Random Music Tuesdays: "Get Up" by Mike + The Mechanics

In 1991, Mike + The Mechanics released their third album, Word Of Mouth. While not a commercial success like Mike + The Mechanics and The Living Years, the album was a solid piece of work. In any other year, the album probably would have cracked the Top 40. Unfortunately, it was quickly forgotten after its release due to another album that was released a shortly thereafter.

The opening track was sung by Paul Carrack, channelling his inner Paul Young. It's a terribly catchy tune that will hopefully brighten up your day a little.

Get Up - Mike + The Mechanics

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Would You Like Some Punch With That Pi?

Happy National Pi Day, boys and girls!

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a resolution introduced two days earlier that designates March 14, 2009 (3/14, get it?) as National Pi Day. It urges schools to take the opportunity to teach their students about Pi and "engage them about the study of mathematics."

Learn more about Pi Day and get some geeky goodies at the official website.

Watchmen - The Spoiler-Free-ish Review

*** WARNING: While I won't be going into plot details, I may spill a hint or two about the movie. If you haven't yet read the graphic novel or seen the movie and you wish to be surprised when you do, you might want to stop reading this review now. But if you don't care, by all means, read away. ***

This past Saturday, after sitting around the condo for most of the day, I got a bit bored and decided to do something I hadn't done in many months - go see a movie. Watchmen had just been released the day before and so I thought to myself, "Self," because that's what I call myself, "let us go watch Watchmen and see if it lives up to the hype or if it's the big disappointment that the pre-release reviews say it is." And so I went on Fandango, bought my ticket, printed it out, and trekked my way to the movie theater.

I arrived about forty minutes early (cutting it close, from what I've heard about the lines). Seeing the parking lot half empty, I felt safe in lighting up a smoke before entering the theater. I walked up to the ticket guy, handed him my pre-printed ticket, and entered the lobby.

I was immediately accosted by some fellow taking a survey on commercials shown before the movies. If you know me or if you're a faithful reader, you already know my position on commercials at the movies, but what was a couple minutes out of my life? What can I say, I was feeling generous.

So yes. Movie.

But first there were the previews, most of which, yet again, disappointed me greatly.

"Excuse me, sir." Ah ... the survey taker followed me into the theater! "I forgot to ask your age." I told him my age and, slightly startled, he replied, "Do you mind if I put you down as twenty-four years old? I didn't realize you were outside of the demographic."

Sure, dude. Knock yourself out.

Disappointing trailers. Yes. Littering my vision like ... well ... like litter, I suppose. Except for one. Where the first trailer was witty (as I commented on my other movie review last year), this trailer got me all sorts of excited. To quote Tuffie, "Finally the Star Trek series is going to be fun and explosive and [...] ENTERTAINING again for its entire fan base!" Amen and hallelujah.

Now to the movie.

I'm not a Watchmen fanboy. I've never read the graphic novel, though I will now to see what was edited or scripted out of the movie, as I did with The Lord Of The Rings trilogy ... as "epic" as a movie based on existing material can be, something important is always left out. Anyway, I was walking into this movie a complete Watchmen virgin, with no expectations other than to be impressed by a good story, neat-o effects, and bone-crunching fight scenes. (Notice I didn't say good acting.)

I wasn't disappointed.

Fantasy movies, by definition, demand the audience to suspend a good deal of belief. Even fantasy movies "grounded in realism" like Christopher Nolan's Batman series. You have to walk in knowing that very little that is about to happen is plausible in any way whatsoever in the real world. I do appreciate the attempt to make it as "real" as possible to allow the audience to connect to it in some real way, though.

I enjoyed seeing the heroes as the semi-realistically flawed people they would be if they truly existed. Seriously, if your soul purpose for living was to fight crime, how could you not be at the very least marginally screwed up? Or if you were the only person on the planet who embodied the definition of superhuman and could see the past and the future and all other planes of existence simultaneously, how could you not help but become apathetic toward humanity and its incessant need to eradicate itself? I understood this side of these characters. I liked seeing this side of these characters.

I appreciated that a character existed who saw the world in absolutes, who refused to compromise despite the ramifications. As much as we are hesitant to admit as much, people like that do walk our earth. I also appreciated that some of these characters needed to be heroes ... they needed that fix as badly as an addict needs a score or some people need attention.

I found the pacing of the movie to be comfortable. It slowed just enough in a couple places to add some back narrative and to allow the audience to catch their collective breath. Of course, it helps to have a character like Rorschach to push it along.

The fight scenes were pretty cool, though nothing I haven't seen before. I think, maybe, they would have been better if Mr. Snyder hadn't relied on his now-becoming-signature slow motion shots. Maybe one day an American director will study Asian action movies and learn how to do action correctly without having to rely on gimmickry.

Oh, but what of the plot, dear Diarist?

The story is pretty solid, as superhero movies go. I don't think it would have been as surprising if I had been watching for the signs that were peppered throughout the story. Yes, there are plenty of clues leading up to the big finale and if you are watchful (HA!) you will see them. I, obviously, wasn't. Frankly, I was so drawn in to the movie. There is so much visually to take in. And the acting, while not spectacular (with exception of Jackie Earle Haley), is strong enough to support the script.

My only major quarrel (which is a minor quarrel, really) is defining Ozymandias as "The World's Smartest Man". "The World's Most Perceptive Man" or "The World's Most Opportunistic Man" or even "The World's Greatest Chess Player", perhaps. But I didn't see anything in the movie that would qualify him as the smartest man on the planet. (Unless you argue that being the most perceptive, most opportunistic, and greatest chess player all at once makes you the smartest. I might concede the point on that argument.)

All in all, a good flick. A long flick. But definitely worth your time. Just make sure you have plenty of it.

Random Music Tuesdays: "Let The Good Times Roll" by Chuck Brown and Eva Cassidy

Today's Random Music is focusing on a pairing of two of D.C.'s finest.

In 1992, a powerfully talented young singer was introduced to "The Godfather of Go-Go". This unlikely duo went on to record the album The Other Side, a collection of jazz, blues and soul standards, some of which were recorded live. The whole album is a gem, particularly because of how well it showcases Brown's rich, soulful baritone and Cassidy's emotive soprano.

I've chosen the first song on the disc because it has almost everything I require from a song: horns, drums, guitar, powerful vocals, and singers simply having a good time. It is hardly the best song on the album - there are a couple others that tug at the soul (as all good jazz and blues should do). I recommend that you do yourself a huge favor - buy this album and play it until you wear the electrons out.

Let The Good Times Roll - Chuck Brown And Eva Cassidy

It's All In The Marketing

Still Here, Just A Tad Busy

Hey there. Remember me? Yeah, I hardly remember me, either. I do apologize for the lack of blogging. Life has been busy and I'm just trying to keep pace. I will have some goodies for you next week (don't get too excited ... it's not like I'm giving away cars). In the meantime, enjoy this fantastic weather we're having, all you Mid-Atlantic readers.

Reminiscing

My favorite people who are no longer with me are Mel Batten and my grandmother, Millie Osborn.

I'll start with Grandmother. She is still the most precious person to me that I've known. I was her first grandchild born with blue eyes and so was special to her. Special to the point that I was the only grandchild with a pet name ... "My Precious Blue Eyes". It was so iconic that my oldest brother decided to roast me during her wake. But now, even all these 13 years later, it brings tears to my eyes. I miss her so terribly. I wish she were still here to give me love, advice, comfort, and support. I know that for as long as I can remember her, she is still here. But it would be so nice to hear her voice, to hear her say that she's proud of the person I've become, to hear her say how much she loves her Precious Blue Eyes. I would give anything for that right now.

Mr. Batten. My second father figure. The man who gave me my confidence back. I miss him so much. I think about Mr. Batten almost on a daily basis. I have so many memories (a certain toilet papering comes to mind) but the one memory that sticks in the forefront of my mind is a bus ride home from Calvert County after a long Tri-County Honors Chorus rehearsal. I was sitting alone in a bus seat and Mr. Batten moved to sit beside me. We talked a while about the rehearsal. I gave him a hard time about giving me a hard time during rehearsal. And then he said something that has stuck with me even after all these years. "You are the son I would have had." I knew how special it was then. And I know how much more special it is to me now.

The hardest part of life is that it ends. And those of us left behind are left to deal with the aftermath.

Random Music Tuesdays: "Mama Look-A Boo Boo (Mama Look-A Bubu)" by Harry Belafonte and Danny Kaye

It's been a while since I've brought you random music so I think it's about time I bring it back. To start us off anew, I figured I would present a video (a first for Random Music Tuesdays!). This is Harry and Danny performing one of Harry's biggest hits on The Danny Kaye Show on 27 April 1966.

There is some confusion among people about this song; people can't seem to understand it. I think this confusion is rooted in the Americanized title of the song. The most popular spelling for the title is "Mama Look-A Boo Boo", which makes this a completely nonsensical song. However, the alternate spelling, which I included in this post title, is "Mama Look-A Bubu", which makes much more sense since bubu is Jamaican slang for fool. Keep that in mind as you listen to the lyrics.

Enjoy!

Harry Belafonte and Danny Kaye
Uploaded by paleopale

Hello? Is Anybody Home?

*cough cough* Hey! Diarist! Diarist? Hello?! *cough cough*

Oh! Um ... hi! Hello there! You startled me.

Yeah. Well, your door was open. What's with all the *cough cough* cobwebs? Did your cleaner take a vacation or something? Is this some emo trip you're on that we should know about?

Sorry about that. I've been busy with other things. You know, like making ends meet and keeping a roof over my head. But I'll clean up around here soon. I promise.

Mmm hmm. Just like you promised that ...

He-e-e-e-e-ey. Have you seen the whole house? I know you in the back have. But you, the eager one. Have you? No? Then ixnay on the omisespray and have a look around. And when you're done (and I haven't tidied up any) there are some fantastic links on the right to some fantastic reading that could occupy your time until I get my sh!t together here.

Go on now. Enjoy!

But don't break anything.

That's My Coucilmember!

Marion Barry has once again failed to file tax returns. But this time the Feds want him incarcerated. It seems as though The Night Owl won't be able to snake his way out of this one.

I can't really blame Barry for his actions. He's used to living a life free of consequences (minus one minor hickup). Besides, it's not like the Federal government isn't full of role models for him to emulate.

No, the only failing I can find in all of this is that the Ward 8 Councilmember isn't part of the Obama administration.

"Yeah. I don't want to cure anybody here. They all deserve to have whatever they have."

That quote is taken from Pete's Dragon, a 1977 Walt Disney movie. In the movie is Doc Terminus, a "salesman" who isn't all that he appears, as he peddles his powerless "cures" onto the town's pliable population. It's a timely quote because it sums up what your government thinks of you.

While the President puts on his best Doc Terminus impression and members on Congress struggle hard to find a middle ground, I think it would help us, the ones who will be paying for all of this, to reflect on what came of the first bailout:

The Bush administration overpaid tens of billions of dollars for stocks and other assets in its massive bailout last year of Wall Street banks and financial institutions, a new study by a government watchdog says.

The Congressional Oversight Panel, in a report released Friday, said last year's overpayments amounted to a taxpayer-financed $78 billion subsidy of the firms.

But this is the Obama administration and the Democrats have the majority in Congress. Hope! Change!

Mmm hmm. Would you like some snake oil with that hope and change?

But I do have to agree with the good Doc ... neither Congress nor this President wants to cure us; they only want to expand on their wealth and power. If we allow them to push through this "economic stimulus recovery", then we deserve to have whatever we have.

Pictures From Recording

I promised pictures and here they are. They aren't much but they should give you an idea of what Mario brought together for his new album.

Obama Economic Plan - Quote Of The Day

Maybe you've heard that President Obama's economic recovery plan now tops more than $900 billion. To help you grasp how much that is, here is a quote from Temple University math professor and author John Allen Paulos:

A million dollars a day for 2,000 years is only three-quarters of a trillion dollars. It's a big number no matter how you slice it. A million seconds is about 11½ days. A billion seconds is about 32 years, and a trillion seconds is 32,000 years. People tend to lump them together, perhaps because they rhyme, but if you think of it in terms of a jail sentence, do you want to go to jail for 11½ days or 32 years or maybe 32,000 years? So, they're vastly different, and people generally don't really have a real visceral grasp of the differences among them.

Let's look at that again ... a trillion seconds equals 32,000 years. That is the jail sentence that the President wants to impose on us, the American people.

Let that sink in for a moment. Then get mad that your government wants to make us foot this monsterous bill for something that more than likely isn't necessary and won't work.

Random Thoughts (NYC Edition)

I've had a few clouds passing through my brain this week and I thought I'd share. Lucky you.

1. Big cities are big cities. Although they each have their own flavor, they're pretty much all the same. I feel just as comfortable and "at home" here as I do in The District.
2. New Yorkers aren't as dickish as their caracatures would lead one to believe. But then maybe I haven't met any real New Yorkers yet.
3. The only advantage that New York City has over Washington, D.C., that I can tell, is sheer volume. Them's hardly be braggin' rights.
4. Speaking of volume, it seems that, no matter the neighborhood in NYC, there is a Starbucks on every friggin' corner. This is both a fantastic thing and a blight on the face of the earth.
5. Macs rule. I hate that I had to take my Vista instead.
6. As fun as this trip has been, it will never trump last year's trip with The Brain.
7. That last thought makes me sad.
8. Oh ... did I mention how fantastic Mario Spinetti is? I did? Well, he is.
9. Buses should never be cancelled over 1.5" of snow. This would never happen in The District. *cough cough*
10. The more work I do with music, the more I hunger to be doing music for a living. It makes me wish I had been born 15 years later than I was. Yeah, yeah ... it's never to late to blah, blah, blah. Reality is that in certain areas of life it is too late. The music business is a young person's game -- start young, make it young. Technology has truly brought power down from the few to the many and if it had been around when I was younger I would have a musical career today.

My Semi-Secret Mission In NYC

Several of my readers know that I'm in NYC the first half of this week. Only two or three of you know why.

And now so will the rest of you.

I was invited by one of my favorite new recording artists to lend my voice to three songs on his upcoming debut full-length album. (If you don't know about Mario Spinetti, check my posts here and here, then go to iTunes or Amazon and buy his currently-out EP.) Originally, Mario sent out an invitation to his fans to participate in one of the new songs on his upcoming album. I responded (as you knew I would) and got the nod. The fantastic twist in all of this was that not only would I be adding my voice to the 50+ chorus on the new song, I would also be singing with his close vocalist friends on two other songs as well. This was quite a surprise to me, as Mario has only briefly met me twice and we've only chatted online about six times.

Mario is simply one of the sweetest, most gracious people I've ever met. He treats all those around him equally (both in comparison to each other and to himself). He truly appreciates the talent and energy of the people around him ... in fact, it fuels him and drives him forward. It was an education watching him interact and direct and pull out of the singers present what he needed from them. To get that from a room full of performers without becoming overbearing or diva-like is an accomplishment.

Singing with these two choirs filled me with emotions I haven't felt in a long time. I felt part of something greater than myself (relationship aside *MUAH*) that I haven't felt since The Consort. In a way, I felt undeserving ... the odd man out in this gathering of friends. Yet here I was, joining them in voice on some mighty powerful pieces of composition. I can't express enough the gratitude I have for being allowed to have been a part of it all.

And these performers! Yes, they are all New Yorkers which would lead one to think that the carry some level of pretension, and maybe they do. But if they do, it wasn't on display last night. It was refreshing to have been pulled in and treated as if they had known me their whole lives. The support given, the energy shared, the joy that permeated the room was ... what's the word? Real. Honest. Free. I truly wish them all the best in their various endeavors.

I have some pictures from the 50+ chorus along with a short video of Mario giving instruction for the recording of that one song. I'll be posting them when I get back to D.C. later in the week.

Thursday's Event

It hasn't completely sunk in despite the facts that it happened over twelve hours ago and that I knew it was going to happen sooner rather than later. Maybe when I come to complete terms with it, I might make sense out of it and find the silver lining. Right now, all I see are the clouds. It isn't completely all about what transpired today. I take into account all that has occurred over the past five months that led up to the moment. The only thing I keep coming up with is that I have lost more than I can express and there are only two or three people who can fully understand how deeply this is affecting me.

A Passing Phase Or A Taste Of Things To Come?

Looking over the list of parties happening in the city over the course of this inauguration week/end, keeping in mind the Big Concert On The Mall yesterday, and knowing that the biggest Rock Star President Of Probably Ever will be sworn in tomorrow, one cannot help but think of all of the celebrities crawling all over our fair District. And then one is led to think, will D.C. become the next celebritropolis?

The beauty of the District is that we see so many powerful and famous people here that we're pretty jaded over the Cult Of Personality. I can't see why rockers, big ballers, Hollywood royalty, or any other person accustomed to the spotlight wouldn't feel comfortable playing in our little sandbox. They can come here and have pretty good assurance that they won't be hassled by the locals.

Yet this is Washington, D.C. We are known for our politics, our conservative lifestyle, our ... antisocial attitude. That's not really the petri dish of adulation and worship that private-life stars require to survive. It is that subconscious need to be harassed that keeps the rich and famous in places like New York City and Los Angeles.

Besides, do the citizens of D.C. really want any more prima donnas roaming around all leash-less and whatnot? It's bad enough that we have the President, Vice President, members of Congress, members of the City Council, various ANC commissioners, and transplants from NYC, LA, SF, Dallas, so on and so forth. How much more ego can be shoehorned into our 68.3 square miles of heaven?

Perhaps Barack-N-Roll will be the final piece in Washington's long, yet unspoken, quest for respect from the world's social elite. Perhaps with his coming, our city will attract the same level of snobbery that infests the boroughs of New York City and Milan, the districts of Paris, and the neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Or perhaps, when this inauguration is over the kings and queens of culture will return from whence they came ... only to return for hearings in front of a Congressional board or as elected (or appointed) members of our Federal government.

An American Prayer

Looking For An Answer

Anyone who has lived as long as I have, especially in Washington, D.C., will know a few people who are HIV Positive. (If you don't, you haven't asked the right questions. And I hope you were safe.) There would be a decent probability that you could have gotten involved, per chance fallen in love, with someone who is HIV Positive.

This got me thinking.

I went online and I did some searching. It doesn't take long ... actually one search on "DC HIV POZ Group" to find a group of Positive people who can come together, talk about their struggles, and just generally enjoy the company of others who know what they are going through. But after a couple of hours of searching, I couldn't find one single group ... not one in the city with the highest HIV rate in the country ... for people who love people who are HIV Positive.

This confounds me.

Yes, I understand how difficult it is for people to realize that they are HIV Positive. I know the things that go through their minds. I know the pain, the anger, the despair, that they go through. I know this because I've had the consolatory discussion with more than my fair share of people I love.

But what about me and people like me, people who love those who are HIV Positive yet don't know how to act around them?

(Don't read too deeply into my last sentence. I'm speaking for the voiceless.)

It honestly does amaze me that, in the HIV Capital of our country, there is not one single support group for those who love or fall in love with someone who is HIV Positive.

Am I the only one who thinks this is ... wrong?