2008.
grandma's death.
the B part 2.
biggest/best PREP events that ever took place.
the last math class I'll ever take.
the end of my employment with on-campus housing...forever.
graduation.
end of collegiate career.
first time i ever got contacts.
first summer without questionable drama since 1999.
the very last college party i'll ever throw.
the last time I'll ever see alot of people.
first voluntary physical activity since 2002.
first full time job.
first time to the Philippines.
first company picnic, softball game, and winter holiday formal.
first time wine tasting.
first mp3 player that plays video.
first time to an Indian casino.
the last time I'll ever get 3 weeks straight of vacation.
the last time I'll ever spend that much time at home.
the most alcohol I've ever received for Christmas.
the first cross country road trip I ever took.
the first time I've spent new year's eve away from home.
the end of the beginning of my life.
the first day of the rest of my life.
the finishing of the easiest part of life.
the last post of two thousand and eight.
2008.
"ooh you know its brand new when it's not opened"
-VS
12/31/08
12/24/08
what an "obamanation"
I'd like to call to attention to the world this 'obamanation' of a product:
That's right people, it's Obama beer, as made by the company Mavericks.
I tried said beer last night, and I must say that it is definitely a beer that gives me a change I can believe in. The flavor of the "hop(e)" is really prevelant in this ale, and ends with a smooth transition that's fit for those lazy Sundays or those lazier inauguration days.
I'll stop there.
Anyways, time beckons me to go to church for the first time in...well...I can't really recall. In that note, I'd like to wish you all a good tidings on the 2008th anniversary of the day of Jesus' origination.
"Bing Crosby? Is that the black guy or the white guy?"
-VS
That's right people, it's Obama beer, as made by the company Mavericks.
I tried said beer last night, and I must say that it is definitely a beer that gives me a change I can believe in. The flavor of the "hop(e)" is really prevelant in this ale, and ends with a smooth transition that's fit for those lazy Sundays or those lazier inauguration days.
I'll stop there.
Anyways, time beckons me to go to church for the first time in...well...I can't really recall. In that note, I'd like to wish you all a good tidings on the 2008th anniversary of the day of Jesus' origination.
"Bing Crosby? Is that the black guy or the white guy?"
-VS
12/21/08
here's something someone probably never thought about
You ever read post secret? It's basically a collection of 4X6 postcards or pictures where people can disclose their deepest, darkest secrets on these cards, but anonymously. Some are serious, some are sad, and some are just downright funny.
So I was perusing through the other day, and found many that stood out to me, related to me, or didn't relate to me at all and I just found hilarious. There was one that really stood out to me though, because I think it actually is true:
Or did I make that myself? I'll never let you know.
"he wanted white cake, ain't that ghetto?
"naw, chocolate cake is ghetto"
-CB
So I was perusing through the other day, and found many that stood out to me, related to me, or didn't relate to me at all and I just found hilarious. There was one that really stood out to me though, because I think it actually is true:
Or did I make that myself? I'll never let you know.
"he wanted white cake, ain't that ghetto?
"naw, chocolate cake is ghetto"
-CB
12/15/08
Vearsã cu gãleata
That means "it's raining cats and dogs" in Aromenian.
Mind my ignorance, but who the hell speaks Aromenian?
Today was the first "real" rain in Sunny Southern California. I say "real" because all the past few rains in the past month or two have been slight drizzles or sprinkles, and were hardly worthy to wash my car. I also know that this is the first real rain since there were the obligatory flash flood warnings and slowed commute to work due to inexperienced drivers in wet conditions and the increased amount of accidents due to that. Throw in the extra complaints from Southern California natives that this mild dripping from the sky that doesn't even require me to use my wiper blades all that often is "horrendous" and we've got ourselves a 'storm' in SoCal.
Either way, being an expatriate from a region in which rain comes regularly, and even moreso during the winter months, I find the 325 days of the year that Los Angeles doesn't get rain to be progressively more annoying. I miss real downpours (but I do have a limit when it comes to snow).
To that, I say chyen ap bwe nan nen (which in Haitian Creole means 'dogs are drinking in their noses').
"you remind me of my stepdad."
-JRT
Mind my ignorance, but who the hell speaks Aromenian?
Today was the first "real" rain in Sunny Southern California. I say "real" because all the past few rains in the past month or two have been slight drizzles or sprinkles, and were hardly worthy to wash my car. I also know that this is the first real rain since there were the obligatory flash flood warnings and slowed commute to work due to inexperienced drivers in wet conditions and the increased amount of accidents due to that. Throw in the extra complaints from Southern California natives that this mild dripping from the sky that doesn't even require me to use my wiper blades all that often is "horrendous" and we've got ourselves a 'storm' in SoCal.
Either way, being an expatriate from a region in which rain comes regularly, and even moreso during the winter months, I find the 325 days of the year that Los Angeles doesn't get rain to be progressively more annoying. I miss real downpours (but I do have a limit when it comes to snow).
To that, I say chyen ap bwe nan nen (which in Haitian Creole means 'dogs are drinking in their noses').
"you remind me of my stepdad."
-JRT
12/10/08
I have joined the ranks...
...of the 3.18 million other people who are registered on the insta-blogging/status updated website Twitter. And apparently the moment I finished writing this past sentence, about 700 more people just registered for the site.
For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter, it's basically a site which personifies the facebook status updates. And for those of you unfamiliar with the facebook status updates, what you do is type (within 140 characters) an update on whatever you'd like, whether that be what you're doing at the moment (Mark is scratching his leg), what you're thinking (Mark is pondering life), or if you found or saw something interesting (OMG Mark just saw a squirrel run up a tree...FAST!) that you just have to share with whoever is following your updates. You can also follow other people's feeds to see what is they're up to, to see what they're doing at the moment, what they're thinking, or if they found or saw something interesting that they just had to share with whoever is following their updates. Anyways, I think these guys would probably explain it a little better:
My joining this site is slightly frightening to me, since it pretty much creates another outlet (alongside with gmail, hotmail, aim, and facebook) for me to neurotically sign on to and check frequently and search and add everyone I could possibly know.
As a matter of fact, why don't you just add me already, while we're on the subject:
http://twitter.com/markwidaq
female:(whistles)
male: (looks up) is that Bob?
female: do I look like a Bob?
-heard on the streets of Westwood
For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter, it's basically a site which personifies the facebook status updates. And for those of you unfamiliar with the facebook status updates, what you do is type (within 140 characters) an update on whatever you'd like, whether that be what you're doing at the moment (Mark is scratching his leg), what you're thinking (Mark is pondering life), or if you found or saw something interesting (OMG Mark just saw a squirrel run up a tree...FAST!) that you just have to share with whoever is following your updates. You can also follow other people's feeds to see what is they're up to, to see what they're doing at the moment, what they're thinking, or if they found or saw something interesting that they just had to share with whoever is following their updates. Anyways, I think these guys would probably explain it a little better:
My joining this site is slightly frightening to me, since it pretty much creates another outlet (alongside with gmail, hotmail, aim, and facebook) for me to neurotically sign on to and check frequently and search and add everyone I could possibly know.
As a matter of fact, why don't you just add me already, while we're on the subject:
http://twitter.com/markwidaq
female:(whistles)
male: (looks up) is that Bob?
female: do I look like a Bob?
-heard on the streets of Westwood
12/8/08
I don't apologize. I'm sorry, that's just the way I am.
So apparently Academics have created an equation that will actually quantify the measure and likelihood of procrastination. Professor Piers Steel, a self-proclaimed academic has spent the past 10 years studying what it is that gives people the propensity to put off what they can do today until tomorrow. Studying 250 University of Calgary college students, he sought to decide whether procrastinators were perfectionists or just plain lazy. The equation is as follows:
U=EV/ID
...where U stands for utility, or the desire to complete a given task. It is equal to the product of E, the expectation of success, and V the value of completion, divided by the product of I, the immediacy of the task, and D, the personal sensitivity to delay.
So let's put this to the test, shall we? Today, I have been tasked with updating a phone list of 290 drivers, a task which involves lots of data entry, does not have a real due date, and in actuality is somebody else's project that I'm taking over for.
Let's start on the right side of the equation. E is the expectation of success, which for me has been affected by my boss telling me to complete this task for my coworker, since she won't be coming in this week. On a rank of 1 to 10, I'm assuming my boss wants me to finish this task for her, so let's put it at 10.
V is the value of completion, which I guess would be the ultimate value I would receive from performing this task. Since finishing a project that belongs to someone else, and whose outcome would not ultimately affect me, I would put value on a scale of 1 to 10 at 3.
I is immediacy of the task. Considering the fact that I have nothing else to work on at the moment, and a due date was not given to me, this number is actually pretty low to me. Since it's the denominator, the scale is inversely proportional, so larger numbers equal lower values. Let's give it a 10.
D is the personal sensitivity to delay. I personally am very sensitive to many things, but delay is not one of them. If there was a sense of urgency, I suppose a higher value could be given to this task. Since my boss is usually too busy for his own right (and mine) throughout the day, my sensitivity to the delay of this is fairly low. I still have a few hours before he comes into my office and asks me what I do, so I'll give this one a fairly low value of 8.
Putting it all together looks like this:
U=(10*3)/(10*8)
U=30/80
U=.375
So utility for me to finish this task would .375, a fairly low chance of me getting back to this project since a utility of 1 would be a task I enjoy doing and needs to be finished immediately.
In conclusion, we find that this project has %37.5 chance of me finishing it without delay. The remaining %62.5 of me would rather read up on more articles on digg and reddit, check my email repeatedly, or write this post while I'm sitting here at work.
My God, the equation is right!
Well, back to work, I guess.
"Who's Hitler?"
-VR
U=EV/ID
...where U stands for utility, or the desire to complete a given task. It is equal to the product of E, the expectation of success, and V the value of completion, divided by the product of I, the immediacy of the task, and D, the personal sensitivity to delay.
So let's put this to the test, shall we? Today, I have been tasked with updating a phone list of 290 drivers, a task which involves lots of data entry, does not have a real due date, and in actuality is somebody else's project that I'm taking over for.
Let's start on the right side of the equation. E is the expectation of success, which for me has been affected by my boss telling me to complete this task for my coworker, since she won't be coming in this week. On a rank of 1 to 10, I'm assuming my boss wants me to finish this task for her, so let's put it at 10.
V is the value of completion, which I guess would be the ultimate value I would receive from performing this task. Since finishing a project that belongs to someone else, and whose outcome would not ultimately affect me, I would put value on a scale of 1 to 10 at 3.
I is immediacy of the task. Considering the fact that I have nothing else to work on at the moment, and a due date was not given to me, this number is actually pretty low to me. Since it's the denominator, the scale is inversely proportional, so larger numbers equal lower values. Let's give it a 10.
D is the personal sensitivity to delay. I personally am very sensitive to many things, but delay is not one of them. If there was a sense of urgency, I suppose a higher value could be given to this task. Since my boss is usually too busy for his own right (and mine) throughout the day, my sensitivity to the delay of this is fairly low. I still have a few hours before he comes into my office and asks me what I do, so I'll give this one a fairly low value of 8.
Putting it all together looks like this:
U=(10*3)/(10*8)
U=30/80
U=.375
So utility for me to finish this task would .375, a fairly low chance of me getting back to this project since a utility of 1 would be a task I enjoy doing and needs to be finished immediately.
In conclusion, we find that this project has %37.5 chance of me finishing it without delay. The remaining %62.5 of me would rather read up on more articles on digg and reddit, check my email repeatedly, or write this post while I'm sitting here at work.
My God, the equation is right!
Well, back to work, I guess.
"Who's Hitler?"
-VR
12/7/08
cause gettin old is hard to do
How do I know I'm beginning to age?
This weekend, what did my activities consist of? My company holiday party, and wine tasting.
Whoa. To be quite honest, I did not see myself spending my Saturday evenings with bunch of 40-somethings. It's interesting and all to see alot of the people I work with on a daily basis and happen to be at least twice my age let it all out on the dance floor. But there's still something inherently awkward about seeing a 50 year old, calm and cool, mild mannered man who normally comes to work in sweater vests get down to do the cupid shuffle. Perfectly.
In any sense, I guess I'll look back on this experience and wish for younger days when I'm that 50 year old in a sweater vest perfectly performing whatever is the popular dance is at the time.
I also discovered the joys of wine tasting this weekend. I've always been a big fan of wine, boxed or not, but I think I've found a new hobby. I mean, where else can you go in which the proprieters will actually give you free alcohol?
I guess it would be safe to say that things I do for fun have changed drastically since I finished school. Goodbye wild, drunken college apartment keggers and blazing, beer, pizza, and video game Sundays. Hello company parties and wine sampling. Goodbye starving student lifestyle. Hello yuppie weekend adventures. What's that you say? The weather? Directions? Oh, hold on, I can check my iphone. Or my GPS navigator system. Or maybe there's something in my Prius I can check.
So I have this little test. Here's a list of 25 signs that you've grown up. If more than half of these apply to you, you're definitely on the road to...old-ness.
1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of “hook up” and “breakup.”
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up.”
10. You’re the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog “Science Diet” instead of McDonald’s leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at three in the morning would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A four dollar bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good shit.”
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again.”
23. Ninety percent of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking “Oh shit what the hell happened?
Bonus:26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that it doesn’t apply to you and can’t find one to save your sorry old ass.
For me, I counted 19. Uh oh.
But if there's one thing I can count on, it's an inherent, quriky part of me that'll never grow up. How do I know? I'm still smiling after watcing Wall-E for the first time. Also, I made this:
The next blog logo for me? Give it some time, I just put this current one up.
"Oh God, he's so conceited, he actually thinks he has a chance with me."
-JG
This weekend, what did my activities consist of? My company holiday party, and wine tasting.
Whoa. To be quite honest, I did not see myself spending my Saturday evenings with bunch of 40-somethings. It's interesting and all to see alot of the people I work with on a daily basis and happen to be at least twice my age let it all out on the dance floor. But there's still something inherently awkward about seeing a 50 year old, calm and cool, mild mannered man who normally comes to work in sweater vests get down to do the cupid shuffle. Perfectly.
In any sense, I guess I'll look back on this experience and wish for younger days when I'm that 50 year old in a sweater vest perfectly performing whatever is the popular dance is at the time.
I also discovered the joys of wine tasting this weekend. I've always been a big fan of wine, boxed or not, but I think I've found a new hobby. I mean, where else can you go in which the proprieters will actually give you free alcohol?
I guess it would be safe to say that things I do for fun have changed drastically since I finished school. Goodbye wild, drunken college apartment keggers and blazing, beer, pizza, and video game Sundays. Hello company parties and wine sampling. Goodbye starving student lifestyle. Hello yuppie weekend adventures. What's that you say? The weather? Directions? Oh, hold on, I can check my iphone. Or my GPS navigator system. Or maybe there's something in my Prius I can check.
So I have this little test. Here's a list of 25 signs that you've grown up. If more than half of these apply to you, you're definitely on the road to...old-ness.
1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of “hook up” and “breakup.”
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up.”
10. You’re the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog “Science Diet” instead of McDonald’s leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at three in the morning would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A four dollar bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good shit.”
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again.”
23. Ninety percent of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking “Oh shit what the hell happened?
Bonus:26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that it doesn’t apply to you and can’t find one to save your sorry old ass.
For me, I counted 19. Uh oh.
But if there's one thing I can count on, it's an inherent, quriky part of me that'll never grow up. How do I know? I'm still smiling after watcing Wall-E for the first time. Also, I made this:
The next blog logo for me? Give it some time, I just put this current one up.
"Oh God, he's so conceited, he actually thinks he has a chance with me."
-JG
12/4/08
#1 on my charts, Part 3
You know the drill.
Oldies, Soul and Funk
"Oldies, Soul, and Funk" is such a general term for this category. There are so many subgenres that fall within this category, such as Latin or even Disco. I guess you could name this list as everything I like that came before 1980 (though technically, one of the songs came out in 1983). Either way, within this very large category, I have waaayy too many favorites, and it was painful to have to choose favorites. It's like being forced to choose between favorite ex's, while they're in the room with you, staring at you. And then after choosing, you're stuck in the room with them for the next 3 hours. It's uncomfortable.
Anyhoo, here we go:
I decided to go with a playlist format for the listing of the songs, since uploading them individually caused problems with many slower moving computers. But I'm still gonna talk about each track:
Ohio Players - Love Roller Coaster
Like the name indicates, this song really is as fun as a roller coaster. Fun Fact: It was once a rumor that the screaming sound you hear at 2:32 is a woman being murdered in the studio. But it's the Ohio Players, people. They defined fun in the Funk era.
The Delfonics - Going In Circles
I just have a thing for old soul ballads. Round and round we go...
Friends of Distinction - Grazing in Grass
This track is just so...happy. And fun. Someday, I want to perfect the chorus: I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let's dig it Can you dig it, baby
Michael Sembello - She's a Maniac
I particularly like the acapella version that "Ted's Band" does on Scrubs of this song. I can't find the recording to it, but if you know where I can acquire it, let me know...
Earth, Wind and Fire - Fantasy
I'm a HUGE fan of Earth, Wind and Fire. That's what made it so difficult to choose a favorite from within their huge set. There's just something so crisp, so sharp about their sound. These guys really know how to put on a show, that's for sure.
Bloodstone - Natural High
What can I say? I enjoy these cool, calm, soul ballads. The original true love songs, in my honest opinion.
Sly and the Family Stone - Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself
This is a classic underlying guitar riff. Throw in the swaying notes on the horns, and you've got yourself a classic funky tune.
War - The World is a Ghetto
This song builds up from a quiet, haunting melody that subtly catches up with you before you even know it.
The Temptations - Have You Seen Her?
What's a good oldies favorite playlist without The Temptations?
The O'Jays - For the Love of Money
This song will transcend generations. It's message can ring true for whoever you may be, you greedy blood-sucking bastards.
Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
Chicago at their best, before they turned love ballad soft rock.
Kool and the Gang - Too Hot
A somewhat unconventional track from the group that's known for hits such as "Hollywood Swingin'" and "Celebration"
The Delfonics - Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time
Didn't I do it baby?
Association - Never My Love
A very simple, yet cool and calm tune whose message is loud and clear: How can you think love will end, When I've asked you to spend your whole life, With me
Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
I like both this version and the Jackson 5 version. Which one is better? Shit, I still can't decide to this day.
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
If you don't know me by now (especially since you're reading my blog), you will never never never know me.
Stevie Wonder - I was Made to Love Her
Doesn't matter how old you are, you've gotta love Stevie Wonder.
The Manhattans - Kiss and Say Goodbye
This really should've been on my ridiculously sad songs list.
Santana - Singing Winds, Crying Beast
I'm a big fan of Santana, and I'm especially a big fan of this less commercialized, definitely more musical track of his.
Sugarloaf - Green Eyed Lady
Put this song on, and I guarantee you'll have me drumming along wherever I am.
Malo - Suavecito
I remember this would always be the first song my dad would play during family parties. Maybe I'll do the same thing in the near future.
Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come
It's been a long time comin, but I know a change gon' come...
So, Barack. It's been a long time comin'.
Rod Stewart - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
Something about this song reminds me of Ned Flander singing this to Maude while dressed in a giant hear costume.
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Try and tell me you didn't smile when you heard this song.
Jackie Wilson - Higher and Higher
I can't recall any other song Jackie Wilson was known for, but hey, all you need is one big hit.
Spooky - Classics IV
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you. Spooky!
Spiral Staircase - More Today than Yesterday
Another one hit wonder of their day, but still, the song is timeless.
Santo and Johnny - Sleepwalk
There's just something inherently...amazing...about this track.
The Mama's and Papa's - California Dreaming
Imagine, this song would work perfectly still if it weren't played a minor key.
Animals - House of the Rising Sun
A guitar riff that will be remembered for decades on out.
Peaches and Cream - Reunited
...and it feels so gooood.
Next time: R&B and Slow Jams, and Rock 1990 till today
"I'd wanna be friends with Snoop Dogg someday. He seems like a cool guy."
-BS
Oldies, Soul and Funk
"Oldies, Soul, and Funk" is such a general term for this category. There are so many subgenres that fall within this category, such as Latin or even Disco. I guess you could name this list as everything I like that came before 1980 (though technically, one of the songs came out in 1983). Either way, within this very large category, I have waaayy too many favorites, and it was painful to have to choose favorites. It's like being forced to choose between favorite ex's, while they're in the room with you, staring at you. And then after choosing, you're stuck in the room with them for the next 3 hours. It's uncomfortable.
Anyhoo, here we go:
I decided to go with a playlist format for the listing of the songs, since uploading them individually caused problems with many slower moving computers. But I'm still gonna talk about each track:
Ohio Players - Love Roller Coaster
Like the name indicates, this song really is as fun as a roller coaster. Fun Fact: It was once a rumor that the screaming sound you hear at 2:32 is a woman being murdered in the studio. But it's the Ohio Players, people. They defined fun in the Funk era.
The Delfonics - Going In Circles
I just have a thing for old soul ballads. Round and round we go...
Friends of Distinction - Grazing in Grass
This track is just so...happy. And fun. Someday, I want to perfect the chorus: I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let's dig it Can you dig it, baby
Michael Sembello - She's a Maniac
I particularly like the acapella version that "Ted's Band" does on Scrubs of this song. I can't find the recording to it, but if you know where I can acquire it, let me know...
Earth, Wind and Fire - Fantasy
I'm a HUGE fan of Earth, Wind and Fire. That's what made it so difficult to choose a favorite from within their huge set. There's just something so crisp, so sharp about their sound. These guys really know how to put on a show, that's for sure.
Bloodstone - Natural High
What can I say? I enjoy these cool, calm, soul ballads. The original true love songs, in my honest opinion.
Sly and the Family Stone - Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself
This is a classic underlying guitar riff. Throw in the swaying notes on the horns, and you've got yourself a classic funky tune.
War - The World is a Ghetto
This song builds up from a quiet, haunting melody that subtly catches up with you before you even know it.
The Temptations - Have You Seen Her?
What's a good oldies favorite playlist without The Temptations?
The O'Jays - For the Love of Money
This song will transcend generations. It's message can ring true for whoever you may be, you greedy blood-sucking bastards.
Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
Chicago at their best, before they turned love ballad soft rock.
Kool and the Gang - Too Hot
A somewhat unconventional track from the group that's known for hits such as "Hollywood Swingin'" and "Celebration"
The Delfonics - Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time
Didn't I do it baby?
Association - Never My Love
A very simple, yet cool and calm tune whose message is loud and clear: How can you think love will end, When I've asked you to spend your whole life, With me
Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
I like both this version and the Jackson 5 version. Which one is better? Shit, I still can't decide to this day.
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
If you don't know me by now (especially since you're reading my blog), you will never never never know me.
Stevie Wonder - I was Made to Love Her
Doesn't matter how old you are, you've gotta love Stevie Wonder.
The Manhattans - Kiss and Say Goodbye
This really should've been on my ridiculously sad songs list.
Santana - Singing Winds, Crying Beast
I'm a big fan of Santana, and I'm especially a big fan of this less commercialized, definitely more musical track of his.
Sugarloaf - Green Eyed Lady
Put this song on, and I guarantee you'll have me drumming along wherever I am.
Malo - Suavecito
I remember this would always be the first song my dad would play during family parties. Maybe I'll do the same thing in the near future.
Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come
It's been a long time comin, but I know a change gon' come...
So, Barack. It's been a long time comin'.
Rod Stewart - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
Something about this song reminds me of Ned Flander singing this to Maude while dressed in a giant hear costume.
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Try and tell me you didn't smile when you heard this song.
Jackie Wilson - Higher and Higher
I can't recall any other song Jackie Wilson was known for, but hey, all you need is one big hit.
Spooky - Classics IV
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you. Spooky!
Spiral Staircase - More Today than Yesterday
Another one hit wonder of their day, but still, the song is timeless.
Santo and Johnny - Sleepwalk
There's just something inherently...amazing...about this track.
The Mama's and Papa's - California Dreaming
Imagine, this song would work perfectly still if it weren't played a minor key.
Animals - House of the Rising Sun
A guitar riff that will be remembered for decades on out.
Peaches and Cream - Reunited
...and it feels so gooood.
Next time: R&B and Slow Jams, and Rock 1990 till today
"I'd wanna be friends with Snoop Dogg someday. He seems like a cool guy."
-BS
12/2/08
stranger things have happened.
word on the streets is my dad added my sister on facebook.
I now have more dress clothes than 'street' clothes.
I started doing something physical again (nightly walks are much more pleasant than trying to swim half a mile a night).
and in light of the financial crisis, dollar stores have been relegated to this:
the world has truly gone topsy turvy.
"what if someone put a spell on me?"
-VS
oh and in my boredom and lack of anything more important to do, I've changed the picture and layout yet again. so...whatdya think?
I now have more dress clothes than 'street' clothes.
I started doing something physical again (nightly walks are much more pleasant than trying to swim half a mile a night).
and in light of the financial crisis, dollar stores have been relegated to this:
the world has truly gone topsy turvy.
"what if someone put a spell on me?"
-VS
oh and in my boredom and lack of anything more important to do, I've changed the picture and layout yet again. so...whatdya think?
11/27/08
hell hath no fury...
...like a 400 mile trek from a southern metropolis to a northern region. Call it a mixture of bad factors, such as holiday congestion, rainy weather, and bad timing, but either way, when it takes 2 hours to drive 14.6 miles, something is obviously wrong.
Happy Turducken Day everybody!
"so...what do you think of the dunkin donuts conspiracy?"
-JW
Happy Turducken Day everybody!
"so...what do you think of the dunkin donuts conspiracy?"
-JW
11/25/08
#1 on my charts, part 2
Today: Covers, Electronic, and Really Sad Songs (AKA breakup songs)
So for the next few days, I'm going to be posting my favorite tracks from my favorite genres. Not neccessarily what I'd make a full blown playlist out, but rather the stuff I wouldn't mind on repeat.
Covers
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Covers
Cover artists are an interesting breed. An artist can choose to completely re-interpret the song into their own style, allowing the listener to discern the tune and appreciate the song in a new light. Or, a cover artist can try and mimic the song in every way in order to stay true to the original, but adding their own creative sound to it. Either way, it's tough to get it right. The following list is not full of perfect covers, but rather ones I feel were done well enough to catch my ears.
Chris Cornell - Billy Jean
Song Covered - Billy Jean by Michael Jackson
Oh, it takes guts to cover the king of pop. Many who do run a risk of butchering the original, making it no longer a tribute but more of a karaoke session. But Chris Cornell takes the track, slows it down, and turns it into his own. Had you not known the tune before, it would stand alone as a beautiful ballad lamenting all that could go wrong on those fateful nights.
Obadiah Parker - Hey Ya
Song Covered - Hey Ya by Outkast
The first time I heard this track, I literally laughed out loud. Perhaps it's because I didn't expect the song to be what it is, or maybe it's because I first saw it on youtube completely lip synched to the actual music video, but either way, this guy does a fine job of staying true to the tune.
Passion - So Sick
Song Covered - So Sick by Ne-Yo
Had I not known that Passion had done this rendition, I would have beleived this was actually Ne-Yo on the guitar.
Rhett Miller - Girl
Song Covered - Girl by the Beatles
One of my favorite Beatles tracks, I was glad to hear a cover that didn't stray too far away from the original. I can easily say that I would enjoy listening to either version repeatedly on repeat.
A Perfect Circle - Imagine
Song Covered - Imagine by John Lennon
Alot of people don't view this rendition in the highest regard, but I try to keep an open mind. Sure, it completely changes the whole mood of the song, but that's the point. If John Lennon had instead decided to sing in the minor key, this would probably be close to what it would sound like. The message still gets across though.
Sonic Youth - Superstar
Song Covered - Superstar by the Carpenters
Once again, a classic track with a modern feel. Both versions give off the same aura, and yet are distinct to each own's generation.
Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep
Song Covered - Creep by Radiohead
One of my favorites by Radiohead, this song has been often remixed, covered, rendered, what have you. There are acoustic, electronic, acapella, and even orchestrated versions of this song. But my favorite? This version. There's just something tingling about hearing a heavenly sounding women's choir singing "I'm so fucking special" with a hint of a Belgian accent.
Igudesman and Joo - I Will Survive
Song Covered - I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Have you ever heard of these guys? They're hilarious. And talented. And inventive. And downright amazing. If you must know, yes, at 2:32, the violinist begins playing with an electric nail filer, and yes, at 2:56, he takes that electric filer, and plays it on the piano strings at just the right areas to get the right chords, and yes, at 3:29, that is another song snuck in there that some of you may appreciate.
Electronic
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Electronic
No, I ain't gonna deny it. There was a time I was into trance and techno and all that fun stuff back in the day. It was the advent of the popularity of the Rave, and I rode along with it. I avoided the drugs and the wild parties, but I did enjoy the music. My taste in it has toned down, and even my choice of music you'd call "electronic" has toned down to more mellow tunes that are influenced from trip hop and even new age.
Ratatat - Mirando
So many elements in this song keep this fun track catchy and interesting.
Air - La Femme D'Argent
I can't help but imagine myself flying over the horizon while listening to this euphoric track.
Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now
Dramatic and melodic, this is Fatboy Slim at his best.
Enigma - The Eyes of Truth
Many of you may recognize this as the tune that showed up in all those Matrix trailers. You won't hear it till about 4:06, but you'll definitely appreciate the rest of the track as well.
Rob D - Clubbed to Death
Another track that the Matrix borrowed a clip from, this song provides all the menacing undertones you'll need in a sci-fi thriller. Next, I have to learn how to play that piano break.
Burial - Archangel
Now here's something I wouldn't mind getting high to.
Sad Love Songs
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Really Sad Songs
Oh, the break up songs. Stuff you'd listen to when you're feeling down in the dumps after that horrible split with your significant other. One would think that you should listen to happier songs to get out of that horrible horrible mood, but there are just some days when you just want to listen to something that reflects your state of being.
No Doubt - Don't Speak (Acoustic)
The break up ballad for all love struck and lost teenagers of the 90s, now even more emotional and powerful with the acoustic simplification of the track.
Gnarls Barkley - Who's Gonna Save My Soul?
You can't hear this song and watch the video without feeling some sort of emotion. Look it up on youtube. But let me warn you, it's not for the faint of heart.
Maroon 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever
Ignoring the fact that the chorus is recycled from the bit they did for Kanye, every part of this song evokes a somber sense of resignation to failure in love.
Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgetting
This was my personal anthem for the longest time. A song that helps personify those of us who "keep forgetting."
Wham! - Careless Whisper
Can't forget this classic.
Santana - She's Not There (rendition)
A wonderful job at covering this Zombie classic, Santana gives us his rendition of a track dedicated to deception and mistakes made in love.
India Arie - Good Morning
A heartfelt track of a realization of the reality of a situation and the eventual acceptance that many of us may find very easy to relate to.
Limp Bizkit - Don't Go Off Wandering
My quintessential anthem for those really nasty breakups.
Next time: Oldies, Soul, and Funk
"how could I forget the guy who gave me Christmas in my mouth?"
-LS
So for the next few days, I'm going to be posting my favorite tracks from my favorite genres. Not neccessarily what I'd make a full blown playlist out, but rather the stuff I wouldn't mind on repeat.
Covers
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Covers
Cover artists are an interesting breed. An artist can choose to completely re-interpret the song into their own style, allowing the listener to discern the tune and appreciate the song in a new light. Or, a cover artist can try and mimic the song in every way in order to stay true to the original, but adding their own creative sound to it. Either way, it's tough to get it right. The following list is not full of perfect covers, but rather ones I feel were done well enough to catch my ears.
Chris Cornell - Billy Jean
Song Covered - Billy Jean by Michael Jackson
Oh, it takes guts to cover the king of pop. Many who do run a risk of butchering the original, making it no longer a tribute but more of a karaoke session. But Chris Cornell takes the track, slows it down, and turns it into his own. Had you not known the tune before, it would stand alone as a beautiful ballad lamenting all that could go wrong on those fateful nights.
Obadiah Parker - Hey Ya
Song Covered - Hey Ya by Outkast
The first time I heard this track, I literally laughed out loud. Perhaps it's because I didn't expect the song to be what it is, or maybe it's because I first saw it on youtube completely lip synched to the actual music video, but either way, this guy does a fine job of staying true to the tune.
Passion - So Sick
Song Covered - So Sick by Ne-Yo
Had I not known that Passion had done this rendition, I would have beleived this was actually Ne-Yo on the guitar.
Rhett Miller - Girl
Song Covered - Girl by the Beatles
One of my favorite Beatles tracks, I was glad to hear a cover that didn't stray too far away from the original. I can easily say that I would enjoy listening to either version repeatedly on repeat.
A Perfect Circle - Imagine
Song Covered - Imagine by John Lennon
Alot of people don't view this rendition in the highest regard, but I try to keep an open mind. Sure, it completely changes the whole mood of the song, but that's the point. If John Lennon had instead decided to sing in the minor key, this would probably be close to what it would sound like. The message still gets across though.
Sonic Youth - Superstar
Song Covered - Superstar by the Carpenters
Once again, a classic track with a modern feel. Both versions give off the same aura, and yet are distinct to each own's generation.
Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep
Song Covered - Creep by Radiohead
One of my favorites by Radiohead, this song has been often remixed, covered, rendered, what have you. There are acoustic, electronic, acapella, and even orchestrated versions of this song. But my favorite? This version. There's just something tingling about hearing a heavenly sounding women's choir singing "I'm so fucking special" with a hint of a Belgian accent.
Igudesman and Joo - I Will Survive
Song Covered - I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Have you ever heard of these guys? They're hilarious. And talented. And inventive. And downright amazing. If you must know, yes, at 2:32, the violinist begins playing with an electric nail filer, and yes, at 2:56, he takes that electric filer, and plays it on the piano strings at just the right areas to get the right chords, and yes, at 3:29, that is another song snuck in there that some of you may appreciate.
Electronic
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Electronic
No, I ain't gonna deny it. There was a time I was into trance and techno and all that fun stuff back in the day. It was the advent of the popularity of the Rave, and I rode along with it. I avoided the drugs and the wild parties, but I did enjoy the music. My taste in it has toned down, and even my choice of music you'd call "electronic" has toned down to more mellow tunes that are influenced from trip hop and even new age.
Ratatat - Mirando
So many elements in this song keep this fun track catchy and interesting.
Air - La Femme D'Argent
I can't help but imagine myself flying over the horizon while listening to this euphoric track.
Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now
Dramatic and melodic, this is Fatboy Slim at his best.
Enigma - The Eyes of Truth
Many of you may recognize this as the tune that showed up in all those Matrix trailers. You won't hear it till about 4:06, but you'll definitely appreciate the rest of the track as well.
Rob D - Clubbed to Death
Another track that the Matrix borrowed a clip from, this song provides all the menacing undertones you'll need in a sci-fi thriller. Next, I have to learn how to play that piano break.
Burial - Archangel
Now here's something I wouldn't mind getting high to.
Sad Love Songs
#1 On My Charts Pt. 2 - Really Sad Songs
Oh, the break up songs. Stuff you'd listen to when you're feeling down in the dumps after that horrible split with your significant other. One would think that you should listen to happier songs to get out of that horrible horrible mood, but there are just some days when you just want to listen to something that reflects your state of being.
No Doubt - Don't Speak (Acoustic)
The break up ballad for all love struck and lost teenagers of the 90s, now even more emotional and powerful with the acoustic simplification of the track.
Gnarls Barkley - Who's Gonna Save My Soul?
You can't hear this song and watch the video without feeling some sort of emotion. Look it up on youtube. But let me warn you, it's not for the faint of heart.
Maroon 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever
Ignoring the fact that the chorus is recycled from the bit they did for Kanye, every part of this song evokes a somber sense of resignation to failure in love.
Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgetting
This was my personal anthem for the longest time. A song that helps personify those of us who "keep forgetting."
Wham! - Careless Whisper
Can't forget this classic.
Santana - She's Not There (rendition)
A wonderful job at covering this Zombie classic, Santana gives us his rendition of a track dedicated to deception and mistakes made in love.
India Arie - Good Morning
A heartfelt track of a realization of the reality of a situation and the eventual acceptance that many of us may find very easy to relate to.
Limp Bizkit - Don't Go Off Wandering
My quintessential anthem for those really nasty breakups.
Next time: Oldies, Soul, and Funk
"how could I forget the guy who gave me Christmas in my mouth?"
-LS
11/23/08
#1 on my charts, part 1
With all the talks of favorite songs I’ve been having lately, I almost feel compelled to actually take the effort to actually take note of what my favorite songs actually are.
Whenever somebody asks me what kind of music I listen to, I usually answer “everything from alternative to Zimbabwan pop, although I’m not sure if the latter exists.” Many may see this as some sort of lame way of saying the already lame answer of “everything.”
But for me, it’s actually true. I have favorites in oldies, jazz, hip-hop, classical, and even electronic. In other words, like many other people, my favorite tastes in music transcend genres.
So let’s get started here. Every few days, and in no particular order, I’m going to be posting up a list of my favorite songs within certain (often over-generalized) genres. Not to say that these songs are the only songs I’ll listen to from this genre, but rather my ultimate favorites that I wouldn’t mind putting on repeat for the next few years.
Today, Hip-Hop, Love Songs, and Jazz.
Hip Hop
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Hip Hop
Hip Hop. Rap. Beats. Call it what you will, but my perception and my taste of what makes "good" hip hop has changed dramtatically over the years. I think I've become comfortable with my current definition, and as such here are my favorites in no particular order:
Zion I - Bird's Eye View
I think the first few lines of this song define alot of why I enjoy this genre: "Like, on the real, hip hop is like, just, beautiful."
Pharcyde - Passing Me By
A favorite for many, and I'm no different. If we can only look past Joe's unbearable interpretation...
Souls of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity
Gotta show the Bay some love.
Pete Rock and CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
In the words of my friend: "Perfection."
Nujabes - Beyond
More a beat than an actual hip-hop song, but a smooth beat nonetheless. I enjoy this man's work.
Naughty by Nature - Uptown Anthem
The 90s were dope.
Dilated Peoples - This Way
"Success will be the best revenge."
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Cool
I'm a sucker for jazz influenced beats. It truly is cool like that.
Common - Retrospect for Life
A chilling minor piano riff covered by deep lyrics? Damn.
Ahmad - Back in the Day
Probably personifies my continual train of thought while I sit at work
Z-Trip - Everything Changes
Can't say I'm the biggest fan of Z-Trip, but a song I can relate to nonetheless
Jazz
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Jazz
Jazz is what got me started on music, really. Once in 6th grade, my friend asked me what kind of music I listened to. When I mentioned jazz, his reaction was no less of "Jazz? what the hell is wrong with you?"
He's a crackhead now.
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise - Wynton Marsalis
A favorite of mine from "Porgy and Bess." The trading of melodies between the flugal horn and the alto gave a new spin on an old favorite at the time.
Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps)- Medeski, Martin, and Wood
There's just something inherently fun about this song.
Chuck Mangione - Children of Sanchez (Live at the Hollywood Bowl)
Mangione's work ranges from the classiness and mellow nature of some tracks such as "Feels So Good" to the absolutely intense yet completely crisp nature of this one.
Maynard Ferguson - McArthur Park
The sax solo at 1:38? And the hook by the trumpet at the end of the solo? One of the reasons I got into jazz.
Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island
The underlying piano riff is a constant reminder of the good ol' years I had with the combo back in the day.
Oscar Peterson - It Ain't Necessarily So
Another great track from "Porgy and Bess," a reimagining of the song that still captures the context in which it was originally sung.
Stan Kenton - Send in the Clowns
The piano solo in this recording completely improvised, and is still powerful, yet simple. I never could capture the same feeling when I attempted this on high school.
Gordon Goodwin's Phat Band - Hunting Wabbits
How a whole big band manages to stay on time in this track simply amazes me.
Love Songs
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Love Songs
Or, songs I'm saving to dedicate to my next girlfriend. Let the cheesiness commence!
Heatwave - Always and Forever
A classic. "Each moment with you is just like a dream to me that somehow came true"
Radiohead - Nobody Does It Better (Live Cover)
A truly heartfelt cover of a Carly Simon favorite.
"Nobody does it better, makes me feel sad for the rest, nobody does it half as good as you"
Jim Croce - Time In A Bottle
A song I'm definitely memorizing and singing eventually.
"If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true, I'd save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you"
Foo Fighters - Everlong (Acoustic)
A quintessential 90s ballad that didn't overdo it on the tried and trite lyrical musings (and the fact that it's acoustic makes it that much more better).
"If everything could ever feel this real forever, if anything could ever be this good again, the only thing I'll ever ask of you, you've got to promise not to stop when I say when"
The Beatles - Something
A track I would never leave off the list.
"Something in the way she moves,attracts me like no other lover."
Babyface - Every Time I Close My Eyes
A track I'll probably end up playing at my wedding.
"And every time I think of it, I pinch myself cause I dont believe its true, that someone like you loves me too"
Next time: Electronic, Covers, and Ridiculously and Somewhat Sad Songs
"...but what if pigeons could become lawyers?"
-was said drunkenly, probably by me
Whenever somebody asks me what kind of music I listen to, I usually answer “everything from alternative to Zimbabwan pop, although I’m not sure if the latter exists.” Many may see this as some sort of lame way of saying the already lame answer of “everything.”
But for me, it’s actually true. I have favorites in oldies, jazz, hip-hop, classical, and even electronic. In other words, like many other people, my favorite tastes in music transcend genres.
So let’s get started here. Every few days, and in no particular order, I’m going to be posting up a list of my favorite songs within certain (often over-generalized) genres. Not to say that these songs are the only songs I’ll listen to from this genre, but rather my ultimate favorites that I wouldn’t mind putting on repeat for the next few years.
Today, Hip-Hop, Love Songs, and Jazz.
Hip Hop
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Hip Hop
Hip Hop. Rap. Beats. Call it what you will, but my perception and my taste of what makes "good" hip hop has changed dramtatically over the years. I think I've become comfortable with my current definition, and as such here are my favorites in no particular order:
Zion I - Bird's Eye View
I think the first few lines of this song define alot of why I enjoy this genre: "Like, on the real, hip hop is like, just, beautiful."
Pharcyde - Passing Me By
A favorite for many, and I'm no different. If we can only look past Joe's unbearable interpretation...
Souls of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity
Gotta show the Bay some love.
Pete Rock and CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
In the words of my friend: "Perfection."
Nujabes - Beyond
More a beat than an actual hip-hop song, but a smooth beat nonetheless. I enjoy this man's work.
Naughty by Nature - Uptown Anthem
The 90s were dope.
Dilated Peoples - This Way
"Success will be the best revenge."
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Cool
I'm a sucker for jazz influenced beats. It truly is cool like that.
Common - Retrospect for Life
A chilling minor piano riff covered by deep lyrics? Damn.
Ahmad - Back in the Day
Probably personifies my continual train of thought while I sit at work
Z-Trip - Everything Changes
Can't say I'm the biggest fan of Z-Trip, but a song I can relate to nonetheless
Jazz
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Jazz
Jazz is what got me started on music, really. Once in 6th grade, my friend asked me what kind of music I listened to. When I mentioned jazz, his reaction was no less of "Jazz? what the hell is wrong with you?"
He's a crackhead now.
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise - Wynton Marsalis
A favorite of mine from "Porgy and Bess." The trading of melodies between the flugal horn and the alto gave a new spin on an old favorite at the time.
Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps)- Medeski, Martin, and Wood
There's just something inherently fun about this song.
Chuck Mangione - Children of Sanchez (Live at the Hollywood Bowl)
Mangione's work ranges from the classiness and mellow nature of some tracks such as "Feels So Good" to the absolutely intense yet completely crisp nature of this one.
Maynard Ferguson - McArthur Park
The sax solo at 1:38? And the hook by the trumpet at the end of the solo? One of the reasons I got into jazz.
Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island
The underlying piano riff is a constant reminder of the good ol' years I had with the combo back in the day.
Oscar Peterson - It Ain't Necessarily So
Another great track from "Porgy and Bess," a reimagining of the song that still captures the context in which it was originally sung.
Stan Kenton - Send in the Clowns
The piano solo in this recording completely improvised, and is still powerful, yet simple. I never could capture the same feeling when I attempted this on high school.
Gordon Goodwin's Phat Band - Hunting Wabbits
How a whole big band manages to stay on time in this track simply amazes me.
Love Songs
#1 On My Charts Pt. 1 - Love Songs
Or, songs I'm saving to dedicate to my next girlfriend. Let the cheesiness commence!
Heatwave - Always and Forever
A classic. "Each moment with you is just like a dream to me that somehow came true"
Radiohead - Nobody Does It Better (Live Cover)
A truly heartfelt cover of a Carly Simon favorite.
"Nobody does it better, makes me feel sad for the rest, nobody does it half as good as you"
Jim Croce - Time In A Bottle
A song I'm definitely memorizing and singing eventually.
"If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true, I'd save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you"
Foo Fighters - Everlong (Acoustic)
A quintessential 90s ballad that didn't overdo it on the tried and trite lyrical musings (and the fact that it's acoustic makes it that much more better).
"If everything could ever feel this real forever, if anything could ever be this good again, the only thing I'll ever ask of you, you've got to promise not to stop when I say when"
The Beatles - Something
A track I would never leave off the list.
"Something in the way she moves,attracts me like no other lover."
Babyface - Every Time I Close My Eyes
A track I'll probably end up playing at my wedding.
"And every time I think of it, I pinch myself cause I dont believe its true, that someone like you loves me too"
Next time: Electronic, Covers, and Ridiculously and Somewhat Sad Songs
"...but what if pigeons could become lawyers?"
-was said drunkenly, probably by me
11/16/08
happy anniversary of the day of my origination
happy birthday, mark!!!! i've lost track at how many years you've got under your belt.i'm not just saying that to make you feel old. i really did lose count. hahahahappy birthday marq!!!solo. happy birthday again.Happy Birthday Mark!Yeah, anything past 21 just feels like old dude territory. XDhappy birthday! :]happy birthday twin. ilu.happy bday mark!!!!!! hope u r having a good one right now..happy burfday mang!cuckoooooohappy birthday walter!i'll treat you to a nice warm taco bell dinner soon<3louHey mark! happy birthday!!happy birthday mark solomon! and you're not infinitely older, just gracefully older. there's a humungo difference!Happy happy birthday mark!!!!!!!! and yes i agree with ur status, ur an old man now!!!!bon fete du anniversaire!! :) hope all is well with you!Happy Birthday, Mark!!!! Have a great one!!I know I talked to you on video chat but...Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!happy birthday mark!!! and please.. if 22 sounds infinitely older than 21, what about 24?! :P hope you're having fun.I'm really happy that semen swam to your mom's egg and created you!Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday happy birthday :)HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOLO!!!Happpy Birthday Mr. Mark Phillip Solomon!markie!!! you're old. happy birthday.felicitations on the 22nd anniversary of your birth happy birthday!!Hey dude, happy birthday happy birthday, mark!who help you on your birthday? happy birthday!!!!!hard thew to the groud. only.Happy Birthday!!!happy birthday!Happy birthday, Mark!!Happy birthday homeyz I feel you on that 22 thing - welcome to the club =)hey happy birthday!!!!!! and yes 22 is old -.-happy birthday Mark! Mark Solomon, have an awesome 22nd birthday! Yay. the first of [hopefully] three birthday wishes to return the favor. happy birthday. happy birthday mark!!! how are you doing these days? congratulations on surviving 22 years after escaping the womb, mark. keep up the good work... and considering what i believe you were doing last night, i hope you still have lots of that detox tea around.a very happy birthday to you. Happpppppyyyy bbbbiiirrrrttthhhhhdddaaaayyyyyy Marky Mark! Happy BIRTHDAY!!! Have a memorable one! :D ♥ LP Happy Birthday Mar-q!Happy birthdayy! mark! feliz cumpleaños! i hope you're 22nd bday is amazing. i miss you and hope you're doing well :) happy birthday!! everyone is getting older :( lol hope you have a great day :] happy birthday solo Happy Birthday Mark! I hope you have a fantastic day :D Happy Birthday Mark! Hope you are spending it well :D happy birthday!! (: happy birthday man. see ya on the ride home. Haha happy birthday Mark! Have a good one =) hey mark! happy birthday! hope you have a great time and eat lots of cake! ooo since you work at the blue bus place, do you think they would set all of their scrolling signs to say happy birthday to ya??? cuz that would be awesome! Hehehe Happy Birthday, Solo!!! Much love =) happy birthday yo man.. sorry i couldn't make my once every two years trip down to LA this year. anyway, just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and if you're back in the bay during thanksgiving a GT should be in order, no? Happy Birthday, Mark! From all of us on The Facebook Team, have a great day!
facebook birthday greetings are interesting. they're an indication of the people whose lives you still affect enough that they will take the effort to wish you a greetings on your day of origination (albeit, throug a social networking website). that, or it means that they spend way too much time on facebook and wish everyone a happy birthday anyway.
"Happy birthday, Mark! Please do something illegal."
-FM
facebook birthday greetings are interesting. they're an indication of the people whose lives you still affect enough that they will take the effort to wish you a greetings on your day of origination (albeit, throug a social networking website). that, or it means that they spend way too much time on facebook and wish everyone a happy birthday anyway.
"Happy birthday, Mark! Please do something illegal."
-FM
11/11/08
wait...what?
ahh, election season is over. finally my news won't be flooded with reports on the most updated polls or the latest campaign gaffes or the newest misinterpreted quote a candidate has spoken. finally, MSNBC and Yahoo and Digg and Reddit can finally get back to all the off-beat almost humorous news that I've been lacking for so long now.
so as I peruse through the daily front pages of Yahoo, I can't help but notice something quite odd, strange, even farfetched about the headlines.
they're something POSITIVE.
wait...what? Obama supports alternative fuels? going green? is supporting stem cell research? doesn't support offshore drilling? is reversing Bush policies?
hold on, the president is actually doing something I would...agree with?
it's been 8 long years with a Republican conservative right wing mentality at the helm of this country, and for those 8 long years, I've heard nothing but bad news when it comes to discussions about our government. I'm used to hearing about the government passing some law or placing some restriction on issues that would be progressive for the country and the good of mankind.
and now, a short week after a historical election, the news that involves the words "the president" are actually...positive?
you mean, my ideologies are no longer the underdog?
it's still strange to me to read and hear about normally progressive stances on issues becoming the mainstream. you see, I spent the good majority of my formative years (high school and college) under the mentality that the environment, scientific research, and civil rights were radical left wing issues that had no place in our big bad government. to see the role suddenly reversed is, well...unbelievable.
I feel like I've suddenly been thrust into a bizarro world in which the president and the government is finally on my side, the Democrats have actually been victorious, bloggers are taking aim at the liberal agenda and liberal government conspiracies, the conservate viewpoint is actually the DISSENTING argument, and a small, very radical, minority right wing of people are calling for the impeachment of the powers that be.
ahhh. sure feels good to be on top.
it's going to be a little strange to be on the other side, you know, to actually be part of the majority now. and I'm sure I'm not alone on this feeling. plenty of liberal tv show hosts who actually owe their careers to the unpopularity of the Bush administration and the fact that they are political underdogs are left with scraps of material to work with now. I mean, who's Olberman gonna complain about now? what's the Daily Show going to to make fun of now? who are all the musicians going to protest against now? will this usher in a new wave of counter-establishment right wing television?
regardless, the presidential jokes will still exist, and I will still continue to enjoy them. the "Bush is a dumb monkey" politcal cartoons were beginning to age, and I'm ready for a new face to make fun of. this stands in contrast to when Clinton left office, still fresh from his scandal with Monica Lewinsky. the jokes were just starting to get good.
at least we've already started:
http://superobamaworld.com/
try it. it's fun.
EDIT: this one's pretty funny too.
"The toilet paper is softer here"
-JC
so as I peruse through the daily front pages of Yahoo, I can't help but notice something quite odd, strange, even farfetched about the headlines.
they're something POSITIVE.
wait...what? Obama supports alternative fuels? going green? is supporting stem cell research? doesn't support offshore drilling? is reversing Bush policies?
hold on, the president is actually doing something I would...agree with?
it's been 8 long years with a Republican conservative right wing mentality at the helm of this country, and for those 8 long years, I've heard nothing but bad news when it comes to discussions about our government. I'm used to hearing about the government passing some law or placing some restriction on issues that would be progressive for the country and the good of mankind.
and now, a short week after a historical election, the news that involves the words "the president" are actually...positive?
you mean, my ideologies are no longer the underdog?
it's still strange to me to read and hear about normally progressive stances on issues becoming the mainstream. you see, I spent the good majority of my formative years (high school and college) under the mentality that the environment, scientific research, and civil rights were radical left wing issues that had no place in our big bad government. to see the role suddenly reversed is, well...unbelievable.
I feel like I've suddenly been thrust into a bizarro world in which the president and the government is finally on my side, the Democrats have actually been victorious, bloggers are taking aim at the liberal agenda and liberal government conspiracies, the conservate viewpoint is actually the DISSENTING argument, and a small, very radical, minority right wing of people are calling for the impeachment of the powers that be.
ahhh. sure feels good to be on top.
it's going to be a little strange to be on the other side, you know, to actually be part of the majority now. and I'm sure I'm not alone on this feeling. plenty of liberal tv show hosts who actually owe their careers to the unpopularity of the Bush administration and the fact that they are political underdogs are left with scraps of material to work with now. I mean, who's Olberman gonna complain about now? what's the Daily Show going to to make fun of now? who are all the musicians going to protest against now? will this usher in a new wave of counter-establishment right wing television?
regardless, the presidential jokes will still exist, and I will still continue to enjoy them. the "Bush is a dumb monkey" politcal cartoons were beginning to age, and I'm ready for a new face to make fun of. this stands in contrast to when Clinton left office, still fresh from his scandal with Monica Lewinsky. the jokes were just starting to get good.
at least we've already started:
http://superobamaworld.com/
try it. it's fun.
EDIT: this one's pretty funny too.
"The toilet paper is softer here"
-JC
11/5/08
Did anyone fail to notice this?
Florida voted to ban Asians from owning land. When? Yesterday.
"Among the more unusual measures on this year’s ballots was one in Florida that would repeal an old clause in the state constitution that allows legislators to bar Asian immigrants from owning land. The repeal would be symbolic, as equal protection laws would prevent lawmakers from applying the ban. With 78 percent of precincts reporting just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, the vote was close, with 52 percent voting to preserve the clause."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06ballot.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Just wanted to know if anyone caught that.
"you've got Eucharist crumbs on your shirt"
-JCB
"Among the more unusual measures on this year’s ballots was one in Florida that would repeal an old clause in the state constitution that allows legislators to bar Asian immigrants from owning land. The repeal would be symbolic, as equal protection laws would prevent lawmakers from applying the ban. With 78 percent of precincts reporting just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, the vote was close, with 52 percent voting to preserve the clause."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06ballot.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Just wanted to know if anyone caught that.
"you've got Eucharist crumbs on your shirt"
-JCB
11/4/08
soak it up
Where were you when the United States of America elected their first non-white president? Where were you when the citizens of the United States chose to transcend years of bigotry and discrimination and set aside their fears and xenophobic nature to allow what would have unimaginable no more than 40 years ago?
Think about what you were doing the moment they announced Barack Obama as the president elect of the free world. You'll remember it for the rest of your life, because you know years down the line, you will be telling your kids about the night the playing field changed on the political stage, much like your own parents told you about the day Nixon resigned, the unraveling of the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, or the day the Berlin Wall fell.
Me? I was at Del Taco. That's what I'm gonna be telling my kids.
"if you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen. I can eat my garlic wherever I want."
-Motor Coach Operator Ranshowlee
11/1/08
the retro blog
So it's November 1st, it's fall, it's the beginning of the month that holds my birthday, and for the college bound, apps are due at the end of this month, and for recent grads, this is about the time that mom and dad decide that you've been sleeping on their couch for too long without a job, so you're desperately throwing your resume around everywhere in the hopes that you'll be employed by January. And so, with the finishing of Halloween 2008, I wanted to look back at what I was up to one year ago.
So last year at this time, I had just finished interviewing with a private sector urban planning firm in Orange County. I thought I had done pretty well, since I got along with everyone who I met at the office and they seemed pretty impressed with me. I later found out they didn't want me (damn them). But what I wrote last year was pretty insightful, if anything...
"...So it's reflections like these that really make me wonder whether I'm going about things correctly. Am I trying to grow up too damn quickly? Yeah, I know I need to plan for the future so come next June I'm not sitting on my ass at home spending my free time trying to beat my high score on Wii bowling. At the same time, I know I need to stop, slow down, and try and enjoy the freedom to partake in all the aforementioned activities (and oh so much more) while I still can."
-'I just received a reality check. it bounced.' 11/1/07
Okay, so I'm nowhere near improving my high score on Wii bowling, so that's a good sign that I'm doing well for myself. But the thing is, I'm still in Westwood college town, so walking around and watching all the 'kids' in their costumes playing makes me feel like grampa. I admit it, I find myself wanting to yell at my neighbors from across my window to keep it down cause I need to get some sleep before midnight.
I'm old.
So in celebration of all things retro, I would like to throwback to the golden years known as the 90s. Back then, the shows were funnier, the music was more real, the cartoons were amazing, the economy wasn't tanking, Spielberg didn't make shitty movies, jokes about the president didn't revolve around how stupid he was, but how he was a horndog, and everyone who's my age right now was alot more innocent. Good times, good times.
So, thanks to this site and the Chicago Tribune, I give you 'Revenge of the 90s.'
Social Media:
*Before YouTube... there was "America's Funniest Home Videos"
Hm, let's see here. Those few who owned video cameras filmed something funny happening and submitted the tape (VHS, mind you) to media outlet that would allow it to be viewed by millions. Back then, though, if it was funny enough to America, you'd get money.
*Before blogs... there were 'zines.
If you don't know what a 'zine is, you weren't into self-publishing. It's so easy to sign up for a free service nowadays that will provide an outlet for your random musings or political opinions you'd wish to share with the world. Back then, you used a computer program, wrote out your ideas, printed it out, and sent it to all your friends for their reading pleasure.
*Before blogrolls and comments... there were web rings and guest books.
Back in the day, websites with similar subjects linked each other to each other to create a sort of exclusive club for sites that you could only view if you were in those webrings. And guestbooks? Ha. Remember AsianAvenue? (that was technically 2000) But on that site, you got "points" whenever someone posted on your guestbook. It turned into an easy target for someone to just copy and paste something on hundreds of people's pages.
*Before MySpace Facebook... there was the 20th annual high school reunion.
You'd have to wait in 20 year increments – and buy a plane ticket – to catch up with many of your old friends or see their photo albums. Seriously.
there was also extended phone calls, social interactions in person, mail invitations, word of mouth...
I can go on and on.
The 90s comeback:
*Prime-time soap opera about teens with raging hormones in affluent Los Angeles-area communities
'90s: " Beverly Hills 90210"
2008: "90210"
*War
'90s: Iraq
2008: Iraq
*Oliver Stone movie about U.S. presidents using only initials in title
'90s: "JFK"
then:
2008: "W."
now:
*Election-cycle mantra
'90s: It's the economy, stupid.
2008: It's the economy, stupid.
*Jim Carrey as comedic star (and not serious actor)
'90s: "In Living Color," "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"
2008: "Yes Man" (opens Dec. 19)
*Video game designed to look as though it came from the '90s
'90s: "Mega Man 3"
then:
2008: "Mega Man 9"
now:
*Toronto Blue Jays manager
'90s: Cito Gaston--won World Series in '92 and '93.
2008: Cito Gaston--rehired as manager June 20 this year, 11 years after he was fired.
*Plaid as fashion trend
'90s: Grunge
2008: Dolce & Gabbana fall collection, Marc Jacobs' spring runway show, the Olsen twins, Lindsay Lohan
*Guns N' Roses releasing an album
'90s: "Use Your Illusion I and II"
2008: "Chinese Democracy" (tentatively scheduled to be released Nov. 23, after 14 years of production delays)
*O.J. Simpson as criminal defendant
'90s: Murder (not guilty)
then:
2008: Armed robbery and kidnapping (guilty)
now:
I know there's so much more to write about on the 90s, but I suppose that will have to wait for another blog (and after I re-watch all the VH1 I Love the 90s specials).
"I feel like I should be dodging fireballs"
-KV
So last year at this time, I had just finished interviewing with a private sector urban planning firm in Orange County. I thought I had done pretty well, since I got along with everyone who I met at the office and they seemed pretty impressed with me. I later found out they didn't want me (damn them). But what I wrote last year was pretty insightful, if anything...
"...So it's reflections like these that really make me wonder whether I'm going about things correctly. Am I trying to grow up too damn quickly? Yeah, I know I need to plan for the future so come next June I'm not sitting on my ass at home spending my free time trying to beat my high score on Wii bowling. At the same time, I know I need to stop, slow down, and try and enjoy the freedom to partake in all the aforementioned activities (and oh so much more) while I still can."
-'I just received a reality check. it bounced.' 11/1/07
Okay, so I'm nowhere near improving my high score on Wii bowling, so that's a good sign that I'm doing well for myself. But the thing is, I'm still in Westwood college town, so walking around and watching all the 'kids' in their costumes playing makes me feel like grampa. I admit it, I find myself wanting to yell at my neighbors from across my window to keep it down cause I need to get some sleep before midnight.
I'm old.
So in celebration of all things retro, I would like to throwback to the golden years known as the 90s. Back then, the shows were funnier, the music was more real, the cartoons were amazing, the economy wasn't tanking, Spielberg didn't make shitty movies, jokes about the president didn't revolve around how stupid he was, but how he was a horndog, and everyone who's my age right now was alot more innocent. Good times, good times.
So, thanks to this site and the Chicago Tribune, I give you 'Revenge of the 90s.'
Social Media:
*Before YouTube... there was "America's Funniest Home Videos"
Hm, let's see here. Those few who owned video cameras filmed something funny happening and submitted the tape (VHS, mind you) to media outlet that would allow it to be viewed by millions. Back then, though, if it was funny enough to America, you'd get money.
*Before blogs... there were 'zines.
If you don't know what a 'zine is, you weren't into self-publishing. It's so easy to sign up for a free service nowadays that will provide an outlet for your random musings or political opinions you'd wish to share with the world. Back then, you used a computer program, wrote out your ideas, printed it out, and sent it to all your friends for their reading pleasure.
*Before blogrolls and comments... there were web rings and guest books.
Back in the day, websites with similar subjects linked each other to each other to create a sort of exclusive club for sites that you could only view if you were in those webrings. And guestbooks? Ha. Remember AsianAvenue? (that was technically 2000) But on that site, you got "points" whenever someone posted on your guestbook. It turned into an easy target for someone to just copy and paste something on hundreds of people's pages.
*Before MySpace Facebook... there was the 20th annual high school reunion.
You'd have to wait in 20 year increments – and buy a plane ticket – to catch up with many of your old friends or see their photo albums. Seriously.
there was also extended phone calls, social interactions in person, mail invitations, word of mouth...
I can go on and on.
The 90s comeback:
*Prime-time soap opera about teens with raging hormones in affluent Los Angeles-area communities
'90s: " Beverly Hills 90210"
2008: "90210"
*War
'90s: Iraq
2008: Iraq
*Oliver Stone movie about U.S. presidents using only initials in title
'90s: "JFK"
then:
2008: "W."
now:
*Election-cycle mantra
'90s: It's the economy, stupid.
2008: It's the economy, stupid.
*Jim Carrey as comedic star (and not serious actor)
'90s: "In Living Color," "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"
2008: "Yes Man" (opens Dec. 19)
*Video game designed to look as though it came from the '90s
'90s: "Mega Man 3"
then:
2008: "Mega Man 9"
now:
*Toronto Blue Jays manager
'90s: Cito Gaston--won World Series in '92 and '93.
2008: Cito Gaston--rehired as manager June 20 this year, 11 years after he was fired.
*Plaid as fashion trend
'90s: Grunge
2008: Dolce & Gabbana fall collection, Marc Jacobs' spring runway show, the Olsen twins, Lindsay Lohan
*Guns N' Roses releasing an album
'90s: "Use Your Illusion I and II"
2008: "Chinese Democracy" (tentatively scheduled to be released Nov. 23, after 14 years of production delays)
*O.J. Simpson as criminal defendant
'90s: Murder (not guilty)
then:
2008: Armed robbery and kidnapping (guilty)
now:
I know there's so much more to write about on the 90s, but I suppose that will have to wait for another blog (and after I re-watch all the VH1 I Love the 90s specials).
"I feel like I should be dodging fireballs"
-KV
10/28/08
why I would've voted Republican
In case you haven't noticed, I tend to keep my posts generally unbiased politcallly. It's not to say that I'm apathetic or unaware, but I'd rather not alienate the views and beliefs of others. Sure, one should stand up for what they believe in, and defend their position to the end, but I like to observe before I strike. And besides, I believe I don't know enough to effectively debate people on the current election campaigns, but I definitely stay informed. As I've read somewhere before, my knowledge is 4 miles wide but only 4 feet deep.
So I figure since it's about a week before the biggest, most influential and historical election of most people's lives, I'll give my 6 cents and a button(that's all that's on my desk right now).
Gentlemen, let's be frank. I am a left leaning Independent and that's where my vote's going. But I've always respected John McCain. He's my absolute favorite Republican (behind Bill Clinton, of course). Had he won the primaries in 2000, and then proceeded to win the general election, I believe we'd be in a hell of a better position. But at the time, he had difficulty winning over the staunch extremely conservative Republican base, and his racial remark about the Vietnamese diminished his support among the few (if any) minority Republicans (McCain's response in 2000 to a question about how he feels about his captors during the war: "I hate the gooks.")
Most elected government officials claim to "reach across the aisle" or "work along party lines" or some other cliche that implies they'll work with a rival party. But McCain actually did that. Over the past 8 years since I first heard his name as a possible Republican candidate as a somewhat uninformed 14 year old, McCain truly deserved his self-entitled maverick image. What most people would view as "switching sides" was really just a man voting on his fundamentals and not necessarily blindly following his base. He has sided many times with his party (on the war), but answered that with voting for and even spearheading many bills involving traditionally liberal policies on Alaskan oil drilling, generic drugs, emission rules and other issues.
Many people don't remember, or failed to notice, that in 2004, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry first offered the position of vice presidential running mate to John McCain. A New York Times article on June 13, 2004 refers to John McCain as the 'independent-minded' Republican who was offered the rare chance to be on a bipartisan presidential ticket. The article also later mentions that a possible Kerry-McCain ticket would be unstoppable, with polls giving the dream ticket a 14 point advantage over the W campaign of 04. Imagine that.
However, McCain refused, stating to Kerry on "Meet the Press" that as independent minded as he comes off, he's a Republican loyalist, and can't turn against his own party. However, many believed that he only turned down the prospect of that ticket simply because he didn't want to be the Number 2 guy. He's quoted:
'As recently as last week Mr. McCain made clear his lack of enthusiasm for the vice president's job. On a late-night television show he said, ''I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?''
Same article I referenced earlier.
But that was all then, far off from any of McCain's prospects to run yet again for the most powerful job on the planet. Learning from his roadblocks in 2000, McCain started early in beginning the courtship of the Republican far right in 2006.
And that brings us to today. Rewind a little back to when McCain first clinched the Republican nomination and Hillary Clinton was still on the news. While the Dems continued their back and forth mudslings and attacks and primary recounts that was slightly reminescent of the 2000 Gore re-counts, McCain seemed to be in a terrific position. Hell, he even had my vote back then.
But the lack of support from his own party's base was truly a problem, and unfortunately and even reluctantly, he would sell his soul to court the conservatives who would be key in securing a victory. It all started with the his choice of Sarah Palin as VP. From that moment on, I feared the worst was just beginning (or had it just occurred?) He will deny it until the end, but early reports proved he wasn't even considering Sarah Palin as a serious candidate for a running mate. In fact, he wanted former Democrat and 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman as his future partner. Imagine that. A bipartisan ticket, two independently minded candidates, unafraid to break from their home party on key issues willing to work with each other to lead this nation.
That would've had my vote.
But instead, McCain went the "safe" route, and chose a candidate he knew would fire up his conservative base. Some would call the choice of Palin as a gimmick, others still claim it was a genuine pick, but we all know now that McCain was too independently minded for his own party. And as such, his values were compromised and his soul sold in the name of winning the election. You can even see it now in his interactions he's reluctant to allow the hate-mongering his campaign has rode on to continue. I'm sure you've all seen this:
He probably realizes the monsters he's created in the past month of relentless negative advertising are finally rearing their ugly heads, and it makes him uncomfortable.
There has never been such a resurgence of hate and racism in this country since the Civil Rights Movement, and the possibility of an Obama presidency are scaring the hell out of everyone. For example:
I kid you not. But thankfully, the search no longer brings you to that result anymore.
His campaign's attacks have begun to focus on the economy as opposed to the "danger" of an Obama presidency, but the damage has been done. Now, if only his running mate would have as much of a heart:
And a brain, too.
As of this moment, the polls are predicting an Obama landslide, yet I have always been wary of the accuracy of polls. As of right now, anything can happen, so ultimately it's up to us to determine what happens next (though since we're in California, we're leaning left no matter what). So, vote or die.
In conclusion, I'd like to argue the case that we shouldn't hate John McCain, like many uninformed voters do nowadays. He's not your typical evil Republican and he has the record to prove it. He was simply weak in character and buckled under the pressure of his own political party in the hopes to win the election. My only hope is that if McCain and Palin do take the presidency that McCain rids himself of his demons and turns back into the real independently minded maverick he was before.
But let's not get our hopes up.
I guess my next move should be to write a whole post on Mr. Obama as well, but I'll be honest. I don't know shit about him. (the 4 mile 4 foot thing, ya know).
And in my further asssertions that all politicians are bullshit, I give you 'Synchronized Debating':
open for debate. feel free to start in the comments...
"wow, the moment you said that, I imagined you about 30 years older."
-CP
So I figure since it's about a week before the biggest, most influential and historical election of most people's lives, I'll give my 6 cents and a button(that's all that's on my desk right now).
Gentlemen, let's be frank. I am a left leaning Independent and that's where my vote's going. But I've always respected John McCain. He's my absolute favorite Republican (behind Bill Clinton, of course). Had he won the primaries in 2000, and then proceeded to win the general election, I believe we'd be in a hell of a better position. But at the time, he had difficulty winning over the staunch extremely conservative Republican base, and his racial remark about the Vietnamese diminished his support among the few (if any) minority Republicans (McCain's response in 2000 to a question about how he feels about his captors during the war: "I hate the gooks.")
Most elected government officials claim to "reach across the aisle" or "work along party lines" or some other cliche that implies they'll work with a rival party. But McCain actually did that. Over the past 8 years since I first heard his name as a possible Republican candidate as a somewhat uninformed 14 year old, McCain truly deserved his self-entitled maverick image. What most people would view as "switching sides" was really just a man voting on his fundamentals and not necessarily blindly following his base. He has sided many times with his party (on the war), but answered that with voting for and even spearheading many bills involving traditionally liberal policies on Alaskan oil drilling, generic drugs, emission rules and other issues.
Many people don't remember, or failed to notice, that in 2004, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry first offered the position of vice presidential running mate to John McCain. A New York Times article on June 13, 2004 refers to John McCain as the 'independent-minded' Republican who was offered the rare chance to be on a bipartisan presidential ticket. The article also later mentions that a possible Kerry-McCain ticket would be unstoppable, with polls giving the dream ticket a 14 point advantage over the W campaign of 04. Imagine that.
However, McCain refused, stating to Kerry on "Meet the Press" that as independent minded as he comes off, he's a Republican loyalist, and can't turn against his own party. However, many believed that he only turned down the prospect of that ticket simply because he didn't want to be the Number 2 guy. He's quoted:
'As recently as last week Mr. McCain made clear his lack of enthusiasm for the vice president's job. On a late-night television show he said, ''I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?''
Same article I referenced earlier.
But that was all then, far off from any of McCain's prospects to run yet again for the most powerful job on the planet. Learning from his roadblocks in 2000, McCain started early in beginning the courtship of the Republican far right in 2006.
And that brings us to today. Rewind a little back to when McCain first clinched the Republican nomination and Hillary Clinton was still on the news. While the Dems continued their back and forth mudslings and attacks and primary recounts that was slightly reminescent of the 2000 Gore re-counts, McCain seemed to be in a terrific position. Hell, he even had my vote back then.
But the lack of support from his own party's base was truly a problem, and unfortunately and even reluctantly, he would sell his soul to court the conservatives who would be key in securing a victory. It all started with the his choice of Sarah Palin as VP. From that moment on, I feared the worst was just beginning (or had it just occurred?) He will deny it until the end, but early reports proved he wasn't even considering Sarah Palin as a serious candidate for a running mate. In fact, he wanted former Democrat and 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman as his future partner. Imagine that. A bipartisan ticket, two independently minded candidates, unafraid to break from their home party on key issues willing to work with each other to lead this nation.
That would've had my vote.
But instead, McCain went the "safe" route, and chose a candidate he knew would fire up his conservative base. Some would call the choice of Palin as a gimmick, others still claim it was a genuine pick, but we all know now that McCain was too independently minded for his own party. And as such, his values were compromised and his soul sold in the name of winning the election. You can even see it now in his interactions he's reluctant to allow the hate-mongering his campaign has rode on to continue. I'm sure you've all seen this:
He probably realizes the monsters he's created in the past month of relentless negative advertising are finally rearing their ugly heads, and it makes him uncomfortable.
There has never been such a resurgence of hate and racism in this country since the Civil Rights Movement, and the possibility of an Obama presidency are scaring the hell out of everyone. For example:
I kid you not. But thankfully, the search no longer brings you to that result anymore.
His campaign's attacks have begun to focus on the economy as opposed to the "danger" of an Obama presidency, but the damage has been done. Now, if only his running mate would have as much of a heart:
And a brain, too.
As of this moment, the polls are predicting an Obama landslide, yet I have always been wary of the accuracy of polls. As of right now, anything can happen, so ultimately it's up to us to determine what happens next (though since we're in California, we're leaning left no matter what). So, vote or die.
In conclusion, I'd like to argue the case that we shouldn't hate John McCain, like many uninformed voters do nowadays. He's not your typical evil Republican and he has the record to prove it. He was simply weak in character and buckled under the pressure of his own political party in the hopes to win the election. My only hope is that if McCain and Palin do take the presidency that McCain rids himself of his demons and turns back into the real independently minded maverick he was before.
But let's not get our hopes up.
I guess my next move should be to write a whole post on Mr. Obama as well, but I'll be honest. I don't know shit about him. (the 4 mile 4 foot thing, ya know).
And in my further asssertions that all politicians are bullshit, I give you 'Synchronized Debating':
open for debate. feel free to start in the comments...
"wow, the moment you said that, I imagined you about 30 years older."
-CP
10/25/08
flying too close to the sun
Ladders are ancient tools and technology.
-wikipedia
So how hard would it be to use, right? More difficult than I hoped.
At the Santa Monica Pier, where my company picnic was, there's a sort of carnival area complete with a ferris wheel, carnival games, and a fairly lame roller coaster. I'm just saying, if the operators let you go twice on the roller coaster, even THEY know it's fairly crappy.
Anyways, in the past few months in which I have frequented that place, I have been acquainted with a certain game that manages to rob me of my dignity in seconds at a time. And yet I still go back for more. That game involves climbing a ladder.
It's simple really. Climb this short ladder on a much less than vertical angle, reach the top, and you win one of those oversized novelty stuffed animals of whose purpose you will no longer find a few weeks down the line.
My first attempts at this happened in April of 2008. I must have made at least 7 or 8 attempts to conquer this game, and at $2 an attempt, well, you can do the math. My unlucky first attempt (and an indicator of how the rest of the night would go) is shown here. I'm the second guy, obviously.
Despite the hundreds of onlookers watching me fail time and time again, I continued my futile attempts, until finally giving up and yelling "no more!" as the ladder spins me one last time onto the inflated rubber.
So that was then. 6 months later, on October 25th, I'm back, and I'm ready to regain my confidence. This time around I can do it. I know what to expect, and I'm ready to win. What happens when I finally do make it on there?
Closure and defeat.
Rather than drop the dollar bills in attempt after attempt, I decide to walk away with no shame, and before the crowds begin gathering around. But lo and behold, I am called that same evening, and where do my friends wanna go? None other than the Santa Monica Pier. And what do I decide to do while I'm there?
Come on, Mark, you can do it!
Ooh. Ouch.
"you don't need to use all these facial creams, just eat bananas...have you ever seen a monkey with a pimple?"
-RB
-wikipedia
So how hard would it be to use, right? More difficult than I hoped.
At the Santa Monica Pier, where my company picnic was, there's a sort of carnival area complete with a ferris wheel, carnival games, and a fairly lame roller coaster. I'm just saying, if the operators let you go twice on the roller coaster, even THEY know it's fairly crappy.
Anyways, in the past few months in which I have frequented that place, I have been acquainted with a certain game that manages to rob me of my dignity in seconds at a time. And yet I still go back for more. That game involves climbing a ladder.
It's simple really. Climb this short ladder on a much less than vertical angle, reach the top, and you win one of those oversized novelty stuffed animals of whose purpose you will no longer find a few weeks down the line.
My first attempts at this happened in April of 2008. I must have made at least 7 or 8 attempts to conquer this game, and at $2 an attempt, well, you can do the math. My unlucky first attempt (and an indicator of how the rest of the night would go) is shown here. I'm the second guy, obviously.
Despite the hundreds of onlookers watching me fail time and time again, I continued my futile attempts, until finally giving up and yelling "no more!" as the ladder spins me one last time onto the inflated rubber.
So that was then. 6 months later, on October 25th, I'm back, and I'm ready to regain my confidence. This time around I can do it. I know what to expect, and I'm ready to win. What happens when I finally do make it on there?
Closure and defeat.
Rather than drop the dollar bills in attempt after attempt, I decide to walk away with no shame, and before the crowds begin gathering around. But lo and behold, I am called that same evening, and where do my friends wanna go? None other than the Santa Monica Pier. And what do I decide to do while I'm there?
Come on, Mark, you can do it!
Ooh. Ouch.
"you don't need to use all these facial creams, just eat bananas...have you ever seen a monkey with a pimple?"
-RB
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