Limes with Orange

I finally have Ripley back, my beautiful '95 Honda Civic! But it was a battle royal. The insurance company wanted to write her off. Said that to make her pristine would cost over 80% of her value. My outside voice response was "she was in very good condition before she was stolen, but certainly not pristine." My inside voice response was "value according to whom?!" Because I Ripley is my baby. So I fought for her and in the end the insurance company gave me a settlement that would allow me to keep Ripley and get her fixed. I know the insurance guys thought I was nuts. The mechanics at the first garage thought I was nuts. But it was worth it to me.

Looking back, I realized that out of the six cars that I've owned in my lifetime, three of them have been Honda Civics. I've also come to realize that my devotion to Civics is not isolated. Apparently, people who love their Civics, really LOVE their Civics:

Labels: film, pop culture, ripley

"This season a mother will become a warrior, a son will become a hero, and their only ally will be a friend from the future."

I've started watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I may have been dissatisfied by the TV adaptation of Painkiller Jane, I may have been disappointed by the remake of The Bionic Woman, but I finally have my "women who kick ass" show! (Just to be clear, the only reason that Battlestar Galactica doesn't fill that bill is because it's an ensemble show. Yes, it does have plenty of women who kick ass but it has an equal number of men who kick ass. Different category. But I digress…)

Perhaps I'm simply blinded by my love of the James Cameron Terminator movies, but I don't think that's the case; I love it because it's faithful to Cameron's vision. I love how Lena Headey's Sarah Connor stays true to Linda Hamilton's Sarah from T2. I love how the opening and closing narration mirrors the films. I love the nods to the films, with the line used as the subject for this post being a prime example.

But I also appreciate the new directions: the time travel, the presence of Cameron (nice choice of name, btw) and the questions that her presence raises: Why couldn't the other terminator identify what kind of cyborg she is? What is her special relationship to John and/or Sarah? Basically, what's her secret? Because you KNOW she's got one.

One quibble: I get that the TV show has a fraction of the budget of a feature film, especially when that feature film is Terminator 2: Judgement Day, but they should have at least taken a moment to explain why we wouldn't be seeing any of the high tech T-1000 terminators with that cool liquid metal. But if that's my only problem with it, I'll learn to deal.

Overall, I think it succeeds where Painkiller Jane and The Bionic Women fail because of the power of its mythology. Yes, it has the advantage of movies to provide backstory for that mythology (mind you, Painkiller Jane should have had the advantage of comic books to provide backstory, but they didn't really bother to use that advantage). But I think it could stand on it's own without the films. The epic nature of their struggle, combined with their solitary existence as they hide from the world, gives it far greater scope than the other two series mentioned here.

If anyone believes that I'm overrating Chronicles and underrating the other shows, I would be very interested in your opinions so feel free to comment.

Addendum: Just realized another interesting name choice. The FBI agent in the show is named Ellison. James Cameron's original Terminator story was inspired by the writings of Harlan Ellison. Pretty cool, dontcha think?

Labels: film, pop culture, tv

Well, my sleep restriction therapy went by the wayside on day three of my migraine (that Christmas day headache was, in fact, the migraine coming back and setting up camp for the rest of the week). I have an appointment with my sleep doc on Wednesday, so I'm just going to wait and talk to him before I try anything further.

As my last post of the year, I had been planning to post a 2007 "Hot vs. Not" List about my random opinions, such as:

Friends you can make films with... HOT
Friends who only know how to gossip... NOT

Intelligent and entertaining independent films (Walk All Over Me)... HOT
Yet another Hollywood sequel or remake (Spiderman 3, Pirates, etc.)... NOT

Evan Biddell, fashion designer who won Project Runway Canada... HOT
Elina Viola, local fashion designer... NOT

Bob Rae, politician with a brain and a heart... HOT
Stephen Harper/George W. Bush, politicians with neither brains nor hearts... NOT

And so on and so forth...

But I really can't be bothered with such trivialities right now. So let me sum up 2007 on a personal level: I overextended myself for people who weren't worth even extending myself for in the first place and my health has been declining all year as a result, but thankfully these people are out of my life and I'm working hard at getting my health back on track. My various and sundry opinions about pop culture, politics and pugilism will have to wait. (Okay, so I've got nothing on pugilism, but doesn't it make for an intriguing triple alliteration?)

I'm hopeful that if I can avoid toxic people and keep my health as a priority, 2008 will be a much better year. So I guess those are my two main New Years resolutions. And resolution number three is to finish the second draft of my feature-length screenplay (my film work being necessary fodder for my mental health). Now excuse me while I continue to hibernate in an attempt to recover from this sleep stuff and the mother of all migraines.

Labels: bush bashing, fashion, health, odds and ends, pop culture

If you're a regular reader here, you probably already know that I'm a wee bit of a Buffy fan. (Holy understatement, Batman!) Well, I was over visiting the Internet Movie Database for that Movie Meme when I noticed they have a new FAQ for Buffy the Vampire Slayer! And I just learned that they've started "season 8" in the form of a comic book. I just might have to return to my comic book roots for that. And do ya wanna see the original unaired pilot? Me too! And you can watch it here: Buffy Unaired Pilot Season 1 Episode 0. I haven't read through them all yet but just picture me rubbing my hands together with glee.

Labels: buffy, pop culture, tv

Browsing through the Blogger's Choice Awards again (I've got new votes... yay!), I found that someone had nominated PostSecret. A friend of mine sent me a link to this blog a while back and I'd meant to blog about it but got sidetracked.

What is PostSecret? It's an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Some of them are amusing, some of them are insightful, but what keeps me coming back are the ones that are frightening in their truth and beautiful in their pain. If you haven't visited this site before, I highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, the award categories weren't really made for a blog like this. If I were to invent a category for it, I think I would call it "Best Humanist Blog" or "Best Blog about Truth" but those aren't categories that people would typically think about or use. So it's in the Pop Culture category. Yes, yet another post for a "pop culture" blog.



In keeping with the spirit of viewing this as a pop culture blog, I've uploaded "Beauty from Pain" by Superchick to My Music Box for you to listen to while you explore. I've also decided to change the other songs to create a sort of theme of pain and secrets. So there's also Blue October's "Razorblade" sung by Zayra Alvarez and "Merry Go Round" by Athena Reich.

Labels: art and photography, blogging, music, pop culture

I don't know if you remember, but a while back I mentioned this great blog called Galactica Station. For those Battlestar Galactica fans who haven't browsed that blog yet, I highly recommend it. Especially with the long summer ahead and no new BSG for months. Galactica Station is the place to get your BSG fix.

Which is why I nominated it for Best Pop Culture blog in the Blogger's Choice Awards. And yes, I nominated it in a category that I'm already nominated in, but I really think it deserves the award more than I do. But there's a long way to go to get them noticed by the voting public. So here I am providing blatant advertising, wishing I had bribes to offer people to get them to vote (just kidding)!

So at the very least, check out Galactica Station. And if you want to go even further... vote!

Labels: battlestar galactica, blogging, pop culture, tv

Whilst browsing through the Blogger's Choice Awards, I discovered that Jane Espenson has a blog! And it's not just a this-is-what-happened-to-me-today sort of blog, it's Jane's screenwriting advice. (Mentally clapping my hands with glee.)

And I just realized that not everyone knows who I'm talking about. (Sad but true, I guess.) Well, Jane Espenson is a TV writer extraordinaire. A Joss Whedon crony who worked on Angel, Firefly and Buffy (she wrote two of my favourite Buffy episodes, granted I have many favourite episodes but these are definitely amongst them: Earshot and Life Serial), I've recently noticed her name on Battlestar Galactica episodes! (Dirty Hands was hers... the one where I said that the Chief was Savio-like in his glory; I'm rather fond of that line of mine and I'm rather fond of that episode of hers.)

Now I just saw something on her blog that makes me want to imitate a girl I went to elementary school who would get so excited when she knew the answer to something that she didn't just raise her hand but she slapped her other hand under her raised hand (right around armpit level) saying: "oh, oh, oh!" So what's making me want to behave in this ridiculous fashion? Jane has a short story in "Flirting with Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece." Must! have! that! book!

Labels: battlestar galactica, blogging, buffy, pop culture, tv, writing

Hey, I've been nominated for the Blogger's Choice Awards. Now I just need some votes!









Given the competition that's out there, I don't actually expect to win in any of these categories. (It's an honour just being nominated, isn't that how the old chestnut goes?) But it would be nice to get enough votes so that it's not embarrassing. So please help out a weirdgrrl and vote. (Particularly in the Geek & Pop Culture categories... pretty please! )

P.S. I feel like I should now add a label for shameless self-promotion!

Labels: blogging, odds and ends, pop culture

I just came across a brand new site… think MySpace for brainiacs (or geeks, depending on your preferred vernacular). It's called Sci-edge and it offers social networking for science hobbyists, technology and gadget geeks and science fiction fans. (I'm not so much into the gadgets, but would consider myself a bit of a science hobbyist and a definite sci-fi geek.)

They've already got some games up (though I haven't played any of them yet) and a couple of polls (hey, maybe I'll revise my "Is Starbuck Really Dead?" poll and post an updated version of it on Sci-edge). There's also a place for quizzes (still empty, so far… it just launched today, remember) and chat. Plus there's a community blog that makes for some interesting reading. There's also this wish list genie that I haven't tried yet and I'm not quite sure what it's all about, but I'll let you know once I've played around with it some more.

But one of the cool things about the site being so new is that they really want suggestions from the users. So if you sign up now, you're getting in on the ground floor and could really help shape this thing. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty cool.

Labels: cool sites, math and science, pop culture

Did you know that Francis Ford Coppola, best known as an award-winning filmmaker also happens to make wine? I gather he's been doing this for around 25 years on his Napa Valley Estate, so I could see where this is something that other people know already. But I only discovered it by the merest chance. I was looking for a good wine quote and I found one by Mr. Coppola himself.

He says the two professions of filmmaking and winemaking are almost the same and that both depend on quality source material and both take a lot of time to perfect. The big difference according to Coppola: "Today's winemakers still worry about quality."

Ouch! Nice one.

Labels: film, humour, pop culture

I am fully aware of the fact that I now have those handy Blogger labels, so you could find the Battlestar Galactica posts on your own. But I just thought I would make things a little simpler (and the links in brackets are to the episode descriptions):

3.25.2007 — Said the Joker to the Thief: What the Frack?! (Season Finale: Crossroads, Part 2)
3.21.2007 — Battlestar Galactica Poll (Re: Starbuck's destiny)
3.18.2007 — There's a Storm Coming (episode 19: Crossroads, Part 1)
3.04.2007 — Starbuck's Destiny (episode 17: Maelstrom)
3.03.2007 — Chief Norma Rae (episodes 15 & 16: A Day in the Life & Dirty Hands)
2.11.2007 — Do The Right Thing (episode 14: The Woman King)
1.28.2007 — Maybe It Was Gaeta... (episode 13: Taking a Break From All Your Worries)
1.21.2007 — Is Starbuck a Cylon? (episode 12: Rapture)
11.15.2006 — Battlestar Galactica Webisodes
10.15.2006 — A New Crew In Town (YouTube music video)

And I know this one was for season 2, but it's still one of my fave BSG posts:
7.02.2006 — The Gears & The Levers (Season Finale: Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2)

I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't start posting at the beginning of the season, but hindsight and all that. And now comes the long wait for season 4... *sigh*

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

Well, I may have been right about Starbuck (thank the gods... of course she could still be a Cylon, so I guess "is Starbuck a Cylon?" could be the "who shot J.R.?" equivalent... but she's back and that's all I care about right now) but holy frack was I wrong about so much other stuff! The Chief?! Seriously... the CHIEF?!?! My "Savio-like in his glory" Chief? Say it isn't so.

And I guess skin jobs have been around for a looong time. And I guess they do have the ability to appear to age. Who knew? (Apart from Ron Moore and the BSG writers, I mean.) But I have to say that I respect Tigh more now, after his little speech (I wish I had it on DVD so I could quote him exactly). Actually, I don't think I ever respected him before, so I should say that I finally respect him. Ironic, dontcha think? The method of reveal was interesting though and I find myself wondering how each of them is going to react in the next season.

But I'm particularly looking forward to watching the unfolding storyline connecting the President, Athena, Caprica Six and Hera. THAT should be good.

Oh and the song, for those who haven't figured it out yet, was "All Along the Watchtower" written by Bob Dylan (I'm not sure whose version... Hendrix maybe?):

"There must be some way out of here,"
said the joker to the thief
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief
Businessmen they drink my wine, plowman dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."

"No need to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who think that life is but a joke
But you and I, we've been through that, and that is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late"

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view,
while all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.

Labels: battlestar galactica, music, pop culture, tv

Last Thursday, my friend and I went to hear Robert Sawyer talk, courtesy of the Calgary chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. The topic was "Astronomy and Science Fiction." I haven't actually read any of Sawyer's books, but I've heard good things about them. And I'm always game for hearing people talk about real science in the context of fiction writing.

Sawyer talked about new scientific discoveries as the launching pad for most science fiction authors. While the scientists are looking for the most likely explanation, the science fiction writer is looking for the most entertaining explanation. And good science fiction is based on theories that cannot be scientifically invalidated at the time that it was written. And that even when the theory has been proven impossible, that shouldn't lessen the literary merit of good science fiction. Because all literature should be read in the context of when it was written.

He went on to say that often in science fiction movies they lean more towards fantasy than hard science fiction, not worrying as much about the scientific accuracy of their story. So he suggested that fans of truly scientific science fiction should read more and watch less. Something that I used to do but seem to have drifted away from. But I think it's time that I return to more reading.

I found myself wishing that I had a notebook and could jot down things that he said or things that I thought as a result of what he said, but alas… no such luck. I have to assume that the points that are important to me have stuck in my head and that the points that I no longer remember weren't worth the real estate in my memory.

The only other thing that I remember, even though I don't recall the context, is when he spoke of our solar system with 9—then he corrected himself—8 planets. FYI, Mental Floss sells a "Pluto R.I.P." T-shirt that Sawyer might enjoy (I'm tempted to get one myself):



But the "9… I mean… 8 planets" made me laugh so hard because it reminded me of the scene in Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I when Moses comes down off the mountain with THREE stone tablets and announces the 15… crash… 10 commandments.

Labels: books and literature, math and science, pop culture

Okay, so I've mostly mastered the embedding of videos (though I'm still waiting for a fix on the stand up comedian video), so I decided to try my hand at a poll. It might not be the prettiest poll around, but I think it does the job. Now I just need you Battlestar Galactica fans to actually vote!

Is Starbuck Really Dead?

Yes, never to return again.
Yes, but she'll return in flashbacks.
Yes, but she'll come back as a Head Starbuck for Apollo.
No, she's actually a Cylon.
No, I don't know HOW they're going to bring her back but she still has a destiny to fulfill.
I don't know.
I don't care.


View Results

[Make your own poll]

Please feel free to comment. Whether you think my answers are incomplete, idiotic or right on the money... let me know. And thanks for participating in my first poll!

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

Ever since I wrote the last post, I've had the song "The Christians and the Pagans" going through my head. So I figured I should write a wee post and try and leave the song here on the page, literally and figuratively. So here's a live version to listen to (courtesy of LookIt). Personally, I prefer the version that's on Mortal City. But you can only listen to a tiny snippet of that one on the web. This version is pretty much the same, just different production value obviously.

And just in case you'd like lyrics and chords, here's a link: The Christians and the Pagans.

Labels: music, pop culture

*SPOILER ALERT*

A Battlestar Galactica storm. A lot of questions asked but unanswered this week. And I have a feeling that only a fraction of them will be answered next week, with it being the season finale and all.

President Roslin has cancer again? Why did it return? Will they be able to treat it this time? The same way as before? Something new? They wouldn't kill her off, would they? And what's up with her assistant? And what's the deal with that snippet of song? Is Saul finally cracking up? Or is there something more sinister going on? (Someone suggested that maybe Saul is a Cylon, but I find that hard to believe if he's Adama's oldest friend. Just how long have the Cylon's been making skin jobs? And do they program them to show signs of age?)

As for Apollo… well, let's just say that if I were Dee I would have left him long ago. Y'know, I never thought I'd say this but I would be okay if Apollo were the one to leave the show. Which brings me to my theories…

As I've said before, I don't believe that Starbuck is really dead. Okay, so her name's not in the credits. And yes, the survivor count is one lower. But I don't believe that's permanent. Denial? Or good instincts? Only time will tell. Personally, I think her "death" (I'll remove the quotes once we're into episode 2 of season 4 and there's still no sign of her) is a red herring and if somebody is actually leaving the show—and it's not just rumours started to create some BSG buzz—it will be another character, a different character, a less crucial character… or Apollo.

Of course, the most logical other character to remove would be Baltar. If he loses the trial and is put to death, that would make perfect sense. Although we could still have Head Baltar. And Baltar could still turn out to be a Cylon (though I doubt it). But if Baltar is going to stay, how? Will he win the trial? Will the Cylon's take him back? Will he somehow become indispensable?

As for "the storm," I don't think it's much of a stretch to theorize that Helo's instincts will turn out to be correct and there will be a honkin' big fleet of Cylons at the nebula (or something we can't even imagine yet). Whatever it is, next week should be good. And it bloody well better hint at some way that Starbuck could still be alive. Let us talk about that all summer, Mr. Moore. "Is Starbuck alive?" could easily surpass "Who shot J.R." in pop culture history… I swear!

P.S. Love, LOVE, LOVE Mark Sheppard in the role of Romo Lampkin, Baltar's lawyer. Delightfully sleazy!

P.P.S. I just found a new (to me) online BSG resource: BuddyTV. Great articles... check it out!

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

Okay, I'm not actually "leaving today" but I wouldn't mind making "a brand new start of it in old New York."

I've often thought that I wouldn't mind living in New York City. For starters, since Torontonians (which I still consider myself) believe that Toronto is the centre of Canada, I've already got the right attitude. I mean, don't New Yorkers believe that New York is the centre of the known universe? Okay, so that's not actually why I would consider moving there. Well, not for the attitude, I mean. But New York is kind of the centre of the world… at least the world of art and culture, at least in North America.

But now that I'm trying to make a go of it with independent film, is that the right place to be? Am I better off moving to Vancouver? (I will NOT move to L.A.) Or back to Toronto? Or to Montreal? (No, I think the Francophone Quebecois filmmakers would not welcome me with welcome arms.) Then again, there's so much indie art stuff happening in New York, there must be a thriving film community there.

Mind you, I haven't actually been to New York since I was a teenager (and I don't even want to think about how long ago that was), so maybe I should start with a visit. I do have one high school friend who lives there now that could be my tour guide. I don't know how big her place is, though, so I may have to find someplace else to stay. The last time my mother went to New York, she stayed at the Hotel Chelsea. She said it had a great atmosphere and was very reasonable. I remember finding a quote about it when my mother asked me to look it up on the internet:

"The building sits on 23rd Street with the air of a great dame who finds herself in the midst of a party of her social inferiors but instead of complaining decides to join right in the fun."
~ The New York Times

And lo and behold, this site that I was checking out about New York listed the Chelsea as one of the best New York City Hotels for folks on a budget. The site also lists best NYC attractions, restaurants and clubs, all of which helps a grrl plan her trip. And then, should I actually decide to move there, there's even a page about moving to New York. If the site had more links to the places it talks about, it would be even better. But it's a good launching pad.

Labels: film, fun, pop culture, travel

I've been exploring that Tribeca Network further and checked out one of their subsites: Radio Free TriBeCa (I'll save Tribeca Shorts, their other subsite, for another post).

This is a very cool concept. Did you ever see the movie "Pump Up the Volume" with Christian Slater? The one where he runs a pirate radio station and causes an uproar when he speaks his mind and enthrals fellow teens. Well, now you can do the same thing (or something completely different) with a lot less trouble than Christian Slater went through in the movie, just by signing up with this site.

So if you think you're the next Alan Freed, Wolfman Jack or Rush Limbaugh *shudder* (how come the only talk radio personalities that come to mind make me want to shudder... surely there are some progressive, liberal radio personalities out there; of course, it might help if I actually listened to traditional radio rather than just internet radio... but I digress). Anyway, if you're burning to broadcast, Radio Free TriBeCa is where you want to be. And if you just want to listen? Well, they've got a 24/7 streaming Beatles station that works for me!

Labels: cool sites, music, pop culture

No, not the political Bob Marley kind of "Stand Up" but the entertaining comedy kind...

I was surfing over at this site called the Tribeca Network and checked out their comedy channel. I just randomly clicked on one of their "Latest Shows in Comedy" which happened to be jacquetta live... talk about getting lucky: this chick is funny! Check her out for yourself:


Hmm... I seem to be having trouble embedding the video. For now, just click on the jacquetta link above. Hopefully, I'll sort this out soon.

Labels: cool sites, humour, pop culture

I have to confess that my introduction to Bollywood movies was the Canadian-made "Bollywood Hollywood" by Deepa Mehta. I had previously seen her more dramatic films "Fire" and "Earth" (I still haven't seen "Water" but I hear it's the best of that trilogy). But "Bollywood Hollywood" opened up a whole world of film to me that I hadn't even realized existed. Quirky, over-the-top musicals with plots that are almost Shakespearean... too perfect. I followed that up with "Bride & Prejudice"—think Jane Austen meets Bollywood—and now I think I'm ready to try some less Westernized Bollywood flicks. I'm just not quite sure where to start.

I found this blog that talks about Indian movies that I'm hoping can give me some ideas. It assumes you already know some of the major players, but that's okay. It's kind of amusing and even has one post that talks about who would be the Bollywood version of Rocky. (I went to the Internet Movie Database to check out the actor they chose, but there's no photo for him. Pity, I wanted to see for myself. *sigh*)

Like I need another genre of movies to get hooked on!

Labels: film, pop culture

Okay, so this meme has been going around for several months now, but I just recently had it forwarded to me and it looks pretty cool so I'm gonna do it anyway.

The Year You Turned 18 Music Meme

Go to popculturemadness.com and select the year you turned 18. Paste the list of the top 75 songs. Bold the ones you liked; strike the ones you disliked; and italicize the ones you know but don't exactly like or dislike. The ones you don't know will stay plain text.

1. That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends
2. Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
3. Kiss - Prince
4. Walk This Way - Run D.M.C./Aerosmith
5. Living In America - James Brown
6. You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi
7. Take My Breath Away - Berlin
8. Burning Heart - Survivor
9. Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
10. The Sweetest Taboo - Sade
11. Higher Love - Steve Winwood
12. Never As Good As The First Time - Sade
13. Greatest Love Of All - Whitney Houston
14. Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
15. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
16. You're A Friend Of Mine - Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne
17. Manic Monday - The Bangles
18. Glory Of Love - Peter Cetera
19. Like A Rock - Bob Seger
20. I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock and Roll) - Nick Lowe
21. Word Up - Cameo
22. Conga - Miami Sound Machine
23. The Men All Pause - Klymaxx
24. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
25. Live To Tell - Madonna
26. Venus - Bananarama
27. Typical Male - Tina Turner
28. Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
29. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
30. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz
31. If You Leave - O.M.D.
32. You Be Illin' - Run DMC
33. Crush On You - The Jets
34. The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones
35. Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
36. Mad About You - Belinda Carlisile
37. R.O.C.K. In The USA - John "Cougar" Melloncamp
38. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
39. Words Get In The Way - Miami Sound Machine
40. Walk Of Life - Dire Straits
41. I'm Your Man - Wham!
42. All Cried Out - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force
43. West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
44. Dancing On The Ceiling - Lionel Richie
45. We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off - Jermaine Stewart
46. My Hometown - Bruce Springsteen
47. On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
48. Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
49. All I Need Is A Miracle - Mike & the Mechanics
50. Tuff Enuff - Fabulous Thunderbirds
51. The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk3
52. Love Walks In - Van Halen
53. Shot In The Dark - Ozzie Osbourne
54. The Next Time I Fall - Peter Cetera & Amy Grant
55. Move Away - Culture Club
56. I Wanna Be A Cowboy - Boys Don't Cry
57. Superbowl Shuffle - Chicago Bears
58. Rumors - Timex Social Club
59. The Power Of Love - Jennifer Rush
60. One Step Closer - Gavin Christopher
61. A Love Bizarre - Sheila E.
62. Sex As A Weapon - Pat Benatar
63. More Than Physical - Bananarama
64. Everybody Dance - Ta Mara and the Seen
65. Day By Day - Hooters
66. Live Is Life - Opus
67. Great Gosh A'Mighty - Little Richard
68. Pleasure and Pain - Divinyls
69. Once In A Lifetime - Talking Heads
70. Don Quichotte - Magazine 60
71. Crazay - Jesse Johnson and Sly Stone
72. Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
73. Baby Talk - Alisha
74. Jungle Boy - John Eddie
75. Caravan of Love - Isley Jasper Isley

The limited number of songs that I bolded led me to muse upon what I was listening to back then. I guess I was already into more alternative stuff. Some of my favourite artists at that time (in no particular order) were Jane Siberry, Sting, Suzanne Vega, David Bowie and Depeche Mode. But the number of songs I italicized suggests that I at least listened to the radio more than I do now.

Labels: memes, music, pop culture

Or should I call it a Grover or a Big Bird or a Bert? I'm talking about the results of the CSIF $100 Film Fest (see previous post).

I ended up only making it to Friday and Saturday night of the festival. Migraine on Thursday... ack phooey! Fortunately they showed the best of Thursday on Saturday, except for the Film/Music Explosion (which was, according to my cousin, the very best part of Thursday night's line-up).

What is a Film/Music Explosion? You might ask. Well, it's when someone makes a silent film and screens it with a live band playing an original soundtrack. Each night of the film festival was kicked off with a different explosion, made specifically for the festival. Very cool concept!

There were five awards presented at the end of the festival:

Best of Alberta
"Bronwen's Ark"
Hans Olson (Camrose, AB)
2006, 16mm, 5:00 min
Despite her young age, Bronwen is angered by talk of selling the family farm. Things come to a head when her cousin and his friend arrive for a visit.
My comments: This was a nice, cleanly shot black and white film with a nice story line. Unfortunately, that's the best way I can sum it up... nice.

Best 16mm
"Avery's Gnome"
John Driftmier, Christina Takahashi, Evan Warner (Vancouver, BC)
2006, 16mm, 12:00 min
After a near car accident, Avery, an elderly man, begins to see gnomes. When his wife starts questioning his sanity, Avery must risk everything he cares about to uncover the truth.
My comments: I enjoyed this film. It was cute and funny and whimsical. I would have liked to see some kind of resolution between Avery and his wife, but otherwise I quite liked this one.

Best Super 8
"Fish Arms"
Mike Maryniuk (Winnipeg, MB)
2006, Super 8, 2:30 min
Fish Arms got Fish Forearms; Fish Arms really really strong; Fish Arms really tip the scales; Fish Arms, strong like 50 whales.
My comments: Umm... I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I think it was funny and catchy and wildly original. Other times I think it was just plain odd. Nothing wrong with odd, though.

Jury Award
"Breakfast in America"
Anu Jindal (Halifax, NS)
2006, 16mm, 1:02 min
The most important meal of the day!
My comments: The description does not do this short, short film justice. Think of it as a horror film with a runny egg as the villain. Hilarious!!!

Audience Choice
"Photosynthesis"
J. Scott Portingale (Didsbury, AB)
2006, 16mm, 5:34 min
An emerging fashion photographer and his spouse go to a party of the senior editor of a well established fashion magazine. When they close the door to their humble abode, all is quiet... or is it?
My comments: Highly entertaining use of stop motion animation. And the story had a sweet and sappy heart, to boot.

Personally, I would have selected "Photosynthesis" for best of Alberta. "Bronwen's Ark" was a nice enough film, but I just enjoyed "Photosynthesis" more. But at least it got something. Even though I voted for "Breakfast in America" for the Audience Choice. But I'm willing to be generous on that point since my pick got the Jury Award.

A few other films that I thought worthy of mention:

"Swings" (Mark Borowski, Victoria, BC): This insightful Super 8 film peers into the thoughts of two female friends before and after their first kiss. Interesting yet simple approach. Nicely done.
"Solie's Dream" (Jeanne Ju, Halifax, NS): A sensitive look at Solie as she sleeps, her grumbling muzzle and twitching paws and the answer to the question, "What do dogs dream about?" Really sweet.
"Rage of Silence" (Justin Lovell, Toronto, ON): Forget killing Bill — this sword-weilding assassin is ready to deliver swift retribution to those who dare to pursue her. Beautifully shot, black and white martial arts film with a hint of humour.
"A Day in the Park" (Rhys Bevan, Toronto, ON): A silent film about a Mime, a Flower Girl and a Villain. Oh so very funny!

Labels: film, pop culture

Unsigned.com is a music site that I've talked about before (see "Indie Artists Unite"), but I consider it worthy of another post because it's growing fast.

I love almost all kinds of music (not so much a fan of country, but even I will admit to enjoying a little Patsy Cline once in a while). One of my favourite genres is industrial goth, in the style of Evanescence, Kidneythieves, Switchblade Symphony, Tapping the Vein, etc. So on this visit I was browsing Unsigned's industrial music section. Here are some of the bands that made the biggest impression on me:

Acid Void… I could totally imagine using them to create the soundtrack for one of my short films. Hmm, I wonder if they actually would?

Curiosity Valentine… Strange, but I like it. I particularly like the quote in their bio: Author Warren Ellis described Curi by saying, "She has a big, smoky, whisky-sharp voice: like Tom Waits if he were an angry 24-year-old woman preoccupied with Doom and Hate." (LMAO)

Eldest… A little too metal for me in the chorus, but otherwise I like both their sound and their message.

Papa Zombi… Gothic rap? Cool.

Syncro Nine Factor… Good balance of industrial, metal and alternative without being too much of any.

Violent Sleepers… Great sound, check out their lugubrious version of "People are Strange" (although their original stuff is actually better).

If you don't like industrial goth, try another category. Whether you're looking for Jazz, Trip-Hop, Hip-Hop, Punk, Funk (okay, they don't actually have a category for funk—yet—but I was in a beat poetry groove), Folk or World Artists... trust me, there's something there for everyone. And, like I said, there are more artists every time I visit. So check it out!

Labels: cool sites, music, pop culture

Get your ticket, grab your popcorn, it's time for the CSIF's $100 Film Festival. (And no, that's not for "CSI's" who got an "F"... that would be the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers.)

I had so hoped to finish "Coda in G Minor" in time for this year's festival, but alas... for a laundry list of reasons it didn't happen, maybe next year.

Hopefully, I'll be able to make all three nights of the festival. Partly because I just like to watch movies, partly because I'm curious to see what got selected (planning ahead, dontcha know) and partly to support the CSIF, a not-for-profit, artist-run centre... okay, so it's mainly just to watch movies, but the other reasons sound so much more intelligent and cultured.

Anyway, the film festival runs from March 8-10. Check out their website for details about what's being screened when. And enjoy!

Labels: film, pop culture

Well, I just spent the last 20 minutes watching "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, Chapter 1: Purple Death" thanks to ReelTime.com. Oh my, what delightfully cheesy story lines and what wonderfully bad acting. (I always knew that Captain Proton from "Star Trek: Voyager" was based on the old Flash Gordon, but I had never realized just how closely the one resembled the other.) And, oh my gawd, Queen Fria has Princess Leia hair. Or, technically, I guess that would be the other way around. Too fun!

I'm really quite excited by the ReelTime.com website. It's a DVD quality streaming video site offering movies and vintage television shows. Its content may be a little limited at the moment but it's growing. And it's cheap!!! Whether you buy a membership or opt for the pay per view route or just enjoy their free content (like the aforementioned cheesy Flash Gordon).

Now, you may be wondering why I'm touting watching movies on your computer when I recently questioned whether people really want to watch TV shows on their cell phones. Well, (a) the ReelTime website shows you how to hook your PC up to your TV so that you could actually stream the movies directly to your TV set, and (b) my computer monitor is actually larger than my TV and I have a love seat in my office, so watching a movie on my computer is a pretty enjoyable experience for me.

I'm kind of keen to check out the short films they have available (what a surprise ). Now I just have to decide whether to pay the whopping $0.49 up front, or get a membership first. Decisions, decisions.

Labels: cool sites, film, pop culture, tv

I just read this article called "Get Tuned In: TV Programming on Cell Phones." It's kind of interesting to see what's coming down the pipe in terms of TV on cell phones; the article gives a sneak preview of what the various cell phone carriers will be offering. Verizon really looks like it's got the best package as far as television programming goes, with plans to offer network shows after they've been aired on regular TV plus their intention to expand their FiOS TV service to wireless handsets, which would let users control their DVRs from their phones without having to be at home. Both very cool features. (They don't mention Bell Mobility... is that only a Canadian service? Because their commercials make their package look pretty good, with their movie service and everything. It would be interesting to see how Bell stacks up to the carriers mentioned in the article.)

The article goes on to discuss the downside of mobile TV features in terms of bandwidth, but I have to ask this… do people really want to watch an entire TV show (or movie, for that matter) on a screen that can fit in the palm of their hand? I mean, people complain about my 14" TV being too small, but they'll watch it on their cell phone instead? As the Scots say (okay, it's actually a Yorkshire expression, but I first heard it from a Scotsman so I still hear it with a Scottish accent in my head): there's none so queer as folk.

Labels: cool stuff, film, pop culture, tv

This post is actually for a play called "This is for You, Anna: A Spectacle of Revenge"... but the first part of the title makes me think of the movie "Dead Again" when the creepy young Frankie saying "THIS is for you!" just before he stabs one of the other characters with a pair of scissors. But I'm digressing before I even begin...

This is for You, Anna: A Spectacle of Revenge
Tag line: When a child is taken away, what can be taken in return?

The play is being directed by one of the actresses who was in my workshop film last summer and who was also in one of the films for the workshop that I'm in right now: Elizabeth Kirkland. (This girl's going places, so keep your eyes open.) I believe it's her directorial debut, so I'm really interested to see the results. And the play itself sounds fascinating. Check out the description.

It runs from February 28 to March 10. For more information, head over to the Downstage Performance Society website.

Labels: film, pop culture, theatre

At the open mike night a couple of weeks ago, one of the artists that caught my attention was Marsha Meidow, director of the Vagina Monologues. She read one of the monologues from the show and, having never seen the show and not really knowing what to expect, it blew me away. So beautiful and yet so disturbing at the same time. Delivered in Marsha's breathy girlish voice... it was haunting.

Marsha also works with Safe Haven, a program for young girls at risk of prostitution and exploitation. So Marsha and Monologues producer, Shone Abet, decided to put on this carnival to raise money for the program. I think it's a great idea. And I wish like anything that I could be there, but I start my IN:Camera Film Production Workshop the following day, so I think I need to take care of myself and take a quiet night at home. Otherwise I would be at the Femme Fatale Carnivale in a heartbeat. There are going to be burlesque acts, fire eaters, belly dancers and all things strange and sexy (strange meant in the best possible way, of course)! Oh what crazy adult fun!

For those of you who want to go (please, please go!), it's this Valentine's Day (as in tomorrow) at The Twisted Element Nightclub, 1006 11th Ave SW. Tickets are $25 at the door and $20 in advance at Blame Betty, 829 17th Ave SW. Have fun! And don't do anything I wouldn't do...

Labels: cool stuff, fun, politics, pop culture, weird stuff

I keep having ideas about current topics that I want to blog about (such as Democratic Senator Barack Obama throwing his hat in the presidential ring, or George Dubya's insane "troop surge" plan, or the death of tabloid princess Anna Nicole Smith… okay, I don't really want to blog about that last one, but you get the idea). But I keep not getting around to writing those posts. Why? Partly because I'm really busy, partly because I feel like everyone else is already blogging about it and partly because I want to know the facts about something before I form an opinion that I'm going to be posting on the internet for all to see.

Don't get me wrong… I love research. But when life gets crazy busy, it would be nice to do a little less. I already have headlines emailed to me from my local paper and from CNN, but that hardly represents a wide variety of sources and perspectives. Which is why I end up spending so much time searching the internet in a variety of ways, looking for that new angle or some interesting aspect of a story that I moves, inspires or vexes me. Some way to write about it that would only be written by me.

So today I checked out this website called Newscribe that provides an avenue for news readers to obtain unbiased, quality news articles from multiple news streams. You can also comment on articles, read other people's comments, read reviews about articles, rate the reviews and, to top it off, you can also customize it to your tastes and needs. For example, you can click to "keep" interesting news articles for quick reference and then you'll receive recommendations based on those stories that you chose to track.

I'll have a better idea of how it all works once I've had a chance to play around with it for a while, but it seems like an intriguing idea that has a lot of potential. Whether it lives up to that potential partly depends on the people who end up using the site and the quality of their comments and reviews. So I'll definitely follow up and let you know who's using it and how it's working for me.

Labels: news, politics, pop culture

I was originally going to call this Battlestar Galactica commentary "The Mayor of Dogsville" but changed my mind. I picked my current title because Helo, like Apollo in the original series, is that stand-up guy who always tries to do the right thing, always has the best intentions, always stands up for what he believes no matter who opposes him. Then I realized the title was even more appropriate than I first thought. Circumstances creating heightened tension, racial intolerance leading to violence and death... sound like any particular Spike Lee movie you know?

I suppose it may be obvious at this point to say that I really enjoyed tonight's episode (and not just because it featured Helo). Confession time: even I was glad not to be subjected to the Starbuck-Apollo love quadrangle this week, much as I've tried to be tolerant and defend this storyline to the naysayers. And oh what a lovely tease: the Baltar inside Caprica Six's head is back! I think we'll be seeing more of Head Baltar in the future...

Labels: battlestar galactica, film, pop culture, tv

I went to the CSIF screening of Edge Codes last night. Very interesting documentary about the history of film editing (and no, that sentence is not an oxymoron). I plan on posting more about it over on my Film Blog, where I'll also be talking about both my upcoming Lamp Operator Workshop and my upcoming IN:Camera Film Production Workshop over the next few weeks. So check it out.

Labels: film, pop culture

I originally misread this week's Sunday Seven question as favourite TV episodes, each from a different series. As you will see, that's not really what Patrick intended. But I decided to keep what I wrote anyway because I wrote so damn much!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name your top seven favorite individual episodes of any single television series. If you feel especially enterprising, give a few lines explaining why you think makes your chosen episodes so good.

1. The West Wing, "A Proportional Response"

One of my favourite shows on TV until Aaron Sorkin left, there are countless episodes that I would call favourites. Here I opted for the one where Charlie was first hired. I love how he keeps insisting that he's just there for the messenger job but keeps getting pulled deeper into the West Wing. And the dialogue at the end provided a wonderful example of what I call a "West Wing moment." After Charlie has figured out where the President left his glasses, and gets yelled at for his pains, he decides that he should just leave. Then President Bartlet pulls him aside...

BARTLET: Listen, Leo McGarry filled me in on the situation with your mother. I'm so very sorry. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of calling Tom Connolly, the FBI Director, and we had the computer spit out some quick information. Your mother was killed by a Westing 38 revolver firing KTWs, or what are known as "cop killer" bullets. Now, we have not had a whole lot of success yet in banning that weapon and those bullets off the streets, but we're planning on taking a big whack at it when Congress comes back from recess.
(beat)
So, What do you say, you wanna come help us out?

CHARLIE: (pause) Yes sir, I do.

After a bit more banter between other characters, Charlie whispers to Josh...

CHARLIE: I've never felt like this before.

Josh smiles...

JOSH: It doesn't go away.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Once More With Feeling"

So many Buffy episodes to choose from, I was tempted to follow Carly's example and list all my favourite Buffy episodes, but I didn't want to be a copycat. Given my intense love of musicals and all things Buffy, this particular episode seemed like a natural choice.

3. Battlestar Galactica, "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2"

I've made no secret of the fact that BSG is one of my favourite TV shows, so again, tough to choose. But Chief Tyrol's speech, and its echoes of Mario Savio, made me opt for this one hands down.

TYROL: There comes a time when you realize that the engine you built with your blood and your sweat and your tears is being used for something so foul, so perverted, it makes you sick in your heart. And it's then that you must throw your body on the gears, and on the levers, and on the machine itself and make it stop! And you have to show the people who run it, the people who control it, that unless we're free that machine will be prevented from working at all!

4. Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Darmok"

The first TV episode I ever purchased, back when you had to buy them on VHS one episode at a time. Such a brilliant, thought-provoking episode. I attempted to address it in a previous post (The Language of Metaphor), but was overwhelmed by how much I wanted to say about it. So maybe that's a post for the future. (In case you're wondering, the title of this post is from Darmok and means "giving; receiving.")

5. Star Trek: Voyager, "Drone"

Expanding greatly on concepts first presented in the Star Trek: TNG episode, "I, Borg" I found this episode truly moving, especially at the end when Seven says, "You're hurting me," a line that One had used previously in a literal context. Ironically, this oh-so-touching episode also contains one of my favourite bits of funny dialogue from Voyager:

ONE: I was an accident?

DOCTOR: Call it a random convergence of technologies.

ONE: Am I unwelcome here?

DOCTOR: On the contrary. Our primary mission is to explore new forms of life. You may have been unexpected but given time, I am sure you'll make a fine addition to the crew. After all, you've got my mobile emitter driving your neo-cortex so you're bound to make a dazzling impression.
(beat)
That's called a joke.

ONE: Joke. A verbal comment or gesture designed to provoke laughter.

DOCTOR: I see you've got your mother's sense of humour.

6. Rock Star: Supernova, "Week 10"

This may sound like a strange choice, but this was the week when Storm Large sang her original song, "Ladylike." Her performance still rocks my world.


Do you want Storm to come to Calgary?

7. Sex and the City, "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux"

I wish I'd thought of this one for the Sunday Seven about our favourite series finales. Anyway, I loved how all the storylines wrapped up in such touching ways, while remaining completely true to the characters.

Best line...

CARRIE: I am someone who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love.

Sounds good to me.

Labels: battlestar galactica, buffy, memes, pop culture, rockstar, tv

Scholastic announced that "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final book in the best-selling series, has been scheduled for release at 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007. Very exciting! And if anyone is about to mock me for being a fully grown woman excited about the release of a children's book... just know that I am definitely not alone on this one. Speculation continues as to which character will die in the seventh and final chapter of J.K. Rowling's wildly popular series and I, for one, want to find out.

So beat the rush and pre-order yours today (but first you have to decide between the standard edition or the deluxe edition. Don't ask me what the difference is, I think it only really matters if you've been collecting the deluxe versions all along).

Labels: books and literature, pop culture

Chatting with my friend's son yesterday, he was telling me about his music project for school: to write an original song. He and his friends had decided to write a rap song, which led me to talk about rap music being street poetry and how its rhythms and rhyme schemes remind me a bit of sixties beat poetry. And me being me, I of course had to do a little research.

Which leads me, very indirectly, to the topic of my post: rap opera. While searching for interesting tidbits on rap music, I landed on this article on Opera at Encyclocentral. In amongst the generic information about opera was this innocent sentence: "In more recent news, radical styles of opera buffa, rap opera and even opera electronica have been very popular with audiences." I've heard of rock opera but rap opera? I admit, I'm intrigued.

But I also wonder, when people create this kind of opera are they intending to develop a new artistic form or are they hoping that contemporizing the opera style will renew interest in classical opera? Enquiring minds want to know.

P.S. Hey, maybe if my friend's son turns out to be a whiz at songwriting, he'll need the Encyclocentral article on Talent Agencies.

Labels: music, pop culture

My friend and I went to see a production of Chicago this afternoon, presented by the Front Row Centre Players. I've always loved the play. I saw it for the first time when I was a kid and one of my mother's acting students used to work the box office at the Royal Alex Theatre in Toronto. We used to hang around until everyone else was seated and then he would let us sit in the empty seats. That's where I saw Chicago and Sweet Charity, and others that I can't remember… I think it's the Bob Fosse shows that tended to stick in my head. And obviously I saw the movie and I thought they did a fabulous job with it (even if Renée Zellweger was distractingly skinny).

But back to today. I had seen the ads for this production of Chicago but hadn't been planning on going just because I'm so busy (and currently rather broke after buying my new couch). But then I got an email from Nikki—who played the female demon in my short film last summer—saying that she was the understudy for Velma and would be performing that role in the matinées. So I bought my tickets and off I went.

Already a huge fan of the script and the music, I was curious to see how it would be handled by a community theatre group. Overall, I think they did well. The singing, acting and musicianship were all very good. The choreography, however, was just so-so. Maybe it was that the dancers weren't up to anything more challenging, maybe it's because we were watching the understudies, but the choreography and dancing were definitely the weakest link. The energy, however, was great and the actors were obviously having loads of fun which makes up for a lot in community theatre, as far as I'm concerned. And I got to introduce a friend of mine to live theatre for the first time… so that was pretty cool, too.

And that's
Good, isn't it?
Grand, isn't it?
Great, isn't it?
Swell, isn't it?
Fun, isn't it?
But nothing stays

In fifty years or so
It's gonna change, you know
But, oh, it's heaven
Nowadays.
(listen to sample)

Labels: film, music, pop culture, theatre

I'm having way too much fun with that Eventful site and decided to add Sarah Slean to their database so I could create a demand for her to come back to Calgary. When I saw her here before, it was one of the most incredible concert experiences of my life. Her voice, her energy, her words, her music... I was transported. I would love to experience that again.

Sarah Slean

Do you want Sarah Slean
to perform in your city?

Labels: cool sites, music, pop culture

I've just discovered a new site for unsigned artists. Unsigned.com is dedicated to providing independent artists the best possible outlet to be heard globally on the Internet, as well as providing the artists with a new revenue and distribution model for their music.

Having recently had the "joys" of putting together a MySpace Filmmaker's site, I no longer think MySpace is the answer for any indie artists. It's so glitchy and has no real tech support that it drives me crazy most of the time, and I can't imagine it's much better if you're in the music area of MySpace.

Granted, Unsigned.com is still in Beta and I haven't tested it out, but anything's gotta be better than MySpace!

Labels: cool sites, music, pop culture

I noticed that someone landed on my blog searching for the meaning of the Blue October song "Ugly Side" (sample). Although on the one hand I think the general meaning is self-evident, I decided to write about it because the specific lyrics might seem a little odd to some people.

Ugly Side lyrics:

I must have sneezed
On knees I freeze
I mean I just choked up
Somehow I slept
I dream, I mean
I dreamt of nothing
Able to breathe
A sweet relief
Now that you're here with me
A northern degree
Dove into me
Now I'm recovering

[Chorus]
I only want you to see
My favorite part of me
And not my ugly side
Not my ugly side

Hook up a C.B. Wave a way
For conversation flow
I'm shoved in your cave, to wage this rage
Don't let me go
A kick and a scream is all that seems
To mean a lot thus far
I won't let you on my stage, my page
You can't know
Yet you have to know

[Chorus]

So calm... and now it's dark
I look for you to light my heart
I'm in between the moon and where you are
I know... I can't be far

The most general interpretation is simply how hard it is to share your those parts of yourself that you don't like with someone that you actually want to share your whole self with. More specifically, I believe it relates to Justin Furstenfeld's history with drugs, his recovery and his ardent desire not to have to share that part of his past and himself with someone he's starting a new relationship with.

As for specific phrases that may or not make grammatical sense… I say don't analyze that stuff too deeply. It's poetry. It elicits an emotional reaction of confusion and melancholy and fear and love. In Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg writes:

"The aim is to burn through to first thoughts... to the place where you are writing what your mind actually sees and feels, not what it thinks it should see and feel. It's a great opportunity to capture the oddities of your mind. Explore the rugged edge of thought."

I believe these lyrics are definitely the stuff of "first thoughts." Not to say that I don't have my ideas about what Justin means in certain phrases, but I'm more concerned with what he's feeling and how he makes me feel. So my advice is not to try to deconstruct the song, just feel it.

P.S. Blue October is coming to Calgary!!!!! They'll be playing at Mac Hall on April 7. Get your tickets soon. I know I will!

Labels: music, poetry, pop culture

I just discovered this new site where you can request (or as they say "demand") that your favourite performers come to your city. So I entered a "demand" for Rachael Sage (since I discovered this on her MySpace page), even though I'm not sure she would ever venture this way. But hey, if you don't ask... right? So I started the demand, but it needs to reach a critical mass before they actually contact the performer. So if anyone else wants to make a demand for Rachael Sage to come to Calgary, please do so.

I am a little disappointed, however, that most of the codes on the Eventful site don't seem to work for me. So this is as interesting a "demand" image as I could muster:

Rachael Sage

Do you want Rachael Sage
to perform in your city?

For those of you who aren't familiar with Rachael Sage and her music, she's a New York City songstress whose music is an eclectic mix of literate folk-pop-rock with a variety of world music influences. Trust me, that description will make sense once you listen to her. One of my favourite tracks off one of my favourite albums of hers (Smashing the Serene) is "Bruises without Blue." Give it a listen and if you actually like it, then please help me drum up some demand!

Labels: cool sites, music, pop culture

As a big fan of indie music, I felt the need to post about this Singer/Songwriter contest that I just heard of. It's sponsored by a London based artist development group called We Are Listening. But it's not just for artists from the UK or Europe, it's completely international and open to both signed and unsigned artists. (There's even a Canadian judge… Katia Cadet (Babykat)… I just wish I'd actually heard of her, but I'm not really a hip hop person so I guess that's as good an excuse as any).

Anyway, back to the contest. They'll be picking six artists and flying them to London for a luxury weekend production extravaganza which will include an exclusive recording session with producer Steve Williams who has produced artists like Sting, Seal and Eric Clapton. Can you imagine? Holy opportunity, Batman!

There are also other prizes like the Master Writer software suite, a scholarship for the Summer Songwriting Workshop at Berklee College of Music and a bunch of artist services at CDfuse.com, including one week as a "featured artist" on the front page of the site (to name just a few).

I hope Jasmine Whenham decides to enter. I still remember when she won the local Ship & Anchor songwriting contest. When she got up to sing I felt transported from a local amateur competition to a world class musical performance. Maybe this contest will be her chance to play with the big boys… and girls.

So is it worth it? Well, it only costs $30 to enter and one of last year's winners, Jag Star, is going to be included on the soundtrack to MTV's "The Hills" as the only independent act on the recording. I don't know about you, but I think that makes for a pretty impressive credit.

But don't wait too long to enter… the deadline is March 1, 2007!

Labels: music, pop culture

Apparently the last time my cousin went to the movies, they showed a pretty cool music video. Unfortunately, they gave neither the title of the song nor the artist. But my cousin liked the song quite a lot so he went home and Googled some of the lyrics and discovered it was "Into the Ocean" by Blue October.

Why is this noteworthy? Well, I first discovered Blue October when Zayra Alvarez sang their song "Razorblade" on Rock Star: Supernova (watch the video). I think it was her best performance on the show and yet it was the night that she got kicked off… so unfair. Anyway, after the show I downloaded the Blue October version along with a few of their other songs and I was hooked. I had suggested to my cousin that he download "Weight of the World," a song of theirs which I love but that he didn't like much at all. I now see that I should have recommended more than the one song. Oh well, hind sight and all that.

But now I'm curious: Is this band bigger than I originally thought? Or are they just now gaining in popularity and getting good airplay? I never know these things because I don't listen to the radio. Sometimes I "discover" a band that everyone else already knows about. Other times one of my indie bands makes it big and all of a sudden everybody knows who they are which kind of weirds me out. (I'm really pathetic when it comes to popular music… totally my own fault, I know, but obviously I don't care enough about it to bother to change and actually start listening to the radio and paying attention to these things.) But I think it's a riot that these guys are obviously doing extremely we