Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

By a complete coincidence today: Listening to the Writer's Almanac, I learn today is the birthday of Mary Gordon. Minutes later, I begin to read to A Room of One's Own by Virginia Wolf. Who wrote the introduction? Mary Gordon.

I am rather amused by the mad German who sends a dozen emails a day to work, mostly about how Denmark is run by drug addicts who are trying to kill him and his family. You know what he needs? Some SchneiderWeisse yah.

Bourbon-fermented stout is like a dark chocolate milkshake without the milk. It goes well with some dark chocolate and probably some black cherries.

I ate rabbit.

You can't really trust anyone but it appears to still be worth trying to trust at least some people if you are still committed to living and all that. Unfortunate but that's how it is.

The crazies are back, the random street thuggery is back, nothing is affordable and yet...where else would you rather be? OK, besides St. Lucia, where else would you rather be?

It took 8 episodes, but it turns Mad Men is all it is cracked up to be. It is some of the most emotionally insightful, reflective, and thoughtful meditations on the human psyche to come around in some time. Gender, class, responsibility, the network of relationships...the fact that it also has all the guilty pleasures of good looks and cattiness is a bonus. Don Draper is the most conflicted protagonist since Tony Soprano and, while the jury is still out (and season 2 is yet to be watched), it appears the latter may be more redeeming than the former, and that is really saying something. And yes, Paul is my favorite character, duh.

I am pretty sure I'm living in one of my typical dreams and I haven't woken up yet.

Conversely, I am also pretty sure I woke up about a month ago.

Speaking of dreams, what a whopper last night. An alien invasion...anime-like men and boys in pink and green halos that merge to form "starchild" war machines...and me running to the suburbs to find myself in some hostile American home...and realizing that the visitors seemed to have come in peace and that it was the human race that responded with war...I couldn't make this up if I hadn't already dreamed it. If anyone steals this, I will sue.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

What is the point of the MTA's placement of new violations & fines signs on subway platforms? By that point, the fare jumper has already jumped the fare and obviously not been caught.

The two real notes to come away from the movie-within-the-movie Tropic Thunder with are as follows: Tom Cruise has never acted better, for once not playing Tom Cruise, and he does it by playing one of the studio honchos who for years let him act as a dud before tangling with him after he went off the rails with Scientology; Robert Downey Jr. is incredibly, exceptionally entertaining and shows how talented he is by playing an actor who is supposed to be incredibly and exceptionally entertaining and talented.

I know I'm an Ashkenazi Jewish-American male but I don't quite understand it sometimes. And other times I most definitely do.

Vicky Christina Barcelona is so very boring, and not just because Javier Bardem doesn't kill everyone.

"Don't panic" has become awful relevant again in so many ways.

A friend tells me to stop being so down on the people and allow for the possibility that the people can make reasonable, rational decisions...and you know what I tell him? TAKE OFF!

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

I knew I was a hipster, and not a suit, when staring into the mirror at the office I observed my blazer, AC/DC t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and bag and that I had just listened to Cut Copy, Santogold, and the Kills on my Ipod.

It's very funny that the most responses yet that I have received to a gig review have been from my brief, rather incomplete review of the Raconteurs and Black Lips. And you can imagine what they all say.

Sweet moment: Crossing 5th Ave whilst wearing a White Stripes shirt, a girl about 8 or 9 years old, big, broad smile on her face, walks up to me and says "nice shirt!" and gives me a big thumbs up. It's probably because she likes the White Stripes but it's also possible she just has a thing for flying penguins.

I know one can never truly know of every band in the world, but I swear that when Other Music publishes it's weekly new releases list, they are making half of those band names up.

I made reference to George Carlin's death but I assure you it hasn't hit me yet. And I don't know how I will react when it does.

This is dangerous. A gorgeous, gorgeous woman with a brain and an opinion.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

It is entirely possible, maybe even likely, in the span of the next few weeks to months that, for several reasons, the gig reporting and even operation of this blog may come to a halt for an indefinite period of time. In fact, by typing this out, I am hoping it does not become the case as it then would make me look wrong, something I frequently am.

On some, but not entirely, related note: once again, if anyone out there knows of any good jobs that pay well, that have openings, please contact me.

Is cheese cloth really made out of cheese?

I still say Clinton will win the nomination. There is no way the establishment in the Democratic party will feel comfortable with a candidate like Obama. Look at how he makes the poor Appalachian white folk feel. That's the entire electorate we're talking about. It can't be like this. Stop him before he stops the hate.

I will say she will win the nomination the day after he loses to McCain, that's how sure of it I am.

So I had a job interview a couple months ago. Corporate recruiter. They were looking for new corporate recruiters. The woman on the phone would not let me answer a single question. She'd let me say two words, and then cut me off to go on a long, standard stump speech. At one point she says "I know you're just super excited for this opportunity" to which I said "not really" and she of course didn't hear that because she was off to the next bit. The best bit was when she just assumed that I was a football player because all the guys that did this job were athletes and they took that aggression and energy into the corporate world. So I go for the interview anyway, and I meet her boss first. And he hates me from the first moment. I'm not wearing a four figure suit, I have a bit of facial hair, etc. When I ask him what is his motivation for the job, he tells me it's not just the money, it's the ability to "conquer people". And you can tell he didn't like that I could even ask that question. And he tells me - to my face - that I am not presentable. That I don't have what it takes. It was like out of a movie. I didn't even bother to stay to talk to the woman who called me. Which was a shame because she was hot.

Isn't it scary how personalized cover letters get ignored but using a widely-passed around standard cover letter gets responses?

One thing I have never understood about human nature in the career world, is the ability of "have to". You have to say this , you have to say that. You have to do something one way and never another way. And no one knows why. You just have to. And if you question any of it, with a simple "why?" then there is something wrong with you.

On the other hand, who wouldn't success in the big world? 175 dollar burgers are just the start of it. Think of all that money. Think of all the conquering. More importantly than all that, think of the bills that no longer weigh you down. Think of the food on your table. Think of the debt that vanishes...that debt...all that debt.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life: The Pennypacker in Toronto Edition

• Yes...fried pigeon.
  
• Labatt is awful. Truly awful. Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale is definitely not awful.
• Tim Horton's is awful. That's all I got to say about that.
• Hits and Misses is one fine record store. Where did they get all those AC/DC 45's?!
• Here's to crowded, vibrant, bakery cafes on Tuesday nights.
• Here's NOT to crowded, violent, concert crashers.
• Do Canadian TV news channels know it is NOT 1989 right now?
• I have never seen so much hockey on TV in all my life.
• Speaking of, I knew I was really in Toronto when I first saw the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• Best part: Crossing the border, getting asked one question, and being wished a nice trip.
  
• Worst part: Coming back, being interrogated, and not welcomed back.
• Everyone loves the 24 hour hot dog stand on the corner of Spadina and Queen. It was alright.
• "Does anyone like the Blue Jays?" "A couple people."

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

I should be a casting director. Reading Vidal's Burr, I thought to myself, "Giamatti would make a great John Adams." Well guess what.

The Fetzer Institute is the funniest name in public programming sponsorship.

Pakistan's ability to shut down YouTube probably gives North Korea all sorts of ideas. Imagine YouTube stripped of everything but Daffy Duck cartoons. The work of Kim Jong Il.

Holy smokes. My review of the Airborne Toxic Event show at Pianos set a single day record for hits on the blog, smashing the old record set by the Ween review which was linked from a page linked by Brooklyn Vegan. Oh, and it turns out Keifer Sutherland is a fan of the band. And they've only been playing for a little over a year. Told ya - this one's gonna hit big.

You know what's weird? Seeing a popular band, playing the hell out of their music for 3 days straight, then just going to a random gig and seeing one of the band members at said gig, hanging out - just minutes after you listened to the music. Weird.

Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Scarlett Johaanson...the Obama soundtrack reads like Pitchfork. Hillary? Big Head Todd & The Monsters. Barbara Streisand. Just felt like pointing that out.

I should say something about Spitzer but all I can point out is that his wife is incredibly attractive, making this all a damn shame.

Did you know there's possum in Brooklyn? Opossum actually. May need to form a branch of the Possum Lodge...

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

From Big Love: "If I want a caboose that old, I'll call Union Pacific." This may have caused the single longest laugh in my head that I have ever had.

Invest in potash before it is too late.

If there is one thing about Lost I cannot stand, it is the frequent killing of good looking women.

I liked Romney's quitting speech. He tried to bring back 2004. He stopped just shy of accusing the left of sedition. Karl Rove must have had a tear in his eye.

At the gym, I heard a chap saying "How could anyone have voted for Giuliani? Look how he raised the bridge toll!"

I was recently labeled a "faggot" by a long time friend for saying I liked Morrissey. I dread the reaction once the news gets around about Hot Chip. I have to make sure not to sing the line in "Ready for the Floor".

So MySpace is dead. Pennypacker is checking out of the interweb social networking business. The Facebook is good for Scrabble but that's about it. Once the bands have cut down on the MySpace, that's it. It's all over. From now on, give Pennypacker a CB radio, a telegraph, and a steam powered death device.

Speaking of steam, steampunk is actually pretty cool. Too bad I have no intention of spending anytime in the culture of it. But I will construct a rotary phone that can convert into a gyroscope that can shoot steam-powered bullets of death.

I recently caught Tim Gunn on The Daily Show. I remember him from my year of regular television watching, when I had the cable. The man is brilliant.

I caught up with that recent Simpsons episode with the 90's flashback. It's really sad that the show had to reinvent its backstory to make up for all the time on the air. The only pop culture reference from the 90's the episode didn't contain was the one about that brilliant animated sitcom that would occasionally have flashbacks to the 70's and 80's. A whole generation of kids have now grown up not understanding the Joe Piscopo references. Sad indeed.

4 references to television in this post. 1 show via DVD, two online, and only one of the programs actually watched on a television set as it aired.

The concert calendar hasn't been empty lately, just the Pennypacker Savings Bank. Unlike the big boys, this little operation can't get into shows for free yet. But there is plenty of stuff to see and hear so stay tuned.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

So Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, and Talking Heads have their new generational spawn. It makes sense what with the rise of various ethnic music entering the Indie circles. As pan-African sounds join the parade, it's no surprise that Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer are leading the charge, the former in the form of Graceland and Police-like rhythms, the latter in the "In Your Eyes"/Byrne-like complexity vein. Even Hot Chip have done a cover of "Graceland". And Hot Chip just plain rule.

But don't count out Beirut, DeVotchka, and Gogol Bordello. Eastern-Euro sounds aren't out of the picture yet. And Flogging Molly is back this year. Despite their Warped-tour affiliations, they have always been the best ambassador for Celtic sounds in rock music since the Pogues.

A review of Cloverfield will be coming but it must be said: after all that original hype, including on this blog, the final product already appears to be a letdown. It appears to be more of a typical pick-off-the-beautiful-young-people orgy than a deep, psychological essay on 9/11. And it's not actually Godzilla. Nuts.

The preview of The Duchess is the worst trailer I have ever seen. All that pompous build up for just another "Let's hide Keira Knightly's closet lesbianism" charade.

Someone has stolen the Funky Fresh and I am determined to get it back.

Poor Ryan Adams is losing his mind (more than usual) over his break-up. D.R., let's meet up for some diet cokes, introduce me to your gal pal Mandy, and we'll talk. Cheez-Its: The Movie!

Elwood, is it true you read the gossip pages? No of course not. All it takes to learn the details of Ryan's hope is his very own YouTube page.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life: The Year End Edition, 2007

It happens in every generation in every era of humanity. There is a school of thought that says the current situation is The End. The End of Everything. Civilization is in its last throes before Doom arrives. And every so often, the thinkers get it right. Someone had to be predicting it when Rome was sacked. Someone called it in each of the Chinese dynasties. And many times it is often called wrong: World War I seemed to spell the end of all things but somehow humanity pulled through...only to experience World War II. The Cold War was the great 50 year panic but that somehow did not result in the world blowing up. Now, truth be told, that bastard T.S. Eliot may go down as the one who got it right...this is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends...not with a bang but with a whimper.

The whimper may actually be a bang but it's a whimper of a bang. Mushroom clouds and/or dirty bombs as a parting shot from that 50 year panic, but in the form of a deranged religious maniac. It was much more tolerable when the threat of The End came from a cynical escalation of power between economic and political forces, not from some sexually confused mental case who thinks an invisible super-being talked to him and told him that women cannot be allowed to show off some skin. What a drag.

When someone asked me why I wouldn't join an atheist organization, I said the most true line ever uttered anywhere before: "I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member."

When someone asked me why I abandoned liberalism, I said "I didn't abandon liberalism, I abandoned the human race." It's more important now to be a libertarian as much as it is to be a liberal. Libertarian Liberalism is the last and only valid political ideology but that's only relevant in a society that had the ability to understand it. But if you subscribe to it, you'll be OK as everything else crumbles.

As you can see , the general mood around here is disgust, despondency, but also a glimmer of hope if only a cynical hope at that. Western Civilization is on its knees, and the only remedy is to go down in a blaze of glory. Here in New York, we are partying like its the Roaring 20's but with the knowledge that the Great Depression is coming. It's not a bad way to live, once you accept that you cannot change the world.

Sum up 2007 in a name: Cormac McCarthy

Keep your enemies close, your friends closer, and your frienemies in between. They are the most fun people you know.

In 2008, there is only one thing that matters: it's a trifecta that equals something called growing up. That may be depressing to some, righteous to others but either way, make it fun. And the best way to make it fun: get a monkey. And of course by monkey, I mean a chimpanzee. But it's funnier to call them a monkey, innit?

Caught this at OneGoodMove.

Here it is here:

You believe in freedom of speech, until someone says something that offends you.
You suddenly give a damn about border integrity, because the automated voice system at your pharmacy asked you to press 9 for Spanish.
You cling to every scrap of bullshit you can find to support your ludicrous belief system, and reject all empirical evidence to the contrary.
You know the difference between patriotism and nationalism -- it's nationalism when foreigners do it.
You hate anyone who seems smarter than you.
You care more about zygotes than actual people.
You love to blame people for their misfortunes, even if it means screwing yourself over.
You still think Republicans favor limited government.
Your knowledge of politics and government are dwarfed by your concern for Britney Spears' children.
You think buying Chinese goods stimulates our economy.
You think you're going to get universal health care.
You tolerate the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques."
You think the government is actually trying to improve education.
You think watching CNN makes you smarter.
You think two parties is enough.
You can't spell.
You think $9 trillion in debt is manageable.
You believe in an afterlife for the sole reason that you don't want to die.
You think lowering taxes raises revenue.
You think the economy's doing well.
You're an idiot.

There is no God but there were the Replacements so it can't be all bad news (turn this shit up LOUD):

Cheers mate.

The final word of 2007 belongs to Ricky Gervais, though you may not want to watch this out of context.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

Have you noticed the new Con Edison energy saving ads on the subway? The first 8 tips are all facts. The 9th tip is an opinion. Who's to say laptops are the twice the fun of desktops? Who? Those awful laptop keyboards say otherwise.

Truffaut's The 400 Blows was a window into the life of a family that should never have been. Prescient.

I don't know who this Ingrid Michaelson is but she's selling out every show she's playing and well in advance. I better investigate before I lose my Indie cred.

It's a good thing I finally checked out and really like My Bloody Valentine. It helps maintain my Indie cred. But seriously, good stuff.

Vampire Weekend broke the record earlier this year for fastest rising band of all time (then again, perhaps the Fratellis actually owned that record). None of it matters now: Black Kids smashed all sorts of records this past month. The next blog-hyped band will be someone who simply hits one note, and then some hipster blogger will say "brilliant", and said band will be playing the one note at Madison Square Garden five days later.

None of the above was fair or accurate, so to distract you here's this REAL presidential campaign ad:This is why Huckabee is surging on the Republican side. He's an extremist right wing religious fundamentalist with a warm heart and a great sense of humor: in other words, he's Ned Flanders. And really, who wouldn't want to vote for Ned Flanders?

Don't ever eat at the Ben Ash Delicatessen on 7th Ave and 55th st. Worst customer service in history. A hair in my drink and the waitress got mad that I pointed it out. And then making me wait after eating my overpriced, tasteless meal, only to be asked if I wanted my check, no coffee or dessert offering. And then - worst and most awkward dining moment in my life - standing over me to see what tip I leave her, as if to intimidate me into leaving her a good tip because she knew I had bad service. A bully.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

I think someone thinks I'm a racist. DAMMIT NOT AGAIN.

Wristcutters: A Love Story has not enough Waits and too many dopey lines. But it's still better than it's been talked about. We Own The Night has not enough Brighton Beach exteriors and way too many dopey lines and it's not quite as good as it's been written about.

WFMU Record Fair finds: Live Costello bonus 7" from the original Armed Forces LP, a London re-issue of "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Norton Records goodies - the new Black Lips/King Khan & BBQ split Christmas 7", the Ramones, the A-Bones, and Andre Williams doing "Daddy Rolling Stone". Also: Belafonte doing "Day-o", Benny Goodman, and Phil Phillips' "Sea of Love". Finds I did not buy: Carrol O'Connor sings, a Dexy's Midnight Runner's 7" that wasn't "Come On Eileen", and lots of Wings.

Giant raw tuna dumpling = significant amounts of happiness.

Why do weight scales give different stories? Can't we get some unified narrative around here?

I'm showered and blue-blazered (well, black-blazered, but let's not get picky). Now all I need is some shoes and slacks and we'll be slick.

Sigh...hey, if YOU are reading this, get in touch with me...

RATS.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

At Union Square, some hack artist was selling a painting of Ziggy-era Bowie with the Confederate flag behind him, "Rebel, Rebel" written on the bars. Somehow, I don't think that image is what Bowie had in mind.

After months and months of thinking and thinking and reacting, going through waves and waves of emotions and people, the specter of the predicament at hand seemed incredibly taxing. And in the opening minutes, it seemed very bad very fast. And then, just as quickly as it looked to be bad, there was immediate catharsis, and a great healing period. Just a snippet of the upcoming Gore Vidal novel, Bitch is Crazy.

Five straight nights of CMJ left me with a cold, a depleted wallet, and Norah Jones. Figure that one out.

How To Work Hard By Hardly Working: A how-to-guide I am working on.

You know what I realized? Sushi is a clean food. A very clean, very fresh, very emotionally satisfying experience of eating. Well...it's all that until the very moment it isn't. And oh boy, then it isn't.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

It's Official: Anything with "Mars" in the title sounds cool, even if what the title represents is certainly not.

Until recently, I thought there was a difference between marinara sauce and tomato sauce.

Did anyone know that one of the members of the Clash is Jewish?

Saturday Night Live is hip and Indie again. Not quite sure how the Scissor Sisters snuck on there a few years ago, but the Arcade Fire last year (in an episode hosted by the funny guy with glasses from the American version of the Office) and Spoon this weekend (with host Seth Rogen)...and rumors of Ryan Adams making a return appearance...now if only the show could be funny again.

Watch Jon Stewart and Chris Matthews duke it out over Matthews' new book. It's a bit surprising to see Stewart not appreciate the love of politics that Matthews has, but at the same time...yeah.

I predicted years ago, in my college dorm. While my roomate was going on about the continued glory of Pamela Anderson, I was saying that the era of the blond babe bombshell was going to come to an end. I predicted that "Cute" would soon takeover as the primary definition of attractiveness. Glasses and bobbed haircuts, retro vintage outfits, quirky personalities, bookish behaviors would ascend. Baywatch was dead. It died with the Pamela and Tommy Lee tape. And by now, if anyone says I'm wrong, they're living in a dream world. A very staid, boringly sexy dream world. Welcome to the world of Cute. Capital C.

The name X.J. Kennedy is tatoo'd on my brain for boring reasons.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

Kathy Griffin is not funny. She's also ugly. But the fact that her comment was found to be "blasphemous" instantly made it OK.

Wow. Blades of Glory was unbelievably bad. Except for the one scene with the funny and beautiful girl from The Office. And surprising too in its own way. Cute girls shouldn't unleash something like that.

It cannot be underestimated how important it is that O.J. is back. Maybe the last 13 years have all been a bad dream. Maybe 9/11 never happened. Maybe Bush never became President. Maybe Bill Clinton is still President and hasn't yet met Monica. Maybe Seinfeld is still on TV. Maybe all is right with the world...rats.

Two nights ago, I had my first ever Zombie dream. I was walking down a street on the Upper East Side and saw Charlotte from Sex and the City when all of a sudden, a bunch of Zombies appeared from around the corner. I hate when that happens.

I'm off the grid: I had no idea about the "don't taser me, bro" incident until someone asked me what I thought about it, some 2 days after it happened.

This is who I want to be when I grow up:

And finally, on a personal note: AUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

If Canada, Russia, Denmark, and the USA go to war over the North Pole, I'm putting my money on the Danes. The old Viking blood will kick in and they will commit slaughter all over the ice. But the real test will be when Greenland would try to secede. Could Thor handle a little icy Vietnam? I doubt it...

I didn't think the first calls of "General Be-tray-us" would be from the Left. I figured it would have been from the New York Post when Petraeus would admit defeat.

I can't decide if it's better or worse that this year was the first year that the media chose to lessen its 9/11 anniversary coverage.

Anyone else want to cancel a gig???!

10 pounds lost at the gym in the last month. Still want to see I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With though.

I'm committed to the art and act of living quirky. Life should be like a Wes Anderson movie. But with a dose of This American Life realism. And a Talking Heads/Ryan Adams/Miles Davis soundtrack. In other words, that damn Annie Hall again.

I booked a gig by accident. I got the Dirtbombs and Dooley Wilson together in Bowling Green. No foolin'.

More on the cheese front: Gruyere is the new Asiago.

Spelling correctly is for suckers.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

Yeah, I don't get Lou Reed working with the Killers either.

Well Alberto Gonzales is gone. 3 down, 2 to go (I am going to go easy on Condoleeza Rice, because she's black and I'm liberal).

Oh no! Usually when I am in a public restroom, I tap my toes as soon as someone walks in so they know someone else is in the stall so they don't try to open it. I had no idea that was a signal for some random gay lovin'! Aw crap, what do I do now?!

Did you know Jenny Lewis was a childhood actress? Because I sure didn't.

What was I thinking saying that Camera Obscura's music was rainy and that the band didn't smile enough? They struck the right balance between Glasgow rain and sunny pop. And that's enough about that.

You know what's a bad move? Watching Stranger Than Fiction not long after seeing Knocked Up. It presents one with a struggle between the forces of living life to the fullest and growing up. Somewhere in between there must be a happy medium that includes the best of both worlds but it is highly unlikely that this medium contains a super beautiful female ala Maggie Gyllenhaal or Katherine Heigl.

You're mental if you're willing to pass up seeing Dinosaur Jr. on Monday but you're sane if you think doing so is the only way to avoid seeing Dr. Dog on the same night.

Some nights you have to pass up 3 gigs to see Superbad with your friends. You just have to. And not just because it's a funny movie or a movie that makes you reflect on your own end of high school period. But because you want to say you were there when you witnessed the official birth of Michael Cera as the great future of comedy for the next generation or two to come.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

At this yuppie bar party, the DJ played the standard 30 or so songs that all the yuppies never get tired of. In fact, as he was playing "Living On A Prayer", I predicted the next song would be "Pour Some Sugar On Me". And it was. I CALLED IT!

Also at this party, the DJ played something called "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy"...what in god's name was that?!

You know what's great about all the Mexicans coming to New York? The Mexican musicians on the subways. It's the best Street Musical development since doo-wop groups. Oh the food is good too.

The day of the great subway flood problems (again) made a compelling case for getting the hell out of New York, not so much because of the flooding and the transit problems themselves, but because of the crowd reaction. 3 times along the F line crowds tried to shove onto the train violently. It will never enter the brains of most of these people, but if they really had to get to where they had to be THAT badly, why would they even bother taking the train?

Fortunately, the great subway flood problems were alleviated by that ubiquitous poster of a naked Mary Louise Parker

I think Karl Rove purposely timed his departure from the White House with my departure from politics. Figures. And that's about as nice a thing as I will ever say or write about that man.

Yes, you probably realize it by now but let it be semi-official: All the fandom mania on this blog that was devoted to the White Stripes has been passed to the Hold Steady. And Craig and the boys will hold onto this precious glory at least until this Friday or next Friday, depending on how good the National and Camera Obscura are.

I ate a salad.

David Lee Roth and Van Halen have reunited, stealing the reunion thunder from the Police and Rage Against The Machine. Next up...Loggins & Messina.

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

Someone recently asked me why Michael Jackson did the Moonwalk. I honestly couldn't answer him.

I liked how when I was doing air guitar whilst listening to tunes on the subway platform at 2:30 in the morning, the Harry Potter people were looking at me like I was the crazy one. That's right, a young man rocking out is way weirder than people in their 20's and 30's dressed up like wizards in celebration of buying a children's book.

I am confusing my E's and 5's.

Stuff I left out from the Stripes performance: Meg sang well, like a professional singer, and that slowed down version of "Fell In Love With The Girl" was cute.

Q train update: Rockabilly bass players getting off at Kings Highway. I am starting to smell venue.

OK OK I can't hide behind the lie anymore! I like "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. And even Lily Allen is growing on me...a little, a smidgen, a tidge.

The only good moment in that movie Anger Management is when Turturro says "I lost my job today...we're talking No More Fudgicles!"

On a related note, is there a better name in the world than Shooter McGavin?

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

More proof of the trendification (or something else) occuring along the Q/B line: Foxy, tall, dark haired French chicks reading Le Monde.

Remember the guy who got blown up with a bomb around his neck after a bank robbery? Well I didn't.

It doesn't pay to be nice but it doesn't pay to be broke either. Rob a bank.

Email your love around the world. Text message your sweetheart tonight. Flirt with someone and give them your MySpace page. Above all, have cybersex.

CBS-FM is back but it's not oldies. It's the allusion of oldies but it openly admits incorporating the 80's and shunning the 50's. In other words, it's a hybrid between its crappy last phase and the Jack-FM format that replaced it. Along with K-Rock, everything is right back to 2005 again. Whoopee.

Everyone should see Le Doulos once before they die.

I bought Annie Hall and it played in Bryant Park two days later. I bought Manhattan and the Film Forum is showing it a week later. Word around the campfire is, when I buy Deconstructing Harry, PBS will air a 24-hour marathon of it the next day.

"If that blanket has lobster stains on it, or smells like lobster, or both, I apologize". That's something I should have told the girl, instead of just thinking it.

You fool! You confused Mates of State with Hope of the States. And now one of those has bands have broken up because of you.

I met a girl at the Art Brut show. That sounds like a lyric from an Art Brut song doesn't it?

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

"26 years of nothing but failures and promises that I can't keep, oh no, but I'm not ready to go"

I think I met Miss Modern Age at the Ryan Adams show and neither of us know it. Considering the lip I gave her for posting a picture of Jack White's private life, it was probably for the best. Anyway, Miss Modern Age, if you are a dark, curly haired white girl who wore black to the show, took pictures from every angle, and talked a lot with a nice drunk blonde haired guy named Jim, you met me. But I'm not Jim. Nor was I his glasses wearing friend or the woman they were with. I joined them after the show and you gave Jim your email. In fact, it probably wasn't you. So nevermind. Don't post pictures of Jack White doing house chores anymore.

If God wanted us to sleep, there'd have been a God.

Life is a series of vindictive competitions, the only thing that changes are the contestants.

I am so sick of philosophical quips about life.

Here's what else I am sick of: Politicians and their goons who use the phrase: "[Insert rival's name here] is dead wrong on [insert issue here]". Their opponent just can't be wrong, they have to be dead wrong. Because we live in such dangerous times, for a politician's judgement to be wrong means we're all going to die. Which may actually be true (think of the thousands dead since Bush made wrong decisions). But it's that typical tone of arrogance, of political smugness, that comes with the vocal breathing of "dead wrong" that I can't stand. "Dead wrong" has replaced "Just another typical liberal" as the arrogant, smug political catchphrase of choice, except that this one is being used by both sides.

That all being said, Ann Coulter is dead wrong on the idea of living. She should look into considering other choices. Faggot.

Don't confuse Wolfmother with Wolf Parade or Sea Wolf. Also don't confuse the Most Serene Republic with the now defunct Golden Republic. While you're at it, try not to confuse the Duke Spirit with the Delta Spirit. Or Tiger Monkeys, Lions & Tigers, and TigerCity.

I don't know if television show creators do it anymore, but for years they kept trying to come up with competition for Regis and Kelly Lee (for brevity's sake, I'm merging Regis' co-hosts into one, amalgamated form), and all they would do is pair up another man and woman and change nothing. I suppose they thought that morning daytime viewers were just tired of the same hosts, not the format. That's no way to run a competition. Years ago, I remember one of Regis' brief co-hosts was Bernadette Peters. And it's a little known fact, but Bernadette Peters was pretty hot. You know, once you forgot the showtunes.