as you can tell from the title, i am going on vacation for a few weeks. as of tomorrow i will be on martha's vineyard for a week to celebrate my grandfather's 80th birthday and for the first part of july i will be hiking in new hampshire and maine. when i get back i am sure i will have some great stories to share with you all.
in the meantime, i am turning over blogging duties to just hip enough, who i can say is, in fact, just hip enough. i think you will enjoy some of the insight he can provide. also, if adam feels like it, he is welcome to start posting at anytime...
so, enjoy the next few weeks. i know i will be :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Weighing in
I've been invited to post from time to time by posternutbag. Although I always think I have something to say, I don't always have something to write. The world is such an interesting place that the most I can add is an eclectic mix of curiousities, political insights, general outrage, and hopefully humor. Actually being "technologically adept " to do this once is enough for me now so I will bask in the afterglow of this brief publication until events or emotions move me to greater effort. Thanks for the invite.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
When Art Immitates Art
ever find an album that you just can't put down and over a course of 2 weeks listen to the damn thing about 37 times? i'm in one of those phases right now with the album "stars of cctv" by hard-fi.
i first heard hard-fi a year or so ago through my friends dave, jemma, and thea (thanks for the tip!). for those who are unfamiliar with the band, they are a rock group from staines, england (staines is also the neighborhood used as the setting for the movie "ali g in da house") who combine rock, punk, new wave, beats, and other good sounding stuff to create a really good, energetic mix.
the first track on "stars of cctv" is a song called "cash machine". i love albums that start with a good, upbeat number to get you into the album. cash machine does this perfectly. its a good, rocking number with an interesting message. its about some guy who, despite his best efforts, can't get his shit together. he is broke. he can't buy a train ticket home. he knocks his girlfriend up. but despite all this, you can tell that he still wants to do good. he wonders, like all of us do from time to time, whether or not he can realize his full potential. he wonders if he can overcome the obstacles in his life. he is trying to keep his head above water. i like this guy. sure, he has some shit going on, but don't we all?
this song is also interesting because after listening to it a few (dozen) times, i got a vision in my head that this song is the perfect guy ritchie movie condensed into a 4 minute pop tune. i think the english accent might have pushed the issue a long, but the same things he is singing about are the same things you see in a guy ritchie movie. think "snatch" and "lock stock and two smoking barrels". i could see guy ritchie directing the video in his post-modern style. it just works. so, you can imagine, to my surprise, that when i checked out the video on youtube it has a guy ritchie-like quality to it. the video doesn't have all the camera moves that i would have put into it, but i think the guy who speaks in the beginning is a direct tip of the hat to guy ritchie. check it out for yourself:
there is also another video for this song that presents a more literal interpretation of the song. you can check that out here (why there is russian or some other slavic language at the bottom of the screen i have no idea):
i first heard hard-fi a year or so ago through my friends dave, jemma, and thea (thanks for the tip!). for those who are unfamiliar with the band, they are a rock group from staines, england (staines is also the neighborhood used as the setting for the movie "ali g in da house") who combine rock, punk, new wave, beats, and other good sounding stuff to create a really good, energetic mix.
the first track on "stars of cctv" is a song called "cash machine". i love albums that start with a good, upbeat number to get you into the album. cash machine does this perfectly. its a good, rocking number with an interesting message. its about some guy who, despite his best efforts, can't get his shit together. he is broke. he can't buy a train ticket home. he knocks his girlfriend up. but despite all this, you can tell that he still wants to do good. he wonders, like all of us do from time to time, whether or not he can realize his full potential. he wonders if he can overcome the obstacles in his life. he is trying to keep his head above water. i like this guy. sure, he has some shit going on, but don't we all?
this song is also interesting because after listening to it a few (dozen) times, i got a vision in my head that this song is the perfect guy ritchie movie condensed into a 4 minute pop tune. i think the english accent might have pushed the issue a long, but the same things he is singing about are the same things you see in a guy ritchie movie. think "snatch" and "lock stock and two smoking barrels". i could see guy ritchie directing the video in his post-modern style. it just works. so, you can imagine, to my surprise, that when i checked out the video on youtube it has a guy ritchie-like quality to it. the video doesn't have all the camera moves that i would have put into it, but i think the guy who speaks in the beginning is a direct tip of the hat to guy ritchie. check it out for yourself:
there is also another video for this song that presents a more literal interpretation of the song. you can check that out here (why there is russian or some other slavic language at the bottom of the screen i have no idea):
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Thank You Sarah Montana, Thank You
one of my most bestest and specialist of friends in washington, dc was the esteemed sarah montana. when thea left dc last summer i was very upset. thea and i had a almost weekly standing dinner date where we would go to a fun restaurant in dc and eat food and have a good time. but when she left i was left high and dry...fortunately for me not soon after thea left i met sarah montana and quickly sarah montana and i started a almost weekly standing dinner date and the void in my life left by the departure of thea was quickly filled (but thea, don't take this the wrong way, you could NEVER be replaced! it was just the void that was filled :). bottom line: both thea and sarah montana rock.
but sarah montana has a quality that not even the esteemed thea kruger possesses: sarah montana is the most rockinist and rollinist girl i know. she LOVES rock and roll. she loves rock and roll like i love rock and roll. the first time we really hung out together we went to a baseball game (the phillies were playing the nats at RFK and were in the playoff hunt...needless to say i was a total basket case...that also speaks to sarah montana;'s character, she was able to put up with me at a phillies game) and on the way to the stadium...she was driving...i heard the black keys for the first time. and the next time we hung out we went to bens chili bowl then to stetsons for pitchers of cheap-ass pitchers and a great rock and roll jukebox. we talked about rock and roll all night. it was fantastic. she introduced me to my morning jacket. we went to the MMJ show at the 930 club together. it was awesome. we saw tenacious d together. tenacious d! that is how rockin' she is. she saw tenacious d with me. i don't think i need to go on she rocks, if you get the picture).
the point of all this, yes. for my birthday, sarah got me the led zeppelin dvd "how the west was won" (there is no real concensus on the actual title of the dvd...amazon doesn't list it as such, but its my understanding that its the title even if it isn't on the box). now as i have previously explained, sarah montana is the most rockin' and rollinist chick i know, and she loves zeppelin, so i really appreciated the gift. it was very thoughtful. but i never watched the dvd. why, i don't know. but the time just wasn't right. i thought about watching it a number of times but never could bring myself to. i really don't know why. and, mind you, i love concert dvds. gimmie shelter. stop making sense. the grateful dead movie. festival express. they all rule. and you can watch them multiple times. great stuff. but i never watched this one. i also remember that when she gave this to me she told me this amazing story about when she bought it and the guy at the store couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was, but still i never watched it. until last night.
sarah, if you are reading this, that dvd is f**king awesome. amazing. blows your mind. face-melting. words cannot describe what i saw last night. jimmy page. holy s**t. robert plant. john paul jones. john f**king bonham. through all the stages of their career. this was rock and roll at its finest. if you like guitars, and anyone who knows me knows that i like guitars, if you like guitars, this movie is for you. if you like rock and roll, performed by the masters of rock and roll, this is for you. if you want to hear true masters at their craft, this is for you. it is the zeppelin equivalent of the phish bluegrass dvd (for all phishheads who have not yet seen this please go here...the 1992 MTV interview is great too). so sweet.
sarah montana, thank you. you are really the best.
but sarah montana has a quality that not even the esteemed thea kruger possesses: sarah montana is the most rockinist and rollinist girl i know. she LOVES rock and roll. she loves rock and roll like i love rock and roll. the first time we really hung out together we went to a baseball game (the phillies were playing the nats at RFK and were in the playoff hunt...needless to say i was a total basket case...that also speaks to sarah montana;'s character, she was able to put up with me at a phillies game) and on the way to the stadium...she was driving...i heard the black keys for the first time. and the next time we hung out we went to bens chili bowl then to stetsons for pitchers of cheap-ass pitchers and a great rock and roll jukebox. we talked about rock and roll all night. it was fantastic. she introduced me to my morning jacket. we went to the MMJ show at the 930 club together. it was awesome. we saw tenacious d together. tenacious d! that is how rockin' she is. she saw tenacious d with me. i don't think i need to go on she rocks, if you get the picture).
the point of all this, yes. for my birthday, sarah got me the led zeppelin dvd "how the west was won" (there is no real concensus on the actual title of the dvd...amazon doesn't list it as such, but its my understanding that its the title even if it isn't on the box). now as i have previously explained, sarah montana is the most rockin' and rollinist chick i know, and she loves zeppelin, so i really appreciated the gift. it was very thoughtful. but i never watched the dvd. why, i don't know. but the time just wasn't right. i thought about watching it a number of times but never could bring myself to. i really don't know why. and, mind you, i love concert dvds. gimmie shelter. stop making sense. the grateful dead movie. festival express. they all rule. and you can watch them multiple times. great stuff. but i never watched this one. i also remember that when she gave this to me she told me this amazing story about when she bought it and the guy at the store couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was, but still i never watched it. until last night.
sarah, if you are reading this, that dvd is f**king awesome. amazing. blows your mind. face-melting. words cannot describe what i saw last night. jimmy page. holy s**t. robert plant. john paul jones. john f**king bonham. through all the stages of their career. this was rock and roll at its finest. if you like guitars, and anyone who knows me knows that i like guitars, if you like guitars, this movie is for you. if you like rock and roll, performed by the masters of rock and roll, this is for you. if you want to hear true masters at their craft, this is for you. it is the zeppelin equivalent of the phish bluegrass dvd (for all phishheads who have not yet seen this please go here...the 1992 MTV interview is great too). so sweet.
sarah montana, thank you. you are really the best.
Friday, June 15, 2007
I Don't Know How To Feel About This
president bush wears crocs. i wear crocs. is this the only similarity the two of us have?
I Don't Blog About DC Much Anymore, But...
...i cant resist a post about easterns motors.
those in the DC area should know easterns very well. not only do they have a song that should be in the honorary class of the local commercial hall of fame, but for some reason they are able to get all of these big-time professional athletes appear in their commercials. so, with that in mind, i bring you this tidbit, a behind the scenes look at the filming of the new easterns motors commercial (thanks to deadspin and the dc sports blog for the tip).
those in the DC area should know easterns very well. not only do they have a song that should be in the honorary class of the local commercial hall of fame, but for some reason they are able to get all of these big-time professional athletes appear in their commercials. so, with that in mind, i bring you this tidbit, a behind the scenes look at the filming of the new easterns motors commercial (thanks to deadspin and the dc sports blog for the tip).
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
I Am Really Displeased With That Last Post
i am not the worlds best writer. for those of you who read my blog regularly (all three of you) probably realize that by now, but that last post was probably one of the biggest pieces of crap i have ever written. if i had a good mind, i would delete it from existence and start over, but for some reason i am not going to do that. maybe it will serve as a reminder to me to do a better job.
see, that last post could have been better. i could have thought it out more. i could have done multiple drafts (well, i did a first take but it was even worse than that one so i started over), but i didn't. to me, blogging is all about writing in the moment, almost a stream of consciousness kind of thing and when i have something to write that is complex and emotional, like the last post, my words and thoughts get all jumbled up and i have trouble saying what i am thinking and i have trouble thinking clearly enough to say what i want. you can see how that can become a problem. there were just too many things i wanted to write about and i didn't have a clear plan on how to say it.
i'll try and do better in the future. i don't want to let all three of you down.
see, that last post could have been better. i could have thought it out more. i could have done multiple drafts (well, i did a first take but it was even worse than that one so i started over), but i didn't. to me, blogging is all about writing in the moment, almost a stream of consciousness kind of thing and when i have something to write that is complex and emotional, like the last post, my words and thoughts get all jumbled up and i have trouble saying what i am thinking and i have trouble thinking clearly enough to say what i want. you can see how that can become a problem. there were just too many things i wanted to write about and i didn't have a clear plan on how to say it.
i'll try and do better in the future. i don't want to let all three of you down.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The City Of Brotherly Love
to follow up on the post i made a few days ago: what is it that i like about philadelphia so much? its a complicated, mulitpart answer so i will attempt to do my best to answer it.for starters, i grew up in the city. until i was 8 i lived at 22nd and green street which is located in the fairmount section of the city, right near the art museum. it was a very nice neighborhood to grow up in. it wasn't in center city but it was still plenty close to walk downtown to rittenhouse square and the franklin institute. i think thats where my love affair with the city started. back then, the city wasn't in the greatest of shape, but over the past 20 years A LOT has changed.
one of the things that has never changed about philadelphia is the residential nature of downtown. in my mind, successful cities have dense, livable downtowns. cities like new york, chicago, san francisco, and boston all fit this description, but one of the things that sets philadelphia apart is how dense its downtown is. downtown philadelphia, or center city as us locals call it, is defined by the area bordered on the east by the delaware river, on the west by the schuylkill river, market street on the north, and south street on the (duh) south. approximately 80,000 people live in this small area making downtown philadelphia the 3rd densest downtown in the US after new york and chicago. this density, combined with the amazing houses and buildings that you find in center city truly make philadelphia a wonderful place to be and walk around in.
the neighborhoods of center city are something to behold. from society hill and old city with their colonial housing to spruce street and rittenhouse square with their federal style houses and brownstones to fairmount and its rowhouses, philly has it all. and its all authentic. a lot of this stuff was built WAY back in the day. taking a walk around old city is like taking a walk in the philadelphia of ben franklin. walking in rittenhouse is like experiencing philadelphia at the peak of its might and wealth right before WWII.
and the centerpiece of philly? why, its city hall, of course! one of the grandest buildings ever built in these here united states. its just a magnificent piece of architecture and until 1987 was the tallest building in the city. but, despite buildings taller than billy penn's hat, city hall remains a true philadelphia icon.
i could go on and on. i haven't even mentioned the ben franklin parkway, the art museum, franklin institute, the mudder museum of medical oddities, the reading terminal market, neighborhoods like bella vista, queen village, and northern liberties. bottom line: philadelphia is a wonderful place. i highly recommend a visit for those who have not experienced all the city has to offer. unfortunately, i can't write well enough tonight to accurately say all i want to say, so hopefully tomorrow i will be able, in more eloquent terms, describe my walk saturday night that took me from rittenhouse to old city and back.good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.
Monday, June 11, 2007
There Are No Concerts I Want To See This Summer
check out the lineup for the tweeter center this summer (the camden one):
can this be true? is that really their summer concert lineup? is there ANYONE in that roster that i have any interest in seeing, let alone spending money on? yes, i would go to the ABB/ratdog/keller show, but take a look at the date. that means i would have to wait until august to see a show. thats pathetic. either my taste in music is so far out of the mainstream that i can't appreciate these acts or the lineup is so ungodly awful that no one, in their right mind, would see any of these concerts. its one or the other, there is no middle ground. god help us.
can this be true? is that really their summer concert lineup? is there ANYONE in that roster that i have any interest in seeing, let alone spending money on? yes, i would go to the ABB/ratdog/keller show, but take a look at the date. that means i would have to wait until august to see a show. thats pathetic. either my taste in music is so far out of the mainstream that i can't appreciate these acts or the lineup is so ungodly awful that no one, in their right mind, would see any of these concerts. its one or the other, there is no middle ground. god help us.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
One Question About The Sopranos
when did meadow get engaged? did they somehow forget to film that scene? i mean, it was a little weird, right? did i miss something?
I Have Something To Write About!
i now have something inspirational to write about: the city of philadelphia. as most of you know, i have an unusually high degree of fondness for my hometown. some people give philly a bad rap; they say it smells or its dirty or whatever, but people who say that, in my mind, have not seen the city through my eyes. sure, the city is dirty and it does smell, but you know what? philly is an imperfect city. it has flaws, glaring flaws at that, but when those imperfections are added to all the positive and wonderful things the city has to offer it creates an amazing tapestry that can only be appreciated by looking at the whole picture, flaws and all.
over the next week i hope to publish a series of my thoughts on the city of philadelphia. the city has inspired me to write and i will pay her tribute in the best way i can.p
over the next week i hope to publish a series of my thoughts on the city of philadelphia. the city has inspired me to write and i will pay her tribute in the best way i can.p
Thursday, June 7, 2007
I Think My Muse Is Gone!
when i first started this blog i was pumping out an average of 3 posts a day. recently, as you might have noticed, i have been posting maybe once a day. this is due to a few factors. one, i don't sit in front of a computer all day anymore. that, taken by itself, is a good thing, but for the blog, its a bad thing. see, when i was sitting in front of a computer all day, at a job i hated, the blog was my outlet to escape the crushing boredom that was my day-to-day existence. but now that i am not there, my muse is gone. i don't sit in front of a computer all day anymore. the oppressive forces that were pressing on my life have been removed. and because of this, my blog output has been greatly reduced.
i'll find something else to inspire me to write soon, i hope.
i'll find something else to inspire me to write soon, i hope.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
I Am So Glad Mike Bloomberg Is Going To Be My Mayor Soon
mayor mike had this to say today (courtesy TPM):
please run for president, mayor mike. this democrat will vote for you no matter what ticket you are on.
"There are lots of threats to you in the world. There's the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can't sit there and worry about everything. Get a life. You have a much greater danger of being hit by lightning than being struck by a terrorist.let me see if i have this straight: mike bloomberg, the mayor of new york, is telling us to not be afraid? what is the world coming to? doesn't he realize the grave threat we are all in? bloomberg must not understand the world at large. after all, the man he succeeded, rudy guiliani, has much, much more foreign policy experience than mayor mike and rudy is constantly telling me to be afraid, so clearly mike bloomberg has no idea what he is talking about.
please run for president, mayor mike. this democrat will vote for you no matter what ticket you are on.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Tomorrow I Depart DC
this significant event probably warrants some sort of profound statement, but, to be honest with you, i don't feel like writing something up. i might feel like it in a day or two, but as of right now, all i can say is that its about time.
peace, DC. hello philadelphia!
peace, DC. hello philadelphia!
Friday, June 1, 2007
Great Commentary On The Beatles
today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the beatles' "sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band", arguably the most influential rock album in history. there was an article in the washington post this morning about the timeless nature of the beatles' songs. the most interesting commentary that i have come across is from tristero via digby. he wrote:
First of all, to you kiddies out there who want to know what all the brouhaha about The Beatles was all about, I strongly suggest you - hell, everyone should have it - grab the four Complete Ed Sullivan Shows with The Beatles . Now here's the thing: you have to watch one a night, all the way through, including Miitzi Gaynor sing what she calls "real music," and Frank Gorshin doing Kirk Douglas impressions. You will learn two things. First of all, that life in mainstream white America in 1964 was bereft of any positive cultural merit whatsoever. And secondly, this is the ideal society your average Republican politician has in mind for America, sans Beatles of course. It truly is hard to believe. You must see these shows in their entirety to understand how much this country has changed.sounds like a good watch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
