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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Mardi Gras Come and Gone

Yesterday was Mardi Gras. It's officially over now. I didn't go to one parade this year. I even forgot to blog about it. Mardi Gras is one of those things that I can't go to every year. It can be fun, but it can also be daunting. It's best when you're with people that have never been. As much as I didn't want to go this year, I'm glad for the years I've went and think it's something that everyone should experience. People that I know that live out of state don't understand it. One friend was telling me about parades in his hometown, but I tried to explain it's different. The city of New Orleans shuts down for Mardi Gras.

Two Series Picked Up

Two series have been picked up for an additional season new year by the CW. Smallville will be back for a ninth season. This is a season that has a few dips now and than but overall I've enjoyed quite a bit. I'm glad to see it continue now, even though they've pretty much moved the action from Smallville to Metropolis. Maybe a name change is in order.

Also being picked up is Supernatural for its fifth season. From what I've read of the creator the fifth season should be the final, as he said from the start he had a fiver year plan for the series. This year has been really interesting with Dean's rescue from Hell by an Angel. Things are really heating up for the Winchester boys.

New Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks' newest album is coming out next month. I was a big fan of him on American Idol and was thrilled when he won. I bought his first album and while I have liked it more over time, I still don't feel it was the best he was capable of. You can preview his new album here. I haven't listened to all of it yet, but from what I hear I'm really liking this one. The first song on the album "The Distance" is already the best thing I think I've heard from him. I'm getting excited about this album now.

Update: Since just writing the above I've listened to "Seven Mile Breakdown" and have to say this is really, really good. This is the type of music that I always imagined Taylor to be capable of making. I love this song.

Things I'm So Tired Of

The Octomom who has to be living in her own little delusional world. I think she figures all these kids will get people to give her money and stuff so she doesn't have to work. And it makes her a public figure, getting her on TV and in magazines. Her own personal path to celebrity. Whatever I'm tired of reading and listening about her.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

State of the Union

Even though President Obama doesn't have to deliver a State of the Union since he just took over the state tonight's speech was essentially that. After a lot of speeches telling the public how dangerous the economic crisis is tonight's speech was one that focused more on hope. He didn't get into specifics, but mainly wanted to let the American people know that no matter how bad the situation was the country would prevail.

It's nice that we have a President that can actually put words together to form coherent sentences.

Next Republican Candidate

Think we're looking at the next Republican candidate for President? For giving the Republican counter point to President Obama's speech he made sure to highlight his life and achievements as Governor of my state. I think someone mentioned he's already been to Iowa recently. He's starting to run for President pretty early.

Monday, February 23, 2009

In Memoriam

Sunday, February 22, 2009

The Police

I just finished reading Andy Summer's book Last Train about his days as musician before and with the Police. At least half of the book deals with his life before he joined the group and even after he joined the book isn't one of those books that tell all these dark secrets and such of the group. He really doesn't get into a lot of the behind the scene stuff with the Police. He mentions drugs and groupies and fights but mostly in an offhanded way that doesn't tell you a lot. He talks more about his early days with groups like the Animals and breaking in as a musician. He's actually a good writer and most of this book is very good. I tend to get bored when he started talking about some of his drug trips and my eyes would glaze over. He doesn't try to paint himself as the hero and everyone else the villain of the piece. He takes his lumps and admits to being something of a jerk, especially during the heights of fame during the Police.

The Police are one of those groups that when they were first around I was in love with. I saw them in concert and bought up each album as it came out. But somehow over time I find myself less in love with them. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that I'm not that in love with them anymore. I have the same situation with the Eagles, another group that at one time I was very into and now don't really care as much for. I like the Police still, but for me they haven't held up over time as well as others.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

It's Not The Destination, It's The Journey

Image via Wikipedia

I did something today that I thought I would never do. I bought a Journey album. I've never been a fan of the group. Back in their heyday I openly hated them. When friends were going to a Journey concert, I was nowhere around. I just couldn't stand their sound.

It was strange when Steve Perry released his first solo album I actually liked what I heard. I never bought the album but the songs I heard on the radio and MTV at the time I enjoyed.

So today found me buying their greatest hits. Maybe I've mellowed. I can't say I've become a big fan, but there is something about the songs. And there's something I'm writing where one of the characters is a Journey fan so I guess I can claim I bought it for research.

So now I own something I once thought I'd never own. A Journey album.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Old School Fridays: Jackson 5

Some early stuff, check out how young they look and Dick Clark looks like he always does.

This meme was developed by Marvalus View and Ms. Grapevine. The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate; any music genre
2. Old School is defined as music created before 1999
3. No offensive words allowed, please use edited radio version
4. Post a video of your favorite Old School song to take us back down memory lane
5. Add your name to the meme list so that others can check you out
6. Have fun & don't forget to leave comments for other participants

Balloon Ear

I came home from work yesterday and when I went to pet Buffy I noticed one of her ears looked like a balloon. Her left ear had swollen up like a balloon. I immediately got on the phone to her vet to find out what was going on. Regular readers might remember Buffy has ear problems, which is compounded by the fact that she won't let me clean her ears, I have to bring her in to the vet to get her ears cleaned. Well, it seems that he more recent ear problems are caused by her shaking her head. The blood vessels in her ear have pretty much broken and her ear is filled with blood and who knows what else, causing it to balloon. The vet gave me some medicine that hopefully will help. She said what usually ends up happening is surgery where they have to cut into the ear to drain the buildup. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, and her head shaking is almost gone, so hopefully when I come home from work tonight her ear will be a little smaller. One side affect of this can be her ear literally exploding. It's not as bad as it sounds from what the vet says. Basically all that blood needs someplace to go and it does. The blood is thinned with whatever else is in her ear so it will be thin and very messy the vet said. What's worse when this happens of course the dog starts shaking her head, throwing this mixture all over. I'm really hoping this doesn't happen with Buffy.

She's lying next to me as I type these words, seeming all right with the world for the moment.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Dresden Files

Image by Mirka23 via Flickr

I love the series of novels featuring Harry Dresden that are written by Jim Butcher. This is one of my favorite series. I don't have the sci-fi channel so I didn't catch the television series that was made from the books. I finally picked up the DVD series when it went on sale.

Now in a lot of ways this tv series is not the series that was featured in the books. Harry is never seen in his trademark duster. His beloved blue beetle is missing. Murphy is not blonde (which might seem a minor point, but I think the writer made her blonde for a point, lightness against Harry's darkness), Bob is too much a good guy...I could go on, but you get the point. The first show or two I watched was slow getting through. In fact I started watching the series so many times over a period of time that I kept starting over with the first episode that I must have seen it half a dozen times. But I finally decided to sit down and watch a few more episodes.

And you know what? Even though I still can't connect this Dresden with the one in the books I ended up liking the tv series. It had a heart of its own. It's not going to become one of my top shows, Buffy has nothing to worry about, but it is a nice, quirky little show that I would have liked to see continue. I think towards the end the writers, actors and producers were just starting to find their voice for the show.

It only lasted one season which is a shame.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Lost Tonight

I've missed the last few episodes of Lost, having to work. I forgot that they show last weeks' episode before the new one, so I didn't turn in until nine to catch the new episode.

So now they're back on the island. They go back to the island to save the others left behind, right? So they were ready to sacrifice a planeload of innocent people to get back to the island. I have trouble with that. I find it hard to believe that they all wanted to get back to the island that bad. Ben, yes. In fact his comment to Jack on the plane was on target for him. But Jack, Hurley, Kate, Sun, Sayid....all willing to have all those others die to get back to the island. Not sure I buy that. But as it looks the others on the plane didn't die. Jack, Kate and Hurley appear on the island, no sign of a plane crash. I think somehow they just vanished from the plane to appear on the island.

Otherwise that did everyone else think about this episode?

Snooks Eaglin

Snooks Eaglin, a New Orleans treasure died today. Eaglin began his career in 1947 at the age of 11. Snooks has been blind since his first birthday. His first recordings under his own name were done when he was a street musicain in New Orleans.

Snooks played r&b, blues and pretty much anything. I've seen him countless times over the years and he has always been a wonder. He played pretty much every year at Jazz Fest and I think I probably seen him every year I went.

At the first Jazz Fest after Katrian, when the Edge from U2 came down this was picture I took at Snooks show. Edge wanted to see this man play his music.

This is a video he did at the Rock n Bowl with George Porter from the Meters. That was Snooks, just as quick to talk to the auidence as sing, he was always a joy to watch. His like will not be seen again.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Need A Glove?

Image via Wikipedia

Did you want that glove Michael Jackson used to wear? How about one his gold albums? His American Award for Thriller? Now's your chance to get them. Evidently Michael is really hard up for some extra cash and is auctioning these and a lot more off. Go see what you'd like to bid for here.

More Troops To War

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

President Obama just ordered 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan today. They're part of a surge that could raise the amount of American troops in the area to 60,000 before long. Read more about it here. I know the plan is to take the troops from Iraq, I just hope we're not going to shift them over to Afghanistan. I really hope that the President has a plan to not keep these American men and women in harm's way indefinitely. I have a lot of respect for our current President so I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in this situation and hope he knows what he's doing.

Analog to Digital

Go here and read more about the whole mess.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Word of the Day: Sniper

Image via Wikipedia

Sniper: The snipe, a Eurasian bird common in wetlands and marshes, isn't the easiest thing to catch. A hunter generally sneaked up on it, disguised to blend in with the scenery, begrimed in mud and damp, and took a shot from as close as possible without alarming the bird. The term transferred to the hunting of humans in war or crime in the early nineteenth century, and the connection to the bird has been all but forgotten.

No, I'm not going back to do a word a day, but thought this was interesting and will post some once in awhile.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

The Cramps

I missed posting about this when it happened but thought I'd post something now. Lux Interior, founder of the band the Cramps, died on Feb 4. He was 62. He started life as Erick Purkhiser. He met his future wife while she was hitchhiking in California. She changed her name from Kristy Wallace to Poison Ivy and they formed the band the Cramps. They moved from there to Ohio and than to New York City where they were part of the beginning of punk music. They called their music pyshcobilly.

Stormy For Senate

Image via Wikipedia

Stormy Daniels, a porn star, is thinking about running for the Senate seat now occupied by David Vitter. Vitter is the Republican hypocrite that was caught in the D.C. Madame sting. At least we will know about Stormy's sexual escapades upfront. Read more about it here or go sign the petition for Stormy for Senate here. How serious all this is I'm not sure, but as always Louisiana politics is never boring.

Film Maker Daughter

Image via Wikipedia

The Speaker of the House is Nancy Pelosi. Her daughter is a documentary film maker. She made a film called Journeys With George, which was about the campaign of the second Bush to occupy the White House. She's made a new documentary. To read more about it go here.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Letterman Again!

From Time magazine website there is a list of the top 10 Disastrous interviews with David Letterman. Go check it out here.

The Chronicles of Sarah Conner

Image by visiticeland@hotmail.com via Flickr

I'll make a confession upfront. I've never seen the Terminator movies. I don't care for Arnold Schwarzenegger as an actor and rarely watch anything he's in. So I was not prepared to like the new television series Terminator: The Chronicles of Sarah Conner. I've read some good reviews of it and some people whose taste I trust have praised it, so when Target offered the first season for fifteen dollars I picked it up.

Watching the first couple episodes I was not too upset that I had not caught this show while it was first aired. They were ok, but nothing special. But somewhere along the way something changed and I found myself on the edge of my seat as I watched. I couldn't wait to get back to the series and watch the next episode. By the end of the first season I was hooked. I was enjoying this show a lot.

The shows stars Lena Headley as Sarah Conner and she is terrific. She plays Sarah as the tall, quiet type that is generally reserved for male action heroes. She doesn't say a lot but the is all action when it comes to it. Thomas Dekker plays the teen age John Connor. Summer Glau, who played the character River on Firefly, plays Cameron. Cameron is a terminator sent back from the future by future John Conner to help protect his mother and younger self. Of course the name is a homage to the director of the first Terminator movie. Another interesting homage is the name of the FBI agent chasing down Sarah and her son. His name is James Ellison. In the first movie, at the end of the credits is a small statement that says the Terminator movie owes a debt to ideas from Harlan Ellison. Ellison is a writer that after seeing the first Terminator movie sued because he felt that a lot of the movie owed to stories he wrote and afterwards they put the disclaimer in. I find it kind of amusing that they created a character with his name, and as the man pursing Sarah. Brain Austin Greene from the old 90210 show is cast as John's future uncle who travels back in time to help.

I haven't seen any of the new shows from the second season yet, until last night. It comes on right before Dollhouse so I watched the newest episode. While there's a lot going on that I'm in the dark about I enjoyed it.

Unfortunately I've read that the numbers aren't in and that this show is only on because of the new Terminator movie coming. So it may have a limited future. Friday night is usually the night where the networks send shows to die.

I hope not. This is a really good show.

Dollhouse Review

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Last night was the much anticipated debut of Joss Whedon's return to network television. His new series Dollhouse starring Eliza Dushku made its network birth. So before we get into anything lets talk about the show.

Being that it's from Joss, one of the most creative minds working in television it was very inventive. The premise is pretty cool, but the very idea of the storyline is also its own weakest link. The Dollhouse is a top secret organization that employs a stable of men and women who they imprint new memories and ablities over their minds and hire out to the highest bidder for whatever work needed. When these people aren't having their mind impinted they basically have no personality, no mind of their own.

And that's the problem. Eliza plays one of these "blanks," a woman named Echo. How are we to care about Echo when we really don't know her? And we'll never get to know her, because every week she's a different person. She's a blank person, except for when she is imprinted with a new identity and becomes someone else. And than that person is gone. They're trying to do it with flashbacks and old movies of the woman Echo was before she joined the Dollhouse, but I'm not sure it'll work. Or work quick enough for viewers to make a connection with Echo.

The story was nicely told and full of twists and turns and plenty of action. Imprinting Echo with part of the personality of someone else also gave her that person's faults and fears, which lead to trouble for all.

The reviews have been mixed from what I've seen and I have to give a mixed review myself. The show didn't reach out and grab me like Buffy or Angel or Firefly did. Within minutes of watching the premiere of these shows you knew you were in the presence of great tv. But because it's Joss and Eliza I'm willing to give them the beneift of the doubt and stick with it.

Already the internet has been abuzz of the problems Joss has had with Fox over the show. He went back and reshot the first two episodes, shutting down production for awhile at one point. In a recent Rolling Stone interview Joss didn't sound like a man hopeful to be continuing to work in network television for much longer. He's talking of moving online and creating work there. Which is a shame, Joss has created some of the greatest television in the past and I'm sure he can do it again. I'm just not sure if Dollhouse will be around long enough for us to find out if this will be one of them.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Old School Fridays: It's The Blues Baby

A great theme this week! I love the blues. I would have posted some Robert Johnson but there is definitely no video of him. So I went with one of the greatest blues singer of all time Muddy Waters with Sonny Boy from 1963. They are doing "Got My Mojo Working" and it's a more laidback version than you'd expect from Muddy.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Happy Aniversary to Me!

On this date four years ago I first put fingers to the keyboard and started this blog. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My main purpose was to try and kickstart my writing and to promote any writing I did do. Well I really haven't put the nose to the grindstone too well in that regards so there hasn't been that much of it to promote either.

You can tell by my first post I really didn't know what I was doing. I was pretty much lost about this whole blogging thing back then. But it didn't take me long to start blogging about some subjects that would become familiar around here. My third post featured the Wonder Dog Buffy herself. By the middle of the next month I was blogging about music. My first music post was about a concert by the Kings of Leon at the House of Blues. I predicted that they were poised for breakout stardom soon, well it's only four years later and they're selling out Madison Square Garden now, so better late than not. A couple posts after that was a review of the Wallflowers show I caught at the HOB. By April I was talking politics in a post. And before the end of April I was blogging about Jazz Fest in the first of countless posts over the years. That was the year I saw Wilco downtown at the State Palace and than a few days later got to see them again at Jazz Fest. Before the end of May I started my semi whenever posts trying to list all the musical acts I've seen.

The first year I ended up with a total of 368 posts. The next year I didn't quite make that same mark and ended the year with just 328 posts. But the following year was the year of the posts. I compiled 1751 posts for the year of 2007. Now this was the year when I was doing three daily posts of Word-A-Day, Rock n Roll Memories, and Book Fun. So that added up to an awful lot of posts right there.

2007 was also the year that my Dad died. If there are any posts that I'm most proud of writing, or perhaps care the most about, it's the posts I've written about my Dad, before and after his death. Ones like this one on his birthday, or this one on Veterans Day or this post about the one thing of my Dads I wanted after he passed or this post with one of my favorite pictures of me with my Dad.

2008 brought the amount of post back to normal, with 367. I just missed passing the first year's amount by two posts. For 2009 I'm up to 68 posts, not counting this one. So far this year I've been in a posting mood. Sometimes a month will come and I'll dry up with posting.

I'm not sure when I put the stat counter on my site, but I know it wasn't too long after I started. So far it shows 77, 361 hits. I know there are some blogs that is maybe a months worth, but I feel pretty good that I've had people want to visit my site and read my words that many times. Though I wish more would leave comments....but that's probably also because I'm terrible at answering any comments, which I hope to get better at this year. I'm trying to leave replies back to everyone as they leave a comment to any post this year. I haven't been perfect, but I'm getting better.

One of the side benefits of blogging is the friends that I've made over the years. You come to know people better than you expect in some instances on these blogs. I think some of us bloggers find it easier to confess our thoughts and worries on the computer screen than we do in person to real people. I've been amiss in keeping up with some of these electronic friends also. For some reason I've negelteced some and now find myself wishing I was still in touch.

I'm actually kind of surprised that I'm still blogging going on for over four years. And still enjoying it. In fact so much that I've created two other blogs that I don't spend enough time at, Voices to hear and Life in 4 colors.

Well, I hope in all these years that a few people have taken a little joy from these pages. I have found it very satsifying and hope to be back here in four more years with another anniversary post.

More From Phoenix on Letterman

Seems like we're just running a bunch of Letterman posts, but here's one that follows up on the one about Joaquin Phoenix's recent appearance. Read about it here.

Now watch it here:

U2 On Letterman

Image via Wikipedia

For the first week of March U2 will appear every night on the David Letterman show. That week will also see the release of their new album No Line On The Horizon.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Is He Serious?

Joaquin Phoenix says he is quitting acting for hip hop music. Read more here. I just can't get over that there's a punch line here that I'm missing. Maybe I'm just missing it. He's on Letterman right now and from what I can hear he's pretty much bombing. Not playing his music, just trying to do an interview.

Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore Engaged

No, I'm not going People magazine here, but Ryan Adams is one of my favorite singers so I thought I'd post this. He's engaged to Mandy Moore. Couldn't find any pictures of them together. Good luck to them both.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Across The Universe

I finally saw the movie Across The Universe. I was prepared not to like this movie. For one it was using songs that to me are just about scared. Don't screw with the Beatles' music. But I found myself really liking this movie. And the songs worked so well with the stories. I really liked this movie.

Another version that I liked was "I Want To Hold Your Hand." I liked the way they slowed it down and made it almost more of a bluesy type song. I think some American Idol hopeful during Beatles week should do a version of this.

What Happened to Thursday Thirteen?

A question just popped up in my mind for some reason: Whatever happened to the home page for the meme Thursday Thirteen? I remember when the originator of the meme was retiring she sold the rights to the name to two other people, but now it seems to be gone. What's the deal? I know people still continue doing it on Thursday, I have when I remember, but there seems to be no official hub for it anymore.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Green Day Album Coming

The new Green Day album 21st Century Breakdown is coming in May. For more about it you can go here. Until than here's an really early video of Green Day performing the Who's "My Generation."

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Sick Again

Image by Jonathan D. Blundell via Flickr

I just got over a cold a few weeks back. I sure have known this would happen, everyone at work has been sick off and on for the past month. I woke up with my cold back and feeling terrible. Luckily today was my day off and all I've done is lay on the couch sleeping. I'm up now trying to get something/anything accomplished. Tonight is the Grammys, I may try to watch them, even though most of the time they go with the safe route for the winner.

Whitney Houston Making Comeback

After years where I imagined one day opening a paper or logging onto the computer and reading that Whitney Houston had died of a drug overdose it seems she's changed her path of self destruction and is on the mend. Read about her triumphant return at a pre-Grammy party here.
I remember hearing Whitney back before she became the huge star she was destined to be and telling my friends about her. I don't know if it was her voice or that fact that she was so beautiful and I think I was a little bit in love with her, but I've always been a fan of Whitney. This video is from the movie The Bodyguard which is one of my favorite movies. I know it's not a great movie, but I love this movie for the characters. This song was originally written by Dolly Parton but has pretty much become associated with Whitney now.

Dave Robicheaux Movie

One of my favorite writers James Lee Burkes' series starring New Iberia policeman Dave Robicheaux is coming to the big screen. The main character is going to be played by Tommy Lee Jones. Read more about it here.

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