Illustration Friday: Tea February 27, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Illustration Friday, Uncategorized.7 comments
Perhaps you can garnish from this illo that I’ve never been a big tea drinker…
Five for Friday: Recent Movies February 24, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Lists, Movies, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Ok, so my buddy Tim and I were having coffee at the local Cosi this morning and the conversation turned to movies. Now, having been a film major in college this is a topic that I don’t mind discussing at all. Specifically we were talking about our favorite movies over the past year or so. I decided to turn this into a Five for Friday:
-“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” Emotional pain is not necessarily something that you want to rid yourself of – it is part of who we are. This one stayed in my mind for months afterward.
-“Lost in Translation” From what I can tell this is a love-it-or-hate-it film and the ‘love-its’ are in the minority – heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time and Bill Murray is brilliant. When it was over I immediately watched it again.
-“Garden State” Natalie Portman is oddly spectacular and the oddball story is beautiful – great soundtrack, too! Another immediate repeat.
-“Crash” Almost painful to watch, as there is some of all of the characters in each one of us. Wonderful acting by the entire ensemble.
-“Capote” Being a fan of Truman Capote (if you haven’t read “Other Voices Other Rooms” do yourself a favor) I might be a bit biased, but for Philip Seymour Hoffman to nail this as he did is definitely Oscar-worthy (and as an aside, after I saw him in “Magnolia” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” I predicted he’s one day win a little gold bald guy…he owned those films!!)
There, now you have something to do this weekend.
Taylor Hicks is da man February 23, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Music, Uncategorized.3 comments
I’m a big American Idol fan and have been for a few years. In that time I’ve seen some singers that I really liked, but this year, this guy is (and I apologize in advance for the age-inappropriate homage to Randy Jackson) DA BOMB!
Maybe it’s my grey hair (although not as much as he has…) and my love of old soul blues music, but Taylor Hicks is the most captivating performer I’ve ever seen on AI.
Illustration Friday – Song February 21, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Illustration Friday, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Since this week’s Illustration Friday theme is ’song’ who better than the King to illustrate!
Want the down low on Illustration Friday? If so, go to www.illustrationfriday.com
Please.make.it.stop! February 20, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Funny, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Enough already. Today’s temperature has started in the single digits. Yesterday was in the single digits. So was Saturday. Too…damn…cold…
Now, most people would say, “You live in New England – you have to be used to it!” and that is true – to a degree. I am not ‘from’ here. I grew up on the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line, and although it was cold there during the winter, the winter didn’t last as long as it does here. While we just had a blizzard here last week, where I grew up spring baseball practice is about to begin.
I can usually deal with the cold pretty well – and actually will utilize an inner dialogue to secretly mock neighbors who have to suit up in parka, hat and gloves to navigate the 60 foot walk to the curb to get the newspaper – but today I had to do it. First time ever. I put on coat and gloves to get the paper.
But I didn’t wear a hat.
illustration friday – simple February 17, 2006
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Napoleon Valentine February 16, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Family, Funny, Kids, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
On Valentine’s Day I picked up Jibbo from his after school program – which is where he goes after he gets out of his regular kindergarten class. As always, he was very jacked up over something or another. That day is was how much loot he scored:
“Dad!?”
“What?”
“Dad, when we get home you have to look in my backpack!”
“Why?”
“Because, you have to!”
“Why do I ‘have to’?”
“Because, I got two schools worth of candy!”
I’m pretty sure he almost did better on Valentine’s Day than he did on Halloween, but I digress. The conversation continued:
“Who gave you all of the candy?”
“Everyone, who do you think? Gosh!”
“Everyone in you class gave you candy?”
“Heck yes!”
“Did you get kisses from any of the girls?”
“Heck no!!”
I really like it when he channels Napoleon Dynamite.
Five for Friday – All time best slow songs February 10, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Lists, Music, Uncategorized.6 comments
Best all time slow dancing songs (at least from what I can remember…)
-“Still” by the Commodores
-“Truly” by Lionel Richie
(You could actually fill out this five and 3 others with just Commodores and Lionel Ritchie songs)
-“Always and Forever” by Heatwave
-“Waiting for a Girl Like You” by Foreigner
-“I Can’t Tell You Why” by the Eagles
Bonus Track:
-“Lady” by Kenny Rogers
Black Eyed Peas need a wake up call February 9, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Funny, Music, Uncategorized.3 comments
A few random thoughts on last night’s Grammy Awards. However, before I comment I have to make the following disclaimers: I am a bit past the age where most of the artists featured in the telecast give a crap what I have to say, and usually if I want to see this many self-serving no-talent camera whores I can watch “Survivor” and “Real World” and “Big Brother” retrospectives, and I mainly watched the broadcast in picture-in-picture because, let’s face it, “American Idol”, “Lost”, and “Invasion” are far better uses of viewing time than Madonna and the Gorillaz.
Anyhow, here we go:
-I remember a time when Mariah Carey had no breasts.
-I would relish a world where Bono was a mute. Stop bitching about the rest of the world and go home and fix your own dysfunctional country, you ass. Also, I don’t recall the vote that elected him the new Gandhi (or the new bob Geldof for that matter).
-I am in the vast minority, but I don’t think U2 is very good at all. Never were, aren’t now, never will be.
-How do the Rolling Stones, whose “Bigger Bang” album is arguably the best album since Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, not win for best Rock Album?
-Sly is not the dude he used to be, but it was nice to see him after all these years.
-I like the Black Eyed Peas as much as any middle aged guy who got tired of “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” after the three hundredth time I heard it on the radio (I really wish I could get more than one radio station in my office…) but they really don’t get it. You don’t make your presentation – in their case for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance like they did:
“For ‘Ordinary People’ MY MAN, you are awesome and so talented and you and me working together is the bomb, MY MAN, you are so wonderful and talented, John Legend!!!
And the great actor and great singer and MY MAN, you are the best and you can sing even though you’re an actor and comedian but you are MY MAN for real, Jamie Foxx!!!
Oh, my, my, my, how can I express how great you are MY MAN? For ‘Let Me Love You’, Mario, you truly are MY MAN!! So young and so talented!!
And oh so talented, so smooth and cool and you really are MY MAN!! Usher for ‘Superstar’!! Usher you are like my brother, MY MAN!!
..
…
(wait for it…)
…..
……
And, oh yeah, for “So What The Fuss” Stevie Wonder.”
And somewhere in there, before the minimal and lackluster acknowledgement of one of the greatest performers and musicians in the history of America, was a reference to one of the Peas being Mexican.
To the Peas: you really have to know the past before you can move into the future. Might I suggest a trip to the music section of Barnes & Noble and then head straight for the “W” section you sanctimonious pinheads?
Did Speed Racer drive a bus? February 7, 2006
Posted by hallelujahhatrack in Funny, Kids, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
When the school bus came to pick up the boys – and the neighbor kids, of course – yesterday I noticed that the regular bus driver was sitting in the front seat and a new person was driving. Last night I asked Max why the usual driver was not driving and someone else was (I didn’t think that this was a situation like the one when Speed Racer went blind and Racer X couldn’t use his legs – or vice versa? – and they had to team up to drive the Mach 5, but who knows…)
Anyway, the following conversation came of this:
Me: Max, I saw Ray in the front passenger seat of the bus, why was another guy driving?
Max: Sometimes Ray has to teach new people who want to be bus drivers.
Me: Oh, really? That’s cool.
Max: Yeah, it’s his job to teach them where all the bus stops are, and it’s our job to show them how loud it’s going to be.
At least everyone has their part.
