Here is where I got the name of my blog from...
My friend from college Sean and I saw him at a really small club in Biloxi in 1996. His second CD Lie To Me had just come out. There were about 50 people there. What a great concert!
I can't believe it's been 13 years!
I haven't seen Sean since around 2001. The last I heard, he was living in a writing commune in Canada somewhere, and he had gotten married for the second time.
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If you want to check out more of Jonny Lang, I recommend this one...
Or this unplugged performance (Embedding disabled)
Friday, October 02, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
This Season's Tough DVR Choices
At the beginning of every TV season, I face tough choices. My DVR will record two and only two shows at once. Three times during the week, I have at least three TV shows that I'd like to record on at the exact same time.
Here are my choices and my decisions.
Wednesdays at 8 pm Choices:
Criminal Minds (CBS)
Glee (Fox)
Modern Family (ABC)
Decision: I would love to support Modern Family because it has a gay couple, but Glee is even more gay than Modern Family so I also want to support that show. As far as Criminal Minds, that's a must see. I have decided to DVR the first two and watch Modern Family via ABC's web site.
Thursdays at 7 pm Choices:
Survivor (CBS)
FlashForward (ABC)
The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
Bones (Fox)
Decision: Survivor is a must see. Bones is definitely the least of the four. That leaves FlashForward and The Vampire Diaries. I sampled episode two of The Vampire Diaries the week before FlashForward debuted. It's interesting only for the shirtless scenes of Ian Somerhalder, which I can find online. I have decided to DVR Survivor and FlashForward.
Sundays at 7 pm Choices:
Jonas (Disney)
Criminal Minds - repeat of earlier episodes (A&E)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Decision: This is an easy choice. Jonas is immediately out. That leaves the other two shows. Done.
----------------
What would you do? Do you have any similar dilemmas?
Here are my choices and my decisions.
Wednesdays at 8 pm Choices:
Criminal Minds (CBS)
Glee (Fox)
Modern Family (ABC)
Decision: I would love to support Modern Family because it has a gay couple, but Glee is even more gay than Modern Family so I also want to support that show. As far as Criminal Minds, that's a must see. I have decided to DVR the first two and watch Modern Family via ABC's web site.
Thursdays at 7 pm Choices:
Survivor (CBS)
FlashForward (ABC)
The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
Bones (Fox)
Decision: Survivor is a must see. Bones is definitely the least of the four. That leaves FlashForward and The Vampire Diaries. I sampled episode two of The Vampire Diaries the week before FlashForward debuted. It's interesting only for the shirtless scenes of Ian Somerhalder, which I can find online. I have decided to DVR Survivor and FlashForward.
Sundays at 7 pm Choices:
Jonas (Disney)
Criminal Minds - repeat of earlier episodes (A&E)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Decision: This is an easy choice. Jonas is immediately out. That leaves the other two shows. Done.
----------------
What would you do? Do you have any similar dilemmas?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Rediscovery: Lone Justice (plus U2 and The Beatles)
Back in college, I was a DJ on my college radio station - for all five years. (One day, I'll go into the details of all my different shows and on-air partners, and other adventures we had there.)
I was always looking for songs with long intros. We had to make announcements - "Right now it is 85 degrees, partly cloudy with a 60 percent chance of rain here in Natchitoches. This afternoon's intramural softball game has been moved to...". We tried to make the announcements with music in the background.
U2's Where The Streets Have No Name was a favorite of mine to use. It had almost two minutes of build up before it kicked in. I could relay the weather, college football scores and weekend club schedule in that time.
Another of my favorites to use was Lone Justice's song Shelter. I was thinking of it recently because Carlos put it on a mixed CD for me. (He and I each brought 5 mixed CD's to our recent trip to Florida.)
I did find the video for Shelter...
Twenty plus years later, it's still a cool song.
---------------
I'm sure most of you realize U2's video is an homage to the Beatles famous rooftop concert, but I thought I'd point it out anyway.
Here is a clip from their final film Let It Be, documenting the event - the Beatles final concert EVER...
The Beatles are still so universally known that I merely input "Beatles rooftop" into YouTube's search engine to find the clip.
John Lennon: "And I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and myself, and I hope we passed the audition."
I still can't believe he died at 40 years old. I'm 42 now. I was 12 when he died.
I was always looking for songs with long intros. We had to make announcements - "Right now it is 85 degrees, partly cloudy with a 60 percent chance of rain here in Natchitoches. This afternoon's intramural softball game has been moved to...". We tried to make the announcements with music in the background.
U2's Where The Streets Have No Name was a favorite of mine to use. It had almost two minutes of build up before it kicked in. I could relay the weather, college football scores and weekend club schedule in that time.
Another of my favorites to use was Lone Justice's song Shelter. I was thinking of it recently because Carlos put it on a mixed CD for me. (He and I each brought 5 mixed CD's to our recent trip to Florida.)
I did find the video for Shelter...
Twenty plus years later, it's still a cool song.
---------------
I'm sure most of you realize U2's video is an homage to the Beatles famous rooftop concert, but I thought I'd point it out anyway.
Here is a clip from their final film Let It Be, documenting the event - the Beatles final concert EVER...
The Beatles are still so universally known that I merely input "Beatles rooftop" into YouTube's search engine to find the clip.
John Lennon: "And I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and myself, and I hope we passed the audition."
I still can't believe he died at 40 years old. I'm 42 now. I was 12 when he died.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Must See Glee TV
Is anyone else watching Glee, the gayest show on TV right now?
Here's a clip from this week's episode...
Here's a clip from this week's episode...
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"Top Chef" Judge: Top Notch Comment
Ashley is a contestant on this season's "Top Chef". (If you are not familiar with the show, go here.)
She is also a lesbian - and objected to one of recent challenges, involving a bachelor/bachelorette party.
On his blog, "Top Chef" judge Tom Colicchio writes one of the best, concise responses in favor of gay marriage:
This week, our chefs cooked for joint bachelor/bachelorette parties, and Ashley spoke articulately about her dismay and discomfort cooking to celebrate an upcoming wedding when gay people are still denied the right to wed throughout most of the world. I’m going to go out on a limb and say a few words about same-sex marriage: First of all, part of the problem with the issue is that it is framed by opponents as a discussion of whether gay people should get special rights. This is specious – yes, special legislation or court decisions grant them the right to wed in a particular state, however this is done to ensure that they share equal protection under the law by finally being able to avail themselves of the same rights as everyone else. They are not seeking special treatment, just equitable treatment.
Second, religion has no business being part of the discussion. When a couple is wed in a house of worship, the officiant may be performing a religious rite, but as far as the law is concerned, that officiant has been authorized to perform a civil function, plain and simple. And even were same-sex marriage to be legalized by the state, no one would be holding a gun to the heads of the clergy to require them to perform a ceremony that their faith or personal creed does not condone. Just as some rabbis would not perform my marriage to my wife because I wasn’t Jewish, clergy can decline performing same-sex marriages; gay couples can either find clergy willing to officiate or can be wed in a civil setting. The idea that religious leaders are continuing to shape state law is just wrong. The institution of marriage should be available to all. The idea that you can have a life-long partner and not make decisions for them in a hospital, not share in insurance benefits, not automatically have parental rights unless you are the birth parent, is just flat-out wrong.
To read the rest of his blog entry, and how his opinion relates to the TV show, go here.
She is also a lesbian - and objected to one of recent challenges, involving a bachelor/bachelorette party.
On his blog, "Top Chef" judge Tom Colicchio writes one of the best, concise responses in favor of gay marriage:
This week, our chefs cooked for joint bachelor/bachelorette parties, and Ashley spoke articulately about her dismay and discomfort cooking to celebrate an upcoming wedding when gay people are still denied the right to wed throughout most of the world. I’m going to go out on a limb and say a few words about same-sex marriage: First of all, part of the problem with the issue is that it is framed by opponents as a discussion of whether gay people should get special rights. This is specious – yes, special legislation or court decisions grant them the right to wed in a particular state, however this is done to ensure that they share equal protection under the law by finally being able to avail themselves of the same rights as everyone else. They are not seeking special treatment, just equitable treatment.
Second, religion has no business being part of the discussion. When a couple is wed in a house of worship, the officiant may be performing a religious rite, but as far as the law is concerned, that officiant has been authorized to perform a civil function, plain and simple. And even were same-sex marriage to be legalized by the state, no one would be holding a gun to the heads of the clergy to require them to perform a ceremony that their faith or personal creed does not condone. Just as some rabbis would not perform my marriage to my wife because I wasn’t Jewish, clergy can decline performing same-sex marriages; gay couples can either find clergy willing to officiate or can be wed in a civil setting. The idea that religious leaders are continuing to shape state law is just wrong. The institution of marriage should be available to all. The idea that you can have a life-long partner and not make decisions for them in a hospital, not share in insurance benefits, not automatically have parental rights unless you are the birth parent, is just flat-out wrong.
To read the rest of his blog entry, and how his opinion relates to the TV show, go here.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Bennie and the 27 Dresses
One day I'll have to make a top ten list of Top Ten Best Uses of an Elton John Song in a Movie.
Until then, here's an addition to my Almost Famous coupled with Tiny Dancer post -
27 Dresses coupled with Bennie and the Jets.
Bonus: It has one of my Top 20 Favorite Stars of All Time - James Marsden. (Here's my original post. James Marsden is #11!.)
Until then, here's an addition to my Almost Famous coupled with Tiny Dancer post -
27 Dresses coupled with Bennie and the Jets.
Bonus: It has one of my Top 20 Favorite Stars of All Time - James Marsden. (Here's my original post. James Marsden is #11!.)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Pro-Gay Christian Billboards Spark Debate
I found the below article here, one of my daily stops.
-------------------
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ― Christine Lutz was traveling down Interstate-30, just east of Fort Worth, when she came face to face with a billboard containing a pro-gay message. "I cringed. I was disgusted at the same time," she said.
The billboard angered Lutz so much, that she fired off a stern e-mail. "I said how dare you take the scriptures and twist it to fit your needs," she recalled.
There are four billboards with similar pro-gay messages along I-30 that have started a debate among Christians in North Texas.
Rev. Jon Haack, with Promise Metropolitan Community Church, said, "If we go back to the gospel readings, we don't find anything within those texts that discriminate or exclude against gay and lesbian people. Gay and lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people are part of God's creation too."
Rev. Haack is with one of five local churches sponsoring the billboards that advocate gay acceptance by all Christians.
One billboard reads, "The early church welcomed a gay man." Another one reads, "Jesus affirmed a gay couple."
The billboards were put up a week ago along I-30 between Grand Prairie and Fort Worth and the negative e-mails are already coming in. "There are people who have told us to reread our Bible which is the very question we're asking others to do," explained Rev. Colleen Darruagh, with Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Dallas. "We've had people say, 'How dare you take the name of God in vain' and that God hates homosexuals."
Pastor Sam Dennis, of Parkway Hills Baptist Church in Plano, says Christians shouldn't hate gays. He disagrees however with the billboards' use of scripture to back a pro-gay message. "I'm hard pressed to find that scripture advocates that it's alright to live in a gay lifestyle. Just like I'm hard pressed to find that scripture advocates that's it's alright to live in an adulterous relationship or as a wife abuser or as a murderer."
The five local churches sponsoring the billboards are part of the Worldwide Metropolitan Community Church which has a predominantly gay congregation.
The roadside signs will be up in North Texas throughout September. For a closer look at the billboards check out the website www.whywouldwe.org and www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org.
---------------
I love the irony: "The billboard angered Lutz so much, that she fired off a stern e-mail. 'I said how dare you take the scriptures and twist it to fit your needs,' she recalled."
-------------------
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ― Christine Lutz was traveling down Interstate-30, just east of Fort Worth, when she came face to face with a billboard containing a pro-gay message. "I cringed. I was disgusted at the same time," she said.
The billboard angered Lutz so much, that she fired off a stern e-mail. "I said how dare you take the scriptures and twist it to fit your needs," she recalled.
There are four billboards with similar pro-gay messages along I-30 that have started a debate among Christians in North Texas.
Rev. Jon Haack, with Promise Metropolitan Community Church, said, "If we go back to the gospel readings, we don't find anything within those texts that discriminate or exclude against gay and lesbian people. Gay and lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people are part of God's creation too."
Rev. Haack is with one of five local churches sponsoring the billboards that advocate gay acceptance by all Christians.
One billboard reads, "The early church welcomed a gay man." Another one reads, "Jesus affirmed a gay couple."
The billboards were put up a week ago along I-30 between Grand Prairie and Fort Worth and the negative e-mails are already coming in. "There are people who have told us to reread our Bible which is the very question we're asking others to do," explained Rev. Colleen Darruagh, with Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Dallas. "We've had people say, 'How dare you take the name of God in vain' and that God hates homosexuals."
Pastor Sam Dennis, of Parkway Hills Baptist Church in Plano, says Christians shouldn't hate gays. He disagrees however with the billboards' use of scripture to back a pro-gay message. "I'm hard pressed to find that scripture advocates that it's alright to live in a gay lifestyle. Just like I'm hard pressed to find that scripture advocates that's it's alright to live in an adulterous relationship or as a wife abuser or as a murderer."
The five local churches sponsoring the billboards are part of the Worldwide Metropolitan Community Church which has a predominantly gay congregation.
The roadside signs will be up in North Texas throughout September. For a closer look at the billboards check out the website www.whywouldwe.org and www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org.
---------------
I love the irony: "The billboard angered Lutz so much, that she fired off a stern e-mail. 'I said how dare you take the scriptures and twist it to fit your needs,' she recalled."
Emails From Crazy People
My friend Vincent sent me a link to the site Emails From Crazy People. I think I will submit one that I received recently.
------------------------------
Remember: Assume any email you send will be read by the entire world.
NOTE: The names have been changed to protect privacy, but the words are exactly as written. I have even left the punctuation and capitalization as I received it.
The Players (all of these are my family members) -
Abbey: Ronald’s wife (age 66)
Marie: Abbey/Mark’s sister (age 60)
Mark: Abbey/Marie’s brother, and Myra’s husband (age 63)
Myra: Mark’s wife (age 63)
Ronald: Abbey’s husband (age 73)
Craig: Mark and Myra’s oldest son (age 34)
Suzie: Craig’s girlfriend (age 33)
Annie: Mark and Myra’s youngest daughter (age 20)
Cameron: Annie’s boyfriend (age 22)
Garrett: Mark and Myra’s second oldest son (age 31)
Connie: Garrett’s wife (age 31)
Joseph: Mark and Myra’s third oldest son (age 28)
I know it’s probably hard to keep track if you don’t actually know these people, but the names don’t really matter.
Email from Marie to her sister Abbey, commenting on their brother Mark’s email: Get a load of Mark’s life!
with this email forwarded –
I think I have finally reached my limit as to the number of problems I can handle at once. Still putting in 10-12 hour days and falling increasingly behind. Then last week a critical person announced he has had enough so he is leaving which will mean even more work for the rest of us. Our landlord is give us a hassle about us moving out, so much so that I am having to go get a lawyer (Myra doesn’t know this yet). Myra still in therapy and in pain but getting better. Not making any progress on the lot. We have everyone pushed to the limit on the jobs to where tempers are flaring. My nose runs and my feet smell, and the only light in the tunnel is coming home to a nice home cooked meal and falling asleep in the recliner. I have missed the last 2 date nights but nice Myra still lets me date (I can only date people with the initials of MDM). With Craig and Suzie moving out into their new house, Annie wants Cameron to move in, which we are against, and she accuses me of having a double standard which I readily admit to but it doesn’t settle the argument. I keep telling her she can move into her own apartment at her own expense which usually settles the argument. Now she is bringing up security, safety, four eyes are better than two but I remind her of her grandmother’s (Myra’s mom) saying, “a stiff prick has no bounds” . Connie want babies but Garrett wants to finish his schooling so Myra wants to start her own bailout program with our retirement nest egg. Joseph is desperate for someone from his family to move over to the tri cities so Myra is looking at condos on line in that area and I have no idea how we would afford anything like that. Did I mention about the nose and feet? My typing sucks and my spelling is worse, thank goodness I don’t care.
The email was then forwarded from Abbey to Ronald, who replied back to Abbey and Mark:
Mark just remember this too will Pass but we will always love you and be with you in spirit try deep breathing Your old BROTHER IN law Ronald
Except that instead of forwarding the email to Mark, he inadvertently forwarded it to a distribution list of his that I had set up for him – that emailed our entire extended family.
Again, assume any email you send will be read by the entire world.
Our family is still laughing about this!
------------------------------
Remember: Assume any email you send will be read by the entire world.
NOTE: The names have been changed to protect privacy, but the words are exactly as written. I have even left the punctuation and capitalization as I received it.
The Players (all of these are my family members) -
Abbey: Ronald’s wife (age 66)
Marie: Abbey/Mark’s sister (age 60)
Mark: Abbey/Marie’s brother, and Myra’s husband (age 63)
Myra: Mark’s wife (age 63)
Ronald: Abbey’s husband (age 73)
Craig: Mark and Myra’s oldest son (age 34)
Suzie: Craig’s girlfriend (age 33)
Annie: Mark and Myra’s youngest daughter (age 20)
Cameron: Annie’s boyfriend (age 22)
Garrett: Mark and Myra’s second oldest son (age 31)
Connie: Garrett’s wife (age 31)
Joseph: Mark and Myra’s third oldest son (age 28)
I know it’s probably hard to keep track if you don’t actually know these people, but the names don’t really matter.
Email from Marie to her sister Abbey, commenting on their brother Mark’s email: Get a load of Mark’s life!
with this email forwarded –
I think I have finally reached my limit as to the number of problems I can handle at once. Still putting in 10-12 hour days and falling increasingly behind. Then last week a critical person announced he has had enough so he is leaving which will mean even more work for the rest of us. Our landlord is give us a hassle about us moving out, so much so that I am having to go get a lawyer (Myra doesn’t know this yet). Myra still in therapy and in pain but getting better. Not making any progress on the lot. We have everyone pushed to the limit on the jobs to where tempers are flaring. My nose runs and my feet smell, and the only light in the tunnel is coming home to a nice home cooked meal and falling asleep in the recliner. I have missed the last 2 date nights but nice Myra still lets me date (I can only date people with the initials of MDM). With Craig and Suzie moving out into their new house, Annie wants Cameron to move in, which we are against, and she accuses me of having a double standard which I readily admit to but it doesn’t settle the argument. I keep telling her she can move into her own apartment at her own expense which usually settles the argument. Now she is bringing up security, safety, four eyes are better than two but I remind her of her grandmother’s (Myra’s mom) saying, “a stiff prick has no bounds” . Connie want babies but Garrett wants to finish his schooling so Myra wants to start her own bailout program with our retirement nest egg. Joseph is desperate for someone from his family to move over to the tri cities so Myra is looking at condos on line in that area and I have no idea how we would afford anything like that. Did I mention about the nose and feet? My typing sucks and my spelling is worse, thank goodness I don’t care.
The email was then forwarded from Abbey to Ronald, who replied back to Abbey and Mark:
Mark just remember this too will Pass but we will always love you and be with you in spirit try deep breathing Your old BROTHER IN law Ronald
Except that instead of forwarding the email to Mark, he inadvertently forwarded it to a distribution list of his that I had set up for him – that emailed our entire extended family.
Again, assume any email you send will be read by the entire world.
Our family is still laughing about this!
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