Practically charged!

I'm currently listening to 2008 Grammy Nominees and applying for jobs.

It's come to the point in the season where the grey hairs are going away until November and businesses are looking to clean up their employee roster. Companies literally close down from Easter to Halloween because the population decreases. I witnessed it working for a big box retail store. I was originally hired for seasonal work - Thanksgiving until New Years and then hired on a more part time basis. Once April rolled around and people left, we noticed quite the dirt and dust accumulate while the staff of 8 stood around, useless. By June, even management sat on their laurels trying to think of busy work, and it wasn't even dusk yet.

Puts me in a dreamstate

Recently picked up Hawaiian Steel Guitar Classics at the library today.

History buffs... unite?

I've noticed lately, that there's been way too much talk about World War I and war torn England. All the people in my complex love the Downton Abbey series, and are ever more excited now that season 3 has wrapped up. Unfortunately for the Americans, season four doesn't air until January 201 (Sept 2013 in the UK). I finally caught up with the program, and am bummed that I have to wait another ten months to see what happen(s/ed) do each of the characters.

As time goes by

The more I listen to The Next Day, the more it's growing on me, as a whole album. More prevalent this morning, when I was listening to it on my bike ride through my complex.

Good Evening -duckface-

Having just seen the Anthony Hopkins 2012 version of Hitchcock, I don't want to create a lot of spoiler alerts. At best, the movie would be worth the Amazon 24 hour rental, not the $21.99 Blu Ray DVD combo (as linked in the first link). However... if you're a die hard Hopkins / Helen Mirren fan, or love Hitchcock in general, by all means, snag the combo set.

First off, this major role for Sir Hopkins, needs no real introduction to the back story of his character. He portrays Hitch in the prime of the "time for a new role, what trouble can we cause now?" life. After having come off the heels of so many various movies (Vertigo, North By Northwest), the master of suspense needs a picture. Popularity soars deep with this one, as the word is catching up with Ed Gein (true life inspiration for Psycho and Silence of the Lambs).

Secondly, and more distressingly important in my book, I couldn't get over the fact that all the make up made him look like a 400 pound Billy Crystal. Honest to all things bad with what Hollywood can't do. No offense to any of them, but for crying out loud, it was Hopkins' voice, Crystal's face, and a not so slimming figure. Don't let this fool you into not seeing the movie if you haven't. I implore you to, but if you're like me and subconsciously find fault or comparisons in things, you'll see this too. And while we're on people looking like other people, Scarlett Johansson's Janet Leigh looks a little like Marilyn Monroe at quick glance.

This movie did bring new insight to what might have gone through Alfred Hitchcock's mind during 1959, but one thing will for ever remain embedded in people's heads:




Movie rated: a generous 3 out of 5


Cheers;

Tonight!

All of a sudden, I get just a blip of a lyric in my head. I swear it's an old song from the 60s, but finding a video with just the lyric "Tonight.... tonight", I think it's The Smashing Pumpkins' Tonight, Tonight. (off the Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness album).

The more I searched, I realised how I used to love New Kids On The Block, and I found their version. Tonight was the song we bopped our heads to in the early nineties because we didn't know any better. The meaning just went in one ear and out the other. Hey, this is my generation's boy band. We 8-12 year olds didn't know the difference. Plus, can your 12 year old to the dance to The Right Stuff? What about Hangin' Tough? No, they're doing the bloody Harlem Shake (the 2013 version)! (and yes, I admit, I know a little more about my generation then I care to attest to... That doesn't mean I don't appreciate each decade's wonders...)

Although I still want to find out which song I'm thinking of, I am very reminiscent of NKOTB right now. I saw a few months ago, they were setting up a new tour with Boyz II Men and 98°. I don't know how that's gone off, but wow, brings back old memories...

Note to self: Look for the New Kids beach towel and upload it....



Further musical listening:
Smashing Pumpkins



Cheers;

Has your fruit and sing about it too

Since my post the other day about the new Bowie album, all I've been doing is singing The Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever. Thanks alot, you British artists... I got good music going round me 'ed.

There's actually a few good cover tribute bands out.

 Minnesota Beatle Project (link goes to Vol 1 at Amazon. Youtube them if you're still uncertain). Vol 1 actually has SFF and it's recommendable. I heard of them via American Public Radio (aka NPR's cool friend, and A Prairie Home Companion's host).

I found another "band" on Amazon, and there is no information about them. Anywhere. At All. Even other users are confused as to why this band, The Beatles Recovered Band is up and running. It sounds a bit more of the original Beatles recordings, but someone somewhere is trying to cash in, perhaps? There's a search engine link to last.fm, but still, no other information about The Beatles Recovered Band exists. Tell me if you find anything. So I guess I wouldn't count this as a cover / tribute band if it's a rehash of the originals?

The Nowhere Band, is based out of Florida. They performed at the Art Walk the Christmas before last, and although I didn't go, I heard that they have their act together. Unfortunately, there is quite the Liverpool foursome's songs sung, but according to the website, SFF is not one of them. Bummer.

We all know the covers done by other artists for movies and such. But with that, I say Ben Harper brought more breathy wisps into Strawberry Fields on the I Am Sam soundtrack. Jim Sturgess' version on Across The Universe, is decent, but nothing to write home about. I did see that movie solely based on I like Eddie Izzard. I am Sam is more recommended than Across The Universe, truth be told. I'm not much of a Sean Penn person, but the man does have his moments. I guess I still see him as the Vans wearing Jeff Spicoli....

At any rate, nothing beats the original Scousers. Love 'em, hate 'em, do as you must. People say I'm "too young" to know who they are and what they stood for, but The Quiet One will always have a place in my heart.



Cheers;

Well it's been a decade!

Long time coming, Dame Bowie has released a new album. Yes, after ten long years of seeing him out of the record limelight and only helping his friends, he has brought us one for the vaults.

The Next Day,

Mmm... Spammy

I love canned emails. Especially ones from jobs I've applied for.

Gone are the days when one would spend hundreds of dollars a month on sending out resumes and portfolios to employers; shaking hands and networking, making yourself known. Today, we're headhunting online, sharing video chat screen names and casting a wide net on search sites in hope we catch a good job.

Come here, sit with me

Tell me your dreams...

New picture to do a daily dump with... Posted to my Instagram, I thought I'd share it here.

Twihard. With a Sparkle

Well, that was interesting. 115 minutes after watching Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2, I want my Redbox code back. Although there was some interesting folks cast in this one (Noel Fisher and Rami Malek anyone?), I'm not a fan of the blood suckers of the glitter kind. Nor am I the fan of their "enemy". I like vampire movies, I like wolf movies. I don't like the mascara wearing, all jeweled up and honey, I am DAZZLING! all you can eat thirst quenchers. I'll take Ann Rice and Charlaine Harris' vamps any day, over these! Thankyouverymuch.

I'm not going to sit here and spoil the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it. I do know you people are out there, reading this. But I will say: be prepared to get a very disjointed first 30 minutes of the movie and watch it be heavily laced with CGI. More so than the first 4. That's not to say it was done shoddy. Actually, it was. It really was confusing as hell. I think I could have done better production in my sleep. Hell, I could have produced, written and directed better on a Macro System's Casablanca! Although.... there was a nice piano in the Cullen residence....

If you don't watch one vampire movie this year, don't watch this. Especially if you haven't seen the first 4.


Cheers;

Dum duh dum dump

Duuuuuuuuumppppp!

Time to resurrect the (not so) daily dump of pictures. Now that I upgraded into the 21st Century and have an iPhone (yes, as messed up as this world is, I got a iPhone 4), my pictures photo stream onto my phone via the iCloud. It's soooo mind blowing, the way you take a photo now! and the image is on my computer then!. Only in the vast membranes of our old school thinking, is it magic.

I just think it's weird that, providing my craptop is on, my pictures appear in a folder. And I'm not even home to do it. It's scary, truth be told. It's the power of technology and it's the power of life. People want things 20 minutes ago, and the world is attempting to get to that speed. It's wild.

Just like some of the pictures I've taken recently.