That should be qualified as, I am not as *much* of a slut as was previously thought.
One of the blondes frequently accuses me of being a music slut. She claims I listen to anything. And don't seem to hate anything. I've always said that's not entirely true, and then struggled to back myself up so wind up beating her into silence. Sorted.
Anyhoo I was installing comps at Teaching Services the other day and someone came in to see if TS could format shift vinyl to CD. So I said yeah I could, so spent this evening doing that. Turned out to be some french middle ages folk kinda music (Les Musiciens de Provence : Musique des Trouveres et Troubadours).
I hated it. I've never liked recorders and this stuffs full of them. No wonder the guy on the cover looks so sulky. I'd be beyond sulky and hitting homicidal...
So this posts for you Tiny Fists of Fury Blonde, there is now an example of why I'm not a music slut.
And yes, I'm still hoping for a Marillion focussed music quiz tomorrow night...one glorious night it'll happen...Carl's the weaker, I'll keep harassing him.
Love and, in tonights case, latin music (Mariza Fado), me xxxx
12 March 2008
11 March 2008
A part of me is lost
In the same way that women cultivate relationships with their hairdressers, so I cultivated a relationship with my barista. He knew me, knew my foibles, knew my habits, my loves. We had it all.
And now it's gone. My beloved barista has been gradually ruining the relationship, first changing to a roaster I'm not keen on, and then the quality of his coffee sank. To the point where I sent two back. At that stage I saw no future for our relationship.
I can't say I'd been faithful. I often went to Deluxe and had been flirting with the tall brunette barista at Salem cafe. I'm with him now. He makes me happy.
It was an emotional 5 years, wins in the barista competitions, the highs, the lows the date scones. But everything dies. I'll remember him fondly of course, but it's over.
B.
And now it's gone. My beloved barista has been gradually ruining the relationship, first changing to a roaster I'm not keen on, and then the quality of his coffee sank. To the point where I sent two back. At that stage I saw no future for our relationship.
I can't say I'd been faithful. I often went to Deluxe and had been flirting with the tall brunette barista at Salem cafe. I'm with him now. He makes me happy.
It was an emotional 5 years, wins in the barista competitions, the highs, the lows the date scones. But everything dies. I'll remember him fondly of course, but it's over.
B.
9 March 2008
Festival of the Arts
Now I'll be the first to admit I'm slack. Generally I don't even bother looking at the FotA booklet cos the stuff I want to see sells out quickly or it's too expensive to really justify. So I'd like to thank Patricia for being far more organised and dragging me to the Boston Camerata. As she put it 'it's odd music, you seemed the obvious choice'. Sweet.
A choral group that specialises in American religious groups from the 18th century. Think 'O Brother Where Art Thou' - kinda. Well it's a good starting point. The music is, as it was described, quite simple and linked strongly to Scottish, English and Irish music. Based on a pentatonic scale the music was written by amateurs for other amateur groups to sing. Harmonies revolve around 3rds and 5ths, with the occasionally 4th as a passing - and no real evidence of counterpoint. For those reasons it sounds much simpler (?pure?) than the more complex stuff I usually listen to. Beautifully performed and really interesting to listen to (helped that one of the sopranos was hot - looked a bit like the babe in the faculty office when we were in VZ). A variety of early American religious groups were represented including Protestants (at St Mary's !!), Shakers and their origins in Europe.
I enjoyed this concert. I found the directness (and quality) of the performance really enjoyable, even some audience participation - and this isn't a style of music you get to hear a lot.
Website; Shaker samples;
Movies: O Brother Where Art Thou (vaguely), and slightly more relevant Songcatcher. I've watched SongCatcher, and the music is fantastic, the movie is a bit of a dreary chickflick.
Currently listening to Daniel Johnston which seems right.
me x
A choral group that specialises in American religious groups from the 18th century. Think 'O Brother Where Art Thou' - kinda. Well it's a good starting point. The music is, as it was described, quite simple and linked strongly to Scottish, English and Irish music. Based on a pentatonic scale the music was written by amateurs for other amateur groups to sing. Harmonies revolve around 3rds and 5ths, with the occasionally 4th as a passing - and no real evidence of counterpoint. For those reasons it sounds much simpler (?pure?) than the more complex stuff I usually listen to. Beautifully performed and really interesting to listen to (helped that one of the sopranos was hot - looked a bit like the babe in the faculty office when we were in VZ). A variety of early American religious groups were represented including Protestants (at St Mary's !!), Shakers and their origins in Europe.
I enjoyed this concert. I found the directness (and quality) of the performance really enjoyable, even some audience participation - and this isn't a style of music you get to hear a lot.
Website; Shaker samples;
Movies: O Brother Where Art Thou (vaguely), and slightly more relevant Songcatcher. I've watched SongCatcher, and the music is fantastic, the movie is a bit of a dreary chickflick.
Currently listening to Daniel Johnston which seems right.
me x
5 March 2008
I'm back, it's scotch today.
As you may have figured the last few weeks have been a smidgeon busy in Sphenland. It still is, but I've got an evening to myself and have watched some QI, some Jeeves and Wooster, and am now listening to some A Prairie Home Companion. I might even get to read a *book* soon. I'm also warm having showered (after vacuuming, oohhhh the excitement) and have fallen in love with my new heated towel rail. Many of the worlds ills can be cured with warm towels. Ahhh blisssssss....
Anyway, back to scotch. Last Tuesday was the Talisker tasting at Regional Wines and Spirits. My usual boozer-in-arms has been captured by a babe-in-arms, and thus busy with an item much the same size as a bottle. Without the attractive fumes. I went to the tasting as I've been to the Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye. There's the Skye boat song, but justly more famous is Donald Where's Your Trousers. I have fond memories of listening to that at my grandparents on vinyl with the voice of Andy Stewart. But back to Skye, catching the ferry from Mallaig, which in its self was 'different'. I remember finding a fish and chip shop for dinner, up a narrow pathway, order at a small window, wait until a parcel appeared. Why yes, a tinny house by any other name. But we got to Skye in our car (me, France and Caf), saw some more highland cattle - I've been trying to find the pics, there is one of France standing in front of a cow that starting urinating. Class. But I can't find them at the moment.
Again, I've digressed. The Talisker distillery was kinda slick, tour was slick, and then totally ruined by a very broad aussie accent encouraging us to drink some. It wasn't good. Rough and far too peppery from memory. From the tasting, this may have been the 8yo which they no-longer produce. So basically I went to see if I was right or wrong having been dissing Talisker. See, never let it be said I'm not open...
The best? Without a doubt the $550 bottle, Ltd Ed 25yo 57.8% bottle 01123 of 21000. bottled in 2004. Sublime. Sweet caramel nose, smooth supple gorgeous palate and very very long finish. But, and this is interesting, it was very very similar to my Edradour 24yo. A snip at 100UKP. The next two for me were the Talisker 18yo (strong muscatel nose; very sweet caramel butter palate; reasonably short finish) and the surprise the Dun Bheagan 8yo 43% - at $60 (roughly). This cheap wee dram had a light vanilla nose, very smokey and pepper palate and more vanilla mid length finish - I did note that the finish didn't really deliver on the potential. But at $60 I'm not complaining.
I'm beginning to think I need to check out more of the Dun Bheagan's, the 24yo Brora Dun Bheagan I have challenges the Edradour...that should wake Neil up a bit...
See I felt sorry for you lot not having any me to enjoy recently, so link-a-rama in this blog.
me xxx
Anyway, back to scotch. Last Tuesday was the Talisker tasting at Regional Wines and Spirits. My usual boozer-in-arms has been captured by a babe-in-arms, and thus busy with an item much the same size as a bottle. Without the attractive fumes. I went to the tasting as I've been to the Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye. There's the Skye boat song, but justly more famous is Donald Where's Your Trousers. I have fond memories of listening to that at my grandparents on vinyl with the voice of Andy Stewart. But back to Skye, catching the ferry from Mallaig, which in its self was 'different'. I remember finding a fish and chip shop for dinner, up a narrow pathway, order at a small window, wait until a parcel appeared. Why yes, a tinny house by any other name. But we got to Skye in our car (me, France and Caf), saw some more highland cattle - I've been trying to find the pics, there is one of France standing in front of a cow that starting urinating. Class. But I can't find them at the moment.
Again, I've digressed. The Talisker distillery was kinda slick, tour was slick, and then totally ruined by a very broad aussie accent encouraging us to drink some. It wasn't good. Rough and far too peppery from memory. From the tasting, this may have been the 8yo which they no-longer produce. So basically I went to see if I was right or wrong having been dissing Talisker. See, never let it be said I'm not open...
The best? Without a doubt the $550 bottle, Ltd Ed 25yo 57.8% bottle 01123 of 21000. bottled in 2004. Sublime. Sweet caramel nose, smooth supple gorgeous palate and very very long finish. But, and this is interesting, it was very very similar to my Edradour 24yo. A snip at 100UKP. The next two for me were the Talisker 18yo (strong muscatel nose; very sweet caramel butter palate; reasonably short finish) and the surprise the Dun Bheagan 8yo 43% - at $60 (roughly). This cheap wee dram had a light vanilla nose, very smokey and pepper palate and more vanilla mid length finish - I did note that the finish didn't really deliver on the potential. But at $60 I'm not complaining.
I'm beginning to think I need to check out more of the Dun Bheagan's, the 24yo Brora Dun Bheagan I have challenges the Edradour...that should wake Neil up a bit...
See I felt sorry for you lot not having any me to enjoy recently, so link-a-rama in this blog.
me xxx
19 February 2008
oh dear
Wearing jeans - check
Wearing obscure band t-shirt - check
Band known for obsessive fandom - check
Wearing sneakers - check
iPod - check
Large headphones - check
Laptop in backpack - check
Carrying OS backup disc - check
Firewire cable in bag - check
Listening to intense/emo music - NOPE (Mountain Goats)
Not painting a good picture. Gets worse when I say I was heading off to go hack someone's computer. Turned out to be nice and simple, their recently deceased (ex?) partner had a mac and they didn't know how to turn it on. Was running OS9 so security wasn't hard to bypass. All I really had to do was rename files and add suffixes so they could use them on a PC.
And in an attempt to claw back karma kudos, I said no to money. She kept insisting, so I pointed out people were nice to me at a similar time, so it was nice to pay them back in kind. Which made me feel all warm n fuzzy. She kept insisting so I suggested a donation to charity, Kidney Foundation. I'm a fuckin' saint.
B.
Wearing obscure band t-shirt - check
Band known for obsessive fandom - check
Wearing sneakers - check
iPod - check
Large headphones - check
Laptop in backpack - check
Carrying OS backup disc - check
Firewire cable in bag - check
Listening to intense/emo music - NOPE (Mountain Goats)
Not painting a good picture. Gets worse when I say I was heading off to go hack someone's computer. Turned out to be nice and simple, their recently deceased (ex?) partner had a mac and they didn't know how to turn it on. Was running OS9 so security wasn't hard to bypass. All I really had to do was rename files and add suffixes so they could use them on a PC.
And in an attempt to claw back karma kudos, I said no to money. She kept insisting, so I pointed out people were nice to me at a similar time, so it was nice to pay them back in kind. Which made me feel all warm n fuzzy. She kept insisting so I suggested a donation to charity, Kidney Foundation. I'm a fuckin' saint.
B.
18 February 2008
Links
The US has just recalled a bollox load of beef. Apparently one of the major processing plants were not really doing cattle inspections properly, in addition accusations of animal cruelty and using downer animals were levelled. Read the BBC report here. Has the USDA woken up? Or is this a token gesture? Having read about their processing and growth systems, I wouldn't eat American beef. Ever. The one thing Oprah and I agree on :)
I could rant more. But most of you lot have read the same stuff as me.
b
I could rant more. But most of you lot have read the same stuff as me.
b
back again!
Back in town, gradually sorting the flat out. Trademe is getting a bit of a hit as we speak (sales, not purchase!).
Quick movie review time I think:
30 days of night.
Seemed to be loosely based on John Carpenter's The thing. Unlike The Thing, 30 days of night is crap. The bad acting is only beaten by the bad script. Sure it's a monster movie, but by god did it drag or what. The script and directing is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But interestingly some points, which are not developed in the script (like asthma) are also slammed home. I cannot stress how bored I was during this, I sat through it hoping it would improve. It didn't.
Recommendation: in all honesty you might enjoy 27 dresses more (I switched off and watched te Big Fat Quiz 2007 instead on that one).
Juno
It's nice. It's fun. It's well written and directed, and the music is great. I know everyone has been raving about it, and yes its very very good, but I preferred Little Miss Sunshine. But Juno is one of the best movies of the year. The acting by the lead is brilliant, and it is very funny.
Recommendation: go see it.4/5
Sweeney Todd
It's Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, there's a 3/5 right there. I loved this movie - although after all the comments, I wanted more graphic violence. It isn't that violent, and it isn't that graphic. If you've coped with The Soprano's, then Sweeney Todd will be a breeze. I can count the musicals I like on one hand, and this is one of them (must be Mr Sondheim...). Sure the ending is ambiguous, but it works. the movie is fun, light-hearted and has some wonderfully black humour. Typical of Burton there is a specific look and feel to the movie, and (oddly) it's clean. London is shown as very very clean, which has the affect of focussing on the dirty deeds of Todd. Interesting tool that. Depp is, as usual, wonderful.
Recommendation: go see it, 4/5.
Beer: I've just sipped a Mata "Artesian", the ale is wonderful. Very drinkable, like it disappears so quickly and with such a gorgeous taste (and after taste), quite hoppy - but not too much. Go drink it. I picked it up, at all places, Pak'n'Save for about $12 for a 4 pack.
me xx
Quick movie review time I think:
30 days of night.
Seemed to be loosely based on John Carpenter's The thing. Unlike The Thing, 30 days of night is crap. The bad acting is only beaten by the bad script. Sure it's a monster movie, but by god did it drag or what. The script and directing is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But interestingly some points, which are not developed in the script (like asthma) are also slammed home. I cannot stress how bored I was during this, I sat through it hoping it would improve. It didn't.
Recommendation: in all honesty you might enjoy 27 dresses more (I switched off and watched te Big Fat Quiz 2007 instead on that one).
Juno
It's nice. It's fun. It's well written and directed, and the music is great. I know everyone has been raving about it, and yes its very very good, but I preferred Little Miss Sunshine. But Juno is one of the best movies of the year. The acting by the lead is brilliant, and it is very funny.
Recommendation: go see it.4/5
Sweeney Todd
It's Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, there's a 3/5 right there. I loved this movie - although after all the comments, I wanted more graphic violence. It isn't that violent, and it isn't that graphic. If you've coped with The Soprano's, then Sweeney Todd will be a breeze. I can count the musicals I like on one hand, and this is one of them (must be Mr Sondheim...). Sure the ending is ambiguous, but it works. the movie is fun, light-hearted and has some wonderfully black humour. Typical of Burton there is a specific look and feel to the movie, and (oddly) it's clean. London is shown as very very clean, which has the affect of focussing on the dirty deeds of Todd. Interesting tool that. Depp is, as usual, wonderful.
Recommendation: go see it, 4/5.
Beer: I've just sipped a Mata "Artesian", the ale is wonderful. Very drinkable, like it disappears so quickly and with such a gorgeous taste (and after taste), quite hoppy - but not too much. Go drink it. I picked it up, at all places, Pak'n'Save for about $12 for a 4 pack.
me xx
4 February 2008
A strange evening
While walking to find some dinner (roadkill), I saw an elderly woman holding a blowup dragon.
That struck me as odd. So odd in fact I stopped and said to her 'You don't see that everyday', she started giggling and said 'No, but i've made yours'.
The fact I said anything was possibly even odder, given my usual reticence in talking to strangers.
And now I'm watching Louis Thereaux. I love Louis. I'm almost as much fanboy as I am of Stephen Fry. He's talking to America's most hated family (god hates fags, and thats why American's are dying in Iraq). He reminds me of a more hands-on Parky.
Strange night.
B.
That struck me as odd. So odd in fact I stopped and said to her 'You don't see that everyday', she started giggling and said 'No, but i've made yours'.
The fact I said anything was possibly even odder, given my usual reticence in talking to strangers.
And now I'm watching Louis Thereaux. I love Louis. I'm almost as much fanboy as I am of Stephen Fry. He's talking to America's most hated family (god hates fags, and thats why American's are dying in Iraq). He reminds me of a more hands-on Parky.
Strange night.
B.
3 February 2008
One for the meat eaters
Or as it's advertised in the video, give peas a chance. My itunes randomly threw up this gem from Dr Demento's 2000 collection, and a quick youtube later I have a video for you lot. I present to you, the Arrogant Worms with "Carrot Juice is murder"
me.
me.
2 February 2008
Another one bit the dust
Amphibians are a good indicator of environmental health - as they absorb a number of things through their skin. Sadly our environment isn't working out too well for them. Add to that the chytrid disease, and I wouldn't recommend reincarnation as an amphibian.
the BBC site has a video of the wild golden frog and its mating system before it went extinct. It waves, it beats up other males, and it's a lovely golden colour!! And now it's extinct in Panama, the only remaining animals are in captivity. Go little froggies!
There's a video at the link, I like it.
B
the BBC site has a video of the wild golden frog and its mating system before it went extinct. It waves, it beats up other males, and it's a lovely golden colour!! And now it's extinct in Panama, the only remaining animals are in captivity. Go little froggies!
There's a video at the link, I like it.
B
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