So I went and saw Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this afternoon. It was...better than I thought it'd be. They didn't excise all the humor out of it (as I'd heard and thus feared they might), but they did alter the story in significant and sometimes head-scratching ways.
One of the key differences--and Ev was the first to mention it, and I have to agree with his assessment--is that they altered the focus of the humor. Part of the joke in Hitchhiker's, whether it was the book, radio play, or old BBC TV show, was that it made fun of the British for being so...well, British, really. Everyone was always so serious about everything--Arthur was unnecessarily serious about anything and everything he encountered, Ford was ridiculously serious about his research for the Guide (well, sort of), and Zaphod was serious about never being serious and having a wild time. These characters were typical Brits--stoic and impassive. Sure, Arthur got upset by every single thing that happened to him, but the thing that most upset him about his entire ordeal was that he couldn't get a decent cup of tea.
The movie shifts this focus--it's about Americans now. Well, except Arthur--he's still very much British (in fact, one of my favorite lines in the movie was when he said, "Leave this to me. I'm British--we know how to queue"). But Ford, Zaphod, Trillian--all Americans, really. Ford is like that friend you have who would be an excellent middle manager--he attempts to be accomodating and friendly to everyone in a vague, naive sort of way. He keeps offering to give people hugs, because that's what you do when people are having a bad day. Zaphod is...well, he's what we'll end up electing as our next president, if the current one is any indication. And Trillian falls into the almost cliched strong-woman-on-the-outside-type that we seem to favor in heroines these days.
So, was the movie itself good? Well, it was okay. It was pleasant. It had funny moments, especially the opener (where the dolphins sing "So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish"). But the ending annoyed the hell out of me (it's not supposed to have a happy ending--that runs contrary to being British! But then again, this isn't British. A pity, too). It was too contrived, and it really didn't jive with the rest of the movie, I didn't think. Neither did the scene where they met Humma, the religious leader and former campaign opponent of Zaphod. That whole scene really existed just to set up the ending, and neither was really necessary. But not everything they inserted into this version was bad--the stuff on Vogsphere was excellent and really fit the tone of the previous Hitchhiker's stuff.
The movie was neither an excellent adaptation nor a totally crappy one. It fell somewhere in the middle--bits were good, other bits weren't so good. I'm sorta ambivalent about it. I'm sure I'll end up purchasing the DVD when it comes out, and maybe they'll include some bits (such as the "the Babel fish is proof of God's non-existence" bit in the Guide, which they lead you up to but never actually give you) that should've been in the theatrical release. I really think this is one of those movies that would benefit from a "Director's Cut" DVD, assuming they even bothered to create some of the scenes I'm thinking of. So if you've got seven bucks and a couple of hours to kill, go check it out--it's at least worth seeing, I think.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Ryan Adams, "This Is It"
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
"You Don't Know Me, But I Know You"
So, I took the Praxis I this afternoon.
Test went remarkably well. I passed (at least, I passed the Reading and Math sections...won't know about the Writing section until they go over my essay, which wasn't the best piece I've ever written, but should suffice), so that's good. Funny thing--I actually scored a point higher on the Math section than I did the Reading. That's just weird; I mean, my math skills are awful. Guess that tells you just how hard the Math section was.
Anyway, next step is to wait to hear back from the folks in VA. I'll get a teaching job and get out of this state yet.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "SummerTeeth"
Test went remarkably well. I passed (at least, I passed the Reading and Math sections...won't know about the Writing section until they go over my essay, which wasn't the best piece I've ever written, but should suffice), so that's good. Funny thing--I actually scored a point higher on the Math section than I did the Reading. That's just weird; I mean, my math skills are awful. Guess that tells you just how hard the Math section was.
Anyway, next step is to wait to hear back from the folks in VA. I'll get a teaching job and get out of this state yet.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "SummerTeeth"
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
"On A Bed Of California Stars"
So I'm taking the Praxis I tomorrow at noon. This exam (assuming I pass) will be the first step in getting hired as a teacher in Virginia. Wish me luck.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Billy Bragg & Wilco, "California Stars"
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Billy Bragg & Wilco, "California Stars"
"Hot For Teacher"
Wendy emailed me this morning to tell me that there's an AP History position opening at her school. The only catch is that I need to take the Praxis I & II to qualify to teach in Virginia.
Two fairly simple tests are my gateway to getting to move to the same place where my best friend is? Seems fair enough.
Now I just need to go register for the damn tests.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Bruce Springsteen, "Devils + Dust"
Two fairly simple tests are my gateway to getting to move to the same place where my best friend is? Seems fair enough.
Now I just need to go register for the damn tests.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Bruce Springsteen, "Devils + Dust"
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
"Tears In Heaven"
Found out this evening that my old pastor, Max Shumake, passed away over the weekend.
Max was a phenomenal man. He'd tried his hand at photography, music (he played a mean sax), and who knows what else before he became a Presbyterian minister in Shawnee. He had prostate cancer, and he'd had it for years. For awhile, we thought he'd beaten it--thanks to chemo and various other treatments, the cancer had gone into remission. But a couple of years ago, it came back in full force. He ended up having to retire about a year and a half ago because his health had declined so much. Apparently he'd had a real bad turn a couple of weeks ago, and just slipped quickly away.
Max was the man who taught me that theology and religion could be fascinating not just on a spiritual level, but as an academic and intellectual pursuit. He was a warm, friendly man who made church interesting and fun. He always opened his sermons with a joke. His sermons were more like intellectual treatises than the typical fire-and-brimstone-repent-or-else stuff you usually get in Oklahoma. He'd bring in major theologians, scholars both secular and spiritual, various other religious texts, and any number of random and bizarre sources just to make his point.
I wish I'd been able to attend the funeral. Apparently it was this afternoon at 2.00, but mom didn't find out until late yesterday and had no way to let me know. I couldn't have made it to Shawnee in time anyway.
I'm sad to see Max go. He was a genuinely good man in an era when such indivuals are all too few. He had patience, love, and virtue. He was a teacher, a guide, a guru. I'll miss him dearly, but I know he's gone on to a better place.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Jars of Clay, "Goodbye, Goodnight"
Max was a phenomenal man. He'd tried his hand at photography, music (he played a mean sax), and who knows what else before he became a Presbyterian minister in Shawnee. He had prostate cancer, and he'd had it for years. For awhile, we thought he'd beaten it--thanks to chemo and various other treatments, the cancer had gone into remission. But a couple of years ago, it came back in full force. He ended up having to retire about a year and a half ago because his health had declined so much. Apparently he'd had a real bad turn a couple of weeks ago, and just slipped quickly away.
Max was the man who taught me that theology and religion could be fascinating not just on a spiritual level, but as an academic and intellectual pursuit. He was a warm, friendly man who made church interesting and fun. He always opened his sermons with a joke. His sermons were more like intellectual treatises than the typical fire-and-brimstone-repent-or-else stuff you usually get in Oklahoma. He'd bring in major theologians, scholars both secular and spiritual, various other religious texts, and any number of random and bizarre sources just to make his point.
I wish I'd been able to attend the funeral. Apparently it was this afternoon at 2.00, but mom didn't find out until late yesterday and had no way to let me know. I couldn't have made it to Shawnee in time anyway.
I'm sad to see Max go. He was a genuinely good man in an era when such indivuals are all too few. He had patience, love, and virtue. He was a teacher, a guide, a guru. I'll miss him dearly, but I know he's gone on to a better place.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Jars of Clay, "Goodbye, Goodnight"
"'The Whiz Man' Will Never Fit You Like 'The Whiz Kid' Did"
So I went out and grabbed two new CDs today, just for the hell of it--Bruce Springsteen's latest, Devils + Dust, and Ben Folds' latest, Songs for Silverman. I've only had a chance to listen to the first three or four tracks on the Folds CD, so I can't really say much about either of them yet. I do like what I've heard so far on Songs for Silverman, and I can't figure out what the review for the OU Daily (who gave the CD a "D" grade) had against it. I mean, I guess if you were looking for the thrashing instrumentation and smirking smartass of the first two Ben Folds Five CDs, you'd be disappointed, but so far it strikes me as a mature, well-crafted release full of beautiful melodies and simple pleasures. Then again, I like mellow music.
But albums are that new Dual Disc format--CD audio on one side, DVD on the other. The benefit of this, apparently, is that they can cram all sorts of goodies on the DVD side--5.1 digital surround mix of the album, interviews, music videos, making of features, etc. Part of me is annoyed by the dual format, because it means you don't get art on the actual disc and there's a good chance of scratching at least one side on accident (since neither side is technically the label side now), but I can see how it has a lot of potential, too. Each of the CDs I grabbed has the 5.1 audio mix on the DVD side, and the Springsteen album has four or five live performances, while the Ben Folds album has several videos, an alternate version, and a making of feature.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have thoughts on both albums before too long. And just think--next month, we get a new Gorillaz album and a new Wallflowers album.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Ben Folds, "Bastard"
But albums are that new Dual Disc format--CD audio on one side, DVD on the other. The benefit of this, apparently, is that they can cram all sorts of goodies on the DVD side--5.1 digital surround mix of the album, interviews, music videos, making of features, etc. Part of me is annoyed by the dual format, because it means you don't get art on the actual disc and there's a good chance of scratching at least one side on accident (since neither side is technically the label side now), but I can see how it has a lot of potential, too. Each of the CDs I grabbed has the 5.1 audio mix on the DVD side, and the Springsteen album has four or five live performances, while the Ben Folds album has several videos, an alternate version, and a making of feature.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have thoughts on both albums before too long. And just think--next month, we get a new Gorillaz album and a new Wallflowers album.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Ben Folds, "Bastard"
Top Ten Concerts
I've been to a lot of concerts since my first back in the fifth grade. My father and I go to concerts the way some fathers and sons go to ball games or car shows. It's the way we bond and something we have in common.
So I was thinking after last night's Wilco show about my favorite concerts. I came up with a list of the ten best shows I've seen:
1. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Into the Great Wide Open Tour: the first truly great concert I went to, way back in 1991. We managed to get front row center tickets somehow, and I was on my feet the whole time. At the end of the show, Tom Petty leaned down and handed me his guitar pick. I think that was the moment music became an integral part of my life.
2. Eric Clapton, Me & Mr. Johnson Tour: last summer. I'd heard the two disc CD of his previous tour, One More Car, One More Rider, and hadn't been all that impressed. He seemed to focus on his pop side, and I was worried he'd do the same here. But my fears were unfounded--Clapton ripped through a set of classics, playing harder and better than I'd heard him play in ages. I left that show with ringing ears and a burning desire to scrawl "Clapton is God" on the nearest flat surface.
3. Bob Dylan, Love and Theft Tour: I saw Dylan for the first time at the Zoo Ampitheatre in OKC in 2001, the day before I went back to Ozarks to start my senior year. I'd only really just started getting into Dylan, and that concert was what kickstarted my current Dylan obsession. I've seen him again since, and I'll see him again at every available opportunity, but that first show just opened my eyes and mind.
4. Doobie Brothers, Brotherhood Tour: My first concert back in 1991. It was a present for my birthday, though in actuality we went more because my father is a huge fan of theirs. I only knew a couple of their songs at that point, but that was okay--I still had more fun at that show than I'd ever had in my life. This was where it all began, and I'll always have fond memories of it...even the part where the weird guy next to me offered me a joint.
5. Wallflowers, Red Letter Days Tour: just last month, up in Tulsa. I got there so early I got to hear part of the soundcheck. They rocked harder than I thought imaginable, and they had a hell of a good time. They were real laid back, friendly, and had a great raporte with the audience. I'd go see them again in a heartbeat, and this time I'd remember to take my camera.
6. Wilco, A Ghost is Born Tour: well, my thoughts on this show from last night are in the post below, but the recap--these guys kick ass, and they'll do anything to please their audience, like coming out for three separate encores. An impressive display of musicianship, this was.
7. John Mellencamp, Words and Music Tour: another highlight from last month. Mellencamp knows just what his audience wants to hear, and he gives it to them. He's a great showman, and his backing band is tight and muscular. He also knew how to change his songs just enough so that they seemed fresh while remaining familiar, which is no small feat.
8. Rolling Stones, Bridges to Babylon Tour: Norman back in 1997. I remember this show well--it was freakin' cold, I was nearly crushed getting to my seat, and Mick and the boys rocked the stadium for a good two hours. A Rolling Stones show isn't just a concert, it's a freakin' experience.
9. Aerosmith, Nine Lives Tour: one of the last shows I got to see up in the Myriad Convention Center in OKC in late 1997 (they built the Ford Center not long after, so I don't think they even use the Myriad for concerts anymore...which is a shame, really). I actually went with my high school drama teacher, Mr. Guptill, who was (and still is) the biggest Aerosmith fan I know. Great show, and watching Steven Tyler running around the stage and doing backflips while they perform is great.
10. Genesis, We Can't Dance Tour: dad and I went down to Dallas for this one in 1992. It was held in Texas Stadium, and it was a packed house. I remember watching the band do their little walk/dance thing from the "I Can't Dance" video, a walk/dance thing I myself would do around the house while the song blarred from the stereo (much to my mother's chagrin and my father's grinning). My interest in Genesis wanned after this show, but it was still a great exprience.
These are just a handful of the shows I've seen over the years. I've enjoyed every show I've been to, but these were the best.
And it doesn't stop there. There are so many bands I still want to see live. Here's a short list:
1. Van Morrison: I'd love to see The Man. From what I understand, on the night's that he's hitting on all cylinders, he's an astounding showman. And let's face it--his work just cries out for live improvisation.
2. Flaming Lips: Oklahoma's favorite weird sons. These guys are amazing in the studio, so I'm curious what their live stuff would sound like, since a lot of the layers and blips in their studio work would be tough to reproduce live.
3. Pink Floyd: I've been a Floyd fan since high school, and their shows are supposed to be epic. I mean, hell, they performed the entirety of Dark Side of the Moon in the show on their last tour.
4. Paul McCartney: I've missed out the last two times he came anywhere near here, and I refuse to miss a third time. The fact that he's playing a bunch of Beatles stuff now and that his backing band seems to drive him forward really make this a must-see.
5. Glen Phillips: duno if I'll ever get to see Toad the Wet Sprocket (Phillips' old band), but he tours quite extensively (though never around here. Moving to Virginia ought to help with that, though, since I know he's played a few shows up in DC). I've heard a lot of his live solo acoustic stuff, and I'm always a fan of his studio work, so this'd be well worth my while.
6. Counting Crows: they'd just be fun, y'know? And they're supposed to be phenomenal live.
7. Ben Folds: I missed him when he came through Norman last year, but I'm sure he'll be touring for quite some time still.
8. Sting: another one of those I've been wanting to see for years who never comes around this area. Again, moving to a better location might help.
9. Moxy Früvous: these guys are still one of my favorite bands. Alas, they've been on indefinite hiatus since about 2001.
10. Bruce Springsteen: c'mon, how could you not enjoy the Boss? The man's live shows are marathons, tests of the will and endurance and human spirit. You come out of a Springsteen concert knowing the contents of your soul.
There are others I'd like to see I'm sure, but those are the biggies. I'll probably fall in love with several other bands between now and the time I die, and I'll want to see them in concert, too. Such is life, right?
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "The Late Greats"
So I was thinking after last night's Wilco show about my favorite concerts. I came up with a list of the ten best shows I've seen:
1. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Into the Great Wide Open Tour: the first truly great concert I went to, way back in 1991. We managed to get front row center tickets somehow, and I was on my feet the whole time. At the end of the show, Tom Petty leaned down and handed me his guitar pick. I think that was the moment music became an integral part of my life.
2. Eric Clapton, Me & Mr. Johnson Tour: last summer. I'd heard the two disc CD of his previous tour, One More Car, One More Rider, and hadn't been all that impressed. He seemed to focus on his pop side, and I was worried he'd do the same here. But my fears were unfounded--Clapton ripped through a set of classics, playing harder and better than I'd heard him play in ages. I left that show with ringing ears and a burning desire to scrawl "Clapton is God" on the nearest flat surface.
3. Bob Dylan, Love and Theft Tour: I saw Dylan for the first time at the Zoo Ampitheatre in OKC in 2001, the day before I went back to Ozarks to start my senior year. I'd only really just started getting into Dylan, and that concert was what kickstarted my current Dylan obsession. I've seen him again since, and I'll see him again at every available opportunity, but that first show just opened my eyes and mind.
4. Doobie Brothers, Brotherhood Tour: My first concert back in 1991. It was a present for my birthday, though in actuality we went more because my father is a huge fan of theirs. I only knew a couple of their songs at that point, but that was okay--I still had more fun at that show than I'd ever had in my life. This was where it all began, and I'll always have fond memories of it...even the part where the weird guy next to me offered me a joint.
5. Wallflowers, Red Letter Days Tour: just last month, up in Tulsa. I got there so early I got to hear part of the soundcheck. They rocked harder than I thought imaginable, and they had a hell of a good time. They were real laid back, friendly, and had a great raporte with the audience. I'd go see them again in a heartbeat, and this time I'd remember to take my camera.
6. Wilco, A Ghost is Born Tour: well, my thoughts on this show from last night are in the post below, but the recap--these guys kick ass, and they'll do anything to please their audience, like coming out for three separate encores. An impressive display of musicianship, this was.
7. John Mellencamp, Words and Music Tour: another highlight from last month. Mellencamp knows just what his audience wants to hear, and he gives it to them. He's a great showman, and his backing band is tight and muscular. He also knew how to change his songs just enough so that they seemed fresh while remaining familiar, which is no small feat.
8. Rolling Stones, Bridges to Babylon Tour: Norman back in 1997. I remember this show well--it was freakin' cold, I was nearly crushed getting to my seat, and Mick and the boys rocked the stadium for a good two hours. A Rolling Stones show isn't just a concert, it's a freakin' experience.
9. Aerosmith, Nine Lives Tour: one of the last shows I got to see up in the Myriad Convention Center in OKC in late 1997 (they built the Ford Center not long after, so I don't think they even use the Myriad for concerts anymore...which is a shame, really). I actually went with my high school drama teacher, Mr. Guptill, who was (and still is) the biggest Aerosmith fan I know. Great show, and watching Steven Tyler running around the stage and doing backflips while they perform is great.
10. Genesis, We Can't Dance Tour: dad and I went down to Dallas for this one in 1992. It was held in Texas Stadium, and it was a packed house. I remember watching the band do their little walk/dance thing from the "I Can't Dance" video, a walk/dance thing I myself would do around the house while the song blarred from the stereo (much to my mother's chagrin and my father's grinning). My interest in Genesis wanned after this show, but it was still a great exprience.
These are just a handful of the shows I've seen over the years. I've enjoyed every show I've been to, but these were the best.
And it doesn't stop there. There are so many bands I still want to see live. Here's a short list:
1. Van Morrison: I'd love to see The Man. From what I understand, on the night's that he's hitting on all cylinders, he's an astounding showman. And let's face it--his work just cries out for live improvisation.
2. Flaming Lips: Oklahoma's favorite weird sons. These guys are amazing in the studio, so I'm curious what their live stuff would sound like, since a lot of the layers and blips in their studio work would be tough to reproduce live.
3. Pink Floyd: I've been a Floyd fan since high school, and their shows are supposed to be epic. I mean, hell, they performed the entirety of Dark Side of the Moon in the show on their last tour.
4. Paul McCartney: I've missed out the last two times he came anywhere near here, and I refuse to miss a third time. The fact that he's playing a bunch of Beatles stuff now and that his backing band seems to drive him forward really make this a must-see.
5. Glen Phillips: duno if I'll ever get to see Toad the Wet Sprocket (Phillips' old band), but he tours quite extensively (though never around here. Moving to Virginia ought to help with that, though, since I know he's played a few shows up in DC). I've heard a lot of his live solo acoustic stuff, and I'm always a fan of his studio work, so this'd be well worth my while.
6. Counting Crows: they'd just be fun, y'know? And they're supposed to be phenomenal live.
7. Ben Folds: I missed him when he came through Norman last year, but I'm sure he'll be touring for quite some time still.
8. Sting: another one of those I've been wanting to see for years who never comes around this area. Again, moving to a better location might help.
9. Moxy Früvous: these guys are still one of my favorite bands. Alas, they've been on indefinite hiatus since about 2001.
10. Bruce Springsteen: c'mon, how could you not enjoy the Boss? The man's live shows are marathons, tests of the will and endurance and human spirit. You come out of a Springsteen concert knowing the contents of your soul.
There are others I'd like to see I'm sure, but those are the biggies. I'll probably fall in love with several other bands between now and the time I die, and I'll want to see them in concert, too. Such is life, right?
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "The Late Greats"
Wilco Live in OKC
Wilco was easily one of the best shows I've ever seen. Definitely in my top ten concerts (I'll list those sometime just for giggles).
The band was in fine form, rocking hard on the rock numbers and laying down layers of noise and distortion for the artier tunes. They managed to play songs from every album except their debut, A.M., and the second Mermaid Avenue record, but that was okay. I think I remember all the songs they played, which were (in order of album, not of performance):
"Misunderstood," "Monday," Outtasite (Outtamind)," and "Kingpin" from Being There; "A Shot in the Arm" and "I'm Always in Love" from SummerTeeth; "Hesitating Beauty" and "One by One" from Mermaid Avenue; "I am Trying to Break Your Heart," "Radio Cure," Jesus, Etc.," Heavy Metal Drummer" (the final encore, prefaced as their "only hit song...in Portugal"), "I'm the man who Loves You," and "Poor Places" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; and "At Least That's What You Said," "Hell is Chrome" (the show opener), "Spiders (Kidsmoke)," "Muzzle of Bees," "Hummingbird," "Handshake Drugs," "I'm a Wheel," "Theologians" (dedicated to the new Pope. That's a bit of a slap in the face, I'd think, since the song starts, "Theologians/They don't know nothin'/'Bout my soul"), "Less Than You Think," and "The Late Greats" from A Ghost is Born. That's 24 songs. These guys came out for not one, but three encores. And it's not like they played just one song per encore, either--the first encore set was four songs, the second was three, and the third and final encore was a single song. But these guys played for over two hours, never letting up, never relenting, and giving the audience their money's worth, that's for damn sure.
We left the show exhausted, sweaty, and satisfied. There were songs I wished they'd played (such as "Pot Kettle Black" or "How to Fight Loneliness"), but the thing is, you didn't notice those songs missing while the band was playing. That's a very good thing.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to see these guys. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I wish Rana'd been able to join me for it, but I know Lindsay had a hell of a good time, so it all worked out okay.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "Hell is Chrome"
The band was in fine form, rocking hard on the rock numbers and laying down layers of noise and distortion for the artier tunes. They managed to play songs from every album except their debut, A.M., and the second Mermaid Avenue record, but that was okay. I think I remember all the songs they played, which were (in order of album, not of performance):
"Misunderstood," "Monday," Outtasite (Outtamind)," and "Kingpin" from Being There; "A Shot in the Arm" and "I'm Always in Love" from SummerTeeth; "Hesitating Beauty" and "One by One" from Mermaid Avenue; "I am Trying to Break Your Heart," "Radio Cure," Jesus, Etc.," Heavy Metal Drummer" (the final encore, prefaced as their "only hit song...in Portugal"), "I'm the man who Loves You," and "Poor Places" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; and "At Least That's What You Said," "Hell is Chrome" (the show opener), "Spiders (Kidsmoke)," "Muzzle of Bees," "Hummingbird," "Handshake Drugs," "I'm a Wheel," "Theologians" (dedicated to the new Pope. That's a bit of a slap in the face, I'd think, since the song starts, "Theologians/They don't know nothin'/'Bout my soul"), "Less Than You Think," and "The Late Greats" from A Ghost is Born. That's 24 songs. These guys came out for not one, but three encores. And it's not like they played just one song per encore, either--the first encore set was four songs, the second was three, and the third and final encore was a single song. But these guys played for over two hours, never letting up, never relenting, and giving the audience their money's worth, that's for damn sure.
We left the show exhausted, sweaty, and satisfied. There were songs I wished they'd played (such as "Pot Kettle Black" or "How to Fight Loneliness"), but the thing is, you didn't notice those songs missing while the band was playing. That's a very good thing.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to see these guys. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I wish Rana'd been able to join me for it, but I know Lindsay had a hell of a good time, so it all worked out okay.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "Hell is Chrome"
Monday, April 25, 2005
"Kissing You By Proxy"
So Rana called me up this afternoon to let me know she wouldn't be able to attend the Wilco concert tonight. Her ride down here apparently got a flat tire, thus rendering transportation a little difficult. Rana was obviously distraught by this turn of events, but I did my best to convince her that it was okay and not her fault. We've made tentative plans to go see Bob Dylan & Willie Nelson this summer instead, since they'll be playing up in Tulsa (about twenty minutes from where she lives, actually). I'm disappointed that I won't get to see Rana tonight, but we're going to try to get together in a few weeks and hang out anyway. I think a daytrip to Tulsa could be fun.
Thankfully, I was able to convince my coworker Lindsay to join me for the concert in Rana's stead. Lindsay's about the only person I know around here who likes Wilco, and who doesn't enjoy a free concert? I'm just glad I didn't end up with a $30 ticket going to waste. Rana wanted to pay me for the ticket, but I wouldn't let her--paying for a ticket she wasn't going to use struck me as absurd and not at all fair to her. It wasn't her fault the car has a flat tire.
Another positive is that now I don't have to try to get the apartment cleaned up. Rana said she wouldn't have cared, but it's a personal issue--I don't like letting people see my place dirty. It's just not good hosting, really.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "Less Than You Think"
Thankfully, I was able to convince my coworker Lindsay to join me for the concert in Rana's stead. Lindsay's about the only person I know around here who likes Wilco, and who doesn't enjoy a free concert? I'm just glad I didn't end up with a $30 ticket going to waste. Rana wanted to pay me for the ticket, but I wouldn't let her--paying for a ticket she wasn't going to use struck me as absurd and not at all fair to her. It wasn't her fault the car has a flat tire.
Another positive is that now I don't have to try to get the apartment cleaned up. Rana said she wouldn't have cared, but it's a personal issue--I don't like letting people see my place dirty. It's just not good hosting, really.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "Less Than You Think"
Sunday, April 24, 2005
"The Captain Of The Rant"
So I went to Arkansas (again) this weekend to hear Clif give his senior seminar presentation. The presentation itself was quite good--Clif has an excellent, laidback delivery style, and he injects bits of humor into the proceedings to keep it from getting boring (and, as one who has studied the Tudor/Stuart era quite a bit, I know how boring it can get). He also dubbed me "Captain of the Rant" after one of the guys he was studying. I think it's a title I'll keep.
The downside of the trip was the fact that I had to wake up yesterday morning at 4.30. Four thirty. That's no decent hour to be waking up at. Hell, that's an hour to be falling asleep at. I ended up sleeping in the car for most of the trip up there and the trip back, though this wasn't as pleasant as you'd imagine--I was running on only about four or five hours of sleep to begin, with, had to wake up too damn early, and I ached all over from sleeping at uncomfortable angles. My neck is actually still sore.
Anyway, Clif's presentation, as I said, went well. Watched Monica give hers immediately afterwards, which was interesting to me and maybe one or two other people in the room who knew how postmodernism worked in literature and had actually heard of Joseph Campbell's monomyth (thank you, Everett, for showing me that interview series with Bill Moyers. I'd have been completely clueless otherwise).
After the presentations, the folks took Clif, Clif's roommate (Mike, known almost exclusively by his last name, Luers), myself, and Dr. Dippel and his wife Nadine out for lunch at Wiediker's (please pardon my horrible misspelling of a German name). It's this nifty winery thing up in Altus, AR, the alcohol capitol of Western Arkansas (it's just west of the dry county line and a popular destination for Clarksvillians who have a hankering for moonshine). Had a wonderful lunch, got to freak mom out when Clif and I both ordered a beer with lunch (Grolsch, which I decided was far superior to any American beer I've ever had. It actually almost tasted good). Also ran into some folks from high school up in Altus. You don't expect to see people you've known since you were like six or seven in a completely different state at a winery, of all places.
Spent the night at the folks' place last night, and we ended up watching Tango and Cash. I remember that being a great flick when I was 12. Now...well, not so much. Maybe my tastes have gotten more sophisticated? I dunno. This morning, though, I sat down with dad and he taught me several Beatles songs on the guitar. I now have chord progressions for "Let it Be," "Get Back," "Hey Jude," and "I've Just Seen a Face." He also taught me Lennon's "Imagine" and Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." Admittedly, I'm not very good at playing most of these songs yet, but I have chord progressions I can play for them.
I'm excited about seeing Wilco tomorrow night. Hell, I'm excited about seeing Rana tomorrow night. I haven't seen her since I graduated three years ago, which is a damned shame. Rana is just one of the most lovable people I've ever met. And she gives really good hugs. I've needed one of those lately.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "War on War"
The downside of the trip was the fact that I had to wake up yesterday morning at 4.30. Four thirty. That's no decent hour to be waking up at. Hell, that's an hour to be falling asleep at. I ended up sleeping in the car for most of the trip up there and the trip back, though this wasn't as pleasant as you'd imagine--I was running on only about four or five hours of sleep to begin, with, had to wake up too damn early, and I ached all over from sleeping at uncomfortable angles. My neck is actually still sore.
Anyway, Clif's presentation, as I said, went well. Watched Monica give hers immediately afterwards, which was interesting to me and maybe one or two other people in the room who knew how postmodernism worked in literature and had actually heard of Joseph Campbell's monomyth (thank you, Everett, for showing me that interview series with Bill Moyers. I'd have been completely clueless otherwise).
After the presentations, the folks took Clif, Clif's roommate (Mike, known almost exclusively by his last name, Luers), myself, and Dr. Dippel and his wife Nadine out for lunch at Wiediker's (please pardon my horrible misspelling of a German name). It's this nifty winery thing up in Altus, AR, the alcohol capitol of Western Arkansas (it's just west of the dry county line and a popular destination for Clarksvillians who have a hankering for moonshine). Had a wonderful lunch, got to freak mom out when Clif and I both ordered a beer with lunch (Grolsch, which I decided was far superior to any American beer I've ever had. It actually almost tasted good). Also ran into some folks from high school up in Altus. You don't expect to see people you've known since you were like six or seven in a completely different state at a winery, of all places.
Spent the night at the folks' place last night, and we ended up watching Tango and Cash. I remember that being a great flick when I was 12. Now...well, not so much. Maybe my tastes have gotten more sophisticated? I dunno. This morning, though, I sat down with dad and he taught me several Beatles songs on the guitar. I now have chord progressions for "Let it Be," "Get Back," "Hey Jude," and "I've Just Seen a Face." He also taught me Lennon's "Imagine" and Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." Admittedly, I'm not very good at playing most of these songs yet, but I have chord progressions I can play for them.
I'm excited about seeing Wilco tomorrow night. Hell, I'm excited about seeing Rana tomorrow night. I haven't seen her since I graduated three years ago, which is a damned shame. Rana is just one of the most lovable people I've ever met. And she gives really good hugs. I've needed one of those lately.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Wilco, "War on War"
Friday, April 22, 2005
"Baffled By Bullshit"
To prove how much of a geek I am:
I have an idea for an article I want to write (for the Keenspace Newsletter) that compares the old haigiographies of the saints done by the Medieval Church with so-called autobiographical webcomics (such as Real Life), which tend to embelish an individual's life almost as much as the haigiographies did (I mean, to read some of those things, you'd think each saint had single-handly converted entire continents. If you believed everything you read in those things, you'd wonder how there were any non-Christians left in the medieval world. Likewise, autobiographical comics tend to feature main characters--usually the author and his/her closest buddies--being able to do things you know they can't do, such as travel through time, build giant robots, etc.). It's something that interests me, both as a historian and an artist who sorta bases his own comic on himself with a few embelishments (though I'd hardly call Crooked Halo autobiographical. The main roommate characters may be based on real people, but only slightly--I mean, Clyde's pretty much Clif, but Simon is really only one facet of my personality, and Jerome is nothing like my old roommate anymore, really, except that he does totally random things). I mean, it's not like I have an angel and a temptor sitting on either shoulder, and I sure don't have a succubus pursuing me.
But yeah. The very idea of the article excites my intellect. I think I need help.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "My Poor Generation"
I have an idea for an article I want to write (for the Keenspace Newsletter) that compares the old haigiographies of the saints done by the Medieval Church with so-called autobiographical webcomics (such as Real Life), which tend to embelish an individual's life almost as much as the haigiographies did (I mean, to read some of those things, you'd think each saint had single-handly converted entire continents. If you believed everything you read in those things, you'd wonder how there were any non-Christians left in the medieval world. Likewise, autobiographical comics tend to feature main characters--usually the author and his/her closest buddies--being able to do things you know they can't do, such as travel through time, build giant robots, etc.). It's something that interests me, both as a historian and an artist who sorta bases his own comic on himself with a few embelishments (though I'd hardly call Crooked Halo autobiographical. The main roommate characters may be based on real people, but only slightly--I mean, Clyde's pretty much Clif, but Simon is really only one facet of my personality, and Jerome is nothing like my old roommate anymore, really, except that he does totally random things). I mean, it's not like I have an angel and a temptor sitting on either shoulder, and I sure don't have a succubus pursuing me.
But yeah. The very idea of the article excites my intellect. I think I need help.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "My Poor Generation"
Thursday, April 21, 2005
"I Went Down To Saint James Infirmary"
I watched the second half of the anime series Serial Experiments Lain the other night. I'd purchased the entire 13 episode series a month or so back, and watched the first half. Then other things vied for my attention and time, and the second half of the series languished on the shelf until Tuesday evening.
I have to admit, the way the series ended surprised me a bit. I was expecting something...darker, I guess. The whole series was dark, with this sense of overwhelming loneliness to it. There were several scenes where the only noise was the hum of power lines or the background noise of lots of voices, none of which were speaking to the main character (the titular Lain). There was a feel of...isolation to the whole thing, of her being separate and apart from everyone and everything she encountered.
Yet the ending was affirming, with a sense of peace and contentment. Lain finds who and what she is, and she reconciles herself to that knowledge. She smiles at the end, something she really hadn't done much throughout the whole series.
But the rest of the series was dark and disturbing as hell. Not the sort of thing that's really good to watch by yourself in the dead of night, even though that's exactly what I did. Felt like I needed a hug afterwards.
Also finished up watching Martian Successor Nadesico this week (on Monday, actually). An anime and a mirror of anime, Nadesico was at turns lighthearted, whimsical, sad, meloncholy, and angsty. You sorta got the feeling while you watched it that a big part of it was just a continuously running in-joke, and since I've watched a fair amount of anime over the past five or six years, I caught a lot of it. I just wish the ending of the series were more...final, y'know? It's a weakness a lot of anime series have--the endings don't really feel like endings. There's no conclusion or sense of closure. Admittedly, there is a Nadesico movie available, and I've watched it (well, a subtitled bootleg version way back before it was officially released here, so there's a good chance the sub wasn't even really that good, and it was on my computer, so I couldn't always see what was going on), but I'm not sure it answers anymore questions, and it certainly raises several more (which is another bad habit in anime).
Beyond cutting a swath through anime lately, I finished reading Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon this afternoon. Had a good twist at the end. Now I need to go rent the movie (yes, I know, it's crazy that I've never seen The Maltese Falcon. But hey, until about a year ago, I hadn't seen Casablanca, either. It's taken awhile for me to get to the point where I can appreciate the classics a little more, but I think I'm finally there).
Tonight is Writing Club. I about doubled the amount I have finished on the story I took last week, and I'm still just getting into the beginning of the whole sordid debacle. I'm looking forward to seeing where my story goes, actually.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Opening Theme, Serial Experiments Lain
I have to admit, the way the series ended surprised me a bit. I was expecting something...darker, I guess. The whole series was dark, with this sense of overwhelming loneliness to it. There were several scenes where the only noise was the hum of power lines or the background noise of lots of voices, none of which were speaking to the main character (the titular Lain). There was a feel of...isolation to the whole thing, of her being separate and apart from everyone and everything she encountered.
Yet the ending was affirming, with a sense of peace and contentment. Lain finds who and what she is, and she reconciles herself to that knowledge. She smiles at the end, something she really hadn't done much throughout the whole series.
But the rest of the series was dark and disturbing as hell. Not the sort of thing that's really good to watch by yourself in the dead of night, even though that's exactly what I did. Felt like I needed a hug afterwards.
Also finished up watching Martian Successor Nadesico this week (on Monday, actually). An anime and a mirror of anime, Nadesico was at turns lighthearted, whimsical, sad, meloncholy, and angsty. You sorta got the feeling while you watched it that a big part of it was just a continuously running in-joke, and since I've watched a fair amount of anime over the past five or six years, I caught a lot of it. I just wish the ending of the series were more...final, y'know? It's a weakness a lot of anime series have--the endings don't really feel like endings. There's no conclusion or sense of closure. Admittedly, there is a Nadesico movie available, and I've watched it (well, a subtitled bootleg version way back before it was officially released here, so there's a good chance the sub wasn't even really that good, and it was on my computer, so I couldn't always see what was going on), but I'm not sure it answers anymore questions, and it certainly raises several more (which is another bad habit in anime).
Beyond cutting a swath through anime lately, I finished reading Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon this afternoon. Had a good twist at the end. Now I need to go rent the movie (yes, I know, it's crazy that I've never seen The Maltese Falcon. But hey, until about a year ago, I hadn't seen Casablanca, either. It's taken awhile for me to get to the point where I can appreciate the classics a little more, but I think I'm finally there).
Tonight is Writing Club. I about doubled the amount I have finished on the story I took last week, and I'm still just getting into the beginning of the whole sordid debacle. I'm looking forward to seeing where my story goes, actually.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Opening Theme, Serial Experiments Lain
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
"You'll Probably Be Living There Soon"
So yesterday was my youngest brother's 20th birthday. Hard to believe my baby brother is already that old. When I went away to college 7 years ago, he was still playing with wrestling figures. Now he plays with much more expensive toys, like PS2's and Nintendo DS's.
Yesterday also marked the arrival of the Neon Genesis Evangelion box set I ordered off eBay. This lightened my mood from Monday considerably. For those of you not familiar with Eva, it's one of the most critically acclaimed anime series ever. Giant robots and lots of teenage angst. It's wonderful.
I've been hard at work learning new songs for the guitar and improving my playing on songs I already know. I learned the Moxy Früvous tune "The Drinking Song" the other night, though it's still a little rough and I really need to work out the kinks in the strumming. But I was proud that I could halfway play it. I also worked on a couple of Cross-Eyed Yeti tunes I had Clif show me over the weekend. I can do "Philosopher King" pretty well, but my "Clyde's Blues" is still rough because it uses three chords I've never really used before and am still having to learn, essentially.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "The Great Medicine Show"
Yesterday also marked the arrival of the Neon Genesis Evangelion box set I ordered off eBay. This lightened my mood from Monday considerably. For those of you not familiar with Eva, it's one of the most critically acclaimed anime series ever. Giant robots and lots of teenage angst. It's wonderful.
I've been hard at work learning new songs for the guitar and improving my playing on songs I already know. I learned the Moxy Früvous tune "The Drinking Song" the other night, though it's still a little rough and I really need to work out the kinks in the strumming. But I was proud that I could halfway play it. I also worked on a couple of Cross-Eyed Yeti tunes I had Clif show me over the weekend. I can do "Philosopher King" pretty well, but my "Clyde's Blues" is still rough because it uses three chords I've never really used before and am still having to learn, essentially.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "The Great Medicine Show"
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
"Moxy Früvous - You Will Go To The Moon"
I remember the first song I ever downloaded. It was Moxy Früvous' "King of Spain," the live version from Live Noise. It was my sophomore year at Ozarks, and I'd just gotten my first computer that semester. A friend of mine, Josh, was over chatting with Chris, James, and I, and said there was this band that we "had to hear." This was just before Napster took off, mind you, so we had to get our mp3s the old fashioned way--through FTP clients.
And the fun thing about the old FTP clients was that you had to upload stuff before they'd let you download anything, usually. A few folks would be nice enough to allow you to download without first uploading, which I thought was good--otherwise, how would I have anything to upload? So we went and found Moxy Früvous. And we loved it.
Moxy was one of the first contemporary bands I really got into. And this was both wonderful and a terrible, terrible curse, because it was nigh impossible to find their albums in Arkansas. I managed to find several of their songs via things like Napster, but rarely did I find an actual album in the store. I did manage to pick up Live Noise, Thornhill, and Bargainville over the course of the past several years, but that meant there were still a good five or so albums left to find. I'd check every record store I visited for their stuff, rarely having any success.
So I ordered You Will go to the Moon through Amazon.com last week, thinking it'd be well worth it to finally grab another Moxy album. And, of course, it was.
I'd heard probably about half of Moon prior to purchasing the album, either through the mp3s I'd downloaded or through the live versions on Live Noise (still the best Moxy album, hands down).
Musically, this album is much more diverse than Bargainville or Thornhill, which both take their cues from the folky pop style that similar bands such as the Barenaked Ladies have mined. Moon branches out, adding Eastern rhythms and instrumentation on tracks like "Sahara" and "No No Raja." "Lee" features a dirge-like waltz tune, meloncholy and somber. "Michigan Militia" is a bizarre and effective blending of bluegrass, folk, rock, and hip-hop (listen to the wurlitzer and drum loops) with what sounds for all the world like an electrified banjo riff. The album also features a bizarre cover of the Bee Gee's "I've got to get a Message to You," complete with drum loops and a funky wah-wah guitar straight out of '70s porn. Tracks like "Get in the Car" are more traditional Moxy fare, with a Beatlesque feel and a classic guitar solo in the middle. "Your New Boyfriend" is a bouncy tune about a "right-wing shit" of a boyfriend who seems completely unlike the previous boys the girl has dated. "Love Set Fire" is a drunken funeral march (I really have to wonder if there's any other kind, honestly), and the accordion sounds like it's been plugged into an amp swiped from Neil Young. "Boo Time," which features a fun call and response scat section in the live version, is here a funky, haunting ditty with a fuzzed out bass that's downright menacing. "Kick in the Ass" and "You Will go to the Moon" are a capella (well, "Kick in the Ass" features a snare drum, but that's in in terms of instruments) numbers that feature wry lyrics, clever asides, and the excellent harmonies I've come to expect from Moxy.
This is, I think, one of their best albums. I like virtually all of their work (I can just sit there and listen to Bargainville or Live Noise straight through over and over), and this is a solid, solid record. If it's musically more diverse than its predecessor, Bargainville, it still features the same sort of quirky lyrics and sly allusions I've come to know and love in their songs. You can almost hear them smirking in each tune. These are guys who have fun with their music, and what's better than that?
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "Lazlo's Career"
And the fun thing about the old FTP clients was that you had to upload stuff before they'd let you download anything, usually. A few folks would be nice enough to allow you to download without first uploading, which I thought was good--otherwise, how would I have anything to upload? So we went and found Moxy Früvous. And we loved it.
Moxy was one of the first contemporary bands I really got into. And this was both wonderful and a terrible, terrible curse, because it was nigh impossible to find their albums in Arkansas. I managed to find several of their songs via things like Napster, but rarely did I find an actual album in the store. I did manage to pick up Live Noise, Thornhill, and Bargainville over the course of the past several years, but that meant there were still a good five or so albums left to find. I'd check every record store I visited for their stuff, rarely having any success.
So I ordered You Will go to the Moon through Amazon.com last week, thinking it'd be well worth it to finally grab another Moxy album. And, of course, it was.
I'd heard probably about half of Moon prior to purchasing the album, either through the mp3s I'd downloaded or through the live versions on Live Noise (still the best Moxy album, hands down).
Musically, this album is much more diverse than Bargainville or Thornhill, which both take their cues from the folky pop style that similar bands such as the Barenaked Ladies have mined. Moon branches out, adding Eastern rhythms and instrumentation on tracks like "Sahara" and "No No Raja." "Lee" features a dirge-like waltz tune, meloncholy and somber. "Michigan Militia" is a bizarre and effective blending of bluegrass, folk, rock, and hip-hop (listen to the wurlitzer and drum loops) with what sounds for all the world like an electrified banjo riff. The album also features a bizarre cover of the Bee Gee's "I've got to get a Message to You," complete with drum loops and a funky wah-wah guitar straight out of '70s porn. Tracks like "Get in the Car" are more traditional Moxy fare, with a Beatlesque feel and a classic guitar solo in the middle. "Your New Boyfriend" is a bouncy tune about a "right-wing shit" of a boyfriend who seems completely unlike the previous boys the girl has dated. "Love Set Fire" is a drunken funeral march (I really have to wonder if there's any other kind, honestly), and the accordion sounds like it's been plugged into an amp swiped from Neil Young. "Boo Time," which features a fun call and response scat section in the live version, is here a funky, haunting ditty with a fuzzed out bass that's downright menacing. "Kick in the Ass" and "You Will go to the Moon" are a capella (well, "Kick in the Ass" features a snare drum, but that's in in terms of instruments) numbers that feature wry lyrics, clever asides, and the excellent harmonies I've come to expect from Moxy.
This is, I think, one of their best albums. I like virtually all of their work (I can just sit there and listen to Bargainville or Live Noise straight through over and over), and this is a solid, solid record. If it's musically more diverse than its predecessor, Bargainville, it still features the same sort of quirky lyrics and sly allusions I've come to know and love in their songs. You can almost hear them smirking in each tune. These are guys who have fun with their music, and what's better than that?
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "Lazlo's Career"
Monday, April 18, 2005
"I Dole Out Justice With The Tip Of My Boot"
So the day started off crap, but it's gotten a bit better. Applying to jobs helped ease my annoyance a little, and the arrival of a package I ordered from Amazon.com helped cheer me up as well.
Why, you ask? Well, first of all, I like getting mail. Second, it contained two CDs--a Carl Perkin's collection for Clif's birthday (he doesn't read this damn thing, so why shouldn't I mention it here?), and a Moxy Früvous CD, You Will go to the Moon.
Moxy is one of those bands I've always meant to gather up all the albums by, but the process is made difficult by the fact that most of their albums are out of print and probably weren't even available in this area of the country back when they were in print.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "Kick in the Ass"
Why, you ask? Well, first of all, I like getting mail. Second, it contained two CDs--a Carl Perkin's collection for Clif's birthday (he doesn't read this damn thing, so why shouldn't I mention it here?), and a Moxy Früvous CD, You Will go to the Moon.
Moxy is one of those bands I've always meant to gather up all the albums by, but the process is made difficult by the fact that most of their albums are out of print and probably weren't even available in this area of the country back when they were in print.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Moxy Früvous, "Kick in the Ass"
"Another One Bites The Dust"
Well, got an email from Vanderbilt today.
It wasn't a happy email. It was the sort that informed that, despite my desires to the contrary, I would not be attending graduate school in the fall.
So now I'm feeling...well, numb, actually. I don't think it's sunk in that my chances of going straight to my PhD are shot completely through. There's no more schools to hear from (Minnesota's unversity deadline was in June, but the history department's deadline was back in January).
So instead I applied to three teaching jobs today in Maryland and Virginia. I don't know if I'll get them. I don't know if they'll even give me a second glance. But I have to do something. I can't stay here anymore. I can't stay here.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Pearl Jam, "Drifting"
It wasn't a happy email. It was the sort that informed that, despite my desires to the contrary, I would not be attending graduate school in the fall.
So now I'm feeling...well, numb, actually. I don't think it's sunk in that my chances of going straight to my PhD are shot completely through. There's no more schools to hear from (Minnesota's unversity deadline was in June, but the history department's deadline was back in January).
So instead I applied to three teaching jobs today in Maryland and Virginia. I don't know if I'll get them. I don't know if they'll even give me a second glance. But I have to do something. I can't stay here anymore. I can't stay here.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Pearl Jam, "Drifting"
Sunday, April 17, 2005
"Walking After Midnight"
Time for the weekend recap, 'cause I know you all care so much...
Made it up to Clarksville about 3.30 or 4.00 Friday afternoon, which was about an hour after I thought I'd get there. Went up to Clif's room and played guitars with him for awhile (he taught me a few Yeti songs and a couple of cover tunes, all of which I've managed to forget already. Go me). Hung around his place until about 6.00, when Amanda E. showed up. We putzed around campus for awhile, then she went off to visit some other friends and I headed over to Adam's place to hang out until it was time to go to Adam's parents' place to eat.
Basically spent Friday night hanging out with the Monkey and his family. After awhile, Adam and I decided to draw a couple of random sketches for the Keenspace Forum-goers, which we promptly did. The results were amusing and, since we posted them through Adam's username, attributed only to him (despite the fact that there's clearly two art styles going on in each drawing and we stated in the text that accompanied each drawing that we collaborated. Ah well). Eventually I made my way back to his parents' place, where I proceeded to fall very fast asleep.
Saturday, I slept in a bit, got up, and eventually went to visit Dr. Dippel. Had Holly meet me over there, and we sat and chatted with him for a couple of hours. We left Dippel's and headed to Brandy and Paul's to pester them for awhile and chat for another couple of hours. By this time, it was about 6.00 or so, and Amanda and Karra and Lindsey S. (there are lots of Lindseys and Lindsays about, so it became necessarily to append an initial to their names to tell them apart. I'd personally been in favor of the mudwrestling match to decide who would be called what, but the girls didn't care as much for that idea) were all chomping at the bit to go eat. Thus was a Dodge's run undertaken, and pizza sticks in hand, we were content to head to the "Young Alumni" function they were having at a nearby bar.
The function turned out to be a dozen or so people sitting around in what looked like the bar's storeroom chatting for an hour or two. We got pretty bored with that pretty fast, and headed back into town. The girls headed to their hotel room to start drinking, and I went up to Adam's parents' place to visit with the Askins clan before I went back to hang out with the girls some more. Turns out it was a good thing I went back up that way--Adam's brother and said brother's wife and sister-in-law had come in from Missouri to visit and stay the night. The problem was that we were one bed short, so I moved over to Adam's house for Saturday night. He and I sat around and chatted and played videogames for awhile, then I headed down to the hotel where the girls were staying and hung out with them for awhile. Amanda and Lindsey crashed pretty early, but Karra and I ended up chatting about this and that until around 2.30. Then I went and crashed on Adam's couch, where I was periodically attacked by their cat, who thought that a person in the room meant the person would obviously want to pay attention to said cat, no matter what the hour might be. From what I understand, this is perfectly normal for a cat.
Anyway, because of the cat, I really didn't get much sleep, and never more than an hour at any given stretch. Got up around 8.30 or 9.00, but wasn't early enough to get into the shower before Adam and his wife, Andria, did their stuff (he didn't take so long--she, on the other hand, had to straighten her hair and a half dozen other things). Had I been quicker on the ball, I'd have been able to leave Clarksville when I'd planned to; as it is, I didn't get out of town till 10.00. Was actually late for work, but not significantly so, and it's not like we had dozens of people beating down the door on a Sunday afternoon.
But I enjoyed my weekend. I wish it'd been longer. I wish I'd been able to visit with everyone longer (Clif's probably especially mad at me, since I only got to see him for a couple of hours on Friday...but I'm going back next weekend specifically for his Senior Seminar presentation, so he can't complain too much). But it was good to see everyone, and I'm glad I had the chance.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Eric Clapton, "Stop Breaking Down Blues"
Made it up to Clarksville about 3.30 or 4.00 Friday afternoon, which was about an hour after I thought I'd get there. Went up to Clif's room and played guitars with him for awhile (he taught me a few Yeti songs and a couple of cover tunes, all of which I've managed to forget already. Go me). Hung around his place until about 6.00, when Amanda E. showed up. We putzed around campus for awhile, then she went off to visit some other friends and I headed over to Adam's place to hang out until it was time to go to Adam's parents' place to eat.
Basically spent Friday night hanging out with the Monkey and his family. After awhile, Adam and I decided to draw a couple of random sketches for the Keenspace Forum-goers, which we promptly did. The results were amusing and, since we posted them through Adam's username, attributed only to him (despite the fact that there's clearly two art styles going on in each drawing and we stated in the text that accompanied each drawing that we collaborated. Ah well). Eventually I made my way back to his parents' place, where I proceeded to fall very fast asleep.
Saturday, I slept in a bit, got up, and eventually went to visit Dr. Dippel. Had Holly meet me over there, and we sat and chatted with him for a couple of hours. We left Dippel's and headed to Brandy and Paul's to pester them for awhile and chat for another couple of hours. By this time, it was about 6.00 or so, and Amanda and Karra and Lindsey S. (there are lots of Lindseys and Lindsays about, so it became necessarily to append an initial to their names to tell them apart. I'd personally been in favor of the mudwrestling match to decide who would be called what, but the girls didn't care as much for that idea) were all chomping at the bit to go eat. Thus was a Dodge's run undertaken, and pizza sticks in hand, we were content to head to the "Young Alumni" function they were having at a nearby bar.
The function turned out to be a dozen or so people sitting around in what looked like the bar's storeroom chatting for an hour or two. We got pretty bored with that pretty fast, and headed back into town. The girls headed to their hotel room to start drinking, and I went up to Adam's parents' place to visit with the Askins clan before I went back to hang out with the girls some more. Turns out it was a good thing I went back up that way--Adam's brother and said brother's wife and sister-in-law had come in from Missouri to visit and stay the night. The problem was that we were one bed short, so I moved over to Adam's house for Saturday night. He and I sat around and chatted and played videogames for awhile, then I headed down to the hotel where the girls were staying and hung out with them for awhile. Amanda and Lindsey crashed pretty early, but Karra and I ended up chatting about this and that until around 2.30. Then I went and crashed on Adam's couch, where I was periodically attacked by their cat, who thought that a person in the room meant the person would obviously want to pay attention to said cat, no matter what the hour might be. From what I understand, this is perfectly normal for a cat.
Anyway, because of the cat, I really didn't get much sleep, and never more than an hour at any given stretch. Got up around 8.30 or 9.00, but wasn't early enough to get into the shower before Adam and his wife, Andria, did their stuff (he didn't take so long--she, on the other hand, had to straighten her hair and a half dozen other things). Had I been quicker on the ball, I'd have been able to leave Clarksville when I'd planned to; as it is, I didn't get out of town till 10.00. Was actually late for work, but not significantly so, and it's not like we had dozens of people beating down the door on a Sunday afternoon.
But I enjoyed my weekend. I wish it'd been longer. I wish I'd been able to visit with everyone longer (Clif's probably especially mad at me, since I only got to see him for a couple of hours on Friday...but I'm going back next weekend specifically for his Senior Seminar presentation, so he can't complain too much). But it was good to see everyone, and I'm glad I had the chance.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Eric Clapton, "Stop Breaking Down Blues"
Friday, April 15, 2005
"Hellhounds On My Trail"
So I woke up earlier than expected this morning because Maintenance came by to service my air conditioner...which was sorta annoying, since this wouldn've been my only day to sleep in for the next week or so. Ah well, I'm sure I'll survive. At least they had the decency to replace the foam stripping under the unit when they put it back in. There's this awful gap under my window unit air conditioner that allowed bugs and all sorts of crap into the apartment, so I'd stuffed a piece of foam insulating stuff under it to stop the gap. They were good enough to put it in more firmly when they replaced the unit.
Tomorrow I head out for Clarksville for Alumni Weekend. I'm looking forward to it because I'll get to see some friends whom I haven't seen in ages. I know of at least four or five friends I ought to run into and get to hang out with, so I'm excited. I'm also taking guitars so Clif and I can rock out old school.
Anyway, much to do between now and then. Off to get things accomplished.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Eric Clapton, "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day"
Tomorrow I head out for Clarksville for Alumni Weekend. I'm looking forward to it because I'll get to see some friends whom I haven't seen in ages. I know of at least four or five friends I ought to run into and get to hang out with, so I'm excited. I'm also taking guitars so Clif and I can rock out old school.
Anyway, much to do between now and then. Off to get things accomplished.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Eric Clapton, "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day"
Thursday, April 14, 2005
"Flaming Lips - The Day They Shot A Hole In The Jesus Egg"
First impressions always color subsequent interactions. Doesn't matter what kind of interaction--whether it's with another person, with a piece of technology, with a book, with music, with a movie...we use our first impressions to gauge how we ought to react to something the next time we encounter it, we use them as a baseline for what comes after.
This is especially true for me when it comes to music. The first song or album by a particular artist that I hear shapes the way I think of that artist when I approach other albums they've done. Take Van Morrison, for example. The first album of his I ever heard was Moondance, easily the best record he ever cut. Every other Van Morrison album I've heard since then has been compared, in one way or another, to Moondance. Is it as good as that one was? Does it fit the same style? Do I, in effect, like it as much as I did Moondance? That first impression from Moondance shaped the way I thought about Van Morrison's music--it established what I thought of as his style. When something didn't mesh with the style I thought of as Van Morrison's (based on that one album), I had to find a way to reconcile it in my mind.
Well, the same holds true in the case of the Flaming Lips. My first encounter with their stuff was through the song "She Don't Use Jelly," but I don't really count that because I wasn't aware of who they were at the time and I'd forgotten about that song by the time I started actually listening to the Flaming Lips a couple of years ago. I've been hesitant to get their earlier albums, because I knew their style back then was a little different, so until recently I only owned Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and The Soft Bulletin. Both are excellent albums that sound, while different, as though they came from the same band. It's like what would happen if Neil Young took modern day psychedelia and blending it with folk, rock, and electronica, and I dig it.
Then I picked up The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg, a compilation containing the album In a Priest-Driven Ambulance and all sorts of demos and outtakes and extra songs cut during the sessions for that album. Ambulance came at the end of the first phase of the Lips' career, right before they signed to a major label and polished up their musicianship and songcraft considerably. In a lot of ways, this sounds like a completely different band--they're doing noise rock here rather than the more polished amalgam I'd heard in Yoshimi or Soft Bulletin.
But the music is still very interesting, and you get to see the embryonic form of what was to come later. Ambulance is excellent for what it attempts, and several of the cuts here could have appeared on later albums (with a little polish) and fit right in. There's a sort of unrestrained energy running through the entire album, an enthusiasm for playing loud and hard and sloppy that subsequent albums would lack. And its this enthusiasm and energy that ultimately makes Ambulance (and the assorted other songs included in the Jesus Egg collection) worthwhile.
Some of the best songs on this collection are the rocker "Unconsciously Screamin'," the lovely ballad "There You Are," and a bizarrely affecting cover of the Louis Armstrong classic "(What a) Wonderful World." A lot of the extra tracks tacked onto the end of the album and all of the second disc seem a little superfluous to the casual fan, but there are some interesting moments--the several versions of "Unconsciously Screamin'" help give a sense of the creative process involved in crafting that song, and the cover of Elvis Costello's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?" is a joy to listen to.
I can see why some folks wouldn't like this album; especially if, like me, they came to the Flaming Lips via their more recent work. But it's still an interesting set full of quirks, tiny pleasures, and occasional glimpses of brilliance. This probably isn't the best place to start with the Flaming Lips, but it's a worthwhile trip once you're sure you like the band's work.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Flaming Lips, "There You Are"
This is especially true for me when it comes to music. The first song or album by a particular artist that I hear shapes the way I think of that artist when I approach other albums they've done. Take Van Morrison, for example. The first album of his I ever heard was Moondance, easily the best record he ever cut. Every other Van Morrison album I've heard since then has been compared, in one way or another, to Moondance. Is it as good as that one was? Does it fit the same style? Do I, in effect, like it as much as I did Moondance? That first impression from Moondance shaped the way I thought about Van Morrison's music--it established what I thought of as his style. When something didn't mesh with the style I thought of as Van Morrison's (based on that one album), I had to find a way to reconcile it in my mind.
Well, the same holds true in the case of the Flaming Lips. My first encounter with their stuff was through the song "She Don't Use Jelly," but I don't really count that because I wasn't aware of who they were at the time and I'd forgotten about that song by the time I started actually listening to the Flaming Lips a couple of years ago. I've been hesitant to get their earlier albums, because I knew their style back then was a little different, so until recently I only owned Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and The Soft Bulletin. Both are excellent albums that sound, while different, as though they came from the same band. It's like what would happen if Neil Young took modern day psychedelia and blending it with folk, rock, and electronica, and I dig it.
Then I picked up The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg, a compilation containing the album In a Priest-Driven Ambulance and all sorts of demos and outtakes and extra songs cut during the sessions for that album. Ambulance came at the end of the first phase of the Lips' career, right before they signed to a major label and polished up their musicianship and songcraft considerably. In a lot of ways, this sounds like a completely different band--they're doing noise rock here rather than the more polished amalgam I'd heard in Yoshimi or Soft Bulletin.
But the music is still very interesting, and you get to see the embryonic form of what was to come later. Ambulance is excellent for what it attempts, and several of the cuts here could have appeared on later albums (with a little polish) and fit right in. There's a sort of unrestrained energy running through the entire album, an enthusiasm for playing loud and hard and sloppy that subsequent albums would lack. And its this enthusiasm and energy that ultimately makes Ambulance (and the assorted other songs included in the Jesus Egg collection) worthwhile.
Some of the best songs on this collection are the rocker "Unconsciously Screamin'," the lovely ballad "There You Are," and a bizarrely affecting cover of the Louis Armstrong classic "(What a) Wonderful World." A lot of the extra tracks tacked onto the end of the album and all of the second disc seem a little superfluous to the casual fan, but there are some interesting moments--the several versions of "Unconsciously Screamin'" help give a sense of the creative process involved in crafting that song, and the cover of Elvis Costello's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?" is a joy to listen to.
I can see why some folks wouldn't like this album; especially if, like me, they came to the Flaming Lips via their more recent work. But it's still an interesting set full of quirks, tiny pleasures, and occasional glimpses of brilliance. This probably isn't the best place to start with the Flaming Lips, but it's a worthwhile trip once you're sure you like the band's work.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Flaming Lips, "There You Are"
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
"You, And Me, And Baby Makes Three"
Does it frighten anyone else that Britney Spears is having a child and I still can't even get a date? Where is the justice in the world? She really doesn't need to be reproducing, while I owe it to future generations to further my genes.
I really think we should look into getting our celebrities spayed and neutered. The world would be a better place, I think.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: XTC, "Pink Thing"
I really think we should look into getting our celebrities spayed and neutered. The world would be a better place, I think.
~chuck
Song of the Moment: XTC, "Pink Thing"
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