Woo it's been a long time since I've written anything and I've had a few drinks so I just thought I'd mention something that sucks.
Starbucks.
It's terrible for so many reasons, but mostly for selling crappy and overpriced coffee. If coffee for people who care nothing about the taste of coffee. I suppose if you put enough sugar, syrup and milk-like products into something it doesn't matter what the coffee tastes like, but that ain't my thing. I like good coffee, stand-alone coffee.
Starbuck sucks.
That aside, The Big Bang Theory is awesome. Nuff said.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
MCA
It's been two weeks since Adam 'MCA' Yauch died and I seriously am still dealing with what I can only describe as sorrow over the loss of one of the most brilliant minds ever known in the music industry. I was so shocked and devastated when I found out I could barely speak. Never have I been more moved by the death of a celebrity, and I've struggled to put in to words as to why.
The Beastie Boys have been a big part of my musical heritage since the mid-80's and, although they weren't always in heavy rotation on my stereo/iPod/etc, they've always been near to my heart. License to Ill never really resounded with me until I was on a soccer trip in early grade 12, a few years after it came out but I remember when Fight for Your Right was constantly on the radio in '86-'87. When Paul's Boutique came out I bought it because of that soccer trip and the Hey Ladies video, I must have been one of maybe five people in Newfoundland that owned that green cassette tape and I played the ever-loving shit out of it. Even though I didn't know it at the time, I was the owner of one of the greatest rap albums of all times. I still love that CD, it truly is amazing. The brilliant catalogue that followed is well documented, indeed, and their place in rap and music history has been deeply etched in stone. In short, the Beasties are amazing. My favourite rap group and definitely one of the best ever.
Those facts are probably mostly why the Beasties have been the only group I had left to see in concert I cared about and now that MCA is gone that dream is over. That is hard to take but really what is so upsetting is the loss of one of the most important people in the entertainment biz. Not only did Adam make great albums, but he helped produce others, he filmed videos and movies, he started his own studio, he was a political activist that created the Tibetan Freedom concerts, and he was a husband and father. That's a pretty good body of work, and he was only 47.
I've never felt so much loss like this, it's like I lost a hero. Cobain had no real legacy when he died and he killed himself (we think) so I wasn't phased. When Michael Jackson died I was quite upset, he was the greatest entertainer that had ever lived and had more talent in one finger than most do in their whole body, but his time had seemed to have come and gone plus his eccentricity was overshadowing his brilliance for me. When Adam died I really felt a significant part of the reason for my love for music died as well. The Beasties were my springboard into my love of rap for so many years and their albums stand the test of time for me. Our son loves the Beasties and regularly asks me to play them in the car. I'm surprised our copy of Hello Nasty hasn't melted into the CD player.
After all this writing I still can't seem to put into words, I just want to yell "IT'S NOT FAIR" but that still doesn't do it justice. I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, I just have to watch a video and see all the comments to feel everyone's pain. Even though I'll never realize my dream of seeing them in concert it's the loss for the whole music industry that is the worst thing and hopefully, with time, it will be easier to deal with. It's just so hard when someone leaves us too early when he had so much left to give.
RIP MCA. You will be missed.
The Beastie Boys have been a big part of my musical heritage since the mid-80's and, although they weren't always in heavy rotation on my stereo/iPod/etc, they've always been near to my heart. License to Ill never really resounded with me until I was on a soccer trip in early grade 12, a few years after it came out but I remember when Fight for Your Right was constantly on the radio in '86-'87. When Paul's Boutique came out I bought it because of that soccer trip and the Hey Ladies video, I must have been one of maybe five people in Newfoundland that owned that green cassette tape and I played the ever-loving shit out of it. Even though I didn't know it at the time, I was the owner of one of the greatest rap albums of all times. I still love that CD, it truly is amazing. The brilliant catalogue that followed is well documented, indeed, and their place in rap and music history has been deeply etched in stone. In short, the Beasties are amazing. My favourite rap group and definitely one of the best ever.
Those facts are probably mostly why the Beasties have been the only group I had left to see in concert I cared about and now that MCA is gone that dream is over. That is hard to take but really what is so upsetting is the loss of one of the most important people in the entertainment biz. Not only did Adam make great albums, but he helped produce others, he filmed videos and movies, he started his own studio, he was a political activist that created the Tibetan Freedom concerts, and he was a husband and father. That's a pretty good body of work, and he was only 47.
I've never felt so much loss like this, it's like I lost a hero. Cobain had no real legacy when he died and he killed himself (we think) so I wasn't phased. When Michael Jackson died I was quite upset, he was the greatest entertainer that had ever lived and had more talent in one finger than most do in their whole body, but his time had seemed to have come and gone plus his eccentricity was overshadowing his brilliance for me. When Adam died I really felt a significant part of the reason for my love for music died as well. The Beasties were my springboard into my love of rap for so many years and their albums stand the test of time for me. Our son loves the Beasties and regularly asks me to play them in the car. I'm surprised our copy of Hello Nasty hasn't melted into the CD player.
After all this writing I still can't seem to put into words, I just want to yell "IT'S NOT FAIR" but that still doesn't do it justice. I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, I just have to watch a video and see all the comments to feel everyone's pain. Even though I'll never realize my dream of seeing them in concert it's the loss for the whole music industry that is the worst thing and hopefully, with time, it will be easier to deal with. It's just so hard when someone leaves us too early when he had so much left to give.
RIP MCA. You will be missed.
YouTube Bullies
Along with many good (and bad) things, the internet has bred a very strange and sad sort of bully. Bullying, whether in person or on the internet, is a pretty hot topic these days and rightly so; it can be a cruel and horrible thing with tragic consequences. What I've been seeing more of these days is the outrageous and borderline psychotic stuff people will post with reckless abandon on any internet thread and even on YouTube channels and FB pages. Admittedly, I've said a few questionable things in the past but there are some folks out there that will spew out the most vile and pathetic things like there is no cosmic return for such actions.
I can't watch a video on YouTube without noticing someone just going off on some tangent in the comments that turns into a full-blown verbal smack down. People aren't just making fluid points on there, they are full-on ripping and berating other folks like they just killed their pet dog and burned down their house. It's crazy to me. Maybe I've confused this sort of bullying with 'trolling', a whole other topic, but man it would be nice to watch a simple video without having to discover that some mild difference of opinion has morphed into full-scale thermonuclear war.
Maybe I shouldn't read the comments ever, sure, but sometimes I like to comment of videos as well so it's hard not to do a bit of reading. Occasionally there are a few interesting gems buried in the comment that may teach me a few things about what I'm watching. I definitely think more folks should disable the comments on their videos, like I did today, to avoid any of the childish stuff people end up posting on there.
People who engage in this behaviour are just the lowest form of sub-human on earth to me. To sit in front of a computer and just mindlessly tear down another person for no good reason is the ultimate form of cowardice I can think of. It is the saddest, most pathetic and fucked-up thing I can imagine someone doing from the safety of their parent's cold and lonely basement. Karma is a real thing, regardless if you believe in it or not, and if you spend much of your time being a shitty person, then shitty things are going to happen to you. Simple as that.
This reminds me of a quote I read quite recently: 'On the internet people can be whatever they want, it's too bad so many people choose to be stupid.'
Well said.
I can't watch a video on YouTube without noticing someone just going off on some tangent in the comments that turns into a full-blown verbal smack down. People aren't just making fluid points on there, they are full-on ripping and berating other folks like they just killed their pet dog and burned down their house. It's crazy to me. Maybe I've confused this sort of bullying with 'trolling', a whole other topic, but man it would be nice to watch a simple video without having to discover that some mild difference of opinion has morphed into full-scale thermonuclear war.
Maybe I shouldn't read the comments ever, sure, but sometimes I like to comment of videos as well so it's hard not to do a bit of reading. Occasionally there are a few interesting gems buried in the comment that may teach me a few things about what I'm watching. I definitely think more folks should disable the comments on their videos, like I did today, to avoid any of the childish stuff people end up posting on there.
People who engage in this behaviour are just the lowest form of sub-human on earth to me. To sit in front of a computer and just mindlessly tear down another person for no good reason is the ultimate form of cowardice I can think of. It is the saddest, most pathetic and fucked-up thing I can imagine someone doing from the safety of their parent's cold and lonely basement. Karma is a real thing, regardless if you believe in it or not, and if you spend much of your time being a shitty person, then shitty things are going to happen to you. Simple as that.
This reminds me of a quote I read quite recently: 'On the internet people can be whatever they want, it's too bad so many people choose to be stupid.'
Well said.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
CPL
So the City of Calgary Library, which is just a world-class system in my mind, has installed a curious thing outside of some of their buildings. Along with the normal drop-off slot there is a new spot that resembles an ATM where if you press the button you can 'check in' your books or CDs. I can't for the life of me figure out what the purpose of this is. Generally you can pull up and drop off your books/etc and have it done in mere seconds and now there's this setup that makes that process longer with no benefit to the people involved. I propose the CPL post a sign up next to these new systems that state 'For Your Inconvenience!'
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wine Gums?
So today for no good reason I was reminded of wine gums and other horrible candy that was around when I was a kid (and may still be around now, somehow) and all I could think was, 'How did someone think this was a good idea?' Candy was candy back in the day, I didn't eat it frequently but when I did I'd go overboard. Bottle caps, jelly beans, and other junk all went down the hatch but there were a few dreaded treats I avoided at all costs, and here are a few:
Wine gums: These were pure poison to me. The taste was weird, they were small and angry looking, and chewing them was a miserable experience. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy gnawing on a thick piece of animal cartilage more than one of those nasty little buggers. It was like a jaw workout on steroids with no payoff. Maybe they've improved, but I'm never going to find out if Maynard has fixed the recipe.
Black Bart Gum: Wow. Black licorice-flavoured gum, that is just a master stroke of genius there. At least you can swallow black licorice when it's in candy form and end the experience, but with gum the misery goes on-and-on as you chew it indefinitely. Wasn't licorice used as medieval medicine at one time, and then it became gum? And your teeth when you chewed it? If I wanted to look like I just Frenched a sea-dwelling creature pulled from a recent oil spill then I'd prefer to do just that...
Thrills Gum: What. The. Eff? Purple gum that tastes EXACTLY like soap, who was the marketing maven behind this brilliant marriage of poor colour choices and revolting flavour? Soap gum? What else can a guy say about that. Gum, that tastes like soap. This has got to be at the apex of all horrible candy. I'm sure I could think of more, like the weird pseudo-caramels I used to get at Halloween that tasted like burnt dirt at best.
The very thought of eating any candy these days sends chills down my spine, I often marvel at adults that can sit there mindlessly and eat candy without a second thought. Chocolate bars I can see, even cans of pop and the like but candy? What are ya, twelve?
Wine gums: These were pure poison to me. The taste was weird, they were small and angry looking, and chewing them was a miserable experience. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy gnawing on a thick piece of animal cartilage more than one of those nasty little buggers. It was like a jaw workout on steroids with no payoff. Maybe they've improved, but I'm never going to find out if Maynard has fixed the recipe.
Black Bart Gum: Wow. Black licorice-flavoured gum, that is just a master stroke of genius there. At least you can swallow black licorice when it's in candy form and end the experience, but with gum the misery goes on-and-on as you chew it indefinitely. Wasn't licorice used as medieval medicine at one time, and then it became gum? And your teeth when you chewed it? If I wanted to look like I just Frenched a sea-dwelling creature pulled from a recent oil spill then I'd prefer to do just that...
Thrills Gum: What. The. Eff? Purple gum that tastes EXACTLY like soap, who was the marketing maven behind this brilliant marriage of poor colour choices and revolting flavour? Soap gum? What else can a guy say about that. Gum, that tastes like soap. This has got to be at the apex of all horrible candy. I'm sure I could think of more, like the weird pseudo-caramels I used to get at Halloween that tasted like burnt dirt at best.
The very thought of eating any candy these days sends chills down my spine, I often marvel at adults that can sit there mindlessly and eat candy without a second thought. Chocolate bars I can see, even cans of pop and the like but candy? What are ya, twelve?
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Whitney Who?
Ever since Whitney Houston died I've seen people posting curious things on their FB page regarding her life and death. Let's just agree now that she undoubtedly wasted the last fifteen-plus years of her life and her tragic and untimely death was probably due to her addictions and personal demons. That aside, we are talking about one of the most talented singers who has ever lived, someone who inspired countless numbers of other women, helped open musical doors, entertained millions, and lived what seemed to be a charmed and beautiful life until she fell prey to the many vices of the entertainment business. Who knows what she'd be doing now if she had not have married a complete slime ball who helped with her rapid decline? She'd still be up there with Celine Dion (who might have 1/3 of the talent) and would have deservedly died many many years later as a legend for all times.
A few people said 'Whitney Who?' along with a picture of headstones of fallen soldiers. Unpopular subject and all politics aside, soldiers die. A horrible reality indeed but it's the truth; they sign up knowing that it just may happen and it's an accepted risk. They are true heros for (hopefully) representing and dying for something they believe in but we hear less and less about them now as the 'war' overseas is now something of a dirty secret to forget. People inundated with news of Whitney's death should probably just change the channel and, if they so desire, find a way to show their support for soldiers in a way that does not disparage the death of another person. A person, by the way, who sang the most popular rendition of the American anthem in history, which was done solely to show support for the troops in the first conflict in the middle east.
Other folks mentioned that mothers and women die every day and that she threw her life away so why should we care. Without a doubt, she wasted much of her life since the mid-90s due to the ravages of drug-addiction (something most people know nothing about) but the last time I looked Whitney Houston was a mother, too. There's a young girl whose mother is gone forever. Whitney's mother has lost a child as well. Is that not the very definition of tragic? That is heart-wrenching, regardless of whether you think she wasted her life or not. It is no more heart-wrenching than another anonymous woman dying say of cancer at the age of 48, but the overall result is the same. No one wants to see someone die at such a young age.
So who are we to judge? Since when did we become so callous as a society that we feel we can publicly disparage someone who has recently died? Is it the celebrity's fault that we revere them so much and put them up on a pedestal? Why is it okay to create false idols out of these people but then to act like they are garbage when we realize they are merely flawed and imperfect humans, just like the rest of us? I don't think Whitney purposely tried to become a crack-addict and throw away a gift that we will never see the likes of again, but that kind of thing just happens. A lot.
I'm not a Whitney Houston fan but you don't need to be a fan to realize she had a talent and a voice like no other. As flawed as she was, she tried to get it back together but it would seem the vices won and now she's gone far too soon. Self-righteous indignation is a human flaw as well, and most of us wouldn't know it existed until people decide to cast aside any doubt by publicly and willingly mocking the death of someone else's mother for all to see. Either just let it go or find a better outlet folks.
A few people said 'Whitney Who?' along with a picture of headstones of fallen soldiers. Unpopular subject and all politics aside, soldiers die. A horrible reality indeed but it's the truth; they sign up knowing that it just may happen and it's an accepted risk. They are true heros for (hopefully) representing and dying for something they believe in but we hear less and less about them now as the 'war' overseas is now something of a dirty secret to forget. People inundated with news of Whitney's death should probably just change the channel and, if they so desire, find a way to show their support for soldiers in a way that does not disparage the death of another person. A person, by the way, who sang the most popular rendition of the American anthem in history, which was done solely to show support for the troops in the first conflict in the middle east.
Other folks mentioned that mothers and women die every day and that she threw her life away so why should we care. Without a doubt, she wasted much of her life since the mid-90s due to the ravages of drug-addiction (something most people know nothing about) but the last time I looked Whitney Houston was a mother, too. There's a young girl whose mother is gone forever. Whitney's mother has lost a child as well. Is that not the very definition of tragic? That is heart-wrenching, regardless of whether you think she wasted her life or not. It is no more heart-wrenching than another anonymous woman dying say of cancer at the age of 48, but the overall result is the same. No one wants to see someone die at such a young age.
So who are we to judge? Since when did we become so callous as a society that we feel we can publicly disparage someone who has recently died? Is it the celebrity's fault that we revere them so much and put them up on a pedestal? Why is it okay to create false idols out of these people but then to act like they are garbage when we realize they are merely flawed and imperfect humans, just like the rest of us? I don't think Whitney purposely tried to become a crack-addict and throw away a gift that we will never see the likes of again, but that kind of thing just happens. A lot.
I'm not a Whitney Houston fan but you don't need to be a fan to realize she had a talent and a voice like no other. As flawed as she was, she tried to get it back together but it would seem the vices won and now she's gone far too soon. Self-righteous indignation is a human flaw as well, and most of us wouldn't know it existed until people decide to cast aside any doubt by publicly and willingly mocking the death of someone else's mother for all to see. Either just let it go or find a better outlet folks.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Words Maisie knows.
These are the words Maisie can say now: STOP! NO! Daddy. Mommy. Momma. Baba. EAT! Please. Hello. Hi. Up. More. Good. Girl. Yummy. Nanny. Baby. Eyes. Ears. Noes. Cracker.
I'm pretty sure there's a game of Mad Libs in there somewhere. It's mostly nouns, mind you.
"Hello yummy mommy, daddy eat baba ears, eyes, and noes. Daddy NO! STOP! Hi good girl Nanny? Cracker please!"
It's a start.
I'm pretty sure there's a game of Mad Libs in there somewhere. It's mostly nouns, mind you.
"Hello yummy mommy, daddy eat baba ears, eyes, and noes. Daddy NO! STOP! Hi good girl Nanny? Cracker please!"
It's a start.
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