Forever Afternoon

Scrubs was on tonight! Two new episodes. I forgot the joy that this show brings me. Sadly one of the few non-animated sitcoms that brings about that time honored ritual of laughter.

I didn't make it to Borders today for the Strokes, but perhaps tomorrow.

The Boston Globe's Review of "First Impressions of Earth"

CNN's 2 cents on the Hype of "First Impressions of Earth"

The following is an interesting article about how men are beginning to sue in order to get access to "Woman only" institutions and organizations. The whole idea started by feminists that organizations like the Elks, or Free Masons (Fraternities NOT Sororities) are discriminating against woman is completely irrational. What is worse is that there have been many successes in such law suits. If people want to start and go to a men or woman's organization they should have the right to. If we were talking about people being denied a necessary service based on gender, then it would take on more merit.

Lawsuit Suggests Men May Be Adopting 'Feminist' Tactics

It is an interesting double standard that when women behave like this they are empowering and standing up for them selves. When men do it, they are being hateful trouble makers. Truthfully the latter description applies to both.

The 50th blog entry

Yes, yes,

hold your applause, you can all stop the celebrations now.

Unfortunately I'm not offering much of a celebratory blog today. I was going to do one of those half assed "Best of stroll in the Parks" and just piece together a bunch of excerpts that no one found funny except me... but then I thought better of it. Really its just too much work, otherwise, rest assured I would have wasted the time doing something mindlessly self indulgent like that. There would be humor in it, don't you agree?

I'm not going to mention my day at work.

After work I went to Borders and chipped away at my gift certificate by picking up "Sun Kill Moon's Tiny Cities". This CD is essentially a Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) quasi-solo project. Tim Hayes, a college friend from Saint Joe's introduced me to Red House painters, or saturated me with them would be the more accurate description :D. "Tiny Cities" is comprised completely of Modest Mouse covers, although to the casual Modest Mouse fan, only one song from "Good news for people who love bad news" was included. The song, "Ocean Breaths Salty" was one that I do not believe was a single, although that CD did get quite a share of air play. "Tiny cities made of ashes" off of "The moon and antartica" is probably the next most recognizable song here. I've seen "Everywhere and His Nasty Parlor Tricks" a couple times in stores... which of course doesn't contain any of this CD's selection. Once I saw "Building Nothing Out Of Something" however I think it may be tougher to come by. Even this CD of rarities and re-releases will only buy you a few more of Kozelek's choices which reach deep under the couch cushions to find some tracks from Modest Mouse's earliest days.

Anyway, much like Sun Kil Moon's prior effort, this CD is stellar. The really amusing thing is two years ago on Christmas I lent my friend Eric "The moon and Antartica" and Sun Kil Moon's "Ghosts of the Great Highway".... and now they've been combined.
I've listened to "Tiny Cities" once, and of course it is excellent.

Additionally I picked up a new John Vanderslice album, a singer songwriter who's been around a bit, but is new to me. The album is called "Pixel Revolt". Its an excellent collection of tunes. Thus far I've been repeating a track called "Exodus Damage".

Read this pitchfork review, it is pretty good. I would draw some comparison to some of Elliot Smith's more "polished" sounding work, such as "Figure 8" or the post mortem effort "From a basement on a hill".

John Vanderslice: Pixel Revolt

This weekend I bought Supergrass's "Road to Rouen". (Yes Kate I found Borders on route 9 without getting lost... good directions>> swanky malls BTW, a Bloomingdales & Tiffany's?! I thought that was reserved for Newbury St.) Supergrass's "In it for the Money" and "Supergrass", were both great. I never really got into "Life on other Planets". I anticipated its release too much, and I was rather disappointed when it came out because I thought it lacked some or the energy of the prior two. I've never heard much of their first album, save that single that they had on the "Clueless" soundtrack. "Road to Rouen" is also more subdued, however at first listen I find that I will likely end up enjoying this one quite a bit. I find immediately that it seems to have an emotive quality, a soul so to speak, that "Life on other Planets" lacked.

Tomorrow I will get the new Strokes album. "Room on Fire" was a huge disappointment to me after their first effort "Is this It", however the first single off of "First Impressions Of Earth" is full of energy, and most importantly a sound that advances over past efforts.

One band I don't see redeeming itself is Coldplay. X&Y probably would have been better if Gwyneth were singing lead with apple, at least it would have been original.

Anyway... I'm tired, and I've typed too much now so... off to beddy bye.

Have a Terrific Tuesday!

A Commencement

As mild winter temperatures gave yield to a newly fallen powder of crisp snow we can be thankful for this time of year.

It is a threshold, perhaps only metaphorical, if not down right theoretical. However legitimate or not, the launch of a new-born western calendar year brings us the chance to revisit our past and regroup and prepare for the future.
As we think of our achievements of the past, and plan what we would like to do tomorrow, I hope that we all seriously reflect.
Traditions are often taken for granted, and people just go through the motions not really giving them much thought. People may ask you what your resolution is this year. Typically people have the same insipid responses year after year. "I'm going to exercise more/ lose weight; I'm going to be more patient; I'm going to be more disciplined" etc. etc.

I'll be the first to admit, when it comes to New Years resolutions I'm a huge cynic. People come up with something to say because "they are expected to" rather than trying to have a resolution they'll actually work at. To not have a resolution would suggest that you are arrogant, self-absorbed, lazy, or all of the above. Or perhaps it is just because you have low self esteem.

Kate asked me what my resolutions were recently and I of course quickly responded that I didn't have any. For perhaps the first time ever, this was followed by "why?" I paused on this for a few seconds, and then I came up with the following.

Why do we have to wait for then new Year to begin self improvement? Shouldn't we do it all the time? If we aren't willing or determined enough to start immediately, are we going to be successful at making these achievements down the road? Kate met this with the observation that the New Year provides people with a way of measuring and planning, which people may have a difficult time doing on their own. Admittedly I scoffed at this notion, although I know it is true. Retrospectively, after this has stewed in my head... this artificial boundary can be an excellent thing.

I'll admit, I procrastinate. I think to procrastinate is human. I envy driven people and I always wonder what lights the fire under their ass.

There is a certain level of untraditional confidence involved in avoiding the allure of procrastination. My New Year's resolution is going to be to live up to my ideal that we should always try to improve oneself. Now, I think I have done that, the problem is I've been inefficient, and I've procrastinated. I don't expect to achieve perfection, I don't have a lofty goal, I just want to get better at making my self better.

So for all of you who are re-hashing some resolution of New Year's past. I hope you are actually implementing a plan of action... because just saying you are going to change makes you nothing more than a follower.

I hope everyone had a great Holiday, worked out their demons, cuddled, reflected, did whatever it is you wanted to do. With this New Year upon us, lets go forth and make some footprints in that newly fallen snow!