Wow..this must be a Record

Pretty amazing that I've actually found time to blog consistently for several days. I guess that this can be attributed to work finally slowing down after about 11 months straight. I can't complain with the slowdown considering the upcoming baby and my need to decompress. Luckily I've been able to accomplish things around the house (cleaning and financial wise). I've also decided to make the effort to blog each day. Hopefully I didn't bore people yesterday with my blog detailing my first (in an ongoing) series of music education for the future children (especially mine). Of course the Beatles will be the longest in this series because of their signficance...children of the current generation who are not educated on the Beatles or who think that Kellie Clarkson or Fall Out Boy are better should be taken out into the backyard and beaten with vinyl copy of a Yanni or a Kenny G album (of course, after Yanni's recent arrest for beating his wife, he may do the beating for me). I'll hold off on offering another music lesson today in order to offer a list of albums that have impressed me over the past few months. The list is in no certain order or level of signficance:

1. Belle and Sebastian-The Life Pursuit
2. Mogwai-Mr. Beast
3. Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
4. Rhett Miller-The Believer
5. Destroyer-Destroyer's Rubies
6. Morrissey-Ringleader of the Tormenters
7. Placebo-Meds
8. Josh Rouse-Subtitulo
9. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness-Fear is On Our Side
10. Graham Coxon-Love Travels at Illegal Speeds

If you have the opportunity to check out any of these albums, I believe you'll be impressed. If you're regularly watching American Idol (and take it seriously), then maybe they'll be a level of purgatory in music hell awaiting you in the near future.

Teach your children well...

With the baby planning to arrive in a little over a month, I've decided to discuss an issue that is very close to my heart..music education (aka development of proper music taste). In this world where shit like American Idol and manufactured top 40 garbage seem to reign, I believe that it is important to document a learning plan to develop a child with good music taste. I have chosen to do this because I don't trust that the world will gain any music taste in the next decade or so, and the fact that my wife's musical taste leaves much to be desired (e.g--Celine Dion...as you can understand, I didn't marry her for her musical expertise). Though I'm sure my children will listen to my music and think I'm an old-fuddy duddy, I now look back (at the age of 28) and realize that my father's music helped guide me in the right direction and developed a strong foundation. My father brought me up listening to a large amount of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin, and Cat Stevens. I thank my parents ever so much that they forbid me to listen to hair metal bands of the late 80's. That was a special gift in itself.

Well, the first group that must be taught to America's youth is as follows: This description is from All Music Guide (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:m9n8b594tsqj~T1)

The Beatles: So much has been said and written about the Beatles — and their story is so mythic in its sweep — that it's difficult to summarize their career without restating clichés that have already been digested by tens of millions of rock fans. To start with the obvious, they were the greatest and most influential act of the rock era, and introduced more innovations into popular music than any other rock band of the 20th century. Moreover, they were among the few artists of any discipline that were simultaneously the best at what they did and the most popular at what they did. Relentlessly imaginative and experimental, the Beatles grabbed a hold of the international mass consciousness in 1964 and never let go for the next six years, always staying ahead of the pack in terms of creativity but never losing their ability to communicate their increasingly sophisticated ideas to a mass audience. Their supremacy as rock icons remains unchallenged to this day, decades after their breakup in 1970.
Even when couching praise in specific terms, it's hard to convey the scope of the Beatles' achievements in a mere paragraph or two. They synthesized all that was good about early rock & roll, and changed it into something original and even more exciting. They established the prototype for the self-contained rock group that wrote and performed its own material. As composers, their craft and melodic inventiveness were second to none, and key to the evolution of rock from its blues/R&B-based forms into a style that was far more eclectic, but equally visceral. As singers, both John Lennon and Paul McCartney were among the best and most expressive vocalists in rock; the group's harmonies were intricate and exhilarating. As performers, they were (at least until touring had ground them down) exciting and photogenic; when they retreated into the studio, they were instrumental in pioneering advanced techniques and multi-layered arrangements. They were also the first British rock group to achieve worldwide prominence, launching a British Invasion that made rock truly an international phenomenon.
More than any other top group, the Beatles' success was very much a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Their phenomenal cohesion was due in large degree to most of the group having known each other and played together in Liverpool for about five years before they began to have hit records. Guitarist and teenage rebel John Lennon got hooked on rock & roll in the mid-'50s, and formed a band, the Quarrymen, at his high school. Around mid-1957, the Quarrymen were joined by another guitarist, Paul McCartney, nearly two years Lennon's junior. A bit later they were joined by another guitarist, George Harrison, a friend of McCartney. The Quarrymen would change lineups constantly in the late '50s, eventually reducing to the core trio of guitarists, who'd proven themselves to be the best musicians and most personally compatible individuals within the band.
The Quarrymen changed their name to the Silver Beatles in 1960, quickly dropping the "Silver" to become just the Beatles. Lennon's art college friend Stuart Sutcliffe joined on bass, but finding a permanent drummer was a vexing problem until Pete Best joined in the summer of 1960. He successfully auditioned for the combo just before they left for a several-month stint in Hamburg, Germany.
Hamburg was the Beatles' baptism by fire. Playing grueling sessions for hours on end in one of the most notorious red-light districts in the world, the group was forced to expand its repertoire, tighten up its chops, and invest its show with enough manic energy to keep the rowdy crowds satisfied. When they returned to Liverpool at the end of 1960, the band — formerly also-rans on the exploding Liverpudlian "beat" scene — were suddenly the most exciting act on the local circuit. They consolidated their following in 1961 with constant gigging in the Merseyside area, most often at the legendary Cavern Club, the incubator of the Merseybeat sound.
They also returned for engagements in Hamburg during 1961, although Sutcliffe dropped out of the band that year to concentrate on his art school studies there. McCartney took over on bass, Harrison settled in as lead guitarist, and Lennon had rhythm guitar; everyone sang. In mid-1961, the Beatles (minus Sutcliffe) made their first recordings in Germany, as a backup group to a British rock guitarist/singer based in Hamburg, Tony Sheridan. The Beatles hadn't fully developed at this point, and these recordings — many of which (including a couple of Sheridan-less tracks) were issued only after the band's rise to fame — found their talents in a most embryonic state. The Hamburg stint was also notable for gaining the Beatles sophisticated, artistic fans such as Sutcliffe's girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr, who influenced all of them (except Best) to restyle their quiffs in the moptops that gave the musicians their most distinctive visual trademark. (Sutcliffe, tragically, would die of a brain hemorrhage in April 1962).
Near the end of 1961, the Beatles' exploding local popularity caught the attention of local record store manager Brian Epstein, who was soon managing the band as well. He used his contacts to swiftly acquire a January 1, 1962, audition at Decca Records that has been heavily bootlegged (some tracks were officially released in 1995). After weeks of deliberation, Decca turned them down as did several other British labels. Epstein's perseverance was finally rewarded with an audition for producer George Martin at Parlophone, an EMI subsidiary; Martin signed the Beatles in mid-1962. By this time, Epstein was assiduously grooming his charges for national success by influencing them to smarten up their appearance, dispensing with their leather jackets and trousers in favor of tailored suits and ties.
One more major change was in the offing before the Beatles made their Parlophone debut. In August 1962, drummer Pete Best was kicked out of the group, a controversial decision that has been the cause of much speculation since. There is still no solid consensus as to whether it was because of his solitary, moody nature; the other Beatles' jealousy of his popularity with the fans; his musical shortcomings (George Martin had already told Epstein that Best wasn't good enough to drum on recordings); or his refusal to wear his hair in bangs. What seems most likely was that the Beatles simply found his personality incompatible, preferring to enlist Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey), a drummer with another popular Merseyside outfit, Rory Storm & the Hurricanes. Starr had been in the Beatles for a few weeks when they recorded their first single, "Love Me Do"/"P.S. I Love You," in September 1962. Both sides of the 45 were Lennon-McCartney originals, and the songwriting team would be credited with most of the group's material throughout the Beatles' career.
The single, a promising but fairly rudimentary effort, hovered around the lower reaches of the British Top 20. The Beatles phenomenon didn't truly kick in until "Please Please Me," which topped the British charts in early 1963. This was the prototype British Invasion single: an infectious melody, charging guitars, and positively exuberant harmonies. The same traits were evident on their third 45, "From Me to You" (a British number one), and their debut LP, Please Please Me. Although it was mostly recorded in a single day, Please Please Me topped the British charts for an astonishing 30 weeks, establishing the group as the most popular rock & roll act ever seen in the U.K.
What the Beatles had done was take the best elements of the rock and pop they loved and make them their own. Since the Quarrymen days, they had been steeped in the classic early rock of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, and the Everly Brothers; they'd also kept an ear open to the early '60s sounds of Motown, Phil Spector, and the girl groups. What they added was an unmatched songwriting savvy (inspired by Brill Building teams such as Gerry Goffin and Carole King), a brash guitar-oriented attack, wildly enthusiastic vocals, and the embodiment of the youthful flair of their generation, ready to dispense with postwar austerity and claim a culture of their own. They were also unsurpassed in their eclecticism, willing to borrow from blues, popular standards, gospel, folk, or whatever seemed suitable for their musical vision. Producer George Martin was the perfect foil for the group, refining their ideas without tinkering with their cores; during the last half of their career, he was indispensable for his ability to translate their concepts into arrangements that required complex orchestration, innovative applications of recording technology, and an ever-widening array of instruments.
Just as crucially, the Beatles were never ones to stand still and milk formulas. All of their subsequent albums and singles would show remarkable artistic progression (though never at the expense of a damn catchy tune). Even on their second LP, With the Beatles (1963), it was evident that their talents as composers and instrumentalists were expanding furiously, as they devised ever more inventive melodies and harmonies, and boosted the fullness of their arrangements. "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" established the group not just as a popular music act, but as a phenomenon never before seen in the British entertainment business, as each single sold over a million copies in the U.K. After some celebrated national TV appearances, Beatlemania broke out across the British Isles in late 1963, and the group generating screams and hysteria at all of their public appearances, musical or otherwise.
Capitol, which had first refusal of the Beatles' recordings in the United States, had declined to issue the group's first few singles, which ended up appearing on relatively small American independents. Capitol took up its option on "I Want to Hold Your Hand," which stormed to the top of the U.S. charts within weeks of its release on December 26, 1963. The Beatles' television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964 launched Beatlemania (and the entire British Invasion) on an even bigger scale than it had reached in Britain. In the first week of April 1964, the Beatles had the Top Five best-selling singles in the U.S.; they also had the first two slots on the album charts, as well as other entries throughout the Billboard Top 100. No one had ever dominated the market for popular music so heavily; it's doubtful that anyone ever will again. The Beatles themselves would continue to reach number one with most of their singles and albums until their 1970 breakup.
Hard as it may be to believe today, the Beatles were often dismissed by cultural commentators of the time as nothing more than a fad that would vanish within months as the novelty wore off. The group ensured this wouldn't happen by making A Hard Day's Night in early 1964, a cinéma vérité-style motion picture comedy/musical that cemented their image as "the Fab Four": happy-go-lucky, individualistic, cheeky, funny lads with nonstop energy. The soundtrack was also a triumph, consisting entirely of Lennon-McCartney tunes, including such standards as the title tune, "And I Love Her," "If I Fell," "Can't Buy Me Love," and "Things We Said Today." George Harrison's resonant 12-string electric guitar leads were hugely influential; the movie helped persuade the Byrds, then folksingers, to plunge all out into rock & roll, and the Beatles (along with Bob Dylan) would be hugely influential on the folk-rock explosion of 1965. The Beatles' success, too, had begun to open the U.S. market for fellow Brits like the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Kinks, and inspired young American groups like the Beau Brummels, Lovin' Spoonful, and others to mount a challenge of their own with self-penned material that owed a great debt to Lennon-McCartney.
Between riotous international tours in 1964 and 1965, the Beatles continued to squeeze out more chart-topping albums and singles. (Until 1967, the group's British albums were often truncated for release in the States; when their catalog was transferred to CD, the albums were released worldwide in their British configurations.) In retrospect, critics have judged Beatles for Sale (late 1964) and Help! (mid-1965) as the band's least impressive efforts. To some degree, that's true. Touring and an insatiable market placed heavy demands upon their songwriting, and some of the originals and covers on these records, while brilliant by many group's standards, were filler in the context of the Beatles' best work.
But when at the top of their game, the group was continuing to push forward. "I Feel Fine" had feedback and brilliant guitar leads; "Ticket to Ride" showed the band beginning to incorporate the ringing, metallic, circular guitar lines that would be appropriated by bands like the Byrds; "Help!" was their first burst of confessional lyricism; "Yesterday" employed a string quartet. John Lennon in particular was beginning to exhibit a Dylanesque influence in his songwriting on such folky, downbeat numbers as "I'm a Loser" and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." And tracks like "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" and "I've Just Seen a Face" had a strong country flavor.
Although the Beatles' second film, Help!, was a much sillier and less sophisticated affair than their first feature, it too was a huge commercial success. By this time, though, the Beatles had nothing to prove in commercial terms; the remaining frontiers were artistic challenges that could only be met in the studio. They rose to the occasion at the end of 1965 with Rubber Soul, one of the classic folk-rock records. Lyrically, Lennon, McCartney, and even Harrison (who was now writing some tunes on his own) were evolving beyond boy-girl scenarios into complex, personal feelings. They were also pushing the limits of studio rock by devising new guitar and bass textures, experimenting with distortion and multi-tracking, and using unconventional (for rock) instruments like the sitar.
As much of a progression as Rubber Soul was relative to their previous records, it was but a taster for the boundary-shattering outings of the next few years. The "Paperback Writer"/"Rain" single found the group abandoning romantic themes entirely, boosting the bass to previously unknown levels, and fooling around with psychedelic imagery and backward tapes on the B-side. Drugs (psychedelic and otherwise) were fueling their already fertile imaginations, but they felt creatively hindered by their touring obligations. Revolver, released in the summer of 1966, proved what the group could be capable of when allotted months of time in the studio. Hazy hard guitars and thicker vocal arrangements formed the bed of these increasingly imagistic, ambitious lyrics; the group's eclecticism now encompassed everything from singalong novelties ("Yellow Submarine") and string quartet-backed character sketches ("Eleanor Rigby") to Indian-influenced swirls of echo and backward tapes ("Tomorrow Never Knows"). Some would complain that the Beatles had abandoned the earthy rock of their roots for clever mannerism. But Revolver, like virtually all of the group's singles and albums from "She Loves You" on, would be a worldwide chart-topper.
For the past couple of years, live performance had become a rote exercise for the group, tired of competing with thousands of screaming fans that drowned out most of their voices and instruments. A 1966 summer worldwide tour was particularly grueling: the group's entourage was physically attacked in the Philippines after a perceived snub of the country's queen, and a casual remark by John Lennon about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus Christ was picked up in the States, resulting in the burning of Beatle records in the Bible belt and demands for a repentant apology. Their final concert of that American tour (in San Francisco on August 29, 1966) would be their last in front of a paying audience, as the group decided to stop playing live in order to concentrate on their studio recordings.
This was a radical (indeed, unprecedented) step in 1966, and the media was rife with speculation that the act was breaking up, especially after all four spent late 1966 engaged in separate personal and artistic pursuits. The appearance of the "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever" single in February 1967 squelched these concerns. Frequently cited as the strongest double A-side ever, the Beatles were now pushing forward into unabashedly psychedelic territory in their use of orchestral arrangements and Mellotron, without abandoning their grasp of memorable melody and immediately accessible lyrical messages.
Sgt. Pepper, released in June 1967 as the Summer of Love dawned, was the definitive psychedelic soundtrack. Or, at least, so it was perceived at the time: subsequent critics have painted the album as an uneven affair, given a conceptual unity via its brilliant multi-tracked overdubs, singalong melodies, and fairy tale-ish lyrics. Others remain convinced, as millions did at the time, that it represented pop's greatest triumph, or indeed an evolution of pop into art with a capital A. In addition to mining all manner of roots influences, the musicians were also picking up vibes from Indian music, avant-garde electronics, classical, music hall, and more. When the Beatles premiered their hippie anthem "All You Need Is Love" as part of a worldwide TV broadcast, they had been truly anointed as spokespersons for their generation (a role they had not actively sought), and it seemed they could do no wrong.
Musically, that would usually continue to be the case, but the group's strength began to unravel at a surprisingly quick pace. In August 1967, Brian Epstein — prone to suicidal depression over the past year — died of a drug overdose, leaving them without a manager. They pressed on with their next film project, Magical Mystery Tour, directed by themselves; lacking focus or even basic professionalism, the picture bombed when it was premiered on BBC television in December 1967, giving the media the first real chance they'd ever had to roast the Beatles over a flame. (Another film, the animated feature Yellow Submarine, would appear in 1968, although the Beatles had little involvement with the project, either in terms of the movie or the soundtrack.) In early 1968, the Beatles decamped to India for a course in transcendental meditation with the Maharishi; this too became something of a media embarrassment as each of the four would eventually depart the course before its completion.
The Beatles did use their unaccustomed peace in India to compose a wealth of new material. Judged solely on musical merit, The White Album, a double LP released in late 1968, was a triumph. While largely abandoning their psychedelic instruments to return to guitar-based rock, they maintained their whimsical eclecticism, proving themselves masters of everything from blues-rock to vaudeville. As individual songwriters, too, it contains some of their finest work (as does the brilliant non-LP single from this era, "Hey Jude"/"Revolution").
The problem, at least in terms of the group's long-term health, was that these were very much individual songs, as opposed to collective ones. Lennon and McCartney had long composed most of their tunes separately (you can almost always tell the composer by the lead vocalist). But they had always fed off of each other not only to supply missing bits and pieces that would bring a song to completion, but to provide a competitive edge that would bring out the best in the other. McCartney's romantic melodicism and Lennon's more acidic, gritty wit were perfect complements for one another. By The White Album, it was clear (if only in retrospect) that each member was more concerned with his own expression than that of the collective group: a natural impulse, but one that was bound to lead to difficulties.
In addition, George Harrison was becoming a more prolific and skilled composer as well, imbuing his own melodies (which were nearly the equal of those of his more celebrated colleagues) with a cosmic lightness. Harrison was beginning to resent his junior status, and the group began to bicker more openly in the studio. Ringo Starr, whose solid drumming and good nature could usually be counted upon (as was evident in his infrequent lead vocals), actually quit for a couple of weeks in the midst of the White Album sessions (though the media was unaware of this at the time). Personal interests were coming into play as well: Lennon's devotion to romantic and artistic pursuits with his new girlfriend (and soon-to-be wife) Yoko Ono was diverting his attentions from the Beatles. Apple Records, started by the group earlier in 1968 as a sort of utopian commercial enterprise, was becoming a financial and organizational nightmare.
These weren't the ideal conditions under which to record a new album in January 1969, especially when McCartney was pushing the group to return to live performing, although none of the others seemed especially keen on the idea. They did agree to try and record a "back-to-basics," live-in-the-studio-type LP, the sessions being filmed for a television special. That plan almost blew up when Harrison, in the midst of tense arguments, left the group for a few days. Although he returned, the idea of playing live concerts was put on the back burner; Harrison enlisted American soul keyboardist Billy Preston as kind of a fifth member on the sessions, both to beef up the arrangements and to alleviate the uncomfortable atmosphere. Exacerbating the problem was that the Beatles didn't have a great deal of first-class new songs to work with, although some were excellent. In order to provide a suitable concert-like experience for the film, the group did climb the roof of their Apple headquarters in London to deliver an impromptu performance on January 30, 1969, before the police stopped it; this was their last live concert of any sort.
Generally dissatisfied with these early-1969 sessions, the album and film — at first titled Get Back, and later to emerge as Let It Be — remained in the can as the group tried to figure out how the projects should be mixed, packaged, and distributed. A couple of the best tracks, "Get Back"/"Don't Let Me Down," were issued as a single in the spring of 1969. By this time, the Beatles' quarrels were intensifying in a dispute over management: McCartney wanted their affairs to be handled by his new father-in-law, Lee Eastman, while the other members of the group favored a tough American businessman, Allen Klein.
It was something of a miracle, then, that the final album recorded by the group, Abbey Road, was one of their most unified efforts (even if, by this time, the musicians were recording many of their parts separately). It certainly boasted some of their most intricate melodies, harmonies, and instrumental arrangements; it also heralded the arrival of Harrison as a composer of equal talent to Lennon and McCartney, as George wrote the album's two most popular tunes, "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun." The Beatles were still progressing, but it turned out to be the end of the road, as their business disputes continued to magnify. Lennon, who had begun releasing solo singles and performing with friends as the Plastic Ono Band, threatened to resign in late 1969, although he was dissuaded from making a public announcement.
Most of the early-1969 tapes remained unreleased, partially because the footage for the planned television broadcast of these sessions was now going to be produced as a documentary movie. The accompanying soundtrack album, Let It Be, was delayed so that its release could coincide with that of the film. Lennon, Harrison, and Allen Klein decided to have celebrated American producer Phil Spector record some additional instrumentation and do some mixing. Thus the confusion that persists among most rock listeners to this day: Let It Be, although the last Beatles album to be released, was not the last one to be recorded. Abbey Road should actually be considered as the Beatles' last album; most of the material on Let It Be, including the title track (which would be the last single released while the group was still together), was recorded several months before the Abbey Road sessions began in earnest, and a good 15 months or so before its May 1970 release.
By that time, the Beatles were no more. In fact, there had been no recording done by the group as a unit since August 1969, and each member of the band had begun to pursue serious outside professional interests independently via the Plastic Ono Band, Harrison's tour with Delaney & Bonnie, Starr's starring role in the Magic Christian film, or McCartney's first solo album. The outside world for the most part remained almost wholly unaware of the seriousness of the group's friction, making it a devastating shock for much of the world's youth when McCartney announced that he was leaving the Beatles on April 10, 1970. (The "announcement" was actually contained in a press release for his new album, in which his declaration of his intention to work on his own effectively served as a notice of his departure.)
The final blow, apparently, was the conflict between the release dates of Let It Be and McCartney's debut solo album. The rest of the group asked McCartney to delay his release until after Let It Be; McCartney refused and, for good measure, was distressed by Spector's post-production work on Let It Be, particularly the string overdubs on "The Long and Winding Road," which became a posthumous Beatles single that spring. Although McCartney received much of the blame for the split, it should be remembered that he had done more than any other member to keep the group going since Epstein's death, and that each of the other Beatles had threatened to leave well before McCartney's departure. With hindsight, the breakup seemed inevitable in view of their serious business disagreements and the growth of their individual interests.
As bitter as the initial headlines were to swallow, the feuding would grow much worse over the next few years. At the end of 1970, McCartney sued the rest of the Beatles in order to dissolve their partnership; the battle dragged through the courts for years, scotching any prospects of a group reunion. In any case, each member of the band quickly established a viable solo career. In fact, at the outset it could have been argued that the artistic effects of the split were in some ways beneficial, freeing Lennon and Harrison to make their most uncompromising artistic statements (Plastic Ono Band and All Things Must Pass). George's individual talents in particular received acclaim that had always eluded him when he was overshadowed by Lennon-McCartney. Paul had a much rougher time with the critics, but continued to issue a stream of hit singles, hitting a commercial and critical jackpot at the end of 1973 with the massively successful Band on the Run. Ringo did not have the songwriting acumen to compete on the same level as the others, yet he too had quite a few big hit singles in the early '70s, often benefiting from the assistance of his former bandmates.
Yet within a short time, it became apparent both that the Beatles were not going to settle their differences and reunite, and that their solo work could not compare with what they were capable of creating together. The stereotype has it that the split allowed each of them to indulge in their worst tendencies to their extremes: Lennon in agitprop, Harrison in holier-than-thou mysticism, McCartney in cutesy pop, Starr in easy listening rock. There's a good deal of truth in this, but it's also important to bear in mind that what was most missing was a sense of group interaction. The critical party line often champions Lennon as the angry, realist rocker, and McCartney as the melodic balladeer, but this is a fallacy: each of them was capable, in roughly equal measures, of ballsy all-out rock and sweet romanticism. What is not in dispute is that they sparked each other to reach heights that they could not attain on their own.
Despite periodic rumors of reunions throughout the 1970s, no group projects came close to materializing. It should be added that the Beatles themselves continued to feud to some degree, and from all evidence weren't seriously interested in working together as a unit. Any hopes of a reunion vanished when Lennon was assassinated in New York City in December 1980. The Beatles continued their solo careers throughout the 1980s, but their releases became less frequent, and their commercial success gradually diminished as listeners without first-hand memories of the combo created their own idols.
The popularity of the Beatles-as-unit, however, proved eternal. In part, this is because the group's 1970 split effectively short-circuited the prospects of artistic decline; the body of work that was preserved was uniformly strong. However, it's also because, like any great works of art, the Beatles' records carried an ageless magnificence that continues to captivate new generations of listeners. So it is that Beatles records continue to be heard on radio in heavy rotation, continue to sell in massive quantities, and continue to be covered and quoted by rock and pop artists through the present day.
Legal wrangles at Apple prevented the official issue of previously unreleased Beatle material for over two decades (although much of it was frequently bootlegged). The situation finally changed in the 1990s, after McCartney, Harrison, Starr, and Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, settled their principal business disagreements. In 1994, this resulted in a double CD of BBC sessions from the early and mid-'60s. The following year, a much more ambitious project was undertaken: a multi-part film documentary, broadcast on network television in 1995, and then released (with double the length) for the home video market in 1996, with the active participation of the surviving Beatles.
To coincide with the Anthology documentary, three double CDs of previously unreleased/rare material were issued in 1995 and 1996. Additionally, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr (with some assistance from Jeff Lynne) embellished a couple of John Lennon demos from the 1970s with overdubs to create two new tracks ("Free as a Bird" and "Real Love") that were billed as actual Beatles recordings. Whether this constitutes the actual long-awaited "reunion" is the subject of much debate. Certainly these cuts were hardly classics on par with the music the group made in the 1960s. Some fans, even diehards, were inclined to view the whole Anthology project as a distinctly 1990s marketing exercise that maximized the mileage of whatever could be squeezed from the Beatles' vaults. If nothing else, though, the massive commercial success of outtakes that had, after all, been recorded 25 to 30 years ago, spoke volumes about the unabated appeal and fascination the Beatles continue to exert worldwide

The Countdown Begins...

I went with my pregnant wife to the OB GYN today to have the now weekly checkup. The doctor said that my wife is measuring about 2 weeks ahead and that the baby (weighing 4.1 pounds) will likely come in the 37-38th week. Seeing as though my wife is currently in her 32 week, the speed of life is becoming even more clear. It seems like just yesterday that my wife surprised me with the news of the pregnancy. Now I am staring at the reality that the baby will be here in the next 5-6 weeks. All of this sudden reality has definitely affected my wife. We went to a child birth class last night and watched some videos of a baby being born. I found it absolutely amazing and extremely emotional. The dad in the video was bawling just like the baby...I have no doubt I will be in the same boat. After watching the video, my wife has seemed to be extremely scared about the pain that is soon approaching. I pray to God that the pregnancy is quick and easy and that she will be able to look back with a smile after all of this. Miracles don't always come easy...this is the ultimate display of this fact.

Well, last night I had another dream about the baby. I had a dream about a month ago where the baby was a girl. Some friends told me that their dreams told them what the sex of the baby was. Last night's dream shot that theory down. My dream showed the baby to be a boy and for some reason I fell asleep while the baby was being born. My mom woke me up to tell me that my wife had given birth. I have no clue what this dream meant..probably just something crazy. Well...all shall be revealed in the next few weeks. My fingers are crossed.

Can Hear Me Now...What..What..Oh, Let Me Turn Down this Ipod

I came across an interesting article the other day detailing how Apple has released a piece of software that will help limit the volume on the popular Ipod mp3 player. Apparently some lawyer decided to represent a guy that claims that the Ipod's volume has led to hearing loss. I swear, lawyers will go after about any lawsuit, irregardless if the suit is ludicrous. I mean come on..this lawsuit is just breeming with stupidity. This lawyer and the guy he's representing should be taken out and shot. Isn't this whole case about personal responsibility. This idiot is complaining about hearing loss when he was stupid enough to turn his Ipod up loud and keep it loud. If the volume hurt your ears..you stupid idiot..shouldn't you have just turned the volume down...I swear..the click wheel is pretty easy to use..maybe the poor guy doesn't have a thumb or index finger to use to 'gently slide' the freaking wheel toward the left. Heck..maybe the guy is still trying to figure out what direction left and right is...maybe he was drunk and had his Ipod upside down...I could go on and on with stupid excuses. The bottom line is this...if the music sounds loud...if your ears start ringing..if your ears start to bleed..then likely your music is too loud. Last time I looked, the Ipod click wheel is about as easy to use as the volume knobs on your stereo. As I conclude, I have to wonder that if this guy makes any money off of this lawsuit..I can just see the onslaught of people suing Sony, Pioneer, etc for their home stereos leading to hearing loss. Maybe this means that I can sue George Lucas for the whole THX thing we hear when we watch a movie. Jar Jar Binks...can I sue Lucas for that sad excuse for a character?

By the way, here is the link to the article: http://tinymixtapes.com/2006_04_01_archivenews.htm#114413421065108633

Everything in the World Revolves around Google

Yesterday I was looking at my regular websites and I came across a few interesting tidbits about what services the behemoth known as Google is looking to offer the large masses. First off, Google has a plan to begin tracking its users via WiFi. The plan involves Google being 'able to track its users to within 100-200 feet of their location through new wireless networks in order to serve them with relevant advertising from local businesses.' The wi-fi network would be free to users because they are off-setting the cost of maintaining the network by charging the advertisers. Pretty neat idea..so long as the wi-fi network is secure..so yes, you too can look for porn via google while out and about..funny thing is..they are planning to test this little wi-fi network in San Francisco...guess instead of normal porn, there will be alot of searches for gay porn. Check out the article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12188577/

The next service that Google has on its plate involves offering a subscription music service that would look to rival iTunes. Though iTunes has a nice little head start with its business model, I have to wonder if Google may cut into iTunes market share. Think about it..a large majority of people all over the world check out Google at least several times a day and would likely notice the explicit advertising for music on Google. I would bet that a majority of these same people only check out iTunes once or twice a week vs. looking at Google multiple times per day. Seems plausible to me that Google may have something here. Just think how popular Google maps has become..most people would rather look there for directions than going to mapquest or yahoo maps. The article about this Google venture is kinda opinionated (considering it comes from a very opinionated music website), but still, it's very interesting. Here's the link: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/2006_04_01_archivenews.htm#114437921450395810

Well, I hope these articles are interesting to the 1 or 2 people who read this blog. Heck, maybe my blog will now be googled considering it has the name Google in it multiple times.

I received this email last week while on vacation. I visited Cancun another time, but this year it was interesting because the North American summit was being held about 2 hotels from me. I'm sure most people saw on the news that leaders from the US, Mexico, and Canada met to discuss trade and of course, border security. I read this email and found it very relevant to alot of the situations occurring today. Hope you enjoy:

We know Dick Lamm as the former Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, filled to capacity by many of American's finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor by the name of Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, Mexifornia," explaining how immigration - both legal and illegal - was destroying the entire state of California. He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream.

Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America. The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States. He said, "If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let's destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.'"

Here is how they do it," Lamm said:

"First, to destroy America, turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country." History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way: "The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy." Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans.".

Lamm went on: Second, to destroy America, "Invent 'multiculturalism' and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. I would make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal. That there are no cultural differences. I would make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.

Third, "We could make the United States an 'Hispanic Quebec' without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: "The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentricity and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together." Lamm said, "I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America enforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities."

"Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a 50% dropout rate from high. school."

"My fifth point for destroying America would be to get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of 'Victimology.' I would get all minorities to think that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population."

"My sixth plan for America's downfall would include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshipped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games. A common enemy, Persia, threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to overcome two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. "E. Pluribus Unum" -- From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the 'pluribus'. instead of the 'Unum,' we will balkanize America as surely as Kosovo."

"Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits; make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, having established multi-culturism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of 'Victimology,' I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigration has been good for America, it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them."

In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed. Finally he said,. "Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Davis's book Mexifornia. His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America. If you feel America. deserves to be destroyed, don't read that book.".

There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like an ominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically, quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today. Discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Even barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate 'diversity.' American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in. America - take note of California and other states - to date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast. It is reminiscent of George Orwell's book "1984." In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth building: "War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," and "Ignorance is strength.".

Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy is deeply in trouble and worsening fast. If we don't get this immigration monster stopped within three years, it will rage like a California wildfire and destroy everything in its path, especially The American Dream.

Thought provoking?

Random Thoughts From a Man with No Time To Blog

It's funny when my only excuse for not being able to blog comes down to one word: work. It's funny, when you get out of college and you think...'Wow, I don't have to do homework and study anymore..I'm gonna have all kinds of time to do things that I want to do.' Well, I have to think that maybe I wasn't as educated as I had originally thought. I sign my life away to a job and the company says...well why don't you work your ass off for a shitty salary and since you're young and impressionable, why don't you work at night..because just maybe one day we'll pay you what your worth.' Yeah, I've been easily influenced for the past 3 years...has it got me anywhere yet..well, I did get my first phone call from a head hunter trying to pull me to another job. I've decided to hold off on the idea of another job because of the fact that the wife is pregnant..it's amazing how the weight of insurance and a pregnant wife will cause you to stick with the job you know.

Well, I went to NYC this past weekend with the wife. We were able to see a few Broadway shows and my wife got to shop for maternity clothes. I have to say that I've gained a new appreciation for Broadway. I can thank my wife for this..guess she is truly more sophisticated than I am..but of course most women would have that opinion..since we are just pawns in their eyes. We saw the show Wicked (the prequel to the Wizard of Oz). The show pretty much laid the backstory to the relationship between the wicked witch and the good witch glenda. We come to find out that the wicked witch was the smart lady with the feelings and the heart, while the wicked witch was a ditzy blonde with a passion for men and clothes. We come to find that the wizard has a plan use the wicked witch's passion for animal rights to his advantage. We find out that the reason why the tin man, scarecrow and lion became who they are..fyi, they weren't originally that way. To sum it up...the wicked witch gets the man, fakes her death, and makes good witch look like an idiot.

The second show we saw was the Odd Couple. The show stars Broadway's hot duo Matthew Broderick (the dude banging Sarah Jessica Parker) and Nathan Lane (Mr. Flaming Liberal). The show was a surprise to my wife from her father. He got a great deal on Ebay and we ended up with front row center tickets. The show was very funny and worth the time and energy.

Well, it appears that I am rambling about next to nothing again. I've had a few glasses of wine and am feeling ripe. Before I sign off, I have need to give a final shout out to one of my most inspirational teachers. About 2 weeks ago, my junior/senior English teacher passed away from complications related to breast cancer. This woman was one of the strongest women I know. She taught me to go in the direction I wanted to go when it came to college and she was a pillar of support when my mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was in high school. I was able to keep up with her after high school and she was genuinely concerned about the path of my life. I was able to talk to her about a week before she died and told her about my upcoming child. She was overly excited for me. I have no doubt where she's at this moment..in Heaven. Here's my final shout out to her..teachers can truly have influence if you let them.

Double Standards...

I watch the news each night and I'm slapped in the face with the realization of how the world has double standards. The big news this weekend surrounded the riots and killings in Muslim countries because of the Danish cartoon depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed with a bomb in the towel on his head. The Muslims say that the artist of the cartoon should have his hands cut off, killed, etc, and that the country of Denmark (and hell....all other countries) should apologize for printing the cartoon. I find it funny that this happens over in Eurorpe, but you don't hear about Americans rioting and calling for death when Jesus, President Bush, or Catholics are depicted in political satire cartoons. My gosh, if this were the case, then what would have happened with the recent Rolling Stone cover with Kanye West being crucified (black political rapper)? I guess the western world is so accustomed to the freedom of the press that when we see pics, cartoons, etc that are offensive to us, we just roll our eyes..then we go along with our work day. It's just a part of the country in which we live..we have different opinions...you either agree with one side or the other, but we don't just walk out to a person we disagree with and beat their ass or kill them. The more that I watch and hear the Muslim leaders, I just realize how averse to freedom they are. It's okay for them to wish death to Israel, the US, and their spiritual leaders, but if some outside party does this, then it's the entire world's fault and it's time to burn down buildings and kill people we disagree with. Makes me a little worried about the direction of this world. Makes you realize how important the freedom of thought, religion, press, and bearing of arms can be. As for me, I'm all about fighting for these freedoms..especially when the rest of the world is so adamantly against them.

B-Diddy has now gotten off his soapbox...the world may now relax.

The Intern

You ever just want to slap a hippie? Over the past 2 weeks I've been managing a job where I was given an intern to assist with the work. I know that interns are supposed to be impressionable and somewhat annoying, but my God, this intern has driven me up the proverbial wall. When I define hippie, I must explain the elements that make up a hippie:

1. Overly impressionable by any form of print media/Unable to think issues out clearly: My hippie just recently decided that she didn't want to eat meat anymore. When probed as to why, she simply says that she read a book about the mistreatment of animals and how meat packing companies deal with meat. So this girl being 25 has really eaten meat for about 24 years, but just because another hippie told her it wasn't right, she automatically decided that she didn't need it either...damn crazy woman. I swear that going out to a meal with this hippie is an experience in itself. It probably takes an extra 15 min to order a simple meal because she has to probe the preparer as to 'what the food was cooked in,' whether it was 'around any type of meat,' or hell, if the food actually has feelings and had a sexual relationship with a piece of meat...shit..she might as well have asked this last question.

2. Extremely concerned with recycling and the environment: I swear that no one in my group can drink a can of Coke without this chick asking ' are you gonna recycle the can.' I mean what's the freaking deal. I also have to listen to her bitch about someone printing a report on paper. She says that we are killing the poor trees. I just wanted to print a 500 page report..glance at it for awhile and then set it on fire on the table while she watches..heck, I could throw the recycled cans in the fire and do a funky dance.

3. Over promotion of the movie Brokeback Mountain: I don't want to see a movie where two guys make out and attempt to make brownies. Seriously, I'd rather sit through Bambi or the new Deuce Bigalow while shaving my nutsack. Whenever I say I would rather not watch Brokeback, she tries to say that the movie is not about homosexuality...its about love, understanding, and tolerance. Yeah, I understand this much, ... I love me some tits and I don't tolerate 2 guys trying to make brownies. For all this hype, I find it funny that Hollywood claims that it's not trying to promote an agenda. Yeah, and Iran is only attempting to work with uranium to provide power for its people..uh, doesn't Iran have all kinds of oil.

Well, I think I've said my peace tonight. Maybe I can tie down the hippie, feed her a porterhouse, while feeding her a coke out of a can, while using plastic silverware, and while sawing down a tree. Think I would make my point?

Fairweather Friends

Over the past few days I have been reminded of so-called 'friends' that I grew up with in high school and under-grad college. On Sunday night, I received a phone call from a high school friend who I haven't heard from in ages. He got a girl pregnant in high school and proceeded to marry a drug addicted/waste of a girl during my first year in grad school. He stayed with this girl for about a year or two and then finally woke up after that time realizing that she was bad for him. During that time, he completely ignored all his friends from high school..the girl was the main focus..no one else. She didn't seem to want him to associate with his friends I remember making many efforts after he was married to try to stay in touch with him, but he just never returned my phone calls. What the hell can you do about this situation..not much in my mind. So on Sunday, he called me to let me know that he was getting married for a second time and wanted my address. Needless to say that I was surprised that he called me, but I'm starting to think that he only wants to invite me to wedding #2 in order to get a wedding gift. He can happily send me an invite to the wedding, but he sure as hell ain't getting another gift. I am actually very offended that he would call me to attend wedding #2 when he has never made an effort to even contact me..he only calls when he wants something. I think most of us know someone like that.

I also have been thinking about another so-called friend that lived in my hometown while I was in under-grad. He and I worked at a music store together and shared alot of interests. We hung out on the weekends during college for nearly 4 yrs. He rarely dated because of his social ineptitude. When he did find a girl, he focused on her solely and his friends were ignored. I remember many a night when we would make plans to go out, I'd be at the bar waiting, and he'd call me to say..'listen, I'm tired and think I'm gonna stay in.' About 2 years ago, he met a girl and dated her for about 2 -3 months. He then got the wild idea to marry her just because she was Catholic. Well, during the dating and after the wedding, he totally ignored me. I would come to town and try to make plans to go to lunch..he'd call a few minutes before the meeting time and cancel. My wife and I tried to take a gift to his house for the wedding. He and his wife (who I've never met) were inside the house. I called ahead and asked if I could bring him a present. He told me to just leave the present on the front porch. He didn't even have the manners to come to the door to thank my wife and I...he just ignored me. After the gift drop-off, my wife and I never received a thank you note from he and the wife. After I brought him a wedding gift...I guess I guilted him into buying me a gift. The really sad thing about the gift was that it was not on any of the 4 gift registries and appeared to be an item that was re-gifted...cheap fucker. Well, since all of this happened, he attempted to send an IM to me here and there. All of a sudden back in November, he decides to block me from IM...no reason was given and no emails were returned. I guess his wife totally owns him now..his mind, soul, and ability to make decisions. Guess I should mark him up on the fair-weather friends list too.

Well..I finally got all of this off my chest. If I can leave one inkling of advice...Learn to think for yourself..don't let women control your lives and minds...have a life outside of your marriage with close friends...and don't be a fairweather friend. peace out.

Parents in Training.

Well, I just walked downstairs after attempting to put my 2 nieces to sleep. My wife and I (probably more my wife) are taking care of her 2 nieces for 4 days while their parents are in FL for a meeting/vacation. I would think that this would be good training for the future baby, but my wife says that God doesn't just give you a 2 and 4 year old straight out of the box, He slowly works you into parenthood. I know that both the nieces are looking forward to their parents coming home, but I think my wife and I are also. We've had our share of watching Peter Pan, Dora the Explorer, Scooby Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and other children children's flicks. We are looking so forward to watching regular adult programs..heck, even the evening news on a regular network sounds good. We've also had our fair share of child based restaurants..aka, Chuck E cheese and Chick fil a. Kids have so much energy..if I could have just a small sliver of their energy, I could so much more done during the day. Oh to be young and without responsibility. Well the kids have driven my wife and I to hide in the bedroom. Sleep will not be much further off.

Negative Nancy..Nah..

So I see that some people consider me negative after the last blog (well I guess just one person..seeing as though only one person comments on my posts). I was planning to do a series of blogs looking back at '05, and I thought about getting my bitchin' done first. First things first, this week has put it's foot up my ass. Starting a new client and having to manage 3 staff (that have only 5 months experience) has been a helluva challenge. The continuous questions, interruptions, and whining is enough to make 'Rick James slap a bitch.' Oh well, I assume that I was just as bad about 3 years ago when I started...gotta give the grunts some time.

Gotta give a shout out to Mr. Mcleod and his new website template..looks like one of those skins you can get for Musicmatch or other early music apps. I'm also glad that I can provide him reason to put up his new section detailing his ipod playlist...Mcleod..where's my referral bonus?

Ok onwards...the following are the highlights (yes..positive) events of 2005:

1. The wife is pregnant-We were planning on trying for a baby and didn't think it would happen so fast. Boy was I surprised after only about a month and a half of trying I was awoken to a trail of baby books, movies, and the EPT test strip. My wife still makes fun of my reaction, which I will save for another future blog.

2. My father's reaction to the news of the baby- As I've said previously, I announced the birth of the baby during the prayer at Thanksgiving. Both my parents and the wife's parents were in attendance. I said something at the end of prayer asking God to please bless the hair on my parents' heads considering they were becoming grandparents. My Dad was so flustered that he had to walk outside and get a fresh breath of air. He then proceeded to celebrate with the champagne..a good thing I must say. I still laugh that he tells his friends at work that my brother has become an uncle...but fails to want to admit that he will be a grandfather. Kinda crazy.

3. Europe and Canada trips-Though the majority of my trips abroad were work related, I still got to do some playing. I was sent to Amsterdam for work and then brought my wife over for the second week. We were able to visit Rome, Italy, for 3 days. One of the better experiences I've had. So much history and beauty..hopefully one day in the future I can visit again.

4. My promotion at work- I have to say that I definitely deserved it, but as I've said before, they could have actually paid me what I'm worth. I travel 80-90% of the time, have to be away from my wife, and don't get compensated for all the trouble. Wish my company gave a rat's ass about work life balance..the true test awaits with the birth of the baby. If they don't step up and respect my family life, I may be commenting about a new job this time next year.

5. My sister's pregnancy announcement- I guess my wife and I got the ball rolling with our announcement because at Christmas, my sister and her husband gave my parents a bottle of champagne with a label announcing the pregnancy. I am really looking forward to both my child and hers being able to grow up together. God sure has blessed this family this year.

Well, I think I've rambled enough. Hope this blog shows a sense of positive thought. Negative Nancy has left the busy.

Trying to be consistent.

Wow, I've blogged somewhat consistently (though not daily, I've blogged after only 2 days..oh well I'm trying). Well, I feel like an idiot when my friends tell me that they can't comment on my blog and then I realize that I didn't select the correct option within this blog application. I audit overly technical people, but I can't even select a simple option (yes, Mr. McLeod, you can now make fun of me). Well, in one of my first looks back at 2005, I'll throw out some of my disappointments of 2005:

1. More work, no play: Yeah I got promoted this year to senior, but of course that brings even more responsibility. I get more work and still don't get paid worth a shit. I love listening to management try to justify the minimal raise I got. For what I'm being charged out at, they could at least make it worth my while. I do all this travel for the company, but they don't compensate me for it. They try to act like it's a privilege to work for a huge company, but why do they continue to have one helluva a turnover rate?

2. The last Star Wars movie: Lucas said that he was going to fill in so many plot holes, but in the end, most fans wondered why he created so many more. Yoda's kicking the Emperor's ass, and then he just runs away like dog with his tail between his legs. Obi-wan drops off Luke on Tatooine (looking like he's in his twenties/early 30's and then we see him in 'A new hope' and he looks like he's 70..what the hell??). Oh, and can you really believe that the huge Death Star was built in such a short time..give me a break. Thanks Lucas for screwing it up for all of the fans.

3. My inability to update my blog and website. See #1 in the list..nuff said. Maybe with the new baby this year, I'll have the inspiration and time to update this blog more often.

4. Ole Miss and Tennessee football: I'm used to seeing Ole Miss fail on the football field, but watching UT having a losing season..what's the deal? I watched alot of the games on TV, but every time they would get up, UT would just fall apart. Fans across Mississippi and Tennessee are praying for Peyton and Eli to begin the process of procreation.

5. Liberals who continually try to bash Bush and Republicans. I just sit back and laugh as they make themselves continually look foolish as they talk bad. It seems that the more they do this, the more seats I continue to count in both the Senate and the House. Keep up the stupidity and I guess 2008 will be another win for the Red States.

Well, I'm starting to get tired. I'll think more about the events of 2005 and post those soon. I'm off to bed once again (5:30 am comes quick).

Can I find a few minutes???

Well, if anyone (anyone??) actually cares to read my blog they'll likely see that it's been nearly 2 months since my last post. Since then all kinds of things have happen. On the last post, I was in Europe doing work while anticipating a trip to Rome. Rome was amazing..amazing is all I can say. I brought my wife over and used the Amex points to stay free in the Hilton Rome (guess all my work travel pays off sometimes). The architecture, history, food, and scenery were beyond imagine..maybe one day I'll be able to return ( I did throw a few coins in Trevi fountain..hope the wives tale comes true). I hope to post some pics on my website soon...but alas, time never seems to be of the essence.

Guess the big news I can finally announce on the blog is that my wife is pregnant (or preggars as we like to joke). We found out back in Sept. and I was forced to hide the news until Thanksgiving from her and my parents. I have to say that it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done..waiting nearly 3 months to share great news. My wife and I were lucky enough to be able to tell our parents at the same time. My folks seems ecstatic..especially my dad. He had to walk out of the house to get some air when I announced the pregnancy during the Thanksgiving blessing. Apparently he thinks that he is too young to be a grandfather ( which I find funny considering he was 24 when I was born..he says that it was just a different generation...oh well). I'll try to share my thoughts more often if I can make it to this blog more often.

In December I traveled to Calgary, Alberta, for 2 weeks of work. I have to say that living around the mountains was amazing and beautiful. The Rocky Mountains have always been amazing to behold. I spent some time during one weekend visiting the Rockies and the ski resort of Banff. The sites were spectacular..wish I could have skiied, but alas, I've never learned that sport (of course I didn't try to learn...I don't think my wife would appreciate the call saying that I broke my neck).

Well, I'll try to come back soon to look back at the past year (2005) and to talk about the holidays (looks like my dad will have to take another walk outside for air after my sister's big news).

Here's to 2006...please God give me wisdom, patience, and strength.

Hello from overseas...

Yep...I'm back...been awhile. Work and life seems to keep me from posting as often as I like. It's funny when I look at other peoples blogs and notice that they seem to be inconsistent in posting too. I am currently overseas in Amsterdam doing IT work for an international client. I've been here for a week now and have learned that the reason most everyone over here looks in shape is because they either walk or ride bikes all the time. Not many people are very lazy. In order to get to work in the morning, I have to walk to a train station about 15 min. away, then catch a train, and then after a 20-30 min ride, I have to walk another 15-20 minutes. The When you walk you have to watch out for the people on bikes (they actually have separate lanes for people riding bikes). My feet began to kill me after about 3 days because I was wearing my business shoes (which are comfortable, but still are not made to walk distances). After 3 days of pain, I chose to just move to my New Balance shoes. No one seems to care at the company because everyone wears jeans and t-shirts to work..my company could learn a thing or two..lol.

I've found Amsterdam to be nice because most everyone speaks English in addition to Dutch. I feel some Anti American sentiment, but for the most part, they really just want your money (according to one Dutch guy I've worked with, he said the Dutch started capitalism). Well capitalism appears to be thriving over in the Red Light District. As a regular after dinner activity, me and the guy I'm working with walk the streets of the Red Light District to just see what is on display. The funny thing about the Red Light District is that you never see anyone go in to see the ladies..everyone just walks by and looks. I guess the girls make money...just don't know how often that occurs.

For the music enthusiasts...I want to say that seeing a concert in Europe is different than in the States. I went to see the band Teenage Fanclub on Thurs. night at the Melkweg. The Melkweg is a small venue and with next to no security. I was able to sit at the front of the stage and watch the band. The band was really cool because they interacted with the crowd..joked with them and took requests. I was able to take pics of the show (which I will post when I return to the states) and no one seemed to care. The one funny thing that I saw at the show was the guys working the lights and the sound board. I watched them roll joints before the show even started in order to smoke them during the show while working..only in Amsterdam...haha.

Well, my wife comes over in the morning to check out the city while I'm working this next week. I hope she's able to handle the food...she's a picky eater. I also hope she can handle the really small rooms...my room this past week was like a closet. After the week is up, we're planning on flying to Rome for 3-4 days. I think the Rome part is going to be the most exciting part of the trip (history and no work...lol). I'll hopefully update this blog once I return from Rome. I'll say hi to the Pope for everyone.

Music Snob...

Hell, I won't deny it. This post was inspired by the post left by Jon on his blog today. He wrote about how his music tastes have changed over time. I'll talk about how my tastes have changed in a future post, but his post reminded me of how some people have accused me of being a snob when it comes to music. I'll happily admit that I am passionate about music. Guess it's just something that most people in my family don't really understand. They walk in my music room where I keep my cd collection and just make the comment...'Wow, you sure do have alot of music..how do you have time to listen to it all.' I understand their question, but I guess I just have a passion that's followed me since I was in high school. Alot of the music reminds me of events in my past. I can tell you the exact album that was playing when I had my first car accident (Counting Crows-Recovering the Satellites), the album that was on when my grandfather died (Blur-Park Life), the album my wife pretended to like when we were dating (Radiohead-The Bends), and the album that took me through late high school (Oasis-What the Story Morning Glory). Guess alot of the albums have some form of sentimental value in my mind.

Some people have things they enjoy purchasing from week to week. For example, I know alot of people who enjoy buying several cases of beer, bottles of wine , cartons of cigarettes, or things for their cars. I like music..so sue me (that's not an open invitation to the obsessive compulsive RIAA...I buy freaking music..come look in my room and see what my family complains about). I understand that this is a hobby that I will likely have to severely limit when I have children..but why should I have to deny myself something I actually enjoy. I work my ass off at work during the week...can I not actually enjoy one or two new albums here and there?

So I guess I didn't really hit on the title of my blog. Guess I should rename it to read 'Leave me the freak alone..' or 'Yes, I have a hobby like everyone else..except I have something to show for it...Take that you freaking alcoholics or smokers.' And also, my hobby won't lead me on the path of a slow death.

Guess I let my feelings be told after years of dealing with people bugging me about my obsession for music. Get on with your lives and focus on your problems..let me have my fun while I still can.

I'll try to stay on track next time. For now..have a good night all you addicts.

Oh the places they will send you...

Well, it's been a week since my last update. My 'wonderful' job (hint sarcasm) has been throwing changes at me at the most inopportune times. I was informed while on PTO a week back that I would likely be in town this week, but then I was assigned to a random insurance client in Florida. The manager on this client first told me that I would be in Tampa for a week, but then changed his mind on Thurs. of last week and said that I was going to Orlando. I tell ya, trying to book a flight from Memphis to Orlando at the last minute is near impossible. I booked a flight but got to the airport to check-in and the kiosk said that I was on the waiting list for seats because the flight had been over-booked (aka, the airline has got your money, but can't guarantee you that it can get you to where you're going when you need to be there..buncha of idiots..no wonder Northwest and Delta are going bankrupt...(hint of sarcasm)). Well, luckily I was assigned a seat after everyone had already boarded and I sat in a tiny space for 2 hours. Not my happiest experience.

Oh well, enough of my complaining. I am in Orlando for a week. I haven't been to Orlando since probably 1989 (wow, 16 yrs). Needless to say, this place has changed so much. The client is right across the road from Universal Studios. The city is not what I remember when I was brought down here to disney as a middle schooler. There is so much money that has been thrown around. Disney and Universal is one big theme park along I-4 with a lot of malls and hotels to fill in the spaces (and to take your money). It's one big money pit. Guess the idea of spending an entire week at Disney just isn't up there on my Big list of things to do. All I see is a big mouse jumping into a vault of dollars while I'm staring at an empty wallet.

Well, I think I've said my peace tonight. Maybe I need to get some sleep.

Also, here is an update of the current albums that are worth listening to:
1. Sigur Ros-Takk
2. Bloc Party-Silent Alarm (Remixed)
3. Richard Hawley-Cole's Corner

Time to sleep in this empty hotel room.

Just what I expected....

First off, I don't know what the heck is in the air, but my allergies are killing me today. They started acting up this weekend, and haven't given up. I barely slept last night while my nose twitched and dripped. I wish this Allegra D would kick in and help out.

To my topic of conversation. Guess it shouldn't surprise me that alot of the networks and print media are jumping on this Hurricane Katrina bandwagon trying to blame one political party for the less than quick response in New Orleans and Mississippi. From what I've seen, the blame can be spread around. Instead of whining and complaining..shouldn't all these pompous asses just get to work instead trying to find fault. I read a good article today about all this political complaining. Check out http://www.washtimes.com/national/pruden.htm I find it funny that the New Orleans mayor ordered a "mandatory" evacuation a day late, but kept the city's 2,000 school buses parked and locked in neat rows when there was still time to take the refugees to higher ground. The bright-yellow buses sit ruined now in four feet of dirty water. I also want to vomit when I hear Jesse Jackson and Kanye West say that all this is a racial issue. If this is such a racial issue, then why are a majority of the volunteers in New Orleans white people??? Give me a break..go on about your business of having illegitimate children with a variety of women and shut your freaking pie-holes. It's also funny how everyone wants to point fingers at one another and act like they could have done better. It's funny when someone asks one of these complainers what they would have done differently..and the person just sits there with a blank look while stammering....so quick to judge...so little education to come up with a better solution...so typical.

Well, I'm getting off my soapbox. I gotta go get to feeling better..like now!

Oh My Aching Tooth...

Well today was not very fun considering that I had to go to the dentist on my day off from work. I only went with the expectation that I'd have my teeth cleaned, but of course nothing goes as planned. They checked my teeth and found a cavity. I had a choice to either wait awhile or get it filled today. With my travel schedule, I went ahead and did it. It's been several years since I've had dental work done and forgot how I hated it. They had to numb my gums and give me shots. To be honest, I didn't do so well considering they hit a blood vessel (which hurt like hell). I went into a cold sweat and would have passed out if I was standing up. Thankfully, they got it done. The only painful thing left is to see the bill...man, I hope my insurance steps up to the plate.

Guess I should be sarcastic and thank Hurricane Katrina for causing Memphis to run out of gasoline. I went into town and noticed that about 3 or 4 of the gas stations I drove by were completely out of gas. It also didn't help that they continued to bring the price up. I saw gas for $3.25/gallon at alot of places...up another 35 cents in another day.

Guess I can't complain too much...I'll just have to stick around the house and veg out this weekend with the wife. Went to rent a few movies tonight...picked up Sin City, which I've heard alot about. Hope it's as good as the critics say.

I'll stop complaining. Life isn't that bad considering the hell that is taking place in New Orleans. I feel really sorry for the people who are in need of food and water..but do they really need to act like savages? And please, stop all the looting of things like TV's and non-food items. I'm not one to speak because I can't imagine what people are going through, but let's try to be somewhat civil.

Well, I'm exhausted...gonna go finish this Titans preseason game. Did I mention..thank goodness football is back...Go Vols this weekends. Oh, and maybe Ole Miss won't embarass themselves on Monday.

This is ground control to major tom...

What's the deal with the Price of Gas???

It's funny that when you take a vacation..you don't really take a vacation. I feel just as busy as I usually am. Guess I should leave the house when taking a vacation..oh well, guess you gotta clean sometime. With the increase in gas prices, I'd rather stay at home. It blew me away when I noticed that gas prices rose by 40 cents within 24 hours. I bought gas at $2.49 yesterday afternoon and passed a gas station this afternoon and it was up to $2.89...that's f**'n nuts. It doesn't help when the media analysts say that things are gonna get worse before they get better.

Well, the wife's 10 yr. high school reunion was canceled today in Jackson, MS, because of Hurricane Katrina. Supposedly, over half of Jackson is still without power. Luckily my mother-in-law is staying with us instead of sweating to death. My wife's father is back up in NYC for the week. With the stress of this week, luckily we have the first week of college football season starting this weekend....life is good.

As a part of this blog, I'm going to start listing some of the new music that I'm digging right now. Hopefully this will help keep some of my friends up to date with the old and new releases they should check out (either buy or download). Here we go:
1. Death Cab for Cutie: Plans (not as good as Transatlanticism, but still good laid back emo stuff. whatever emo is these days)
2. Kanye West: Late Registration (just getting into this. I like this better than College Dropout. Find it interesting that Jon Brion produced the album considering he is more power pop and Kanye is a rapper. Never thought I'd hear Jamie Foxx singing on this..pretty good stuff.).
3. Super Furry Animals-Love Kraft (this is the wildest thing the SFA's have done. It's much better than the last album, but I'm not sure if it's as good as Rings Around the World. This album is the Beach Boys on crack...melodic but all over the place with experimentation).
4. Supergrass-Road to Rouen (this album is so much different than the pop of the last 4 albums. This album is so laid back..almost reminds me of some Pink Floyd stuff. I think alot of Brits are being hard on the group with this album, but I think you gotta change your sound as you grow older. It's not like they're doing this for the money anymore...)

Well, I think I've wrote enough tonight. Keep the people in New Orleans, Mississippi, and Alabama in your prayers. Makes me sick to my stomach when I see all the destruction down there. Things can only get better...I sure hope so.