http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS9-WseEXfM
Walnut Tree by Keane
On this date Twenty years ago, Wayne Gretzky was traded (sold) to the Los Angeles Kings. This move paved the way for further expansion to the southern United States. Though the Kings never won a Stanley Cup and only reached the finals once, hockey began to thrive in non-traditional markets. 5 teams that didn't exist in 1988 have won the Stanley Cup between now and then. They are Colorado, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Carolina and Anaheim. Of course, this isn't all because Gretzky went to Los Angeles, but the creation of those teams was very much influenced by his presence in Los Angeles. Gretzky proved that hockey couple be big in warm climates, and though it has never passed the NFL, NBA or MLB, it is viable, in most of these markets. Though in my opinion the expansion has gone too far and there are too many teams in markets that can't support hockey and not enough teams in Canada. It would have been nice to see how many Stanley Cups the Oilers could have won had they kept Gretzky but such vision is impossible.
It has rained on and off here for most of the day. Around 5 the downtown skies got as black as I have seen them in some time. The storm exploded shortly after and it has been wet since. I didn't do a whole lot today, went out for tea, wrote the piece below and got my haircut.
Breeding Gloominess
This Saturday afternoon has nearly passed
A summer rain fell and gathered in puddles
Occasionally pale sunlight broke free of cloud
Bringing light to the uninspired proceedings
I am struggling to create anything of value
Dullness looks like it might rule the evening
Even beautiful women and their summer skin
Do not seem to be able to arouse interest
The gloominess breeds under plastic lights
Where I sit waiting for a pair of elusive eyes
Surely a colour more intense than my own
They have faded over the past couple of years
Vaguely worth remembering for anything good
More often negatives outweigh positives
Just a trip around life’s merry carrousel ride
There are not enough smiles but fewer tears
I have trapped everything under scarred skin
Plenty of my poems say more than enough
The skies have darkened like wet black hair
A storm is planning on exploding over dinner
Lightning flashes but its thunder is silent
Music plays in my ears and people scramble
Hurrying to make it where they are going
I am not one of them and hurrying is not me
My slowness is intentional and with purpose
One day a destination will clearly emerge
The house along the coast of windy Scotland
With a view of endless water and its waves
A dream arriving like clockwork each night
I no longer suppress it or my sleepy happiness
Her dress is a hand threaded green colour
Darker than her light orange and curled hair
Carefully covering her pale and healthy skin
White like the winter snow here in Canada
The eyes and face are constantly evolving
A complex puzzle of DNA, skin and bone
Something I know very little about like love
Beauty trumps even the darkest of storms
Her smile crept across the room to my mouth
Where it lingered, formed and disappeared
At least its presence was noticed for a moment
Making the breeding gloominess less productive.
08/09/08
john.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
"Crazy Chester followed me and caught me in the fog..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKl9ZmS0NmQ
The Weight by The Band
08/08/08
I am sure there will be much made of the significance of today's date. Just another day.
Today I watched 1408, it was sort of creepy. Though I found the plot rather flawed and didn't like the ending. I am a fan of John Cusack but most of the movie is just him on screen. Few actors can hold our attention by themselves for extended periods of time, they should have used Samuel L. Jackson better because the screens between them were good. Anyway there is a link below providing information about the movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450385/
John Edwards gave the impression of the squeaky clean politician who had lost a son and is dealing with his wife's cancer. But like all politicians and all men he too is flawed.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/08/edwards.affair/index.html
"You make me think of someone wonderful but I can't place her...."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4egpLQdLc
Goodnight, Goodnight by Maroon 5
This is interesting if you are a fan of Maroon 5 or Counting Crows.
http://www.nowwhat.com/default.htm?section=music_club
Since I finished A Painted House yesterday, I had to find a new book to read today. There was this book called The Cobra Event by Richard Preston in the bottom of my closet, not sure how it got there or where it came from, but I haven't read it, so I guess I will. The following is from it.
"It is essentially impossible to completely exterminate a population with a biological weapon. On the other hand, it is quite easy to crash a population, reducing it by half or more in a few days."
Enjoy the weekend.
jr.
The Weight by The Band
08/08/08
I am sure there will be much made of the significance of today's date. Just another day.
Today I watched 1408, it was sort of creepy. Though I found the plot rather flawed and didn't like the ending. I am a fan of John Cusack but most of the movie is just him on screen. Few actors can hold our attention by themselves for extended periods of time, they should have used Samuel L. Jackson better because the screens between them were good. Anyway there is a link below providing information about the movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450385/
John Edwards gave the impression of the squeaky clean politician who had lost a son and is dealing with his wife's cancer. But like all politicians and all men he too is flawed.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/08/edwards.affair/index.html
"You make me think of someone wonderful but I can't place her...."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4egpLQdLc
Goodnight, Goodnight by Maroon 5
This is interesting if you are a fan of Maroon 5 or Counting Crows.
http://www.nowwhat.com/default.htm?section=music_club
Since I finished A Painted House yesterday, I had to find a new book to read today. There was this book called The Cobra Event by Richard Preston in the bottom of my closet, not sure how it got there or where it came from, but I haven't read it, so I guess I will. The following is from it.
"It is essentially impossible to completely exterminate a population with a biological weapon. On the other hand, it is quite easy to crash a population, reducing it by half or more in a few days."
Enjoy the weekend.
jr.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
"You can run to the Coney Island rollercoaster, ride it to the highest point and leap across the filthy water...."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXzGV00RvF4
Eleanor Put Your Boots On by Franz Ferdinand
Very breezy and a little cooler then is usual for early August. I am loving it. The day, following the early afternoon downpour of rain, has just seemed very peaceful. I was out and did some reading, while relaxing with a huge cup of green tea.
I would love to live in this house and be in my own world. Well my own physical world, unlike my current own mental world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/garden/07clingstone.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin
Today I finished reading A Painted House by John Grishman and actually enjoyed it. I liked Luke's seven year old perception of the people around him and 1952 life in rural Arkansas. Plus his love of baseball and its many references in the book.
"If I see you again, on the street, by the beach, in the evening, will you fly like a bird............"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_grPIpFvDU
Bird Stealing Bread by Iron and Wine
I also did some writing this afternoon and the results are below.
Not Everything Reads Like A Screenplay
The day is cool for early August
A downpour of rain came around noon
Quickly being replaced by sunlight
Now shortly after three it is breezy
The girl had the saddest summer eyes
Mine might look the same to another
People are reflected in office windows
Their walking bodies contorted oddly
I am a silent observer on this Thursday
Unwilling to confess beyond these words
The birds swoop done to gather up food
Bringing to mind an Iron and Wine song
Very little does not remind me of music
I suppose it is one of my few comforts
A wool sweater on a cold winter day
They are only months away from returning
Shortly after our final harvesting of crops
The food that sustains us through hibernation
Sleep is hardly a comfort to my thoughts
A feeling of tiredness never really expels
Occasionally peace returns contently like a smile
There is no predicting these rare moments
As a child they would seem completely normal
Flowers in a vase on a wooden kitchen table
Augmented by a variety of fruits varying in colour
The Ferris wheel will be spinning again before long
Our summer skin will start to chill at night
Long before September has become October
Her sad eyes might find some happiness
I suppose there are a lot of possibilities
Should we sit down and really think about them
Not everything reads like a screenplay
Hearts do not always overcome their breaking
Some heal and they become stronger than before
Others remain fragile like me and mine
Eleanor you can take your boots off
I am done following your footsteps around
There does not seem to be any love left
Spring bloomed what it could but summer ruined it
Choices were made and plans broken
The breeze tells me it is going to be okay
A faint whisper coming from the future
Reminding me it is out there somewhere
How fortunate this is for all of us
On a Thursday in early August.
08/07/08
john.
Eleanor Put Your Boots On by Franz Ferdinand
Very breezy and a little cooler then is usual for early August. I am loving it. The day, following the early afternoon downpour of rain, has just seemed very peaceful. I was out and did some reading, while relaxing with a huge cup of green tea.
I would love to live in this house and be in my own world. Well my own physical world, unlike my current own mental world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/garden/07clingstone.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin
Today I finished reading A Painted House by John Grishman and actually enjoyed it. I liked Luke's seven year old perception of the people around him and 1952 life in rural Arkansas. Plus his love of baseball and its many references in the book.
"If I see you again, on the street, by the beach, in the evening, will you fly like a bird............"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_grPIpFvDU
Bird Stealing Bread by Iron and Wine
I also did some writing this afternoon and the results are below.
Not Everything Reads Like A Screenplay
The day is cool for early August
A downpour of rain came around noon
Quickly being replaced by sunlight
Now shortly after three it is breezy
The girl had the saddest summer eyes
Mine might look the same to another
People are reflected in office windows
Their walking bodies contorted oddly
I am a silent observer on this Thursday
Unwilling to confess beyond these words
The birds swoop done to gather up food
Bringing to mind an Iron and Wine song
Very little does not remind me of music
I suppose it is one of my few comforts
A wool sweater on a cold winter day
They are only months away from returning
Shortly after our final harvesting of crops
The food that sustains us through hibernation
Sleep is hardly a comfort to my thoughts
A feeling of tiredness never really expels
Occasionally peace returns contently like a smile
There is no predicting these rare moments
As a child they would seem completely normal
Flowers in a vase on a wooden kitchen table
Augmented by a variety of fruits varying in colour
The Ferris wheel will be spinning again before long
Our summer skin will start to chill at night
Long before September has become October
Her sad eyes might find some happiness
I suppose there are a lot of possibilities
Should we sit down and really think about them
Not everything reads like a screenplay
Hearts do not always overcome their breaking
Some heal and they become stronger than before
Others remain fragile like me and mine
Eleanor you can take your boots off
I am done following your footsteps around
There does not seem to be any love left
Spring bloomed what it could but summer ruined it
Choices were made and plans broken
The breeze tells me it is going to be okay
A faint whisper coming from the future
Reminding me it is out there somewhere
How fortunate this is for all of us
On a Thursday in early August.
08/07/08
john.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
"Give me reason but don't give me choice because I'll just make the same mistake again..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3c32wBYdU0
Same Mistake by James Blunt
The Olympics should not be in China. The games are not about sport, they are about everything else. Whether it is politics, terrorism or human rights, something will over shadow any individual sporting achievement. I feel sorry for the athletes, because their once in a lifetime chance is going to be overshadowed by a substance greater than the great wall of China smog. Personally I could care less about the Olympics, I am sure I will watch some of it but I am not alone in my lack of enthusiasm for it. By going to China the Olympics have shamed themselves, they obviously didn't learn any lessons from going to Moscow. Olympic games cannot change cultures, they can alter lives and perhaps stimulate economies for a short period of time but in the end politics will win the bigger gold medal. China and the Olympic committee can put up their own smog but after the Olympics leave China will still be its controversial self.
"They come out of the blue sky but you never know where they're gonna go..."
Miller's Angels by Counting Crows (Too bad I can't find a link to the song)
The beautiful thing about the Internet is its abundance of "free" music. It makes collecting and listening to live bootlegs of your favourite band very easy. I naturally do this with Counting Crows. There seems to be no shortage of their performances and late last week they themselves launched http://livecountingcrows.com/, a website with soundboard recordings of their concerts. These concerts can be purchased and initially there was a free concert for the first 10,000 fans who signed up, which I was one of. It is a good show with a unique set list.
Yesterday I was listening to another show from November 1995, prior to the recording of Recovering The Satellites and it contains raw songs that would and wouldn't end up on RTS. The show from the Hollywood Grand in Los Angeles is impressive for Margery Dreams Of Horses (unreleased), Chelsea (hidden track, rarely played live), Suffocate and Good Luck (unreleased) but the highlight for me is the very raw version of Miller's Angels. The album version sounds pretty raw but this is even more so. The song which is rarely played is beautiful and depressing. It isn't a concert song, but it is a song I would want to hear at a concert. Which is what makes me a real fan. After the concert ended, I started listening to random songs from my iTunes player and immediately Miller's Angels came on. So when I sat down to write under the limited star sky last night, it influenced my writing.
The Living Dead Cannot Be Haunted
There are a few scatter stars tonight
The moon is low and reddish
Summer nears its symbolic zenith
We are in the dog days of August
Where it is hot, humid and overcast
I am waiting for the colours of September
The weather making women more beautiful
With voices like Jewel and faces like Natalie
Imagining is my dreaming unlike sleeping
Where tossing and turning are common
The normality of this silence is not shocking
I have come to expect nothing less or more
Voices are only ghosts of a distant past
There is little for them here with me now
The living dead cannot be haunted
We are already scared and ready to die
Unfortunately or fortunately our time waits
For what the moon does not answer
Our questions are too many anyway
All the good answers have been spoken
There are no angels coming out of the blue sky
Whenever those skies are returned to us
After Romeo and Juliet have finished
What began with Miller and his angels
Even Samson and Delilah’s love was flawed
There is nothing that is not with time
I am as much indebt to it as anyone
Though it is unlikely it will be paid back
The enormity of my waste is too vast
A life should be used for living and trying
There is some honour in this type of failing
I am a disgraced soldier in humanity’s army
A coward of the heart and a thief of the mind
My love, my ideas, my words and my life
They are only fragments of somebody’s imagination.
08/05/08
"I think of flying down into a sea of pens and feathers and all other instruments of faith and sex and God..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yP6Vwc2vJY
Rain King by Counting Crows (August 5 Hersey PA)
Today I watched The Last Castle, a movie from 2001, starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and Mark Ruffalo. It was an alright movie with a little suspense, some action and some good acting. Though nothing spectacular, it passed a couple of hours. Redford plays a disgraced General sent to prison, Gandolfini is the "murderous" warden and Ruffalo one of the other inmates. The power struggle between Redford and Gandolfini is the focal point of the movie because there can only be one king of the castle. There is a link below to information about the movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272020/
"Come and sit with me, and cry on my shoulder, I'm a friend..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uKPFBr_Nqc
Cry by James Blunt
The following is from A Painted House by John Grisham.
"As we left town I thought about the end of the season. Baseball began in the spring, when we planted and when hope were high. It sustained us through the summer, often our only diversion from the drudgery of the fields. We listened to each game, then talked about the plays and the players and the strategies until we listened to the next one. It was very much a part of our daily lives for six months, then it was gone. Just like the cotton.
I was sad by the time we arrived home. No games to listen to on the front porch. Six months without the voice of Harry Caray. Six months with no Stan Musial. I got my glove and went for a long walk down a field road, tossing the ball in the air, wondering what I would do until April.
For the first time in my life, baseball broke my heart."
Anything we love will eventually break our heart, it will leave and if we are lucky it will return. Though in most cases, memories of love, heroes and our youth will be all that remains.
jr.
Same Mistake by James Blunt
The Olympics should not be in China. The games are not about sport, they are about everything else. Whether it is politics, terrorism or human rights, something will over shadow any individual sporting achievement. I feel sorry for the athletes, because their once in a lifetime chance is going to be overshadowed by a substance greater than the great wall of China smog. Personally I could care less about the Olympics, I am sure I will watch some of it but I am not alone in my lack of enthusiasm for it. By going to China the Olympics have shamed themselves, they obviously didn't learn any lessons from going to Moscow. Olympic games cannot change cultures, they can alter lives and perhaps stimulate economies for a short period of time but in the end politics will win the bigger gold medal. China and the Olympic committee can put up their own smog but after the Olympics leave China will still be its controversial self.
"They come out of the blue sky but you never know where they're gonna go..."
Miller's Angels by Counting Crows (Too bad I can't find a link to the song)
The beautiful thing about the Internet is its abundance of "free" music. It makes collecting and listening to live bootlegs of your favourite band very easy. I naturally do this with Counting Crows. There seems to be no shortage of their performances and late last week they themselves launched http://livecountingcrows.com/, a website with soundboard recordings of their concerts. These concerts can be purchased and initially there was a free concert for the first 10,000 fans who signed up, which I was one of. It is a good show with a unique set list.
Yesterday I was listening to another show from November 1995, prior to the recording of Recovering The Satellites and it contains raw songs that would and wouldn't end up on RTS. The show from the Hollywood Grand in Los Angeles is impressive for Margery Dreams Of Horses (unreleased), Chelsea (hidden track, rarely played live), Suffocate and Good Luck (unreleased) but the highlight for me is the very raw version of Miller's Angels. The album version sounds pretty raw but this is even more so. The song which is rarely played is beautiful and depressing. It isn't a concert song, but it is a song I would want to hear at a concert. Which is what makes me a real fan. After the concert ended, I started listening to random songs from my iTunes player and immediately Miller's Angels came on. So when I sat down to write under the limited star sky last night, it influenced my writing.
The Living Dead Cannot Be Haunted
There are a few scatter stars tonight
The moon is low and reddish
Summer nears its symbolic zenith
We are in the dog days of August
Where it is hot, humid and overcast
I am waiting for the colours of September
The weather making women more beautiful
With voices like Jewel and faces like Natalie
Imagining is my dreaming unlike sleeping
Where tossing and turning are common
The normality of this silence is not shocking
I have come to expect nothing less or more
Voices are only ghosts of a distant past
There is little for them here with me now
The living dead cannot be haunted
We are already scared and ready to die
Unfortunately or fortunately our time waits
For what the moon does not answer
Our questions are too many anyway
All the good answers have been spoken
There are no angels coming out of the blue sky
Whenever those skies are returned to us
After Romeo and Juliet have finished
What began with Miller and his angels
Even Samson and Delilah’s love was flawed
There is nothing that is not with time
I am as much indebt to it as anyone
Though it is unlikely it will be paid back
The enormity of my waste is too vast
A life should be used for living and trying
There is some honour in this type of failing
I am a disgraced soldier in humanity’s army
A coward of the heart and a thief of the mind
My love, my ideas, my words and my life
They are only fragments of somebody’s imagination.
08/05/08
"I think of flying down into a sea of pens and feathers and all other instruments of faith and sex and God..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yP6Vwc2vJY
Rain King by Counting Crows (August 5 Hersey PA)
Today I watched The Last Castle, a movie from 2001, starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and Mark Ruffalo. It was an alright movie with a little suspense, some action and some good acting. Though nothing spectacular, it passed a couple of hours. Redford plays a disgraced General sent to prison, Gandolfini is the "murderous" warden and Ruffalo one of the other inmates. The power struggle between Redford and Gandolfini is the focal point of the movie because there can only be one king of the castle. There is a link below to information about the movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272020/
"Come and sit with me, and cry on my shoulder, I'm a friend..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uKPFBr_Nqc
Cry by James Blunt
The following is from A Painted House by John Grisham.
"As we left town I thought about the end of the season. Baseball began in the spring, when we planted and when hope were high. It sustained us through the summer, often our only diversion from the drudgery of the fields. We listened to each game, then talked about the plays and the players and the strategies until we listened to the next one. It was very much a part of our daily lives for six months, then it was gone. Just like the cotton.
I was sad by the time we arrived home. No games to listen to on the front porch. Six months without the voice of Harry Caray. Six months with no Stan Musial. I got my glove and went for a long walk down a field road, tossing the ball in the air, wondering what I would do until April.
For the first time in my life, baseball broke my heart."
Anything we love will eventually break our heart, it will leave and if we are lucky it will return. Though in most cases, memories of love, heroes and our youth will be all that remains.
jr.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
"Gonna close my eyes, girl and watch you go, running through this life darling like a field of snow..."
On Sunday Atlanta Braves announcer Skip Caray died at 68. Skip was the voice of the Braves for over 30 years, first on radio and then on TBS. It was TBS that brought Atlanta Braves baseball into the homes of hundreds of thousands throughout Canada and millions throughout America. Though not a Braves fan, I am a baseball fan, so I often found myself watching their games on TBS and listening to Skip describe the broadcast. It was for me much the way it was with his father, the Cubs and WGN. These 2 "super" stations brought not only the game of baseball into our Canadian homes but these 2 legendary broadcasters. For as flamboyant and funny as Harry was (just look at his picture in the article below) Skip was laid back and sarcastic. His humour was a great part of the game, because in the game of baseball there is a lot of downtime. If the game was boring Harry would try and make it sound exciting whereas Skip would tell you it was boring and make sarcastic comments regarding it. I enjoyed Skip's honest assessment of the game. Below is a short article regarding his death from the Los Angeles Times, linked mostly for its picture showing Harry, Skip and his son Chip who is also a Braves announcer.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-caray5-2008aug05,0,5960520.story
The book I am reading, A Painted House by John Grisham is set in the cotton fields of Arkansas and is told by 7 year old Luke. Luke during the long days of cotton picking dreams of playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and hitting the ball like his idol Stan Musil. There are many mentions of Harry Caray throughout the book, because he was the radio voice of the Cardinals during this time period. Luke and his family spent many summer nights on the porch listening to Harry's voice describe the game of baseball. The importance of the broadcaster is not as important today in the age of television, they can always be muted. Which might explain why good announcers are not as abundant as they used to. As a fan of the Blue Jays we are stuck with the young and often amazed Jamie Campbell for games on Sportsnet. Whereas on TSN we get the more seasoned and often more critical Rod Black. On CBC we get the best of them all Jim Hughson, but not often enough. The best Blue Jay announcer ever, Dan Shulman, left us many years ago to work for ESPN, at least the Americans have him.
The following is a passage from A Painted House, encompassing Luke's thoughts, Harry Caray, Stan Musil and The Cardinals.
"The last of the clouds were gone by dark, but the heat did not return. We sat on the porch after supper and waited for the Cardinals. The air was clear and light--the first hint of autumn.
Six games were left, three against the Reds and three against the Cubs, all to be played at home at Sportsman's Park, but with the Dodgers seven games in first place, the season was over. Stan the Man Musial was leading the league in batting and slugging, and he also had more hits and doubles than anybody else. The Cardinals would not win the pennant, but we still had the greatest player in the game. At home after a road trip to Chicago, the boys were happy to be back in St. Louis, according to Harry Caray, who often passed along greetings and gossip as if all the players lived in his house.
Musial hit a single and a triple, and the score was tied at three after nine innings. It was late, but we weren't tired. The storm had chased us from fields, and the cool weather was something to be savored. The Spruills were sitting around a fire, talking softly and enjoying a moment without Hank. He often disappeared after supper.
In the bottom of the tenth, Red Schoendienst singled, and when Stan Musial came to the plate, the fans went wild, according to Harry Caray, who, as Pappy said, often watched one game and described another. The attendance was fewer than ten thousand; we could tell the crowd was slim. But Harry was making enough noise for the other twenty thousand. After 148 games, he was just as excited as he'd been on opening day. Musial ripped a double, his third hit of the game, scoring Schoendienst and winning it four to three."
Over the weekend I watched Reservation Road. It is a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo. Phoenix and Connelly lose their son in a hit and run and the guilty party is closer than they know. There isn't much to the story, it is pretty much obvious who did it but what isn't obvious is what is going to be done about it. The acting is very good and the moral questions are many. There is a link to information about the movie below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831884/
Once again it is Tuesday, the top 100 songs out of 1355 are below. The One I Love by David Gray returns to number 1. Check out the countdown clips if you are bored.
"The price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings..."
Some recent live Counting Crows clips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO-awPMv7aY
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmLc_Nny94
Accidentally In Love (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntt-hcS7q24
A Long December (August 2, Boston)
Last night on Letterman they had dogs jumping into a pool of water on 54th Street with some of jumping as far as 25 feet. When I saw it I thought considering it was August, wouldn't it be funny if they had people doing the same. Well Seth Rogen didn't let me down, in full suit and glasses, he made a run and jump. The results are in the clip below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhwXYqt-4k8
Well it is warm and humid, and might rain, what else is new.
jr.
Top 100 Songs Played This Year On My iTunes Player
1. The One I Love by David Gray (2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44tVAJVmQCM
2. Empty by Ray LaMontagne (5)
3. Supernatural Superserious by R.E.M. (4)
4. Wonderwall by Oasis (3)
5. You Can't Count On Me by Counting Crows (1)
6. When I Dream Of Michelangelo by Counting Crows (9)
7. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? by C.C.R. (11)
8. Waiting by City and Colour (10)
9. Say It To Me Now by Glen Hansard (8)
10. Boy With A Coin by Iron and Wine (7)
11. Creep by Radiohead (6)
12. The Bends by Radiohead (13)
13. Guaranteed by Eddie Vedder (12)
14. No One's Gonna Love You by Band Of Horses (16)
15. One by U2 (14)
16. All The Trees Are Hers by Hawksley Workman (17)
17. Thinking About You by Norah Jones (15)
18. Always by Neverending White Lights (18)
19. When You Were Young by The Killers (21)
20. Long Road To Ruin by Foo Fighters (22)
21. Cowboys by Counting Crows (23)
22. Everybody Knows by Ryan Adams (19)
23. You Are My Face by Wilco (29)
24. Lemon Parade by Tonic (28)
25. Hannah by Ray LaMontagne (20)
26. NYC by Interpol (27)
27. Falling Slowly by The Frames (26)
28. Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder (35)
29. Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles (33)
30. A Long December by Counting Crows (24)
31. Your Heart Is An Empty Room by Death Cab For Cutie (32)
32. Blanket Of Ghosts by Dustin Kensrue (25)
33. Love Hurts by Incubus (31)
34. A Time To Be So Small by Interpol (36)
35. Calling All Friends by Low Stars (30)
36. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 (41)
37. 1492 by Counting Crows (50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG8veGmU2r8
38. Have You Seen Me Lately? (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (34)
39. Sing by Travis (39)
40. Off He Goes by Pearl Jam (42)
41. Everything by Michael Buble (38)
42. Girl In The War by Josh Ritter (44)
43. If I Had Eyes by Jack Johnson (46)
44. Your Song by Elton John (47)
45. O Valencia by The Decemberists (53)
46. Hospital Beds by Cold War Kids (51)
47. Southern Girl by Amos Lee (52)
48. Hard Candy by Counting Crows (57)
49. Oceanside by The Decemberists (49)
50. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Live) by Counting Crows (37)
51. My List by The Killers (43)
52. The Blues by Switchfoot (67)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX0hHCLynPc
53. Kite by U2 (40)
54. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RRkrccHgNI
55. Only The Lonely by Roy Orbison (60)
56. Gotta Be Somebody's Blues by Jimmy Eat World (45)
57. Tears and Rain by James Blunt (71)
58. If You're Gonna Leave by Emerson Hart (58)
59. Society by Eddie Vedder (48)
60. Miller's Angels by Counting Crows (63)
61. The Hardest Part by Coldplay (56)
62. Diamonds On The Inside by Ben Harper (77)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEheWHVgffM
63. Michelle by The Beatles (62)
64. Let It Be by The Beatles (54)
65. Baby I Love Your Way by Bob Marley (55)
66. Some Surprise by The Cake Sale (Lisa Hannigan + Gary Lightbody) (84)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTxsjMQVkM
67. Warning Sign by Coldplay (76)
68. Los Angeles by Counting Crows (82)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJHycLQ-8r0
69. Coconut Skins by Damien Rice (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqdGHm79R_4
70. Anna Molly by Incubus (90)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOezDHeOD88
71. Naked As We Came by Iron and Wine (72)
72. 1973 by James Blunt (59)
73. Chase This Light by Jimmy Eat World (91)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvrO_MjTMPc
74. Kathleen by Josh Ritter (92)
75. You're Always Going Too Soon by Matthew Jay (70)
76. The Painter by Neil Young (69)
77. Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones (68)
78. Let It Ride by Ryan Adams (61)
79. The Con by Tegan and Sara (66)
80. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (NR)
81. Rain King (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (81)
82. Catapult (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (75)
83. What Light by Wilco (64)
84. Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison (65)
85. Every Part Of Me by Sam Roberts (NR)
86. Alright by Pilot Speed (97)
87. Harvest Moon by Neil Young (95)
88. Snow Is Gone by Josh Ritter (NR)
89. Mind Games by John Lennon (NR)
90. Talk Shows On Mute by Incubus (73)
91. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature by The Guess Who (NR)
92. Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy (89)
93. Lying Eyes by The Eagles (88)
94. Accidental Babies by Damien Rice (74)
95. She Don't Want Nobody Near by Counting Crows (NR)
96. Save Your Scissors by City and Colour (85)
97. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles (78)
98. Is There A Ghost? by Band Of Horses (79)
99. The Weight by The Band (83)
100. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young (80)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-caray5-2008aug05,0,5960520.story
The book I am reading, A Painted House by John Grisham is set in the cotton fields of Arkansas and is told by 7 year old Luke. Luke during the long days of cotton picking dreams of playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and hitting the ball like his idol Stan Musil. There are many mentions of Harry Caray throughout the book, because he was the radio voice of the Cardinals during this time period. Luke and his family spent many summer nights on the porch listening to Harry's voice describe the game of baseball. The importance of the broadcaster is not as important today in the age of television, they can always be muted. Which might explain why good announcers are not as abundant as they used to. As a fan of the Blue Jays we are stuck with the young and often amazed Jamie Campbell for games on Sportsnet. Whereas on TSN we get the more seasoned and often more critical Rod Black. On CBC we get the best of them all Jim Hughson, but not often enough. The best Blue Jay announcer ever, Dan Shulman, left us many years ago to work for ESPN, at least the Americans have him.
The following is a passage from A Painted House, encompassing Luke's thoughts, Harry Caray, Stan Musil and The Cardinals.
"The last of the clouds were gone by dark, but the heat did not return. We sat on the porch after supper and waited for the Cardinals. The air was clear and light--the first hint of autumn.
Six games were left, three against the Reds and three against the Cubs, all to be played at home at Sportsman's Park, but with the Dodgers seven games in first place, the season was over. Stan the Man Musial was leading the league in batting and slugging, and he also had more hits and doubles than anybody else. The Cardinals would not win the pennant, but we still had the greatest player in the game. At home after a road trip to Chicago, the boys were happy to be back in St. Louis, according to Harry Caray, who often passed along greetings and gossip as if all the players lived in his house.
Musial hit a single and a triple, and the score was tied at three after nine innings. It was late, but we weren't tired. The storm had chased us from fields, and the cool weather was something to be savored. The Spruills were sitting around a fire, talking softly and enjoying a moment without Hank. He often disappeared after supper.
In the bottom of the tenth, Red Schoendienst singled, and when Stan Musial came to the plate, the fans went wild, according to Harry Caray, who, as Pappy said, often watched one game and described another. The attendance was fewer than ten thousand; we could tell the crowd was slim. But Harry was making enough noise for the other twenty thousand. After 148 games, he was just as excited as he'd been on opening day. Musial ripped a double, his third hit of the game, scoring Schoendienst and winning it four to three."
Over the weekend I watched Reservation Road. It is a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo. Phoenix and Connelly lose their son in a hit and run and the guilty party is closer than they know. There isn't much to the story, it is pretty much obvious who did it but what isn't obvious is what is going to be done about it. The acting is very good and the moral questions are many. There is a link to information about the movie below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831884/
Once again it is Tuesday, the top 100 songs out of 1355 are below. The One I Love by David Gray returns to number 1. Check out the countdown clips if you are bored.
"The price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings..."
Some recent live Counting Crows clips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO-awPMv7aY
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmLc_Nny94
Accidentally In Love (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntt-hcS7q24
A Long December (August 2, Boston)
Last night on Letterman they had dogs jumping into a pool of water on 54th Street with some of jumping as far as 25 feet. When I saw it I thought considering it was August, wouldn't it be funny if they had people doing the same. Well Seth Rogen didn't let me down, in full suit and glasses, he made a run and jump. The results are in the clip below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhwXYqt-4k8
Well it is warm and humid, and might rain, what else is new.
jr.
Top 100 Songs Played This Year On My iTunes Player
1. The One I Love by David Gray (2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44tVAJVmQCM
2. Empty by Ray LaMontagne (5)
3. Supernatural Superserious by R.E.M. (4)
4. Wonderwall by Oasis (3)
5. You Can't Count On Me by Counting Crows (1)
6. When I Dream Of Michelangelo by Counting Crows (9)
7. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? by C.C.R. (11)
8. Waiting by City and Colour (10)
9. Say It To Me Now by Glen Hansard (8)
10. Boy With A Coin by Iron and Wine (7)
11. Creep by Radiohead (6)
12. The Bends by Radiohead (13)
13. Guaranteed by Eddie Vedder (12)
14. No One's Gonna Love You by Band Of Horses (16)
15. One by U2 (14)
16. All The Trees Are Hers by Hawksley Workman (17)
17. Thinking About You by Norah Jones (15)
18. Always by Neverending White Lights (18)
19. When You Were Young by The Killers (21)
20. Long Road To Ruin by Foo Fighters (22)
21. Cowboys by Counting Crows (23)
22. Everybody Knows by Ryan Adams (19)
23. You Are My Face by Wilco (29)
24. Lemon Parade by Tonic (28)
25. Hannah by Ray LaMontagne (20)
26. NYC by Interpol (27)
27. Falling Slowly by The Frames (26)
28. Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder (35)
29. Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles (33)
30. A Long December by Counting Crows (24)
31. Your Heart Is An Empty Room by Death Cab For Cutie (32)
32. Blanket Of Ghosts by Dustin Kensrue (25)
33. Love Hurts by Incubus (31)
34. A Time To Be So Small by Interpol (36)
35. Calling All Friends by Low Stars (30)
36. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 (41)
37. 1492 by Counting Crows (50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG8veGmU2r8
38. Have You Seen Me Lately? (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (34)
39. Sing by Travis (39)
40. Off He Goes by Pearl Jam (42)
41. Everything by Michael Buble (38)
42. Girl In The War by Josh Ritter (44)
43. If I Had Eyes by Jack Johnson (46)
44. Your Song by Elton John (47)
45. O Valencia by The Decemberists (53)
46. Hospital Beds by Cold War Kids (51)
47. Southern Girl by Amos Lee (52)
48. Hard Candy by Counting Crows (57)
49. Oceanside by The Decemberists (49)
50. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Live) by Counting Crows (37)
51. My List by The Killers (43)
52. The Blues by Switchfoot (67)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX0hHCLynPc
53. Kite by U2 (40)
54. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RRkrccHgNI
55. Only The Lonely by Roy Orbison (60)
56. Gotta Be Somebody's Blues by Jimmy Eat World (45)
57. Tears and Rain by James Blunt (71)
58. If You're Gonna Leave by Emerson Hart (58)
59. Society by Eddie Vedder (48)
60. Miller's Angels by Counting Crows (63)
61. The Hardest Part by Coldplay (56)
62. Diamonds On The Inside by Ben Harper (77)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEheWHVgffM
63. Michelle by The Beatles (62)
64. Let It Be by The Beatles (54)
65. Baby I Love Your Way by Bob Marley (55)
66. Some Surprise by The Cake Sale (Lisa Hannigan + Gary Lightbody) (84)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTxsjMQVkM
67. Warning Sign by Coldplay (76)
68. Los Angeles by Counting Crows (82)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJHycLQ-8r0
69. Coconut Skins by Damien Rice (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqdGHm79R_4
70. Anna Molly by Incubus (90)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOezDHeOD88
71. Naked As We Came by Iron and Wine (72)
72. 1973 by James Blunt (59)
73. Chase This Light by Jimmy Eat World (91)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvrO_MjTMPc
74. Kathleen by Josh Ritter (92)
75. You're Always Going Too Soon by Matthew Jay (70)
76. The Painter by Neil Young (69)
77. Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones (68)
78. Let It Ride by Ryan Adams (61)
79. The Con by Tegan and Sara (66)
80. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (NR)
81. Rain King (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (81)
82. Catapult (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (75)
83. What Light by Wilco (64)
84. Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison (65)
85. Every Part Of Me by Sam Roberts (NR)
86. Alright by Pilot Speed (97)
87. Harvest Moon by Neil Young (95)
88. Snow Is Gone by Josh Ritter (NR)
89. Mind Games by John Lennon (NR)
90. Talk Shows On Mute by Incubus (73)
91. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature by The Guess Who (NR)
92. Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy (89)
93. Lying Eyes by The Eagles (88)
94. Accidental Babies by Damien Rice (74)
95. She Don't Want Nobody Near by Counting Crows (NR)
96. Save Your Scissors by City and Colour (85)
97. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles (78)
98. Is There A Ghost? by Band Of Horses (79)
99. The Weight by The Band (83)
100. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young (80)
Saturday, August 2, 2008
"Oh you delicate heart, there's deep enough wells for our tears..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByL2UByb1a8
Oh You Delicate Heart by Hawksley Workman (for a friend)
We had a beautiful thunderstorm late last night and again early this morning. The one last night was nice to watch, it was very intense, hard rain, lots of lightning and thunder. I was in bed but I don't think sleeping really well when the other one came around 2AM but it sounded equally as intense.
I promised to link some happy news. Here are few "happy" news stories.
http://www.happynews.com/news/7242008/pet-rabbit-credited-saving-couple-fire.htm
http://www.happynews.com/news/692008/happiest-blog.htm (mine definitely isn't)
http://www.happynews.com/news/2282008/review-lost-art-happy.htm
Okay well that really wasn't much, check out the website for yourself. There really aren't that many feel good stories out there. Perhaps we have lost the art of being happy.
"Well, that fragile happiness keeps me from forgetting that this fragile happiness keeps me afloat when I'm sinking..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQbHgVDTHqY
Fragile Happiness by Super Furry Animals
Maybe happiness is just fragile and needs to be appreciated more when it is abundant.
Today I finished reading The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence. It was an okay book, written almost 40 years ago and from a female perspective. My mother thought I liked John Grisham, so she gave me a book to read by him that she had borrowed from a friend of hers. I don't dislike his work, just really haven't got into it, but I will read A Painted House because it is here and it something new to read.
I wrote the following this afternoon, basically it is about how inept we all are at trying to comfort someone with a broken heart.
Ineptness
A summer thunderstorm came over night
Leaving this August day feeling like Autumn
The skies are overcast and it is windy
I am trying to make sense of anything
So much does not seem right or fair
We all suffer from ineptness
When trying to comfort someone
After their heart has been broken
By human nature or unintended cruelty
Perhaps this is precisely what humanity is
I do not have this answer or many
Words come but seem rather inadequate
Though they get written and read
Kindness should always be attempted
No matter how often we fail at it
Perhaps success occurs more than we know
Gratitude is a friend unable to speak
There are too many words anyway
They are constantly adding them each year
I do not think we use what we have
Different words meaning the same thing
Rarely do conversations not include slang
Worse is the language of the text messages
Love might not be dead but romance is
Buried by overpriced underwhelming gifts
I cannot wait to bury this summer
Symbolically by turning the calendar to September
A month of changing colours and new faces
Though what is here remains here
Whether for the good or the bad
Only our inner self can really know for sure
We have to know because no one else does
They are completely inept as we are
When it comes to solving heart break
Providing answers to questions out of our realm
I dreamed of an imaginary planet
With simpler creatures and simpler lives
Not utopia but as close as possible
Then I realized it was all in my head
Living is only as hard as we make it.
08/02/08
"When everything’s over and everything’s clear, when everyone's older and no one is here, I try to remember, a girl on a wire..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojZ293Vm4i4
On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago by Counting Crows
We all want something to come back or go away from us.
jr.
Oh You Delicate Heart by Hawksley Workman (for a friend)
We had a beautiful thunderstorm late last night and again early this morning. The one last night was nice to watch, it was very intense, hard rain, lots of lightning and thunder. I was in bed but I don't think sleeping really well when the other one came around 2AM but it sounded equally as intense.
I promised to link some happy news. Here are few "happy" news stories.
http://www.happynews.com/news/7242008/pet-rabbit-credited-saving-couple-fire.htm
http://www.happynews.com/news/692008/happiest-blog.htm (mine definitely isn't)
http://www.happynews.com/news/2282008/review-lost-art-happy.htm
Okay well that really wasn't much, check out the website for yourself. There really aren't that many feel good stories out there. Perhaps we have lost the art of being happy.
"Well, that fragile happiness keeps me from forgetting that this fragile happiness keeps me afloat when I'm sinking..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQbHgVDTHqY
Fragile Happiness by Super Furry Animals
Maybe happiness is just fragile and needs to be appreciated more when it is abundant.
Today I finished reading The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence. It was an okay book, written almost 40 years ago and from a female perspective. My mother thought I liked John Grisham, so she gave me a book to read by him that she had borrowed from a friend of hers. I don't dislike his work, just really haven't got into it, but I will read A Painted House because it is here and it something new to read.
I wrote the following this afternoon, basically it is about how inept we all are at trying to comfort someone with a broken heart.
Ineptness
A summer thunderstorm came over night
Leaving this August day feeling like Autumn
The skies are overcast and it is windy
I am trying to make sense of anything
So much does not seem right or fair
We all suffer from ineptness
When trying to comfort someone
After their heart has been broken
By human nature or unintended cruelty
Perhaps this is precisely what humanity is
I do not have this answer or many
Words come but seem rather inadequate
Though they get written and read
Kindness should always be attempted
No matter how often we fail at it
Perhaps success occurs more than we know
Gratitude is a friend unable to speak
There are too many words anyway
They are constantly adding them each year
I do not think we use what we have
Different words meaning the same thing
Rarely do conversations not include slang
Worse is the language of the text messages
Love might not be dead but romance is
Buried by overpriced underwhelming gifts
I cannot wait to bury this summer
Symbolically by turning the calendar to September
A month of changing colours and new faces
Though what is here remains here
Whether for the good or the bad
Only our inner self can really know for sure
We have to know because no one else does
They are completely inept as we are
When it comes to solving heart break
Providing answers to questions out of our realm
I dreamed of an imaginary planet
With simpler creatures and simpler lives
Not utopia but as close as possible
Then I realized it was all in my head
Living is only as hard as we make it.
08/02/08
"When everything’s over and everything’s clear, when everyone's older and no one is here, I try to remember, a girl on a wire..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojZ293Vm4i4
On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago by Counting Crows
We all want something to come back or go away from us.
jr.
Friday, August 1, 2008
"In August and everything after, you get a little less than you expected, somehow......."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sOd0Bzjqho
August and Everything After by Counting Crows
Above is a live clip of the unreleased title track from Counting Crows first album, August and Everything After. It has only been played live once, and most of the recording is above with just Adam at the piano. The lyrics are tremendously strong and a studio version would be nice one day. Also today is Adam Duritz's birthday, Happy 44th Birthday.
Last night I watched Street Kings, which stars Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker and Hugh Laurie. I liked it for what it was, a cop drama with some good action scenes and plot twists. Reeves is pretty good for him and Whitaker is his usual strong presence. There is a link to information about the movie below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/
I could post more bad new stories, but will save you the trauma. I couldn't even find any feel good stories but I wasn't really look hard. Tomorrow I will find one.
In August and everything after, there has to be something good.
jr.
August and Everything After by Counting Crows
Above is a live clip of the unreleased title track from Counting Crows first album, August and Everything After. It has only been played live once, and most of the recording is above with just Adam at the piano. The lyrics are tremendously strong and a studio version would be nice one day. Also today is Adam Duritz's birthday, Happy 44th Birthday.
Last night I watched Street Kings, which stars Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker and Hugh Laurie. I liked it for what it was, a cop drama with some good action scenes and plot twists. Reeves is pretty good for him and Whitaker is his usual strong presence. There is a link to information about the movie below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/
I could post more bad new stories, but will save you the trauma. I couldn't even find any feel good stories but I wasn't really look hard. Tomorrow I will find one.
In August and everything after, there has to be something good.
jr.
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