A very good weekend overall.
Friday I met Caroline and Co. at the Tonic bar downtown for her Aussie happy hour send-off. Nice little bar, some cute waitstaff and bartender folk. Very cool bar for the young hip crowd. Oh yeah, something was up at the Federal building, which is caddy corner to this Tonic bar. That was a bit wierd, watching the live news broadcast about the Fed Bldg being evacuated because of a bomb scare, and being right across the street from it. Fortunately nothing happened. then I hungout with Jim and Ro and Tim at the Rumshakers.
Saturday was cool. I played guitar for this girl Valentina's afternoon birthday party at the Rex. Then I worked the CD table for Calliope at the Leon Redbone show. Which meant I got to see the show afterwards. Thanks for the hook-up, Jolene and for the hot-tip, Madge!!!
Monday, May 19, 2003
Friday, May 16, 2003
Very sad news, June Carter Cash wife of Johnny Cash died at 73 yesterday.
Did anyone see the eclipse last night? I checked several times and only saw clouds.
Did anyone see the eclipse last night? I checked several times and only saw clouds.
Thursday, May 15, 2003
There should be a full moon tonight,with the added bonus of a Full Lunar Eclipse (courtesy of Engel/Bannan page ). Let's hope ther is sufficient clear sky for checking it out.
Leon Redbone is in town this Saturday night at the Carnegie, but tix are like $30 and $75 bucks. I'd so love to go see him play again, but the last two shows I saw were $15 and free.
Leon Redbone is in town this Saturday night at the Carnegie, but tix are like $30 and $75 bucks. I'd so love to go see him play again, but the last two shows I saw were $15 and free.
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
A word I invented: Noggage: stuff you put into your noggin.
Kooky dreams last night, in three parts:
1: I dreamt about my friend Delia, partly I suppose because I watched Scotland, PA last night with Maura Tierney playing the part of Pat McBeth. The two (Delia and Maura Tierney) remind me of each other, for one I guess because they have that smooth-smokey kinda voice, and they resemble each other. Chris Walken rocks in the movie by the way, and Andy Dick is funny too. Anyways, we sat and talked in my dream, Delia and I, about life stuff while we watched TV. It was good and insightful, as talking with Delia typically is.
2. Then I dreamt about going on a road trip to see a dinner show somewhere in Canada. My Canadian friend was going too, so we carpooled. We got there and were supposed to get all dressed up, but were in our pajamas. Then we got all gussied up and they still gave us pajama seating which is apparently floor seating in a bed. Comfortable but wierd. Imagine going to someplace like Mattress Discounters to see a concert or musical dinner theater in a made bed. So as we're watching this show, it was like a musical theater thing, some guy who is a knife-guru-sort (kinda looks like Stanley Kubrick there on the left with his beard) approaches us and says he is supposed to do a bit in this show. He immediately takes a shine to my friend. Well that's cool she says, but I think she's a little freaked out by the fact that this guy has like a million different knives, and in the middle of this mattress showcase concert space, has decided to give us a special knife-guru sideshow.
We suggest that he wait until he can go on stage so everyone can see his show. They of course never call him up to the stage to perform, so as we're leaving he follows us all the way back home and in the front yard, says now I'll show you my whole show. He opens up several suitcase-looking attaches filled with knives of all sorts, chinese throwing stars and the likes, and starts up this cyclone of swirling shiny metal, like a angry swarm of metallic bees. Then he tells me to stay away from my friend, that he has claimed her for his show, and that he merely needs to nod in my direction and I'll be sliced up like a honey-baked ham. I said, "Whatever, there's consequences for that kinda stuff, buddy..." I pick up a broad sword and a giant iron spear that I find laying there amongst his stuff, and stand my ground. My friend was, needless to say, a bit freaked out by this guy. And like any good dream sequence, sorta like flipping the channels to see what's showing here, the channel flips and shifts to more strangeness...
3. I dreamt about moving into a dorm-style living space in the Brew House. There were mostly college kids and artist types living there who were cool, many of us were more or less forced to move there. And then there were some annoying freakshow people who I spent half of my dreamtime trying to avoid. They were badly dressed clowns, trying to pass themselves off as cool people, but of course they weren't. They rode around on rusty bicycles, dressed like very colorful street punks wearing cheap makeup that was sloppily applied. Just really bad clowns. Oh yeah, and they thought it was funny to try to give people injections with hypodermic needles, so they'd follow you through the stairwells, through windows, up onto rooftops, whereve you'd go, trying to stick you with a needle full of who-knows-what. I woke up as they were pursuing me and I exited a stairwell into daylight.
Kooky dreams last night, in three parts:
1: I dreamt about my friend Delia, partly I suppose because I watched Scotland, PA last night with Maura Tierney playing the part of Pat McBeth. The two (Delia and Maura Tierney) remind me of each other, for one I guess because they have that smooth-smokey kinda voice, and they resemble each other. Chris Walken rocks in the movie by the way, and Andy Dick is funny too. Anyways, we sat and talked in my dream, Delia and I, about life stuff while we watched TV. It was good and insightful, as talking with Delia typically is.
2. Then I dreamt about going on a road trip to see a dinner show somewhere in Canada. My Canadian friend was going too, so we carpooled. We got there and were supposed to get all dressed up, but were in our pajamas. Then we got all gussied up and they still gave us pajama seating which is apparently floor seating in a bed. Comfortable but wierd. Imagine going to someplace like Mattress Discounters to see a concert or musical dinner theater in a made bed. So as we're watching this show, it was like a musical theater thing, some guy who is a knife-guru-sort (kinda looks like Stanley Kubrick there on the left with his beard) approaches us and says he is supposed to do a bit in this show. He immediately takes a shine to my friend. Well that's cool she says, but I think she's a little freaked out by the fact that this guy has like a million different knives, and in the middle of this mattress showcase concert space, has decided to give us a special knife-guru sideshow.
We suggest that he wait until he can go on stage so everyone can see his show. They of course never call him up to the stage to perform, so as we're leaving he follows us all the way back home and in the front yard, says now I'll show you my whole show. He opens up several suitcase-looking attaches filled with knives of all sorts, chinese throwing stars and the likes, and starts up this cyclone of swirling shiny metal, like a angry swarm of metallic bees. Then he tells me to stay away from my friend, that he has claimed her for his show, and that he merely needs to nod in my direction and I'll be sliced up like a honey-baked ham. I said, "Whatever, there's consequences for that kinda stuff, buddy..." I pick up a broad sword and a giant iron spear that I find laying there amongst his stuff, and stand my ground. My friend was, needless to say, a bit freaked out by this guy. And like any good dream sequence, sorta like flipping the channels to see what's showing here, the channel flips and shifts to more strangeness...
3. I dreamt about moving into a dorm-style living space in the Brew House. There were mostly college kids and artist types living there who were cool, many of us were more or less forced to move there. And then there were some annoying freakshow people who I spent half of my dreamtime trying to avoid. They were badly dressed clowns, trying to pass themselves off as cool people, but of course they weren't. They rode around on rusty bicycles, dressed like very colorful street punks wearing cheap makeup that was sloppily applied. Just really bad clowns. Oh yeah, and they thought it was funny to try to give people injections with hypodermic needles, so they'd follow you through the stairwells, through windows, up onto rooftops, whereve you'd go, trying to stick you with a needle full of who-knows-what. I woke up as they were pursuing me and I exited a stairwell into daylight.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Word of the Day for Tuesday May 13, 2003 from www.dictionary.com
comity \KOM-uh-tee\, noun:
A state of mutual harmony, friendship, and respect, especially between or among nations or people; civility.
comity of nations, noun:
1. The courteous recognition by one nation of the laws and institutions of another.
2. The group of nations observing international comity.
In Athens last week, E.U. leaders offered a picture of comity as they formally signed accession treaties with 10 new members.
--James Graff, "Can France Put a Cork In It?" Time Europe, April 28, 2003
Despite the image of civil-military comity during World War II, there were many differences between Franklin Roosevelt and his military advisers.
--Mackubin Thomas Owens, "Sniping," National Review, April 2, 2003
Short-term initiatives in 1919 became longer-term strategies for bringing the two pariahs, Germany and Russia, into the comity of nations.
--Kenneth O. Morgan, "Lloyd George and the Lost Peace: from Versailles to Hitler, 1919-1940," English Historical Review, June 2002
Everyone hopes that Saddam Hussein will honour his agreement with Kofi Annan and that Iraq will be received back into the comity of nations.
--Marrack Goulding, "A wider role for the UN," New Statesman, March 13, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comity is from Latin comitas, from comis, "courteous."
comity \KOM-uh-tee\, noun:
A state of mutual harmony, friendship, and respect, especially between or among nations or people; civility.
comity of nations, noun:
1. The courteous recognition by one nation of the laws and institutions of another.
2. The group of nations observing international comity.
In Athens last week, E.U. leaders offered a picture of comity as they formally signed accession treaties with 10 new members.
--James Graff, "Can France Put a Cork In It?" Time Europe, April 28, 2003
Despite the image of civil-military comity during World War II, there were many differences between Franklin Roosevelt and his military advisers.
--Mackubin Thomas Owens, "Sniping," National Review, April 2, 2003
Short-term initiatives in 1919 became longer-term strategies for bringing the two pariahs, Germany and Russia, into the comity of nations.
--Kenneth O. Morgan, "Lloyd George and the Lost Peace: from Versailles to Hitler, 1919-1940," English Historical Review, June 2002
Everyone hopes that Saddam Hussein will honour his agreement with Kofi Annan and that Iraq will be received back into the comity of nations.
--Marrack Goulding, "A wider role for the UN," New Statesman, March 13, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comity is from Latin comitas, from comis, "courteous."
Monday, May 12, 2003
I am currently enjoying Jen Bannan's book of short fiction stories, Inventing Victor, and the tales therein. Pick up a copy and check it out.
Damien Rice was in town, anybody get to check out his Club Cafe show last night or hear his in-studio bit at WYEP this morning?
Damien Rice was in town, anybody get to check out his Club Cafe show last night or hear his in-studio bit at WYEP this morning?
Friday, May 09, 2003
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Monday, May 05, 2003
Continuing Education:
Indeed there is still some semblance of order inthe world. It goes like this: the very attractive blonde chick who occasionally appeared in the halls of my building, who more and more recently has been seen dressed to the 9's (imagine a remarkably hot chick on a weekend night) on any given day of the week, who as far as i knew was happily married, had got a divorce. it begins to make sense. see, i don't really know and never spoke to this girl, but she would be casually pleasant. smile, ya know or nod. i knew she was married. simple. hot married chick. smile, nod, but just mind your own business. but then the clothes changed, there were inquisitve looks that lasted longer than normal, followed by a flirty smile ? was she looking at me? i dunno, but a definite change had occured. so married folks are like off limits but dang, i was wondering what is she doing? is she really married still or ever? and i today i learned, yes she was, but not anymore. ahhhhhhhh... oh yeah, and she's finished her degree work and is off to NYU. major bummer... but at least i know what was going on was really legit, and not some other thing.
Indeed there is still some semblance of order inthe world. It goes like this: the very attractive blonde chick who occasionally appeared in the halls of my building, who more and more recently has been seen dressed to the 9's (imagine a remarkably hot chick on a weekend night) on any given day of the week, who as far as i knew was happily married, had got a divorce. it begins to make sense. see, i don't really know and never spoke to this girl, but she would be casually pleasant. smile, ya know or nod. i knew she was married. simple. hot married chick. smile, nod, but just mind your own business. but then the clothes changed, there were inquisitve looks that lasted longer than normal, followed by a flirty smile ? was she looking at me? i dunno, but a definite change had occured. so married folks are like off limits but dang, i was wondering what is she doing? is she really married still or ever? and i today i learned, yes she was, but not anymore. ahhhhhhhh... oh yeah, and she's finished her degree work and is off to NYU. major bummer... but at least i know what was going on was really legit, and not some other thing.
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Funny Stuff about crushes from the Viceland:
WALKING ON THE PHONE
I know you want to sound relaxed and busy with other stuff, but calling her from your cell phone while you walk has the opposite effect. I once called this girl Jasmine while I was walking down six flights of stairs and, though I thought it would come across as busy-guy-who-can-only-catch-up-on-phone-calls-while-getting-to-the-train, it came across as psychotic-pervert-who-likes-to-jerk-off-when-he-leaves-messages. Apparently her roommates saved it forever and would smoke pot and laugh their asses off to me going, “He ey ey Ja ah ah sm sm sm ine ine, wha at s u up?” and so on. When I finally went over there, they were staring at me with bug eyes going, “Holy shit, that’s the phone guy!” Anyway, just stop by the dumpster next time you’re leaving a message. You don’t need to be breathing like that.
WALKING ON THE PHONE
I know you want to sound relaxed and busy with other stuff, but calling her from your cell phone while you walk has the opposite effect. I once called this girl Jasmine while I was walking down six flights of stairs and, though I thought it would come across as busy-guy-who-can-only-catch-up-on-phone-calls-while-getting-to-the-train, it came across as psychotic-pervert-who-likes-to-jerk-off-when-he-leaves-messages. Apparently her roommates saved it forever and would smoke pot and laugh their asses off to me going, “He ey ey Ja ah ah sm sm sm ine ine, wha at s u up?” and so on. When I finally went over there, they were staring at me with bug eyes going, “Holy shit, that’s the phone guy!” Anyway, just stop by the dumpster next time you’re leaving a message. You don’t need to be breathing like that.
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
A thought or two or you fellow bloggers, and anybody else who may enjoy it:
To while away the idle hours, seated the livelong day before the inkslab, by jotting down without order or purpose whatever trifling thoughts pass through my mind, verily this is a queer and crazy thing to do!
—Yoshida Kenko (1283–1352)
If you liked that, you may like where it came from, a site called Aporia.
aporia - Wonder and amazement before the confusing puzzles and paradoxes of our lives and of the universe. Socrates and the other ancient philosophers tried to evoke the philosophic spirit in young men by awakening their aporia, not by simply providing answers to these puzzles.
To while away the idle hours, seated the livelong day before the inkslab, by jotting down without order or purpose whatever trifling thoughts pass through my mind, verily this is a queer and crazy thing to do!
—Yoshida Kenko (1283–1352)
If you liked that, you may like where it came from, a site called Aporia.
aporia - Wonder and amazement before the confusing puzzles and paradoxes of our lives and of the universe. Socrates and the other ancient philosophers tried to evoke the philosophic spirit in young men by awakening their aporia, not by simply providing answers to these puzzles.
Keep in mind there is no particular audience for this poem (ie, no intended or beloved, but it sounds cool). I found this on another blog. It sorta reminds me of this one time I wrote an erotic poem (sorry the poem is now gone with the girl), and it actually produced the desired effect. Now the problem is finding a solution to this, which is about scholarly pursuits but fitting enough: Nothing is bitterer than a long dwelling in potential. Nothing shows better what disconsolate gloom may derive from an incessant postponement of the deed (Giorgio Agamben in his essay, The Idea of Study).
The poem:
Imagine a Kiss
Looking into your eyes
Drawing you ever so near
Even that doesnt feel close enough
I want your body to crush me
My body heat feels so elevated
So hot to the touch
I can hardly draw breathe
The need of you is so fierce
Consuming my very soul
Until we make contact
You startle me with your passion
Your lips crushing mne taking me by force
When my will so unsure
We connect soul to soul
Heart understanding without communication
No words are needed
They are simply unnecessary
Pleasure exploding thrugh my body
Rocking my world making me dizzy
I am lost in your shadow
Trying in vain to clear my senses
Our bodies rspond to each other
Our own primal need so clearly shown
You are touching me all over
Your lips bruising my skin
Leaving invisible trails down my body
I rest my head next to your heart
Trying to still the chaos in my body
You bring me to the edge of heaven
Showing me a promise of what can be
When I let you make love to me
This is how I imagine our kiss
The poem:
Imagine a Kiss
Looking into your eyes
Drawing you ever so near
Even that doesnt feel close enough
I want your body to crush me
My body heat feels so elevated
So hot to the touch
I can hardly draw breathe
The need of you is so fierce
Consuming my very soul
Until we make contact
You startle me with your passion
Your lips crushing mne taking me by force
When my will so unsure
We connect soul to soul
Heart understanding without communication
No words are needed
They are simply unnecessary
Pleasure exploding thrugh my body
Rocking my world making me dizzy
I am lost in your shadow
Trying in vain to clear my senses
Our bodies rspond to each other
Our own primal need so clearly shown
You are touching me all over
Your lips bruising my skin
Leaving invisible trails down my body
I rest my head next to your heart
Trying to still the chaos in my body
You bring me to the edge of heaven
Showing me a promise of what can be
When I let you make love to me
This is how I imagine our kiss
Reflections in the Lobby
You ask me now to tell you,
So listen, I speak the truth.
I swear I'll fight with all I have.
Against me there's no proof.
I was born here I don't know when.
Mother passed away when I was born.
My father was a drunkard.
I don't remember him.
They always used to shout throw, throw, throw
But I just took my time.
They got angry when I did that.
I never paid them any mind.
Nobody could run as fast as me and I never did look back.
I ran and ran 'til the surroundings were not familiar any more.
Never talk to strangers, they used to say.
"Good child, now go to sleep - for tomorrow is a busy day.
I woke up in someone's lap
I couldn't tell you who,
Dusk was falling quickly.
The bearded man comes too.
T'was a toothless woman sitting there.
Everyone looked strange.
My thirsty throat was burning
With longing lonesome strains.
Now you come to me in your fine coats
And your fine English curses you!
There's God above who knows all
Who will surely deal with you.
But I am speaking of myself
What now will you do?
Let my sins go with me
Or take a dead man's curse with you.
You ask me now to tell you,
So listen, I speak the truth.
I swear I'll fight with all I have.
Against me there's no proof.
I was born here I don't know when.
Mother passed away when I was born.
My father was a drunkard.
I don't remember him.
They always used to shout throw, throw, throw
But I just took my time.
They got angry when I did that.
I never paid them any mind.
Nobody could run as fast as me and I never did look back.
I ran and ran 'til the surroundings were not familiar any more.
Never talk to strangers, they used to say.
"Good child, now go to sleep - for tomorrow is a busy day.
I woke up in someone's lap
I couldn't tell you who,
Dusk was falling quickly.
The bearded man comes too.
T'was a toothless woman sitting there.
Everyone looked strange.
My thirsty throat was burning
With longing lonesome strains.
Now you come to me in your fine coats
And your fine English curses you!
There's God above who knows all
Who will surely deal with you.
But I am speaking of myself
What now will you do?
Let my sins go with me
Or take a dead man's curse with you.
Monday, April 28, 2003
I am borrowing this from somebody else: One because ti's true, Google is the best, and two he used the phrase 'too cool for school.'
Google is the best search engine, but the guys at Google think they are too cool for school. You can choose dozens of different languages to use with Google. Some are silly languages that are just dumb:
Klingon
Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show
Hacker
Pig Latin
Elmer Fudd
Google is the best search engine, but the guys at Google think they are too cool for school. You can choose dozens of different languages to use with Google. Some are silly languages that are just dumb:
Klingon
Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show
Hacker
Pig Latin
Elmer Fudd
Thanks to everyone who came to see the show Saturday! It's always nice to have support from your friends. Next time, I'll try to have a bit more advance notice, so folks can plan accordingly. It's tough going in with less than a week's notice, and tougher when you're competing with Pearl Jam. Word is that they did a good show.
The Flaming Lips put on a good show yesterday. A sorta last minute thinger for that show. A band from Columbus, OH called the Sun opened, and Sparkle horse did a short short set as well. Metropol, although hardly my favorite venue to see bands, wasnt' as bad as it can be. Thankfully their sound guy was good. Holy crowded, though . . .
Today is absolutely perfect outside! That temp where you can go shorts and T-shirt, and not roast. I took lunch under a tree and watched the bees do their thing . . .
The Flaming Lips put on a good show yesterday. A sorta last minute thinger for that show. A band from Columbus, OH called the Sun opened, and Sparkle horse did a short short set as well. Metropol, although hardly my favorite venue to see bands, wasnt' as bad as it can be. Thankfully their sound guy was good. Holy crowded, though . . .
Today is absolutely perfect outside! That temp where you can go shorts and T-shirt, and not roast. I took lunch under a tree and watched the bees do their thing . . .
Friday, April 25, 2003
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Walso Emerson
The semester is over... I enjoyed this last class (The Uses of Literacy), but it kicked my ass. I thought I knew how to read, I thought I knew how to write, and maybe that was the part of the point of the class: to show that there is always going to be room for improvement. Don't get me wrong, I liked the class, even though it was challenging for all of us. I found out again, that ther'e much more that I don't know than I do... and at least in knowing that I don't know something, I'm a little bit further along, right? So yeah, I have a bit of a break now.
The semester is over... I enjoyed this last class (The Uses of Literacy), but it kicked my ass. I thought I knew how to read, I thought I knew how to write, and maybe that was the part of the point of the class: to show that there is always going to be room for improvement. Don't get me wrong, I liked the class, even though it was challenging for all of us. I found out again, that ther'e much more that I don't know than I do... and at least in knowing that I don't know something, I'm a little bit further along, right? So yeah, I have a bit of a break now.
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Dingus Day Was Lovely.
It was warm for once, and just when it was starting to get cold last night, everybody in our entourage was ready to pack it up and head out. They played the Ring of Fire Polka, replete with horns and accordion, that always warms everybody's soggy hearts. The one bartender, well, I'm thinking she's from Cleveland and proud of it, she was there again. The smoker-haven by the bathrooms was full, ahh the comraderie of the smoker haven, almost makes me wish I was still a smoker. There were a couple of old babas, sportin' the babushkas, head down and all bent forward with their slickers on. One old lady had goggles. Mad props to everyone who went, but mad props to especially to the babas for being brave enough to hold up that tradition.
It was warm for once, and just when it was starting to get cold last night, everybody in our entourage was ready to pack it up and head out. They played the Ring of Fire Polka, replete with horns and accordion, that always warms everybody's soggy hearts. The one bartender, well, I'm thinking she's from Cleveland and proud of it, she was there again. The smoker-haven by the bathrooms was full, ahh the comraderie of the smoker haven, almost makes me wish I was still a smoker. There were a couple of old babas, sportin' the babushkas, head down and all bent forward with their slickers on. One old lady had goggles. Mad props to everyone who went, but mad props to especially to the babas for being brave enough to hold up that tradition.
Monday, April 21, 2003
Wishing all a very merry Dingus Day!!!
From the Coal Speak Dictionary: Dingus Day : The day after Easter Sunday. Men would chase women around with buckets of water and the women would hit them with switches. From a viewer: this tradition began in Poland, and involved pussy willows. "Ed. note: 'hit them with switches'? What's up with that?" The way we do it here is kinda similar, minus the pussy willows and perfume, ohhhh and uhmmm minus the follow up Tuesday. Ladies, you're invited to begin establishing one, but I wish you good luck. It's probably easiest to go tit-for-tat on Monday and call a truce for Tuesday. Besides dishes and crockery can get pretty expensive ...
From the Coal Speak Dictionary: Dingus Day : The day after Easter Sunday. Men would chase women around with buckets of water and the women would hit them with switches. From a viewer: this tradition began in Poland, and involved pussy willows. "Ed. note: 'hit them with switches'? What's up with that?" The way we do it here is kinda similar, minus the pussy willows and perfume, ohhhh and uhmmm minus the follow up Tuesday. Ladies, you're invited to begin establishing one, but I wish you good luck. It's probably easiest to go tit-for-tat on Monday and call a truce for Tuesday. Besides dishes and crockery can get pretty expensive ...
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