Jonatha at the Triple Door

I wasn't feeling too well Saturday but I really didn't want to miss seeing Jonatha in her visit to Seattle. Her live performance is always special and its really interesting what a live show does to you. I loved her previous albums, but had not been as excited with the latest (Careful What You Wish For), but hearing a number of the songs live have given new life when I listen to them...I just can't put a finger on what it really is...but I'll just leave it as connection that just wasn't there before.

I'm glad I made it to the show.

Inside Man

I love how Spike Lee's sense of humor and how he injected it in short bits in unusual scenes in this movie. You can't go wrong with Clive Owen and he's really entertaining to watch when he does the narration as well (like he did in Croupier).

Denzel Washington's played quite a number of cop roles...good, smart, dirty, and some who are just somewhere in the middle.

This movie just had a stellar cast and having Willem Dafoe (who like Michael Caine and Christopher Walken) who plays tons of supporting characters all the time, gave the police credibility (and not just the punching bag when the FBI walks in a situation).

Thomas Beckett

I've always had this old VHS tape of Sniper. It's just one of those movies I love playing...or love having on while cleaning up at home, cooking, or sorting through files. There's a lot in the loneliness in Tom Berenger's character that I connect with that really shouldn't be interpreted as some sort of depression, but a normal state of some people who just have an affinity for solitude.

The movie apparently was a bit of cult hit and two sequels were actually made...so I went out and sought to acquire a used copy of em somewhere.

Sniper 2 was actually pretty good. Paring Thomas Beckett with a real soldier this time was a good choice. Sniper 3 was ok, but I wasn't too crazy about it.

Surfing through the web, I actually found out that Tom's character was loosely based on a real marine sniper name Carlos Hathcock. I admired the story of his career, and how he preferred to be out of the limelight (he declined the Silver Star...though the military finally got him to accept it 30 years later). His service was cut short saving fellow soldiers in a fire (that left him with burn injuries the rest of his life). He's a pure soldier.

Tom Berenger was just the perfect fit to portray him. And you know Tom's played a lot of soldiers in his career (like Sgt. Barnes in Platoon :) ).

Letters from Iwo Jima

I haven't seen Flags of our Fathers yet, but I have a feeling this is the better of the two WWII movies from Clint Eastwood. So many movies have been done from the American side that was a brilliant idea for Clint to think about changing the perpective from the Japanese side of the war.

The Japanese cast was very good, and you just can't go wrong with Ken Watanabe.

Ride's Over (for now)

The playoff run may have already ended, but the Warriors, in the eyes of many loyal fans at home (and some away from home, of course :) ), are proud of what they have accomplished this year. Even though the past couple of games had us looking hungry for more, we really were happy with just the mere thought of breaking into the playoffs.

Last night's loss, like any loss, did inflict pain. Did it hurt more knowing it was partly ex-Warrior Derek Fisher's contributions that won it for Utah? Actually, it was easier to accept it that way (even though Fisher really is more ex-Laker than ex-Warrior). It's a weird thing. It reminds me of this great scene in Road to Perdition when the old mob boss (played by Paul Neuman) knew he had reached his end when the assassin (an ex-crew member, played by Tom Hanks) entered the room. "I'm glad it was you." Seconds later he was dead.

But there really is so much more positive than negative. The sun's out and a brighter future is ahead.

Awesome season, guys! Thanks.

A New Crew

Lewis, Ortmeier, Frandsen.

It's the new crew. And today's game against the Rockies was a showcase of the potential these guys have to offer to the Giants. They make contact and run like hell!

Add these guys to veterans like Aurilia, Sweeney, Vizquel, Roberts, and Durham and you've got quite a platoon of players.

I do look forward to seeing these guys get more action, more playing time to get them acquainted with everyday major league play.

Keep at it, guys...

Boom!

It's really all gravy at this point. But by winning this game, the Warriors have again thrown another grenade at the NBA community...and that is faaaaaantastic baby!! After the game ESPN had to cut in to Sportscenter and the hosts couldn't believe what they had to say on the air, that this is "...Golden State ball..." (we gotta label now!)

Staying on Target

It wasn't a start for the history books, but a damn good one, nonetheless. Tim just went about his business and kept his focus on making pitches. While he may have looked lost at times, he was never astray for too long.

He can only get better.

Nutjobs and Goofballs

This series might not be as sensational as what we saw in Oakland last week, especially since the Warriors are a known entity now, well past the status of carefree underdog, but it's an aficionado's dream -- the rock-solid Jazz against what the Salt Lake City Tribune describes as "Don Nelson's crazy, talented little band of nutjobs and goofballs."
(from sfgate.com)

Quote of the day: What happens to Nelson's "We're just a bunch of schmoes" campaign now that the Warriors are in the second round? "It's Nellie and the good Schmoes," the coach said. "The better-than-we thought Schmoes."
(from sfgate.com)

Everyone's just coming along for the ride is what I'd like to say. Good, bad, loyal, detractor, bandwagon passenger, sports lover, anti-depressant, fan of the game, reporter, schmoe, nutjob, goofball. Either way it goes, it's all one big bus and everyone's invited :).

Ha!

Do people still continue to not give the Warriors their due? How about this commanding win over Dallas? That change your mind a bit? :)

No matter. Ya can't ignore us anymore, that's fer sure!

Have a good one.

Gave ya a fright?

I don't care anymore how this series ends. This team is a winner in my eyes. The Mavs beat em up with a 21-point deficit early on. And what do the Warriors do? They crawl their way back in and even lead the game in the 4th quarter.

Why did they lose? I think it's destiny. They will win it back in Oakland. The basketball gods just felt it too inappropriate to allow the Warriors to not win in their home, where loyal fans deserve to feel the glory.

One thing for sure, the Mavs (and the crowd) were on the verge of a heart attack last night.

We're still playin', baby!

The machine is working just fine, thank you very much! Ellis and Harington were off tonight, but hell, Pietrus and Barnes picked up and the team just kept the pressure on. Nellie was dishing defenisve plays masterfully. During the post-game interviews, even the Mavs admitted to getting rattled with Golden State's arsenal of zone and swarm plays.

The media is still in shock (and you know it, still saving some for the Mavs to come back). But now they can't do anything about it. The Warriors are playing hard, playing defense, attacking inside and outside....its the playoffs, they're winning. They can't escape it. They have to talk about the Warriors and suck it up!

Game 3 Revenge!

Each Warrior playoff game has really been a time capsule in itself. There are no wild declarations of championship goals, just happy to still be around and playing each game as if it was the last....and I think that is just plain awesome. At the end of last night's game, there was confetti all over like we'd just won it all!

The Warriors devoured the Mavs. The Addams Family slogan is repeating in my head: "we gladly feast on those who subdue us".

It's just game 3, but indeed, we savor each victory.

HA! Warriors win game 1!

"A shocker!"

"These pesky Warriors..."

I love it. Watching ESPN and listening to the tone in the newscasters' voices as they have to read their teleprompters and declare the Warriors winners of game 1. You really have to give the guys credit. They kept it close and kept themselves focused despite everything Dallas threw at 'em. So many heroes in this game, but I'm really impressed at Matt Barnes. Other than the mohawk (yeah, I know, the photo's a stock one :) ), he really made his presence felt...defense, rebounding, long range shooting, assists....all within the limited time off the bench...very commendable.

Sweet :)

Warriors make the playoffs!!!

Sweeeeet!!! Man, I am sooo proud of these guys. A lot of credit really goes to Chris Mullin for working on the lineup until he finally got the right mix of guys. The Warriors look like the underdog waiting to breakout.

Woohoo!!!

Grindhouse

Of the two films, I enjoyed Planet Terror more. Rose Magowan's Cherry Darling rocks and I thought Marley Shelton's Dr. Dakota Block and her "injection-gun" was really original. And man...trucks, trucks, trucks! Aww it was great to hear all the truck engines and watch all the heavy metal charging through all the zombies! The dialogue was just right (comapred to Death Proof's dragging conversations).

The filler trailers were fun and worth all the laughs and cheesy concepts. Danny Trejo's Machete could probably be done as a whole movie (Grindhouse 2?) in itself. Another nice treat were all the silly animations.

Death Proof as a whole had a good story but too much dialogue. But it did have clear winners: Kurt Russell, classic american muscle cars (love the sound of those big block engines), and Vanessa Ferlito :) All of Kurt Russel's dialogue were great. For some reason, I was very annoyed at all the black woman langauge....honestly, I don't think anyone else could say those lines...not unless their name happened to be Jackie Brown.

Gemma Hayes

Ran for Miles

Well I got myself a new day

And I got myself a second chance

So I headed to the bus stop

And the sun, the sun was warm on my back
Today I ran for miles

Just to see what I was made of
Today I ran for all that was mine
Well I got myself a song inside

And I got myself some full blown daylight

Wanna tell you just how hard it's been

Trying to talk myself out of jumping
Today I ran for miles

Just to see what I was made of
Today I ran for all that was mine
Today I ran for miles

Utopia

Assimilation: Complete

In constant brainwashing of the Felt Mountain album, I am hopelessly hooked 'till the end. While this outstanding album already contains Lovely Head and Pilots, the unsung hero for me is Utopia.

Current state: Junkie ;)

uuutooopia uuuutoooopia

uuuuooooouuuu uuuuuoooouuuu

:)

Ellie Parker

It was probably a bad idea to watch this on a rainy Seattle sunday. The plight of an aspiring actress in a deadbeat LA life is just plain hard on any youngster with big dreams and high hopes. You really have to carry a lot of persistence, a good support group, courage, (and a sense of humor, I think) to be able to survive the volatile life that goes with the territory.

I really liked how it was done as a camera following Ellie as she juggles between auditions, relationships, and life.

Chevy Chase makes a surprise appearance as her agent(!)

Empire of the Wolves

This is somewhat a collection of Luc Besson's characters in an alternate universe...Mathilde as a psychiatrist, Nikita as a lost woman with amnesia, and Leon as a dirty cop.

Wonderful Electric

I have this image of Ewan McGregor's character in Trainspotting, injecting a fresh dose of heroin in his vain, and in pure delight, expresses his satisfaction to his audience of friends..."it's good. it's so fucking good...(slipping into euphoria)"

Well, that's what Black Cherry is now after the tremendous high from the Supernature album, the Wonderful Electric DVDs, and quite a number of CD singles and extras that this addict has begun to acquire at such a junkie-ngly alarming rate :)

It is sooo good I've been holding off on getting Felt Mountain (the last one unaccounted for) for fear of running out of this much addictive drug. I'll have to do my best to squeeze every amount of Black Cherry first....before finally succombing to Felt Mountain.....then maybe a new album will be on the horizon.....I hope....please Alison? please?

The old crew's back!

Rich Aurilia's back, Barry B's back, Russ is back, JT's with the organization again, and the latest news is that Rob Nen's coming into the Giants organization as a special assistant! I'm really happy to see these guys back, especially JT and Nen. Now if they could just get Woody (Kirk Rueter) back in, that would make this reunion of the old crew much sweeter ;)

Flightplan

Like so many people before me (I think), I wondered how they could possibly expand this whole notion of a missing child in an airplane and make it into a movie. Well.....that's where a subplot fills the void :)

Jodie Foster did a really good job switching from one persona to the next. It's a study on character: starting out as terrified, annoying, and aggresive to borderline insanity to smart, courageous, and mother-protective of one's young (she becomes Ellen Ripley in the end of course ;) ).

Goldfrapp

After I heard Pilots and Lovely Head, I said to myself that this was pretty much it....they couldn't possibly get any better. And then I heard Black Cherry....ok....well, past that I don't know....

Enter the Supernature album.

The album is a drug. It starts out strong with Ooh LaLa, Lovely 2 CU, and Ride a White Horse. Then the brainwashing starts with You Never Know and Let It Take You. By the time you get to Fly Me Away, consider yourself assimilated. Slide In and Koko keep you addicted. Satin Chic welcomes you to the fold. Time Out from The World....well, yes, but don't count on ever coming back ;). Number 1 keeps you in wonderland. And how would you describe this whole experince: Beautiful.

Should you decide to take on this assignment, get the CD/DVD edition of Supernature...truly worth every penny.

Now if you will excuse me.....I need to get back to my hypnotherapy :)

The 07 team so far...

Ok, ok, so the dotted lines have already been signed and we're all set to see Barry Zito in orange and black! I'm really excited to see more of that rainbow curve :) I do believe that the young pitchers will learn something from him, just as they did with Schmidt's fireball-change combo. Coming from the Athletics, I see Barry bringing a great attitude and mindset in the clubhouse and I wouldn't be surprised if great chemistry comes out of this year's rotation and pen.

Now, there are still a few more items that need to be addressed. I'm praying the Giants can finally work out a deal with Florida on Armando Benitez. It just hasn't worked out for him and I'd much rather take the risk with the younger guys to take a shot at the closer's role. I wonder if Robb Nen's arm is completely healed by now......ok, ok, I'm just kidding ;)

I'm not really sure about Klesko....I'd like to think that it would give Bochy flexibility in mixing the lineup with either left or right handed bats. I just hope this doesn't become a problem with the infielder corps, namely Durham, Feliz, Vizquel, Sweeney, Aurilia, and Klesko (and lets not forget a great prospect in Kevin Frandsen). Everyone wants playing time and frequency....so I'd be interested to see how Bochy handles this situation.

Roberts, Vizquel, and Winn.....wow. Are we totally running the bases this year or what? Again, I'm interested to see how Bochy will play these guys around the sluggers, but I can't wait to see the gears roll on this one!

Let's roll!

2006 year marker

one last bit before 06 is gone...
when you see a mirror,
what do you see?
what do you do?

see ya in 07...

Life is a blast when...

I've been exposed to Tony Hawk's Project 8 commerical far too long and I just had to find out who was singing that last bit in the end. As it turns out it was Del the Funky Homosapien. I like the stomping beat and the opening lyrics continue to repeat in my head.

ok....

here we go....

Life is a blast when you know what you're doin

Best to know what you're doin 'fore your life gets ruined

:)

Natalie Walker

Her voice floats.

It's part Sarah McLachlan, part Jem.

It was only a few weeks ago when I was listening to Daughter Darling and loved Broken Bridge and their cover of Dust in the Wind and wondered who was singing...but got distracted and never found out. Somewhere between that time and a weekend when I was surfing iTunes that I ran into Natalie Walker and loved her album enough to not download anything (I wanted the CD). It wasn't 'till I got the CD and read through the credits when I was surprised to discover that it was Natalie Walker who sang for Daughter Darling. Urban Angel is her solo album (she has left Daughter Darling).

Life has a funny way of leading you to someone sometimes.

Offseason moves so far...

So far I'm pleased with the acquisition of Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia. Dave Roberts adds speed and smarts in the lineup and he works hard. I'm really happy to welcome Rich back. I think his time away from the Giants was a blessing as he discovered his versatility as an infielder. I'm not too thirlled about Bengie Molina but I trust Sabean has a reason for choosing him (or maybe I'm just still bitter about these ex-Angels guys ;) ).

16 mil for Bonds? All I can hope for is that they are able to structure the payoff so that the Giants can still go for Zito, Suppan, Sexson, or Burrell. I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't sign Shea Hillenbrand. I had him on my wishlist a long time ago and when the Giants finally got him I expected him to stick around...anyway.

JT Snow coming back to the organization is well deserved. I hope someday we see Kirk Reuter return as well...perhaps to replace Mark Gardner or assist in some capacity. I wouldn't mind seeing Robb Nen in that pen, too.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela

If you ever listened to Kaki King and wondered what would best complement her percussive style of guitar playing, you probably may have (or not) considered a player with a pick and pluck style of play. That's exactly what Rodrigo y Gabriela is...a perfect match of yin and yang. Listening to their original work and even covers (Led Zep's Stairway to Heaven and Metallica's Orion) leaves you appreciating the guitar playing and blending. The absence of vocals doesn't take away anthything from them at all.

The DVD is even better. Aside from seeing them perform live, you get to watch as they tell their story. I was impressed to see how they both started with a heavy metal band and then made the decision to go acoustic. The tutorial is a unique idea and really worth watching.

My favorite track is Ixtapa, which happens to be the only track where they were pleased to have another musician join them.

The Gambler

It was probably two or so months ago that I read about Thea Gilmore, but it wasn't until a couple days ago that I finally decided to listen to tracks in a local Barnes & Noble. The first track (The Gambler) really caught my attention. Sadly, I didn't find anything else in the CD to convince myself to buy the album...so I left it in the rack.

The Gambler continued to play in my mind and so I finally logged in to iTunes and listend to it again. I just couldn't let go. I ended up listening to all the sample tracks from Thea's albums. All in all, I couldn't let go of 3 tracks. It's when Thea slows down that her music becomes haunting and hypnotic.

The Gambler from Harpo's Ghost
Eight Months and Pirate Moon from Avalanche

The Gambler
Roll that dice again again
Once or twice you’ll reel me in
What I’ve got is not what I came for
I’ll keep coming back for more

Lay your head upon my chest
The odds are slim but isn’t that the test
In this game you either bend or break
And I don’t know what kind of mess we’ll make
Come on lay your head upon my chest

Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel.

Pull the trigger load the gun
The journey home has only just begun
We could rise but if we swan-dive too
Oh I’ll love going down with you
(come on pull the trigger load the gun)

Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel

Eight Months
Indian Summer
Toronto sings
This is the gateway
To everything
Heading south down
The pan American
Lord give me eight months
Eight months
To get it done

Fortaleza
Would make you cry
Cold canyon sunrise
Russian vines
I'll catch these days as
Londons' leaves fall
Lord give me eight months
Eight months
To see it all

Aroura Borealis
The Blue daystar
I'm chasing sunsets, cities, taillights
To get that far

Cut the sky to
Wellington
Then Sydney bathing
In blue neon
Karakorams to rest
In purple skies
Lord Give me eight months
Eight months
To open my eyes

Lord Give me eight months
Eight months
To open my eyes

Pirate Moon
Up in the midnight blue
That's where I'm going to
Up where the sirens scream
Through every misplaced dream

Up with the pirate moon
In bloody Monochrome
That's where I'll call my home
Up where the stars will die

Before they can reach your eyes
Up with the Pirate Moon
Above the mirrored sea
That's where I'm going to be

Up where the whisper fails
In scar tissue of vapour trails
Up with the pirate moon
Up in the cloud ballet
That’s where I'm going to stay
I could just disappear
You cannot reach me here
Up with the pirate moon

Shawn Colvin and Brandi Carlile

In my recent trip down to Portland, I got tickets to see Shawn Colvin. The best part of it was that her opening act was Brandi Carlile. I missed out on Brandi's shows in Seattle so this was a chance to see her perform songs from her current album. She started off with covers from Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, and then proceeded to original tracks, including "Follow", "Tragedy", and "Closer to You".

When Shawn Colvin's turn came up, she started with a cover as well (performing "Smile", an old BeeGees song). I've watched Shawn perform live on TV (and DVD), but I have to say that watching her in the flesh is priceless. Her voice is really strong and live is just the best way to enjoy her music. Midway through her set she invited Brandi to do a duet and Brandi, ever admitting that she's a big fan, was a little tense in the beginning. But Shawn, ever the old pro, calmed her down and gave her a back rub (which would probably cause any devoted fan to faint ;) ). After the song, Shawn thanked Brandi and even added some humor ("...she's so sweet, she even brushed her teeth before coming on stage...she must be all grossed out at me!").

After the set, I was on my way out when I heard her come back to do a quick song (because of something...maybe to buy time for the crew...another set was coming up)...and to my surprise....she did Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy"...now that was a treat!

The Departed

oh yeahhhh....good ole Martin S....lotsa rats and dropping bodies (my brother noticed "lotsa close range shots")...The Departed was really good. You try to figure out who know's what and who might be working for whom and that keeps you following the story. In the end, the one left standing was the one who walked away at the right time (and walked back in just in time to make a killing ;) ).

I'd like to think that Vera Farmiga's character had something to do with that last hit. She reminds me of Emmanuel Beart with those big eyes...and her thin body makes me think of her as Beth Orton at times. Jack Nicholson opted to inject his own interpretation during production and while it does come out really well, I'm left to wonder how far he strayed from the real character in the original script. Matt Damon plays the rat, as he did in The Talented Mr. Ripley, to perfection. Playing a character with bones in the closet is becoming a skill for Matt...he uses it repeatedly in playing Jason Bourne. Let's hope this doesn't limit his character choices.

A lot of great supporting performances...enjoyed all the dialogue from Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg (way to go guys).

Like Mother Like Daughter

It's amazing how parents see themselves in their kids. I saw this image of Madonna with her kids and was really surprised to see young Lourdes. I felt a shiver through my spine....she looks exactly like Madonna at that age! Somewhere lodged in my memory is a magazine article that shows a young Louise Ciccone....so I surfed the web frantically looking for the image...but to my despair...was unsuccessful.

The closest one is the black & white below. Don't you think the resemblance is uncanny? It must be even stranger for Ms. Louise Ciccone herself. Do you think she ever stops to stare at Lourdes and ask herself, "Jesus Christ kid you look just like me!" If it were to happen to me, I'd probably get weird sometimes....probably try to talk to the kid as if I was talking to myself.....like I found a way to teleport back to my childhood....and now armed with experience can tell everything I need to know to survive in this world.

Ok ok I know....I sound creepy....here's the photo...

The Horse Whisperer

While sifting through all the magazines i was collating for my scrapbook i found myself watching this film. Seeing Scarlett Johansson in her debut reminded me how not much has changed about her to this day. She will always have that blunt look in her eyes. The more I watched, the more I wish Tommy Lee Jones played the lead character. I just couldn't see Robert Redford as this horse whisperer...Tommy Lee would have been perfect (and he's a real rancher).

I really think that romance between Kristin Scott Thomas and Redford should have been taken out (or done differently). It just felt gratuitous and unoriginal. This reminds me of how well director Clint Eastwood portrayed the chemistry between Tommy Lee Jones and Marcia Gay Harden in Space Cowboys. It held just a few moments in the film but delivered really well. Sometimes it's the short powerful moments that count.

Why does Sam Neil always play the husband destined to be abandoned? Poor guy. I appreciated the fact that in this movie it wasn't a cliche "terrible-husband-definitely-leave-him" character but a person who had a clear grip on the reality of the relationship and was very honest about it (way to go, 'mate).

Love me or hate me

Make way for the SOV!

Drum, bass, dits, blips, and bloops...it's fun music to have on while driving. There indeed is a simple message and however you may see it, it preaches deflection, indifference, and strength. Hey, sometimes you just don't want to give a flying f***. ;)

I find your lack of faith disturbing...

The originals have always been the best.

Nuff said :)

Everybody get random!

Every now and then you just want to hear really fun music. I heard comparisons of Lady Sovereign to Eminem, and his music had catchy beats and lyrics...and to think that Lady Sov is British made it more intriquing (british hip hop rap...or urban underground as they call it in the UK)...I gotta hear this.

Woohoo! Loved the beats and Sov's delivery. Granted I can never really follow that fast rapping, but her funny hiccups (chi-ching!, pop) and howls (eshovee :)) just make me smile and I believe I can count on her to cheer me up whenever I've had a long day ;).

Chi-Ching!

The Inevitable

Well we knew it would come eventually...the end finally came for Andre. It was the last time we would get to see him bow and blow kisses to all four corners of the stadium. I never did get to follow him much during the early part of his career, but I can just imagine how much he had to go through to sustain it.

I think I most admired him when he hit bottom and sunk to 114th in the rankings. He just kept on playing...didn't matter what tournament or where...he just kept playing...and worked himself all the way back to the top. He did have some rough turns outside the tennis court, but he eventually was able to bounce back.

Andre is a great example of of someone who, like a lot of us, make wrong decisions, squander opportunities, and hit rock-bottom in life, and, by hard work and perseverance, sustains and eventually finds peace within.

Farewell, Andre...good show old man! :)

Egad!

Is there a doctor in a house!?!?!?!? Hahaha....another heart attack match, but Andre prevails so everyone's happy. Could this be that last burst of career-ending adrenaline? Lindsay Davenport had it when she was on the verge of retirement (that was at least 2 years ago...and she's continued playing!!!)...I doubt Andre would have any second thoughts, though...it's been a great career and I think he's ready to say goodbye...if only to leave with a swan song.

the drama continues...

Jonatha Live in New York!

One of the benefits of being "in the loop somewhat" has its priviledges :). I've had the advance copy of Jonatha's live CD/DVD for some time now and I'm really thrilled at the whole thing....not just the great performance, but the fact that the CD/DVD project was fan-supported and I'm proud to have contributed to it...it also is a personal thing for me since I was actually there at the Anspacher Public Theater so whenever I listen to the recording I can almost imagine being there all over again.

I only wish I was there when she did her first live recording. Jonatha and her band are really at their best live.

"Crumbs" will always be a favorite of mine, but "Damn Everything But the Circus" was a real treat and I repeat it at least once everytime I listen to the CD. "Inconsolable" played live is magnificent.

A heart attack waiting to happen :)

7-6, 6-7, 6-7 for the first 3 sets.....that's a heart attack waiting to happen! Man, it was nerve-wracking but in the end all worth the pain. It really did look like Andre had played his last match. But like a true veteran of the sport, he knew his mechanics, his equipment, and his will to endure 4 sets.

It was just the first round of the US Open, but it felt like a championship match. Just knowing this is Andre's last tournament does indeed have such an impact on everyone.

'Hope you make it passed the next round, Andre.

Clerks II

It was the last show...10:40pm and I expected to be alone in the theater...but alas, I wasn't...several dudes in the audience (and a few dudettes too, of course...Jay does have that pull).....so I was expecting some movie-watching rudeness....but hell, it's late at night...I didn't care anymore.

What can I say...it was a blast! The underlying story is a serious one...but the bits of comedy sprinkled throughout the movie just made it all worth the distraction. Jay's dance routine was truly a classic...damn I'll sure miss these characters.

To my surprise...when the movie ended...all the dudes actually clapped their hands? Could you believe that?

Hoodwinked

I've always dismissed Anne Hathaway as that "Princess Diaries gal"...well I guess I still do...but the matchup of her voice and Red was great and the supporting cast of Patrick Warburton(wolf-reported), Jim Belushi(unrecognizable voice), and Xzibit(the bear/police chief)....and Andy Dick! The making-of featurette in the dvd was very enlightening and I admired the story/concept start that slowly evolved into a success.

Critters do have feelings!! :)

Doogal Extra: enjoying Hoodwinked too much left me thirsty for another animated feature so I went to the local video store and dug into their previewed bins and found Doogal. The voiceover cast was all-star...Will Macy, Kevin Smith, Jon Stewart...wow...sad to say though...I didn't like the movie. It just didn't have any life to it. I couldn't even finish it. Hoodwinked was driven by the story & concept while technology and great actor-voiceovers supported it. It seemed the other way around with Doogal and it just didn't work for me.

Hostel

No...that's not Prince Zardoz' cousin.... :)

I'm a little behind on all these slasher flicks (but I do have Saw, Saw II, Wolf Creek, and The Descent somewhere down my list) and this first one was actually great! The exploration from the bliss of the Amsterdam red district to the hedonistic charms of this hostel in the middle of nowhere to the depths of hell...well, not exactly...the depths of torture...is a classic downward spiral method (think the opening sequence of Outbreak...we're on BL5!). The revenge in the end was very satisfying (I'm guessing Quentin loved that part too...seeing as how the revenge story has been his main staple).

The Squid and the Whale

It's been a long time since I last saw a powerful performance by a young actor...a long time since....well, Natalie Portman in The Professional (Leon). Owen Kline's portrayal of Frank Bernard's character was so scarring I couldn't imagine how his parents were convinced into allowing him to play the part. Maybe times are changing. Owen had the best lines and his facial expressions and delivery was just so dead on it whacks you in the head every time.

I literally watched this film again immediately after I finished browsing through the special features. It just left me thirsty for more misery from these characters.

I have a weak spot for Laura Linney (especially when she ties her hair) and she is just able to portray tortured characters really well. I think Jeff Daniels is such an underrated actor and this movie just totally should show people his range. Could you ever imagine him here and then watch Dumb and Dumber?...totally different personalities and absolutely non-interchangeable.

I thank Stephen King for giving that last push for me to get this DVD. I had it in mind but forgot it in all the madness going on in my life...but after reading his article and declaring The Squid and the Whale as the best...hell, I won't argue with the king :).

Dear reader...don't miss out on this one.

Holding back

I was really happy to see Tiger win the British Open this weekend...and was also touched by the emotion he displayed on the 18th and last hole of the course. When you're on the brink of tears, that's when you find yourself truly vulnerable.

Personally, of the moments I knew I was close to losing control of holding back tears, I'd be on a panic to distract myself...think of something funny, stare at a wall or look up in the sky...and I usually pull it off.

Just don't touch me. It's happened before. I'm able to keep the dam secure, but then someone puts their arm around me and boom...a waterfall is born :). In Tiger's case, it was way passed that and in a way he induced the gush by hugging caddie Steve Williams (and later his wife).

It's been years...I wonder if my skin is still as vulnerable?

Fiona at Ste Michelle

What an afternoon-slash-evening! Being so used to watching concerts in enclosed venues, I didn't really know what to expect at the Ste. Michelle Winery. The last couple of open-air concerts I've attended weren't done at a winery...so I had to get used to the constant stream of people flowing to and from the performance to either run to the bathrooms, transport picnic stuff from their cars, or whatever.

David Garza and Damien Rice did the opening sets...not a big fan of either and that didn't change after their sets...maybe I was just biased (just came to see Fiona). Didn't enjoy the lengthy watch-me-i-am-so-good-at-playing-guitar pieces and was somewhat annoyed at Damien Rice for cursing (in his songs and in between) like he's this bad dude and suddenly sing sugar-coated pop tunes...dunno, maybe I was just biased...David Garza did an entertaining "Hendrix" national anthem to begin his set but after that I couldn't figure out if he was testing his guitar or warming up for another song...granted I have no clue as to his catalog...maybe I was just biased.

The sun was still up when Fiona marched onto the stage, hands epileptically waving in the air...maybe she was trying to get amped up, or was extremely amped up, annoyed at the sunlight, or just plain packed with raw energy. The sound engineer was probably having a hard time as her singing was in extremes the first couple of songs (whispers at one end and loud shouts in the other). The darker the sky got, the better she felt (I think) and she was as Fiona as I'd ever seen her ;).

I really have to stress in this entry again that I really miss Matt Chamberlain. That drum solo in "Limp" is a clear indicator...nuff said. I wish Tori would lend her not only Matt, but her sound engineer as well. There was a struggle between the accompanying music and Fiona's voice and it most likely caused by having to manage it in an open-air venue. But both key players need to know the artist and that's what has benefited not only Tori, but others who have stuck with the same trusted collaborators for years.

I remember reading once that when Tori was starting out, Manu Katche (her session drummer at the time) told her that she needed to find a drummer...and this was not an insult. A drummer controls the tempo and it takes a drummer who knows the singer to clearly channel the right expression.

Anyway.....

Hey, I have to say her performance of "Oh Well" was the best I ever heard...second only to the bootleg track of Extraordinary Machine, which I still believe is the best and more honest version of that track.

Could you pass that bottle of Cab please?....

Farewell to Wimbledon for Andre

It was sad to see Andre say goodbye to Wimbledon in his farewell tour, but everything has an end. It's been a great run, Andre. I wish you well. I'm sure tennis will still be part of your life...I can always imagine you playing tennis at home with Stefi.

I can't wait to see your kids turn pro :).