The World Spins
It's so difficult for me to believe that it's almost March, 2009, and that my little brother is about to turn 30. I better stop talking about what I'm going to do when I'm old and retired, because that day is going to come before I know it! It's time to live in the present.
And what a time the present is. Crazy days lately, I spent the entire last week without my significant other, who was off visiting old friends and fighting Prop 8 on a whirlwind trip that included stops in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle. He left me on Valentine's day, but we had a nice celebration the night before and the afternoon before he left.
I thought having a week by myself would be a peaceful, relaxing experience full of plenty of free time with which to work on projects, but of course in reality it was just business as usual with me rushing around to this bar and that club, getting ready for my band's night at The Palms on Saturday, as well as cooking and cleaning. Just the things I usually do, really.
I have been going out a little more than usual because I've been having more fun than usual. Plus since Dylan was gone, I really had no one to tell me not to go out, or to go to bed at a decent hour, so I just went willy-nilly.
The week's soundtrack was provided by several CD's I purchased lately, three brand new ones that I have been really excited about, and one golden oldie (The Best of the Animals). The new ones were Kylie Minogue's "Boombox" which is an album of remixes, and two brand new albums that are just really amazing, Franz Ferdinand's "Tonight" and Lily Allen's "It's Not Me, It's You" both of which I had been anticipating for awhile. It's Franz Ferdinand's third album and Lily's second, and the quality and originality of both works, plus the significant amount of attention they have been receiving, is so reassuring to me in this day and age when it feels like the record industry is literally disintegrating before my eyes. I remember in 5th grade when I told the school counselor that I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up, and she asked me what I would do if there was no such thing as rock stars by the time I grew up. The thought almost horrified me if I hadn't found it so damn funny at the time. However, 20 years later and it looks like the days of musicians selling records is coming to an end. These days, it seems the American public just prefers to illegally download songs that have been cobbled together by some producer in a studio using the latest YouTube personality, sex-tape star, or whatever other random celebrity who is famous for doing nothing, or at least doing nothing particularly well. CD's may be on the way out, but at least there is a glimmer of hope that talented musicians will still be able to find not only work, but fans, fame and fortune as well.
Speaking of musicians, my band Shitting Glitter had a premiere night of our new club, Hot Pursuit, on Saturday at the Palms in West Hollywood. Of course I would always like things to be bigger and better, but I was happy with the way it worked out. I put a lot of work into it, but kept thinking I could have done more. I started the night as a DJ, then ran sound for the Ukulady and Alaska Thunderfuck, and finally it was time for Shitting Glitter to perform. It was me, Amy and Alejandra on state, along with two dancers, Alaska and Prudence. I set up the PA and used our bass amp this time, which we haven't used in ages, which yielded a much fuller, thicker sound which went great with the live drums. We played several songs, just decided what to play next as we went along. It was a really good show, but I'm looking forward to next month and hoping to do more work promoting the night, decorating the venue, and editing some video to play on the big screen (I just played the movie THX 1138 for background visuals this time.)
Sunday was the Oscars and I baked a 'party size' Green Bean Casserole out of my vintage Campbell's Soup Cookbook. I love using old cookbooks, especially really kitschy old ones with funky pictures and illustrations. The Campbell's Soup one is one of my favorite, because the recipes are all simple comfort food dishes; the only bad part is that in the 50 or so years since the book was published, the vast majority of the soup flavors have been discontinued. It's amazing how many different varieties of condensed soup used to be on the market. Which brings me to another thing that irks me, the grocery store that I used to always shop at, and now avoid like the plague (because the chain supported Prop 8 and because they flaked out on a donation they promised me for the Boys and Girls Club Thanksgiving event I helped out with) has decided to streamline their stock and have pared down many of the brands and varieties of products that they used to carry. I love shopping at this other store, Fresh and Easy, mainly for the reason that they have a limited supply and it's easy to find what you need without having to chose between a myriad of similar products. However when I go to the SUPERmarket, I expect to have some choices. Like I said, I avoid this particular market at all costs, but it is a block from my work and sometimes I can't avoid it. I went there a couple weeks ago to buy lemon gelatin mix (among other things) and not only did they not have Lemon, but they ONLY have Jello brand now, now house brand or other cheaper option, and they only have the bigger box size. What is this world coming to? Anyway, the Oscars were great fun as there was one movie that I was REALLY rooting for again this year, which was of course Milk - nominated in many categories including best actor, screenplay, and picture. I was so ticked off a couple years ago when the Academy snubbed Brokeback Mountain and named Crash best picture, but I had a feeling the same thing was going to happen this year with Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen that movie, and definitely won't be now that it beat Milk for best picture but it just goes to show that a safe movie that straight people can relate to will always beat a gay-themed movie. I was thrilled however with Dustin Lance Black's win for best Screenplay, and Sean Penn's best Actor win, and their speeches were truly moving and inspiring and by far the best part of the evening for me and most the people I was watching with. I truly hope some people may have heard what they had to say and looked deep within themselves.
On a related note, I found it horrendous that the country of India seemed to be so happy with the fact that Slumdog swept the Oscars, yet apparently on television broadcasts in India, all references to Milk had been censored and cut out. Just despicable and disgusting. You can't just pick and chose what you want out of something - OH WAIT of course you can, that's what most "Christ"ians do with the Bible! Nevertheless, disgusting!
Let's see, is there anything else I want to rant about? I could always go on a tear about organized religion, republicans (what is UP with that Alan Keyes guy? Talk about going off your meds!), or Prop 8 (the Supreme Court will begin hearings on March 5th in what will hopefully result in them overturning the horrible mistake) but I don't think I want to. I'll just leave you with thought of happiness and peace, hope for a better tomorrow, and trust in our President.
And what a time the present is. Crazy days lately, I spent the entire last week without my significant other, who was off visiting old friends and fighting Prop 8 on a whirlwind trip that included stops in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle. He left me on Valentine's day, but we had a nice celebration the night before and the afternoon before he left.
I thought having a week by myself would be a peaceful, relaxing experience full of plenty of free time with which to work on projects, but of course in reality it was just business as usual with me rushing around to this bar and that club, getting ready for my band's night at The Palms on Saturday, as well as cooking and cleaning. Just the things I usually do, really.
I have been going out a little more than usual because I've been having more fun than usual. Plus since Dylan was gone, I really had no one to tell me not to go out, or to go to bed at a decent hour, so I just went willy-nilly.
The week's soundtrack was provided by several CD's I purchased lately, three brand new ones that I have been really excited about, and one golden oldie (The Best of the Animals). The new ones were Kylie Minogue's "Boombox" which is an album of remixes, and two brand new albums that are just really amazing, Franz Ferdinand's "Tonight" and Lily Allen's "It's Not Me, It's You" both of which I had been anticipating for awhile. It's Franz Ferdinand's third album and Lily's second, and the quality and originality of both works, plus the significant amount of attention they have been receiving, is so reassuring to me in this day and age when it feels like the record industry is literally disintegrating before my eyes. I remember in 5th grade when I told the school counselor that I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up, and she asked me what I would do if there was no such thing as rock stars by the time I grew up. The thought almost horrified me if I hadn't found it so damn funny at the time. However, 20 years later and it looks like the days of musicians selling records is coming to an end. These days, it seems the American public just prefers to illegally download songs that have been cobbled together by some producer in a studio using the latest YouTube personality, sex-tape star, or whatever other random celebrity who is famous for doing nothing, or at least doing nothing particularly well. CD's may be on the way out, but at least there is a glimmer of hope that talented musicians will still be able to find not only work, but fans, fame and fortune as well.
Speaking of musicians, my band Shitting Glitter had a premiere night of our new club, Hot Pursuit, on Saturday at the Palms in West Hollywood. Of course I would always like things to be bigger and better, but I was happy with the way it worked out. I put a lot of work into it, but kept thinking I could have done more. I started the night as a DJ, then ran sound for the Ukulady and Alaska Thunderfuck, and finally it was time for Shitting Glitter to perform. It was me, Amy and Alejandra on state, along with two dancers, Alaska and Prudence. I set up the PA and used our bass amp this time, which we haven't used in ages, which yielded a much fuller, thicker sound which went great with the live drums. We played several songs, just decided what to play next as we went along. It was a really good show, but I'm looking forward to next month and hoping to do more work promoting the night, decorating the venue, and editing some video to play on the big screen (I just played the movie THX 1138 for background visuals this time.)
Sunday was the Oscars and I baked a 'party size' Green Bean Casserole out of my vintage Campbell's Soup Cookbook. I love using old cookbooks, especially really kitschy old ones with funky pictures and illustrations. The Campbell's Soup one is one of my favorite, because the recipes are all simple comfort food dishes; the only bad part is that in the 50 or so years since the book was published, the vast majority of the soup flavors have been discontinued. It's amazing how many different varieties of condensed soup used to be on the market. Which brings me to another thing that irks me, the grocery store that I used to always shop at, and now avoid like the plague (because the chain supported Prop 8 and because they flaked out on a donation they promised me for the Boys and Girls Club Thanksgiving event I helped out with) has decided to streamline their stock and have pared down many of the brands and varieties of products that they used to carry. I love shopping at this other store, Fresh and Easy, mainly for the reason that they have a limited supply and it's easy to find what you need without having to chose between a myriad of similar products. However when I go to the SUPERmarket, I expect to have some choices. Like I said, I avoid this particular market at all costs, but it is a block from my work and sometimes I can't avoid it. I went there a couple weeks ago to buy lemon gelatin mix (among other things) and not only did they not have Lemon, but they ONLY have Jello brand now, now house brand or other cheaper option, and they only have the bigger box size. What is this world coming to? Anyway, the Oscars were great fun as there was one movie that I was REALLY rooting for again this year, which was of course Milk - nominated in many categories including best actor, screenplay, and picture. I was so ticked off a couple years ago when the Academy snubbed Brokeback Mountain and named Crash best picture, but I had a feeling the same thing was going to happen this year with Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen that movie, and definitely won't be now that it beat Milk for best picture but it just goes to show that a safe movie that straight people can relate to will always beat a gay-themed movie. I was thrilled however with Dustin Lance Black's win for best Screenplay, and Sean Penn's best Actor win, and their speeches were truly moving and inspiring and by far the best part of the evening for me and most the people I was watching with. I truly hope some people may have heard what they had to say and looked deep within themselves.
On a related note, I found it horrendous that the country of India seemed to be so happy with the fact that Slumdog swept the Oscars, yet apparently on television broadcasts in India, all references to Milk had been censored and cut out. Just despicable and disgusting. You can't just pick and chose what you want out of something - OH WAIT of course you can, that's what most "Christ"ians do with the Bible! Nevertheless, disgusting!
Let's see, is there anything else I want to rant about? I could always go on a tear about organized religion, republicans (what is UP with that Alan Keyes guy? Talk about going off your meds!), or Prop 8 (the Supreme Court will begin hearings on March 5th in what will hopefully result in them overturning the horrible mistake) but I don't think I want to. I'll just leave you with thought of happiness and peace, hope for a better tomorrow, and trust in our President.
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