Was playing around with the many, many, many bits of stereo equipment inherited from the father-in-law/brother-in-law, namely trying to figure out an amp and speakers that would actually work, and getting the record player up and moving. My test records were:
1. Femme Generation: The Future Called, They Want Their Sound Back
The digital vocal lead in with the kicking drum lick catches me immediately every time. A great song about extremely low-level indie music fame (”we’re gonna make it, but we’re never gonna make it big”). Backed with “Orlando Bloom” (original version and a remix).
2. The Hidden Cameras: The Arms of His Ill
A seven-song record that pre-dated the third album “Mississauga Goddamn”. This extended play recording hearkened back to Joel Gibb’s bedroom produced “Ecce Homo”, in that he recorded a number of the “Mississauga Goddamn” with the same stripped-down, four-track, self-produced aesthetic. Charming and an interesting companion to the album.
3. Unknown
Here’s a tip for all you aspiring independant bands out there… if you produce a record or cd of your arty noise-rock, put the name of your band on the record or jacket or sleeve or somewhere…or maybe a song title, or a record title, or something to at least identify who you are and allow someone to perform a search. I guess I could try that iPod widget that records a bit of the song and comes up with the title and artist (but I imagine these folks are so obscure that it won’t turn up anyway). I think I bought this record at a show in 2003-ish at the Silver Dollar Room, maybe for a band that opened for Lake Holiday?
If I had a favourite stuffed toy growing up, I can’t think of which one it would be. There was Lenny, my Cabbage Patch Kid, a big fuzzy Grover, the puppet dog with the floppy ears whose name I can’t remember, or possibly the little bear whom I’ve had (and still have with me) for as long as I can remember. Although, I don’t remember its name. I started calling him Radar about 15 years ago (after Big Bird’s teddy bear) but I doubt that’s what it was. It’s kind of funny how these things that were so important to us at one age kind of drift away. JJ has two favourite stuffies that I gave him for his fifth and seventh birthdays, both from Ikea. One’s a panda bear named Pandy. The other is a bulldog named Mr. Burns. It makes me happy that he’s most attached to these toys I’ve picked out for him.
I used to make my own pizzas quite often, dough and all, until I kind of got bored of them (and found it actually more economical time and money wise to order delivery). I bought a Ziggy’s pizza dough (with sauce) from Loblaws and topped it up with mozza cheese, salami, ham, pepperoni and pineapple. Not bad, but the dough was the weakest part.
This highly praised 2007 Sidney Lumet film is a crime film wrapped in a family drama, or vice versa. Two brothers of middle to upper class status both find themselves in desperate financial straights. When eldest brother Andy (Philip Seymore Hoffman) convinces the baby of the family Hank (Ethan Hawke) to commit a perceivably easy robbery, Hank enlists outside help and the caper goes horribly wrong, throwing both of their lives and family lives into incredible turmoil. The film sharply tackles the set-up, the execution and the fallout in rich depth via multiple characters, but does so in a non-linear fashion. The non-linear aspect isn’t necessarily a misstep, but the way it transitions between each POV is awkward and jarring, as if Lumet was going for a Guy Ritchie-esque technique, terribly out of place within the tone of the film. The climax of the film spirals wildly out of control into further and further extremes, invariably removing you from relating to the characters, which weakens the film. In tone it’s not too dissimilar to No Country For Old Men but it’s more methodically paced, and not as profound a story, especially given the ending. A really good, but not quite great film.
Basically it’s normalizing your ear pressure by forcibly exhaling while swallowing, yawning or clicking your jaw. Okay, well, it’s more than that, but who knew that that actually had a name? I learned this from the Venture Bros., and knowing is half the battle.