicious. I liked this City but it was all over the place. 10/10 I would come back for a Penguins game or a baseball game. Idk why you guys are obsessed with pirates? The graffiti and street art was choice! ​
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The last leg of my Gonzo Tour led me to somewhere my 6th grade self Fallingwater, If you don't know which I expect not a lot of people do, this was Frank Loyd Wright’s Summer home. This thing is a party house built into a side of a waterfall, I can only imagine the fuckery that happened here. I would love to have something like this one day. The arctcur3e was gorgeous and for the time to have a mostly cement house built into the side of a mountain with all the exposed bricks, grottos, doo dads, and a hilltop garage / studio this baby had all the bells and whistles and more. I got a magnet at the gift shop. It's on my fridge now and I get super jazzed when I pass it to get a snack. 

I had a rocking time escaping to the beach, the woods, and another city. I love traveling as long as I plan to do so safely, and taking certain precautions during this year I will continue to do so. 

I'll catch ya next Wednesday! 

- Ash Catcher 

Photo Credit: Shane Cochran.
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Ash Wednesday! Playing with Myself: an interview by myself, for myself. A Covid Friendly Interview

11/25/2020

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  1. What is your full name? Ashlen Leia Zaritsky….. Surprise it’s not really Ash Catcher. 
  2. What does your name mean? I am not 100% but I think it has something to do with an Ash tree.. I know its Irish 
  3. Are you named after anyone? NOPE. 
  4. Does your name make any interesting anagrams? ALZ First letter, middle letter and last letter of the alphabet that's cool I guess. 
  5. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to? Star Girl. Haha. 
  6. Where are you from? Not from your mom, I am from New York originally. 
  7. Where were you born? Port Jefferson, Long Island NY. 
  8. Where did you grow up? All over the tri-state area. NJ, NY, and PA. 
  9. Who did you look up to growing up? My grandparents, they love each other, and live on a lake, couple goals. 
  10. What are your best characteristics? My fucking wit, and work ethic. 
  11. What are your favorite things about yourself? My eyes. 
  12. Which of your parents are you closest to? I am not. 
  13. Which of your parents are you more like? I think I am more like my dad, but I honestly couldn’t tell you. 
  14. Are your grandparents still married? YES! Happily. 
  15. What relative was important to you growing up & why? My Grandma ( dad’s mom) is my saving grace. I grew up with her in my life a lot. She gave me the travel bug. 
  16. What is one thing that you’ve never revealed to your parents? Probably the REAL amount of tattoos I have haha. 
  17. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender? Alec. That's still an A name so that's not that much different. 
  18. What do you call your grandparents? When I was younger apparently I was into hair color, so my grandma is Grandma Brownie, Grandma Yellow, and Grandpa. 
  19. What is your best physical feature? I think it's my hair? But sometimes it's a huge pain. 
  20. What is your biggest accomplishment? To still be alive. 
  21. What is your biggest fear? Complacency. 
  22. What is your biggest regret? I don't have those. 
  23. What is your eye color? I think they’re hazel. 
  24. What inspires you? LIFE, and lots of nature, squirrels. 
  25. What is the most important thing in your life? My passion for creating, something out of nothing. 
  26. What has required the most courage of you in your life so far? Being comfortable alone. 
  27. Who is your favorite actor? James Franco! Or Tommy Wiseu it's a tie! 
  28. Who is your favorite actress? If I had to choose it would be Scar Jo, she is HAWT! 
  29. Who is your favorite celebrity? James Dean, or Humphrey Bogart. 
  30. Who is your favorite musician? They’re an unknown band, I like the ones that have long hiatuses, and break up after 2 E.Ps. 
  31. Who’s your favorite person in the world? What a stupid question. What makes someone above other people. 
  32. What is your favorite childhood memory? Eating my weight in chocolate pudding when I was 3ish years old. 
  33. What is your favorite color? BLACK! 
  34. What is your favorite cultural activity? I like watching Rugby, 7’s and Japanese Olympic Women’s curling is adorable and a visual treat. 
  35. What is your favorite drink? TEA or Coffee, but I am trying to get off of caffeine. 
  36. What is your favorite fairytale? It’s a Russian one, Baba Yaga! 
  37. What is your favorite food? Lemons, I eat them whole. 
  38. What is your favorite holiday destination? California. 
  39. What is your favorite ice-cream flavor? Green Tea Ice Cream has stolen my heart. 
  40. What is your favorite music genre? I like alot of music. 
  41. What is your favorite physical activity? I am a closet runner. Clocked in over 80 miles last month. 
  42. What is your favorite quote? “It’s bullshit, I did not hit her. I did nooot. Oh hi, Mark!”
  43. What is your favorite snack? Hot Fries. That's my go to snack snack. 
  44. What is your favorite song? Anything by My Chemical Romance. 
  45. What is your favorite sport? Sports are for chodes. 
  46. What is your favorite time of the day? Sunset. 
  47. What is your favorite type of clothing? Anything Black 
  48. What is your favorite way to pass time? Reading, I have a huge collection of books, they’re a bitch to move. 
  49. What is the name of your favorite restaurant? Nelli Rae’s Vegetarian Cafe, in Revere, PA. There is an art gallery upstairs too! 
  50. What is your all-time favorite town or city? I love Doylestown, but I like the new town I have been living in for the past few years. It’s semi flattering and bizarre when everyone knows you. 
  51. What is your favorite candle scent? I love this one candle I get at Bath and Body Works, its Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, shit smells like heaven. Not worth 25 bucks so u get 3 at a time on the sale days. 
  52. What is your favorite social media channel? I am more about Instagram, Facebook is for trump supporters, and your parents. Twitter is still for attention seeking whores. 
  53. Where’s your favorite place to take an out-of-town guest? I Love taking out of towner on a hike thru the Wissahickon Park. Then I guess pizza somewhere. I like Franzones. 
  54. What was your favorite subject in High School? I actually really liked Social Studies, I have a photographic memory so it made tests super easy. 
  55. What was your least favorite subject in High School? Math, it turned into a second art class. I still have some doodles that I kept. 
  56. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? I loved watching Saturday AM cartoons, but I really remember watching the X-MEN cartoon with my dad. 
  57. What do you love about your favorite TV Show? I am one of those culty, one off kinda people- aside from the FireFly franchise, couldn’t get into that. I am not sure there are so many good things about the show Freaks and Geeks. 
  58. Are you scared of heights? Nope, I climb mountains baby! 
  59. Are you high maintenance? Maybe? Was that response high maintenance? I can happily say I have higher standards of the people I am seeing, I don't see that as a problem. 
  60. Are you more inclined to “build your own empire” or unleash the potential of others? I guess both, but I like to do my own thing. I work well with others, and enjoy collars. But I am on my own time frame. 
  61. Are you more likely to avoid conflict or engage it head-on? I avoid it, I am above that shit. 
  62. Are you a dog person or cat person? YES! I SEE mad amounts of dogs at my day job. I try to pet them all. 
  63. Are you a fan of any sports team? NOPE. 
  64. Are you a good cook? I have been told I am. No complaints yet! I watch a lot of baking shows.
  65. If you had more courage what would you do differently in your life now? I would speak my mind more. 
  66. What is good about how you are living your life right now? I am around like minded creative people that push me to become more. 
  67. If you could eliminate one weakness or limitation in your life, what would it be? The need to have food. 
  68. Who has left the most impact on your life?I am not sure but I’ll let you know when I meet them. 
  69. What aspect of your life needs tremendous improvement? My ability to trust others. 
  70. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen in your life? Uh… lately it's been a shit ton. 
  71. Who is the best teacher you’ve ever had? My 3rd grade teacher Ms. Versma. 
  72. Who is the biggest pack rat you know? It’s Me. 
  73. Who is the first person you call when something exciting happens? Usually it’s my brother. 
  74. Who is the first person you call when something terrible happens? Also my brother. He is a fucking St. 
  75. Who is the worst boss you’ve ever had? We ended up having to go to court it was pretty shitty, I got half of her staff to leave on my behalf and it was some hardcore human rights issues that had to be addressed. 
  76. Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? Yes but I am skeptical now. 
  77. Can you do a split? I can do a banana split, or two brownie boats at a time. 
  78. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? Nope, literally just tried to do that. 
  79. Can you whistle? I cannot, I am kinda useless. 
  80. Can you dance? Not really, I can artfully sway tho. 
  81. Do you remember your dreams? All of them. 
  82. Do you save old greeting cards and letters? Throw them away? I have a huge memory box. I love cards, I ll prob die knowing I spend my life funding Hallmark. 
  83. Do you sing in the shower? YES! I am sorry to all my roommates, but the car is way worse that's a free for all. 
  84. Do you sleep with the lights on or off? I don't, I need dark and quiet.  And my door locked. Fuck anyone that needs a fan to sleep, you clearly weren’t held long enough as a kid. 
  85. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? I guess it would be grey. Like Jean Grey right? 
  86. Do you take any pills or medication daily? B12 and Vitamin C
  87. Do you prefer kissing or cuddling? I love kissing, but I feel like people my age are just detached and want sex. 
  88. Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words? Why? Give it to me straight, don’t pussy foot around an issue. You got a problem with me or how I do things let me know. 
  89. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook? Watching Titanic as a kid was both horrifying, and weirdly sexually arousing.  
  90. Do you have a catchphrase? ”Catch ya later” Not very creative. 
  91. Do you have a garden? I did, I had a few. I love tomatoes in the summer, literally nothing better than growing something yourself 
  92. Do you have a hidden dream that you’ve never shared with anyone? I want to live my late 30’s to the rest of my life in some delicious state of drugged out euphoria Fear and Loathing style out in California. 
  93. Do you have a tattoo? I have a few. 
  94. Do you have a whole lot of acquaintances or just a few very close friends? Why? I keep my circle small. The amount of random Dm’s a day I get is staggering. If I respond count ya lucky fucking stars. 
  95. Do you have any allergies? YES! I am allergic to cats and Kiwis. 
  96. Do you have any birthmarks? If so, where? I do my left shoulder. 
  97. Do you have pets? I have plants. I am not home often for a pet, maybe one day. 
  98. Do you carry a donor card? I am not, I like myself and my organs. 
  99. Do you have a best friend, if so, then who? I have a few close friends. 
  100. Do you believe ignorance is bliss? Why or why not? No your stupid to think ignoring something is going to make it go away. It just magnifies. 
  101. Do you believe in love at first sight? I believe you meet someone for a reason, whether it is for love, or a lesson. I have loved everyone I have ever been with, but usually need to get to know them first before any of that mushy shit goes down.     


See ya next Wednesday!
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