Monday, February 19, 2007

Understanding Britney...

I have to admit that over that past couple months there have been brief moments where I have relished the idea of shaving my head. Some due to the weather and the tiny knots that drive me crazy but also the potentially cathartic ties to shaving ones head.

I have always been tempted to shave my head. I just don't want to deal with growing it out. It is the in-between length that is a pain in the ass. Plus, there are few people who look good with a shaved head and I just don't know if I would be one of them.

So, when I read the CNN tag line that Britney had shaved her head and saw her picture I didn't think what a horrible thing. I related with and felt for her. Let her have her breakdown in private. Let her go through the stages with out public scrutiny. I often forget how young she is and when reminded, I question how many of us would even be doing as well as she is, if we were in her shoes. Hell, I know I wouldn't want the public in my personal business, criticizing how I am handling my drama. I don't think trying to focus on handling things with grace can necessarily allow you to actually handle your business, when it takes all you have to cope. Do I think she is handling it in the best way? I have know I idea. All I am saying is I can relate.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Running with Valentine's Scissors

Valentine's was actually rather painless and I am thankful for that little miracle. Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine about Valentine's Day when we were growing up and she said how she had loved it. I said I liked it until I had to sit down at the kitchen table and sign what felt like a million cards. That was in elementary school.

Cobi, my friend, remembered more of the receiving then the giving and conceded that the signing was a bit cumbersome. I then asked her if she had the roses like we did in high school. How you secretly hoped you would get one of those $1.50 single roses but new that the person delivering them was going to give to the girl who already had a pile from the ones she received all day, each period. You would grumble to yourself that you just knew she was sending them to herself. Then you would get the idea to send them to your friends and they would send them to you. I relayed this to my friend and she started laughing really hard. When she could finally speak it was to say that they did the same thing at her high school. I wonder if that still do that today?
So Cobi sent me an email for Valentine's that was sooo funny about how she was gonna send me a rose in Home room. Too funny.

I watched Running with Scissors the other night and I think the acting was amazing. If reading about the movie will ruin it for you then you shouldn't read on. The actual story is very interesting and a reminder of many things. To be cautious of who you surround yourself with, that things in moderation is a better idea then consuming drugs/alcohol like a kid after Halloween. It was also a great reminder that there are a lot of hurting people out there and that there are also a lot of selfish assholes, too. Sometimes, they are one in the same. It was also interesting to see things that are clearly wrong, be acted so well that you have empathy for the characters. At least, that is how I felt.

There are quite a few serious topics throughout the movie ...
Psychotherapy, homosexuality, alcoholism, over medication, divorce, unrealized dreams, abandonment, a 14 year old in a relationship with a 35 year old schitzophrenic. Mental illness, being ignored, deceit, extortion, fraud, and failure to be a good, if even present, parent. There is also hope, strength, perseverance and the ability to overcome.

Sometimes watching the mother was odd because it reminded of me of when my mother was sick but Annette Benning was awesome. If you don't mind being a bit uncomfortable, I really recommend the movie.

I am thankful it is the weekend. I hope it magically seems like a week and that it is a good one.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

So it begins...

I am not sure what the focus of this blog will be. I suspect there may be a lack of focus. :) I hope to have a chance to post information about the different musicians I like and the latest songs etc that I have stumbled across. I am also interested in streaming some of the music but I am not sure if that is possible, so I have some homework to do.

The latest artist that I have come across is Mika. I think if I just heard the song that it may have taken longer for me to like it but the first time I heard the song was when I saw the video. It is very interesting and I like his energy and the little girl in the video too. I am sure that it is on-line and if you are interested take a look at it.

Mika sounds like a few other artists out, he even mentions how he sounds like Freddie (Mercury) in his Grace Kelly song - which is the video I was referring to above. I need to listen the rest of his album to see if it was just that song or if I can confidently recommend his album.

Although, I have a friend of mine that through time we have learned that if we hear something we fundamentally do not like, that there is a very high probability that the other will like it. I have given CDs to Tony that I just found painful. I have thought of him when hearing something, that while the artists are talented, their music just wasn't for me, and he would laugh stating that he already owned some of the band's music or he would look them up on-line to find that I was right - he liked them.

He sooo does not like Ani DiFranco and I finally got him to concede that she is talented but he just doesn't like her voice. That is something that people are not likely to be able to look over. I understand though. Whereas his favorite bands are Tool and Mr Bungle wich on the most part are just too much for me.

As for an album that I would recommend, Ray LaMontange's latest album Till The Sun Turns Black is great. It is more bluesy than his first album and is richer in sound.