I can't say enough about these guys. Two best friends from childhood who chipped away at making music (at first for change in Golden Gate Park) and have created some of my favorite guitar playing and drumming and scorned and pained lyrics. They are amazing to watch. The lead singer is awkward and shy but plays guitar like it is a weapon and talks about love and life with the knowledge and wisdom of an old cowboy and the drummer is the human version of Animal only (god knows how) he is able to maintain his tempo no matter how far off on a tangent he gets.
What's more, they are named after a James Joyce short story in the Dubliner's. So, with that and being close to my trip and nearing St.Pat's, that is next on my reading list. With a finishing time of MArch 17th, of course.
On to other things:
-The brine is cooling. as soon as it does, the brisket goes in and five days later, I have my first ever home corned beef. I'm like a little kid. Can't wait.
-Lent countdown: 20 days down, 19 more to go. Halfway there and it has been almost smooth sailing. (although, a whiskey sounds wonderful)
-I'm not usually one to spend too much time on poetry but every once in a while, something hits me with a force to leave a lasting impression. the other day i read this and words added wouldn't explain accurately what I think of it.:
O Me! O Life! by Walt Whitman
O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more
faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever
renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.
Been researching irish music a bit and have gotten into some realy old traditional stuff and in my findings, I came across this:
I admit, it is a contemporary version of an older song but at the end of it, I was breathless. It is being considered for my "own funeral" list, I loved it so much.
And to finish:
Reading: About to start the Dubliners. Tonight maybe. I've resigned myself to use up my Saturday evening at home, watching movies and reading and not doing much else.
Listening to: Besides Two Gallants and Irish music?
Have a date with a pretty hot girl to see this in concert. I can't listen to it enough.
Current Crush: (I'm gonna go out on a limb with this one because it might not be my most popular but..) there is something undeniably sexy about
Kate Micucci. She has everything I like in my geeky girl.
Hope everyone who participates is having a good lent. I also hope that everone who doesn't is at least getting a good laugh out of those of us that do.
That video is pretty fucking beautiful, by the way. You should go back and watch it. (And sit through the long introduction containing nothing.) it was a really small venue. My brother and I were able to sneak around the side and got...
...this close.
Next up are Wilco, Social D and the Two Gallants.
Irish Lent is around the corner. 40(ish) days of self inflicted pain and guilt. Read on if you are bored:
and to commemorate this festive season, my favorite poem discussing the issue.
A Drunken Man's Praise Of Sobriety
COME swish around, my pretty punk,
And keep me dancing still
That I may stay a sober man
Although I drink my fill.
Sobriety is a jewel
That I do much adore;
And therefore keep me dancing
Though drunkards lie and snore.
O mind your feet, O mind your feet,
Keep dancing like a wave,
And under every dancer
A dead man in his grave.
No ups and downs, my pretty,
A mermaid, not a punk;
A drunkard is a dead man,
And all dead men are drunk.
-William Butler Yeats.
(I just recently heard an Elvis Costello B-side where he puts that to music.)
And, I suppose the question is "How do I reward myself for this alcoholic abstinence?" Why with a visit to the Mother Isle itself. 200 of my cousins and such are meeting in Limerick for a family reunion in March and hopefully, the hotel doesn't get too mad at us for playing Rugby in the lobby at 3am again.
So, as usual, what am I listening to? Walkmen of course, though I am about to start getting into the irish music pretty heavy.
Reading?: About done with the Bellow's. About to pick up some more Yeats.
Current crush?
Elly Tran Ha. More here. Seriously, how do you put all of that sexy into that cute lil' thing?
And, before I go, a recommendation. Go watch this:
Every year, I start watching Irish films around this time. SO far, this is my new fav.
So, here is the list of resolutions, in as close to importance to me as I can think.
1) Learn Irish. It is a thing that has been sitting in the back of my mind for awhile and I figured, fuck it, why not? Gonna look into the (so I am told) very effective (and very expensive) Rosetta Stone. Might try my hand on Amazon or Ebay for a used one before jumping right into their website.
2) While I am at it, look into getting my dual citizenship. Gonna be traveling back and forth there a couple of times (hopefully) next year and more in the future, so I figured, why not?
3) See above (about traveling to Ireland a couple of times next year.
some old favorites:
4) read a lot. Starting early on this one actually. Not feeling so "out and about" so I'm spending the evening at home with a book and a tea and nothing else. (Well, clothes and blankets or I would be cold)
5) Maintain the vegetarian tuesdays and thursdays. I've slacked a little on this one during the holidays but am ready to keep it up.
6) Lose weight. (cliché, I know but something I've been noticing more lately.) Actually, I need a healthier lifestyle in general.
7) Figure out my finances and what it would take to make me a little more padded.
and some fun ones.
8) Learn more about wine. I am fascinated by the stuff. Drinking, yes, but I want knowledge as well. Histories and regions and varietals and why what is this or what is that etc.)
9) be more social on the site. Start talking to people here, like I used to. Make more friends and ignore more idiots. Comment on blogs and threads and respond to comments on mine.
10) My final one for now, I'm cutting out the bullshit. For christmas cards this year, I wrote very honest thoughts on the people I care about and got some wonderful feedback. So much so, it inspired me to be that honest in a lot of things, good and bad. This year, I will make true friends and lose some I might not need.
So, how about you all? Resolutions? Palindromes? Comment on my usual three following categories?
Currently reading: Saul Bellow : The Complete Short Stories
Currently Listening to: Just picked up the new Strange Boys CD and love it. Also am pretty excited about the Bjork/ Dirty Projectors album.
Current Crush: To be honest, this where I can use some recommendations. No one comes to mind (at least in the celebratory world. The real crushes are a secret.
) I did watch Cowboys and Aliens and there is something naughty Irish hot about Olivia Wilde though.
Yes, it has a lot to do with not having time to do much of anything anymore.
Hit another milestone tomorrow. My fourth Avon Walk for Breast cancer. So, after tomorrow that'll be 156 "official" miles (training miles not included) and what I am guessing is about $10,000 at least raised. If you want to add to that, you can go here. If you don't have anything to give, words of encouragement mean a lot to me. If you are female, nothing says encouragement like boob pics.
Just ask moonbeam about that. She's collecting a bunch from our closest friends. And, after walk time, it's birthday time.
And right after birthday time, it's drive to Eureka for work and drink a lot of good beers and go to the hippy strippy club and relax a lot. (I should copyright that name)
After all of that, I'll see to getting around to shooting out a more regular blog.
No promises though.
So, to celebrate, some favorite drinking quotes of mine:
O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!- Shakespeare "Othello"
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.- Frank Sinatra
"I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of sleeping, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness. I've lifted, pulled, chopped, climbed, made love with joy and taken my hangovers as a consequence, not as a punishment." - John Steinbeck.
“An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.” - Ernest Hemingway
Feel free to add your own. I'll do the same later.
A Drunken Man's Praise of Sobriety
That time of year again, for those that don't know, next spoiler please
Issue #2
Its a Packers/ Steelers super bowl. That is my team vs moonbeam's. The bets we have on that start with all orifices. Where it goes from there, the sky is the limit.
Issue #3
I decided to walk again. Not just during lent. I have signed up for the fourth time, to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. 39 miles in 2 days and all of it is my own little hell of blisters and exhaustion and rashes in uncomfortable areas and sobriety and being surrounded by thousands of old women wearing pink and blaring bad, yet motivational music out of their little speakers because they don't allow earbuds all in hilly mfing San Francisco. I understand that is for a good cause, one of my favorites even. But if I don't want to get involved in all of that spirited pink crap, I should be allowed to be left alone with my thoughts (since I can't listen to my music) and my pain. The two things I get out of it that I enjoy (outside of the feeling that I am doing something worthwhile with my life) is the reaction I get when "I like tits" is the response to an old woman asking me why I walk and the string of motivational pictures I get texted from moonbeam3 of boobs from her and various friends of ours. it is lovely shocking a nice old woman and then seeing a friend's breasts (mostly female, I assure) displayed in text form. If you feel like contributing money, I'll have the info posted in a near future blog. If you want to contribute anonymous boob pics, PM moonbeam. Both are very appreciated and both go to a vary good cause.
#4
Music music music.
Going to be working a lot at the Fox in the near future. I'm doing the decemberists, Yo La Tengo, Flogging Molly and hopefully Bright Eyes, OMD, Fleet Foxes and Coheed and Cambria in the near future.
On top of that, I'm attending several symphonic productions in the next couple of months as well. Dvorak's New World Symphony, Beethoven's Emperor concerto and his Missa Solemnis (both of which I am super excited about,) a piece on Chopin, The third symphony by Brahms performed by the L.A. Phil with Gustavo Dudamel conducting and the queen mother concert I have wanted to see for years, Mozart's Requiem.
Excited doesn't come close to describing my anticipation.
So, gonna be pretty busy for awhile. Wish me luck. And while I'd ask all of you to root for the Packers, I know a lot of you are gonna be hoping that moonbeam wins this bet.
Maurice Denis
The Muses
Pierre Bonnard
Woman Dozin on a Bed
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes
The Poor Fisherman
Felix Vallotton
Misia at Her Dressing Table
Toulouse Lautrec
Redhead Bathing
Cezanne
Portrait of Madame Cezanne
Emile Bernard
Madeline in the Bois d'Amour
Gauguin
Les Alyscamps
and
Portrait of the Artist with a Yellow Christ
One of my favorites
and
Tahitian Women on a Beach
Van Gough
Starry Night over the Rhone
and
Portrait of Eugen Boch
I'd more if I had the time. It was a wonderful evening even though I was tired and a bit cranky. Surreal being in a Museum at 10 pm.
Well, there you go.
Took an overnighter to Portland for my brother's 40th and it was beer, strippers and no sleep for 30 hours.
A little good coffee, too. (Sorry Id, it was an overnighter and I didn't have any time. This summer though.)
Kas, you better be either not paying attention or just kidding. Expired?
Packers are in the playoffs. Packers are in the playoffs. Packers are in the playoffs. (I could do this forever.)
Time to settle down and work on the resolutions and actually try to keep some of them. So, here is a list.
And, with the coming new year, the rapid of approach of Irish Lent.
As for this week's bet, I gotta stop picking the Steelers. More on that later.
Hope all is well with everyone. Happy New Year. Go Packers.
I can listen to this song thousands of times and it still never gets old.
Merry Christmas.
