tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70673502024-03-14T02:15:18.850-04:00CamelsbackandForthAllanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.comBlogger1622125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-85862783734180584842013-11-02T12:20:00.002-04:002013-11-02T12:23:50.844-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeWZ9ZYfhop_PLPZuEg00_twmP2-ZxJumTpsGp6RLM4VZVukNaI4uHeaMtL7ticG7hp4UrtUN8oglK0M2h_HLN_hZFkX7423yC8oYKsLypkc2PKJYwkKOHJAKnSFK8aMpsLsuIw/s1600/100_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeWZ9ZYfhop_PLPZuEg00_twmP2-ZxJumTpsGp6RLM4VZVukNaI4uHeaMtL7ticG7hp4UrtUN8oglK0M2h_HLN_hZFkX7423yC8oYKsLypkc2PKJYwkKOHJAKnSFK8aMpsLsuIw/s1600/100_0765.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-8706188801714796302013-01-01T12:00:00.001-05:002013-01-01T12:00:04.245-05:00Is It Over Yet?Did the world end?Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-83512443308331066072012-04-02T20:27:00.001-04:002012-04-02T20:29:35.767-04:00Happiness Is The New Mid-Life Crisis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwvkjK5yQZEh1ryPFC6G1t5m6vi_Yk7PhP7Hn7RSbVK_VqWtB1gii00eRUafF4UgbW__djBD1QWUhLsiSgBuxndcfJetPLqph05I9FtROWx63QDz23l4Jqwm-Jgs8Yw2Dlkzqmw/s1600/100_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwvkjK5yQZEh1ryPFC6G1t5m6vi_Yk7PhP7Hn7RSbVK_VqWtB1gii00eRUafF4UgbW__djBD1QWUhLsiSgBuxndcfJetPLqph05I9FtROWx63QDz23l4Jqwm-Jgs8Yw2Dlkzqmw/s400/100_0043.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 3.31.2012</b></span><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Originally aired on <a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR 97.3 FM</a> Richmond</b><br />
<br />
<b>Podcast: <a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/58960">Right here.</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>----------------------------------------------------------------------------- </b><br />
<br />
<b>Garbage </b>-<i>Blood For Poppies </i><br />
I have a Shirley Manson crush, a studio-production fetish and I love to roll in Garbage- especially when it is fresh, like this brand-new single.<br />
<br />
<b>Charlotte Gainsbourg</b> -<i>All The Rain </i><br />
Damn. I'm surprised how much I like this. Which is a lot. <br />
<br />
<b>Joe Strumme</b>r <i>-Sikorsky Parts </i><br />
One of my favorite High School cassette tapes had the first Clash LP on side A and Deep Purple's<i> Machine Head</i> on side B. Maybe that explains something.<br />
<br />
<b>Richard Thompson</b> -<i>Let It Blow</i><br />
Oh goddammit. I had a totally different song to play, but the CD wouldn't play. Which is why you<i> </i>should<i> always</i> have a back-up song cued up, hopefully one that will cheer you up out of your techno-failing funk. I had this.<br />
<br />
<b>Rowland S. Howard</b> <i>-Exit Everything</i><br />
Oh , hell yeah. Nothing says "cheer the fuck up" like a seven-minute epic-drone murder ballad by Birthday Party alumnus Rowland S. Howard. Cordite and Valium...if that doesn't work, nothing will.<br />
<br />
<b>Shivaree </b>-<i>I Close My Eyes</i><br />
When I close my eyes, I remember that I've been seeing the same woman for nearly eight months now and thinking of her cheers me up in a completely different way than a good murder balled does. I find that comforting.<br />
<br />
<b>10 CC </b>-<i>Blackmail</i><br />
When I was a kid 10 CC had a god-awful hit song which made it uncool to like them. But the band had some fookin' brilliantly clever numbers - such as this one, which was on the same album as ...that <i>other </i>song.<br />
<br />
<b>The Funkees</b> <i>-Abraka </i><br />
The Funkees are my favorite 70's Nigerian band. I'm getting into the psychedelic soul groove these days and this song is a great example why. Tip o' the mouse to Bill L. for turning me on to them.<br />
<br />
<b>The Godeck Whipperjenn</b>y- <i>Put Your Thing On Me</i><br />
You don't know these guys? Dave Matthews (the James Brown one, not the Jimmy Buffet-for-the-younger-generation one) produced this album back in 1970 (?) and it promptly sank into oblivion. But here it is again...I'll be playing more of it in future shows.<br />
<br />
<b>Gong- </b><i>Tropical Fish </i><br />
Recorded live at Hammersmith on the <i>You</i> tour. How cool is that?<br />
<br />
<b>The Animals</b>-<i> Closer to the Truth</i><br />
If I'd known how wasted on drugs these guys really were, I might have started buying their albums years ago. Sadly, I'm just now picking them up.<br />
<br />
<b>The Doors</b>- <i>The Densmore Mosquito</i><br />
Jim Morrison was dead at this point, which sorta sucks but this song doesn't miss hin- it has a fantastic Robbie Krieger guitar solo where the "west is the best" lyrics would have gone. Which is good enough for me.<br />
<br />
<b>Soft Boys</b>- <i>Give It To The Soft Boys</i><br />
Another high school-era fave of mine. Sure is fun playin' this on the radio.<br />
<br />
<b>Hugh Masekela-</b> <i>You Told Your Momma Not To Worry</i><br />
More great pyschedelic-tinged 70's soul, this from South Africa. <br />
<br />
<b>Stevie Wonder</b>-<i> Love Having You Around</i><br />
Get on my camel and ride!<br />
<br />
<b>Joan As Policewoman</b>- <i>Kiss The Specifics</i><br />
The album that this is from, <i>The Deep Field</i>, is excellent music for *<i>ahem</i>*...you know. <br />
<br />
<b>Jeannine Hebb</b>- <i>Heartache</i><br />
But alas, love is fraught with peril. Jeannine Hebb uses piano, voice and quick wits to navigate this minefield. So far, so good.<br />
<br />
<b>Andrea Corr- </b><i>Stupidest Girl In The World</i><br />
Guys do this kind of stuff too, so I think we all sorta know what she is talking about. So stop already.<br />
<br />
<b>Alice Cooper-</b> <i>The Second Coming</i><br />
Hey! Andrea Corr and Alice Cooper have the same initials as me! <br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Zappa and Beefheart</b>- <i>Muffin Man</i><br />
After the show, I went home and played this song on my guitar. There goes the neighborhood.<br />
<br />
<b>Pretty Things</b>- <i>She's A Lover</i><br />
More high school-era past-blasting. This album, <i>Parachute</i>, was Rolling Stone Magazine's <b>Album of The Year</b> in 1970. Apparently, no one cared at the time.<br />
<br />
<b>Blue Oyster Cult</b><i>- Screams</i><br />
Yes. I played Blue Oyster Cult and it wasn't 'Godzilla'.<br />
<br />
<b>Funkadelic-</b><i> Some More</i><br />
Any song that rhymes '<i>science-fiction'</i> with <i>'affliction</i>' is probably either describing Hawkwind or serving as a portent of Hawkwind-to-come. <br />
<br />
<b>David Bowie</b>- <i>The Prettiest Star</i><br />
But first... <br />
<br />
<b>Hawkwind-</b><i> Quark, Strangeness and Charm</i><br />
And now. The Hawkwind I promised. Astronomy rocks. Sorta.<br />
<br />
<b>Fiona Apple-</b> <i>Please Please Please</i><br />
This song belongs on this show. In a good way.<br />
<br />
<b>Wire-</b> <i>On Returning</i><br />
See ya next week!Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-3927072140484865162011-11-14T19:34:00.001-05:002011-11-14T19:34:54.055-05:00November The Dozenth<span style="font-size: large;"><b> THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB: 11/12/2011</b></span><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Originally aired on WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/55765">Podcast: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/55765</a> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">_____________________________________ </span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Pink Floyd</b>- <i>Up The Khyber</i><br />
<br />
<b>Melomane</b>- <i>Dreams of Ships and Lightning</i><br />
<br />
<b>Taxi To The Ocean</b>- <i>Flag On The Moon</i><br />
<br />
<b>Tadpoles-</b> <i>Race To The Mustard Patch</i><br />
<br />
<b>Oingo Boingo</b>-<i> Run Away</i><br />
<br />
<b>Stranglers</b>- <i>Toiler On The Sea</i><br />
<br />
<b>XTC</b>-<i> Life Is Good In The Greenhouse</i><br />
<br />
<b>Of Montreal</b>- <i>Death Is Not A Parallel Move/Beware Our</i><br />
<i> Nubile Miscreants</i><br />
<br />
<b>Joan As Policewoman</b>- <i>Kiss The Specifics</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ray Manzarek</b>-<i> Downbound Train</i><br />
<br />
<b>Pink Frost</b>- <i>Who I Belong To</i><br />
<br />
<b>Roxy Music</b>- <i>Would You Believe</i><br />
<br />
<b>Sparks-</b> <i>This Is The Renaissance</i><br />
<br />
<b>Area 27- </b><i>Driving With The Future Self</i><br />
<br />
<b>Capt. Beefhear</b>t-<i> Peaches</i><br />
<br />
<b>Michelle Malone</b>-<i> Teen Lament</i><br />
<br />
<b>Neil Young</b>-<i> Come on Baby, Let's Go Downtown</i><br />
<br />
<b>Cat Dail- </b><i>Future Fridays</i><br />
<br />
<b>Steve Hillage</b>- <i>Sea Nature</i><br />
<br />
<b>HuDost</b>-<i> Skeleton Key</i><br />
<br />
<b>Cecile Corbel</b>- <i>Suil a Ruin</i><br />
<br />
<b>The Purrs-</b> <i>Stay With Me</i><br />
<br />
<b>Cardiacs- </b><i>Leader of the Starry Skies</i><br />
<br />
<b>Jeannine Hebb-</b> <i>I Believe</i><br />
<br />
<b>The Fierce and the Dead</b>- 10'X 10'Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-5632525697063268322011-11-09T21:52:00.001-05:002011-11-09T21:53:53.324-05:00Flinging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoO-ALjdiTReA0KVhERTH0ZMkixZUDphK4L9IMlDCIlGUus_laAAEg0TOM3tl7MpbkTho5Z9YteMTOSVDSMhx6LX7RkVEbAPtjWHwAdUDyZhyphenhyphenIirMuBs5t7YxsIdjmFVlNDMIDQ/s1600/chimpanzee-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoO-ALjdiTReA0KVhERTH0ZMkixZUDphK4L9IMlDCIlGUus_laAAEg0TOM3tl7MpbkTho5Z9YteMTOSVDSMhx6LX7RkVEbAPtjWHwAdUDyZhyphenhyphenIirMuBs5t7YxsIdjmFVlNDMIDQ/s400/chimpanzee-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Where did my human go? Throwing shit isn't fun without a target.</span><br />
<br />
It has been a while since I blogged and there's a good reason for that. Well two reasons, really, but only one of them is good:<br />
<br />
1) I'm in love and would rather spend time with my new girlfriend than blog. In hindsight, one clue that I was falling in love with her was my reluctance to blog about our relationship. I find that if you love are to love someone, it is necessary to respect them as well. And if you respect someone, you won't blog the details of that love...and I'm too emotionally intoxicated to think for long about much else. Hence the lack of posting. That's the <i>good </i>reason.<br />
<br />
2) The <i>bad</i> reason is an overload of outrage. Have you noticed how bad the news is lately?<br />
I have. There's so much wrong in the world that it is difficult to pick any one topic from the tsunami of horrific headlines streaming across the monitors that fill my life. The inside of my head feels like it is Occupied. I agree with the majority sentiments of the Occupy My Head movement, but it is difficult to sort them out at times. There is a lot of overlap, our problems are not a scattered number of random, isolated ones; what we have are multiple inter-connected system failures at every level. Where to start?<br />
<br />
How about piling on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57321426-503544/sharon-bialek-herman-cain-knows-who-i-am/">Herman Cain</a>? He actually deserves it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFETw2KBtbbkR9bQfkHDoGJJO-u26m2R__lUzbdMZAvZgQuvgkBVbsnkuFgx3NxxAwjKdUDu7xg6HMFWV8SQZgr6tUDbRbG0MLLuK8o5x8xRFiZE7elSZEqus9-zMFYcERrDeFwQ/s1600/herman-cain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFETw2KBtbbkR9bQfkHDoGJJO-u26m2R__lUzbdMZAvZgQuvgkBVbsnkuFgx3NxxAwjKdUDu7xg6HMFWV8SQZgr6tUDbRbG0MLLuK8o5x8xRFiZE7elSZEqus9-zMFYcERrDeFwQ/s320/herman-cain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dude. Paying out quiet settlements for one or more workplace-related sexual harassment incidents will ruin your political hopes in a way that merely being black will not. So quit whining, quit campaigning and go get your inevitable job at Fox<i> now</i> so we can focus on something else.<br />
<br />
I'm not a huge fan of Obama, but none of the GOP candidates are worth a fuck and most are barely worth a grope. The next election will be between The Disappointment We Know and the Disaster We Don't. It makes me wonder if we even really NEED a President or Congress at all- why not just have the Chamber of Commerce deliver checks to the Supreme Court and let the SCOTUS write the laws? Nothing would really change operationally, but we'd save billions on election spending and useless politician's salaries and benefits. Plus counting votes costs money and money is in short supply. Freedom ain't free -you can call it an entitlement and we gotta save money somewhere.<br />
<br />
'Democracy' is just another corner to cut. Drown the government in the bathtub, put the captains of industry in direct control of the country and the Free Market will eventually liberate us all. Yep. Just wait.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-52556628885248987182011-09-30T20:24:00.000-04:002011-09-30T20:32:26.513-04:00Housekeeping and Peanut RageI meant to update my template or something- I forget exactly what I intended to do- and then I got distracted and kinda forgot that I had a blog and that I'd left it languishing in virtual limbo for weeks.<br />
<br />
So what's happened lately with me?<br />
<br />
<br />
-<a href="http://wrir.org/"> WRIR 97.3 FM</a>, the radio station that I've been engineering/DJing at since 2005, completed our bi-annual Fund Drive last week and we broke our all-time record, despite lousy economic conditions and the direct competition from our local NPR station's own fund-drive. (We are wholly independent of NPR).<br />
<br />
My passion for live music engineering was re-ignited by five excellent sessions- in the course of the fund drive, I engineered a local Gamelan orchestra, a jazz quartet, salsa greats <a href="http://bioritmomusic.com/wp/">Bio Ritmo</a>, a twangy rock band called Mag Bats and a fast-rising Belgian duo called <a href="http://us.blackboxrevelation.com/">The Black Box Revelation</a>, two guys who really tore things up- in a good way:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uBA2vBFgCgc?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
I had my own two shows as well, but I'm not podcasting them as they are full of fund-raising chatter and I'm not into editing audio files at the moment. The show returns to normal tomorrow, never fear. As if...<br />
<br />
Hmmm...what else?<br />
<br />
Oh yeah...I had been using a couple of internet dating services and going on a lot of nowhere-nothing dates this summer, but I finally gave up on the dating services altogether . I kinda had to give up, because I met a warm, beautiful, intelligent woman who has been very kind and very good to me and I'm more than just a little bit sweet on her. We've gotten to the point where we are planning a vacation together, so I imagine she'd be pretty pissed off if I went on dates with women who aren't her, not that I would do that.<br />
<br />
I'm feeling a sense of real-life happiness that is entirely new and wonderful to me and I don't plan on fucking it up. The future looks good with her in it.<br />
<br />
I've also been a repeat guest on a internet radio talk show streamed on <a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/">New Dissident Radio</a> called <a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/breaking_taboo.html">Breaking Taboo</a>. The show is archived on their site, you can download and listen to all the recordings, not just the ones with me on them. The show's host, the multi-talented Lakota Phillips, also has a new show called<a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/rebel_goddess.html"> Rebel Goddess</a>. <br />
<br />
Oh, and the Peanut Butter Conspiracy is pissing me off. There's been considerable media hoopla about the<a href="http://www.suntimes.com/business/7643246-420/peanut-prices-headed-up-because-of-drought.html"> soaring price of peanut butter</a>- the day I first heard this news, I went to my local store and found the store brand of all-natural (ingredients:<i> peanuts, salt</i>) PB was on sale for $2.00 per 16 oz jar. A 5-lb bag of potatoes, on the other hand, cost nine bucks! Both items were more expensive than the low-end ground beef ($1.69/lb in bulk), which says a lot more about ground beef than it does about the Peanut Famine.<br />
<br />
Before I forget: Never buy peanut butter that contains <b>any</b> added oil. A peanut is 50% oil by weight and there is no reason to add oil to PB- what food processors do is<b> remove</b> the <b>healthy</b> peanut oil ( which is sold separately as a commodity) and replace it with much cheaper industrial-strength <b>hydrogenated </b>and <b>partially hydrogenated</b> vegetable oils. The kind of oils that shorten your lifespan.<br />
<br />
Read the label of your average Name Brand PB and ask yourself this: <i>what part of the peanut does hydrogenated cottonseed oil come from</i>? <br />
<br />
Furthermore, if you have some extra time and really want to save money, make your own damn peanut butter. Here's how you do it:<br />
<br />
-Throw peanuts into a blender or food processor. Add some salt or a touch of honey if you wish.<br />
<br />
- Turn the device on.<br />
<br />
-Turn it off and stir up the nuts.<br />
<br />
-Turn it on again. <br />
<br />
Repeat until you have peanut butter, which isn't really 'butter' at all. (It's really peanut<b> <i>paste</i></b>, for Godzilla's sake!)<br />
<br />
- Make someone else clean the blender. <br />
<br />
--------------------<br />
<br />
See ya on the radio!<br />
<br />
<br />Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-59021005051399515372011-09-13T21:52:00.000-04:002011-09-13T21:52:47.381-04:00Don't Make Me Hit You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></div>
<br />
It has been a long, long time since I beat the shit out of somebody just
because they deserved it. In fact, I'm pretty sure the last time was the winter
of 8th Grade and that the person was my brother- I had baked a batch of
Christmas cookies for my Grandparents and my dirty rotten bother <i>stole</i>
them and took them to his homeroom class for their Xmas party. When I
discovered his misdeed, I punched him out as best I could, which really wasn't
very much of a beating- I was plenty pissed, but he was still my brother and I
didn't really want to harm him, I just wanted him to know that he fucked up
when he messed with my Grannie treats. He needed a lesson in respect and he got
one, albeit a totally wimpy version. I mostly sat on his back and punched his
shoulders, if I recall...anyway.<br />
<br />
Why am I telling you this? Because this morning I came as close to getting
in a punch-up as I've been since I quit drinking, and it was all about respect.
Or lack thereof.<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago I was out on a date (with a woman that I'm still dating) and
while we were out, we ran into J, the guy who fills the snack machines at
my office. J is a big fat Jamaican who I usually enjoy shooting the shit with
when he makes his rounds- he's a funny , if a bit obnoxious chap. Which is fine.<br />
<br />
He stopped and said hello to me and kept going, which was diplomatic of him.
I was on a date after all, and it would have been rude to interrupt us...so
far, so good, right? J is an alright dude, eh?<br />
<br />
Well, I saw him this morning for the first time since that chance
encounter and he asked me a very rude 'dude' question. I generally don't
get into that sort of discussion with guys, so I pretended not to hear him
until he asked me a second time.<br />
<br />
"No, nothing like that", I replied tersely. I had overslept and
missed my shave, shower and coffee- I was in no mood for manly trifles.<br />
<br />
Then he said something that I really didn't like and won't repeat
here.<br />
<br />
"Look", I started in on J, "there was a time when I'd
have been OK with that. But that was a long time ago and I'm not an
out-of-control fucked-up kid anymore. Before any of what you described happens,
I want to be sure that I like and respect the other person. And vice versa.
That takes time, it isn't a contest or a race, it is a long-term two-way
project. That isn't what you are talking about. You are just talking about
meaningless fuckery."<br />
<br />
J looked at me as if I were crazy, and perhaps I am. Ten years ago, I never
would have imagined that I would be dispensing angry, improvised lectures
on the virtues of chivalry to a chauvinistic Jamaican truck driver
in the break room of a high-rise office building. <br />
<br />
"Women don't want to be respected", J told me.<br />
<br />
Then he elaborated on how women <i>really</i> want to be treated. His
description began with "Like pigs..." and got worse with every word.
It was unbelievably ugly and it made me want to punch him, but the sad thing
is, there are women who do feel that way about themselves<i>- my mother was
one-</i> and J had learned to identify that characteristic in women and
to exploit it for his own personal gratification. He was a sexual parasite and
proud of it.<br />
<br />
"You are turning bright red", observed J.<br />
<br />
He was right. I was so angered by his callous display of sexism and
and gleeful tales of degradation that I was having what almost amounted to an
out-of-body experience. I wasn't exactly sure what my body was going to do- it
looked like I was getting ready to throw a punch at J, which would probably
have been a big mistake, since he is a full foot taller than myself and outweighs
me by at least 120 pounds. <br />
<br />
So I walked away and went back to my cubicle to drink coffee and think about
abusive men and the women that they attract. Abusive men always seem to have at
least one girlfriend and/or wives, so there must be plenty of women with the
requisite psychological damage needed to fill those roles. That really sucks.<br />
<br />
My new friend is not like that. She's very pretty and of course I'm
attracted to that, but it her <i>person-ness </i> that has earned my
respect. Out of that respect , I am not going to blog any details about her
except for a few positive things that really took me by surprise:<br />
<br />
- She's a good mother. That might sound like no big deal to some people, but
I find it to be a very attractive trait. That's new to me.<br />
<br />
- She'd probably laugh uncontrollably and question my judgement if she were
to read this, but <b><i>I</i></b> think she manages her time very well. That
says a lot about a person. A lot good.<br />
<br />
- She remembered my birthday and is taking me out to celebrate it! Happy!<br />
<br />
I spent my last birthday alone in a Fort Lauderdale hotel, stuck on a shitty
business trip. I just checked my blog from 2009- I don't even mention my
birthday at all, so I'm guessing I didn't do anything that year...in 2008
there's a brief , depressed mention but no celebration. I did find a short
story I wrote- it is a dark piece, but also one of my personal favorites (<a href="http://crucialbiscuit.blogspot.com/2011/09/look-ma-im-investment-bank.html">reposted
here</a>). I'd forgotten about it...I bet I could publish at least two books if
I went back through all my old archives. Later for that. My point is, my
birthday is usually a non-event.<br />
<br />
This year is a little different. I'm looking forward to my 45th birthday.
Friday I'll be engineering a live studio performance by a small Gamelan
orchestra, after which I'll be treated to dinner by a beautiful woman...so that
kinda rocks as far as days go.<br />
<br />
Next week is our station's Fund Drive and I'll be engineering a LOT of live
shows as our DJs pull out the stops during our pleading period- we don't have
advertisers, <a href="https://wrir.wufoo.com/forms/fund-drive-donation-wrirlp-973-fm/">so we
rely on listener donations</a>- without them, I wouldn't have been able to air
this fabulous broadcast:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB: <a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/54297">9/10/2011</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Originally aired on<a href="http://wrir.org/"> WRIR-97.3 FM Richmond </a></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/54297">Podcast here </a></span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Helios Creed</b>- <i>Dimension 5 </i><br />
<br />
<b>King Crimson</b>- <i>Prozack Blues </i> (live) <br />
<br />
<b>Brian Eno-</b> <i>King's Lead Hat </i><br />
<br />
<b>The Purrs</b>- <i>Feeling Fine</i> <br />
<br />
<b>Be Bop Deluxe</b>-<i> Love With The Madman </i><br />
<br />
<b>Stackridge</b>- <i>Marzo Plod</i> <br />
<br />
<b>Joni Mitchell- </b><i>You Turn Me On (I'm a Radio)</i> <br />
<br />
<b>Captain Beefheart- </b><i>This Is The Day (live) </i><br />
<br />
<b>Pink Floyd-</b> <i>Pigs on the Wing </i><br />
<br />
<b>Mothers of Invention</b>-<i> Directly From My Heart To You </i><br />
<br />
<b>Angelfish</b>-<i> King Of The World</i> <br />
<br />
<b>David Bowie</b>- <i>Beauty and the Beast </i><br />
<br />
<b>The Kinks</b>-<i> Powerman </i><br />
<br />
<b>Funkadelic- </b><i>Nappy Dugout </i><br />
<br />
<b>The Stranglers</b><i>- Go Buddy Go </i><br />
<br />
<b>The Tubes- </b><i>I Was A Punk Before You Were A Punk</i> (live) <br />
<br />
<b>Elvis Costello-</b><i> Stella Hurt </i><br />
<br />
<b>Oingo Boingo- </b><i>Whole Day Off</i> <br />
<br />
<b>Crack The Sky</b>- <i>Skin Deep </i><br />
<br />
<b>Of Montreal- </b><i>Everything Dissappears (When You Come Around) </i><br />
<br />
<b>Cursive- </b><i>Making Friends and Acquaintances </i><br />
<br />
<b>Bird York </b>- <i>What Are You Running After? </i><br />
<br />
<b>Cat Dail-</b> <i>Squeeze Your Play </i><br />
<br />
<b>Elu- </b><i>Beautiful Things </i><br />
<br />
<b>Kalliopi</b>- <i>Summer Is Over </i><br />
<br />
<b>Iron Butterfly-</b> <i>Stamped Ideas </i><br />
<br />
<b>Gong-</b> <i>How To Survive</i><br />
.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-6872888470960740282011-09-07T20:12:00.000-04:002011-09-13T21:52:58.706-04:00Six Years AfterYesterday was my sixth anniversary of sobriety and I forgot to celebrate it. I did take the day off from work, but that was to go to DMV in order to get my driver's license renewed. It really wasn't that bad of an experience, I enjoy watching people too much to get bored easily and when I finally did get to the counter my vanity got a huge boost. After handing her my license,the matronly attendant did a quick double-take, she looked down at my old photo, then up at the new me, then back and forth again.<br />
<br />
"You've lost weight since this was taken", she observed.<br />
<br />
"Yep. About sixty pounds", I boasted.<br />
<br />
"I...do you mind if I ask you how you did it?"<br />
<br />
"Sure", I replied easily, "I quit drinking."<br />
<br />
And for me, it is an easy reply. I'm not ashamed to be an alcoholic, I was born that way and there really isn't anything that I can do to change my genetics- but I can take responsibility for my behavior, hence the sobriety. Plus I'm afraid of dying.<br />
<br />
Six years and two days ago, I left work early because I didn't feel very good. I'd been nauseous for weeks and it had been impossible for me to keep my beer down long enough to get drunk the previous night. I was too sick to drink but I really, really wanted a drink.<br />
<br />
So I drove myself home and found a couple of Natural Ice cans in the 'fridge. I gulped one down, felt a sharp stabbing inside of me, then threw up into the kitchen sink. I looked down at the foamy, bloody mess in the sink and decided that I'd drink the second beer a little slower...at some point, I wandered upstairs and posted the following dreadful poem on this blog:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
So much pain.<br />
Barely holding it together.<br />
Not alone.<br />
Not MY pain.<br />
Let's ignore it and hope it goes away.<br />
That'll work.<br />
<br />
<i>*snip*</i><br />
<br />
Forget that.<br />
I know I can.<br />
If it's not too late.<br />
Return to maybe.<br />
Return to blender.<br />
<br />
Fuck it all.
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
I don't remember writing that. I do remember that a couple of my friends had recently died of their bad habits and that my Uncle had killed himself, so I have a feeling of where the morbidity was coming from. It has been a long time since I've been able to go back and re-read any of my writing from those days, it is the work of a dying man embracing his own ruinous suicide and being too fucked-up to care about it.<br />
<br />
In retrospect, it was pretty clear that I knew I was in trouble but I was having a hard time figuring out what to do about it, so I waited until I was a few minutes from losing the ability to make a decision before I finally made one.<br />
<br />
In the end, I decided to pick myself up off the floor and drive myself to a hospital. I'm not up to the task of describing what happened there, suffice it to say that I woke up after a three-day coma and was told that the docs were somewhat surprised that I'd regained consciousness. They expected me to die within 24 hours. I was only 38 years old and I'd done myself in, which kinda sucked. I had expected more, somehow.<br />
<br />
Except that I didn't die. After a day or two of not-dying, I was evaluated by some shrinks and pronounced 'sane' enough to be released, albeit against medical advice. I was strongly urged to check myself into a rehab center or at least join Alcoholics Anonymous...I didn't take any of their advice. I had plenty of time to make up my mind while I was in ICU, I knew I wasn't going to drink again and listening to their dire predictions about my relapses and demise only pissed me off. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>I'll keep myself sober just so those bastards don't get the last laugh</i>, I thought.<br />
<br />
Maybe that was their intent. All I know is that it worked- for me, anyway.<br />
<br />
I don't have a secret method or gimmick that miraculously cures alcoholism; I swear to Godzilla that I wish I did have one. If I did, I would share it with my friends and my family and sell it to celebrities- I'd never have to work another goddamned day in my life if I could cure drunks of drinking. Of course, I'd probably be assassinated by agents of the the Liquor Lobby, but that's a whole 'nother rant.<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-41304990010433789192011-09-03T20:48:00.000-04:002011-09-03T20:48:03.499-04:00I Trust My Guitar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZrQvuW1wLfGZoTe1UcirDlsQntGSSYxsXv8TfAgMTPDn6d6LibXK-MK4jD6b6tjCNT_IzouN0-rbIFs1J_sElLwWnR4BFUNp09GOLgJsYsrcjV52887ZMOfxq8qUuNrXuM-mNg/s1600/thattoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZrQvuW1wLfGZoTe1UcirDlsQntGSSYxsXv8TfAgMTPDn6d6LibXK-MK4jD6b6tjCNT_IzouN0-rbIFs1J_sElLwWnR4BFUNp09GOLgJsYsrcjV52887ZMOfxq8qUuNrXuM-mNg/s400/thattoo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This past Monday I had the pleasure of being a guest on Lakota Phillips' talk program <a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/breaking_taboo.html">Breaking Taboo</a>, which airs weekly on<a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/default.html"> New Dissident Radio</a>. It was the second time I've been on and I must say I really enjoy it. The free-wheeling, uncensored talk format is a real change of pace from my own freewheeling, barely-censored music show...sometimes I wish that I had a radio talk show of my very own- yeah, like<i> that </i>could ever happen.<br />
<br />
Wednesday night I had a dinner date, my third with the same woman. It is more like a slow, meandering walk through a forest than it is a mad race to the finish line...this is a new experience for me. Women sure were a lot easier to figure out back when I only dated alcoholics, but I have a feeling that the slow approach might yield better, longer-lasting results in the long run. <br />
<br />
Thursday night I took a look into my larder and saw that I was out of almost everything that could reasonably be considered food...it didn't take me long to figure out that Cheerios and chutney may be <b><i>alliterative</i></b>, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they belong in the same bowl, so I headed to the local market, which has been randomly changing the layout of its aisles and contents as they remodel the interior. The milk is...where...there...where...here, whew...the supermarket experience left me simultaneously exhausted and over-stimulated andwhen I finally got home, I realized I had leftover Thai from last night. So I nuked that and by that time it was time for bed.<br />
<br />
The office closed early Friday, so I went home and started working on my music show. Then I took a short nap. Then I got up and worked a bit.<br />
Nap.<br />
Work.<br />
Nap.<br />
Work.<br />
<br />
This went on until about midnight, at which time I took an eight-hour nap.<br />
<br />
I woke up this morning and found that I had no blank CDs to burn my show's music selections to, so I dashed off to store to buy some. When I returned, I noticed that last night I'd saved my show files as 96k mp3s, which is too low-fidelity for radio broadcast. I was forced to re-create all of my segments at the very last second and re-burn them as audio files. As a result, I barely arrived at the station in time for my show.<br />
<br />
The show went really well but I was disheartened by the lack of internet listeners- my listenership has been slowly but steadily increasing and today's number was so dismal that at first I thought I was looking at my painfully vanishing 401k and not at our web meter. But the DJ who came in after me told me he'd listened to the stream just a while ago and it was noisy and distorted. Hmmm.<br />
<br />
Sure enough, when I got home, my recording was totally ruined by digital noise and distortion.<br />
<br />
I'd spent two days on it and <i>*poof*</i>, gone forever...but...but...aha! I still had most of the show saved as individual segments!<br />
<br />
I threw them into the old mixing bowl, stirred in a few songs that I'd added on the fly during the broadcast, sprinkled it with some artist-promo program IDs and <i>voila</i>! Instant podcast- by<b><i> instant</i></b>, I mean twelve hours of repetitive, carpal-tunneling work, but at least it is done.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, while the rest of you drink beer, eat tasty grilled meats and frolic in the sun with your friends and family, I'll be shopping for a mop and new shower curtain.<br />
<br />
Then I'll do housework and later on I'll fix some pasta for dinner.<br />
<br />
Long live Rock and Roll.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB SEPT. 3, 2011. </b></span><br />
<br />
Broadcast every Saturday from 1pm-3pm on <a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR 97.3 FM</a>, Richmond. <a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/54153">Podcast here</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>Joan As Policewoman</strong>- I Was Everyone<br />
<br />
<strong>Cafebar 401-</strong> You Got Something<br />
<br />
<strong>Michelle Malone-</strong> Light of Day<br />
<br />
<strong>Paula Cole</strong>- Road to Death<br />
<br />
<strong>Sparks-</strong> Biology 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Funkadelic</strong>- I Wanna Know<br />
<br />
<strong>Can-</strong> Half Past One<br />
<br />
<strong>The Tubes-</strong> I'm Just A Mess<br />
<br />
<strong>Patti Smith-</strong> The 25th Floor/High On Rebellion<br />
<br />
<strong>Portishead-</strong> Insensible<br />
<br />
<strong>Massive Attack-</strong> Live With Me<br />
<br />
<strong>HuDost-</strong> Glacier<br />
<br />
<strong>Pinback- </strong>AFK<br />
<br />
<strong>Angelfish</strong>- Mummy Can't Drive<br />
<br />
<strong>Garbage- </strong>Driving Lesson<br />
<br />
<strong>Richard Thompson- </strong>MGB GT<br />
<br />
<strong>Capt. Beefheart</strong>- New Electric Ride (Live)<br />
<br />
<strong>Stackridge-</strong> No One Is More Important Than The Earthworm (live)<br />
<br />
<strong>Mothers of Invention-</strong> Oh No/Orange County Lumber Truck<br />
<br />
<strong>John Cale-</strong> Bring It On Up<br />
<br />
<strong>Jimi Hendrix-</strong> Hey Baby (New Sun Rising) live<br />
<br />
<strong>Chrome-</strong> Zombie Warfare<br />
<br />
<strong>Pere Ubu-</strong> Life Stinks<br />
<br />
<strong>The Kinks</strong>- Mountain Girl<br />
<br />
<strong>Bill Laswell</strong>- Assassin<br />
<br />
<strong>Monday Machines</strong>- Ruined Morning (bonus)<br />
I began this re-created broadcast using a very cool program ID that <a href="http://www.carygrace.com/">Cary Grace </a>made for my show, so I thought finishing with a very appropriate song that she wrote for me would be a fitting end to it all.<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-62296042513711488752011-08-30T22:56:00.002-04:002011-08-30T22:59:37.417-04:00What Could Go Wrong?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNrC8mI49Wu9nDuQu0vI3zBaYod8XKaYXZZv1O6mHi6CXxlC-Nd5UD-rKir6HjbLCUGw0mAXgmRlCU-gb-M8EsliN_n6mppxlsal8h2qQu7Gz9fUCzKmznII2uCqNtdrFm7s0uw/s1600/KeystoneXL_Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMugkF7qU3pHy1KrlWC1AdHlIfy32lXjkMoM9AL5kS913xQBHdCmyYNzhkgpqfKEz2nLKyADKJR0NzwYrSMw7ngpFPjGHnRYg98GAycuOyMnt6ui__zonzNLs7zwuWIuPaQr9wmw/s1600/dh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMugkF7qU3pHy1KrlWC1AdHlIfy32lXjkMoM9AL5kS913xQBHdCmyYNzhkgpqfKEz2nLKyADKJR0NzwYrSMw7ngpFPjGHnRYg98GAycuOyMnt6ui__zonzNLs7zwuWIuPaQr9wmw/s400/dh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Godzilla bless you, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/08/30/daryl.hannah.protest/">Daryl Hannah</a>. We need more celebrities to step up and get busted for speaking out against the XL Keystone Pipeline. <br />
<br />
The Keystone XL is a proposed 1,700 mile pipeline that will carry Canadian crude oil across the middle of America, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNrC8mI49Wu9nDuQu0vI3zBaYod8XKaYXZZv1O6mHi6CXxlC-Nd5UD-rKir6HjbLCUGw0mAXgmRlCU-gb-M8EsliN_n6mppxlsal8h2qQu7Gz9fUCzKmznII2uCqNtdrFm7s0uw/s1600/KeystoneXL_Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNrC8mI49Wu9nDuQu0vI3zBaYod8XKaYXZZv1O6mHi6CXxlC-Nd5UD-rKir6HjbLCUGw0mAXgmRlCU-gb-M8EsliN_n6mppxlsal8h2qQu7Gz9fUCzKmznII2uCqNtdrFm7s0uw/s320/KeystoneXL_Map.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
What could go wrong? It's just raw crude oil, and the Oil Industry hasn't spilled any oil since, like, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/07b37548-d183-11e0-89c0-00144feab49a.html#axzz1WZHSKMAj">forever</a>. I mean, we can be pretty sure that the Big Oil's streak of bad luck is over and nothing bad will ever happen, anywhere along the entire length of the pipeline. No earthquakes, no tornadoes, no floods and...<br />
<br />
...hey, did you notice this- the line runs very close to Oklahoma City, which , sadly is still remembered as the place where American terrorist Tim McVeigh blew up an office building. My guess is that he'd have picked the pipeline as his target instead, had that been an option.<br />
The Keystone XL pipeline would be a tempting target for anyone with explosives and a serious grudge against America.<br />
<br />
The objective is to reduce our dependence on 'foreign' oil, which I guess means America annexed Canada and it didn't make the news or something, because last time I checked, Canada was a foreign country. <br />
<br />
I wonder if Saudi Arabia is worried about the competition from the XL line? It would be in their best interest if some wackjob did something horrific to the line. Not that anyone would.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Saudi Arabia:<br />
<br />
Did you know that they are building<a href="http://www.arabianbusiness.com/showa-shell-saudi-electricity-start-saudi-solar-plant-414772.html"> solar powerplants i</a>n Saudi Arabia? They would rather export the oil than burn it in their own air. Right now the plants are in their first stages, but it is only a matter of time and research until the technology is developed into an advanced enough state to be commercially viable. My totally non-scientific guess would be that it will take decades before 'Green' energy can be produced at massively commercial levels, so the sooner we get started the better.<br />
<br />
If America won't lead the way in renewable energy, the Saudis will. Of course, they'll be building nuclear power plants as well, so it isn't as if they Saudis are 'Green', they are just smarter than we are. They'll be powering their luxury resorts with wind farms and solar arrays and exporting their smog to us.When the oil runs out, they'll sell us the technology <b>we</b> should be developing now.<br />
<br />
<br />
Remember how we finally succeeded in our mission to spread Freedom on Iraq, at the cost of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars?<a href="http://www.arabianbusiness.com/big-oil-companies-may-have-give-up-iraq-gas-417882.html"> Did you know what the newly-Freedomed Iraqis want to do?:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Many of the world's biggest energy companies may have to surrender most of the gas from Iraq's vast southern oilfields to a processing and export project led by Shell, a final draft contract between Baghdad and Europe's biggest company shows.</blockquote><blockquote>Under the $17bn gas deal to be ratified by the Iraqi cabinet, Baghdad has pledged to do what it takes to ensure these fields supply the Shell-led Basra Gas Company (BGC) joint venture with all the raw gas and natural gas liquids (LNG) it needs, including for an LNG export plant. </blockquote><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEgEws98n1XR1T9hiKCA-JN8N7PM-scXBfm-eVYOnJkXXkOXf0_Plk4BJSupOYV0jCbJ2ZlfIuQxVZmq07R4Fj7eUcSQhWRKhY2ytkmtQDsX8hnfbdI95f9fnc2ogomCOlJ1S6w/s1600/shell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEgEws98n1XR1T9hiKCA-JN8N7PM-scXBfm-eVYOnJkXXkOXf0_Plk4BJSupOYV0jCbJ2ZlfIuQxVZmq07R4Fj7eUcSQhWRKhY2ytkmtQDsX8hnfbdI95f9fnc2ogomCOlJ1S6w/s320/shell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We spilled all that blood and treasure to set up a State that promises to give OUR oil to the damned Europeans. What a bunch of ingrates! Are we gonna have to invade them all over again?<br />
<br />
Maybe we should invade Holland instead, Shell <i>is </i>a Dutch company.<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-88170165621485347132011-08-25T20:48:00.003-04:002011-08-25T21:04:07.096-04:00Quaking In My BoothsThe 9th floor of a downtown Richmond office building is a really shitty place to be when an earthquake hits. When ours hit, the building started rocking back and forth crazily, knocking picture frames over and making it really difficult for me to drink coffee without staining my favorite shirt.<br />
<br />
So I power-slammed my coffee and jump-started my brain into Super Action Mode, which means that my thoughts at the time went more or less like this :<br />
<i>Fuck. I'm going to die at work. That's one of my worst fucking nightmares, ever, and here it is, getting ready to happen. If I'd called in sick today, I'd be alive tomorrow. This sucks</i>.<br />
<br />
I mean, if you are on the 9th floor of a 15 story building, what can you really do? Hiding under the desk isn't going to help much- there's nothing directly over my desk except for a few acoustic tiles and six stories of concrete, steel and glass. The acoustic tiles aren't going to hurt me and my desk isn't going to offer much protection if the building collapses on top of me.<br />
<br />
Flee? To where? If another quake hits and the windows break, you really do not want to be on the street below. A few people could fit under the handful of vehicles scattered about, but there's no parking on most of the block and not nearly enough cars for everyone to hide under. But I didn't want to die in the middle of a goddamned archiving project either ,so I stepped out of my windowless office and into the main corridor- everyone was up and moving about, but there wasn't any real panic...until the building suddenly lurched again. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like forever...was it going to stop or was it going to worsen?<br />
<br />
It stopped and a quick , not-quite-panicked consensus was reached that we should evacuate the building as if it were a fire drill. We all made it outside to our designated gathering spot but a quick tally showed that my co-worker, an elderly woman that I refer to as 'Grim' because of her humorless adherence to The Rules, was not with us<br />
<br />
The Rules are something I openly mock and Grim hates it when I do so, which just encourages me, I can't help it- she once called me a 'scofflaw', which was meant as an insult but actually made my day...anyway, she was missing. I told my boss that Grim was probably standing around in helpless confusion and that someone should go back in and get her.<br />
<br />
My Boss looked at me with eyes full of helpless confusion. He obviously didn't want to go. Great.<br />
<br />
The tiny force of Security guards were trying get people out and handle the crowd outside, so it was not hard for me to get back in -and by that time most of the people were already outside, so it was relatively easy to run back up the stairs against the small current of evacuees. <br />
<br />
Sure enough, Grim was standing in the 9th floor lobby, looking lost and confused. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>What do we do?</i><br />
<br />
"You come with me and we take the stairs to get outside." <br />
<br />
<i>But it isn't a fire. Are you sure we should evacuate the building? </i><br />
<br />
"No, I'm not. But why don't we go ask the Boss? He's outside on the sidewalk waiting for us."<br />
<br />
By the time we got out, the Boss had decided to close the office and send everyone home early, just in case we had another shock or a gas line had broken or something...I still get paid, so I applauded his <b>safety-first</b> attitude and went home to check out Facebook and the web news. Once the initial phone congestion cleared, I got a few calls from friends and from my brother in Chicago- I assured everyone that I was OK and that there wasn't any serious damage here. <br />
<br />
And we all lived happily ever after.<br />
<br />
Until the next day at work, that is. Twelve of our national offices have been freaking out for almost two weeks trying to comply with a Directive sent out by our National Giant-Ass Boss. After being unable to figure out how to do what they were supposed to do, several of the offices were directed to call me, since I pretty much know how to do everything. I'm not boasting, I just <i>do</i>...it is more curse than blessing, trust me.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I went over the Directive and it made no sense to me- I mean, I understood what it said, but not how it applied to what we do- until I read the entire chain of emails FWD'd to me by our client. The very first email contained everything I needed to solve the problem.<br />
<br />
So I called the National Big-Ass Boss and was a bit surprised that he answered on the second ring.<br />
<br />
"Hi NBAB, this Allan in Richmond."<br />
<br />
"What do you want, Allan?", he said icily. (He hates me for reasons too long to explain here.)<br />
<br />
"I'm looking at the original email you got from the client and I think I found out why all the offices are so far behind on the Directive you sent them."<br />
<br />
Then he had the gall to deny knowing what I was talking about. <b>What email?</b>, he demanded to know. So I gave the time and date stamp, the sending party, the CC'd parties and then read his own response to the initial email back to him. Verbatim.<br />
<br />
"Oh. Yes, I remember now. So what is the problem with that?", he asked.<br />
<br />
"Well, you didn't read the sender's signature line. If you had, you would have known he works for a different division than the one you sent the Directive to. The Division you sent it to can't comply, they don't handle that line of business at all. And the client deadline is tomorrow."<br />
<br />
There was silence on the other end. I could hear veins popping in his forehead but he said nothing.<br />
<br />
After a decade or three had passed , he said "<i>thank you for that information</i>" and hung up without a goodbye.<br />
<br />
Ten minutes later a new email went out, clarifying which Division was responsible for carrying out the Directive and informing them that the deadline had been extended one week. No one in that Division was aware they even had a deadline or Directive in the first place, so what they were really being told is that they had one week to do two weeks worth of work- with no warning at all.<br />
<br />
Shortly after that, I got a call from my Boss, asking me what I did to make the NBAB so angry.<br />
<br />
"I told him he's an incompetent dumbass."<br />
<br />
"You said <i>that</i>?"<br />
<br />
"Well, I phrased it as a passive-aggressive attack disguised as a business call, but yeah, that is pretty much what I said." Then I told him about the mistake I found and conversation I had with the NBAB about that mistake.<br />
<br />
"Wow." That's all that he could say. He said it several more times.<br />
<br />
"Wow."<br />
<br />
Thing is, they can't fire me. I'm the only one who understands what I do and if I'm gone, the client has flat-out stated that the account will be closed - and I was present when the client said it.<br />
They never should have let me hear that because I have a meeting with HQ tomorrow and it is going to be a bit hard for them to discipline me when I have a client who is that strongly on my side.<br />
<br />
The bosses keep promising me a promotion and I keep doing the work and I get a nickel here and a dime there but no new title or salary. Really, though why should they pay me more? I'm doing the work for what they are paying now, so why spend more?<br />
<br />
Because they <b>have </b>to. <br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-20643343964342195802011-08-20T19:59:00.002-04:002011-08-20T20:02:48.334-04:00An eventful week for me:<br />
<br />
On Monday I had the honor of being a guest on the multi-talented Lakota Phillips' thought-provoking radio program <a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/breaking_taboo.html">Breaking Taboo</a> on<a href="http://newdissidentradio.com/default.html"> New Dissident Radio</a>. It was great to make a cross-country connection with my fellow new media pioneers. From the NDR site:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Allan Coberly with WRIR 97.3 and America Revealed’s S. Paul Forrest join Lakota for a fast-paced, exciting show that cracks open the dissatisfaction Americans have with leadership in Washington and the current state of the country and the world. Why all the grumbling and no action? The riots in London, what they really reflect, as well as how they relate to similar unrest in America is discussed with some intriguing points that will make you go “hmmmmm.” </span></blockquote><i> Podcast downloads of this show and previous BT episodes are available from the link above.</i><br />
<br />
On Wednesday I engineered and produced a live radio appearance by New Jersey trio <a href="http://www.screamingfemales.com/">Screaming Females</a>- video by Jim Nelson here:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/27845253?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/27845253">Screaming Females on WRIR</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/james4765">Jim Nelson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
Thursday I stayed up way past my bedtime putting together the playlists below.<br />
<br />
Friday I told my boss that I don't make enough money for what they expect, I am very discouraged and am thinking about quitting. Then I went on a second date with a beautiful woman who makes me smile...we had a great dinner and I gave her an autographed copy of The Screaming Females CD.<br />
<br />
So. <br />
<br />
Right now I have two major unresolved questions:<br />
<br />
1) Do I still have a job?<br />
<br />
2) Will I <i>ever</i> have a girlfriend again? <br />
<br />
But all that had to wait, because this morning I had a four-hour marathon of live radio:<br />
<br />
I had the great honor of filling in for Buzzy Lawler on his fantastic<b> Shake Some Action </b>program on<a href="http://wrir.org/index.php?/blog/entry/3944/"> WRIR</a> today- mostly 1960's and early 1970's guitar rock. The good kind- the kind they don't make anymore. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53864"><b>SHAKE SOME ACTION-NEW BREAKFAST SNOB EDITION: 8/20/2011</b></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53864">SSA Podcast here.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53865">NBS Podcast here.</a><br />
<br />
<b>Sweet </b>- Daydream <br />
<br />
<b>Sweetwater</b>- Motherless Child <br />
<br />
<b>Pink Floyd</b>- Point Me At The Sky <br />
<br />
<b> Flaming Groovies-</b> Love Have Mercy <br />
<br />
<b>Humble Pie</b>- Shaky Jake <br />
<br />
<b>Manfred Mann</b>- My Name's Jack <br />
<br />
<b>Ten Years Afte</b>r- Sugar The Road <br />
<br />
<b>Taj Mahal-</b> Take A Giant Step <br />
<br />
<b>Everly Brothers</b>- Love Is Strange <br />
<br />
<b>Alex Chilton</b>- With A Girl Like You <br />
<br />
<b>Small Faces</b>- Sha La La Lee <br />
<br />
<b>Great Society</b>- White Rabbit <br />
<br />
<b>Cat Stevens</b>- I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun<br />
<i>Once and future Stinky Hippie<b> Cat Stevens</b> gleefully singing about going on a homicidal shooting spree , cheerfully exacting revenge on everyone who ever called him a Stinking Hippie. Seriously, even I couldn't make that u</i>p.<br />
<br />
<b>The Troggs-</b> I Can't Control Myself <br />
<br />
<b>The Scorpion</b>s -Greensleeves<br />
<i>This is not the 1970's Scorpions, this is an entirely different band. I got yer other Scorpions on the next show...see below. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Gun- </b>Race With The Devil <br />
<br />
<b>Neil Young</b> -Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere <br />
<br />
<b>Fairport Convention-</b> Chelsea Morning <br />
<br />
<b>John Mayall's Bluesbreakers- </b>All Your Love <br />
<br />
<b>Rare Earth-</b> Share Your Love <br />
<br />
<b>Edwinn Starr</b>- 25 Miles<br />
<i>I got a caller during this show who informed me that this song was the very first 45rpm record he ever bought as a kid. It made me happy to hear that. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Wilson Pickett</b>- Don't Fight it (Feel it) <br />
<br />
<b>Captain Beefheart-</b> Here I Am <br />
<br />
<b>Atomic Rooster</b>- Play The Game <br />
<br />
<b> Electric Sandwich</b>- Devil's Dream <br />
<br />
<b>Fleetwood Mac</b>- Heartbeat Like A Hammer <br />
<br />
<b>Jimi Hendrix- </b>We Gotta Live Together <br />
<br />
<b> Emerson, Lake and Palmer</b>- Are You Ready, Eddie? <br />
<br />
<b>Spirit-</b> Morning Will Come <br />
<br />
<b>Electric Flag-</b> Make Your Move <br />
<br />
<b>Funkadelic</b>- Standing On The Verge of Getting It On <br />
<br />
<br />
So, OK. That was one show down. Things were rolling merrily along until suddenly disaster struck- our webstream went down and I could not coax it back to life. WRIR was reduced to a mere broadcast radio station...but rather than skip a week of podcasting, I went home , used my under-appreciated telepathic powers to painstakingly re-create nearly the entire damn show by hand and then I uploaded the simulacrum in lieu of a recording of the actual program.<br />
<br />
Why do I do this? Well...because...um...yeah. Or not.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53865"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 8/20/2011: Telepathic Upload Edition</b></span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Jeff Beck</b>- Roy's Toy<br />
<br />
<b>Brian Eno</b>- No One Receiving<br />
<br />
<b> Klaus Schulze-</b> Weird Caravan<br />
<br />
<b>Caravan-</b> Be Alright<br />
<br />
<b>David Bowie</b>- Sons of The Silent Age<br />
<br />
<b>Jennings-</b> Surrender<br />
<br />
<b>Lost In The Trees-</b> Song For The Painter<br />
<br />
<b>Mavis Staples</b>- You're Not Alone<br />
<br />
<b>Bird York</b>- Punish Me With Kisses<br />
<br />
<b>Area 27-</b> Wild Card<br />
<br />
<b>Manfred Mann's Earth Band</b>- Messin'<br />
<br />
<b>Adriana Kaegi-</b> When The Money Runs Out<br />
<br />
<b>The Kinks-</b> Money and Corruption<br />
<br />
<b> Joan As Policewoman-</b> Chemmie<br />
<br />
<b>Michelle Malone and Band du Soliel</b>- Sitting In The Sun<br />
<br />
<b>Paula Cole</b> - Hitler's Brothers<br />
<br />
<b> Norine Braun</b>- Hanna To Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b>Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood-</b> Some Velvet Morning<br />
<br />
<b>Kalliopi-</b> Summer's Almost Over<br />
<br />
<b>Fruup</b>- Prince of Darkness<br />
<br />
<b>Can-</b> Full Moon On The Highway<br />
<br />
<b>Scorpions-</b> Fly People Fly<br />
<i>This is by (the) Scorpions that you <b>have</b> heard of. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Ray Manzarek- </b>The Golden Scarab<br />
<i>Ray, along with Jim Morrison, was in The Doors. To my knowledge, Morrison never mentioned dung beetles in his lyrics...Ray does mention dung beetles in this tune. That might be why I almost never play The Doors but play Ray quite often. Or maybe I have other reasons. </i><br />
<br />
<b> Astronauts of Antiquity-</b> Strangest Places<br />
<br />
-----<br />
<br />
One of these days, I'll actually <i>do</i> something...<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-13699680952665542722011-08-13T21:11:00.002-04:002011-08-13T21:25:37.706-04:00Sonics and Tonics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbwQlmQ4ZEMLuBYD_w4ciPc5H-AIHHWnfXr4rKgLoWmfG9qShfWs25Pxl8PF7KTc1ILbzvJZ9aZZkVOo8wigLBGAYqb7a_5Jro0wxcOBT-SxS-wi_O2Qx3Z-vA3nJxo0N5VdY4Q/s1600/me-wig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbwQlmQ4ZEMLuBYD_w4ciPc5H-AIHHWnfXr4rKgLoWmfG9qShfWs25Pxl8PF7KTc1ILbzvJZ9aZZkVOo8wigLBGAYqb7a_5Jro0wxcOBT-SxS-wi_O2Qx3Z-vA3nJxo0N5VdY4Q/s400/me-wig.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Sometimes I have dreams in which I still have a full head of hair. I call these dreams 'nightmares' because my life used to suck back in the days when I had hair. I've been shaving my head for nearly six years and my life has almost completely turned around since I stopped using shampoo. <br />
<br />
I've had a weekly music program on our local non-profit radio station <b><a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR 97.3 FM</a></b> for over five years now, but next Monday (8/15/11, 7PM EST) will mark a radio first for me: I'll be a <b>guest</b> on another host's program: <b><a href="http://www.newdissidentradio.com/breaking_taboo.html">Breaking Taboo</a></b>, a weekly discussion program hosted by the redoubtable <b>Lakota Phillips</b> on <b><a href="http://www.newdissidentradio.com/default.html">New Dissident Radio</a>.</b><br />
<br />
From the BT website:<br />
<blockquote>"<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Breaking Taboo is hosted by artist, writer, and erotic muse Lakota Phillips who kidnaps her guests from around the country, ties them up using only the softest shibari ropes, and forces them to explore our societal myths, stereotypes, art, sex, and taboos; but not necessarily in that order or all on the same show. She’s considerate like that. The show delivers a huge dose of humor mixed with controversy on Pandora topics your mother never wanted you to know about</span>."</span></blockquote>Along with <span data-jsid="text"> <b>S. Paul Forrest </b>of <b>America Revealed</b>, we'll discuss the London riots and America's own dissatisfaction with our own government- are we unable to change our government or are we merely unwilling to even try? That topic and 'all manner of other controversy' @4pmPST, 7pm EST.<a href="http://www.newdissidentradio.com/default.html"> Listen live here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">Wednesday 8/17/11 @7pm, I'll be producing a live in-studio performance by <b><a href="http://www.screamingfemales.com/">The Screaming Females,</a> </b>a hot trio from NJ who'll be appearing on Mike Rutz's <a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR</a><b> Activate!</b> show , giving us a preview of their 8/18 BFD show at Richmond's <b>Bike Lot</b>.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">Friday night I have a second date...I think maybe, just maybe, we might sorta kinda like each other a little bit. It is really soon but I am optimistic. And charmed. </span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">Next Saturday I'll be guest-hosting <b>Buzzy Lawler's Shake Some Action</b> program at 11am and continuing on through my own show beginning at 1pm and running until 3, which means four consecutive hours of live radio. Bring it on!</span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">_______________________________</span><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53727"><span data-jsid="text">THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 8/13/2011</span></a></b><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">Podcast:</span>http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53727<span data-jsid="text"> </span><br />
<br />
<b>Goldfrapp-</b> Crystalline Green<br />
<br />
<b>Gong-</b> Gris Gris Girl<br />
<br />
<b>Liars</b>- Scissor<br />
<br />
<b>Funkadelic</b>- Some More<br />
<br />
<b>Mothers of Invention</b>- San Berdino<br />
<br />
<b>King Crimson</b>- Cat Food<br />
<br />
<b>Green Man</b>- Do Bheatha 'Bhaile<br />
<br />
<b>Aphrodesia</b>- Ayala<br />
<br />
<b>Steve Hillage</b>- Electrick Gypsies<br />
<br />
<b>Ashlee Rose</b>- Devil's Town<br />
<br />
<b> Cafebar 401</b>- Blame the Villian<br />
<br />
<b> Amy Winehouse</b>- Stronger Than Me<br />
<br />
<b>Joan As Policewoman</b>- The Magic<br />
<br />
<b> Joni Mitchell-</b> In France They Kiss On Main Street<br />
<br />
<b>Michelle Malone & Band du Soliel</b>- Woman on the Floor<br />
<br />
<b>Richard Thompson</b>- Crash The Party<br />
<br />
<b>mr. Gnome</b>- Bit of Tongue<br />
<br />
<b>Adriana Kaeg</b>i- It Feels Like<br />
<br />
<b>Paula Cole</b>- Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?<br />
<br />
<b>Sparks</b>- Talent Is An Asset<br />
<br />
<b>Ray Manzarek</b>- Boiling Rage<br />
<br />
<b>The Purrs</b>- Big Black Wall<br />
<br />
<b> Bardo Pond</b>- Wank<br />
<br />
<b>Deluka</b>- OMFG<br />
<br />
<br />
I'll be catching my breath now...a pizza may be called for. Literally.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-69687059768767509932011-08-13T11:14:00.001-04:002011-08-13T12:16:57.847-04:00The E=MC5²<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpwBpl_BSn3sMh3D0qzrUBiWHQJfytuxzmEhqTtcb34Qu9xE0BJybSCudRCjiQRCVff2AYMoYikevFLr_SgmnxrQBacFeJ4I3xYL4wCOLtAlXt1YlGsCfkhb5s7LC1ccqKnG4/s1600/pi.png"><br />
<br />
</a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9MZJRZON42aKSWPOGot0GWUNEPKsc6NB7gcCawJy3u72VebH02Scol0qV_60sWO4uiJp4arptdDZ0pqT4xjGxeO9HKewR1R0V3Y297_gARQN0vPJ-XXP_tt43KVGW175x2LG/s1600/GENRES.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640334094042377490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9MZJRZON42aKSWPOGot0GWUNEPKsc6NB7gcCawJy3u72VebH02Scol0qV_60sWO4uiJp4arptdDZ0pqT4xjGxeO9HKewR1R0V3Y297_gARQN0vPJ-XXP_tt43KVGW175x2LG/s320/GENRES.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 188px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>Do you remember the days when you could get 10 free record albums just by writing a fake name on a Columbia House Record Club coupon and dropping it in a mailbox?<br />
<br />
The card gave a few choices of favorite musical styles. If I recall, I think the list was pretty limited, the choices being more or less : Rock, Soft Rock, Classical, Jazz, Country, Pop, R&B and maybe Disco, since this was the 1970's after all.<br />
<br />
You pretty much had to go with plain-old 'Rock' back then. 'Soft Rock' would get you laughed at by your friends- they were way too cool to admit that they liked <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Carpenters</span> as much as you did<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br />
Today is different. I'm a DJ and I'm almost terrified to discuss genre for fear of seeming completely clueless. There are more genres than there are bands- and there are a LOT of bands!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> What kind of music do you play?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Coolster:</span> Oh, it is combination of <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">emo, crust-core, mixtape, shoe-gaze, twee metal and new rock, but with lots of ambient darkwave 8-bit alt-folk elements, and of course, some spoken-word psyche-salsa beat breaks. </span><br />
<br />
And then they'll play a song and it'll sound a lot like an old 1980's Casio playing the same beat over and over while a couple male voices yip and yap in the foreground and amplified guitars fall over and break in the background. And when I ask the Coolster how they got the neat guitar sound, he'll tell me it was sampled from some old record he stole from his Dad...he thinks it was called<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music</span>. Some old dude he'd heard about somewhere.<br />
<br />
Aaargh. Don't kids today know anything about musical history?<br />
<br />
I bet none of them remember prototypical Math-OCD band,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> The E=MC5²</span>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Formed at MIT in the late 1960's <span style="font-weight: bold;">The E=MC5²</span> was comprised of a rotating cast of students and professors who understood that all music is somehow math-based, even if the math is sometimes a bit faulty. They also took a lot of acid and talked far too much while they were tripping, and before long, a now-unknown 'core' group found themselves undertaking the daunting task of converting the numerical value of pi to music.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpwBpl_BSn3sMh3D0qzrUBiWHQJfytuxzmEhqTtcb34Qu9xE0BJybSCudRCjiQRCVff2AYMoYikevFLr_SgmnxrQBacFeJ4I3xYL4wCOLtAlXt1YlGsCfkhb5s7LC1ccqKnG4/s1600/pi.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640356344799188898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpwBpl_BSn3sMh3D0qzrUBiWHQJfytuxzmEhqTtcb34Qu9xE0BJybSCudRCjiQRCVff2AYMoYikevFLr_SgmnxrQBacFeJ4I3xYL4wCOLtAlXt1YlGsCfkhb5s7LC1ccqKnG4/s320/pi.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 237px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 248px;" /></a><br />
The band spent their formative years in an abandoned schoolhouse, surrounded by chalkboards, cheap guitar amps, lava lamps and blacklight posters; members would drop in and out as academic arguments, exhaustion, intellectual misadventures and heavy drug use took their respective tolls, but according to legend they persevered through all obstacles: switching to acoustic instruments during blackouts, changing locales as as the authorities chased them from one condemned building to another, a haggard, bearded and discredited physics professor slapping a bongo in 3.14 time while zealous students chanted numerical litanies in order to keep the song going until a new venue could be found.<br />
<br />
The descendents of the original members are still playing , currently doing the latest in a decades-long series of farewell tours. As of this writing, the The E=MC5² hold the unofficial World Record for the longest continuously performed musical composition of all time, with their trademark opus<span style="font-weight: bold;"> 'Pi-Eyed' </span>clocking in at an amazing<span style="font-weight: bold;"> 38 years, 6 months, 10 days, 11 hours and 12 minutes</span>. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Thirteen</span> minutes now, since they are still playing!<br />
<br />
Today's show will be a tribute to the madness that is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">The E=MC5²</span>: We'll hear a carefully selected two-hour excerpt from the decade-spanning classic<span style="font-weight: bold;"> 'Pi-Eyed'</span> , including a fabulous moment in 2008 when the late <span style="font-weight: bold;">Captain Beefheart </span>came out of his hermit-like retirement to sing a nine-hour duet with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Amy Winehouse,</span> who wasn't dead yet. Legend has it that Canadian rockers <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rush</span> are playing the background musical parts of this segment, but everyone present was either senile, wasted or currently dead, so no one will ever know for sure. A wayward guitar solo was once credited to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eric Clapton</span>, but upon being asked, he quickly assigned the blame to <span style="font-weight: bold;">George Harrison</span>, who had been dead for years at the time.<br />
<br />
With some luck, there might be time to play some other songs, but you'll have to tune in to find out, won't you?<br />
<a href="http://wrir.org/"><br />
WRIR 97.3 FM</a>...the fun starts at 1PM 8/13/2011.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-69317121800575477822011-08-11T21:43:00.002-04:002011-08-11T22:39:04.175-04:00Is My Moral Code Written In Invisible Ink?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I8_CRWlVpU05YysSHIt37tkfQqAE3L4EbXDB7LpO0ibjea7fQ4cAq8HpFgELRfxffsVVYgSBuRTnWcj1jfqafRqoap_c9GfLeDVIvGl5Sxoad5hbsSH22hY-igMeeB1KhzYEMA/s1600/Regret.jpg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I8_CRWlVpU05YysSHIt37tkfQqAE3L4EbXDB7LpO0ibjea7fQ4cAq8HpFgELRfxffsVVYgSBuRTnWcj1jfqafRqoap_c9GfLeDVIvGl5Sxoad5hbsSH22hY-igMeeB1KhzYEMA/s320/Regret.jpg.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
I have often heard alcoholics talk about how their lives became "unmanageable" when they drank, which is something that I , as an alcoholic myself, do not really fully understand.<br />
<br />
For me, the more I drank, the more 'manageable' my life became. Booze made all my decisions for me- except the ones the State made- and I pretty much knew what the goal of each day was- a blackout drunken fog. But that is a shitty goal and it'll kill you sooner than later. Unless you are lucky like me and don't stay dead.<br />
<br />
Sober is easy. I'm not at all tempted to drink, no matter how rotten things become. Not drinking is the<b> easy </b>part, it is what to do with all the sober time that gets tricky.<br />
<br />
Take women , for example. Alcohol used to pick my girlfriends for me, and in hindsight it didn't do such a good job on giving me girlfriend-picking lessons. Some I had to learn on my own.<br />
<br />
1) After a certain age, sex on the first date is not a good idea. I'm not saying it can't work, but personally I'd advise against it. Nothing lasting has ever started that way for me and the older I get, the more that I want things to last. <br />
<br />
2) If your date agrees to a second date and then changes her mind- <i>and then changes it again</i>- things probably aren't gonna work out.<br />
<br />
3) Don't date multiple women on the same weekend, even if they are just casual meets. It is too difficult to focus and you'll just wind up massively confused, poorer and still single. Plus, you are kind of an old-fashioned romantic monogamist at heart...yeah, say whatever you want, but I <i>know </i>what's in yer head, buddy.<br />
<br />
4) Don't expect a second date, period. Don't be mad, it just works that way.<br />
<br />
5) If you meet someone you really like and you wind up talking while the restaurant closes around you, and that person is genuinely interested in seeing you again, then you should:<br />
<br />
6) Cancel your date(s) with other women- honestly and as politely you can - and see how things work out with #5 above first . You obviously like her. She made you laugh out loud, in public. Dude, you <i>never</i> laugh out loud. I bet you'd<i> dance in front of people </i>if she asked you to- go on, admit it. <i>You would</i>. I knew it.<br />
I mean, you told her how you single-handedly ruined your Senior class high school Baccalaureate and she laughed with anarchistic glee. That is a<i> good</i> sign.<br />
<br />
7) Seriously, if your biggest problem is trying to figure out how to cancel dates with attractive women without hurting their feelings, then maybe your problems aren't such problems after all.<br />
<b>Maybe you've actually got it pretty fucking good</b>. She might even<i> like</i> you. If she does, you should be giving life a grateful <b>A+</b> instead of complaining all the time and convincing yourself that no one likes you. Dumbass.<br />
<br />
8) And if it doesn't work out, it really isn't that hard to get another date, is it? You just cancelled two, didn't you? It's a big desperate world and not many people really want to face it alone, and really, no one should have to. You met plenty of pretty, perfectly nice and intelligent women, but face it dude, you are a<i> little bit weird</i>. Not every woman is going to understand you. (You aren't going to understand <i>any </i>of them, but that is normal, don't be alarmed)<br />
<br />
--------------<br />
<br />
So I just did 5 and 6 above. I hope it doesn't get to 8 again, but I've been there before and it wasn't fatal, it only felt that way. <br />
<br />
I hope I did the right thing. A lot of guys would probably be able to pull off two or three dates in a weekend...I have a female penpal friend (that I met on a date) and she will sometimes have two dates in a day...not for sex or anything, but still...that would be stressful to me.<br />
<br />
I'm not good enough with names for that, for one thing. <br />
<br />
<br />
Well. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-60037524418517443292011-08-06T18:29:00.000-04:002011-08-06T18:29:51.378-04:00A Head Full of Quandry and a Mighty, Mighty Thirst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8v5fCri7nlLUj_iF7PuL8q-Wh8SBmeZIuoVywCZKC-maW02_3WA21YWMl6dko_IaDJ_JXhilqjH2GMGeunsJHI3gvibY8_QK1zwtUUiZxoTB69TfIjdC0XleT35whmtNba3_4g/s1600/tinydj_andme4242010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8v5fCri7nlLUj_iF7PuL8q-Wh8SBmeZIuoVywCZKC-maW02_3WA21YWMl6dko_IaDJ_JXhilqjH2GMGeunsJHI3gvibY8_QK1zwtUUiZxoTB69TfIjdC0XleT35whmtNba3_4g/s320/tinydj_andme4242010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I love my radio friends</span></span><br />
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<br />
There are many ways to cope with the lingering spectre of depression. One way would to stay up all night listening to six billion songs in a single evening, imagining to oneself how the songs will fit together,for example: how will the end of this Bird York song fade into the beginning of this Joan Wasser tune?<br />
<br />
Pretty damn well, it turns out. If you don't believe me, <a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53607">download the podcast</a> and hear for yourself. If you do believe me, download the podcast and enjoy it.<br />
<br />
What I'm trying to say here is:<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53607"> download the podcast.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/The+New+Breakfast+Snob"> THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB</a>: AUG. 6th 2011</b></span><br />
<b> (Originally aired on <a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR 97.3 FM</a>. )</b><br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>The Kinks</b>- Preservation (Single)<br />
<i>This is a nearly-unknown Kinks track...a very un-Kinks-like groove rocker with very Kinks-y timeless lyrics.</i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/bookertjones">Booker T. Jones</a>-</b> Progress<br />
You can get the awesome compilation CD that this soulful tune is taken <a href="http://170millionamericans.org/ryvoice/">from here, for FREE</a>. <br />
<br />
<b>Joni Mitchell-</b> Don't Interrupt The Sorrow<br />
<i>Ah, Joni. This song is nothing short of brilliant. The title of this post is taken from it.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Bird York</b>- Bought A Gun<br />
<i>"By the time I'm eleven, I'll be a man" </i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.joanaspolicewoman.com/site/"><b>Joan As Policewoman</b></a>- Nervous<br />
Had a couple callers on this one, they loved it and they should, it is awesome...I have been a huge Joan Wasser fan for years...why is she not totally fucking famous yet? <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/allsparks"><b>Sparks</b></a>- I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song<br />
<i>"And only you and only you, my love</i>" <br />
<br />
<b> Of Montreal</b>- An Eluadarian Instance<br />
<i>T</i><i>his band is better than a million circuses.</i> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/kalliopimusic"><b>Kalliopi</b></a>- Summer Is Over<br />
<i>She's from Greece. Things are tough in Greece right now, hopefully there's some solace in music.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Nouvelle Vague</b>- Making Plans For Nigel<br />
<i>XTC cover. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Tom Waits</b>- Make It Rain<br />
<i>"Sharpen my knives on my mistakes" </i><br />
<br />
<b>Amy Winehouse</b>- Fuck-Me Pumps<br />
<i>Add Amy to my list of unattainable post-mortem crushes; <a href="http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/anarchist_archives/bright/cleyre/cleyrearchive.html">Voltairine DeCleyre</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Bow">Clara Bow</a>, and Amy Winehouse. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald</b>- Frim Fram Sauce<br />
<i>Oooo tasty. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Rare Earth-</b> Is Your Teacher Cool?<br />
<i>Depends on the lesson. </i><br />
<br />
<b> The Stranglers</b>- The Sweet Smell of Success <br />
<br />
<b>Funkadelic-</b> Funky Dollar Bill <br />
<br />
<b>Jimi Hendrix</b>- Message of Love <br />
<br />
<b>Miles Davis</b>- Spanish Key (single edit) <br />
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<a href="http://www.michellemalone.com/"><b>Michelle Malone and Band du Soliel</b></a>- Cortez the Killer<br />
<i>Awesome live cover of classic Neil Young song...Michelle Malone is the real rocking deal.</i> <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_946016373"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jennings-music.com/"><b> Jennings</b>-</a> Surrender<br />
<i>New album coming soon! </i><br />
<br />
<b> Manfred Mann's Earth Band-</b> Cloudy Eyes <br />
<br />
<b>Atomic Rooster</b>- Devil's Answer <br />
<br />
<b>Roxy Music</b>- Three and Nine <br />
<br />
<b>John Cale</b>- Taking It All Away <br />
<br />
<b> Brian Eno</b>- The True Wheel <br />
<br />
<b>David Bowie</b>- Blackout<br />
<i>Man, this song is about best thing that ever happened to my ears, ever. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_946016394"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://astronautsofantiquity.com/v2/"><b>Astronauts of Antiquity</b></a>- Breakthrough <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_946016377"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mistyboyce.com/"><b>Misty Boyce</b></a>- Be A Man<br />
<i>I like the way the title of this song doesn't say what you probably think it does...but if she was a man, she couldn't sing like she does. And that would be a bummer, 'cause she sings great. </i>Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-21971530856670800752011-07-31T14:32:00.004-04:002011-08-01T09:26:57.340-04:00How To Listen To The Radio In 2011<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53464">Podcast here... </a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53464">THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB JULY 30 2011</a></b></span><br />
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<b>Sparks-</b> Intro/I've Never Been High <br />
<br />
<b>Amy Winehouse- </b>Amy, Amy, Amy<br />
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<b>Edwinn Starr</b>- Who Cares If You Are Happy Or Not? (I Do)<br />
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<b>F&M- </b>Another Closing Number<br />
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<b>Jennings-</b> Surrender<br />
<br />
<b>Gong- </b>Digital Girl<br />
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<b>Steve Hillage-</b> Searching for the Spark<br />
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<b>Goldfrapp-</b> Strict Machine<br />
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<b>Bird York</b>- Prozac Day<br />
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<b>Area 27-</b> Human Alien<br />
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<b>Hawkwind-</b> To Love A Machine<br />
<br />
<b>Pink Floyd </b>- Summer '68<br />
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<b>Jimi Hendrix-</b> Sunshine of Your Love<br />
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<b>The Fierce and the Dead-</b> 10'x 10'<br />
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<b>Jeff Beck-</b> Loose Cannon<br />
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<b>Green Man- </b>Cold Blows The Wind<br />
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<b>Clannad</b>- Battles<br />
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<b>Rare Earth- </b>When I Write<br />
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<b>Funkadelic-</b> Super Stupid<br />
<br />
<b>Hot Tuna-</b> Extrication Love Song<br />
<br />
<b>Joan as Policewoman-</b> Furious<br />
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<b>The Whispering Tree-</b> So Many Things<br />
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<b>Stefanie Seskin-</b> Your Own Road<br />
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<b>Misty Boyce</b>- Razor<br />
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<b>Garbage-</b> #1 Crush<br />
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<b>John Cale</b>- Heartbreak Hotel<br />
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<b>HuDost-</b> SalomeAllanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-84587742713448539382011-07-29T15:55:00.002-04:002011-07-29T16:09:30.695-04:00How Failure Saved My Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQneIhE0CFAqrgjBekhD88dSYCt5tnaz6H-c7KZ2ESDbYfOXs7xhM_ADxF2ePzSL0I4xrB2cA8zhuMQM5STKc_W4dUoIqy13GY2ZMKjGfrcYP3SmuBB4MgUD_QGzNMobrcAjtepg/s1600/winehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQneIhE0CFAqrgjBekhD88dSYCt5tnaz6H-c7KZ2ESDbYfOXs7xhM_ADxF2ePzSL0I4xrB2cA8zhuMQM5STKc_W4dUoIqy13GY2ZMKjGfrcYP3SmuBB4MgUD_QGzNMobrcAjtepg/s320/winehouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never paid any real notice to Amy Winehouse before her death. The first time I saw her image was in a series of caricature sketches that a long-ago penpal sent me, the drawings were of rock stars and I identified most of them but couldn't place Winehouse.<i> Is that what's-her-name from the B-52s?</i><br />
<br />
My friend was surprised that I'd never heard of Amy Winehouse, after all she was all over the press back then. Not for her singing, but for her personal life<i>, such as it was. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i>So anyway, I listened to her music last week after my show. And I found that she was really, really good. At least for two CDs...two CDs doesn't exactly qualify one for Hendrix comparisons, not musically anyway, but the songs are good and her voice is amazing. I had expected some sort of electro-techno-disco glop, not soulful, heartbreaking and sometimes funny songs, songs largely played with real instruments. There was a lot of potential there.<br />
<br />
I hate the tabloid media and the way they emphasize all the wrong aspects of an artist. I don't give a damn how much weight some actress that I've never heard of has gained or what kind of drunken voicemails some Hollywood clown leaves on some other Hollywood clown's phone.<br />
<br />
Even things that I would normally enjoy-<i>such as swimsuit photos of beautiful women</i>- are ruined by bright red circles and highlights that point out the 'imperfections' on human bodies that any sane person would consider to be natural wonders:<i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>Omigod, is that a wrinkle on Suzy Creamcheese's face? Are her boobs sagging? Is that a trace of cellulite? Get her to a plastic surgeon before it is too late!</i><br />
<br />
Can you imagine a young Joni Mitchell being transported through time and marketed by a team of 2011-era Hollywood producers?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWT86hDyQMtyoi6GpAEhhlXvd_NxKzPw4Fl7u5jUAFZ4BbjQzPOYIilf0iFJECil-VQ1RSwupS_HJsBFRrk5yry72Phtp-xyukQ8LGnjQrFG7umgYlwgfRTBm-zL_3Xwy0hr2Mvw/s1600/Joni%252BMitchell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWT86hDyQMtyoi6GpAEhhlXvd_NxKzPw4Fl7u5jUAFZ4BbjQzPOYIilf0iFJECil-VQ1RSwupS_HJsBFRrk5yry72Phtp-xyukQ8LGnjQrFG7umgYlwgfRTBm-zL_3Xwy0hr2Mvw/s320/Joni%252BMitchell.jpg" width="294" /></a></div> <br />
(still alive and fine)<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Well, we'd better do something about that hair. Maybe we can salvage it...we'll need to add some weight in the right places too, maybe raise the cheekbones just a tad, they are not-terrible...lose the nerdy clothes and start showing some skin, at least once the cosmetic scars heal...oh, and try playing something you can dance to, maybe guitar stuff that isn't so complicated, be more like Lenny Kravitz and less like Django Reinhardt, right? ...and stop using so many words- I mean, can't you just find a hook and stick with it? Our producers will be handling the songwriting from now on, ok? </i><br />
<br />
<i>No one will be able to see your new tits with that guitar in the way, so we'll find someone to do that for you too, or maybe we'll get your stylist to design a transparent guitar you can wear like a bra...now go meet your personal trainer and start toning those skinny legs so's you can learn some moves fer your video...</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqYLq7VdWYEle0d8OgeO2TOTQoLlsgP464wAMXTWlVzriFkUM0AzAnDqinAAhgKaZrkyz2mvCVXrnvOjprz635nbes6NGckb-LIS_z45hj3TfeS_-7tMrGqnot0eN282Ob1TUvQ/s1600/amy-winehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqYLq7VdWYEle0d8OgeO2TOTQoLlsgP464wAMXTWlVzriFkUM0AzAnDqinAAhgKaZrkyz2mvCVXrnvOjprz635nbes6NGckb-LIS_z45hj3TfeS_-7tMrGqnot0eN282Ob1TUvQ/s320/amy-winehouse.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />
Whomever said: <b><i>"Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse</i></b>" was a fucking idiot. If your fast-living kills you while you are still young, your corpse is<i> not</i> going to be a beautiful work of art- it is going to be a mortis-sculpture that requires a HazMat team to clean up. Seriously.<br />
<br />
Because chances are you've played with needles or slept with someone who has, and that makes your blood an upgraded potential biological hazard. And there's probably going to be a lot of blood when they find you. You would be unpleasantly surprised at the number of orifices that can bleed simultaneously. I sure was surprised when my time came.<br />
<br />
So forget about the glamor of an early death brought on by a hard life. There isn't any glamor in being found dead in a congealing pool of your own blood, vomit, shit and piss.<i> Fabulous!</i><br />
<br />
There isn't any way that I can judge her strength of character or know if Winehouse really wanted to quit using or not but I will give her the benefit of the doubt. I have been there myself and I know how hard it is. It takes a long time- a lifetime- to adjust to sobriety and the first attempt doesn't always work. I know.<br />
<br />
But what I can't know is what it would have been like to try to get clean if I had left the hospital and suddenly found out that I was rich and famous. That every detail of my life- real or fabricated- was uploaded to the internet in real-time as it occurred and viewed with obsessive fascination by people who really should have better things to do with their time.<br />
<br />
And that I had piles of money and plenty of new 'friends' willing to help me spend it.<br />
<br />
I have a very talented friend who desperately wanted to be a rock star when she was younger but never quite achieved that dream. This was a source of pain for her, but it shouldn't be, because if she'd become famous back then, she'd be dead by now and that would suck. I understand the desire to attain immortality through art, but the 'immortality' once granted to artists just isn't what it used to be. Most 'celebs' don't even seem to get 15 minutes of artistic recognition, their "fame" is all about their personal lives, not their art; they are lucky to get a few hits, 140 characters of obituary and a Tiny URL for a tombstone.<br />
<br />
I wanted the same fame for myself as my friend wanted, of course. I was sure that I'd be a rock star by 21 and dead by 30 and at the time I saw this as some sort of transcendental, darkly poetic and tragically beautiful fate. Lucky for me, I was a failure as a rock star, because I was a <i>hugely successful </i>addict and if I'd had a trainload of cash and a retinue of vampires for friends to go with that success, I'm sure I'd be dead now. <br />
<br />
It seems as if the public does not care about talent or skill , it is all about gory spectacle and prurient distractions..one person's escapism becomes that person's nightmare addiction and then that person's nightmare addiction becomes the escapism of millions . Vicious.<br />
<br />
I think the gossip media must appeal to the same dark, reptilian part of the human psyche that the ancient Romans tapped into when they forced slaves to fight to the death for the public amusement of a privileged audience. At least the ancient Roman had to show up and watch the death in-person and physically give the 'thumb up or down' life-or-death gesture. Today we have the 'like' button with "lols" and 'smiley' emoticons to help add a passive-aggressive veneer of plausible deniability to our otherwise murderous statements. <i>Fuck off :) lol :)</i> <br />
<br />
But is being successful a good thing? Especially in the context of addiction? It seems like only yesterday that the nation was transfixed by Charlie Sheen tweets and rants. For me, the most immediate benefit that I realized when I quit using cocaine was <b>not having to listen to crazy-ass cokehead bullshit anymore</b>...many years later, people were actually <b><i>paying money</i> </b>to listen to crazy-ass cokehead bullshit. Unreal.<br />
<br />
Let's look at other forms of popular entertainment from the not-so-distant-past.<br />
<br />
Death and torture:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaksPaRySIUBNdU13N7yxwMpk0WsnuTMzOKT9fHhlT5iOa0g9sHtvuUxgd0qVilKTV0_RVjgi811ATezcNTaS2U0qhn2mCC33rutK1IVFSWct067NhMHbD-qjW3igaWBQrzXrjA/s1600/lynching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaksPaRySIUBNdU13N7yxwMpk0WsnuTMzOKT9fHhlT5iOa0g9sHtvuUxgd0qVilKTV0_RVjgi811ATezcNTaS2U0qhn2mCC33rutK1IVFSWct067NhMHbD-qjW3igaWBQrzXrjA/s400/lynching.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Obviously, human beings have a perversely morbid fascination with watching other human beings suffer and die. Crucifixions, lynchings, hangings, beheadings...these are all huge crowdpleasers. Do you think humans have changed much since the photograph above was taken?<br />
<br />
Think again. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPe9OwC8FG8dk-Y1iKEwl0O7rtyZYVdpMM5wylTq43UNQvBMj5ZvibhFi_BetxoU8zH1mY62yqA5iNVLgxvZAkgawDi2Wdy5RtTnIck9nxNeY6sTWfNNRx5tvi1TFIMVxfUyW1A/s1600/abu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPe9OwC8FG8dk-Y1iKEwl0O7rtyZYVdpMM5wylTq43UNQvBMj5ZvibhFi_BetxoU8zH1mY62yqA5iNVLgxvZAkgawDi2Wdy5RtTnIck9nxNeY6sTWfNNRx5tvi1TFIMVxfUyW1A/s1600/abu.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The only difference is now we can watch people destroy themselves and others from the safety of our own carefully filtered custom-aggregated electronic cocoons. We don't need to be physically present to extend our condemnation of others, we can do it anonymously with the click of a single button or a snarky text shortcut. We have violent videogames and movies like the 'Saw' series and Mel Gibson's S&M Jesus movie to satiate our bloodlust and morbid fantasies. It is only a matter of time until someone does a 'Faces of Death' reality TV series.<br />
(If they haven't already).<br />
<br />
Ultimately, it is up to the addict to quit. I know this because I have done it, alone and without any formal support system. But I don't know that I could have done it if I'd been famous. I don't think I'd have survived my success. <br />
<br />
But I was lucky. The only misery that I was addicted to was my own and my suffering wasn't public enough to be called 'entertainment'. I never made the Big Time but at least I lived to talk about not making it.<br />
<br />
That's more than Amy got. She got success instead.<br />
<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-68181024308822980572011-07-23T17:45:00.000-04:002011-07-23T17:45:21.564-04:00Catching Up, Going OutThings have been a bit hectic but the show must go on - and so must the podcast of the show. <br />
<br />
Now if you'll excuse me, I have been invited to dinner by one of my recent coffee dates and I need to make myself presentable...that should take at least 10 minutes. <br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53293">PODCAST OF 7/16/2011 SHOW</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53294">PODCAST OF 7/23/2011 SHOW</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 7/16/2011</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Rathkeltair-</b> All About You<br />
<br />
<b>Jethro Tull-</b> The Valley<br />
<br />
<b>Apache O'Raspi-</b> Hostal Simplex<br />
<br />
<b>Frank Zappa- </b>Stinkfoot<br />
<br />
<b>The Whispering Tree-</b> So Many Things<br />
<b><br />
Misty Boyce</b>- Be A Man<br />
<br />
<b>Cranberries-</b> Zombie<br />
<br />
<b>Al Kooper & Mike Bloomfiel</b>d-Stop<br />
<br />
<b>Hot Tuna-</b> Baby, What You Want Me To Do?<br />
<br />
<b>Good Rats- </b>Reason To Kill<br />
<br />
<b>DOTMIG</b>- Going To The Top<br />
<b><br />
Israel Darling-</b> Brilliant Plan<br />
<b><br />
Triumvirat- </b>The Walls of Freedom<br />
<br />
<b>Renaissance</b>- Kiev<br />
<br />
<b>Area 27- </b>Stereofab<br />
<br />
<b>NEU!</b>- Isi<br />
<br />
<b>Manfred Mann's Earth Band</b>- California Coastline<br />
<br />
<b>Sparks-</b> No More Mr. Nice Guys<br />
<br />
<b>10CC-</b> Sand In My Face<br />
<br />
<b>Beach Boys-</b> Back Home<br />
<br />
<b>Taxi To The Ocean</b>- I Live At Home<br />
<br />
<b>Crack The Sky</b>- Suspicion<br />
<br />
<b>Ozone Player</b>- Orange Apples<br />
<br />
<b>Early Bird Collages</b>- Untitled #3<br />
<b><br />
Love Kills Theory- </b>Region of the Worms<br />
<b><br />
Tiger-</b> Suzi Slicker<br />
<br />
<b>Traffic-</b> Memories of a Rock and Roller<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 7/23/2011</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Danny Kaye</b>- The Maladjusted Jester<br />
<br />
<b>Pink Floyd</b>- Echoes pt. 1 (Live)<br />
<br />
<b>Crack the Sky</b>- Ice<br />
<br />
<b>Pretty Things</b>- Cold Stone<br />
<br />
<b>Kalliopi-</b> Fire and Sea<br />
<br />
<b>The Fierce and the Dead</b>- Pt. 2<br />
<br />
<b>Neil Young-</b> Don't Let It Bring You Down<br />
<br />
<b>Papa John Creach-</b> The Janitor Drives a Cadillac<br />
<br />
<b>Speck Mountain-</b> Twinlines<br />
<br />
<b>Gong-</b> City of Self-Fascination<br />
<br />
<b>Billie Holiday</b>- Nice Work If You Can Get It<br />
<br />
<b>Andrews Sisters-</b> I Can Dream, Can't I?<br />
<br />
<b>Louis Armstrong</b>- Lucky Old Sun<br />
<br />
<b>Flaming Groovies</b>- She's Falling Apart<br />
<br />
<b>Suzi Quatro-</b> Suicide<br />
<br />
<b>Carpenters</b>- Superstar <br />
<br />
<b>Jethro Tull</b>- Moths<br />
<br />
<b>Katie Lee</b>- Something Psychological<br />
<br />
<b>Goldfrapp</b>- Lovely Head<br />
<br />
<b>Rare Earth</b>- Hum Along And Dance<br />
<b><br />
Michelle Malone & Band du Soliel</b> -Black River<br />
<br />
<b>The Tubes</b>- Mondo Bondage<br />
<br />
<b>Hawkwind</b>- Out Here We Are<br />
<br />
<b>Be Bop Deluxe</b>- ShineAllanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-85144886902093894982011-07-19T19:51:00.001-04:002011-07-19T19:53:29.117-04:00Stab My Back But Please Don't Shoot Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3byCBNYRuIC9g6Vsfw2Q_bzTGFwSj09t0gr4oByB5jZG_ZSVHDZV5Dl2UXtnVVpIjvEAclVEBGQMkBqmzvDBeqJIsCUmfgTaRRakxekoVUYfwFaO8Hy9-lVGpRu8RYVXSLA9C/s320/1178838004_359921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3byCBNYRuIC9g6Vsfw2Q_bzTGFwSj09t0gr4oByB5jZG_ZSVHDZV5Dl2UXtnVVpIjvEAclVEBGQMkBqmzvDBeqJIsCUmfgTaRRakxekoVUYfwFaO8Hy9-lVGpRu8RYVXSLA9C/s320/1178838004_359921.jpg" /></a></div>Last year ended with the revelation that someone I loved and trusted had betrayed me, had been betraying me for months in fact, but their betrayal of my trust had kept them quite busy, so there hadn't been time to inform me of it until well after it was underway.<br />
<br />
I couldn't understand it. I was emotionally amputated, damaged and reduced to rubble; there was a crater in my chest where my heart used to live and a family of knives had moved into my spinal neighborhood. I was a mess and it took a long time for me to feel better, but eventually I did. I reached a sort of peace with my lack of understanding, and concluded that things just <i>are</i>. Deal with it, move on.<br />
<br />
Much later, a casual slip of this person's tongue revealed the entirety of their plan to me- all five years of it- and suddenly it all made sense. What I had been led to believe would happen was never actually supposed to happen, it was all part of a larger plan. I found it unethical and unsavory, but wholly understandable and I honestly can say that at one point in my life I might have done pretty much the same thing, had I had the chance.<br />
The person who betrayed me is considerably younger than myself and values sometimes change, so hey...whatever. I don't agree with what they did, but it is very logical and to their advantage.<br />
<br />
One confidante who is privy to the details of the tale used the word 'evil' in his assessment, but I disagree with him.<br />
<br />
Unethical, yes. Evil? No, I don't think so. I've partied with murderers and worse and my former friend is not like those people at all, not in spirit or in deed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nevertheless, they did betray me and as a result,someone who once filled my heart and soul is now just an internet buddy that I exchange greetings with when we bump into each other on-line. The anger is gone, but so is the trust and without trust, I don't feel like putting much effort into the friendship.<br />
<br />
But this really isn't about that situation, I just used it to illustrate how I feel about betrayal.<br />
<br />
You see, I consider our receptionist at work to be a close friend. This is a strictly on-the-job friendship and could never really be more that that, but we have developed a very close personal rapport that makes my job that much easier to deal with and I think she feels the same way.<br />
<br />
So it bothered me a few weeks ago when she asked me if I had left a note on her desk and would I mind taking a look at it? Sure.<br />
<br />
It was partially typed and partially hand-written in what looked like deliberately messy handwriting...handwriting that resembled my own sloppy scribbling. The message itself was cryptic and work-specific, it would make no sense to anyone not working in our line of work, but it wasn't profane or sexual- it was accusatory and unsigned. This stirred up a cloud of suspicion over almost everyone, my co-worker Dan said it looked like <b>my</b> handwriting...I volunteered a handwriting sample and was cleared, but still...who left the note, and why?<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, my friend Dan has been slipping at work for sometime. Yesterday a Big Boss from HQ came down to speak with him and he called out sick, which really, really pissed her off. So she went around the office asking about him- among the things she learned about Dan:<br />
<br />
-He told a short , elderly customer that he did not like her and would not help her. He was apparently slapping the palm of his hand with the backside of his other hand while he said this. The customer was, and is, terrified of him.<br />
<br />
-He has told several people that he likes to drink , heavily and alone. <br />
<br />
-After receiving many complaints about his lack of customer service, he wrote back to a lower boss calling it "bullshit" and asking why he has to deal with people who keep entering<i> his </i>workspace. He works in the copy room, it is open to anyone in the office and his job is help them...he called this "bullshit" in an email. To a manager.<br />
<br />
-He spends almost all of his workday browsing the internet.<br />
<br />
-He looks almost exclusively at websites devoted to handguns and ammunition. He is not at all shy about his browsing habits, it is not unusual to walk into the copy room and see pictures of automatic pistols or on-line ammo catalogs displayed on his monitor. Hours and hours spent staring at gun porn on the job...it has made more than a few people nervous, myself included.<br />
<br />
-He told the receptionist that he recently purchased two guns.<br />
<br />
- His Sunday Facebook post mentions buying ammunition at a local sporting goods shop.<br />
<br />
The kicker is the video camera footage. It revealed Dan as the one who left the nasty, disruptive note a few weeks back. He tried to set me up.<br />
<br />
Why? What was he trying to achieve? And why was he so quick to point the finger at me?<br />
<br />
You see, I used to work with Dan at another job and I considered him a friend. In fact, I was the one who got him the job that he has lost as of today. They finally-<i>finally</i>- fired him. He won't be back on the job, not unless he decides to come back and start shooting people. Which is not beyond the realm of possibility.<br />
<br />
And questions remain. Why has he been so bizarre lately, obsessed with guns and claiming that he likes to drink- a lot and alone...why did he leave that crazy note and why blame me?<br />
<br />
I'm not afraid of him physically but <b>he owns two guns</b>, has some sort of unreasonable anger against almost everyone and he knows where I live.<br />
<br />
I got him a job in a time of record unemployment and he betrays me by trying to frame me for his misdeed and then doing such a lousy job that I felt compelled to apologize for recommending him in the first place. That was humiliating, I vouched for him and he was a total fuck-up.<br />
<br />
The whole thing makes me feel crazy. Why do I suddenly have an enemy? We've never had angry words or any real differences at all, yet he tried to get me fired. Why?<br />
<br />
Why?Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-51971051604823379622011-07-14T21:16:00.001-04:002011-07-14T21:22:49.331-04:00The Trick Is To Be Smarter Than The YogurtMy company recently sent out the first issue of our 'official' in-company newsletter. The lead stories are a really, really long joke about a dog ("Doggone Funny") and a manager's secret recipe for meatballs.<br />
<br />
There is another food article, it links to some suggested recipes, including this one:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/yogurt-and-fruit-dessert-cup-recipe/index.html">'Yogurt and Fruit Dessert Cup</a>' <br />
<br />
The ingredients, pasted directly from the recipe site:<br />
<ul class="kv-ingred-list1"><li class="ingredient">1 single-serve cup fruit flavored <a class="crosslink" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/custard/index.html">custard</a> style low fat yogurt </li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup <a class="crosslink" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/granola/index.html">granola</a> or Grape <a class="crosslink" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/nuts/index.html">Nuts</a> </li>
<li class="ingredient">1 cup cut fruit from in store service deli</li>
</ul>There are instructions posted there as well, but really, you should be able to look at the ingredients and be able to figure the rest out on your own.<br />
<br />
I pointed this 'recipe' out to an older and somewhat humorless co-worker named Grim. I made my observation in my typically genteel fashion:<br />
<br />
"You know, you'd have to be completely stupid to need a recipe for 'Yogurt Fruit Cup'. They must think we're idiots."<br />
<br />
She gave me a hateful glare.<br />
<br />
"Not everyone knows how to cook. Some of us need recipes. I wouldn't know how to make a 'Yogurt Fruit Cup' on my own", she said tersely.<br />
<br />
"Seriously? It is like needing a recipe for Cheerios and strawberries."<br />
<br />
"Well, Mr. Know-it-All, what is the recipe for Cheerios and strawberries?", she said, throwing down the gauntlet.<br />
<br />
"You take a bowl and fill it most of the way up with Cheerios. Then you add some strawberries and pour milk over it all", I said, picking up the glove. <br />
<br />
"You can't just throw food willy-nilly into a bowl and hope that things will work out OK."<br />
<br />
"Well, actually with breakfast cereal and fruit, you pretty much can just throw it together and count on it working out. I could ask the guys in Risk Modeling to graph it out for us, but I'm pretty sure it's a low-risk venture."<br />
<br />
"But what if you put in too much milk? Or not enough strawberries? And how much exactly is a 'mostly full' bowl?"<br />
<br />
I stopped for a minute, thinking she was making some sort of ironic or allegorical point. Grim is rather linear in her thinking, abstractions and symbolism are not her strong suite. Alphanumeric filing is her specialty and she is really, really good at it. But I'm guessing you don't want to have dinner at Grim's house. <br />
<br />
"You are telling me that you need a recipe for cereal?"<br />
<br />
"Yes. I'm telling you that lots of people need recipes for cereal, not everyone can just cook without instructions."<br />
<br />
"But-but," I stammered perplexedly, "mixing yogurt with fruit isn't <i>cooking</i>. It's yogurt. And fruit."<br />
<br />
"Well, not everyone can know that."<br />
<br />
"Why not?"<br />
<br />
"Well, where did you learn how to cook?", she asked me.<br />
<br />
"Restaurants and home."<br />
<br />
"Well, not everyone is lucky enough to have worked in a restaurant kitchen", commented Grim.<br />
<br />
<i>Lucky enough to work in a kitchen? That would be an absolutely hilarious statement had it been made in jest. But you are serious, aren't you? You can't work Cheerios. You have a college degree and you can't work Cheerios without a manual?</i><br />
<br />
I didn't mean to say that out loud but I think I must have , because Grim turned a little red after that and after a while my boss called and said maybe I should take the rest of the day off.<br />
<br />
So I came home and had some cereal, milk and blueberries, mixed together in reckless, joyous and wholly unmeasured abandon. I felt like a mad wizard tempting the very gods themselves as I carelessly splashed milk into the fruity mixture. I even forgot to check the expiration date on the milk and I willfully neglected to check the temperature of the refrigerator- such a scofflaw I am. <br />
<br />
But I have to wonder. Grim is a grandmother, she has raised several kids- how can you have kids and not understand how cereal works? She is very precise and 'rules-oriented' at work,but maybe it was worse at home. Perhaps each meal was prepared by meticulously following a recipe, that Grim is simply incapable of any sort of improvisational cooking at all.<br />
<br />
I also wonder what percentage of Americans would starve to death if they were locked in a room for a 45 days with nothing but a fully equipped kitchen, water, fifty pounds of dry rice, fifty pounds of dry beans, a few pounds of butter, some basic spices and a tank full of live lobsters?<br />
<br />
<br />
Would you survive?Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-29569761746482408122011-07-09T19:25:00.000-04:002011-07-09T19:25:55.537-04:00Don't Let Them Grind You Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh23BBWgvJBVnnuRXSVRwCB13VvP0DgZGPgSiyIR42jxxYHktVPFweZUS4W1-6wF_9d4SkO4rBWTFfcyOyjSzTDi4_YGprVV53gU6CDzt9pMM4RUp88ZKv86gC6LyGxHi6L896uA/s1600/exit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh23BBWgvJBVnnuRXSVRwCB13VvP0DgZGPgSiyIR42jxxYHktVPFweZUS4W1-6wF_9d4SkO4rBWTFfcyOyjSzTDi4_YGprVV53gU6CDzt9pMM4RUp88ZKv86gC6LyGxHi6L896uA/s320/exit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i><b>Bummer. </b></i><br />
<br />
<i>What the hell is wrong with all the men I meet</i>, you think. <br />
<br />
<i>Why can't I meet a guy who isn't a total creep? Someone that I'm not ashamed to be seen in public with? The last guy called me the wrong name three times in a row and then invited me to his motel room for christ's sake. Is it me?</i><br />
<br />
Nah. It's not you. You're fine. The problem is me.<br />
<br />
You haven't met me yet- that's the problem.<br />
<br />
See ya soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 7-9-2011</b></span><br />
(originally aired on <a href="http://wrir.org/">WRIR 97.3 FM</a>)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/53045">Podcast: Here.</a><br />
<br />
<b>Sparks- </b>Fletcher Honorama<br />
<br />
<b>Hot Tuna-</b> Easy Now<br />
<br />
<b>Jethro Tull- </b>Singing All Day<br />
<br />
<b>Ray Manzarek</b>- Begin the World Again<br />
<br />
<b>Lou Reed-</b> Oooh Baby<br />
<br />
<b>Roy Harper</b>- Cherishing The Lonesome<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Taxi To The Ocean</b>- Simple Mood<br />
<b><br />
Jean-Luc Ponty</b>- Cosmic Messenger<br />
<br />
<b>The Tubes</b>- Haloes<br />
<br />
<b>The Kinks</b>- Sleepwalker<br />
<br />
<b>Phil Manzanera</b>- Big Day<br />
<br />
<b>Niav-</b> Money Gods<br />
<br />
<b>Jeannine Hebb</b>- Just Enough For Me<br />
<b><br />
Fleetwood Mac</b>- For Your Love<br />
<br />
<b>The Band-</b> Where Do We Go From Here?<br />
<br />
<b>Neil Young</b>- I've Been Waiting For You<br />
<br />
<b>Jen Foster</b>- Sunday Drive<br />
<br />
<b>KGB- </b>Working For The Children<br />
<br />
<b>Melanie</b>- Got My Mojo Workin'<br />
<br />
<b>Dresden Dolls-</b> Girl Anachronism<br />
<br />
<b>Al Stewart- </b>Constantinople<br />
<br />
<b>Area 27</b>- Driving With The Future Self<br />
<br />
<b>Astronauts of Antiquity-</b> Beautiful Fate<br />
<br />
<b>Electric Prunes</b>- Finders Keepers<br />
<br />
<b>Cat Dail- </b>White Chicks in Jamaica<br />
<br />
<b>Garbage- </b>The Trick Is to Keep BreathingAllanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-21725729507594641412011-07-03T19:48:00.000-04:002011-07-03T19:48:53.092-04:00Good, Bad and Beyond the Pale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnuEMzUtvyZNYWG57ACMFbDYxl8A_lFe_7_Mi9QbTOsEVEH8aXBpOaV5u8FgPVpRqu3tBhzlD3iKhRujILGZA89j76YWMqKCukPPxsxShVSU5yQQkmtOG5nk_3T6nkK3rB13GeQ/s1600/schleprock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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I'm surprised at how fun and relatively easy my experiment with on-line dating has been lately. Nothing serious yet, just a few casual daytime meetings, ranging from charmingly engaging to slightly awkward,but none of them have been at all unpleasant. I have a strong favorite and I hope it is mutual, but it is far too soon to speculate on such things. I think taking a slower, wider-ranging approach may be the best way to go about finding a mate, but that theory is still hypothetical.<br />
<br />
One thing that has been consistent are the tales of male misbehavior that my dates have related to me. There was an eerie sameness to each woman's experiences, it was like listening to totally different witnesses give the same account of a UFO sighting...the first time you hear it, you wonder if it can be true, but then you hear the very similar details again and again and hey, waddy ya know? Men are creepy as fuck.<br />
<br />
Dude Advice:<br />
<br />
- Don't email pictures of your junk to anyone. Ever<br />
<br />
-If a woman turns you down, don't write a nasty and insulting note back, calling her "a stuck-up bitch" and worse. That is not going to change her mind. <br />
<br />
- Don't put up old pictures of yourself...like 5, 10 or 15 years old. You don't look like that anymore and as soon as your date sees the "real" you, they'll immediately distrust everything you say.<br />
<br />
- Don't invite your date to eat guacamole out of your butt. ( <i>True...she showed me the email</i>.) <br />
<br />
- And don't make a website where you post the names, emails and identifying information of the women that you are currently stalking. Not only is that uber-creepy, but it is probably illegal.<br />
<br />
I probably shouldn't be giving free advice like that. After all, those guys are the competition.<br />
<br />
In any case, I see a lot of potential in the future. The past, on the other hand, has ambushed me in a way that I didn't exactly want to bring up on a first date. And it isn't exactly suited for parties or Facebook either.<br />
<br />
Last week, I got a call from an old friend who said he had bad news about a mutual friend, a guy that had been one of my best friends in 12th grade and a member of my first ever band. We had been very close but drifted apart over the years. He had moved away, married and settled down and it all seemed pretty much good with him...until the call.<br />
<br />
My first assumption was that my old pal had died, but when I heard what had really happened, I wished that he <b>had</b> died instead.<br />
<br />
My dear old friend had been convicted <b>-plead guilty</b>- to at least eleven charges, all of them involving child pornography and the 'grooming' of teen-age boys via internet sex acts. It was an excruciating new article to read and I'm not sharing it here, but there was a full-color mugshot of my old friend, his face bloated, his eyes dead and cold, but still...that was him.<br />
<br />
Most things can be forgiven. This has to be so, for if it were otherwise, life itself would become nothing but a constant torment of grudges, resentments and retribution, an endless hell of paybacks and vengeful scorekeeping - but there are some things that I do not believe can ever be forgiven, nor can the people who do those things be rehabilitated or 'cured' from their moral affliction- and child molestation is one of those things. You cross a certain line and you don't come back, ever. You will remain on that side of the line for the rest of your life. Which will be much shorter in prison than outside of it.<br />
<br />
He had a choice. He knew that what he was doing was wrong and he did it anyway and in the end a suspicious mother found the evidence that led to his arrest and conviction. I'm glad that particular child had a parent who was paying attention, but not all kids have that luxury.<br />
<br />
One of the few happy memories I have out of my own<i> not-so-easy</i> childhood was that of playing in the band with my friend. Everything was new and exciting, punk rock was hot and we were gonna tear the scene up...until we moved apart and years went by and we lost touch. It was only within the last few years that I had re-established contact with him via Facebook.<br />
<br />
Now all of those memories have a stain on them, a taint that can't be removed and I have lost another friend forever.<br />
<br />
You bastard. You sick, disgusting bastard. How could you do this?<br />
<br />
How?<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-85144044046726309232011-07-02T22:34:00.017-04:002011-07-02T22:45:53.022-04:00Low Pressure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgzO9W3RVfq-ALmSvgt8_2SDMaS69nbnG5vCzLA9iVJCFIBT70GvpuuOWoGlL86gq1QPgGeFC5mgeWB1mFSOwiyuczAq2C7vVYpwVjZliIVbuYNxOFdNjvzMMMqxh-4KrNc9zMw/s1600/DSC00788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgzO9W3RVfq-ALmSvgt8_2SDMaS69nbnG5vCzLA9iVJCFIBT70GvpuuOWoGlL86gq1QPgGeFC5mgeWB1mFSOwiyuczAq2C7vVYpwVjZliIVbuYNxOFdNjvzMMMqxh-4KrNc9zMw/s400/DSC00788.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The future looks pretty bright from where my guitar is sitting but the present keeps pulling the rug out from under me.<br />
<br />
Not long ago, I met a woman that I really liked and while my head was still swimming with thoughts of her, I was also saddened by the loss of my long-time friend and party companion Tim M., who had finally lost his battle with cancer.<br />
<br />
Obviously, my old friend isn't coming back, but it doesn't seem as if my new friend is going to come back either. And that's OK. I'm saddened and a bit hurt, but life goes on. If anything, I learned a lesson: only date women with stable lives. I keep forgetting that I'm stable and reliable- I was so drunk and generally fucked-up in the head for so many years that it is hard to get out of imagining myself as being any other way. But that is changing-it has to or I'll never be happy.<br />
<br />
So my next round of website dates was selected from a very short list of women. Intelligent, very attractive professional women of sound mind, spirit and body. The kind of women who wouldn't give the old me a second glance, much less their phone number. But that was the old me. <br />
<br />
I had a great radio show this afternoon and afterwards I went to meet one of the women who had replied to me. She's brilliant, well-educated and funny, she had me laughing and at ease in no time. We had coffee and talked for a couple of hours and have agreed to do it again soon. At the very least,it was a fine way to spend an afternoon. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow I have a coffee date with a second woman. She was actually the very first woman that I messaged from the website I was using; she seems to be good at everything. She is a helicopter pilot- I've always wanted to find a date who was willing to go sky-diving with me, but I'm guessing my next date has already done that. I'll have to ask.<br />
<br />
I learned something about dating sites today. My date, who is my age (44), told me that most men our age have a 'search range' for their partner's age that usually cuts off a few years before the man's age. For example, a 47-year old man might be looking for a date between the age of 21-44...a 45 year-old man might have 25-42 listed. My own range was 35-50 and my date liked that, apparently very few men my age are willing to date older women. She asked me if I had any insight on why that is:<br />
<br />
"<i>Because most men are shallow and don't know how to have a conversation with an intelligent woman their own age</i>." <br />
<br />
She agreed.<br />
<br />
The guys that won't date women my age are missing out. I love women my own age, they've already got themselves figured out by now and don't really need anyone to "complete" them; that and the importance of a shared historical context can't be over-rated.<br />
<br />
I also learned something about myself. My past doesn't matter. Today's date is a psychotherapist by profession, and I wasn't sure how much of my past to reveal, or if to I should tell her I'm actually in therapy at the moment...but we clicked really well and the gist of my story of addiction and brokenness came tumbling out...it wasn't taken as a negative at all. Quite the contrary, in fact. She echoed what my own therapist has told me- there aren't many people like me out there. She knows what a hopeless addict looks like- it is her job to know- and I'm not like that at all, there is no 'profile' for me. I'm OK with that.<br />
<br />
Today brought good music and quality company and tomorrow promises to bring more of the same. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/52866">Here's the podcast that proves it.</a><br />
<br />
And yeah...I jinxed myself at the beginning of the show and flubbed a whole bunch of talking and generally got my words and facts dsylexicated. Happiness trips me up and makes me clumsy but hopefully I'll get used to it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/contributor/4258">The New Breakfast Snob</a>: July 2nd, 2011</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Rathkeltair</b>- Spanish Chicken<br />
<br />
<b>Elvis Costello-</b> Everyday I Write The Book<br />
<br />
<b>Jimi Hendrix</b>- Red House<br />
<br />
<b>Spirit</b>- Prelude to Nothing to Hide<br />
<br />
<b>Bird York</b>- Had A Dream<br />
<br />
<b>Peter Ivers</b>- Pursuit of Treasure<br />
<br />
<b>Rare Earth</b>- Hey Big Brother<br />
<br />
<b>Family-</b> Second Generation<br />
<br />
<b>Liars-</b> Proud Evolution<br />
<br />
<b>Shadowfax- </b>New Electric India<br />
<br />
<b>Sloe Panda-</b> Skeleton<br />
<br />
<b>Genesis-</b> I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)<br />
<br />
<b>Area 27-</b> Dancing On The Moon<br />
<br />
<b>The Tubes-</b> What Do You Want From Life?<br />
<br />
<b>Dresden Dolls</b>- Bad Habits<br />
<br />
<b>Triumvirat</b>- The School of Instant Pain<br />
<b><br />
Alice Cooper- </b>Go To Hell<br />
<br />
<b>The Who- </b>Heaven and Hell<br />
<b><br />
Carrie Rodriguez</b>- Infinite Night<br />
<b><br />
Jennings-</b> Hero<br />
<br />
<b>Ace No Face</b>- Snakes<br />
<br />
<b>Arvel Bird</b>- Crow<br />
<br />
<b>Crack The Sky</b>- Goodbye Mrs. Nature<br />
<br />
<b>Green Man</b>- Dirge<br />
<b><br />
Neil Young</b> - Depression Blues<br />
<br />
<b>Traffic - </b>Medicated Goo<br />
<br />
.Allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067350.post-24460082546644095042011-06-25T19:21:00.005-04:002011-06-25T19:59:18.465-04:00Baby, You Can Talk To Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz5aMALnLpbiuaKDTGNc9lCE0dse-yuKNttsXl4WHnYhR2yEut-3eaFGJEyWox5Ova9uYDs6Wmxy9dHypeZfDD02AaeDQ98kOlyXz8MkaDYZHpVC3fMARvHHOHTq7cI23Y6kGHQ/s1600/052011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz5aMALnLpbiuaKDTGNc9lCE0dse-yuKNttsXl4WHnYhR2yEut-3eaFGJEyWox5Ova9uYDs6Wmxy9dHypeZfDD02AaeDQ98kOlyXz8MkaDYZHpVC3fMARvHHOHTq7cI23Y6kGHQ/s320/052011+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz5aMALnLpbiuaKDTGNc9lCE0dse-yuKNttsXl4WHnYhR2yEut-3eaFGJEyWox5Ova9uYDs6Wmxy9dHypeZfDD02AaeDQ98kOlyXz8MkaDYZHpVC3fMARvHHOHTq7cI23Y6kGHQ/s1600/052011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<b> </b>This week I had two radio shows,filling in for my friend Paul on his Thursday night show, and then doing my own on Saturday. It's been a long, hard week and certain things aren't working out quite the way I'd hoped.<br />
<br />
I mean, I know exactly how hard it is to make a phone call. I understand the difficulty of email and I sure as hell grasp the inherent barriers involved in sending a text message from a cell phone. So my guess is that my new friend has been trying desperately to get in touch with me and just hasn't found the right technology for doing so. Maybe all she had was a postage stamp and I'll have to wait for Monday's mail to get her reply to my simple question about this weekend.<br />
<br />
Yeah. That's it. <br />
<br />
Anyway. I have music and lots of it, and if you want it all you gotta do is come and get it.<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<a href="http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/52686"><b>DOUBLE BONUS PODCAST DOWNLOAD - TWO SHOWS, FOUR HOURS!(click)</b></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>PAUL'S BOUTIQUE 6/23/2011 w/ Guest DJ,THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Astronauts of Antiquity</b>- Breakthrough<br />
<br />
<b>Melomane-</b> Buddha Statue<br />
<br />
<b>Clara Bellino</b>- Peaceful Solution<br />
<br />
<b>Frames</b>- Giving It All Away<br />
<br />
<b>Old Haunts</b>- Not Hopeless<br />
<b><br />
Gang of Four- </b>You Don't Have To Be Mad<br />
<br />
<b>Green Man</b>- When Love is Done<br />
<b><br />
Hudost- </b>Hunger<br />
<br />
<b>Obits- </b>You Gotta Lose<br />
<br />
<b>Jon Yeager-</b> Like a Train<br />
<b><br />
Cop Shoot Cop-</b> Two At A Time<br />
<br />
<b>Firewater-</b> Anything at All<br />
<br />
<b>Cat Dail - </b>Think of a Story<br />
<br />
<b>Monday Machines</b>- Spinning Plates<br />
<b><br />
Motorhead-</b> I Don't Believe A Word<br />
<b><br />
Ross Phazor-</b> You'll Never Change<br />
<br />
<b>Wire- </b>Flat Tent<br />
<br />
<b>Norine Braun-</b> I'm The One<br />
<br />
<b>G-Spot- </b>Happy Denial<br />
<br />
<b>Jupe Jupe- </b>If I Could Go Back In Time<br />
<br />
<b>Nicholas Howard</b>- Blood From a Stone<br />
<br />
<b>Monacy-</b> Orbit<br />
<br />
<b>Jeannine Hebb</b>- Only Ones<br />
<br />
<b>Shawn Farley</b>- The Last Time We Talked<br />
<br />
<b>Lucinda Williams</b>- Something About What Happens When We Talk<br />
<br />
<b>Purrs-</b> Fear of Flying<br />
<b><br />
Cat Nights Begin</b>- and Once the Last of Autumn Leaves<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB 6/25/2011</b> </span><br />
<br />
<b>Stefanie Seskin</b>- Chill Now<br />
<br />
<b>Stranglers</b>- Skin Deep<br />
<br />
<b>Curtis Mayfield</b>- No Thing<br />
<br />
<b>Rickie Lee Jones</b>- Young Blood<br />
<br />
<b>Tracy Chapman- </b>Son of a Preacher Man<br />
<b><br />
Hot Tuna</b>- Hesitation Blues<br />
<br />
<b>The Band- </b>The Shape I'm In<br />
<br />
<b>Jefferson Starship</b>- Hyperdrive<br />
<br />
<b>Ten Years After-</b> If You Should Love Me<br />
<b><br />
Rare Earth-</b> Satisfaction Guaranteed<br />
<br />
<b>Garbage-</b> Temptation Waits<br />
<br />
<b>Elu-</b> Coventry Carol<br />
<br />
<b>Lou Reed- </b>Don't Talk To Me About Work<br />
<br />
<b>Bob Dylan-</b> One More Cup of Coffee<br />
<br />
<b>Jennings-</b> Doorway<br />
<br />
<b>Nijole Sparkis-</b> Everything<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Astronauts of Antiquity</b>- Beautiful Fate<br />
<br />
<b>The Service Industry-</b> Seaworld<br />
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<b>Gong-</b> Tropical Fish<br />
<br />
<b>The Geraldine Fibbers</b>- Dusted<br />
<br />
<b>Guiltless Cult-</b> What Do I have To Say?<br />
<b><br />
Green Man-</b> I Am Stretched On Your Grave<br />
<br />
<b>Traffic</b>- Love<br />
<b><br />
Joan as Policewoman</b>- The Ride<br />
<br />
<b>Fleetwood Mac</b>- Believe Me<br />
<br />
<b>The Kinks</b>- Life Goes On<br />
<br />
<b>Carpenters-</b> Top of the World<br />
<b><br />
Leo Kottke-</b> Ice CreamAllanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00419026498128315319noreply@blogger.com2