Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentine's Day
Here's one my lovely Scottish Wife turned me onto. Talented man, that Hannon fellow.
Thanks darling.
Thanks darling.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Rest in Peace.
Even if you were not a fan you seriously could not deny the power and range of her voice. It could caress you, slap you, shake you to the core.
I do not know why I always considered her younger than me when she was a year older.
Her debut was a hit machine and she followed it up right. She only had six studio albums. It seems like more. In the end, not enough. Another talent wasted by drugs, bad choices and who knows what else.
Her voice though, listen to it here. Incredible. It always will be.
I do not know why I always considered her younger than me when she was a year older.
Her debut was a hit machine and she followed it up right. She only had six studio albums. It seems like more. In the end, not enough. Another talent wasted by drugs, bad choices and who knows what else.
Her voice though, listen to it here. Incredible. It always will be.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
It has happened before, it will happen again
You will recall this recent post about editing a poem for time. So when I got up to read the poem during last nights slam I was all giddy because Tyrone was in the room. He's been in the southern hemisphere for a year and a half and is here for a brief visit. It was not like getting a Christmas present in February. It was a Christmas present in February.
The poem got a very positive reaction from the crowd, which caused me to pause a few extra times to let the crowd take it in. They felt it, and I felt them feeling it. Got back to my seat and Vernell gave me a stern look. She pointed at the clock.
3:40.
Drew a 1.5 point time penalty that knocked me out of the first round by .1.
These things happen. Life goes on. Good to know I have a four minute poem to go with when the opportunity comes. This would probably make the poem in its original form at least six minutes, if not longer. Where the Hell am I going to read that?
I'm in the middle of reading an oral history of the eighties band The Replacements. This is a band that was completely out of my loop during the time they were starting out. It's kind of shocking, since they were a college radio band and I was living in a college radio station. I have no idea why I did not listen to them. Sure, I knew I Will Dare, anyone with indie cred should know that song.
But none of the others. Tim, Hootenanny, I did not listen to any of them. Have no idea what I was thinking. Guess I was listening to too much R.E.M. or something.
I'm at the point of the book where they're being offered a major label contract and the guys in the band a real assholes. I'm not impressed with the behavior of these drunken kids, if I owned a bar, they would have been banned in about ten minutes.
Very cool to note that there was a shout out to local music writer Curtis Scheiber, kind words about how he put the band up in his house for a few days while they were touring.
The music though. I gave a listen to Stink and Let it Be and was very impressed with the energy, the passion and I'm sure if I'd listened at the time they would have made more than a causal impression.
The first record I remember of theirs was Pleased to Meet Me, this got a bunch of spins at BJ's. Their song to Alex Chilton was big, as was Can't Hardly Wait. Their next album, Don't Tell a Soul, had another song I really liked.
They put out one more record in the early nineties before breaking up. Their leader, Paul Westerberg has done some solo work, severely injured his hand a few years back and has had some sporadic appearances since. I still am not sure if I'm giving this band their due, at least I'm giving them a shot now.
The poem got a very positive reaction from the crowd, which caused me to pause a few extra times to let the crowd take it in. They felt it, and I felt them feeling it. Got back to my seat and Vernell gave me a stern look. She pointed at the clock.
3:40.
Drew a 1.5 point time penalty that knocked me out of the first round by .1.
These things happen. Life goes on. Good to know I have a four minute poem to go with when the opportunity comes. This would probably make the poem in its original form at least six minutes, if not longer. Where the Hell am I going to read that?
I'm in the middle of reading an oral history of the eighties band The Replacements. This is a band that was completely out of my loop during the time they were starting out. It's kind of shocking, since they were a college radio band and I was living in a college radio station. I have no idea why I did not listen to them. Sure, I knew I Will Dare, anyone with indie cred should know that song.
But none of the others. Tim, Hootenanny, I did not listen to any of them. Have no idea what I was thinking. Guess I was listening to too much R.E.M. or something.
I'm at the point of the book where they're being offered a major label contract and the guys in the band a real assholes. I'm not impressed with the behavior of these drunken kids, if I owned a bar, they would have been banned in about ten minutes.
Very cool to note that there was a shout out to local music writer Curtis Scheiber, kind words about how he put the band up in his house for a few days while they were touring.
The music though. I gave a listen to Stink and Let it Be and was very impressed with the energy, the passion and I'm sure if I'd listened at the time they would have made more than a causal impression.
The first record I remember of theirs was Pleased to Meet Me, this got a bunch of spins at BJ's. Their song to Alex Chilton was big, as was Can't Hardly Wait. Their next album, Don't Tell a Soul, had another song I really liked.
They put out one more record in the early nineties before breaking up. Their leader, Paul Westerberg has done some solo work, severely injured his hand a few years back and has had some sporadic appearances since. I still am not sure if I'm giving this band their due, at least I'm giving them a shot now.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
A long run
Had a good writing prompt today via Twitter and ran with it, and ran and ran.
Timed it out earlier, it was five minutes long. That's all good and fine but for the rigidly timed world of poetry slam, the poem should be three minutes. So I took a hatchet to it, then some more cutting and editing to get it timed right.
Writing for length is something I have to work on, most of my work ends up in the two minute range. Sometimes I can stretch it with quality to get it to the right length. Most of the time I just leave it be, it's better that way.
Five minutes though, that does not happen often. I can use the outtakes as another poem, perhaps! I'll probably just read the director's cut next week.
Timed it out earlier, it was five minutes long. That's all good and fine but for the rigidly timed world of poetry slam, the poem should be three minutes. So I took a hatchet to it, then some more cutting and editing to get it timed right.
Writing for length is something I have to work on, most of my work ends up in the two minute range. Sometimes I can stretch it with quality to get it to the right length. Most of the time I just leave it be, it's better that way.
Five minutes though, that does not happen often. I can use the outtakes as another poem, perhaps! I'll probably just read the director's cut next week.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
A weekend of commerce
We actually had a tax return this year since we were able to claim my son. His mother and I now alternate. It was not a lot, but enough to pay the car insurance, buy some new glasses for my wife and to replace the leaky electric kettle.
We also went to a couple of thrift stores. It had been awhile since I had any luck, still looking for a complete burr grinder, but I did find a Henley shirt and a VCR. Problem with the VCR is hooking it up to the receiver means pulling out wires. Not enough inputs. Oh well.
Walking through the aisles I came across the coats. I was not looking for one, but this one caught my eye. Tried it on and I had to have it. Only seven bucks, a London Fog - I get very brand snobbish in thrift stores.
That's my best Tawny Kitaen.
On the way out my Scottish Wife spotted a tie that looked like one she wore in school as a young lass.
>
The color has a little more purple in it, like a Gryffindor tie. I've seen a picture of my wife in her school outfit when she was about 11. I do not have it to scan.
I'm sorry, where was I?
We also went to a couple of thrift stores. It had been awhile since I had any luck, still looking for a complete burr grinder, but I did find a Henley shirt and a VCR. Problem with the VCR is hooking it up to the receiver means pulling out wires. Not enough inputs. Oh well.
Walking through the aisles I came across the coats. I was not looking for one, but this one caught my eye. Tried it on and I had to have it. Only seven bucks, a London Fog - I get very brand snobbish in thrift stores.
That's my best Tawny Kitaen.
On the way out my Scottish Wife spotted a tie that looked like one she wore in school as a young lass.
>The color has a little more purple in it, like a Gryffindor tie. I've seen a picture of my wife in her school outfit when she was about 11. I do not have it to scan.
I'm sorry, where was I?
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
A Better Day
For the first time in several years, there is a glimmer of optimism at the Everton Football Club. For too long the club has claimed being broke as its main reason for not acquiring players that will improve the team. This was happening while teams with lesser fan bases and scanter coffers were making improvements to the point of passing Everton on the table.
Last month though, team management went all in, or what Chelsea would spend on twenty percent of a useless Spanish striker.
They first sold under achieving winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov back to Russia, and purchased under achieving and in the doghouse mid-fielder Darren Gibson from Manchester United.
Everton manager David Moyes has been somewhat maligned by the supporters. His loyalty at starting ineffective players is one of his flaws. Recently he has been able to see the error of his ways and has began giving some motivated players such as Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi starting roles, to modest success.
The team has been lacking in strikers for years and yesterday the team signed FC Rangers leading scorer Nikica Jelavic, giving the team a threat in the front line. Really hoping Jelavic has some success in the EPL, for other Scottish strikers have not been able to score outside the SPL, just ask Kris Boyd.
Everton also loaned out past his prime striker Louis Saha to Tottenham and at the last minute acquired mid-fielder Stephen Pienaar from this same Tottenham side. I liked Pienaar when he played for Everton, he left in a money dispute, and a false promise that he'd get playing time with the Spurs, but he was not able to break into their lineup.
So it was with good feeling that Everton played first place Manchester City yesterday. A point would have been a success but miracles build in Goodison Park as Darron Gibson scored the only goal as the Toffees beat the Blues 1-0.
The game was also marked by a stoppage late in the first half when a clown came out of the crowd and handcuffed himself to Joe Hart's goalpost.
Everton's now ninth in the league. Honestly, I still do not see them getting much higher. Maybe seventh is possible, with luck sixth. After another disastrous start, it will be hard to advance. It was a relief to see Kenwright break out some money for some clear improvements to a stagnating squad.
Kenwright incidentally is in a long term relationship with an actress from one of my favorite films.
Everton's next match is on Saturday against Wigan.
Last month though, team management went all in, or what Chelsea would spend on twenty percent of a useless Spanish striker.
They first sold under achieving winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov back to Russia, and purchased under achieving and in the doghouse mid-fielder Darren Gibson from Manchester United.
Everton manager David Moyes has been somewhat maligned by the supporters. His loyalty at starting ineffective players is one of his flaws. Recently he has been able to see the error of his ways and has began giving some motivated players such as Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi starting roles, to modest success.
The team has been lacking in strikers for years and yesterday the team signed FC Rangers leading scorer Nikica Jelavic, giving the team a threat in the front line. Really hoping Jelavic has some success in the EPL, for other Scottish strikers have not been able to score outside the SPL, just ask Kris Boyd.
Everton also loaned out past his prime striker Louis Saha to Tottenham and at the last minute acquired mid-fielder Stephen Pienaar from this same Tottenham side. I liked Pienaar when he played for Everton, he left in a money dispute, and a false promise that he'd get playing time with the Spurs, but he was not able to break into their lineup.
So it was with good feeling that Everton played first place Manchester City yesterday. A point would have been a success but miracles build in Goodison Park as Darron Gibson scored the only goal as the Toffees beat the Blues 1-0.
The game was also marked by a stoppage late in the first half when a clown came out of the crowd and handcuffed himself to Joe Hart's goalpost.
Everton's now ninth in the league. Honestly, I still do not see them getting much higher. Maybe seventh is possible, with luck sixth. After another disastrous start, it will be hard to advance. It was a relief to see Kenwright break out some money for some clear improvements to a stagnating squad.
Kenwright incidentally is in a long term relationship with an actress from one of my favorite films.
Everton's next match is on Saturday against Wigan.
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