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September 10th, 2008

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August 31st, 2008

11:30 am - Please, spread the word about this... It's bad enough when you're on the edge or brink of change in the months ahead to hear a story such as this, especially in your own backyard...This, to me, borders on Stormtrooper-ish actions and cannot, should not be tolerated and allowed to go unnoticed. At least the NY Times covered it as well. http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/30/police_raids/index.html?source=rss&aim=/opinion/greenwald Please, please, please pass this around to as many people as you can to get the word out on what's happening here in Minnesota leading up to the convention. Current Mood: angry

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August 29th, 2008

03:18 pm - All About Privilege... Since I've seen it going around, I want to post it as well and continue, as I believe it's a huge issue that gets nearly no attention in our society and I'm always open to discussion. In fact, just browsing the list makes me wonder about some of the questions. For now, though, I'll just answer. From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.http://wbarratt.indstate.edu/socialclass/social_class_on_campus.htm (Updated 2008 version below, from Step into Social Class 2) Bold the true statements. 1. Father went to college (before you turned 18) 2. Father finished college (before you turned 18) 3. Mother went to college (before you turned 18) 4. Mother finished college (before you turned 18) 5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor 6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers 7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home 8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home 9. Were read children's books by a parent when you were growing up 10. Had lessons of any kind when you were growing up 11. Had more than two kinds of lessons when you were growing up 12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively 13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18 14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs 15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs 16. Went to a private high school (but I bold this with an asterisk) 17. Went to summer camp 18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18 19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels and motels (as opposed to KOA or relatives homes) 20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 21. Your parents gave you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them 22. There was original art in your house when you were a child 23. You and your family lived in a single family house 24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home 25. You had your own room as a child. 26. You had a phone in your room (or your own cell phone) before you turned 18 27. Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course 28. Had your own TV in your room in High School 29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College 30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16 31. Went on a cruise with your family 32. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up 33. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family 34. Had a computer at home when you were growing up 35. Had your own computer at home when you were growing up. 36 (US version). Been to Europe more than once as a child or teen 36 (Int'l version). Been to the US more than once as a child or teen Now, for the footnote: 16. Went to a private high school - The private school I went to was not by any means typical and was paid for entirely by my father's health insurance.  Had I not had the emotional/familial struggles I did, private school would NOT have happened Current Mood: contemplative

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June 11th, 2008

10:50 am - A new excuse... Since I've used up every other one, I have a new reason to call in to work. Between the shaft of a "raise" I got at my last review, the exponentially rising prices of food and, especially, gasoline, from here on in... I'm calling broke...sorry, I just can't afford to come in to work today. Current Mood: frustrated

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May 15th, 2008

02:02 pm - Two! Two states in suport...Mwa ha ha ha ha... ( Two states supporting, 48 to go... ) Current Mood: ecstatic

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March 19th, 2008

01:24 pm - One thing I'm thankful for... ...well, two things: 1. Presidential term limits 2. The current VP isn't attempting to fill the shallow shoes of the current debacle of a President we've tolerated for the last 8 years. Why am I thankful for these things? This is why, but most especially: When asked how that assessment comports with recent polls that show about two-thirds of Americans say the fight in Iraq is not worth it, Cheney replied, "So?" "You don't care what the American people think?" Raddatz asked the vice president. "You can't be blown off course by polls," said Cheney, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East. "This president is very courageous and determined to go the course. There has been a huge fundamental change and transformation for the better. That's a huge accomplishment." You have to be fucking kidding me. Seriously. While I shouldn't be so surprised, it still does shock me just how distant from the sentiment of the American people this administration has been for so long. Current Mood: enraged

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March 18th, 2008

01:32 pm - Song of the Day... ...a recent discovery thanks to my iPod that I hadn't even realized I had...Local music rocks. ( Separate Ways - Epic Hero ) Current Mood: amused Current Music: Separate Ways - Epic Hero

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March 11th, 2008

09:43 am - *snort* Even my horoscope is still off as a result of daylight savings time...(I say even because I was up at the ungodly hour of 6:30am, despite having tried for an hour to get back to sleep prior to the clock reaching the horrid series of numbers): ( Scorpio: ) Sunday was a far more appropriate day to have gotten that subtle reminder. Current Mood: amused

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January 16th, 2008

09:59 am - What Do You Have To Say? - The Soundtrack of My Life What songs would you include on the "soundtrack of your life?" Brought to you by HP View 453 Answers Interestingly enough, I've been working on this particular list for quite some time, focusing on songs that have been reflective of different periods of my life. So far, in no particular order are: What a Good Boy - Barenaked Ladies The Living Years - Mike and the Mechanics I Will Remember You - Amy Grant It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland) - Barenaked Ladies Superman - Five for Fighting Bridge - Queensryche Going Through - The Hillcats Crossing Over - Lowen and Navarro Song for a Friend - Jason Mraz Against the Wind - Bob Seger La Vie Boheme - Rent What You Own - Rent Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day That's an awful lot, I suppose, but that's just a base line. There's more, happier ones than that list contains (though some are pretty high times, too). It's kind of sad though to note that many of these songs are about strife, heartaches, losses and struggles...Hmmm, I wonder... Edited to add the Green Day song...how I could forget that one, I don't quite know... Current Mood: pensive Tags: hpmusic2, life soundtrack, what do you have to say?, writer's block

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January 15th, 2008

02:27 pm - Musical musings.... Why I have 'Pictures of You' stuck in my head at the moment, I can't explain. Perhaps a pasting will purge the playing... i've been looking so long at these pictures of you that i almost believe that they're real i've been living so long with my pictures of you that i almost believe that the pictures are all i can feel remembering you standing quiet in the rain as i ran to your heart to be near and we kissed as the sky fell in holding you close how i always held close in your fear remembering you running soft through the night you were bigger and brighter than the snow and screamed at the make-believe screamed at the sky and you finally found all your courage to let it all go remembering you fallen into my arms crying for the death of your heart you were stone white so delicate lost in the cold you were always so lost in the dark remembering you how you used to be slow drowned you were angels so much more than everything oh hold for the last time then slip away quietly open my eyes but i never see anything if only i had thought of the right words i could have hold on to your heart if only i'd thought of the right words i wouldn't be breaking apart all my pictures of you Looking So long at these pictures of you but i never hold on to your heart looking so long for the words to be true but always just breaking apart my pictures of you there was nothing in the world that i ever wanted more than to feel you deep in my heart there was nothing in the world that i ever wanted more than to never feel the breaking apart all my pictures of you Current Mood: melancholy

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December 28th, 2007

01:33 pm - Shameless self promotion... Ok, so I'm giving this a whirl...I'm trying to get myself a PS3 for (post) Christmas, and found a site that I only need 12 referrals (not bad in comparison with others I've seen. If you've got a spare moment or two, could you go to http://www.YourPS34free.com/index.php?ref=4516741 and sign up, look around and see if there is anything you'd be interested in giving a go for me? There's a mixed bag of free trial stuff, instant buy stuff etc etc. If you haven't already got them, there's NetFlix and Blockbuster only, as well as GameTap... If you do go through, could you let me know so I can provide the proper thanks?! Hope everyone's had a good holiday and has a safe and Happy New Year...I'll post something a tad more intimate a little later this weekend. Current Mood: hopeful

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November 15th, 2007

02:14 pm - The American Dream I can't count how often I've heard that America, by and large, works more hours than any other industrial nation yet somehow is nigh the least productive of them all. Years I've been hearing that with belief and acceptance of its truth, often bemoaning how I wished we could be more European with holiday and time off and any other numerous beliefs that I had that in many ways "they" were better off than were we in the U.S. Years I believed this, without questioning, a belief unproven by anything I'd ever read, only shown through my own (and a number of my mates') experiences of working America. Until now...I decided today to check it out. Are American workers putting in more hours and getting less result? Are Europeans or other nations better off than we are? Well, according to this, the answer is "Yes". Now, before you click and guffaw a "yeah right!" keep this in mind: The comparison is based on early 1990's statistics coming out of the Reagan years in a time when the nation seemingly began some the most prosperous years in recent history. Note also, though, that not long after, we as a nation, began an nearly inexorable spiral into devastating economic woe and even now are still flirting with recession. While I'm no economist, I can read statistics and understand them, as well as understand that any statistic can be twisted to serve the presenter's needs. But the above link makes a pretty strong case, even if it is 16 years old. Trickle down? I'm still waiting for the first drop to hit my lips... Current Mood: contemplative

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September 13th, 2007

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August 10th, 2007

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August 4th, 2007

02:11 am - Frantic Fringe - Mission Complete It all came together and I managed not just the original 3, but also the fourth show tonight. I believe that this tops by at least 1-2 the number of shows I've seen in a single Fringing, and that includes Saturdays/Sundays when shows start at 1pm. I'm giddy with both artsy and debauchery all at once. An odd dichotomy? Not for the Fringe! The night started with Buckets and Tap Shoes. I've raved about them since the beginning and was not disappointed in the least. While they're short one of the members from previous iterations, they've held the exuberance and joy that made them so popular. In a nutshell, I'll say this, largely because I was shaking when I left the theatre: Buckets and Tap Shoes are as good as sex, except without the wet spot and it only lasts an hour. Ok, so the "only" doesn't belong in that last part, but a man can have goals, right? 'Moliere Than Thou' followed after a short dash down Washington and a fortuitous turn onto 4th street to find parking. I learned two valuable lessons from this show. Firstly, my literary repertoire is sorely lacking in Moliere, which will be remedied. The second is to never make eye contact with a performer asking for volunteers to read lines during a one-man show. This was an amazing performance for several reasons, including the vivacious animation Tim Mooney exhibits in his delivery. I was riveted as each soliloquy was so well-written, I felt ashamed to make any claim to being a wordsmith of any sort. It was Moliere doled out to the masses in a palatable, tasty form that is a definite winner in my book. On a completely different end of the spectrum, we come to 'Vilification Tennis'. For those of you who have Comedy Sportz or Improv Olympics in your area, you already have a slight idea of what the gist here is. In essence, though, 'Vilification' is a deliberately bawdy, raucous, crude serve-and-volley of the most rank insults each player could impart on the other. However, it can be hit or miss, as can any improv, based on how "on" the players are, thus, it was somewhat disappointing, but no less of a great time that had me laughing nearly to tears one moment and cringing the next. After a break to gather myself, a bit of refreshment and a pet of the cat, I returned to the site of the previous carnage to see 'An Intimate Evening With Mike Fotis' and the title was some of the best truth in advertising there could be. Fotis is a well-known improv comedian that makes up one half (the taller half) Ferrari McSpeedy, who's "Punk Rock" shows had me rolling on the floor. For Mike's first foray into solo performance, he did a bang up job with help from Jen Scott (I think it's 2 t's but can't be sure) on the upright bass. The stories were intimate reflections on a range of subjects and narratives punctuated with Mike's comedic delivery accented by Jen's playing. It was truly worth the late night to be there and, I think, worth doing again to catch the lines I missed while bent over in spasms of laughter. This concludes the night two wrap-up. Tomorrow looks to be a more serious set that could include 'Speechless' and 'Same difference, but topped off with guffaws at 'The Comedy Jesus Show' (Note: Instead of providing links, if you'd like to look up any show, go to http://www.fringefestival.org and search for those you'd like to learn more about...it seems to make more sense to me to do that than add links for every one.) Current Mood: exhausted

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August 3rd, 2007

01:35 pm - Frantic Fringing Friday Tonight's foray into the Fringe Festival is going to be one night of what so many Fringers often do...Run/walk/bike/scooter/transit hastily between shows in a tornadic attempt to soak in as much as they can. First up tonight is Buckets and Tap Shoes at the Jeune Lune, followed by a mad dash over to try and get into Moliere Than Thou. After Moliere, it's from 5 Corners to the Wedge (we hope) for Villification Tennis (a show I'm still wavering on seeing, since they claim to be able to offend the un-offendable. I'm pretty tough skinned, so it feels like a gauntlet's been dropped). If there's a life breath in me at that point, we may shoot over for Fotis at 11:30. Phew! 3 shows in 4.5 hours...Can we pull it off? Only time will tell, and right now, time's not on our side. Here are the links for tonight's docket: Buckets and Tap Shoes: http://fringefestival.org/showDetail.cfm?showID=689 Moliere Than Thou: http://fringefestival.org/showDetail.cfm?showID=655 Villification Tennis: http://fringefestival.org/showDetail.cfm?showID=667 Current Mood: energetic

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12:35 am - Fringe Revue - Day 1 (Before I dive in to my limited escapade this evening, I'd like to note that I laughed at my own typo of the title, "Finger Revue..." Yes, I caught it). On day one of last year's Fringe, I managed to see absolutely no shows. This was a portent of the rest of the festival, as I saw nearly no shows the remaining 11 days. Bound and determined to fight off the waves of drowsiness that hit me around 8:30, poker having been canceled, I choose to see: Robert Anton Wilson's Masks of the Illuminati, Presented by Tim Uren. Imagine for a moment the roles of Holmes and Watson filled by James Joyce and Albert Einstein, set in Zurich on the prowl for the perpetrator of a plot to warp the mind of young Kaballistic initiate. Include the sinister Aleister Crowley, the musings of Ezra Pound and copious references to James Joyce and Satanic sonnets, and you have quite the intellectally witty 'Masks of the Illuminati'. The plot was as tight as the dialogue and interspersed with high-brow humor and sharp reminders of what it means to be Irish (Never trust the sound of hooves, the turn of the horns or the eyes of a Saxon). All in all, I think I made a good choice tonight as a kickoff to Fringe. Smart humor coupled with a good story and some quite accurate character acting is a good way to begin...not so good that expectations will be unattainable for the rest of the week and good enough to leave me eager to make sure I don't have a repeat of last year. The palate has been whet! Tomorrow night's fare will include: Buckets and Tap Shoes, Here and Now and either American Cake - http://fringefestival.org/showDetail.cfm?showID=626 or Moliere Than Thou - http://fringefestival.org/showDetail.cfm?showID=655 and maybe even a swing by to see the taller half of Ferrari McSpeedy...we'll see how my checking account likes that notion, though. Current Mood: satisfied

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August 2nd, 2007

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August 1st, 2007

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July 29th, 2007

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