david.etc

Documentaries

2011-09-01T21:12:00.002-05:00

Current tv (the channel) just wrapped up their five-part miniseries 50 Documentaries to See Before You Die.

I can't pinpoint the day I became a fan of documentaries. I recall seeing Hoop Dreams when I was younger. That might've been my first exposure to a non-educational documentary. Nevertheless, I love them. There are wonderful subjects and different parts of culture that I am now exposed to because of the intimacy and sincerity of these films.

I like this list a lot. I've seen more than half of them. My favorites that I can view multiple times are Supersize Me, Murderball, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, King of Kong, March of the Penguins, etc.

There are independent documentaries I've had the pleasure of viewing that aren't well known and haven't made this list.

Wiener Takes All: A Dogumentary - the film explores wiener dog races and the owners who love them.
Song Sung Blue - NFL Films Director followed a Neil Diamond impersonator and his family over the course of a few years.
Wesley Willis's Wild Joy Ride - Chicago musician who had his talents and his demons. A staple in the local music industry
Vincent: A Life in Color - Another story of a Chicagoan with an interesting life. I was lucky enough to meet Vincent and the director Jennifer when I introduced the film at a festival.
Indestructible - Ben Byer, the director and subject of his film on living with ALS. This film moved me in so many ways. I saw this at a film festival and I recall being so thankful the room was as dark as it was cause I couldn't stop myself from crying. This film is so powerful, yet so difficult to watch as Ben lays everything out for the viewers.

the list for those of you who are curious
50. Spellbound (2002)
49. Truth or Dare (1991)
48. The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)
47. One Day in September (1999)
46. Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1998)
45. The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
44. Burma VJ (2008)
43. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006)
42. Catfish (2010)
41. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
40. When We Were Kings (1996)
39. Biggie & Tupac (2002)
38. March of the Penguins (2005)
37. Inside Job (2010)
36. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
35. Paragraph 175 (2000)
34. Brother’s Keeper (1992)
33. Tongues Untied (1989)
32. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
31. Jesus Camp (2006)
30. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
29. Man on Wire (2008)
28. Gasland (2010)
27. Tarnation (2003)
26. Murderball (2005)
25. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
24. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
23. The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000)
22. Shut Up & Sing (2006)
21. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
20. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
19. Touching the Void (2003)
18. Food, Inc. (2008)
17. Street Fight (2005)
16. Bus 174 (2002)
15. Crumb (1994)
14. Dark Days (2000)
13. The Fog of War (2003)
12. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
11. Paris Is Burning (1991)
10. Grizzly Man (2005)
9. Trouble the Water (2008)
8. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
7. The Celluloid Closet (1995)
6. The War Room (1993)
5. Supersize Me (2004)
4. Waltz With Bashir (2008)
3. Roger & Me (1989)
2. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
1. Hoop Dreams (1994)

Band Battle

2011-08-21T22:32:00.002-05:00

When I was in high school, I went to a fair share of various "Battle of the Bands." I went there to support my friends that were competing and also to check out new music.

I haven't been to any band competition in about 10 years, until recently. One of the best music venues in the DC Metro area is Jammin Java in Vienna. I've frequented this place a few times before to check out the Damnwells and Jesse Malin.

I check the Jammin Java calendar occasionally and I saw the were sponsoring a Mid Atlantic Band Battle for a few weeks. It intrigued me, but I held back on pulling the trigger until I saw the finals were approaching. I didn't know any of the bands on the bill, but that didn't bother me.

I pulled up to the parking lot in the rain and got there on time - which I usually make the mistake of doing. The bands never start on time and I'm left sitting around waiting. I didn't know any of the bands on the bill and I honestly can't tell you any of their names except one - Bethany & the Guitar.

Bethany writes songs with her brother Kurtis, who also plays guitar in the band. Her style is singer-songwriter influenced by artists such as Colbie Caillat and Bon Iver. The combination of her voice and the music backing her is incredible. She is providing more than just something mediocre, it's got substance, it's got heart. I'm particularly drawn to her songs "Careful with Me" and Passion Pit cover "Sleepyhead."

Bethany & the Guitar won by the way.

Qwerty

2011-08-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

My friend Nat Dykeman is a fellow film fanatic and has turned me on to many independent films through our friendship and the Lake County Film Festival, which he founded.

Nat's new project is an independent film that he produced. He recruited director Bill Sebastian, who brought the play Midlothia to the screen in 2007.

The film I'm talking about is Qwerty. Now, an independent film is tough to make. I know Nat went thru a lot just to get this off the ground. They are accepting support thru IndieGoGo, a great resource for independent artists. Check out the trailer and head over to the page to learn how you can help.

the Book of Mormon

2011-08-05T22:46:00.003-05:00

I took a trip to NYC and was exploring Times Square. I wanted to check out the theatre district and see all the plays on Broadway.

I know how expensive these plays are and I'm aware tickets for the Book of Mormon are sold out until 2012, but I thought it was worth checking out.

So I went to the O'Neil theatre with a friend of mine and discovered they have a lottery 2 hours before every show. You enter your name and you can purchase up to 2 tickets for $32. The face value is at least $155 and they are being scalped for twice that. After hanging around for a bit, they started calling the names. My friend's name was called and we were shocked.

Our seats were a bit obsctructed as we were seated by the side of the stage, they were still so close and worth $32. I haven't been to a ton of Broadway shows in the past, but this was brilliant. I've seen a lot of Parker/Stone's work from Cannibal the Musical, Orgazmo, Team America and South Park. It's a lot of the same humor, but strategically catered to appeal to their own fans and the theatre crowd.

I hope to catch this again as they announced they will be making a Chicago run in 2012!

Half Measures vs. Full Measure

2011-07-16T11:27:00.001-05:00

24 hours away from Breaking Bad S4....

It's Always Sunny S7

2011-06-24T22:41:00.001-05:00

I cannot contain my excitement for the new season.

Check out the news from CinemaBlend.
So Rob McElhenny who plays Mac gained 50lbs for the new season just because "he thought it would be funny." That is commitment and I applaud his sacrifice for comedy.

This season is going to feature Kings of Leon doing a Glee-like episode, a Toddlers & Tiaras ep, and Frank has his own 'Pretty Woman' experience.

X-Men Family Tree

2011-01-18T12:20:00.002-06:00

i think i kinda need this in poster form.

Seal Bomb

2011-01-05T19:37:00.002-06:00

A daily staple I partake in is a visit to Cute Overload. Seriously, the world would be a better place if everyone just took five minutes out of their day to check this site.

This was on their top ten list and is not photoshopped.

New Year's Day

2011-01-03T19:08:00.001-06:00

Goodbye 2010: the year I exited credit card debt and entered school loan debt.

I'm going to make more time to journal some thoughts, reviews, randomness, etc

Starting off the year, Matthew Ryan - one of my fav singer songwriters has released a new track appropriately titled "New Year's Day"

Roku

2010-12-25T13:33:00.006-06:00

Happy Christmas to me! my Roku came in the mail!

I've been in love with Netflix for as long as I remember.
I have recently fallen in love with Amazon video and music (DRM free).

So for anyone not familiar with how Roku works, you buy the box, which I got $20 off from Amazon - and hook it up to your tv/connect with internet and voila.

I have Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, etc.
but there are other great channels such as NBA - where you can pull up game highlights and conference standings. Lifechurch.tv has a channel on there, as well as some other sports options.

Roku is hackable as people are creating private channels so you can view other tv using Roku.

geez, I sound like such a shameless plug, but this thing is pretty awesome.

Mad Men

2010-12-24T14:02:00.001-06:00

Just purchased S4 off Amazon for $15

even though it's called Mad Men, Peggy & Joan own this show

Chicago Diner

2009-05-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

the Radical Reuben looks, smells and tastes like your everyday reuben sandwich. The caveat is it's entirely vegan.

"Meat Free since 83" is the slogan of the boystown restaurant the Chicago Diner.

For anyone that thinks that vegetarian/vegan food is boring, you're way off. It's just about eating salads or fruit & nuts. There is much more. Black bean burgers are always a go-to dish at Chicago Diner, but as you can see my favorite is the Radical Reuben and sweet potato fries.

Love is an Orientation

2009-05-20T21:33:00.004-05:00

I had the pleasure of seeing Andrew Marin speak last night at Roscoe's, a bar in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood.

Andrew, as he describes grew up a homophobic bible thumper who was not afraid to make inappropriate and even hateful comments to others.

Andrew's story is that 3 of his best friends all came out to him. Overwhelmed by all this, he prayed and came to the realization of what a horrible friend he was to them and completely unchristianlike.

Andrew is the type of Christian that I wish was the face of my faith. He isn't about promoting rules or cherry picking the scripture that doesn't apply to him, he is sincerely about love.

The Bible contains 4 passages about same-sex relations and thousands of verses on love. Andrew writes examples of people he's met that have been ostracized, kicked out of their homes and lost friends over their sexuality. The one place that says "come as you are" is the place that turns them away

Andrew's book is not meant to start a verse-slinging debate. The book is meant to elevate the conversation and bridge the communities together.

the Damnwells - Soundtrack

2008-12-10T20:38:00.000-06:00

"Soundtrack"

She said, 'You got nothing to prove,
but you've got something to lose,
and that something is me.
You got no reason to stay,
say you been running away.
But you run like a thief.'

She wants you, she needs you
A soundtrack to bleed to
But can you shut up long enough to fall in love?

She said, 'Come on, just let me breathe,
I'm tangling now that you leave, get me back to myself.
Tried a thousand and one times,
but the lines are undone,
why not believe what you felt?'

She wants you, she needs you
A hurricane to leave through
But can you shut up long enough to fall in love?

And didn't you hear?
There's a time
And a place that I won't be going
Time won't erase all you fear
Well, you ought to know by now

There is no reason to lie
No reason to lie
Yeah, you ought to know by now

She wants you, she needs you
The soundtrack to bleed to
But can you shut up long enough to fall in love?

the Damnwells return to Chicago

2008-12-07T18:00:00.002-06:00

The Damnwells
Double Door in Chicago, IL
12/6/2008

It has been a long time coming for my favorite band to come back to Chicago. Come to think of it, the last time they were in Chicago was June 2007!
I've kept in contact with Alex Dezen over the past 18months and this lil surprise show popped up as Alex and Angela, the newest member of the Damnwells (Alex's wife) were visiting Chicago.

I was particularly thrilled to see Ted, the bassist with the band (founding member) and Jay Barclay, who previously toured with them.

I was nestled close at the front of the stage and knew the words to almost every song. To my credit, I did know most of the words to "55 pictures" which has not been released. The magical moment of the night was when Alex stepped away from the mic and the packed crowd sang "Kung Fu Grip Kiss."

I've seen these guys countless times live and I'm still never tired of seeing them. The Damnwells give it 100% everytime they hit the stage.

Alex & Angela Dezen

David & Ted

David with the guys in the band

Halloween

2008-11-01T18:36:00.000-05:00

my 1st Halloween in Chicago was spectacular.
Even if you don't have a party to go to, just take a lawn chair and go to the Belmont stop and people watch. I did see fellow Ghostbusters out returned a smile and a wave to me.

Sunny fans will recognize

best costume evah.... seriously

my awesome co-workers

Boulevards in the Fall

2008-09-06T22:16:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite parts about Fall is the foliage. It looks especially nice in the boulevards of Zion, IL.

Fall TV Schedule

2008-09-01T12:35:00.012-05:00

Getting excited about the new fall tv schedules shouldn't be a surprise to those who know me.
Schedules for the networks are announced back in May, but are subject to (and they do) change.

These are the shows that I watch regularly and try not to miss an episode.
I leave Friday and Saturday alone.
Not included are Sunday Night Football (NBC) and Monday Night Football (ESPN).

New schedule comes out in January with 24, Lost, and Scrubs.

To look at tv schedules to customize your own, I recommend Zap2it and a site that contacted me for my input, the Futon Critic.

Brooke Barrettsmith

2008-08-24T20:56:00.005-05:00

On a Friday evening I found myself driving west on Rte 173 in Lake County searching feverishly for a small church off the road where this independent artist named Brooke Barrettsmith was gaining steam.

I have been following this girl's career for a little over two years now. She has overcome some personal family issues that are well documented and for the world to see on her website, but more importantly, created a stronger bond with them because of their journey together.

Brooke isn't any ordinary rocker - she can sing. She competed in American Idol and made it quite far. Getting cut from making the top 12 didn't derail her dreams, she soldiered on and eventually got signed.

Arriving at this small church, I can hear the loud pounding sound of music being played. As I walked in, I see a four-piece band on stage playing with such energy, you would think they thought they were playing in an arena. Armed with a small black t-shirt, a guitar, and her backing band, Brooke managed to electrify the room. To say she wore her heart on her sleeve would be an understatement. Brooke wore the whole room's heart on her sleeve. Her songs of hope, despair, and her faith created a connection with her audience giving everyone a front row seat to her life.

I first found about Brooke as I grew up with her guitarist and fiance, Billy Adams. I'm not sure if I would classify Billy as a musical prodigy, but he's pretty close. I recall being in Billy's basement with his brother over a decade ago watching him play guitar. He had a natural gift for music and it's great to see he's putting it to good use.

The concert was officially billed as her 'CD Release Party.' I picked up her album which she was gracious enough to sign for me.

Brooke's self-titled album is available on iTunes.
Check out the single "Farewell" streaming at www.brookerocks.com

Jim Gaffigan: the Sexy Tour

2008-08-24T18:47:00.004-05:00

In the cozy, downtown district of Waukegan, IL lies a courthouse, train station, a few bars, and the Genesee Theatre, which happens to be conveniently less than 15 minutes from where I live. The theatre has been showcasing plays and bringing bigger acts for a few years now. I was particularly interested when comedian Jim Gaffigan was announced to show up.

On a whim, I decided to drive there and see if there were any extra tickets. Gaffigan originally sold out his 8pm show and an extra 10:30pm show was added. I took my friend Christine with me to see if we could find tickets. Before we made it inside, we were looking where to enter and Jim Gaffigan exited the car right next to us. A wave of applause erupted and he waved to the crowd and went in. I found where to enter inside for the box office. Before I could even reach the ticket window, a guy named Mike intervened. Mike approached me and asked if I had tickets. I told him I didn't and was looking to see if there were any. He said he had two openings next to him and his girlfriend and would sell them to me and a cheap price ($40) from what he paid. Its not common to meet a complete stranger who was this kind, but to my surprise, it was the real deal.

A bigger surprise was the location of our seats. We walked down the middle isle and found our seats were dead center 12 rows from the stage.

Gaffigan killed. He spent what seemed to be 30 minutes talking about his love of bacon. "Adding bacon makes everything better. Sprinkle some bacon on that salad and it becomes a game: find the bacon"

"if it wasn't for bacon, we wouldn't know what a water chesnut was"

Gaffigan didn't just repeat old material off his previous albums. He started off the show with a bit on bowling, followed by an ongoing joke of being lazy, and of course television. Gaffigan interrupted his talk of food for some religious jokes. "Abraham circumsized himself. I'd love to hear how that conversation with his wife went..."

Gaffigan closed the show with his signature material, Hot Pockets. As he started, the roar went thru the audience knowing what's coming next. Gaffigan did not disappoint and added some new lines to his infamous hot pocket bit. "Now they have breakfast hot pockets. Hot pocket for breakfast, hot pocket for lunch, dead by dinner!.... murder pockets!"

Incredible circumstances occurred for me to attend this show and it was awesome how it all came together. Even though my jaw hurt after laughing so hard, I would see Jim Gaffigan again in a heartbeat.

Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

2008-08-17T20:55:00.003-05:00

Delivered from the indie label Sub Pop, comes a duo from Portland Oregon: Helio Sequence. The band is new to me, but have quite a history spanning back ten years. Recently, their history involves a near tragic derailment of the band. Brandon Summers, frontman, damaged his vocal chords and nearly lost his voice after touring in support of their last album. Having to relearn to sing, Summers and his counterpart Benjamin Weikel managed to create the brilliant album "Keep Your Eyes Ahead."

Listening to the album from the beginning gives you a good indication of what to expect. "Lately" is by no means a minimalistic song. The sound of guitar notes chasing each other with a drumbeat multiplying throughout the progression of the track. "Can't Say No" keeps the album on pace as it feels more aggressive and blends the echoes of the vocals magically.

A few tracks down "Shed Your Love" find its place in the middle of the album slowing it down appropriately like a roller coaster. Summer's voice is much more stripped on this track, exposing his calmness and composure.

Near the end of the album, my favorite track "Hallelujah" makes its appearance. Summers truly shows the depth of his songwriting on this track, with deep lyrics surrounding its simple chorus repeated throughout the song: "we all said hallelujah, we all said hallelujah."

Who watches the Watchmen?

2008-08-11T20:10:00.003-05:00

Finally got around to and finished Alan Moore's graphic novel The Watchmen (illustrated by Dave Gibbons). I was an avid reader of comics as a kid and did not stumble upon this until now. Which is completely fine as the Watchmen is serious literature as the book has won the Hugo award and was named one of Time's 100 best novels.

The Watchmen is a story of aging superheroes in 1985 who reflect on their crime fighting days while anticipating a possible nuclear war with Russia. The death of one of their own brings an investigation by the mysterious Rorschach who believes there is an attempt to wipe out all masked heroes.

Moore cleverly adds fictional material between the chapters such as the autobiography of Nite Owl, newspaper articles and anything else to help you better understand the characters.

the Sin in Wisconsin

2008-08-09T20:32:00.003-05:00

Annually, the Wisconsin State Fair invades the Milwaukee area at the Wisconsin Fair Grounds, just a short distance from Miller Park.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit the week long celebration for music, miscellaneous attractions, and cream puffs. The long lines are astounding as it snakes inside the building and gives you a front row seat at them being made.

Personally, I could only handle one, but there are others who order them by the dozen. There are even different lines that you could just pick up an order of cream puffs.

My friend Nate, could not stop talking about a delicacy he tried the year before... Deep Fried S'mores. Several items are deep fried such as cheese, twinkies, candy, but the s'mores are something special.

The Deep Fried S'more is possibly the most delicious food I have ever tried. When you bite into the crust, there is a melty mixture of chocolate and marshmallow that tastes like heaven.

As you can probably tell, the Wisconsin State Fair isn't the finest low-calorie experience. Gluttony is the sin of choice, but at least it's a delicious choice!

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica

2008-07-24T21:43:00.001-05:00

The Office: Season 3 might be one of the best investments I have ever made in purchasing a dvd boxset. Reliving the pranks, the introduction of new characters such as Karen, Andy and the WaMu bank guy, the bat in the ceiling, and realizing how hilarious the minor character Creed can be.

Michael Scott: I love inside jokes. Love to be a part of one someday.

Dwight Schrute: When I die, I want to be frozen. And if they have to freeze me in pieces, so be it. I will wake up stronger than ever because I will have used that time to figure out exactly why I died, and what moves I could've used to defend myself better now that I know what hold he had me in.

Kevin: I had Martin explain to me three times what he got arrested for because it sounds an awful lot like what I do here everyday.

Jim Halpert: It's a bold move to photoshop yourself into a picture with your girlfriend and her kids on a ski trip with their real father. But then again, Michael is a bold guy. Is bold the right word?

Dwight Schrute: How would I describe myself? Three words: hard working, alpha male, jack hammer. Merciless. Insatiable.

Dwight Schrute: I saw Wedding Crashers, accidentally. I bought a ticket for Grizzly Man and went into the wrong theatre. After an hour I figured I was in the wrong theatre but I kept waiting. That's the thing about bear attacks, they come when you least expect it.

Toby: This may be the first time that a male subordinate has attempted to get a modest, scheduled raise by threatening to withhold sex from a female superior. It will be a groundbreaking case when it inevitably goes to trial.

Dwight Schrute: Yes. I have decided to shun Andy Bernard for the next three years. Which I'm looking forward to. It's an Amish technique. It's like slapping someone with silence. I was shunned from the age four until my sixth birthday for not saving the excess oil from a can of tuna.

Creed: The only difference between me and a homeless man is this job. I will do whatever it takes to survive. Like I did, when I was a homeless man.

Dwight Schrute: Once I am officially regional manager, my first order of business will be to demote Jim Halpert. So I will need a new number two. My ideal choice: Jack Bauer. But he is unavailable, fictional, and overqualified.

Creed: I remember. I blogged the whole thing. www.creedthoughts.gov.www/creedthoughts. Check it out.
Ryan: Last year, Creed asked me how to set up a blog. Wanting to protect the world from being exposed to Creed's brain, I opened a word document on his computer and put an address at the top. I've read some of it. Even for the intranet... it's pretty shocking.

Burn Notice: Season 2

2008-07-10T17:00:00.001-05:00

Jeffrey Donovan returns tonight to continue his quest in finding who burned him and interrupted his life as a C.I.A. agent. The one factor that played a huge part in reeling me in was Donovan's best friend who rats him out to the feds, Bruce Campbell.

Now, this show won't be getting any award nominations in the future and that's quite alright. Burn Notice aims to provide an entertaining spy show that isn't too complicated, but doesn't lack the depth of an intelligent show.

Season 1 is out on DVD (13 episodes)

Taste of Chicago

2008-07-04T16:16:00.004-05:00

Chicago, IL
Occurs annually at the end of June/beginning of July

Here's how it works. Entry is 100% free! You can even bring in your own beverages. Vendors are giving out stuff, people are playing music and the smell is in the air.
First place you visit is the ticket booth where you buy tickets (12 for $8)
Then you visit the booths and trade in tickets for food.
It's a lil pricey, but it's more of the experience and it's also just a once a year thing.

My friend Casey typically accompanies me on my visits, but he lives in North Carolina, so in memory of his Polish heritage I jumped on the pierogies immediately.

Available in 3 flavors: potato, cheese, and sauerkraut.
If you're new to pierogies or like variety (like me) order 3 and get one of each.

I also came across a place that had chicken and veggie spring rolls which were filling and quite delicious.

Pizza comes in so many varieties at the Taste and a different number of restaurants are present. I recommend to get filled up on a slice of deep dish. I got a lesser known brand, but this place is quite popular in Chicago.

Not to get too fancy, I got down to basics and enjoyed a steak burger with bleu cheese and mustard sauce.
To finish the taste, I upheld a tradition I created to end each visit to the Taste with a slice of Eli's Cheesecake. They come plain, strawberry topping, turtle, and the amazing Oreo cheesecake with ice cream.

Most vendors have representation each year at the taste, so get familiar with some of these names:

Wall-E

2008-06-30T19:37:00.003-05:00

Wall-E is the ninth film from Pixar and possibly the best one ever. Wall-E is the story of trash compacting robot who was left on Earth to clean up the mess made by humans. He is forgotten, yet still does the job he is programmed to do, collecting artifacts along the way and befriending a cockroach he cares for.

Wall-E soon meets another robot Eve, who he shouts to as "Eve-Ahhh." He gives Eve his most prized possessions as a gift, a plant- which triggers an event that takes them both on a journey to space where humans currently reside.

Wall-E is quite risky in the beginning as there is little dialogue, but viewers get the point that Wall-E is a caring robot who yearns for love and affection like the rest of us. Wall-E touches the heart and makes you feel while still delivering laughter.

Wall-E had good timing as it was released on my birthday weekend and I had anticipated the film since I saw the teaser trailer months ago. The lengths Wall-E goes through to show his affection for Eve is incredibly touching. Hearing the robots cries of "Wall-EEEE" and Eve-ahhh" brought a smile to my face every time. A touching scene (and most memorable) is where the robots dance in space with each other completing the connection they share.

Chicago Bears Expo 2008

2008-06-09T20:28:00.000-05:00

Soldier Field
June 7, 2008

A new tradition began for me last year. During a Christmas gift exchange, my friend Erik gave me and another friend Noe tickets for the Chicago Bears Fan Convention. It took place in March at the Hilton downtown and was a blast.

I enjoyed it so much, I was determined to return. Some changes were made as they now call it the 'Expo' and moved it to Soldier Field to take place in June. None of that mattered to me and I made a long train ride + walk on Saturday morning.

I have not been to Soldier Field and it was breathtaking. The Chicago Bears are my favorite sports team and it was very surreal to be in the place where I see my team play on tv.

I entered the stadium and went to the United Club where the seminars were being held. I arrived in time for the Fashion Show... yes, they had models and players show off the new line of Bears apparel.

As I waited for the next seminar, I sat by a guy and his kids. I was alone, so I figured I'd strike up a conversation with him. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked about his tattoo on his calf. He was excited to tell me about his very first trip to Las Vegas and he and a friend decided to get their favorite sports teams tattooed on their body. I listened as he excitedly told me about this and a thought came to my mind. "I know this might sound odd, but.... may I take a picture of your calf?" The fan was extremely eager to let me and peaked at my camera to see the end result.

The players would speak briefly and they opened it to the floor where fans could ask questions. The comedy moment of the day was when a fan asked Marty Booker "we haven't had a Pro Bowl receiver since you left the Bears... can you help me become a Pro Bowl receiver?" That person asking was this was wide receiver Mark Bradley.

Anthony Adams, Danieal Manning, Dave Barnett, Marty Booker, Brandon Lloyd

Equipment Seminar featuring Tommie Harris and Nathan Vasher

I also attended a seminar from a former Official in the NFL where he described his experiences, career and his current role in the NFL.
The last seminar was historic: Mike Singletary and Otis Wilson sat together reminiscing about their days together, giving Ditka stories, addressing the SuperBowl Shuffle and discussing their lives after playing football.

After Singletary and Wilson were done speaking, fans ambushed them with autograph requests. I went a different direction.... At last year's convention, Noe and I spotted an interesting character who we approached and asked to have out pictures taken with him. This year, I spotted him and ran after him shouting "Bearman! Bearman!" He turned and looked at me. I couldn't help my huge smile and requested a picture with him.

Superbowl XX Champions

the best thing since

2008-06-04T22:20:00.000-05:00

this came from a t-shirt that is sadly out of print, but the graphic art alone serves its purpose to make me laugh

M83

2008-05-29T23:25:00.001-05:00

My day just seemed to be getting better when sometime back, my friend Derek sent me a message telling me he had an extra ticket to see M83 live.

M83 is a French electronic band that manages to turn your heart and expand your listening. Their 2005 album "Before the Dawn Heals Us" was an incredible collaboration of music and lyrics. Don't be confused that electronic music is just the same beat being looped while it sounds like they are semi-hypnotists. M83 are storytellers with their music.

Their new album "Saturdays=Youth" is another solid effort from the group. The first single "Graveyard Girl" speaks to everyone who at one time was young. The time in your life where you didn't feel you fit. "Invisible even to the night," stands out in the lyrics as they paint how lonely the girl is.

After listening to the music, I was curious to how they would perform live. The drummer has a plastic shield around his set, keeping the sound from overpowering the rest of the group. There were what seemed like a mountain of keyboards/synthesizers and two guitarists- one being the star of the group Anthony Gonzalez.

It was incredible to me how much guitar is used for the electronic music they produce. M83 played an hour set that flowed seamlessly and captured the attention of the audience. The set was decorated with lights all around and if you gazed long enough into the lights or just let your eyes rest, you would feel like you're flying. The highlight might have been when they played their 2005 hit "Don't Save Us From the Flames" which raised the energy in the room to bring us back down and up again with "Couleurs."

I ran into Anthony outside and grabbed a quick picture with him. I was standing underneath a fan inside and not yet adjusted to the change in lighting outside, but he managed to pose Zoolander style on cue.

MRVSS

2008-05-24T10:00:00.006-05:00

Album:
Matthew Ryan's 10th album, Matthew Ryan vs. the Silver State (MRVSS) turns out that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. It is a turn from his previous album (2006) that showed a more vulnerable side of him than usual. His brother sentenced to prison and the weight of the world weighing him down, Matthew's songwriting was intense expressing his pain. On a musical side, Matthew used loops and created an ambient sound as the backdrop for his lyrical poetry. Back to the current album, Matthew Ryan vs. the Silver State (MRVSS) is mostly stripped of technology, opting for the traditional guitar, drums, bass, but with a serious hint of violin accompanying the record.

Matthew perfects the art of wearing his heart on his sleeve. The song and single "Jane, I Still Feel the Same" is an ode to a girl and to a larger extent, regret. "It Could've Been Worse" takes credit for being the most haunting song on the album and possibly in his collection. The standout track to me and one of the first I heard off his website before the album was released was "American Dirt." Matthew doesn't fail to write the romantic songs that you're used to hearing with the track "I Only Want to be the Man You Want."
Matthew Ryan vs. the Silver State displays his angst, his love, his hurt, and his dreams all on his sleeve. That isn't being said lightly either. When you meet Matthew, the sincerity in his voice and the gratitude he gives you when he personally thanks you for coming to his show makes you realize everyone on the record is very real.

Concert:
Matthew Ryan at Schubas
Chicago, IL
5/13/2008

When my friend and I arrived at Schuba's we went to use the bathroom and as I was waiting, Matthew was the one who came out. I was very surprised to see him and greeted him, and I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw my friend Noe hovering in the doorway of the other bathroom, not yet going in.
Matthew did a 12 song set using a heavy influence of a muted acoustic guitar and violin, as well as the rest of the band. Hearing "Sweetie" from his 2003 album Regret Over the Wires was exciting and set the tone for the night. Matthew spoke in between songs and talked about his love of the Clash which he appropriately transitioned into covering them. On his last song "Closing In," Matthew declared a last dance and walked thru the audience with microphone in hand.

It's easy to say he missed some important songs since he has so many prolific ones, but one cannot say he didn't play any fan favorites. As Schuba's is bound by a neighborhood curfew during the week, Matthew unplugged around 10:30pm and walked into the crowd to play an acoustic set. He answered the request of a fan yelling "3rd of October" in where he got to the chorus, I was close enough and felt the right energy to sing along at the chorus. Matthew looked up and smiled and the rest of the audience who circled around him sang too. Matthew played for about 30 more minutes singing "Chrome," "Return to Me," and anything else we requested.... that he remembered how to play.

Smoque BBQ

2008-05-23T21:15:00.005-05:00

Smoque BBQ
Chicago, IL
www.smoquebbq.com

To kick off Memorial Day weekend and the summer season, one must start with bbq!
Chicago is known for its food, but not known as one of the 4 corners of bbq (Texas, Memphis, Carolinas & Kansas City). Chicago does have great bbq restaurants and this relatively new place has already made in impact in the Windy City.

Smoque BBQ offers authentic bbq food including brisket which is smoked for over 15hours and pairs nicely with the slaw on the side. I have tried a variety of things off the menu and highly recommend going with a combo platter, giving you more than one meat. You cannot go wrong with the ribs, but my personal favorites are the chicken and brisket.

Smoque offers a variety of sides that you receive with a combo platter including fries and BBQ beans. The mac & cheese is baked in the foil and has a crusted top which conceals the tasty cheese.

Smoque BBQ has grown quite quickly and has received a visit from the Food Network and high accolades from critics everywhere. My first visit won me over immediately. I went on a weekday afternoon and didn't experience a long wait. I was even able to enjoy my meal with a Labatt Blue as Smoque is byob. Since Smoque offers large portions for a good price, I was unable to try their peach cobbler dessert, but that just gives me another reason to return....

you're the only one who knows my song

2008-05-22T22:04:00.007-05:00

Northern Room's lead singer Andrew managed to fight thru a cold/sinus infection and put on another quality show. The Milwaukee band which has roots in West Bend, WI played at West Bend's very own high school last night.

Andrew and the rest of the band managed to improvise and accentuate their strengths by playing longer instrumentals thanks to brothers Tony and Micah on guitar and bass. Also, Michael performed dual duties on percussions and back up vocals. Lastly, audience participation was utilized effectively on the choruses.

Once again, the band lives up to the reputation that they have built as great live performers. Even when roadblocks happen to present themselves, Northern Room manages to work thru them and still give 110%.

(setlist)
Waiting
City Lights
Just Like You
This Wreckage
Galaxy
Stars of God
Last Embrace
Blacklight
Everyday
Never Will Forget You
We're on Fire

1.7% Chance

2008-05-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

For those unaware of how the NBA Draft Lottery actually works, I will bring you up to speed:

To prevent teams from "tanking" their season to guarantee their rights to the #1 pick in the draft, the NBA instead awards ping pong balls to the worst teams in order of their season record. This drawing is done privately ahead of time and odds are reflected to show what chance a team has due to how many balls they have in the lottery.

For the 2008 draft, the odds were as follows to receive the top pick:
Heat - 25%
Sonics -19.9%
Wolves - 13.8%
Grizzlies - 13.7%
Knicks - 7.6%
Clippers - 7.5%
Bucks - 4.3%
Bobcats - 2.8%
Bulls - 1.7%

The Bulls were the 9th worst team in the league and held a small, almost insignificant chance of landing the top pick. During the NBA Draft Lottery, they select backwards, building up to #1. The ninth spot came and went. Then several more spots were gone until they reached the top 3 and the Chicago Bulls were yet to be named.
The 3rd pick in the draft was awarded to the Sonics
The 2nd pick in the draft was awarded to the Heat (the worst record in the NBA)
When that was said, the only team left was the Chicago Bulls who shocked the sports world and showed what 1.7% really meant.

A quote ringing in my head all day comes from the memorable comedy Dumb & Dumber.
As Lloyd asks Mary to define the chances of them getting together, Mary replies "not good."

Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million

*pause*
Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance...

Never: Jens Pulver and the Wednesday Group That Will Change the World

2008-05-07T19:49:00.001-05:00

I recently ordered the book Never: Jens Pulver and the Wednesday Group That Will Change the World off Amazon and for what two weeks to arrive to me, took me a lil over two hours to finish.

The book follows two stories that align and compliment each other. The first, being the subject matter and title of the book, Jens Pulver.

The book opens up giving horrible details of Jen's childhood. Jen's father was a horse jockey who constantly had to battle cutting weight and turned to alcohol, drugs, and abusing his family. When Jens was not getting hit, he had to witness the abuse to his mother and siblings. At a young age, Jens even thought his life would end as his father held a shotgun to him in a drunken rage.

The other story in the book that compliments Jens is about the author Timothy McKinnon who joined a small group in a gym every Wednesday that would first discuss Rick Warren's book, then evolved into bigger conversations. One of the founding members of that group was Pat Miletich, who runs the Miletich Camp in Iowa that has trained mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters like Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, Jeremy Horn and Jens Pulver.
McKinnon jokes that he thought his group would change the world.... and part of him believed that.

Jens was told that many things would "Never" happen for him. Beginning with his father who told him he'd never amount to anything. Then critics in the MMA community who never thought he'd become a great fighter, not even the first Lightweight Champion in the UFC.

On the back of the book, Pat Miletich endorses it by saying he read it cover to cover. I would have to second that, as I did the same. I locked myself in my room and turned my phone on silent. The content of the mixed martial arts has my attention, but it is the way that McKinnon tells the story that keeps my attention.

It never ceases to amaze me that nothing is too hard for God. Jens lived thru an awful childhood, and became a better person out of it. God placed the right people in his life that believed in him and helped strengthen his own relationship with Christ.

http://www.neverthebook.com/

In my heart I found God
Through God I found strength
Through strength I conquered all

-Jens Pulver

Iron Man for the ladies

2008-05-04T00:08:00.001-05:00

Behold! The perfect date movie, that will entertain the guy and satisfy your date's Patrick Dempsey fix.

Fujiyama

2008-05-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

Fujiyama
West Allis, WI
www.fujiyama100.com

Being young, I always wanted to try sushi, but wasn't sure where to start. Enter my USMC brother who lived in Okinawa, Japan for a year and dined daily on sushi. He introduced me to it and I have been in love ever since. Finding a sushi place you like is easy; finding one you love is a little more difficult. After a few years of eating at sushi restaurants, I have enjoyed this place very much.

Fujiyama doesn't rely on overpowering sauces to tangle your taste buds. The fish is fresh and the rice is soft and packed together tightly. To make everything taste a whole lot better, Fujiyama introduced a half-priced sushi night on Mondays & Tuesdays. Not everything is on sale, but there is more than enough to order and get stuffed.

I am a huge fan of the Philadelphia roll (above to the right corner). Smoked salmon and cream cheese blends together for a sweet mouth watering flavor. The sweet potato roll (top left) was meant to help me fill up at a cheaper price, but won me over quickly.

A typical trip for myself involves getting four or five rolls and a tamago (egg pictured top right). I travel a good distance and want to make the trip worth my while.
If you scale back, then save room for the friend bananas and ice cream. You do have to eat it fast as the bananas melt the ice cream the longer you stare at it.

Check out the Spider Roll (up front) accompanied with a Dragon Roll (back) and sashimi.

24 cast photo

2008-04-30T21:50:00.002-05:00

The recent writer's strike postponed the new season that takes place in Washington, D.C.
This new cast photo will have to hold me over til January.
Glad to see Chloe is back..... and look at the guy to the left of Jack

Catfish

2008-04-28T20:51:00.002-05:00

A friend recently introduced me to animal hats made for cats that are available at Target. For the price of $2.99, entertainment is unlimited. My cats were not as excited as I was with the new accessory I bought for them.

kyla hate fishhead

revenge is mine

this is humiliating

i will smother you in your sleep

baby is not amused...

Kuma's Corners

2008-04-18T23:15:00.005-05:00

Kuma’s Corners
Chicago, IL
www.kumas-corner.com

Believe me, you will have to search and want to find this restaurant. Located in a corner on Belmont; the home of gourmet burgers doesn’t have flashy lights, but a subtle sign and curtains covering the windows hiding the intriguing atmosphere.
When you enter, you will be greeted by the sound of blaring metal music which happens to be a consistent theme there.

The burgers are named after metal bands such as Motorhead, Judas Priest, Metallica, and others. As I searched thru the menu, I commented to my friend Derek: "I can’t find the Jethro Tull anywhere on here." Derek sighed and expressed his embarrassment for me.

On a recent trip, I ordered the Iron Maiden ($10) which comes with Avocado, Cherry Peppers, Pepper Jack, Chipotle Mayo and fries on the side. The extra ingredient that differs Kuma’s from the rest is they use a pretzel roll for the bun which packs a different sort of flavor.

Kuma’s is open late, 2am from Mon-Thurs, 3am on Sat, and closes at Midnight on Sun. The have an extensive beer list that offers a variety beyond the normal selection you’d find elsewhere.

If you’re not a fan of 10oz mouthwatering burgers, fear not! You can always substitute a chicken breast instead, grab a salad, or try another signature dish Kuma’s offers, which is the Make Your Own Mac & Cheese where you can select such ingredients as bacon, chicken, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, just to name a few.

Kuma's Corners is certainly a personal top ten entry for best burger and boasts themselves as the Best Burger in Chicago. A meal won't run you much as the burgers are in the $10-$12 price range. Experiencing a wait is not uncommon, but you can always grab a seat at the bar and enjoy what ever movie is playing on their flat screen tv. The executive chef is Matt Erpenbach.

Northern Room concert at Schuba's

2008-04-16T19:08:00.007-05:00

Northern Room at Schuba's in Chicago on 4/14/2008.

i'm torn in two....

Over and over we turn back time, then over and over we save your life

It's hard to remember to hide your eyes, then you tell me you need me and say goodbye....

Deadliest Catch

2008-04-15T13:27:00.002-05:00

Deadliest Catch: Season 4 returns tonight!

If you are new to the most dangerous reality show on tv, then you have missed something great.
Fear not! There aren't a lot of continuity issues that you will need to know to follow along. The show is friendly for new viewers by opening each season to coincide when the crab season starts.

So many times on tv, you'll hear of the potential danger a show may have or a person might experience. It's not the easiest aspect to boast about, but this program's danger is very real.
(from wiki)
During filming of the first season of Deadliest Catch, the F/V Big Valley sank on January 15, 2005 sometime after 0734 Alaska Standard Time when the Coast Guard first detected its EPIRB signal. Five of the six crew perished; three were never found. Cache Seel was the only survivor. Discovery Channel film crews on the Maverick and Cornelia Marie captured the first footage of the debris field, confirming that the boat had capsized and gone down.

During Season 3, a man fell overboard and was quickly saved by a crew mate. The icy Alaskan waters are at freezing temperatures and the human body can last only minutes before going into hypothermia.

Each year, the captains get together and make a friendly wager on who will have more success during the season.

Some of the popular vessels featured:

Cornelia Marie
Early Dawn
Maverick
Northwestern
Time Bandit

Sig Hansen seems to be the most popular captain on the show, who also provides consulting to the show and makes the talk show circuit rounds. His brass demeanor and refusal to shake hands with greenhorns attributes to his tough reputation.... and success.
Watch for Sig as he captains the Northwestern ship and competes against the other captains of who can meet their quota for catching king crab.

Lincoln Park Zoo

2008-04-06T22:18:00.005-05:00

If you are visiting Chicago, a good idea is to take a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo. It's a great way to spend your afternoon if you need a good laugh/smile.... and at a free price. Yes, the Lincoln Park Zoo is free to the public! Many of the city's runners will route their runs thru the zoo to take in the atmosphere of birds chirping and animals howling for attention.

need frosted flakes

num, num, num...

bear want food

rhinos love to charge

lazy camels

pink is still in

who doesn't love a penguin party?

Northern Room

2008-03-31T16:45:00.001-05:00

Northern Room is a Milwaukee band making waves among the lesser-known "city on the lake." They broke thru not too long ago in a contest and was awarded the opening spot for Bon Jovi. Last year, the released their full length album Last Embrace (Deluxe Edition).

I recall vividly the first time I heard the single "We're On Fire" in my car. It was a Saturday night in late December, and I have quite a drive to church. From my time spent living in the area, I fell in love with a relatively unknown radio station in Milwaukee called 88.9 Radio Milwaukee. On my drive that Saturday night, that song came on and grabbed my attention instantly. Not trusting my memory, I wrote it down and downloaded their music off iTunes when I returned home.

Their music has an uplifting intensity to it. The mixture of the drums, bass and guitar loops are very hypnotic and Andrew's vocals are calming, yet powerful. I signed up at their website to learn more about them and started receiving emails about their residency. (A band will play at the same location for consecutive weeks)
The Hi-Hat/Garage in Milwaukee housed the band for their four-week Wednesday night stay. I had the pleasure of attending their "acoustic" show where they performed their set in a more low key version and even had their drummer, Michael singing some tracks to open the show.

mash- up
1. a song or composition created from the combination of the music from one song with the a cappella from another.
2. a song created out of pieces of two or more songs
3. are incredible fun and a fascinating way to reexperience some of your favorite tunes

The last week of their residency closed with a mash up teaming with the local hip hop group the Figureheads. Milwaukee isn't well known for having a deep music scene, so the chance to see two local groups be able to collaborate and perform in Milwaukee was exciting.
The band started the night performing their songs and then inviting the Figureheads, a hip hop duo accompanied by their dj. Each song took a different turn, but the infusion of the Figurehead's lyrics into the Northern Room songs had the same incredible results.

After the show, I met members of each group and my friend Mark was told that they only rehearsed on two different occasions, although it felt like these groups have been playing together for years. I still find it hard to believe that possibly one of the best concerts I have ever attended was for free, on a Wednesday night, and by two great, but unknown groups in Milwaukee.

blast from the past

2008-03-29T22:10:00.006-05:00

Lake County Film Fest

2008-03-05T14:19:00.002-06:00

The Lake County Film Festival celebrated it's 5th year showing films from Feb 28th to March 3rd. I attended the event and saw 8 films on Saturday/Sunday. Nat Dykeman, the founder of the festival brought together film makers from all over the country for us to celebrate their work.

Bad For Business

Nothing raises a woman’s self esteem more than rejecting a loser who is hopelessy and completely in love w/ them

I began my Saturday starting off with this movie. The trailer I saw intrigued me, which Derek (actor/writer) & Jeff (director) later told me it was "illegal" due to the Hall & Oates song used (shh!)

To summarize this movie is simple. Jerry runs a business where he is hired by ex boyfriends or family members or friends to help a girl get over her ex. Now his methods are unconventional and he later meets his match with a girl he can’t shake.

Derek plays Jerry and shows he has some incredible acting skills. I thought he was charismatic, witty, and funny – the trifecta, or as Derek corrected me, the Triple Threat. I learned later that was probably a wrestling reference as that consumes about 65% of his thinking. Derek gave me a DVD of the film and I have already watched it again.

Probably my fav film played at the festival.

Midlothia

I’m laying down this big bag of boulders and I’m asking the woman I love to take the leap with me

This film is about secrets unraveling between a circle of friends in a small town in Texas. The film is risky as it is primarily filmed in one location relying on the acting skills to carry it. And it succeeded. During the course of the film, you will discover (as I did) that it reads like a play and actually was based off a play. I met Bill Sebastian, the actor/director of the film and he was incredibly great. We talked about other actors and filmmakers in the business and we’ve actually seen of the same guys speak, as well as read some of the same books recently (No Country For Old Men).

Captain Blasto

Let me get this right. You got this crew of guys that go out and pretend to rob people, then you can come in dressed as a superhero and stop them.

I think this movie might be flawless. You pretty much get the picture from the quote on the synopsis of the film. This film is inspiring in a way. It’s showing people who aren’t in the place they want to be, but their imagination uplifts their lives. Unfortunately, the criminals let their imagination go too far and Captain Blasto has to confront them.

Captain Blasto won awards for art direction and definitely deserves some recognition for acting and … fight choreography

Golden Days

I never wanted to be a rockstar, I don’t even know what a rock star is

It is no secret the Damnwells are my favorite band. No music has connected with me and provided the soundtrack to my life more than this band. This movie gives me clarification to why their long awaited second album took forever to be released. As I spoke w/ Alex & Ted at shows, they were excited for the album and was waiting for the release. Months later when I next spoke to them, their excitement dwindled and they weren’t sure of the release date.

This film shows you the reality of the music industry and the Damnwells’s journey. Golden Days is biographical, but also brings you to the present day of the recording of their album Air Stereo. The album’s recording goes smoothly and the band anticipates releasing it that year, but Epic Records had different ideas for the band. On tape, an Epic rep is recorded saying "nobody knows who the Damnwells are." The band is later dropped from their label while Augustana & the Fray who are Epic bands flourish.

The film is filled with hurdles but has hope, and knowing that this story is still to be continued makes it even more exciting to look forward to.

My awesome friend Erik made it down to see this movie with me, and my friend Gilly from DC made it all the way here just to see the film.

Prologue

After the film fest ended, I went to the after party to hang out with the filmmakers. I got to meet a musician named Jimmy who provided good company and spent time w/ Jeff & Derek (Bad For Business), Bill and his girlfriend (Midlothia) and Nat, the founder of the festival. To my surprise, it was an open bar, so we were all there til 330am having a great time. The picture of Bill and I is funny because Derek said he would direct us and started saying "okay, you two are living together…" we both started laughing and I don’t think I heard the rest.

......Sunday.......

Indestructible

My body is 15% dead, but I’m also 85% alive

I woke up with little sleep determined to get back to the festival to see this movie. I heard about the buzz and also heard whispers that the filmmaker was there this past weekend.
Indestructible documents Ben Byer’s diagnosis and journey thru the disease ALS (Lou Gehrig’s).
Ben gives us full access to his life and we see his determination, desire, and even desperation to combat the disease. He travels to different countries for treatment and interviews other people facing this terrible disease.
Ben doesn’t feel sorry for himself, in fact he’s smiling most of the film. He takes a tumble down a flight of stairs in China and says with a grin "i’m indestructible."
The worst part of this disease is the way it affects families and it is very clear how Ben’s family is affected in this film. His father is the most supportive, but you can see the toll it takes knowing his own son is going to die in due time.
I had tears in my eyes several times during this film. One part in particular is when Ben is playing with his son and even states that he is doing this movie partly for him so when he grows up, he can see what he went thru. Ben’s relationship with his son is powerful. He never seems annoyed or overwhelmed by the toddler’s high energy. He laughs as his son rough houses with him and talks to him in gibberish. The sincerity of his love for him puts joy in this movie. This film makes you look at your life differently. I know it sounds cliche, but Ben faces more hurdles than almost any of us each and everyday.

Golden Days

yes, i watched it twice. i heart the damnwells

Weiner Takes All: (a dogumentary)

I wish Baby Luv could massage me, well she does massage me... My heart

I hope the movie poster makes you laugh, cos I laughed the entire movie.
Competitive Weiner Dog racing has been growing quickly over the past ten plus years. These owners launch verbal attacks and accusations against fellow owners and even make claims of steroids helping the dogs win races!
The footage of the actual races is the most adorable thing ever. Half the dogs dont reach the finish line and just run around in circles or chase the other dogs. I’d like to believe that when I go to Heaven, weiner dog racing will go on all day.

Wristcutters: A Love Story

Soon after I killed myself, I found a job here at Kamikaze pizza

Patrick Fugit stars in this unique film where he is trapped in an afterlife reserved for those who take their own lives. He soon learns that his ex girlfriend has taken her life too and he goes on a mission to find her. Along the way he helps a hitchhiker who is looking for the People in Charge as she believes she is there by mistake.
There are elements of comedy in the film to lighten up the depressing reality of what they are in. I loved this movie and it was a great way to end my long weekend.

big thx to my friend Nat for putting on a great fest and selecting the best movies possible.
Also to Jeff & Derek (Bad For Business) and Bill Sebastian (Midlothia) who are great guys and made great films.

beautiful winter

2008-02-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

Guilty Pleasures 2007

2008-01-05T15:00:00.004-06:00

6. Avril Lavigne - When You’re Gone
Co-written by Butch Walker

5. Chris Brown - Wall to Wall/Kiss Kiss
After I saw him at the VMA’s, he impressed me. The kid has talent and is making some catchy tunes.

4. Colby Calliet - Bubbly
Awww.... the girl anthem of 2007

3. Elliot Yamin - Wait For You
Kinda sounds like a song Babyface would have wrote. I'm happy to see Elliot have some success post Idol

2. Taylor Swift - Teardrops on My Guitar
After seeing what Taylor looks like, I find it hard to believe that any guy would be dumb enough to break her heart - she's beautiful! I’m also amazed at the level of talent she has for being so young. I could listen to her voice for hours and not be tired of her.

1. Aly & AJ - Potential Break Up Song
This is just one of the coolest pop songs I've ever heard. It’s got an edge to it, a lil bit of angst, and it’s performed by two extremely cute girls. This is on my iShuffle and if you see me running on the track, you might see my lips moving to the lyrics...

Best Albums 2007

2007-12-26T13:44:00.016-06:00

30. Voxtrot
29. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
28. Super Extra Bonus Party
27. the Perishers - Victorious
26. Vampire Weekend - Blue CD-R
25. Air - Pocket Symphony
24. the One AM Radio - this too shall pass
23. Coconut Records - Nighttiming

22. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
21. Comas - Spells

20. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
19. the Bravery - the Sun & the Moon
18. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
17. Relient K - Five Score & Seven Years Ago
16. Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House
15. Radiohead - In Rainbows

14. Josh Ritter - Historical Conquests
13. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
12. Kanye West - Graduation

11. the Cinematics - a Strange Education
debut album from Scottish band. I was hooked quite immediately and enjoy the diversity and energy of the album
listen to: Chase

10. Windmill - Puddle City Racing Lights
If you can get past the voice, you will love this album.
I know i can be quite vague when I say "the emotions this album induces are beyond words" but you just have to hear it to experience it.
listen to: Fit

9. the New Pornographers - Challengers
I’m always amazed by how much I love an album that i’m not even a huge fan of the band. I like the band, just never loved them... until now.
listen to: Myriad Harbour

8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
The blend of electronic and rock could be no better. The funny thing is that I would make mixes of new songs to listen to and I found myself falling in love with a lot of songs off this album
listen to: All My Friends

7. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger/Follow the Lights EP
As a rabid fan of his, I am also a critic of his. He outdid himself in 2005 with three albums, but manages to save enough steam to put out another fantastic album. His latest offering is a hybrid of his traditional country roots with his love of writing a great rock song. He continues to poor his heart out in the Follow the Lights EP where he also covers Alice In Chains "Down in a Hole."
listen to: I Taught Myself How to Grow Old

6. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Bird is creating a new wave of pop that seems yet to be copycatted. I saw him at Coachella 2007 and he was fantastic. His use of multiple instruments and different approaches at songs makes him beyond unique.
listen to: Dark Matter

5. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
A return to the lighter side for Jimmy. After 2004’s darker album Futures, the band appears to be more joyous and hopeful. Now, don’t be deterred by that thinking it’s cheesy. It’s anything but that. This album has a way of reaching you without being overly sentimental
listen to: Dizzy

4. the National - Boxer
Moody, smart, restraint, subtle... this album is golden and i fell in love with it the moment i heard "fake empire." The cover shows the band playing in a barroom and coincidentally, that’s how i imagine the songs when i hear it. The lead singer’s barotone voice comes off very intimidating off "Start a War" but soothes me over in "the Guest Room."
listen to: Mistaken For Strangers

3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
this isn’t a Christian album, it isn’t a Mormon album. It certainly showers us with religious imagery, but this is an album about life. Neon Bible comes thru dark and unpredictable, even Butler’s lyrics of frustration flow thru, but manage to keep you interested and not turned off.
listen to: Keep the Car Running

2. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Spoon surprised me this year. this was almost a 1 album for me. I dont want to necessarily say the album flows, but that’s a good thing. From the start of ’Target’ to ’Ghost’ then going into ’Cherry Bomb’ the album keeps to his rock roots, but is also adventurous.
listen to: You Got Yr Cherry Bomb

1. Tegan & Sara - the Con
Canadian sisters know how to rock. I’ve always liked these girls, but never have obsessed over them like i have this year. The album has its dark and desperate moments like "the Con" and "Hop a Plane", but the single "Back In Your Head" shows their lighter side. The final track ends the album with the lyrics "maybe you would have been something i’d be good at but now we’ll never know" This album cries of regret and remembering times of good and bad.
listen to: Nineteen

Best Singles 2007

2007-12-17T21:07:00.004-06:00

Extremely tough this year since there was so much good music, but also a lot of great music. My albums list still needs tinkering and I’ve slaved over this list enough that I needed to finalize it before I end up hating the singles.

A few of my favorite songs weren’t even released as singles, so I encourage you to check out
Tegan & Sara "Nineteen"
Relient K "Come Right Out and Say it"
Jimmy Eat World "Dizzy"

Yes, i had a lot of singles to think about this year.... and even harder time narrowing it down

40. Jesse Malin "Don’t Let Them Get You Down"
39. Feist "1, 2, 3, 4"
38. LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum"
37. Spoon "the Underdog"
36. Cold War Kids "Hang Me Up To Dry"
35. the Shins "Australia"

34. Kanye West "the Good Life"
33. Polyphonic Spree "Running Away"
32. Tegan & Sara "Back In Your Head"
31. Ryan Adams "Halloweenhead"

30. Modest Mouse "Missed the Boat"
29. Arcade Fire "Intervention"
28. CSS "Music is My Hot, Hot Sex"
27. the Killers "Tranquilize"/Shadowplay"
26. Justin Timberlake "What Goes Around...."

25. Windmill "Fit"
24. Kelly Clarkson "Sober"
23. Kaiser Chiefs "Ruby"
22. Shout Out Louds "Tonight I Have to Leave it"
21. Against Me - "Thrash Unreal"

20. Andrew Bird "Heretics"
19. Rilo Kiley "Silver Lining"
18. M.I.A. "Paper Planes"
17. Mark Ronson "Stop Me"
16. Muse "Starlight"
15. Ryan Adams "Two"
If I could I would treat you like you want me to, I promise

14. Matt Nathanson "Car Crash"
I’m wide awake and so alive...

13. Arcade Fire "Keep the Car Running"
If some night I don’t come home, please don’t think I’ve left you alone.

12. the Bravery "Time Won’t Let Me Go"
If I could go back once again, I would change everything

11. the Killers "Read My Mind"
Cause I don’t shine if you don’t shine

10. Jimmy Eat World "Big Casino"
I’m a New Jersey success story
the band that doesn’t disappoint returns. This song sure strays away from the darker themed material from the last album. I have been hearing imagery of hope and regret in a lot of songs lately. perhaps, that’s something i want to hear?
Big Casino certainly gives me the story of hope... hope thats there’s something more out there.

9. Bright Eyes "Four Winds"
She’s standing in the ashes at the end of the world
Conor Oberst has had struggles with his faith in the past, but that doesn’t stop him from singing about it. the theme of this song crys "the end is near" Now trying to decypher what the "four winds" actually are is a bit more difficult.

8. Justice "D.A.N.C.E."
The way you move is a mystery
Pop music was dominate this year.... partly thanx to this song. The video was even more creative showing a montage of tshirts changing thruout the song.

7. LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends"
I wouldn’t trade one stupid decision, for another five years of lies
Could this single be any better? what if it was covered by Franz Ferdinand?
then the answer is yes. Please don’t be put off by the long intro to the song, as it sets the mood for something so simplistic, yet emotional.

6. Snow Patrol "Open Your Eyes"
All this feels strange and untrue
Quite possibly the strongest track on the album released last year and it took them long enough to release it. The album displays themes of ’eyes’ and this track seems like the one that brings it to light.

5. Arcade Fire "No Cars Go"
Between the click of the light and the start of the dream
I don’t know the exact meaning of the song, it certainly sings themes of escapism and slightly connotes dreams possibly.
Even if this song was an instrumental, you would still feel the power of it. the creativity of this band using a variety of instruments is endless.

4. the Pipettes "You’re Kisses Are Wasted On Me"
I don’t love you, you don’t make me smile
Originally heard this last year, but seeing a US release of this single gave it eligibility for me. For those unaware, this is a british pop trio. You heard right, and they do it better than anyone. This song certainly combines an intense rush of emotions with its simple lyrics.

3. Tegan & Sara "the Con"
Encircle Me, i need to be... taken down.
This song is adventurous. this song is powerful. this song even seems self destructive.
i don’t know if there could be anymore emotion packed into this. I find myself battling between wether the sincerity comes thru when i hear "i really like to cry" but then again, the song is called the Con- so have i bought into it too?

2. Kanye West "Stronger"
I need you right now
Before Donda West passed, this song had reached me. the lyrics now carry a new meaning almost written with foreshadowing in mind. Kanye sampled Daft Punk for this song and raps solo without any help on the song.

1. Modest Mouse "Dashboard"
Well, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.
Enter Johnny Marr and exit a great track. This came out early in the year for me, but managed to hold my attention. It’s great to see that "Float On" was far from their peak, as "Dashboard" brings you in with the quick hook, but speeds up the tempo and reminds me of a theme MM has used in the past.... there’s hope ahead

the number 23

2007-11-26T21:12:00.004-06:00

the Number 23 was originated by the greatest basketball player ever: Michael Jordan.

the number was also popularized by famed Cub Ryne Sandberg.

Now, the new 23 in Chicago is Devin Hester. It is sincerely magic whenever he touches the ball. A recent stat by the Chicago Tribune showed he gets 1 TD for every 12 return attempts. The 2nd highest was Gale Sayers 1:15, and for good reference, Deion Sanders was 1:40.

The Bears don’t renew contracts unless someone is approaching the last year of their contract. They should bend that rule because I’m predicting Hester will be the most coveted free agent in the history of the NFL if he keeps at this pace

2006 Season (week is noted first)
(1) vs. GB: 84yd PR
(6) vs. ARZ: 83yd PR
(10) vs. NYG: 108yd missed FG return
(13) vs MINN: 45yd PR
(14) vs. STL: two KR for 94yds and 96yds

SuperBowl XLI: first ever opening kickoff return for 92yds

2007 Season
(2) vs. KC: 73yd PR
(4) vs. Det: 97yd KR
(6) vs. MINN: 89yd PR (also 81yd reception)
(12) vs. DEN: 75yd PR.... 88yd KR
(17) vs. NO: 64yd PR..... (also 55yd reception)

Welcome to My Mornings

2007-11-10T21:24:00.001-06:00

2004 Albums revisited

2007-09-03T15:39:00.003-05:00

It's difficult to rank music or your favorites knowing that you are going to evevntually hear more music from that year. I have been finding so much music over the past few years thats leading me to believe that 2004 might have been the best music year in quite some time.

After a few years and countless listens later, I'm giving 10 more albums you must hear from the year 2004

10. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
9. Ambulance LTD
8. Nelly McKay - Get Away From Me
7. Interpol - Antics
6. Keane - Hopes and Fears
5. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
How did I sleep on this one? Great album, but more important- consistent from their last one.
4. Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
You've heard the title track on Idol, but the shining star is "All the Wild Horses."
3. Butch Walker - Letters
Composer/Producer for Avril, Bowling for Soup, Pink, etc
This guy is the real deal and does pop-rock better than anyone.
2. Rachael Yamagata - Happenstance
I was walking around Best Buy and they played "Worn Me Down" in the store. I listened to every note and once they said the artist, I bought it on the spot. I have been moved to tears on several of her songs. Unfortunately, her heart had to be broken to make such a great album
1. Citizen Cope - the Clarence Greenwood Records
At first, sounds like folk hip hop- then you realize he is developing his own style. "Sideways" is the obvious ballad, but "Hurricane Waters" steals the spotlight at it's moments. His style is clever, but his artistic ability and songwriting makes this album a classic.

2004 also offered up great offerings from Iron & Wine, Madvillain, Rilo Kiley..... the list goes on

Knut

2007-04-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

Coyote Walks into a Quiznos.... (Chicago)

2007-04-05T17:27:00.001-05:00

Hope you all have heard this story, but this is just great. Attention Quiznos Marketing department, stop what you’re doing, because you have a new mascot.

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- For one day, at least, the roadrunner was safe. It seems the coyote was hankering for another kind of fast food.

Employees and customers at a downtown Chicago Quiznos sandwich shop were stunned to see a coyote walk through the propped-open front door Tuesday afternoon and lie down in a cooler stocked with fruit juice and soda.

"It wasn’t aggressive at all," restaurant manager Bina Patel told the Chicago Tribune. "It was just looking around." (Watch the coyote take a rest in the cooler Video)

Employees and customers calmly cleared out of the restaurant, though some took the time to finish their sandwiches and snap some cell-phone photos, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Animal control officers took the passive coyote away after about 40 minutes, after a curious crowd had gathered outside.

"This one definitely I will definitely remember forever. A coyote in downtown Chicago," Quiznos employee Rick Torres told WLS-TV.

The city captures 10 to 15 coyotes every year, especially in the spring when they are most active, said Anne Kent, director of Chicago Animal Care and Control. Veterinarians will examine the coyote and, if he is not injured, release him into the wild.

How to arm wrestle your girl

2007-02-15T01:08:00.000-06:00

Guilty Pleasures 2006

2007-01-10T14:16:00.001-06:00

5. Sean Paul "Temperature"
Addictive dance song with an edge to it.

4. Nick Lachey "What's Left of Me"
Feel bad for the guy? Wait til you see the video of him and Vanessa.... I think he'll be alright.

3. Pussycat Dolls "Buttons"
I can't get enough of these girls, well at least Nicole Scherzinger the lead singer.

2. Natasha Beningfield "Unwritten"
Yes, I got tired of this song like everyone else, but the proper use of a choir hooked me in.

1. Ashley Parker Angel "Never Let You Go"
Congrats on breaking the boy band image. I never changed the channel when this song came on.

Best Singles 2006

2006-12-27T15:58:00.007-06:00

25. Lupe Fiasco - "Kick, Push"
24. Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - "Rise Up with Fists!"
23. All American Rejects - "Move Along"
22. the Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes"
21. the Streets - "When You Wasn't Famous"

20. Weird Al - "White & Nerdy"
19. Nelly Furtado - "Maneater"
18. +44 - "When Your Heart Stops Beating"
17. Angels & Airwaves - "the Adventure"
16. Ok Go - "Here It Goes Again"

15. Lily Allen - "Smile"
14. Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"
13. Peter, Bjorn, & John - "Young Folks"
12. The Guillemots - "Trains to Brazil"
11. the Pipettes - "Pull Shapes"

10. Band of Horses - "the Funeral" One of the best indie pop ballads.

9. Damien Rice - "Nine Crimes" Damien continues to do well with dual vocals, piano, and his haunting choruses.

8. Cat Power - "Living Proof" Not only is Chan Marshall gorgeous, but her music and songwriting lives up to her looks. The song comes off as a soft song, but the lyrics come off much deeper.

7. T.I. - "What You Know" Hip Hop single of the year, hands down. T.I. may not have the height of other MCs, but he sure brings the goods in this song.

6. the Streets - "Prangin Out" Opening track off the new album and it's no softball, Skinner comes and hits you in the mouth with this blazing track and hard beats.

5. Justin Timberlake - "SexyBack/ My Love" I couldn't choose between the two, thus giving him a tie. Timberlake is on a different level. No longer can he be a guilty pleasure. His talent is incredible and the best part about his vocals on these songs is that he doesn't try to oversing. He puts his music ahead of trying to show others his vocal range.

4. Augustana - "Boston" I have met these guys and I really like them. I've also seen them live three times and this song still gets me. When you let yourself get lost in the verses, you do find yourself wanting to start over somewhere new.

3. the Damnwells - "Golden Days" Alex doesn't fail in his attempts at cleverness in his lyrics. "Counting down T-minus 10, 9, wait I still believe..." This is such a great song in the ways it's so smooth and sultry but still works as a pick me up.

2. Snow Patrol - "Hands Open" Lightbody's lyrics in the lastest album drops themes of opening up and being alive. "I just keep hoping, that your heart opens..." And they give a shout out to Sufjan Stevens!

1. the Killers - "When You Were Young" Flowers has turned 25, he is more mature and instead of imitating synth pop, he's imitating Springsteen. Doesn't matter as the Killers deliver on this single about heartache and hoping for things to be as they were before we got older and had worries and responsibilities.

New Diet Coke Flavor

2006-11-02T12:42:00.000-06:00

Have an open mind....

Snow Patrol - Chicago

2006-09-18T08:48:00.002-05:00

September 16, 2006

On an early June day, I woke up to check on the concert I was supposed to attend only to find out it was canceled. I was heartbroken and wasn't even sure if I could attend their make up date as the ticket I bought worked out perfectly to be played on a Saturday.

Several months later, the rescheduled date would be in September.... and again on a Saturday. Also, the original opening slot by Augustana would still be honored.

Possibly one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. They played at the Riviera Theatre which might be one of the best venues for sound. Gary Lightbody (singer) brought more than enough energy and emotion that filled the room. At one point, you could tell the audience was waiting for their single "Hands Open" which gives a nod to a Sufjan Stevens song: the very appropriately titled "Chicago." When that point came, Gary raised the inflection of his voice and the audience blew up.

(setlist)
Spitting Games
Wow
Chocolate
Beginning to Get to Me
Headlights
Grazed Knees
Chasing Cars
Shut Your Eyes
How to Be Dead
Somewhere a Clock is Ticking
Make This Go On Forever
Hands Open
Ways and Means
Run
You're All I Have

Encore:

Open Your Eyes
Tiny Little Fractures

Conan in Chicago

2006-05-15T19:35:00.002-05:00

Conan O'Brien hosted his show in Chicago on May 9th-12th, 2006. This was the first time a late night talk show host visited the city since Letterman in 1989.

Conan had many guests on that had roots in Chicago. Mr. T stopped by to give Conan a tour of the city. Conan visited his old apt with his former roommate Jeff Garlin, and George Wendt stopped by several times.

Tues: Sean Hayes, music by Cheap Trick
Wed: Dave Chappelle, music by Common
Thurs: John C. Reily, music by John Mayer
Fri: Senator Barrack Obama, music by Wilco

To get into a taping of the show, you needed to email NBC for tickets. According to the Chicago Tribune, 71,000 requests came thru (and 1 request = 2 tix). The Chicago Theatre only holds approx 3800 people. I was one of the lucky people who received tix. I waited 2hrs in the rain to get inside for the Thursday taping featuring John C. Reily and John Mayer.

When Conan came out, the audience went bananas. It took quite a while to quiet everyone down. During Conan's monologue, his tongue slipped and he said the "Shitty of Chicago." He quickly corrected himself but the audience blew up laughing hysterically. Conan replied with "I guess we're on Cinemax tonight!"

John C. Reily, a Chicago native was fantastic. I loved his work in Boogie Nights & the musical Chicago. He even broke out into song during the interview and Conan joined him in singing "the Night Chicago Died." John Mayer was joined by the Max Weinberg 7 performing "Sweet Home Chicago."

La Bamba (trombone player in the band) dressed up as someone different every week: Chicago police officer, Wrigleyville Beer Vendor, CTA driver, and yes, the Empire Carpet Man.

I loved my experience and appreciate Conan making the trip here. Hopefully, he'll come back some day....

Scrubs

2006-04-20T22:04:00.004-05:00

Zach Braff interview
http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/rmc/Interviews%202004/Zach%20Braff.htm

Donald Faison answers MY question!
http://scrubs-tv.com/rounds.html

Did you pre-order your Season 3 DVD yet??? (May 9th)
www.amazon.com

The Todd!
http://www.robertmaschio.com

Ted’s band
http://www.theblankswebsite.com/

.....And for the record: I own this poster! Its okay to be jealous.

love this joke

2006-04-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

A panda walks into a restaurant, sits down, and orders a sandwich. He eats the sandwich, pulls out a gun, and shoots the waiter dead. As the panda stands up to go, the manager shouts, "Hey! Where are you going? You just shot my waiter, and you didn't even pay for your sandwich!"

"Hey, man, I'm a PANDA!" the panda shouts back. "Look it up!"

The manager opens his dictionary and reads:

Panda:
A tree-dwelling marsupial of Asian origin, characterized by distinct black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves.

Guilty Pleasures 2005

2006-01-20T16:04:00.000-06:00

Quick trip down Memory Lane

2000 S Club 7 "Never Had a Dream Come True"
2001 Enrique Iglesias "Hero"
2002 Vanessa Carlton "1000 Miles"
2003 Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River"
2004 Kelly Clarkson "Breakaway"

Now on to this year......

#6. Rachel Stevens "So Good"

#5. Bowling for Soup "Almost"

#4. Natasha Beningfield "These Words"

#3. PCD "Stickwitu"

#2. Mariah Carey "Shake it Off"

#1. Backstreet Boys "Incomplete"

Almost an epic like song had me confused to why something so good would be on a top 40 radio station. Some of the vocals sounded familiar, but I was unsure and had to stay tuned to hear who it was by. To my surprise, the dj announced it was the new track from the Backstreet Boys. I enthusiastically told my friend Erik about the song and asked if he had heard it. He said he heard the track and enjoyed it, and added "I just don't tell anyone I like it," giving a little jab at me.

Christmas gift to all

2005-12-25T19:07:00.001-06:00

Baby Pandas for everyone!!!

Best Albums 2005

2005-12-21T00:24:00.001-06:00

15. We Are Scientists - With Love and Squalor
14. Kanye West - Late Registration
13. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have it So Much Better
12. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
11. Ryan Adams - Jacksonville City Nights

10. Anthony & the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now

9. Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff

8. Low - the Great Destroyer

7. Augustana - All the Stars & Boulevards

6. M83 - Don't Save Us From the Flames

5. Coldplay - X&Y
The british band has yet to produce a bad album. It's intriguing to see where their songwriting has taken them. Most of the album's tracks have an epic feel to them such as "Fix You" or "Swallowed by the Sea."

4. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Theme based album detailing the history of my great homestate ranging from outright adventurous songs like "Chicago" to the haunting "John Wayne Gacy."

3. Ryan Adams - Cold Roses
Ryan returned with his first of 3 new albums in 2005. Cold Roses was a double disc designed to remember the feeling of having 2 sides to a record.

2. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Best Export from the UK since Franz Ferdinand... who they also toured with. The album begins harshly with "Like Eating Glass" and slowly throughout the album reveals its heart in "Here We Are" and "This Modern Love"

1. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning
If there is an album in recent times that has made me feel and made me choke, this is the one. Conor can put how we all feel inside, into poetry that we all can connect with.
The album has intense emotions dealing with love, life, and loss.

My favorite lyrics on the album are also possibly the most romantic lyrics ever written "this is the first day of my life, i'm glad i didn't die before i met you"

Best Singles 2005

2005-12-20T23:17:00.003-06:00

25. M.I.A. "Galang"
24. 50 Cent vs. the Game "Hate it or Love it"
23. Shout Out Louds "the Comeback"
22. We Are Scientists "Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt"
21. The Fray "Cable Car"
20. LCD Soundsystem "Daft Punk is Playing at My House"
19. Bright Eyes "First Day of My Life"
18. The White Stripes "the Denial Twist"
17. The Futureheads "Hounds of Love"
16. The Bravery "An Honest Mistake"

15. Kanye West "Gold Digger"
14. Doves "Black & White Town"
13. M83 "Teen Angst"
12. Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."
11. Motion City Soundtrack "Everything is Alright"

10. Ryan Adams "Let it Ride"

9. Bloc Party "Here We Are"

8. The Killers "All These Things That I've Done"

7. Coldplay "Speed of Sound"/"Fix You"

6. The Stereophonics "Dakota"

5. The Afters "Beautiful Love"
Fits a good template for how a rock song should be played. I was drawn into the song immediately by the singer's voice. This might end up being a one hit wonder, but it's a great song to be known for.

4. Franz Ferdinand "Do You Want To?"
Franz quickly shut the door on being a one album wonder. The song even follows the "Take Me Out" formula of going in a different direction after fooling the listener of the pace of the song. The video is incredible as well. Matter of fact - if you don't like this song, you may not be cool.

3. Foo Fighters "Best Of You"
Definitely one of their best, probably one of their strongest. This song was packed w/ so much more emotion than most of the rock music released this year. I've been a fan of the band since I was young, and it's a refreshing feeling to not outgrow the music as a fan. The Foo Fighters are staying relevant and continuing to produce great music

2. Augustana "Stars & Boulevards"
Terrific voice and fantastic melody. A jaded lovesong defied by distance begging for another chance finds a way to creep into my heart. The touching moment happens at the end of the song with the lyrics "any inch of you that hasn't said it all or read it all or sung my life away."

1. Kelly Clarkson "Since U Been Gone"

I'm well aware of flak I may receive by praising this as the top single, but it's well deserved. Without a doubt, this changed pop music. It crossed boundaries where rockers such as Ted Leo and Butch Walker have been heard covering it.

A theme I repeatedly mention is energy, and this track brings it. Kelly's vocals compliment the edgy rock tone of the pop anthem. What works for this song is that Kelly has conviction in her voice. She believes what she is singing. Since U Been Gone provides a happy ending and strength to the hurdle or heartbreak that we may experience in life.

New Coke with Lime

2005-05-11T16:50:00.000-05:00

I cannot get enough of this commercial! When I see it, I just can't help but sing along...

Best Albums 2004

2004-12-30T23:43:00.001-06:00

15. Kanye West - the College Dropout
14. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes
13. Phoenix - Alphabetical
12. Air - Talkie Walkie
11. the Roots - Tipping Point

10. Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy
If you listen to this album and don't feel anything, you're officially made of stone. Polyphonic is brilliant, vibrant music that sadly isn't too radio friendly.

9. Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want To Be
TBS dominates the "emo" genre and this album proves to be above the curve with a distinct blueprint of their songwriting. It builds up and reaches it's appropriate height to complete the song.

8. Jesse Malin - the Heat
Jesse is quite interesting. His live shows are fantastic and probably better than his albums, but he mixes some great rock w/ ballads. He brings the New York culture to the record and his songwriting is highly underrated as a solo artist.

7. Elliot Smith - From a Basement On The Hill
This is Elliot's last album... sadly. This album is dark and dives into his drug filled world and his pain. This was put together by Elliot's family after his departure perserving his legacy with his last masterpiece.

6. Wilco - A Ghost is Born The song containg the album title is from the opening track "Theologians", a brilliant peace of work... also somewhat of a satire on the popular phrase 'a star is born.' The album can be challenging at times, but is still listenable. "Hummingbird" leaves a lasting impression with the lyrics: "it's goal in life was to be an echo."

5. Arcade Fire - Funeral During the recording of this album, the band was surrounded by deaths in their respective families. With the losses on their minds and hearts, they focused on life.

4. Franz Ferdinand When I first heard "Take Me Out," I prayed that these guys wouldn't be a one hit wonder and my prayers were answered! Their self titled album will be hard to top and await any future music they release. Franz has redefined their own brand of indie rock.

3. the Killers - Hot Fuss The Killers have came thru with dance/rock and they have no apologies. One might have the fear that after hearing "Somebody Told Me" that the album might sound all alike which is not the case at all. Each track on the album has it's own distinct style. Lyrics that stand out on the album: "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier..."

2. Snow Patrol - Final Straw

Behind the polished sound of "Chocolate" and "Run" is the gritty rock that represents the album. Gary Lightbody's voice has this bottled up emotion that shines in his choruses.
Final Straw starts off "How to Be Dead" detailing a hard relationship and then manages to rip into "Wow", dominated by loud, blazing guitars. Final Straw ends with the song "Same", a melodic song to close a flawless album.

1. the Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free

This album tells a story filled with characters and subplots in a dark time in Mike Skinner's life. The album begins with what is possibly Skinner's worst day as he has lost 1,000 dollars among other problems going on. Further down the album, we are introduced to his girlfriend and her infidelity with one of his friends. Skinner makes this story all the more personal by bringing in his own personal demons such as his gambling addiction, epilepsy, and drug use.

The track record for concept albums looks bleak, but this is the exception. The album is chronological from start to finish, so listen all the way thru, before skipping tracks.

Best Singles 2004

2004-12-28T18:07:00.001-06:00

25. Air "Surfing on a Rocket"
24. The Knife "Heartbeats"
23. Kanye West "Jesus Walks"
22. Gary Jules "Mad World"
21. Gwen Stefani What You Waiting For?"

20. Polyphonic Spree "Hold Me Now"
19. Embrace "Gravity"
18. Snow Patrol "Run"
17. Arcade Fire "Tunnels"
16. Phoenix "Everything is Everything"
15. Franz Ferdinand "This Fire"
14. the Streets "Dry Your Eyes"
13. Von Bondies "C'Mon, C'Mon"
12. Interpol "Slow Hands"
11. Jay-Z "99 Problems"

10. Snow Patrol - "Chocolate"
9. Rachael Yamagata - "Worn Me Down"
8. Walkmen - "The Rat"
7. Scissor Sisters - "Laura"
6. Keane "Somewhere Only We Know"

5. Kanye West "All Falls Down"

Stacey Dash (Clueless fame) stars in the video. Kanye's image of the anti-thug was well needed this year. His lyrics are fresh and his storytelling is a fresh change of current radio programming.

4. The Killers "Somebody Told Me"/ "Mr. Brightside"

I couldn't decide which single to choose. The Vegas rockers exploded with their dance/rock style with a hint of 80's influence made two standout singles this year that don't sound alike.... and that is a little hard for some bands to do these days.

3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps"

The haunting Chrissy Hynde like vocals disrupted the usual female dominated pop songs on the radio. Each time you listen to the song, you need to focus on the different layers of the track specifically the thundering drum beats.

2. Modest Mouse "Float On"

Everything that could go wrong in life happens in this song. It doesn't seem to bother Isaac as things seem to work out on their own. It takes a track like this to come along once in awhile to let us all know to ..... relax.

1. Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out"

Try to change tempo in the middle of a song and disaster might strike. Not the case here. "Take Me Out" starts as a low key rock song and transitions into an explosive riff. Franz Ferdinand revolutionized this new brand of indie rock to have a fresh hipness to it. Something exciting and different from what we've been used to.

Wilco in Chicago on Halloween

2004-11-01T10:25:00.001-06:00

Wilco ended their 3 night extravaganza in Chicago on Sunday... Halloween!
I took my friend Keely and we took the train in and waited outside the building quite early. Not to our surprise, the characters were out and we many people dressed up including a Tom Cruise "Top Gun" era who introduced himself to us more than once.

Wilco even opened the show wearing sheets for a song, appearing as ghosts. Wilco gave off amazing energy in their 25 song set that created amplified the emotion of their music.

(setlist)
Theologians
Poor Places
At Least That's What You Said
Hummingbird
Muzzle of Bees
Hell is Chrome
Handshake Drugs
I am Trying to Break Your Heart
A Shot in the Arm
Jesus, etc
War on War
Via Chicago
I'm Always in Love
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Less Than You Think
Spiders (Kidsmoke)

Encore 1:
(Don't Fear) the Reaper
Heavy Metal Drummer
the Late Greats
I'm a Wheel
Hoodoo Voodoo

Encore 2:
Another Man's Done Gone
Kingpin
Casino Queen
Be Not So Fearful