#3: Man of a Thousand Faces by Regina Spektor
Aside from the facts that Regina Spektor is a gifted piano player, a creative genius, and an exceptional singer, her song Man of a Thousand Faces speaks to me on a personal level that few other songs have ever been able to do. It speaks of a man who has weathered turmoil within his life and finally come to a sense of peace, contentment, and simplicity. He sits in a chair by the window, and "smiles at the moon like he knows her". I dig that line, since I tend to treat the celestial bodies I see at night, be they stars, planets, or the moon, as friends of a sort. Well, I dig the whole song, and hearing Regina singing it doesn't hurt!
As a side note, there is a line in the song that refers to the subject during his past and how he would go his favorite bookstore and tear pages out of books, stashing them in his pocket. When I first heard this I was instantly taken to the second Harry Potter movie (not book) The Chamber of Secrets. In it, Harry's school adversary Draco Malfoy is shown doing just that: ripping a page out of a book in a bookstore and stashing it in his pocket. Making me sometimes refer to Man of a Thousand Faces as "Draco's Song". It doesn't hurt my sense of identification with the song, either, since as I have said before on this blog, I think Draco Malfoy (as flawed as he was...no, because he was as flawed as he was) was one of the more realistically portrayed characters in Rowling's Harry Potter series.
Man of a Thousand Faces is the final track on her latest album, 2009's Far. I wonder when her next album is coming out!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Gainesville and Ocala Marathons Compared
Gainesville and Ocala, two modest-sized north central Florida cities, hold marathon races a month apart. The Ocala Marathon, which I just completed by humbly limping across the finish line with a leg injury, emphasizes a "country" course, dominated by horse farms and large rural estates. Gainesville's LifeSouth Five Points event, which takes place in three weeks (I ran in its half-marathon last year), goes right through the heart of town, an urban experience. Having run in each race, I have my own conclusions as to which course is more wisely designed.
In the first place, it needs to be noted that anyone who is in shape to run a marathon can run their own event by themselves by simply designing their own course. I accomplished this on January 15, using Mapmyrun.com to measure out my distances to cover the needed 26.2 miles (I ran 26.6 then). I began the run in my driveway and ended it there. Pretty convenient, right? For one to run in a public race, there needs to be a different kind of payoff to cover the drawbacks of such a run ($60-100 entry fees, unpredictable weather conditions and personal health issues on race day, travel expenses and complications, getting time off from work, etc). Some runners feel the need to publicly "prove" or verify to others that they indeed have completed a marathon, so just privately doing it (like I did on the 15th) just won't cut it for them. Another factor that can serve as an attraction for participation in a marathon is the "tourist" angle: getting to know different places more intimately by simply running down their streets. It is here that I would like to compare the Gainesville and Ocala marathon events.
The Gainesville Five Points Marathon is, as said, urban in nature. It is designed to go straight down some of the busiest streets in Gainesville as well as passing through some historic districts and the University of Florida campus. The Ocala Marathon, by contrast, promotes its course of scenic rural roads, supposedly away from all of the traffic congestion. But this is a completely false argument: I had MUCH MORE trouble with cars in Ocala than I did in Gainesville. As a matter of fact, runners were told that, for much of the race, they would be "sharing the road" with motorists. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of the motorists there were aware that they were supposed to "share the road" with the runners!
Another advantage that Gainesville had over Ocala was that the course for the former was completely non-repeating, while with the latter there was much "there-and-back" retracing of paths and, for the marathoners, the need to repeat an eight-mile long loop. Besides this repetition making the Ocala course more tedious than Gainesville's, Ocala also had to keep street lanes closed for the runners for much longer than with Gainesville, which could gradually reopen roads as the lagging runners passed different points. The result was relative order in a largely urban race and congestion in a supposedly rural one.
Finally, I don't know about you, but once I've seen two or three horse farms and cow pastures, along with a few wealthy estates sprinkled in, I tend to lose interest in my surroundings. But put me in the heart of a city, even within Ocala for that matter, and there is always something interesting to draw my attention and make the journey more enjoyable.
So I guess you can tell which town I prefer to run a marathon in (or a half-marathon, for that matter). Gainesville rules!
In the first place, it needs to be noted that anyone who is in shape to run a marathon can run their own event by themselves by simply designing their own course. I accomplished this on January 15, using Mapmyrun.com to measure out my distances to cover the needed 26.2 miles (I ran 26.6 then). I began the run in my driveway and ended it there. Pretty convenient, right? For one to run in a public race, there needs to be a different kind of payoff to cover the drawbacks of such a run ($60-100 entry fees, unpredictable weather conditions and personal health issues on race day, travel expenses and complications, getting time off from work, etc). Some runners feel the need to publicly "prove" or verify to others that they indeed have completed a marathon, so just privately doing it (like I did on the 15th) just won't cut it for them. Another factor that can serve as an attraction for participation in a marathon is the "tourist" angle: getting to know different places more intimately by simply running down their streets. It is here that I would like to compare the Gainesville and Ocala marathon events.
The Gainesville Five Points Marathon is, as said, urban in nature. It is designed to go straight down some of the busiest streets in Gainesville as well as passing through some historic districts and the University of Florida campus. The Ocala Marathon, by contrast, promotes its course of scenic rural roads, supposedly away from all of the traffic congestion. But this is a completely false argument: I had MUCH MORE trouble with cars in Ocala than I did in Gainesville. As a matter of fact, runners were told that, for much of the race, they would be "sharing the road" with motorists. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of the motorists there were aware that they were supposed to "share the road" with the runners!
Another advantage that Gainesville had over Ocala was that the course for the former was completely non-repeating, while with the latter there was much "there-and-back" retracing of paths and, for the marathoners, the need to repeat an eight-mile long loop. Besides this repetition making the Ocala course more tedious than Gainesville's, Ocala also had to keep street lanes closed for the runners for much longer than with Gainesville, which could gradually reopen roads as the lagging runners passed different points. The result was relative order in a largely urban race and congestion in a supposedly rural one.
Finally, I don't know about you, but once I've seen two or three horse farms and cow pastures, along with a few wealthy estates sprinkled in, I tend to lose interest in my surroundings. But put me in the heart of a city, even within Ocala for that matter, and there is always something interesting to draw my attention and make the journey more enjoyable.
So I guess you can tell which town I prefer to run a marathon in (or a half-marathon, for that matter). Gainesville rules!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #4
#4: Reckoner by Radiohead
It's probably an exercise in futility to try to discern whether or not a particular song I hear was inspired by an earlier artist, or perhaps even serving as a tribute. So instead of trying to read the minds of the members of the English band Radiohead regarding their 2007 song Reckoner, I'll just say that it bears to me a great degree of resemblance to the works of the late great American soul artist Marvin Gaye.
It may seem strange that I make this comparison, considering the reputation that Radiohead has for being an innovative alternative rock band, but it might be worthwhile remembering what an innovator Marvin Gaye himself was. Remember What's Going On in 1971? Besides, I dig Marvin Gaye's music with only a very few exceptions.
Reckoner is from the album In Rainbows, noted for its diversity of musical styles. On this track, I like the high-pitched crooning voice of Thom Yorke; it was obviously produced on multiple tracks to allow him to harmonize with himself. And as with Faust Arp, the background symphonic-sounding music cuts in at opportune moments to add a beautiful touch.
I suppose that, with my ever-widening collection of independent/alternative music, I should try listening to a greater variety of acts than this 2010 list of mine indicates. But alas, I tend to get fanatical about a good artist or band and go overboard listening to their songs. So it was last year for me with Regina Spektor and Radiohead. Yes, I think I'll dub 2010 as the Year of Reginahead!
It's probably an exercise in futility to try to discern whether or not a particular song I hear was inspired by an earlier artist, or perhaps even serving as a tribute. So instead of trying to read the minds of the members of the English band Radiohead regarding their 2007 song Reckoner, I'll just say that it bears to me a great degree of resemblance to the works of the late great American soul artist Marvin Gaye.
It may seem strange that I make this comparison, considering the reputation that Radiohead has for being an innovative alternative rock band, but it might be worthwhile remembering what an innovator Marvin Gaye himself was. Remember What's Going On in 1971? Besides, I dig Marvin Gaye's music with only a very few exceptions.
Reckoner is from the album In Rainbows, noted for its diversity of musical styles. On this track, I like the high-pitched crooning voice of Thom Yorke; it was obviously produced on multiple tracks to allow him to harmonize with himself. And as with Faust Arp, the background symphonic-sounding music cuts in at opportune moments to add a beautiful touch.
I suppose that, with my ever-widening collection of independent/alternative music, I should try listening to a greater variety of acts than this 2010 list of mine indicates. But alas, I tend to get fanatical about a good artist or band and go overboard listening to their songs. So it was last year for me with Regina Spektor and Radiohead. Yes, I think I'll dub 2010 as the Year of Reginahead!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Packer Tie Firing Not an Outrage
The other morning, as I was drinking some coffee and waiting for my daughter to get herself ready for school, I happened to have the TV on ABC's Good Morning America. Besides their news, on this morning they kept running a teaser about some guy who was fired from his job for coming to work wearing a tie that promoted his football team. Sounds pretty outrageous, doesn't it? The visuals showed the tie: the Green Bay Packers was the dude's team. Oh. The mystery was beginning to unravel, and so was the outrage. Then, further information was offered up: this all happened in Chicago, at a car sales lot. The soon-to-be ex-employee was a car salesman coming to work at this high-profile, public job...again, where? Chicago. Oh, by the way, the previous Sunday, Green Bay beat the Chicago Bears in the NFC championship game (held in Chicago) to decide who was going to the Super Bowl. Besides that, Green Bay and Chicago are bitter divisional rivals, not to mention the longest rivals in professional football history.
So we know now that this guy shows up to work for this company as their representative to try to convince Chicago-area residents to buy cars from them. While rubbing in their faces, every time they look at him, the fact that his Packers just beat their Bears in their team's most important game in years. Brilliant. But wait, Good Morning America was going to have the salesman on to present his side of the story. I told my wife that I bet he didn't instantly get fired as the story's buildup implied, but rather was given a chance by his boss to remove the tie. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened. According to the ex-salesman's own account, the store's manager told him not once, but twice, to remove his Green Bay Packers tie. He outright refused and by his own admission became angry and argumentative with his boss. Only after that happened was he given his dismissal.
So there is usually another side to any story that has a sensationalist angle to it. It seems, on the surface, a major outrage that wearing a harmless tie promoting one's sports team could make one lose his job. But as it turned out, it was arrogant insubordination, probably in a very public setting, that really caused the salesman to be fired. A supervisor or manager merits at least an outward display of respect from the employees he or she is responsible for. The salesman put his boss on the spot with his refusal. If I were in that manager's shoes, I don't know that I would have insisted that the tie be removed. But if I had given a similar instruction to an employee under my charge and that employee repeatedly and angrily refused to comply, I would have no qualms with sacking them.
So we know now that this guy shows up to work for this company as their representative to try to convince Chicago-area residents to buy cars from them. While rubbing in their faces, every time they look at him, the fact that his Packers just beat their Bears in their team's most important game in years. Brilliant. But wait, Good Morning America was going to have the salesman on to present his side of the story. I told my wife that I bet he didn't instantly get fired as the story's buildup implied, but rather was given a chance by his boss to remove the tie. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened. According to the ex-salesman's own account, the store's manager told him not once, but twice, to remove his Green Bay Packers tie. He outright refused and by his own admission became angry and argumentative with his boss. Only after that happened was he given his dismissal.
So there is usually another side to any story that has a sensationalist angle to it. It seems, on the surface, a major outrage that wearing a harmless tie promoting one's sports team could make one lose his job. But as it turned out, it was arrogant insubordination, probably in a very public setting, that really caused the salesman to be fired. A supervisor or manager merits at least an outward display of respect from the employees he or she is responsible for. The salesman put his boss on the spot with his refusal. If I were in that manager's shoes, I don't know that I would have insisted that the tie be removed. But if I had given a similar instruction to an employee under my charge and that employee repeatedly and angrily refused to comply, I would have no qualms with sacking them.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #5
#5: Morning Bell by Radiohead
When I was a child in the early 1960's, I had a set bedtime that prevented me from watching much of the prime time television that my parents enjoyed. One of the shows that they liked but deprived me of watching (or so they thought) was Twilight Zone. I would often sneak out of my room and go down the hallway just far enough to see our only TV set, with my parents sitting out-of-view around the corner. I got quite good at this subterfuge over the years, even daring myself at times to climb up the hall's walls with my feet pressed at each side, all the way up to the ceiling. But I digress...
One night I was stealing a look at a particularly interesting Twilight Zone episode. In it, a sister and her little brother discovered that they could dive into their family swimming pool and come out in another reality, full of playful kids in the country and a kindly granny-type woman who looked after everyone. The two children found out later that their parents were getting a divorce and each was given a choice as to which they would want to live with. So there was a distinct possibility that sister and brother would be split up. The swimming pool was the focal point of that episode and dictated how the children would answer their parents. And now I finally come to my #5 pick of 2010: Radiohead's somber Morning Bell.
Morning Bell is a song about an ugly divorce, if I interpreted it correctly. One of the early lines is "You can keep the furniture" and Thom Yorke, apparently assuming the role of one of the splitting parties, cries out "Release me!" throughout the song. The song's last line is the most haunting, though: "Cut the kids in half". And I get taken back to that unforgettable Twilight Zone episode, whose title I discovered years later was The Bewitching Pool.
I love just about everything about Morning Bell: melody, musical arrangement, singing, you name it. What's more is that there are two entirely different versions of the song. On the album Kid A, it appears as a standard band piece that one might hear in a concert. On Amnesiac, it is a lush, multi-layered track with the flavor of experiencing a dream. Both are fantastic!
When I was a child in the early 1960's, I had a set bedtime that prevented me from watching much of the prime time television that my parents enjoyed. One of the shows that they liked but deprived me of watching (or so they thought) was Twilight Zone. I would often sneak out of my room and go down the hallway just far enough to see our only TV set, with my parents sitting out-of-view around the corner. I got quite good at this subterfuge over the years, even daring myself at times to climb up the hall's walls with my feet pressed at each side, all the way up to the ceiling. But I digress...
One night I was stealing a look at a particularly interesting Twilight Zone episode. In it, a sister and her little brother discovered that they could dive into their family swimming pool and come out in another reality, full of playful kids in the country and a kindly granny-type woman who looked after everyone. The two children found out later that their parents were getting a divorce and each was given a choice as to which they would want to live with. So there was a distinct possibility that sister and brother would be split up. The swimming pool was the focal point of that episode and dictated how the children would answer their parents. And now I finally come to my #5 pick of 2010: Radiohead's somber Morning Bell.
Morning Bell is a song about an ugly divorce, if I interpreted it correctly. One of the early lines is "You can keep the furniture" and Thom Yorke, apparently assuming the role of one of the splitting parties, cries out "Release me!" throughout the song. The song's last line is the most haunting, though: "Cut the kids in half". And I get taken back to that unforgettable Twilight Zone episode, whose title I discovered years later was The Bewitching Pool.
I love just about everything about Morning Bell: melody, musical arrangement, singing, you name it. What's more is that there are two entirely different versions of the song. On the album Kid A, it appears as a standard band piece that one might hear in a concert. On Amnesiac, it is a lush, multi-layered track with the flavor of experiencing a dream. Both are fantastic!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Fit Elderly
It was apparent to me from the get-go, before Sunday's Ocala Marathon race even began, that I would be running in special company. All around me were people at least my age or older. Some were much, much older. For the first half of the race, when I was actually mostly running, I had surged ahead of most of them (although a few were clearly very fast, like "Maddog" John Wallace). But as I walked through most of the race's end (due to my intensifying right leg pain, dammit), one by one almost all of the remainder caught up with me and passed me. This repeated experience of observing happy, fit, and often very elderly runners completing a 26.2-mile MARATHON made a deep impression on me. But it wasn't the first time I've seen this sort of thing.
When it's real cold outside and below freezing, my local YMCA's heated swimming pool remains closed. But once the outside temperature gets into the mid-thirties, the tarps are pulled back and the pool is opened for anyone intrepid enough to venture a swim. And just what kind of person would that be? From my safe (and wimpy) position in their exercise room, I have observed elderly person after elderly person (never anyone young) walk out to the pool when it is that cold, in typical "summer" swimwear. Then the young lifeguard would come out of the office to guard them, bundled to the hilt in winter protective clothing, hunched over, and shivering. Then the swimmers would do their seemingly endless laps, showing no discomfort whatsoever from the cold!
When I think of the kids in my age group that I went to school with, I wonder how each of them has turned out by now with their health, and what their prospects are for old age. Cancers and systemic chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease can hit pretty early, often by one's late thirties. For many of those who survive into their sixties and seventies, they are often-as-not saddled with chronic infirmities or disabilities that interfere with their mobility and ability to enjoy life to its fullest. And then there are THESE people I see around me, swimming in the near-freezing cold and running marathons, with no end in sight as to what they can do! Guess which group I want to be a part of??!!
When it's real cold outside and below freezing, my local YMCA's heated swimming pool remains closed. But once the outside temperature gets into the mid-thirties, the tarps are pulled back and the pool is opened for anyone intrepid enough to venture a swim. And just what kind of person would that be? From my safe (and wimpy) position in their exercise room, I have observed elderly person after elderly person (never anyone young) walk out to the pool when it is that cold, in typical "summer" swimwear. Then the young lifeguard would come out of the office to guard them, bundled to the hilt in winter protective clothing, hunched over, and shivering. Then the swimmers would do their seemingly endless laps, showing no discomfort whatsoever from the cold!
When I think of the kids in my age group that I went to school with, I wonder how each of them has turned out by now with their health, and what their prospects are for old age. Cancers and systemic chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease can hit pretty early, often by one's late thirties. For many of those who survive into their sixties and seventies, they are often-as-not saddled with chronic infirmities or disabilities that interfere with their mobility and ability to enjoy life to its fullest. And then there are THESE people I see around me, swimming in the near-freezing cold and running marathons, with no end in sight as to what they can do! Guess which group I want to be a part of??!!
Monday, January 24, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #6
#6: Faust Arp by Radiohead
Radiohead's last release is an eclectic album titled In Rainbows, released in 2007. In it the group explores various musical styles, as well as seeming to pay tribute to influential acts from the past. In Faust Arp, one of Radiohead's shortest-ever songs, I sense the influence of the Beatles. In fact, the guitar background sounds an awful lot like Dear Prudence, one of John Lennon's contributions to the White Album. The melody and lyrics go off in an entirely different direction though, and what sounds like an orchestral string section (or an electronic representation thereof) cuts in at opportune moments, creating a beautiful effect. So much intensity in such a short and overtly understated piece... Thom Yorke sings Faust Arp straight and without affect, almost as if he were simply speaking his case (one of apparent frustration) at the listener. It works!
Speaking of the Beatles, sometimes I wonder about the direction that the individual members took with their solo careers after the breakup, marveling at how their output tended to suffer in quality without their collaborative and critical influence on each other. Faust Arp is an example of a song that I would have expected from someone like Paul McCartney, instead of some of the drivel that he actually put out (such as Another Day or My Love).
In Rainbows provides one more song on my personal 2010 favorites list, and it also appears to be a tribute to a great act of the past. But I'll leave that one to another day.
Radiohead's last release is an eclectic album titled In Rainbows, released in 2007. In it the group explores various musical styles, as well as seeming to pay tribute to influential acts from the past. In Faust Arp, one of Radiohead's shortest-ever songs, I sense the influence of the Beatles. In fact, the guitar background sounds an awful lot like Dear Prudence, one of John Lennon's contributions to the White Album. The melody and lyrics go off in an entirely different direction though, and what sounds like an orchestral string section (or an electronic representation thereof) cuts in at opportune moments, creating a beautiful effect. So much intensity in such a short and overtly understated piece... Thom Yorke sings Faust Arp straight and without affect, almost as if he were simply speaking his case (one of apparent frustration) at the listener. It works!
Speaking of the Beatles, sometimes I wonder about the direction that the individual members took with their solo careers after the breakup, marveling at how their output tended to suffer in quality without their collaborative and critical influence on each other. Faust Arp is an example of a song that I would have expected from someone like Paul McCartney, instead of some of the drivel that he actually put out (such as Another Day or My Love).
In Rainbows provides one more song on my personal 2010 favorites list, and it also appears to be a tribute to a great act of the past. But I'll leave that one to another day.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Ocala Marathon Completed, With Pain
I completed the Ocala Marathon today, but I had to spend a considerable portion of the race walking because of some pain coming from my right leg near the knee. This pain, which I first noticed as a minor twinge after my first-ever marathon run on January 15, never happens at the beginning of a run, and it didn't with today's. Around the 5-mile mark, I noticed a little aching in that area. It worsened until, by around 10 miles, I had to increase my walking breaks. For the next 9 miles, the walking increased while the running proportionately decreased. Finally, by mile marker #19 the pain while running was too much for me and I had to walk the rest of the way. Although my time was horrendous (a tad over 6 hours), I still received a lovely medal for having completed the 26.2 mile Ocala Marathon.
I'm going to take a needed break from running for at least a couple of weeks (and possibly longer) in order for the injured part of my leg to properly heal. I strongly doubt that I will be running the marathon in Gainesville next month as planned. But the half-marathon? Well, that may be in the works should my leg make a complete recovery.
I'm going to take a needed break from running for at least a couple of weeks (and possibly longer) in order for the injured part of my leg to properly heal. I strongly doubt that I will be running the marathon in Gainesville next month as planned. But the half-marathon? Well, that may be in the works should my leg make a complete recovery.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #7
#7: I Might be Wrong by Radiohead
I Might be Wrong is a relentless, pummeling track from Radiohead's remarkable 2001 Amnesiac album. It is a song tailor-made for becoming a great hit, but it remained on that album as a "deep" track, unreleased as a single. And it makes me wonder why others closer to the music and who are involved in marketing decisions can't seem to realize the treasures that they are passing up. I've seen this with several Radiohead songs, reminding me of the numerous sensational R.E.M. songs that have remained buried deep within their albums, never seeing the light of day on broadcast radio (to use a rather inappropriate metaphor).
Although Thom Yorke charms us throughout I Might be Wrong with his beautiful high-pitched singing voice, here he takes a back seat to the instruments, in particular the drums as they interplay with the guitars. This may well be one of the best percussion pieces I've ever heard. The closing section of the song, following a brief pause, is quite impressive.
Amnesiac is often thought of as being the album full of songs not quite "good" enough to be on Kid A, which was recorded at the same time and released a year earlier. To me, the quality on both is uniformly phenomenal.
I Might be Wrong is a relentless, pummeling track from Radiohead's remarkable 2001 Amnesiac album. It is a song tailor-made for becoming a great hit, but it remained on that album as a "deep" track, unreleased as a single. And it makes me wonder why others closer to the music and who are involved in marketing decisions can't seem to realize the treasures that they are passing up. I've seen this with several Radiohead songs, reminding me of the numerous sensational R.E.M. songs that have remained buried deep within their albums, never seeing the light of day on broadcast radio (to use a rather inappropriate metaphor).
Although Thom Yorke charms us throughout I Might be Wrong with his beautiful high-pitched singing voice, here he takes a back seat to the instruments, in particular the drums as they interplay with the guitars. This may well be one of the best percussion pieces I've ever heard. The closing section of the song, following a brief pause, is quite impressive.
Amnesiac is often thought of as being the album full of songs not quite "good" enough to be on Kid A, which was recorded at the same time and released a year earlier. To me, the quality on both is uniformly phenomenal.
Friday, January 21, 2011
NFL Conference Championship Games This Sunday
Well, time for another of my vicarious sports ramblings...
It is once again the weekend for the National Football League conference championship games. The surprises are that teams like New England, Indianapolis, and last year's Super Bowl champion New Orleans are absent this year. Instead, we see the New York Jets on the road, "pitted" against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the American Conference final, while in the National Conference the Green Bay Packers will play in Chicago against the Bears. These will be cold, northern winter games played out in the open in domeless stadiums. Just thinking of that game in Chicago makes me want to shiver!
I like the swagger and showmanship of the Jets, even though they are bitter divisional rivals of "my" team, the eternally-disappointing Miami Dolphins. Couple this with the fact that they are playing the Steelers, a franchise that I have generally loathed since the mid-1970's, and you have in me an ardent New York supporter, at least for this game.
As for Green Bay vs. Chicago, I happen to like both teams. But I REALLY like the Packers with their premium quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It's fun to root for a team every now and then that doesn't act as if it is hellbent on self-destruction every time its offense is out on the field (a dig at the Dolphins' play for the last few years, except for 2008). I also like Jay Cutler, the Bears' quarterback, although he sometimes seems to forget which team he is supposed to throw the ball to!
The sports media pundits are split on who will win the Steelers/Jets game, but they generally agree that the Packers will beat the Bears. Which probably means that the former game, predicted to be close, will be a blowout and that the latter will be won by Chicago!
It is once again the weekend for the National Football League conference championship games. The surprises are that teams like New England, Indianapolis, and last year's Super Bowl champion New Orleans are absent this year. Instead, we see the New York Jets on the road, "pitted" against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the American Conference final, while in the National Conference the Green Bay Packers will play in Chicago against the Bears. These will be cold, northern winter games played out in the open in domeless stadiums. Just thinking of that game in Chicago makes me want to shiver!
I like the swagger and showmanship of the Jets, even though they are bitter divisional rivals of "my" team, the eternally-disappointing Miami Dolphins. Couple this with the fact that they are playing the Steelers, a franchise that I have generally loathed since the mid-1970's, and you have in me an ardent New York supporter, at least for this game.
As for Green Bay vs. Chicago, I happen to like both teams. But I REALLY like the Packers with their premium quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It's fun to root for a team every now and then that doesn't act as if it is hellbent on self-destruction every time its offense is out on the field (a dig at the Dolphins' play for the last few years, except for 2008). I also like Jay Cutler, the Bears' quarterback, although he sometimes seems to forget which team he is supposed to throw the ball to!
The sports media pundits are split on who will win the Steelers/Jets game, but they generally agree that the Packers will beat the Bears. Which probably means that the former game, predicted to be close, will be a blowout and that the latter will be won by Chicago!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
My Head in the Clouds
It seems as if lately there have been a multitude of problems besieging my little family. The flooring in our house had to be partially redone, our thirteen-year-old dog was suddenly sick and needed to be seen by the veterinarian, assorted health, work, school, and social issues have confronted us to varying degrees, and the weather...yes, that pretty much sucked, too, with it either being too hot, too cold, too humid, too foggy, too windy,...you get the picture.
As a matter of fact, regarding the weather, I tend to sometimes have my "head in the clouds". For example, my wife earlier today told me "When it rains, it pours", in obvious reference to our little pile of problems. To which I gave an answer that Mr. Spock might have said: "Yes, I agree! It seems I'm always waiting for the rain to stop, but it keeps going on in spite of what the forecast says." And to which the family members present (wife and daughter) erupted into howls of laughter.
I suppose I could have later claimed to have made my ridiculous remark with the deliberate aim of lifting everyone's spirits. Well, no, not really, but it worked out that way anyway...my family knows perfectly well what a nut I am about the weather!
As a matter of fact, regarding the weather, I tend to sometimes have my "head in the clouds". For example, my wife earlier today told me "When it rains, it pours", in obvious reference to our little pile of problems. To which I gave an answer that Mr. Spock might have said: "Yes, I agree! It seems I'm always waiting for the rain to stop, but it keeps going on in spite of what the forecast says." And to which the family members present (wife and daughter) erupted into howls of laughter.
I suppose I could have later claimed to have made my ridiculous remark with the deliberate aim of lifting everyone's spirits. Well, no, not really, but it worked out that way anyway...my family knows perfectly well what a nut I am about the weather!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #8
#8: In Limbo by Radiohead
In Limbo is an example, in my opinion, of a song that continually breaks down and then reorganizes itself. The resulting alternating order and chaos is pretty fascinating to me, and the lyrics conveyed by Thom Yorke's trademark doleful singing caps it. It also has a very cool jazzy sound to it as well, quite a different type of Radiohead song.
And why not? In Limbo is from Radiohead's fourth studio album Kid A (2000), an admittedly experimental work in which the band tried out anything and everything that might create a special sound. Kid A is my favorite Radiohead album, followed closely by 2001's Amnesiac. Both works were recorded at the same time and could have been released as a double album. Instead, they came out as two distinct releases. If you want the best from this band, these are the two albums you want to obtain!
And once again, of course, as was the case with Go to Sleep, I came to love In Limbo while on my long training runs, listening to them on my MP3. It has the effect of performing a "reset" in my mind, completely distracting me from anything else that has been going on and allowing me to refocus my thoughts in a more positive, constructive direction. That is ironic since the song's lyrics aren't really all that positive (Thom has "lost his way" in it)!
In Limbo is an example, in my opinion, of a song that continually breaks down and then reorganizes itself. The resulting alternating order and chaos is pretty fascinating to me, and the lyrics conveyed by Thom Yorke's trademark doleful singing caps it. It also has a very cool jazzy sound to it as well, quite a different type of Radiohead song.
And why not? In Limbo is from Radiohead's fourth studio album Kid A (2000), an admittedly experimental work in which the band tried out anything and everything that might create a special sound. Kid A is my favorite Radiohead album, followed closely by 2001's Amnesiac. Both works were recorded at the same time and could have been released as a double album. Instead, they came out as two distinct releases. If you want the best from this band, these are the two albums you want to obtain!
And once again, of course, as was the case with Go to Sleep, I came to love In Limbo while on my long training runs, listening to them on my MP3. It has the effect of performing a "reset" in my mind, completely distracting me from anything else that has been going on and allowing me to refocus my thoughts in a more positive, constructive direction. That is ironic since the song's lyrics aren't really all that positive (Thom has "lost his way" in it)!
Monday, January 17, 2011
More on Tucson and Using Guns in Debate
After reading some of the editorial letters and articles recently about the tenor of political debate leading up to and following the Tucson shootings, it may be necessary for me to reiterate my position. Some of the letters I read pick on President Obama, trying to make it sound as if he, of all people, were promoting a climate of political violence. I consider these opinions to be sheer nonsense and dismiss them out of hand. Others emphasize that the perpetrator of the shootings in Tucson was mentally disturbed, not acting with a deliberate, thought-out political agenda against anyone. These people tend to put all of the recent gun-toting and gun-shooting in political rallies and ads into the context of "open and rigorous debate", appealing to their readers' innate sense of freedom of expression. I don't automatically dismiss this argument, because it contains elements worth considering.
I'm all for open and rigorous debate, and it's true that the alleged shooter in Arizona seemed to be mentally unhinged, to put it very mildly. But you can debate people, even getting personally insulting about it, without bringing the implied threat of using guns and violence into the dialogue. As a matter of fact, those who bring firearms into any political discussion, be it symbolically in an advertisement or literally at a rally, have emphatically ENDED the debate, as far as THEY are concerned. They are saying that this is the way they feel, they are not changing their view, and they will back up their position with a gun. Period.
As for the idea that those who have used guns and cross-hairs in their political messages haven't contributed to the problem because it was a mentally ill person who seems to be responsible for the massacre, this doesn't stand up to scrutiny either. For the whole point of the recent criticisms directed against using implied violence in ads or on websites against political opponents is based on the assumption that, while rational people may only just be swayed or offended at viewing them, someone with mental or emotional issues may go over the edge, consequently feeling a sense of justification and legitimacy for violently dealing with their paranoid delusions against the "enemy".
Ever since Obama has been president (and even before), paranoia has abounded in the media regarding his beliefs and intentions. The idea has apparently been to whip up as much irrational fear and hatred against this gentle, decent man who, although possibly carrying a more liberal agenda than many would like to see, is simply trying to do his best to help serve his country.
I would like to see political debate rise to the level where issues and philosophies can be debated rationally and respectfully. There ARE people from both the political left and right, both in the media and public office, who could raise the standards of political debate while maintaining their principles. They need to stand up more forcefully and be heard as clear alternatives to the hatemongers and demagogues who are so active and popular today.
I'm all for open and rigorous debate, and it's true that the alleged shooter in Arizona seemed to be mentally unhinged, to put it very mildly. But you can debate people, even getting personally insulting about it, without bringing the implied threat of using guns and violence into the dialogue. As a matter of fact, those who bring firearms into any political discussion, be it symbolically in an advertisement or literally at a rally, have emphatically ENDED the debate, as far as THEY are concerned. They are saying that this is the way they feel, they are not changing their view, and they will back up their position with a gun. Period.
As for the idea that those who have used guns and cross-hairs in their political messages haven't contributed to the problem because it was a mentally ill person who seems to be responsible for the massacre, this doesn't stand up to scrutiny either. For the whole point of the recent criticisms directed against using implied violence in ads or on websites against political opponents is based on the assumption that, while rational people may only just be swayed or offended at viewing them, someone with mental or emotional issues may go over the edge, consequently feeling a sense of justification and legitimacy for violently dealing with their paranoid delusions against the "enemy".
Ever since Obama has been president (and even before), paranoia has abounded in the media regarding his beliefs and intentions. The idea has apparently been to whip up as much irrational fear and hatred against this gentle, decent man who, although possibly carrying a more liberal agenda than many would like to see, is simply trying to do his best to help serve his country.
I would like to see political debate rise to the level where issues and philosophies can be debated rationally and respectfully. There ARE people from both the political left and right, both in the media and public office, who could raise the standards of political debate while maintaining their principles. They need to stand up more forcefully and be heard as clear alternatives to the hatemongers and demagogues who are so active and popular today.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #9
#9: 20 Years of Snow by Regina Spektor
20 Years of Snow, from Regina Spektor's 2006 Begin to Hope album, highlights her virtuosity with the piano. It is an exercise in musical turbulence, quite a trip to listen to. The song's narrative centers around the first twenty years of a woman's life, her father, and her present attitudes (or at least that's how I read it). Like Radiohead's Go to Sleep, it is a very exciting, stirring song, certain to increase the listener's pulse.
As with many songs I like, I imagine my own videos of it. One version has a young woman sweating in the hot Florida summertime while jogging. The scene transforms itself into a winter snowstorm, and she is bundled up struggling against the snow. Flashbacks from her childhood ensue, featuring her relationship with her father. Toward the song's end, its atonal nature and the cynical lyrics about strangers create a dank, dark scene of her moving around among sinister-looking men. And then she is back on the sweltering jogging trail, her outer appearance hiding the "20 years of snow" buried deep within her.
This is the sort of thing that comes from me listening to the same great songs repeatedly while piling up the miles running down roads in the hot, Florida summer: I tend to go off into flights of fantasy. But even if you just listen to the music of 20 Years of Snow for its own sake, this song kicks ass!
20 Years of Snow, from Regina Spektor's 2006 Begin to Hope album, highlights her virtuosity with the piano. It is an exercise in musical turbulence, quite a trip to listen to. The song's narrative centers around the first twenty years of a woman's life, her father, and her present attitudes (or at least that's how I read it). Like Radiohead's Go to Sleep, it is a very exciting, stirring song, certain to increase the listener's pulse.
As with many songs I like, I imagine my own videos of it. One version has a young woman sweating in the hot Florida summertime while jogging. The scene transforms itself into a winter snowstorm, and she is bundled up struggling against the snow. Flashbacks from her childhood ensue, featuring her relationship with her father. Toward the song's end, its atonal nature and the cynical lyrics about strangers create a dank, dark scene of her moving around among sinister-looking men. And then she is back on the sweltering jogging trail, her outer appearance hiding the "20 years of snow" buried deep within her.
This is the sort of thing that comes from me listening to the same great songs repeatedly while piling up the miles running down roads in the hot, Florida summer: I tend to go off into flights of fantasy. But even if you just listen to the music of 20 Years of Snow for its own sake, this song kicks ass!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Damned Fool Achieves Marathon Milestone
The great comedic actor W.C Fields reportedly once said, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use in being a damned fool about it." I must be a damned fool because today I finally completed a marathon during my training. Unlike with the previous two long 20-mile runs, I encountered no "wall" beyond which I had no energy to continue. Instead, the night before I ate an entire large pizza and then continued eating at home after work. In running jargon, this is called "carb-loading". Often, before different marathon races, the organizers will offer a spaghetti or pancake dinner for the entrants. This carbohydrate loading makes a huge difference, something that I will never again forget to do.
My actual run today was 26.6 miles, well beyond the marathon length (26.2 miles). My finishing time was 4:23:01. At the beginning of my workout, the temperature was 62 with a 35% humidity. At its close, the numbers were 61 degrees and 42%. There was no precipitation and the sky gradually became overcast as the run progressed. An occasionally strong wind blew from the NNE.
My recovery from my training marathon couldn't be better. I feel energetic, my pulse is slowing, and I am only having to deal with some expected soreness in my legs.
Now I just need to sign up for the Ocala Marathon. The upcoming runs I do this week will be around 7-13 miles.
My actual run today was 26.6 miles, well beyond the marathon length (26.2 miles). My finishing time was 4:23:01. At the beginning of my workout, the temperature was 62 with a 35% humidity. At its close, the numbers were 61 degrees and 42%. There was no precipitation and the sky gradually became overcast as the run progressed. An occasionally strong wind blew from the NNE.
My recovery from my training marathon couldn't be better. I feel energetic, my pulse is slowing, and I am only having to deal with some expected soreness in my legs.
Now I just need to sign up for the Ocala Marathon. The upcoming runs I do this week will be around 7-13 miles.
Friday, January 14, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #10
#10: Go to Sleep by Radiohead
Go to Sleep, also from Radiohead's 2003 release Hail to the Thief, is a much more up-tempo piece than Sail to the Moon. From the start, it also conveys a darker, more sinister tone, its almost incomprehensible lyrics notwithstanding.
Go to Sleep is a hard rocker that would have fit in quite well with Gainesville radio's Rock-104 (before it turned country last year, that is). That it never received the airplay it merited is another example, I'm afraid, of a general lack of vision within broadcast radio.
When I had originally compiled my Radiohead collection and transferred it over to my MP3 player, Go to Sleep was just another track. But as I listened to my MP3 while running, this song would come up. I noticed that it had the effect of energizing me and making me more determined. It screams defiance, and that resonates deeply with me!
Go to Sleep is a really short song, but it packs a big punch. If you hear it, I can pretty much guarantee that going to sleep will be just about the last thing you think of! Especially with that intense, off-key repeated guitar riff at the end!
Hail to the Thief has other tracks I like besides There There, Sail to the Moon, and Go to Sleep. Most notable are Scatterbrain, 2 + 2 = 5, and A Punchup at a Wedding (don't you love these titles).
Go to Sleep, also from Radiohead's 2003 release Hail to the Thief, is a much more up-tempo piece than Sail to the Moon. From the start, it also conveys a darker, more sinister tone, its almost incomprehensible lyrics notwithstanding.
Go to Sleep is a hard rocker that would have fit in quite well with Gainesville radio's Rock-104 (before it turned country last year, that is). That it never received the airplay it merited is another example, I'm afraid, of a general lack of vision within broadcast radio.
When I had originally compiled my Radiohead collection and transferred it over to my MP3 player, Go to Sleep was just another track. But as I listened to my MP3 while running, this song would come up. I noticed that it had the effect of energizing me and making me more determined. It screams defiance, and that resonates deeply with me!
Go to Sleep is a really short song, but it packs a big punch. If you hear it, I can pretty much guarantee that going to sleep will be just about the last thing you think of! Especially with that intense, off-key repeated guitar riff at the end!
Hail to the Thief has other tracks I like besides There There, Sail to the Moon, and Go to Sleep. Most notable are Scatterbrain, 2 + 2 = 5, and A Punchup at a Wedding (don't you love these titles).
Thursday, January 13, 2011
More on My Running
As January 23, the date of the Ocala Marathon, draws nearer and nearer, I find myself still unregistered for it. The reason is simple: I don't want to spend a lot of money registering for a race that I end up not running in. I decided to see how I do on my long run Saturday. Then, in all likelihood I'll sign up and show up for the race, ready or not to complete a grueling 26.2 mile run.
I feel better this week after my runs of Tuesday and earlier today. Unlike with Sunday's run, the day before which I hardly ate anything and miraculously still managed to run 20.75 miles, I had eaten quite well the nights before these two runs (of 8.1 and 13.77 miles). I had enormous energy reserves and cruised through each workout. Tomorrow night I have my plan in place: during my lunch break at work, I am going to eat an entire Little Caesar's large pizza. After work, I'll shovel in some more food. Then we'll see what happens the next day. I predict a new personal distance record.
If it turns out on January 23 that I am not up to a 26.2 mile run, then I'll just walk as much as I have to in order to complete the distance. I just hope it doesn't rain. But then again, I suppose the unpredictable weather is an integral part of the suspense leading up to the race. I wonder whether the Ocala newspaper (whatever it's called) will print the race results the following day.
The Ocala Marathon has its own website showing a map of the race course as well as giving instructions to pick up the necessary racing packet at a local hotel on Saturday, January 22. After I pick up my racing packet, I plan to trace out the course in my car so that it won't be a complete mystery come race day.
I feel better this week after my runs of Tuesday and earlier today. Unlike with Sunday's run, the day before which I hardly ate anything and miraculously still managed to run 20.75 miles, I had eaten quite well the nights before these two runs (of 8.1 and 13.77 miles). I had enormous energy reserves and cruised through each workout. Tomorrow night I have my plan in place: during my lunch break at work, I am going to eat an entire Little Caesar's large pizza. After work, I'll shovel in some more food. Then we'll see what happens the next day. I predict a new personal distance record.
If it turns out on January 23 that I am not up to a 26.2 mile run, then I'll just walk as much as I have to in order to complete the distance. I just hope it doesn't rain. But then again, I suppose the unpredictable weather is an integral part of the suspense leading up to the race. I wonder whether the Ocala newspaper (whatever it's called) will print the race results the following day.
The Ocala Marathon has its own website showing a map of the race course as well as giving instructions to pick up the necessary racing packet at a local hotel on Saturday, January 22. After I pick up my racing packet, I plan to trace out the course in my car so that it won't be a complete mystery come race day.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Climate of Violence Fomented by Political Gun Nuts
Regarding the recent shooting deaths in Arizona, I partially blame the political and media idiots who have fomented a climate of acceptable violence by using symbolism promoting it in their messages. Sarah Palin's example is the most glaring: cross-hairs over the Democrats whose stances she politically opposes, on a map on her website. Shooting victim Representative Gabrielle Giffords was one whom she targeted. But Palin isn't the only one. West Virginia's Joe Manchin, a Democrat, put out ads during last year's senatorial campaign in which he was shooting at targets that represented liberal values he opposes (to show what a gun toting, good ol' boy he was), just to be elected West Virginia senator over a Tea Party wingnut. Closer to home, Debbie Boyd (another Democrat), apparently having seen Manchin's commercials, decided to copy him to show the local yokels how gun-crazy (and therefore electable) she was (she lost her Florida house race anyway). Then there were those gun nuts carrying their arms openly into political rallies, one even showing up at an Obama event in New Hampshire (and the dude even looked like Lee Harvey Oswald).
I would like to believe that these widespread attempts by some to intimidate their political opponents through the not-so-subtle threat of using armed violence has finally peaked out and will subside.
I sadly don't think these people have learned anything, though, and more tragedies like the Arizona shootings will continue to occur. They are very heavily into self-justification and have convenient media stars (like Beck, Hannity, Coulter, Savage, Levin, and Limbaugh) to prop them up by insisting that the "other side" is just as bad. But I see nothing of the sort happening from the political left that is going on with the paranoid, conspiracy-obsessed extreme right, abetted by the likes of Palin and Beck.
I would like to believe that these widespread attempts by some to intimidate their political opponents through the not-so-subtle threat of using armed violence has finally peaked out and will subside.
I sadly don't think these people have learned anything, though, and more tragedies like the Arizona shootings will continue to occur. They are very heavily into self-justification and have convenient media stars (like Beck, Hannity, Coulter, Savage, Levin, and Limbaugh) to prop them up by insisting that the "other side" is just as bad. But I see nothing of the sort happening from the political left that is going on with the paranoid, conspiracy-obsessed extreme right, abetted by the likes of Palin and Beck.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Training Wall Hit Again, Marathon Looms
Sunday I set out on a long run, intending to go as far as I could go, possibly even up to marathon distance (26.2 miles). The weather was conducive (in the low 50's throughout), I had no externally-imposed time limits to my run, and I had just broken in a pair of new, well-cushioned running shoes on Friday. I was determined to break through the 20-mile barrier from my Christmas run, beyond which I was then unable to continue.
Everything went quite well until I reached the same damned point in my run, and WHAM!...I ran smack into the "wall" again. I said to myself, "Self, this isn't going to work, you're just not cut out to run a marathon, just stick with the half-marathons". I changed my course to go directly home, but as I entered the final full block, a loose, ferocious pit bull began to bark at me from down the street and chase me. Before I got any closer, I turned around and ran the other way, marveling at how inconsiderate some neighbors can be and how little they must care about their dogs' welfare to allow them to run loose like that. I managed to detour around the next block and reach home. Although the dog incident at the run's end angered me, the result of it all was that I ended up marginally running my longest distance ever: 20.75 miles, with a time of 3:23:47.
I hadn't registered yet for January 23's Ocala Marathon, so I thought I might just run in the half-marathon event there instead. But Melissa convinced me to hang in there and give it one more try next weekend. I then remembered that I had hardly eaten anything the day before my run and my body's energy reserves were probably very low. Maybe I actually did quite well considering that fact alone. Also, so what if I enter the Ocala Marathon and can't finish it, or maybe have to walk the last few miles back at the end? I'm still gaining the valuable experience of participating in such an event, and the Gainesville Five Points Marathon is still out there to run in on February 20 if I want.
So after giving it some more thought (and realizing that my recovery from Sunday's run was much better than the one I did on Christmas day), I'm sticking with the intention of entering the Ocala Marathon. Even though there's no guarantee that I'll be able to finish it.
Everything went quite well until I reached the same damned point in my run, and WHAM!...I ran smack into the "wall" again. I said to myself, "Self, this isn't going to work, you're just not cut out to run a marathon, just stick with the half-marathons". I changed my course to go directly home, but as I entered the final full block, a loose, ferocious pit bull began to bark at me from down the street and chase me. Before I got any closer, I turned around and ran the other way, marveling at how inconsiderate some neighbors can be and how little they must care about their dogs' welfare to allow them to run loose like that. I managed to detour around the next block and reach home. Although the dog incident at the run's end angered me, the result of it all was that I ended up marginally running my longest distance ever: 20.75 miles, with a time of 3:23:47.
I hadn't registered yet for January 23's Ocala Marathon, so I thought I might just run in the half-marathon event there instead. But Melissa convinced me to hang in there and give it one more try next weekend. I then remembered that I had hardly eaten anything the day before my run and my body's energy reserves were probably very low. Maybe I actually did quite well considering that fact alone. Also, so what if I enter the Ocala Marathon and can't finish it, or maybe have to walk the last few miles back at the end? I'm still gaining the valuable experience of participating in such an event, and the Gainesville Five Points Marathon is still out there to run in on February 20 if I want.
So after giving it some more thought (and realizing that my recovery from Sunday's run was much better than the one I did on Christmas day), I'm sticking with the intention of entering the Ocala Marathon. Even though there's no guarantee that I'll be able to finish it.
Monday, January 10, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #11
#11: Sail to the Moon by Radiohead
Off Radiohead's 2003 Hail to the Thief album, Sail to the Moon is a slow-moving, elegantly mysterious piece that evokes a lot of imagery. I picture myself in a boat out in the ocean, with the rising moon just above the horizon. The waters are relatively peaceful, and it seems that I am indeed "sailing to the moon". The song's actual lyrics are cryptic, although if I wanted I'm sure I could analyze and decipher them. But for me it's the music, featuring Thom Yorke's brilliant high-pitched singing, that makes this song so great.
Ever since Hail to the Thief came out, many have thought (myself included) that it was a political album taking swipes at the Bush administration for "stealing" the 2000 election and invading Iraq in early 2003. But although there seem to be oblique references to politics throughout (Sail to the Moon even contains a reference to "the President"), Radiohead itself has repeatedly denied that this album has a political message to convey. Be that what it may, it is a beautiful work. For years, the only song I heard from it was the single release There There, which I made my favorite song of 2003. But Hail to the Thief, as good as it is, isn't my favorite Radiohead album (by far). That's how good I think they are.
Off Radiohead's 2003 Hail to the Thief album, Sail to the Moon is a slow-moving, elegantly mysterious piece that evokes a lot of imagery. I picture myself in a boat out in the ocean, with the rising moon just above the horizon. The waters are relatively peaceful, and it seems that I am indeed "sailing to the moon". The song's actual lyrics are cryptic, although if I wanted I'm sure I could analyze and decipher them. But for me it's the music, featuring Thom Yorke's brilliant high-pitched singing, that makes this song so great.
Ever since Hail to the Thief came out, many have thought (myself included) that it was a political album taking swipes at the Bush administration for "stealing" the 2000 election and invading Iraq in early 2003. But although there seem to be oblique references to politics throughout (Sail to the Moon even contains a reference to "the President"), Radiohead itself has repeatedly denied that this album has a political message to convey. Be that what it may, it is a beautiful work. For years, the only song I heard from it was the single release There There, which I made my favorite song of 2003. But Hail to the Thief, as good as it is, isn't my favorite Radiohead album (by far). That's how good I think they are.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Vicarious Sports Nonsense...and Me
I'm not too happy with the fact that my semi-prediction that none of the NFL Florida teams might make the playoffs was borne out. On the other hand, suppose they had? And suppose one of them made it all the way to the Super Bowl and won it? How would that have made any difference in my life?
I have been vicariously following sports since childhood. I had the experience during my teens of my favorite team, the Miami Dolphins, winning the Super Bowl twice and even going completely undefeated one year. I also have seen three Florida Gators national championships in football and two in basketball. But truth be told, although it was fun to root for them and eventually witness them winning those titles, the experiences had a very minuscule effect on my overall happiness.
One year, when I was thirteen, I sensed this disconnect early on and tried an experiment on myself. I concocted an imaginary league in an imaginary sport. I created eight teams: Columbus, Houston, Memphis, Newark, Rochester, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Washington. I set up a season that comprised 154 games (like the old pre-sixties major league baseball seasons) and had the teams play each other in round-robin fashion (remember, without even specifying the sport). Then, I would shuffle a deck of cards and draw a pair at a time. The higher number would give a victory to the designated team, and I went through an entire season this way, writing down the "standings" as I went along. This game only went on for a few hours sometime during August 1970, but I still remember that completely unreal season to this date!
Washington started out strong and took an early lead over the others. Then Columbus surged and led for most of the middle of the season. About two thirds of the way through, there was a mad scramble for many "weeks" as the teams would jockey for position and the lead. Only Memphis seemed to be having a "bad" season, being in last most of the time. Toward the end, Newark (which I had for some reason decided to root for) surged way ahead in the standings over the rest. But then, unexpectedly, toward the end they went into a slump and Columbus squeaked out ahead and won a very tight finish over Newark and Memphis (who surged at the end). Early leader Washington ended up in last place, but all eight teams finished within six games of each other. The final standings:
1-Columbus (80-74)
2t-Memphis (79-75)
2t-Newark (79-75)
4t-Houston (77-77)
4t-St.Louis (77-77)
7t-Rochester (75-79)
7t-San Antonio (75-79)
8-Washington (74-80)
Remember, none of this really happened, the teams represented no particular sport, and I played this game more than thirty years ago. Yet the season and its outcome means as much to me as do any of the teams and seasons I've followed over the years!
The point to all this is that I think there are two ways one can follow a sport. Either you can enjoy the sport for its own sake, becoming a connoisseur of sorts, or you can become engrossed in the winning/losing/standings part. I noticed that I tend to be in the latter category. For example, sometimes when my favorite NFL team, the Miami Dolphins, is playing and the game is being covered on TV or radio, I will deliberately avoid watching or listening to it because I get too anxious as to how they're doing. I remember their win/loss records over the years, although it ultimately matters little to me whether they do well or not.
Isn't that silly??!!
I have been vicariously following sports since childhood. I had the experience during my teens of my favorite team, the Miami Dolphins, winning the Super Bowl twice and even going completely undefeated one year. I also have seen three Florida Gators national championships in football and two in basketball. But truth be told, although it was fun to root for them and eventually witness them winning those titles, the experiences had a very minuscule effect on my overall happiness.
One year, when I was thirteen, I sensed this disconnect early on and tried an experiment on myself. I concocted an imaginary league in an imaginary sport. I created eight teams: Columbus, Houston, Memphis, Newark, Rochester, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Washington. I set up a season that comprised 154 games (like the old pre-sixties major league baseball seasons) and had the teams play each other in round-robin fashion (remember, without even specifying the sport). Then, I would shuffle a deck of cards and draw a pair at a time. The higher number would give a victory to the designated team, and I went through an entire season this way, writing down the "standings" as I went along. This game only went on for a few hours sometime during August 1970, but I still remember that completely unreal season to this date!
Washington started out strong and took an early lead over the others. Then Columbus surged and led for most of the middle of the season. About two thirds of the way through, there was a mad scramble for many "weeks" as the teams would jockey for position and the lead. Only Memphis seemed to be having a "bad" season, being in last most of the time. Toward the end, Newark (which I had for some reason decided to root for) surged way ahead in the standings over the rest. But then, unexpectedly, toward the end they went into a slump and Columbus squeaked out ahead and won a very tight finish over Newark and Memphis (who surged at the end). Early leader Washington ended up in last place, but all eight teams finished within six games of each other. The final standings:
1-Columbus (80-74)
2t-Memphis (79-75)
2t-Newark (79-75)
4t-Houston (77-77)
4t-St.Louis (77-77)
7t-Rochester (75-79)
7t-San Antonio (75-79)
8-Washington (74-80)
Remember, none of this really happened, the teams represented no particular sport, and I played this game more than thirty years ago. Yet the season and its outcome means as much to me as do any of the teams and seasons I've followed over the years!
The point to all this is that I think there are two ways one can follow a sport. Either you can enjoy the sport for its own sake, becoming a connoisseur of sorts, or you can become engrossed in the winning/losing/standings part. I noticed that I tend to be in the latter category. For example, sometimes when my favorite NFL team, the Miami Dolphins, is playing and the game is being covered on TV or radio, I will deliberately avoid watching or listening to it because I get too anxious as to how they're doing. I remember their win/loss records over the years, although it ultimately matters little to me whether they do well or not.
Isn't that silly??!!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #12
#12: Better by Regina Spektor
This song has a most spectacular beginning, building up to a piano,/electric guitar/drum crescendo before Regina cuts in with her sweet voice. Better is a song of assurance and compassion, with Regina asking, "If I kiss you where it hurts, will you feel better?". Don't we all need some help from other now and then in lifting up our spirits? Life can get to be such a grind sometimes. When I hear Better, not only do I feel comforted, but I also feel more conducive toward comforting others with problems...although I may not exactly go down Regina's proposed pathway toward accomplishing that.
Better is one of those songs that has the perfect feel of a Top Ten mainstream hit, but as usual broadcast radio has virtually ignored it. For me the main thing is that I have it on my MP3, which I listen to while running and at work. It helped me get through some grueling, hot summer runs, adding a little "pep in my step" (as my wife Melissa would say). So who needs 5-Hour Energy? I have something Better!
Speaking of radio, I have heard Regina Spektor from time to time on "Starbucks Radio" and at Publix grocery. So the rest of the world isn't entirely devoid of musical taste!
Better is from Regina Spektor's 2006 album Begin to Hope. As I had stated a few days ago, this personal countdown of my favorites of 2010 is based on songs I liked in 2010, regardless when they were released.
This song has a most spectacular beginning, building up to a piano,/electric guitar/drum crescendo before Regina cuts in with her sweet voice. Better is a song of assurance and compassion, with Regina asking, "If I kiss you where it hurts, will you feel better?". Don't we all need some help from other now and then in lifting up our spirits? Life can get to be such a grind sometimes. When I hear Better, not only do I feel comforted, but I also feel more conducive toward comforting others with problems...although I may not exactly go down Regina's proposed pathway toward accomplishing that.
Better is one of those songs that has the perfect feel of a Top Ten mainstream hit, but as usual broadcast radio has virtually ignored it. For me the main thing is that I have it on my MP3, which I listen to while running and at work. It helped me get through some grueling, hot summer runs, adding a little "pep in my step" (as my wife Melissa would say). So who needs 5-Hour Energy? I have something Better!
Speaking of radio, I have heard Regina Spektor from time to time on "Starbucks Radio" and at Publix grocery. So the rest of the world isn't entirely devoid of musical taste!
Better is from Regina Spektor's 2006 album Begin to Hope. As I had stated a few days ago, this personal countdown of my favorites of 2010 is based on songs I liked in 2010, regardless when they were released.
Friday, January 7, 2011
House's Constitution Reading
Yesterday I was watching the newly-convened US House of Representatives, now under a Republican majority, on C-Span. Featured was a reading of the United States Constitution, to be split up in a bipartisan fashion among high-ranking members. But before the reading could commence, a few inquiries were raised on the Democratic side regarding which version of the Constitution was to be read.
I didn't know there were different versions of the Constitution, did you? Apparently, there are some parts of the original document that have in subsequent years been rendered "null and void" by amendments. The most notable are the stipulations as to how slave-holding states were to be allotted representatives, with the infamous "three fifths of a man" as the stated standard for counting slaves. Obviously, those who practically worship the Constitution as almost a religious document and plan to use it in the upcoming session to further their own political agenda did not want those embarrassing sections read, so they had it "white"-washed, so to speak. Only one problem with that, as I see it.
The body of the Constitution is still there, with nothing deleted (not even those sections sanctioning slavery). The sections superseded by amendments (most notably the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th) are still there and would be restored should those amendments ever be repealed. You can't erase the core body of the Constitution, but you can repeal amendments. I say this because there is a move afoot to change the 14th Amendment, which was originally intended to give black former slaves citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law. One of this amendment's clauses bestows American citizenship on anyone born on US soil, and many undocumented immigrants in recent years have gained such citizenship for their children as they were born in this country. Legislators with a hard-line approach to the immigration issue, like South Carolina's Lindsey Graham (who has regrettably backtracked on his previous commitment to a more reasonable and comprehensive immigration reform policy), want the 14th Amendment modified or least reinterpreted to exclude these children from citizenship.
So the amendments don't automatically supersede the main body of the Constitution. Instead, it is how the courts (and the legislators and presidents who place them in their positions) who determine how the amendments are interpreted. It is ironic that the 14th Amendment seems to currently be up for attack since beginning soon after its enactment in 1868, a very anti-civil-rights and pro-corporate Supreme Court for decades refused to apply it to protect blacks from discrimination and instead abused it to give corporations special legal status as "persons".
It was legitimate for lawmakers to raise an issue over the Constitution's reading yesterday. They weren't trying to stop the document from being read, but rather were trying to educate the public about its true nature and how subject it is to different interpretations, and even at times abuse.
I didn't know there were different versions of the Constitution, did you? Apparently, there are some parts of the original document that have in subsequent years been rendered "null and void" by amendments. The most notable are the stipulations as to how slave-holding states were to be allotted representatives, with the infamous "three fifths of a man" as the stated standard for counting slaves. Obviously, those who practically worship the Constitution as almost a religious document and plan to use it in the upcoming session to further their own political agenda did not want those embarrassing sections read, so they had it "white"-washed, so to speak. Only one problem with that, as I see it.
The body of the Constitution is still there, with nothing deleted (not even those sections sanctioning slavery). The sections superseded by amendments (most notably the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th) are still there and would be restored should those amendments ever be repealed. You can't erase the core body of the Constitution, but you can repeal amendments. I say this because there is a move afoot to change the 14th Amendment, which was originally intended to give black former slaves citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law. One of this amendment's clauses bestows American citizenship on anyone born on US soil, and many undocumented immigrants in recent years have gained such citizenship for their children as they were born in this country. Legislators with a hard-line approach to the immigration issue, like South Carolina's Lindsey Graham (who has regrettably backtracked on his previous commitment to a more reasonable and comprehensive immigration reform policy), want the 14th Amendment modified or least reinterpreted to exclude these children from citizenship.
So the amendments don't automatically supersede the main body of the Constitution. Instead, it is how the courts (and the legislators and presidents who place them in their positions) who determine how the amendments are interpreted. It is ironic that the 14th Amendment seems to currently be up for attack since beginning soon after its enactment in 1868, a very anti-civil-rights and pro-corporate Supreme Court for decades refused to apply it to protect blacks from discrimination and instead abused it to give corporations special legal status as "persons".
It was legitimate for lawmakers to raise an issue over the Constitution's reading yesterday. They weren't trying to stop the document from being read, but rather were trying to educate the public about its true nature and how subject it is to different interpretations, and even at times abuse.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #13
#13: Arnika by Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens, whose existence I was completely unaware of before February 2009, has released a flurry of material over the past year after a hiatus of three years between releases. For some artists this type of gap isn't that big of a deal; for Stevens, who gained a reputation as a prolific, creative musician, it was causing a bit of concern among his fans.
Late 2009 saw the release of a CD/DVD package of his completely instrumental The BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), a venture into a more classical genre. Then this past fall, within a span of a few weeks, he suddenly announced the release of first an EP, All Delighted People, and then a full LP, The Age of Adz.
I procured all three releases and feel pretty good about them. With The BQE I saw the difficulty about trying to relate a symphonic work to an old, dirty, and overcongested highway, so I instead just decided to appreciate the music for its own value. It fits along with other similar works from other artists over the ages. All Delighted People and The Age of Adz, though, represent a substantive change with Stevens from his previous three vocal albums, which dealt with states (namely Michigan and Illinois) as themes and as points of departure for folk, autobiographical and disguised spiritual songs. Stevens is no longer "doing the states". These two most recent releases are, in my opinion, quite emotionally unbalanced, seeming to reflect the efforts of an artist who has undergone a good amount of pain in his life over the last couple of years.
It's tough to have a neurological condition that can't seem to be specifically diagnosed; about fourteen years ago I suddenly developed numbness over various parts of my body without a definitive diagnosis, and it was troublesome to me. Stevens apparently came down with something more debilitating but still equally unidentifiable. Add to that other personal issues and you have someone with a lot of grief to pour out. And that seems to be what he did on All Delighted People and The Age of Adz.
I generally don't like the songs of Sufjan Stevens' latest releases as much as the ones he put out earlier. He sounds over-the-edge with his emotions, and I'm not too keen on repeatedly hearing his voice breaking as if he is about to haul off and have a major crying fit. But in the middle of this, on his less-publicized EP All Delighted People, is a beautiful song: Arnika.
Arnika epitomizes anguish and expresses the sentiments of someone who feels that, although chronologically still young, he is already "tired of life". The music hearkens back to songs like Pittsfield (from The Avalanche) and Romanus (from Greetings from Michigan). Personally, I think Stevens would have been better off just expressing his problems through this song and then trying to pick things up a bit with the others. Instead, personal grief pervades both albums (with occasional disguised Christian-themed tracks such as Vesuvius and Djohariah).
Arnika, although sad, has stuck with me as being one of the classic (albeit almost completely unknown) Sufjan Stevens songs. I like this artist and appreciate his efforts. I'm looking forward to his future works with interest and anticipation.
Oh, and I hope he's feeling better now!
Sufjan Stevens, whose existence I was completely unaware of before February 2009, has released a flurry of material over the past year after a hiatus of three years between releases. For some artists this type of gap isn't that big of a deal; for Stevens, who gained a reputation as a prolific, creative musician, it was causing a bit of concern among his fans.
Late 2009 saw the release of a CD/DVD package of his completely instrumental The BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), a venture into a more classical genre. Then this past fall, within a span of a few weeks, he suddenly announced the release of first an EP, All Delighted People, and then a full LP, The Age of Adz.
I procured all three releases and feel pretty good about them. With The BQE I saw the difficulty about trying to relate a symphonic work to an old, dirty, and overcongested highway, so I instead just decided to appreciate the music for its own value. It fits along with other similar works from other artists over the ages. All Delighted People and The Age of Adz, though, represent a substantive change with Stevens from his previous three vocal albums, which dealt with states (namely Michigan and Illinois) as themes and as points of departure for folk, autobiographical and disguised spiritual songs. Stevens is no longer "doing the states". These two most recent releases are, in my opinion, quite emotionally unbalanced, seeming to reflect the efforts of an artist who has undergone a good amount of pain in his life over the last couple of years.
It's tough to have a neurological condition that can't seem to be specifically diagnosed; about fourteen years ago I suddenly developed numbness over various parts of my body without a definitive diagnosis, and it was troublesome to me. Stevens apparently came down with something more debilitating but still equally unidentifiable. Add to that other personal issues and you have someone with a lot of grief to pour out. And that seems to be what he did on All Delighted People and The Age of Adz.
I generally don't like the songs of Sufjan Stevens' latest releases as much as the ones he put out earlier. He sounds over-the-edge with his emotions, and I'm not too keen on repeatedly hearing his voice breaking as if he is about to haul off and have a major crying fit. But in the middle of this, on his less-publicized EP All Delighted People, is a beautiful song: Arnika.
Arnika epitomizes anguish and expresses the sentiments of someone who feels that, although chronologically still young, he is already "tired of life". The music hearkens back to songs like Pittsfield (from The Avalanche) and Romanus (from Greetings from Michigan). Personally, I think Stevens would have been better off just expressing his problems through this song and then trying to pick things up a bit with the others. Instead, personal grief pervades both albums (with occasional disguised Christian-themed tracks such as Vesuvius and Djohariah).
Arnika, although sad, has stuck with me as being one of the classic (albeit almost completely unknown) Sufjan Stevens songs. I like this artist and appreciate his efforts. I'm looking forward to his future works with interest and anticipation.
Oh, and I hope he's feeling better now!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
My Running Lately
My running has picked up since the start of the new year. On Sunday I ran 13.77 miles and yesterday I covered 16.12 miles. Yesterday's run was encouraging in that I did well despite the humidity and had plenty of energy still left at the end. It was time constraints that kept me from seeing how far I could go.
The last two "long" runs I've done (Christmas' 20.68 and yesterday's 16.12) were originally planned to be around 10-13 miles each. But I allowed myself at various points of each run to extend the course here and there according to how I felt at the time. I feel that this is good mental training for the upcoming marathon I plan to enter. My body is probably already as prepared as it will be to run the marathon. Now it's up to me to train my mind to withstand the fatigue, aches, and "wall" that hits during those long runs when 20 miles is passed.
I've also extended my course to go far west of where I live. By doing so, I am committing myself to a long run, placing pressure on my mind to help get me through on often a tough day.
The last two "long" runs I've done (Christmas' 20.68 and yesterday's 16.12) were originally planned to be around 10-13 miles each. But I allowed myself at various points of each run to extend the course here and there according to how I felt at the time. I feel that this is good mental training for the upcoming marathon I plan to enter. My body is probably already as prepared as it will be to run the marathon. Now it's up to me to train my mind to withstand the fatigue, aches, and "wall" that hits during those long runs when 20 miles is passed.
I've also extended my course to go far west of where I live. By doing so, I am committing myself to a long run, placing pressure on my mind to help get me through on often a tough day.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Do As I Say, Not As I Do
Today's editorial in the Gainesville Sun discusses Florida's new Tea Party Republican governor, Rick Scott. Having opposed him in the campaign (as I also did), the article's writer naturally points out a number of questionable items on the Governor-Elect's agenda.
For example, it is noted that Scott wants to shrink government. But the editorial writer counters that "Florida already has the leanest state workforce in America." The incoming governor wants to cut taxes in the face of unprecedented impending shortfalls in revenue. And his pro-school voucher stance may violate the state's constitution in two areas.
After bringing forth all of the preceding valid points (among others), the editorial then questions whether Scott's business-model approach to state government will help or hurt Florida in the years to come.
All fine for an editorial, right? But then the writer incredibly states, "In any case, today is not a day to second-guess our new governor but to wish him well at the beginning of a new term that is sure to bring with it a steep learning curve."
What? WHAT?? If today isn't the day for second-guessing, then what do you call what you're doing for most of the editorial? To top off the hypocrisy, the writer closes the editorial with the statement, "Campaign promises are a dime a dozen, but the damages done by decisions based soled on the immediate fiscal and political bottom-line can be incalculable."
I actually tend to agree with all of the criticisms that the editorial makes of Rick Scott and his agenda. But it is disingenuous to me, in the midst of this criticism, to insert a high-and-holy pronouncement (apparently directed for the reader to follow) against "second-guessing".
For example, it is noted that Scott wants to shrink government. But the editorial writer counters that "Florida already has the leanest state workforce in America." The incoming governor wants to cut taxes in the face of unprecedented impending shortfalls in revenue. And his pro-school voucher stance may violate the state's constitution in two areas.
After bringing forth all of the preceding valid points (among others), the editorial then questions whether Scott's business-model approach to state government will help or hurt Florida in the years to come.
All fine for an editorial, right? But then the writer incredibly states, "In any case, today is not a day to second-guess our new governor but to wish him well at the beginning of a new term that is sure to bring with it a steep learning curve."
What? WHAT?? If today isn't the day for second-guessing, then what do you call what you're doing for most of the editorial? To top off the hypocrisy, the writer closes the editorial with the statement, "Campaign promises are a dime a dozen, but the damages done by decisions based soled on the immediate fiscal and political bottom-line can be incalculable."
I actually tend to agree with all of the criticisms that the editorial makes of Rick Scott and his agenda. But it is disingenuous to me, in the midst of this criticism, to insert a high-and-holy pronouncement (apparently directed for the reader to follow) against "second-guessing".
Monday, January 3, 2011
My Favorite Songs of 2010: #14
#14: I'm a Pilot by Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo is a Swedish/British indie band founded, according to Wikipedia, in 2006. They have had only one album, Reservoir, which came out in 2009. The first track, I'm a Pilot, turns out to be the best on it, as far as I'm concerned. The entire album is quite listenable and I am looking forward to more music from them.
I'm not quite sure what the composer of I'm a Pilot meant with the "pilot" theme, but as I listen to this song I get the message, intended or not, that being a pilot means being in charge of one's own destiny and responsible for one's own life and decisions. It's important for me to feel that way about my life; the temptation is to avoid personal responsibility and treat myself as the product of others' actions. And why not? Many of the people I run across continually spin this type of passive personal narrative. For me, I opt for a proactive view of life, where I can steer my destiny like a pilot steers a plane or boat.
I never heard anything by Fanfarlo on broadcast radio; it was AOL Radio's indie channel that introduced me to them. I remember the eclectic nature of radio music in my youth (Dean Martin and Ray Charles played alongside the Beatles) and think that I'm a Pilot would have mixed in quite well with the playlist back then. How ironic that I can now only get access to it via a highly-specialized web-radio channel!
Fanfarlo is a Swedish/British indie band founded, according to Wikipedia, in 2006. They have had only one album, Reservoir, which came out in 2009. The first track, I'm a Pilot, turns out to be the best on it, as far as I'm concerned. The entire album is quite listenable and I am looking forward to more music from them.
I'm not quite sure what the composer of I'm a Pilot meant with the "pilot" theme, but as I listen to this song I get the message, intended or not, that being a pilot means being in charge of one's own destiny and responsible for one's own life and decisions. It's important for me to feel that way about my life; the temptation is to avoid personal responsibility and treat myself as the product of others' actions. And why not? Many of the people I run across continually spin this type of passive personal narrative. For me, I opt for a proactive view of life, where I can steer my destiny like a pilot steers a plane or boat.
I never heard anything by Fanfarlo on broadcast radio; it was AOL Radio's indie channel that introduced me to them. I remember the eclectic nature of radio music in my youth (Dean Martin and Ray Charles played alongside the Beatles) and think that I'm a Pilot would have mixed in quite well with the playlist back then. How ironic that I can now only get access to it via a highly-specialized web-radio channel!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Personal Top 15 Songs of 2010: #15
I thought I would try something different this year and go through my top fifteen favorite songs of the past year, one at a time, from #15 to #1.
A few of words of "warning" here: if you're not into Regina Specktor or Radiohead, this list probably won't carry much meaning for you as they are responsible for the overwhelming number of songs on it. Also, these are MY top favorite songs of 2010: almost all of them actually came out in previous years (although I at least managed to keep them within this century). Finally, the "countdown" may be spread out on this blog with other articles interspersed. Eventually, I'll get to Number One, though (hopefully before 2011 is over).
So here goes...
#15: Folding Chair by Regina Spektor
This is such a positive, sweet little song that listening to it forces me to smile regardless how I happen to be feeling at the time. Regina is sitting on the beach and invites you, the listener, to open up your folding chair next to her. Having spent much of my leisure time on the beach over the years, this resonates with me considerably. There's something distinctively peaceful about sitting (or standing) facing the ocean as the waves repeatedly crash down and the water ebbs and flows from the sand on the shore. Intellectually, I don't know why this is so: for me, a land-dweller, the sea is really a vast impassable desert boundary and by all stretches of the imagination should be seen a stark barrier. Instead, though, it seems like "freedom" somehow. Is there some deeply hidden "fish" encoding within my genes evoking this irrational response? Who knows, but Folding Chair totally captures the essence of just unwinding on the beach, and in the company of a sweet, compelling personality (with a terrific voice).
Folding Chair is from Regina Spektor's 2009 album Far.
A few of words of "warning" here: if you're not into Regina Specktor or Radiohead, this list probably won't carry much meaning for you as they are responsible for the overwhelming number of songs on it. Also, these are MY top favorite songs of 2010: almost all of them actually came out in previous years (although I at least managed to keep them within this century). Finally, the "countdown" may be spread out on this blog with other articles interspersed. Eventually, I'll get to Number One, though (hopefully before 2011 is over).
So here goes...
#15: Folding Chair by Regina Spektor
This is such a positive, sweet little song that listening to it forces me to smile regardless how I happen to be feeling at the time. Regina is sitting on the beach and invites you, the listener, to open up your folding chair next to her. Having spent much of my leisure time on the beach over the years, this resonates with me considerably. There's something distinctively peaceful about sitting (or standing) facing the ocean as the waves repeatedly crash down and the water ebbs and flows from the sand on the shore. Intellectually, I don't know why this is so: for me, a land-dweller, the sea is really a vast impassable desert boundary and by all stretches of the imagination should be seen a stark barrier. Instead, though, it seems like "freedom" somehow. Is there some deeply hidden "fish" encoding within my genes evoking this irrational response? Who knows, but Folding Chair totally captures the essence of just unwinding on the beach, and in the company of a sweet, compelling personality (with a terrific voice).
Folding Chair is from Regina Spektor's 2009 album Far.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
I am entering the new year with a lot of optimism about my life and those close to me. I wouldn't exactly say that I have made up New Year's resolutions for myself; they are more like long-term goals for self-improvement, as well as for attaining certain milestones over the course of the year. So the concept of "breaking resolutions" early in January doesn't apply to me.
"A man's got to know his own limitations" was the mantra of Clint Eastwood's tough-cop character Harry Callahan in the movie Magnum Force. And when setting goals for myself, I need to be realistic regarding my own limitations. After all, I wasn't born yesterday and am passing through my mid-fifties. I have all kinds of constraints on my life, and many of them deal with my valuable role in society and family as a responsible, mature, and caring adult. It is within these recognized boundaries that I want to make improvements.
I also see good things happening around me in the world. The economy seems to be picking up and there is a hope (albeit slight) that the government will resume functioning as a collaborative effort among its members for the public good. But maybe I'm just fantasizing here. I am one of those poor fools who actually believes that politicians should compromise and be pragmatic. Oh well, maybe on SOME issues that will happen. After all, a man's got to know his [politicians'] limitations!
"A man's got to know his own limitations" was the mantra of Clint Eastwood's tough-cop character Harry Callahan in the movie Magnum Force. And when setting goals for myself, I need to be realistic regarding my own limitations. After all, I wasn't born yesterday and am passing through my mid-fifties. I have all kinds of constraints on my life, and many of them deal with my valuable role in society and family as a responsible, mature, and caring adult. It is within these recognized boundaries that I want to make improvements.
I also see good things happening around me in the world. The economy seems to be picking up and there is a hope (albeit slight) that the government will resume functioning as a collaborative effort among its members for the public good. But maybe I'm just fantasizing here. I am one of those poor fools who actually believes that politicians should compromise and be pragmatic. Oh well, maybe on SOME issues that will happen. After all, a man's got to know his [politicians'] limitations!
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