This is not a straight-edge preaching post.

It is, however, one begging you to consider who else you're hurting when you abuse yourself.

I am tired of not being able to sleep. I am tired of seeing people cry. I am tired of wearing black. I am tired of carrying around copious amounts of Kleenex. I am tired of buying sympathy cards and sending fruit baskets for something so flagrantly avoidable.

I am tired of my friends dying of drug overdoses.

Yes, it can happen to you. And when it does, it also happens to everyone who loves you. Think about your parents, your grandparents, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your husband, your wife, your friends, your children, your colleagues, and how much they're going to suffer because you wanted to have a little more energy to party the night before.

And to those of you who are too scared to call an ambulance when you're witnessing your friends having seizures and OD'ing? Get over it. You can get a slap on the wrist, or you can live the rest of your life knowing you watched someone die. It shouldn't be a difficult decision to make.

With that, I will step off of my soapbox and pray someone sees this and declines a line tonight.


*By Jess, who, on a lighter note, is obsessed with Jay-Z's American Gangster album.

Happy Edge Day!

I've been straight-edge all 26 years of my life and have never heard of National Edge Day, but apparently it's today:

National Edge Day is an unofficial holiday recognized by members of the straight edge subculture on October 17. The first annual National Edge Day was celebrated on October 17, 1999 at the final Ten Yard Fight concert at the nightclub Karma in Boston, Massachusetts. The concert also featured the bands Bane, In My Eyes, Fastbreak, Reach The Sky and Floorpunch. This show marked the end of the 1990s youth crew revival. The early 2000s brought a new wave of hardcore bands, with a reduced emphasis on straight edge.

The holiday was publicly recognized for the second time when In My Eyes played their final concert in Haverhill, Massachusetts on October 15, 2000. On that day, Bridge 9 Records released a VHS cassette telling the story of Ten Yard Fight, with a major focus on their final concert. The bill for Edge Day 2k included Bane, Shark Attack, Killing Flame, Mouthpiece and Ten Yard Fight. As well porcell came out and sang the Project X anthem of Straight edge revenge

Since then, National Edge Day has been celebrated in certain cities, such as Boston.

In 2006, Edge Day was marked with the CD release show at the Cambridge Elks Lodge in Cambridge, MA by Righteous Jams and the last show ever of Think I Care. Other bands that played included Cold World, Colin Of Arabia, Justice, Rampage, Risky Business, and (first show ever) Step Forward.

*Joelle, who got a sXe tattoo on her forearm for her 25th birthday.