Earworm / Feb '07

In the unexpectedly excellent animated film "Open Season," Elliot the deer finds a discarded coffee in the trash can. He says: "Ew. EW. EW! It's terrible and wonderful at the same time! It's like freedom in a cup!"

Terrible and wonderful at the same time. That's the phrase I would use to describe how I feel about this song (below). I know I shouldn't like it... being pretty awful and all... but for some reason every time I wake up at night or when I'm laying in bed in the morning, it's there - singing that goofy Supertramp rip-off hook until I bang my head against the wall four or five times to make it go away.

So, watch this video 2 or 3 times and tell me you don't wake up w/ it. Or, then again, maybe you shouldn't.


Gym Class Heroes: "Cupid's Chokehold"

Honesty on TV

Thanks to Renegade Buddha's post on the same topic, I spent a few minutes this morning watching this amazingly honest, transparent and compassionate clip from the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

It is a rare moment in television when a man has the guts to step off the media train and speak from his heart about injustice and vulnerability.

It's a bit lengthy and (maybe due to high traffic) seems to take a while to load, but it's definitely something to watch.

Ferguson Speaks From the Heart (YouTube)

Waltz for Venus

Friday night I went to the Waltz for Venus show in Lafayette. WFV includes 2 of my old high school friends and has become the single best local band around.

Anyway, I just want you to swing by their Myspace page and listen to the tracks from their new, yet-to-be-released EP. All kidding aside, I think "Suspicion Will Destroy Us" could rule Pop/Rock radio if anyone ever picks it up.

And, just for good measure, here's a silly pic from Friday night of myself (doing the Zoolander face) and Jay - their lead singer - and a box of Nerds.

Pronoia

I've struggled with deciding whether or not to make this a public recommendation**.

I've been blessed to start a new adventurous outlook on life - all summed up in a crazy, amazing book called "Pronoia" by Rob Brezsny.

Pronoia is the OPPOSITE of paranoia. Paranoia, of course, is thinking that the world is awful and out to get you. Pronoia is experiencing the universe as conspiring to shower you with blessings. This book is a call to see the world as good, to see evil as boring, to be a kick-ass bearer of divine love, to be a creator of beauty wherever you are.

Brezsny's huge workbook sized Pronoia is NOT a New Age-y, feel good, kittens and bubbles kind of book. This is a book you will need to take off of your coffee table when reading-age kids and conservative-types are likely to pick it up. It's raw, unashamed and even raunchy - but overflowing with truth, beauty and love. **If you (1) offend easily or have any aversion to (2) alternative expressions of spirituality or (3) ecstasy and joy, please don't bother. If, however, you're tired of doom-and-gloom news, mindless entertainment, and negative worldviews, please do yourself a favor and give Pronoia a chance.

Part of me wishes the writer would've toned things down a bit for the average reader. As one reviewer said on Amazon, "I don't always agree (or necessarily understand) every last suggestion in the book--some of it is really out there--but the more important thing is that it's all done in good spirits, and it sends you off thinking about what you can come up with on your own to make life a little bit better." Brezsny is simply trying to crack us open to see all of life - the profound and the profane - the outrageous and the ordinary - as very special, as exciting, as beautiful and electric with love.

Tommy, Jon, Andrew, Julie, Kevin(s), Darrell, Celeste... I'm calling you guys out in particular. Let me know if you get this and what you think!

Blizzard '07

Yes, that is the top of a Speed Limit sign.

...from the inside of my garage...

...the front door...

...the back yard - that is a 3-4 foot cable box sticking up in the back left...

...front of the house 1, 2 and 3...

Pink Noise Rocks It

Saturday night was our Pink Floyd tribute band's first real show. It was fantastic. I'm so honored to be playing with these people... they rock big time.

It was a lot of FUN. This is the first time in a long time that I've been in a band that wasn't really trying to "get anywhere" - i.e. advance our "careers," or sell CDs, or ...

This is just a hell of a lot of fun.

SATURDAY'S SETLIST:

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond"

"Wish You Were Here"

"Hey You"

Dark Side of the Moon:
"Speak to Me"
"Breathe"
"On the Run"
"Time"
"Great Gig in the Sky"
"Money"
"Us and Them"
"Any Colour You Like"
"Brain Damage"
"Eclipse"

"Comfortably Numb"

Maybe the Best Quote Ever

"The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, and gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire."

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

(Artwork: "The Love Embrace of the Universe" by Frida Kahlo)

Garbage = Energy

Remember in Back to the Future when they used the "Mr. Fusion" to power the DeLorean with their trash?

It turns out Purdue University (which happens to be a 7-minute drive from my home) has developed such a machine. It'll be used in the military first, then hopefully downsized (it's huge currently) and used for normal civilian usage... say, in automobiles?

Check it out... very cool!

Colts Win!

Indianapolis takes the throne! (sorry Julie!) What a fun season...
_____________________
//Sent via T-Mobile Sidekick 3//

My-Space.... really.

These are (grainy) pictures of my office at work. I'm just proud of my little room and since the church told me I could paint and decorate however I wanted, I've taken some time to really lay it out in a way that makes me want to be there. It's been set up like this for about 3 years, but I still appreciate and enjoy it.







Those were all pictures with the (blech) florescent lights on, but most of the time the candles are lit, the desk lamp is on and the music is streaming out...

Death By Black Hole

I caught this interview on TV yesterday at my lunch break and just thought it was wildly entertaining. I'm not sure if it's the subject matter, or the interaction between the two guys, or what... but it's a fascinating subject and a fun watch! (runs 6 min, 43 sec with one of the funniest comebacks Jon has ever said at the 6:22 mark)