vol. 58

car thief...
i read this article in yesterday's NY Times Magazine about a woman's fight with her father to get him to stop driving as he continued to age -- pretty much to no avail... it got me to thinking about my papap's driving and how he just didn't want to give it up (until he went in to the home and had to...) now, i'm the first to moan and groan about old people driving and the need to have a re-test for drivers over, let's say 65 -- and while this article certainly softened my stance on it some, i still feel this testing is necessary... there's not a doubt in my mind that i'm filled with road rage, and it never fails that these senior citizens are on the roads ready to cash their government checks or to their 4 pm dinner at Hoss's at the same time i'm trying to get... anywhere - but it definitely makes you think...

as did hearing about Lydia Kepple, the grandmother of some students i've had in class or coached - she passed away last week at 109 -- let that sink in -- 109 -- she was born in 1900 -- just think of all the things she experienced in her lifetime -- cars, radio, tv, airplanes, kennedy being shot (she was in her 60s when that happened...), computers, cell phones, etc. -- she lived through WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam, Persian Gulf Wars I and II -- the Great Depression... it's just unfathomable to think of all the things she saw in her life, and from what the kids have said, she was very active until about a year ago, when she moved in to Redstone Highlands -- she had 13 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren -- amazing -- she was 92 years old when mike, the oldest of the kids i've coached, was born...

so if i make it to 109, it will be 2080 -- scary to think of all the things that could happen in between now and then...

vol. 57

the day after...
if you've ever coached anything, this post might make more sense to you... if not, well...

so our cross country season ended last night - nobody qualified for the state meet from our team - we thought we had one who could make (in fact, he probably should have made it, but it just didn't happen) but the season's over now and a lull sets in for me - there's a part of me that says, probably more than a few times during a season, that i can't wait for it to be over - honestly, i don't know that this has ever been completely true - i hate that it's over - i hate that i don't have something definitive to do after school for the next couple weeks until the next season starts - i hate that kids didn't reach their goals and that i may have failed them (this year more than others due to an issue that was beyond my control) - we've worked with these kids since mid June - and, for the most part, they've done a ton of work to get better - until you've coached a kid for six years, i don't know that you can understand what it's like to see that career end and wish that it could just keep going on... that she could have chapel hill to run this week...

i don't want to go home after school today - i want my cross country season to continue...

vol 56...

remembering...
i think it's unbelievably interesting how we remember things -- what we remember from an event as well as how two people may remember how things happened in a completely different way -- i'm not talking about when a person is under stress, such as when witnessing a crime -- i'm talking about something completely different, i think...

my 20th high school reunion was a couple weeks ago and that in itself is a truly surreal experience - but i had the opportunity to visit with some great friends i haven't seen for quite some time - or for at least the 5 years since our last reunion... it's amazing the things we remember from such a long time ago -- the big things, the little things -- everything... when you're at a reunion, conversation can't help but be steered toward things that happened when we were much younger, and in many cases very different (i know that i was a very different person then than i am now...) but it's amazing how many times i was speaking with somebody and we just remembered things completely differently...

i had the chance to speak with an old friend about going to an rem concert - i certainly always remember having gone to this show -- it was a great one -- 10,000 maniacs opened, we went with sue diebold and maria frendy (two girls who were definitely out of my league) and i had to go through this unbelievable process in order to even get to the show, as i wasn't allowed to go...lies about where i was were told and i made it back just before curfew...it was an awesome show -- but this is where it got interesting...

joe small and i were talking about it after the reunion and i had completely forgotten about the fact that we had actually snuck down on to the floor before rem started their set -- as soon as joe reminded me of this, i remembered it clearly -- but what is so weird to me is that until we started talking about this, i had completely forgotten this aspect -- when i thought about the show i remembered all that other stuff i mentioned, but just thought we sat in our cheap seats up high (from where we watched 10,000 maniacs) -- and i had completely forgotten about the jerk who threw the bottle that went flying right past michael stipe's head...

so i think about seeing ray lamontagne at the meyerhoff symphony with my brother tony and beck -- i think about how we moved up and got great terrace seats -- and i think about how i again saw him absolutely kill henry nearly killed me -- and i wonder if this is what tony and beck are going to remember about this show in 20 years... or if they're going to forget that we moved down to these seats... i guess i just wonder what it is that they're going to remember when we sit down 20 years from now and think back...

vol. 55

can't even begin to explain the gamut of emotions that i've been through today...

rough morning only exacerbated by running late - yes, i just used exacerbated...

got two emails from former students/athletes thanking me for helping them get through the start of their collegiate careers (it doesn't get any better than that)

dealt with more and more idiotic parents/students as we try to get all the senior pics in - without a doubt this is my least favorite week of the year, simply because of the ineptitude (yes, ineptitude) of others who simply refuse to follow instructions or think the rules don't apply to them -- i'd love to punch whoever is in charge of the photo studio at jcpenney, especially...

got a lot of papers graded while listening to chris brown's forever on repeat - yeah, go ahead and get your chuckles - and i know i'm way late to this song's "game," but i just can't get it out of my head...it's a very good song on many, many levels...and i just noticed that that video has been viewed over 53 million times - wow - my guess is that the ad space being placed on that is at a premium

got more work done while watching the west wing -- i've gone on and on about just how good that show was -- and i got the chance to catch up on 3 tremendous episodes -- the last one had me in tears, however -- toby's brother passed away and his life is just falling apart -- aaron sorkin knows how to tell a tale like few others...

as i've said many times, i'm fascinated by how we interpret the things we see/hear, etc. - and this listing for the episode of which i speak, entitled drought conditions, barely even addresses what the entire episode was really about in my eyes... only furthers my ideas concerning just how different perspectives and different moods can alter how we see/hear what we see/hear...

vol. 54

randoms...
yes, i know, it's been way too long...and i'd like to tell you i have a legitimate excuse for this, but that wouldn't be completely true... i do know this, though - i could go for some of that pizza pictured to the side right now...

time...
i know that i've addressed this before, but i have a serious problem with my internal clock - i ALWAYS feel like i'm in a hurry - this morning i just couldn't get out of bed - woke up at 5 (normal time) and did my typical routine (read the paper online, caught up on news and emails, etc.) but i just didn't want to get out of bed - now, keep in mind, when all was said and done, i was about 10 minutes behind where i normally would be - yet felt like i was unbelievably late - people at starbucks annoyed me because they were taking too much time, making me even later - some idiot driver on north greengate road stalled me out even more - and then, as i pulled in to school, expecting that all of the parking spots would be taken, i saw that i was still unbelievably early compared to everyone else - as in nobody else was even here yet early... yet i still felt panicked and behind... i've tried very hard over the last year to slow things down, to take my time, but i still have difficulty with these inner feelings of always being behind...

lamontagne (take two)...
i wrote about ray lamontagne's performance at the palace theatre in greensburg on an earlier post - and i've gone on and on about how much i've connected to his music -- to the point that crider pretty much wants to kill me -- but you'll have this -- i had the opportunity to see lamontagne this past friday in baltimore at the meyerhoff symphony hall with the baltimore symphony backing him up -- as much as i enjoyed the show at the palace, it was nothing compared to this - first off, the sound quality was just incredible (i know, fancy that in a symphony hall) -- secondly, we ended up with great seats due to being sly and beck figuring out a way to get us into terraced seats on the side (see pic) -- this only added to the experience -- by no means was i expecting it, but i got another set list (2 for 2) as for the music itself, he opened with be here now and this showed right off the bat just how great the show with the symphony would be -- i've been really hooked on let it be me lately, and, while he played it, i didn't really like his vocal arrangement on it that much (it was the only thing i was a little disappointed with out of the whole experience) i would say the highlight, again, was his version of henry nearly killed me -- you just have to see it...
some links from friday's show:
let it be me
henry nearly killed me (wish that you could see the drummer more in this)
be here now (this is what he led the show with, it's from the night before and not a great video but the sound is good)
empty

vol. 53

yeah, it's been a long time... honestly, don't know that i really feel like i had anything to say... just got back from a great week in nyc/hoboken visiting nick... i love that i've been there enough that i can do the things that i want to do with no real problems - don't get me wrong, there were times i got lost or turned around for a little bit, but for the most part it's a great time for me to do the things i like... and, truth be told, while i know how hectic the city can be, it's truly gotten to the point for me that it's relaxing -- i know that may seem backward to many, but to me, there aren't many things better than walking through the back streets of soho or greenwich village... had a great time running the jukebox at broome street and watching the traffic cops get those who were blocking the box -- yeah, not the typical trip to nyc that many people would be doing -- no more times square for this guy... so what did i do on my trip, you ask? (well, you were about to ask...)

• ate... man did i eat some great food -- a fiore's sandwich, excellent mexican, a tremendous sausage panini, bananas foster waffles, ham and gruyere at balthazar, nick's chicken creation, and, of course, pizza... grimaldi's was well worth the trip, but i think my favorite find of the trip was la pizza fresca... found out about this place in new york magazine (it's number 9 on their list) -- and they were right on -- the pepperoni was cooked perfectly, the buffalo mozzarella was excellent, the sauce was unbelievable, and that's not usually something that matters to me that much, and the crust was just beyond words -- i will be going back to this place for sure...
• walked and wandered... by no means am i in shape right now, but you have no concept of what it's like to truly walk until you do so in nyc - i really don't think that i'm exaggerating when i say that i had to have walked at least 20 miles over the week i was there -- what i really enjoy is not having a major plan on a trip like this - i had a few definites: grimaldi's and the guggenheim -- but beyond these two things, i was pretty free...
  
• all points west...things were delayed a bit for us due to the weather, but we knew what we were getting in to... the mud was just unbelievable -- you had to be there on sunday to truly understand... liked what i heard of hey champ, we are scientists and elbow...will definitely be listening to them some more... i was really excited to see echo and the bunnymen -- have loved them since first hearing lips like sugar... but i was definitely disappointed in them - they sounded okay through most of their set, and actually sounded pretty good at times, but ian mccullough was just an ass and it came through in his performance...and then there was coldplay... it's truly hard to explain what a coldplay show is like - but i think one word comes close: energetic...say what you will about their music - it's soft, weak, whatever... once you see them live, you'll come around -- they truly, truly put on a strong show...
• spent time with nick and friends...he's really establishing himself with some great friends who are great people... loved to see this...

well, it's good to be back, i guess... i have some more in me that i'll try to get on this week...

vol. 52

it's amazing how seeing people you haven't seen for quite some time really jog memories you have of another person -- been thinking about you all day, kevin...

vol. 51

wow... just, wow -- i got this thing going with a full head of steam -- 50 posts like it was nothing and now it's sat idle for over a month -- that's embarrassing, actually... so what has happened in the meantime, you ask? well, nothing... and a lot...

• the pens are kicking butt and taking names -- i'm going to go back to a comment higg made right before march madness that went a little something like this: the steelers won the super bowl, pitt's going to win the ncaa championship, the pens will win the stanley cup and the pirates, well, the pirates might finish at .500 -- i guess he's looking at 50% on that...
• i got involved in facebook -- hit it hard at the start, but my interest is definitely waning -- i guess i can see why people are/were so into it, there's no doubt that it makes communicating with people an easier task, especially those from your past, but i think i'm just about done...
• instead, i'm now all over twitter -- at first i hated it -- didn't really understand it, to be honest -- but with some help from friends, i'm getting it -- tweetdeck is great and twitterific on the iphone is pretty darn cool also...
  
• i'm really amazed at how people (especially those in blog land) have taken to the word snarky... with pride, that is...
  
• i just caught the last 30 minutes of the shawshank redemption on encore -- it's restored my faith in humanity, i guess -- i love watching morgan freeman's last, drawn out search for tim robbins -- the scenery, the music (i think this was probably my first taste of thomas newman's brilliant work) ... "remember red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you and finds you well..."
• this is a cool time of year to be a teacher -- the year's almost done, and with that comes the former students who come back to visit -- it's a rewarding tihng, let me tell you...
  
• i've found that there are few things better than catching up with old friends and having a few over some great memories...

get busy living or get busy dying...

vol. 50

i've been around the world and found
that only stupid people are breeding...
-- harvey danger, flagpole sitta

i honestly can't say as that line is directed toward anybody -- i just always find it to be amusing when i hear it --

so i found a list of the 100 most iconic internet videos (not sure if it was from just last year or throughout the entire history of the civilized world, or at least the civilized world since the internet was created...) you can find this list here... entering that list at number 96 is this offering from a group of workers that has become known as a lip dub -- they did this all in one take to the song flagpole sitta by harvey danger (yes, i know, definitely a one hit wonder...) it's a great idea and i'm sure it will spawn a ton of imitations (or it already has -- actually, now that i look at that list in a little more detail, there are definitely things on there that were created prior to this year...)

at any rate -- go here to see the lip dub... great, creative idea...

vol. 49

You can't navigate me. I might do mean things, and I might hurt you, and I might run away without your permission, and you might hate me forever, and I know that that scares the living shit out of you 'cause you know I'm the only real thing that you have...
-- Reality Bites (as said by Ethan Hawke...)

I have this planet of regret sitting on my shoulders...
-- Reality Bites (as said by Ethan Hawke...)

so i'm sitting around today waiting for the festivities to begin...

just got done mowing the grass and sat down to blow a couple minutes -- and found reality bites on... it's truly difficult for me to fathom the fact that this movie came out 15 years ago... i haven't seen this in i don't know how many years and it just really took me back... 15 freaking years...

anyway...

there's a scene in this that is one of my all time favorites -- all i could find was this youtube clip -- and i'm not really sure that it will make sense to you if you haven't seen the movie -- but it just killed me today when i watched the movie again... ethan hawke's character has disappeared and winona ryder doesn't know what's going on... and this is what ensues... i truly don't know that a song has ever been placed better, even though the cut the song down from its original, which can be found here -- my brothers will understand why this video absolutely kills me -- actually, that's a good idea for another posting...

and seriously, what has happened to winona ryder since her shoplifting arrest????

vol. 48

okay... i'll lay off the lamontagne for today...

found some pretty cool things in new york magazine...

enjoy...

• this, specifically, deals with a street artist in nyc named joshau allan harris -- pretty cool idea to do this

• and this, specifically, deals with a pizza purist -- now, how does one become a pizza purist? i am sure you are asking yourself... watch this and see what you think -- all i know is that when i'm up to see nick this summer, i'm there...

yes, i'm very hungry right now...

vol. 47

baby, it's been a long day, baby
things ain't been going my way
you know i need you here
here by my side
all the time...
-- ray lamontagne

speaking of found objects -- i think that i've spoken (typed) on here before how i tear music down and love to speak to people about what we hear when we hear music... friday night i told beck that i had never heard the guitar in you are the best thing -- he looked at me like i was speaking swahili -- it got to the point that we (or at least i) thought that we had to have downloaded different versions of the album from itunes -- so i listened to it a lot over the weekend and realized that the guitar has always been there -- i just wasn't hearing it (and for the record, lamontagne didn't have any horns on friday night, so this made the guitar more noticeable...)

vol. 46

now both of us have known love before
to come on up promising, like the spring, just walk on out the door
our hearts are strong and our hearts are kind
well, let me tell you exactly what's on my mind...
-- ray lamontagne

i speak frequently in class about the concept of the american dream -- one of the things we constantly talk about is whether or not it's achievable -- we talk about having a dream and working and working for it and whether or not it can just be done... we also talk about expectations that we have and how many times we build something up as being the end all, be all -- then we get there, so to speak, and we're let down...

ray lamontagne was friday night and i knew i was setting myself up for possible failure just because my expectations were so high -- but i was amazed -- there was no let down in any way, shape or form -- from the moment he began with you are the best thing, i just knew i was in for everything i was expecting -- from the moment baby, rang out from his mouth, it was on... and, in actuality, it was more that even i was expecting and hoping for --

i spoke about the concept of found objects -- and what i found friday night is just how talented his band is as well -- before, all i heard was his voice (and yes, it is that good) but eric heywood on the pedal steel and electric guitar just blew me away -- jennifer condos was beyond solid on bass and i was truly impressed with her voice as background (especially on i still care for you) -- ethan johns was on the drums, and there was just something cool about how he went about his business -- the drums really stood out to me on henry nearly killed me... by no means do i really know the drums, but for lack of proper terminology, there were just some great 'build ups' during this song that i really enjoyed -- he reminded me of david gray's old drummer clune, to a certain extent with his theatrical playing (after doing a little bit of research, i found out that he is actually the producer of the album and that he also has worked with kings of leon...)

we hung out afterwards and i was able to get a set list and then even more fortunate to meet jennifer, who signed it and then got everybody else in the band to do the same -- unfortunately ray didn't come out, but honestly, i can't say as i was expecting this to happen...

it was just a really, really cool experience that turned around a rough couple of days... much needed for sure...

just in case you're interested, here's what he played: you are the best thing, hold you in my arms, let it be me, i will care for you, empty, henry nearly killed me (it's a shame), you can bring me flowers, burn, jolene, aching all the time, meg white, hey me hey mama, shelter, trouble, 3 more days, and gossip in the grain -- set list shows that he was going to play all the wild horses, but he didn't do this...

vol. 45

if i would have led with lines from a song before last night, it would have been these...

my body turns
and yearns
for a sleep
that won't ever come...

but last night i listened to this song on record and really heard the next couple lines...

it's never over
my kingdom
for a kiss
upon her shoulder...
-- jeff buckley, lover, you should have come over

i made a comment one time about loving found objects -- a student asked me today what i meant by that so i tried to explain -- a found object to me can be many things -- it can literally be something that you find on the side of the road, in your yard, wherever -- there's something interesting about that for sure -- but for me, specifically dealing with the things that i love the most, it's something that i find for the first time in a song i've heard a thousand times or a movie i've seen over and over and over... it's really hearing buckley sing that second section above for the first time -- it's magical almost -- i never really heard that section properly until last night -- why didn't it ever stand out to me before that point??

• i've been hooked on the song fingers crossed by gustav and the seasick sailors lately -- really cool song and the video isn't too shabby either... (it provides credits at the beginning -- stick with it...)

vol. 44

am i buggin you? don't mean to bug you...
okay edge, play the blues...
-- bono

yes, it's been quite a while -- yes, i've been lazy -- yes, i've missed this -- but i truly haven't felt as though i've had anything of value to offer...

i bought a turntable and have been scouring ebay for old albums -- got some at cd warehouse as well -- only got burned on one and that was really my fault (sting's bring on the night is a double lp and it only contained one -- but at $1.99, i don't feel compelled to go back and gripe...) as beck has said, it's a great hobby -- what i like the most about it is how it takes me back in time as i'm rifling through the old albums at the store or online...

some of the gems i have picked up:
paul simon's graceland -- this album is still incredible -- but it was earth shattering when it came out in 1986...
tool's undertow -- actually, i got this one brand new -- this is about as "heavy" as i get -- there are just times when you need it
the smiths' strangeways, here we come, the queen is dead and meat is murder -- enough said (although i find it to be interesting that kids in school are listening to the smiths again -- it all comes around full circle...)
U2's rattle and hum -- the line leading off this entry is courtesy of silver and gold on this album...
rem's murmur, document, life's rich pageant and green -- seriously, i forgot just how much i used to love rem...

and that's just a small peek into the new, ongoing collection...

good to be back...

vol. 43

i have waited with a glacier's patience...
-- neko case

there was a time in the 80s when i was really discovering music at a rapid pace -- in about a 3 year span, i really got into rem, U2, depeche mode, the smiths, the police (i started on born in the 50s, not roxanne -- i have never liked that song...) tears for fears, new order, a-ha, the mighty lemondrops, the psychedelic furs and many, many other bands that filled my walkman with incredible music -- it was during this time that many of my likes and dislikes were formed --

i can honestly say that there has been music that i've liked since then, but i don't know that there's been anything beyond a handful (jeff buckley, pearl jam) that i've truly been passionate about... until the last year or so, that is -- tony introduced me to ray lamontagne, nick to kings of leon and rolling stone to neko case --

i picked up neko case's cd (yes, a hard copy, wrapped cd -- i couldn't tell you the last time i actually bought one) i bought it partly due to the hype -- but also partly due to the fact that she's also a graphic artist and i was interested in seeing what she had worked up -- i wasn't disappointed on any front -- i can't get this tornado loves you out of my head -- the line leading this post off is from it -- there's a simple line in it (i want you) that she sings on two separate occasions and each time, her tone is just magical -- it's different for each -- her voice is very different from what we're hearing today -- it takes me back to kirsty maccoll and a little bit of alison moyet -- but not really -- i keep trying to figure out who it is that she reminds me of the most, and while i keep coming back to those two, it's not quite there -- just past my memory's reach -- her writing's eclectic but grounded -- she's not just throwing strings of words together for the sake of doing so -- her arrangements are tight...beyond this, she's a beautiful redhead with absolutely incredibly pale skin -- ummm, yeah...

so here's the studio version (it ends at about 3:10 - not sure why the clip keeps going) and here's a live version that shows she's got the pipes (although she's looking a little ragged in this one, if i must say...)

it's amazing how the little things make us tick...

vol. 42

you gave me nothing
now it's all i've got...
-- U2

• ah...to get some uninterrupted sleep... actually, i resorted to trying a sleeping pill last night, and while it took me a while to get to sleep, once i did, i can't say as i remember waking up...

• working on poetry with my english crew -- this is one of my favorite parts of the semester -- it's nice to see who the kids are who are in touch with what's going on in a different arena -- at the same time, it's pretty wild to see some kids struggle in this genre...

• i don't know what i would do with myself if my schedule wasn't jam packed -- i truly don't know what it must be like to get home at 3:15 and then just sit around -- i know that i have summers, but i tend to fill those days just as quickly -- i always have a sense of needing to get something done -- and quickly -- maybe this is why i'm having such difficulty sleeping -- sometimes there definitely aren't enough hours in the day -- and when that's complicated by a sinus infection, it's even crazier...

• rob dyrdek lives the life -- all he does is finds more stuff to get into -- if you haven't seen fantasy factory yet, you're missing a great example of a guy living high off the hog -- i'm sure that things are complicated for him, also -- but i sure wouldn't mind living that life once in a while...
  

vol. 41

god have mercy on the man
who doubts what he's sure of...
-- bruce springsteen

• my difficulties in sleeping have been well documented on here -- however, thanks to my cousin scott, i think i have the remedy for tonight -- if that doesn't work, i'm going to have to dvr something on the golf channel, because just the way they talk at a tournament tends to get me sleepy...

sorry, nothing more today -- i'm beat...

vol. 40

tell it to me slow
tell me with your eyes
if anyone should know
how to let it slide
i swear i can see you
coming up the drive
and there ain't nothing like regret
to remind you you're alive...
-- sheryl crow

• i just saw gran torino and i must say that i left a little on the disappointed side -- eastwood directed and produced it (and of course starred in it) but it was as predictable as a third grade essay...it might be possible that the only movie i've ever seen more racist than this one was american history x... at any rate, the movie did leave me thinking about regret, hence the lyrics above...

• unfortunately i missed out on a great conversation friday night, but was let in on the topic after the fact -- the idea was to choose the concerts you could travel back in time to see -- mine, in order, are:
  

1. live aid at wembley stadium -- 1985 -- the whole day would have been incredible, for sure, but i provided a link to queen's performance there in an earlier entry dealing with control and this is the scene i would have loved to have been able to take part in (this is actually a different link and contains their entire set -- again, keep in mind -- no sound check!) -- beyond that, i would have also seen elvis costello, u2, phil collins, the who, the boomtown rats (think you don't know them? think again -- as in i don't like mondays or this is the world calling which was by bob geldof, their lead singer and organizer of the whole event...), the hooters (who were on top then for a brief period of time), bb king, run dmc, sting, howard jones, paul young with alison moyet, dire straits with sting, george thorogood with bo diddley, and the list goes on... (i'm not bolding all of those acts for your sake!)
2. simon and garfunkel -- the concert in central park -- 1981 -- my dad made me watch this on hbo when it was on -- i really didn't want to at the time, but i'm really glad that he made me -- completely turned me on to these two -- this was just momentous to me and i would have loved to have been there...estimates say there were over 500,000 people there -- that had to be incredible -- my favorite songs were april come she will and late in the evening
   
3. the beatles at shea stadium -- 1965 -- i would have loved to see the earlier beatles rather than the drug ravaged beatles of their later years...
4. jerry lee lewis, elvis presley, carl perkins and johnny cash -- 1956 -- i can't say as elvis does much for me or carl perkins for that matter, but i would have loved to have seen both jerry lee lewis and johnny cash early on in their careers -- jerry lee lewis just looks like he would have put on a beast of a show to me...
5. roy orbison -- black and white night -- 1988 -- i've always loved roy orbison's voice -- his songwriting is incredible as well -- he put on a great show and a couple of his friends joined in -- as in bruce springsteen, jackson browne, kd lang (great version of crying...), bonnie raitt, and the underrated jd souther -- it was a taped show, but it still would have been great to see...
6. bruce springsteen born in the usa tour -- 1984 -- for the record, i absolutely HATE born in the usa -- even then i did - but the rest of the album was incredible -- he was genuinely on top of the world then -- i've seen him twice since, and both shows were incredible, but this one had to have been great -- i was allowed to stay overnight outside kaufman's to try to get tickets with some older friends from swg -- for those of you old enough, remember how much of a pain in the butt it used to be to get concert tickets??? at any rate, we were about 5th in line when it sold out -- yeah, that bit... deal with it, switala...
   
7. michael jackson bad tour -- 1987 or 1988 -- and i'd want to see it in japan -- those people were all kinds of freaky for mj then -- it would have been incredible, providing that i wouldn't have been trampled to death -- but i'm time traveling, so what the heck??? the music on bad was still good -- i would have gotten that and all of thriller to boot -- and don't even try to say that you didn't love michael jackson back in the day...
8. the smiths the queen is dead tour -- 1986 -- unfortunately, they never toured for strangeways, here we come and this was their last tour -- i like morrissey on his own (although i still think his best offering post-smiths is viva hate, his first offering post-smiths) but what his solo stuff has shown me is just how good johnny marr was/is...
   

i'm going to prematurely end this right there -- i guarantee i missed some great ones -- and no, i didn't forget woodstock -- i just can't say as i really have a desire to have been there...

let's hear your picks...

vol. 39

Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat...
-- Robert Frost

i had the opportunity to meet Michelle Stoner a couple months ago when Beck and Bevington started the coffeehouse at GS -- i was really impressed with her work and she reads very, very well -- she turned me on to a new endeavor in the pittsburgh area known as weave magazine -- great, grassroots type of publication -- so i get updates from the magazine sent to my email and i got one late last night (of course, i wasn't able to sleep again, so i checked out one of the poets who is in their upcoming issue) her name is karen weyant, and we went to pitt together -- haven't heard or seen her in probably 12 years -- pretty cool to see that she's doing well -- and her work, which i always thought was strong, is even better...

• you may or may not know about espn's beat the streak -- this thing has become an obsession -- don't get involved if you aren't willing to get hooked -- currently my streak is back at 0, as i won my first game last night, then lost the second when psu won at the buzzer -- this was after break my 8 game losing streak -- i'm now up to my 2nd win of the month -- you've been duly warned...

• i'm now in my 17th year of coaching track and field -- that means 17 years worth of "first weeks" of practices -- undoubtedly this is the most difficult week -- we deal with all of the kids who didn't think they needed winter track and are out of shape -- the ones who did another sport and are nowhere near in track and field shape -- and those who should be in shape and who aren't -- on top of this, the first two days of this week were absolutely brutal -- we've dealt with snow and rain plenty of times -- but nothing was ever as cold as our first two days this year -- the point i'm trying to make, though, is that this has been my best first week ever -- the kids have been great -- they've listened, taken direction and want to get better -- they haven't complained (at least to us...) and they've given us a ton of hope for a successful year...

• trust me, there aren't many things worse than when you're a coach and you dread going to practice...
  

vol. 38

i had an old roommate (andy) who used to say that something made the list -- as in the black list -- i was thinking about this on the ride in (is it fair to call a 5 minute commute a ride in?) to work this morning when i went back to back on the radio with groups that are on my list -- our lists derived from watching say anything and, in particular, a line said by lloyd dobler (john cusack) -- the line was: "I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."

so, in no particular order, these are some things on my list (i'm not really even going to get in to foods -- that would take a ton of space...)

• anything with drew barrymore in it -- beyond e.t., i defy you to convince me that anything else she has done is good...

• anything with bette midler in it or that she sings --

• anything by smashmouth

• anything by sugar ray -- this includes anything that mark mcgrath is hosting on tv
  

• super panda -- or other chinese buffets -- really, buffets in general unless i'm there right as they open -- otherwise, why in the world would i want to eat food that's been sitting under heating lamps all day long

• anything with barbra streisand in it or that she sings -- i have to admit, i let myself down and broke this boycott when i saw meet the fockers -- while i liked the movie, i seriously cringed every time i saw her in a scene -- and the thought of her being a sex instructor -- well... that's just nasty...

• anything with stiffler's mom in it -- don't know what her name is -- sure i could find it, but i'd rather refer to her as stiffler's mom -- she's just disgusting and it freaks me out to look at her...

• anything rachael ray -- enough said...

• anything by douglas coupland -- generation x came out in like 90 0r 91 and it was supposed to define my generation -- not even close -- he got pumped up as this incredible writer, but i just don't see it...

to each his own, i guess...

vol. 37

as much as i enjoy reading/teaching novels over and over again in class, watching some of the movies is just unbelievably tough -- especially since a portrayal of 1920s americana shot in 1974 can be pretty rough... what's more ridiculous is that karen black won a golden globe for her portrayal of myrtle... sorry, i'm not linking to her -- just looking at her freaks me out -- kind of like stiffler's mom or that woman who looks like a freaking cat after having so much plastic surgery...

• www.xtranormal.com, however is a really cool site that has some great possibilities for classroom use -- we'll be trying this out and i'm excited to see what the kids come up with -- here's a starter i created in all of about 10 minutes...yes, it's pretty elementary, but pretty cool...

• sorry, i'm sick and have been up since midnight -- you're right, i'm mailing this one in...
  

vol. 36

not all wanderers are lost...

• i've really started to like peter king's columns on the nfl -- specifically his monday morning quarterback -- yes, the nfl's season is over, but he's still had some great things to say -- this week he focused on the free agent signing period -- he gets some great access to things going on behind the scenes -- here's the link to this week's column...i particularly liked the anecdotes about rex ryan going after bart scott and chris canty's experience with free agency as well...

• i have to admit that i read sports illustrated much less now that rick reilly is no longer with the magazine -- his switch to espn was crushing -- but you can't blame the guy considering the money they threw at him -- his columns on espn.com pick up where they left off from si -- and this week's is a great one on sports stars as role models -- while i tend to agree with charles barkley's stance on this (to a point), it's tough to argue with reilly's take... not that i ever disliked john elway, but his stock went way up in my book after reading that column...

that is all... carry on...

vol. 35

i'm going to find myself a girl
who can show me what laughter means
and we'll fill in the missing colors
in each other's paint-by-number dreams...
-- jackson browne

• i'm sure that i wrote about my love for lists before -- i just don't feel like going back to find out exactly where it was that i said it -- at any rate -- i think it's a great way to get to know somebody -- and it's a great way to fill an evening in a smokey establishment after a long week and an even longer friday... i was with some friends friday night and one of our lists was our favorite jackson browne song -- for the longest time in my life, this wasn't even a question for me -- the load out/stay was hands down my favorite -- then, i moved on to for a dancer -- but there's no doubt that i had jumped the gun on those calls -- without question, the pretender has to be my favorite of his -- in fact, i've listened to different versions of it all weekend... the one i've linked is probably my favorite version of it -- it's from a storytellers-type show and he gives some pretty cool insight into how it came to be...

• you have got to love the creative process -- and learning how creative people create...

• there was a time when i was growing up when i first started getting in to music -- i'm going to try to paint this picture for you, but it'll be tough -- keep in mind that i was coming back to greensburg for the summer after being in albuquerque the rest of the year -- i had two ways of listening to music back then (we're talking like '78-'80ish) -- either through my dad's record player with headphones that looked like this (and i have to admit, these look pretty snazzy compared to the ones we had, which i swore were ten times bigger than those pictured) or through my dad's jukebox -- so i basically got two types of music as well -- through the record player i was listening to supertramp and jackson browne and fleetwood mac and barry manilow and seals and crofts and leo sayer and bob seger -- through the jukebox i was hearing the beatles, and itsy-bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini, and charlie brown, and does your chewing gum lose its flavor?, and hot rod lincoln and rainbow connection... yeah, i had it good...

• one of the things i'll always remember through this period was how often the phone would ring while i was listening with those headphones and belting out a weekend in new england (ahh, the cheesiness of barry manilow...) or something else like it, only to hear my dad's voice on the other end of the phone telling me to be quiet (i'm sure those weren't the words he used then...) -- this was at like 7 am and you used to be able to dial your own number and then hang up and it would ring on another phone in the house -- i had to have annoyed the heck out of him -- i'm sure this always happened after he just got off the late shift at caterpillar also...
  

vol. 34

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up...
-- Pablo Picasso

no doubt in my mind that there's a lot of truth to that statement...

• along this line, i read a very good article on bill strickland and he had a great, great comment: "Create a sense of extraordinary excitement." It's in this month's Edutopia magazine, which is also a super, free, find... i love strickland's take on things and love what he's started on the north side -- and am disappointed that this is the first i've heard of this...

• to an extent, i think that carrie vottero has elevated our school's library to this level -- there's definitely an extraordinary excitement to that space with carrie there...

• carrie and i are looking in to starting a reading group amongst our students -- any suggestions you might have would be appreciated -- we're trying to make this a fun thing, yet at the same time i am definitely looking for some pieces with a redemptive value in my eyes -- so we have to find a happy medium between twilight and atlas shrugged...

• speaking of ayn rand... i think i would just about kill to be in a class that focused just on her works -- whether teaching it or taking part in it -- either way, that might be the ultimate for me...

• espn's beat the streak has me absolutely hooked -- my best so far is three...
  

vol. 33

so it's 4:32 and i've been up for an hour -- my sleep has been messed up all kinds of crazy all week... i'm exhausted but can't sleep...this morning i was woken up by a dream that really freaked me out -- and why is it that we can't remember the dreams that we enjoy but the ones that freak us out are the ones that stick with us? at least i'm getting the chance to catch up on the dvr...

• as much as i like the office, 30 rock may now officially be the best show on tv -- tina fey's writing is biting -- alec baldwin's acting and tracy jordan's delivery definitely have me hooked -- and i love that you can watch an episode over and over because there are so many quick lines that jump out at you differently each time...
  

• watching the pens has turned into a major frustration -- one game you see them doing all of the little things right -- then the next they'll come out for the first period playing like the game before only to fall flat the next two periods and get thumped --
  

• i'm not really sure whether or not they're going to make it to the playoffs, but playoff hockey is an awesome time of the year to experience in pittsburgh -- of course, i don't know what it's like elsewhere -- but there's just a buzz here every other night --

• i'm trying to figure out if the pens are playing more aggresively because of bylsma or if it's just that they're happy because therrien's gone --
  

on a completely different note -- i was extremely, extremely disappointed in the winner of top chef -- hosea won and in the process it may have brought on the show's downfall -- he just isn't that good -- period -- stefan crushed all season long and in the process, in my opinion, somehow got colicchio pissed at him and that was that --

vol. 32

• apparently somebody has gotten to the bottom of the whole jeff reed paper towel tantrum

• honestly, i'm quite surprised somebody in the steelers' organization hasn't sat reed down yet to explain to him that he's with the wrong team if he wants to keep acting like this...

• then again, he is clutch...

• track starts officially in 3 days -- this is always a crazy time as we wait to see who shows up and who doesn't -- seriously, i could write a book with the excuses we hear for not coming out -- and that's all they are - excuses...

• and on another note... i shudder to even think about this...

• i started playing beat the streak on espn.com finally -- and of course, my streak is still at 0 after i was idiotic enough to pick an nba game -- i don't even like the damn nba! but the cavaliers just seemed like a lock to this guy...

vol. 31

sorry, ran out of 'dan pink-ism's', but this is where it would have gone...

• debbie snider sent me an email with a link to pilobolus' recent performance on conan -- if you don't know who they are, like me before yesterday, just know that we were really missing out on some entertainment and just a general wow factor as well...

• pilobolus on conan (sorry for the ad starting that one...)
  

• pilobolus introducing different movie titles at the 79th oscars (little miss sunshine and the devil wears prada are my favorites -- nick, i think you'll like snakes on a plane...)

vol. 30

leave an imprint...
-- dan pink

• last night, when i was completely unable to sleep, i caught a comedian on the bob and tom show (which i didn't even know was on tv now) -- i'd like to tell you that i remember the comedian's name, but i can't -- i should have written it down for sure -- one of the things he was talking about was his obsession with big wheels -- it was really, really cool to be taken back down memory lane with this guy -- he has to be around my age because the way he was talking about them was just right on for me -- i couldn't tell you how many big wheels i went through in my life, but i would venture to say it's in the double digits -- we used to come flying down the guthrie-side sidewalk then make a monster left hand turn on to oakland, always narrowly avoiding the fire hydrant, but there was very little chance at getting far enough left to miss the piece of sidewalk that had been lifted by the tree's roots -- that slate sidewalk was responsible for many a hole in the front wheel of my big wheels...

• as much as i loved my big wheel, i always wanted a green machine, though...it was to the big wheel what mongoose or supergoose bikes were to schwinn's back in the day...
  

• travis pastrana, who is an absolute nutjob, is currently having some fun on a "big wheel" -- i put that in quotation marks because what he's riding only resembles a big wheel in name -- this thing is all kinds of souped up -- at any rate, he recently dropped in with one on a monster ramp, then proceeded to complete a back flip -- quality isn't that great, but you'll get the idea for sure... that was his third attempt and he nailed it...

• loyal readers (ha, yeah, right...) definitely know of my penchant for dan pink lately -- his blog is great and always has some good links on it -- this one almost had in me in tears yesterday -- i haven't figured out how to embed the video directly to this blog yet, so you'll have to go here, then scroll down to the post titled naming rites -- directly under the banner for boston.com, you'll find a video about steelworkers who are erecting a new hospital for pediatric cancer victims -- if that story doesn't pull at you, i'm not really sure what will...

• my brother nick has started a blog (finally)... he's got a great name and a great look at what it took to get there... very, very important note: i am in no way responsible for nick's grammar and spelling!!!! i definitely failed him along the way... at any rate, go here...
  

vol. 29

make excellent mistakes...
-- dan pink

• last week i provided a post and some pics of the cupcake art at the smithsonian american art museum -- the smithsonian's own website (which is a very good one, by the way) has an interview with pastry artist zilly rosen, who did the exhibit -- it's a great look behind the scenes of this project...her team spent more than 200 hours on everything -- the video can be found here

• i had a great sunday -- went to the apple store in shadyside, rei at southside works (i could spend hours in there -- and i've yet to meet somebody who works there who isn't totally into "it," and then pf changs at the waterfront (mmmm... mongolian beef) -- part of what made it great was the music they were playing on 80s on 8 (sirius) -- some lesser known eurythmics (love is a stranger), the pretenders (brass in pocket), boys don't cry's i wanna be a cowboy and then asia's heat of the moment, which reminded me of a great acoustic version that i found on youtube -- great version -- great voice -- definitely gets you to listen to a song in a different way...
  

vol. 28

killing me softly...

• i wrote in an earlier post about how much i like both roberta flack's and the fugees' versions of killing me softly -- nick went and burst my bubble on this song by sending me this link...thanks, nick...

• tremendous pens-flyers game today with the pens coming out on top 5-4...just a fun one to watch as they both went back and forth throughout

• gotta love advertisers -- especially when they can do things with food like this...

• smithsonian had an interesting article on five films that redefined hollywood -- pretty good read...
  

vol. 27

i truly think i'm cursed in that i'm unable to sleep in -- had the opportunity today and knew that it wouldn't matter -- i predicted 6:30 and it was 6:24 when i looked at the clock...

• i've joked with some kids about creating a new t-shirt with baby jesus wearing a snuggie -- something along the lines of "even baby jesus wears a snuggie" -- the snuggie commercials just amaze me -- so tacky, but they keep your attention, for sure -- i guess a ton of parodies are coming out now -- this one was pretty good, though...

• espn has been conducting a poll asking people to create their mt. rushmore of states -- it's complicated by the fact that you are making choices based upon whether the athlete was originally from the state or just played here -- at any rate, my choices were arnold palmer, mario lemieux, roberto clemente and wilt chamberlain -- i would argue that palmer is in the top 5 all time of his sport and truly brought a whole new fan to the game, lemieux is at least the second best hockey player of all time and saved hockey in pittsburgh, clemente, well, if you know me, you know that i think he's the greatest (and i'm leaving out the humanitarianism end of things...) and chamberlain, even though i can't stand the nba anymore, has to be top 5 of all time as well... espn has just released their "findings" and they have clemente, lemieux and chamberlain -- rather than palmer they have joe paterno -- i just have problems with having a coach on the mountain's face -- obviously, as far as pennsylvania is concerned joepa is THE coach -- i just don't think that a coach should be on it -- anyway... espn is showing the top 5 states and pennsylvania is one of them -- here's rick reilly going over pennsylvania's mt. rushmore...

• i'm a big fan of top chef on bravo -- it's addicting to say the least, and i'm such a picky eater, that i don't know that i would eat any of the food they create -- and they truly are creations... i don't want to give things away, but what they did this week really pissed me off -- i hate when reality contest-type shows obviously have an agenda on who they are trying to get to the finals...hate it...

• nick turned me on to mondesi'shouse -- great blog about pittsburgh sports and events -- and he provides some great links -- got a kick out of this one today: this is why you're fat...unfortunately, i eat way more stuff like that than i do what they're making on top chef...
  

vol. 26

Persistence trumps talent...
-- Dan Pink

• i'm not a big alexander ovechkin fan, but you have to admire this goal from last night -- the clip also shows an even better goal he had against phoenix a couple years ago...

• i think that's a pretty good example of persistence AND talent and what having both can do for you...

• dave matthews is coming to town in june -- if i'm making that one, it'll definitely be the first night -- second night for dmb is almost always a jam night and i had the (mis) fortune of sitting through this a long time ago -- tony and i went and together i think we were the only two sober people in the place -- that didn't help matters --
  

• beck... don't even think for an instant i'm going with you on the second night!

• i got into a "debate" with a student over a pretty heated issue last week over the death penalty -- i don't like to do this sort of thing at all, but the kid just wouldn't leave it alone -- his side was deeply rooted in his religious convictions and he feels as though we have no right to play the role of god -- fine... but this is what cracked me up -- his statement that NO christian could possibly in their right mind be for the death penalty -- so it was brought back up again (by him) yesterday when nathan was back -- now, nathan's a pretty religious guy, and is definitely a christian -- but it was interesting to see how this kid was much less adamant about his position (at least in his argument with me) once he found out that nathan (a person i think he truly respects) was very much for it -- i wonder if he thinks less of nathan now or if he might possibly rethink his stance on it...
  

• it was also interesting to hear how he justified the cops shooting the seton hill student even though i pointed out that they were technically "playing god" when they decided to pull the trigger... (for the record -- i truly, honestly believe the kid got what was coming to him and i feel no remorse for him whatsoever -- pull a gun on a cop -- let alone shoot at them -- and you get what you deserve...)

vol. 25

it's not about you...
-- dan pink

• i tend to spend a lot of time in Barnes and Noble -- i've actually been asked to leave at the end of the evening as i was lost in my music and what i was reading -- really not so sure i should be admitting that -- at any rate -- the two pics to the right were taken there the other night -- now, there's a lot of really cool stuff on their shelves -- but directions on how to use a superball??? the white album puzzle??? c'mon now...

• if you've read this at all, you know that i'm in to voices -- today's voice of the moment is dolores o'riordan -- you might not recognize the name, but she is/was (are they still together??) the lead singer of the cranberries -- there's something very comforting in her voice to me -- saw them in concert quite some time ago and they were actually very good live, which kind of surprised me... their biggest hit, which i still love: linger

vol. 24

Think strengths, not weaknesses...
-- Dan Pink

• finished The Soloist last night -- it was an extremely worthwhile read...in one of the later chapters, Nathaniel, the musician, asks Steve Lopez, the journalist the following: "Does this mean to you what it means to me?" -- that line hit me on so many levels...
  

• just another example of Lopez' ability to describe the way music can reach a person: "It was beautifully evocative, beginning with an expectant swell that suddenly pauses early in the first movement, like an infatuated suitor who stops just short of saying too much. The music was hope and longing, a poem to the idea of romance and the promise of love. My appreciation of music had grown immeasurably through Nathaniel. I felt it as much as I heard it, taking note of the mood changes and wondering at the themes. I marveled at the genius of creations so universal and lasting that they can survive death and war, the clamor of invention, the whims of style, the turn of centuries." -- beautifully written, just beautifully written...

• i had a really weird dream last night (when i was actually able to get to sleep -- fell asleep after the pitt game then woke up at 12:44 -- last time i looked at the clock it read 3:12...) i was in the downstairs faculty lounge and there was somebody (i knew at the time, but i can't remember now) who was lying on the couch over by the pop machines who had a gun trained on me as i sat where i normally sit -- i assured him i wasn't going to shoot him (i guess i had a gun as well...) and then he got up and walked out... absolutely no clue where that came from...

• i am almost mystically drawn to watching mma and ufc fights -- and i almost always turn them off before they're decided, my stomach turning...
  

vol. 23

there is no plan...
-- dan pink

roger hooked me on to dan pink after he saw him at a conference last week -- this is the kind of guy that we should have for an in-service -- not freakin' feedback lady -- i went out, no, rushed out friday afternoon and picked up both of his books -- i finished the adventures of johnny bunko in about half an hour -- it's written japanese, manga-style and was very entertaining, while also a great read for anybody looking for a little kick to the pants...there is no plan is pink's first lesson -- more to come over the next several days...

• many of you know just how much i like pointillism and works done in the pointillistic style -- pink has a blog entry on his front page dealing with something i would have loved to have seen -- and you have to love his shout out to chuck close, one of my all time favorites... pics are now on the side in case that link didn't work for you... i think pink nailed the description by saying "think chuck close meets betty crocker"
  
• i mentioned last week that steve lopez, author of the soloist, has a way of describing classical music in a way that really reached me -- here's a sample: "Napoleon Bonaparte was the original inspiration for Beethoven's Third Symphony, but as legend has it, the composer's opinion of the man changed when he saw the liberator become a tyrant. he called his symphony Eroica, which means heroic, and intended it as a tribute to courage rather than to a single man. This is information I've gotten from Nathaniel, a patient teacher who seems to enjoy being able to offer me the gift of his knowledge. The Eroica begins with two short blasts that blow you back into your seat. Then, having gotten your attention, Beethoven gets the string sections going with a conversation that swoons and swells. There's romance and suspense in the piece, the anticipation of a bold and defining statement... The third was once described as a composition in which dark clouds dissolve into sunshine... The second movement tiptoes into the hall like a rumor of death...
• for emphasis, i've italicized the parts that really strike me...
• i will see that performed live at some point, some where...
  

vol. 22

well, the god i believe in
isn't short of cash, mister...
...okay edge, play the blues...
-- silver and gold, u2

it's weird how things can be coincidental -- i've been jotting some things down while listening to music or watching a movie for upcoming blog entries -- i had those lines above written down -- i absolutely love them -- they came out in a time when we saw tv evangelist after tv evangelist begging for money -- i don't remember what the one's name was, but i do remember him claiming that god had told him that if he didn't raise a million dollars in a set amount of time, then he would die -- and the money came in...i guess i should get to the coincidence -- i got an email from nick last night telling me that i had to check out a video -- it was a youtube clip of u2 and bb king playing when love comes to town live -- keep in mind that, to the best of my knowledge, nick and i have never spoken about this...

at any rate...

• if you haven't seen it already, you really need to do yourself the favor and watch u2's rattle and hum -- it's worth every single minute -- the specific lines above are from a song called silver and gold -- that clip is the section from the movie itself...edge's guitar solo at about 5:50 is just killer...
  
• you haven't heard i still haven't found what i'm looking for until you hear it backed by a choir from harlem...
  

vol. 21

how many times do i have to try to tell you
that i'm sorry for the things i've done
but when i start to try to tell you
that's when you have to tell me
hey...this kind of trouble's only just begun...
-- why annie lennox

• i'm currently reading the soloist -- it's about a reporter who comes across a homeless man in LA who is playing a two-stringed violin -- turns out this musician had attended julliard 30 years earlier and is schizophrenic -- steve lopez is the reporter and wrote the book -- it's an easy read, when i'm able to get the time to read it, but lopez does an incredible job of describing the music that is being played -- never really heard classical music described quite this way... it's soon to be a movie with robert downey, jr. and jamie foxx -- here's the trailer... and take note of what song they have playing through the beginning of the trailer --as i've said before, pretty tough to not love some stevie wonder
  
• it's valentine's day, people - and just in case you didn't take care of the one you love just yet, perhaps you could print out one of these handy dandy cards for that special someone...my personal favorite is number 11 -- yeah, on second thought...i wouldn't suggest doing that...
• i'm currently watching a concert on palladia that i dvr'ed called peace one day -- it's a big fundraiser type concert and has had bryan adams, annie lennox, lenny kravitz, john legend (tremendous voice) and peter gabriel on -- i've seen gabriel before, so i knew he would be good -- he had me almost in tears, though, while singing father son -- lennox was up and down -- but i was really impressed with bryan adams -- his voice is true to what we've all heard -- he played run to you acoustically and a version of heaven with a violin accompanying him that was very, very good --
• having youtube at your disposal makes life much easier (and much more entertaining as well)
  

vol. 20

today's post will deal with a magical set of brothers...(okay, one of them was magical...)

• for yet another demonstration (or psa, if you will) that you shouldn't do drugs, simply click here

• it should come as absolutely no surprise that letterman absolutely crushed him on there - but dave took it to a new level -- and phoenix deserved it...

• i have to admit that i never really bought in to joaquin phoenix's talent until walk the line -- and he killed that, for sure -- the opening scene is one of my absolute favorites -- and his voice sure isn't too bad, either -- i will go on record as saying that his version of jackson (with reese witherspoon) is better than johnny cash's is...

• trying to live up to his brother's legacy has to have just taken over his every move -- he's lost it -- and speaking of river phoenix, if you're looking a good movie to check out, see running on empty -- i don't think you'll be disappointed with his performance... i just found this tribute to his performance in the movie -- pretty cool... and if you haven't seen stand by me, well, then shame on you...

vol. 19

• just in case you were wondering where i am going to be on august 21st, i have but two words for you: inglourious basterds

• have to say i'm pretty excited about this news, although i am figuring that josiah can mess up mexican food for sure...

• angelo, this one's just for you... michael stipe news ... providing that it's true, i'm not sure what's worse -- his behavior or his beard in that pic
  

vol. 18

definitely random today -- i think it took me about 5 minutes to realize that my alarm was actually going off and that i wasn't dreaming it... i kind of felt like this

• is this real life? absolute classic...
  
• i saw that clip a couple days ago and thought it was funny, but didn't spend enough time with it -- i lost it when looking at it again last night -- the christian bale mashup with it is pretty good also, but i'm trying to keep things clean here...
• this leads me to my two other favorite videos of all time -- first runner up goes to the haitian weather man... then i don't need a jacket...
• and, hands down, the greatest ever can be found here -- i have watched that four second clip hundreds, if not thousands, of times -- i have absolutely no clue whatsoever what is being said, but it doesn't matter -- it kills me every single time i watch it...

vol. 17

very sluggish this morning, and not really sure why...

some sites for you:

• read about svein tuft in sunday's ny times -- definitely going to follow him now... pretty interesting story about how he's made it in cycling (well, made it this far, i should say...)
• if you've ever been sucked in to mtv's the real world or any of their other "reality" shows, then you might appreciate this -- heck, you might appreciate it even if you haven't fallen victim to mtv... it's called the district and it's being put out each week by newsweek -- i haven't had the chance to check out week 2's edition yet, but definitely liked the first one
• speaking of mtv and old videos (do they even show videos any more?) -- one of my all time favorites is take on me by aha -- while this isn't exactly new, somebody has been producing "literal versions" of old videos -- another that this same group did was for tears for fears' head over heels -- so you get words to exactly what's going on in the video itself -- pretty cool... (unfortunately, more and more imitators are coming out with their own -- and i've yet to see one that's been done as well as these two...)

vol. 16

had to add another post -- and it's worthy of getting its own...

kings of leon are coming to the palumbo center on april 22nd...it's a wednesday night, but i really don't give a damn...

vol. 15

i got no patience
and i hate waiting...
--jay z

i'm not exactly sure what it is that has me wired this way, but i truly think i have no patience whatsoever...you have no idea how much of a struggle it is for me to calm down at times -- especially while driving -- thankfully, i don't act on it, but i'd like to kill people some times with the way they drive -- i have tried very, very hard, especially since new year's, to address this within myself -- but it's very difficult -- i always ask my kids what superpower they would like to have and you get a veritable smorgasbord of things -- most choose flying, though... if i could have any superpower, it would be to be able to transport myself like they could on star trek --

• i like coldplay and all, but there's a part of me that's glad they didn't win a ton last night at the grammies -- their best work is behind them, in my opinion
• this being said, it's nice to see that kings of leon won for best rock performance by a group for sex on fire -- that link takes you to their site of videos -- scroll down on the left...
  
• i also don't understand how robert plant and allison krauss, whose voice is dreamlike, won again after having won an award last year from the same album...
• i'm absolutely positive that my brother nick is jacked that john mayer won an award for say -- i almost spit out my drink when i heard this song while in new york last summer and nick started going off asking "that girl to just say it already so i don't have to hear him asking anymore" (or something close to that...)
  
• beyond the chorus to that song, i really do like the lyrics -- i will expand on this at a later time...