Two seperate trips to the mall garnered me a new book and two new CDS. I'll discuss the book when I actually get around to reading it but the first CD is Magic which is the latest from Bruce Springsteen reunited once again with the E-Street Band. It's no contest that the music is better with the band as oppose to without but I've come to the conclusion that, despite great tunes Bruce did by himself or with other musicians, his writing seems better with the band for whatever reason. Devils and Dust, his previous album didn't suck but the lyrics don't grab me the way the lyrics of these songs do. If you like classic Springsteen, I highly recommend this album.
Ringo Starr gets a bad rap. He's the most underappreciated Beatle and yet Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo is an awesome compilation. Yes, one may argue that's because George Harrison appears on a large portion of the tracks found here and John Lennon appears on two, I beleive, but that in no way belittles his talent. Others listen to his albums and complain, "That's not Ringo singing." for example. No other non-rap artist has so many guest stars on their albums. I personally think it's cool. Ringo is a team player. More artists need to get over themselves and take note.
Though, I'm not going to discuss the book I bought yet, I am going to discuss a book I finished recently. Star Trek: Strangers From The Sky by Margaret Wander Bonanno was orginally written about twenty years ago and this is obvious to any moderate fan of the franchise. There's no way that there are 500 members of the Federation at 2265 when only 19% of the galaxy had been explored by 2365, (The Next Generation second season episode "The Dauphin.") Bonanno includes a new foreward in which she herself points out the inconsistancies though not specifically except for first contact with the Vulcans. The actual story of the book, that first contact with the Vulcans actually happened before the official account is still valid. The crew of the Enterprise, and I liked how it was the crew seen only the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before," go back to this time which is fine. My biggest problem with this book is how this element occurs. A sorceror? In Star Trek? Come on. A non-corporeal entity or technologically advanced alien I can accept but a sorceror? It just doesn't work for me.
Let me tell about this past Saturday. I had previously agreed to do event staff duties at my church for a string quartet that preforms here about once a month. The sidewalks were very icy so, fearing for my safety, I tried to call out. I called and left a message for the secretary. (I find out today that she was trying to get a hold of me but my phone was knocked out my our thorough housekeeper.) Anyway, long story shorter, we get a hold of eachother at the last minute and my aunt gives me a lift down.
I'm glad I didn't wait any longer because I was busy unlocking things when their special guest pianist encounters me and asks if there are lights as I thought I had more time to turn them on. Finding her a piano to practice on during the concert was a pain. The guy who came to record the concert was setting up his equipment and was told by her, "I don't like to be recorded until I have heard it myself." Things went smoothly after that until about intermission when aparently one of the quartet became ill. I think his was the main reason the concert went twenty minutes over. I'm sure the piano mover guys were happy about this. After the concert, tthe building evacuated quickly except for the recording guy who took his sweet time packing up his stuff. Meanwhile, my aunt is waiting outside to bring me back up the street. I'd do it again but it was an experience I won't soon forget.
Finally, a word or three about the Super Bowl. I say this every year but the commercials get worse every year. I suppose the best was the Budweiser commercial with this dog training "Rocky" the clydesdale to pull the beer wagon but the Victoria Secret commercial did hold my attention....
The Giants have always been my second favorite team so I can't get too upset by last night's outcome but I will say this: Tom Brady was clearly not himself and needed more protection than usual whci he didn't get. One of two things had to happen: the defense needed to work harder to compensate or Brady needed to be pulled just after they took the lead if not sooner. Some may argue that the Giants just wanted it more. Maybe they did. Maybe they did...
Here's a quiz and a very accurate one at that:
Ringo Starr gets a bad rap. He's the most underappreciated Beatle and yet Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo is an awesome compilation. Yes, one may argue that's because George Harrison appears on a large portion of the tracks found here and John Lennon appears on two, I beleive, but that in no way belittles his talent. Others listen to his albums and complain, "That's not Ringo singing." for example. No other non-rap artist has so many guest stars on their albums. I personally think it's cool. Ringo is a team player. More artists need to get over themselves and take note.
Though, I'm not going to discuss the book I bought yet, I am going to discuss a book I finished recently. Star Trek: Strangers From The Sky by Margaret Wander Bonanno was orginally written about twenty years ago and this is obvious to any moderate fan of the franchise. There's no way that there are 500 members of the Federation at 2265 when only 19% of the galaxy had been explored by 2365, (The Next Generation second season episode "The Dauphin.") Bonanno includes a new foreward in which she herself points out the inconsistancies though not specifically except for first contact with the Vulcans. The actual story of the book, that first contact with the Vulcans actually happened before the official account is still valid. The crew of the Enterprise, and I liked how it was the crew seen only the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before," go back to this time which is fine. My biggest problem with this book is how this element occurs. A sorceror? In Star Trek? Come on. A non-corporeal entity or technologically advanced alien I can accept but a sorceror? It just doesn't work for me.
Let me tell about this past Saturday. I had previously agreed to do event staff duties at my church for a string quartet that preforms here about once a month. The sidewalks were very icy so, fearing for my safety, I tried to call out. I called and left a message for the secretary. (I find out today that she was trying to get a hold of me but my phone was knocked out my our thorough housekeeper.) Anyway, long story shorter, we get a hold of eachother at the last minute and my aunt gives me a lift down.
I'm glad I didn't wait any longer because I was busy unlocking things when their special guest pianist encounters me and asks if there are lights as I thought I had more time to turn them on. Finding her a piano to practice on during the concert was a pain. The guy who came to record the concert was setting up his equipment and was told by her, "I don't like to be recorded until I have heard it myself." Things went smoothly after that until about intermission when aparently one of the quartet became ill. I think his was the main reason the concert went twenty minutes over. I'm sure the piano mover guys were happy about this. After the concert, tthe building evacuated quickly except for the recording guy who took his sweet time packing up his stuff. Meanwhile, my aunt is waiting outside to bring me back up the street. I'd do it again but it was an experience I won't soon forget.
Finally, a word or three about the Super Bowl. I say this every year but the commercials get worse every year. I suppose the best was the Budweiser commercial with this dog training "Rocky" the clydesdale to pull the beer wagon but the Victoria Secret commercial did hold my attention....
The Giants have always been my second favorite team so I can't get too upset by last night's outcome but I will say this: Tom Brady was clearly not himself and needed more protection than usual whci he didn't get. One of two things had to happen: the defense needed to work harder to compensate or Brady needed to be pulled just after they took the lead if not sooner. Some may argue that the Giants just wanted it more. Maybe they did. Maybe they did...
Here's a quiz and a very accurate one at that:
You Are An INTP |
 The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can. Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge. Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat. A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. In love, you are an easy person to fall for. But not an easy person to stay in love with. Although you are quite flexible, you often come off as aloof or argumentative. At work, you are both a logical and creative thinker. You are great at solving problems. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor. How you see yourself: Creative, fair, and tough-minded When other people don't get you, they see you as: arrogant, cold, and robotic |
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