4 thoughts

 I know have been kind of MIA for awhile. I just needed time away and to think through things. I read your posts from the last few weeks and am following still. Sorry. Anyways...I thought I would give 4 updates for anyone who cares or doesn't. whatever

1. All the flooding and dikes up by my parents place and my hometown, Moorhead, have got me thinking. Do I miss high school classmates? not sure, maybe some of them. Do i care about Moorhead-Fargo? yes for my family and for growing up there. It was a good place to grow up. I just don't want anyone to go through what i did in Katrina.  From that comes the thought that our infrastructure is fucked. We need to get our levees and flood control fixed, knowing that a river will do what it wants so maybe we need to give it room to do that. Next we don't need new roads but our current roads need to be in good shape. Rural america needs access to the internet, cell phones, and emergency services like urban america. These need to be seen not as luxuries but as the new utilities of the 21st century. 

2. I am like the new pitchfork media redesign. I like the connection to streaming the albums they review through lala.com. It makes me able to decide if I like the band more or not by getting a listen first. I can than legally buy the album online. Right now I am streaming the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album "It's Blitz!" and I am really liking it. I have discovered a few bands this way (Heartless Bastards, Mirah, Melissa Nadler, Fucked Up to name a few) and I think it helps us consumers tell if we like a new band before shelling out $8 to $10 for an album that might be crap. I think i need to but the YYYs album.

3. Another place i test new music, though it is more limited, is from Spinner and Aol Music. They don't have a huge selection but for a major label album it is enough. I am always on the look out for new ways to discover music. I use Last.fm and The Sixty One for finding  new things. I am thinking about getting a Lala.com account.

4. Lastly I am on a mission to hear all of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 Albums (link back to my list). I am working towards hearing all the different types of music and things I would never have listened to otherwise. I have about 20% done. There is a lot by artists that i am indifferent too or never had access too. I am not a huge fan of R&B or Soul but like some artists, so they will be a challenge to listen to. I also am not big on Elvis or much country so we will see how this goes but those will probably be the last ones I listen to. I have no end for this goal just going to work through it.

Bonus: I am also trying to listen to more classical music but where to begin. I am thinking of getting a 2TB ext. hard drive with fire wire to play a very large digital collection of music (might end up digitizing all my albums as i hear them and add tons of classical too). Any tips for someone who might have over 200gb of Music that could be accessible?

Those are my thoughts for now but don't expect too much from me.

4 Thoughts

Just some random thoughts mostly about music.

1. This (-15) challenge has been interesting. I have discovered music in my collection that I didn’t know much about or hadn’t listened to for years. Bands from the 90’s like Candlebox, Alice In Chains, etc. It was nice reliving the good parts of high school, the music.


2. I am loving the new Neko Case album, “Middle Cyclone” because the music is amazing. The songs are beautiful and emotional. Her voice draws me in through its power. She has a such a powerful voice but she can control so much better than many other artists.


3. I don’t go to concerts anymore. It is kind of sad but going to a pop/rock concert is just not something that will happen. For lack of money (and trying to be cheaper person) and also that my tastes don’t translate into something most people want to hear. I can go to classical and some big names acts if I wanted to but I am just trying to lay low.


4. I miss skiing. I used to go in Minnesota on the hills once in awhile but I loved the few times I went to larger runs. I went to Montana for one 3 day weekend through church. I wish I could go to the mountains at least twice a year (if not live near some). I would go once at least to ski/snowboard. I would enjoy another weekend hiking another time. I love going there and enjoy hiking and being out in nature. Unfortunately Dallas does not give me an opportunity for much outside enjoyment. I need to find a way to get out more.


In other news I wish I could take a vacation but…

4 things for saturday

1. I love that I have 7 people following this right now. For some reason it helps me think that people like to read what I write. I do censor myself here as the chance my family might find it, so if you want uncensored me check my livejournal.

2. Best of 2008 list is done and the top 25 albums will be on the right hand side under 2008 albums. making mix cds and digital mix cds tomorrow. I will let you know when its ready but you can go to my last.fm and here the playlist of the top 20/21 tracks.

3. Frost/Nixon was great. So the top films of the year for me so far (until i see something else) are: 1) Frost/Nixon, 2) Milk, 3) The Dark Knight, 4) Slumdog Millionaire, and 5) Doubt

4. I just made meatloaf (my fav) for the 4th time ever. I didn't have egg this time, oops. Hopefully this isn't a dinner fail. I feel like a huge failure everytime something doesn't come out perfectly, which is why I am afraid to cook. If the meal isn't good I feel like I shouldn't bother trying.

4 Things For A Sunday

So I am thinkign this morning and these four things are the thought process

1. Rob and Sarah at Howmuchdowelove.com are so right on soft pants. Mine are the most comfortable thing on the face of the earth right now. They are a blue with silver and black lines in a plaid pattern complete with T-wolve logo. They are very warm (sometimes too warm).

2. I wish i owned mario kart.

3. I wish i had more people on skype to chat with or even aim/yahoo.

4. The highway system in DFW looks like a penis. The tip just west of Fort Worth and the balls around Dallas. Look on a map.

Bonus: twilight looks dumb. Teenage girls enjoy but the book so is boring byt the 10 pages I read in Borders. Now time to readin' the Watchmen some more.

4 Things #3

Things I am thinking right now

1. HDTV is magical. It looks great and most shows look better on it.

2. I want to visit Iceland, in the summer. The first foreign trip (other than an Alaskan Cruise) will be Venice, Italy though.

3. I am writing my other podcast entry of 5 podcast you should listen too.

4. Is Prince really this dumb? Or was he misquoted?

4 Things #2

1. Half Price Books is huge on Northwest Highway and easily one can get lost. I was there for awhile today and still have no idea what I was looking for. I did find a great book about Renzo Piano from Taschen Press. He is one of my favorite architects and quite possibly the best working today.

2. Ricky Gervais' stand-up special is not as funny as I thought it would be. I have 35 minutes left to watch though.

3. The Watchmen is a good book, duh. I am just reading it for first time and really enjoying. I think it is the bes graphic novel, EVER.

4. Linksys 2wire ATT router + iMac = single craps out and I get red light and yellow screen. Why do macs have more problems than pcs? anyone got ideas, especially those working at the death star?

random thoughts

I thought I would compose my random thoughts for the morning:

1. Dunkin Donuts coffee at the grocery stores is great. The cinnamon spice is delicoius. I highly recommend it.

2. If you love mac and Cheese I had the BEST EVER IN THE UNIVERSE yesterday. i went to central market and basicly had a foodgasm. it was 3 types of cheese, white wine sauce, TRUFFLE OIL, and bacon amongest many things in it. yummy.

3. I am going to a new rest. tonight for the first time and hoping it is great. The Screendoor has a great menu and for a birthday dinner it looks great. i mean look at it Screendoor

4. last for the morning. I am working on my best of 2008 list and finding difficult. I don't think there was that much great music this year but lots of interesting types. Let me know what some of your best ALBUMS of the year. i don't care for singles jsut albums. (BTW the following will no make the list The Walkmen, Juno, Tricky or HEALTH).

I also want to open up to ASK ANYTHING. I will give an answer though you should be warned I don't know what the Answer will be. WINK

L8rs