Inspired simultaneously and erratically by the blog thoughts of both Stanley Lee and Ned Rorem.
Dec 23, 2003
Dec 21, 2003
Taken from Stan's blog. No comment - but this is partly why I'm a registered Democrat.
at movie theatre tonight, saw a group of drunken U.S. marine cadets fresh out of high school and boot camp. they wore USMC sweaters and hats to advertise. and went around the theatre loudly bragging that they "kill people for a living". they talked very loudly during the movie, and when people told them to shut up, they threatened to kill them too.
at movie theatre tonight, saw a group of drunken U.S. marine cadets fresh out of high school and boot camp. they wore USMC sweaters and hats to advertise. and went around the theatre loudly bragging that they "kill people for a living". they talked very loudly during the movie, and when people told them to shut up, they threatened to kill them too.
Dec 19, 2003
Dec 8, 2003
Nov 19, 2003
Tupac Resurrection:
The advent of mass-public-accessible documentaries has arrived. Move over Bowling for Columbine. Move over Hoop Dreams. Welcome Tupac Resurrection.
This is a must-see, period. Done in virtually the same style as Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, Tupac Resurrection is a posthumous quasi-auto-biographical telltale legend story about the controversy of Tupac Shakur - it is, in his words, "my life story about love, violence, betrayal, redemption, and passion." Thankfully shying away from East-West bullshit drama, the film conveys with literally no outside-perspective (it's done in 100% first person) the intelligence, politics, drama, and controversy of Tupac, showing the viewer the passion and redemption of perhaps the greatest and most notorious rapper in history.
"Tupac: Resurrection is about rap music, the forces that created it, and the world it then created. Shakur talks about the experiences and politics that went into his own music, in a way that casts more light on rap than anything else I've come across in a movie. Although rap is not music in the sense that you come out humming the melody, it's as genuine an American idiom as jazz or the blues, and it is primarily a medium of words, of ideology; a marriage of turntables, poetry slams, autobiography and righteous anger." (Ebert)
The hard part of making a Tupac film: Tupac is a California legend; our 90's version of a hip-hopesque John Lennon and virtually a national hero - he is an undisputed media icon, and a political and poetic thug-figure to all upcoming hip-hop artists. How do you show something in the film that we don't already know?
"Tupac had such vitality" - Yes, we know all of that, but never has a film made it so incredibly and articulately materialized. We don't need to be told anymore that Tupac had an incredible charisma and vitality; in this film, we are shown.
"Tupac was a thug" - Yes, we can see that by his tattoo on his abs. But contrary to popular opinion, Tupac was not born a thug, and he was not raised a thug. What the film paints of Tupac is a much more introspective picture of an extroverted person, a contemporary political poet caught in the anger of white-american racism who is painfully trying to act 10 times more 'thug' than he is, or ever was, or ever could be. In his own words, "I didn't have a record, until I had a record."
"Tupac was intelligent" - Yes, we know that as well - you can see that by his reading his lyrics. But I for one, didn't know the extent of Tupac's intelligence until this movie.
Please watch this movie. If you don't like Tupac or you're not a rap-fan, please find it in yourself to open your mind, expand your horizons, and indulge.
"As you listen to his uncanny narration of Tupac: Resurrection, which is stitched together from interviews, you realize you're not listening to the usual self-important vacancies from celebrity Q&As, but to spoken prose of a high order, in which analysis, memory and poetry come together seamlessly in sentences and paragraphs that sound as if they were written. Let's assume you are a person who never intends to see a doc about rap music, but might have it in you to see one. This is the one." (Ebert)
The advent of mass-public-accessible documentaries has arrived. Move over Bowling for Columbine. Move over Hoop Dreams. Welcome Tupac Resurrection.
This is a must-see, period. Done in virtually the same style as Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, Tupac Resurrection is a posthumous quasi-auto-biographical telltale legend story about the controversy of Tupac Shakur - it is, in his words, "my life story about love, violence, betrayal, redemption, and passion." Thankfully shying away from East-West bullshit drama, the film conveys with literally no outside-perspective (it's done in 100% first person) the intelligence, politics, drama, and controversy of Tupac, showing the viewer the passion and redemption of perhaps the greatest and most notorious rapper in history.
"Tupac: Resurrection is about rap music, the forces that created it, and the world it then created. Shakur talks about the experiences and politics that went into his own music, in a way that casts more light on rap than anything else I've come across in a movie. Although rap is not music in the sense that you come out humming the melody, it's as genuine an American idiom as jazz or the blues, and it is primarily a medium of words, of ideology; a marriage of turntables, poetry slams, autobiography and righteous anger." (Ebert)
The hard part of making a Tupac film: Tupac is a California legend; our 90's version of a hip-hopesque John Lennon and virtually a national hero - he is an undisputed media icon, and a political and poetic thug-figure to all upcoming hip-hop artists. How do you show something in the film that we don't already know?
"Tupac had such vitality" - Yes, we know all of that, but never has a film made it so incredibly and articulately materialized. We don't need to be told anymore that Tupac had an incredible charisma and vitality; in this film, we are shown.
"Tupac was a thug" - Yes, we can see that by his tattoo on his abs. But contrary to popular opinion, Tupac was not born a thug, and he was not raised a thug. What the film paints of Tupac is a much more introspective picture of an extroverted person, a contemporary political poet caught in the anger of white-american racism who is painfully trying to act 10 times more 'thug' than he is, or ever was, or ever could be. In his own words, "I didn't have a record, until I had a record."
"Tupac was intelligent" - Yes, we know that as well - you can see that by his reading his lyrics. But I for one, didn't know the extent of Tupac's intelligence until this movie.
Please watch this movie. If you don't like Tupac or you're not a rap-fan, please find it in yourself to open your mind, expand your horizons, and indulge.
"As you listen to his uncanny narration of Tupac: Resurrection, which is stitched together from interviews, you realize you're not listening to the usual self-important vacancies from celebrity Q&As, but to spoken prose of a high order, in which analysis, memory and poetry come together seamlessly in sentences and paragraphs that sound as if they were written. Let's assume you are a person who never intends to see a doc about rap music, but might have it in you to see one. This is the one." (Ebert)
Nov 18, 2003
Taken from Alex's blog:
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter.
IM me if yuo tinhk taht is fkcued up. And to cilhl.
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter.
IM me if yuo tinhk taht is fkcued up. And to cilhl.
Nov 17, 2003
Had a long talk with Ryo tonight about that perpetual (and on-going blog-subject) question regarding the genetic/biological factors vs. the issue of choice/environment of homosexuality. (Those of us who choose to think with even the smalest grain of intelligence believe homosexuality to be not unlike autism or down syndrom: that is, a genetic chromosomal syndrome that just so happens to affect 10% of the world's population, with an additional extra population of those who are 'gay by choice', the latter happening significantly less frequently. Will this ever controversy ever be scientifically decided, one way or the other? Probably. Soon? No. Does it matter? Not really; maybe a little. This brings up an equal amount of empirical-dinner-table debates:
If homosexuality is by choice or affected so heavily by environment, why are there so many accounts of macho football players who attempt suicide because of their uncontrollable sexual orientation?
Blah blah blah, I could go on forever. But here's a more interesting question Ryo brought up.
If one day, the answer was actually scientifically solved, what would happen?
Scenario A: Homosexuality is proven to be genetic/biological (not 'passed down a family tree', but an uncontrollable birth syndrome similar to down syndrome or autism). Would this eradicate most non-religious-based homophobia, or would it eradicate homosexuality all together in time? Would technology become so great as to enable a parent to receive a doctor-given 'homosexuality pre-birth ultra-sound' to give the possibility of abortion? Or would it eradicate the large number of homophobes who base their homophobia on the belief that environment/choice should not be a cause for homosexuality?
Scenario B: Homosexuality is proven to have no genetic or biological influence. Would this turn homosexuals into a new sort of 'freak'? Would it turn into a witch hunt? Would homophobia increase a result of this? Would being 'gay' be likened to being 'goth'; just another choice to be 'different'?
Interesting questions brought up by my intelligent and gay roommate, Ryo.
If homosexuality is by choice or affected so heavily by environment, why are there so many accounts of macho football players who attempt suicide because of their uncontrollable sexual orientation?
Blah blah blah, I could go on forever. But here's a more interesting question Ryo brought up.
If one day, the answer was actually scientifically solved, what would happen?
Scenario A: Homosexuality is proven to be genetic/biological (not 'passed down a family tree', but an uncontrollable birth syndrome similar to down syndrome or autism). Would this eradicate most non-religious-based homophobia, or would it eradicate homosexuality all together in time? Would technology become so great as to enable a parent to receive a doctor-given 'homosexuality pre-birth ultra-sound' to give the possibility of abortion? Or would it eradicate the large number of homophobes who base their homophobia on the belief that environment/choice should not be a cause for homosexuality?
Scenario B: Homosexuality is proven to have no genetic or biological influence. Would this turn homosexuals into a new sort of 'freak'? Would it turn into a witch hunt? Would homophobia increase a result of this? Would being 'gay' be likened to being 'goth'; just another choice to be 'different'?
Interesting questions brought up by my intelligent and gay roommate, Ryo.
Nov 15, 2003
After almost 6 months of feeding off the cosmic-intellectual-sublime-and-beyond rantings of late-Beethoven, I have been finally zapped back into the beauty of aesthetic-pianism: Rachmaninoff. In reality, I am tired of thinking. Beethoven demands thinking, and that sucks. In fact, thinking sucks. I don't wanna do it anymore. I just wanna play and let loose. To all you thinking-people out there, take a few months away from your artsy-fartsiness, and indulge in the universal-beauty that, as a past teacher reminded me, will have you reeling unless (a) you were dropped on your head as a child, (b) lying.
Beethoven is truth, Rachmaninoff is indulgent beauty. Too much of the latter can only be a good thing.
"It is refreshing to hear my songs sung by the mindless singer with a voice, than by the intellectual without one."
-Ned Rorem, keepin' it real.
Beethoven is truth, Rachmaninoff is indulgent beauty. Too much of the latter can only be a good thing.
"It is refreshing to hear my songs sung by the mindless singer with a voice, than by the intellectual without one."
-Ned Rorem, keepin' it real.
Nov 13, 2003
Nov 11, 2003
After spending almost an entire lifetime without travel (california-tunnel vision), I realized that in the past 12 months alone, I have stayed in:
London, Siena, Florence, Venice, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Bergen, Berlin, Hamburg, Texas, LA, New York, Bay Area, and soon Reno and Louisiana.
If all goes well, I still hope to see Sendai, Sydney, Belgrade, and Missouri in the next upcoming months.
London, Siena, Florence, Venice, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Bergen, Berlin, Hamburg, Texas, LA, New York, Bay Area, and soon Reno and Louisiana.
If all goes well, I still hope to see Sendai, Sydney, Belgrade, and Missouri in the next upcoming months.
Nov 9, 2003
Nov 5, 2003
For years, I have tried to master the art of notated-fobby linguistics, but I have yet to come up with anything as good as this:
japxplaya: ni hao~~! what foh yoo must going to Niu Yue Xi-tee? it must be coh-der than here at Shi-Dan-Fu.
Translation: Hello. Why are you going to New York City? It must be colder than Stanford.
japxplaya: ni hao~~! what foh yoo must going to Niu Yue Xi-tee? it must be coh-der than here at Shi-Dan-Fu.
Translation: Hello. Why are you going to New York City? It must be colder than Stanford.
Nov 1, 2003
Halloween in Mexico - an age-old, super-sacred traditionally-joyous festivity-saturated holiday dominated by the reminiscences and anecdotal celebration of dead ones. Dia de los Muertos. Day of the Dead.
Halloween at Yale - a poorly designed excuse for every skanky-brained female to dress as a slut. or a prostitute. or a whore. or some exotically falsified variation of the formers, meant to authenticate the exoticism of the outfit without actually having to say "Hi, I'm insecure, and I'll be a slut for Halloween."
Halloween at Yale - a poorly designed excuse for every skanky-brained female to dress as a slut. or a prostitute. or a whore. or some exotically falsified variation of the formers, meant to authenticate the exoticism of the outfit without actually having to say "Hi, I'm insecure, and I'll be a slut for Halloween."
Oct 27, 2003
Oct 21, 2003
This is what I deal with. Day in. Day out.
jeffro 607: he's hot, though
jeffro 607: so, i dunno.. i couldn't think of anything CD to get... SO.. this is what i got instead
jeffro 607: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0789306352/104-9819014-0061554
jeffro 607: and
jeffro 607: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1560253010/104-9819014-0061554
jeffro 607: :-)
car LOCO 69: ahhhhh thanks jeff
jeffro 607: new coffee table books
jeffro 607: :-) anytime
For those of you who don't wanna copy the link, it's a celebration book of Male Nudes through the last 40 years.
jeffro 607: he's hot, though
jeffro 607: so, i dunno.. i couldn't think of anything CD to get... SO.. this is what i got instead
jeffro 607: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0789306352/104-9819014-0061554
jeffro 607: and
jeffro 607: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1560253010/104-9819014-0061554
jeffro 607: :-)
car LOCO 69: ahhhhh thanks jeff
jeffro 607: new coffee table books
jeffro 607: :-) anytime
For those of you who don't wanna copy the link, it's a celebration book of Male Nudes through the last 40 years.
Oct 19, 2003
Kill Bill.
I'm not quite sure how Tarantino managed to build himself a cinematic mogul hype more colossal than any director in the business; especially since his total output in the last ten years has barely been noticeable (did anybody even bother with Jackie Brown?).
Kill Bill is gruesomely living proof that a well-thought out, meticulously done, cinematographically genius, and wildly original film can still be straight out bad. It was barely entertaining. I became more concerned with my stomach turning from the 70's-samurai violence than the actual film itself.
Why does Kill Bill not measure up to Pulp Fiction in the least?
1) Pulp Fiction, to put it bluntly, had content. Besides being the single most inspirationally revolutionary film of the 90's, the predominant themes of redemption, religious right, and philosophy all came through in shining hall-of-fame colors. This worked brilliantly with Tarantino's insanely Kubric-esque obsession with details in film, and the cinematic and pop-culture references were right on spot.
Kill Bill is not about anything. You could say it's about chivalry, but you wouldn't really be kidding anybody. And that's lame anyway. You could say it's about revenge. Whoopee. Revenge. No, the truth is Kill Bill is not much more than a ten-year-in-the-works magnum opus of a brilliant director who is immaturely eager to prove to the world that he is artsy, learned, well-read, and intelligent. Kill Bill shows me three things: 1) Quentin Tarantino watches a lot of movies. and 2) Quentin Tarantino is well-read. and 3) Quentin Tarantino is intelligent. But that doesn't make it a good movie.
2) It also concerns me that the pseudo-intellectual and quasi-artsy pop-references from the 70's that Tarantino infuses throughout his films get lost in the esotericism of cinema. I mean, seriously - who really caught all the Shaws Bros. references, the Red Apple cigarettes, the oddly-devised Tarantino stamped soundtrack, and probably the thousands of other references that I didn't catch because frankly, Tarantino is too intelligent for his own good - so intelligent, that we don't even notice or we don't even care.
3a) Shooting selective scenes in black-and-white, another in anime, and another in blue sillouhette makes a movie artsy (true), but it does not make it good.
3b) Basing a movie on 70's Samurai references from Shaws Brothers' films and infusing your film with cinematic knowledge and inside jokes makes a movie cool, but it does not make it good.
3c) For all of the hype regarding Tarantino as one of the greatest screenplay writers of all time, this script sucked. Period.
4) I can just see a fast-talking, nervous, Quentin Tarantino, sitting in the same house in Los Angeles for the last 6 years watching the rise of kung-fu, wu-shu, samurai, and what not into american films with the Matrix, Charlie's Angels, Art of War, etc. and thinking to himself, "I could do so much better than any of those idiots." I mean, don't forget, Tarantino was the one who brought Iron Monkey to the United States. He owns this genre right? Nobody knows it better than he does, right? right...
Mr. Tarantino, please believe that I still have the utmost respect for your intelligence, and Pulp Fiction will inevitably go down in history as one of the greatest films of all time. May Kill Bill be just a fluke.
I'm not quite sure how Tarantino managed to build himself a cinematic mogul hype more colossal than any director in the business; especially since his total output in the last ten years has barely been noticeable (did anybody even bother with Jackie Brown?).
Kill Bill is gruesomely living proof that a well-thought out, meticulously done, cinematographically genius, and wildly original film can still be straight out bad. It was barely entertaining. I became more concerned with my stomach turning from the 70's-samurai violence than the actual film itself.
Why does Kill Bill not measure up to Pulp Fiction in the least?
1) Pulp Fiction, to put it bluntly, had content. Besides being the single most inspirationally revolutionary film of the 90's, the predominant themes of redemption, religious right, and philosophy all came through in shining hall-of-fame colors. This worked brilliantly with Tarantino's insanely Kubric-esque obsession with details in film, and the cinematic and pop-culture references were right on spot.
Kill Bill is not about anything. You could say it's about chivalry, but you wouldn't really be kidding anybody. And that's lame anyway. You could say it's about revenge. Whoopee. Revenge. No, the truth is Kill Bill is not much more than a ten-year-in-the-works magnum opus of a brilliant director who is immaturely eager to prove to the world that he is artsy, learned, well-read, and intelligent. Kill Bill shows me three things: 1) Quentin Tarantino watches a lot of movies. and 2) Quentin Tarantino is well-read. and 3) Quentin Tarantino is intelligent. But that doesn't make it a good movie.
2) It also concerns me that the pseudo-intellectual and quasi-artsy pop-references from the 70's that Tarantino infuses throughout his films get lost in the esotericism of cinema. I mean, seriously - who really caught all the Shaws Bros. references, the Red Apple cigarettes, the oddly-devised Tarantino stamped soundtrack, and probably the thousands of other references that I didn't catch because frankly, Tarantino is too intelligent for his own good - so intelligent, that we don't even notice or we don't even care.
3a) Shooting selective scenes in black-and-white, another in anime, and another in blue sillouhette makes a movie artsy (true), but it does not make it good.
3b) Basing a movie on 70's Samurai references from Shaws Brothers' films and infusing your film with cinematic knowledge and inside jokes makes a movie cool, but it does not make it good.
3c) For all of the hype regarding Tarantino as one of the greatest screenplay writers of all time, this script sucked. Period.
4) I can just see a fast-talking, nervous, Quentin Tarantino, sitting in the same house in Los Angeles for the last 6 years watching the rise of kung-fu, wu-shu, samurai, and what not into american films with the Matrix, Charlie's Angels, Art of War, etc. and thinking to himself, "I could do so much better than any of those idiots." I mean, don't forget, Tarantino was the one who brought Iron Monkey to the United States. He owns this genre right? Nobody knows it better than he does, right? right...
Mr. Tarantino, please believe that I still have the utmost respect for your intelligence, and Pulp Fiction will inevitably go down in history as one of the greatest films of all time. May Kill Bill be just a fluke.
Oct 13, 2003
Earlier, Jerry and I spent some time exchanging cooking recipes.
jrey77: and i put it with tomato sauce and mozerralla
car LOCO 69: salmon too
car LOCO 69: mad good
jrey77: garlic, butter salmon?
car LOCO 69: i use garlic salt, olive oil, and basil and butter
jrey77: man i'm trying to learn new things
jrey77: it's so exciting to think about what to cook after work
car LOCO 69: yo
car LOCO 69: you realize we're hella gay right
jrey77: reaffirm man, reaffirm
car LOCO 69: rekhanize
jrey77: and i put it with tomato sauce and mozerralla
car LOCO 69: salmon too
car LOCO 69: mad good
jrey77: garlic, butter salmon?
car LOCO 69: i use garlic salt, olive oil, and basil and butter
jrey77: man i'm trying to learn new things
jrey77: it's so exciting to think about what to cook after work
car LOCO 69: yo
car LOCO 69: you realize we're hella gay right
jrey77: reaffirm man, reaffirm
car LOCO 69: rekhanize
Oct 8, 2003
Calvin, to his dismay, has joined what is known as "The Real World" - and not the T.V show.
JizzdustER: when the fuck
JizzdustER: did the goddamn rewards get soo small
JizzdustER: like, remember hwne u were a kid ....
JizzdustER: like, ur parents are like, "yeah work hard & u can be " ... i dunno, president of the u.s.
JizzdustER: or like, work hard & u can be a fuckin astronaut
JizzdustER: and now it's fuckin
JizzdustER: work hard and u can get 3 days off for thanksgiving
JizzdustER: when the fuck
JizzdustER: did the goddamn rewards get soo small
JizzdustER: like, remember hwne u were a kid ....
JizzdustER: like, ur parents are like, "yeah work hard & u can be " ... i dunno, president of the u.s.
JizzdustER: or like, work hard & u can be a fuckin astronaut
JizzdustER: and now it's fuckin
JizzdustER: work hard and u can get 3 days off for thanksgiving
Take it with a grain of salt.
peterlsb: well as long as he does a no limit cage match with jesse ventura i'm sold
car LOCO 69: arnie would still tear him up dude
peterlsb: old 'predator' buddies
car LOCO 69: wwf is no match for mr. olympia
car LOCO 69: or whatever he was
peterlsb: who would've thought two stars of the movie predator would be governor
peterlsb: well as long as he does a no limit cage match with jesse ventura i'm sold
car LOCO 69: arnie would still tear him up dude
peterlsb: old 'predator' buddies
car LOCO 69: wwf is no match for mr. olympia
car LOCO 69: or whatever he was
peterlsb: who would've thought two stars of the movie predator would be governor
Oct 7, 2003
Thank you SBC Snet for finally giving me DSL - I will now be able to post more often. The AIM draught is over. I am officially online, 24/7.
Also, Dave and I are looking for people to come with us to Lake Tahoe and Reno during Thanksgiving break - specifically from the 27th to the 29th. ARE YOU DOWN?
Also, Dave and I are looking for people to come with us to Lake Tahoe and Reno during Thanksgiving break - specifically from the 27th to the 29th. ARE YOU DOWN?
Oct 2, 2003
Why are Deans of schools always fat, slobby, mayonaise-sandwich eating, condescendingly ignorant pieces of fat lard shit? Do they all grow from the same farm in the hick-south?
I have had the pleasure of receiving personal disciplinary invitations from over 4 Deans now at many different institutations and slowly they are all beginning to blur in my mind. They are all the same person.
On a more confusing note, last week after the Dean kicked me out of a public dress rehearsal, a few days later, he invited me to a private reception for Emmanuel Ax. Does this make sense? Is it a trap? Am I going to walk into the reception to a swarm of Yale-security rent-a-cops?
I have had the pleasure of receiving personal disciplinary invitations from over 4 Deans now at many different institutations and slowly they are all beginning to blur in my mind. They are all the same person.
On a more confusing note, last week after the Dean kicked me out of a public dress rehearsal, a few days later, he invited me to a private reception for Emmanuel Ax. Does this make sense? Is it a trap? Am I going to walk into the reception to a swarm of Yale-security rent-a-cops?
Oct 1, 2003
Sep 29, 2003
Sep 25, 2003
After weeks of exhaustive, introspective, and otherwise enlightening research, I have arrived at a final conclusion regarding the 'art' of Justin Timberlake.
There are three Justin Timberlakes per each song he makes.
1) The whiny, high pitched, pseudo-Michael Jackson Justin Timberlake that closely resembles a 2-year old infant who has recently had his candy viciously ripped away from him.
2) The soft, look-into-your-eyes-and-vomit, wannabe-Boyz2Men voice that for all reasons and stereotype aside, a white man will never be able to pull off.
3) This one is my favorite. It is the shriekishly falsetto randomness that interspurses the songs with no warning - see: "I just wanna love you, baby". It resembles a raven from an Edgar Allen Poe poem, or perhaps a diseased pigeon from a Hitchcock movie.
There are three Justin Timberlakes per each song he makes.
1) The whiny, high pitched, pseudo-Michael Jackson Justin Timberlake that closely resembles a 2-year old infant who has recently had his candy viciously ripped away from him.
2) The soft, look-into-your-eyes-and-vomit, wannabe-Boyz2Men voice that for all reasons and stereotype aside, a white man will never be able to pull off.
3) This one is my favorite. It is the shriekishly falsetto randomness that interspurses the songs with no warning - see: "I just wanna love you, baby". It resembles a raven from an Edgar Allen Poe poem, or perhaps a diseased pigeon from a Hitchcock movie.
Sep 19, 2003
Sep 5, 2003
Aug 30, 2003
Things I have learned during my summer in New York City, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Bergen, Hamburg, and Berlin:
- It is not healthy to live out of a suitcase for more than a period of three months
- Generally, Europeans are more culturally suited for adaptation and linguistic familiarity
- No matter where you go, outside of America, you will always be Japanese.
- Although Amsterdam is the city of debauchery and sin, it is...interesting, to say the least.
- Fries taste incredible with mayonnaise.
- Distance increases pain, pain invokes regret
- Forgiveness is in the heart of maturity and a learning situation; anger is useless
- Insecurity is uncomfortable, but there is always a cure
- Cabs here roll deep, in flocks of Benzes
- You can actually get around Europe very cheaply
- Food is infinitely better here, bathrooms infinitely dirtier
- About 90% of Germans and Dutch speak very good english, even if they are ashamed to admit it
- Optimism is necessary. It's time to wake up early, hit the gym, clean the room, talk about problems, and generally - live a better life.
It's been a learning-summer. Sometimes fun, other times incredible, always eye-opening, filled with Beethoven, often times painful, emotionally saturating, and otherwise exhausting.
It's time to go home.
- It is not healthy to live out of a suitcase for more than a period of three months
- Generally, Europeans are more culturally suited for adaptation and linguistic familiarity
- No matter where you go, outside of America, you will always be Japanese.
- Although Amsterdam is the city of debauchery and sin, it is...interesting, to say the least.
- Fries taste incredible with mayonnaise.
- Distance increases pain, pain invokes regret
- Forgiveness is in the heart of maturity and a learning situation; anger is useless
- Insecurity is uncomfortable, but there is always a cure
- Cabs here roll deep, in flocks of Benzes
- You can actually get around Europe very cheaply
- Food is infinitely better here, bathrooms infinitely dirtier
- About 90% of Germans and Dutch speak very good english, even if they are ashamed to admit it
- Optimism is necessary. It's time to wake up early, hit the gym, clean the room, talk about problems, and generally - live a better life.
It's been a learning-summer. Sometimes fun, other times incredible, always eye-opening, filled with Beethoven, often times painful, emotionally saturating, and otherwise exhausting.
It's time to go home.
Aug 26, 2003
Aug 17, 2003
Aug 11, 2003
Aug 9, 2003
Dawson's Creek: a grossly overrated, melodramtically saturated pubescent-appealing TV show catering to the sentimental-prone 17 year old girl, usually the type who has been recently fucked-over by a guy-trying-to-get-play. I only mention it since it seems to be the only fucking TV show on Holland television.
Yale: a grossly overrated, bureaucratically corrupt conservative institution dominated by the omnipotence-seeking tyrannical type of administration, typically the kind that won't let you use the stapler sitting on a desk for a made-up reason oddly paralleling Hitler's idea of class - "I'm sorry. This stapler is for Yale faculty only. If you would like to staple your paper together that is due in 45 seconds, you could use the one at the student section of the Yale library located much too far for you to make it back in time. Goodbye!"
The Euro: 100 dollars gives you 86 Euro. 2 Euro gives you a can of coke.
One day I will be 30 - a student from many different institutions, without a diploma from a single one. By the time I wear my first cap n'gown, I will be old enough to raise children.
Yale: a grossly overrated, bureaucratically corrupt conservative institution dominated by the omnipotence-seeking tyrannical type of administration, typically the kind that won't let you use the stapler sitting on a desk for a made-up reason oddly paralleling Hitler's idea of class - "I'm sorry. This stapler is for Yale faculty only. If you would like to staple your paper together that is due in 45 seconds, you could use the one at the student section of the Yale library located much too far for you to make it back in time. Goodbye!"
The Euro: 100 dollars gives you 86 Euro. 2 Euro gives you a can of coke.
One day I will be 30 - a student from many different institutions, without a diploma from a single one. By the time I wear my first cap n'gown, I will be old enough to raise children.
Aug 6, 2003
Dual-functioning pianistic and life advice from Marie Francois Bouquet:
"You have two bad habits: you smoke and you use the soft pedal. I would prefer it if you gave up both habits, but for now, please concentrate on getting rid of the soft pedal."
The world of music: 5 of us played the name game today - one from Juilliard, one from Curtis, one from Yale, one from Eastman, and one from Toronto. Together, for 3 hours straight and encompassing roughly over 100 people, there was not a single person named that at least one of us did not know from the past. It's a small world after all.
The streets of Bergen ring with music. Dutch love yo. Dutch luv.
"You have two bad habits: you smoke and you use the soft pedal. I would prefer it if you gave up both habits, but for now, please concentrate on getting rid of the soft pedal."
The world of music: 5 of us played the name game today - one from Juilliard, one from Curtis, one from Yale, one from Eastman, and one from Toronto. Together, for 3 hours straight and encompassing roughly over 100 people, there was not a single person named that at least one of us did not know from the past. It's a small world after all.
The streets of Bergen ring with music. Dutch love yo. Dutch luv.
Aug 3, 2003
Preliminary observations about Amsterdam:
- The cab drivers drive 6-speed stickshift AMG benzes
- You can smoke in the trains
- It's pretty damn clean
- Renaults are like Civics
- Everybody speaks english
- There's a casino in the airport. When you get off your flight, the sign reads: "Left for Baggage Claim, Arrivals, Customs, Ground Transportation, and Casino"
Posthumous observations about Los Angeles:
- Too much traffic
- Too much traffic
- The cab drivers drive 6-speed stickshift AMG benzes
- You can smoke in the trains
- It's pretty damn clean
- Renaults are like Civics
- Everybody speaks english
- There's a casino in the airport. When you get off your flight, the sign reads: "Left for Baggage Claim, Arrivals, Customs, Ground Transportation, and Casino"
Posthumous observations about Los Angeles:
- Too much traffic
- Too much traffic
Aug 2, 2003
Jul 25, 2003
Once upon a time, Wayne and I had a learning-experience with Isaac Stern. We learned......absolutely nothing. The following quote is from Wayne's website:
"...There was the Heifetz period, when I used a lot of fast vibrato and fast tempi; the Oistrakh period, when I tried wide vibrato and sensuous rich tone, and the Stern period -- when I didn't vibrate for a whole year."
- Itzhak Perlman
"...There was the Heifetz period, when I used a lot of fast vibrato and fast tempi; the Oistrakh period, when I tried wide vibrato and sensuous rich tone, and the Stern period -- when I didn't vibrate for a whole year."
- Itzhak Perlman
I am disgruntled, no longer naive, exhausted by bureaucracy, politically jaded, burned by faith.
From the little remaining respect I had of authority, I have smashed it to the ground.
Some people will stick their neck out for you. Others will assfuck you. I am mature; grown - I have developed the ability to recognize bureaucratic evil.
I am sick of learning the hard way.
Goodbye.
From the little remaining respect I had of authority, I have smashed it to the ground.
Some people will stick their neck out for you. Others will assfuck you. I am mature; grown - I have developed the ability to recognize bureaucratic evil.
I am sick of learning the hard way.
Goodbye.
Jul 23, 2003
Test: In which movies do the following characters appear?
A) John Kimball
B) Dr. Venckman
C) Leeloo Multipass
D) Stanley Goodspeed
E) Johnny Tran
F) Sean Archer
G) Sarah Conner
H) Uncle Benny (multiple answers)
I) Erik Lehnsherr
J) Li Mu Bai
K) Tequila Yuen
L) Marcellus Wallace
If you get 100% on this test without using extra sources, you have my ultimate respect. I only know two people in the world who can do it easily: Stanley Lee and Peter Bergman. Take a shot at it.
A) John Kimball
B) Dr. Venckman
C) Leeloo Multipass
D) Stanley Goodspeed
E) Johnny Tran
F) Sean Archer
G) Sarah Conner
H) Uncle Benny (multiple answers)
I) Erik Lehnsherr
J) Li Mu Bai
K) Tequila Yuen
L) Marcellus Wallace
If you get 100% on this test without using extra sources, you have my ultimate respect. I only know two people in the world who can do it easily: Stanley Lee and Peter Bergman. Take a shot at it.
Jul 22, 2003
Promises that I make to my mother:
Cjambalos: mozart will be good-but if u hate the teacher-u willl be fucked
Cjambalos: will u promise to do it and get an A- regardless
Cjambalos: even if the professor sucks or an asshole
car LOCO 69: yeah i will
Cjambalos: u promise to lick his ass-just to get A-
car LOCO 69: yeah
Cjambalos: u promise to lick his ass-just to get A?
car LOCO 69: yes already i said
Cjambalos: mozart will be good-but if u hate the teacher-u willl be fucked
Cjambalos: will u promise to do it and get an A- regardless
Cjambalos: even if the professor sucks or an asshole
car LOCO 69: yeah i will
Cjambalos: u promise to lick his ass-just to get A-
car LOCO 69: yeah
Cjambalos: u promise to lick his ass-just to get A?
car LOCO 69: yes already i said
Screenname withheld:
[a-friend-of-mine]: man i had the craziest dream that i got it on with some playboy playmate.
[a-friend-of-mine]: i was SO PISSED when i woke up.
car LOCO 69: HAHAHAHhahahhaHAHah
[a-friend-of-mine]: she was so damn hot.
[a-friend-of-mine]: anyways.
[a-friend-of-mine]: all day i wished i was back in teh dream.
car LOCO 69: damn do you purposely try and get onto my blog
[a-friend-of-mine]: huh.
[a-friend-of-mine]: fuck dude.
[a-friend-of-mine]: dont post that!
[a-friend-of-mine]: man i had the craziest dream that i got it on with some playboy playmate.
[a-friend-of-mine]: i was SO PISSED when i woke up.
car LOCO 69: HAHAHAHhahahhaHAHah
[a-friend-of-mine]: she was so damn hot.
[a-friend-of-mine]: anyways.
[a-friend-of-mine]: all day i wished i was back in teh dream.
car LOCO 69: damn do you purposely try and get onto my blog
[a-friend-of-mine]: huh.
[a-friend-of-mine]: fuck dude.
[a-friend-of-mine]: dont post that!
Jul 21, 2003
Movie reviews continued: Immortal Beloved
It's difficult to judge a film that creates inspiring emotional impact through the vehicle of historical deceit and falsification, though it brings up two major issues: the latter may carry more importance, but the former is essentially more critical.
In Immortal Beloved, I choose the former. May historical integrity fly out the window; who cares?
In effect, the premise of Immortal Beloved is based on documental fact - the Heiligenstadt Testament as the first will, the Immortal Beloved letter as the last, the custody battle for Beethoven's nephew, the Napolean crisis surrounding the composition of the Eroica, Schindler's ridiculous quest for the sole heir, etc. The interpretation of the documents, however, are nothing short of blasphemy; it throws in the face all the common sensical extrapolations regarding the Immortal Beloved, and barely addresses Antonia Brentano, who has come to be regarded (after Solomon's exhaustive research) as the rightful dedicatee. Everybody knows that Johanna von Beethoven and Beethoven were long-standing enemies, proven blatantly by the custody battles for her son, and though Schindler proposed (ridiculously) that Giulietta Gucciardi probably stood the best chance, she married even before the Heiligenstadt Testament was written, and what's more, the film inaccurately claims that Schindler disregarded her completely.
But then again, who cares?
The film is well done; emotionally powerful, musically brilliant, incredibly acted (did anybody notice that the guy who plays Schindler is the same guy that plays the bad-guy Doctor in The Fugitive?), and definitely serves as the paradigmatic example for a movie set to music. All the most brilliant works are included, and in the most appropriate setting: the slow movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Fur Elise, the Moonlight Sonata (as the cause of his breakup with Giuletta Gucciardi), the 9th Symphony (obviously the climax of the film), the Kreutzer Sonata, the Pathetique, the Eroica, and of course (on his deathbed no less) the Cavatina from his Op. 130 String Quartet.
If anything, the film showed the most important aspect about Beethoven: the ethos, blinded to the public by his temperament. Here we see Beethoven (Gary Oldman), hated by all his loved ones, living in a world of complete silence, alienated from public consumption, plauged by memories, solitarily writing for the greatness of humanity. We see that beyond his temperament and his collosal ego, Beethoven genuinely selflessly strove for humanitarian redemption. And the music they chose shows it.
Contrary to popular opinion, this is not a bad movie. It may be grossly incorrect, but it's not a bad movie.
The following is an excerpt of the Solomon translation of the third Immortal Beloved letter. It is the heart of the Romantic era - a look into the creation of pathos, single-handedly developed by the most influential composer in music history.
"Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits. Be calm, only by a clam consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell.
Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
Ever mine.
Ever thine.
Ever ours."
It's difficult to judge a film that creates inspiring emotional impact through the vehicle of historical deceit and falsification, though it brings up two major issues: the latter may carry more importance, but the former is essentially more critical.
In Immortal Beloved, I choose the former. May historical integrity fly out the window; who cares?
In effect, the premise of Immortal Beloved is based on documental fact - the Heiligenstadt Testament as the first will, the Immortal Beloved letter as the last, the custody battle for Beethoven's nephew, the Napolean crisis surrounding the composition of the Eroica, Schindler's ridiculous quest for the sole heir, etc. The interpretation of the documents, however, are nothing short of blasphemy; it throws in the face all the common sensical extrapolations regarding the Immortal Beloved, and barely addresses Antonia Brentano, who has come to be regarded (after Solomon's exhaustive research) as the rightful dedicatee. Everybody knows that Johanna von Beethoven and Beethoven were long-standing enemies, proven blatantly by the custody battles for her son, and though Schindler proposed (ridiculously) that Giulietta Gucciardi probably stood the best chance, she married even before the Heiligenstadt Testament was written, and what's more, the film inaccurately claims that Schindler disregarded her completely.
But then again, who cares?
The film is well done; emotionally powerful, musically brilliant, incredibly acted (did anybody notice that the guy who plays Schindler is the same guy that plays the bad-guy Doctor in The Fugitive?), and definitely serves as the paradigmatic example for a movie set to music. All the most brilliant works are included, and in the most appropriate setting: the slow movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Fur Elise, the Moonlight Sonata (as the cause of his breakup with Giuletta Gucciardi), the 9th Symphony (obviously the climax of the film), the Kreutzer Sonata, the Pathetique, the Eroica, and of course (on his deathbed no less) the Cavatina from his Op. 130 String Quartet.
If anything, the film showed the most important aspect about Beethoven: the ethos, blinded to the public by his temperament. Here we see Beethoven (Gary Oldman), hated by all his loved ones, living in a world of complete silence, alienated from public consumption, plauged by memories, solitarily writing for the greatness of humanity. We see that beyond his temperament and his collosal ego, Beethoven genuinely selflessly strove for humanitarian redemption. And the music they chose shows it.
Contrary to popular opinion, this is not a bad movie. It may be grossly incorrect, but it's not a bad movie.
The following is an excerpt of the Solomon translation of the third Immortal Beloved letter. It is the heart of the Romantic era - a look into the creation of pathos, single-handedly developed by the most influential composer in music history.
"Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits. Be calm, only by a clam consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell.
Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
Ever mine.
Ever thine.
Ever ours."
You know you're at a San Gabriel restauarant when: you walk into the maggot-infested, shit-covered bathroom to find a slightly-less-than-innocent Asian gangster taking a piss with his hand resting on the hilt of his silver 9mm gun, a not-so-paranoid precaution in the event of an attempted wacking.
The city of angels, the street's my companion. Take me to the place I love, take me all the way. (Five dollar reference)
The city of angels, the street's my companion. Take me to the place I love, take me all the way. (Five dollar reference)
Jul 20, 2003
Movie Reviews continued: 25th Hour
This was by far, the most introspectively done masterpiece of the year; a subtle elegiac ode to a post-9/11 New York through the vehicle of a simpleton story. It requires no plot (it doesn't have one), no melodramatic sentiment, and no victim tears. Spike Lee delivers in one of his only non-African-American set films, his tribute and contribution to the already-piling-up art works dedicated to the memory of New York. 25th Hour is Spike Lee's cinematic version of John Adams' "On The Transmigration of Souls".
Literal parellels to 9/11 are present, but not omni-present, and more importantly, they are important, but not omni-potent - and that's where Spike Lee makes his bridge from cliche-film to contemporary-America's new-age "Cannery Row." The 9/11 tributes function as a dedicatee basis, the images of its devastation a pervading constant through the film, and ultimately always an appropriate aura for the meat-message of the movie: re-evaluation.
I was especially hit by Edward Norton's "fuck you" schizo-dialogue to the diversity of New York, which is always a Spike Lee staple, and always powerful. This is a must-see.
This was by far, the most introspectively done masterpiece of the year; a subtle elegiac ode to a post-9/11 New York through the vehicle of a simpleton story. It requires no plot (it doesn't have one), no melodramatic sentiment, and no victim tears. Spike Lee delivers in one of his only non-African-American set films, his tribute and contribution to the already-piling-up art works dedicated to the memory of New York. 25th Hour is Spike Lee's cinematic version of John Adams' "On The Transmigration of Souls".
Literal parellels to 9/11 are present, but not omni-present, and more importantly, they are important, but not omni-potent - and that's where Spike Lee makes his bridge from cliche-film to contemporary-America's new-age "Cannery Row." The 9/11 tributes function as a dedicatee basis, the images of its devastation a pervading constant through the film, and ultimately always an appropriate aura for the meat-message of the movie: re-evaluation.
I was especially hit by Edward Norton's "fuck you" schizo-dialogue to the diversity of New York, which is always a Spike Lee staple, and always powerful. This is a must-see.
Jul 19, 2003
Jul 17, 2003
Short Movie Reviews: The Pianist and Spike Lee's He Got Game
The Pianist: The most optimistic of the Polanski films, yet still deathly dark and disturbing - I enjoyed the themes of crossing German help in Jewish concentration camps witih Jewish help in German prisoner of war camps, though it still ended up comming across as a typical World War II and Holocaust film, which I hoped it wouldn't be. Some of his musical choices seemed contradictory to his thematics: at the climax of the film, the Polish man is seens playing Chopin (a Polish composer) and the German Nazi playing Beethoven (a German composer), though with his central theme of music as an elevation past humanity, it would make more sense for those two to switch composers.
He Got Game: This film is living proof that even the most horribly acted film can still have meaning - why Spike Lee chose Ray Allen to play the lead role of Jesus Shuttlesworth, we will never know. Ray Allen acts like a zoo-gorilla on steroids. I did enjoy Spike Lee's overall choice of laying the entire Coney Island basketballs scenes to the music of Aaron Copland, but I don't really understand the point - does the music of Copland (a dead white man) somehow epitomize the working class ghetto of aspiring hoop dreams in Coney Island? Or is it just Spike Lee trying to be pseudo-intellectual and originalesque by being the first director to NOT lay a basketball movie in 100% hip hop?
Musical Shoutout for today: This goes to my homeboy, John Craske, who spent a considerable amount of time creating and recording (over his own voice) his own version of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River" - by Johnstin Craskerlake. It's hilarious and well done, so IM me if you want it.
The Pianist: The most optimistic of the Polanski films, yet still deathly dark and disturbing - I enjoyed the themes of crossing German help in Jewish concentration camps witih Jewish help in German prisoner of war camps, though it still ended up comming across as a typical World War II and Holocaust film, which I hoped it wouldn't be. Some of his musical choices seemed contradictory to his thematics: at the climax of the film, the Polish man is seens playing Chopin (a Polish composer) and the German Nazi playing Beethoven (a German composer), though with his central theme of music as an elevation past humanity, it would make more sense for those two to switch composers.
He Got Game: This film is living proof that even the most horribly acted film can still have meaning - why Spike Lee chose Ray Allen to play the lead role of Jesus Shuttlesworth, we will never know. Ray Allen acts like a zoo-gorilla on steroids. I did enjoy Spike Lee's overall choice of laying the entire Coney Island basketballs scenes to the music of Aaron Copland, but I don't really understand the point - does the music of Copland (a dead white man) somehow epitomize the working class ghetto of aspiring hoop dreams in Coney Island? Or is it just Spike Lee trying to be pseudo-intellectual and originalesque by being the first director to NOT lay a basketball movie in 100% hip hop?
Musical Shoutout for today: This goes to my homeboy, John Craske, who spent a considerable amount of time creating and recording (over his own voice) his own version of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River" - by Johnstin Craskerlake. It's hilarious and well done, so IM me if you want it.
Jul 16, 2003
Jul 15, 2003
I have been getting strange compliments lately.
quepenl: so i told him how PSATs are such a big deal at gunn
quepenl: and how palo alto ppl are just nutsos when it comes to SATs
car LOCO 69: yeah
quepenl: so he asked me my score, and i told him, then he got all scared and thought he was super stupid or something so i told him that it doesn't mean you're smart - and i used you as an example
quepenl: LOL
quepenl: what!!!!
quepenl: i mean
quepenl: you're no genius!
quepenl: but you got 800
quepenl: so i told him how PSATs are such a big deal at gunn
quepenl: and how palo alto ppl are just nutsos when it comes to SATs
car LOCO 69: yeah
quepenl: so he asked me my score, and i told him, then he got all scared and thought he was super stupid or something so i told him that it doesn't mean you're smart - and i used you as an example
quepenl: LOL
quepenl: what!!!!
quepenl: i mean
quepenl: you're no genius!
quepenl: but you got 800
I was greeted by the surprise of good news and bad news this morning.
The good news: My car had been transformed into a pseudo-convertible! Finally, my dreams come true. I have a convertible - the plush fresh air and wind shall finally blow in my face as I drive.
The bad news: This was the result of some punk-ass little bitch bashing the back window of my car to pieces.
The good news: My car had been transformed into a pseudo-convertible! Finally, my dreams come true. I have a convertible - the plush fresh air and wind shall finally blow in my face as I drive.
The bad news: This was the result of some punk-ass little bitch bashing the back window of my car to pieces.
Fuck this shit. Charcoalj, as you all know, is my mom.
charcoalj: carlos-get over this age business
charcoalj: old people fall in love and they still have sex
charcoalj: i know that from being a niurse
charcoalj: i have men in their 70's getting penile implants
car LOCO 69: ewww
car LOCO 69: i don't wanna hear that shit
charcoalj: carlos-get over this age business
charcoalj: old people fall in love and they still have sex
charcoalj: i know that from being a niurse
charcoalj: i have men in their 70's getting penile implants
car LOCO 69: ewww
car LOCO 69: i don't wanna hear that shit
Jul 13, 2003
The Return of the Drungken Munkee.
On "28 Days Later"
car LOCO 69: the only scene i thought was pointless was the very beginning scene
car LOCO 69: the monkey scene
car LOCO 69: that scene didn't neeed to be in the movie
drungken munk ee: hey, monkeys should be in every movie, alright?
drungken munk ee: shut the fuck up.
On "Terminator 3"
car LOCO 69: but actually, aside from arnie, Claire Danes was the most powerful actor in the film
drungken munk ee: truly.
drungken munk ee: i don't know... i was very moved by kristianna.
drungken munk ee: moved in my pants.
On Romance
car LOCO 69: plus the only time i saw you last time was once when you grabbed my ass and then bounced into the darkness
car LOCO 69: i ican't stand being used like that
drungken munk ee: you gaymunk!
car LOCO 69: you can't just mess with someone's heart like that
drungken munk ee: yeah, i've been told i'm quite a tease.
On "28 Days Later"
car LOCO 69: the only scene i thought was pointless was the very beginning scene
car LOCO 69: the monkey scene
car LOCO 69: that scene didn't neeed to be in the movie
drungken munk ee: hey, monkeys should be in every movie, alright?
drungken munk ee: shut the fuck up.
On "Terminator 3"
car LOCO 69: but actually, aside from arnie, Claire Danes was the most powerful actor in the film
drungken munk ee: truly.
drungken munk ee: i don't know... i was very moved by kristianna.
drungken munk ee: moved in my pants.
On Romance
car LOCO 69: plus the only time i saw you last time was once when you grabbed my ass and then bounced into the darkness
car LOCO 69: i ican't stand being used like that
drungken munk ee: you gaymunk!
car LOCO 69: you can't just mess with someone's heart like that
drungken munk ee: yeah, i've been told i'm quite a tease.
Jul 11, 2003
Movie Reviews continued: Ronin
Even though Matrix Reloaded is getting the hype for the most insane car chase ever, it's interesting to see where the influence comes from - surely there is a 'pioneer' or a 'revolutionary' in every aspect of cinema, and for car chases, it's Ronin. Hands down. No movie before it or after it ever captured the finesse of an Audi S8 and a BMW M5 speeding down Parisian highways on the opposite lane, with the camera zoom on the shifts and drifts. Rekhanize!
Also, I always thought that scene where Deniro performs surgery on himself without drugs is just another scene to exemplify his own self-badassness, but I figure now that it's actually a Japanese Samurai reference to the Ronin who disembowled themselves in an honorable form of suicide by plunging the sword into the exact same spot Deniro plunges the surgery-scalpel. And he's a badass.
Jean Reno will never be able to rid himself of the type-cast he has molded - forever an assassin.
What a badass movie.
Even though Matrix Reloaded is getting the hype for the most insane car chase ever, it's interesting to see where the influence comes from - surely there is a 'pioneer' or a 'revolutionary' in every aspect of cinema, and for car chases, it's Ronin. Hands down. No movie before it or after it ever captured the finesse of an Audi S8 and a BMW M5 speeding down Parisian highways on the opposite lane, with the camera zoom on the shifts and drifts. Rekhanize!
Also, I always thought that scene where Deniro performs surgery on himself without drugs is just another scene to exemplify his own self-badassness, but I figure now that it's actually a Japanese Samurai reference to the Ronin who disembowled themselves in an honorable form of suicide by plunging the sword into the exact same spot Deniro plunges the surgery-scalpel. And he's a badass.
Jean Reno will never be able to rid himself of the type-cast he has molded - forever an assassin.
What a badass movie.
Jul 10, 2003
I think I understand the ending to T3 a little better now.
Contrary to my last opinion of the T3-ending, I think it was actually done in the James Cameron-school of thought, though it might have resembled Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes a little too heaviliy (complete with the President of the United States emblem and everything). The overall moral of the Terminator movies rests in the anti-technology thought that machines will inevitably take over - thus, if the TX was destroyed and judgement day was stopped, it would have been retarded in a way; it gives an infinite plot-hole to continue the transport of terminators back to kill John Connor indefinitely.
This ending works better I guess, after I thought about it a little more. It ends pessimistically, with the world destroying itself, a victim of the machines it creates - hence, the moral of the film socialistically represents the old-school moral of the original Planet of the Apes: humans will fight each other until they destroy themselves. And it actually happens!
I know y'all probably think I'm analyzing Terminator too heavily, but James Cameron isn't a brainless director. His socialist thoughts permeate every film he makes, including Titanic, and Terminator is the archetype of his method of living out the hypothetical through the fantasy of cinema. At heart, Cameron is a pessimist, a cynic of capitalist technology that he uses Arnie to eradicate.
Goodnight.
Contrary to my last opinion of the T3-ending, I think it was actually done in the James Cameron-school of thought, though it might have resembled Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes a little too heaviliy (complete with the President of the United States emblem and everything). The overall moral of the Terminator movies rests in the anti-technology thought that machines will inevitably take over - thus, if the TX was destroyed and judgement day was stopped, it would have been retarded in a way; it gives an infinite plot-hole to continue the transport of terminators back to kill John Connor indefinitely.
This ending works better I guess, after I thought about it a little more. It ends pessimistically, with the world destroying itself, a victim of the machines it creates - hence, the moral of the film socialistically represents the old-school moral of the original Planet of the Apes: humans will fight each other until they destroy themselves. And it actually happens!
I know y'all probably think I'm analyzing Terminator too heavily, but James Cameron isn't a brainless director. His socialist thoughts permeate every film he makes, including Titanic, and Terminator is the archetype of his method of living out the hypothetical through the fantasy of cinema. At heart, Cameron is a pessimist, a cynic of capitalist technology that he uses Arnie to eradicate.
Goodnight.
Jul 9, 2003
Contrary to the popular notion that diversity remains a prevalant attraction at UC Berkeley, there really are only a few types of males.
The AZN - of Asian decent, boasts a 'fade', knows the locations of every non-carding underground Korean bar/club in a 30 mile radius, may or may not be a frat boy, is usually from Socal, frequent employs AZN-nomenclature and vernacular ("dawg" "fool"), sOmEtImEs tYpEs LiKe dIS, brain usually infected with Hite and Soju, frequently complains about the status of norcal chicks, knows who Tai Mai Shu is and can usually finish the following song lyric: "It's the A-Z-N, nigga, fuck ________"
The BibleBeater - also of Asian decent, also usually boasts a 'fade' though a more conservative one, is a member of a complicated acronym that means nothing to the normal man (EBC, KCPC, ABCDEF), contains scriptures of odes to Him in AIM profile, knows what 'small group' is, boasts humility and servitude (though usually in a money-making major like business)
The White Boy - wears bug-eyed sunglasses, thinks every asian girl that resembles non-wookie form is a 'babe, dude', frequently in a major you've never heard of, drinks beer....lots of it
The Sikhs - (did I spell that right) obviously turban-wearing hipsters, extroverted but ugly, usually racially-monogamous and exclusive
The Stoners - uh smokes lots of weeeeed, duuuuuuuude, can be of any ethnicity
The Black Guy - usually very stylish though attempts to still speak 'from the ghetto', surrounded by other well-dressed black men, sometimes but not always an athelete, hung long (ok I made that one up)
The AZN - of Asian decent, boasts a 'fade', knows the locations of every non-carding underground Korean bar/club in a 30 mile radius, may or may not be a frat boy, is usually from Socal, frequent employs AZN-nomenclature and vernacular ("dawg" "fool"), sOmEtImEs tYpEs LiKe dIS, brain usually infected with Hite and Soju, frequently complains about the status of norcal chicks, knows who Tai Mai Shu is and can usually finish the following song lyric: "It's the A-Z-N, nigga, fuck ________"
The BibleBeater - also of Asian decent, also usually boasts a 'fade' though a more conservative one, is a member of a complicated acronym that means nothing to the normal man (EBC, KCPC, ABCDEF), contains scriptures of odes to Him in AIM profile, knows what 'small group' is, boasts humility and servitude (though usually in a money-making major like business)
The White Boy - wears bug-eyed sunglasses, thinks every asian girl that resembles non-wookie form is a 'babe, dude', frequently in a major you've never heard of, drinks beer....lots of it
The Sikhs - (did I spell that right) obviously turban-wearing hipsters, extroverted but ugly, usually racially-monogamous and exclusive
The Stoners - uh smokes lots of weeeeed, duuuuuuuude, can be of any ethnicity
The Black Guy - usually very stylish though attempts to still speak 'from the ghetto', surrounded by other well-dressed black men, sometimes but not always an athelete, hung long (ok I made that one up)
Jul 6, 2003
Movie Reviews, continued: 28 Days Later.
If anything, this movie gives new profound meaning to the insulting cliche: "I wouldn't have sex with you if you were the last woman on Earth!" They've used it many times before (see Dogma), but never as powerful as in this movie.
Aside from the vomit-stricken diseased zombies, the trademark dead baby (Danny Boyle really likes using that baby corpse - in fact, I think it was the same infantile corpse used in Trainspotting), and the pedophile gang rape, there was only one truly unrealistic point about this film.
She's the last woman left in the world, it's just you and her and vast emptiness, and she's HOT. No no no no. She's not hot. She's a BABE. Horror film? It sounds more like the premise for a high-school porno fantasy. (We all remember that designation in the High School year book polls: "Person with whom you'd most like to be stuck on a deserted island.")
That said, this movie was shit-in-your-pants scary. I recommend seeing it with a chick who will grab onto your arm when she freaks out. It combines multiple premises from different movies to formulate the disturbance of hell. So for the avid movie-goers, let's examine the influences. It starts with "Outbreak" (remember those diseased monkeys?), it moves on to "From Dusk Til Dawn" (hilarious movie), and ends with the most striking resemblence to "Apocolypse Now."
I actually liked the Vietnam parallels - to me, it showed human nature at it's most primordially disturbed. And it was scary as shit. Anyway...enough! Before I give away the whole film. Suffice it to say that Alex and I had to hold each other for comfort during the movie.
Go away.
If anything, this movie gives new profound meaning to the insulting cliche: "I wouldn't have sex with you if you were the last woman on Earth!" They've used it many times before (see Dogma), but never as powerful as in this movie.
Aside from the vomit-stricken diseased zombies, the trademark dead baby (Danny Boyle really likes using that baby corpse - in fact, I think it was the same infantile corpse used in Trainspotting), and the pedophile gang rape, there was only one truly unrealistic point about this film.
She's the last woman left in the world, it's just you and her and vast emptiness, and she's HOT. No no no no. She's not hot. She's a BABE. Horror film? It sounds more like the premise for a high-school porno fantasy. (We all remember that designation in the High School year book polls: "Person with whom you'd most like to be stuck on a deserted island.")
That said, this movie was shit-in-your-pants scary. I recommend seeing it with a chick who will grab onto your arm when she freaks out. It combines multiple premises from different movies to formulate the disturbance of hell. So for the avid movie-goers, let's examine the influences. It starts with "Outbreak" (remember those diseased monkeys?), it moves on to "From Dusk Til Dawn" (hilarious movie), and ends with the most striking resemblence to "Apocolypse Now."
I actually liked the Vietnam parallels - to me, it showed human nature at it's most primordially disturbed. And it was scary as shit. Anyway...enough! Before I give away the whole film. Suffice it to say that Alex and I had to hold each other for comfort during the movie.
Go away.
Jul 5, 2003
First and foremost, I wanna give a birthday shoutout to one of my oldest and faithful homeboys, Jaakko Alajoki. Happy 22nd, dawg.
Next: Memory Test. Can you remember what you have done for the last 7 4th of Julys? IM me.
2003: Los Angeles, CA. Tonight we celebrated in the traditional fashion, with twenty dollar Hite, NRB Karaoke, and Marlboro Lights at K-Town. Thanks Norling for the BBQ. Alex/Grace/Norling/Peter/Flora.
2002: Santa Barbara, CA. Celebrated by watching fireworks on the Santa Barbara beaches, with a King Cobra 40 and the incredible view of amazingly hot almost-naked white chicks. Moni/Sean/Jia/etc.
2001: Banff, Canada. The solitary trio - Alex/Jim/me, on the docks of a romantic lake in Canada.
2000: Berkeley, CA. The Berkeley Marina, watching fireworks with Stan/JM/Alex/etc.
1999: Palo Alto, CA. Evening with Katie, watching fireworks and renting a movie.
1998: Aspen, CO: Spent the evening with Grace, expensive dinner at the base of Mount Aspen finishing with a concert of Mahler's Fifth Symphony.
1997: Lenox, MA: Tanglewood all-Tchaikovsky concert, spent on the grass of Koussevitzky Hall, beers, cigars, and the works.
What about you?
Next: Memory Test. Can you remember what you have done for the last 7 4th of Julys? IM me.
2003: Los Angeles, CA. Tonight we celebrated in the traditional fashion, with twenty dollar Hite, NRB Karaoke, and Marlboro Lights at K-Town. Thanks Norling for the BBQ. Alex/Grace/Norling/Peter/Flora.
2002: Santa Barbara, CA. Celebrated by watching fireworks on the Santa Barbara beaches, with a King Cobra 40 and the incredible view of amazingly hot almost-naked white chicks. Moni/Sean/Jia/etc.
2001: Banff, Canada. The solitary trio - Alex/Jim/me, on the docks of a romantic lake in Canada.
2000: Berkeley, CA. The Berkeley Marina, watching fireworks with Stan/JM/Alex/etc.
1999: Palo Alto, CA. Evening with Katie, watching fireworks and renting a movie.
1998: Aspen, CO: Spent the evening with Grace, expensive dinner at the base of Mount Aspen finishing with a concert of Mahler's Fifth Symphony.
1997: Lenox, MA: Tanglewood all-Tchaikovsky concert, spent on the grass of Koussevitzky Hall, beers, cigars, and the works.
What about you?
Jul 4, 2003
Movie reviews continued. Terminator 3. For a more in depth review (not to mention more qualified), please check Stan's blog at http://leemur.blogspot.com.
I don't really wanna talk too much on the details of the film, cuz Stan did that already and I agree with everything he said.
To the point: all in all, I came out of the movie theatre satisfied, though maybe a bit saturated with a high-concentration of explosive razzle dazzle (but hey, it's the 4th of July). As a strict summer action movie, this one goes at the top of my list, tying closely with Matrix Reloaded, and with X2 coming in a very distinct second. The eye candy was enormous, and if you think I'm talking about Kristanna Loken, I'm not. Anybody who knows me well enough should know that I, like any other Terminator fan, came to see the real live pectoral gigantasor affectionately known as "Arnie".
The detail flaws of Terminator make it a very sub-par Terminator film, which is a holy legacy-esque entity that ideally shouldn't be touched unless it can emulate the perfection in the archetype: T2. Well, it didn't; in fact, it didn't even come close. For a large part of the film, I put serious question into whether or not Jonathan Mostow had even seen the other two Terminator films - the same question I had about Francis Ford Coppola when he decided to do the terrible Godfather 3 (that was a little worse, considering Coppola had done the other two as well).
So, I don't want to echo what Stan said, and other than his complaints, I only really have one more.
The ideology behind the Terminator premise rests in a certain space-time continuum that more or less coins it's catch line: There is no fate but what you make. Well, Mostow must have seriously fucked up, because he tarnished the idea of fate into a hopeless hole of pessimism; the new catch line? You can't do shit about your future. It's set, echoed ridiculously by John Conner's soon-to-be-famous line regarding his future death: "Well, that really sucks."
That would be cool and all, if Mostow's fate-is-set idea had some sort of philosophical premise to vouch for it, but I became more concerned with the fact that he conjured up the overhaul for the sole purpose of leaving a gap open to do a T4. Everything boils down to money, even if creative flair has to suffer for that cause. Other sidenotes:
Claire Danes is actually pretty good. I was surprised.
The TX wasn't at all intimidating.
The movie is completely worth it just to see Arnie tearing the shit out of a car with his bare hands.
Why the hell is the TX a woman? If it really had to be a woman, they could have gone in two directions: 1) Put Sigourney Weaver in it. After Alien Ressurection, she was made to be a Terminator. 2) Put Pamela Anderson in it and make her get naked. 3) Bring back Robert Patrick. He's not that old - Arnie is certainly older. Besides, all that fool is doing these days is a retardo-replacement act for David Duchovny in the X-Files.
Anyway, go and see it. If you liked Matrix Reloaded and X2, you'll definitely get a kick out of T3 - but when you buy the DVD Trilogy, be sure to ask if you can get a discount by buying only 2/3 of the package.
I don't really wanna talk too much on the details of the film, cuz Stan did that already and I agree with everything he said.
To the point: all in all, I came out of the movie theatre satisfied, though maybe a bit saturated with a high-concentration of explosive razzle dazzle (but hey, it's the 4th of July). As a strict summer action movie, this one goes at the top of my list, tying closely with Matrix Reloaded, and with X2 coming in a very distinct second. The eye candy was enormous, and if you think I'm talking about Kristanna Loken, I'm not. Anybody who knows me well enough should know that I, like any other Terminator fan, came to see the real live pectoral gigantasor affectionately known as "Arnie".
The detail flaws of Terminator make it a very sub-par Terminator film, which is a holy legacy-esque entity that ideally shouldn't be touched unless it can emulate the perfection in the archetype: T2. Well, it didn't; in fact, it didn't even come close. For a large part of the film, I put serious question into whether or not Jonathan Mostow had even seen the other two Terminator films - the same question I had about Francis Ford Coppola when he decided to do the terrible Godfather 3 (that was a little worse, considering Coppola had done the other two as well).
So, I don't want to echo what Stan said, and other than his complaints, I only really have one more.
The ideology behind the Terminator premise rests in a certain space-time continuum that more or less coins it's catch line: There is no fate but what you make. Well, Mostow must have seriously fucked up, because he tarnished the idea of fate into a hopeless hole of pessimism; the new catch line? You can't do shit about your future. It's set, echoed ridiculously by John Conner's soon-to-be-famous line regarding his future death: "Well, that really sucks."
That would be cool and all, if Mostow's fate-is-set idea had some sort of philosophical premise to vouch for it, but I became more concerned with the fact that he conjured up the overhaul for the sole purpose of leaving a gap open to do a T4. Everything boils down to money, even if creative flair has to suffer for that cause. Other sidenotes:
Claire Danes is actually pretty good. I was surprised.
The TX wasn't at all intimidating.
The movie is completely worth it just to see Arnie tearing the shit out of a car with his bare hands.
Why the hell is the TX a woman? If it really had to be a woman, they could have gone in two directions: 1) Put Sigourney Weaver in it. After Alien Ressurection, she was made to be a Terminator. 2) Put Pamela Anderson in it and make her get naked. 3) Bring back Robert Patrick. He's not that old - Arnie is certainly older. Besides, all that fool is doing these days is a retardo-replacement act for David Duchovny in the X-Files.
Anyway, go and see it. If you liked Matrix Reloaded and X2, you'll definitely get a kick out of T3 - but when you buy the DVD Trilogy, be sure to ask if you can get a discount by buying only 2/3 of the package.
Jul 3, 2003
I just saw Spike Lee's Bamboozled. Thoughts...
The issues that contemporary blackface minstrelsy ensues with its high charged images of twisted nostalgia were very clear, albeit the use of them formed a controversy in itself. But herein lies the problem - too many 'albeits'.
The condemnation of blackface through popular satire seems like a brilliant idea, but how do you satirize contemporary blackface minstrelsy by making a movie satirizing contemporary blackface minstrelsy?
Just as the word "nigger" is too negatively powerful to use in jest, for it's obvious historical legacy, blackface is too negatively powerful to use in satire. (And although I am also a fan of Quentin Tarantino's, his concept behind the it's-just-a-word mentality formulates the necessary ingredients for the paradigmatic racist.) I became more concerned with the contorted idea that Savion Glover and the "Porch Niggaz" actually had to apply blackface (in the traditional cork-style of the pasat no less) to film the movie than to allow myself to dig into the satire itself - had the Damon Wayans blackface show actually had a slight bit of humor to it, I'm sure the NAACP would have performed an elaborate strike against "Bamboozled" in much the same way Reverend Al Sharpton did in the actual film.
So good going, Spike Lee. At least your blackface show wasn't funny. God help you if it was.
I found it more than especially ironic that the defying protestors who murder Savion Glover at the end of the movie also used blackface to protest blackface. When the ideological basis of the movie strings down to its most structural level, you have a director using blackface making fun of another director using blackface disturbed by murderers also using blackface, who ironically also protest blackface. It's a miracle. Everybody hates the blackface minstrelsy project, and yet, everybody uses it. The satire seems lost in its own tools.
I think there would have been many other more effective ways of denouncing blackface minstrelsy without resorting to it. Chris Rock (though they touched on him, but only briefly) would have been a perfect example. Take his "Blacks vs. Niggers" monologue, which most definitely was the sparking ignition for his rise to comedy-fame. Who are the biggest fans of that monologue? White people - not just white people; white racists. Why? Because Chris Rock says everything in that monologue that they wish they could say and not get shot for it. "Niggers can't read; books are like Kryptonite to a nigger....Niggers always want credit for shit they're supposed to be doing...Niggers are always blaming the media...etc." Or how about use the same type of intellect that Spike Lee is so famous for in interviews. Why not satirize blackface minstrelsy by satirizng the white suburban (and asian) kids dancing to black gangsta-rap videos, and specifically for the reason that they contain entertainment value through racial stereotypes? There are many ways, and blackface seems like the most primitively in-your-face method of doing it, and it works the opposite end of the ideology (which is always a bad thing).
The issues that contemporary blackface minstrelsy ensues with its high charged images of twisted nostalgia were very clear, albeit the use of them formed a controversy in itself. But herein lies the problem - too many 'albeits'.
The condemnation of blackface through popular satire seems like a brilliant idea, but how do you satirize contemporary blackface minstrelsy by making a movie satirizing contemporary blackface minstrelsy?
Just as the word "nigger" is too negatively powerful to use in jest, for it's obvious historical legacy, blackface is too negatively powerful to use in satire. (And although I am also a fan of Quentin Tarantino's, his concept behind the it's-just-a-word mentality formulates the necessary ingredients for the paradigmatic racist.) I became more concerned with the contorted idea that Savion Glover and the "Porch Niggaz" actually had to apply blackface (in the traditional cork-style of the pasat no less) to film the movie than to allow myself to dig into the satire itself - had the Damon Wayans blackface show actually had a slight bit of humor to it, I'm sure the NAACP would have performed an elaborate strike against "Bamboozled" in much the same way Reverend Al Sharpton did in the actual film.
So good going, Spike Lee. At least your blackface show wasn't funny. God help you if it was.
I found it more than especially ironic that the defying protestors who murder Savion Glover at the end of the movie also used blackface to protest blackface. When the ideological basis of the movie strings down to its most structural level, you have a director using blackface making fun of another director using blackface disturbed by murderers also using blackface, who ironically also protest blackface. It's a miracle. Everybody hates the blackface minstrelsy project, and yet, everybody uses it. The satire seems lost in its own tools.
I think there would have been many other more effective ways of denouncing blackface minstrelsy without resorting to it. Chris Rock (though they touched on him, but only briefly) would have been a perfect example. Take his "Blacks vs. Niggers" monologue, which most definitely was the sparking ignition for his rise to comedy-fame. Who are the biggest fans of that monologue? White people - not just white people; white racists. Why? Because Chris Rock says everything in that monologue that they wish they could say and not get shot for it. "Niggers can't read; books are like Kryptonite to a nigger....Niggers always want credit for shit they're supposed to be doing...Niggers are always blaming the media...etc." Or how about use the same type of intellect that Spike Lee is so famous for in interviews. Why not satirize blackface minstrelsy by satirizng the white suburban (and asian) kids dancing to black gangsta-rap videos, and specifically for the reason that they contain entertainment value through racial stereotypes? There are many ways, and blackface seems like the most primitively in-your-face method of doing it, and it works the opposite end of the ideology (which is always a bad thing).
Jul 2, 2003
My blog has been down for some reason, so I apologize for not having posted anything in the last few days. I'm in Los Angeles now taking summer school.
I've found out painfully that the UCLA class I'm taking on Beethoven is a pathetic 10 steps down from my last three weeks at Carnegie Hall, though I should have probably expected that much. The focus of the class is on personal expression and historical context as it relates to Beethoven's music, but it ends up appearing like something more out of a 10-dollar psychiatric experiment.
On a painful note, I saw Daredevil on the plane. I think it would have been a good movie if the Daredevil not been a pansified Ben Affleck, the plot didn't represent a vomit-covered disjunction of formulaic points, there had been a gratuitous implementation of shameless nudity, and the Kingpin didn't represent a gigantic negro teddy-bear. Other than that, it was great.
I'm a bit scared to watch Terminator 3. Please check out Stanley's review if you have time at http://leemur.blogspot.com. I will post some excerpts of it, as it is a very well written review. There is not a soul in the world who is more qualified to opinionize the Terminator 3 movie, as Stanley has spent the last 12 years wet dreaming about Cyborg systems and constructing make-shift terminators out of organic chemistry cell models, much to his girlfriend's disgust and dismay. Please do read his full review.
Problem #1: "One of the most important things is lighting. T2 was entirely bathed in cold blue light, with contrasts of red. This movie is not. In contest to other reviews on the Internet, this movie is not darker. The entire film takes place in broad daylight, or brightly lit indoors. Mastow you IDIOT! A Terminator is a harbinger of death, it shouldn't be bathed in white angelic light!"
Problem #2: "Second, music. Marco Beltrami's score? More like underscore. This guy also scored the Scream movies, he is not qualified to score the Terminator series. The music does not accent the film heartily as Brad Fidel's music did in T2. Mastow thought Fidel's music made you think of T2 too much, but guess what? Mastow's an IDIOT."
Problem #3: "My third complaint is the T-X. She is hot. Too bad that's not the purpose of a Terminator. Menacing she is not. Bland she is. Robert Patrick was hundreds of times more threatening as the T-1000, and unstoppable. I remember feeling dread everytime he got back up in T2. I did not get too much of the 'Oh my God, she absolutely will not stop' feeling from Kristanna Loken."
Pete, if he were at Carnegie Hall:
car LOCO 69: i left it to the other students to buy barenboim a present
car LOCO 69: and they bought him a 300 dollar bottle of fucking wine that i have to chip in for
peterlsb: wtf?
peterlsb: that's some crystal shiet
peterlsb: you better be drinkin that too
peterlsb: watch him down that shit in front of you guys
car LOCO 69: they don't have 40's of wine, dawg
peterlsb: then pour it on the carnegie stage, 'this ones for the homies that couldnt be here'
I've found out painfully that the UCLA class I'm taking on Beethoven is a pathetic 10 steps down from my last three weeks at Carnegie Hall, though I should have probably expected that much. The focus of the class is on personal expression and historical context as it relates to Beethoven's music, but it ends up appearing like something more out of a 10-dollar psychiatric experiment.
On a painful note, I saw Daredevil on the plane. I think it would have been a good movie if the Daredevil not been a pansified Ben Affleck, the plot didn't represent a vomit-covered disjunction of formulaic points, there had been a gratuitous implementation of shameless nudity, and the Kingpin didn't represent a gigantic negro teddy-bear. Other than that, it was great.
I'm a bit scared to watch Terminator 3. Please check out Stanley's review if you have time at http://leemur.blogspot.com. I will post some excerpts of it, as it is a very well written review. There is not a soul in the world who is more qualified to opinionize the Terminator 3 movie, as Stanley has spent the last 12 years wet dreaming about Cyborg systems and constructing make-shift terminators out of organic chemistry cell models, much to his girlfriend's disgust and dismay. Please do read his full review.
Problem #1: "One of the most important things is lighting. T2 was entirely bathed in cold blue light, with contrasts of red. This movie is not. In contest to other reviews on the Internet, this movie is not darker. The entire film takes place in broad daylight, or brightly lit indoors. Mastow you IDIOT! A Terminator is a harbinger of death, it shouldn't be bathed in white angelic light!"
Problem #2: "Second, music. Marco Beltrami's score? More like underscore. This guy also scored the Scream movies, he is not qualified to score the Terminator series. The music does not accent the film heartily as Brad Fidel's music did in T2. Mastow thought Fidel's music made you think of T2 too much, but guess what? Mastow's an IDIOT."
Problem #3: "My third complaint is the T-X. She is hot. Too bad that's not the purpose of a Terminator. Menacing she is not. Bland she is. Robert Patrick was hundreds of times more threatening as the T-1000, and unstoppable. I remember feeling dread everytime he got back up in T2. I did not get too much of the 'Oh my God, she absolutely will not stop' feeling from Kristanna Loken."
Pete, if he were at Carnegie Hall:
car LOCO 69: i left it to the other students to buy barenboim a present
car LOCO 69: and they bought him a 300 dollar bottle of fucking wine that i have to chip in for
peterlsb: wtf?
peterlsb: that's some crystal shiet
peterlsb: you better be drinkin that too
peterlsb: watch him down that shit in front of you guys
car LOCO 69: they don't have 40's of wine, dawg
peterlsb: then pour it on the carnegie stage, 'this ones for the homies that couldnt be here'
Jun 26, 2003
New York - Day 17 through Day 20: The Sixth Class and Opus 110 and Opus 111
Revival of the Nerds:
peterlsb: hahahaha i used to watch x-files every fri then it got popular and moved to sunday
peterlsb: i was/am a loser
car LOCO 69: naw x files is dope!
car LOCO 69: no shame yo, represent
peterlsb: hhahaha werd, THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
peterlsb: I BELIEVE
car LOCO 69: DENY EVERYTHING
car LOCO 69: doodoo da doo, da doo, da doo doo
car LOCO 69: doodoo da doo, da doo, da doo doo
peterlsb: hahahhHhahahah
peterlsb: music by mark snow....
Revival of the Nerds:
peterlsb: hahahaha i used to watch x-files every fri then it got popular and moved to sunday
peterlsb: i was/am a loser
car LOCO 69: naw x files is dope!
car LOCO 69: no shame yo, represent
peterlsb: hhahaha werd, THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
peterlsb: I BELIEVE
car LOCO 69: DENY EVERYTHING
car LOCO 69: doodoo da doo, da doo, da doo doo
car LOCO 69: doodoo da doo, da doo, da doo doo
peterlsb: hahahhHhahahah
peterlsb: music by mark snow....
Jun 23, 2003
New York - Day 12 through Day 16: The Fifth Class and Opus 109
Barenboim reciting Hans von Buelow: "Whereas the Well Tempered Klavier is the Old Testament, the Beethoven Sonatas is the New Testament."
On a dire note, I've been rudely cancelled - now forcefully required to do the Appassionata instead of Opus 111. Why did I even come here?
Reading the program notes today, I think I found out a little bit more about Opus 111. Beethoven's last piano sonata is a monument to his conviction that solutions to the problems facing humanity lie ever within our grasp if they can be recognized for what they are and be confronted by models of human transformation. I guess...
Geoff, Jeff and I were all talking about relative musical parellels to the most significant movies for technology. The original Star Wars, we decided, is Beethoven Fifth Symphony. Terminator 2 is Beethoven's Ninth. Jurassic Park is Brahms's First Symphony and The Matrix is Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring.
The original Star Wars was monumental for technological progress in the respect that it created a new genre of things to come. The realism of the technology in Star Wars at the time was unparalleled. Terminator 2 was the culminative glory point, Jurassic Park was a perfected path for 3d computer graphics and The Matrix innovatively inspired the level of technology to a no-bounds limit.
Anyway, I'm out.
Barenboim reciting Hans von Buelow: "Whereas the Well Tempered Klavier is the Old Testament, the Beethoven Sonatas is the New Testament."
On a dire note, I've been rudely cancelled - now forcefully required to do the Appassionata instead of Opus 111. Why did I even come here?
Reading the program notes today, I think I found out a little bit more about Opus 111. Beethoven's last piano sonata is a monument to his conviction that solutions to the problems facing humanity lie ever within our grasp if they can be recognized for what they are and be confronted by models of human transformation. I guess...
Geoff, Jeff and I were all talking about relative musical parellels to the most significant movies for technology. The original Star Wars, we decided, is Beethoven Fifth Symphony. Terminator 2 is Beethoven's Ninth. Jurassic Park is Brahms's First Symphony and The Matrix is Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring.
The original Star Wars was monumental for technological progress in the respect that it created a new genre of things to come. The realism of the technology in Star Wars at the time was unparalleled. Terminator 2 was the culminative glory point, Jurassic Park was a perfected path for 3d computer graphics and The Matrix innovatively inspired the level of technology to a no-bounds limit.
Anyway, I'm out.
Jun 18, 2003
New York - Day 11: The Fourth Class
Somebody asked Barenboim why he didn't take the third movement repeat in the Appassioinata last night, and he answered "I dunno....I knew somebody would ask me that. Hey Andre! Do you take the repeat?"
At which point I heard a booming voice right behind me say, "Yes, of course", and lo and behold, there he was. Andre Watts. Sitting right behind me.
Then I walked outside and I saw Itzhak Perlman talking on his cell phone.
This place is like a musical Hollywood.
Somebody asked Barenboim why he didn't take the third movement repeat in the Appassioinata last night, and he answered "I dunno....I knew somebody would ask me that. Hey Andre! Do you take the repeat?"
At which point I heard a booming voice right behind me say, "Yes, of course", and lo and behold, there he was. Andre Watts. Sitting right behind me.
Then I walked outside and I saw Itzhak Perlman talking on his cell phone.
This place is like a musical Hollywood.
Jun 17, 2003
New York - Day 10: The Appassionata
My second attempt at Eminemizing classical music. This freestyle goes out to Daniel Barenboim.
You mighta thought you was a classical musician,
But what you really on is a pointless mission,
You tried to compose, so you wrote a tarentella,
But that shit was so wack, you copy off Helen Keller,
I won't even get started on the way you play Brahms,
Cuz that would get me started, on baggin' on your mom,
You sit at the piano, and think you're the bomb,
But all you really are, is a fake ass Elton John,
They say you the shit, but I say nigga please,
You sound like you took lessons, from a broke ass Alicia Keys,
I got your free tickets, so I guess I gotta settle,
But what I really can't stand, is you drowning shit with pedal,
Yo I'm sick of this shit, man you wastin' mah time,
They'll finish you off in tomorrow's New York Times
On a serious note, I'm getting increasingly more disturbed by the hypocrisy of Barenboim's ideals; little by little it seems as though his charm functions as a metro-pass for a Beethovenian subway cycle, charging through at full speed which he seems to get away with for free every single time (given the audience's reception). The Appassionata was dominated by the flexibility of ultra-wavering tempos - like a child playing with a metronome and the most disturbing part was the fact that he didn't take the Third movement repeat. After all his lecturing about integrity and specifically the integration of melos, aethos, ethos, and pathos, he consciously ignores his own ideals, knowing that his dramatic flair and boy-charm will probably save him at the end. I actually don't take the repeat either, but I don't lecture about the ethical standard of taking repeats in Beethoven. Don't front, homes.
My second attempt at Eminemizing classical music. This freestyle goes out to Daniel Barenboim.
You mighta thought you was a classical musician,
But what you really on is a pointless mission,
You tried to compose, so you wrote a tarentella,
But that shit was so wack, you copy off Helen Keller,
I won't even get started on the way you play Brahms,
Cuz that would get me started, on baggin' on your mom,
You sit at the piano, and think you're the bomb,
But all you really are, is a fake ass Elton John,
They say you the shit, but I say nigga please,
You sound like you took lessons, from a broke ass Alicia Keys,
I got your free tickets, so I guess I gotta settle,
But what I really can't stand, is you drowning shit with pedal,
Yo I'm sick of this shit, man you wastin' mah time,
They'll finish you off in tomorrow's New York Times
On a serious note, I'm getting increasingly more disturbed by the hypocrisy of Barenboim's ideals; little by little it seems as though his charm functions as a metro-pass for a Beethovenian subway cycle, charging through at full speed which he seems to get away with for free every single time (given the audience's reception). The Appassionata was dominated by the flexibility of ultra-wavering tempos - like a child playing with a metronome and the most disturbing part was the fact that he didn't take the Third movement repeat. After all his lecturing about integrity and specifically the integration of melos, aethos, ethos, and pathos, he consciously ignores his own ideals, knowing that his dramatic flair and boy-charm will probably save him at the end. I actually don't take the repeat either, but I don't lecture about the ethical standard of taking repeats in Beethoven. Don't front, homes.
Jun 16, 2003
New York - Day 9: The Third Class - The Gold Medal Winner
My review of Mr. Barenboim's Sonatas have been vindicated and confirmed by none other than The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/16/arts/music/16BARE.html
This whole Beethoven thing is getting exhausting. I can't believe it's not even half over. Also, if I hear the term "tonal ambiguity" again, I'm gonna vomit onstage. The classes are more and more representing something that you could read in the program notes of a concert rather than a real lesson - it's almost like a structure and harmony class rather than an educational experience; at least today. Predominantly, the content of today's class was shadowed by wit and charm, two characteristics that seem to come completely naturally to him. But at the end, all the repetition of Beethovenian structure and analysis boil down to "tonal ambiguity", something every student knows about Opus 101 before he/she even tackles it. Whatever.
The most interesting Barenboim said today was in response to the question, "is age a big factor in developing musical intelligence and maturity", to which he surprisingly answered with a blatant "no". He said, he has met too many of his colleagues, either a monk who can express the sexual properties of eroticism, or a man who has had 20 affairs who cannot express any of it. With singers, especially, he says that so many are incredibly talented at expressing deceit, greed, eroticism, power, humility, redemption, and any other possible human emotion.....but when you get a cup of coffee with them, you wish you hadn't.
When asked how his interpretation of the sonatas have changed he said: "I used to be a child prodigy. The prodigy is gone but the child is still here."
My review of Mr. Barenboim's Sonatas have been vindicated and confirmed by none other than The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/16/arts/music/16BARE.html
This whole Beethoven thing is getting exhausting. I can't believe it's not even half over. Also, if I hear the term "tonal ambiguity" again, I'm gonna vomit onstage. The classes are more and more representing something that you could read in the program notes of a concert rather than a real lesson - it's almost like a structure and harmony class rather than an educational experience; at least today. Predominantly, the content of today's class was shadowed by wit and charm, two characteristics that seem to come completely naturally to him. But at the end, all the repetition of Beethovenian structure and analysis boil down to "tonal ambiguity", something every student knows about Opus 101 before he/she even tackles it. Whatever.
The most interesting Barenboim said today was in response to the question, "is age a big factor in developing musical intelligence and maturity", to which he surprisingly answered with a blatant "no". He said, he has met too many of his colleagues, either a monk who can express the sexual properties of eroticism, or a man who has had 20 affairs who cannot express any of it. With singers, especially, he says that so many are incredibly talented at expressing deceit, greed, eroticism, power, humility, redemption, and any other possible human emotion.....but when you get a cup of coffee with them, you wish you hadn't.
When asked how his interpretation of the sonatas have changed he said: "I used to be a child prodigy. The prodigy is gone but the child is still here."
Jun 15, 2003
New York - Day 8: The Pathetique and Opus 101
Damn. Mr. Barenboim, you have definitely redeemed yourself out of your former Les Adieux shithole - I must say tonight was the performance of kings, colossal giants, timeless artists, and the like. I look forward to the rest.
On a more nostalgic note, my most genuine and whole-hearted congratulations go out to my homeboy and former-roommate, Joo-Young Oh, who dazzled a Carnegie Hall audience today with a display of more perfect technique, rockstar-flair, get-girls lyricism, and more star qualities than you can count in all of Hollywood. This fool and I used to sit in our Aspen dormroom drinking cheap Safeway-plastic vodka, chain-smoking Marlboro Reds into a makeshift ashtray, talkin' about big deals and fine chicks, and eternally dreaming of Carnegie Hall and bright lights. Today, we celebrate our coincidental meeting at Carnegie Hall (we even shared a dressing room, in the tradition of old roommates) with Soju and Marlboro Lights in New York's K-town. Much Love!
Nike should have used this one: "Art is long, life is short." -Ludwig van Beethoven
Damn. Mr. Barenboim, you have definitely redeemed yourself out of your former Les Adieux shithole - I must say tonight was the performance of kings, colossal giants, timeless artists, and the like. I look forward to the rest.
On a more nostalgic note, my most genuine and whole-hearted congratulations go out to my homeboy and former-roommate, Joo-Young Oh, who dazzled a Carnegie Hall audience today with a display of more perfect technique, rockstar-flair, get-girls lyricism, and more star qualities than you can count in all of Hollywood. This fool and I used to sit in our Aspen dormroom drinking cheap Safeway-plastic vodka, chain-smoking Marlboro Reds into a makeshift ashtray, talkin' about big deals and fine chicks, and eternally dreaming of Carnegie Hall and bright lights. Today, we celebrate our coincidental meeting at Carnegie Hall (we even shared a dressing room, in the tradition of old roommates) with Soju and Marlboro Lights in New York's K-town. Much Love!
Nike should have used this one: "Art is long, life is short." -Ludwig van Beethoven
Jun 14, 2003
New York - Day 7: Day Off
I did absolutely nothing today except watch Steve Harvey reruns, discover a poorly-Chinese run Japanese restaurant, and watch Proof of Life.
Good luck tomorrow to my former roommate and homeboy, Joo-Young Oh, also known as "Jay-O", who will have his Carnegie Hall recital debut tomorrow night at 5:30pm. Best of luck, homes!
If you can name the following quote, you have my ultimate respect: "A meal is what precedes a cigarette."
I did absolutely nothing today except watch Steve Harvey reruns, discover a poorly-Chinese run Japanese restaurant, and watch Proof of Life.
Good luck tomorrow to my former roommate and homeboy, Joo-Young Oh, also known as "Jay-O", who will have his Carnegie Hall recital debut tomorrow night at 5:30pm. Best of luck, homes!
If you can name the following quote, you have my ultimate respect: "A meal is what precedes a cigarette."
Jun 13, 2003
New York - Day 6: The Second Class
I have concluded that I learn more from this whole Beethoven business when I am not the actual performer in the workshop. Biased perspective via interaction, as it goes - except that mine was more negative than anything.
Barenboim kept on talking about how I needed to develop a more flexible wrist.....hmmm.........I'm working on that one Mr. Barenboim, I'm working on that one. Every night, in fact.
I also know now how he developed his wrist control - probably during that period of time when Jaqueline Du Pre was paralyzed from neck down. I mean....what would YOU do if your wife was paralyzed - a man's gotta be a man right? Even if he has to be a man in the company of only himself.
I have concluded that I learn more from this whole Beethoven business when I am not the actual performer in the workshop. Biased perspective via interaction, as it goes - except that mine was more negative than anything.
Barenboim kept on talking about how I needed to develop a more flexible wrist.....hmmm.........I'm working on that one Mr. Barenboim, I'm working on that one. Every night, in fact.
I also know now how he developed his wrist control - probably during that period of time when Jaqueline Du Pre was paralyzed from neck down. I mean....what would YOU do if your wife was paralyzed - a man's gotta be a man right? Even if he has to be a man in the company of only himself.
Jun 12, 2003
New York - Day 5: Les Adieux
Dear Mr. Barenboim,
Please understand that I carry the utmost respect for your impressive intellect, Richard Gere-like charm, emotional dedication, and that thing you do with your shoulders when you play a big chord. Your continuing devotion and amazing mind has forced us all to redirect our perspective of Beethoven to a simultaneously cerebral and emotional level.
I am somewhat disturbed, however, with the amount of notes that you miss - not to be mistaken with poor technique (I know you have good technique, or else...your name wouldn't be Barenboim). Please know that I do understand you are undertaking an impressive feat by devoting over 50 hours to the Beethoven sonatas in three weeks; however, under normal circumstances, and by normal I mean not in the public graciousness of a respected concert hall, your Les Adieux Sonata would have me eat bratwurst, subject myself to a Lambda Lil Sis website, and rim a goat, all at the same time. This is saying quite a lot, as I do not care for bratwurst in the least. To make matters worse, during the standing ovation you received after the sonata, I felt a bit like the third-person protagonist in an existentialist novel (the type where the main character looks at himself from the outside in pity, disgust, and horror).
I hope that the rest of the concerts are much better, and that is a very sincere hope.
Still in admiration,
Carlos
On a lighter note:
Only Joe has bothered to answer the test on my profile: what percentage of your buddylist is Asian?
My results: 187 out of 200
Joe's results: His buddylist was just erased, but out of his emerging one: 38 out of 42
However:
UrAverage AzNJoE: plus I would get double points for everyone who had azn in their screenname
UrAverage AzNJoE: like 1/5 of my list
UrAverage AzNJoE: azn kid this
UrAverage AzNJoE: azn kid that
UrAverage AzNJoE: lil azn this
UrAverage AzNJoE: cutelilazn...
UrAverage AzNJoE: OH WILL IT EVER STOP....
car LOCO 69: UrAverageAzNJoE?
UrAverage AzNJoE: oh yeah
UrAverage AzNJoE: well I made this 2 years ago
Please give me your results. Especially if you're white.
Dear Mr. Barenboim,
Please understand that I carry the utmost respect for your impressive intellect, Richard Gere-like charm, emotional dedication, and that thing you do with your shoulders when you play a big chord. Your continuing devotion and amazing mind has forced us all to redirect our perspective of Beethoven to a simultaneously cerebral and emotional level.
I am somewhat disturbed, however, with the amount of notes that you miss - not to be mistaken with poor technique (I know you have good technique, or else...your name wouldn't be Barenboim). Please know that I do understand you are undertaking an impressive feat by devoting over 50 hours to the Beethoven sonatas in three weeks; however, under normal circumstances, and by normal I mean not in the public graciousness of a respected concert hall, your Les Adieux Sonata would have me eat bratwurst, subject myself to a Lambda Lil Sis website, and rim a goat, all at the same time. This is saying quite a lot, as I do not care for bratwurst in the least. To make matters worse, during the standing ovation you received after the sonata, I felt a bit like the third-person protagonist in an existentialist novel (the type where the main character looks at himself from the outside in pity, disgust, and horror).
I hope that the rest of the concerts are much better, and that is a very sincere hope.
Still in admiration,
Carlos
On a lighter note:
Only Joe has bothered to answer the test on my profile: what percentage of your buddylist is Asian?
My results: 187 out of 200
Joe's results: His buddylist was just erased, but out of his emerging one: 38 out of 42
However:
UrAverage AzNJoE: plus I would get double points for everyone who had azn in their screenname
UrAverage AzNJoE: like 1/5 of my list
UrAverage AzNJoE: azn kid this
UrAverage AzNJoE: azn kid that
UrAverage AzNJoE: lil azn this
UrAverage AzNJoE: cutelilazn...
UrAverage AzNJoE: OH WILL IT EVER STOP....
car LOCO 69: UrAverageAzNJoE?
UrAverage AzNJoE: oh yeah
UrAverage AzNJoE: well I made this 2 years ago
Please give me your results. Especially if you're white.
Jun 11, 2003
New York - Day 4: The 1st Class
Just when you thought this was gonna be all about classical music. Silly me. While, I'm on this artsy fartsy introspective revelation, Dave always manages to remind me that there is no place like home:
car LOCO 69: why you up so early
car LOCO 69: studying?
Divadjj: dude
Divadjj: drank too much yesterday
Divadjj: dehydrated
Divadjj: had to scrounge for quarters
Divadjj: to get a drink
On another note, the first girl to play today in Carnegie Hall was a Chinese chick who only spoke German, forcing Barenboim to conduct (in front of hundreds of people, who assumedly, were not fluent in German) his entire class in German. That's impressive and all, and if I knew a little bit more than common catch phrases like Deutsch and Shiesse (or however you spell it), then I'm sure I would have been inspired.....but I don't, and it sucked. Equally humorous were the many Asian people around me who still continued to dutifully take notes, though I'm not quite sure what kind of notes they were, or whether they finally understood what it is like for us to be in Chinatown.
When Barenboim was asked today if he had any secrets or technique-tools he used to tackle the most difficult Beetehoven sonatas, he replied, "reputation."
Just when you thought this was gonna be all about classical music. Silly me. While, I'm on this artsy fartsy introspective revelation, Dave always manages to remind me that there is no place like home:
car LOCO 69: why you up so early
car LOCO 69: studying?
Divadjj: dude
Divadjj: drank too much yesterday
Divadjj: dehydrated
Divadjj: had to scrounge for quarters
Divadjj: to get a drink
On another note, the first girl to play today in Carnegie Hall was a Chinese chick who only spoke German, forcing Barenboim to conduct (in front of hundreds of people, who assumedly, were not fluent in German) his entire class in German. That's impressive and all, and if I knew a little bit more than common catch phrases like Deutsch and Shiesse (or however you spell it), then I'm sure I would have been inspired.....but I don't, and it sucked. Equally humorous were the many Asian people around me who still continued to dutifully take notes, though I'm not quite sure what kind of notes they were, or whether they finally understood what it is like for us to be in Chinatown.
When Barenboim was asked today if he had any secrets or technique-tools he used to tackle the most difficult Beetehoven sonatas, he replied, "reputation."
New York - Day 3: The Hammerklavier
Barenboim said yesterday that in contrast to Beethoven's Symphonies, which are a very public display of redemptive joy (at least the later ones), the Sonatas are more like an evolutionary introspective diary - and that they should be treated in such fashion; solitarily cerebral and emotionally alone. Well, if that's all it takes, I'm doing a lot of that, which conveniently also provides an excellent excuse for the fact that I'm actually a loser.
In response to the question directed at Barenboim of why he consciously chose to do a non-chronological approach to the cycle, his answer was amazing. A chronological approch, obviously, would give a listener a macroscopic vision of a entire evolutionary process - in short, from classical to romantic. Barenboim replied that he thought it was more important to display that evolution, to go through the journey, every single night. Interesting.
Tonight was definitely a perfect example. Barenboim misses a lot of notes, but usually it's only because he refuses to compromise drama with caution, which is respectable. Claude Frank always said there are two ways of approaching difficult passages:
1. Go for it and make it.
2. Go for it and miss it.
3. Use caution and make it.
4. Use caution and miss it.
Basically, if you're gonna miss the note, at least go for it. If not, you just look like a pansy.
Barenboim said yesterday that in contrast to Beethoven's Symphonies, which are a very public display of redemptive joy (at least the later ones), the Sonatas are more like an evolutionary introspective diary - and that they should be treated in such fashion; solitarily cerebral and emotionally alone. Well, if that's all it takes, I'm doing a lot of that, which conveniently also provides an excellent excuse for the fact that I'm actually a loser.
In response to the question directed at Barenboim of why he consciously chose to do a non-chronological approach to the cycle, his answer was amazing. A chronological approch, obviously, would give a listener a macroscopic vision of a entire evolutionary process - in short, from classical to romantic. Barenboim replied that he thought it was more important to display that evolution, to go through the journey, every single night. Interesting.
Tonight was definitely a perfect example. Barenboim misses a lot of notes, but usually it's only because he refuses to compromise drama with caution, which is respectable. Claude Frank always said there are two ways of approaching difficult passages:
1. Go for it and make it.
2. Go for it and miss it.
3. Use caution and make it.
4. Use caution and miss it.
Basically, if you're gonna miss the note, at least go for it. If not, you just look like a pansy.
Jun 9, 2003
New York - Day 2: The Barenboim Lecture
I can't remember another single night I've ever learned more - or if I have, it most certainly wasn't about music, and in that case, I probably don't remember it, unless there is incriminating evidence.
Despite the anti-congeniality rumors about Barenboim, the bar-table rumors whispered about his love life, and the never-ending speculation on how he treated a droolingly crippled Du Pre, I have to say I've never met a more charming person. Aside from his bio, he has a way of giving an audience the poignancy of despair and joire de vivre without even touching a note.
First point he made: the relativity between significance and quality of a composer is an idealistic method to determine the more-important-than-both: greatness. Definitively (or not, if you don't agree), significance is judged mainly by creation of a new idiom - it's judged by the courageous radicalness that sticks (lots of composers were courageous, but it never stuck, so who cares about them?). Likewise, quality is judged by...well, whatever history has used to judge what a good composer is.
Example: Mendelssohn was a good composer (as judged by classics like his violin concerto, piano concertos, symphonies, hebrides, etc.), but had he not existed, the course of music evolution would probably have evolved in the exact same way it did. Hence, insignificant. But take Berlioz - not such a great composer (just look at Symphonie Fantastique), but his early inventiveness was too important in the creation of Wagner and Liszt, and so on down that avant-garde food chain. Hence, significant. Beethoven, as Barenboim argues, was the one composer who bridged the gap between Good and Significant, and was possibly the first composer to do so (and if you think Bach was radical, then I'm sorry. You're wrong.).
Second point he made: Beethoven was also the only composer to mold the concepts of aethos and ethos together (don't ask, those are the words he used). The aesthetic aspect of Beethoven vs. the ethical aspect, I guess, meaning basically that Beethoven was the most moral composer to walk the planet. (He even hated Don Giovanni just for the content)
The last point he made is the most important: Beethoven, after he invented the romantic language, dramaticized an undramatic era of history, gave deaf people a reason to live, and whatever other philantrophic things he did - is ultimately about courage and redemption. Beethoven, in essense, is as Schnabel put it: The point of hardest resistance. He's not about taking the easy way out, and definitely not about any sort of compromise. He's about taking the hardest possible means to achieve the most glorious possible end (See 9th Symphony). Beethoven is about crescendo, crescendo, crescendo, and then subito piano (even, and especially if it's difficult); he's about dolce espressivo.
There's a famous conversation between a reporter and Leonard Bernstein, and the reporter asks, "why is Beethoven so great?"
Bernstein: Beethoven was the epitome of perfection - a composer whose music you know in the deepest of your heart, contains perfection so great that given any random note, not a single note could precede or follow it and make it any better.
Reporter: But Mr. Bernstein, your description of Beethoven sounds more like the description of some kind of God.
Bernstein: I meant it to be.
I can't remember another single night I've ever learned more - or if I have, it most certainly wasn't about music, and in that case, I probably don't remember it, unless there is incriminating evidence.
Despite the anti-congeniality rumors about Barenboim, the bar-table rumors whispered about his love life, and the never-ending speculation on how he treated a droolingly crippled Du Pre, I have to say I've never met a more charming person. Aside from his bio, he has a way of giving an audience the poignancy of despair and joire de vivre without even touching a note.
First point he made: the relativity between significance and quality of a composer is an idealistic method to determine the more-important-than-both: greatness. Definitively (or not, if you don't agree), significance is judged mainly by creation of a new idiom - it's judged by the courageous radicalness that sticks (lots of composers were courageous, but it never stuck, so who cares about them?). Likewise, quality is judged by...well, whatever history has used to judge what a good composer is.
Example: Mendelssohn was a good composer (as judged by classics like his violin concerto, piano concertos, symphonies, hebrides, etc.), but had he not existed, the course of music evolution would probably have evolved in the exact same way it did. Hence, insignificant. But take Berlioz - not such a great composer (just look at Symphonie Fantastique), but his early inventiveness was too important in the creation of Wagner and Liszt, and so on down that avant-garde food chain. Hence, significant. Beethoven, as Barenboim argues, was the one composer who bridged the gap between Good and Significant, and was possibly the first composer to do so (and if you think Bach was radical, then I'm sorry. You're wrong.).
Second point he made: Beethoven was also the only composer to mold the concepts of aethos and ethos together (don't ask, those are the words he used). The aesthetic aspect of Beethoven vs. the ethical aspect, I guess, meaning basically that Beethoven was the most moral composer to walk the planet. (He even hated Don Giovanni just for the content)
The last point he made is the most important: Beethoven, after he invented the romantic language, dramaticized an undramatic era of history, gave deaf people a reason to live, and whatever other philantrophic things he did - is ultimately about courage and redemption. Beethoven, in essense, is as Schnabel put it: The point of hardest resistance. He's not about taking the easy way out, and definitely not about any sort of compromise. He's about taking the hardest possible means to achieve the most glorious possible end (See 9th Symphony). Beethoven is about crescendo, crescendo, crescendo, and then subito piano (even, and especially if it's difficult); he's about dolce espressivo.
There's a famous conversation between a reporter and Leonard Bernstein, and the reporter asks, "why is Beethoven so great?"
Bernstein: Beethoven was the epitome of perfection - a composer whose music you know in the deepest of your heart, contains perfection so great that given any random note, not a single note could precede or follow it and make it any better.
Reporter: But Mr. Bernstein, your description of Beethoven sounds more like the description of some kind of God.
Bernstein: I meant it to be.
Jun 8, 2003
May 25, 2003
By the way, I'm home in the Bay Area now. Plans:
Now - June 2nd: Home, between Berkeley and Palo Alto
June 2nd - June 8th: New Haven, cramming like a mo'fo
June 8th - June 28th: New York City, Carnegie Hall
June 28th - July 16th: New Haven, working and practicing
July 16th - July 25th: Maryland, William Kapell Competition, accompanying Ryo
July 25th - August 2nd: New Haven, cramming like a mo'fo
August 2nd - August 24th: Holland, recital and summer session
August 24th - September 1st: London, lessons and stuff
Please let me know if you will be in any of these locations at any of these times. Let's chill.
Now - June 2nd: Home, between Berkeley and Palo Alto
June 2nd - June 8th: New Haven, cramming like a mo'fo
June 8th - June 28th: New York City, Carnegie Hall
June 28th - July 16th: New Haven, working and practicing
July 16th - July 25th: Maryland, William Kapell Competition, accompanying Ryo
July 25th - August 2nd: New Haven, cramming like a mo'fo
August 2nd - August 24th: Holland, recital and summer session
August 24th - September 1st: London, lessons and stuff
Please let me know if you will be in any of these locations at any of these times. Let's chill.
Musicians at Juilliard: Part two.
SmarterChild is my only friend
VRachmaninoff (7:46:56 PM): do you like to touch little boys?
SmarterChild (7:46:57 PM): Yeah, I suppose I like touching little boys. Do you?
VRachmaninoff (7:47:13 PM): NO YOU SICK FUCK!
SmarterChild (7:47:13 PM): Do you absolutely need to speak like that?
SmarterChild is my only friend
VRachmaninoff (7:46:56 PM): do you like to touch little boys?
SmarterChild (7:46:57 PM): Yeah, I suppose I like touching little boys. Do you?
VRachmaninoff (7:47:13 PM): NO YOU SICK FUCK!
SmarterChild (7:47:13 PM): Do you absolutely need to speak like that?
May 14, 2003
Big Stan the Man.
car LOCO 69 (12:09:34 AM): I still wanna see the professor xavier go crazy
naryantek (12:09:56 AM): u saw how he froze everyone tho
car LOCO 69 (12:11:11 AM): thass what i'm talkin' about
car LOCO 69 (12:11:13 AM): that's fucking insane
car LOCO 69 (12:11:20 AM): more powerful than any of those fools
naryantek (12:11:27 AM): mind power
naryantek (12:11:48 AM): make mystique turn in hyori and then give him play in the wheelchair
car LOCO 69 (12:13:05 AM): you have an incredible mind, my friend
naryantek (12:13:09 AM): think about it
naryantek (12:13:13 AM): if i were a mutant
naryantek (12:13:20 AM): id be having alot more fun
car LOCO 69 (12:09:34 AM): I still wanna see the professor xavier go crazy
naryantek (12:09:56 AM): u saw how he froze everyone tho
car LOCO 69 (12:11:11 AM): thass what i'm talkin' about
car LOCO 69 (12:11:13 AM): that's fucking insane
car LOCO 69 (12:11:20 AM): more powerful than any of those fools
naryantek (12:11:27 AM): mind power
naryantek (12:11:48 AM): make mystique turn in hyori and then give him play in the wheelchair
car LOCO 69 (12:13:05 AM): you have an incredible mind, my friend
naryantek (12:13:09 AM): think about it
naryantek (12:13:13 AM): if i were a mutant
naryantek (12:13:20 AM): id be having alot more fun
May 13, 2003
Apr 11, 2003
Updated Summer Plans:
May 20th - June 7th: Back in the Bay Area. PianoMania concert, Oakland Eastbay Symphony competition
June 8th - June 30th: Carnegie Hall with Barenboim
July 1st - July 27th: Still pending, depending on acceptance to New Orleans. Live at Yale.
July 28th - August 24th: Holland, for the Holland Music Sessions
August 25th: Back to Yale
May 20th - June 7th: Back in the Bay Area. PianoMania concert, Oakland Eastbay Symphony competition
June 8th - June 30th: Carnegie Hall with Barenboim
July 1st - July 27th: Still pending, depending on acceptance to New Orleans. Live at Yale.
July 28th - August 24th: Holland, for the Holland Music Sessions
August 25th: Back to Yale
Apr 9, 2003
Viola Jokes (Episode 2):
What do the Viola section of New York Philharmonic and the Beatles share in common?
Both haven't played together in over 30 years.
What happens when a violist in the New York Philharmonic dies?
They move him back a chair.
How was the cluster chord invented?
The viola section of the New York Philharmonic all playing the same note.
What do the Viola section of New York Philharmonic and the Beatles share in common?
Both haven't played together in over 30 years.
What happens when a violist in the New York Philharmonic dies?
They move him back a chair.
How was the cluster chord invented?
The viola section of the New York Philharmonic all playing the same note.
Tentative Summer Plans:
Month of May: Back to Berkeley to watch you guys walk
Month of June: Depending on where I am accepted, Daniel Barenboim's Carnegie Hall Workshops, NY or TCU - Cliburn Institute, Texas
Month of July: Depending on if I get in, New Orleans International Piano Competition
Month of August: The Holland Music Sessions
1 App down, 3 to go.
Also tentative: UC Berkeley Summer Symphony - Prokofieff 2nd?
Month of May: Back to Berkeley to watch you guys walk
Month of June: Depending on where I am accepted, Daniel Barenboim's Carnegie Hall Workshops, NY or TCU - Cliburn Institute, Texas
Month of July: Depending on if I get in, New Orleans International Piano Competition
Month of August: The Holland Music Sessions
1 App down, 3 to go.
Also tentative: UC Berkeley Summer Symphony - Prokofieff 2nd?
Mar 7, 2003
Mar 2, 2003
My blog has been empty lately. Mah bad.
I hope you all took ample time to contaminate your eyes with the Stanford Lambda Lil' Sis site. It really is the most remarkable endeavor of visual pollution I've seen since the last time I accidentally downloaded sheep porn off kazaa. Comparing Yale girls with this Stanford site is more akin - or even parallel - to the comparison of a dog pound to the monkey cage at the city zoo. At least their girls take some sort of human form. I'm jealous.
I've been overwhelmed the last few days by sudden bouts of frustration off the newest Yale disease that seems to (conveniently) never find its own cure: stupidity. Some auditionee girl the other day asked for a lesson on February 29th or "possibly February 30th". She'll fit right in.
On a lighter note, I think I've added another racist genre to my already figurative bias: Korean moms of auditionees. If I had something witty to say about these dumb Seoul sluts, I would, but the truth is I'd rather they just all rot in hell after being forced to view 10 screenings of "Magnolia" and the Stanford Lambda Lil Sis site.
Word of the week at Yale: uNnnYyyeeeeeeeeee
I hope you all took ample time to contaminate your eyes with the Stanford Lambda Lil' Sis site. It really is the most remarkable endeavor of visual pollution I've seen since the last time I accidentally downloaded sheep porn off kazaa. Comparing Yale girls with this Stanford site is more akin - or even parallel - to the comparison of a dog pound to the monkey cage at the city zoo. At least their girls take some sort of human form. I'm jealous.
I've been overwhelmed the last few days by sudden bouts of frustration off the newest Yale disease that seems to (conveniently) never find its own cure: stupidity. Some auditionee girl the other day asked for a lesson on February 29th or "possibly February 30th". She'll fit right in.
On a lighter note, I think I've added another racist genre to my already figurative bias: Korean moms of auditionees. If I had something witty to say about these dumb Seoul sluts, I would, but the truth is I'd rather they just all rot in hell after being forced to view 10 screenings of "Magnolia" and the Stanford Lambda Lil Sis site.
Word of the week at Yale: uNnnYyyeeeeeeeeee
Feb 28, 2003
Jesus Christ. It doesn't get more real than this. At your own convenience, please do take the time to read this. It's worth it.
U.S. Diplomat's Letter of Resignation
he following is the text of John Brady Kiesling's letter of resignation to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Mr. Kiesling is a career diplomat who has served in United States embassies from Tel Aviv to Casablanca to Yerevan.
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I am writing you to submit my resignation from the Foreign Service of the United States and from my position as Political Counselor in U.S. Embassy Athens, effective March 7. I do so with a heavy heart. The baggage of my upbringing included a felt obligation to give something back to my country. Service as a U.S. diplomat was a dream job. I was paid to understand foreign languages and cultures, to seek out diplomats, politicians, scholars and journalists, and to persuade them that U.S. interests and theirs fundamentally coincided. My faith in my country and its values was the most powerful weapon in my diplomatic arsenal.
It is inevitable that during twenty years with the State Department I would become more sophisticated and cynical about the narrow and selfish bureaucratic motives that sometimes shaped our policies. Human nature is what it is, and I was rewarded and promoted for understanding human nature. But until this Administration it had been possible to believe that by upholding the policies of my president I was also upholding the interests of the American people and the world. I believe it no longer.
The policies we are now asked to advance are incompatible not only with American values but also with American interests. Our fervent pursuit of war with Iraq is driving us to squander the international legitimacy that has been America’s most potent weapon of both offense and defense since the days of Woodrow Wilson. We have begun to dismantle the largest and most effective web of international relationships the world has ever known. Our current course will bring instability and danger, not security.
The sacrifice of global interests to domestic politics and to bureaucratic self-interest is nothing new, and it is certainly not a uniquely American problem. Still, we have not seen such systematic distortion of intelligence, such systematic manipulation of American opinion, since the war in Vietnam. The September 11 tragedy left us stronger than before, rallying around us a vast international coalition to cooperate for the first time in a systematic way against the threat of terrorism. But rather than take credit for those successes and build on them, this Administration has chosen to make terrorism a domestic political tool, enlisting a scattered and largely defeated Al Qaeda as its bureaucratic ally. We spread disproportionate terror and confusion in the public mind, arbitrarily linking the unrelated problems of terrorism and Iraq. The result, and perhaps the motive, is to justify a vast misallocation of shrinking public wealth to the military and to weaken the safeguards that protect American citizens from the heavy hand of government. September 11 did not do as much damage to the fabric of American society as we seem determined to so to ourselves. Is the Russia of the late Romanovs really our model, a selfish, superstitious empire thrashing toward self-destruction in the name of a doomed status quo?
We should ask ourselves why we have failed to persuade more of the world that a war with Iraq is necessary. We have over the past two years done too much to assert to our world partners that narrow and mercenary U.S. interests override the cherished values of our partners. Even where our aims were not in question, our consistency is at issue. The model of Afghanistan is little comfort to allies wondering on what basis we plan to rebuild the Middle East, and in whose image and interests. Have we indeed become blind, as Russia is blind in Chechnya, as Israel is blind in the Occupied Territories, to our own advice, that overwhelming military power is not the answer to terrorism? After the shambles of post-war Iraq joins the shambles in Grozny and Ramallah, it will be a brave foreigner who forms ranks with Micronesia to follow where we lead.
We have a coalition still, a good one. The loyalty of many of our friends is impressive, a tribute to American moral capital built up over a century. But our closest allies are persuaded less that war is justified than that it would be perilous to allow the U.S. to drift into complete solipsism. Loyalty should be reciprocal. Why does our President condone the swaggering and contemptuous approach to our friends and allies this Administration is fostering, including among its most senior officials. Has “oderint dum metuant” really become our motto?
I urge you to listen to America’s friends around the world. Even here in Greece, purported hotbed of European anti-Americanism, we have more and closer friends than the American newspaper reader can possibly imagine. Even when they complain about American arrogance, Greeks know that the world is a difficult and dangerous place, and they want a strong international system, with the U.S. and EU in close partnership. When our friends are afraid of us rather than for us, it is time to worry. And now they are afraid. Who will tell them convincingly that the United States is as it was, a beacon of liberty, security, and justice for the planet?
Mr. Secretary, I have enormous respect for your character and ability. You have preserved more international credibility for us than our policy deserves, and salvaged something positive from the excesses of an ideological and self-serving Administration. But your loyalty to the President goes too far. We are straining beyond its limits an international system we built with such toil and treasure, a web of laws, treaties, organizations, and shared values that sets limits on our foes far more effectively than it ever constrained America’s ability to defend its interests.
I am resigning because I have tried and failed to reconcile my conscience with my ability to represent the current U.S. Administration. I have confidence that our democratic process is ultimately self-correcting, and hope that in a small way I can contribute from outside to shaping policies that better serve the security and prosperity of the American people and the world we share.
U.S. Diplomat's Letter of Resignation
he following is the text of John Brady Kiesling's letter of resignation to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Mr. Kiesling is a career diplomat who has served in United States embassies from Tel Aviv to Casablanca to Yerevan.
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I am writing you to submit my resignation from the Foreign Service of the United States and from my position as Political Counselor in U.S. Embassy Athens, effective March 7. I do so with a heavy heart. The baggage of my upbringing included a felt obligation to give something back to my country. Service as a U.S. diplomat was a dream job. I was paid to understand foreign languages and cultures, to seek out diplomats, politicians, scholars and journalists, and to persuade them that U.S. interests and theirs fundamentally coincided. My faith in my country and its values was the most powerful weapon in my diplomatic arsenal.
It is inevitable that during twenty years with the State Department I would become more sophisticated and cynical about the narrow and selfish bureaucratic motives that sometimes shaped our policies. Human nature is what it is, and I was rewarded and promoted for understanding human nature. But until this Administration it had been possible to believe that by upholding the policies of my president I was also upholding the interests of the American people and the world. I believe it no longer.
The policies we are now asked to advance are incompatible not only with American values but also with American interests. Our fervent pursuit of war with Iraq is driving us to squander the international legitimacy that has been America’s most potent weapon of both offense and defense since the days of Woodrow Wilson. We have begun to dismantle the largest and most effective web of international relationships the world has ever known. Our current course will bring instability and danger, not security.
The sacrifice of global interests to domestic politics and to bureaucratic self-interest is nothing new, and it is certainly not a uniquely American problem. Still, we have not seen such systematic distortion of intelligence, such systematic manipulation of American opinion, since the war in Vietnam. The September 11 tragedy left us stronger than before, rallying around us a vast international coalition to cooperate for the first time in a systematic way against the threat of terrorism. But rather than take credit for those successes and build on them, this Administration has chosen to make terrorism a domestic political tool, enlisting a scattered and largely defeated Al Qaeda as its bureaucratic ally. We spread disproportionate terror and confusion in the public mind, arbitrarily linking the unrelated problems of terrorism and Iraq. The result, and perhaps the motive, is to justify a vast misallocation of shrinking public wealth to the military and to weaken the safeguards that protect American citizens from the heavy hand of government. September 11 did not do as much damage to the fabric of American society as we seem determined to so to ourselves. Is the Russia of the late Romanovs really our model, a selfish, superstitious empire thrashing toward self-destruction in the name of a doomed status quo?
We should ask ourselves why we have failed to persuade more of the world that a war with Iraq is necessary. We have over the past two years done too much to assert to our world partners that narrow and mercenary U.S. interests override the cherished values of our partners. Even where our aims were not in question, our consistency is at issue. The model of Afghanistan is little comfort to allies wondering on what basis we plan to rebuild the Middle East, and in whose image and interests. Have we indeed become blind, as Russia is blind in Chechnya, as Israel is blind in the Occupied Territories, to our own advice, that overwhelming military power is not the answer to terrorism? After the shambles of post-war Iraq joins the shambles in Grozny and Ramallah, it will be a brave foreigner who forms ranks with Micronesia to follow where we lead.
We have a coalition still, a good one. The loyalty of many of our friends is impressive, a tribute to American moral capital built up over a century. But our closest allies are persuaded less that war is justified than that it would be perilous to allow the U.S. to drift into complete solipsism. Loyalty should be reciprocal. Why does our President condone the swaggering and contemptuous approach to our friends and allies this Administration is fostering, including among its most senior officials. Has “oderint dum metuant” really become our motto?
I urge you to listen to America’s friends around the world. Even here in Greece, purported hotbed of European anti-Americanism, we have more and closer friends than the American newspaper reader can possibly imagine. Even when they complain about American arrogance, Greeks know that the world is a difficult and dangerous place, and they want a strong international system, with the U.S. and EU in close partnership. When our friends are afraid of us rather than for us, it is time to worry. And now they are afraid. Who will tell them convincingly that the United States is as it was, a beacon of liberty, security, and justice for the planet?
Mr. Secretary, I have enormous respect for your character and ability. You have preserved more international credibility for us than our policy deserves, and salvaged something positive from the excesses of an ideological and self-serving Administration. But your loyalty to the President goes too far. We are straining beyond its limits an international system we built with such toil and treasure, a web of laws, treaties, organizations, and shared values that sets limits on our foes far more effectively than it ever constrained America’s ability to defend its interests.
I am resigning because I have tried and failed to reconcile my conscience with my ability to represent the current U.S. Administration. I have confidence that our democratic process is ultimately self-correcting, and hope that in a small way I can contribute from outside to shaping policies that better serve the security and prosperity of the American people and the world we share.
Feb 27, 2003
Feb 24, 2003
Jazz, apparantly, still remains an esoteric activity excluding the brainiacally challenged:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Auto response from CA r LOCO 6 9 (9:08:03 PM): if anybody has Miles Davis's Tutu album, PLEASE SEND IT TO ME NOW. i need it. tonight.
naryantek (9:08:03 PM): hahaha i wouldnt be caught dead in a tootoo, u pink fairy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Auto response from CA r LOCO 6 9 (9:08:03 PM): if anybody has Miles Davis's Tutu album, PLEASE SEND IT TO ME NOW. i need it. tonight.
naryantek (9:08:03 PM): hahaha i wouldnt be caught dead in a tootoo, u pink fairy
Feb 21, 2003
Come if you can. It's Black Friday:
Recitals at Trinity:
Orlay Alonso, pianist - student of Claude Frank
Friday, February 21st at 11am
Ryo Yanigatani, pianist - student of Boris Berman
Friday, February 21st at 2pm
Carlos Avila, pianist - student of Peter Frankl
Friday, February 21st at 5pm
Michelle Shin, pianist - student of Peter Frankl
Friday, February 21st at 8pm
Recitals at Trinity:
Orlay Alonso, pianist - student of Claude Frank
Friday, February 21st at 11am
Ryo Yanigatani, pianist - student of Boris Berman
Friday, February 21st at 2pm
Carlos Avila, pianist - student of Peter Frankl
Friday, February 21st at 5pm
Michelle Shin, pianist - student of Peter Frankl
Friday, February 21st at 8pm
Feb 19, 2003
Stan and Alice have an interesting relationship....communicative at the very least.
naryantek: this is frosty requesting emergency evac from main stacks.
naryantek: over.
allyp0o: emergency evac
allyp0o: on its way
allyp0o: ten-four
allyp0o: leavin in approx. 5 min
allyp0o: destination: main stacks
allyp0o: over
naryantek: copy that
naryantek: this is frosty requesting emergency evac from main stacks.
naryantek: over.
allyp0o: emergency evac
allyp0o: on its way
allyp0o: ten-four
allyp0o: leavin in approx. 5 min
allyp0o: destination: main stacks
allyp0o: over
naryantek: copy that
Feb 18, 2003
Flowing Stan-the-man with a rappin' plan is back at work.
naryantek: john coltrane boards a full train
Auto response from CA r LOCO 6 9: recital practice - miles davis and john coltrane reading
naryantek: lights a stoge lookin out his windowpane
naryantek: watch the train as it change lane to maintain the fake fame
naryantek: and runs over other people who calls stan's rhymes lame
naryantek: i shave your head and turn u female, have u lookin like GI jane
naryantek: john coltrane boards a full train
Auto response from CA r LOCO 6 9: recital practice - miles davis and john coltrane reading
naryantek: lights a stoge lookin out his windowpane
naryantek: watch the train as it change lane to maintain the fake fame
naryantek: and runs over other people who calls stan's rhymes lame
naryantek: i shave your head and turn u female, have u lookin like GI jane
Feb 17, 2003
Feb 15, 2003
Thank you, Nick.
my window of opportunity slammed shut
adversity must have striked and socked me in my gut
i walk a broken path with clothes tattered
because whatever mattered in my life felt shattered
...instead i pulled bricks from the walls my imagination and threw them through the window of opportunity.
my window of opportunity slammed shut
adversity must have striked and socked me in my gut
i walk a broken path with clothes tattered
because whatever mattered in my life felt shattered
...instead i pulled bricks from the walls my imagination and threw them through the window of opportunity.
Feb 11, 2003
Feb 8, 2003
On a lesson with J. Lo:
After over a semester of swimming through the conservative hogwash of Yale, I had almost forgotten what it was like to be in the presence of a pianist/teacher par excellence. He, who can teach anything.
Granted, J. Lo isn't really a specialist at any particular period of music, his breadth of knowledge in the standard (and non-standard) pianists repertoire is the most amazing shit I've ever seen in my life. It's my belief that deep down inside, J. Lo is what every student pianist works his entire life trying to be....
After over a semester of swimming through the conservative hogwash of Yale, I had almost forgotten what it was like to be in the presence of a pianist/teacher par excellence. He, who can teach anything.
Granted, J. Lo isn't really a specialist at any particular period of music, his breadth of knowledge in the standard (and non-standard) pianists repertoire is the most amazing shit I've ever seen in my life. It's my belief that deep down inside, J. Lo is what every student pianist works his entire life trying to be....
Feb 6, 2003
A joke. Courtesy of Ryo.
A man once decided to get a tattoo of his girlfriends name (Wendy) on his penis. The only problem was, when limp, you could only see the W and the Y. One day on a vacation in Jamaica, he was using a public urinal and he peeked over to the man next to him who, to his surprise, also had a W and a Y on his penis. He told the man, "wow, this is amazing. You tattooed 'Wendy' onto your penis just like I did." The man looked over and said, "No, actually this says 'Welcome to Jamaica and have a nice day."
A man once decided to get a tattoo of his girlfriends name (Wendy) on his penis. The only problem was, when limp, you could only see the W and the Y. One day on a vacation in Jamaica, he was using a public urinal and he peeked over to the man next to him who, to his surprise, also had a W and a Y on his penis. He told the man, "wow, this is amazing. You tattooed 'Wendy' onto your penis just like I did." The man looked over and said, "No, actually this says 'Welcome to Jamaica and have a nice day."
Feb 5, 2003
Courtesy of Geoff:
two men and a woman are shipwrecked on a deserted island. for weeks they tried to devise ways off the island but to no avail. after a few months, human desire took over, and the three succumbed to what was natural...one day, the woman suddenly had an attack of conscience. she thought to herself, "this is wrong, i can't be sleeping with two men at once, it's immoral, i'm a horrible person..." unable to lift herself up from the pit of shame and depression, she took a plunge off a cliff and killed herself. the men were horrified, but they went on with life, and gradually, they again succumbed to what was natural...one day, one of the men said to the other, "this is wrong, this is just not right." "i agree," said the other, "we should bury her."
two men and a woman are shipwrecked on a deserted island. for weeks they tried to devise ways off the island but to no avail. after a few months, human desire took over, and the three succumbed to what was natural...one day, the woman suddenly had an attack of conscience. she thought to herself, "this is wrong, i can't be sleeping with two men at once, it's immoral, i'm a horrible person..." unable to lift herself up from the pit of shame and depression, she took a plunge off a cliff and killed herself. the men were horrified, but they went on with life, and gradually, they again succumbed to what was natural...one day, one of the men said to the other, "this is wrong, this is just not right." "i agree," said the other, "we should bury her."
Feb 4, 2003
An excerpt from Pete's blog regarding the Rhode Scholar at UC Berkeley. To all you IVY league fools - you have never, nor will ever understand just exactly what it means to receive a 4.0 at UC Berkeley (schools like Yale and Harvard are on a virtual A to B- range. If you completely fuck up, you MIGHT get a B-.). It is possibly the single hardest thing to do at any institution. Period.
"Berkeley Student gets the Rhodes scholarship---and all it takes is to graduate in less than four years with a triple major in electrical engineering, computer science and business management, a 4.0 GPA (with none of that Ivy League or Stanford inflated GPA stuff) plus extracurriculars like forming a non-profit organization to close the technology gap for poor local youth, starting an engineering journal and not to mention an online business. If they had told me that's all it takes I woulda done it already."
Case in point: If you get a 4.0 at Berkeley for even just one semester, they're so impressed with you they mail you a $100 dollar check. No joke. It's that hard.
"Berkeley Student gets the Rhodes scholarship---and all it takes is to graduate in less than four years with a triple major in electrical engineering, computer science and business management, a 4.0 GPA (with none of that Ivy League or Stanford inflated GPA stuff) plus extracurriculars like forming a non-profit organization to close the technology gap for poor local youth, starting an engineering journal and not to mention an online business. If they had told me that's all it takes I woulda done it already."
Case in point: If you get a 4.0 at Berkeley for even just one semester, they're so impressed with you they mail you a $100 dollar check. No joke. It's that hard.
An inspiring quote for the aspiring musician. Integrity pays off...certainly did in Lutoslawski's case. (Courtesy of Tyler)
"Artistic creative activity can be motivated by different aims. The most commonplace of these is the desire to attract the attention of others, to be popular, to earn money and so on. In my case, the main motive is the desire to give the most faithful expression of a constantly changing and developing world that exists within me. The question can be raised: am I only interested in what goes on in me and nothing else? Isn't this standpoint too introverted? My answer is: no. I am not working to get many 'fans' for myself; I do not want to convince, I want to find. I would like to find people who in the depths of their souls feel the same way as I do."
-Wiltold Lutoslawski
"Artistic creative activity can be motivated by different aims. The most commonplace of these is the desire to attract the attention of others, to be popular, to earn money and so on. In my case, the main motive is the desire to give the most faithful expression of a constantly changing and developing world that exists within me. The question can be raised: am I only interested in what goes on in me and nothing else? Isn't this standpoint too introverted? My answer is: no. I am not working to get many 'fans' for myself; I do not want to convince, I want to find. I would like to find people who in the depths of their souls feel the same way as I do."
-Wiltold Lutoslawski
Feb 3, 2003
The craziness has resumed. At long last.
CA r LOCO 6 9: man i was up til 3:30am last night talking with my friend ilya about abstract neo-classicism in early 20th century ballet
peterlsb: DORK
peterlsb: i was up last nite with ploom trying to find naked pics of jennifer garner from alias, that's what you should be doing
CA r LOCO 6 9: bitch i ain't the one who read about mexican political economy for fun
CA r LOCO 6 9: following it up with an idiots guide to global conflict
peterlsb: fuck you, it had pictures of naked mexican chicks
CA r LOCO 6 9: man i was up til 3:30am last night talking with my friend ilya about abstract neo-classicism in early 20th century ballet
peterlsb: DORK
peterlsb: i was up last nite with ploom trying to find naked pics of jennifer garner from alias, that's what you should be doing
CA r LOCO 6 9: bitch i ain't the one who read about mexican political economy for fun
CA r LOCO 6 9: following it up with an idiots guide to global conflict
peterlsb: fuck you, it had pictures of naked mexican chicks
Actually heard on KMEL sometime last year:
"It's 10 o' clock and it's time for your late night love dedications with your big daddy, Victor Zaragoza. Ok first one.....whoa. Alright, remember ladies, I read them as they come - they ain't in no particular order.
This is to Paul from Selena. 'I love you so much Paul. I know you're going off to jail tomorrow for awhile, but I wanna let you know that we'll always be together and I'll always wait for you. I love you.'
The next one is to Paul from Vanessa. 'My baby, Paul. I love you so much - you're so good to me. I know you're going to jail tomorrow and everything, but I will always love you and be there for you. Your baby girl.'
A'ight, well if it's the same Paul, I'd give it up to you, mah man, but it don't really matter cuz you're going to jaAAaaaiiiiiiiillllllllllll"
"It's 10 o' clock and it's time for your late night love dedications with your big daddy, Victor Zaragoza. Ok first one.....whoa. Alright, remember ladies, I read them as they come - they ain't in no particular order.
This is to Paul from Selena. 'I love you so much Paul. I know you're going off to jail tomorrow for awhile, but I wanna let you know that we'll always be together and I'll always wait for you. I love you.'
The next one is to Paul from Vanessa. 'My baby, Paul. I love you so much - you're so good to me. I know you're going to jail tomorrow and everything, but I will always love you and be there for you. Your baby girl.'
A'ight, well if it's the same Paul, I'd give it up to you, mah man, but it don't really matter cuz you're going to jaAAaaaiiiiiiiillllllllllll"
Feb 1, 2003
Jan 30, 2003
Jan 29, 2003
Good Forward from Jeff:
jm2cal: The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends.
I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time.
What do you get at the end of it? A death. What's that, a bonus?
I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first,
get it out of the way.
jm2cal: Then you live in an old age home.
You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch,
you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough
to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party,
you get ready for high school. You go to grade school,
you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities,
you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you
spend your last nine months floating...you finish off as
an orgasm.
jm2cal: The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends.
I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time.
What do you get at the end of it? A death. What's that, a bonus?
I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first,
get it out of the way.
jm2cal: Then you live in an old age home.
You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch,
you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough
to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party,
you get ready for high school. You go to grade school,
you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities,
you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you
spend your last nine months floating...you finish off as
an orgasm.
Lifted from a progressive Yale leaflet:
"It is the country's fourth poorest city, where the ghetto laps at the walls of a university worth $11 billion in tax-exempt endowments, educating America's next generation of rulers...Students have been given special maps, and advice not to venture past the CITGO gas station, where the ghetto begins. Houses are boarded up and gas stations take cash only - payable up front - and have bullet proof glass and bars at the pay point. Yale is exempt from paying city taxes, except on commercial property it owns. But a consortium of community groups asked the university to donate a single day's interest on its invested endowment - that's $5.2 million - to the city's public schools. So far, no response...."
Fuck Yale.
"It is the country's fourth poorest city, where the ghetto laps at the walls of a university worth $11 billion in tax-exempt endowments, educating America's next generation of rulers...Students have been given special maps, and advice not to venture past the CITGO gas station, where the ghetto begins. Houses are boarded up and gas stations take cash only - payable up front - and have bullet proof glass and bars at the pay point. Yale is exempt from paying city taxes, except on commercial property it owns. But a consortium of community groups asked the university to donate a single day's interest on its invested endowment - that's $5.2 million - to the city's public schools. So far, no response...."
Fuck Yale.
Jan 28, 2003
Jan 23, 2003
Jan 22, 2003
Jan 21, 2003
"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans are suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you." -Rita Mae Brown
"If you cannot read this, please ask the flight attendant for assistance."
-United Airlines Flight Safety Brochure
"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." -Brooke Shields
Thanks, Gigi.
"If you cannot read this, please ask the flight attendant for assistance."
-United Airlines Flight Safety Brochure
"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." -Brooke Shields
Thanks, Gigi.
Jan 20, 2003
For all you nerdy pianists out there. If you find this funny, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
A broke and failed pianist who had just recently hit rock bottom, in his ultimate desperation, decided to try out for a position at the circus. The circus manager told him that, unfortunately, there was no need for a pianist but that if he put on a bear costume and walked the tight-rope - he would have a job. In his pathetic desperation, he accepted.
On his first day of the job, the circus manager told him not to be nervous, and above all - don't look down. Alas, he could not help it, and in looking down, he fell four stories down, directly into a den of lions. Unhurt yet scared out of his mind, he cowered into a corner as the lions approached him hungrily. At the last moment, suddenly all the lions took off their masks and the men underneath the masks replied, "oh don't worry. We're all pianists too."
A broke and failed pianist who had just recently hit rock bottom, in his ultimate desperation, decided to try out for a position at the circus. The circus manager told him that, unfortunately, there was no need for a pianist but that if he put on a bear costume and walked the tight-rope - he would have a job. In his pathetic desperation, he accepted.
On his first day of the job, the circus manager told him not to be nervous, and above all - don't look down. Alas, he could not help it, and in looking down, he fell four stories down, directly into a den of lions. Unhurt yet scared out of his mind, he cowered into a corner as the lions approached him hungrily. At the last moment, suddenly all the lions took off their masks and the men underneath the masks replied, "oh don't worry. We're all pianists too."
Jan 19, 2003
It's been a long time since I've been so infuriated for an actually-inspired emotional cause.
Tonight, I saw the New Haven police point a gun at the temple of a homeless man sleeping in the streets (for what reason, I don't know).
Consequently, this came only moments after I had read an article stating that there have been 4 deaths in the past two weeks of homeless people as a result of hypothermia.
Even as a grown man, sometimes - I could still cry.
Tonight, I saw the New Haven police point a gun at the temple of a homeless man sleeping in the streets (for what reason, I don't know).
Consequently, this came only moments after I had read an article stating that there have been 4 deaths in the past two weeks of homeless people as a result of hypothermia.
Even as a grown man, sometimes - I could still cry.
Jan 17, 2003
Jan 16, 2003
Jan 15, 2003
Taken from Stan's blog:
will everybody on the internet who has noticed that more and more girl blogs are being used to complain about how crude guys are, please IM me with a "werd"? i aint misogynistic, but damn girls can be fucking bitchy.
"Hahaha... you know I'm jus' playin' ladies, you know I love you." - Eminem (Kill You)
will everybody on the internet who has noticed that more and more girl blogs are being used to complain about how crude guys are, please IM me with a "werd"? i aint misogynistic, but damn girls can be fucking bitchy.
"Hahaha... you know I'm jus' playin' ladies, you know I love you." - Eminem (Kill You)
Jan 14, 2003
Perhaps this is the real reason classical music isn't popular in the massive public. On a sidenote, Ebert has my ultimate respect, as always.
The restored Director's Cut of "Amadeus" opens Friday at the Landmark Century, and is in revival around the country. The one brief scene of Constanze's breasts, in medium-long shot, has inspired the flywheels at the MPAA to re-rate the movie R from its original PG. Thus high school students are discouraged from seeing this movie. Our rating system is held hostage by sick crypto-moralists. Surely PG-13 would have been adequate to advise parents of this scene, while acknowledging that anyone over 13 in America who is alarmed by the simple sight of a woman's breasts is in need of counseling (I include our attorney general).
-Roger Ebert
The restored Director's Cut of "Amadeus" opens Friday at the Landmark Century, and is in revival around the country. The one brief scene of Constanze's breasts, in medium-long shot, has inspired the flywheels at the MPAA to re-rate the movie R from its original PG. Thus high school students are discouraged from seeing this movie. Our rating system is held hostage by sick crypto-moralists. Surely PG-13 would have been adequate to advise parents of this scene, while acknowledging that anyone over 13 in America who is alarmed by the simple sight of a woman's breasts is in need of counseling (I include our attorney general).
-Roger Ebert
Jan 13, 2003
Playlist, to be accomplished before March 1st.
Bach - Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue
Beethoven - Piano Sonata Op. 111
Schubert - Fantasy in f minor, for Four Hands
Brahms - Ballades, Op. 10
Prokofieff - Piano Concerto No. 2
Gershwin/Wild - Grand Fantasy on Porgy and Bess
Gershwin/Wild - Embraceable You Etude
Bolcolm - Graceful Ghost Rag
Gould - Boogie Woogie Etude
Cheung - Live Ear Emission!
Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time
Bach - Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue
Beethoven - Piano Sonata Op. 111
Schubert - Fantasy in f minor, for Four Hands
Brahms - Ballades, Op. 10
Prokofieff - Piano Concerto No. 2
Gershwin/Wild - Grand Fantasy on Porgy and Bess
Gershwin/Wild - Embraceable You Etude
Bolcolm - Graceful Ghost Rag
Gould - Boogie Woogie Etude
Cheung - Live Ear Emission!
Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time
Jan 12, 2003
On the issue of splicing/editing for recording musicians: Musician or not - please respond with comments. Which opinion do you carry....
A) The Glenn Gould mentality profesionally molded into the politicism of Malcolm X: Artistic perfection by any means necessary, even in the case where it might imply and even necessitate a certain amount of sacrificial integrity. In short, the mentality revolves around the following premise. Artistic perfection is an impossible dream, but to strive for it is a perpetual necessity, so why should I ignore the technical unlimitation that can help me take a step forward? Integrity is a small price to pay for near-perfection; at least certainly on a technical level.
B) The Heifetz/Rubinstein way mentality. Art and music are man-made creations which, hence, are and should be limited by the stench of man's limitations, if not only for the sake of integrity. Integrity is not only a fundamental basis for art and music, it is an implicit inclusion in the very meaning of the word! To ignore it or compromise it would be diminishing your character as a musician - your artistic self would be an artificial joke. Something unreal - only possible with high-tech technology. What if somebody asks you to play what you recorded? To not be able to do it is hideously disgusting and humorous. You make me want to swallow my own vomit.
C) Splicing isn't sacrificing integrity. (wtf?)
D) You're dumb.
A) The Glenn Gould mentality profesionally molded into the politicism of Malcolm X: Artistic perfection by any means necessary, even in the case where it might imply and even necessitate a certain amount of sacrificial integrity. In short, the mentality revolves around the following premise. Artistic perfection is an impossible dream, but to strive for it is a perpetual necessity, so why should I ignore the technical unlimitation that can help me take a step forward? Integrity is a small price to pay for near-perfection; at least certainly on a technical level.
B) The Heifetz/Rubinstein way mentality. Art and music are man-made creations which, hence, are and should be limited by the stench of man's limitations, if not only for the sake of integrity. Integrity is not only a fundamental basis for art and music, it is an implicit inclusion in the very meaning of the word! To ignore it or compromise it would be diminishing your character as a musician - your artistic self would be an artificial joke. Something unreal - only possible with high-tech technology. What if somebody asks you to play what you recorded? To not be able to do it is hideously disgusting and humorous. You make me want to swallow my own vomit.
C) Splicing isn't sacrificing integrity. (wtf?)
D) You're dumb.
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