Views From the Back Row: May 2005

Monday, May 30, 2005

For the feminine side...

I have, for a long time, searched high and low for some sort of watermelon drink. Not a strawberry/watermelon/banana flavored drink. Just a watermelon drink. Snapple supposedly has one, but it hasn't found its way to Montana. And there's some company out of California who's supposed to be shipping theirs out sometime this summer. But I want something NOW! And I've found something pretty close. BacardiSilverWatermelonDetail

Bacardi Silver. Watermelon. YAY! It's not quite what I'm looking for, but this is pretty good. Yes, it's a girlie drink. But I'm secure enough in my manhood to be able to admit that I drink it, and I like it! If watermelon floats yer boat, give this stuff a try! (I've also heard that Smirnoff's has a watermelon flavored drink too, but a little sweeter. Haven't found that around here yet).

iTunes: Hush, Kula Shaker

Friday, May 27, 2005

Everybody Poops

If there was ever a reason that I would never want to watch Oprah (and I'm proud to say that I never have!), this would be it. The title of the this little slide show from her award-winning daytime talk show is called "Everybody Poops". Other than on the Discovery Channel or TLC, only Oprah could pull this off. She's the only one who would want to pull it off. Check out the link and view the horror!

iTunes: streaming radio feed Symphony No. 3, Schuman

Thursday, May 26, 2005

New Pics

I've posted some pics from the first Alive @ 5 party in downtown Helena over on my other blog. The highlight, of course, was the time spent with fellow blogger Rachel all night! Check her out--she's my newest beer buddy!

iTunes: It's Not Unusual, Tom Jones

Guidelines for "Half-Nekkid Thursday"

(Codes for the HNT buttons can be found below the guidelines.)

The Beginnings
It was suggested that I include the inspiration for "Half-Nekkid Thursday". I would agree. Originally, I credited Cathy with posting pictures for Half Naked Thursdays. I wandered through her blog, and found numerous shots of kid's tushes, bare shoulders, hubby's tummy, etc. It didn't appear to be an organized thing, but a cool idea. So I ran with it. After publicly thanking her for the idea, both she and her husband Doug informed me that the true originator of the concept was The Blue Sloth. He has a HUGE amount of pics on his site--a majority of them of his kids & family. He used to take the kids to the beach and take half naked pics of them. Voila! An idea was born! Many thanks to this unknown genius! I know that he's been made aware of the phenomenon as it now exists. I hope he takes a little pride in its conception!

The Guidelines
I offer these guidelines for "Half-Nekkid Thursday":

In that North American, Puritanical way that most of my readers think, "Nekkid", or its variations, somehow insinuates sex, or its variations. WRONG!! The purpose of "Half-Nekkid Thursday" is not to see sex acts! It is the celebration of exposure. Of your big toe. Of your breastbone. Of your knuckles. Of your uvula. Whatever. Of course, sex acts can qualify, so if you want to post those.....
"Nekkid" is not the same as nude! Again, nude qualifies, but it is not a requirement!
Pictures should be taken of you or by you. Don't be going to some internet site and downloading "Half-Nekkid" pics. And don't use Uncle Bob's pictures from Spring Break '72, either. Let's try to keep this fairly "real".
You don't necessarily have to be the subject of the picture. By the same token, if you're not, then the subject(s) should be known to you. No fair going to the beach and snapping pictures left and right. Yes, they might be "Half-Nekkid", but they don't follow the spirit of "Half-Nekkid Thursday".
While animals can be included in a "Half-Nekkid Thursday" picture, they are not the focus, therefore cannot be the subject. If an animal is all that keeps your picture "Half-Nekkid" rather than "Full-Nekkid", that's OK.
You are allowed a very limited number of cute-kids-in-the-tub type of pictures. We're interested in YOU!
Use some originality with your shots. Facial shots should be limited. Artsy body landscapes, conversely, are highly encouraged. If a partner/family member is needed to take the picture, that's OK.
Props can help you with creativity, and their use is encouraged, but not necessary.
As we get into this, you may find that you want to post more than one picture for "Half-Nekkid Thursday". I would discourage this practice unless absolutely necessary. You should hold some pictures in reserve, in case you find yourself without a new picture down the road.
While I can hardly control when you post pictures on your own blogs, let's try to keep "Half-Nekkid Thursday" special, and post "Half-Nekkid" pics only on Thursdays. If you feel the urge to post them more than once a week, I might recommend just emailing them out, rather than posting.
Tattoos are certainly an acceptable subject, regardless of location. Scars are also acceptable, but please respect the others who visit "Half-Nekkid Thursday" on a regular basis. Spread out the scar pictures over a few weeks' time, please!
Speaking of scars--If you use a picture of a scar, it must be accompanied by some sort of humorous anectdote as to how you got it. For a long, but good example, go here.
Other skin conditions might not be acceptable, due to good taste. These include, but are not limited to warts, zits, lesions, ingrown hairs, boils, open sores, peeling skin, scabies, rashes, or any other assorted gross things. I'm not saying that you can't post them. Just use your best judgement, for the sake of the rest of us.
When referring to "Half-Nekkid Thursday", please spell it correctly! Not Naked, not Neked, not Nakid. It's "Half-Nekkid Thursday".
It's very important to not be dissing other's submissions! We're all going to have half-hearted entries from time to time. None of us is better than the other. One the other hand, it's completely acceptable to heap praise upon those that deserve it!
IMPORTANT!--Remember to visit my current "HNT" post and leave a comment indicating that you've posted a picture for "Half-Nekkid Thursday". Consider my blog as the informational kiosk for "Half-Nekkid Thursday". You'll be able to see who is joining the tradition. Commenting is much easier for all concerned, rather than updating my blog each time someone posts their picture. I will try to keep the Blogroll in my sidebar updated each week.

I hope that these guidelines help all of you. Get those cameras going!

YOU, TOO, CAN DISPLAY
ONE OF THESE BUTTONS!!
A quick and easy way to send your guests to the "Guidelines" page!
And a way for you to proudly announce to the world that you get Half-Nekkid!
Simply copy and paste the corresponding code onto your template!
Need help? Email me!

"Half-Nekkid Thursday"
What the people are saying...

"Os - you are like a god in the blogger world right now!!!" - Steph
"I predict this idea will skyrocket OsBasso to superstardom..." - Bug's Butt
"...naughty, but only as naughty as one wants it to be." - Andi
"I'm in. And I'm all-nekkid as I write this." - aughra
"No longer an HNT virgin. Damn you Osbasso..." - Ali
"Gross..." - Anonymous
"You're a man's man!" - Summer
"You inspire me." - Chick
"New to HNT...decided to jump on the bandwagon..." - Mel Mega
"hnt is the shiz, my niz." - Ty (I don't know what that means...)
"Os is a str8up Internet mack daddy and shit." - Ty (???)
"...this is awesome!" - Yoj
"You know I wouldn't miss HNT." - hippigirl
"...I hope I didn't break any rules. Gulp!" - Sam
"Woo hoo! You're brilliant, Osbasso! =)" - Min
"Osbasso - Thanks for starting all of this fun..." - Chick
"Thanks for sharing in my HNT...I feel so naughty..." Nina
"HNT - the great equalizer" - aughra
"Our children and their children will one day talk about it's greatness!" - emily
"Os, you are a genius..." - yournamehere
"I've decided to do the half-nekkid Thurs too. Fun idea!" - Staci
"Osbasso: I love this!" - Min
"Just some nip, nothing exciting." - C
"Oh yeah, I'm loving the Half-Nekkid Thursday fun." - Chick
"I love HNT!" - Kayten
"Makes me wish I could see more!" - oxie
"OMG! I love the bath HNTS!!!" - emily
"How does this contest work again?" - Egan
"I blame the TxPrincess Steph." - Shumpy
"Come on...everyone's doing it...don't you want to be cool?" - Nina
"I'm excited to be on board!" - Mel Mega
"HNT is slowly taking over the world." Cindy-Lou
"yeah, one more to the hnt cult..i mean, family." - LE
"It's my second HNT...it's too much fun!!" - Binsk
"Osbasso, ever feel proud of what you started!? lol" - Leandra
"Damn, dude. This thing may really take off." - Darrel
"...I find HNT to be oodles more fun!" - Redneck Diva
"HNT is awesome!" - Corrina
"Definitely strange, but I recognize & appreciate the quality." - Moos
"I was hoping for a third nipple or something of the sort..." - Andi
"...with a little imagination we can do lots with HNT!" - Binsk
"Interesting concept Os..." - Rachel
"All of us guys who read this blog owe Os so many beers" - yournamehere
"Thought I would join the fun- could not resist : )" - Kfarmer
"...it's ok to be a perv, embrace it!!!" - Emily
"Os - this was the best idea EVER!!!!!" - Steph
"man, you have too much time on your hands" - Moosekahl
"Os Basso for president!" - Bug's Butt

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

It's Thursday!

"Half-Nekkid Thursday"
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Beers with the ever-charming Rachel!
Don't forget to comment here if you're joining in on "Half-Nekkid Thursday"!

iTunes: I Got You Babe, Sonny & Cher

Tagged

Go-go tagged me with this. Fortunately, I got tagged by a west-coast Canadian in March, so I'll just update the old stuff. The list for #4 hasn't changed any. I fully doubt that many of you will recognize many of the titles, but if you're desperate to know what they sound like, let me know and I'll get you a file.

1. Total amount of music files on your computer

531 files. All genres--classical, rock, jazz, country. No rap though!2. The last CD purchased

"Rediscovering Lost Scores, Vol. I" - Wendy (formerly Walter) Carlos. Unreleased tracks from movie soundtracks that she/he wrote for--"The Shining", "Clockwork Orange", among others.3. The last song listened to before reading this post

"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" - Wham (that's highly coincidental Ago-go!)4. 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you

"Amie" - Pure Prairie League. One of my earliest "favorite" songs. Great acoustic sound, fantastic harmonies. Also helped with my relationships that I had with a couple of different "Amy"s.
"Finale" from The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky - Tomita. First time I heard this was on a live YES album (Yessongs). They used it as the pre-concert music as they come on stage. This hit me for two reasons. One, Tomita made his mark by taking classical music and performing them with a wide array of synthesizers. Very groundbreaking in the day. And I was fascinated by that stuff. Secondly, the music is spectacular--the harmonic structure, the change of meter, the magnificent grandeur of the piece. It was the first piece of classical music that absolutely reached out and grabbed me and made me go out and purchase my first orchestral LP. I've had the pleasure of performing this piece of music a couple of times, and it's still as magical now as it was then!
"Down To the Nightclub" - Tower of Power. My first exposure to real funk music. Never had I heard a horn section so tight. Honkin' bari sax, screamin' trumpets, and the incredible pairing of David Garibaldi on drums and Rocco Prestia (who would look more at home with Jimmy Buffet!) on bass. There is no one who can lay down a funk beat like those two!
"Clea" - Matrix IX. Matrix IX (later, just Matrix) was a jazz fusion band (for lack of a better term) from Wisconsin, I believe. Six horns, big rhythm section--many of their members are currently well-respected educators at various universities. They were very big on the college jazz tour circuit in the late 70s. Their fusion was more like jazz/classical/rock. This song is one of the most gorgeous songs I've ever heard. No real lyrics--just some wonderful sounds. I actually arranged this for orchestra, which worked very nicely, but doesn't live up to the original. Unfortunately, none of the old Matrix albums are available on CD, but I just won this particular LP on eBay in mint condition, so the digitizing will have to begin soon!
"Clair de Lune" by Debussy. Originally written for piano, it's been rewritten for full orchestra by a couple of people. I've always liked the music, but I heard an orchestral version used in the movie "The Right Stuff" during the scenes between the fan dancer in Texas and the shots of Chuck Yeager flying, and I was hooked. The climax of the piece will give you chills (like a good climax should....).

"I Wanna Be Like You" - from the Disney movie The Jungle Book
"O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana by Orff
"Moonlight Serenade" - Glenn Miller Band
"Choose Something Like A Star" from Frostiana by Randall Thompson
"Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" - Chuck Mangione

Sorry this was a long one! I hereby tag Rachel, Crystal and Moose (who didn't do it the last time).

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Technical Question

Anyone know how to slow down an animated GIF? My guy peeing on Microsoft up there is going to sprain something if he keeps going that fast....

UPDATE--Fixed!

Sunday, May 22, 2005

"We have contact..."

Lots to write about this morning. Yesterday was a long and eventful day. Bloggerworld clashed with Realworld again. Twice. With vastly different results. Sleep was missed, a race was run (no, not by me--be real!) and music was made. And of course, beer was consumed, so the day ended on a high note!

To start the day off (at some time shortly after midnight), I got home after symphony rehearsal and some beers. I jump online to run my circle of bloggers. This is where BW and RW clashed first. I read a very disturbing post by one of my bloggerfriends, and without going into details, caused me to not actually fall asleep until well after 3 AM, and even then I didn't get much sleep. Damn my bloggerfriends for making me actually care about them!

Had to get up early for a dress rehearsal for the concert. And early enough to get through the barricades. The Montana Race For the Cure was run yesterday. I have been blessed with not having to confront the breast cancer issue in my family or friends. Participating in a race is not something that I would do, or have ever done, regardless of the cause or reason. That's just not me. But I usually like the spectacle of these things, and generally support their efforts. Unless they inconvenience me. Like yesterday. When the race actually starts, the multitude of volunteers on the race route set out their barricades so that cars aren't plowing down participants. These volunteers are the Race Nazis. You CANNOT cross these barricades. If you try, a gaggle of Nazis will stop you using any means necessary. And since the race blocks the streets necessary to get to the concert hall, you've got to go early to avoid them. But it was a sunny morning, and enjoyed it, even though I was tired.

My second clash of BW/RW came at the concert itself. I emailed Rachel to let her know that I left two comp tickets for her if she wanted to use them. With such short notice, I didn't know if she would or not. Lo and behold, I'm about to leave the stage at intermission, and I hear my name from the audience. "Os, Os..." (well, not Os, but I digress). It's Rachel! At least I think it's Rachel. The only picture we've seen is the one she put up for her profile. And she wasn't dressed up for a symphony concert in that one! After clumsily tiptoeing over and around instruments, I make it down to her. We officially introduce ourselves and hug. "Houston, we have contact!" She is the first bloggerfriend (Moose & the Goddess don't count) that I've met face to face! A real flesh-and-blood person! I think we hit it off great--we'll definitely be drinking beers with her in the future. Our conversation was only about 5-10 minutes long, but I loved it! I think there was a tinge of awkwardness--sort of that meeting-the-blind-date feeling, but we got over that quickly (I did, anyway). Obviously, this clash of the two worlds went much better than the first clash of the day.

The concert went well. The governor of MT narrated Copland's "A Lincoln Portrait" without embarassing himself. The president of Carroll College won the chance to conduct "Stars & Stripes Forever" at an auction and did a very credible job. The whole concert was more "Americana" than patriotic. Call me a commie, but I really hate patriotic concerts. Too much fake pride for me. This was more a celebration of American music, with just a touch of flag-waving. Since yesterday was also Armed Forces Appreciation Day around here (was it anywhere else?), we played the standard musical military salute, and we also did a couple of John Williams pieces to honor fallen heroes, survivors, and the police/fire departments. All in all, a nice way to end the season. A feel-good concert in all respects.

Then alot of us went to the Brewhouse and drank beer (sense a theme?) and unwound. Thus ends a long day. Where I had problems getting to sleep the night before--I was out like a light last night. Not even my horny birds could wake me this morning!

iTunes: Real Good Feelin', Jack Mack & The Heart Attack

Friday, May 20, 2005

Score!

Alison Krauss & Union Station
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Bozeman, MT
Thursday, August 4th, 8:00 PM
2 tickets - FLOOR, Row 6, Seats 19 & 20 (center)

HAPPY DANCE!

Poll Results VI

The non-question poll from this past week saw one big weener. For whatever reason, Ago (who now seems to have changed her name to Ago-go) beat out Andi, Julie and LBB. The other blog names didn't even get one vote. What does all this mean? Who knows? But congrats, girl! Results from this past week (only answers that got votes are listed):

Blog Names

The Goddess and I went to the new Star Wars movie tonight at the new theater I mentioned in an earlier post. Surprisingly few people for the 9:15 show. There were huge crowds for the first showings. Thumbs up on the new theater. As for the movie, I've considered myself as a bit of a Star Wars geek. Not in the dress-up-as-a-Wookie geek, but in the I-need-to-see-the-movie-as-soon-as-it-comes-out geek. You'll hear/read plenty about it, so I won't bore you, but I will say that George Lucas ties up all the loose ends between Episodes III & IV, as far as I can tell. So this week's poll asks which of the Star Wars movies is the best. May the force be...well, you know. New poll is up over there on the right--->

iTunes: All I Wanna Do, Sheryl Crow

A Tradition Is Born

The great "Half-Nekkid Thursday" tradition has begun! It was the topic of comments on a couple of blogs, and even had Moose and Rachel post their own "Half-Nekkid Thursday" pictures! While all three of us went the "safe" route with foot photos, that's OK! There are those out there who would find those pictures daring!

A couple more of you teased me with the promise of participation, but didn't come through. But that's OK. As with any great tradition, things usually start out slowly. The key to establishing a tradition is to consistently and constantly participate. So Moose and Rachel--keep up the good work! Those of you who hesitated, waiting to see if this was going to be successful, feel free to join us next week! Let your other bloggerfriends know about it too! The more the merrier!

UPDATE #1! We had another participant that came in through Rachel's blog. Go check out Darrel, the other brother, especially his story about his "other" scar. Heart-wrenching and hilarious at the same time!
UPDATE #2! Julie checked in with a late addition to "Half-Nekkid Thursday". She's got the true spirit of "half-nekkid" figured out. She also references the creator (as far as I can tell) of "Half Naked Thursday", whose idea I shamelessly stole and want to continue. Cathy is about 9 1/2 months pregnant, so she hasn't kept up with the "nekkid" part (though there's one GREAT picture to look for!). Anyway--hers is the inspiration of "Half-Nekkid Thursday".

iTunes: More Today Than Yesterday, Spiral Starecase

Thursday, May 19, 2005

"Half-Nekkid Thursday!"

Just a little reminder to all that today is our first "Half-Nekkid Thursday". This is renamed from the "Half-Naked Thursday" found on another blog--wanted to avoid that whole messy copyright infringement issue.

This is my first offering--a ripped open blister on the back of my heel.
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Now, while this might be a bit more graphic than intended, it is an appropriate submission for "Half-Nekkid Thursday".

So be sure to post your personal entry on your own site. Be sure to mention that it's your "Half-Nekkid Thursday" contribution. If you need a refresher of the whole concept, scroll down to the "Mini-Rants and Observations" on this page for details and expectations.

iTunes: Rock the Boat, Hues Corporation

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Volcano Girl

Twenty-five years ago, at 8:32 AM PDT on May 18, 1980, a 5.1 earthquake caused the north face of Mt. St. Helens to crumble in the largest landslide in recorded history. As a result of this landslide, the pressure that had built up inside the volcano caused a lateral blast of volcanic gases, steam, ash and rocks that flattened hundreds of square miles of timber, destroying virtually anything in its path.

sthelensanim

These images were captured by a camper about 10 miles to the northeast of the mountain.
It spewed ash tens of miles into the sky, turning a bright, sunny day into night, and causing all sorts of problems. As far away as Montana, the ash fell. State government in MT closed for a couple of days. And they barely got a dusting. While the ash that fell in eastern WA measured in the 2" range, northern Idaho actually bore a significant brunt of the ashfall, with some areas receiving up to 5". I was just finishing my first year of teaching there.

Volcano Girl and I were on our way to Spokane, WA, to see jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in concert. We had heard that the volcano had erupted, but didn't think anything of it. I could write dozens of pages of stories from that day. The short story--by the time that we realized that the snow-like flakes that were falling wasn't snow, and that virtually EVERYTHING was cancelled, it was too late to turn around. The nice highway patrolman told us that we'd never make it home before the visibility was zero, and that we should go on into Spokane, and find a place to stay. I think we got the last room in town. VG and I had never even dated before this, and now we're checked into a motel with a single bed. We drove around to find the essentials--toothbrush, maybe a t-shirt for her, something to eat/drink. Unfortunately, it was a ghost town. Everything was locked up, ash was piling up, and she was a little scared. We finally found a place open, got our stuff, and went back to the room to watch everything on TV. And she called home. It took about an hour to get a line. I talked to her dad, who told me not to worry about getting her home right away if it was going to be dangerous to drive. I'm not sure, but I think I heard the distinct sound of a shotgun in the background. I contacted my superintendent to tell him I was stuck in Spokane and wouldn't be in to teach the next morning. He replied that school was cancelled for the week. Excellent!

This series of pictures show the mountain from about 5 miles away, NNW. It is near the site of the Johnson Ridge Observatory that opened about 8 years ago. If you want to see more about it, go here for facts and information, or go check the live volcanocam site linked in my favorites. ---->

I behaved myself that fateful night. But I fell in love. Hard. VG was my first true love. We lasted a couple of years, then grew apart. But we have remained friends since then. As well as the rest of her family. The whole week remains vivid in my mind. Every detail, every picture, every emotion. I note the passage of time by the date of May 18th. The first of my sisters was married on May 18th (VG came to that wedding too). Two of my former students were married on that day. Another former student had her first child on that day. It's become a mystical day. It's the day I really first fell in love.

iTunes: Brandy, Looking Glass

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

American Justice

I have finally served on a jury! In spite of my feeble attempts to sway the attorneys to drop me like a cow drops a calf, they either felt that my fellow "peers" were of more questionable character than me, or I exuded a Solomon-like wisdom when they asked me questions. Whichever case, it speaks poorly of all involved. Six of us were chosen out of a pool of about 15.

The case we were to decide was in Justice Court (somewhere between City Court and the more prestigious District Court). The defendant was accused of Partner/Family Member Assault. She was a nice-looking lady in her late 30s, accused of pinning her 15 y/o to the floor during an argument, covering her mouth/nose with her hand, and causing bodily injury. In this case that meant scratches on the face, and broken blood vessels in her eye. To be truthful, I was ready to give the mother the benefit of the doubt, but the oldest daughter's (17) testimony really hurt her. And the mom's friend and the daughter's friend's mother didn't help her either. Nothing was offered in her defense. When the jury got to the jury room to deliberate, we first chose a foreman, who immediately asked us to vote to see where we were at. So we all voted (secretly) and it was unanimous. GUILTY! It was pathetic. We weren't alone for 60 seconds, and we declared her guilty. To avoid the appearance that we didn't care, we did actually discuss some things, but we had already decided, so this was just to ease our collective conscience--to see what the rest of us were thinking. While it seemed (in that stereotypical, first-impression sort of way) that the daughter was not an angel, she shouldn't have had to endure this. I would never presume to tell a parent how to raise their children (having never been a parent), but it seemed apparent that mom crossed the line. And, while it didn't sway us, we all guessed that this was not a first-time event.

All in all, an educational day. I'm glad I was involved. It wasn't Law & Order. It wasn't CSI. It wasn't Court TV. Though I would have liked to have seen Lennie Briscoe testifying.

iTunes: Bad Medicine, Bon Jovi

Monday, May 16, 2005

My Slut Bird Friend

It's that time of year. I've got about three species of birds that fly around my balcony during the spring and summer. As the sun comes up earlier and earlier, the birds are up earlier and earlier. And they have a serious case of the hornies. There's a female sparrow who always builds a nest in the corner of the awning on my balcony. Every morning now, I don't even bother with an alarm clock. My fornicating feathered friends are here like clockwork. My college roommates had nothing on these birds when it comes to noisy sex. And she is one shameless slut. She'll raise her tail for just about any bird that comes along. And she's into the whole interracial thing too. She'll take sparrow, finch, or the weird red colored bird that flies in from time to time. It looks like the skies above Chicago's O'Hare Airport during a blizzard. The birds are just circling, waiting for their chance for a "landing". She must belong to some sort of club where you get bonus points for the most quickies per hour. The only thing worse than bird sex in the morning is when the eggs hatch, and you've got a nestful of kids screaming for breakfast.

Is it weird that I've spent time observing all this at 5 AM? For cursing the birds for getting more than me? For spending that extra minute or two actually watching? I desperately need to get a life....

iTunes: Whiskey Lullaby, Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss

Busy week ahead

For whatever reason, I find that I'm really busy this week. Primarily because of Symphony rehearsals. Our last concert of the season will be Saturday. An Americana-type concert. Gershwin, Bernstein, Sousa--you get the picture. It'll be good to get this season over with. The summer won't be anywhere near as intense.

Among those rehearsals, I also have to come up with a brass quartet to play music for a wedding. The bride had been involved in alot of music projects in town before she joined the Air Force, so we all know her pretty well. I couldn't get a brass quartet, so I'm having to rewrite one of the parts for tenor sax. It'll be an interesting sound, if nothing else. We also have to find time to get together to rehearse this--wedding is in 10 days.

Tuesday, I have another day at court with jury duty. Those of you who are regulars know that this is the 3rd time I've been called this year. My first experience can be read about here. The second time was scheduled for St. Patrick's Day, which was going to seriously cause problems with my plans for the day. It was cancelled a day or two in advance, so that was nice. I hope I actually get to do something this time around! I'll fill you in with the gory details, if there are any....

One of the big deals in town this week is the opening of the new 8-screen Cinemark movie theater. Helena has been limping along with the same 4 screens (2 theaters) for over 30 years. Same gum under the seats, same popcorn on the floor. They're gross, cramped, and have less than decent sound systems. This new place is smack dab in the downtown area, which will be a blessing to all. Their grand opening is Thursday, which is also the opening date for the new Star Wars movie. Yes, I've got my tickets (purchased online, also a foreign concept to Helena), and will be going with Eye Girl, who is back for the summer from optometry school. (Note to self: she prefers to be called "The Goddess", rather than "The Princess", as I had earlier written.)

Finally this week--I have to keep my eyes open for Rolling Stones tickets for their concert in Portland (that's where I've decided to go see them. I'll be taking The Goddess, who conveniently lives there during the school year). Also on sale this week will be tickets for Alison Krauss & Union Station in Missoula and in Bozeman. I'm opting for the Bozeman show. I highly doubt that I'll be able to pull off the front row like I did with Moose a couple of years ago, but who knows? P1010066_1

Here's Moose, Alison and me after her concert. It was taken with a cheap-ass camera, it was dark, the flash was wonky, and her security guy was a dufus. She looks tired, but she's allowed. Moose and I are smiling because we're both touching her butt! Unless I can find a pre-sale, AKUS tickets go on sale Friday.

iTunes: The Piña Colada Song, Rupert Holmes

Saturday, May 14, 2005

Breaking up....

I've been thinking about this for some time. I just never thought I'd ever do anything like this. Maybe I was naive in the beginning to blogroll you. Maybe it was that instant gratification that you gave the first time I visited. And the promise of so much more in the future. Maybe it was the hope that you'd blogroll me, too. So much that could have been...

But all that happiness seems to have faded away. You hardly post anything anymore. All my excitement, my anticipation, my time--shot down in flames. Have you used me? Are there others whose bloggerlife you've shattered? I don't know, and I don't care. I can't care. I'm breaking up with you. I'm deleting you from my blogroll. You are out of my life, which won't be much different than the way things are now. You know what hurts the most? You probably won't even know the difference.

There's fence mending to be done, and new friends to be found. Bloggers that want me to blogroll them. Bloggers that give and give and give. Bloggers that believe in "Half-Naked Thursday". Bloggers that I've avoided or shunned in the past, all because you were blogrolled first, and I didn't want to come off as being cluttered. Well, no more. I've learned my lesson. Future additions to my blogroll will be scoped out thoroughly and thoughtfully.

Unless there's something really cool on your site!

iTunes: Love Rollercoaster, Ohio Players

Mini-Rants and Observations

Bug's Butt complimented me on my ranting a couple of weeks ago and encouraged me to do more. One cannot let down the master, so here is a humble offering:

They've identified the "owner" of the finger found in Wendy's chili. The guy lost it in an "industrial accident". He's also an acquaintance of the husband of the woman who found it in the chili. Officials say "he had given the finger to the husband". Two observations--1) it's always good to have an acquaintance to give your body parts to, and 2) think of the long-term consequences of giving the finger to anyone.

My little desktop weather app tells me that the forecast for today is snow showers, with a high of 65°. How exactly does that work? (Answer: This is Montana. That's normal)

I question the "randomness" of my iTunes. I generally just let it shuffle on its own, rather than make specific playlists. According to the play count, since the end of March, it's played "No Rain" by Blind Melon 43 times, but "Rag Doll" by Aerosmith only 9 times. And that's out of 531 songs to choose from (I know--I need to import some more). Wouldn't randomness sort of imply some sort of equality in play counts? What does Blind Melon offer my iTunes that Aerosmith doesn't?

Who decided that we really needed "The Real Gilligan's Island"? Or even a second season of it?

I've noticed that alot of bloggers out there don't have the stamina to post even semi-regularly. If we're lucky, we might get something new once every three weeks or so. Why bother? You people are out there to entertain ME. If I've gone through the hassle of blogrolling you, the least you can do is post on a weekly basis! (This doesn't point fingers at those who have warned us that they'll be away. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated!)

Where did the MUSIC go on MTV? Does anyone really watch MTV anymore?

In international news, I see that the archbishop of San Francisco has been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to take over his former duties at the Vatican. Have you noticed that they always choose a Catholic for those positions?

Has anyone noticed that DVD spelled backwards is DVD?

A blog I ran across awhile back (and I don't remember the name) had a wonderful feature called "Half-Naked Thursdays", where the author would post pictures of her bare shoulders, her kids' behinds, her husband's belly, lots of arms, etc. Nothing remotely graphic, but maybe a little suggestive. I think all of you should do that too.

A question for my Canadian readers--do they still televise curling matches? I remember in my high school days, back when we got the Calgary station, I would watch it every Saturday morning. It fascinated me. My parents would let me watch it, because I always had this irresistable urge to go sweep out the garage afterwards.

A second question for Canadian readers--what's the difference between Canadian and Canadien? This is a serious question--is the second one French? And what exactly is a Canuck?

Has anyone tried the Diet Coke w/Lime? With a touch of rum? Mighty fine, I tell ya! And NO carbs!

Have you noticed that the whole Law & Order franchise seems to recycle many of their victims/perps? One week you may have a 50 y/o pedophile who, in the next week's worth of reruns is another guy's attorney. Or the female gang rapist (who actually was charged with murder) who ended up as one of the more recent asst. DAs. There was a website I ran across that went through all the episodes/characters and listed them. Are you telling me that there aren't enough starving actors in NYC that they can't get fresh meat for every episode???

There are people in WA who lost family in the Mt. St. Helen's eruption (25 years ago this week) who are upset that the State of WA and the U.S. Geological Survey haven't apologized for not knowing the destructive force of the eruption. WHAT??? These people were outside of the "red zone", so they thought they'd be safe. It was an active volcano! There is no predictable safe area! These people are probably related to the ones who think you can walk up to the buffalo or bears in Yellowstone Park to pet them.

If you're flying a Cessna from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, and as you're approaching Washington, D.C., you see a couple of F-16s on either side of you dipping their wings and dropping flares, wouldn't you do everything in your power to get the hell out of there? When they finally landed, they were handcuffed, questioned and released. Officials said they were "lost". They should have been arrested for stupidity.

Well, that's it for today. Feel free to comment! Enjoy your weekend!

iTunes: Walk the Dinosaur, Was (Not Was)

Friday, May 13, 2005

NBA on TNT (not)

Does anyone else want to take that kid in the "NBA on TNT" playoff commercials into a back room and slap him up along the side of his head? Or put him in the same room with 6 girls of his own age playing with dolls? I really dislike the marketing strategy that makes me listen to a pygmy-sized black kid with some sort of 'hood attitude, who speaks a totally different language than I do, telling me I have to watch the playoffs. Nice stereotype. It's bad enough that the playoffs have screwed up my Law & Order viewing. I don't need this wannabe reminding me of it at every turn.

My mini-rant. More to come in the future!

iTunes: I Play Chicken (With the Train), Cowboy Troy

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Poll Results V

Well, this one wasn't very well visited (only 6 of you took part). I guess the new poll better be more stimulating. Therefore, it's just going to be blog names. Actual user names of blogs. I'm not even going to put up a question. You can pick your favorite, or the one whose template is best, or the one you don't understand, or the one that you've never read. I DON'T CARE! Does this smack of a popularity contest? It could. Can you vote often? Absolutely! I can only list 9 (alphabetically), which will leave #10 open for your own answer. My sincerest apologies if you think you should have been listed. Don't feel that I love you any less. It hasn't been easy to pick who gets listed. Though you might notice that there's only one male blogger listed (LBB). Deal with it! Feel free to bitch, if you'd like. Better yet, opt for the write-in option!

Results from this past week (only answers that got votes are listed):

Best "American" movie?

New poll is up over there on the right--->

iTunes: From the Beginning, Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

My Girlie Side

First off, let me say that yes, I'm that damned cute when I give a woman flowers. Ask Moose--she'll confirm that!

These pictures are but a small portion of the portfolio of photographer Kim Anderson. I'll say it, I'll admit it--I love this guy's work! I know that if I were to ever have kids, they'd be as cute as these ones! I'm not sure why I've posted this, other than the fact that it's late, I'm tired, and my defenses are down!

iTunes: I'll Be Around, Spinners

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

The Stones!

No, they're not dead yet!
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The Rolling Stones, arguably the best band of all rock & roll, announced that they will be touring the US this summer! Even more exciting for me, they're going to be in the neighborhood! Now realize that "in the neighborhood" for Montana is anywhere within a 750 mile radius. There's 5 locations around us where they'll be in concert--Calgary, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City and Denver.

Calgary and Seattle are out--I have symphony rehearsals/concert at the same times. Denver is on Thanksgiving night, and I don't think the family would understand. It's a long way away, and the roads could be in less than ideal conditions. That leaves Portland or SLC. Portland is attractive because I'd have free lodging and alot of friends I can drop in on along the way. SLC is much closer, all on interstate highway, and would ultimately be cheaper, even without the free lodging.

I don't know what the ticket prices will be--I tend to always get the best tickets I can, so I would guess a minimum of $125 each. Ouch! But it's the Stones. And this could be the last opportunity to see them (that was my reasoning to go see Cher). I'll keep you updated!

iTunes: Loverman, Nazareth

Monday, May 09, 2005

Blame it on the wine....

UPDATE--I posted a couple of pics on the other blog. Nothing wonderful, but better than looking at the split lip!

Perhaps it was talking about the memories of my mother's mother on Mother's Day. Perhaps it was the amount of art hanging on the walls. Perhaps it was the wine consumption. Probably a little bit of each.

As I mentioned in my last post, my family is "normal", gets along very well with each other, and loves any excuse to get together. We did the golf thing (I kicked butt, but sprained a finger somehow....), then went back to my parent's, rather than one of the sister's. We BBQd, and drank beer and/or wine. Afterwards, the nieces and nephew retreated to the den, the menfolk retreated to the TV room (NBA), and left my sisters (2 & 3), my mother and me in the living room. We told jokes. We told stories. We drank a little more. This is where things might have gotten a little strange. Well, strange is a relative term (so to speak). In this family, it was totally normal, I think. Other families might be horrified with our behavior. I know my grandmother anticipated this sort of thing well in advance of her death.

I made some sort of offhand remark about a piece of artwork hanging on the wall. Not a spectacular piece of art, but I've always sort of liked it while growing up. Then I mentioned another still life watercolor of a vase of flowers hanging next to it. S2 missed that reference and thought I was referring to the real vase of flowers under the paintings. She innocently said that it would look good somewhere in her house. I'm not sure how it happened, but all of a sudden, I'm finding myself calling dibs on the two pieces of art. As in, "when my parents die, I get dibs on those paintings". Immediately, S2 & S3 are pointing and staking claims and joking about the crap stuff (and there's plenty of that, too!) and bargaining and bartering and trading. My mother, who has been drinking wine since leaving the golf course, gets up and leaves the room. We don't even notice. We're as bad as old ladies rummaging through the Salvation Army Thrift Store. There's bargains to be had, dammit!

Mom comes back into the room with a manila folder full of yellow legal pad paper. It's "THE LIST". Unbeknownst to us, she had already tagged all the artwork! And not surprisingly, pretty much along the lines that had developed during the rush we had just experienced. It was like Christmas! "Os, you get this, this and this..." "S2 & S3, you'll get that, that and that..." Yes, Sister 1 got stuff too, but she's in Portland, so she didn't have much input.

So we spent much of the rest of the evening making "suggestions" regarding some furniture, artwork she hadn't gotten to yet, and getting the latest update on my parents' living wills (which is why she'd made the list in the first place, per their attorney's orders). There was some minor complaint from S2 & S3 when Mom mentioned that my list was longer than anyone else's, but I reminded them all that I was the oldest and knew my parents the longest, so I should get more. That seemed to placate them. For now.

Other families might view the whole scene as a terrible way to end Mother's Day. For us, it was a time to reminisce. Each item that we went through was the catalyst for a childhood memory, or stories that had been tucked away for a long time. So we laughed and remembered. Maybe it was the wine. All I know is that in the end--I score some great artwork! But with my luck, my parents will live to be 100.....

iTunes: streaming classical radio "Le Carillon", Massenet

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Happy Mother's Day!

Ah, Mother's Day! I always get weird looks from people when I wish them Happy Mother's Day! Their primary response? "I'm not a mother..." So what? I'm not Mexican, but I celebrate Cinco de Mayo (well, not this year). Millions of non-Irish celebrate St. Patrick's Day. So why can't I wish them a happy Mother's Day? For better or worse, we all have/had a mother.

Fortunately for me, my mother and I are very close. A wonderful relationship that she also shares with my three younger sisters. We grew up stable and "normal", a trait shared by my parents and their parents. And I have, on numerous occasions, thanked both of mine for that. I've had plenty of opportunity to observe students who did not have that life, and how hard life was in general for them. But I've also seen some great families that did not have an adult male in the relationship. "Mom", in these cases, has had to go above and beyond to keep things together.

So to all mothers, mothers-to-be, single teen-aged moms, newly divorced moms, mom-wannabes, children of moms, children of deceased moms, and to male seahorses (they carry the eggs)--I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day! Celebrate! Call Mom! Do something nice for someone else's Mom! Ask yourself--What Would Mom Do?

(And just to let you know--my sisters (2 out of 3) will be golfing with Mom for Mother's Day. And my sister's husbands and kids. And Dad. A big family outing. Then we'll gather at one of the sister's, and the men will BBQ, and the moms will drink beer and watch NBA or sit around the table and get tipsy on red wine. Could go either way.)

iTunes: Over the Rainbow, Eva Cassidy

Friday, May 06, 2005

Sadness

Real Life rears its ugly head into my blogger world. Andi blogged yesterday about one of her closest friends who has cancer. Then tonight, Ago drops an even bigger bombshell. Even though we've never met, I feel close to these people, and alot of you other bloggers out there. These friends of mine are hurting, and in need of alot of prayers. If you don't do that, at least send some positive vibes their way. And remember that, even though these blogs provide most of us an escape, Real Life will always be lurking, ready to intrude.

A & A--my prayers are with you both...

Reason #153

Yet another reason why I won't go back to the public schools:

In Georgia, a kid is suspended for 10 days for not hanging up while talking on a cell phone to his mother--A SOLDIER WHO IS SERVING IN IRAQ! He received the call during lunch, and he wouldn't hang up on her before classes started up again. They say he used profanity as he was taken to the office. Ya think??? And 10 days?? Hell, the drug dealers probably only get a 3-day after-school detention! Officials say he received the suspension, in lieu of arrest!!!

Thank God the Texas Booty Police didn't have to get involved!

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Poll Results IV

Due to my busy week last week, and the internet problems over the weekend, I kept this poll up far too long. I hope that you caught the fact that these were the favorite things referred to in the song "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. Here's the results (only answers that got votes are listed):

What's your favorite thing?

I think I know exactly who submitted their own answers, and what they were. And I have a good idea who voted for "girls in white dresses..." Pervs---

New, shorter poll up on the right.

Yet another reason...

The list of reasons of why I'll never go back to teaching in the public school system is long, but here's another reason that just screams for common sense!

UPDATE!--The news is full of nonsensical crap today! This one has to deal with the formation of the Texas Booty Police. Generally, I'm not one to be on the side of cheerleaders. But they're relatively harmless. As a band director, I had absolutely no use for them, nor did the crowd. Everyone pretty much ignored them, unless they fell, didn't spell a word right, or forgot to wear their special cheerleader panties.

But that's up here in the North. Where there's no actual cutthroat competitions to see who can outwhore whom. Where the cheerleaders' main function is actually subservient to the athletic endeavor that fans are there to see--whether it's a football game or tennis match (why bother....?). But Texas lawmakers have passed a bill "that would forbid sexy cheers and give the Texas Education Agency authority to punish schools that allow 'overtly sexually suggestive' routines at football games and other events". Looks like the Dallas Cowboys are going to have to import their future cheerleaders!

It's nice to know that Texas' biggest statewide problem is regulating the gyrations of nearly legal, booty-shakin' young thangs. I hadn't realized that they'd taken care of immigration, crime, and other problems that plague the rest of the country. Andi, Steph, Wife--any comments?

¡Cinco de Mayo!

I've made the first round through my blogworld, and none of you mentioned anything about today being Cinco de Mayo. So I'll do it--

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

Granted, it's not highly celebrated in this state, but I've found that most people don't need much of a reason to drink Corona or Dos Equis, or maybe a shot or two of my former friend Jose.

Lizabeth--behave yourself tonight!!

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Weekend Pics

Thought I'd better throw in a couple of pics from the weekend. Didn't get many, and for as much as I'd like to, I can't take any during the concert.

This first one is of the two harpists I had to get for this concert. This is about 45 minutes before the concert--tuning, warming up, etc. The woman on the left is our regular harpist (joined us this season). The one on the right is a young lady (17) from Billings. I first used her when she was 13 to play "The Nutcracker" with us. Very talented, but I think she's more interested in horses than harps now. Too bad. There's only 4 or 5 concert harpists in the entire state. She could write her own ticket. But like I said, I think she got burned out too early... [Note to self--there is no such thing as an ugly harp player!]

DSCF1798

This second picture is from the dessert reception after the concert. Those of you who follow this blog will recognize the very attractive blond on the left as the "Teacher". She came as the date of the very attractive lady on the right, whose husband is in Iraq. And the devilishly good-looking older gentleman in the middle is none other than, well, modesty prevents me...

DSCF1809

Re-post

I first posted this when I was getting started in bloggerspace. It's got a link to an Ofoto album that I put together to send out instead of Christmas cards. Now that I've got a few more readers, I thought I'd share it again, in case anyone has any interest in this sort of thing. This isn't required reading...

Hallelujah!

It appears that I now have hot and cold running internet again at home!! That means I'M BAAACCKKKKK!

This has taken me by surprise, and it's too late tonight to do a truly inspirational post. Hopefully tomorrow. Thanks for your patience--I'll try to reward you. Each and every one of you. Individually. Really, I will!

Damn--I have to come up with a new poll too.

And a new VCR. Mine has started eating tapes.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Concert list

Blatantly stolen from Julie, who blatantly stole it from.....

Here is how it works. Copy this list. Leave in the bands you've seen perform live. Delete the ones you haven't and add new ones that you have seen until you reach 25. Each asterisk per band means the previous person(s) had it on their list. I'm doubling up concerts where there were two or more headliners. I'm not adding all the jazz concerts I've attended. I'm also adding a number afterwards, indicating if I've seen them more than once...

In no particular order, other than what I can remember off the top of my head:

Damn! As I'm doing this, I realize the list could easily go to 50, and I live in the concert wasteland of MT! This is nowhere near complete! So instead, I'll add other tidbits:

First concert attended- The Carpenters

Last concert attended- Mannheim Steamroller

Best concert seating - Leann Rimes (front row, center aisle, seats 1 & 2 off the aisle). Front row for Alison Krauss comes in a close second.

Worst concert seating - Temptations (last row, folding chair). Mannheim Steamroller takes second.

Best concert trip - 4-day/3-night road trip with a young lady to see Norah Jones, Dave Matthews & Tower of Power in 3 different cities--about 1500 miles in those 4 days! (sorry Moose--our trip is a strong second!)

Worst concert trip - can't think of one

Best concert - James Taylor. It was his first concert, post-9/11. He said he wasn't sure if he should be out touring or not. Performed "Fire & Rain" and "You've Got A Friend" back-to-back, in one of the most emotional things I've ever seen. I'm tearing up now, even! Diana Krall was pretty good, too.

Worst concert - Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The performance was OK, but the sound was so unbelievably bad, you couldn't distinguish the instruments from each other. Terrible, terrible, terrible.

Most interesting concert experience - Dizzy Gillespie. Actually, the original concert was postponed for almost a year. The day of the intended concert (in Spokane, WA), was also the day that Mt. St. Helens blew, so two of us were stranded in Spokane overnight, under 3-4 inches of ash from a mountain 350 miles away!. There's a long, involved story to tell about Volcano Girl (the first true love of my life, though she wasn't at the time!), but not right now. Maybe later in the month.

Unfortunately, my summer concert attendance is going to take a hit this year. Gas prices are too damned high!

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Still away~~~~

I didn't own my first computer until I was 30 years old. An Apple IIGS. Paid an insanely large amount of money for it, but I was happy. Don't remember the specs, but be assured, it was top of the line, and worth every penny!

I didn't get my first email account until I was 38 years old. I felt superior to all my friends who didn't have one, or were hooked up with Compuserve or AOL. This is also when I got my first internet access--14.4K dial-up modem. Yes, I spent some time checking out what kind of porn you could get (sloooowww poooorrrrnnnn), because, after all, that's what the internet is for!

Today, I've got about 6 computers, but only use 2 of them (one's dead, 3 are old, and I still have my IIGS!). What I don't have is my internet.

The internet cable repair guy showed up on Friday afternoon, poked around my apartment, the downstairs utility room, and the funny looking cable box outside. He came back and said he couldn't fix anything.

"We've gotten a number of calls with similar problems. We think it might be a piece of our equipment..."

"We've got a couple of guys looking into it."

"Oh, I'd expect it to be fixed within the hour or so..."

As you can probably guess--it's not fixed.

I'm posting this on a friend's computer. To be honest, at home I get about 1 minute of online time every 5-10 minutes. But it's not worth the hassle to try to accomplish anything like that. Sooooo.....

It looks like I'll be delayed getting back up to speed here. My apologies. For a quick recap of the week, and to answer some questions:

The concert came off wonderfully and I'm exhausted.

My lip held up, for the most part.

Ago's name has almost been outed, thanks to blatant clues left on our blogs (but I haven't seen anyone admit to knowing her second name, which is just as sexy...).

Dena--The art show was a smashing success, from what I've heard. Cops didn't raid the place, and people acted relatively maturely! I got to see alot of the art beforehand. You would have really liked it!

Kamey--Yes, the beer is cold. Call me!

Ty--Did you have too many s's? That stuff generally doesn't bother me.

Andi--Did Steph talk you into the undies thing?

Julie--Guys really shy away from discussions about that type of surgery, even if it's to a dog. We cringe at the word "snip". Hope he's up and around molesting things soon!

Andi--Don't uninstall the counter. I'll be back soon!

Due to necessity (uh-huh), I did the post-midnight McDonald's run after the concert/reception/champagne/beer. I've made an observation. If your looks might scare customers, you're assigned the graveyard drive-thru shift

Dena--You MUST force yourself to try a milkshake. A good milkshake is better than SEX! (That might be an exaggeration, but they're still good!)

Moose/Julie--I sense an attempt to make me feel guilty about McDs. I'll have you know, I never Supersize (unless it's a Beltian at the BHouse!)

As soon they pull their heads out and I can surf somewhat normally, I'll be back. In the meantime--talk amongst yourselves....

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