This week started off right with a three day weekend and the first Lake House of the season (blog post and videos to come.) The weather was beautiful, the new deck is awesome and summer has started off in grand style. I closed out the last of my coaching duties last night with our annual end of season Potluck, then went to my first book club meeting. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday night at home working on the team movie. Now? June is knocking on our door this weekend and I intend to swing that door wide, hoist up my bottle of booze and shout, "Come on in Summer!" Of course, before you can go gallavanting around Fleet Week or the city for something else this weekend, here's 10 things you can think about on your way out the door. Cheers!
1) As a Sci-Fi reader, I've been wondering this for years...dude, where's my future technology? Ties nicely into the book I just finished and would recommend to even non-sci-fi readers, Ancient Shores by Jack McDevitt.
2) As the social media sphere moves from Facebook to things like Twitter, Flickr and others, it's getting harder and harder to keep track of all your pages. That's where an app like Zensify comes in...I might need to try this one.
3) A word of advice...if you're going to do something completely illegal, like rob a bank, don't brag about it on your Myspace page!
4) In addition to upholding the spiteful, ignorant and completely ridiculous Prop 8, judges in California this week upheld a ruling to allow mandatory DNA samples taken from people who are arrested but not yet found guilty of a crime. Gattaca is just around the corner...how do you feel about your right to genetic privacy?
5) Speaking of Prop 8, one of the few silver linings in that cloud is how vocal celebrities have been on the subject. The latest to speak out is David Hyde Pierce from Frasier, and more power to him! Equality now.
6) Not even good samaritans are catching a break these days...after giving a homeless man a place to stay, Charles Rogers got beheaded for his efforts. Doesn't the murderer realize he's just ruining it for everyone else?!
7) Let me get this straight...California is going through a monumental budget crisis. Because of this crisis, Schwarzenegger wants to close 220 state parks to save $70M, but isn't seriously moving forward on Ammiano's idea to legalize and tax pot, a cash crop worth between $1-2 BILLION per year? Am I missing something? Elsewhere in the country (Mississippi), the government has a huge stash of their own...for research purposes.
8) They say truth is stranger than fiction...but what happens when the truth is identical to fiction? Like this story about a cop shooting an off-duty cop in New York...The Wire in real life.
9) For you photo lovers out there, here is an impressive set of photographs taken in and around Saddam Hussein's palaces in Iraq, which have been used by US military personnel as bases. A true juxtaposition of the old and the new, the native and the occupiers.
10) Gotta love it when the old school rappers keep on rapping. That's what 43 year old "Wild Thang" singer Tone Loc was doing when he passed out on stage during his gig...
And that's it from this end folks. Don't forget to wear sunscreen!
Friday, May 29, 2009
May iPod Update
{for all music related posts, see .Evolving.Music}
{for last month's new music update, click here.}
What an amazing month for music! May's iPod update features over 200 songs of genres from shoegazing indie pop to hard core rap. While not all the artists and albums made the cut for this version of What I'm Hearing, the best things did and I'm proud to bring them to you. Furthermore, several of these albums are available for free download and I've included the links to them here. New music, download links?! What more could you ask for?
Au Revoir Simone, Still Night, Still Light: When I first reviewed Au Revoir Simone's 2007 release The Bird of Music (WIH, Vol. 9), I talked about the potential that their sweet sounds could become too sticky without the proper balance. Happily, I can say that on Still Night, Still Light ARS loses none of their charm while actually increasing their skill in finding a nice balance in the electro-indie pop-shoegazer triangle. At times sounding like a slightly more fleshed out Elysian Fields and at others like a less depressed Postal Service, this trio puts out easy tracks that range from joyous to melancholy without missing a beat. The female vocals are breezy, seeming to hang over the music, which through synths, keys and drums all working together, become stronger than on the previous album. ARS seems to have found their musical niche, nicely contrasting the sweet with the bitter, and sounding more comfortable with the balance throughout. Don’t Sleep On: “Shadows,” “Knight of Wands,” and “Another Likely Story.”
Chubb Rock and Wordsmith, A Crack in the Bridge: While hip-hop and rap seems to be on a definitive futuristic trend with the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and Kid Cudi surfing the radio waves, this duo out of the East Coast seeks to bring hip-hop back to more standard roots. Relying on tried and true production and lyrics that are more about having a good time than sporting bling, Chubb Rock and Wordsmith have crafted a mixtape prelude to their June release Bridging the Gap that strips away the pretension of hip-hop in favor of sounding good and having fun. Chubb and Wordsmith have a nice contrast to their voices and delivery, an important part of a hip-hop duo. With a deep voice and an almost trudge-like delivery, Chubb Rock sounds patient on the microphone, willing to move with a beat easily. On the other hand, Wordsmith’s voice is higher and his delivery quicker, allowing him to change the feel and tempo of a song simply by rapping. I’ve been listening to Bridging the Gap for about a month now, but you’ll have to come back in June for that review. For now, A Crack in the Bridge provides a sampler of the type of music you can look forward to. Don’t Sleep On: “Back In,” “Top of the World,” and “The New Street Kings”
Cunninlynguists, Strange Journey, Vol. 1: Cunninlynguists have to be one of the hardest working and simultaneously one of the most under-appreciated hip-hop groups today. Hailing from various parts of the state, the trio of Natti, and producers Kno and Deacon the Villain have released 6 albums since 2001, only actually having them released through a distribution company in 2003. But that hasn’t changed their approach which relies on interesting and introspective lyrics, excellent production and a splash of a grim feeling that it’s not ever going to happen for them mixed with a sense of humor that seems like it doesn’t matter if it does. On the first of two Strange Journey albums, the group looks at life on the road and the state of the music scene among other topics. The retro hooks combined with the modern beats provide the three with a solid foundation for their words, which whether talking about music, women or rapping far outshine anything available on the radio today. Whether you like loops or lyrics, this CD is a hit. Don’t Sleep On: “Don’t Leave (When Winter Comes)” featuring Slug of Atmosphere, “Spark My Soul,” and “Lynguistics,” a live version of one of their most well known songs.
Del the Funky Homosapien, Stimulus Package: The good news? Del’s got a new full-length album out, and it’s free (click on the album name above for the download link.) The bad news? For fans accustomed to the cohesive whole of Future Development (production help from Opio and A-Plus), the visionary approach on Deltron 3030 (produced by Dan the Automator) or the stellar lyrics that grace his work with Hieroglyphics, Stimulus Package is going to fall short. And the problem is that this kind of collapse is completely avoidable for Del. When at his strongest, Del’s intensity on the mic and ability to craft ridiculously great lyrics make him one of the best rappers on wax. However, all too often (this album and The 11th Hour as examples) Del isn’t content to just be on the microphone and opts to pursue the full musical production on the album as well. This is a mistake. It’s not to say that Del’s production is bad, but it is stagnant. There’s nothing much new in the beats here. For the most part, the tracks feel like repackaged West Coast beats from the ‘90s. Now if that were the case and the rapping remained vintage Del, the beats wouldn’t make a difference. But instead, the focus on production seems to detract from his focus on his rapping, and Del comes off sounding almost generic as a result. One need only look to his best work to see that he’s at the top of his rapping game when the lyrics and flow are his focus. His rapping on last year’s N.A.S.A. album outpaces anything contained here, and my hope is to see him collaborate with other producers on future work, because when he’s at his best lyrically, he’s virtually untouchable. Don’t Sleep On: “Hardcore Punks Can’t Take It,” “And They Thought That Was Hell,” and “Get It Right Now!”
For the rest of the music I've been listening to this month, click here.
{for last month's new music update, click here.}
What an amazing month for music! May's iPod update features over 200 songs of genres from shoegazing indie pop to hard core rap. While not all the artists and albums made the cut for this version of What I'm Hearing, the best things did and I'm proud to bring them to you. Furthermore, several of these albums are available for free download and I've included the links to them here. New music, download links?! What more could you ask for?
Au Revoir Simone, Still Night, Still Light: When I first reviewed Au Revoir Simone's 2007 release The Bird of Music (WIH, Vol. 9), I talked about the potential that their sweet sounds could become too sticky without the proper balance. Happily, I can say that on Still Night, Still Light ARS loses none of their charm while actually increasing their skill in finding a nice balance in the electro-indie pop-shoegazer triangle. At times sounding like a slightly more fleshed out Elysian Fields and at others like a less depressed Postal Service, this trio puts out easy tracks that range from joyous to melancholy without missing a beat. The female vocals are breezy, seeming to hang over the music, which through synths, keys and drums all working together, become stronger than on the previous album. ARS seems to have found their musical niche, nicely contrasting the sweet with the bitter, and sounding more comfortable with the balance throughout. Don’t Sleep On: “Shadows,” “Knight of Wands,” and “Another Likely Story.”
Chubb Rock and Wordsmith, A Crack in the Bridge: While hip-hop and rap seems to be on a definitive futuristic trend with the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and Kid Cudi surfing the radio waves, this duo out of the East Coast seeks to bring hip-hop back to more standard roots. Relying on tried and true production and lyrics that are more about having a good time than sporting bling, Chubb Rock and Wordsmith have crafted a mixtape prelude to their June release Bridging the Gap that strips away the pretension of hip-hop in favor of sounding good and having fun. Chubb and Wordsmith have a nice contrast to their voices and delivery, an important part of a hip-hop duo. With a deep voice and an almost trudge-like delivery, Chubb Rock sounds patient on the microphone, willing to move with a beat easily. On the other hand, Wordsmith’s voice is higher and his delivery quicker, allowing him to change the feel and tempo of a song simply by rapping. I’ve been listening to Bridging the Gap for about a month now, but you’ll have to come back in June for that review. For now, A Crack in the Bridge provides a sampler of the type of music you can look forward to. Don’t Sleep On: “Back In,” “Top of the World,” and “The New Street Kings”
Cunninlynguists, Strange Journey, Vol. 1: Cunninlynguists have to be one of the hardest working and simultaneously one of the most under-appreciated hip-hop groups today. Hailing from various parts of the state, the trio of Natti, and producers Kno and Deacon the Villain have released 6 albums since 2001, only actually having them released through a distribution company in 2003. But that hasn’t changed their approach which relies on interesting and introspective lyrics, excellent production and a splash of a grim feeling that it’s not ever going to happen for them mixed with a sense of humor that seems like it doesn’t matter if it does. On the first of two Strange Journey albums, the group looks at life on the road and the state of the music scene among other topics. The retro hooks combined with the modern beats provide the three with a solid foundation for their words, which whether talking about music, women or rapping far outshine anything available on the radio today. Whether you like loops or lyrics, this CD is a hit. Don’t Sleep On: “Don’t Leave (When Winter Comes)” featuring Slug of Atmosphere, “Spark My Soul,” and “Lynguistics,” a live version of one of their most well known songs.
Del the Funky Homosapien, Stimulus Package: The good news? Del’s got a new full-length album out, and it’s free (click on the album name above for the download link.) The bad news? For fans accustomed to the cohesive whole of Future Development (production help from Opio and A-Plus), the visionary approach on Deltron 3030 (produced by Dan the Automator) or the stellar lyrics that grace his work with Hieroglyphics, Stimulus Package is going to fall short. And the problem is that this kind of collapse is completely avoidable for Del. When at his strongest, Del’s intensity on the mic and ability to craft ridiculously great lyrics make him one of the best rappers on wax. However, all too often (this album and The 11th Hour as examples) Del isn’t content to just be on the microphone and opts to pursue the full musical production on the album as well. This is a mistake. It’s not to say that Del’s production is bad, but it is stagnant. There’s nothing much new in the beats here. For the most part, the tracks feel like repackaged West Coast beats from the ‘90s. Now if that were the case and the rapping remained vintage Del, the beats wouldn’t make a difference. But instead, the focus on production seems to detract from his focus on his rapping, and Del comes off sounding almost generic as a result. One need only look to his best work to see that he’s at the top of his rapping game when the lyrics and flow are his focus. His rapping on last year’s N.A.S.A. album outpaces anything contained here, and my hope is to see him collaborate with other producers on future work, because when he’s at his best lyrically, he’s virtually untouchable. Don’t Sleep On: “Hardcore Punks Can’t Take It,” “And They Thought That Was Hell,” and “Get It Right Now!”
For the rest of the music I've been listening to this month, click here.
Friday, May 22, 2009
10 Things to Think About on a Friday
It's been a while, but as promised, I'm back with a vengeance, and today that vengeance takes the form of 10 wickedly awesome things for you to think about. It's Memorial Day, which means the return of summer, the Lake House, BBQs and hot party tracks from rappers who will be gone by next Memorial Day.
So wherever you happen to go this weekend, I'll be sitting back and having a cocktail or three for you. Cheers, and remember to use warm water before shaving.
1) Well, we never claimed the government was good at keeping records, and now they proved it. Apparently, a 2TB hard drive containing personal information from the Clinton Era has gone missing at the National Archives. Wonder if Lewinsky's number was on there...
2) Immigration and both the benefits and strains it brings to our economy are always hot topics. I was surprised to find this article about a school in Texas where 70% of the student body commutes daily from Mexico.
3) I wish they had this when I was a kid! Now Lego is putting out Frank Lloyd Wright sets. For the 6 year old future architect in your home...
4) If the rumors are true, a new iPhone could come to market in July. With some of these reported features, it might be time for me to think about upgrading...
5) Always kinda shocking to me when former athletes sink to horrendous lows following the end of their career. Ryan Leaf's career as a football player wasn't all that solid, but still sad that he's being charged with burglary of a controlled substance...
6) In anticipation of the Lake House this weekend, it's time to revisit a few of the past visits. Check out this one, this one, and this one.
7) You don't want to see Jack Bauer mad. Or, for that matter, Kiefer Sutherland. Apparently his alter-ego has gone a bit to his head, like a few weeks ago when he head-butted someone at a gathering...
8) Sad to think that even on a show I don't care about, American Idol, the outcome might have been changed by one of the contestant's sexuality. Sad if true, America.
9) The speculation about the King of Pop's return to the stage has started anew with the announcement that the start of the tour will be pushed back 5 days. He hides his face in a mask to the media, but is going to do 50 live shows? Interesting.
10) I always like to see the citizens fighting back. This time, it's music consumers who are bringing a counter suit against the RIAA asking for all the money they've collected to be returned. Just go buy your music and support the artists folks, then you won't have to deal with the RIAA.
That's it for me folks...time to get the May iPod update in order so I can have fresh tunes at the Lake this weekend. Enjoy the sunshine!
So wherever you happen to go this weekend, I'll be sitting back and having a cocktail or three for you. Cheers, and remember to use warm water before shaving.
1) Well, we never claimed the government was good at keeping records, and now they proved it. Apparently, a 2TB hard drive containing personal information from the Clinton Era has gone missing at the National Archives. Wonder if Lewinsky's number was on there...
2) Immigration and both the benefits and strains it brings to our economy are always hot topics. I was surprised to find this article about a school in Texas where 70% of the student body commutes daily from Mexico.
3) I wish they had this when I was a kid! Now Lego is putting out Frank Lloyd Wright sets. For the 6 year old future architect in your home...
4) If the rumors are true, a new iPhone could come to market in July. With some of these reported features, it might be time for me to think about upgrading...
5) Always kinda shocking to me when former athletes sink to horrendous lows following the end of their career. Ryan Leaf's career as a football player wasn't all that solid, but still sad that he's being charged with burglary of a controlled substance...
6) In anticipation of the Lake House this weekend, it's time to revisit a few of the past visits. Check out this one, this one, and this one.
7) You don't want to see Jack Bauer mad. Or, for that matter, Kiefer Sutherland. Apparently his alter-ego has gone a bit to his head, like a few weeks ago when he head-butted someone at a gathering...
8) Sad to think that even on a show I don't care about, American Idol, the outcome might have been changed by one of the contestant's sexuality. Sad if true, America.
9) The speculation about the King of Pop's return to the stage has started anew with the announcement that the start of the tour will be pushed back 5 days. He hides his face in a mask to the media, but is going to do 50 live shows? Interesting.
10) I always like to see the citizens fighting back. This time, it's music consumers who are bringing a counter suit against the RIAA asking for all the money they've collected to be returned. Just go buy your music and support the artists folks, then you won't have to deal with the RIAA.
That's it for me folks...time to get the May iPod update in order so I can have fresh tunes at the Lake this weekend. Enjoy the sunshine!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Ant Food (Old)
In searching through books for research for my exam last week, I came across a Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry I had used for one of my college courses. It had a poem in the front, so I thought I'd start today off with that. Here ya go:
Let me cover my meaning -
There are times in which the sun rains down,
heavy on me,
and the deep breath of fresh air,
Filling my nostrils warm and pure,
And my smile,
Ear to ear,
Soaks me to the last layer of skin,
Letting me walk,
Dripping joy on the sidewalk,
bits of sugar for ants to seek out,
lap at
and beg for,
Sucking greedily at the joy
that I spread like sticky sweet oceans
Over the continent of Earth,
like yellow and fuscia blossoms
tossed to the winds.
Watch me smile,
Watch me drip,
Then watch me melt.
Let me cover my meaning -
There are times in which the sun rains down,
heavy on me,
and the deep breath of fresh air,
Filling my nostrils warm and pure,
And my smile,
Ear to ear,
Soaks me to the last layer of skin,
Letting me walk,
Dripping joy on the sidewalk,
bits of sugar for ants to seek out,
lap at
and beg for,
Sucking greedily at the joy
that I spread like sticky sweet oceans
Over the continent of Earth,
like yellow and fuscia blossoms
tossed to the winds.
Watch me smile,
Watch me drip,
Then watch me melt.
Monday, May 18, 2009
M.I.A.
Wow. Talk about a busy few weeks. Not only did I go over two weeks without getting a new quote of the day up, but I failed on last week's 10 Things to Think About on a Friday, and missed the week before as well. But I can't say it hasn't been worth it, because while I've been letting the blog fall into a state of minor disrepair, it was all so I could get everything in my actual life settled into place again. Now, I'm back, and it will undoubtedly be with a vengeance...let me catch y'all up.
Most of you will already know that about four months ago I was told that I was going to find a new job. After looking at a ton of possibilities, some good, some not so good, I came to the realization that while I had been very comfortable in my job, I hadn't been happy for quite some time. Some of this was due to the money, but most of it had to do with working for a boss that was an absolute maniac. (No folks, I'm not talking about my step-dad!) She was rude, short, stressful and was referred to around the office as "Scary." Basically, she made it her job to make my life unpleasant everyday in any minor way she could think of.
I then decided that after looking around, I didn't particularly want to stay in Real Estate, at least not the way it was going. Things were stressful there as I wasn't sure what else I was going to do, and time was getting shorter. Then, on April 29th, the day before my last day at the old job, I found a new one. I took some time off, got situated, and started in here on the 11th, and after only one week I can say definitively so far so good. The job I've gotten is a temporary position as the Executive Assistant to a HR rep out in the East Bay. Long relaxed in a five minute drive as a "commute," I've been pleasantly enjoying my morning commute to Pleasanton. I'm finding it a bit harder to get up that early in the morning, but once I'm moving, it's all energy. I love people watching on BART, seeing those coming on and getting off as I ride the length of the line, and the extra dedicated reading time everyday has been positively uplifting. Something about being among the mass commuters, feeling the train breathing around me brings me a sense of joy and modernity. On the way home, I read and nap. Incredibly enjoyable.
But the stress wasn't over quite yet. As I started the job, I had to stare down the barrell of a standardized test, a 5 hour affair that was to test my competency in English. So while I started work, I withdrew socially to study. Of course, the job and the studying were continually broken up by track, which was winding down in the season and rapidly approaching league finals. On Thursday, we had league finals and my team repeated as League Champions. When we won last year with 6 teams in the league, we didn't figure we'd have a real solid chance at a repeat this year as the league went to 13 teams, but we managed to pull out a crazy win by 3 points. As our JV team won the first JV Championship for the league, we are unanimous girl's champions. Then, Saturday, I took the exam, and now I feel like I once again have some space and time to breathe, relax and get back to getting my online affairs in order.
So be on the look out...I've got some new interviews, a few book reviews, and lots of new music coming up. This weekend, after I finished the exam, I went straight to Topher's place where I promptly started drinking. I wasn't sure if I was celebrating how I did on the test, or just how I felt about being done, but when he and I started taking tequila shots, ChengJ, Foster and Paulo just kind of moved out of the way. On their way to City, we decide to stop in and have a drink with E who's working his door job at the Silver Cloud. Of course, Topher, who lives in the Marina, tells me he knows exactly where we're going. We then proceed to walk 5 blocks in the opposite direction. Thinking that we may be going the wrong way, I call E who informs me that it was actually one block from where we originally started.
We get over there and I order some drinks from the bartender. When I tell her that E wants to put it on his tab, she gives me a very unpleasant look (because she knows that it pretty much means "free.") I try to win her over with a 7 dollar tip, but I don't think she cares. Topher, who at this point is a bit loopy, sips a bit of his drink before I have to finish it for him. I finish most of mine before we decide it's time to move on to meet back up with the rest of the folks at City. I think E is confused when we leave so quickly, but then again, we weren't really planning on a 30 minute hunt for the bar when we set out.
Back at City, ChengJ is talking about the bar with a few women. I feel like I might get sucked in to the conversation, decide to avoid it at all costs and jump out the window to smoke. Feeling much relieved, I head back inside where the women ask me if I'm "ok." I'm a bit confused...sure, I'm ok, why would they think I wasn't? "Well, you didn't talk before." My response to this is, "just because I chose not to talk doesn't mean I was unable." They think I'm being rude and go back to talking to Cheng. I head over to a table where Topher and I compare notes and realize that even having only had one drink a piece at each of the bars, we are completely and utterly trashed. We hang onto the table like it's a life vest that might save us from drowning.
After leaving, we head up the street and avoid the pizza line in favor of the hot dog stand. I'm told that I absolutely must have a lemon chicken hot dog, which, I'm pretty sure may have saved my life and helped me avoid a wicked hangover. I wake up in my clothes on Topher's couch, the bun of the hot dog still in my hand. We compare more notes on the balcony and realize that when a) you don't pay for any drinks in the bars, b) you don't throw up, c) you're plastered, d) you get home ok and e) you have a nice post-midnight snack, the night has to be categorized as a major success. We head over back to City with Sonia where I take advantage of the free mimosa with brunch before heading back to the Peninsula. It's about 100 degrees out and a soda sounds refreshing, so I stop in at Nini's for a few rounds. I'm wrapping things up when Dawson, Johnson and @pdxblazersftw show up to have lunch.
After I leave Nini's I make a housecall to see the moms who are hanging out at the pool. Don Po hooks up some home made guacamole and we have a few beers which makes it quite an enjoyable day in the shade. After getting home and hanging out for a bit, it's unbearably hot in my apartment so I take a stroll to get some Cold Stone ice cream...cake batter with kit kat bars and graham cracker pie crust. And that, my friends, pretty much gets you all up to speed. I look forward to getting back into the daily routine of quotes of the day, the weekly things to think about on a Friday, and all the random crazy fun I like to share. Should be good times to come this summer! As someone might say to Kotter, Welcome Back!
Most of you will already know that about four months ago I was told that I was going to find a new job. After looking at a ton of possibilities, some good, some not so good, I came to the realization that while I had been very comfortable in my job, I hadn't been happy for quite some time. Some of this was due to the money, but most of it had to do with working for a boss that was an absolute maniac. (No folks, I'm not talking about my step-dad!) She was rude, short, stressful and was referred to around the office as "Scary." Basically, she made it her job to make my life unpleasant everyday in any minor way she could think of.
I then decided that after looking around, I didn't particularly want to stay in Real Estate, at least not the way it was going. Things were stressful there as I wasn't sure what else I was going to do, and time was getting shorter. Then, on April 29th, the day before my last day at the old job, I found a new one. I took some time off, got situated, and started in here on the 11th, and after only one week I can say definitively so far so good. The job I've gotten is a temporary position as the Executive Assistant to a HR rep out in the East Bay. Long relaxed in a five minute drive as a "commute," I've been pleasantly enjoying my morning commute to Pleasanton. I'm finding it a bit harder to get up that early in the morning, but once I'm moving, it's all energy. I love people watching on BART, seeing those coming on and getting off as I ride the length of the line, and the extra dedicated reading time everyday has been positively uplifting. Something about being among the mass commuters, feeling the train breathing around me brings me a sense of joy and modernity. On the way home, I read and nap. Incredibly enjoyable.
But the stress wasn't over quite yet. As I started the job, I had to stare down the barrell of a standardized test, a 5 hour affair that was to test my competency in English. So while I started work, I withdrew socially to study. Of course, the job and the studying were continually broken up by track, which was winding down in the season and rapidly approaching league finals. On Thursday, we had league finals and my team repeated as League Champions. When we won last year with 6 teams in the league, we didn't figure we'd have a real solid chance at a repeat this year as the league went to 13 teams, but we managed to pull out a crazy win by 3 points. As our JV team won the first JV Championship for the league, we are unanimous girl's champions. Then, Saturday, I took the exam, and now I feel like I once again have some space and time to breathe, relax and get back to getting my online affairs in order.
So be on the look out...I've got some new interviews, a few book reviews, and lots of new music coming up. This weekend, after I finished the exam, I went straight to Topher's place where I promptly started drinking. I wasn't sure if I was celebrating how I did on the test, or just how I felt about being done, but when he and I started taking tequila shots, ChengJ, Foster and Paulo just kind of moved out of the way. On their way to City, we decide to stop in and have a drink with E who's working his door job at the Silver Cloud. Of course, Topher, who lives in the Marina, tells me he knows exactly where we're going. We then proceed to walk 5 blocks in the opposite direction. Thinking that we may be going the wrong way, I call E who informs me that it was actually one block from where we originally started.
We get over there and I order some drinks from the bartender. When I tell her that E wants to put it on his tab, she gives me a very unpleasant look (because she knows that it pretty much means "free.") I try to win her over with a 7 dollar tip, but I don't think she cares. Topher, who at this point is a bit loopy, sips a bit of his drink before I have to finish it for him. I finish most of mine before we decide it's time to move on to meet back up with the rest of the folks at City. I think E is confused when we leave so quickly, but then again, we weren't really planning on a 30 minute hunt for the bar when we set out.
Back at City, ChengJ is talking about the bar with a few women. I feel like I might get sucked in to the conversation, decide to avoid it at all costs and jump out the window to smoke. Feeling much relieved, I head back inside where the women ask me if I'm "ok." I'm a bit confused...sure, I'm ok, why would they think I wasn't? "Well, you didn't talk before." My response to this is, "just because I chose not to talk doesn't mean I was unable." They think I'm being rude and go back to talking to Cheng. I head over to a table where Topher and I compare notes and realize that even having only had one drink a piece at each of the bars, we are completely and utterly trashed. We hang onto the table like it's a life vest that might save us from drowning.
After leaving, we head up the street and avoid the pizza line in favor of the hot dog stand. I'm told that I absolutely must have a lemon chicken hot dog, which, I'm pretty sure may have saved my life and helped me avoid a wicked hangover. I wake up in my clothes on Topher's couch, the bun of the hot dog still in my hand. We compare more notes on the balcony and realize that when a) you don't pay for any drinks in the bars, b) you don't throw up, c) you're plastered, d) you get home ok and e) you have a nice post-midnight snack, the night has to be categorized as a major success. We head over back to City with Sonia where I take advantage of the free mimosa with brunch before heading back to the Peninsula. It's about 100 degrees out and a soda sounds refreshing, so I stop in at Nini's for a few rounds. I'm wrapping things up when Dawson, Johnson and @pdxblazersftw show up to have lunch.
After I leave Nini's I make a housecall to see the moms who are hanging out at the pool. Don Po hooks up some home made guacamole and we have a few beers which makes it quite an enjoyable day in the shade. After getting home and hanging out for a bit, it's unbearably hot in my apartment so I take a stroll to get some Cold Stone ice cream...cake batter with kit kat bars and graham cracker pie crust. And that, my friends, pretty much gets you all up to speed. I look forward to getting back into the daily routine of quotes of the day, the weekly things to think about on a Friday, and all the random crazy fun I like to share. Should be good times to come this summer! As someone might say to Kotter, Welcome Back!
Friday, May 1, 2009
10 Things to Think About on a Friday
So this week I wrapped up the job, went to two-a-day distance running workouts and landed another job. Right. Under. The. Wire. Gainfully employed, I can no go dancing into the sunset of April, welcoming today's May Day festivities. Need some new music this month? I've got you covered. I don't have anywhere to be but practice at 3pm, but if you're stuck in the office til 5, here's a few things you can kill some brain cells with. Happy Friday folks!
1) I loved the ending of the Sopranos on HBO. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to see a full length movie.
2) Twitter keeps making the big headlines. Here in the Bay Area, Brian Wilson and Barry Zito both got themselves in a bit of hot water...Brian Wilson, as a result, is no longer on Twitter. Don't worry though, you can still find Sarah Palin tweeting.
3) Top Gun star Kelly McGillis has come out of the closet. Kinda takes away from that scene knowing that she was probably not all that into it...
4) Looks like Obama is going to get his first crack at naming a Supreme Court justice in his first year in office...David Souter is retiring. Mr. President? He had no comment.
5) Even if you aren't an NBA fan, most people can get excited by the fact that of 6 games between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls, 4 games have gone to OT, including last night's triple OT. That's 7 OT periods through 6 games. Want more overtime? Game 7 is in Boston on Saturday.
Speaking of Saturday, check out this sports line-up: Kentucky Derby, Boston v. Chicago game 7, Manny Pacquiao v. Ricky Hatton. Even those not into boxing will want to watch the fight after they check out HBO's four part mini-series (available On Demand) Pacquiao/Hatton 24/7.
6) I love JoePa over at Penn State...a true icon of college football. He's now pushing for the Big 10 to expand to 12 teams. Visionary.
7) If you're looking for some free new hip-hop, here's Del's Funk Man.
8) The fight raging over the BCS and a college football playoff is raging in Congress. We want playoffs, Obama wants playoffs, isn't there a way to make the playoffs the bowl games?
9) It's Follow Friday. @spookygrimm @alankhalfin @dynamics @pdxblazersftw @azavi big ups yourself!
10) And for those we can't follow, I'm wondering when we're going to see @jenglace @mcella @chengj @hessica @kalice and @emilisq take on the world of Twitter.
Cheers folks, and remember, dry your hair before you go out in the rain.
1) I loved the ending of the Sopranos on HBO. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to see a full length movie.
2) Twitter keeps making the big headlines. Here in the Bay Area, Brian Wilson and Barry Zito both got themselves in a bit of hot water...Brian Wilson, as a result, is no longer on Twitter. Don't worry though, you can still find Sarah Palin tweeting.
3) Top Gun star Kelly McGillis has come out of the closet. Kinda takes away from that scene knowing that she was probably not all that into it...
4) Looks like Obama is going to get his first crack at naming a Supreme Court justice in his first year in office...David Souter is retiring. Mr. President? He had no comment.
5) Even if you aren't an NBA fan, most people can get excited by the fact that of 6 games between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls, 4 games have gone to OT, including last night's triple OT. That's 7 OT periods through 6 games. Want more overtime? Game 7 is in Boston on Saturday.
Speaking of Saturday, check out this sports line-up: Kentucky Derby, Boston v. Chicago game 7, Manny Pacquiao v. Ricky Hatton. Even those not into boxing will want to watch the fight after they check out HBO's four part mini-series (available On Demand) Pacquiao/Hatton 24/7.
6) I love JoePa over at Penn State...a true icon of college football. He's now pushing for the Big 10 to expand to 12 teams. Visionary.
7) If you're looking for some free new hip-hop, here's Del's Funk Man.
8) The fight raging over the BCS and a college football playoff is raging in Congress. We want playoffs, Obama wants playoffs, isn't there a way to make the playoffs the bowl games?
9) It's Follow Friday. @spookygrimm @alankhalfin @dynamics @pdxblazersftw @azavi big ups yourself!
10) And for those we can't follow, I'm wondering when we're going to see @jenglace @mcella @chengj @hessica @kalice and @emilisq take on the world of Twitter.
Cheers folks, and remember, dry your hair before you go out in the rain.
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