Without the election, there's not much to talk about is there? Actually there's plenty. The economy still sucks. Wall Street goes up and down based on announcements. China is still sending a man to Mars. Okay, not quite. But how do you like that space program? Oh we're so fucked.
The main news has been over Obama's cabinet. But even that has slowed down since we know most of the front runners. What ever happened to all the Republicans that Obama said he'd put in there? Not that I really want any. Just want the Dems to come out as the bigger party... Okay update. Obama's keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. At least for now. Makes sense with two wars going on.
Enough serious thought. I saw in the supermarket today that Angelina has been talking about Jen behind her back again. And that she walked around naked to seduce a married Brad! And it worked! This was all in US Magazine. Not a "respectable" publication, but a bit more trustworthy than your National Enquirers. I can't believe that this Jen/Angie feud is still talked about. Is it really there? Has Jen (by the way, remember when people called her Jennifer? They still call her "Jennifer Aniston." You never hear Jen Aniston. That sounds odd) not gotten over him? Hasn't she had like three boyfriends since? Isn't she dating John Mayer again now? Wait, were Brad and Jen married? Are Angie and Brad married? I don't know who's married in Hollywood and who's just dating VERY SERIOUSLY... Ah, looks like B&J were MARRIED. For 5 years! I guess that could be hard to get over. Especially if your man is Brad Pitt... and if the other woman is a beautiful lunatic like Angelina Jolie... Oh wait! They divorced after JEN was caught cheating. This is messier than I thought....
In other exciting news, I saw a turducken at Whole Foods today. I had never actually seen one before. It's a bit weird to me that they sell premade turkduckens. I always assumed that turduckens were hand assembled at home... Also I saw chicken hearts and honestly nearly threw up all over the market floor. Something about eating a heart just doesn't work for me one bit. My grandma always used to tell me to shy away from organ meat. Amen to that.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
MUSIC MONDAYS: OF INSANITY
Have you ever been to a show that featured 15+ costume changes? Probably. I know there are a lot of Madonna fans in the audience. Fair enough. Well have you ever been to a show that featured 15+ costume changes plus "actors" and dancers? Ok ok, I'm sure you have. But seriously now. Straight to the point. Have you ever been to a show that featured a saloon scene, paper mache beasts, people dressed as pigs and tigers, a man being hung from a noose, the same man coming out of a coffin from the ground, dressed as a centaur one minute, wearing nothing but skimpy underwear the next, and then being painted completely red? Well don't feel bad, I hadn't either. But then came "Of Montreal." We didn't have the horse like they did in New York, but nonetheless, this ranks up there as one of the most bizarre shows I've ever seen.
Unlike some other oddball performances I've been to, the music was nearly as strong as the visuals. They played nearly non-stop for over 2 hours, ending the show with blistering covers of "Take me Out" and "Smells like Teen Spirit." Kevin Barnes is definitely one of the strangest men to grace a stage. I never got to see Bowie or Prince at their oddest. But I can only imagine now that I've seen their heir apparent.
The show took place at the newly reopened Palladium. I had heard horror stories about this place but was hoping for the best since Live Nation now owned it. Not that I have any great love affair with Live Nation. But I know they like to make their venues nice. The outside looks great now and the inside wasn't too bad either. The problem wasn't the decor...
...The main GA area is like a large roller skating rink. But apparently a GA ticket wasn't enough to get you into this section (which probably holds about 1000 people). You needed some wrist band too. No mention of this shit on the tickets or anything. Of course they were out of wrist bands even though the floor was about 60% full tops. Eventually we just snuck on as part of a wave of people that hit the floor. But even towards the end of the show we saw that they were enforcing this rule. That's so so stupid. I understand the rationale in theory but outside the floor, the only place to stand (other than in the balcony) was in the doorways, which is obviously just as much if not more of a fire hazard as too many people on the floor. I was hoping that maybe they wanted to keep the space open for Kevin Barnes to trot his horse around but then the horse never showed up. They better not do this shit every show (the venue, not Of Montreal)... Not like I have any shows planned there.
Enough about the venue though. Bottom line to take away from this: if you still have a chance to see Of Montreal on this tour, GO NOW. Even if you hated the last album (I happened to like it though)... But try to see it in a 21 and over venue because there were way too many 12 year olds here.
Unlike some other oddball performances I've been to, the music was nearly as strong as the visuals. They played nearly non-stop for over 2 hours, ending the show with blistering covers of "Take me Out" and "Smells like Teen Spirit." Kevin Barnes is definitely one of the strangest men to grace a stage. I never got to see Bowie or Prince at their oddest. But I can only imagine now that I've seen their heir apparent.
The show took place at the newly reopened Palladium. I had heard horror stories about this place but was hoping for the best since Live Nation now owned it. Not that I have any great love affair with Live Nation. But I know they like to make their venues nice. The outside looks great now and the inside wasn't too bad either. The problem wasn't the decor...
...The main GA area is like a large roller skating rink. But apparently a GA ticket wasn't enough to get you into this section (which probably holds about 1000 people). You needed some wrist band too. No mention of this shit on the tickets or anything. Of course they were out of wrist bands even though the floor was about 60% full tops. Eventually we just snuck on as part of a wave of people that hit the floor. But even towards the end of the show we saw that they were enforcing this rule. That's so so stupid. I understand the rationale in theory but outside the floor, the only place to stand (other than in the balcony) was in the doorways, which is obviously just as much if not more of a fire hazard as too many people on the floor. I was hoping that maybe they wanted to keep the space open for Kevin Barnes to trot his horse around but then the horse never showed up. They better not do this shit every show (the venue, not Of Montreal)... Not like I have any shows planned there.
Enough about the venue though. Bottom line to take away from this: if you still have a chance to see Of Montreal on this tour, GO NOW. Even if you hated the last album (I happened to like it though)... But try to see it in a 21 and over venue because there were way too many 12 year olds here.
Friday, November 21, 2008
FRIENDLY FRIDAYS: BABY ________
Some random baby goodness for you...
BABY OCTOPUS
BABY KOALA---- Oh damn that's incredibly huggum.
BABY GIRAFFE--- Still taller than me
BABY ORANGUTAN - I just love orangutans. They're so very playful... And this is stunning. The bath part is simply perfect.
I'm gonna stick with orangutans for our last clip. This is an older orangutan (not old man orangutan, just older than the last one) which gets us away from the baby topic but I think it's important because Jen doesn't understand how cute orangutans are. I mean, they like to play more than any other animal I think... Just watch
Yes please, buy me two!
UPDATE... I just received this
BABY OCTOPUS
BABY KOALA---- Oh damn that's incredibly huggum.
BABY GIRAFFE--- Still taller than me
BABY ORANGUTAN - I just love orangutans. They're so very playful... And this is stunning. The bath part is simply perfect.
I'm gonna stick with orangutans for our last clip. This is an older orangutan (not old man orangutan, just older than the last one) which gets us away from the baby topic but I think it's important because Jen doesn't understand how cute orangutans are. I mean, they like to play more than any other animal I think... Just watch
Yes please, buy me two!
UPDATE... I just received this
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
WAGONWHEEL WEDNESDAYS: NEBRASKA
Nebraska was shaping up to be another "cheat" state like Iowa. There was nothing I wanted to see there, so I merely made sure my route from South Dakota to Wyoming included a little Nebraska run (you can see this represented by the black line in the NW corner of the map below). Then, a month later, as I was preparing to head back east, I saw a report about the BIND-TORTURE-KILL Killer being back on the loose in Kansas. This prompted me to rethink my route (remember Kansas is also the place where I stayed at a Day's Inn that had blood on the shower curtain). I sadly had to give up going to White Sands National Monument, but in its place we went to a few Utah parks that I hadn't been to... Most importantly, the new route took me straight Nebraska!
Beyond that there's almost nothing to say. I stayed in Lincoln. It was cooler than you might imagine. I immediately found a splendid record store that had some Neil Young bootlegs... For dinner I went to some place in what appeared to be a "hip" section of town but the night was extremely foggy so that may've positively affected the vibe I got.
Damn... this one's short. What can I say? Nebraska is landlocked. It produced Bright Eyes. Just imagine Conor's ear-drum shattering whine and you'll get a sense of just how fun it must be to grow up in Nebraska. If that's your thing, you'll love it. Western Nebraska has some picturesque rolling hills but it's mostly flat... Ooh my, Nebraska's tourism desk will definitely be knocking down my door.
Sorry. I just have nothing more to add to the discussion.
Beyond that there's almost nothing to say. I stayed in Lincoln. It was cooler than you might imagine. I immediately found a splendid record store that had some Neil Young bootlegs... For dinner I went to some place in what appeared to be a "hip" section of town but the night was extremely foggy so that may've positively affected the vibe I got.
Damn... this one's short. What can I say? Nebraska is landlocked. It produced Bright Eyes. Just imagine Conor's ear-drum shattering whine and you'll get a sense of just how fun it must be to grow up in Nebraska. If that's your thing, you'll love it. Western Nebraska has some picturesque rolling hills but it's mostly flat... Ooh my, Nebraska's tourism desk will definitely be knocking down my door.
Sorry. I just have nothing more to add to the discussion.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
TOPICAL TUESDAYS: READY SET...
... Current news stories about "Pink Piglets"
Eh, nothing in a couple weeks. Nov 6, a pig in Gloucester gave birth to "seven adorable pink piglets." Don't believe me? Look:
... Current news stories about "dreidels"
Ah! The SFBG has a step-by-step guide for making edible dreidels. Amazing.
"STEP-BY-STEP
Determined to make something, but don't know how? For Jews and Judeophiles, try making an incredible edible dreidel. All you need are Hershey's chocolate kisses, marshmallows, thin pretzel sticks, and peanut butter.
Step 1: Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on the end of a marshmallow. This peanut butter will act as a glue for the next step.
Step 2: Unwrap a kiss and attach it to the peanut butter–glazed side of the marshmallow. This will create the bottom of the dreidel — the part that allows it to spin.
Step 3: On the side of the marshmallow that has thus far remained untouched, take a pretzel stick and press it into the center ... "
That sounds positively delicious... and easy to make!
...Current news stories about "ink poisoning"
Hmm...not much. Nothing worth reporting... What about "arsenic poisoning"? Oh this is awful. Millions of people in Bangladesh are slowly being poisoned by naturally ocurring arsenic in rural wells.
Let's get happier.
... Current news stories about "brand new zoo"
Not much. I was hoping to find 10 articles about new zoos opening in the world. But nothing. I love zoos. Not the depressing zoos with suicidal tigers but the zoos that help endangered animals thrive in natural-like habitats.
Go Pandas!
Eh, nothing in a couple weeks. Nov 6, a pig in Gloucester gave birth to "seven adorable pink piglets." Don't believe me? Look:
... Current news stories about "dreidels"
Ah! The SFBG has a step-by-step guide for making edible dreidels. Amazing.
"STEP-BY-STEP
Determined to make something, but don't know how? For Jews and Judeophiles, try making an incredible edible dreidel. All you need are Hershey's chocolate kisses, marshmallows, thin pretzel sticks, and peanut butter.
Step 1: Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on the end of a marshmallow. This peanut butter will act as a glue for the next step.
Step 2: Unwrap a kiss and attach it to the peanut butter–glazed side of the marshmallow. This will create the bottom of the dreidel — the part that allows it to spin.
Step 3: On the side of the marshmallow that has thus far remained untouched, take a pretzel stick and press it into the center ... "
That sounds positively delicious... and easy to make!
...Current news stories about "ink poisoning"
Hmm...not much. Nothing worth reporting... What about "arsenic poisoning"? Oh this is awful. Millions of people in Bangladesh are slowly being poisoned by naturally ocurring arsenic in rural wells.
Let's get happier.
... Current news stories about "brand new zoo"
Not much. I was hoping to find 10 articles about new zoos opening in the world. But nothing. I love zoos. Not the depressing zoos with suicidal tigers but the zoos that help endangered animals thrive in natural-like habitats.
Go Pandas!
Monday, November 17, 2008
MUSIC MONDAYS: NEW THOUGHTS ON EVIL URGES
As I prepare for my jaw-dropping best-of-the-year mix, I've begun listening to all albums in contention for a spot on the mix. In some cases my favorite albums have held up well months later. But in the case of The Ruby Suns' album from this year, I decided I'd rather have the $4.00 Amoeba credit than have the album take up space on my shelf. It's not a bad album at all. Pretty good actually. But I don't need to own it.
That brings me to the new My Morning Jacket album. I'm a huge MMJ fan. Most people first started hearing them on a national scale after their "break through" Z. I got into them on "It Still Moves" and promptly bought all the earlier albums. Although I think Z may be their most complete album it was also my least favorite of theirs. You know that whole "it's best but I don't love it" argument. Now the new one "Evil Urges" is a different beast altogether. I hadn't listen to it since it first came out and hearing it again after all these months, I'm convinced of one thing: ADULT CONTEMPORARY. Now I don't mean that in a bad way exactly. I'm as big a fan of catchy MOR music as any soccer mom. But when your first album sounds like a buncha guys fucking around on acoustic guitars at 3AM drunk off Bourbon in a Kentucky barn, it's a bit unsettling to hear an album full of songs that you may hear at the gas station or in your local Rite Aid... Speaking of which, I actually HAVE heard "Thank You Too!" at my supermarket.
I find it all extremely pleasant, but for the sake of their artistic careers, I hope they don't come out with another album for 10 years. Because the next one will probably do worse than rip off Green Day melodies (as in Urges' "Two Halves"). The fact is, the elevator-leanings of some of this album are damn great compared to miscalculated genre-exercises like "Highly Suspicious." Hey I love Prince-aping. After all, Ween's one of my favorite groups ever. But this song is just bad. It's the sort of tune that would be a splendid little B-Side or live excursion but as Song 3? Oooh. Bad choice. MMJ have never been a great album band though, so I guess they're forgiven. "It Still Moves" would've been an absolute masterpiece as a 45 minute album but at 71 minutes, it more than overstays its welcome.
It may not seem like it from this post, but I still haven't thrown Evil Urges off my best of the year list. When it's good, it's great. The last third is mostly all stellar. "Remnants," "Smokin from Shootin," Touch Me I'm Going to Scream pt 1 and 2" are unabashedly solid tunes. Plus I really enjoy the MOR songs for their catchy melodies and smooth FM Gold sounds. So who knows if you'll see an Evil Urges track on your mix this year. I'm viewing it now as the alternate to the basketball team. If the starters are having a solid blow-out kind of game, maybe there will be enough time to give MMJ the benefit of the doubt.
That brings me to the new My Morning Jacket album. I'm a huge MMJ fan. Most people first started hearing them on a national scale after their "break through" Z. I got into them on "It Still Moves" and promptly bought all the earlier albums. Although I think Z may be their most complete album it was also my least favorite of theirs. You know that whole "it's best but I don't love it" argument. Now the new one "Evil Urges" is a different beast altogether. I hadn't listen to it since it first came out and hearing it again after all these months, I'm convinced of one thing: ADULT CONTEMPORARY. Now I don't mean that in a bad way exactly. I'm as big a fan of catchy MOR music as any soccer mom. But when your first album sounds like a buncha guys fucking around on acoustic guitars at 3AM drunk off Bourbon in a Kentucky barn, it's a bit unsettling to hear an album full of songs that you may hear at the gas station or in your local Rite Aid... Speaking of which, I actually HAVE heard "Thank You Too!" at my supermarket.
I find it all extremely pleasant, but for the sake of their artistic careers, I hope they don't come out with another album for 10 years. Because the next one will probably do worse than rip off Green Day melodies (as in Urges' "Two Halves"). The fact is, the elevator-leanings of some of this album are damn great compared to miscalculated genre-exercises like "Highly Suspicious." Hey I love Prince-aping. After all, Ween's one of my favorite groups ever. But this song is just bad. It's the sort of tune that would be a splendid little B-Side or live excursion but as Song 3? Oooh. Bad choice. MMJ have never been a great album band though, so I guess they're forgiven. "It Still Moves" would've been an absolute masterpiece as a 45 minute album but at 71 minutes, it more than overstays its welcome.
It may not seem like it from this post, but I still haven't thrown Evil Urges off my best of the year list. When it's good, it's great. The last third is mostly all stellar. "Remnants," "Smokin from Shootin," Touch Me I'm Going to Scream pt 1 and 2" are unabashedly solid tunes. Plus I really enjoy the MOR songs for their catchy melodies and smooth FM Gold sounds. So who knows if you'll see an Evil Urges track on your mix this year. I'm viewing it now as the alternate to the basketball team. If the starters are having a solid blow-out kind of game, maybe there will be enough time to give MMJ the benefit of the doubt.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS: NO WHITE HOUSE AIDING FOR ALEX
Damn damn damn. I was so excited to join Obama's staff but I'll never pass the test! How nice, you don't have to submit traffic tickets that were less than $50. In LA how many traffic tickets can you get that are less $50? I came to a rolling stop at a stop sign and a cop pulled me over and said next time it would be a $300 ticket! That's outrageous. I think I would've gotten the message with $100... What if they stopped fining people but instead went in to your house with an appraiser and took something of value. Obviously that has the potential to be way worse, so to even the playing field a $300 fine would be something like $50 in value... Or maybe the appraiser can take into account emotional worth as well. "That item cost 10 dollars but it came from his son who was just killed last year in a hunting accident." That may make the item worth $1000.
Back to Obama's questionnaire for a moment. They want to see all e-mail or blog entries or facebook pages that can embarrass the president. Are you allowed like 1 or 2 slip-ups? Or are you allowed to say lots of horrible things as long as you sign a letter of release saying that Obama does not and will never ever support your position on "rodent rights" or "Prince Albert" piercing conventions.
Let's just move on.
I noticed today that there are some trees in LA that changed color. Not many but just a few had red and orange leaves! Definitely not "Autumn" but compared to those 800 ft tall palm trees, it's a welcome change.
Okay time to go play softball.
Back to Obama's questionnaire for a moment. They want to see all e-mail or blog entries or facebook pages that can embarrass the president. Are you allowed like 1 or 2 slip-ups? Or are you allowed to say lots of horrible things as long as you sign a letter of release saying that Obama does not and will never ever support your position on "rodent rights" or "Prince Albert" piercing conventions.
Let's just move on.
I noticed today that there are some trees in LA that changed color. Not many but just a few had red and orange leaves! Definitely not "Autumn" but compared to those 800 ft tall palm trees, it's a welcome change.
Okay time to go play softball.
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