Nope, I'm definitely not talking about that beyond right-wing and former tabloid reporter who makes up stats to justify his views, the Al Franken hatin' Bill O'Reilly. No, I'm referring to Christopher O'Riley, the amazing pianist! He transcribes the music of Radiohead, and it is unbelievable! His set at the Minnesota Orchestra Hall was phenomenal. It lasted only 70 minutes, but he had the audience cheering and yelling for more after every song. He even played 3 Elliot Smith songs, which was a real treat. In fact, that's the music he'll be putting on his next album. In between a set of songs he'd get up and make a joke or two, and it had everyone going, from us college-aged folks to the older ones that were sitting next to me. I'd never been to the Hall, so I was taken aback by its incredible acoustics. There were giant speaker-looking-things, all gray and cube-shaped, sticking out of the ceiling and the back of the stage. So combine that with the dazzling music and you get one floored person.
After the show, I biked home, I composed a late-night poem. I'll probably post it on here soon. It's not as long as my last one, nor is it intensely political. It's about love, and bringing balance to life...sort of. O'Riley must have influenced me a bit today, as I've been listening to the more jazzy and experimental type of music of L'altra and Rachel's while cleaning up a bit. I've also changed my blog name, probably also influenced by my mood and the music I've been listening to this past weekend (experimental, post-rock). Hope ya dig it, because I do.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Get A Leg Up!
Or how about a foot? What this means is....well, actually now that I think about what I just typed, it doesn't make any sense at all! Hmmm...I was trying to be clever and be a bit punny because what I really meant to say is Get a Foot Down! as in, get my left foot down on the ground. Distribute all my weight on it, which I cannot do right now because I went to the doctor yesterday to take care of something on my foot and now its blistery and painful to walk on. So this means I've inherited quite a gimp, with my right leg taking on all the weight of the left leg as I walk. So no fun bike riding with a blister right on the ball of the foot, causing me to pedal with the heel of my left foot.
Luckily I don't have to do a ton of walking at my job. Of course, my not being able to walk properly was the subject of many jokes between a co-worker and myself. Suffice to say, he mentioned 'warm it up chris,' to which I responded, 'I'm about to...as soon as I can jump.' Yeah, real great office humor there. At work I've been writing a lot of poetry. It's all emotional since it has to do with life and how I interpret it. One contained the remnants of a conversation I had with a good friend I walked around (back when I could walk decently!) with in St. Paul last Thursday night.
Another is about global warming and how out-of-the-loop-of-the-general-scientific-concensus-concerning-the-well-documented-humankind-effect-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions some politicians can be, complaining about how they don't want trillions of dollars being spent on uncertain policy. Hmmm...Iraq anyone!! Not trillions....yet. To balance all things out, I also wrote about how my lover, friends, music and poetry are the main characters to keep my focus of balance on center stage. So...it's not all bitterness, cynicism and weighty feelings about the world for this human...just sometimes. You must have tears and smiles, is all I have to say.
Luckily I don't have to do a ton of walking at my job. Of course, my not being able to walk properly was the subject of many jokes between a co-worker and myself. Suffice to say, he mentioned 'warm it up chris,' to which I responded, 'I'm about to...as soon as I can jump.' Yeah, real great office humor there. At work I've been writing a lot of poetry. It's all emotional since it has to do with life and how I interpret it. One contained the remnants of a conversation I had with a good friend I walked around (back when I could walk decently!) with in St. Paul last Thursday night.
Another is about global warming and how out-of-the-loop-of-the-general-scientific-concensus-concerning-the-well-documented-humankind-effect-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions some politicians can be, complaining about how they don't want trillions of dollars being spent on uncertain policy. Hmmm...Iraq anyone!! Not trillions....yet. To balance all things out, I also wrote about how my lover, friends, music and poetry are the main characters to keep my focus of balance on center stage. So...it's not all bitterness, cynicism and weighty feelings about the world for this human...just sometimes. You must have tears and smiles, is all I have to say.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
A Plethora of Music
Indeed, 2005 has been a decent year for good music. Here are my favorite CD'S from 2005 thus far:
Low - The Great Destroyer
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning; Digital Ash in A Digital Urn
Dredg - Catch Without Arms
Kaddisfly - Buy Our Intention; We'll Buy You a Unicorn
Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
The Album Leaf - Seal Beach EP
Surfjan Stevens - Illinois
At the Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational
Circa Survive - Juturna
Gratitude - Gratitude
Tarentel - Paper White; Big Black Square
Alicia Wiley - In Your Sight
M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us
Mogwai - Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 [LIVE]
Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace
Death Cab For Cutie - The John Byrd EP
Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
Cloud Cult - Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus
Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
Ok, that's all I can think of for now. Of course, there are a myriad of bands I've discovered in 2005 whose albums were released before 2005. However, that does not pertain to this list. That'll have to be saved for another time.
Low - The Great Destroyer
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning; Digital Ash in A Digital Urn
Dredg - Catch Without Arms
Kaddisfly - Buy Our Intention; We'll Buy You a Unicorn
Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
The Album Leaf - Seal Beach EP
Surfjan Stevens - Illinois
At the Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational
Circa Survive - Juturna
Gratitude - Gratitude
Tarentel - Paper White; Big Black Square
Alicia Wiley - In Your Sight
M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us
Mogwai - Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 [LIVE]
Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace
Death Cab For Cutie - The John Byrd EP
Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
Cloud Cult - Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus
Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
Ok, that's all I can think of for now. Of course, there are a myriad of bands I've discovered in 2005 whose albums were released before 2005. However, that does not pertain to this list. That'll have to be saved for another time.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Diving Right In To The Left
Yes, this is my 2nd blog, and I'm already diving headfirst with my poetry. It's raw, non-edited, full of emotion with probably little factual basis. But hey, that's how we liberals are, right media? That was sarcasm there if ya missed it. Anyway, here's a little (or long) ditty I wrote up before work one early morn. Not all poetry will be like this; some will be lovely, othes will be nature-y in nature, and love fills a lot of themes...just not the political ones, usually. Enjoy. I can't wait for the comments:
"How to get foreign resources from mideastern countries"
Here's a strategy: let's use the military!
Take a popular figure,
perhaps a former governor will due
as long as he's got friends in high places where scandals and mishaps leave without any signs or traces of misconduct,
nor any cases being brought to trials for justice to be portrayed
Put him in power with the help of masterminds
and his father that tower over the rest of normal people's lives.
Give him money, allow him to bend the rules like they all do
and watch him spin,
the propaganda flying out of not his mouth
but from those that keep a closer watch out
for any chance to do the rivals in:
You know, those 'lefty liberals' that love to spend and do nothing more than shout?
Radical righty says: Real stories, keep 'em in lock down from the public and strike the record straight from the headlines,
using newspapers and airtime for the stage set to play another puppet game.
Regime change was the first order;
now go in there and take out anyone who defies our culture.
Take their oil, watch the people toil even though their dictator's
been taken out of power.
There's a new breed of terror all around, caused by our occupation claiming to stand strong and be proud against a nameless face and violent waves.
Says the media:
They're not human beings, they're insurgents, call them militants who hate america,
cuz america = christian;
at least that's what 59 million thought to vote and get the chimp elected
even if those on the ground say the opposite of what the big spenders claim.
Cease and desist
or be killed in the process.
There's no need to resist;
profits are on the way to the contractor's pockets!
You'll stay in poverty while the monkey says we've given you hope and liberty;
If only you could use this for the rest of your dark days.
Be (s)elected,
then go to war on the helpless and poor.
He's been there for 5 years;
good thing we can't give him any more
after all the fabric we've woven
has been torn open behind closed doors.
Wear your flag on your arm so we can see how red white and blue you are.
Then see how much you wear your heart on your sleeve when you see
all the bodies coming back,
without a clue as to how to stop the attacks
from making your view turn from clear to black.
I know, that was long. They won't all be like this, I promise. Anyway, on with life!
"How to get foreign resources from mideastern countries"
Here's a strategy: let's use the military!
Take a popular figure,
perhaps a former governor will due
as long as he's got friends in high places where scandals and mishaps leave without any signs or traces of misconduct,
nor any cases being brought to trials for justice to be portrayed
Put him in power with the help of masterminds
and his father that tower over the rest of normal people's lives.
Give him money, allow him to bend the rules like they all do
and watch him spin,
the propaganda flying out of not his mouth
but from those that keep a closer watch out
for any chance to do the rivals in:
You know, those 'lefty liberals' that love to spend and do nothing more than shout?
Radical righty says: Real stories, keep 'em in lock down from the public and strike the record straight from the headlines,
using newspapers and airtime for the stage set to play another puppet game.
Regime change was the first order;
now go in there and take out anyone who defies our culture.
Take their oil, watch the people toil even though their dictator's
been taken out of power.
There's a new breed of terror all around, caused by our occupation claiming to stand strong and be proud against a nameless face and violent waves.
Says the media:
They're not human beings, they're insurgents, call them militants who hate america,
cuz america = christian;
at least that's what 59 million thought to vote and get the chimp elected
even if those on the ground say the opposite of what the big spenders claim.
Cease and desist
or be killed in the process.
There's no need to resist;
profits are on the way to the contractor's pockets!
You'll stay in poverty while the monkey says we've given you hope and liberty;
If only you could use this for the rest of your dark days.
Be (s)elected,
then go to war on the helpless and poor.
He's been there for 5 years;
good thing we can't give him any more
after all the fabric we've woven
has been torn open behind closed doors.
Wear your flag on your arm so we can see how red white and blue you are.
Then see how much you wear your heart on your sleeve when you see
all the bodies coming back,
without a clue as to how to stop the attacks
from making your view turn from clear to black.
I know, that was long. They won't all be like this, I promise. Anyway, on with life!
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
"Tis the Beginning...'
Of chaos, of total randomness, of beauty, of passion, of expression, of ranting, of laughing, of crying, of exploring the chaotic nature of the self, the loved one, the twin, the opposite of you, the universe. There will be poetry posted by myself, sometimes an excerpt and sometimes its entirety for all to view and think about. There will be music discussions, political idealogies, random pictures of hilarity, nature shots. Psychology, philosophy, religion, sex, relationships, yoga, meditation, politics will all most likely rear their lovely and ugly heads at some point. Some threads will leave you puzzled, confused, excited, wondering and wanting more. To start, I have no idea what this is going to be like. But no matter what, it is going to be all about balance in every sense you could conceive it being. With that said, time to jump into the canyons of the deep. Enjoy.
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