Category Archives: Uncategorized

As does probably everyone who reads these things, I sometimes check out the links to other blogs that are listed on the blogs I frequent. A friend of yours is a friend of mine kind of thing. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised, sometimes not so.

Sometimes it takes no more than a few words of the most recent post to decide whether Caeser gives the thumbs up, or the thumb to the throat to the newly discovered blog.

For instance, not much of a decision on this site, which had this sentence awaiting me:

“My all time favorite actress is Julia Roberts but for some reason I have been thinking about a scene with Daryl Hannah and her boyfriend in the movie Steel Magnolias.”

Last night at the CDexchange, it was brought to my attention that, back in the “cool-to-be-angst-ridden, percolating punk” university days, I had compiled a list of people I’d like to kill.
Apparently it was a list of local, national and maybe even perhaps international figures who had in some way rubbed me the wrong way and therefore were deemed worthy to be rubbed out themselves. To be honest, I don’t remember the contents of the list, but I vaguely, in a suggested-memory Manchurian Candidate way, remember that a list existed.

Let it be know, now, that I hereby revoke that list, and pardon everyone who may have appeared on it for whatever reason.

Except that one guy with the thing, and the thing on the thing. You know who you are.

Okay, so I’m involved in a monthly CD exchange club. We get together once a month and each of us brings a cd (a copy for each of everyone else) of music that we like, or that is on a theme, or what have you.

Last night was our first get-together. Before the meeting, I only really knew one of the participants (Matt), others I knew from their weblogs, others not at all, and our host, Dave, I knew somewhat way back in university but haven’t seen in almost 20 years (my god!).

When compiling my playlist, I was worried about picking songs that relatively few others would have. I made an initial list of great songs, ones that I really like, from what I consider to be relatively obscure artists. I quashed that list, though, because I figured these people likely have musical tastes akin to me, so they’d likely not be obscure to them. So, I decided to create a cd on a theme, a musical experience of 12 songs, each somehow representative of, or inspired by, a month of the year. Familiarity of songs be damned, I thought. This cd will not be the discovery of new artists. Rather it’ll be about the experience of song flowing into song, month into month. It’s a concept album, dammit.

That was the idea, anyway.

So, here’s my list, with liner notes to boot:

Songs of the Months Club – Introductory Offer
12 songs, each in some way representative of a month of the year.

Wild Is The Wind – David Bowie: Yeah, it may be a love song, but everything about this song feels cold to me. I think that’s why I like it so much. The production is dry and Bowie’s voice is as cold as a blustery January night. This is the chilliest love song I’ve heard.

Snowin’ On Raton – Townes van Zandt: He was the quintessential Texas Singer/Songwriter, and a guy that many songwriters cite as inspiration. I’m a friend of voices that may not be the most technically proficient, but are able to convey the emotion of the song. Townes van Zandt has that type of voice. This is a February drivin’-the-truck-through-the-southern-snow kinda road song.

Five Feet and Rising – Johnny Cash: I’ve always been a fan of Cash. However, since he started recording with the American label, I’ve become a huge fan. He’s another of those singers whose ability to convey the emotion of the song means more than the range of notes he hits. This is a song from an earlier era of Johnny Cash. March may be a bit early around these parts to be talkin’ flood, but, by God, it’s floodin’ somewhere.

April After All – Ron Sexsmith: I don’t want to imagine a music library that doesn’t contain songs from Canadian Ron Sexsmith. Simply, he’s a fantastic songwriter. If you aren’t familiar with him, I urge you to go and get his music. If you’re not fond of this song, trust me, there are others of his that will find heavy rotation in your playlists. Seek him out. Why did I choose this song? Well, it is April, after all.

Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & the Wailers: I’m guessing you probably know this song, but I had to include it. It just makes me feel so good. To me it epitomizes the peaceful positive potential of the day. After a long, cold winter, the birds have come back to sing to us! A May song like this should give you hope and happiness for the coming days of summer bliss.

Wildflowers – The Trio: I shouldn’t be, but I’m embarrassed to say that I quite like the music of Dolly Parton. When she teamed up with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt to create the wonderful album called “The Trio”, I was happy. Some of the most incredible country harmonies I’ve been fortunate to hear. As a sample from that album, I offer you this vocal painting of June wildflowers.

Ballad of a Ballgame – Christine Lavin: I don’t know a lot about Christine Lavin. I first discovered her years ago on a compilation cassette of Rounder Records artists, where she sang a very funny song called “Sensitive New Age Guys”. She’s kind of a female Loudon Wainwright III, in her ability to create funny, catchy personal songs that also have the ability to make you feel sad. Getting picked last, not being appreciated or expected to contribute. I’m guessing we can all relate in some way to this homage to that aspect of the pickup game of ball that takes place in July.

Long Hot Summer – The Style Council: As the main member of The Jam, Paul Weller was an important icon to me. Even though they were huge in Britain, his band (unknown on PEI) was one of those touchstones whose name you could drop to others on the Island, and if they knew who you were talking about, they were part of the cool young punk club. When The Jam broke up and Paul Weller formed The Style Council, a quasi-jazz-pop band, I wasn’t sure what to think. But I went along with it, even if it wasn’t anything like punk. Listening now to the Style Council songs I have, they stand up pretty well. This song sways, ever so cool, like a late August hammock in the evening shade.

California Stars – Billy Bragg and Wilco: Another song I expect many/most/all of you have, but what the hell. More Wilco than Bragg, this song, it comes from the excellent Mermaid Avenue collaboration of the two giving voice and melody to a number of Woody Guthrie songs that were never recorded. I chose this song for September because it seems to me that this is something you might do in September. Summer’s coming to an end so, as a way to squeeze the most out of it, you run out into the yard some night and lie on the grass and just look at the stars. That’s what I think of when I hear this song.

Fields of Gold – Eva Cassidy: Yes, the Sting song. I was a huge Police fan, even a fan of Sting for most of his career, but surely there’s only so much Sting one can take. So it’s nice to hear a great rendition of one of his songs from someone who isn’t Sting. This comes from an album I found called “Best of Acoustic”. Before this, I never heard of Eva Cassidy, but was struck by the beauty of her voice on this song. Just Googled and discovered that she died in 1996. So there you go. October brings golden fields of harvest and the unshakable truth that death, like rust, never sleeps.

Thanksgiving – Loudon Wainwright III: Remember earlier, where I alluded to the notion that Loudon Wainwright III wrote funny songs. Well, this isn’t really one of them. While he has a wonderful knack for comedy, he also has the ability to write songs that just rip the heart out. I find this song to be beautifully sad. This is a November song because Loudon is American, and of course, their Thanksgiving happens that month. If you don’t know Loudon, you owe it to yourself to check him out. His live album Career Days is a favourite of mine.

Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis – Tom Waits: There are a lot of people who can’t warm up to Tom Waits’ voice. I’m not one of them . I absolutely love his sound and in fact, he is, I think, the only artist recording today whose albums I’ll buy without question. His music is poetry. This song is unfathomably beautiful and sad.

Well, looking back, it’s kind of a low-key year, isn’t it? I thought about taking some songs out, and replacing them with a few more upbeat tunes, but somehow that seemed to spoil the mood of the thing. So, you’re stuck with this somewhat melancholy assemblage.

As soon as the snow melts, and the flowers bloom, I am going to go and gambol in a field.

To those who received my cd compilation, I believe I may need to apologize. I fear that the names of the artists and songs did not transfer to the CD. Just so you know, the songs were not all recorded by someone called Unknown Artist, and they are not part of a suite called Unknown Songs.
I think you may need to refer to the accompanying playlist sheet for song titles and artists. Sorry ’bout that.
I’ll post my playlist later.

Sketch 22, the comedy troupe that I’m currently involved in (with?), will be premiering two of our hot and fresh bits of comedy, this Sunday night at the Gala Night of the PEI Theatre Festival 2004. Not sure when we perform, but the evening gets underway at 7pm at the whatever-it’s-called-now-but-used-to-be-called-the Lecture Theatre at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

We’ll be breaking the theatrical cherries of two, hopefully, funny sketches: The Len Kelly Affair, and, still under its working title, The Plover Sketch.

If you’d like to be the 6th person on this Earth to witness these sketches, come out and join the crowd this Sunday night. If you’d rather wait, you can catch them (and many more) this summer on Thursday and Friday nights at the ARTS Guild. If you have no interest at all in them, well, shame on you.

Rather than perorate on the meaning, derivation and etymology of the word, I’ll leave it to you to discover its meaning.

Okay, it’s getting totally ridiculous. The incredible quality of HBO programming is just staggering. Over the years, HBO has aired some of my all-time favourite programs. I’m guessing that there would be maybe 6 HBO programs listed in my Top 10 TV programs (this is stated without attempting to come up with a list).

Just this year alone there is The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and debuting last night, the fantastically promising new western Deadwood, plus the upcoming Six Feet Under. Others just off the top of my head: The Larry Sanders Show and Mr. Show. Wow.

I came late to The Sopranos. I avoided it for about the first year and a half. Eventually, though, I succumbed to the hype, and checked it out. I’ve been totally hooked ever since. Last night’s episode “Where’s Johnny” was perhaps the best yet. I only wish my wife would fall under its spell like I did. But she is blinded by her dislike of gangster/mafia movies/shows.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, a fantastic comedy, is at a curious point in its development. This year it kind of reached a point of creation (much like Seinfeld the year when they decided to make all the small storylines in each episode relate to each other. We had to agree to go along with that absurdity.) where it turned towards more outlandish and unrealistic plot devices. Still as funny as all get out, but it’s a question-mark as to whether we will go along with this, if it continues next year.

Deadwood debuted (that looks weird, debuted? Is that even right?) last night, and all I can say is “And I thought Lonesome Dove was a great western”. Unbelievably good first episode. Can it possibly maintain that level of quality? I can’t believe it’s a television program.

Okay, I talked myself into it. Here, at this moment, are my Top Ten Television Programs (of all time)

1. Six Feet Under
2. The Office
3. The Sopranos
4. Law & Order
5. Seinfeld
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm
7. The Larry Sanders Show
8. Mr. Show
9. SCTV
10. All Those Shows That I’m Forgetting That Would Obviously Rate Above, Say, SCTV.

I am struck by the number of comedies. I don’t include TV movies and/or miniseries. Only weekly television programs, comedy or drama.

Okay, it’s getting totally ridiculous. The incredible quality of HBO programming is just staggering. Over the years, HBO has aired some of my all-time favourite programs. I’m guessing that there would be maybe 6 HBO programs listed in my Top 10 TV programs (this is stated without attempting to come up with a list).

Just this year alone there is The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and debuting last night, the fantastically promising new western Deadwood, plus the upcoming Six Feet Under. Others just off the top of my head: The Larry Sanders Show and Mr. Show. Wow.

I came late to The Sopranos. I avoided it for about the first year and a half. Eventually, though, I succumbed to the hype, and checked it out. I’ve been totally hooked ever since. Last night’s episode “Where’s Johnny” was perhaps the best yet. I only wish my wife would fall under its spell like I did. But she is blinded by her dislike of gangster/mafia movies/shows.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, a fantastic comedy, is at a curious point in its development. This year it kind of reached a point of creation (much like Seinfeld the year when they decided to make all the small storylines in each episode relate to each other. We had to agree to go along with that absurdity.) where it turned towards more outlandish and unrealistic plot devices. Still as funny as all get out, but it’s a question-mark as to whether we will go along with this, if it continues next year.

Deadwood debuted (that looks weird, debuted? Is that even right?) last night, and all I can say is “And I thought Lonesome Dove was a great western”. Unbelievably good first episode. Can it possibly maintain that level of quality? I can’t believe it’s a television program.

Okay, I talked myself into it. Here, at this moment, are my Top Ten Television Programs (of all time)

1. Six Feet Under

2. The Office

3. The Sopranos

4. Law & Order

5. Seinfeld

6. Curb Your Enthusiasm

7. The Larry Sanders Show

8. Mr. Show

9. SCTV

10. All Those Shows That I’m Forgetting That Would Obviously Rate Above, Say, SCTV.

I am struck by the number of comedies. I don’t include TV movies and/or miniseries. Only weekly television programs, comedy or drama.

Sometimes, international sports that are televised live are aired, here on Prince Edward Island, at very early or very late hours. Such was the case with the Formula One race this weekend in Kuala Lampur. It aired live on TSN at 2:30am Sunday morning. There was a repeat broadcast at 3pm on Sunday afternoon. It was this repeat broadcast that I planned on watching.

While it isn’t a very tricky thing, trying to avoid seeing the results of a race already run, there is a certain amount of care that must be taken to ensure one remains oblivious. The usual Sunday morning routine of website visits must be carefully censored, with sites that could potentially so even a headline of the results taken out of the loop. Even though the results are never a part of any radio sports updates, it is best to avoid the radio. Television has its risks, too, especially if one is a remote-flicker like me. Best to stick to a movie channel, or one like TLC, where the threat of results discovery is minimal.

In the past, I found that TSN itself, was a fairly safe channel to watch, when they are planning on airing a repeat broadcast. Self-aware of the impending airing of the race, their ticker usually remains free of the results, until after the repeat broadcast. It was under this presumption that I decided it’d be safe enough to take part in my ritual Sunday morning viewing of TSN’s The Reporters.

Wrong choice. No sooner did I begin watching when, out of the bottom of my eye, I see on the ticker “F1 Malaysia – Final Results…1. Michael Schumacher 2. Juan Pablo Montoya…”
Damn. I quickly averted my eyes, but it was too late. I knew the winner. I knew 2nd place. By the time the results came across the ticker again, I had decided that I’d blow the whole experience and check out the Top 6 results as they came up.

So, I watched the race, knowing full well the outcome.

I’m disappointed in TSN for putting the results on their ticker, before they aired the repeat broadcast. I guess it’s my own fault though for assuming they’d keep the results from those of us who sleep at 2:30 – 5am.