I just got back from the midnight showing of WALL-E and I'm wishing there was a 2:00 showing so that I could watch it again, it was that good. It far exceeded all of my expectations. Aside from the group of immature teenage boys sitting behind me who have not yet realized that loud and obnoxious does not equal cool (and who were all lucky that I am a pacifist) it was easily the most enjoyable movie experience I have had in a very, very long time. Go see it. It's worth the ticket price just to see the short that plays before the film. My hat is off to you once again, PIXAR, well done.
And while I'm making recommendations, I finished reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being today, and although I disagree with some of the positions the author seems to take, it slipped into my ever-growing list of favorites.
"For there is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes."
Sunday, August 3, 2008
ny state of mind
I'll be back in NY in a little over a week, and I must say that I cannot wait. Sorry Florida, but your summers just don't compare. Three and a half weeks of relaxation, trips to Vermont, quality time with old friends/family, and then out to the west coast for my sister's wedding in Portland. Sounds like good times to me.
I am currently burning CDs for Kinard Dean Marshall. He gave me 10 blank CDs and said he wanted 10 must-own albums... so many compromises.
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I really can't get enough of this. Thanks Sara Yousif.
I am currently burning CDs for Kinard Dean Marshall. He gave me 10 blank CDs and said he wanted 10 must-own albums... so many compromises.
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I really can't get enough of this. Thanks Sara Yousif.
every time i blink i have a tiny dream
You know that scene in High Fidelity where Rob comes home to find Laura at the kitchen table reading his list of "Top 5 Dream Jobs" where qualifications and time and history and salary were no object? Number five was Architect, which he said he wasn't even really sure if he'd want to be, so asking him if he'd rather own a record store than be an architect, she crosses it out, saying "There you go then. Dream job number five: record store owner" and smiles.
I think we all have such lists; perhaps not pertaining to careers, or top five records to listen to on a Monday morning, and maybe they aren't written out, or are merely abstract thoughts, but somewhere folded up in the corners of our minds don't we list out our aspirations? Maybe not, but I know I do, and I think sometimes I'm guilty of being like Rob Gordon - squeezing in unnegotiated settlements, number fives that don't quite match, fillers, really, that bump reality out of position. What is it that makes the past and the future sometimes seem more appealing than the present? Eh...who knows.
I've never been much of a carpe diem kind of guy, but I'm thinking lately that there is a time and a place for that kind of attitude. Don't get me wrong here... dreams/aspirations are essential, and I will be clutching onto my own with reckless ambition until they either come true or dissolve, but in the meantime, let's cross out our number fives and write in something here and now, what do you say? After all, you have to make room for surprises, because life is going to throw them at you either way.
In other news I'm finally reading 'Raise High The Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour an Introduction' by JD Salinger. I've been putting it off for so long because I don't want it to be finished. Why did he stop writing for publication? It angers me that he's still alive and has probably been writing some crazy masterpiece during the past forty-some-odd years he's been in seclusion, and he's crazy enough to burn it before he dies. At any rate, I feel a little bit like Desmond with his Dicken's novel, except there was no heartfelt letter from Penny hidden inside mine. (Yes, sometimes I talk like Lost characters are real people... what of it?)
PS - Happy Birthday, Janice.
not bad, dad, not bad
NOT BAD, DAD, NOT BAD
by Jan Heller Levi
I think you are most yourself when you're swimming;
slicing the water with each stroke,
the funny way you breathe, your mouth cocked
as though you're yawning.
You're neither fantastic nor miserable
at getting from here to there.
You wouldn't win any medals, Dad,
but you wouldn't drown.
I think how differently everything might have been
had I judged your loving
like I judge your sidestroke, your butterfly
your Australian crawl.
But I always thought I was drowning
in that icy ocean between us,
I always thought you were moving too slowly to save me,
when you were moving as fast as you can.
happy father's day
by Jan Heller Levi
I think you are most yourself when you're swimming;
slicing the water with each stroke,
the funny way you breathe, your mouth cocked
as though you're yawning.
You're neither fantastic nor miserable
at getting from here to there.
You wouldn't win any medals, Dad,
but you wouldn't drown.
I think how differently everything might have been
had I judged your loving
like I judge your sidestroke, your butterfly
your Australian crawl.
But I always thought I was drowning
in that icy ocean between us,
I always thought you were moving too slowly to save me,
when you were moving as fast as you can.
happy father's day
i'll put their jam on my toast any day
This evening I had the pleasure attending a Pearl Jam concert. This was my sixth time seeing them; and just like the wine that Eddie Vedder drinks straight out of the bottle on stage, I think it just gets better as time goes on. Kings of Leon opened for them, so not only was I able to see one of my all-time favorite bands, but I saw one of my new favorite bands at the same show. It was absolutely incredible - only one thing was missing, really, but I won't get into that. I am still reeling from the experience, and have very little to say, actually, but somehow feel like sharing the experience. So the following is merely the set-list for the show, lined with marginal notes/lyrics/etc.
First off: Kings of Leon. amazing. They played Fans (my favorite) and On Call (which I think sounded even better live) amongst a few other wonderful tunes. Some of which were new. They did not play Charmer, which both Dave and I were desperately hoping they would, but still, we couldn't complain. They were great.
Main Act:
Sometimes - "Seek my part. Devote myself. My small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf. Sometimes I know. Sometimes I rise. Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I cringe. Sometimes I live. Sometimes I walk. Sometimes I kneel. Sometimes I speak of nothing at all. Sometimes I reach to myself. Dear God." It was a brilliant opening: calming but laced with anticipatory awesomeness.
Corduroy - During this little ditty Eddie changed the lyrics from "can't buy what I want because it's free" to "can't buy what I want because PEACE IS FREE" And I remembered why I loved him. He also danced all over the place, which didn't end after this song. He danced a lot tonight. It was great.
Why Go - Any song off 'Ten' will elicit great appreciation from the crowd and this was no exception. I loved watching the crowd's hands flow up and down during this one.
Severed Hand - I'm pretty sure this song is about dropping acid or something, but it's still great.
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town - Before this song Eddie said (more or less verbatim): "I thought we were in Tampa, but doesn't the name of this place include something about St. Petersburg? And look, there's a Canadian flag (points to back). Where the fuck are we?"
Marker In The Sand - "There is a sickness, a sickness coming over me. Like watching freedom, being sucked straight out to sea. And the solution? Well, from me far would let it be. But the delusion is feeling dangerous to me."
Light Years - "With heavy breath, awakened regrets, back pages and days alone that could have been spent together. But we were miles apart. Every inch between us becomes light years now. And wherever you've gone, and wherever we might go, it don't seem fair. You seemed to like it here. Your light's reflected now, reflected from afar: we were but stones, your light made us stars"
Down - Just an all-around fun song.
Wishlist - "I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on. I wish I was the pedal break that you depended on. I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and I never let you down." Beautiful, as always, plus he changed the lyrics and said "I wish I was the sight of 50 million Floridian's hands upraised and open towards the sky." which was great, especially because everyone had their hands up as the lights danced across the crowd.
Given To Fly - He dedicated this song to his favorite baseball player who was in the audience. There was a great story involved, but I won't be sharing that.
Daughter - They DID NOT go into a cover song here, which kind of disappointed me, because they always do. C'est la vie.
Even Flow - Crowd pleaser. Eddie left the stage for like 5 minutes and let the rest of the band go crazy. McCready went nuts. It was cool.
Present Tense - It makes much more sense to live in the present tense
Insignificance - Charlie asked that I call him during this if they played it. I did. He texted me shortly afterwards. It said: that was better than sex. He might have been right.
Better Man - Classic.
Do The Evolution - I saw them perform this at Madison Square Garden and afterwards Eddie came out and told the crowd that the stage was bumping up and down during the song and that it "scared the shit out of them", and then said he was just informed that the stage only shook like that for three other people: Greatful Dead, Iron Maiden, and Bruce Springsteen. And then said "And we're really happy to be a part of that crowd." So it was pretty hard to top that one, but it was good anyway.
ENCORE BREAK 1 - I went to the bathroom, and spoke briefly to Mr. Cory Lovell and Ms. Sara Yousif, which was cool in and of itself.
Nothingman - "Somethings when spoken can't be taken back"
Black - "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life. I know you'll be a star; in somebody else's sky. Why oh why can't it be mine?" I've heard this song a million times, but still gets me every time.
Life Wasted -They kicked it up on this one. It was great. The lights were amazing.
Porch - By far the best performance of Porch I have ever seen.
ENCORE BREAK 2 - I sat down for the first time... for about 2 minutes.
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - Eddie came out by himself and played a beatles cover. First he mentioned something political. Some dude in front of me was very, VERY angry, he was flipping off the stage with both hands. I laughed. Poor bastard. But then again I liked what he said. Politics are funny that way. "Gather 'round all you clowns, let me hear you say: HEY! you've got to hide your love away."
Alive - All the house lights went up for these last two songs. It was surreal. You could watch everyone in the entire stadium dance around with Pearl Jam. Hah. I was in all my glory.
Yellow Ledbetter - Since this song differs so much every time they play it in terms of lyrical content and attitude/overall tone, I have a hard time explaining it, except to say it was a beautiful ending. I am including two youtube videos of the performance, for your viewing pleasure. A mix between these two versions is somewhere where they landed this evening.
The first is from their show at Madison Square Garden, which I already explained that I was at, and which is also on DVD, and also which I highly recommend you watch, unless you've ever been over to my house, because in that case I have probably already forced you to watch it.
And the second is them playing the song with a crying fan on stage. Eddie is sitting down, holding her hand, singing the song. It's beautiful. You can see the compassion. I love it. This is why I love Eddie Vedder. I think he'd hold my hand if I was crying.
"Cheers. We love you. Peace. Be Good to one another. Muah! Goodnight. Goodbye."
What a great night.
First off: Kings of Leon. amazing. They played Fans (my favorite) and On Call (which I think sounded even better live) amongst a few other wonderful tunes. Some of which were new. They did not play Charmer, which both Dave and I were desperately hoping they would, but still, we couldn't complain. They were great.
Main Act:
Sometimes - "Seek my part. Devote myself. My small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf. Sometimes I know. Sometimes I rise. Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I cringe. Sometimes I live. Sometimes I walk. Sometimes I kneel. Sometimes I speak of nothing at all. Sometimes I reach to myself. Dear God." It was a brilliant opening: calming but laced with anticipatory awesomeness.
Corduroy - During this little ditty Eddie changed the lyrics from "can't buy what I want because it's free" to "can't buy what I want because PEACE IS FREE" And I remembered why I loved him. He also danced all over the place, which didn't end after this song. He danced a lot tonight. It was great.
Why Go - Any song off 'Ten' will elicit great appreciation from the crowd and this was no exception. I loved watching the crowd's hands flow up and down during this one.
Severed Hand - I'm pretty sure this song is about dropping acid or something, but it's still great.
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town - Before this song Eddie said (more or less verbatim): "I thought we were in Tampa, but doesn't the name of this place include something about St. Petersburg? And look, there's a Canadian flag (points to back). Where the fuck are we?"
Marker In The Sand - "There is a sickness, a sickness coming over me. Like watching freedom, being sucked straight out to sea. And the solution? Well, from me far would let it be. But the delusion is feeling dangerous to me."
Light Years - "With heavy breath, awakened regrets, back pages and days alone that could have been spent together. But we were miles apart. Every inch between us becomes light years now. And wherever you've gone, and wherever we might go, it don't seem fair. You seemed to like it here. Your light's reflected now, reflected from afar: we were but stones, your light made us stars"
Down - Just an all-around fun song.
Wishlist - "I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on. I wish I was the pedal break that you depended on. I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and I never let you down." Beautiful, as always, plus he changed the lyrics and said "I wish I was the sight of 50 million Floridian's hands upraised and open towards the sky." which was great, especially because everyone had their hands up as the lights danced across the crowd.
Given To Fly - He dedicated this song to his favorite baseball player who was in the audience. There was a great story involved, but I won't be sharing that.
Daughter - They DID NOT go into a cover song here, which kind of disappointed me, because they always do. C'est la vie.
Even Flow - Crowd pleaser. Eddie left the stage for like 5 minutes and let the rest of the band go crazy. McCready went nuts. It was cool.
Present Tense - It makes much more sense to live in the present tense
Insignificance - Charlie asked that I call him during this if they played it. I did. He texted me shortly afterwards. It said: that was better than sex. He might have been right.
Better Man - Classic.
Do The Evolution - I saw them perform this at Madison Square Garden and afterwards Eddie came out and told the crowd that the stage was bumping up and down during the song and that it "scared the shit out of them", and then said he was just informed that the stage only shook like that for three other people: Greatful Dead, Iron Maiden, and Bruce Springsteen. And then said "And we're really happy to be a part of that crowd." So it was pretty hard to top that one, but it was good anyway.
ENCORE BREAK 1 - I went to the bathroom, and spoke briefly to Mr. Cory Lovell and Ms. Sara Yousif, which was cool in and of itself.
Nothingman - "Somethings when spoken can't be taken back"
Black - "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life. I know you'll be a star; in somebody else's sky. Why oh why can't it be mine?" I've heard this song a million times, but still gets me every time.
Life Wasted -They kicked it up on this one. It was great. The lights were amazing.
Porch - By far the best performance of Porch I have ever seen.
ENCORE BREAK 2 - I sat down for the first time... for about 2 minutes.
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - Eddie came out by himself and played a beatles cover. First he mentioned something political. Some dude in front of me was very, VERY angry, he was flipping off the stage with both hands. I laughed. Poor bastard. But then again I liked what he said. Politics are funny that way. "Gather 'round all you clowns, let me hear you say: HEY! you've got to hide your love away."
Alive - All the house lights went up for these last two songs. It was surreal. You could watch everyone in the entire stadium dance around with Pearl Jam. Hah. I was in all my glory.
Yellow Ledbetter - Since this song differs so much every time they play it in terms of lyrical content and attitude/overall tone, I have a hard time explaining it, except to say it was a beautiful ending. I am including two youtube videos of the performance, for your viewing pleasure. A mix between these two versions is somewhere where they landed this evening.
The first is from their show at Madison Square Garden, which I already explained that I was at, and which is also on DVD, and also which I highly recommend you watch, unless you've ever been over to my house, because in that case I have probably already forced you to watch it.
And the second is them playing the song with a crying fan on stage. Eddie is sitting down, holding her hand, singing the song. It's beautiful. You can see the compassion. I love it. This is why I love Eddie Vedder. I think he'd hold my hand if I was crying.
"Cheers. We love you. Peace. Be Good to one another. Muah! Goodnight. Goodbye."
What a great night.
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