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gurdonarkYesterday the promised rainy weather came in, but thus far the promised cold front has not arrived. I'm back in heavy work mode this week, which makes me feel satisfied with what I get done, and yet stressed about undone things. I went to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer website, though, and learned what happened in a couple of episodes which I missed, which somehow interests me more than most of the news this week.
I'm eager to accomplish so many projects, as the heavy work load has put me behind on basic day to day non-work-related things. I hope this weekend will allow me to find a little time to get things done on personal errands and even hobby projects. My wife has agreed to participate in one of those Xmas 'tour a cool house' things for a club to which she belongs. This means we won't get to do anything fun together during the day Saturday or Sunday. Perhaps I can use the time to get caught up on dozens of things. The funny thing about working "to do" lists, though, is that they do not get accomplished "one dozen things at a time", but instead one by one by one, which fails to give a pure thrill of accomplishment.
Last year November was my crunch month, when I tried a jury trial and an arbitration back to back. This year, December and January appear to be extremely busy months. Of course, I've had career phases that have been much busier than this one. But this is a busy time indeed.
I dislike that when I am stressed, I can also feel "put upon" more easily than is needful or useful. I can also procrastinate personal life things in favor of the rush at work. I want to take a deep breath and simply do it all. Yes, that's my simple ambition--to be omni-dextrous, omniscient and omni-talented. Some days I feel that all I accomplish of those simple goals is to be omni-present.
This week the news is again abuzz that the singer Michael Jackson is going to resume the witness stand in a rather mundane but high dollar breach of contract dispute over a canceled concert series. The media reaction to Mr. Jackson's peculiarities is rivalled in my mind only by the fanatical reaction of fans at the courtroom. Apparently, a brigade of truant officers is on hand to bring to justice those who ditch algebra in favor of a man who quite frankly was never for me the King of Pop. Mr. Jackson's various eccentricities seem to rivet the media gossip columnists, but in my mind, Mr. Jackson's fifteen minutes in Perry Mason land is just one more footnote to a news year filled with needless side shows.
On a more delightful theme, I marvel that Carlos Santana's strategy of using Michelle Branch as the guest lead vocalist worked out so well. I personally find Mr. Santana's continued "cool" a great inspiration in a time when "rebellious" proto-fascists hold far too much sway in popular music. I hope that I can be as cool in my fifties as he is, although I'm sure playing a guitar like an angel must be a help in that direction. I had always thought that Ms. Branch's work was interesting but missing something essential--maybe the success that resulted from this collaboration will encourage her to lighten up a little. It's so easy for a would-be folkie to spend so much time trying to seem "alive" as to squeeze the real life out of the mix. Meanwhile, I'm imagining a hypothetical future Santana album if Bjork were the "guest vocalist du jour" next time around. For that matter, I suspect that singing Santana songs could even make Fiona Apple smile.
Meanwhile, my trip to the federal courthouse yesterday again put me in proximity with the "official" photo of our Vice President.
I must admit that while I am no fan of Mr. Chaney's, who symbolizes for me much of the misguided detour this administration is on, I love the idea that his "official" smile is a friendly smirk. I suppose a good thing to result from the 1990s is that it now safe to smirk.
I see the film "The Quiet American" is being released. The original Graham Greene novel, about early American involvement in French colonial Vietnam, seems particularly relevant today. But for some reason, contrary to my usual view, I'm not sure I want to see the movie, as I cannot see how it can add to my apppreciation of the book.
I'm eager to accomplish so many projects, as the heavy work load has put me behind on basic day to day non-work-related things. I hope this weekend will allow me to find a little time to get things done on personal errands and even hobby projects. My wife has agreed to participate in one of those Xmas 'tour a cool house' things for a club to which she belongs. This means we won't get to do anything fun together during the day Saturday or Sunday. Perhaps I can use the time to get caught up on dozens of things. The funny thing about working "to do" lists, though, is that they do not get accomplished "one dozen things at a time", but instead one by one by one, which fails to give a pure thrill of accomplishment.
Last year November was my crunch month, when I tried a jury trial and an arbitration back to back. This year, December and January appear to be extremely busy months. Of course, I've had career phases that have been much busier than this one. But this is a busy time indeed.
I dislike that when I am stressed, I can also feel "put upon" more easily than is needful or useful. I can also procrastinate personal life things in favor of the rush at work. I want to take a deep breath and simply do it all. Yes, that's my simple ambition--to be omni-dextrous, omniscient and omni-talented. Some days I feel that all I accomplish of those simple goals is to be omni-present.
This week the news is again abuzz that the singer Michael Jackson is going to resume the witness stand in a rather mundane but high dollar breach of contract dispute over a canceled concert series. The media reaction to Mr. Jackson's peculiarities is rivalled in my mind only by the fanatical reaction of fans at the courtroom. Apparently, a brigade of truant officers is on hand to bring to justice those who ditch algebra in favor of a man who quite frankly was never for me the King of Pop. Mr. Jackson's various eccentricities seem to rivet the media gossip columnists, but in my mind, Mr. Jackson's fifteen minutes in Perry Mason land is just one more footnote to a news year filled with needless side shows.
On a more delightful theme, I marvel that Carlos Santana's strategy of using Michelle Branch as the guest lead vocalist worked out so well. I personally find Mr. Santana's continued "cool" a great inspiration in a time when "rebellious" proto-fascists hold far too much sway in popular music. I hope that I can be as cool in my fifties as he is, although I'm sure playing a guitar like an angel must be a help in that direction. I had always thought that Ms. Branch's work was interesting but missing something essential--maybe the success that resulted from this collaboration will encourage her to lighten up a little. It's so easy for a would-be folkie to spend so much time trying to seem "alive" as to squeeze the real life out of the mix. Meanwhile, I'm imagining a hypothetical future Santana album if Bjork were the "guest vocalist du jour" next time around. For that matter, I suspect that singing Santana songs could even make Fiona Apple smile.
Meanwhile, my trip to the federal courthouse yesterday again put me in proximity with the "official" photo of our Vice President.
I must admit that while I am no fan of Mr. Chaney's, who symbolizes for me much of the misguided detour this administration is on, I love the idea that his "official" smile is a friendly smirk. I suppose a good thing to result from the 1990s is that it now safe to smirk.
I see the film "The Quiet American" is being released. The original Graham Greene novel, about early American involvement in French colonial Vietnam, seems particularly relevant today. But for some reason, contrary to my usual view, I'm not sure I want to see the movie, as I cannot see how it can add to my apppreciation of the book.
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no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 05:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 08:55 am (UTC)official photos and crappy music
Now, on to more important matters...pop music. I must really be getting old, because I find that ALL popular music these days absolutely sucks. Sucks! There are about four distinct genres, and everything within each genre is indistinguishable. I hate it. Gross. I actually find that it rather upsets me to flip past Mtv (not so much Mtv2) and see the drudge that is "popular music." And I don't care what kind of voices they have, Mariah and Christina and the like are quite skanky. I caught a few minutes of some Christina Aguilera special in which she was performing her new "song" wearing a bikini with the word "dirty" emblazoned across her ass...and chaps. Chaps! And a bikini! Gross. And, on the other side of the coin, I'm so sick of the angry, dirty bands. Shut. Up. Already. And take a freakin' shower. It sucks. All of it. Teenagers are stupid. I can't tell Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton apart. Are they twins?
Re: official photos and crappy music
Date: 2002-12-04 05:55 am (UTC)I agree; where's the originality in today's music? All I hear are remakes, remixes, and samplings...
Re: official photos and crappy music
Date: 2002-12-04 09:12 am (UTC)The new "retro punk" bands don't seem very punk and seem very pre packaged to me. Eminem is a sad statement about our society. Some rap and hip hop has been interesting, but so much of it is lyrically objectionable.
Vanessa Carlton and Michelle Branch are not bad at all, really, but they are kinda like how Marillions arise when a void is created because Genesis stops being good.
So much music is just marketing now. I guess that's why I listen to a lot of small label ambient and a fair bit of folkish stuff these days.
When I listen to radio now, I tend to rest on stations that play old Foghat or "Never Been any Reason".
no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 06:05 am (UTC)playing a guitar like an angel.
How true.:)
no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 09:13 am (UTC)It's worth a read.
Re:
Date: 2002-12-04 09:33 am (UTC)I will keep those other two in mind.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 01:23 pm (UTC)Here's my understanding ...
It had its release delayed for a year by Miramax in the wake of Sept. 11 because
it's not exactly a flag-waver of a movie. Michael Caine, who thinks his performance
is Oscar-caliber, lobbied for its release both directly and through entertainment
critics, using the argument that if the movie gets Oscars, that'll counterbalance the
noncommercial theme, and it can't get Oscars unless it plays commercially in L.A. for
a week. Miramax acquiesced by releasing it in NYC and L.A. for a two-week run.
So unless the critics (and the Academy) really get behind it, today's climate of
self-censorship will relieve you of the choice of whether to go to this particular
movie.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 02:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 02:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 04:59 pm (UTC)