Oprahfication

(Zoe) Heller observes "a relatively new and very unhealthy phenomenon" arising, perhaps, from "Oprahfication of fiction writing or book clubs: This demand for characters you can root for, inspirational fiction, where you feel like you'd like to climb into the book and be there. There's something slightly infantile about all of that. It clearly doesn't win me any friends to say this, but I feel [like saying] a lot of the time, when I'm answering questions in bookstores, ‘Oh, grow up!'

– from Saturday, March 07, 2009 edition of The National Post

http://storms.typepad.com/booklust/2009/03/random-readings.html



Zoë Heller, author of Notes on a Scandal and Everything You Know has written a comic, tragic tale about one family’s struggles with the consolations of faith and the trials of doubt.

When Joel Litvinoff is felled by a stroke, his wife, Audrey, uncovers a secret that forces her to re-examine her ideas about their forty-year marriage. Joel’s children will soon have to come to terms with this unsettling discovery themselves, but for the time being, they are grappling with their own dilemmas. Rosa is being pressed to make a commitment to religion. Karla is falling in love with the owner of a newspaper concession and Lenny is back on drugs. In the course of battling their own demons and each other, every member of the family is called upon to re-examine long-held articles of faith and to decide what – if anything – they still believe in.


http://www.thestar.com/article/595476

Driving in traffic increases your risk of heart attack immediately after...

Makes sense...



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090313171310.htm

The Bicyclist

I've only watched the first episode so far... set in Portland, new guy moves to town, almost doors a biker, presumably falls in love.. hahaha...

http://www.thebicyclist.tv/

I got doored.

Bicycle maintenance is important, especially during a seasonal change. Anyway, eventually everyone learns, and picks how they want to continue. I prefer proper maintenance, while I know others don't mind (and prefer) getting a new bike when the old one just doesn't have it anymore. I have a friend who has, season after season, left their bike out in the winter. Always coming back (surprised for some reason!) to find it rusty and worn out, riding slightly worse and misaligned than it had before...

Anyway, this kind of brings me to the point of this... I got doored, and the bike was too damaged to ride home. I went to the Emergency, no broken bones, but the chest and face took a beating and it's gonna take some time to heal. I'll be alright.

However, some weird/valuable observations. In that moment, life kinda flashed in my mind, but more the immediacy, rather than the passed. In exchange for that loss of long-term memory, I also have a clearer vision into the future. Sure I looked back and saw how I went wrong (too close to the parked cars, taking thoughtless chances, not taking enough care on the road, etc...). But those mistakes happened, now I know better than being careless, but paid one hell of a price!

It realigned things though (hahaha...). I started immediately to think who would be there for me. Even at that moment, at my humblest, in need of help, who would and wouldn't be there for me. Then came the distant future... realignment. A clarity. It definitely shook me, and I know who was there for me then, and I know who wasn't/wouldn't be, and I know that I needed to change what wasn't working for me.

The bike? I tried to fix it, adjusted the gears and the front alignment, but it's not riding the same. I guess I'm not really a professional at fixing it after such a huge crash; it obviously takes more than tinkering, and it needs a lot more time. I'll keep trying to fix it, I want to fix it, but that wobble isn't looking any better, unfortunately. It really requires a complete rebuild. I'll never give up the biking because of this accident; I love it too much and I guess it was my partly fault as well, just for riding too close to the damn swinging doors. Time for a new bike? When I'm ready to ride I suppose, but it's gonna take some time to heal, and maybe by then the wobble will be repaired. Or, maybe not; it's not like the old bike was without its problems, but, definitely worth fixing.



ps. Thanks to Ryan for sending me Joel Plaskett's In Need of Medical Attention (63mb) and see you at the show! Wow.. he (Plaskett, that is) has come a long way... not a bad album for a first solo, but still lots of Thrush Hermit in him there... sounds so young, lost and disappointed in himself. The medical theme throughout is fantastic though... Few highlights?: 1, 2, 6, 9, 10.

02. When I Have My Vision

Goodness gracious me, I'm sure
It's raining harder than it ever has before
I can feel it coming down so hard
Can't help but think somebody's got my calling card
I'm waiting on admission to heaven
So wake me up at 7
I'll go out and find something to do
And one of these days, when I have my vision
I'm gonna make a speech and I'm gonna charge admission

We're gonna have a big parade
To celebrate all the money that we made
I wanna ride on the top of the float
And stare at all the people and gloat
I don't like sleeping in late
So wake me up at 8
I'll go out and find something to do
And one of these days when I have my vision
There's gonna be no reason for this ugly indecision

Well here we are, and I'm shit outta luck
So I think it's time for me to pass the buck
If I'm in the car when it crashes
Miss me most and you can kiss my ashes
Things seem to be coming up all the time
So wake me up at 9
I'll go out and find something to do
And one of these days, when I have my vision
I'll let 'em lay me on the table and make the first incision

I heard once that it don't make sense
To build a wall where you shoulda put a fence
I heard twice you should not put me
Where you put a fridge, a couch and a TV
The world needs a few good men
So wake me up at 10
I'll go out and find something to do
And one of these days, when I have my vision
I'm still waiting on admission into heaven
So wake me up at quarter past 11
I'll go out and find something to do
And one of these days when I have my vision
I will gather my disciples for the final expedition

Not sure why anyone would want to do this, but I'm sure there are line-ups...

You should recognize Milan from NYC...

http://oneandother.co.uk/

In 1999, a new project began to rotate pieces of modern art, chosen by competition, on this fourth plinth, a use that has proved to be very popular and successful (if sometimes controversial).

The latest project is probably the most fun, and also the most interesting and democratic use of this public art space. For 100 days (starting July 6), various people will stand for one hour each on the plinth, 24 hours a day. Anyone can apply to do so, and the 2,400 participants will be chosen completely at random from the people who apply, assigned a random time, and be able to do pretty much whatever they choose during their 60 minutes.

http://spacing.ca/wire/2009/03/11/anyone-can-be-a-monument-for-60-minutes/

Cool project!

http://www.thesoundadviceproject.com/

Skipping over the whole anti-drug messages, this is something really cool. Basically, it's mimicking the sound wave of your voice and putting it into a tangible bracelet. Reminds me of this cool project.

Ok, off to do some work for now... will try to get more in later.

Happy birthday Milan!... Now, glad to be home...

Man, I really am not into this party all weekend thing anymore.

Great friend's 30th birthday weekend in NYC and Atlantic City; purely exhausting. Don't get me wrong; fantastic to see friends and spend some time with them, but it wasn't really quality time. Too much emphasis on the party, the drinking aspect, no down time. Met some of friend's NYC friends; ugh.. some of them just way too much for me. Could not even come close to understanding their thought process... Exhausting trying to be up all the time. Exhausting spending three nights in a sleeping bag having people come home later than you and waking you, continuing the party. Not sure if I'm too old for this, but just not into this anymore.

Now, the good parts. New York City was sunny and warm. Got out with the boys and spent the days walking around, trying to take some good pictures and see beautiful New York. Atlantic City, although our hotel was amazing, but was a too PARTY HARD atmosphere for me. Anyway, it was an experience that confirmed that my direction / way I am starting to feel about things... I'm planning to be back down in NYC in early May, and the way that's shaping up it should be quieter...

Here are some pics:

Arby's in Pulaski, where Jermy plans to run for Mayor some day.


Justifiably excited!


New Facebook profile.


Milan's apartment in NYC.






Milan!


His rooftop at night.






Outside the apartment.


Brunch.


Walking around.


The Half Pint.

Sloan: CMW 2009 - Wednesday show

Taken with the handheld... the lens definitely needs a cleaning...

It helped that they (Sloan) played mostly old stuff, stuff from their new album, and only one from their double, which admittedly was great. Will Currie & the Country French were meh... not enough dynamics in their songs; expected more.

Tomorrow, off to NYC and AC for a friend's 30th. Will come back with a ton of pictures and a good experience, hopefully.

Into wordgames.. .

Ever since Bananagrams a few days ago, I'm liking the word games... I'm memorizing those two letter words!

Here are two great ones:
Scrabble
Text Twist 2

btw, warded?

update 09.03.19: Try the 'Lightning' option for Text Twist 2; only bonus (full) words count!

ok.. time to call it.. I can't get back into the same feeling tonight...

Will try to kick it back up another night, without the computer getting all wacky. Here are the songs I listened to while away from here. Upcoming: More Skaggs, but with Rice. And will revisit the Flatt and Scruggs, Wreck of old 97.. move from there wherever it leads...

one last one from a friend:

Last song of the night due to technical difficulties... Elvis Costello: Oliver's Army

Wow.. what a hook!!! Such a great chord progression!

Better Live!!!



Man, his voice sounds so great live.

One more..



Lyrics: http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/79725/

Meaning: posted by someone on that site: a bit of Britain's military involvements post WW2 - "we could be in Palestine" - Britain was involved in a conflict in Palestine in 1947/1948, between Israelis and Arabs. "Overrun by the Chinese line" refers to the Korean war, when China intervened on behalf of North Korea - the Gloster regiment was "overrun" at the battle of Imjin River. The Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne... well, Liverpool is on the Mersey, London on the Thames, Newcastle on the Tyne. These cities were all big industrial cities, so with the decline of British industry post warits easy to see how these would be fertile grounds for army recruitment. "Checkpoint Charlie" was on the Berlin wall - It was of key importance during the Berlin Airlift (late 40s/early 50s? not sure of specific date). Though the "Johannesburg" reference could apply to the Boer war, I thought it could just as easily apply to places such as Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) that border on South Africa, and which had their independence struggles in the 1960s and 1970s, in which a great many mercenaries from European countries were involved (hence the out of work... so having to become a mercenary or something). Then again, Churchill was involved in British military history in both the Boer and First World wars, as well as the Second World War, so it could be a reference to the Boer War. Just my interpretation... hope that helps. Oh - and "White Nigger" refers to the Irish... they used to be treated in Britain almost as badly as black people were treated in the U.S.

Wanna hear it butchered? Actually, please don't listen to/watch this... such a downer. The song isn't automatically great, Elvis made that song. Need more proof? Gawd aweful. If you do listen to these versions, do yourself a favour, relisten to the Costello version and get that good feeling back again.