We had our little staff party at a great place called Dave and Buster's tonight after work.
50 of us descended on the place for 4 hours of buffet food, pool, socializing and game playing. It was great fun - AND - I got to try a new small-batch whisky because even though the have a button on their ordering screen for Knob Creek, they didn't have any. And it was real good.
All 50 of us got supercharged Power Cards, which entitled us to like 70 credits of game playing madness. They did not have any pinball machines, which I was sad about, but I found my groove on the old-school Centipede/Millipede machine, and then, blew everything on the truly cool Lost World: Jurassic Park shot-em-up game. Loved it!
Hollywood Stafford was there, enraptured with Ms Pac Man, as was MyFriendJason, equally enamoured with the Flaming Finger game (?), and we had a brief but intense discussion regarding the aforementioned display of corpses. Hollywood has been there, and his impression of the event was diametrically opposed to mine. He wrote a cool post about our difference of, well, not really opinion, our difference of experience I guess.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Downtown - Everythings Waiting For You
A little Petula Clark this afternoon.
I had to be at work at 6:30 am for a meeting, even though this is my Sunday. It was dismal and bleak, cool and drizzly all due to Katrina's influence, which proves my point that women whose name begins with the hard "K" sound are best avoided at all costs.
So after the meeting, I thought I would I take advantage of being up north by stopping into Playhouse Square and purchasing my tickets for the upcoming fall season of entertainments.
Well. Seems they don't like to open the box office before 11 am. So I had an hour to kill, and the allure of the Starbuck's across the street notwithstanding, I was feeling petulant and was almost going to go home, when it occurred to me that today would be a fine day to correct a character flaw.
A few years ago, I read something that that so intrigued me that I spent most of the lecture time I was supposed to be leading in my graduate seminar on the avant garde theatre discussing it.
The exhibition in question is "Professor" Gunther von Hagen's Bodyworlds, in which the "professor" takes corpses and dissects them in various ways and means and stages them for scientific and artistic purposes.
Now, in my wayward youth, when I had an inexplicable fascination with Jack the Ripper, Hammer films and all things gruesome, I probably would have eaten it up. Now, however, I was completely morally repulsed. I swore I would never attend a show if it came to the US. I remain surprised and perplexed that I have become someone so very different from who I used to be...
So, what do you know. There it is at the Great Lakes Science Center. And since one of my pet peeves is people mouthing off about things that they haven't experienced, I thought I would go see it for myself.
The first thing you see is a great, big, furry camel. That part was pretty okay. Its head and neck have been sliced into thirds so you can see the flexation of the camels neck. The vast interior spaces where all the guts should be was interesting, as was the look you get of the contents of the beast's stomach - a bunch of dried out grasses and twigs...but the camel baby was just unnecessary. This got me to thinking of all of the vignettes of the "stuffed" animals at the Carnegie museum, which I hold in fondness in my heart as they were friends of my childhood. Shooting and mounting animals for science...that's another can of worms.
Ok...so you go in and there are slices and pieces of real, dead people. It's all real, but "plastinated". Then you get to the posed corpses which are dissected to show, oh, muscle groups, or tendons, or how much Gunther von Hagens can replicate works of art ala Dali or Boccioni's Unique Forms of Continuity in Space.
I was expecting this little adventure to take the one hour I had to kill before the box office at the theatres opened - it took two hours, and believe me, I was not dawdling. For most of the exhibit, I was light-headed, nauseous and overcome with the feeling that I was walking through a sociopath's laboratory of brutality. Toward the end I just stood in the middle and did a 360 - taking in all of the dismembered bodies, the slices and pieces, and the tortured corpses, with their equally unnecessarily lifelike glass eyes. A few of the "exhibits" had what looked to me like Russian prison tattoos on their hands (those that still had skin that is). And who signed the permission slip for the plastination of the many fetuses?
On your way out, they have a table of information and sign-up cards to donate your body for future plastination. Von Hagens has a whole stable of workers in China dissecting corpses and plastinizing them even as we speak...
The horror of feeling like an accomplice to a madman was unshakable. However, I found my moral indignation very fascinating. And, I have to say, I did learn that that body is in reality a very small thing. Kidneys easily fit in the palm of your hand. Your brain is stupidly small. You absolutely do not want to have a look at your lungs if you have ever smoked.And the space you have for all of your guts - it is impossible to believe your body really functions. It truly IS a miracle.
BUT - this does not excuse the display of corpses. Sorry. Back in the day of true artisans and scholars, they made extremely realistic wax models that showed the very same things. If all of this stuff was plastic, or wax, I would have been quite pleased with it. Do check out the site for the wax museum in France (not a wax museumof famous folk ala Madame Toussard, its an anatomical wax museum).
What von Hagens exhibit never illustrates is the seat of the emotions, and these cruel mockeries left me deeply saddened.
To cleanse my aura, I went a few blocks away from the insanity passing itself off as science, and entered Cleveland's City Hall, where three Buddhist monks (Tenzin Thutop, Lobsang Gyaltfen and Nawang Topgyal) from the Namgyal Monastery, the personal monastery of H. H. Dalai Lama of Tibet, were beginning a sacred Kalachakra mandala for healing. They were amazing to watch. Two sat atop a square blue platform, silently bent over the sketch of the mandala they are to create over the next few weeks. Using a small ridged brass funnel (the chak-pur), they scooped up a few grains of sands, and by rubbing the pointy end of another funnel over it, the internal vibrations cause the sand to trickle out, and they created lines just a few grains of sand in width. I watchd them for a long time, and was treated to the sight of one of the monks carefully taking out a piece of cloth and putting it over the wide end of the funnel, and gently inhaling, sucking up a few errant grains - the eraser for the mandala.
The third monk sat reading cards of prayers. When he got up to join the others, I noticed all of the monks wore Timberland-type hiking shoes and rust colored ankle socks.
There was a lovely altar set up near the platform, with fruit, bells and icons of the Dalai Lama, and a boombox next to that playing Tibetan bell ringing. I am sure the monks would have liked some incense burning, (I thought it would have been a nice addition) but I am sure there is some PC reason that incense smoke would offend those sensitive to odors.
Anyway, I look forward to several more visits as the monks complete the mandala, then disassemble it and return the sand to Lake Erie.
The mandala is an image that aids an individual along the path to enlightenment and eventually a perfect balance of body and mind. Watching them this afternoon certainly healed me.
And I did get some killer seats for a couple of shows.
I had to be at work at 6:30 am for a meeting, even though this is my Sunday. It was dismal and bleak, cool and drizzly all due to Katrina's influence, which proves my point that women whose name begins with the hard "K" sound are best avoided at all costs.
So after the meeting, I thought I would I take advantage of being up north by stopping into Playhouse Square and purchasing my tickets for the upcoming fall season of entertainments.
Well. Seems they don't like to open the box office before 11 am. So I had an hour to kill, and the allure of the Starbuck's across the street notwithstanding, I was feeling petulant and was almost going to go home, when it occurred to me that today would be a fine day to correct a character flaw.
A few years ago, I read something that that so intrigued me that I spent most of the lecture time I was supposed to be leading in my graduate seminar on the avant garde theatre discussing it.
The exhibition in question is "Professor" Gunther von Hagen's Bodyworlds, in which the "professor" takes corpses and dissects them in various ways and means and stages them for scientific and artistic purposes.
Now, in my wayward youth, when I had an inexplicable fascination with Jack the Ripper, Hammer films and all things gruesome, I probably would have eaten it up. Now, however, I was completely morally repulsed. I swore I would never attend a show if it came to the US. I remain surprised and perplexed that I have become someone so very different from who I used to be...
So, what do you know. There it is at the Great Lakes Science Center. And since one of my pet peeves is people mouthing off about things that they haven't experienced, I thought I would go see it for myself.
The first thing you see is a great, big, furry camel. That part was pretty okay. Its head and neck have been sliced into thirds so you can see the flexation of the camels neck. The vast interior spaces where all the guts should be was interesting, as was the look you get of the contents of the beast's stomach - a bunch of dried out grasses and twigs...but the camel baby was just unnecessary. This got me to thinking of all of the vignettes of the "stuffed" animals at the Carnegie museum, which I hold in fondness in my heart as they were friends of my childhood. Shooting and mounting animals for science...that's another can of worms.
Ok...so you go in and there are slices and pieces of real, dead people. It's all real, but "plastinated". Then you get to the posed corpses which are dissected to show, oh, muscle groups, or tendons, or how much Gunther von Hagens can replicate works of art ala Dali or Boccioni's Unique Forms of Continuity in Space.
I was expecting this little adventure to take the one hour I had to kill before the box office at the theatres opened - it took two hours, and believe me, I was not dawdling. For most of the exhibit, I was light-headed, nauseous and overcome with the feeling that I was walking through a sociopath's laboratory of brutality. Toward the end I just stood in the middle and did a 360 - taking in all of the dismembered bodies, the slices and pieces, and the tortured corpses, with their equally unnecessarily lifelike glass eyes. A few of the "exhibits" had what looked to me like Russian prison tattoos on their hands (those that still had skin that is). And who signed the permission slip for the plastination of the many fetuses?
On your way out, they have a table of information and sign-up cards to donate your body for future plastination. Von Hagens has a whole stable of workers in China dissecting corpses and plastinizing them even as we speak...
The horror of feeling like an accomplice to a madman was unshakable. However, I found my moral indignation very fascinating. And, I have to say, I did learn that that body is in reality a very small thing. Kidneys easily fit in the palm of your hand. Your brain is stupidly small. You absolutely do not want to have a look at your lungs if you have ever smoked.And the space you have for all of your guts - it is impossible to believe your body really functions. It truly IS a miracle.
BUT - this does not excuse the display of corpses. Sorry. Back in the day of true artisans and scholars, they made extremely realistic wax models that showed the very same things. If all of this stuff was plastic, or wax, I would have been quite pleased with it. Do check out the site for the wax museum in France (not a wax museumof famous folk ala Madame Toussard, its an anatomical wax museum).
What von Hagens exhibit never illustrates is the seat of the emotions, and these cruel mockeries left me deeply saddened.
To cleanse my aura, I went a few blocks away from the insanity passing itself off as science, and entered Cleveland's City Hall, where three Buddhist monks (Tenzin Thutop, Lobsang Gyaltfen and Nawang Topgyal) from the Namgyal Monastery, the personal monastery of H. H. Dalai Lama of Tibet, were beginning a sacred Kalachakra mandala for healing. They were amazing to watch. Two sat atop a square blue platform, silently bent over the sketch of the mandala they are to create over the next few weeks. Using a small ridged brass funnel (the chak-pur), they scooped up a few grains of sands, and by rubbing the pointy end of another funnel over it, the internal vibrations cause the sand to trickle out, and they created lines just a few grains of sand in width. I watchd them for a long time, and was treated to the sight of one of the monks carefully taking out a piece of cloth and putting it over the wide end of the funnel, and gently inhaling, sucking up a few errant grains - the eraser for the mandala.
The third monk sat reading cards of prayers. When he got up to join the others, I noticed all of the monks wore Timberland-type hiking shoes and rust colored ankle socks.
There was a lovely altar set up near the platform, with fruit, bells and icons of the Dalai Lama, and a boombox next to that playing Tibetan bell ringing. I am sure the monks would have liked some incense burning, (I thought it would have been a nice addition) but I am sure there is some PC reason that incense smoke would offend those sensitive to odors.
Anyway, I look forward to several more visits as the monks complete the mandala, then disassemble it and return the sand to Lake Erie.
The mandala is an image that aids an individual along the path to enlightenment and eventually a perfect balance of body and mind. Watching them this afternoon certainly healed me.
And I did get some killer seats for a couple of shows.
New Music Tuesday - SOS Live
I was waiting with heightened anticipation for this release. I was practically giddy, which is not an emotion that I wear well, FYI.
So, the brand spankin' new Swing Out Sister Live arrived. The cover art - excellent. The track list - excellent.
Now, here is the strange part...my initial impression is that the CD is just...ok.
Having just recently heard Corinne live, I have been listening to her daily on my tedious commute. And I am quite taken with the stupidly expense Live at the Jazz Cafe. So. What we have here are four very different animals. The live Jazz Cafe CD is very rock/club oriented, with horns. When I saw her, it was pretty much the same arrangements, sans horns. Then there are the regular recordings, which are very produced, but quite good. And this new one, well, the arrangements are very mellow indeed. Jazzy, certainly. But I am not sure if I want to hear a mellow version of Breakout, y'know? However, the gorgeous Forever Blue, the only disappointment from the concert I saw as she did not perform it, almost makes up for the price of the disc. Almost.
PS - on their official site, they have posted some pictures from their tour - and it includes the tragic poppy dress. Judge for yourself.
So, the brand spankin' new Swing Out Sister Live arrived. The cover art - excellent. The track list - excellent.
Now, here is the strange part...my initial impression is that the CD is just...ok.
Having just recently heard Corinne live, I have been listening to her daily on my tedious commute. And I am quite taken with the stupidly expense Live at the Jazz Cafe. So. What we have here are four very different animals. The live Jazz Cafe CD is very rock/club oriented, with horns. When I saw her, it was pretty much the same arrangements, sans horns. Then there are the regular recordings, which are very produced, but quite good. And this new one, well, the arrangements are very mellow indeed. Jazzy, certainly. But I am not sure if I want to hear a mellow version of Breakout, y'know? However, the gorgeous Forever Blue, the only disappointment from the concert I saw as she did not perform it, almost makes up for the price of the disc. Almost.
PS - on their official site, they have posted some pictures from their tour - and it includes the tragic poppy dress. Judge for yourself.
Monday, August 29, 2005
A Manifesto For The Morning
Heard this on the drive in to the library this morning. Print it out. Cut it out. Paste on your refrigerator.
The closing thought to ponder for the day:
Nietzsche says, "Supposing truth is a woman – what then?"
Supposing the truth is not hard, fast, masculine, simple, direct?
The closing thought to ponder for the day:
Nietzsche says, "Supposing truth is a woman – what then?"
Supposing the truth is not hard, fast, masculine, simple, direct?
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Summer In the City
I got off of work today at 2 in the afternoon and ran downtown to catch the last hour of Trisha O'Brien singing in the courtyard of the art museum. I frequently used to go listen to Ms. O'Brien about ten years ago when I last lived here, and I was thrilled to see that she was still around.
It was an absolutely perfect afternoon - the trees in the courtyard were shady, there was a luscious breeze, and the music (jazz ballads, standards, and a bossa nova) were exquisite. Ms. O'Brien's quartet (piano, upright acoustic bass - yes!-hollowbody jazz guitar, drums and flugelhorn) was fantastic. As for O'Brien, she has a most acceptable and agreeable voice, unabrasive but lacking in real range and power, which was only evident on the final notes of the songs.
I will give her this - no real jazz singer is even awake at 3 in the afternoon, let alone performing. And she looked great in a cool green patterned silk dress. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon.
After the show, I went inside and caught some of the "masterpieces" they are featuring as they close the museum for seven years. Maybe it was that the paintings were out of context, not being in the usual galleries, but I swear I have never seen two before which I loved: Dora Wheeler, by William Merritt Chase and Woman in the Waves by Gauguin, an artist I usually don't care for. Then they had the good taste to feature one of my all-time favorite works, Twilight in the Wilderness by Frederic Edwin Church. Simply astounding. It was nice to see the Hopper, Hills, South Truro, again. They also had the ubiquitous Stag at Sharkeys by Bellows and Eakin's The Biglin Brothers up.
But, the most mesmerizing painting of all was Dali's The Dream from1931. He has to be the best technical painter of all time. When you actually see one of his works, you are humbled by the delicacy of his brushstrokes and intricacy of the detail, and by the incredible vibrancy and intensity of his colors. I have never seen a reproduction anywhere that does his paintings justice. I couldn't tear myself away from this one.
Upstairs at the NEO show, there were many works I was quite taken with. The three standouts for me were James Seward's amazing enormous portrait of his father, an incredible construction of oak and sandstone by Palli Davene Davis and a huge, gorgeous watercolor by Mary Lou Ferbert. Honorable mention must go to Eva Kwong's wall of light blue ceramic tears which I was moved by, and the exquisite portrait of a pelican by photographer Steve Cagan.
Next door to that was the Michaël Borremans exhibit, which I was looking forward to simply based on the title: Hallucinations and Reality. I was expecting big paintings, and I'm not sure why. His works are very intricate, detailed, and disturbing in subject matter - almost creepy. They are executed on scraps of paper and cardboard, and definitely refer to a rich inner life of the artist. Most are "annotated" with indecipherable pencil scribblings and other notations. The works seem to be a window into a private landscape.
Driving home late in the evening, the sun was setting, and the sky looked exactly like the sky in Church's painting. It was fantastic.
I stopped in to the new Indian restaurant that just opened near my home, Raj Mahal. The interior decor was very pleasing, and the service impeccable. I continue on my quest for the perfect vindaloo - this one was served with tiny pearl onions, something I have never encountered before. The naan was very, very good. I wanted kheer for dessert and they were out - my only disappointment for the day.
It was a great start to my weekend. Outstanding.
It was an absolutely perfect afternoon - the trees in the courtyard were shady, there was a luscious breeze, and the music (jazz ballads, standards, and a bossa nova) were exquisite. Ms. O'Brien's quartet (piano, upright acoustic bass - yes!-hollowbody jazz guitar, drums and flugelhorn) was fantastic. As for O'Brien, she has a most acceptable and agreeable voice, unabrasive but lacking in real range and power, which was only evident on the final notes of the songs.
I will give her this - no real jazz singer is even awake at 3 in the afternoon, let alone performing. And she looked great in a cool green patterned silk dress. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon.
After the show, I went inside and caught some of the "masterpieces" they are featuring as they close the museum for seven years. Maybe it was that the paintings were out of context, not being in the usual galleries, but I swear I have never seen two before which I loved: Dora Wheeler, by William Merritt Chase and Woman in the Waves by Gauguin, an artist I usually don't care for. Then they had the good taste to feature one of my all-time favorite works, Twilight in the Wilderness by Frederic Edwin Church. Simply astounding. It was nice to see the Hopper, Hills, South Truro, again. They also had the ubiquitous Stag at Sharkeys by Bellows and Eakin's The Biglin Brothers up.
But, the most mesmerizing painting of all was Dali's The Dream from1931. He has to be the best technical painter of all time. When you actually see one of his works, you are humbled by the delicacy of his brushstrokes and intricacy of the detail, and by the incredible vibrancy and intensity of his colors. I have never seen a reproduction anywhere that does his paintings justice. I couldn't tear myself away from this one.
Upstairs at the NEO show, there were many works I was quite taken with. The three standouts for me were James Seward's amazing enormous portrait of his father, an incredible construction of oak and sandstone by Palli Davene Davis and a huge, gorgeous watercolor by Mary Lou Ferbert. Honorable mention must go to Eva Kwong's wall of light blue ceramic tears which I was moved by, and the exquisite portrait of a pelican by photographer Steve Cagan.
Next door to that was the Michaël Borremans exhibit, which I was looking forward to simply based on the title: Hallucinations and Reality. I was expecting big paintings, and I'm not sure why. His works are very intricate, detailed, and disturbing in subject matter - almost creepy. They are executed on scraps of paper and cardboard, and definitely refer to a rich inner life of the artist. Most are "annotated" with indecipherable pencil scribblings and other notations. The works seem to be a window into a private landscape.
Driving home late in the evening, the sun was setting, and the sky looked exactly like the sky in Church's painting. It was fantastic.
I stopped in to the new Indian restaurant that just opened near my home, Raj Mahal. The interior decor was very pleasing, and the service impeccable. I continue on my quest for the perfect vindaloo - this one was served with tiny pearl onions, something I have never encountered before. The naan was very, very good. I wanted kheer for dessert and they were out - my only disappointment for the day.
It was a great start to my weekend. Outstanding.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Losing Two Bets In One Day
Beauregard Van Horn is fifty cents richer today, due to my hubris.
We were having a lovely conversation about "Our World" with Linda Ellerbee, and James Burkes' The Day The Universe Changed, when ol' Beau bet me that it was William Tecumseh Sherman who said," If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve."
Now, I was sure that I had just read that quote and it wasn't from Sherman. WRONG. It certainly was.
THEN, talking about the Red Hook Brewery in Seattle, Beau mentioned he liked the "bitter" brew - which I told him was Ballard Bitter - ya sure you betcha - and he said no.
Seems I forgot about ESB - the Extra Special Bitter, which just happens to be my BC's fav beverage of choice, and the beer loathed by my little pal, Duncan.
A devastating loss. I'll get you yet, Beauregard Van Horn. You wait and see...
We were having a lovely conversation about "Our World" with Linda Ellerbee, and James Burkes' The Day The Universe Changed, when ol' Beau bet me that it was William Tecumseh Sherman who said," If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve."
Now, I was sure that I had just read that quote and it wasn't from Sherman. WRONG. It certainly was.
THEN, talking about the Red Hook Brewery in Seattle, Beau mentioned he liked the "bitter" brew - which I told him was Ballard Bitter - ya sure you betcha - and he said no.
Seems I forgot about ESB - the Extra Special Bitter, which just happens to be my BC's fav beverage of choice, and the beer loathed by my little pal, Duncan.
A devastating loss. I'll get you yet, Beauregard Van Horn. You wait and see...
Friday, August 26, 2005
The Intentionally Vague Post
Your Captain St. L is blessed with an excellent constitution, and has been to the hospital but thrice (twice for childhood-incurred bleeding wounds and once for the Unfortunate Incident in PDX) in four decades.
So, I was having a mild health crisis and it made me fairly concerned and also strangely embarrassed. I figured the truth of the situation lay in one of three choices:
1. It was something really bad, requiring certain surgery
2. It was something that was at least going to require the assistance of a medical professional
3. It would go away if I just ignored it.
Being an absolute Taurus, I chose, of course, to suffer in silence and ignore it.
However, I then decided to swallow my considerable pride and reach out to a trusted friend ( you know who you are) who not only confirmed my own diagnosis, said friend eased my mind with his own experiences of the same complaint...and gave me helpful tips on dealing with it. These tips combined with the fortuitous fact of kneeling too long at work at hurting my knee requiring popping a few Advil, seem to have eradicated my medical trauma.
I am only bringing this up because I was struck by the power of a friend that you can trust - even with seemingly embarrassing, personal terrors.
All's well that end's well.
So, I was having a mild health crisis and it made me fairly concerned and also strangely embarrassed. I figured the truth of the situation lay in one of three choices:
1. It was something really bad, requiring certain surgery
2. It was something that was at least going to require the assistance of a medical professional
3. It would go away if I just ignored it.
Being an absolute Taurus, I chose, of course, to suffer in silence and ignore it.
However, I then decided to swallow my considerable pride and reach out to a trusted friend ( you know who you are) who not only confirmed my own diagnosis, said friend eased my mind with his own experiences of the same complaint...and gave me helpful tips on dealing with it. These tips combined with the fortuitous fact of kneeling too long at work at hurting my knee requiring popping a few Advil, seem to have eradicated my medical trauma.
I am only bringing this up because I was struck by the power of a friend that you can trust - even with seemingly embarrassing, personal terrors.
All's well that end's well.
Winter Preparations
I thought I deserved a little micro-vacation today since I was scheduled to leave work around 11 pm, drive one hour home, and then driving back to work for my 6 am shift.
It occurred to me that I could just spend the night in the hotel across the street, introducing myself to the staff and checking it all out before the winter storm season is upon us and I end up spending several nights there as my home away from home. This little plan would also give me two extra hours of sleeping time - a very precious commodity.
The indoor pool and sauna are great, there is a business center, the shower was fine, and the king bed was agreeable. The other amenities were less than deluxe, but then, so was the special "neighbor" discount they offered me.
This bodes well for the holiday season...
It occurred to me that I could just spend the night in the hotel across the street, introducing myself to the staff and checking it all out before the winter storm season is upon us and I end up spending several nights there as my home away from home. This little plan would also give me two extra hours of sleeping time - a very precious commodity.
The indoor pool and sauna are great, there is a business center, the shower was fine, and the king bed was agreeable. The other amenities were less than deluxe, but then, so was the special "neighbor" discount they offered me.
This bodes well for the holiday season...
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Add It To Your Wishlist
The synchronicity of recurring themes pleased me so.
So, with the recent topic of penguins (March of the Penguins and MFJ's subsequent Burgess Meredith rant) I present from the fine folks at Amazon.com:
The Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection: More than 1000 of the Greatest Classics
List Price: $13,315.84
Your Low Low Price: $7,989.50 FREE SHIPPING
You Save: $5,326.34 (40%)
I gotta tell ya, anything that is 40% off is a tempting deal - and free shipping to boot!
Go ahead, put it on your wishlist. See how much Santa likes you. And how much the UPS man hates you (approximate weight is 700 pounds).
So, with the recent topic of penguins (March of the Penguins and MFJ's subsequent Burgess Meredith rant) I present from the fine folks at Amazon.com:
The Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection: More than 1000 of the Greatest Classics
List Price: $13,315.84
Your Low Low Price: $7,989.50 FREE SHIPPING
You Save: $5,326.34 (40%)
I gotta tell ya, anything that is 40% off is a tempting deal - and free shipping to boot!
Go ahead, put it on your wishlist. See how much Santa likes you. And how much the UPS man hates you (approximate weight is 700 pounds).
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The Post of Inside Jokes
We all know weather reports are more or less useless exercises in prophecy, so I say, let's call a spade a spade.
Go here and click the top left button - DAILY WEATHER REPORT.
It takes 1-2 minutes for buffering. Which leads me to ask - how much is it without buffering?
Go here and click the top left button - DAILY WEATHER REPORT.
It takes 1-2 minutes for buffering. Which leads me to ask - how much is it without buffering?
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
New Music Tuesday - Where Have You Been, Rita Coolidge?
Ah, those long ago days when one's wishes were simple. In 1977, the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas was a copy of Rita Coolidge's Anytime, Anywhere LP. In fact, I was so adamant about it, that I told EVERYONE. And one of my life's mottos was proven to be true: persistence pays off...I received four copies of the thing. So that may have been overkill, but it was and remains an extraordinary piece of music.
So, Ms. Coolidge has come through yet again with an absolutely killer jazz/torch song CD called And So Is Love. And I loved this immediately. It is impeccably produced, her voice is just smoky enough for me, clear and rich. The arrangements are sublime and all in all, this one is in the running for best CD of the year in my book.
Rita covers one of my favorite tunes, one filled with great meaning for me, I Thought About You, and she does a wonderful Come Rain or Come Shine, Cry Me A River, and a truly lovely bossa nova Estaté, featuring guest artist Herb Alpert.
Thank you again, Rita, for a memorable listening experience.
So, Ms. Coolidge has come through yet again with an absolutely killer jazz/torch song CD called And So Is Love. And I loved this immediately. It is impeccably produced, her voice is just smoky enough for me, clear and rich. The arrangements are sublime and all in all, this one is in the running for best CD of the year in my book.
Rita covers one of my favorite tunes, one filled with great meaning for me, I Thought About You, and she does a wonderful Come Rain or Come Shine, Cry Me A River, and a truly lovely bossa nova Estaté, featuring guest artist Herb Alpert.
Thank you again, Rita, for a memorable listening experience.
Monday, August 22, 2005
One For The Bobster
I picked a great little gem of a film called The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. It is a send-up of the great science-fiction monster movies of the 50's.
The film follows Dr. Paul Armstrong, who just wants to do science, and his girlfriend, Betty, as they track a fallen meteor out in the wilderness. They are searching for the elusive "atmospherium"... and along the way meet an Evil Scientist who also needs atmospherium to awaken the lost skeleton, and two aliens and their pet mutant.
The dialogue is absolutely perfect. Director and star Larry Blamire has parodied the genre perfectly. (Example: "Betty, you know what this meteor could mean for science? It could mean actual advances in the field of science!")
Viewers are treated to a real-live sex-kitten, Animalia, a dancing black-velvet cat-suited vixen created from four forest creatures by the evil Dr. Fleming.
But the star of the film is the Lost Skeleton. The Skeleton is imperious, snitty, insulting, rude and hilarious (and might I suggest, simply a bitchy queen).
Then there is the mutant....oooh, scary.
The film is shot in glorious black and white with the "new miracle of skeletoscope" in California's Bronson Canyon, and everything you see looks strangely familiar, if you have watched too many episodes of MST3K (as I have).
I liked this movie even more the second time I watched it. The first time I think I was expecting more obvious humor, but I really appreciated the love and care that went into the making of the film. And, I know I'm being redundant, the dialogue just got so funny the second time around...
I gotta go do some science now...
The film follows Dr. Paul Armstrong, who just wants to do science, and his girlfriend, Betty, as they track a fallen meteor out in the wilderness. They are searching for the elusive "atmospherium"... and along the way meet an Evil Scientist who also needs atmospherium to awaken the lost skeleton, and two aliens and their pet mutant.
The dialogue is absolutely perfect. Director and star Larry Blamire has parodied the genre perfectly. (Example: "Betty, you know what this meteor could mean for science? It could mean actual advances in the field of science!")
Viewers are treated to a real-live sex-kitten, Animalia, a dancing black-velvet cat-suited vixen created from four forest creatures by the evil Dr. Fleming.
But the star of the film is the Lost Skeleton. The Skeleton is imperious, snitty, insulting, rude and hilarious (and might I suggest, simply a bitchy queen).
Then there is the mutant....oooh, scary.
The film is shot in glorious black and white with the "new miracle of skeletoscope" in California's Bronson Canyon, and everything you see looks strangely familiar, if you have watched too many episodes of MST3K (as I have).
I liked this movie even more the second time I watched it. The first time I think I was expecting more obvious humor, but I really appreciated the love and care that went into the making of the film. And, I know I'm being redundant, the dialogue just got so funny the second time around...
I gotta go do some science now...
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
New Music Tuesday - Rockabilly and Blues
I love Margo Timmins. I got to see her in a very intimate setting (Music Millennium in Portland) awhile ago, and not only does she have a wonderful voice, she is one of the coolest people around.
So I rushed out to get the Cowboy Junkies new one, Early 20th Century Blues, and it has immediately won a place in my heart. It, for the most part, is very simple with little production. It makes one think of the masterpiece, the Trinity Sessions. My favorite track, at first listen, is This World Dreams Of which is a little Angelo Badalamenti meets Holly Cole during the Trinity Sessions. A very good release.
The second CD today is the new one from Mr. Brian Setzer, whom I adore. This one, Rockabilly Riot, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Sun Records , is done very simply, with just Brian on guitar, and a trio of piano, drums and bass. The best track I think, is Johnny Cashs' Get Rhythm. Being a stickler for production details, I was thrilled to see that Setzer used recording techniques from the 50s: vintage microphones, and even a rusty old water cistern for reverb. A few of these songs are familiar, but most are rare, and some have never been recorded before, so it makes for an interesting listen.
I love Brian's voice, his playing and his sense of fun. I wasn't disappointed.
So I rushed out to get the Cowboy Junkies new one, Early 20th Century Blues, and it has immediately won a place in my heart. It, for the most part, is very simple with little production. It makes one think of the masterpiece, the Trinity Sessions. My favorite track, at first listen, is This World Dreams Of which is a little Angelo Badalamenti meets Holly Cole during the Trinity Sessions. A very good release.
The second CD today is the new one from Mr. Brian Setzer, whom I adore. This one, Rockabilly Riot, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Sun Records , is done very simply, with just Brian on guitar, and a trio of piano, drums and bass. The best track I think, is Johnny Cashs' Get Rhythm. Being a stickler for production details, I was thrilled to see that Setzer used recording techniques from the 50s: vintage microphones, and even a rusty old water cistern for reverb. A few of these songs are familiar, but most are rare, and some have never been recorded before, so it makes for an interesting listen.
I love Brian's voice, his playing and his sense of fun. I wasn't disappointed.
Happy Birthday to the Phantom
I believe the day starts out with the Beatles singing "Today's your birthday..." very loudly from the alarm clock/ CD player on the bedside table...that is, unless you are not at home and are off to some lavish resort in Napa...
Lobster is definitely on the menu for dinner, and good music is in the air. Some presents to unwrap follow.
Dessert is taken care of...
Lobster is definitely on the menu for dinner, and good music is in the air. Some presents to unwrap follow.
Dessert is taken care of...
Monday, August 15, 2005
A Visit With The Penpal!
What a lovely afternoon was spent in the company of my West Coast Penpal.
Not only was it great to see her, she brought with her some welcome cool weather!
We spent about 5 or 6 hours mostly just sitting around, drinking coffee and talking, all you could really want from a visit.
It was terrific to be together again. And even though you are a great Penpal, you make an excellent "In-Person Pal", too.
Not only was it great to see her, she brought with her some welcome cool weather!
We spent about 5 or 6 hours mostly just sitting around, drinking coffee and talking, all you could really want from a visit.
It was terrific to be together again. And even though you are a great Penpal, you make an excellent "In-Person Pal", too.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Happy Birthday To You, Femmebot!
What a year it has been for you.
I hope you are able to make it out this way again soon.
At any rate, I am sure up for some pra ram. Any excuse is a good excuse in my book.
And mostly I hope that this year does not start out with finding a floating corpse in the river...
I hope you are able to make it out this way again soon.
At any rate, I am sure up for some pra ram. Any excuse is a good excuse in my book.
And mostly I hope that this year does not start out with finding a floating corpse in the river...
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
New Music Tuesday - From the Stacks of Hollywood Stafford
Well, Ol' Hollywood hooked me up with two choice CD's.
The first one is The California Guitar Trio: CG3 + 2. This is a very cool CD, but here is a call-out to Brokenbrush, and any one else who has a VERY expensive audio system with tube amplifiers and thousand dollar per foot speaker cable... WATCH THE BASS! There is a LOT of it on this disc. My fav track is Melrose Avenue, the disc opener. Skyline and Dancing Anne are great as well, and Zundoko-bushi, a Japanese traditional tune is like a soundtrack to the 60's Batman show, which made me immediately get out my neglected Aquavelvets CD, Guitar Noir, a give that a little love.
CD #2 was a 2 disc "chill" set called Later. There are many excellent tracks on here, and if I weren't so persnickety, I'd probably just put the discs in a let them play. That's how well it works. But me being me, I have to copy some tracks and re-arrange them. Oh well, it keeps me out of trouble...
The first one is The California Guitar Trio: CG3 + 2. This is a very cool CD, but here is a call-out to Brokenbrush, and any one else who has a VERY expensive audio system with tube amplifiers and thousand dollar per foot speaker cable... WATCH THE BASS! There is a LOT of it on this disc. My fav track is Melrose Avenue, the disc opener. Skyline and Dancing Anne are great as well, and Zundoko-bushi, a Japanese traditional tune is like a soundtrack to the 60's Batman show, which made me immediately get out my neglected Aquavelvets CD, Guitar Noir, a give that a little love.
CD #2 was a 2 disc "chill" set called Later. There are many excellent tracks on here, and if I weren't so persnickety, I'd probably just put the discs in a let them play. That's how well it works. But me being me, I have to copy some tracks and re-arrange them. Oh well, it keeps me out of trouble...
CaptainStLucifer Turns One!
Happy Anniversary!
On the occasion of my one year blogging anniversary, I want to take this opportunity to thank the folks in my life.
First of all, MyFriendJason, who got me started on this year-long obsession. You rock.
And my very first Faithful Reader, MyAdoringPublic. Who is cooler than you?
To my first post from a stranger, thank you Ivy.
To old friends (Penpal, BC, Wayne, Heather, FemmeBot, J, the Dark Lord and his Consort, Mean Customer, Uncle Jebb) and new (Hollywood Stafford, Kitty Griffing, Zeke New Buffalo)
To the welcome recent corporeality of The Phantom.
And to all unknown visitors - thanks for reading.
I look forward to this year with great optimism and excitement. Thanks again!
On the occasion of my one year blogging anniversary, I want to take this opportunity to thank the folks in my life.
First of all, MyFriendJason, who got me started on this year-long obsession. You rock.
And my very first Faithful Reader, MyAdoringPublic. Who is cooler than you?
To my first post from a stranger, thank you Ivy.
To old friends (Penpal, BC, Wayne, Heather, FemmeBot, J, the Dark Lord and his Consort, Mean Customer, Uncle Jebb) and new (Hollywood Stafford, Kitty Griffing, Zeke New Buffalo)
To the welcome recent corporeality of The Phantom.
And to all unknown visitors - thanks for reading.
I look forward to this year with great optimism and excitement. Thanks again!
Friday, August 05, 2005
You Are What You Eat
If you are to be installed as the Archbishop of York, well, you know you gotta throw a party.
And while this is not likely to happen to me, it might happen to YOU.
So I now present the grocery list from George Neville's installation in 1465:
Amongst many other items, there were -
1,000 sheep, 7,000 capons, 1,000 egrets, 400 peacocks and 103 cold venison pasties.
All together there were 42,833 items of meat and poultry served, with a dozen porpoises and seals thrown in to prevent palate fatigue.
Start cooking now.
And while this is not likely to happen to me, it might happen to YOU.
So I now present the grocery list from George Neville's installation in 1465:
Amongst many other items, there were -
1,000 sheep, 7,000 capons, 1,000 egrets, 400 peacocks and 103 cold venison pasties.
All together there were 42,833 items of meat and poultry served, with a dozen porpoises and seals thrown in to prevent palate fatigue.
Start cooking now.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
And I Don't Live In Vermont,Why?
This just figures.
Those lucky folks in Montpelier, Vermont got a new chocolatier (shades of "Chocolat", no?) and not only was the day gastronomically sweet, it must have been sweet on the eyes as well, because who was clerking behind the counter on opening day?
None other than Mrs. Jesse James - Sandra Bullock.
I could have given up Starbuck's for a taste of Sandra's macaroons.
Those lucky folks in Montpelier, Vermont got a new chocolatier (shades of "Chocolat", no?) and not only was the day gastronomically sweet, it must have been sweet on the eyes as well, because who was clerking behind the counter on opening day?
None other than Mrs. Jesse James - Sandra Bullock.
I could have given up Starbuck's for a taste of Sandra's macaroons.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
For the Birds
1. As I was walking over to get a bagel and egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast on my "lunch" break at 9 am this morning, I saw a guy taking pictures of a store front. I walked up to him and asked him what he was shooting with, then instantly saw the flash of yellow on his neckstrap...
Yes, he was shooting with a Nikon D70, the very camera the CStL is saving up for! Not only did he let me hold it, and shoot a shot or two, he spent a long time telling me how very pleased he was with it...an excellent product review. So, as he was showing me how easy it was to delete crappy pix, he was flipping thru the images , and showed me some great shots of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus)he took in a barn...he zoomed way in on the eye of one, said, "Look how blurry the eye is...bang! It's gone." Funny, nice guy.
2. Driving home from work, I wished I had his D70 with me...there on the on ramp to the highway was a dove sitting on a barbed wire fence. Yes, I am sure it is trite story, but it was pretty beautiful.
Yes, he was shooting with a Nikon D70, the very camera the CStL is saving up for! Not only did he let me hold it, and shoot a shot or two, he spent a long time telling me how very pleased he was with it...an excellent product review. So, as he was showing me how easy it was to delete crappy pix, he was flipping thru the images , and showed me some great shots of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus)he took in a barn...he zoomed way in on the eye of one, said, "Look how blurry the eye is...bang! It's gone." Funny, nice guy.
2. Driving home from work, I wished I had his D70 with me...there on the on ramp to the highway was a dove sitting on a barbed wire fence. Yes, I am sure it is trite story, but it was pretty beautiful.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
New Music Tuesday - Adriana Evans
Well, I can't tell you how much I hate not being "in the know". So, imagine my displeasure at discovering that the fabulous Mary Stallings has a daughter who is also a vocalist, and released a self-titled album in 1997. Upon hipping up to this, I placed an order for the CD and anxiously awaited its arrival, and oh, I was not disappointed.
This is a great CD from beginning to end, one of the very few that you can sit through although I have to admit to getting a bit squirmy by the end...I'd probably chop off the last two tracks...but that's me.
Adriana shys away from her mothers forte of torchy jazz standards, and forges ground in neo-classic soul, with real honest-to-god- strings and horns. She sets a great steamy groove and has some impeccable pipes.
Oh, yes, we like this one.
This is a great CD from beginning to end, one of the very few that you can sit through although I have to admit to getting a bit squirmy by the end...I'd probably chop off the last two tracks...but that's me.
Adriana shys away from her mothers forte of torchy jazz standards, and forges ground in neo-classic soul, with real honest-to-god- strings and horns. She sets a great steamy groove and has some impeccable pipes.
Oh, yes, we like this one.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Triumvirate of Oddities
A couple of days ago my Penpal told me about a book that sounded so like me, so appealing to me that I literally went right out and bought it, without even flipping through it. I started it last night after work, and finished it this morning. What an excellent little diversion.
I was completely gone, hooked by the first sentence:
One night last summer, all the killers in my head assembled on a stage in Massachusetts to sing show tunes.
The book is Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation. In it, Sarah takes several road trips visiting sites associated with the assassinations of three presidents: Lincoln, McKinley and Garfield. I learned quite a bit from it, but this is not all dry history and politics. Vowell is hilarious. And getting the scoop on Robert Todd Lincoln (not to ruin your enjoyment, but he was at all three assassinations....oooh, eerie, no? She coins him "Jinxy McDeath") is worth the price of the book. You should check it out. Really.
Then I came home and watched a good little film, The Station Agent, which starred three great actors (keeping with the triumvirate theme today) Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale and most especially, the always marvelous, Patricia Clarkson. This is a film about one man's seach for solitude, to be alone, and how he comes undone by the human desire for companionship. the characters are likeable in their flaws, and my only complaints about the film are that I don't have any interest in trains and the ending came too soon.
And finally, today is Herman Melville's birthday. On my last day of work at the old store, my manager and assistant manager took me out, and spent an hour and a half talking about fishing, working on fishing boats in California, and my manager's favorite novel Moby-Dick .
To celebrate Melville's birthday, NPR repeated this quote from Moby-Dick:
Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian
I don't know if it's true, but I sure think it's funny. Oh, and Melville also makes a cameo in Vowell's book...
I was completely gone, hooked by the first sentence:
One night last summer, all the killers in my head assembled on a stage in Massachusetts to sing show tunes.
The book is Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation. In it, Sarah takes several road trips visiting sites associated with the assassinations of three presidents: Lincoln, McKinley and Garfield. I learned quite a bit from it, but this is not all dry history and politics. Vowell is hilarious. And getting the scoop on Robert Todd Lincoln (not to ruin your enjoyment, but he was at all three assassinations....oooh, eerie, no? She coins him "Jinxy McDeath") is worth the price of the book. You should check it out. Really.
Then I came home and watched a good little film, The Station Agent, which starred three great actors (keeping with the triumvirate theme today) Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale and most especially, the always marvelous, Patricia Clarkson. This is a film about one man's seach for solitude, to be alone, and how he comes undone by the human desire for companionship. the characters are likeable in their flaws, and my only complaints about the film are that I don't have any interest in trains and the ending came too soon.
And finally, today is Herman Melville's birthday. On my last day of work at the old store, my manager and assistant manager took me out, and spent an hour and a half talking about fishing, working on fishing boats in California, and my manager's favorite novel Moby-Dick .
To celebrate Melville's birthday, NPR repeated this quote from Moby-Dick:
Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian
I don't know if it's true, but I sure think it's funny. Oh, and Melville also makes a cameo in Vowell's book...
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