Degrees

Posted on August 19, 2008 by David

Things get wrapped up in Six Degrees of Separation with the assertion that we — we being Manhattan’s one percenters who sell million-dollar art and have dinner parties – have experiences primarily so that we have something to share at dinner parties. I suppose a blogorati search might reveal 792 people who have said the same thing, more or less, replacing “blog” with “dinner parties.” But that’s not the point.

I was reminded of this wrap-up this past Sunday when I watched an old, stocky, bearded, Jewish man take a toke off a joint offered by a younger, thinner, taller, Jamaican-er, dreadlocked dude at Central Park’s free Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings show. Not when old dude proceeded to cough up a lung, nor when the rasta man patted his back to bring him around–that was just good times. Rather it was about 15 minutes later, when old dude’s wife asked rasta man to pose for a picture with her too-short-for-Sutherland husband. Pudding meet proof, I got a polaroid.

It was a real good time, though, lower-80s on the F scale, with soft kisses of wind, and real Stax-soul. Certainly on my top five lists of shows for the year but, as it turned out, not even the best show of the day.

That honor goes to Boat at Cake Shop later in the evening, with about 20 other lucky souls (oops). Catch them on their tour. Buy their album. They make great rough-around-the-edges pop music and have so much fun doing it. I even bought a t-shirt at the show (I believe this is the first time I’ve ever done that).

But that’s not really the point either. I saw Sarah Silverman at Cake Shop before the show, Chris Noth just a few minutes earlier from the window of the M15 (I was in it, rest assured, he was strolling up 2nd), and Sandra Oh the night before unwilling to wait an hour for a table at Frankies (her departure bumped me up the list!). And the point is this: give me a six degree to kevin bacon involving all those actors and I’ll give you free Boat paraphernalia.

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whoa

Posted on August 15, 2008 by Tito

Some serious apple jocking going on in the comments over here. Wonder if pinky has grown her sack yet?

Not to be trolly, but…. if you substitute the sentence

Apple should design a phone the remains intact when you drop it 3 feet.
to
Microsoft should write an operating system that blocks spyware when you download porn.

would the reactions change from calls for “personal responsibility” to “down with the man!”? I like apple products and all, but try holding them to any quality standard and it seems you’ll get shouted down faster than somebody saying “retard” in a movie.

previously

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Please see Kim :)

Posted on August 15, 2008 by David

Please see Kim I got a glimpse of this walking the dog–someone was kind enough to upload the photo to the web for me. (CRED)

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birthday jamzzz

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Tito

get your Fidel Castro-Themed1 MP3’s over at WFMU (posted today for his 82nd birthday)

1 including the “Fidel Castro Polka”

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Owlish Shrubbery

Posted on August 12, 2008 by David

I like it when writers go after other writers, and you can hardly blame Alex Von Tunzelmann here:

These weak chapters show up the worst of Meyer and Brysac’s writing style, which is sometimes pretentious to the point of incomprehensibility and becomes more so when they seem to lack interest in their subject matter. The thesaurus takes a battering: Meyer and Brysac will not have half of something if they can have a moiety; they will not give a gift if they can give a lagniappe; they will not quote a saying if they can quote an apothegm.

Sometimes it’s almost impossible to make out what they mean, as when Gladstone is said to have “habitually lofted oratorical rockets into the unassailable empyrean,” when all the poor man actually did was to answer a few questions. Or when the British agent St. John Philby is said “to glare at the world through his owlish shrubbery.” What is owlish shrubbery? A shrubbery full of owls? A shrubbery shaped like an owl? A prop from Monty Python? As to what glaring through such a thing might signify, this reviewer is at a loss to imagine.

But in the realm of books I might actually pick up, this one looks right up my, er, alley:

For similar reasons, S.U.V.’s are more dangerous than cars. Not just because they’re slower to stop and harder to maneuver, but because — by conferring a sense of safety — they invite careless behavior. “The safer cars get,” Vanderbilt says, “the more risks drivers choose to take.” (S.U.V. drivers are more likely to not bother with their seat belts, to talk on cellphones, and to not wear seat belts while talking on cellphones.) So it goes for much of the driving universe. More people are killed while crossing in crosswalks than while jaywalking. Drivers pass bicyclists more closely on a road with bike lanes than on one without.

I might postulate, however, that the careless behavior of SUV drivers is less cause/effect than such people are simply more likely to be assholes. But I’ll reserve judgment until after my library stocks the book.

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There is nothing wrong with YouTube that cannot be cured by what’s right in YouTube

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Tito

To wit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5knAsN82iTc

edit: perhaps some context?

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Sign #432 that I’m getting old

Posted on August 8, 2008 by David

I finally purchase a CD released in the present calendar year after having already received two 2009 calendars from assorted charities.

It’s a good one though, this CD. (MP3 here)

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Pipe down vegan!

Posted on August 8, 2008 by David

You know what really grinds my gears? When the Brooklyn Vegan hypes the show I’ve been looking forward to all summer, because this vastly increases the chance of its selling out. Happiness is seeing Boat live at CakeShop with less than ten other people.

While I cross my fingers, enjoy track 5 of my muxtape, Boat’s Topps.

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even from Frisco, still my Homaha

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Tito

Okay, maybe the only time I’ve heard the term “Homaha” is in a facebook group, but a few links from the interwebs caught my eyes lately.

Jonathan Segura, in support of his novel Occupational Hazards, blogs about Omaha at Powell’s, including a nod to the “miraculously” alive Dave Sink at The Antiquarium (which last I head was going out of business… guess not, just a new location)

Ernie Chambers, no longer in the legislature, is looking for his day in court versus God, seeking an injunction against the violent acts of tornadoes & earthquakes: “If there is a ruling against the existence of God, it will be by the court and not by me.”

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looking back/forward

Posted on August 1, 2008 by Tito

a few highlights looking back

  • Sunday: at the Lucero show (awesome), I got much happiness from hearing Ben drop some El Guapo referencesfrom one of my favorite cowboy movies. “For some people, lack of education may be their El Guapo. For me, Scott is my El Guapo”
  • Monday: Greinke + Soria getting it done. Good for real. Good for my fantasy team.
  • Tuesday: Hold Steady - another killer performance, including more guitar heroics from koob than previously witnessed. Perhaps he’s spent some time at some sort of guitar/ninja retreat.

looking ahead
What better way to prepare myself mentally for the Conor Oberst concert tonight than polishing off some 8 year old Z-Trip/DJ P tracks?

Dust In The Wind

Passing Me By

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straight talk from tito*

Posted on July 31, 2008 by Tito

For some reason, I feel the need to set the “record straight”. So for the record:

Cadbury Creme Eggs My all-time favorite candy. I long for the days following Easter when they can be had for pennies on the dollar. Getting harder to find the “real” ones because of all the caramel/snickers versions. Speaking of which(not exactly) does anybody remember the SCTV skit that lampoons Grapes of Wrath (the movie, specifically) — instead of peaches, the grandpa is obsessed with chicken fried steak? I’m almost afraid to youtube it for fear it won’t live up to the memory.

Slim Jim. I have only tried them once - in high school - and am afraid to ever try again. Perhaps the worst thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

Best (storebought) cookie: This is a tie between:
1. Archway Vanilla Wafers (screw ‘Nilla Wafers)
2. Archway Windmill cookies (with the little nuts)

further … i think storebought is officially a single word in Perez family lingo. Growing up, we’d often get our school clothes from a combination of
1. hand me downs
2. garage sales
3. thrift stores
Over anything else, (royal) we would often choose garments based mostly on how “storebought” it looked as opposed to such silly things as:
1. “Fit”
2. “Style”
nowadays, I still catch myself commenting “looks storebought”

* this may be the last time I ever associate anything with my “real” name. I’m considering taking on an internet persona, but have yet to decide on my name. Early contenders are
1. Sparkle Motion
Ok, that’s as far as I got.

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get your “man sized wad”

Posted on July 31, 2008 by Tito

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GyEkvqtHPs

brought up in the ever amusing JoPo comments

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Excess ain’t rebellion

Posted on July 31, 2008 by David

In case you missed this you’re-drinking-what-they’re-selling essay, oh, about five years ago, just like I did, it’s been re-worked into Rob Walker’s latest book, Murketing:

Under these circumstances, the thinking goes, P.B.R. needs to stay neutral, ”always look and act the underdog” and not worry about those who look down on the beer, presumably because they’re snobs whose negative opinion only boosts its street cred. The Plan B analysis even says that P.B.R.’s embrace by punks, skaters and bike messengers make it a political, ‘’social protest” brand. These ”lifestyle as dissent” or ”consumption as protest” constituencies are about freedom and rejecting middle-class mores, and ”P.B.R. is seen as a symbol and fellow dissenter.” Eventually all of this sounds like satire, but the punch line is that it isn’t really that far off from P.B.R.’s strategy.

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World Premiere

Posted on July 30, 2008 by David

With Scrabulous down, I’ve sought other copyright-ambivalent outlets to fill the emptiness.

So enjoy my muxtape.

Sigh, what to do now….

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lyric of the now

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Tito

Gillian Welch - Look At Miss Ohio
I want to do right
but not right now

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bullshit detection

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Tito

Lit Crit Impostor

{XKCD}

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5 Day Forecast

Posted on July 18, 2008 by Tito

Edit Friday brain attacks strike back. Royals & Hold Steady aren’t until the week after next. thxkbai - the managment

Friday
Possibly head over to my old hood’s Bookshop West Portal to see Ethan Canin (who’s latest earned a “fucking brilliant” at Jodi’s)

Saturday

I had been thinking of going the see Feist at the Greek Theater in Berkeley but topping $50 a pop after ticketmaster “service” fees, I’ll likely pass. Kicking myself for not being a little more organized and planning a trip to Omaha last weekend where I could have seen her for free. Guess I’ll get by watching Sesame Street youtubes.

Sunday
Nothing firm yet. May respect the sabbath (aka sleep in, poke in on some scrabulous games & work the crossword). One contender is Bay To Barkers, though.

Bay to Barkers 2008

Monday
The Royals are coming to the Town so I’ll cross the bridge. My company came up big here:

  • Having recently completed my 5 year anniversary at work, I got to pick a prize from a little catalog - reminiscent of elementary school slave labor fund raisers, where you could get boomerangs, slinky’s and such for hocking candy bars. I chose the portable propane Coleman grill, and plan to break it in with this tailgate.
  • Got some of the company tickets right behind the visitor’s dugout along with “VIP” parking pass. Normally BART to games, but with the aforementioned grill, this comes in handy.


Tuesday
The Hold Steady roll into The Mezzanine in San Francisco. Very jazzed to see one of my favorite bands. The only other show I’d seen here was perhaps a “top 10″ show in my book - The Silver Jews a year or two ago. Not so jazzed that my pre-order from Vagrant has not arrived yet - WTF? I’ve pre-ordered for Saddle Creek a few times, and usually got the CD’s at least a few days before the drop date. I’ve been getting by with this tape of their show in Baltimore … which I’ve since seen on Letterman as part a skit with some antics from the unified scene before they did Sequestered In Memphis.

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Let’s All go to the Movies

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Tito

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival kicks off tonight.

The Soul of Youth

The full schedule:

FRIDAY, JULY 11
The Kid Brother 7:00PM
Opening Night Party 9:15PM

SATURDAY, JULY 12
Amazing Tales from the Archives 10:00AM
The Soul of Youth 11:40AM
Les Deux Timides (Two Timid Souls) 2:15PM
Mikaël (Michael) 4:15PM
The Man Who Laughs 7:45PM
The Unknown 10:45PM

SUNDAY, JULY 13
The Adventures of Prince Achmed 10:30AM
The Silent Enemy 1:10PM
Her Wild Oat 3:50PM
Jujiro (Crossways) 6:10PM
The Patsy 8:45PM

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great questions

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Tito

JoPo getting me ready to ponder this weekend:

Best Springsteen love song?
Who is worse: Costner or Cruise?

And that’s what makes them intriguing … if you have someone you have never liked in anything, say someone like Pauly Shore, then there’s really nothing to argue about. But Costner and Cruise are interesting and worth arguing about because, despite what might be perceived as overall lameness, there are some good moments in there.

Of course…. this extends musically…. give me some time as think of some crappy bands that managed to have a good musical moment.

in the meantime….

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

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hail hail

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Tito

If I end up as a blogger who does nothing more than post “fail” photos & mountain goats songs…
worse things could happen.

hail satin [sic]

The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton

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