Today's song: Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns
It is the end of the year and the end of this project. Thirty-one posts in thirty-one days.
Traditionally i do a year end post. I will be doing one after the first of the year. I was going to cheat and announce that this post would be delayed, but where is the fun in that. Instead i will do a short post and do the year in review on another day.
How a Scots poem became the New Years standby that it is is beyond the scope of this article. Instead i will mention that i hate New Year's Eve. It is not a holiday. An excuse to drink is no excuse at all. New Year's Eve is a nonevent and it always will be. But people feel the need to assign meaning to the end of the year, and nothing i say will stop that.
So have fun. Be safe. Actually follow your resolutions next year. And have a happy new year.
Later
Bob
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Penultimance
Today's song: Everyone's A Hero by Nathan Fillion
I like musicals. Not lame Broadway musicals . I have no interest in poor dudes with HIV or deformed kidnappers with opera fetishes. I need something a little more relatable like vampire slayers or super geniuses trying to take over the world. Ironically enough Neil Patrick Harris excels in both the lame and good types of musical.
Erin assures me that NPH is one of the stars of Rent and that he is very good in it. I am sure he is very good, he is very good in everything; but alas, i will never know. Rent sucks. I am sure it does. And i hate that five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes song. I hate it in commercials. The only good Tony every awarded was the one Kristin Chenoweth got. I have no idea what she got it for, but have you seen her? She deserves any award she gets nominated for.
I am here to talk about good musicals. The kind that you don't have to be a democrat or someone's aunt to like. The lyric for today is from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. NPH is awesome. Joss Whedon is a genius. Nathan Fillian is a fantastic hero, even when he is a dick. I don't need to say more.
If you haven't already watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you should. BtVS is one of the best things to ever grace television. I imagine that BtVS is the kind of thing Philo Farnsworth hoped his invention would be used for. The musical episode is the second best episode of the series. Again Joss Whedon is a genius. Are you seeing a pattern here, if so try watching Firefly and Dollhouse.
Another fine musical is Mayhem of the Music Meister. This is the musical episode of Batman the Brave and the Bold. NPH lends his talents here as the guest star and titular villain. I'd tell you about it, but some other lawyer (Lawrence Friedman) has already written an excellent piece on this episode. I am not sure that any meager thing i could write would improve on what Mr. Friedman has said.
Lest you think i only like musicals involving NPH or Joss Whedon let me mention South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This 1999 masterwork by stands up to repeated viewings. It used to be that Comedy Central would show this in its unedited for over the holidays, but that does not appear to be in the cards for 2010 as only one day remains. If you have not yet seen it, let me know as i am sure i have a copy laying around somewhere.
Well there is only one day left and this project will be finished. Not sure how i can top the last three days, in reality i doubt i can. I have nothing planned for tomorrow so we will have to wait for inspiration to strike. If you are wondering why i picked a Fillion song rather than an NPH song, it is because Erin says my man-crush on NPH is too obsessive. I wanted stretch myself a little as a blogger, and i just love that line.
Later
Bob
I like musicals. Not lame Broadway musicals . I have no interest in poor dudes with HIV or deformed kidnappers with opera fetishes. I need something a little more relatable like vampire slayers or super geniuses trying to take over the world. Ironically enough Neil Patrick Harris excels in both the lame and good types of musical.
Erin assures me that NPH is one of the stars of Rent and that he is very good in it. I am sure he is very good, he is very good in everything; but alas, i will never know. Rent sucks. I am sure it does. And i hate that five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes song. I hate it in commercials. The only good Tony every awarded was the one Kristin Chenoweth got. I have no idea what she got it for, but have you seen her? She deserves any award she gets nominated for.
I am here to talk about good musicals. The kind that you don't have to be a democrat or someone's aunt to like. The lyric for today is from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. NPH is awesome. Joss Whedon is a genius. Nathan Fillian is a fantastic hero, even when he is a dick. I don't need to say more.
If you haven't already watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you should. BtVS is one of the best things to ever grace television. I imagine that BtVS is the kind of thing Philo Farnsworth hoped his invention would be used for. The musical episode is the second best episode of the series. Again Joss Whedon is a genius. Are you seeing a pattern here, if so try watching Firefly and Dollhouse.
Another fine musical is Mayhem of the Music Meister. This is the musical episode of Batman the Brave and the Bold. NPH lends his talents here as the guest star and titular villain. I'd tell you about it, but some other lawyer (Lawrence Friedman) has already written an excellent piece on this episode. I am not sure that any meager thing i could write would improve on what Mr. Friedman has said.
Lest you think i only like musicals involving NPH or Joss Whedon let me mention South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This 1999 masterwork by stands up to repeated viewings. It used to be that Comedy Central would show this in its unedited for over the holidays, but that does not appear to be in the cards for 2010 as only one day remains. If you have not yet seen it, let me know as i am sure i have a copy laying around somewhere.
Well there is only one day left and this project will be finished. Not sure how i can top the last three days, in reality i doubt i can. I have nothing planned for tomorrow so we will have to wait for inspiration to strike. If you are wondering why i picked a Fillion song rather than an NPH song, it is because Erin says my man-crush on NPH is too obsessive. I wanted stretch myself a little as a blogger, and i just love that line.
Later
Bob
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Y'all don't know what it's like...
There once was a show called Ally McBeal. The show was made popular because of the witty writing of David E Kelley and the short skirts of its female leads. It is unfortunate that this show is not still on the air to serve a new generation of female lawyers with role models to pattern their careers on. Ally McBeal had a number of devices that the show used to make points. Before Scrubs was on the air, it was Alley McBeal that was television's leading producer of fantasy sequences. Another device of the show was the theme song.
Tracy Ulman served as a psychologist on the show for the various beautiful attorneys of the show. She advised the attorneys that they needed a theme song. This would be a song that you would hear running through your head to help you confront your fears, get through the day, or win in court (since the show was ostensibly about attorneys). A friend of mine uses the Wicked Witch March from Wizard of Oz as her theme song. I use Rocking the Suburbs.
I think this song encapsulates my personality. It is satirical, i know this, but i sometimes like to take the lyrics at face value. After all what do any of you non-white males know about the depths of "white boy pain." White males are the last identifiable group it is ok to discriminate against. Being a white male i am against such discrimination. All we want is a level playing field, preferably at about 1952 level.
I also know the song is a little obnoxious. I bought some sheets for our bed. They were Diet Pepsi Lime Green. I told her that they were the color of my happiness. She exclaimed, "No wonder you are so obnoxious." Erin tells me all the time that i am obnoxious, so i am slowly beginning to think that maybe it is possible that at some level there is a small chance that i just might be a wee bit obnoxious. If that is indeed the case and i am not misperceiving the matter, then the song's obnoxious qualities also fit my personality.
The final thing i am going to say about this song is that it is by Ben Folds. Who would have thought that a man whose biggest hit is a song about a high school girl getting an abortion would be capable of making a song that is so much fun? Me, that's who. This is the man who after meeting William Shatner on a Priceline commercial decided that he ought to approach Bill about making a new album. (Wonder no more about my emphasis on Priceline commercials for yesterday's post) Somewhere back in one of my earlier posts i mention Folds-Improv Everywhere video. To save you some time, the link to the video here.
Later
Bob
Tracy Ulman served as a psychologist on the show for the various beautiful attorneys of the show. She advised the attorneys that they needed a theme song. This would be a song that you would hear running through your head to help you confront your fears, get through the day, or win in court (since the show was ostensibly about attorneys). A friend of mine uses the Wicked Witch March from Wizard of Oz as her theme song. I use Rocking the Suburbs.
I think this song encapsulates my personality. It is satirical, i know this, but i sometimes like to take the lyrics at face value. After all what do any of you non-white males know about the depths of "white boy pain." White males are the last identifiable group it is ok to discriminate against. Being a white male i am against such discrimination. All we want is a level playing field, preferably at about 1952 level.
I also know the song is a little obnoxious. I bought some sheets for our bed. They were Diet Pepsi Lime Green. I told her that they were the color of my happiness. She exclaimed, "No wonder you are so obnoxious." Erin tells me all the time that i am obnoxious, so i am slowly beginning to think that maybe it is possible that at some level there is a small chance that i just might be a wee bit obnoxious. If that is indeed the case and i am not misperceiving the matter, then the song's obnoxious qualities also fit my personality.
The final thing i am going to say about this song is that it is by Ben Folds. Who would have thought that a man whose biggest hit is a song about a high school girl getting an abortion would be capable of making a song that is so much fun? Me, that's who. This is the man who after meeting William Shatner on a Priceline commercial decided that he ought to approach Bill about making a new album. (Wonder no more about my emphasis on Priceline commercials for yesterday's post) Somewhere back in one of my earlier posts i mention Folds-Improv Everywhere video. To save you some time, the link to the video here.
Later
Bob
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Awesome, Just Awesome
Today's song: Has Been by William Shatner and Ben Folds
Actor, author, director, producer, celebrity spokesman, singer, and all around great guy. The man has skills. By now you all know that William Shatner is the most awesome man alive. Whether he is saving the galaxy by beating up Malcolm McDowell or shooting a hobo, nobody saves the day like Shatner.
None of you have been living in a third world country and if you are on the net you are not Amish, so you all know who William Shatner is. You have most likely seen him act. You have probably seen him saving people money on Priceline. And if you have been in my car, you have heard Shatner's 2004 album Has Been.
I have written about Shatner Before. I have written about Has Been, one of the best received albums of 2004. I wasn't sure how to approach this post. Then it struck me, i don't always have to cover new ground. I have seen Wrath of Kahn thirty or forty times now. It does not get old. If something is good enough it bears repeated viewings. So it seems to me that it is perfectly appropriate to extol the virtues of William Shatner once again. Shatner is no less awesome than the last time i mentioned how awesome he was.
The only new thing i have to say about William Shatner is that he is the best thing about Sh!t My Dad Says. I know this isn't saying much. The writing is substandard and the lead actor is not very good. But the show has potential. I'll ride out the first season and see if season two is worth sticking around for. If you find yourself with a little spare time, rewatch Community or Boondocks. If you still have some spare time try Sh!t my Dad Says. If the show improves i'll let you know.
Later
Bob
Actor, author, director, producer, celebrity spokesman, singer, and all around great guy. The man has skills. By now you all know that William Shatner is the most awesome man alive. Whether he is saving the galaxy by beating up Malcolm McDowell or shooting a hobo, nobody saves the day like Shatner.
None of you have been living in a third world country and if you are on the net you are not Amish, so you all know who William Shatner is. You have most likely seen him act. You have probably seen him saving people money on Priceline. And if you have been in my car, you have heard Shatner's 2004 album Has Been.
I have written about Shatner Before. I have written about Has Been, one of the best received albums of 2004. I wasn't sure how to approach this post. Then it struck me, i don't always have to cover new ground. I have seen Wrath of Kahn thirty or forty times now. It does not get old. If something is good enough it bears repeated viewings. So it seems to me that it is perfectly appropriate to extol the virtues of William Shatner once again. Shatner is no less awesome than the last time i mentioned how awesome he was.
The only new thing i have to say about William Shatner is that he is the best thing about Sh!t My Dad Says. I know this isn't saying much. The writing is substandard and the lead actor is not very good. But the show has potential. I'll ride out the first season and see if season two is worth sticking around for. If you find yourself with a little spare time, rewatch Community or Boondocks. If you still have some spare time try Sh!t my Dad Says. If the show improves i'll let you know.
Later
Bob
Monday, December 27, 2010
Saving The Best For Not Last
Today's Song: Freedom 90 by George Michael
George Michael first hit the music scene with Andrew Ridgeley as a singing duo going by the name Wham!. The punctuation in that last sentence is correct. Wham! was so big they needed an exclamation point in their name. Between 1982 and 1986 the duo sold more than twenty-five million albums.
Being part of a duo with three number one songs in a row and the biggest hit of the year in 1985 was not enough for Michael. It seems that for some reason he was not interested in the millions of teenage girls that were Wham!'s primary fan base. In 1983 Ridgeley changed the band's look from "moody in leather jackets" to smiles and fashionable clothing, with a view to promoting themselves more as hedonistic sex symbols than spokespeople for a disaffected generation. It seems that Michael was never comfortable as a sex symbol. By 1988 Michael was at the height of his popularity as a performer and as a sex symbol. The video for Faith provided some definitive images of the 1980s music industry - Michael in shades, designer stubble, a leather jacket & a particularly memorable pair of tight Levi's blue jeans & cowboy boots, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox. (Thanks Wikipedia)
Two Years later Michael would literally explode the image he had created. In the video for Freedom 90, Michael burned his leather jacket and blew up the jukebox and guitar which were the iconic images from his Faith Video. In interviews Michael explained that he was uncomfortable in his role as sex symbol. Michael refused to appear in the video for Freedom 90. This is a large part of what makes it the best video of all time.
The song is fine. It is a good song. Not the sort of tune you'd necessarily expect to serve as the basis for the best video of all time. But that is the genius of George Michael. At the height of his popularity as a sex symbol he found a way to make an even sexier video. He stayed out of it and got supermodels. This was in the time before anyone who was paid to pose for a picture was called a supermodel. This was when there were six supermodels, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. Michael got four of them in his video.
Pretty girls make videos better. This video has an overabundance of pretty. Most importantly he got Christy Turlington. Christy is so important she gets mentioned twice. Ms. Turlington is the most beautiful woman that has ever lived and this video has more of her than any other video. She looks like an angel, at least if the Pope didn't require all angels to be blondes.
That is the image that makes this video the best ever. If you doubt me, watch the video. If you still doubt then you are wrong and no amount of rational argument will sway you. I told you i would get to this, but i did not promise you would agree.
Later
Bob
George Michael first hit the music scene with Andrew Ridgeley as a singing duo going by the name Wham!. The punctuation in that last sentence is correct. Wham! was so big they needed an exclamation point in their name. Between 1982 and 1986 the duo sold more than twenty-five million albums.
Being part of a duo with three number one songs in a row and the biggest hit of the year in 1985 was not enough for Michael. It seems that for some reason he was not interested in the millions of teenage girls that were Wham!'s primary fan base. In 1983 Ridgeley changed the band's look from "moody in leather jackets" to smiles and fashionable clothing, with a view to promoting themselves more as hedonistic sex symbols than spokespeople for a disaffected generation. It seems that Michael was never comfortable as a sex symbol. By 1988 Michael was at the height of his popularity as a performer and as a sex symbol. The video for Faith provided some definitive images of the 1980s music industry - Michael in shades, designer stubble, a leather jacket & a particularly memorable pair of tight Levi's blue jeans & cowboy boots, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox. (Thanks Wikipedia)
Two Years later Michael would literally explode the image he had created. In the video for Freedom 90, Michael burned his leather jacket and blew up the jukebox and guitar which were the iconic images from his Faith Video. In interviews Michael explained that he was uncomfortable in his role as sex symbol. Michael refused to appear in the video for Freedom 90. This is a large part of what makes it the best video of all time.
The song is fine. It is a good song. Not the sort of tune you'd necessarily expect to serve as the basis for the best video of all time. But that is the genius of George Michael. At the height of his popularity as a sex symbol he found a way to make an even sexier video. He stayed out of it and got supermodels. This was in the time before anyone who was paid to pose for a picture was called a supermodel. This was when there were six supermodels, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. Michael got four of them in his video.
Pretty girls make videos better. This video has an overabundance of pretty. Most importantly he got Christy Turlington. Christy is so important she gets mentioned twice. Ms. Turlington is the most beautiful woman that has ever lived and this video has more of her than any other video. She looks like an angel, at least if the Pope didn't require all angels to be blondes.
Later
Bob
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Dealer's Choice
Today's song: Winter by Josh Radin
I was not going to do this song, Winter is just too hard. It is a great song, but it is a hard song to post about.
The lyrics and melancholy music don't lend themselves to a comic approach. This is an issue i noticed this month. There are not a lot of happy lyrics to select from. If you look at the selections i made this month, you might think i was depressed. This is because when you select good songs, you don't get too many options for positive lyrics.
Like many great songs and artists that i have heard in the last ten years, i first heard this song on Scrubs. It is hard to say whether my fondness for the song stems from the quality of the song or the quality of the episode of Scrubs it was in. In either event both are first rate.
Winter is one of my favorite songs. It is definitely my favorite Joshua Radin song. Zac Braff has horrible taste in politicians, but his taste in music is impeccable. Whether it is the music he found for Scrubs or one of his movies his choices are spot on. About half the music in my car, and nearly all of it that is less than ten years old, was from Scrubs or a Zac Braff film. I am on the record saying songs won't actually change your life, so i will use a quote from Garden State to avoid contradicting myself. In an early scene, Sam (the ever so lovely Natalie Portman) passes Andrew (a rather plain Zac Braff) a headset which is playing the song "New Slang" by The Shins as she says "You gotta hear this one song — it’ll change your life; I swear." The song didn't change my life, but it did change my playlist.
Most of you who find yourselves on this blog already are familiar with Scrubs and you know this part, but bear with me as i enlighten the rest of my audience. This song is found in what is probably the best episode of Scrubs. The guest star for the episode is Brendan Fraser. I won't spoil the episode. It is the sixtieth episode of Scrubs, episode fourteen of season three. If you are interested, let me know and i'll lend you a copy of my season three dvd's. If you like John C. McGinley, this is probably is best performance on Scrubs.
Well, which one would you select? I am trying to avoid being obvious over on Facebook. I am also trying to avoid making people there think i am terminally depressed. In this instance, the song choice was Sam's and the choice of lyric was his as well. Never let it be said that i don't listen to my fans. And that ladies and gentlemen is why the whole second verse was posted.
Later
Bob
Now on to the main event, the lyric selection. This time i am going to do something a little different. I am going to post the lyrics in their entirety so you can see for yourself the challenge of selecting a lyric from this song.
I should know who I am by now
I walk the record stand somehow
Thinkin' of winter
The name is the splinter inside me
While I wait
And I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
The walk has all been cleared by now
Your voice is all I hear somehow
Calling out winter
Your voice is the splinter inside me
While I wait
And I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
I could have lost myself
In rough blue waters in your eyes
And I miss you still
Oh I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
Well, which one would you select? I am trying to avoid being obvious over on Facebook. I am also trying to avoid making people there think i am terminally depressed. In this instance, the song choice was Sam's and the choice of lyric was his as well. Never let it be said that i don't listen to my fans. And that ladies and gentlemen is why the whole second verse was posted.
Later
Bob
I was not going to do this song, Winter is just too hard. It is a great song, but it is a hard song to post about.
The lyrics and melancholy music don't lend themselves to a comic approach. This is an issue i noticed this month. There are not a lot of happy lyrics to select from. If you look at the selections i made this month, you might think i was depressed. This is because when you select good songs, you don't get too many options for positive lyrics.
Like many great songs and artists that i have heard in the last ten years, i first heard this song on Scrubs. It is hard to say whether my fondness for the song stems from the quality of the song or the quality of the episode of Scrubs it was in. In either event both are first rate.
Winter is one of my favorite songs. It is definitely my favorite Joshua Radin song. Zac Braff has horrible taste in politicians, but his taste in music is impeccable. Whether it is the music he found for Scrubs or one of his movies his choices are spot on. About half the music in my car, and nearly all of it that is less than ten years old, was from Scrubs or a Zac Braff film. I am on the record saying songs won't actually change your life, so i will use a quote from Garden State to avoid contradicting myself. In an early scene, Sam (the ever so lovely Natalie Portman) passes Andrew (a rather plain Zac Braff) a headset which is playing the song "New Slang" by The Shins as she says "You gotta hear this one song — it’ll change your life; I swear." The song didn't change my life, but it did change my playlist.
Most of you who find yourselves on this blog already are familiar with Scrubs and you know this part, but bear with me as i enlighten the rest of my audience. This song is found in what is probably the best episode of Scrubs. The guest star for the episode is Brendan Fraser. I won't spoil the episode. It is the sixtieth episode of Scrubs, episode fourteen of season three. If you are interested, let me know and i'll lend you a copy of my season three dvd's. If you like John C. McGinley, this is probably is best performance on Scrubs.
Well, which one would you select? I am trying to avoid being obvious over on Facebook. I am also trying to avoid making people there think i am terminally depressed. In this instance, the song choice was Sam's and the choice of lyric was his as well. Never let it be said that i don't listen to my fans. And that ladies and gentlemen is why the whole second verse was posted.
Later
Bob
Now on to the main event, the lyric selection. This time i am going to do something a little different. I am going to post the lyrics in their entirety so you can see for yourself the challenge of selecting a lyric from this song.
I should know who I am by now
I walk the record stand somehow
Thinkin' of winter
The name is the splinter inside me
While I wait
And I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
The walk has all been cleared by now
Your voice is all I hear somehow
Calling out winter
Your voice is the splinter inside me
While I wait
And I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
I could have lost myself
In rough blue waters in your eyes
And I miss you still
Oh I remember the sound
Of your November downtown
And I remember the truth
A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake
And I don't have to stay this way
If only I would wake
Well, which one would you select? I am trying to avoid being obvious over on Facebook. I am also trying to avoid making people there think i am terminally depressed. In this instance, the song choice was Sam's and the choice of lyric was his as well. Never let it be said that i don't listen to my fans. And that ladies and gentlemen is why the whole second verse was posted.
Later
Bob
Saturday, December 25, 2010
We Need A Little Christmas, Right This Very Minute-- Not In March
Today's Song: Happy Birthday To You by Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill
This is one of the songs i intended to do all month. The legal status of this song is a very interesting question. The Time-Warner Corporation claims to own the copyright and makes two million a year off of this claim. Justice Breyer called into question the copyright status of this song in his dissent in Eldred v. Ashcroft in 2003. Generally i don't put any stock in the dissenting opinions of Justice Breyer, but to be fair i don't put any stock in his majority opinions either.
Robert Brauneis at George Washington University Law School has written a research paper on the topic. The abstract is reproduced below:
Abstract:
"Happy Birthday to You" is the best-known and most frequently sung song in the world. Many - including Justice Breyer in his dissent in Eldred v. Ashcroft - have portrayed it as an unoriginal work that is hardly worthy of copyright protection, but nonetheless remains under copyright. Yet close historical scrutiny reveals both of those assumptions to be false. The song that became "Happy Birthday to You," originally written with different lyrics as "Good Morning to All," was the product of intense creative labor, undertaken with copyright protection in mind. However, it is almost certainly no longer under copyright, due to a lack of evidence about who wrote the words; defective copyright notice; and a failure to file a proper renewal application.
The falsity of the standard story about the song demonstrates the dangers of relying on anecdotes without thorough research and analysis. It also reveals collective action barriers to mounting challenges to copyright validity: the song generates an estimated $2 million per year, and yet no one has ever sought adjudication of the validity of its copyright. Finally, the true story of the song demonstrates that a long, unitary copyright term requires changes in copyright doctrine and administration. With such a term, copyright law needs a doctrine like adverse possession to clear title and protect expectations generated when, as with this song, putative owners do not challenge distribution of unauthorized copies for more than 20 years. And Copyright Office recordkeeping policy, which currently calls for discarding correspondence after 20 years and most registration denials and deposits after five years, must be improved to facilitate resolution of disputes involving older works.
I found this subject interesting when i discovered it earlier this fall and thought you, my readers, might as well. This one isn't as much fun as most of the postings this month and there is little original work of my own here, but i claim fair use of the abstract. I also thought it would be fun to write "Happy Birthday dear Jesus" on Facebook. I almost went with Jebus but i figured the Facebook crowd might not get the joke and i do need them to vote for me in about six years.
Happy Birthday Jesus even though you were born in March. Apparently as your infallible representative on Earth the Pope gets to move your birthday. To be fair, pagans suck and Saturnalia was lame anyway. Slaves ought not switch roles with masters, even in jest. Peons, peasants, surfs and the proletariat need to know their place.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Later
Bob
This is one of the songs i intended to do all month. The legal status of this song is a very interesting question. The Time-Warner Corporation claims to own the copyright and makes two million a year off of this claim. Justice Breyer called into question the copyright status of this song in his dissent in Eldred v. Ashcroft in 2003. Generally i don't put any stock in the dissenting opinions of Justice Breyer, but to be fair i don't put any stock in his majority opinions either.
Robert Brauneis at George Washington University Law School has written a research paper on the topic. The abstract is reproduced below:
Abstract:
"Happy Birthday to You" is the best-known and most frequently sung song in the world. Many - including Justice Breyer in his dissent in Eldred v. Ashcroft - have portrayed it as an unoriginal work that is hardly worthy of copyright protection, but nonetheless remains under copyright. Yet close historical scrutiny reveals both of those assumptions to be false. The song that became "Happy Birthday to You," originally written with different lyrics as "Good Morning to All," was the product of intense creative labor, undertaken with copyright protection in mind. However, it is almost certainly no longer under copyright, due to a lack of evidence about who wrote the words; defective copyright notice; and a failure to file a proper renewal application.
The falsity of the standard story about the song demonstrates the dangers of relying on anecdotes without thorough research and analysis. It also reveals collective action barriers to mounting challenges to copyright validity: the song generates an estimated $2 million per year, and yet no one has ever sought adjudication of the validity of its copyright. Finally, the true story of the song demonstrates that a long, unitary copyright term requires changes in copyright doctrine and administration. With such a term, copyright law needs a doctrine like adverse possession to clear title and protect expectations generated when, as with this song, putative owners do not challenge distribution of unauthorized copies for more than 20 years. And Copyright Office recordkeeping policy, which currently calls for discarding correspondence after 20 years and most registration denials and deposits after five years, must be improved to facilitate resolution of disputes involving older works.
I found this subject interesting when i discovered it earlier this fall and thought you, my readers, might as well. This one isn't as much fun as most of the postings this month and there is little original work of my own here, but i claim fair use of the abstract. I also thought it would be fun to write "Happy Birthday dear Jesus" on Facebook. I almost went with Jebus but i figured the Facebook crowd might not get the joke and i do need them to vote for me in about six years.
Happy Birthday Jesus even though you were born in March. Apparently as your infallible representative on Earth the Pope gets to move your birthday. To be fair, pagans suck and Saturnalia was lame anyway. Slaves ought not switch roles with masters, even in jest. Peons, peasants, surfs and the proletariat need to know their place.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Later
Bob
Friday, December 24, 2010
Time For Something New
Today's Song: Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons
You know the day i knew i was old? It was the day i went to a record store (they didn't have records but i am old so i still call them record stores) to buy some new music and walked out with an album that was ten years old. That was in 1999, the album Depeche Mode 101. So by that measure i have been old for eleven years.
The simple fact is that your musical tastes pretty much get locked in by the time you graduate from college. They don't change much after that. If you look at the music i have been selecting you see a heavy bias toward new wave and alternative rock. This is the music that was popular when i was a teenager. You have seen Depesche Mode and the Cure this month because i have already covered them in other postings.
Trying to stay fresh i have covered mostly songs i have not written about before. But there has been no music from 2010 covered yet. I am twenty four days in and it is about time i tried some new music. Although this is a slight cheat depending on how you look at it. The song was recorded in 2009 and released in 2009, but i didn't see i until 2010. By my reckoning that makes it from this year.
The Wikipedia tells me that this song is categorized as indie folk. Typically i can't stand folk music. That is the music of hippies. I hate hippies. Maybe less than gypsies and and hobos, but i still hate them a lot. So is there some cognitive dissonance kicking in here? No, the fact is that this is English folk music with roots stretching back much further than the 1960's. And the song is intense and frenetic. If you were reading yesterday i used the same words to describe Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal. I like frenetic, intense music, often regardless of genre.
So there you have it, a new song. I am not yet so ossified that i cannot find new music to enjoy. Maybe it is still possible even in these advanced years to continue to evolve. After all, i did just cease being a Philistine in 2009.
Later
Bob
You know the day i knew i was old? It was the day i went to a record store (they didn't have records but i am old so i still call them record stores) to buy some new music and walked out with an album that was ten years old. That was in 1999, the album Depeche Mode 101. So by that measure i have been old for eleven years.
The simple fact is that your musical tastes pretty much get locked in by the time you graduate from college. They don't change much after that. If you look at the music i have been selecting you see a heavy bias toward new wave and alternative rock. This is the music that was popular when i was a teenager. You have seen Depesche Mode and the Cure this month because i have already covered them in other postings.
Trying to stay fresh i have covered mostly songs i have not written about before. But there has been no music from 2010 covered yet. I am twenty four days in and it is about time i tried some new music. Although this is a slight cheat depending on how you look at it. The song was recorded in 2009 and released in 2009, but i didn't see i until 2010. By my reckoning that makes it from this year.
The Wikipedia tells me that this song is categorized as indie folk. Typically i can't stand folk music. That is the music of hippies. I hate hippies. Maybe less than gypsies and and hobos, but i still hate them a lot. So is there some cognitive dissonance kicking in here? No, the fact is that this is English folk music with roots stretching back much further than the 1960's. And the song is intense and frenetic. If you were reading yesterday i used the same words to describe Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal. I like frenetic, intense music, often regardless of genre.
So there you have it, a new song. I am not yet so ossified that i cannot find new music to enjoy. Maybe it is still possible even in these advanced years to continue to evolve. After all, i did just cease being a Philistine in 2009.
Later
Bob
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Now with 100% less Jesus Juice
Today's song: Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson (Alien Ant Farm Cover)
Say what you want about that drug addled pervert, Michael Jackson could sing, dance, write songs, and make great videos. But today we are talking about the Alien Ant Farm cover. The original is great. The cover is even better. You can't say that very often. Peter Gabriel's cover of Book of Love is the only other cover that beats the original that i can think of off the top of my head.
The AAF remake of Smooth Criminal is better than the original because it has a frenetic quality. This gives the song an edge that was missing from the original. The intensity that AAF brings to the song puts it over the top. This is not to make light of MJ's intensity, remember i said the original was great.
It is not because i prefer AAF's version to MJ's that it was selected today. I made the choice because of the videos. If i went with MJ i could talk about how great Joe Pesci is as a villian, but then someone would bring up Goodfellas. So to side step this i chose AAF.
Also by choosing AAF i get to talk about a large number of Michael's videos because of the near constant referencing. But rather than just go on and on about the great moments and videos that AAF invokes i'll just say, "Go watch the video for yourself." Billie Jean, Thriller, Black or White, Bad, the glove, they are all covered.
We are in the home stretch of this little project. Twenty-three songs covered, eight left. If you have a request get it in. I still have a few songs that are locked in, (Spoiler Alert) there is no way i don't do Rockin' the Suburbs. (End Spoilers) I hope you are enjoying this year end effort.
Later
Bob
Say what you want about that drug addled pervert, Michael Jackson could sing, dance, write songs, and make great videos. But today we are talking about the Alien Ant Farm cover. The original is great. The cover is even better. You can't say that very often. Peter Gabriel's cover of Book of Love is the only other cover that beats the original that i can think of off the top of my head.
The AAF remake of Smooth Criminal is better than the original because it has a frenetic quality. This gives the song an edge that was missing from the original. The intensity that AAF brings to the song puts it over the top. This is not to make light of MJ's intensity, remember i said the original was great.
It is not because i prefer AAF's version to MJ's that it was selected today. I made the choice because of the videos. If i went with MJ i could talk about how great Joe Pesci is as a villian, but then someone would bring up Goodfellas. So to side step this i chose AAF.
Also by choosing AAF i get to talk about a large number of Michael's videos because of the near constant referencing. But rather than just go on and on about the great moments and videos that AAF invokes i'll just say, "Go watch the video for yourself." Billie Jean, Thriller, Black or White, Bad, the glove, they are all covered.
We are in the home stretch of this little project. Twenty-three songs covered, eight left. If you have a request get it in. I still have a few songs that are locked in, (Spoiler Alert) there is no way i don't do Rockin' the Suburbs. (End Spoilers) I hope you are enjoying this year end effort.
Later
Bob
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Very Good Post, This Will Be
Today's song: Yoda by Weird Al
Alright now, this song is Jason's second request. Jason has made good choices, challenging, but good. It is hard to know what to do with this one because there are so many different directions you could go. I decided it would be interesting to talk about the parallels between Weird Al and Star Wars. By interesting, i mean interesting to me.
Star Wars was a big part of my formative early years. I was seven when it came out, ten for Empire, and thirteen for Jedi. Weird Al came to my attention when i was fourteen. Each would play a big part of my teen age and college years.
Ok so, back when MTV still played videos, they would on occasion run something they called Al TV. The premise of the show is that Yankovic uses his private satellite transmitter to commandeer the airwaves of a music video station in order to show the videos that he wants to watch. (Thanks Wikipedia)There were eight such specials between 1984 and 1999. Al is a funny guy and he really got to shine here. I would always make sure to tune into Al TV, even if i had to tape it. (You remember VHS, right?)
Alright now, I like sci fi so naturally i like Star Wars, even though my adult brain now recognizes that Star Wars is really fantasy and not sci fi. For the longest time those three movies were the gold standard for special effects, and i do love special effects. I read the Timothy Zahn novels and they rekindled my interest in the franchise. Then disaster struck. Lucas finally got around to making the prequels.
I think 1999 was a bad year for both Star Wars and Weird Al. Episode one sucked. And Lucas just like he did the first time around found a way to outdo himself with each of the next two movies. Jar Jar is probably the best thing about Episode 2. In 1999 Weird Al released Running with Scissors. It was not his best work. Throughout the nineties Weird Al's music became less appealing. Rather than great parodies like Fat and Theme to Rocky XIII we got angry songs about women. Maybe Al was going through something like getting dumped.
The decline for Lucus was brought on by his desire to not be Tolkien. This is my opinion, but my opinions have perfect truth value. I base this on his obvious desire to destroy a franchise my generation held dear. Lucas conducted an interview in which he discussed people visiting the grave of Tolkien with disapproval. He clearly did not want that to happen to him. On Ewoks, he said something like the only people that didn't like Ewolks were guys in their thirties with too much time on their hands. I was a guy in my thirties with too much time on my hands, this was the franchise's fanbase.
Ok so, we have two important cultural artifacts form my youth that became tarnished over time. Once great and much beloved, both Star Wars and Weird Al became irrelevant to me in this century. But there is one important distinction. Like Darth Vader and unlike George Lucas, Weird Al would go on to redeem himself. In 2006 Weird Al made, White and Nerdy. The song became Yankovic's first career Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, a record 23 years after his first appearance on the Hot 100 chart with "Ricky" in 1983. It peaked at #9, beating his previous #12 peak for 1984's "Eat It". This was also his first Top 40 single since 1992's "Smells Like Nirvana". (Thanks again Wikipedia) I won't go into detail with this song as i reserve the option of giving it its on post before the month is done, no promises.
Well this has been interesting, at least for me. If Jason wants he may feel free to explain the private joke contained within this post. Rick probably could too, if he wanted. If only i could put in stomp sound effects, but alas i am not savvy enough . The facebook lyric was for Kris.
Later
Bob
Alright now, this song is Jason's second request. Jason has made good choices, challenging, but good. It is hard to know what to do with this one because there are so many different directions you could go. I decided it would be interesting to talk about the parallels between Weird Al and Star Wars. By interesting, i mean interesting to me.
Star Wars was a big part of my formative early years. I was seven when it came out, ten for Empire, and thirteen for Jedi. Weird Al came to my attention when i was fourteen. Each would play a big part of my teen age and college years.
Ok so, back when MTV still played videos, they would on occasion run something they called Al TV. The premise of the show is that Yankovic uses his private satellite transmitter to commandeer the airwaves of a music video station in order to show the videos that he wants to watch. (Thanks Wikipedia)There were eight such specials between 1984 and 1999. Al is a funny guy and he really got to shine here. I would always make sure to tune into Al TV, even if i had to tape it. (You remember VHS, right?)
Alright now, I like sci fi so naturally i like Star Wars, even though my adult brain now recognizes that Star Wars is really fantasy and not sci fi. For the longest time those three movies were the gold standard for special effects, and i do love special effects. I read the Timothy Zahn novels and they rekindled my interest in the franchise. Then disaster struck. Lucas finally got around to making the prequels.
I think 1999 was a bad year for both Star Wars and Weird Al. Episode one sucked. And Lucas just like he did the first time around found a way to outdo himself with each of the next two movies. Jar Jar is probably the best thing about Episode 2. In 1999 Weird Al released Running with Scissors. It was not his best work. Throughout the nineties Weird Al's music became less appealing. Rather than great parodies like Fat and Theme to Rocky XIII we got angry songs about women. Maybe Al was going through something like getting dumped.
The decline for Lucus was brought on by his desire to not be Tolkien. This is my opinion, but my opinions have perfect truth value. I base this on his obvious desire to destroy a franchise my generation held dear. Lucas conducted an interview in which he discussed people visiting the grave of Tolkien with disapproval. He clearly did not want that to happen to him. On Ewoks, he said something like the only people that didn't like Ewolks were guys in their thirties with too much time on their hands. I was a guy in my thirties with too much time on my hands, this was the franchise's fanbase.
Ok so, we have two important cultural artifacts form my youth that became tarnished over time. Once great and much beloved, both Star Wars and Weird Al became irrelevant to me in this century. But there is one important distinction. Like Darth Vader and unlike George Lucas, Weird Al would go on to redeem himself. In 2006 Weird Al made, White and Nerdy. The song became Yankovic's first career Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, a record 23 years after his first appearance on the Hot 100 chart with "Ricky" in 1983. It peaked at #9, beating his previous #12 peak for 1984's "Eat It". This was also his first Top 40 single since 1992's "Smells Like Nirvana". (Thanks again Wikipedia) I won't go into detail with this song as i reserve the option of giving it its on post before the month is done, no promises.
Well this has been interesting, at least for me. If Jason wants he may feel free to explain the private joke contained within this post. Rick probably could too, if he wanted. If only i could put in stomp sound effects, but alas i am not savvy enough . The facebook lyric was for Kris.
Later
Bob
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Winter Solstice Post
Today's song: I Am So Sad, I Am So Very, Very Sad by Crash and the Boys
Thank you for reading.
Later
Bob
Thank you for reading.
Later
Bob
Monday, December 20, 2010
Burning Isn't Always So Bad
Today's song: Burning For You by Shiny Toy Guns
This is a cover of the Blue Oyster Cult song. They changed the lyrics a little, seems the people at Lincoln probably didn't want any mention of the devil in their car commercial. I don't know why, the MKS might be worth selling your soul for, but that was their call not mine.
When i first encountered Shiny Toy Guns, it was love at first sight. I love electronica. Especially stuff that sounds like it could have been made in the Eighties. That's right, once again i am going to say the Eighties were great. The electronic alternative music made in the Eighties is the music i grew up to. Those were the formative years and now my preferences are set. Shiny Toy Guns was like a cruise missile aimed directly at those preferences. It was Glorious!
But nothing is ever perfect. Seems like Jeremy Dawson and Chad Petree didn't like Carah Faye Charnow as much as i did. They kicked her out and replaced her with Sisely Treasure. To make matters worse, they lied to the fans about it. I was willing to check out the new album in 2008 even though Catah was what i liked best about STG. But when i learned that they lied about Carah leaving i decided there was something better i could do with my sixteen bucks.
I have heard most of Season of Poison, and it was ok. Ghost Town and Ricochet were good, but not good enough to get me to buy them, not even with the free credits Amazon gives me to send on music downloads that i never end up using. However then STG made two cover songs to sell Lincolns. I love my Lincoln, a lot, not as much as Erin of Sophie, but a lot nonetheless. And i want an MKS. This song is the song they use to sell the MKS. I didn't need the push, but it worked. I plan to make this my next vehicle purchase, and i will so be putting this song on the hard drive included with the car.
I liked this song and Major Tom enough that i might just buy the new album. It is hard so say right now. If you are unfamiliar with STG, check them out. You might like what you hear. I will not be responsible for any increased desire to buy American made luxury cars that might result.
Later
Bob
This is a cover of the Blue Oyster Cult song. They changed the lyrics a little, seems the people at Lincoln probably didn't want any mention of the devil in their car commercial. I don't know why, the MKS might be worth selling your soul for, but that was their call not mine.
When i first encountered Shiny Toy Guns, it was love at first sight. I love electronica. Especially stuff that sounds like it could have been made in the Eighties. That's right, once again i am going to say the Eighties were great. The electronic alternative music made in the Eighties is the music i grew up to. Those were the formative years and now my preferences are set. Shiny Toy Guns was like a cruise missile aimed directly at those preferences. It was Glorious!
But nothing is ever perfect. Seems like Jeremy Dawson and Chad Petree didn't like Carah Faye Charnow as much as i did. They kicked her out and replaced her with Sisely Treasure. To make matters worse, they lied to the fans about it. I was willing to check out the new album in 2008 even though Catah was what i liked best about STG. But when i learned that they lied about Carah leaving i decided there was something better i could do with my sixteen bucks.
I have heard most of Season of Poison, and it was ok. Ghost Town and Ricochet were good, but not good enough to get me to buy them, not even with the free credits Amazon gives me to send on music downloads that i never end up using. However then STG made two cover songs to sell Lincolns. I love my Lincoln, a lot, not as much as Erin of Sophie, but a lot nonetheless. And i want an MKS. This song is the song they use to sell the MKS. I didn't need the push, but it worked. I plan to make this my next vehicle purchase, and i will so be putting this song on the hard drive included with the car.
I liked this song and Major Tom enough that i might just buy the new album. It is hard so say right now. If you are unfamiliar with STG, check them out. You might like what you hear. I will not be responsible for any increased desire to buy American made luxury cars that might result.
Later
Bob
Sunday, December 19, 2010
La, La La La La
Today's song: Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds
Today's post is not inspired by The Breakfast Club. I never liked that movie. Maybe i was not an outcast in school so i cannot appreciate what the characters stand for. Maybe the movie just isn't all that it has been built into. For whatever reason i just don't care for the movie.
So why select a song inexorably bound to a movie that i dislike? Well first of all it is a good song. Makes you wonder why three different acts turned down a song that would end up number one. But the other reason is that the song is used to great effect in Easy A.
It is a good time to be a child of the Eighties. People who grew up in the Eighties are now in positions where they can force the culture at large to relive the parts we liked best. Now i get why the Baby Boomers did the same thing to us by trying to bring back the sixties. Except the sixties sucked, and the Eighties were awesome.
Easy A is a good movie. I like Emma Stone. She is pretty without being too hot and she is very funny. I have a hard time buying a story where someone that looks like Jaime Pressly is selected to play anything but the hottest girl in school. If you've seen commercials for Glee you know that there is no way girls who look like that could be unpopular in high school even if they were all in chess club.
In Easy A Stone's character makes constant references to Eighties movies. Do i really think that a high school girl would be so conversant with cinema dating back a quarter century? No, of course not. I also think high school girls don't talk like Juno MacGuff, but i liked that film too. The movie ends with our hero triumphantly riding off on a lawnmower with Don't You playing. That scene like the rest of the movie just works for me.
Later
Bob
PS I am working on Jason's second request.
Today's post is not inspired by The Breakfast Club. I never liked that movie. Maybe i was not an outcast in school so i cannot appreciate what the characters stand for. Maybe the movie just isn't all that it has been built into. For whatever reason i just don't care for the movie.
So why select a song inexorably bound to a movie that i dislike? Well first of all it is a good song. Makes you wonder why three different acts turned down a song that would end up number one. But the other reason is that the song is used to great effect in Easy A.
It is a good time to be a child of the Eighties. People who grew up in the Eighties are now in positions where they can force the culture at large to relive the parts we liked best. Now i get why the Baby Boomers did the same thing to us by trying to bring back the sixties. Except the sixties sucked, and the Eighties were awesome.
Easy A is a good movie. I like Emma Stone. She is pretty without being too hot and she is very funny. I have a hard time buying a story where someone that looks like Jaime Pressly is selected to play anything but the hottest girl in school. If you've seen commercials for Glee you know that there is no way girls who look like that could be unpopular in high school even if they were all in chess club.
In Easy A Stone's character makes constant references to Eighties movies. Do i really think that a high school girl would be so conversant with cinema dating back a quarter century? No, of course not. I also think high school girls don't talk like Juno MacGuff, but i liked that film too. The movie ends with our hero triumphantly riding off on a lawnmower with Don't You playing. That scene like the rest of the movie just works for me.
Later
Bob
PS I am working on Jason's second request.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Number 18
Today's song: In Bloom by Nirvana
This post took a big swerve when i was doing the ground work for the posting. Generally when i decide on the song for the day i find a video and watch it. This process helps me decide what to write. By now you've probably figured out that i like videos more than i like listening to music. Being a child of the Eighties, i grew up with MTV. This was back in the long, long ago when the M stood for Music, not Moron.
I had planned to talk about how i liked the contrast between the ways the band is depicted in the video for In Bloom. The wholesome boys from the fifties versus the trouble making freaks that Nirvana wanted to be. And i do like the contrast, don't get me wrong. But every now and then you come across something that changes the way you look at things -- this isn't one of those times. This is one of those times where you find something that confirms everything you were thinking before and you realize that you are always right. This experience probably happens for me more often then it does for you, dear reader.
When i was looking for the video for In Bloom i came across the original video on the Spike website. I'll reproduce the poster's description of the video in its entirety for your consideration:
The original video, before fame supersized the band, has a creepy-cool vibe more in tune with the song's lyrics. Even though Nirvana's been endlessly imitated ever since, they have never been matched. (P.S. This early video features second drummer Chad Channing. Dave Grohl was the band's third.). This was enough to get me to load up the video and check it out.
What i realized was i was right. You see, i was in Seattle when Kurt Cobain shot himself. I could not understand the hundreds of children who were holding vigil for Cobain. I liked Nirvana, they made some good music. But Cobain wasn't someone that i was going to lose any sleep over. Cobain was an out of control addict who didn't want to take responsibility for his problems. Over the years i had softened a little in my opinion. Time made me question whether or not Cobain and Nirvana were special.
The original video for In Bloom reminded me that Cobain, while talented, was not special. The video shows Cobain engaging in the typical antics of a guy in a band. He probably had more talent than most people who join bands, but the world is no worse off without him. Arguably it is better. Dave Grohl may not have gone on to form Foo Fighters if Cobain was still around. Maybe they would have gotten back together made a little more music and then fizzled out the way Smashing Pumpkins did. Had Cobain elected to confront his troubles head on things may have been different, but that isn't the kind of guy he was.
Final score
Bob 1
Hundreds of crying teenagers 0
Later
Bob
This post took a big swerve when i was doing the ground work for the posting. Generally when i decide on the song for the day i find a video and watch it. This process helps me decide what to write. By now you've probably figured out that i like videos more than i like listening to music. Being a child of the Eighties, i grew up with MTV. This was back in the long, long ago when the M stood for Music, not Moron.
I had planned to talk about how i liked the contrast between the ways the band is depicted in the video for In Bloom. The wholesome boys from the fifties versus the trouble making freaks that Nirvana wanted to be. And i do like the contrast, don't get me wrong. But every now and then you come across something that changes the way you look at things -- this isn't one of those times. This is one of those times where you find something that confirms everything you were thinking before and you realize that you are always right. This experience probably happens for me more often then it does for you, dear reader.
When i was looking for the video for In Bloom i came across the original video on the Spike website. I'll reproduce the poster's description of the video in its entirety for your consideration:
The original video, before fame supersized the band, has a creepy-cool vibe more in tune with the song's lyrics. Even though Nirvana's been endlessly imitated ever since, they have never been matched. (P.S. This early video features second drummer Chad Channing. Dave Grohl was the band's third.). This was enough to get me to load up the video and check it out.
What i realized was i was right. You see, i was in Seattle when Kurt Cobain shot himself. I could not understand the hundreds of children who were holding vigil for Cobain. I liked Nirvana, they made some good music. But Cobain wasn't someone that i was going to lose any sleep over. Cobain was an out of control addict who didn't want to take responsibility for his problems. Over the years i had softened a little in my opinion. Time made me question whether or not Cobain and Nirvana were special.
The original video for In Bloom reminded me that Cobain, while talented, was not special. The video shows Cobain engaging in the typical antics of a guy in a band. He probably had more talent than most people who join bands, but the world is no worse off without him. Arguably it is better. Dave Grohl may not have gone on to form Foo Fighters if Cobain was still around. Maybe they would have gotten back together made a little more music and then fizzled out the way Smashing Pumpkins did. Had Cobain elected to confront his troubles head on things may have been different, but that isn't the kind of guy he was.
Final score
Bob 1
Hundreds of crying teenagers 0
Later
Bob
Friday, December 17, 2010
Proof by Any Other Means...
Today's Song: The Girl At The Video Game Store by Perry Gripp
This one is for Sam. He told me that this project is expanding his music horizons. So, Samy, let us explore a little more, you'll be glad you did. So might the rest of you. It is nice that i am able to show a little tangible success from these postings. So far i know i have at least converted on person to watching Community. (Thanks Jason, hope you liked it). It would be appreciated if the rest of you would provide a little feedback, at least let me know your are reading this stuff.
This song is by Parry Gripp. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Gripp, maybe you've heard of his band? Parry Gripp is the lead singer Nerf Herder. Nerf Herder is one of my favorite bands. The band has nerd cred through the roof. Nerf Herder took their name from the movie Star Wars, i know you should all know this but there are a few women who read this and they may not know this. If this were not enough they composed the theme tune for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And if this were not enough, they also wrote Van Halen. Some of you are too young to remember Van Halen, but at one point in the eighties Van Halen was the biggest band in the world. Right at their pinnacle Eddie decided to kick David Lee Roth out of the band. Nerf Herder perfectly captured the feelings of so many Van Halen fans with their 1997 single.
So given my raving for Nerf Herder, why should you listen to Parry's solo efforts. Because i said so, that's why you should listen. This is an appeal to authority. I am so confident of the quality in these songs that i am only going to use logical fallacies to convince you to listen. Young Girl Talking About Herself has been viewed more than 2,422,000 times. With that many views you know it has to be good. That's a little argumentum ad populum for you.
Everyone that i have talked to that has heard a Parry Gripp song has liked it, so everyone likes Parry Gripp and you are part of everyone. Who doesn't like the converse fallacy of accident. If you tell me that you don't like Parry Gripp after watch one of his videos i will unfriend you and everyone else i a friends with will unfriend you as well. I am not above argumentum ad baculum, if it is good enough for our current Speaker of the House it is good enough to me. (Although one wonders if the outcome of the November elections demonstrate the problem with going to the threat well a little too often.)
By the time this posting is concluded i will have expended over seven hundred words exhorting you to watch a Parry Gripp video. That's over three-fourths the length of a new york times article. You know that i wouldn't waste that much time writing about why you should like Parry Gripp songs if they weren't good. Bam, non sequitur, irrelevant conclusion, and proof by verbosity all at once, bitch! (That last one is even a verbal fallacy).
So what was the real point of this exercise. Well one time back in my IU days a professor explained that we must use reason to make our arguments because you cannot prove things irrationally. I disagree, people convince others to believe things by logical fallacies all the time. This is proving something irrationally.
There is another even more powerful irrational force that i have learned that can win arguments conclusively--love. Love makes people do things all the time that are irrational. I love the music of music of Mr. Gripp, not for any good reason, i just do, so should you. But this is not the best example i can think of. I do things i don't want to do all the time, i do them generally without complaining. Why would i do such things, especially if you know how much i like to complain? I do them to make Erin happy. I want her to be happy because i love her. I may not have mentioned that this month, so now is as good a time as any.
I love you, Erin.
Later
Bob
This one is for Sam. He told me that this project is expanding his music horizons. So, Samy, let us explore a little more, you'll be glad you did. So might the rest of you. It is nice that i am able to show a little tangible success from these postings. So far i know i have at least converted on person to watching Community. (Thanks Jason, hope you liked it). It would be appreciated if the rest of you would provide a little feedback, at least let me know your are reading this stuff.
This song is by Parry Gripp. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Gripp, maybe you've heard of his band? Parry Gripp is the lead singer Nerf Herder. Nerf Herder is one of my favorite bands. The band has nerd cred through the roof. Nerf Herder took their name from the movie Star Wars, i know you should all know this but there are a few women who read this and they may not know this. If this were not enough they composed the theme tune for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And if this were not enough, they also wrote Van Halen. Some of you are too young to remember Van Halen, but at one point in the eighties Van Halen was the biggest band in the world. Right at their pinnacle Eddie decided to kick David Lee Roth out of the band. Nerf Herder perfectly captured the feelings of so many Van Halen fans with their 1997 single.
So given my raving for Nerf Herder, why should you listen to Parry's solo efforts. Because i said so, that's why you should listen. This is an appeal to authority. I am so confident of the quality in these songs that i am only going to use logical fallacies to convince you to listen. Young Girl Talking About Herself has been viewed more than 2,422,000 times. With that many views you know it has to be good. That's a little argumentum ad populum for you.
Everyone that i have talked to that has heard a Parry Gripp song has liked it, so everyone likes Parry Gripp and you are part of everyone. Who doesn't like the converse fallacy of accident. If you tell me that you don't like Parry Gripp after watch one of his videos i will unfriend you and everyone else i a friends with will unfriend you as well. I am not above argumentum ad baculum, if it is good enough for our current Speaker of the House it is good enough to me. (Although one wonders if the outcome of the November elections demonstrate the problem with going to the threat well a little too often.)
By the time this posting is concluded i will have expended over seven hundred words exhorting you to watch a Parry Gripp video. That's over three-fourths the length of a new york times article. You know that i wouldn't waste that much time writing about why you should like Parry Gripp songs if they weren't good. Bam, non sequitur, irrelevant conclusion, and proof by verbosity all at once, bitch! (That last one is even a verbal fallacy).
So what was the real point of this exercise. Well one time back in my IU days a professor explained that we must use reason to make our arguments because you cannot prove things irrationally. I disagree, people convince others to believe things by logical fallacies all the time. This is proving something irrationally.
There is another even more powerful irrational force that i have learned that can win arguments conclusively--love. Love makes people do things all the time that are irrational. I love the music of music of Mr. Gripp, not for any good reason, i just do, so should you. But this is not the best example i can think of. I do things i don't want to do all the time, i do them generally without complaining. Why would i do such things, especially if you know how much i like to complain? I do them to make Erin happy. I want her to be happy because i love her. I may not have mentioned that this month, so now is as good a time as any.
I love you, Erin.
Later
Bob
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Poe is Pretty
Today's song: Hello by Poe
I am listening to Poe and Erin asks me, "Do you just like Poe because she is pretty?" Of course i am listening to Poe because she is pretty, if she wasn't pretty she'd probably have finished at Princeton with a degree in History or English and not be making music. But i am not listening to her specifically because she is pretty. I am listening to her because i like her music. I think Jennifer Love Hewitt is pretty. Believe me, no one on this planet wanted to believe she could sing more than i did, but she cannot sing. Being pretty is not enough, not for Jennifer Love Hewitt, not for Paris Hilton, not for Annie Danielewski.
I won't lie. The first time i heard Poe was back in 1995. She was on MTV in the video for Angry Johnny. Watching the pretty blonde in the red skirt writhe around on the bed was appealing. The next time i saw her was also on MTV, this time on Loveline. A young girl was calling in expressing her reluctance to engage in oral sex with her boyfriend. Poe asked her if she had tried it, and told the girl she should try it, "you might like it." Great advice if you ask me.
After these experiences i had Bonehead get me a copy of her album. That album would stay in my car's cd player for the next five years until it was replaced by Haunted, Poe's second album. I still put her songs on the discs i make for my cars. I liked Alan Wake because they had the good sense to put Poe on the soundtrack.
I friended Poe on Myspace. You kiddies might not remember Myspace. Myspace is Betamax. It was superior to its competitor but it lost the format wars because the public is composed of idiots who when left to decide for themselves make poor choices. This is my explanation for how obama became president as well. But anyway i friended Poe on Myspace. I joined her Angry Psycos page. I read her posts about her struggle with the man to get her music back. I almost bought her brother's book House of Leaves but i hate postmodernism.
It has been ten years now since she put out an album. I wait patiently. When she puts out an album i will buy it on day one at 12:01 a.m. It is fair to say that i do not listen to her just because she is pretty.
Later
Bob
I am listening to Poe and Erin asks me, "Do you just like Poe because she is pretty?" Of course i am listening to Poe because she is pretty, if she wasn't pretty she'd probably have finished at Princeton with a degree in History or English and not be making music. But i am not listening to her specifically because she is pretty. I am listening to her because i like her music. I think Jennifer Love Hewitt is pretty. Believe me, no one on this planet wanted to believe she could sing more than i did, but she cannot sing. Being pretty is not enough, not for Jennifer Love Hewitt, not for Paris Hilton, not for Annie Danielewski.
I won't lie. The first time i heard Poe was back in 1995. She was on MTV in the video for Angry Johnny. Watching the pretty blonde in the red skirt writhe around on the bed was appealing. The next time i saw her was also on MTV, this time on Loveline. A young girl was calling in expressing her reluctance to engage in oral sex with her boyfriend. Poe asked her if she had tried it, and told the girl she should try it, "you might like it." Great advice if you ask me.
After these experiences i had Bonehead get me a copy of her album. That album would stay in my car's cd player for the next five years until it was replaced by Haunted, Poe's second album. I still put her songs on the discs i make for my cars. I liked Alan Wake because they had the good sense to put Poe on the soundtrack.
I friended Poe on Myspace. You kiddies might not remember Myspace. Myspace is Betamax. It was superior to its competitor but it lost the format wars because the public is composed of idiots who when left to decide for themselves make poor choices. This is my explanation for how obama became president as well. But anyway i friended Poe on Myspace. I joined her Angry Psycos page. I read her posts about her struggle with the man to get her music back. I almost bought her brother's book House of Leaves but i hate postmodernism.
It has been ten years now since she put out an album. I wait patiently. When she puts out an album i will buy it on day one at 12:01 a.m. It is fair to say that i do not listen to her just because she is pretty.
Later
Bob
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Greatest Song in the World
Today's song: Tribute by Tenacious D
Today isn't the day i am doing the best video. It will get done, there are still sixteen days left. Today we are going to talk about Tenacious D.
Back before Jack Black was the chubby, agile guy on Community, he was the Costar on HBO's Tenacious D. You know how there's always one show on Showtime or HBO that makes you think maybe the addition cost of a premium movie channel is worth it? Well Tenacious D was not that show. I was barely aware of it during its HBO run. I became aware of the existence of Tenacious D when they put out the video for Wonderboy. One day i found myself needing to add something to my shopping cart on Amazon to finish spending my $25.00 refund and qualify for free shipping. The thing i found was Tenacious D - The Complete Master Works.
I got the DVD's, and promptly put them in a cabinet where they would sit for many months. I had no real desire to watch them and didn't know much about Tenacious D. Then one day i had a little time to kill in the long winter weekends that follow the Superbowl. This is an awful time of the year because my Sundays are no longer accounted for. With ten or eleven free hours to kill and precious little to watch, i remembered that i had that Jack Black DVD.
So i started to watch. And it was good. "The Greatest Song in the World" is their best episode. The episode version of the song is my preferred version. You can find it on youtube. If you check it out, be sure to notice how young Jack looks. Kyle looks pretty much the same today, not that you see him much these days. Kyle Gass is the Jazzy Jeff to Black's Fresh Prince.
A lot of people hate Jack Black, and with good reason. He isn't consistently funny the way Owen Wilson is. And sometimes a little Black goes a long way a little like Will Ferrell. But generally i like Black. You have to respect the talent of a man that can go from foul-mouthed, devil-worshiping rocker to animated anthropomorphic martial arts master and remain funny. Bonus points are awarded for his role as Buddy.
So now you know the story of how i came own the only Jack Black work i had for a long time. Maybe sometime later i'll talk about my second acquisition in the Jack Black collection, but that is a story for another time.
Later
Bob
Today isn't the day i am doing the best video. It will get done, there are still sixteen days left. Today we are going to talk about Tenacious D.
Back before Jack Black was the chubby, agile guy on Community, he was the Costar on HBO's Tenacious D. You know how there's always one show on Showtime or HBO that makes you think maybe the addition cost of a premium movie channel is worth it? Well Tenacious D was not that show. I was barely aware of it during its HBO run. I became aware of the existence of Tenacious D when they put out the video for Wonderboy. One day i found myself needing to add something to my shopping cart on Amazon to finish spending my $25.00 refund and qualify for free shipping. The thing i found was Tenacious D - The Complete Master Works.
I got the DVD's, and promptly put them in a cabinet where they would sit for many months. I had no real desire to watch them and didn't know much about Tenacious D. Then one day i had a little time to kill in the long winter weekends that follow the Superbowl. This is an awful time of the year because my Sundays are no longer accounted for. With ten or eleven free hours to kill and precious little to watch, i remembered that i had that Jack Black DVD.
So i started to watch. And it was good. "The Greatest Song in the World" is their best episode. The episode version of the song is my preferred version. You can find it on youtube. If you check it out, be sure to notice how young Jack looks. Kyle looks pretty much the same today, not that you see him much these days. Kyle Gass is the Jazzy Jeff to Black's Fresh Prince.
A lot of people hate Jack Black, and with good reason. He isn't consistently funny the way Owen Wilson is. And sometimes a little Black goes a long way a little like Will Ferrell. But generally i like Black. You have to respect the talent of a man that can go from foul-mouthed, devil-worshiping rocker to animated anthropomorphic martial arts master and remain funny. Bonus points are awarded for his role as Buddy.
So now you know the story of how i came own the only Jack Black work i had for a long time. Maybe sometime later i'll talk about my second acquisition in the Jack Black collection, but that is a story for another time.
Later
Bob
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Close, But No Cigar
Today's song: You can Call Me Al by Paul Simon featuring Chevy Chase
This is a request from Bex so i want to do this one justice. I went for the most obvious of lyrics over on Facebook because this video deserves such blatancy. It is that good. Some have even contended that this is the greatest video of all time. When planning an ascent to such lofty heights it is wise to plan carefully, dress warmly, and bring a bottle of O2.
I am going to get this out of the way right now, in case the title was too subtle, this is not the best video of all time. It is good. It is very good. But it is not the best. We'll cover that later.
So what makes for a good music video? If it is just the artist performing the song it is not the best. I don't much care for performance videos. If i wanted to see that i could go to a concert. If you are making a video you need to do more. You can do the "concert" video well, but you need more than a simple stage performance. Mötley Crüe's Home Sweet Home is a good example of this.
To make a truly great video you need to do something that takes advantage of the video medium. This is usually accomplished in one of two ways. Either the video short movie or it is conceptual. Thiller by Michael Jackson is a short movie. Conceptual videos take many forms and some can be pretty bizarre like Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
You Can Call Me Al is conceptual. It isn't too far out there. It is close to a performance video, but having Chevy Chase there is a brilliant idea. Chevy is a funny guy. If you have been reading my postings this month you should be watching Community by now and you've seen first hand that he is funny. If you are not watching Community, shame on you! Please let the rest of us know so that we may properly shun you until you bring your actions into conformity with the prevailing community standards here.
It seems that Mr. Simon agrees with my position on performance videos. Paul Simon did not like the original music video that was made, which was a performance of the song Simon gave during the monologue when he hosted Saturday Night Live in the perspective of a video monitor. (Thanks Wikipedia. Screw you, VH1). Lorne Michaels came up with the idea of putting Chevy in the video. Lorne was funnier back then, there is no way MacGruber gets greenlit in 1987.
The addition of Chevy Chase and the funny, breezy, light-hearted performances of Chase and Simon make this video a classic. I like it a lot. I can't think of a time i watched this video and failed to chuckle. It is good. It is very good. But it is not the best. If you want the best drop by later this month when we'll be covering the best.
Later
Bob
This is a request from Bex so i want to do this one justice. I went for the most obvious of lyrics over on Facebook because this video deserves such blatancy. It is that good. Some have even contended that this is the greatest video of all time. When planning an ascent to such lofty heights it is wise to plan carefully, dress warmly, and bring a bottle of O2.
I am going to get this out of the way right now, in case the title was too subtle, this is not the best video of all time. It is good. It is very good. But it is not the best. We'll cover that later.
So what makes for a good music video? If it is just the artist performing the song it is not the best. I don't much care for performance videos. If i wanted to see that i could go to a concert. If you are making a video you need to do more. You can do the "concert" video well, but you need more than a simple stage performance. Mötley Crüe's Home Sweet Home is a good example of this.
To make a truly great video you need to do something that takes advantage of the video medium. This is usually accomplished in one of two ways. Either the video short movie or it is conceptual. Thiller by Michael Jackson is a short movie. Conceptual videos take many forms and some can be pretty bizarre like Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
You Can Call Me Al is conceptual. It isn't too far out there. It is close to a performance video, but having Chevy Chase there is a brilliant idea. Chevy is a funny guy. If you have been reading my postings this month you should be watching Community by now and you've seen first hand that he is funny. If you are not watching Community, shame on you! Please let the rest of us know so that we may properly shun you until you bring your actions into conformity with the prevailing community standards here.
It seems that Mr. Simon agrees with my position on performance videos. Paul Simon did not like the original music video that was made, which was a performance of the song Simon gave during the monologue when he hosted Saturday Night Live in the perspective of a video monitor. (Thanks Wikipedia. Screw you, VH1). Lorne Michaels came up with the idea of putting Chevy in the video. Lorne was funnier back then, there is no way MacGruber gets greenlit in 1987.
The addition of Chevy Chase and the funny, breezy, light-hearted performances of Chase and Simon make this video a classic. I like it a lot. I can't think of a time i watched this video and failed to chuckle. It is good. It is very good. But it is not the best. If you want the best drop by later this month when we'll be covering the best.
Later
Bob
Monday, December 13, 2010
I mean i was totally into some real punk
Today's song: California Über Alles
When this song starts, if you have never heard it before, it is not unreasonable to think you will be getting some old school surf music. That perception doesn't last as the song quickly reveals its punk sensibilities. The Dead Kennedys persist more as a name to drop than as anything else. You mention the Dead Kennedys to appear knowledgeable and that you are into real punk not poser shit like Good Charlotte.
But i am not here to talk about the Dead Kennedys, so let's get on the the real point of today's post, namely liberal fascism. This song is a not so subtle complaint about the way once-and-future California Governor Jerry Brown tried to control the thoughts and actions of his citizens.
When people talk about fascism they are normally criticizing the right wing, or Republicans in America. But the right isn't who you need to be afraid of. The right doesn't want to take away your guns. The right isn't telling you wanting to tell you what speech is acceptable. They don't care who you offend, forty years of attacks from liberals in the media will toughen you up. The right doesn't care which church you attend to pray to the one and only true God and his son on Earth, Jesus Christ.
It is the left that wants to control all aspects of your life. It wasn't the right that twice tried to take over medical care in America, and now wants to mandate that you buy insurance or go to jail. That was the totalitarian left.
"The Fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism is totalitarian, and the Fascist State—a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values—interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people."Benito Mussolini, 1935. Fascism: Doctrine and Institutions. Rome: Ardita Publishers. p 14. This is precisely the level of control that obama and his coastal allies want over life in America.
Liberals can't tolerate the idea of free thought. Not so much because people will think politically incorrect thoughts as much as the fact that they never win in the public arena. The have to cloak themselves as moderates and lie to people to get into positions of power so that they can enact their ideas into law. Then they try to limit debate so no one can criticize them.
I don't think much of the left. I tend to be a moderate but lean a little to the right. I think that Republicans are just less likely to lie to us and i give points for telling the truth.
You came here for punk and got a little lesson in politics. But then the who idea of punk is to subvert the expected and express one's self truly. So i am totally like all punk and stuff, i even like the Dead Kennedys, at least until they remade the song into We've Got A Bigger Problem Now; that song sucks.
Later
Bob
When this song starts, if you have never heard it before, it is not unreasonable to think you will be getting some old school surf music. That perception doesn't last as the song quickly reveals its punk sensibilities. The Dead Kennedys persist more as a name to drop than as anything else. You mention the Dead Kennedys to appear knowledgeable and that you are into real punk not poser shit like Good Charlotte.
But i am not here to talk about the Dead Kennedys, so let's get on the the real point of today's post, namely liberal fascism. This song is a not so subtle complaint about the way once-and-future California Governor Jerry Brown tried to control the thoughts and actions of his citizens.
When people talk about fascism they are normally criticizing the right wing, or Republicans in America. But the right isn't who you need to be afraid of. The right doesn't want to take away your guns. The right isn't telling you wanting to tell you what speech is acceptable. They don't care who you offend, forty years of attacks from liberals in the media will toughen you up. The right doesn't care which church you attend to pray to the one and only true God and his son on Earth, Jesus Christ.
It is the left that wants to control all aspects of your life. It wasn't the right that twice tried to take over medical care in America, and now wants to mandate that you buy insurance or go to jail. That was the totalitarian left.
"The Fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism is totalitarian, and the Fascist State—a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values—interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people."Benito Mussolini, 1935. Fascism: Doctrine and Institutions. Rome: Ardita Publishers. p 14. This is precisely the level of control that obama and his coastal allies want over life in America.
Liberals can't tolerate the idea of free thought. Not so much because people will think politically incorrect thoughts as much as the fact that they never win in the public arena. The have to cloak themselves as moderates and lie to people to get into positions of power so that they can enact their ideas into law. Then they try to limit debate so no one can criticize them.
I don't think much of the left. I tend to be a moderate but lean a little to the right. I think that Republicans are just less likely to lie to us and i give points for telling the truth.
You came here for punk and got a little lesson in politics. But then the who idea of punk is to subvert the expected and express one's self truly. So i am totally like all punk and stuff, i even like the Dead Kennedys, at least until they remade the song into We've Got A Bigger Problem Now; that song sucks.
Later
Bob
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Nothing's worse than a ninja, they're masters of every style of combat
-- John Dorian
You came here expecting some wholesome Vanilla Ice. But ninjas are sneaky bastards that always attack from unexpected places. This post is not about Rob Van Winkle. Like a sneaky ninja i am about to violate all that is honorable and perpetrate wounds on your psyche that might never heal.
Sam, leave now.
You have been warned.
The rest of you should go with Sam.
If i could i would stay my hand. It was never my intent to use this blog as a weapon or to hurt anyone. I believe in rainbows and puppies and all that, but the choice isn't mine. No, as much as i love all of you, i love Erin more. She is making me do this You should go before you get hurt.
Seriously leave.
I mean it.
Some things cannot be unlearned.
You are not leaving.
I tried to warn you, but you just wouldn't leave.
What happens next is not my fault.
Today's Song: Enter the Ninja by Die Antwood.
I have posted links in my last couple postings. I won't be doing that here. You were warned. You did not heed my dire counsel because you are still here. I will not endure your criticism for your own free choices later.
Like a sneaky butthole ninja Die Antwood tricks you at the start of this video. You start out with a girl (Yo-Landi Vi$$er) that is a little creepy but mostly cute singing a about butterflies. This should have been a clue of the horrors that would follow, i mean, have you ever looked at the face of a butterfly. It is like some kind of alien monster.
Scene: Enter the Ninja
Yes this guy actually calls himself "Ninja." I could not make this up. Well i could but i am not this time. Skinny and ugly with bad tattoos, we meet Ninja. Giving this devil his due, the guy can speed rap. Yo-Landi keeps asking for a Samurai, a noble bound by the code of Bushido but what she gets is a ninja, a dishonorable killer for hire who specializes in bushwacking.
If Ninja is not enough to give you nightmares just wait. Remember that i mentioned alien monsters? In quick rapid cuts that will be the stuff of nightmares you meet Leon Botha. That is one seriously creepy dude. Freddy Kruger was not this creepy. This guy is Bob-walking-over-the-couch level creepy. Wikipedia tells us he is, "a prominent Cape Town artist who is one of the world's oldest survivors of progeria." But i maintain he is a homunculus crafted from the distilled essence of bad dreams.
The gibberish Ninja is spewing is actually Zef. The white trash in South Africa actually have their own language and Ninja is apparently their de facto poet laureate. I abhor the white trash here in the Good Ol' U S of A-- foreign white trash is worse. I guess obama and his East Coast allies are right, the rest of the world is better than America at certain things. Good job Suid-Afrika you got us good this time.
I will be forever scarred by Die Antwood. Erin woke up nearly every day for a month and played this video first thing in the morning. Thea still runs and hides under the bed when she hears Erin's computer boot up.
I have learned that not all ninjas are cool, no matter what my inner eight year-old tries to tell me.
Later
Bob
I didn't want to do this, but Erin is holding a Katana to my throat. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3f4xU_FfQ
You were warned.
You came here expecting some wholesome Vanilla Ice. But ninjas are sneaky bastards that always attack from unexpected places. This post is not about Rob Van Winkle. Like a sneaky ninja i am about to violate all that is honorable and perpetrate wounds on your psyche that might never heal.
Sam, leave now.
You have been warned.
The rest of you should go with Sam.
If i could i would stay my hand. It was never my intent to use this blog as a weapon or to hurt anyone. I believe in rainbows and puppies and all that, but the choice isn't mine. No, as much as i love all of you, i love Erin more. She is making me do this You should go before you get hurt.
Seriously leave.
I mean it.
Some things cannot be unlearned.
You are not leaving.
I tried to warn you, but you just wouldn't leave.
What happens next is not my fault.
Today's Song: Enter the Ninja by Die Antwood.
I have posted links in my last couple postings. I won't be doing that here. You were warned. You did not heed my dire counsel because you are still here. I will not endure your criticism for your own free choices later.
Like a sneaky butthole ninja Die Antwood tricks you at the start of this video. You start out with a girl (Yo-Landi Vi$$er) that is a little creepy but mostly cute singing a about butterflies. This should have been a clue of the horrors that would follow, i mean, have you ever looked at the face of a butterfly. It is like some kind of alien monster.
Scene: Enter the Ninja
Yes this guy actually calls himself "Ninja." I could not make this up. Well i could but i am not this time. Skinny and ugly with bad tattoos, we meet Ninja. Giving this devil his due, the guy can speed rap. Yo-Landi keeps asking for a Samurai, a noble bound by the code of Bushido but what she gets is a ninja, a dishonorable killer for hire who specializes in bushwacking.
If Ninja is not enough to give you nightmares just wait. Remember that i mentioned alien monsters? In quick rapid cuts that will be the stuff of nightmares you meet Leon Botha. That is one seriously creepy dude. Freddy Kruger was not this creepy. This guy is Bob-walking-over-the-couch level creepy. Wikipedia tells us he is, "a prominent Cape Town artist who is one of the world's oldest survivors of progeria." But i maintain he is a homunculus crafted from the distilled essence of bad dreams.
The gibberish Ninja is spewing is actually Zef. The white trash in South Africa actually have their own language and Ninja is apparently their de facto poet laureate. I abhor the white trash here in the Good Ol' U S of A-- foreign white trash is worse. I guess obama and his East Coast allies are right, the rest of the world is better than America at certain things. Good job Suid-Afrika you got us good this time.
I will be forever scarred by Die Antwood. Erin woke up nearly every day for a month and played this video first thing in the morning. Thea still runs and hides under the bed when she hears Erin's computer boot up.
I have learned that not all ninjas are cool, no matter what my inner eight year-old tries to tell me.
Later
Bob
I didn't want to do this, but Erin is holding a Katana to my throat. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3f4xU_FfQ
You were warned.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Today's song: Mighty, Mighty Man by Roy Brown
First we'll get this out of the way, this song always makes me think of Chris Peden. His brash flaunting of youth in the face of his elders is in keeping with the tone of this song. I look forward to the day that he comes to me complaining about some young punk going on about how "young and strong" he is. Long life is a curse the aged bestow on the young.
Now on to the part where i actually talk about the song so Cari doesn't have to complain to me on Monday.
As a result of playing Fallout and Bioshock i have developed a taste for Big Band and Swing style music. Endless hours spent listening to songs my grandparents thought were the cat's meow will do that.
Mighty Man is played in Fallout 3 by the Wasteland's only DJ Three Dog. After a while you get tired of Three Dog's incessant nattering but i never got tired of his selections. Another golden oldie wroth mentioning from Bioshock 2 is Henry Hall's Hush, Hush, Hush (Here Comes The Boogie Man). You spend a few hours in a decaying Objectivist wasteland and a little cheery music is a nice change of pace.
There, Cari, now you know where this song originated and why it was selected for today. For those of you who are not in my office, Cari was complaining that the post on Demetri Martin didn't talk about the song. So today i went for something a little more straight forward. After all i have to keep my fans happy.
Later
Bob
First we'll get this out of the way, this song always makes me think of Chris Peden. His brash flaunting of youth in the face of his elders is in keeping with the tone of this song. I look forward to the day that he comes to me complaining about some young punk going on about how "young and strong" he is. Long life is a curse the aged bestow on the young.
Now on to the part where i actually talk about the song so Cari doesn't have to complain to me on Monday.
As a result of playing Fallout and Bioshock i have developed a taste for Big Band and Swing style music. Endless hours spent listening to songs my grandparents thought were the cat's meow will do that.
Mighty Man is played in Fallout 3 by the Wasteland's only DJ Three Dog. After a while you get tired of Three Dog's incessant nattering but i never got tired of his selections. Another golden oldie wroth mentioning from Bioshock 2 is Henry Hall's Hush, Hush, Hush (Here Comes The Boogie Man). You spend a few hours in a decaying Objectivist wasteland and a little cheery music is a nice change of pace.
There, Cari, now you know where this song originated and why it was selected for today. For those of you who are not in my office, Cari was complaining that the post on Demetri Martin didn't talk about the song. So today i went for something a little more straight forward. After all i have to keep my fans happy.
Later
Bob
Friday, December 10, 2010
Paraprosdokian-- look it up
Today's song: Stuff on Piano by Demitri Martin
I won't lie, this selection was made just so i could post the lyric on Facebook. In fact Erin contends that this is not even a song. Adam disagrees. As do i. This isn't a democracy here in Blue Hades, it is an autocracy and i rule.
Not a lot more to say. You should check out the video.
Now if this is not the first time you have seen Demetri Martin, you can stop here. You already know he is funny and this is not an isolated incidence of hilarity. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Martin's work read on.
Being named Martin in the comedy business is tough. Sharing a surname with one of the greats isn't easy just ask Charlie Murphy. To my knowledge he is unrelated to Steve. The wikipedia tells us, "Demetri Martin (born May 25, 1973) is an American comedian, actor, artist, musician, writer and humorist. Martin is best known for his work as a standup comedian, contributor on The Daily Show and for his Comedy Central show Important Things with Demetri Martin."
I can forgive him for the Daily Show. I've seen him on it, he's good. Just because you work for evil people, doing evil things, producing evil products doesn't necessarily make you evil. Important Things with Demetri Martin is very entertaining. A little sketch comedy, some stand up, plenty of paraprosdokians. It got picked up for a second season so give it a try.
Later
Bob
I won't lie, this selection was made just so i could post the lyric on Facebook. In fact Erin contends that this is not even a song. Adam disagrees. As do i. This isn't a democracy here in Blue Hades, it is an autocracy and i rule.
Not a lot more to say. You should check out the video.
| Jokes.com | ||||
| Demetri Martin - Stuff on Piano | ||||
| ||||
Now if this is not the first time you have seen Demetri Martin, you can stop here. You already know he is funny and this is not an isolated incidence of hilarity. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Martin's work read on.
Being named Martin in the comedy business is tough. Sharing a surname with one of the greats isn't easy just ask Charlie Murphy. To my knowledge he is unrelated to Steve. The wikipedia tells us, "Demetri Martin (born May 25, 1973) is an American comedian, actor, artist, musician, writer and humorist. Martin is best known for his work as a standup comedian, contributor on The Daily Show and for his Comedy Central show Important Things with Demetri Martin."
I can forgive him for the Daily Show. I've seen him on it, he's good. Just because you work for evil people, doing evil things, producing evil products doesn't necessarily make you evil. Important Things with Demetri Martin is very entertaining. A little sketch comedy, some stand up, plenty of paraprosdokians. It got picked up for a second season so give it a try.
Later
Bob
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Today's song: Apache by The Tommy Seebach Band
Eight days ago i decided to pass on jokes about how being on drugs was necessary to appreciate 70's culture. Now that debt has come due. But first you'll need to do some homework, unless you are really up on your old internet memes.
Ok, the guitarist is pretty cheesy but then the camera pans over to the lead singer and we realize who the Tommy Seebach in the Tommy Seebach Band is.
Not sure what is most worthy of mockery. The dancing girls? The disco back-up singers? Tommy? Tommy's dancing? Tommy's mustache? The supervillian laugh? At this point i am on overload. This video does such a good job of mocking itself i think just posting it is enough. Rather than list endless jokes i'll stick with expository writing here.
Seriously, i think marijuana is the lightest controlled substance you could be using to find any merit in the trash. Maybe quaaludes help. Quaaludes fell out of favor about the same time disco did. I am going to go with quaaludes here. One slang term for quaaludes was disco biscuits. In the mid 1970s, there were special bars in Manhattan called juice bars that only served non-alcoholic drinks that catered to people who liked to dance on methaqualone. (Thanks wikipedia.)
In fact i have to think that many of the most ridiculous aspects of 70's culture can be explained by the Quaalude Theory. The 60's remain accessible because modern hippies still smoke pot and drop acid. The 80's will not fade as long as there is still one guy on Wall Street doing Coke. But the last active quaalude user is an guy named Stu living in Springfield and he isn't blogging. If using quaaludes leads to disasters like Apache, it is safe to say placing it on Schedule 1 in 1984 was a great idea.
Later
Bob
PS
At first i wasn't sure i'd be able to include this video because my link was broken and i didn't know the name. But Adam was able to find it by searching for "ridiculous 70's video"
Eight days ago i decided to pass on jokes about how being on drugs was necessary to appreciate 70's culture. Now that debt has come due. But first you'll need to do some homework, unless you are really up on your old internet memes.
Ok, the guitarist is pretty cheesy but then the camera pans over to the lead singer and we realize who the Tommy Seebach in the Tommy Seebach Band is.
Not sure what is most worthy of mockery. The dancing girls? The disco back-up singers? Tommy? Tommy's dancing? Tommy's mustache? The supervillian laugh? At this point i am on overload. This video does such a good job of mocking itself i think just posting it is enough. Rather than list endless jokes i'll stick with expository writing here.
Seriously, i think marijuana is the lightest controlled substance you could be using to find any merit in the trash. Maybe quaaludes help. Quaaludes fell out of favor about the same time disco did. I am going to go with quaaludes here. One slang term for quaaludes was disco biscuits. In the mid 1970s, there were special bars in Manhattan called juice bars that only served non-alcoholic drinks that catered to people who liked to dance on methaqualone. (Thanks wikipedia.)
In fact i have to think that many of the most ridiculous aspects of 70's culture can be explained by the Quaalude Theory. The 60's remain accessible because modern hippies still smoke pot and drop acid. The 80's will not fade as long as there is still one guy on Wall Street doing Coke. But the last active quaalude user is an guy named Stu living in Springfield and he isn't blogging. If using quaaludes leads to disasters like Apache, it is safe to say placing it on Schedule 1 in 1984 was a great idea.
Later
Bob
PS
At first i wasn't sure i'd be able to include this video because my link was broken and i didn't know the name. But Adam was able to find it by searching for "ridiculous 70's video"
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Not every entry this month is going to be a winner folks.
Today's song: Bullet With Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkin
I have planned to do this song since i conceived this little endeavor. The problem has been trying to think of what to say. After all i can offer no fresh insights. The Smashing Pumpkins story is common. Egotistical band member 1 clashes with others. Sides are chosen. Band implodes. Throw in a story about band member 2's drug problems. Take out the drug problem and this is the plot of That Thing You Do a nice little movie written and directed by Tom Hanks.
I liked the Pumpkins well enough. Their music didn't change my life, i was too old for that by the time they were around. And frankly if a band's music changes your life, your life sucks and you should consider sleeping on the railroad tracks. But their sings were catchy and a little better then a lot of what was cranked out by the grunge scene in the 90's.
I picked this song because the opening line is so memorable. The Pumpkins put out better songs, and much better videos. Tonight, Tonight is a classic and is in my top 20 favorite videos. But the opening line of this song is iconic. Hearing it drags me kicking and screaming back to the mid-90's and then i remember it was not so bad then; the music was good, i was in Seattle, and Newt Gingrich had successfully taken control of the House.
Ok eight down, twenty-three to go.
Later
Bob
PS
Sometime later i will relate the events that transpired as i wrote this.
I have planned to do this song since i conceived this little endeavor. The problem has been trying to think of what to say. After all i can offer no fresh insights. The Smashing Pumpkins story is common. Egotistical band member 1 clashes with others. Sides are chosen. Band implodes. Throw in a story about band member 2's drug problems. Take out the drug problem and this is the plot of That Thing You Do a nice little movie written and directed by Tom Hanks.
I liked the Pumpkins well enough. Their music didn't change my life, i was too old for that by the time they were around. And frankly if a band's music changes your life, your life sucks and you should consider sleeping on the railroad tracks. But their sings were catchy and a little better then a lot of what was cranked out by the grunge scene in the 90's.
I picked this song because the opening line is so memorable. The Pumpkins put out better songs, and much better videos. Tonight, Tonight is a classic and is in my top 20 favorite videos. But the opening line of this song is iconic. Hearing it drags me kicking and screaming back to the mid-90's and then i remember it was not so bad then; the music was good, i was in Seattle, and Newt Gingrich had successfully taken control of the House.
Ok eight down, twenty-three to go.
Later
Bob
PS
Sometime later i will relate the events that transpired as i wrote this.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Cranberries and Lime
Today's song: Linger by The Cranberries
Let's face it, i can be a pretty obnoxious guy. I've learned to accept that about myself. So today's lyric on Facebook is a misdirect. I plan on doing a fair number of misdirects because it is more fun that way. Facebook is not the place where i bear my soul. The lyrics are apropos here even if they must be removed from context.
This is a song by The Cranberries. I like it. Not a lot more to say than that. Either you enjoy The Cranberries or you don't. It's unlikely that i am going to say anything here that is going to sway you one way or the other. I've learned to accept that.
It's not there isn't an absolute right or wrong on maters of taste. There are. But people stubbornly cling to their opinions regardless of the correctness of those opinions. There are still some people who don't like Diet Pepsi Lime, they are wrong and are likely to remain wrong for the rest of their miserable, misbegotten, Diet Pepsi Lime-free lives. Worse still they are likely to pass these wrong opinions down to their children who will then carry on these wrong opinions through no fault of their own.
I have no such problem. My opinions have perfect truth value. If i like something it is good; truly good with a capital "T" type Truth. If i do not like something then it is not good. I don't accept that there are mere matters of taste. Nor am i going to defer stating what i believe out of a fear of offending the sensibilities of those who might be wrong. I don't say such things to be rude, just to give people an opportunity to correct their opinions and bring them in line with the Platonic Forms of good taste.
So to sum up:
The Cranberries are good.
Diet Pepsi Lime is the best soda.
I’m sure I’m not being rude
But it’s just your attitude
Later
Bob
Let's face it, i can be a pretty obnoxious guy. I've learned to accept that about myself. So today's lyric on Facebook is a misdirect. I plan on doing a fair number of misdirects because it is more fun that way. Facebook is not the place where i bear my soul. The lyrics are apropos here even if they must be removed from context.
This is a song by The Cranberries. I like it. Not a lot more to say than that. Either you enjoy The Cranberries or you don't. It's unlikely that i am going to say anything here that is going to sway you one way or the other. I've learned to accept that.
It's not there isn't an absolute right or wrong on maters of taste. There are. But people stubbornly cling to their opinions regardless of the correctness of those opinions. There are still some people who don't like Diet Pepsi Lime, they are wrong and are likely to remain wrong for the rest of their miserable, misbegotten, Diet Pepsi Lime-free lives. Worse still they are likely to pass these wrong opinions down to their children who will then carry on these wrong opinions through no fault of their own.
I have no such problem. My opinions have perfect truth value. If i like something it is good; truly good with a capital "T" type Truth. If i do not like something then it is not good. I don't accept that there are mere matters of taste. Nor am i going to defer stating what i believe out of a fear of offending the sensibilities of those who might be wrong. I don't say such things to be rude, just to give people an opportunity to correct their opinions and bring them in line with the Platonic Forms of good taste.
So to sum up:
The Cranberries are good.
Diet Pepsi Lime is the best soda.
I’m sure I’m not being rude
But it’s just your attitude
Later
Bob
Monday, December 6, 2010
its not ok to ride that dick, not even if its baracks
Today's song: Dick Riding Obama by Wil.I.Am featuring Thugnificent
It's no secret that i don't like our current president. The more astute among you may have noticed that i have continuously failed the capitalize his name, this is intentional. I respect the office but the eight years of his predecessor have shown that the public dialog have become coarsened and the various members of the mainstream media feel that anything is permissible as long as you are directing it at your enemy. Far be it from me to refuse to sink to my opponents level.
But there are other more reasonable voices out there in the interwebs. Voices you should be heeding. One such is Orson Scott Card. You should be familiar with Mr. Card as the author of Ender's Game. If you have not read Ender's Game; stop, go to Amazon and order a copy, then return here and finish this post. Mr. Card is a Moderate Democrat. By that i mean he is actually committed to values that are considered moderate, not that he is some wishy-washy mental weakling that refuses to commit to something. So i respect his opinion.
Mr. Card called out the mainstream media back in 2008, and his criticisms stand. Today obama's approval rating is at 47% with 28% strongly approving of his performance. 28% is about right because as we learned on South Park one in four Americans is retarded. 43% of the non-retarded Americans strongly disapprove of obama. Can you imagine what the numbers would be if he was subject to the same level of criticism as George W. Bush? Instead we still have the media trying to ride that dick.
On another, happier note, if you are unaware of OSC's weekly column "Uncle Orson Reviews Everything" (published by the Rhinoceros Times in Greensboro, North Carolina) you are no longer unaware. I can't praise this column nearly enough. This man has the best consumer tastes of anyone i have met, seen, heard, or read about. His product recommendations are spot on. If you take the time to read his posts you will find something you did not know about but will fall in love with be it a TV show, flavored water or a play. His review is the reason i watch Burn Notice and for my renewed love affair with USA's original programming.
Later
Bob
PS I didn't mention The Boondocks because i figure you are all already watching, buying, recording it.
It's no secret that i don't like our current president. The more astute among you may have noticed that i have continuously failed the capitalize his name, this is intentional. I respect the office but the eight years of his predecessor have shown that the public dialog have become coarsened and the various members of the mainstream media feel that anything is permissible as long as you are directing it at your enemy. Far be it from me to refuse to sink to my opponents level.
But there are other more reasonable voices out there in the interwebs. Voices you should be heeding. One such is Orson Scott Card. You should be familiar with Mr. Card as the author of Ender's Game. If you have not read Ender's Game; stop, go to Amazon and order a copy, then return here and finish this post. Mr. Card is a Moderate Democrat. By that i mean he is actually committed to values that are considered moderate, not that he is some wishy-washy mental weakling that refuses to commit to something. So i respect his opinion.
Mr. Card called out the mainstream media back in 2008, and his criticisms stand. Today obama's approval rating is at 47% with 28% strongly approving of his performance. 28% is about right because as we learned on South Park one in four Americans is retarded. 43% of the non-retarded Americans strongly disapprove of obama. Can you imagine what the numbers would be if he was subject to the same level of criticism as George W. Bush? Instead we still have the media trying to ride that dick.
On another, happier note, if you are unaware of OSC's weekly column "Uncle Orson Reviews Everything" (published by the Rhinoceros Times in Greensboro, North Carolina) you are no longer unaware. I can't praise this column nearly enough. This man has the best consumer tastes of anyone i have met, seen, heard, or read about. His product recommendations are spot on. If you take the time to read his posts you will find something you did not know about but will fall in love with be it a TV show, flavored water or a play. His review is the reason i watch Burn Notice and for my renewed love affair with USA's original programming.
Later
Bob
PS I didn't mention The Boondocks because i figure you are all already watching, buying, recording it.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sometimes i am wrong
Today's song: Indestructible by Exile (English version)
It doesn't happen often, but sometimes i am wrong. I was wrong about whether Bridget was hotter than Kerry. I was wrong about Diabolique. It happens. And i was wrong about Xbox Live.
For years i said" I i want to play video games with other people, i will have them come over to my house." I would repeat this whenever anyone would tell me i should be playing online. I had no desire to play games with strangers. I knew i wasn't getting my full money's worth on Halo 3. I knew I wasn't coming close to getting my money's worth on ODST. I didn't care, "i don't play online." I was wrong.
Then Bioshock 2 came along. I thought the games was so well designed that i thought i'd give the multiplayer online a try. It was awesome. I spent about $400.00 to play Bioshock 2 online. I bought Bioshock 2, a new monitor and Xbox gold. It was worth every penny.
Then i tried Halo Reach Beta. It was excellent. I preordered Reach based on this experience. Reach failed to deliver; my favorite mode was left out of the final game.
And then i remembered that i had Street Fight 4 laying around. I thought, "why not give this a try?" Street Fighter is a big part of my college years. I am not sure i could count the number of quarters and tokens i spent playing the various incarnations of this game. I played in Bloomington, Auburn, Fort Wayne, Seattle; pretty much wherever i happened to be and saw a Street Fighter Machine. I was never the best. Perhaps not even all that good, especially after Super Combos were added. But i did like playing the game.
Street Fighter online is like the old days when people were lined up to play the game. You never go longer than a minute without finding a match. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you get cheaped out, but usually you have fun. In fact i've been playing enough that the terrible themes song has started to grow on me, hence the selection of today's song.
Today i got my ass kicked by a skilled Ryu player playing from his room at OSU. When i inadvertently challenged him again he though he'd teach me a real lesson; he schooled me with my own character. I've played about five other Vega players online and this guy was a master. I played him twice more in Vega on Vega violence. I won a total of one round. But i had a lot of fun.
If you have memories of SF from your youth i highly recommend picking up a copy of SF4. Amazon is selling SSF4 for twenty bucks right now. You'd be hard pressed not to get your money's worth.
Later
Bob
It doesn't happen often, but sometimes i am wrong. I was wrong about whether Bridget was hotter than Kerry. I was wrong about Diabolique. It happens. And i was wrong about Xbox Live.
For years i said" I i want to play video games with other people, i will have them come over to my house." I would repeat this whenever anyone would tell me i should be playing online. I had no desire to play games with strangers. I knew i wasn't getting my full money's worth on Halo 3. I knew I wasn't coming close to getting my money's worth on ODST. I didn't care, "i don't play online." I was wrong.
Then Bioshock 2 came along. I thought the games was so well designed that i thought i'd give the multiplayer online a try. It was awesome. I spent about $400.00 to play Bioshock 2 online. I bought Bioshock 2, a new monitor and Xbox gold. It was worth every penny.
Then i tried Halo Reach Beta. It was excellent. I preordered Reach based on this experience. Reach failed to deliver; my favorite mode was left out of the final game.
And then i remembered that i had Street Fight 4 laying around. I thought, "why not give this a try?" Street Fighter is a big part of my college years. I am not sure i could count the number of quarters and tokens i spent playing the various incarnations of this game. I played in Bloomington, Auburn, Fort Wayne, Seattle; pretty much wherever i happened to be and saw a Street Fighter Machine. I was never the best. Perhaps not even all that good, especially after Super Combos were added. But i did like playing the game.
Street Fighter online is like the old days when people were lined up to play the game. You never go longer than a minute without finding a match. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you get cheaped out, but usually you have fun. In fact i've been playing enough that the terrible themes song has started to grow on me, hence the selection of today's song.
Today i got my ass kicked by a skilled Ryu player playing from his room at OSU. When i inadvertently challenged him again he though he'd teach me a real lesson; he schooled me with my own character. I've played about five other Vega players online and this guy was a master. I played him twice more in Vega on Vega violence. I won a total of one round. But i had a lot of fun.
If you have memories of SF from your youth i highly recommend picking up a copy of SF4. Amazon is selling SSF4 for twenty bucks right now. You'd be hard pressed not to get your money's worth.
Later
Bob
Saturday, December 4, 2010
They don't make 'em like they used to
Today's song: Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood and the Destroyers
This one was picked by Jason. He picked a good one and i'll let him speak for himself:
In the vein of the original intent of this project, my first request shall be George Thorogood - Bad to the Bone. It is a pretty good song, but I choose it because I will always associate it with Terminator 2. I doubt I will ever have a better movie experience than opening night of T2 on then Indiana's largest movie screen -- experienced in the best of company and with pockets full of ice cream, cheese, and soda.
There is a story here and it is a pretty good one. There is no way it can be relayed in detail. Rather than try to give a full accounting and inevitably fail, i'll relay some key details. This way i jog the memories of those who were there and let the rest of you know what you missed out on.
Terminator 2 was shown at Holiday 1 in Fort Wayne. At the time Holiday 1 was the largest screen in Indiana. This was in the days before Imax. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend the midnight showing. This was in the days before every movie had a midnight showing.
Before the show we went to Banditios to kill some time and get something to eat. The waiter could not use object words such as glass, plate, ect. Quite entertaining enough so that we left a 78% tip.
As always we stocked up on food before the show to eat during the show. Häagen-Dazs ice cream our weapon of choice. But on this night we had a little more, namely Kraft Parmesan Cheese. You haven't lived until you've had ice cream and cheese at a midnight showing of a major action film.
The movie was excellent. Political Correctness mandated that Linda Hamilton get to be a bad ass rather than flee in every scene this time out. In fact at the climax of the film Hamilton is on the cusp of finishing off the T-1000 when she runs out of ammo. At this point the audience erupts in cheers. She wasn't the star and she didn't get to finish off the big bad. That honor went to Arnold and we all knew it.
I don't have summers like that anymore. No more lazy summers filled with Putt Putt and Banana and Berry Crêpes, you can't even get crêpes at TCBY any longer. No more viewing fifty first run movies in a summer, hell there aren't fifty new movies i want to see in a year now. No more paying debts in 12 1/2 cent increments. No more dominating NBA Jam. Jason is right i'll never have a better movie experience not unless Skynet lets me borrow a its time machine.
Later
Bob
This one was picked by Jason. He picked a good one and i'll let him speak for himself:
In the vein of the original intent of this project, my first request shall be George Thorogood - Bad to the Bone. It is a pretty good song, but I choose it because I will always associate it with Terminator 2. I doubt I will ever have a better movie experience than opening night of T2 on then Indiana's largest movie screen -- experienced in the best of company and with pockets full of ice cream, cheese, and soda.
There is a story here and it is a pretty good one. There is no way it can be relayed in detail. Rather than try to give a full accounting and inevitably fail, i'll relay some key details. This way i jog the memories of those who were there and let the rest of you know what you missed out on.
Terminator 2 was shown at Holiday 1 in Fort Wayne. At the time Holiday 1 was the largest screen in Indiana. This was in the days before Imax. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend the midnight showing. This was in the days before every movie had a midnight showing.
Before the show we went to Banditios to kill some time and get something to eat. The waiter could not use object words such as glass, plate, ect. Quite entertaining enough so that we left a 78% tip.
As always we stocked up on food before the show to eat during the show. Häagen-Dazs ice cream our weapon of choice. But on this night we had a little more, namely Kraft Parmesan Cheese. You haven't lived until you've had ice cream and cheese at a midnight showing of a major action film.
The movie was excellent. Political Correctness mandated that Linda Hamilton get to be a bad ass rather than flee in every scene this time out. In fact at the climax of the film Hamilton is on the cusp of finishing off the T-1000 when she runs out of ammo. At this point the audience erupts in cheers. She wasn't the star and she didn't get to finish off the big bad. That honor went to Arnold and we all knew it.
I don't have summers like that anymore. No more lazy summers filled with Putt Putt and Banana and Berry Crêpes, you can't even get crêpes at TCBY any longer. No more viewing fifty first run movies in a summer, hell there aren't fifty new movies i want to see in a year now. No more paying debts in 12 1/2 cent increments. No more dominating NBA Jam. Jason is right i'll never have a better movie experience not unless Skynet lets me borrow a its time machine.
Later
Bob
Friday, December 3, 2010
Ambiguity is fun
Today's song: Angry Johnny by Poe or Things I'll Never Say by Avril Lavigne
Today a change in punctuation completely changes the meaning which is why i left it out on Facebook. With a dash I am invoking a lighthearted song of love, hopeful of a happy ending. With three periods i invoke haunting memories of unresolved anger. Without punctuation can be whichever song you think makes me look cooler, smarter, whatever positive adjective you care to insert. Although i did learn that Facebook will not let you use multiple spaces in your status line. It collapses them into a single space.
Ambiguity is what lets us coexist. If we all understood each other perfectly it would not lead to peace and harmony. We hear what we wan to hear and give people the benefit of the doubt. Without ambiguity we would be perfectly aware of the hostility, condescension, and contempt that permeate every day interactions. Perfect communication would also cause us to realize how little most people know.
In my line of work i have to be cognizant of the ignorance of others, i can't drift blissfully though a landscape of hazy interaction. Believe me, i'd rather live in the warm fuzzy world where i am free to think everyone thinks whatever i think. This is what it is like to be a Democrat. Unfortunately for us Republicans truth keeps intruding on our mental landscape.
I may return to this topic on a later occasion. One when i am not surrounded by the unwashed masses. It is possible that my contempt is impeding my ability to communicate.
Later
Bob
Today a change in punctuation completely changes the meaning which is why i left it out on Facebook. With a dash I am invoking a lighthearted song of love, hopeful of a happy ending. With three periods i invoke haunting memories of unresolved anger. Without punctuation can be whichever song you think makes me look cooler, smarter, whatever positive adjective you care to insert. Although i did learn that Facebook will not let you use multiple spaces in your status line. It collapses them into a single space.
Ambiguity is what lets us coexist. If we all understood each other perfectly it would not lead to peace and harmony. We hear what we wan to hear and give people the benefit of the doubt. Without ambiguity we would be perfectly aware of the hostility, condescension, and contempt that permeate every day interactions. Perfect communication would also cause us to realize how little most people know.
In my line of work i have to be cognizant of the ignorance of others, i can't drift blissfully though a landscape of hazy interaction. Believe me, i'd rather live in the warm fuzzy world where i am free to think everyone thinks whatever i think. This is what it is like to be a Democrat. Unfortunately for us Republicans truth keeps intruding on our mental landscape.
I may return to this topic on a later occasion. One when i am not surrounded by the unwashed masses. It is possible that my contempt is impeding my ability to communicate.
Later
Bob
Thursday, December 2, 2010
I can't wake up (Wake me up inside)
Today's song: Bring me to Life by Evanescence
I had considered selecting a different lyric for this one. "Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold" almost got the nod. But i decided i didn't want a bunch of comments about the tragically goth and instead decided for a little misdirection of the Facebook crowd. Besides, Erin gives me enough grief about having no soul, i don't need to encourage her.
The advantage of selecting the other lyric would be that i'd have an excuse to repeat my weather related tweet from yesterday. But then i remembered that this is my blog and i can do what i want. So without further adieu i shamelessly post old content, "Come February, 26°will feel positively balmy. But today is December 1 and 26° is cold."
There is a parallel here because i cannot think of this song without think of the phrase, "i can do what a want." More specifically, "I can do whatever the hell I want!" Or even more specifically,"People told me I can't dress like a fairy. I say, 'I'm in a rock band and I can do whatever the hell I want.'"
Amy Lee is so quotable. In fact i think i'll post another one in the spirit of doing whatever the hell one wants, "That was real. I climbed up that stuff. And I fell. But there's this shot where's this really really big fall and a girl with an unattractive ass. That's not my ass. I've got a way better ass then that girl." (referring to double used in "Bring Me Back To Life" video).
I adore Ms. Lee. But i'd adore her more if she'd just come clean and admit Evanescence is a God band. There's nothing wrong with being a God band. Well, unless you have a bet about who can get the first gold record. Then going Myrrh just won't cut it
Later
Bob
Post Script
I gave my first request and i am working on it, but i the spirit of honoring such a fine memory i want to take a little time to do it justice. I'll even make sure to tie together with the December 1 post.
I had considered selecting a different lyric for this one. "Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold" almost got the nod. But i decided i didn't want a bunch of comments about the tragically goth and instead decided for a little misdirection of the Facebook crowd. Besides, Erin gives me enough grief about having no soul, i don't need to encourage her.
The advantage of selecting the other lyric would be that i'd have an excuse to repeat my weather related tweet from yesterday. But then i remembered that this is my blog and i can do what i want. So without further adieu i shamelessly post old content, "Come February, 26°will feel positively balmy. But today is December 1 and 26° is cold."
There is a parallel here because i cannot think of this song without think of the phrase, "i can do what a want." More specifically, "I can do whatever the hell I want!" Or even more specifically,"People told me I can't dress like a fairy. I say, 'I'm in a rock band and I can do whatever the hell I want.'"
Amy Lee is so quotable. In fact i think i'll post another one in the spirit of doing whatever the hell one wants, "That was real. I climbed up that stuff. And I fell. But there's this shot where's this really really big fall and a girl with an unattractive ass. That's not my ass. I've got a way better ass then that girl." (referring to double used in "Bring Me Back To Life" video).
I adore Ms. Lee. But i'd adore her more if she'd just come clean and admit Evanescence is a God band. There's nothing wrong with being a God band. Well, unless you have a bet about who can get the first gold record. Then going Myrrh just won't cut it
Later
Bob
Post Script
I gave my first request and i am working on it, but i the spirit of honoring such a fine memory i want to take a little time to do it justice. I'll even make sure to tie together with the December 1 post.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Time Travel is Really Hard to Write About
Today's song: Fly Like an Eagle by The Steve Miller Band
When i conceived this project this was not the song i intended to start with, but yesterday i realized the joke was simply too good to pass up on.
The song isn't about time travel but it always make me think of it. Also i wanted to come up with a good reason to quote Demetri Martin and this is good enough. "I have a time machine at home. It only goes forward at regular speed." This is what the song is about.
This is the kind of music that was popular in the 70's. The kind of people who listened to it were the same people who voted in Jimmy Carter. Things got much better in the 80's which brought us New Wave and Ronald Reagan . If you are not sure what New Wave is, don't worry i will be including many examples this month. If you are not sure who Ronald Reagan is, go away and never come back here.
So should i write about the song, the band, or something else. That is the essential conundrum with this project. I am not a music scholar nor an amateur enthusiast so i don't think i will spend the month writing about the history of the songs and bands i choose or are chosen for me. I previously wrote that i'd mostly be providing trivia or some personal anecdote about the song. Having spent some time thinking about the task i have set before myself i think some posts will simply use the song as a jumping off point for something else. This song is one of those, mainly because i have nothing insightful to say about the Steve Miller Band and i'll skip jokes about how being on drugs was necessary to appreciate 70's culture, at least for now.
For those of you who do not recognize the title of this post you are missing out of something. Community is the best sit-com on tv right now and potentially could be one of the all time greats. You should be watching the show. More importantly you should be telling others to watch Community. NBC has a history of squandering its treasures; look at the way it treated Scrubs. It looks like NBC is currently treating the show well giving it an 8:00 slot, but going up against Big Bang Theory makes for tough competition. Right now it is even money on whether or not Community will get another season. I have hopes, Scrubs had eight good seasons on NBC and one poor season on ABC despite NBC's best efforts to hold it down and kill it, so a show they are not actively trying to suppress might be given a chance to grow and find its audience.
Not every post this month will be this long, but i wanted a good start to kick off the month.
Later
Bob
Jason you do indeed get two requests, just post them as comments here. If you want them to be a surprise to the audience, which right now is mostly you, i'll post them after doing the song(s) you choose.
When i conceived this project this was not the song i intended to start with, but yesterday i realized the joke was simply too good to pass up on.
The song isn't about time travel but it always make me think of it. Also i wanted to come up with a good reason to quote Demetri Martin and this is good enough. "I have a time machine at home. It only goes forward at regular speed." This is what the song is about.
This is the kind of music that was popular in the 70's. The kind of people who listened to it were the same people who voted in Jimmy Carter. Things got much better in the 80's which brought us New Wave and Ronald Reagan . If you are not sure what New Wave is, don't worry i will be including many examples this month. If you are not sure who Ronald Reagan is, go away and never come back here.
So should i write about the song, the band, or something else. That is the essential conundrum with this project. I am not a music scholar nor an amateur enthusiast so i don't think i will spend the month writing about the history of the songs and bands i choose or are chosen for me. I previously wrote that i'd mostly be providing trivia or some personal anecdote about the song. Having spent some time thinking about the task i have set before myself i think some posts will simply use the song as a jumping off point for something else. This song is one of those, mainly because i have nothing insightful to say about the Steve Miller Band and i'll skip jokes about how being on drugs was necessary to appreciate 70's culture, at least for now.
For those of you who do not recognize the title of this post you are missing out of something. Community is the best sit-com on tv right now and potentially could be one of the all time greats. You should be watching the show. More importantly you should be telling others to watch Community. NBC has a history of squandering its treasures; look at the way it treated Scrubs. It looks like NBC is currently treating the show well giving it an 8:00 slot, but going up against Big Bang Theory makes for tough competition. Right now it is even money on whether or not Community will get another season. I have hopes, Scrubs had eight good seasons on NBC and one poor season on ABC despite NBC's best efforts to hold it down and kill it, so a show they are not actively trying to suppress might be given a chance to grow and find its audience.
Not every post this month will be this long, but i wanted a good start to kick off the month.
Later
Bob
Jason you do indeed get two requests, just post them as comments here. If you want them to be a surprise to the audience, which right now is mostly you, i'll post them after doing the song(s) you choose.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sneak Preview
Sam thinks i need to write more; and i have an idea. This month Stephanie is posting something on Facebook every day that she is thankful for. I haven't checked to see if she has posted something every day, but i will trust that she has. So i thought i'd do something a little similar, but with a twist. I have a lot more friends on Facebook than i do here, and i don't like them nearly as much in general. Each day in December i will post a random lyric on Facebook and i will then post a short blurb here about that song. This way the cretins i am friends with on Facebook can leave inane comments on Facebook while my real friends can read something a little more clever.
The postings will likely be pretty short. They will mostly consist of trivia or something about what that song means to me or why i like it. I am putting a sneak preview up early here, and the first person to leave feedback can make a request. If you are the first poster you can select the song i do next. Anyone who is new to my followers may make a request as well, i have to get my numbers up somehow.
A couple more more things. Jason gets a free request. He sent a nice comment on my birthday post but i have been too busy and lazy to send him anything back or call him. (Not sure i have your number.) This is a small attempt to make it up to him. Also anyone who has been with me to get Diet Pepsi Lime or made a purchase of the same on my behalf may make a free request.
Now on with the preview:
Without a doubt Everlong is one of my favorite songs. It makes it way onto nearly every disc i make to listen to in my car. But did you know it is also David Letterman's favorite song? Mike did because he told me this ten years ago. On his first episode back after his heart surgery Letterman introduced them as "my favorite band, playing my favorite song." During a later Foo Fighters appearance, Letterman said that Foo Fighters had been in the middle of a South American tour which they canceled to come play on his comeback episode. So apparently David Letterman is more important than all of South America. Seems about right to me, even if i am still mad at Dave for being in the tank for obama.
You can see the live performance here.
Hope you liked this. Look forward to a few comments. Comments must be posted here or requests will not be honored.
Later
Bob
The postings will likely be pretty short. They will mostly consist of trivia or something about what that song means to me or why i like it. I am putting a sneak preview up early here, and the first person to leave feedback can make a request. If you are the first poster you can select the song i do next. Anyone who is new to my followers may make a request as well, i have to get my numbers up somehow.
A couple more more things. Jason gets a free request. He sent a nice comment on my birthday post but i have been too busy and lazy to send him anything back or call him. (Not sure i have your number.) This is a small attempt to make it up to him. Also anyone who has been with me to get Diet Pepsi Lime or made a purchase of the same on my behalf may make a free request.
Now on with the preview:
Without a doubt Everlong is one of my favorite songs. It makes it way onto nearly every disc i make to listen to in my car. But did you know it is also David Letterman's favorite song? Mike did because he told me this ten years ago. On his first episode back after his heart surgery Letterman introduced them as "my favorite band, playing my favorite song." During a later Foo Fighters appearance, Letterman said that Foo Fighters had been in the middle of a South American tour which they canceled to come play on his comeback episode. So apparently David Letterman is more important than all of South America. Seems about right to me, even if i am still mad at Dave for being in the tank for obama.
You can see the live performance here.
Hope you liked this. Look forward to a few comments. Comments must be posted here or requests will not be honored.
Later
Bob
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Turning Forty
Birthdays are milestones. Some of them like 16 and 21 are for looking forward. The 40th birthday seems to be for looking back. With that in mind, i'll make an attempt.
In eight days i'll turn forty. This post will be a small effort to come to grips with that. Though"come to grips" is a poorly chosen phrase and is no better than any of the other cliches i may have selected, it was selected because it popped into me head when the stark white writing template came up. My turning forty seems to mean less to me than those around me.
Contemporary Americans have an unreasonable fascination with this birthday. From the hillbillyish "Lordy, Lordy look who's 40" ads in the local paper to the black balloons with 40 on them sold at the party stores, the 40th birthday seems different. The party store also sells black 50 balloons but no one seems to view fifty with the same character and importance as forty. Maybe it is because i am male, were i a female maybe these milestone birthdays would feel different and i'd have had to confront my thirtieth birthday with the dread most women show.
Here is what turning forty means to me in a nutshell: nothing. Nothing really changes. I have already stopped viewing myself as young. I have figured out this is the lie that people tell themselves, that they are still young. No one wants to feel old or even older. Youth is strength, youth is beauty-- old is not. I am not old. I am surrounded by those who are my elders at work all week. I am the elder most weekends. It has been this way since i started working. I am what i am. (Me, not a cyclopian mariner with a chronic amaranthaceaen craving). Maybe i'll return to the topic of youth later.
Given that i am writing this, turning forty doesn't really mean nothing to me. I sense that it ought to mean something by the importance it seems to have to others. So i am trying to work out how that importance may manifest itself to me over the next eight days.
I am secure in my career but i have no real sense of accomplishment there. I am waiting. I have done most of what i have set out to do: avoided boredom, done good work, become proficient at my trade, helped others, even set a good example from time to time. It is my goal to become judge and that means i wait. The next slot opens for sure in 2016. If i am successful in getting elected there may be some sense of accomplishment but i suspect not. I have learned that accomplishment is not one of the things i feel too often. Usually i feel it when i am not looking for it. Doing the things i set out to do does not make me feel accomplished, i expect to be do the things i set out to do.
A lifetime of being me has taught me that i do the things i set out to do. I know that sounds arrogant, and i am arrogant, but that is not what makes me so. I set out to do things that are within my grasp. I do not reach for unattainable goals. I never wanted to be president. It is not in my character to constantly test myself against challenges. I am not particularly competitive. I am more concerned with playing a good game well than with winning. Generally i know what i want and am able to devise a path to get from where i am to where i wish to be. At forty means that i have learned this about myself and am not surprised by it.
I have no children and probably will have none. Erin does not want children. So vicariously living out my unfulfilled dreams through offspring is foreclosed to me. I am ok with that. Children are good. I like them. Children are unspoiled. But i do not feel incomplete without some being bearing half of my genetic code out in the world. Claramary and Stephanie still encourage me to have children, but i think it is not in the cards for me.
I have mentored three protegees. One has long since moved on. I still work with two of them, but not as much as in the past. I doubt that there will be a fourth. I am beyond the age where i can easily relate to those young enough to be effectively aided by the mentoring process. Nor do i still possess the desire to immerse myself in the world of the young. It was a good thing to do, and i am glad i have done so. These three men are three of the best men i know and are good friends. If i played any part in their development, i am glad to have done so and thank them for the opportunity.
I am now at the point where i see myself as a leader in my community. Until relatively recently i did not see myself as such. I played a role, sometimes important, often not. But now that role is changing. I expect to have more influence in the coming years. I see that the maturation process has instilled in me enough experience and insight to gain wisdom. Wisdom is what makes for good leaders. I expect to be a good leader.
I have been brash. I still am. But i see the need to let go of things that i used to define myself in the past. Brashness is something i need to temper. Consequences accumulate. It is time to be bold without being brash.
I also need to work on forgiveness. Forgiveness is better for the bestower than for the object, i accept that. I do not expect to become well known for my merciful nature, but i can become more forgiving and make myself happier in the process. I still expect to be the primary proponent of the Rule of Harshness, but there is room to allow more forgiveness in my personal life. I'll try to work on that.
I am sure that there is probably more i could write. But i am satisfied with this for now. Looking back over the last forty years i am satisfied. Satisfied with what i have done and satisfied with my progress toward that still to do.
Later
Bob
In eight days i'll turn forty. This post will be a small effort to come to grips with that. Though"come to grips" is a poorly chosen phrase and is no better than any of the other cliches i may have selected, it was selected because it popped into me head when the stark white writing template came up. My turning forty seems to mean less to me than those around me.
Contemporary Americans have an unreasonable fascination with this birthday. From the hillbillyish "Lordy, Lordy look who's 40" ads in the local paper to the black balloons with 40 on them sold at the party stores, the 40th birthday seems different. The party store also sells black 50 balloons but no one seems to view fifty with the same character and importance as forty. Maybe it is because i am male, were i a female maybe these milestone birthdays would feel different and i'd have had to confront my thirtieth birthday with the dread most women show.
Here is what turning forty means to me in a nutshell: nothing. Nothing really changes. I have already stopped viewing myself as young. I have figured out this is the lie that people tell themselves, that they are still young. No one wants to feel old or even older. Youth is strength, youth is beauty-- old is not. I am not old. I am surrounded by those who are my elders at work all week. I am the elder most weekends. It has been this way since i started working. I am what i am. (Me, not a cyclopian mariner with a chronic amaranthaceaen craving). Maybe i'll return to the topic of youth later.
Given that i am writing this, turning forty doesn't really mean nothing to me. I sense that it ought to mean something by the importance it seems to have to others. So i am trying to work out how that importance may manifest itself to me over the next eight days.
I am secure in my career but i have no real sense of accomplishment there. I am waiting. I have done most of what i have set out to do: avoided boredom, done good work, become proficient at my trade, helped others, even set a good example from time to time. It is my goal to become judge and that means i wait. The next slot opens for sure in 2016. If i am successful in getting elected there may be some sense of accomplishment but i suspect not. I have learned that accomplishment is not one of the things i feel too often. Usually i feel it when i am not looking for it. Doing the things i set out to do does not make me feel accomplished, i expect to be do the things i set out to do.
A lifetime of being me has taught me that i do the things i set out to do. I know that sounds arrogant, and i am arrogant, but that is not what makes me so. I set out to do things that are within my grasp. I do not reach for unattainable goals. I never wanted to be president. It is not in my character to constantly test myself against challenges. I am not particularly competitive. I am more concerned with playing a good game well than with winning. Generally i know what i want and am able to devise a path to get from where i am to where i wish to be. At forty means that i have learned this about myself and am not surprised by it.
I have no children and probably will have none. Erin does not want children. So vicariously living out my unfulfilled dreams through offspring is foreclosed to me. I am ok with that. Children are good. I like them. Children are unspoiled. But i do not feel incomplete without some being bearing half of my genetic code out in the world. Claramary and Stephanie still encourage me to have children, but i think it is not in the cards for me.
I have mentored three protegees. One has long since moved on. I still work with two of them, but not as much as in the past. I doubt that there will be a fourth. I am beyond the age where i can easily relate to those young enough to be effectively aided by the mentoring process. Nor do i still possess the desire to immerse myself in the world of the young. It was a good thing to do, and i am glad i have done so. These three men are three of the best men i know and are good friends. If i played any part in their development, i am glad to have done so and thank them for the opportunity.
I am now at the point where i see myself as a leader in my community. Until relatively recently i did not see myself as such. I played a role, sometimes important, often not. But now that role is changing. I expect to have more influence in the coming years. I see that the maturation process has instilled in me enough experience and insight to gain wisdom. Wisdom is what makes for good leaders. I expect to be a good leader.
I have been brash. I still am. But i see the need to let go of things that i used to define myself in the past. Brashness is something i need to temper. Consequences accumulate. It is time to be bold without being brash.
I also need to work on forgiveness. Forgiveness is better for the bestower than for the object, i accept that. I do not expect to become well known for my merciful nature, but i can become more forgiving and make myself happier in the process. I still expect to be the primary proponent of the Rule of Harshness, but there is room to allow more forgiveness in my personal life. I'll try to work on that.
I am sure that there is probably more i could write. But i am satisfied with this for now. Looking back over the last forty years i am satisfied. Satisfied with what i have done and satisfied with my progress toward that still to do.
Later
Bob
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Insert someting clever later
Ok, this isn't going to be a post for the ages. This is a chance to say things that must be said. Organization will be topical and we'll see if it can salvage something out of an otherwise seemingly stochastic set of comments.
Peden, Bearer of False Truths
First of all, it isn't nice to taunt me. There is only one nectar of the gods and i sit here drinking it right now. But i ought to thank you. Sometimes lies, even ones as scurrilous as yours, can lead to greater truths. Having my hopes dashed forced me into action ending my complacency. No longer could i remain in my wretched DLP-free existence. Had it been necessary, i'd have scaled Olympus itself and stared down Zeus to obtain the nectar i now required; but, it was not. I needed only to take a trip to Coldwater with Sam, where we not only acquired DLP but also the lime sheets i have desired. Thus your treachery is completely is completely undone, and you betrayal is forgiven. I'll leave you with one last thought, do not become angry with your good name being besmirched because we both know that deep down you don't care what is said as long as you are the first topic here-- revel in that.
Samy
Thanks must be given. It is good to have a companion who will brave the Fires of Hell, when necessary; or ride along to Coldwater as this case may be. And rich were the rewards. In addition to gaining nectar of the gods we were permitted to partake of lesser ambrosia upon reaching our destination. It was an honor to break bread with you, my good man. Let it be duly noted that you made your objections to the purchase of the lime sheets. Let it also be noted that you are right, "it is ok to ride that dick, just as long as its Barrak's."
Murder
Murder sucks. So do Murder trials. They suck up your time and energy. Like a spoiled girl they demand constant attention and force you to leave other tasks undone. I am glad it is over. Also, i don't care that i tried a great case; of course i tried a great case, that is what i do. I wanted to win. Listen to your lawyer.
Winning
I wanted to win. I always want to win. But truth be told, winning isn't everything. I'd rather play a good game well than win a bad game or win a game i played badly. That was a good game. Clara was a worthy opponent and played well. Mark did a great job, seriously great. Be glad he is one of the good guys, i am.
Keeping Track
I do have some scores to settle. If you've been attentive you know what they are and who is going to pay. All debts must be paid and believe me my memory is long. Refer to this post down the road when it is time to say that i warned you all. If you don't know what i am taking about ask Adam in about six years, he'll be glad to tell you. For these purposes six years is the effective statute of limitations in case you were wondering about the seemingly arbitrary number.
Blessings
One ought not count his grievances without taking stock of his blessings so i'll do so now. I have a wonderful girl who loves me and i love dearly. I have three great kitties. I have a good job despite Barrak's best efforts. I have many good friends beyond those mentioned here. I have my DLP. I have the music of William Shatner. NPH drives us all bats. I have one season of Firefly, three seasons of the Boondocks, five seasons of Angel, seven seasons of Buffy. I can count by odd numbers. My life is good.
Later
Bob
Peden, Bearer of False Truths
First of all, it isn't nice to taunt me. There is only one nectar of the gods and i sit here drinking it right now. But i ought to thank you. Sometimes lies, even ones as scurrilous as yours, can lead to greater truths. Having my hopes dashed forced me into action ending my complacency. No longer could i remain in my wretched DLP-free existence. Had it been necessary, i'd have scaled Olympus itself and stared down Zeus to obtain the nectar i now required; but, it was not. I needed only to take a trip to Coldwater with Sam, where we not only acquired DLP but also the lime sheets i have desired. Thus your treachery is completely is completely undone, and you betrayal is forgiven. I'll leave you with one last thought, do not become angry with your good name being besmirched because we both know that deep down you don't care what is said as long as you are the first topic here-- revel in that.
Samy
Thanks must be given. It is good to have a companion who will brave the Fires of Hell, when necessary; or ride along to Coldwater as this case may be. And rich were the rewards. In addition to gaining nectar of the gods we were permitted to partake of lesser ambrosia upon reaching our destination. It was an honor to break bread with you, my good man. Let it be duly noted that you made your objections to the purchase of the lime sheets. Let it also be noted that you are right, "it is ok to ride that dick, just as long as its Barrak's."
Murder
Murder sucks. So do Murder trials. They suck up your time and energy. Like a spoiled girl they demand constant attention and force you to leave other tasks undone. I am glad it is over. Also, i don't care that i tried a great case; of course i tried a great case, that is what i do. I wanted to win. Listen to your lawyer.
Winning
I wanted to win. I always want to win. But truth be told, winning isn't everything. I'd rather play a good game well than win a bad game or win a game i played badly. That was a good game. Clara was a worthy opponent and played well. Mark did a great job, seriously great. Be glad he is one of the good guys, i am.
Keeping Track
I do have some scores to settle. If you've been attentive you know what they are and who is going to pay. All debts must be paid and believe me my memory is long. Refer to this post down the road when it is time to say that i warned you all. If you don't know what i am taking about ask Adam in about six years, he'll be glad to tell you. For these purposes six years is the effective statute of limitations in case you were wondering about the seemingly arbitrary number.
Blessings
One ought not count his grievances without taking stock of his blessings so i'll do so now. I have a wonderful girl who loves me and i love dearly. I have three great kitties. I have a good job despite Barrak's best efforts. I have many good friends beyond those mentioned here. I have my DLP. I have the music of William Shatner. NPH drives us all bats. I have one season of Firefly, three seasons of the Boondocks, five seasons of Angel, seven seasons of Buffy. I can count by odd numbers. My life is good.
Later
Bob
Saturday, May 22, 2010
I don't write any more
I've just been over to the TFW website, visiting one last time before Yahoo takes it down. I read a few of the things i wrote. No false modesty, it was good. Witty, funny, you know, good. I don't write like that any more.
It's too bad, really. I miss writing amusing, entertaining things that might edify or at least entertain others. Unfortunately time marches on. Things change. And i don't write. It has been five months since i posted anything here and i still haven't done the 2009 year in review. It'll happen, i just don't know when.
So what happened. Shit happened, no not that. Life happened. Since i left thomas and Hardy i have been very busy. The new office consumes a lot of my time. Additionally i have taken on some additional responsibilities. I try to take running the Bar Association seriously, and i have more responsibilities to the Trust. Additionally i've had more on my plate since Erin moved in, you know doing couple things.
I wish i had time to write, but not enough to sit down and do it. Writers write. I used to do that. Now i do other things. I mentor, i run an office, i perform board duties, i try to be a good boyfriend, i play Bioshock, i play Reach, occasionally i play Magic, and i read. I also do my job and it takes up a lot of time. I wish i had time to write, but i'd have to stop doing something else and these other things are all more important right now.
Things change. Change is bad. I miss writing. I miss Cotton Candy Milk Mix. I miss Corner Gas. I miss a lot of things. But right now i don't think my life is changing, it is progressing. Progress is what you call change for the better.
I have more responsibilities than i ever had before. I find that i like that sort of thing and handle it well. I am working on getting things in place for 2016. That seems to be going well. I have more respect than i ever had while standing in brad's shadow, which turned out to be slimier than i thought. So while i don't have time to write, i am satisfied with my life's trajectory right now.
This is not the most entertaining thing i have ever written. Really this is just an attempt to get a little of the rust knocked off. I hope to write more in the near future. Or it may be five months before i post anything again. In any event, i have written this. While it is not my best work it is something. If you come across this, please read some of the old stuff as i am quite proud of much of it and wrote it intending that others be entertained.
Later
Bob
It's too bad, really. I miss writing amusing, entertaining things that might edify or at least entertain others. Unfortunately time marches on. Things change. And i don't write. It has been five months since i posted anything here and i still haven't done the 2009 year in review. It'll happen, i just don't know when.
So what happened. Shit happened, no not that. Life happened. Since i left thomas and Hardy i have been very busy. The new office consumes a lot of my time. Additionally i have taken on some additional responsibilities. I try to take running the Bar Association seriously, and i have more responsibilities to the Trust. Additionally i've had more on my plate since Erin moved in, you know doing couple things.
I wish i had time to write, but not enough to sit down and do it. Writers write. I used to do that. Now i do other things. I mentor, i run an office, i perform board duties, i try to be a good boyfriend, i play Bioshock, i play Reach, occasionally i play Magic, and i read. I also do my job and it takes up a lot of time. I wish i had time to write, but i'd have to stop doing something else and these other things are all more important right now.
Things change. Change is bad. I miss writing. I miss Cotton Candy Milk Mix. I miss Corner Gas. I miss a lot of things. But right now i don't think my life is changing, it is progressing. Progress is what you call change for the better.
I have more responsibilities than i ever had before. I find that i like that sort of thing and handle it well. I am working on getting things in place for 2016. That seems to be going well. I have more respect than i ever had while standing in brad's shadow, which turned out to be slimier than i thought. So while i don't have time to write, i am satisfied with my life's trajectory right now.
This is not the most entertaining thing i have ever written. Really this is just an attempt to get a little of the rust knocked off. I hope to write more in the near future. Or it may be five months before i post anything again. In any event, i have written this. While it is not my best work it is something. If you come across this, please read some of the old stuff as i am quite proud of much of it and wrote it intending that others be entertained.
Later
Bob
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)