carbon leaf 2.21.07

I finally got to see Carbon Leaf again - it's been over a year since I drove all the way to Ann Arbor for one of their shows. The show was absolutely killer. Maybe because I hadn't seen them (or any great shows) in several months, or maybe because they really do put on a fabulous live show.

I took some decent photos, considering I wasn't using flash and had my little point & shoot that doesn't do too well in the dark, especially with bodies flailing across the stage as they rock out on their guitars or tin whistles or accordians.

This was my favorite photo after a smidge of color tweaking:



(click for big)

(click for all my show photos on flickr)

I also shot a few videos with the same camera. They are ultra-lo-fi but still get the Carbon Leaf vibe across. The entire playlist can be found here. Individual links to the YouTube videos follow, in recommended order:

1. American Tale - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07 - this is always one of my faves live

2. The War Was In Color - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07 - this is mellow and serious and beautiful

3. Learn to Fly (Acoustic) - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07 - this is mellow and peaceful and acoustic, and has some loud crowd noise in spots

4. Life Less Ordinary - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07 - probably one of their most popular songs, really strong lyrics

5. The Boxer - Carbon Leaf - STB's favorite and quite energetic

23

I saw a sneak preview of The Number 23 last night.

I was anticipating something creepy, something that would make me leave the theatre and see "23" everywhere and be completely creeped out by it.

Instead it was just mediocre. It felt like it wanted really badly to be like Memento. But something about it didn't quite flow as well.

If you break it down into the classic 3 acts -

Act I was a little too long

Act II, which should have succeeded in creeping everyone out, was too short and not creep enough

Act III was entirely too long, and spent too much time "answering questions" that you could easily put together yourself

There were also a few things that didn't quite add up, but were glossed over so you're probably not supposed to care that much, but it bugged me.

When I left the theater, I thought it was an okay movie, but the more I think about it, the more I really don't care for it much.

3 things

3 things tag--straight from Helen’s Homilies

things you should know about the no. 3
1. 3 looks like it should be ½ of 8 – but it’s not
2. The rule of thirds is one of the most basic & common in photography
3. 3 is common in religions as a divine number

3 things that scare me:
1. Mirrors in dark rooms
2. People who willingly hurt others (people or animals)
3. Zealots

3 people who make me laugh:
1. STB
2. Jon Stewart
3. Hugh Laurie

3 things I love:
1. Summer days when I have nothing I have to do
2. Making Music
3. My family & friends

3 things I hate:
1. Snow, Ice, Cold or any combination of
2. Hate
3. Really long conference calls

3 things I don't understand:
1. Calculus (seriously, I was great at math until I got to this stuff)
2. Intolerance
3. Many decisions made by politicians

3 things on my desk:

(my desk at home)
1. An old Mac G4 I can’t get to work
2. My photo printer
3. My ipod dock

(my desk at work)
1. My briefcase with all kinds of stuff from ipod and camera to scheduler and paperwork
2. My notary stuff
3. My now empty mug that held green tea this morning

3 things I'm doing right now:
1. Listening to a long conference call for work
2. Answering these questions
3. Text messaging STB

3 things I want to do before I die:
1. Travel more
2. Teach someone else music
3. Everything I list on 43 things

3 things I can do:
1. Play Tuba
2. Take pretty decent photographs
3. Bake (even though I rarely do)

3 things you should listen to:
1. As many different types of music as you can
2. The ocean
3. Your parents

3 things you should never listen to:
1. Hate speech
2. High pitched squeeling noises
3. The Man

3 things I'd like to learn:
1. To play bass better
2. More about various religions
3. More CSS / web design stuff

3 fave foods:
1. Pizza
2. Mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies
3. Depending on my mood: Thai, Mexican, Italian

3 beverages I drink regularly:
1. Water
2. Green Tea
3. Coffee (although I’ve cut this waaaaaaaaaaay down)

3 TV shows/Books I watched/read as a (little) kid:
1. Sesame Street
2. How to Eat Fried Worms
3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

3 people I tag:

All the people who feel like filling this out.

marketing 101

Today I'm working on marketing to prospective clients. I have a list of 7000+ businesses. The company that provided the list was kind enough to break out what they think are the top 200. Now I'm trying to narrow down my top 100 and then top 50.

So the first stop is Ye' Old Internet, where Google is your friend. I actually started Googling these companies last week.

If you're going into business, or maybe you're already in business, I have some advice:

Before you name your company, no matter how clever or catchy or original you think your name is, Google it. If you got an entire first page with other companies bearing that same name, think of something else. Be original. Stand out. Let people actually be able to find you.

Then, get a web presence. I don't care who you cater to, what you sell, whatever, you need a web site. People want to research you on the web. They don't want to have to talk to other people or look you up in journals or magazines or books. If they can't find you online, they probably won't try too hard to find you.

So my top 100 and top 50 potential clients aren't the top 100 from my list - they are the top 100 from my list with web sites I could find. And they are getting cool little gifts that probably have no bearing on whether or not they actually do business with me.

tow truck drivers & car thieves

Saturday night I headed over to my friends' house. The plan was to watch a tuba cartoon DVD with their 3 year old kid, probably eat some junk food, and after he went to bed us grown ups were going to watch The Departed.

Upon my arrival I discovered that my friends were not having the best day. Earlier they had their car towed and spent over $800 fixing it. Then Dad went to pick up some food about a mile from the house, and was having an unrelated car problem that involved the ignition not working. At all. Mom couldn't go get him because she had Kid and the carseat was in the car Dad took.

So I drove back and forth, shuttling Mom & Dad between their home and their stranded car. After phone calls to every open locksmith in the vicinity, we discovered that none of them would touch the ignition lock because of liability. I offered up my AAA membership to save them paying for 2 tows in one day. After being told it was a 2 hour wait for a towtruck, we got a guy within about 15 minutes.

And this is where the story really begins. The tow truck driver (TTD) looked to be 18 years old. I might have believed he was 19, after he showed me his ID. But he was friendly and nice.

TTD asked us what the problem was, and my friend briefly described the issue. With super confidence, TTD offered to take a look, and of course the car wouldn't start for him, either.

Eagerly TTD announced: I know who to call -
and he called someone on his 2 way phone/walkie talkie device

TTD (into phone): Hey, did you ever steal a (year, make & model of friends' car)?

Mumbling girl on the other end: a response I didn't make out

TTD (to us): My girlfriend used to steal cars for a living...

US (to each other): This is crazy and hilarious stares at each other

TTD (still to us, with glowing pride in his voice): ...she's 17

My friend (the Mom): Man, I need to get some new friends

Me: Yeah, with some special skillz

Friend: I need to put their numbers in my phone

TTD: Yeah, under Car Thieves

All 3 Of Us: *mad laughter*

17 year old former car thief (over the talkie to TTD): Lots of really detailed questions and suggestions

Friend: Wow, she really knows what's she's talking about

TTD (gleefully): Yeah, that's my babymomma

17 year old former car thief and current babbymomma: You're going to have to mumble car stuff I don't catch

TTD (to us): She's hott

Us: laugh our freezing butts off

And from there, TTD hooked up the car and towed it the 1.1 miles to my friends' home. While he followed us in my car, we discussed the weird conversation we just had, and how many 17 year olds "make a living" and do so stealing cars, when they couldn't have been old enough to legally drive (although if you're stealing cars, you're obviously not real concerned with legalities). It didn't cost us anything, and that story alone makes up for giving up one of my free tows.

church

My dad asked me today if I had been looking for a church. My dad is an überchurchgoer. He teaches Sunday School, teaches Awanas, ends up in church plays, counsels at a church camp, and socializes primarily with his churchgoing brethren. He's 100% † - just into church stuff.

He asked me if I didn't miss being involved in church. Of course I shrugged it off, sort of agreed with him, and dodged the subject as much as possible.

I don't miss being involved in church. Church is too time consuming, and if you don't participate in every event asked of you, you get accused of being a bad Christian. I do enjoy playing music at churches. But even after you've played regularly for awhile, people start expecting other things of you. And I just want to play music and maybe worship and sometimes hear some theological ideas, which I find intellectually interesting if nothing else.

I have a general belief that I would describe as Christian, with some Taoist life philosophy. It involves a lot of forgiveness and love and tolerance, and doesn't involve supporting war and death penalties; it just doesn't jive with traditional churches.

I understand my dad's concern is genuine - he wants to make sure my soul isn't damned - and we all want that for our loved ones, regardless of your views of damnation or salvation or just nothingness. I have a hard time communicating my situation and beliefs and disgust with the face of Christian religion and the average churchperson in general, because I don't want my dad to feel like I'm judging him, or that I've given up on God. I'm proud of all he does and the fact he lives such a positive life, but I just can't align myself with the average Christian organization.

Awhile ago I was going to write a bit about Studio 60 - the drama about the SNL-like sketch comedy show. There's a main character who is a Christian, but she's not crazy, and is her own person. Her character spends a good chunk of time explaining or defending (or disagreeing with extreme) Christian ideas and acts. But then I came across this article about Christians in Hollywood. I think it's one of the reasons I like the show. That and the banter between Chandler Matthew Perry & Bradley Whitford's characters. This paragraph doesn't really have much to do with the rest of the post, other than to show an example of the Christians that are tolerable, and in today's polarized world, too rare. And also to say that I'll be really happy if they don't cancel that show.

(Day 1 of 1).

memo to self: mini-blog challenge

I've been trying to blog all of the random things I think of when I'm away from the internet, but I usually either forget all of the good, clever ideas or am just too tired and/or preoccupied to think of writing anything intelligent. To improve my quasi-blogging-talents, I decided to give myself a little challenge.

Today I added to my 43 things site (and yes, I do realize I currently only have 11 things) the mission of blogging every day for a month.

I will have a week hiatus where I'm out of town with limited, if any, internet access. So that puts a full month at March 23.

I'll do my best to put up decent posts of at least moderate interest.

Let the games begin!

pop...

Our concert was cancelled last night, due to the weather. The weather had really stopped a couple hours prior to showtime, and the city was slowly trying to deal with the snow (just like every year when we get hit with a snowy blast). Wanting to do something, we decided to hit a movie, and what could be more cliche as a Valentine's Day movie than Music & Lyrics?

The movie was exactly what you expect... a cutesy little contrived but blossoming romance, with creative & other differences causing some friction, but it will all be puppies & roses by the end.

As a bonus, Hugh Grant's character is a hasbeen 80's pop star, from a band called "PoP", who's big hit was called something like "PoP! Goes My Heart", and featured lots of synthesizer and 80s hair. The actors all actually sang for their parts, which was surprisingly perfect for the music. The movie poked good fun at the music business, mimicking and mocking the 80s, but also commenting on the current pop stars. The "pop star" in the film is a combo of Britney, Shakira, and Christina, with weird ideas about music and religion.

STB went out today and bought the movie soundtrack, and is playing it right now. I'm going to have "Pop! Goes My Heart" stuck in my head for a week.

valentine's day

I feel like I should post something Valentine's Day- ey.

So, yesterday was Part I of our 2-Day Valentine's Day extravaganza. You see, tonight we're going to see & hear New Edition. But since I had to work, that limits our time for dinner and other mushy Valentine's Day activities.

Also, Tuesday is New Release Day, and as it happens on every gift-giving holiday, STB received a Best Buy gift card, which he anticipated wanting to spend. He also received the 2 Disc Special Edition of The Departed. Because I am awesome. (For the record, I received a Gomez CD and the new Douglas Coupland novel, JPod).

But we got hit with nonstop snowy ice storms, and Best Buy closed early. So we went to dinner (the restaurant also closed early, but we made it in plenty of time).

Thankfully the snow is slowing, and the roads may actually be a little clearer tonight because we have a concert to go to for Part 2 of our Valentine's Day extravaganza.

birthday goodies

I turned 30 last week. My mom knitted a matching hat & scarf (although my sister helped pick out the colors):



(bigger) | (biggest)

She also makes afghans, baby blankets, and anything else she feels like. Pretty, isn't it?

Since I've been whining about not taking any photos lately, I think I'm going to take photos of all the stuff she's made for me lately. And maybe the stuff my Granny has made, too. Both are really creative and if they wanted could probably sell their stuff. For some reason, knitting/sewing/related activities are fun for them.

saturday evening personality test

We've all had to take personality tests. I think I was in high school the first time I took one. I also took a test in high school to determine good career matches, and I came back with "vending machine repairman" in the #1 spot. I'm not technical and don't like to fix things (I just like them to work), and I have no idea why it was specific to vending machines. I often get different results with the tests, because I never answer everything the same.

Tonight I took this test, which labeled me as ENTP. It actually seems to describe me quite well, from the loving to argue, to having no patience with stupid people, even to the appearing aloof with loved ones.

And this: Aside from those two areas, ENTPs tend to be oblivious of the rest of humanity, except as an audience -- good, bad, or potential. - well, maybe that explains why I blog.

photoless

I haven't taken or even posted any photos since the holidays - and those were family photos, definately something I want to have a lot of, but not fullfilling in the sense the more artistic ones are.

The #1 reason for this is the weather; it rained forever, then snowed, then got really really cold. So I'm not about to voluntarily leave the warmth of my home to trek through muck and take photos, all the while freezing my toes off.

But it's been long enough that I'm getting the urge for creative photography, I just need a creative idea for indoor photography until the weather warms back up.