Those endless days, those sacred days

Yawwwwwwwn

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 04:16:11 GMT

It's 1:12 a.m. and I'm at my desk trying to finish a story I should have written earlier today but couldn't because I got stuck with a musicians' union story that ultimately went nowhere and didn't even get close to the real goings on because nobody would talk about it. Oh well.

Plus, I had to review Randy Travis. It wasn't so bad, he's pretty charming and the guy can sing. At least there was a minimum of flag waving, and even the gospel stuff was entertaining. I expected something a lot more maudlin, but the guy's got chops. It doesn't hurt that his biggest influence is George Jones.

However, I also have to review George Canyon on Thursday. Enough with the big-jawed country crooners!

Okay, back to writing, after a trip to the coin-op coffee machine (it's Timothy's, much better than the free sludge in the lunchroom). Then I have to bike home, probably around 2 a.m. Wish me luck!

bleh

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:55:32 GMT

Well....no houseguest. At least my house is tidy....ish.

Anybody up for anything?

Noir.....non.

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:06:09 GMT

Crap, I just realized that I have a houseguest on Saturday night (a certain Vancouver accordion player of Jewish extraction) who will likely be passed out on a hide-a-bed in the very vicinity of where mini-Cineswac would be taking place.

Frankly, there's so much stuff going on this week it's making my head spin...

Night Ranger! NOOOOOOO!

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 03:06:16 GMT

Geez Louise this made me laugh SO HARD.

OXFORD STREET! YESTERDAY!!!!

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:17:06 GMT

Holy. Crap.

No more fiddling about

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 16:56:37 GMT

Got back from Celtic Colours at 3:30 a.m. I considered driving back to the Gaelic College in St. Ann's after the concert in Judique, but then thought that the hour-and-a-half it would take to drive there could be better put to use getting me halfway towards putting me in my own bed. As it was, I wound up going to The Red Shoe for an hour or so (I confess, Sabra MacGillivray twisted my rubber arm) to hear Troy MacGillivray (on fiddle, not piano, at which he is a whiz) and Allan Dewar, plus a cameo by the great Brenda Stubbert.

I am not from Cape Breton, I have no family in Cape Breton, I've never even dated a Cape Bretoner (my first girlfriend Cathy had a stepmom from Sydney, but there was no love lost between them, and Cathy hated the place), but I do have a fondness for the place, and the music, at least when it's played by the real legends, like Brenda or Buddy MacMaster (who still sounds magnificent, despite his declining health at 82) or Howie MacDonald, who is also one of the funniest people on earth. I was all set to go to bed in the wee hours of Sunday morning at the Gaelic College when Howie showed up. I knew I had to stick around for a little while longer. Then there's Dwayne Cote, who can be an odd guy at the best of times, but plays with the skill of a classical virtuoso and the soul of an old man who's seen it all. He's truly a savant, and the fifteen minutes of playing I heard from him at the Festival Club in St. Ann's was pure joy.

It was also a teetotalling weekend, no booze for me (which is saying something when you're spending five days in Cape Breton) because it never seemed like I wasn't working (you can find my pieces at The Chronicle Herald website), especially since someone decided it would be a good idea if I took photos this year. Without me getting paid any extra. This also happened at the ECMAs in Charlottetown and Stanfest in Canso, and the Bluesfest at Alderney Landing. I'd better start taking those mental health days...

I did fall of a different wagon though, eating fried chicken not once, but twice, stopping at the A&K Lick-A-Chick in Bras d'Or on Saturday before the concert in Boularderie, for a heaping dose of greasy goodness. Then on Monday on my way to Judique I noticed the Country Market in Whycocomagh had a big sign promising fried chicken and ribs, so I figured, "When in Rome..." and succumbed to the urge again, defying the laws of my quarterly diet (guilty pleasures allowed, once per season). My logic here is that it was really the same meal, just separated by a little two-day break while I got my breath back. Besides, I think the Whycocomagh chicken might have been a tad tastier than the A&K. Sacrilege, I know, but it was a shade less greasy, and not quite so salty, plus it came with taters, so full marks all around.

Now I just have to file my story from last night, which I wrote while the concert was taking place, and file my feeble attempts at photography, and I have the rest of the day to myself. Any suggestions? I'm thinking either a matinee, late lunch and NYT crossword at One World, or finally sitting down and making that chronological Rolling Stones MP3 disc, covering the band from its first recorded Chuck Berry cover up to its Decca Record deal-ending recording Cocksucker Blues.

Wish me luck.

Reports of my death being humourous are highly exaggerated

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:55:21 GMT

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Mr. Cooke, if you're nasty

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:13:43 GMT

Purchase of the week:

Found this at Sam's for $29.99, a collection of 99 risque R&B tracks from the end of the Second World War up to the mid-'50s. I have some of this stuff already, but there's an overwhelming amount of material on here I'm unfamiliar with, and figured I'd bite the bullet and check it out. Most of these songs I imagine are merely suggestive, with the word "rock" in the title, meant to fill in for another four-letter word that ends in "ck". But tunes like It Ain't the Meat (It's the Motion) by The Swallows and Wynonnie Harris's Keep On Churnin' (Till the Butter Comes) don't leave much to the imagination.

I doubt anything on here is as filthy as, say, Lucille Bogan's Shave 'Em Dry (Google search the lyrics and you'll know what I mean), but this set is from Germany, so you never know. In the meantime, I can't wait to get home so I can blast Doc Sausage's Sausage Rock.

One ringiedingie...

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:17:41 GMT

Maine broadcaster Eddie Driscoll passes away at 81.

If you're my age, and you grew up in Nova Scotia, Driscoll was a legend. A complete nutbar who seemed to have the run of a TV station in Bangor, and had no fear of being outrageous and goofy on camera. His show The Great Money Movie (they'd flash the word of the day onscreen during a lousy movie, usually starring Doug McClure, or maybe one of those live action Spider-Man TV shows, and pick a postcard out of the barrel) was a perennial favourite, which me and my friends would watch after school, sometimes with the aid of certain substances. Occasionally there's be a monster movie: I distinctly remember seeing Tarantula, and also War of the Gargantuas. Ah, good times.

WLBZ has a page with Driscoll's obit, and also a link to the news story that ran, which has some nice archival footage. Enjoy!

Paint it blech

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 02:38:52 GMT

Simon sent me a link to a fun Now profile of my good friend Frank. BTW, I gave him the Witchiepoo ring. Thank Yahweh I found two of them (and two Banana Splits rings).

Oh yeah, the Rolling Stones were here. The show was a lot of fun, lots of pyro and so on. Still, I bet I'd enjoy a Keith Richards solo show even more.

It's only r'n'r and I'm not sure if I like it anymore

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 20:48:19 GMT

I still find it kind of hard to believe The Rolling Stones are going to be performing more or less two blocks from my front door.

I don't have the option of leaving town, I have to be down there in the thick of things kicking ass and taking notes. Or something like that.

I keep reminding myself that it will be a good show, Sloan and Kanye West will certainly have enjoyable sets, and there are worse things than having to watch Alice Cooper twice in six months. The Stones' set will be a spectacular extravaganza--the rock and roll equivalent of Disneyland--and will be enjoyed as such. I saw the set list for Boston a few nights ago, and it included some pleasant surprises like Sway and Monkey Man (sort of like when they did Live With Me in Moncton and I nearly lost it then). I imagine Saturday's show will be slightly different, but I'm hoping there are a few obscurities to please the diehards.

I've heard they open with Paint It Black...for some reason that song just doesn't sound right anymore coming from this band, and neither does Ruby Tuesday. Another time and age, I guess.

It's sad seeing the Halifax Common turned into an armed camp though (not to mention a nuisance for getting to work). I'm glad I don't have to go anywhere near a vehicle on Saturday.

I can't say I'm not looking forward to a relaxing Sunday though...anybody up for dim sum?

White 'n' Nerdy

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 13:08:44 GMT

This one's for robotropolis.

(Hmmm...when I go to update my LJ, it says "Update Captain's Log." WTF? I'm not that nerdy! Wait...is it International Talk Like a Pirate Day?)

La belle ville

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:56:09 GMT

I have lots of friends in Montreal, and I love the city, so when something like yesterday's shooting rampage at Dawson College takes place, it's naturally quite alarming and my first thoughts are of those close to me and hopes that they were out of harm's way. Then you think the odds of someone you know being directly in the path of something like this as being fairly slim in a city of millions.

Then you read a message board post by a good friend currently studying in Montreal:

I had morning class yesterday and my first close call came when I decided to skip my afternoon class. Usually I would have gone to the atrium for lunch but I decided to go to the computer lab and check my email and be snarky on locals then go home.
Around 12:40 a student ran into the lab and said there was shots being fired on campus and to get out. Everyone started to file out and this was my second close call as I started to head towards the atrium to exit. Luckily a teacher grabbed me and everyone else in the hallway and shunted us into a class room. He turned off the lights and locked the door and instruced us stay quiet and hide under desks or at the back of the room. I assumed it was a prank or unrelated gunplay from like down the block or something and that this was over-reaction. My cell phone wasn't working because the network was swamped. The teacher stayed in touch with 9-11 and about 20 minutes later a team of police brandishing weapons hustled us out of there. This is when I realized something really fucked up was going on.
I joined a chaos of hundreds of people filling the streets. The streets were blocked off, police filled the area, the metro was down. Waves of confused and scared people made up of dawson students, local shoppers, workers, people who live in the area, merchants etc pulsed away from dawson while babbling confused rumours of what was happening.
I found a payphone and called family to reassue them. Unable to get home and a little in shock I walked the streets my cell started working and right away started ringing. I spent a long time answering my cell phone for call after call. When that let up I started calling people to tell them I was fine.
I did three media interviews that aftertoon telling how I bravely hid under a desk and re-iterating that since I havn't found a television the reporter would know more of what was going on then I did. Eventually I got a metro to the plateau where I met up with friends to watch the news and drink. I then proceded to watch hours of coverage while getting drunker then I have ever been before.

I don't know if prayers work retroactively, but this might be a case for it.

Look where I been!

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:13:20 GMT

create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

My Sunday

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:33:05 GMT

1. Brunch with Jordanna at Kempsters. Place was busy, but food was tasty (a non-greasy meat lover's skillet? Imagine!)

2. Little Miss Sunshine at Bayers Lake Googleplex. Fun! Heartwarming! Superfreakin'!

3. Classic car show across the street in the Quizno's parking lot. Damn old cars is beyootiful.

4. Back to Jordanna's to catch the last half of Hal Hartley's Simple Men, which we started watching a week or so ago. Dance scene to Sonic Youth's Kool Thing reminds me of dance number in Jean Luc Goddard's Bande A Part. I'm probably not the first person in the world to notice this.

5. Off to the Khyber to see The Friend and the Jerk. Fun! Heartwarming! Wordburglin'!

6. Dinner at Rogue's Roost with Jordanna, Chris Sm!th and Karen. Santa Fe Pizza: yum.

7. Back to Jordanna's to watch doc on Hollywood warlord Lew Wasserman, The Last Mogul. Turns out the mob is involved in Hollywood. Go figure.

8. Home for Ovaltine and quality time with Mr. Rocco, who may or may not be heading home tomorrow.

Phew, that's a heck of a Sunday!

Thank you Ms. Milton, wherever you are

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:31:05 GMT

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

So far, I've got it down to 4.956 seconds.

Weill you wait

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:52:48 GMT

Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time for the waiting game

Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
These precious days I'll spend with you

My addiction

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:40:44 GMT

A friend of mine just brought some Moxie to work that he picked up in Maine, it's always nice to get a taste of the good stuff when you least expect it.

I'm also reminded that I've missed yet another Moxie Days celebration in Lisbon Falls, ME. One of these summers I'll actually try and get down for this, although it usually falls a little too close to Canada Day weekend (and the Stan Rogers Folk Festival) for me to really attend.

While poking around for something else, I came across these photos of a previous Moxie Days from a German website. I don't read German, so I can't say I have any insight into the European perspective on Moxie, although I think I know someone who can help me out in that department.

WARNING: the above link contains a Moxie clown.

Spamalot

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:38:40 GMT

Who is John Blankenship, and why do I keep getting spam with his name in it on a daily basis?

*checks Google*

I think he has something to do with NASCAR. In which case I hate him with every fibre of my being.

Electoral collage

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 22:10:08 GMT

Create your own! By ga_woo

Gifts that keep on givin'

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:44:30 GMT

My birthday present from nsingman...does he know me or what? I mean, this is important mostly due to my love of silent movies, I swear! Thanks Noah and Connie, you guys, as always, rock!

And my dear friend Donna in Winnipeg got me a gift pack from this place (ring any bells, johnnyg?) including an awesome Nutty Club t-shirt with the dapper peppermint man on it. Just what I've always wanted!

And darlin' petiepie13 got me a very cool and adorable new sock monkey handmade in Londonderry, N.S. Look for it to appear soon at an LJ avatar near you...

happy happy

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:41:40 GMT

Hooray. I'm the same age as Jack Benny!

Sharin' the hilarity

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:12:42 GMT

I was turned on to the British comedy show Look Around You by boomchica recently, and I just finished watching the first season on You Tube

It's a parody of late '70s educational shows that is pretty spot on, and is tangentally connected to the Spaced/Shaun of the Dead gang (co-creator Peter "voice of Darth Maul" Serafinawicz is a featured player in both of those, and there are amusing cameos by Shaun/Spaced stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, as well as Shaun/Spaced director Edgar Wright). Each episode is under 10 minutes long and worth checking out on You Tube.

Each ep. looks at a scientific "concept" like maths, music, sulphur and the brain. They are full of broad misinformation ("music" is found on the periodic table, just underneath "Toronto") and useless experiments.

The second season is less amusing from what I gather, expanded to a half hour with hosts and guests. Individual segments I've seen have been funny, but I really like the first season approach, with its patronizing narrator and spot-on recreation of educational programmes of the era.

Enjoy!

Rocco rocks

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 03:12:44 GMT

Here's my new little buddy...and friend. Rocco's squatting here for August, and he's a rascally fellow. He gave me a fright when he went out the bathroom window (I'm on the second floor), but it was nothing that a search in the backyard and shaking a bag of cat treats couldn't fix. And I've got a screen for the window now.

No one excapes from Stalag SWAC! At least, not more than once.

He seems to like hunting moths. Go get 'em, Rocco!

Phenomenal cat

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 16:25:48 GMT

I have a furry houseguest!

His name is Rocco, and he's a cuddly tuxedo cat. He's almost as cute as Ralph (don't worry petiepie13, Ralphie's status remains assured), and he's going to be my buddy until cobham returns from the West Coast at the end of August.

This should be interesting...photos to follow (as soon as I trick him into doing something adorable).