Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Autumn


I have to say that with the weather becoming more and more like a typical New York summer I have been thinking how much I enjoy Autumn. I am often like this with the seasons, I yearn for the one we are not in but I will always fall back on my love for autumn with the colors and cool, crisp breeze. The sounds the wind makes and the feeling upon your exposed skin that is not covered up by a thick sweater. The feeling of sipping a warm cup of tea or rich coffee, sitting outside and reading a newspaper is a perfect scenario for me. I love the warmth of the sun during the summer months but that is nothing when you are sitting outside on a crisp autumn day in October or Early November and the sun beams down and it actually feels warm on your face. Football is getting started and the chili is eaten on a more regular basis. The random rain shower and the cool air that makes it just fine to bundle up on a couch and watch a movie or eat an early dinner. With the ever changing colors of the trees, leaves falling on the ground, crunching under your boots. The sun sets earlier and earlier each day, reminding us of what is to come and we shall prepare of winter hibernation. Sure, when that time comes I yearn desperately for summer skies and sweltering heat but it doesn't matter. With children getting excited for Halloween and the ideas of costumes float through conversations. It is the time when plans for Thanksgiving are revealed, realizing who, of your close friends, will be home and who be away visiting family. Autumn has an element of honesty and innocence that I hold close to my heart. New York summers, I like you very much but I have to say if I had to pick I would choose a Northeast autumn because its just all around better.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Golden Gate Bridge

I was doing some research on martyrdom for a project I am working. I came across this description of what happens when someone jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. Google, you deliver answers but also provide some incredibly strange information.

The impact is tremendous. The body goes from roughly 75 to 80 mph to nearly zero in a nanosecond. The physics of inertia being what they are, internal organs tend to keep going. The force of impact causes them to tear loose. Autopsy reports typically indicate that the jumpers have lacerated aortas, livers, spleens and hearts. Ribs are often broken, and the impact shoves them into the heart or lungs. Jumpers have broken sternums, clavicles, pelvises and necks. Skull fractures are common.

Ryan Adams & Elton John: Nashville, TN


A ways back I posted a video from this performance. I recently came across an entire recording of this performance. It is interesting to say the least. You have Ryan Adams singing Elton John songs and vice versa. The quality is good and I feel many of you should listen to this out of curiosities sake. And for the record, I found this recording originally when I was looking around for Elton John music. Finding him with Ryan Adams was a nice surprise.

Ryan Adams & Elton John: Grand Ole Opry House
(Recorded for CMT Crossroads)
Nashville, TN 4/02/02

01: (Rehersals)
02: (TV Show Intro)
03: Answering Bell *
04: (Interview)
05: Daniel @
06: (Interview)
07: Firecracker *
08: Tiny Dancer @
09: (Interview)
10: Oh, My Sweet Carolina *
11: Lovesick Blues # (missing)
12: He’ll Have to go $
13: Great Balls of Fire %
14: Rocket Man @


* Original By Ryan Adams
@ Original By Elton John
# Original By Hank Williams
$ Original By Jim Reeves
% Original By Jerry Lee Lewis

LINK:

This Is What I Want


Eggs Benedict on a Biscuit
The Rarest Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce
Bacon
Sausage
Fresh Salad with House Dressing
Deviled Egg


I really, really like buffets down South.

Thelonious Monk: Alone in San Francisco


The concept of this album states it all: Mr. Thelonious Monk playing piano, alone, at the Fugazi Hall in San Francisco over two days in October 1959.

LINK:

It's Heel-Arious!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Burka Ban
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political HumorJason Jones in Iran

(Lack of) Quality Sleep

For the past two evenings I have been going to bed much earlier than I normally do. I feel I have been behind in my sleep and I have decided that I needed to do something about it. So for the past two evenings I have forced myself into my bed, with the sun in the early stages of it setting, and have tried to go to bed early. Well, I know I have needed it since I have been falling asleep with great ease. I quickly fall asleep and often have numerous, rapid dreams. However, like so many things in my life, there is a catch. Since I commonly go to bed at an hour that leaves me with less the recommended hours needed for a proper night sleep, the past two evenings I have awoken in the middle of the night, wide awake. Here, in no particular order, is what has crossed my mind in the past two hours:

No matter how awake I am, thirsty I am or in need of a bathroom I absolutely hate getting up in the middle of the night. I rather deal with a slight uncomfortable feeling and try to go back to sleep than get up in the middle of the night.

I desperately need several new pairs of pants. Whether they are ripped, too big, not professional enough, the need for new pants has become somewhat of a priority.

Financially, I feel that I am drowning.

It may be time to put my air conditioner in my window but I fear a massive electrical bill.

As a child, for several years we only had one air conditioner and it was in my parents bedroom. On very warm days my brothers and I would sleep on the floor of their room.

I hate my kitchen and I want to paint it but I fear commitment when it comes to home improvements.

I taught several children, ranging in age from seven to twelve, how to play Bocce. It was a nice feeling that they were taught a new game they had no idea about before meeting me and, in the end, they loved it. I think.

There was an English Bulldog I met named Red who was a Slober Machine. I wish I had a dog.

I feel I do not work hard enough.

Why are pants consider a pair of pants? Shirts have a pair of sleeves. I won't go into this but this one kept making laps in the old brain pool.

Slumdog Millionaire was very good. I finally got around to seeing it this evening but I feel people loved it more than they really did for reasons I do not know but I believe it had to do with the fact its about poor children and it shows you care when you care about poor children.

I am going to cancel all, or at least some of the my 'Triple Play' from Cablevision and I cannot decide which ones will go.

I work hourly and when I have to miss work for something that is not my decision it makes me upset especially when I am in a mood that I want to work as much as possible because I need the money.

I need to stop doing things that I know, in the end, I do not like to do but I do them anyway.

Libraries are wonderful institutions and I need to begin frequenting them again.

It would be nice to be able to go on a long vacation with someone who liked me.

I went over my alloted minutes on my cellphone and I was shocked to learn that since everyone and their mother prefers texts. I need to be more short on the telephone. join the masses and send more text messages.

Why is it that when you are wide awake in the middle of the night you never really think about the good things. I feel this has to do with frustration with not being able to sleep and that frustration stems other frustrating thoughts.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

I Think Someone Does Not Like Me

I was sitting, as the clock was approaching midnight, watching The Simpsons when I heard a massive explosion that ended with glass crashing towards the ground smashing into the sidewalk. The sound was sharp, fast and incredibly frightening. My whole body jumped. At first, I waited to hear screams or shouts yet everything remained quiet after the glass rained down.

My living room looks out into a 'courtyard'. It is more two c-shaped building resting next to each other to make a literal square, with grass in the middle that no one, besides the super, ever enters. Its is often quiet until tonight. Thankfully my windows are double paned. After switching off my lights to have a better look into the courtyard, there was no movement but I did realize that the broken window was mine. It had to be a rock, a gun or something hurled at my window. Yet the second pane did not break, thankfully.

Many months back, I was sitting sitting with my old friend Matt, who was living in New Jersey at the time, catching up since we had not seen each other in some time. We were drinking beers, having some smokes when we heard something being tossed at my window. It sounded as if someone was throwing pebbles, possibly rocks, at my window. Just like tonight, we turned off the lights and looked out the window to find no movement. From that point on, nothing ever happened.

I live in a quiet building. I have never had any trouble so I do not ever feel threatened. The experience with Matt was the first time I felt as if someone was being aggressive to some degree. I admit I am a minority in my building being one of the very few white people but that has never bothered me. I have always felt people were friendly with me, offered me respect and that I should not worry about anything. Until tonight.

I cannot help but think something was shot at my window. The collision with the glass was aggresive and obviously had enough force to shatter glass. I wonder if it was someone in any of the dozens of windows that have a clear view of my window. I hope it was bored kids with a BB gun and chose one window at random. I have done incredibly idiotic actions in my youth and I would like to believe that it is something similar. However, with me being, a minority I cannot help but think I was picked intentionally, possibly from seeing me in my window. It is funny that something like this is happening at this time. I am in the midst of signing a lease for me to stay in the apartment because the rent is wonderful for the size of the apartment.

There are so many theories, ideas, fears of why and how this has happened. With my couch only feet from my window I am simply grateful the window did not shatter completely with endless amount of shards of glass exploding into the back of my head and neck.

All I do know is I know I will not be sleeping well tonight and that I wish I had more beer.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

More Beck

Bibio: Ambivalence Avenue


Released through Warp Records, combining folk and electronic, found sounds and other beats, this album moves. Some may find it abrasive, others may find it brilliant like I do. If you like Prefuse 73, Boards of Canada or other artists under that umbrella you will enjoy this record. It just has such a diverse sound, covering so many musical departments.

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Monday, June 29, 2009

Stanley Brothers: Earliest Recordings


This is a collection of, yes, the earliest recordings of the amazing mountain music made by the Stanley Brothers. Since this was recorded when they were, they are taken from original 78 recordings so there is some hiss. However, due to its age and the honest sound the Stanley Brothers make, it only adds to the whole sound.

Grant Green: Alive!


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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Beck

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

David Byrne: Live EP


This is taken from his latest run on the road, performing songs from his latest album collaborated with Brian Eno. I recently saw him perform at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park. It was nice to know Mr. Byrne still has it after all these years.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Paul Simon: Graceland



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It Might Get Loud

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Shaolin Soul Vol. 1


A little wonderful bird, who has the DC area on lock down, informed me of this amazing album consisting of the originals used to make the beats we all love found on Wu-Tang records. It is like a game listening to these tracks and finding which parts were sampled. The best part is the tracks are amazing just the way they are. There are three other volumes of these records so if this fits your fancy, there is more to enjoy.



Ann Peebles - Troubles, Heartaches & Sadness
O. V. Wright - Let's Straighten It Out
The Charmels - I'll Never Grow Old
David Porter - The Masquerade Is Over
Willie Mitchell - Groovin'
Al Green - "You Ought to Be with Me"
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - "You're All I Need To Get By"
The Emotions - If You Think It (You May As Well Do It)
Bob James - "Nautilus"
Al Green - Gotta Find A New World
Donny Hathaway - Little Ghetto Boy (Live)
Syl Johnson - Could I Be Falling In Love
Wendy Rene - After Laughter (Comes Tears)
Lyn Collins - "Ain't No Sunshine"
The Dramatics - "In The Rain"
Gladys Knight & the Pips - The Way We Were
O.V. Wright - "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child"
Booker T. & the M.G.'s with Judy Clay - Children Don't Get Weary
Barry White - Mellow Mood (Part 1)

I'm on a Mission, that niggaz say is Impossible
But when I swing my swords they all choppable


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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Doctor Will See You Now

I went to see a doctor today. He was a specialist. He was a proctologist. I have to admit it was pretty uncomfortable. Thankfully, the guy is amazing. I have known him for years and since it was so long since I had seen him it actually felt he was genuinely happy to see me. He grew up in Brooklyn and quickly escaped the city for the trees of Connecticut years ago and has the perfect balance of intensity and kindness. I tried to stay positive during the examination and tried to keep my mind in a place where I wouldn't think too much about what he was doing. I tried to think about how many of these holes he has seen over the years. I thought about if he has ever found a way to look at his own hole. I wondered what topped his list of the absolute grossest situation he has ever witnessed. I have to admit all these thoughts were not working. No matter where I went I could not escape the reality that this man was going at me a like some high end, freaky S&M prostitute. Luckily it didn't cost hundreds of dollars and take place in some hotel room near the airport and all I had to pay was the $20 co-pay. It did offer me another reason I do not understand why someone would pay for sex.

Larry and Conan



Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A Face Workout - That Really Works!