New Year, Same Me?

The classic question as the new year arrives is "do you feel any different?" This same question follows the birth of humans, not just the anniversary of the date when we started keeping track of the years following the death of a certain fellow (also noted as Anno Domini). The classic answer is "no." Why should you? Unless some very significant event happens to coincide, you're really just a second older, so a rather arbitrary designation means little, but is celebrated. I have nothing against people heavily into their birthday or the new year, it's just not really a big deal to me. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy the way the celebrations sometimes go.

And while I've found many New Year's celebrations to be a bust, 2010 becoming 2011 is perhaps the best I have on record. No reason to redundantly reference the end of my last post of 2010, even though I just did it by making that reference, but you know what I mean. My resolution might be to call people out for not only not enjoying themselves, but rather actively sapping the fun from others. No names or anything (and not just because I forgot this girl's), but I happened to encounter an individual just last night who seemed so hell-bent on not having fun. Perhaps her version of fun is to not have fun. That seems like a contradiction of sorts but I think you follow. As usual, this is not to say I am never guilty of this gripe, but I think it is rare and has probably been quite some time since I've done so.

My goal for as long as I can remember has always been to spread mirth and make things as joyful for as many people as I can. Not everyone can sense this. Me and Pink, so Missundaztood... I was verging on detailing the events of 12/30-1/3 as they were rather absurd, but while this may be a personal blog, I don't know, it seems a little silly to chronicle it. Those strange memories and interactions can stay amongst the group that witnessed and participated. One interaction that I will cite, however, took place at a bar on a Sunday evening. This bar is known to have live band karaoke, which is one of my favorite things to participate in. Lacking the ability to sing, write songs, or play an instrument, it's the closest I will get to being in a band. One thing of which I may have a surfeit, is energy. So much so that, after singing rather energetically and continuing to get down, two patrons asked me if I had any powder, their assumption here, if you are not familiar with that lingo, that I must be on coke in order to be doing what I was doing. Don't worry mom, I can report that I have been coke-free since '83.

Long story somewhat abridged, if you're being a sourpuss in 2011, I'm liable to call you on it (except probably not). In addition, I had occasion to attend my first ever Chicago Blackhawks game recently, prompting a friend and I to speculate as to how they switch the surface from basketball court to ice rink, and back. Said friend speculated that the ice lay beneath the b-ball boards and was correct, with the following video serving as proof. It really is a fascinating vid. How that relates to being a sourpuss you ask? Look, just don't.

And it might be very 2010 (since the article was written in 2010) but this review of Keith Richards's memoir "Life" in the form of a fabricated response by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is quite awesome. I am a fan of many Stones tracks but didn't know much about the behind-the-scenes bits beyond Keith doing a lot of drugs. The article gives a pretty excellent (and, I think, even) summary of events. Whatever, read it if you want. Whatever, according to a friend, was voted the most annoying word of 2010. It has actually been voted as such two years running. Can it win out in 2011? Let's do whatever we can to keep it up there.

Seems like enough hogwash and jibber-jabber for now. Later on folks.

Where Do The Days Go

Hot shit, maybe it's the rain, and maybe it's how good this M. Ward song is, and maybe it's a little bit of both but I have been rocking out to "Poison Cup" a good dozen times in a row here. Rocking may not been the proper terminology to describe this particular track but it will work well enough. Listen to this song and tell me you don't like it. But then at least tell me why.

Two days late, I gotta give it up for Sunday as a solid sports day. Nadal winning the French Open (I have shirked my largely unfounded dislike for Federer after learning he is not a robot, but man I do like this Nadal character), the Celts evening their series with the Lakers, and the 'Hawks grabbing a 3-2 lead over the Flyers. Tonight not so much as the Lakers downed the Celts this time. I'll hope for a 'Hawks close-out tomorrow.


How is it possible for a watch to cost ~$525,000?

After long delay I dropped another short story today, and should be putting a 30-minute parody together in the next day or two. Suggestions on a daily tweet theme for July are very welcome.

Next order of business before I forget is to plug the return of Balke to the blogosphere. He's dropping fresh new concept songs pretty much once a day. They are, honestly, awesome. On the subject of songs, I must also plug Kelly McFarling and Tim Johnson's duet performance of the MGMT hit "Kids" that I thought I would have posted back in my homage to WesTech, but apparently did not. They're both supremely talented and you can catch more of Kelly's folky excellence here.

And, well, I was going to discuss that story about the chick who says she was fired from a bank for being "too sexy." I guess I am discussing it, but since I think the whole thing is more of a publicity stunt than a valid case, I didn't want to lend much credence to it. I mean, I don't doubt she was harassed, but upon listening to her interview, her intelligence and ability to perform her job is drawn into question. Also, though mentioned in at least one article, they largely gloss over the fact that her looks may have helped her get hired in the first place. Ah balls, that's more than enough for the moment. Cheers folks.