People say you can see the future by staring into the horizon.* There's that thin slice of life between the heavens and the earth, where anything is possible.
Last night, as the sun was setting on a beautiful spring afternoon, I walked to the edge of Manhattan and looked across the water into the horizon. For a second, I think I saw the future. It looked a lot like New Jersey.
*Note: I don't actually know anyone who says this.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
PMDD? RLS? Are these diseases?
What are drug companies doing these days?
Since they can't cure important diseases (you know, like Cancer), they are making up diseases to cure. Seriously, Restless Leg Syndrome? It's nervous energy. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? The commercial for YAZ sounds like a joke. Within a four-week cycle, women now have to deal with one week of PMS and one week of PMDD, so they only have two "normal" weeks per month.
The world also has a big pharma company trying to re-sell a drug, Celebrex, that is so safe that it has never been removed from the market, unlike its competition (Vioxx, for example).
I don't know about you, but I, for one, am quite thankful that we have Big Pharma looking out for use. I can't wait until they cure my GDTKFIOSH disorder.
(that's Genetic Desire To Knock Fists Instead Of Shake Hands, for you non-doctors out there.)
Since they can't cure important diseases (you know, like Cancer), they are making up diseases to cure. Seriously, Restless Leg Syndrome? It's nervous energy. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? The commercial for YAZ sounds like a joke. Within a four-week cycle, women now have to deal with one week of PMS and one week of PMDD, so they only have two "normal" weeks per month.
The world also has a big pharma company trying to re-sell a drug, Celebrex, that is so safe that it has never been removed from the market, unlike its competition (Vioxx, for example).
I don't know about you, but I, for one, am quite thankful that we have Big Pharma looking out for use. I can't wait until they cure my GDTKFIOSH disorder.
(that's Genetic Desire To Knock Fists Instead Of Shake Hands, for you non-doctors out there.)
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Country Music Jumped the Shark
I just saw a commercial for the CMT Music Awards, "country's only fan-voted award show." The commercial was a blur of bare midriffs, crowd surfing and some Shakira-esque chest pumping. With Carrie Underwood's American Idol pedigree and the frosted tips of Rascal Flatts, this looks exactly like a Ryan Seacrest fan club meeting. The show also has tabloid favorite Keith Urban, who is only interesting because of who he married. I'm sure that in old-school country tradition, his music will be a lot better after he falls off the wagon and loses Nicole Kidman. There's also a band called Sugarland, which looks like a Nashville version of the Pussycat Dolls.
Seriously, this is country music now? Fan-selected country music? Who are these fans? My sister-in-law listens to some country, but I don't think she's a big fan of Sugarland.
Martina McBride is there, and I guess she's a little country. Toby Keith may be sort of country too, but the verdict is still out on that one. His next album might sound like a drunk James Blunt album. Hank Williams III is playing, but I'm sure ol' Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr. wouldn't be caught dead in this crowd. What happened to the country of Johnny and Willie, or even Reba or Patsy Cline? Where's the bad boy image of David Allen Coe? Where's Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, or (even) Garth? When did country become pop?
Plus, Bon Jovi is scheduled to appear -- I'm not sure if this represents more evidence of Country's shark jumping, or if it is just a sad state of affairs for Bon Jovi and the boys.
Seriously, this is country music now? Fan-selected country music? Who are these fans? My sister-in-law listens to some country, but I don't think she's a big fan of Sugarland.
Martina McBride is there, and I guess she's a little country. Toby Keith may be sort of country too, but the verdict is still out on that one. His next album might sound like a drunk James Blunt album. Hank Williams III is playing, but I'm sure ol' Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr. wouldn't be caught dead in this crowd. What happened to the country of Johnny and Willie, or even Reba or Patsy Cline? Where's the bad boy image of David Allen Coe? Where's Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, or (even) Garth? When did country become pop?
Plus, Bon Jovi is scheduled to appear -- I'm not sure if this represents more evidence of Country's shark jumping, or if it is just a sad state of affairs for Bon Jovi and the boys.
Monday, April 09, 2007
What's a CD?
Apple just announced that it has sold 100 million iPods since 2001, and the company currently controls about 75% of the portable MP3 player market.
Just this weekend, while I was moving, I hooked up the stereo and iPod first, before moving anything else into the apartment. As my wife and I cleaned, unpacked and organized, we were greated by a great stream of music, sorted by playlist, artist or genre (we did listen to a few channels on Sirius for a few hours, but we prefered the comforting selection of our own music). On Sunday, we moved over the last load, which included about 400 CDs in two huge nylon books) from the old aparment. The CDs came from one closet and went straight into another.
I realized that I can't even imagine using CDs anymore. It would have been annoying to get up and change CDs every 45 minutes this weekend. Even if we fully loaded the five-disc changer, we wouldn't have had the same variety in music. What I once thought of as a convenience--a multi-disc changer and the portability of CDs--I know view as a hassle. Apparently, others do too: this weekend, I saw a guy at a flea market selling his entire CD collection, all without cases and straight from his CD book. I bet he ripped everything into a hard drive and is getting rid of the original copies, which is something that I should consider.
Anyway, since this was a long boring post about something (digital music) that has already been beaten to death, here's what I was listening to this weekend.
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Somehow, I like this record more than the last one, which is tough to believe.
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Again, I'm surprised that I like this more than Good News for People Who Love Bad News.
The Rakes, El-P, Bright Eyes (I'm excited about the new album), LCD Soundsystem, OK Go, a little bit of Led Zeppelin, the Faces, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Bob Dylan (gotta have some classic rock while moving), the Raconteurs, Tokyo Police Club, Cold War Kids.
There's a lot of good music out there. Now I just have to get to more concerts. I missed the Cold War Kids for the second time this year, AND they were playing with Tokyo Police Club. Somehow, I'll figure out how to snag tickets in this fiercely competitive market (it seems like everything sells out in minutes).
PS - Does anyone know how to upload MP3s to Blogger?
Just this weekend, while I was moving, I hooked up the stereo and iPod first, before moving anything else into the apartment. As my wife and I cleaned, unpacked and organized, we were greated by a great stream of music, sorted by playlist, artist or genre (we did listen to a few channels on Sirius for a few hours, but we prefered the comforting selection of our own music). On Sunday, we moved over the last load, which included about 400 CDs in two huge nylon books) from the old aparment. The CDs came from one closet and went straight into another.
I realized that I can't even imagine using CDs anymore. It would have been annoying to get up and change CDs every 45 minutes this weekend. Even if we fully loaded the five-disc changer, we wouldn't have had the same variety in music. What I once thought of as a convenience--a multi-disc changer and the portability of CDs--I know view as a hassle. Apparently, others do too: this weekend, I saw a guy at a flea market selling his entire CD collection, all without cases and straight from his CD book. I bet he ripped everything into a hard drive and is getting rid of the original copies, which is something that I should consider.
Anyway, since this was a long boring post about something (digital music) that has already been beaten to death, here's what I was listening to this weekend.
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Somehow, I like this record more than the last one, which is tough to believe.
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Again, I'm surprised that I like this more than Good News for People Who Love Bad News.
The Rakes, El-P, Bright Eyes (I'm excited about the new album), LCD Soundsystem, OK Go, a little bit of Led Zeppelin, the Faces, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Bob Dylan (gotta have some classic rock while moving), the Raconteurs, Tokyo Police Club, Cold War Kids.
There's a lot of good music out there. Now I just have to get to more concerts. I missed the Cold War Kids for the second time this year, AND they were playing with Tokyo Police Club. Somehow, I'll figure out how to snag tickets in this fiercely competitive market (it seems like everything sells out in minutes).
PS - Does anyone know how to upload MP3s to Blogger?
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The competition heats up
My wife wants it again. She's got her eye on the prize. Yes, she wants to become a repeat winner of the coveted "Wife of the Year" award.
Last year, she jumped out to an early lead with the sexiest Valentines Day gift ever: a 42-inch plasma TV. She continued to hang on to her lead throughout the summer by watching an insane amount of World Cup soccer with me, even going to bars at 10 in the morning.
It seems like she is trying to duplicate her strategy this year, though she started a little earlier in the year. For my birthday, she hooked me up with a sweet snowboarding trip to Vermont. For Valentines Day, I got some nice snowboard pants to replace my 1996 Bamboo Curtain pants.
She's definitely starting her mid-year push earlier this year too. Last night she came home with a pretty sweet surprise: tickets to the Arcade Fire show on May 8th.
Yup, she's my wife. And I'm lucky.
Last year, she jumped out to an early lead with the sexiest Valentines Day gift ever: a 42-inch plasma TV. She continued to hang on to her lead throughout the summer by watching an insane amount of World Cup soccer with me, even going to bars at 10 in the morning.
It seems like she is trying to duplicate her strategy this year, though she started a little earlier in the year. For my birthday, she hooked me up with a sweet snowboarding trip to Vermont. For Valentines Day, I got some nice snowboard pants to replace my 1996 Bamboo Curtain pants.
She's definitely starting her mid-year push earlier this year too. Last night she came home with a pretty sweet surprise: tickets to the Arcade Fire show on May 8th.
Yup, she's my wife. And I'm lucky.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Bad Movies I Always Watch
Four bad movies I always stop and watch on TV:
1. Back to the Future 3
2. The Replacements
3. Drumline
4. Vegas Vacation (This may not qualify as "bad" but it's certainly no Citizen Kane)
1. Back to the Future 3
2. The Replacements
3. Drumline
4. Vegas Vacation (This may not qualify as "bad" but it's certainly no Citizen Kane)
Sunday, April 01, 2007
New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down
Actually, that's not quite true, but it's the title of a great new song by LCD Soundsystem (I couldn't figure out how to post the MP3, so if anyone knows, hook a brother up). Go over to the Hype Machine and see if you can grab it.
Truthfully, I love it here. After 10 months in our apartment, we are moving a few blocks away --- and saving $1000 per month. Sure, we may have to put up with a little more noise, but the apartment might actually be laid out better. I guess that's what you get for moving from an 1850s building to one that was built last century (early, but at least pre-war means pre-WWI, not pre-Civil War). Also, the wife and I may be able to sit on the same couch and watch TV.
Tonight I had one of those uniquely New York (say it, "unique New York") moments that I get here occasionally. When I'm walking around, especially with my iPod on, I feel like I'm in a movie or something. As I walked home from a meeting with my tax guy, it started drizzling--not enough to get me to pull out my umbrella, though. I walked down Perry St. with a box of pizza in my hand, listening to the Rolling Stones' "Streetfighting Man," as a smile appeared on my face. This is why I moved here.
Truthfully, I love it here. After 10 months in our apartment, we are moving a few blocks away --- and saving $1000 per month. Sure, we may have to put up with a little more noise, but the apartment might actually be laid out better. I guess that's what you get for moving from an 1850s building to one that was built last century (early, but at least pre-war means pre-WWI, not pre-Civil War). Also, the wife and I may be able to sit on the same couch and watch TV.
Tonight I had one of those uniquely New York (say it, "unique New York") moments that I get here occasionally. When I'm walking around, especially with my iPod on, I feel like I'm in a movie or something. As I walked home from a meeting with my tax guy, it started drizzling--not enough to get me to pull out my umbrella, though. I walked down Perry St. with a box of pizza in my hand, listening to the Rolling Stones' "Streetfighting Man," as a smile appeared on my face. This is why I moved here.
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