passionate kisses

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pragmatic me

There is a negative connotation to being opportunistic. I have certainly had troubled dealings with the sort who would attempt calculated positioning like the sad, chessboard bishop, sliding predictably here and there in the hopes of getting a leg up on the competition. I have seen it a lot from both highly competitive fields I have worked: sales and the arts.

Certainly, there's a value in bettering or challenging oneself, and of holding expectations for yourself and others to a high mark. But then there's the key phrase I have heard abused of late, in too many misguided ways: seeing the opportunity and taking it. At the extreme, this is a breeding ground for corruption and rape. Me. I think of myself as pragmatic. I am often better at making the best of a bad situation than at being the sort who would dive into the deep end of a pool they don't belong.

I work at the appropriately named $hack out on Main Street where the ghetto meets the smelly indie kids. It's an old delapidated, outmoded store built in 1974 that shows signs of age, neglect, and reeks of constant overturn. In management and on the floor this company can not hold more than a handful of people, as one peek at the addictive site glassdoor reveals.

Now I'm acting itinerant captain of this ship of fools.

It's a comedy of sorts. And not unlike Hard Core Pawn given the stranger than fiction oddballs, idiots, and eccentrics who step through the door. This aspect is the primary reason I haven't been a part of the turnover, or a transfer to the dull location three minutes from my home.

But here I am, in charge of the whole damn thing. It's a few fingers shy of a perfect fit. I don't want a career with these people. The problem is that I'm really good at it, to quote others, and my own recognition of the situation.

Ah, shucks.

(158)

what's this?

a song in a foreign language

Some might say music is the universal language.

We are born into this world, clinging like a kitty cat to the familiar rhythm of a heartbeat, letting ourselves become comforted by certain sounds and unsettled by the dissonance of others.

Though my personal collection contains upwards of 550 instrumentals, I have always been more drawn to songs with lyrics. In a manner of speaking an unfamiliar song sets out to be learned like a few new phrases of a language from a foreign land. As popular music has evolved, artists and styles from around the globe have found at least a temporary relationship with the Top Ten, as it were. Even the most middle of the road, tentative listener knows the chorus to Richie Valen's Mexican standard, "LaBamba", the melody of "Frère Jacques", that French nursery rhyme of yore, or comes to the realization that Falco's 1985 hit "Rock Me Amadeus" offers the unique opportunity to learn a bit of useless German.

When assembled onto my iTunes, my personal tastes do seem to play like a layover at an Epcot Center done right. Whether due to country of origin or influence, one can sample a little bit of everything. And for someone who has to live vicariously through Anthony Bourdain for his world traveling extravegenzas, my ears don't particularly mind the present substitute.

That said, here's a poo-poo platter of tasty morsels:

"Isla de Encanta" by The Pixies (1987)

• I know. I know. The Pixies were formed in Boston, Massachusetts. Sure the local accents have more in common with drunken and disorderly lazy speech difficulties and non-lager drinkers might feel out of place, but Pixie head honcho Black Francis (Frank Black) is highly inspired by Latin culture. That's the first type of song in a foreign language: non-native speaker variation. I first encountered this brief ditty about the Island of Enchantment during Jonathan Demme's bright and shiny comedy "Married to the Mob".

 "Concrete Jungle" by CéU (2005)

• Brazilian singer CéU's sensual rendition of Bob Marley's underrated classic represents another variation on this theme: foreign artists performing in English.

"Létt Ma" by Youssou N'Dour (2007)

• Thanks in no small part to Paul Simon's "Graceland" record, musical tones from regions of Africa gained worldwide appeal and recognition. A few years afterward, Peter Gabriel, whose music layers influences that extend the gamut, recorded the spirited and inspirational "Shaking the Tree" with Senegalese legend Youssou N'Dour. "Létt Ma" is a tune from one of his more recent efforts, which I believe spotlights the depths of his beautiful voice and deft, subtle percussian skills.

"Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam (1992)

• Eddie Veddar brings us to a fourth aspect of foreign language by delivering a famous rock radio tune in his own unique language. Rarely have I enjoyed a song so well without being sure of a single lyric.

snail's pace

Everything has its time. To everything there is a season.
~Ecclesiastes 3, (NKJV)

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child's play

(156)

time capsuled

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
~ Buddha

(155)

the searchers

“We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”
~ Samuel Smiles

(154)

break down

a song suitable for a break-up


THEY don't write 'em like that anymore.... I wailed during a spirited rendition of Greg Kihn's classic ode to breakup music at a recent night of karaoke. It's one of the more sparkling examples of sadness and dwelling put to peppy music, and a classic case of pain being masked by a rhythm you can dance to.

Cutting ties. Putting the final nail in the coffin. Burning bridges. Drowning the puppy. These are all concepts that bring us out of the cycle of insanity that is beating a dead horse into submission, leaving little more than that rope that once held a piñata whose sweet contents are but memories. When there's nothing else left to hold, music still remains. And with love, romance, and sex having such a hold over popular music, there's nary a shortage of great music for just those times. Each stage of Kübler-Ross' steps of mourning are well represented: denial, depression, bargaining, anger, and acceptance.

These are a few of my favorites:

DENIAL

• "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions (1984)

Stirring ballad from those hair metal gods of Germany, focused heavily on the impractical concept of winning back the love of his estranged.

DEPRESSION

• "The End of the World" by Skeeter Davis (1962)

Though reasonably co-dependent in its conceit, this is still a devastatingly beautiful song of love lost that has been haunting me since I was young. In turn I have often liked to believe that it was indeed inspired by the apocalyptic fears of its day.

BARGAINING

• "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by the Smiths (1984)

Of all the sneaker gazing pre-emo shite the Smiths recorded this is one of my preferred tracks. The title is nearly as long as its two minute length and Morrissey sounds as full of pleading as in their staple "How Soon is Now?" but in a third of the time.

ANGER

• "Song for the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five (1997)

There were plenty of ways I could have gone on this one, but this one is simply too much fun to dismiss.

ACCEPTANCE

• "Don't Shed a Tear" by Paul Carrick (1987)

A perfect pinnacle for the whole matter. It wraps up all five stages into one neat package.

---

Okay, that's it.

We're done.

profile pic

(153)

dead center

I am only a couple shots shy of the halfway mark of my pi-inspired 314 photo challenge. This self-prescribed effort has surprised and thoroughly inspired me. I feel a whole lot better for it.

Even though I essentially took up photography many eons ago, recieving cameras for gifts on four or five different occasions, ending up the go-to guy for impromptu shots of nearby posing strangers, as well as often left out of images by becoming family event historian, I have only truly felt like a photographer during the past couple years. Among the images stacked, sorted, and saved that came before are certainly a multitude of gems that make me proud. However, many of the images I have shared here and those that round out these sets, I feel I can identify as some of the best I've ever captured.

(152)

distant glances

(151)

sweetness follows

Live your life with joy and wonder . . .
~ R.E.M. (1992)

 (150)

welcome, everyone!

(149)

crossed roads

Every day should be a journey.

(148)

wash away

Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.
~ Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

(147)

whatcha want?!

(146)

the new

(145)

naturally bound

(144)

tide pool

(143)

uphill climb.

Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly. ~Mae West

(142)

karaoke rules

A karaoke buddy of mine passed this list along to me. My thoughts follow:

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF KARAOKE

• Thou shall not jeer, heckle, boo, harass or otherwise interrupt a singer. Be supportive.

I have been a karaoke regular for several years and had never actually seen this happen until last weekend when this one putz decided that making frat boy seal calls was the missing ingredient during every song for a full set. For the longest while I thought it was just one of those activities that only happened in movie reality, given the fact that karaoke still has not seen a good portrayal from Hollywood, but I suppose every three years isn't a bad record.

• Thou shall not drink to the point of intoxication if you are planning to perform.

This is true. I maintain a record of every single song I have performed at karaoke. I can practically write lists when I am asleep. There are songs I have on my list that I simply don't remember getting up for, because I was so ridiculously wasted. I'm sure it was subpar, at best.  

• Thou shall not whine about when your next turn is.

I'm friends with the karaoke DJ at my favorite local dig, so this rule becomes null and void. This is true too of certain other regulars. It is interesting to watch how often others put in songs and leave, though. Perhaps they were abducted but more than likely they got tired of waiting.

• Thou shall not be upset if another performer sings a song you were planning to sing.

I have worked to expand my repertoire to the point that no one ever performs one of my intended tunes. The closest I have come to this was an appearance by one of my tentative tunes during the gap fill time between singers.

• Thou shall not use foul language when at the microphone.

Initially I was thinking about the last time I sang Nine Inch Nails "Closer", but I realize this rule is for those guys (and it's always guys) who decide to add bitches to the end of perfectly fine instrumental moments or decide that fuck will add flow to the lyrics in a place intended for nearly any other word. It's this third grade - my third grade, anyway - mentality that gives karaoke a bad reputation.

• Thou shall not juggle, toss or flip the microphones. Respect the equipment.

Again. This is guys. I have seen this a few times. A microphone quickly becomes a penis. We get it. It's bad enough that people with colds choose to go sing backup on "Baby Got Back". Keep the mics away from your crotch. That said, every karaoke night I go to has a cordless mic. Getting stuck with a corded mic might inspire a quick Pete Townsend swing, just for good measure. Oh, and hypocracy.

• Thou shall not sing along louder than the performer. Respect the singer.

I don't agree with this one. Some people really destroy good memories of very fine songs. They need the assistance. And it goes without saying that people who do the same song every week are to lose respect, five percent at a time.

• Thou shall not join in with a singer unless you are invited.

I know the intention here is to focus on singing along, but you might be surprised to discover that there are karaoke groupies lurking about. They know no boundaries, tend to grind, and often reek of one of the scents from the Britney line.

• Thou shall not carry on loud conversations next to the stage.

I'm not certain what pub the folks who put this list together frequents, but where I go I'll be lucky if I can hear my own conversations, much less need to worry about interrupting the singer. That said, I get involved in the night, as do my fellow karaoke crew. If we're talking, it's often about the goings on of the current singer. It's Mystery Science Theatre's karaoke edition.

• Thou shall applaud! Everyone who performs deserves some attention.

I have grown to really enjoy the audience reaction. You can sense a lot about the vibe of the night by what they respond to.

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home movies

This is what a customer was looking to create from parts in our store the other week.

So they say.

(140)

self control

a song that boosts your confidence/self-esteem

I have always been a sucker for a well presented musical montage or otherwise highly evocative and memorable usage of a song in a movie or TV series. When I think of a song that boosts one's self esteem, I am drawn back to Ally McBeal, that clever late 90s show about sex, romance, and upping the ante on suggesting weird legal cases. There's one particular episode that finds our lead waif in counseling being told to find a theme song. It's the impetus for one of the more recognizable musical moments in the show. Ally's best bud, John Cage, stands alone in the uni-sex bathroom, gazing deeply into the mirror, uncomfortable and twitchy at the sight of his own reflection. But then the first couple tones of his song vibrate through his mind. His demeanor starts to change, his confidence starts to grow, and his esteem becomes erect.

We all have our triggers. We have those songs we can't help but dance to, regardless if we hear them in a club or at the Dollar General. I think of the music that makes me feel like that. The music that fuels my fire. There's always been power in singing to me. For years, I kept that love to myself, but over the past couple I have allowed myself to share it. I say locked underneath that release, that openness you can feel from singing in the shower or behind the wheel is the key to feeling more spirited, more potent, and more alive!

If Rocky had his "Gonna Fly Now" Jennifer Beals had "What a Feeling" and those scamps from The Lion King had the "Lion Sleeps Tonight", I wonder what my song might be. What song has me walking on sunshine, so to speak?

My first instinct is to go with "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder, since it encompasses that whole feeling to me. Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand. It's got a terrific, jazzy hook, and a perfect shuffling beat suitable even for dancing in the middle of the kitchen. It makes me feel wonderful! But so does Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life", inspite of the dingy connotations suggested by some of the lyrics. The spirit of it is palpable, which would explain why so many corporate entities have helped sell it out to the masses. But then there's the most honestly happy song of the past fifteen years: "You Get What You Give" by the New Radicals. Dropping it on your music playlist is one of the surest ways to turn around a rough day, in my mind. MGMT's "Kids" inspires me in similar fashion. It's the song that makes me almost understand the tendancy of crowds to dance straight up and down at concerts. It feels like that. Fun with zero gravity.

Confidence. It's more than simply positive thinking, standing up straight, and walking stronger through the world. It's also leaning in and telling your secrets to someone. Speaking in confidence! Sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves to be who we really are. Be honest with your identity and form the world around you and not trim, trim, and trim yourself to fit the limited world your low confidence, low esteem, and tiny sense of self has granted you. These things happen and they happen quite often. It's a big fight for us all. Turn up the volume and don't let anyone break your stride.

soft serve

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look around

(138)

pleasure pools

(137)

broken wings

You got to learn to fly, learn to live and love so free

mission: A.M.

(135)

silent hush.

This brief hiatus will cease shortly.

Thanks for dropping by.