BAD ROLE MODELS
Here is a bad role model: A Little League Coach who is a former all-star major league baseball player who insists on yelling at a little league umpire loudly for ball and strike calls. That's good. Way to teach the kiddies how to respect adults in charge. Way to show off that great sportsmanship. OK - I know the umpire sucked but at least he sucked for both sides. You know, it is possible to approach and umpire between innings....ask what the strike zone is and go tell your team that the umpire is going to have a rather odd sized strike zone. Can't wait till he's ejected from a game this year. I'll be reporting back.
BAD ROLE MODELS IN THE MOVIES
Freddy Krueger, Jason, those Texas Chainsaw dudes....ok, those are the only ones I remember - I don't go to those types of movies any more. I guess they serve a purpose but to be honest I just don't get those movies any more. Yeah, I guess it's fun to be scared but best if you're a high school kid just trying to get your girlfriend to grab you in utter horror during the movie.
BAD ROLE MODELS IN CLASSICAL MUSIC
HUH? Is this possible? Sacred ground?.... the world of classical music?..... bad role models? OK - here's who I've come up with any the reasons why:
Conductor James Levine: I always here stories about him and young boys - enough said
Conductor Herbert Von Karajan: I believe he was an egotistical bastard, I've not yet heard or read anything to contradict this in anyway
Many late 20th century American composers - they're all copycats - very few new voices, everyone sounds the same much of the time - nothing new
Many late 20th century European composers - still living in the early 20th century trying to sound the same as all their great role models. That makes them bad role models.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
The workers at Starbucks that shout at me from across the place as I'm the 12th person in line - WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE SIR??? Do we really need to shout our orders across the damn place at 8 in the morning. I'm really ok if you just wait for me to get to the front. I really prefer not to yell my order. Not my thing.
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Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
WHY IS THAT?
WHY US GUYS LIKE SPORTS
It boils down to this - we like returning to childhood. We like talking to our friends about sports and giving our buddies a hard time that their team didn't advance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We like betting....we like feeling smarter than our buddies. Oh...yeah...we like competition and we like talking about how good we were at doing that stuff when we were kids. But let's get real. It's about childhood. We all want to play all the time. No one really wants to go to work. Come on....I don't care how much you love your job...if someone said "let's go out and shoot some hoops instead", or "let's go play some home run derby at the local little league field", or "let's go hit golf balls as far as we can"...............it's all about escape. We just wanna play.
BIZZZZARRRO WORLD
My top movies that will make you incredibly uncomfortable and on edge from beginning to end because you're never really sure what the hell is going on:
The Ice Storm (MUST SEE - Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Toby Maguire, Christina Ricci)
Happiness
Eraserhead
Blue Velvet
These aren't just movies that make you uncomfortable. They are all outstanding films that have drawn critical praise from nearly all critics.
SCHUMANN
I feel for Robert Schumann. I felt more than ever last week. We read the finale of his 2nd symphony with my youth orchestra. It is beyond exuberant. It is uplifting; it is joy; if is love of life; it is all things positive. But I felt a shot through my gut while running through this piece as I remembered that Schumann had already contemplated suicide by this time and was extremely depressed and sick much of the time. It's like looking at works of Van Gogh. It can bring one to chills knowing that such beautiful art could be created by such tortured individuals. Thank God we had them both. One lived to age 46 and the other to the age of 37. It shows the value of human life even when cut tragically short.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Jay Leno. That's all. That's all I can think of. He's not really all that funny....he is one of the worse interviewers, frequently turning to conversation and interview into ramblings about his own life, and he has always been just a very average comedian. I'll be glad to see him leave the tonight show but it doesn't really matter because I never watched him anyway. Bye Bye Jay!!!!!
It boils down to this - we like returning to childhood. We like talking to our friends about sports and giving our buddies a hard time that their team didn't advance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We like betting....we like feeling smarter than our buddies. Oh...yeah...we like competition and we like talking about how good we were at doing that stuff when we were kids. But let's get real. It's about childhood. We all want to play all the time. No one really wants to go to work. Come on....I don't care how much you love your job...if someone said "let's go out and shoot some hoops instead", or "let's go play some home run derby at the local little league field", or "let's go hit golf balls as far as we can"...............it's all about escape. We just wanna play.
BIZZZZARRRO WORLD
My top movies that will make you incredibly uncomfortable and on edge from beginning to end because you're never really sure what the hell is going on:
The Ice Storm (MUST SEE - Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Toby Maguire, Christina Ricci)
Happiness
Eraserhead
Blue Velvet
These aren't just movies that make you uncomfortable. They are all outstanding films that have drawn critical praise from nearly all critics.
SCHUMANN
I feel for Robert Schumann. I felt more than ever last week. We read the finale of his 2nd symphony with my youth orchestra. It is beyond exuberant. It is uplifting; it is joy; if is love of life; it is all things positive. But I felt a shot through my gut while running through this piece as I remembered that Schumann had already contemplated suicide by this time and was extremely depressed and sick much of the time. It's like looking at works of Van Gogh. It can bring one to chills knowing that such beautiful art could be created by such tortured individuals. Thank God we had them both. One lived to age 46 and the other to the age of 37. It shows the value of human life even when cut tragically short.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Jay Leno. That's all. That's all I can think of. He's not really all that funny....he is one of the worse interviewers, frequently turning to conversation and interview into ramblings about his own life, and he has always been just a very average comedian. I'll be glad to see him leave the tonight show but it doesn't really matter because I never watched him anyway. Bye Bye Jay!!!!!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
JUST CHECKING
HAVE YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION?
I'm still going to get around to the "Guy Sleeping on the Highway" story when I finally have time but this is not the time. I must quickly announce that Louisville will win the NCAA Basketball Championship this year. There - that's my bracket - are you happy now? Ok people - I get it...no one is voting for the sports section of my blog as the favorite. I gotta get it out of my system, what can I say. I did after grow up wanting to be a baseball statistician. So yes, it's time for you internet sports papers to look at a guy with plenty of education, enthusiasm and sports knowledge as a new writer on your staff. I got about another 30 good years in me. Bring it on.
DO THE RIGHT THING
I promise to stop plugging Spike Lee movies very soon.....I really do promise. However, "Do the Right Thing" is a great study in racial stereo typing and racism in general shot and interesting and unique ways. Lee's decision to have people utter racial slurs right at the camera makes it hard to understand why individuals would stoop to levels in which they would use these words on a regular basis. Perhaps what I enjoy most about this movie is that Spike himself plays a main role opposite Danny Aielo. And I'll admit - it may just be a NY thing but I grew up going to those pizzarias in the city and I have fond memories of life in the city. This movie is quite creative and way ahead of it's time and was Spike Lee's first huge commercial success.
AND SPEAKING OF RACISM
How about some Wagner people? Oh....sorry ......for issues regarding Wagner and racism or lack thereof you'll have to do your own research. For now I'll just go on record as saying that any orchestra work...prelude or other from the opera "Lohengrin" is absolutely stunning in its melodic beauty, carefully woven chromatic harmony and lush orchestration. Still can't quite figure out for the life of me how someone with such minimal musical training at a young age could turn into such a monster in the musical world (and I use the word monster in multiple ways).
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Bars that don't have food after 10 p.m. but want you to hang out and drink there until closing at 2 a.m. Really people, how about just a little bowl of pretzels or something.....a few chips.....maybe some peanuts. Really ain't gonna break you I promise. So I went out for a drink tonight and it was 10:05. Kitchen closed. Hell yeah I complained. The bartender asked me if I wanted a glass of olives. Hell yeah I want a glass of olives!!!! So there you have it. Sometimes when you pitch a hissy fit you wind up with your favorite food in the world right in front of you. Gee - that's wasn't much of a grip after all. Wow - not profanity in today's blog.
What the ......?
I'm still going to get around to the "Guy Sleeping on the Highway" story when I finally have time but this is not the time. I must quickly announce that Louisville will win the NCAA Basketball Championship this year. There - that's my bracket - are you happy now? Ok people - I get it...no one is voting for the sports section of my blog as the favorite. I gotta get it out of my system, what can I say. I did after grow up wanting to be a baseball statistician. So yes, it's time for you internet sports papers to look at a guy with plenty of education, enthusiasm and sports knowledge as a new writer on your staff. I got about another 30 good years in me. Bring it on.
DO THE RIGHT THING
I promise to stop plugging Spike Lee movies very soon.....I really do promise. However, "Do the Right Thing" is a great study in racial stereo typing and racism in general shot and interesting and unique ways. Lee's decision to have people utter racial slurs right at the camera makes it hard to understand why individuals would stoop to levels in which they would use these words on a regular basis. Perhaps what I enjoy most about this movie is that Spike himself plays a main role opposite Danny Aielo. And I'll admit - it may just be a NY thing but I grew up going to those pizzarias in the city and I have fond memories of life in the city. This movie is quite creative and way ahead of it's time and was Spike Lee's first huge commercial success.
AND SPEAKING OF RACISM
How about some Wagner people? Oh....sorry ......for issues regarding Wagner and racism or lack thereof you'll have to do your own research. For now I'll just go on record as saying that any orchestra work...prelude or other from the opera "Lohengrin" is absolutely stunning in its melodic beauty, carefully woven chromatic harmony and lush orchestration. Still can't quite figure out for the life of me how someone with such minimal musical training at a young age could turn into such a monster in the musical world (and I use the word monster in multiple ways).
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Bars that don't have food after 10 p.m. but want you to hang out and drink there until closing at 2 a.m. Really people, how about just a little bowl of pretzels or something.....a few chips.....maybe some peanuts. Really ain't gonna break you I promise. So I went out for a drink tonight and it was 10:05. Kitchen closed. Hell yeah I complained. The bartender asked me if I wanted a glass of olives. Hell yeah I want a glass of olives!!!! So there you have it. Sometimes when you pitch a hissy fit you wind up with your favorite food in the world right in front of you. Gee - that's wasn't much of a grip after all. Wow - not profanity in today's blog.
What the ......?
LET ME BE BRIEF
WHY WE SUCK AT BASEBALL
Got lots to do today people so I'll be brief and to the point. I'm talking about the USA Baseball team....that's right....USA. They just step up to the plate and hack away. They did beat Puerto Rico in the bottom of the 9th to advance but just watch the Koreans and Japanese. They know how to sacrifice players around the bases, and they play it more as an intellectual chess match....just as baseball was played in the good old days. We on the other hand, products of the steroid pumping, burly man, "knock the fucking cover off the baseball" era just step into the batter's box and try to hit it as far as we can. We don't care who is on base or what the hell the score is. Even my man Derek Jeter proved my point last night. Jeter is a great hitter. But with no outs in the 9th and runners on 1st and 2nd you bunt Derek. That puts runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and great hitters coming up. Luckily it did not backfire too badly as Jeter hit a line drive to right that moved one runner over but still left us in a potential game ending double play situation. Does anyone know how to coach baseball anymore? Help me out here people.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Are you kidding me - 1942: "The Pride of the Yankees" with Gary Cooper playing Lou Gehrig. It's good to know about Gehrig's disease in a bit more detail before watching the film and it is truly one of the more crushing moments in all of sports or in life when someone is stricken with something so suddenly and unexpectedly and is facing death with no warning and no hope. Sorry to be depressing, but it's a good film with outstanding acting.
ORCHESTRAL AEROBICS
I won't give too much away as I may be on par with Tae-Bo or whatever the hell that kickboxing fad was a few years ago. I was working on conducting with my entire class yesterday....we were doing all body movement. I quickly realized that some of the things we were doing were really using different muscles and at times it became quite tiring. I also realized I should put on some classical music and move to the music. Then I realized I should write this all out in outline form, take some of my students to LA Fitness and demonstrate for the staff there and start and Orchestral Aerobics class. What do you think? Can I get some feedback here?
GRIPE OF THE DAY
People that are entirely NON SELF MOTIVATING. Students and people that need to be kicked in the ass and have someone tell them what to do instead of taking initiative. Listen.....if you want to choose music performance as your career, then practice longer hours than anyone else. Seek out extra lessons. Try to one up the next person at every corner. Don't make me tell you how to do it. Don't force me as your teacher to have to excite you about music every single time I see you. Yes, it is part of my job to keep you interested and give you constructive comments and to guide you. But the drive needs to be inside your body and inside your brain. If it's not there, you can find a profession working on an assembly line somewhere. No motivation needed. Just show up and do the same damn thing every day and take instructions from your boss.
OK - so I wasn't so brief.
Got lots to do today people so I'll be brief and to the point. I'm talking about the USA Baseball team....that's right....USA. They just step up to the plate and hack away. They did beat Puerto Rico in the bottom of the 9th to advance but just watch the Koreans and Japanese. They know how to sacrifice players around the bases, and they play it more as an intellectual chess match....just as baseball was played in the good old days. We on the other hand, products of the steroid pumping, burly man, "knock the fucking cover off the baseball" era just step into the batter's box and try to hit it as far as we can. We don't care who is on base or what the hell the score is. Even my man Derek Jeter proved my point last night. Jeter is a great hitter. But with no outs in the 9th and runners on 1st and 2nd you bunt Derek. That puts runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and great hitters coming up. Luckily it did not backfire too badly as Jeter hit a line drive to right that moved one runner over but still left us in a potential game ending double play situation. Does anyone know how to coach baseball anymore? Help me out here people.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Are you kidding me - 1942: "The Pride of the Yankees" with Gary Cooper playing Lou Gehrig. It's good to know about Gehrig's disease in a bit more detail before watching the film and it is truly one of the more crushing moments in all of sports or in life when someone is stricken with something so suddenly and unexpectedly and is facing death with no warning and no hope. Sorry to be depressing, but it's a good film with outstanding acting.
ORCHESTRAL AEROBICS
I won't give too much away as I may be on par with Tae-Bo or whatever the hell that kickboxing fad was a few years ago. I was working on conducting with my entire class yesterday....we were doing all body movement. I quickly realized that some of the things we were doing were really using different muscles and at times it became quite tiring. I also realized I should put on some classical music and move to the music. Then I realized I should write this all out in outline form, take some of my students to LA Fitness and demonstrate for the staff there and start and Orchestral Aerobics class. What do you think? Can I get some feedback here?
GRIPE OF THE DAY
People that are entirely NON SELF MOTIVATING. Students and people that need to be kicked in the ass and have someone tell them what to do instead of taking initiative. Listen.....if you want to choose music performance as your career, then practice longer hours than anyone else. Seek out extra lessons. Try to one up the next person at every corner. Don't make me tell you how to do it. Don't force me as your teacher to have to excite you about music every single time I see you. Yes, it is part of my job to keep you interested and give you constructive comments and to guide you. But the drive needs to be inside your body and inside your brain. If it's not there, you can find a profession working on an assembly line somewhere. No motivation needed. Just show up and do the same damn thing every day and take instructions from your boss.
OK - so I wasn't so brief.
Monday, March 16, 2009
LIFE IS WEIRD......AND THAT'S ALL I KNOW
MUST I DISCUSS SPORTS TODAY?
I've tried not to discuss personal issues on this blog but damn....sometime my life is so weird I feel that it would fulfill a good day of entertainment to share some of my stories with others......oh...don't worry - I'll give you my NCAA College Basketball bracket picks tomorrow. But as I was getting ready to type the picks I heard this adorable little girl in the hallway saying "mama?...mama?"........well an hour later, after hanging around with lost girl, we finally found crying mama. It's ok - it was a mistake....mom in shower, little girl somehow gets out of apartment....but damn that's scary. Kids like me...I'm cool to hang around with. My little friend had no problem chilling out with me for an hour as we walked around the complex. But it brings up an interesting point......life is weird. Do we ever really know what will happen five minutes from now? I mean....I'm minding my own business in the comfort of my apartment playing online poker for the evening. The last thing on my mind was being the adoptive temporary father of an adorable blond haired, blue eyed girl five minutes later. Oh, don't you worry - I got better stories for the future....stay tuned for "Guy laying down sleeping on the highway".
CUTE KIDS IN MOVIES
So since I'm done saving the day for mom and her little girl I thought I'd mention some must see movies that have adorable kids or really great kid actors. If you can stand not to cry through half the movie "The Champ" with Ricky Schroeder is about as good as it gets with kid acting. Of course "Sixth Sense" has to be right up there and .....drum roll please...it's Spike Lee time again. See Crooklyn. The kids dominated that movie and it is a really cute portrayal of life in Brooklyn in the 1970's. Don't let the title scare you away - really an adorable film with kids that carry it all the way.
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO PETER AND HIS WOLF?
So we had sight reading as part of our percussion mid-term at my university last week. The sight reading were excerpts Peter and the Wolf....some of the most famous themes. Exactly one person out of about thirty knew where the music was from. What the hell happened? Do we need listen to Peter and the Wolf in the public schools any more? Must I program it every year for the next five so that everyone from 14 to 30 that does not know the piece becomes familiar with it. Not only is it a good story but the music is fantastic. So here are my top three pieces for the kiddies and they very obvious to those of us in classical music:
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
The three pieces should be on recording in every child's bedroom.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Schools that get upset that they don't get invited to the NCAA basketball tournament. Listen....I'll say this slowly.......IT'S BASKETBALL......how about instead of sitting around releasing statements for the press about how bad you feel for your basketball players you spend that time buying some new beakers for the science lab on campus or inviting kids to campus to go to see student art works or hear some of the student ensembles. St. Mary's.......you're a good university.....yes, your basketball players worked very hard.....now get all your asses back into class and graduate instead of worrying about playing a few more basketball games and getting more time off of class.
I've tried not to discuss personal issues on this blog but damn....sometime my life is so weird I feel that it would fulfill a good day of entertainment to share some of my stories with others......oh...don't worry - I'll give you my NCAA College Basketball bracket picks tomorrow. But as I was getting ready to type the picks I heard this adorable little girl in the hallway saying "mama?...mama?"........well an hour later, after hanging around with lost girl, we finally found crying mama. It's ok - it was a mistake....mom in shower, little girl somehow gets out of apartment....but damn that's scary. Kids like me...I'm cool to hang around with. My little friend had no problem chilling out with me for an hour as we walked around the complex. But it brings up an interesting point......life is weird. Do we ever really know what will happen five minutes from now? I mean....I'm minding my own business in the comfort of my apartment playing online poker for the evening. The last thing on my mind was being the adoptive temporary father of an adorable blond haired, blue eyed girl five minutes later. Oh, don't you worry - I got better stories for the future....stay tuned for "Guy laying down sleeping on the highway".
CUTE KIDS IN MOVIES
So since I'm done saving the day for mom and her little girl I thought I'd mention some must see movies that have adorable kids or really great kid actors. If you can stand not to cry through half the movie "The Champ" with Ricky Schroeder is about as good as it gets with kid acting. Of course "Sixth Sense" has to be right up there and .....drum roll please...it's Spike Lee time again. See Crooklyn. The kids dominated that movie and it is a really cute portrayal of life in Brooklyn in the 1970's. Don't let the title scare you away - really an adorable film with kids that carry it all the way.
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO PETER AND HIS WOLF?
So we had sight reading as part of our percussion mid-term at my university last week. The sight reading were excerpts Peter and the Wolf....some of the most famous themes. Exactly one person out of about thirty knew where the music was from. What the hell happened? Do we need listen to Peter and the Wolf in the public schools any more? Must I program it every year for the next five so that everyone from 14 to 30 that does not know the piece becomes familiar with it. Not only is it a good story but the music is fantastic. So here are my top three pieces for the kiddies and they very obvious to those of us in classical music:
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
The three pieces should be on recording in every child's bedroom.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Schools that get upset that they don't get invited to the NCAA basketball tournament. Listen....I'll say this slowly.......IT'S BASKETBALL......how about instead of sitting around releasing statements for the press about how bad you feel for your basketball players you spend that time buying some new beakers for the science lab on campus or inviting kids to campus to go to see student art works or hear some of the student ensembles. St. Mary's.......you're a good university.....yes, your basketball players worked very hard.....now get all your asses back into class and graduate instead of worrying about playing a few more basketball games and getting more time off of class.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
MARCH GLADNESS
IT'S TIME FOR 16 to take out a 1
That's what March Madness is really about right? It's not about a simple little college basketball tournament. It's about the fact that hockey and the NBA are going into their playoffs...Nascar is in full bloom and we are about ready to jump into the Major League Baseball season. Oh, and there is that very exciting basketball tournament. I believe at some point, somehow, somewhere, the 16th seed in the NCAA tournament will finally beat a number one seed. I'm going to put in my bid for this year. You know why? Because my school - California State University, Northridge is in the tournament and many are predicting they will be a 16th seed. So prepare everyone as Northridge beats North Carolina on a half court heave with 1 second on the clock....now that's what March Madness is all about!!!
HOOP DREAMS
Rent yourself a documentary - I dare you. Come on...really...you can do it. Why do I get the feeling that some people think of a documentary as something you watched in 5th grade history class while you were studying the Aztec nation? How can documentaries not be the coolest type of movie when you really get down to it. No one is "making believe" for the most part. The movie making is not a bunch of takes and re-takes for the most part. The movie making is how the film is put together....often how interviews are woven into the story line and keep viewers glued to the screen. You might night have 3 hours to spend sitting in front of a TV watching 5 years in the lives of 2 teenage boys trying to make it to the NBA. The film raises a number of issues concerning race, class, economic division, education and values in contemporary America. It also offers one of the most intimate views of inner-city life to be captured on film. If ever there was a nail biter as a documentary this would be the one. Great film.
HOOPSEY DOOPSEY
OOhhhh....I've hit a snag....I cannot possibly relate basketball to something in the classical music world. Well....I did with Spike Lee's "He Got Game" which had music by Aaron Copland as the soundtrack, so there. So I have to tell you about the coolest moment in the movie. I've always conducted a very obscure but beautiful piece by Copland called "Letter from Home". It was written around WWII and basically summaries feelings a soldier would have upon receiving a letter from home. I could not believe that Spike Lee and the music staff of that movie dug out this piece. It came at the perfect time, when the young basketball player received a letter from his father and started to open it. Out of the millions of people that watched this film I began to wonder how many people would have recognized that piece of music, the title of the piece and it's significance at that exact moment in the movie. I say two or three. That moment was genius and I just had to share it.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Listen people...if you're on a line at McDonalds it is my opinion that you should know exactly what you want before your turn comes in line. There are these big neon menus that you can read while you're standing on line. Oh....and I forgot.....It's F&*&ing MCDONALDS!!! They've basically sold the same shit for the last 50 years....is there anyone here that doesn't have the menu memorized? Really? Oh - and it's not really all shit...that chicken sandwich the other day was pretty damn good.
That's what March Madness is really about right? It's not about a simple little college basketball tournament. It's about the fact that hockey and the NBA are going into their playoffs...Nascar is in full bloom and we are about ready to jump into the Major League Baseball season. Oh, and there is that very exciting basketball tournament. I believe at some point, somehow, somewhere, the 16th seed in the NCAA tournament will finally beat a number one seed. I'm going to put in my bid for this year. You know why? Because my school - California State University, Northridge is in the tournament and many are predicting they will be a 16th seed. So prepare everyone as Northridge beats North Carolina on a half court heave with 1 second on the clock....now that's what March Madness is all about!!!
HOOP DREAMS
Rent yourself a documentary - I dare you. Come on...really...you can do it. Why do I get the feeling that some people think of a documentary as something you watched in 5th grade history class while you were studying the Aztec nation? How can documentaries not be the coolest type of movie when you really get down to it. No one is "making believe" for the most part. The movie making is not a bunch of takes and re-takes for the most part. The movie making is how the film is put together....often how interviews are woven into the story line and keep viewers glued to the screen. You might night have 3 hours to spend sitting in front of a TV watching 5 years in the lives of 2 teenage boys trying to make it to the NBA. The film raises a number of issues concerning race, class, economic division, education and values in contemporary America. It also offers one of the most intimate views of inner-city life to be captured on film. If ever there was a nail biter as a documentary this would be the one. Great film.
HOOPSEY DOOPSEY
OOhhhh....I've hit a snag....I cannot possibly relate basketball to something in the classical music world. Well....I did with Spike Lee's "He Got Game" which had music by Aaron Copland as the soundtrack, so there. So I have to tell you about the coolest moment in the movie. I've always conducted a very obscure but beautiful piece by Copland called "Letter from Home". It was written around WWII and basically summaries feelings a soldier would have upon receiving a letter from home. I could not believe that Spike Lee and the music staff of that movie dug out this piece. It came at the perfect time, when the young basketball player received a letter from his father and started to open it. Out of the millions of people that watched this film I began to wonder how many people would have recognized that piece of music, the title of the piece and it's significance at that exact moment in the movie. I say two or three. That moment was genius and I just had to share it.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
Listen people...if you're on a line at McDonalds it is my opinion that you should know exactly what you want before your turn comes in line. There are these big neon menus that you can read while you're standing on line. Oh....and I forgot.....It's F&*&ing MCDONALDS!!! They've basically sold the same shit for the last 50 years....is there anyone here that doesn't have the menu memorized? Really? Oh - and it's not really all shit...that chicken sandwich the other day was pretty damn good.
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