tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264535022011-07-30T18:58:34.975-05:00family, music, geography and road geekism, literature, law, business, mormonism, current events, pop-culture, etc.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.comBlogger1541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-25475275451276522382009-11-24T13:45:00.004-06:002009-11-24T14:41:20.692-06:00

#10 - Dirty Projectors - Bitte OrcaSample song: No IntentionThis is one you'll likely see on every "Best Of" list this year. I was initially resistant, but these songs stick in your head, which is pretty remarkable given how experimental the timing, song structures, and arrangements are. I get a little weary of all the praise it receives (I already saw it on one "Best of the Decade" list--don't

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-72073175941036916362009-11-23T13:24:00.019-06:002009-11-23T15:06:59.629-06:00

I hereby inaugurate the second annual "Best Music of the Year" mpbloggo reader's poll. May we not forget the stunning successes of last year's poll.And let me just get this out of the way. In another month or so I'd like to do a Best of 2000-2009 poll. Ooh, that will be a lot of fun. And very difficult.Here is a sampling of what one might see in your iPod given that you were a music fan in 2009:

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-57353051395796568452009-10-13T09:35:00.001-05:002009-12-09T09:35:48.205-06:00

If there's one thing I have to do while in Utah, it's to take a daytrip with Jen's parents. They know the state inside and out, and no matter where you end up, they can tell you a story about the place or point out something unique. Plus, they always manage to find the best food. But even better than those things, it's the excellent conversation and quiet example of their kindness and wisdom that

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-52400481226974694262009-10-13T09:31:00.000-05:002009-12-09T09:32:11.396-06:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-5713094871981123312009-08-21T10:01:00.009-05:002009-08-21T11:52:58.442-05:00

Some of you are aware of the shifting that is occurring at my workplace. Due to the difficulties we have been facing, we had a lot of turnover in the leadership of our revenue cycle operation. Our dean tried to recruit a new leader without success (go figure). So he appointed somebody who has grown up in the organization, has no degree, and has never lead an operation of this size. Her name is [

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-53650542806255840242009-05-27T18:50:00.008-05:002009-05-27T19:06:56.940-05:00

Grizzly Bear's new album, Veckatimest, is now out and being greeted by a tidal wave of critical acclaim. I have tried to avoid succumbing to the excitement and buzz around this album to bring you an honest, objective review here. The song "Cheerleader" was an immediate standout to me (FWIW, I recommend cranking this song):I have Yellow House, the Friend EP, and Horn of Plenty. Yellow House is

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-11211535415211503482009-05-11T12:16:00.003-05:002009-05-11T12:23:17.295-05:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-6034218218889046842009-03-26T23:22:00.005-05:002009-03-26T23:37:51.614-05:00

A terrific storm blew through over the course of a few hours this afternoon. Arriving home from work as the last clouds passed, I noted the sudden clarity and wanted to drink it in. After finally being told today that the thing I have been working for over the past two years would simply go away, this was a nice reminder of the way the universe tends to work.(and yes, tight shots of flowers are

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-6114762136461136362009-03-26T13:55:00.005-05:002009-03-26T14:07:19.992-05:00

One of my favorites of the past three years, Hammock, has released this video. I think the scenes with the actress, especially on playground equipment, are a little forced and slightly kitschy in the face of the musical and cinematic context. But overall, this is an incredibly photographed video...makes me want to drop what I am doing and go out and shoot some pictures.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-30100046808974724142009-03-05T11:13:00.003-06:002009-03-05T21:03:49.929-06:00

I derive immense pleasure from the video above. Youtube is awash in fanboy vidoes for Boards of Canada, some of them are really quite good. My favorite, A Beautiful Place Out In The Country, is unavailable for embedding.More Roygbiv:Duplo stop motion animation = Terrific.Super Mario Brothers = Fail.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-89252205989586823722009-03-02T15:59:00.002-06:002009-03-02T16:00:24.536-06:00

Heard of, but never had the chance to hear, Louis CK before."It's true! We're so lame!"Me likey.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-38257802728144861972009-02-17T11:27:00.006-06:002009-02-17T12:02:19.105-06:00

I have sort of a love-hate relationship with Frontline (a very large portion of the hate inspired by the narrator's oh-so-serious voice), but tonight's episode "Inside The Meltdown" sounds like it should be pretty good.I caught a Bob Edwards interview with producer Michael Kirk on my way into work this morning. Kirk delved into some pretty compelling details about what was happening behind the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-51997055365851838012009-02-13T10:26:00.003-06:002009-02-13T10:51:14.361-06:00

A big day for me and my truck. 150,000 may not seem like a whole lot, but I am proud that they are all mine, that I've kept it going this long, and that it seems to be in good enough shape to get that many more.Here is a list of states that this truck has taken me:AlabamaArizona ArkansasCalifornia

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-43389873611060170862009-02-05T08:45:00.013-06:002009-02-05T10:14:33.153-06:00

Things are getting kind of scary in the quiet neighborhood where we live. Our community has suffered four home invasions over the past two weeks. Yesterday a woman observed a man wearing a mask in her backyard. The man saw her see him and ran off, jumping the fence. Thankfully nobody has been injured, but the intruders have all been armed. All of the home invasions, except one, have occurred

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-22951879780481779202009-02-04T13:21:00.008-06:002009-02-04T14:58:13.966-06:00

The times, being what they are, bear upon all prudent individuals to freshen up their resume. I count myself in this boat as well.I hate resumes. I hate writing them. I hate reading other people's. When I review potential job candidates' resumes, my eyes glaze over and my mind wanders to someplace--any place--else, so long as that place is less cold, forlorn, and desperate. My brain drearily

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-52600385947735221502009-01-31T16:54:00.006-06:002009-01-31T17:18:21.077-06:00

I purchased our Thinkpad exactly 3 years ago this week. It has been a great computer, but barely operable over the last six months or so. Sluggish as all get out (2-3 minutes to start Internet Explorer), DVD's in the optical drive not working after several attempts to update the driver, error messages on startup, always fighting to keep the last 2 gigs of hard drive space free, the list goes

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-5215476001484777432009-01-30T19:50:00.002-06:002009-01-30T19:58:01.716-06:00

The ladies who maintain the Mormon blog "Feminist Mormon Housewives" declared January 2009 to be "Manuary". I was roped into writing a post earlier this month. True to form, I barely managed to finish it before Manuary came to its conclusion.See the post here, if you are interested. Topics this month have ran the gamut, some possibly not for the faint of heart. Mine is a somewhat more

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-79230720892824253112009-01-27T17:31:00.013-06:002009-01-27T18:21:54.965-06:00

My feeble frame has become overrun with the Zoster. Herpes Zoster, to be exact. Also known as "Shingles".About a week ago, when we were driving out to San Antonio, I asked my wife if she had recently used a different kind of detergent. "No, why?" "Because my nipple feels like it is chafing."Fast forward to today, and if I had my way I would scrape off that nipple, and the whole left side of my

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-1695626177341468572009-01-21T17:43:00.003-06:002009-01-21T17:53:30.419-06:00

(available in HD by clicking over to YouTube...highly worth it)Props to my sister for cluing me into watching an otherwise very forgettable episode of SNL on my DVR. This forced me to break out the mandolin and jam with this song several times over.I can't say enough about these guys right now...their live performances, which have been popping up all over national television lately, are even

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-86520893024376650952009-01-20T00:17:00.003-06:002009-01-21T00:02:11.147-06:00

Shown above:The GristmillGruene Dance HallGruene General StoreGruene Mansion Inn

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-88205525554177094422009-01-20T00:07:00.003-06:002009-01-20T00:16:36.806-06:00

Black's Barbeque in Lockhart is the oldest barbeque in Texas that has been operated by a single family--in this case, since the 1930's. It is regularly featured in Texas Monthly and in various other write-ups and TV shows. We had the good fortune to be there the other night just as it closed down. They let me snap a few shots while they were cleaning.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-65205629301091812592009-01-09T10:41:00.004-06:002009-01-09T11:18:18.306-06:00

I've been digesting a whole bunch of new-to-me music. It's a good time with the holidays generally being a slow period for new releases."Into Forever" by Icebreaker International & Manual, on their 2003 joint collaboration of the same name.For fan's of The Dead Texan, Stars Of The Lid, and others like them, you really can't do much better than this album. The added bonus is Manual's signature

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-89557236668450565612008-12-28T22:31:00.006-06:002008-12-29T09:56:21.427-06:00

I stumbled into the Covington, Louisiana motel at 3am this morning. "Do you have any non-smoking?" I asked."All I have is a suite. $99."Suite. Sure, great. With a little room to spread out, maybe I can even squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep in the morning after the girls have woken up.This is the "suite" that awaited us:Apparently, in Covington, "suite" refers to an average-sized room whose

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-45717339669459204552008-12-26T22:25:00.002-06:002008-12-26T22:29:38.630-06:00

(Mobile Bay bridge, thrown in for good measure)

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-34909211271573522542008-12-16T21:53:00.004-06:002008-12-18T10:56:02.574-06:00

[Now includes some brief, scattered thoughts about the album]Dear readers, the sounds of 2008. You voted, I tallied. I approve of the results. I wish I could write more about these albums...it took long enough just to compile this post as it is. Just enjoy the music.* = the album also appears on the AV Club's Best Music of 2008 list. It would appear that our collective hipster credibility is

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-77093170980623894302008-12-15T09:43:00.004-06:002008-12-15T09:50:00.622-06:00

Had me cracking up the other night...This is a good capsule of what I think is so great about SNL right now--the comedy is very character driven and doesn't hang on one joke for too long. In the past, writers would have been reluctant to cram so many great characters into one skit. I think these two elements constitute what was missing for much of the late nineties until the 2005 season.I also

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-74067521829490283472008-12-10T21:30:00.000-06:002008-12-10T21:31:22.025-06:00

Houston gets a Christmas miracle...Consolation prize from Ike?

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-55825364610722043232008-12-05T01:38:00.002-06:002008-12-05T01:39:26.180-06:00

Just another day or two to get your vote in for albums of the year.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-36074935984628989812008-12-05T01:00:00.014-06:002008-12-05T01:50:02.245-06:00

A friend recently acquired this seven-song EP and asked if I would transfer the music for him since his turntable is currently out of comission. I thought it sounded pretty good, so here you go--the opening track, "Outdoor Games":I don't know much else about Magic Arm, except to say that I believe this music is coming to us from across the pond. The track above sounds like it could be a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-74429226143276916882008-11-26T10:29:00.017-06:002008-11-26T14:40:08.157-06:00

The holidays are upon us. Your office is deserted. Conversely, your home is filling with familial undesirables. Already you are feeling the hazy fog and gassy heaviness of post-turkey digestion--and it's only Wednesday!What better way to pass the time than by contemplating all the great 2008 music releases? What a novel idea!The procedure:You will pick ten (can you even think of ten?) new

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-24431255785718415482008-11-24T16:51:00.005-06:002008-11-24T17:44:39.020-06:00

What makes you think of your father? Everything I did this Saturday reminded me of something I had done on some distant Saturday with my dad.It begins as one of those blustery south Texas days--the kind that I am growing to love after five winters here--windy and chilly, but with a fair amount of sun. Not unlike winters in the Southern California of my early youth. No bike ride today. I roll out

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-72382298750041383312008-11-17T23:39:00.009-06:002008-11-18T00:37:18.876-06:00

"Black River Killer" from Portland band Blitzen Trapper's September release: Furr.If it's not already clear, I've emerged from my work-induced pop culture quarantine and am catching up on a lot of terrific Fall releases. Blitzen Trapper's "Furr" is an exciting release that I suspect will appear on many "Best of 2008" lists.Picking one song from this album is difficult, not just because there are

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-75207746477543341542008-11-14T15:43:00.009-06:002008-11-14T16:59:43.513-06:00

"Going, Going, Gone" from September's "Sad Robots EP", by sometimes-Broken-Social-Scene-bandmates and Canadian indie pop act Stars.Stars achieved terrific pop rock heights with their last two releases "In Our Bedroom After The War" and "Set Yourself On Fire". Each album was a sweeping, epic, yet playful ode to loneliness, seeking relationships, and, (ahem) enduring them."Sad Robots" continues in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-8077964949301341852008-11-12T13:19:00.019-06:002008-11-12T16:32:28.966-06:00

My wife and I had the immense pleasure of taking in this documentary via PBS last night. I hope you didn't miss it.This film has all the makings of a killer story. It features a tragic, conflicted, Macchiavelli figure who meets with ruin in a bizarre twist of universal justice. Who after his death is still having the last laugh--his deathbed come-to-Jesus, the Bible still wrapped in cellophane,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-87143239397612632602008-10-25T13:04:00.007-05:002008-10-25T14:02:55.951-05:00

Possibly. I offer some evidence (from the film Stop Making Sense):When else have you ever watched a five minute long single cinematic shot and found it to be so compelling? He is so enjoyable and interesting to watch, and even though the Talking Heads' lyric in the title of this film is a plea to do otherwise, something about Byrne's approach to his art just makes sense.Now, I don't know very

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-87238712834901746362008-10-21T12:49:00.007-05:002008-10-21T13:05:46.207-05:00

"On A Letter" from today's new release, Car Alarm, by Chicago's The Sea and Cake. I've had various run-ins with the Sea and Cake via Sam Prekop and Archer Prewitt's solo albums, but for one reason or another had never really owned an actual Sea and Cake album. Car Alarm is a fine place to start. Sam Prekop, whose vocals I enjoy a lot more than Archer Prewitt's, is really in his sweet spot on this

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-31743239600261201542008-10-21T12:36:00.004-05:002008-10-21T12:41:37.613-05:00

Amy, I'll see your Worst Senior Picture Ever:...and raise you a chimpanzee riding a Segway (Bonus factor: Japanese TV!).

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-33137544667652334142008-10-06T11:37:00.010-05:002009-02-02T11:55:46.961-06:00

Great Basin National Park is possibly the best kept secret in the Rocky Mountain West, at least in terms of National Parks. This was my fourth visit in eight years. Every time I have visited, I have brought along a different native Utahn who was absolutely ignorant to the park's existence; every time they have been floored to discover something so beautiful that they didn't know existed right in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-52212369872380102162008-10-06T11:19:00.006-05:002009-02-02T11:59:05.496-06:00

The Book Cliffs region is likely one of, if not the, most remote areas I have ever visited. This due to the sheer difficulty of getting there: three-plus hours of driving from Salt Lake City, then another ninety minutes or so of four-wheel driving, followed by several hours on horseback. Possibly its remoteness is rivaled by my visits to the Boundary Waters or the Big Bend region of west Texas.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-20969070095754096802008-09-25T16:36:00.006-05:002008-09-25T19:08:03.745-05:00

"Back To Texas" from the best Provo Band ever, "The Plan"The Plan was my friend Silentkid's band. I met Jared at the record store on New Release Tuesday at 10:00am on September 25th, 2001. I remember it so well because we were both there to pick up Ryan Adams's Gold. We both had to ask the clerk to get it out for us because they hadn't stocked it yet.This led to a long parking lot conversation

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-5318307384160395162008-09-24T13:20:00.007-05:002008-09-24T22:46:09.909-05:00

Today we have two songs from two releases with very similarly designed artwork.American Football's "Letters and Packages" from their 1998 eponymous American Football EPAmerican Football was another of these great Champaign-Urbana bands swimming in the wake of Sunny Day Real Estate's Diary. American Football turned down the agressive singing and guitars a notch, and turned up the sappy

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-89952505913740132702008-09-22T18:37:00.006-05:002008-09-22T19:06:01.391-05:00

I'm going to do Song of The Week #11 in installments this week...that way I can get all of these "fall music" songs that I referenced last week out of the way before I go on vacation next week."(Inhaling Fumes)" from Nymb's 2000 Breathing Out Vapors singleNymb was one of the aforementioned northern Illinois bands, active from about 1998 to 2001. You can read a little about them at their archived

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-85579993671849957602008-09-22T09:45:00.004-05:002008-09-22T10:04:58.509-05:00

Go to an abbreviated sacrament meeting in another ward wearing jeans, boots, and a t-shirt; watch the deacons pass the sacrament in their t-shirts. Instead of Sunday school, work the chainsaw until early evening. Break for lunch at a park alongside Galveston Bay. After two days of this, lose the feeling of surprise at people's emotion and gratitude. Wonder to yourself whether the weekend hasn't

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-1699565294292634982008-09-19T09:40:00.010-05:002008-09-19T10:11:04.386-05:00

"Thinking Loudly" from El Ten Eleven's 2004 self-titled debut, El Ten ElevenWell, it's early Autumn (as of tomorrow), which for some inexplicable reason always gets me in the mood for early (pre-"Explosions In the Sky") post-rock. I'm talking about mid-to-late 90's lo-fi, basement-produced, syncopated drumming, northern Illinois / Champaign-Urbana style garage band rock. Of course you know

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-73035152614170798282008-09-18T09:56:00.002-05:002008-09-18T10:05:14.845-05:00

In all my Ike accounting, I forgot to mention the guy in a bear suit. This certainly had me cracking up during what was otherwise kind of an ominous morning.Also, in my account of the storm below, I forgot to mention the amount of air moving through our house. When I would open any door in the house, you could feel the wind moving between rooms. When our door on the closet was closed, you could

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-63381263110628328962008-09-16T22:45:00.002-05:002008-09-17T01:43:20.147-05:00

Who hasn't needed a good laugh over the past week? And who do we think of when we think of laughing ... at quirky, childish, unintentionally funny things? (BTW, I'm pretty sure Amy is well acquainted with this clip, Conan fan that she is.) The only thing it lacks is an overdub of MAC saying "Eeh?" (or something similar) when he first appears onscreen.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-52350379097196095792008-09-16T10:20:00.006-05:002008-09-16T11:01:04.822-05:00

I said goodbye to my family in Austin yesterday. They were headed home to my in-laws.Then I headed back on the highway towards Houston. I made a few phone calls to see what, if anything, people needed. Dairy and gasoline seemed to be the popular items. So I stopped and bought several gas cans and filled them. Even in Bastrop, nearly two hours from Houston, the stores and gas stations were a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-79187187658007961642008-09-14T11:26:00.008-05:002008-09-14T15:06:37.610-05:00

Ike-Ready: Our Neighbor's HouseIt has been a long 48 hours. I'll try and give a brief recap of events.At some point on Friday, we became comfortable with the idea of staying in our house South of Houston to ride out the storm. A number of things were influencing us. One was that the storm was weakening and was projected to remain a category 2. In our family planning discussions (which now seem so

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-82213078958265094262008-09-12T08:15:00.003-05:002008-09-14T20:43:26.022-05:00

Despite all my hoping last night, Ike continues to draw a bead on the Freeport / Galveston area. We have a clear model consensus with little room for a miracle at this point. Furthermore, half of the models have dropped back from Galveston down to Freeport, finally bucking the northward trend in the models. The NHC has predicted some modest strengthening today so that landfall is projected to

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-72493194074335743172008-09-11T22:00:00.007-05:002008-09-14T20:43:26.023-05:00

Mixed news out of the NHC for the 10:00pm update. I am very encouraged that the storm has been downgraded to a Category 2, and possibly a 1 at landfall. Ike has failed to produce winds above 100mph today, despite previous projections. If it fails to strengthen from its current strength, sustained winds will only top out at 98mph at landfall (this in contrast to previous projections of 120-125).

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-43818909010281389902008-09-11T16:47:00.008-05:002008-09-14T20:43:26.023-05:00

View Larger MapAs I predicted a couple of days ago, the models have consistently shifted north and east along the Texas coast every six hours or so. Here are the latest runs:For most of the last 24 hours, the path has taken Ike directly over Surfside/Freeport, which would put our house perfectly on the "dirty side". Max winds at landfall are projected to be 115-120 mph, with some predictions for

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-31888400234406496202008-09-09T13:54:00.005-05:002008-09-14T20:43:26.024-05:00

Here are the latest model runs for Hurricane Ike:From about yesterday morning until today's 2:00 pm update this afternoon, that northward bend in the models had gone missing, bringing the storm into the Texas coast on a straight line somewhere between Brownsville and Corpus. Now, as you can see, the bend is back, which means that, at least for now, the models have found consensus that a break in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-36784622379655194122008-09-09T10:17:00.005-05:002008-09-09T10:26:29.731-05:00

Via Scott Hansen's blog.Are you having a good day? This video will fix that.I used to be a bit of a Pink Floyd nut. This video does a good job of capturing a little of the 'Floyd mystique. I always wondered how the vocalist on Great Gig In The Sky could muster up so much soul. Now I know. She was imagining herself riding a gigantic, burning astroid.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-78860574272210752912008-09-08T10:13:00.012-05:002008-09-14T20:43:26.025-05:00

2008 Hurricane SeasonDollyEdouardGustavIkeAs today's 11:00 AM NHC advisory demonstrates, Hurricane Ike is the fourth tropical system during the 2008 season that has included Houston in the so-called "Cone of Uncertainty". This is only one occurrence less than the total occurrences in the previous years my wife and I have lived in Houston:2007: Erin, Humberto2006: Chris2005: Cindy, Rita2004:

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-87456242539974957562008-08-24T21:32:00.002-05:002009-02-02T12:01:09.563-06:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-58842519329079083322008-08-22T23:46:00.002-05:002008-08-23T01:01:00.376-05:00

I am with the Varsity Scouts tonight at High Island. It's not really an island, but a place on the coast that sits on top of one of the Gulf's largest salt domes, which are handy for storing natural gas, I think. None of that is really relevant when you consider that we are here to go shark fishing tomorrow.So I am parked on the beach, literally about 20 feet from where the ocean water reaches.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-30519731902818041162008-08-12T19:27:00.008-05:002008-08-13T16:52:33.580-05:00

"Who Told You This Room Exists" from the 2006 album October Language by BelongI'm not especially crazy about this particular track, but I was inspired to post it by a dream I had, and thought it would serve as a springboard to write about some things that I enjoy about ambient music.This weekend I had an incredibly vivid dream wherein I found myself in a place that was essentially hidden to the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-21255524962382129842008-08-09T00:43:00.020-05:002008-08-11T16:06:26.945-05:00

Vinyl Adventures is all about pursuing authentic and unusual listening experiences. For more background information, please see here.While dustbin diving recently, I picked up Bruce Cockburn's 1984 "Stealing Fire" because I was familiar with the lead track, "Lovers In A Dangerous Time", but not the rest of the album. I was really into his "Dart to the Heart" album (I sang "All The Ways I Want You

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-78830656539503370022008-08-09T00:10:00.005-05:002008-08-13T10:35:51.866-05:00

I am hereby kicking off a new and sure to be infrequent feature on the 'bloggo called "Vinyl Adventures". The previous post about The Six Parts Seven serves as the first installment but also acted as the seedling inspiration for doing this. It had been an incredibly long time since I considered vinyl seriously, and to hear how good that particular record sounded really got me excited about the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-85486267457526099022008-08-05T00:25:00.005-05:002008-08-05T01:28:27.110-05:00

What can I say? I'm here for you people! If I can't be close to the bayous, studiously monitoring their every ebb and flow for the benefit of a certain reader or two (you know who you are), the least I can do is document the pandemonium.On my dad's advice (see earlier post), I broke down and reluctantly headed to the store for some "C" batteries. This only after discovering that the crank on my

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-59090579251972431162008-08-04T00:16:00.004-05:002008-08-04T00:49:47.305-05:00

My inner weather geek is prompting me to write a few thoughts about TS Edouard. I've had my eye on this system since yesterday morning, when it was nothing more than a low off the Louisiana coast.This storm reminds me of two events last year, the first being Hurricane Humberto, which as some of you may remember from my posts on the other blog, went from a coastal low to a Category 1 hurricane in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-74304039187836447552008-07-29T23:45:00.017-05:002008-07-30T11:28:25.760-05:00

"Golden" by High Placesand"Ansari" by Tartitboth from The Believer 2008 Music Issue Compilation CD.My copy of this year's music Believer arrived yesterday. Among other things, the issue deals with the current spate of American music that is finding influences in non-western music. Yawn, I would normally think. I've never really been a fan of "world-music"; partly because I feel like it is a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-67572750027830083132008-07-25T16:28:00.010-05:002008-07-25T16:44:37.674-05:00

Admittedly, I am stealing this link from The Catbird Seat. So this is a record that this guy found dustbin diving at his local vinyl shop. A streaming version of the intro track was posted:Viking Truckers - Love On The Road (Streaming, opens in new window)Perhaps the best part was Catbird's description:It’s like "Eastbound and Down" covered by Abba, while a kidnapped Scotsman nervously plays

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-30096607127500343372008-07-22T17:25:00.007-05:002008-07-22T18:09:51.856-05:00

Photo Credit: Michael Zamora, APThis is what I saw on my way home from work last night. At the time, Houston was 150 miles outside the NHC's "Cone of Uncertainty" for Tropical Storm Dolly. "That's a little silly," I thought.This morning, there it was still. Houston, by this point, was well, well beyond the reach of the storm's projected path. In fact, the Tropical Storm coastal watches only

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-69964210373152027922008-07-21T18:32:00.006-05:002008-07-30T00:44:25.527-05:00

"Old Days" from tomorrow's release of "Fate"; the fifth LP from Philadelphia's own Dr. Dog.Curses for not going with Adam to see Dr. Dog when I had the chance.There is plenty more on this album to love. The recording has all the fervor and earnestness of a pared down, White Album era Beatles record. (While I'm at it, should I just throw in The Shins? Well, I won't!).I must know more about this

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-63246872390933099402008-07-15T09:59:00.004-05:002008-07-15T10:03:51.280-05:00

Today's bike commuting entry...Cyclist on car hoodThis driver was arrested and charged with assault. Turns out he was intoxicated. The cyclist initially yelled at the driver to slow down. The driver, in turn, found it necessary to chase and strike the cyclist with his car. Full story here.This comes after another similar incident Sunday in Portland.Sounds like everyone involved in both stories

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-86096305604207307422008-07-11T12:04:00.007-05:002008-07-11T12:32:47.565-05:00

Being a new Wholphin subscriber, I have been digging up old Wholphin pieces to sort of get myself caught up. This one is a true gem (the film is about 15 minutes long and so it is split into two parts):I am even debating whether to post this. When you find stuff this good, you almost don't want to share it.This reminds me of a small student film that I used to carry around with me on a BYU Final

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-78916532602903110442008-07-08T18:13:00.001-05:002008-07-08T18:55:12.667-05:00

Have you reached your personal tipping point with gasoline prices? Some of the folks in this NBC Nightly News piece have: What a shame that a guy lives in Portland--the most bike-friendly city in the country--five miles from work, and it takes $4.00 gas prices to get him to start cycling to the office. Fellow cyclists in Houston would kill to have it that good. At any rate, I think I am

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-75847698488103703822008-07-03T18:02:00.008-05:002008-07-30T00:44:52.722-05:00

"The Story of Grovers Corners" by Aaron CoplandI've always had a gaping soft spot in my heart for Aaron Copland.I had the idea last night to put together a mix of subversive, quasi-patriotic songs and upload it to the blog for your holiday enjoyment. For example, "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth, in which Thurston Moore proposes a teenage revolution resulting in J Mascis becoming President, seemed

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-89673871374417840972008-06-26T18:14:00.004-05:002008-06-26T18:25:43.256-05:00

I kid not...this was an actual selection on an actual vending machine that I actually saw earlier today.For those who haven't seen the film, I give you the clip below (warning about the language--although, in this instance it is highly effective at satirizing Carl's. Jr.).

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-80734956082710872622008-06-20T14:21:00.006-05:002008-06-20T16:19:23.763-05:00

Our friend above would like you to know that Houston has topped Kiplinger's 2008 list of Best Cities to Live, Work, and Play. Also making the list this year: Provo. And Sacramento (hurray Jeff!). As long as Houston continues to produce such upstanding citizens as Margarita Boy here, you other cities might as well give up.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-7666846894093834782008-06-19T10:50:00.009-05:002008-07-30T00:45:38.693-05:00

My wife and I watched "Lars And The Real Girl" last night. It was a delightful movie--go rent it. I used to think Ryan Gosling had one character: obnoxious know-it-all. However, he was excellent in this movie and showed a lot more range. Anyway, during one of the crucial, most moving scenes, the musical backdrop was the song "This Must Be The Place" by the Talking Heads. It was one of those

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-62722713945943069982008-06-18T10:01:00.004-05:002008-06-18T11:29:00.521-05:00

I took a picture of these rare mammatus clouds on my way home from work yesterday. They were on the back side of a strong storm system that blew through the medical center at about 7:00pm last night. They were pretty impressive, but not as much as some.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-33504576165720029842008-06-17T10:40:00.009-05:002008-07-30T00:46:54.373-05:00

"Blue Ridge Mountains" from the June 2008 self-titled debut LP of the Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes.It's hard to tell how much of the hype around the Fleet Foxes is Pitchfork generated (they gave this album a "9"), what with all the current hipster infatuation with the Beach Boys / Brian Wilson and subsequently inspired outfits such as Panda Bear. I happened to hear "White Winter Hymnal" through The

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-31311021034403221472008-06-10T17:58:00.014-05:002008-07-30T00:47:24.255-05:00

"Churches Under The Stairs" from the album Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning--Something For All Of Us.This is an album I have been looking forward to all year. Broken Social Scene has been a consistent favorite for me over the past year (thanks, Adam!). They have three studio albums to their name, the last being released in 2005. Since then they have embarked on a series of "Broken

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-55080317366921048692008-06-06T15:52:00.004-05:002008-06-08T13:25:53.673-05:00

Her vocal style isn't really my thing...but what an incredible band behind her! It's hard to tell on YouTube, but in HD the sound was incredible. I was in awe with her piano player. During the second verse I was thinking to myself "is Shaffer playing the electric piano?" I was confused because I didn't think he had the chops. Then I realized that her piano player was playing the right hand part

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-47740821773809557352008-05-29T11:21:00.005-05:002008-05-30T14:56:20.609-05:00

Someone has said (yesterday in an unrelated story on NPR, as a matter of fact) that good parody takes the unique elements of an artist's style and emphasizes them about 125%.I came across this parody of No Country For Old Men, dressed as an negative political attack ad, on McSweeney's. It had me shedding tears of laughter. The thing is, the author is only doing McCarthy at about 105%, if that,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-53845692924489974482008-05-21T10:36:00.017-05:002008-08-09T00:52:59.441-05:00

I usually avoid answering the question "who is your favorite band?" (it usually comes from people who aren't that into music anyway), but since early last year when I first discovered The Six Parts Seven, they have pretty much been my answer to that question. You've actually probably heard them already without knowing it--NPR loves them for musical interludes when transitioning stories.I love

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-853671059104141942008-05-21T10:11:00.006-05:002008-06-26T18:19:34.190-05:00

This guy gives me the heebs like nobody's business......and I have to pass him several times a week. But this shot has such a low resolution, I'm not sure he has quite the same effect here.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-49326124733558294492008-05-19T00:26:00.010-05:002008-07-30T00:49:55.457-05:00

Requiem on Frankfort Ave" from Eluvium's album Copia.This song represents a different musical direction from what I have posted so far, but I guess you can expect that to happen every now and then. "Requiem on Frankfort Ave" has one of the highest play counts on my iPod. Eluvium has a keen ability to create varying atmospheric feelings on its recordings; one track you feel like you might be

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-31096594958406188772008-05-14T09:54:00.002-05:002008-05-15T01:35:27.158-05:00

Go here.A couple of interesting items.The "Katy" of "Katy Song" died of cancer just after Ghosts of the Great Highway was released. I was never even sure that this person truly existed. Supposedly the album Songs For A Blue Guitar was written and dedicated entirely to her. And it would explain a lot of the wistfulness and autumn imagery in the new album. Sad for him. But the whole thing is a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-51440115503847882242008-05-13T09:20:00.006-05:002008-05-15T09:13:13.610-05:00

"Cath" from today's release of Death Cab For Cutie's new album Narrow Stairs.On XM They've been playing a single off of this CD called "I Will Possess Your Heart" that I have come to loathe. Every time it comes on I want to stab out my ears and take a nap. If you hear that song, you will notice that Ben Gibbard's voice is very forced, like he is trying too hard. And the lyrics are creepy. And the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-12507400872981961232008-05-05T16:10:00.001-05:002008-05-15T11:27:14.014-05:00

"Come Home Baby Julie, Come Home" from Promise of Love by Austin's now-defunct The American Analog Set.We had some family visitors arrive last Thursday night. I was searching for some good background music while we all stayed up late catching up. We were all up until 2:00am. A Blue Bell run was made at 12:30am (nearly 2 gallons were consumed during the course of the visit).This album is not very

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-24418659525461078122008-04-23T13:43:00.002-05:002008-05-15T01:37:29.617-05:00

My brother Jeff has inspired me to begin including this feature on my blog...though it may not occur as frequently or consistently due to time constraints.The first selection is Tycho, "The Daydream", from The Daydream / The Disconnect EP.(I apologize for the wonky player, but I don't have this song DRM-free...more on iTunes and my new iPod if I ever work up the energy and time to post about it).

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-7645362666353935922008-04-20T23:39:00.003-05:002009-03-01T23:49:23.007-06:00

After Chicago we trekked to Nauvoo. It was Jen's first experience there, and my fourth, but first as an adult.I love the pastoral spirit that pervades Nauvoo. When you're there, you get swept up in the peace and tranquility of the place. You can't help but see yourself among those who lived there in the 1840's, living like they would have lived. Except this time, I also felt an undercurrent of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-35259040201273029602008-04-14T23:03:00.003-05:002008-05-15T01:39:59.018-05:00

Despite all of my mid-ride doubts, I managed to withstand the northwesterly winds to complete the ride to Austin this weekend.This is a post-ride picture of my computer. 182.66 miles ridden in roughly twelve hours of riding, at an average speed of 15 mph. I had hoped to come in with an average speed of at least 17 mph, but the winds simply made that impossible. So overall I'm very happy with my

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-2959099036433879982008-04-02T09:27:00.001-05:002008-05-15T01:41:35.746-05:00

I sent my Dad an email awhile ago, in which I explained that I thought the stimulus package 'rebates' were a bad idea, since a)it would mean that the government would take on even more debt, and b)many people would use the rebate to pay off debt of some sort or another, which thwarts the idea behind the rebates. (Dad advised--I'm paraphrasing--that perhaps I was looking at this from too much of a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-31795154618313113392008-03-26T22:50:00.001-05:002008-05-15T09:27:40.785-05:00

A while ago I expressed my opinion that too many songwriters write lyrics out of a sense of obligation, which in turn makes for a lot of trite, empty-calorie words being put to music.Mark Kozelek's writing exemplefies just the opposite. Consider these lines from "Lost Verses", the opening track of Sun Kil Moon's "April", which comes out next week:I came up from under the oceanEvaporating sea

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-50810845611595118252008-03-26T21:46:00.001-05:002008-05-15T00:27:22.736-05:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-74893083942740470832008-03-02T07:34:00.001-06:002008-05-15T01:03:32.187-05:00

Eric and I did a training ride in Bastrop this weekend called Pedal Through the Pines. We took our families and camped Friday night before getting up early Saturday for our ride.This was our first introduction to riding in serious hills, which is why we picked this ride. The route was 50 miles and featured plenty of very large hills. It was punctuated by very strenuous, grueling slow climbs of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-86586254573816535722008-02-19T23:26:00.002-06:002009-02-02T12:12:07.952-06:00

EricBlue CanyonAndrewMexican JayEric and Andrew--Break from Emory Peak AscentLast Feet of Emory Peak AscentEmory Peak in Extreme WindDad Overlooks Big Bend from South RimSouth Rim--On Top of the WorldSouth Rim--At the EdgeChisos Mountains Exterior Range, Emory Peak at Left, RecessedMoonrise over the ChisosSanta Elena Canyon at DuskRio Bravo--El Fin de DiaMoonrise Over the Rio GrandeChisos Basin

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-62126782695769612872007-12-21T10:56:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:29:26.880-05:00

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, Snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. Our God, heaven cannot hold him, Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign; In the bleak midwinter A stable place sufficed The Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ. Enough for him, whom Cherubim

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-53498911759587086912007-12-20T10:30:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:30:58.313-05:00

If you're like me, you're looking for some sort of diversion for today and tomorrow to tide you over until your holiday celebration begins in earnest.That's where The Onion's new book / Google Earth layer, "Our Dumb World" comes into play. Our Dumb World is a satiric world atlas designed just like the one I keep in our living room, with maps and little factoids accompanying each country and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-53979184180634166302007-12-18T09:48:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:32:21.722-05:00

Hell on Earth would be a two week tour of Europe--just you and PBS's Rick Steves:Mike: TrueJen: False. "He'd know all the great places to go!"Actually, Rick seems like a pretty great guy. But his narration drives me straight to bonkersville. Just how many trite adjectives and half-enthusiastic alliterations can one cram into a half-hour show?I'm working on an impression of him. Maybe I'll have it

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-21407566797356269282007-12-13T17:28:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:33:36.541-05:00

And I know that's just about every last one of you...There's been a lot of buzz this year about a band whose last contribution came in 1991. The band was "My Bloody Valentine", and the album was the incredible "Loveless"."Loveless" is, for most, an album that is very difficult to access. At first blush it comes across as a cacaphonous wall of sound, played on a warped record, with the vocals and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-43875807880061725702007-12-02T23:13:00.000-06:002008-05-15T09:28:55.210-05:00

I was cruising around on the Youtubes the other night and stumbled on this, which apparently is very famous but it was new for me. Despite its being very illegal and very irresponsible, I love everything about this, especially the music by one of my current favorites, Broken Social Scene.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-65142232017818426772007-11-17T14:12:00.003-06:002008-05-15T09:29:38.993-05:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-82677187507635300292007-11-16T16:57:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:37:33.147-05:00

Following Jeff's footsteps, I have uploaded a couple of pretty good albums that have been making the rounds in my device/pc/player recently. I knew Amy and Jeff would like them, but I figured, "What the hey. I'm bloggin' 'em." Unfortunately, these are somewhat low quality files, so if you like this you will probably want to think about shelling out the dough for the real thing.Both compilations

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-10916778585355689662007-11-15T00:43:00.000-06:002008-05-15T00:39:49.012-05:00

I mentioned the other day that I had taken a break from bicycle commuting while I searched for a new commuter. Tonight I found my perfect match: a 2002 Jamis Aurora. (The linked version is the 2006). This is what it looked like when I got it home:And this is what it looked like after I added a rack, my old panniers, my front and rear commuting lights, and I retaped the bars:Warning, the rest of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26453502.post-62319070836728621752007-11-11T21:58:00.001-06:002008-05-15T09:27:14.317-05:00

For the past six months, I would estimate that 90% of the music I have been listening to lacks any lyrics or even vocal performance altogether. Each one of the "Top 25 Most Played" tracks in my iTunes library is an instrumental or orchestral passage.This hasn't been a conscious effort on my part, but I've spent some time this weekend thinking about why it is. Part of it has to do with the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05429406620782480188noreply@blogger.com0