AND THERE YOU HAVE IT
So they say if you have a catchy title on your blog - maybe some good keywords - it will get you more hits on your site. OK - so my title has nothing to do with my blog - it's just to get more hits. So for sports today I'll simply complain that most of the very top seeds made it through March madness and now we'll likely get the pleasure of watching North Carolina in another championship game. Wip-dee-freakin doo da day! So I'm not in the mood to yammer about sports today so I'll give you a little tip in case you want to smile and enjoy a day out in the sun. Find the local Little League field and go watch the 5 year olds play tee-ball. That's what life is all about. Pure relaxation, fun, and guaranteed mayhem. There is nothing like watching a ball hit off a tee and then watching 10 or so kids on the other team pile on top of each other fighting for the ball or watching the kid in center field playing with blades of grass oblivious to the fact that a hit ball just rolled right by him. FUN IN THE SUN!!!!!
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
OK, I'm going Independent Film again and I know this will by no means be everyone's cup of TV and probably not recommended for the kiddies. It's a little movie called Chuck and Buck. Trust me on this one - if you like creative film making, good acting and a very interesting albeit off the wall story rent this one. Mike White wrote and directed the film and also plays the lead role of an adult still lost in a child's world. As usual I prefer not to give much away about specifics of the story but I will tell you that you won't be able to take yourself away from the screen. The acting is relaxed and brilliant and I'm thankful that we have writers like White that will put some taboo subject matter onto the big screen.
ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK
So I'm now conducting the Prelude to the Opera "Hansel and Gretel" by the Austrian composer Englebert Humperdinck. But I do realize that most of you know Mr. "Dink" as the guy who sings the power ballad "After the Lovin". Well I decided to youtube Mr. "Dink" and he did quite a rendition in Vegas in the 80's. He has quite an amazing voice and while I don't normally recommend pop singers on the music part of my blog he is well worth listening to. Particularly amazing is his "opera lesson" on youtube where he sings parts of Puccini's "La Boheme". The guy has quite a range. Oh - and while you're at it - the opera "Hansel and Gretel" by the other "Mr. Dink" is both colorful and beautiful and cannot be recommended more highly. Try to see and hear it in live performance if you get a chance. Who would thought it - two Engelbert Humperdinck's that are both one hit wonders. How odd.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
That I can't just fly where I want whenever I want. This is a gripe that I must do something about. I must find another job as if I'm not busy enough already but I'm just tired of not being able to hop on a plane for a weekend. So for all of you that think college professors are well off and have comfortable lives.....hahahahahah, think again my friends. Cash, checks and money orders accepted.
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Sunday, March 29, 2009
LATE NIGHT BLOGGIN
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET.....
This is a 3 part blog - 1st sports, then movies, then music. All your infotainment in one tightly wrapped package. It's late and today's blog will be a bit brief. (I know - that's what I always say) So for my sport of the day I've chosen Poker. Ok - it's not a sport...whatever...it's a game. I'll only address the people that wonder why and how people could get so attached to it. It's as simple as this - it's a rare game that combines advanced mathematical skills, psychology and completely unpredictable chance. Now once you get the first two mastered you set yourself up to have a better chance once you hit those moments of chance. It's as simple as that...you can think it through but there are simply not that many games out there that combine a high skill level with what some would consider total luck.
SPELLBOUND
Spellbound was a documentary that followed a number of very intelligent little kids in their pursuit to win the Scripts National Spelling Bee. I can sum this one up easily: The exciting thing about the movie was the simple fact that these kids came from so many different walks or life, locations, and unbringings. It shows that the most talented kid can come from anywhere and what makes this kid talented is not easily predictable. I would even recommend this one for those of you with kids. All the kids in the movie are wonderful, and whether you think their parents are pushy and drive them or not, all the parents deeply love their kids and you can see that in the movie.
CHOPIN
I guess my mom missed me once I left for college and thoughout her last years. She died just prior to a full week of dress rehearsals and performances I had for an opera I was conducting. I flew to the funeral and left the next day to get back for my performance. It was difficult to do this as I had to leave my brother and sister in NY and not even help clean out my mom's apartment. However, after the funeral we went back to her place and I found a stack of CD's - all Chopin piano music. It seemed that almost all I played growing up was Chopin. She loved it and I know how much she missed my playing. She even sold my piano within a year of when I moved out to help me out with money for college. I wonder how she felt the day the piano was moved out. I'll never know now. One thing I do know - everyone needs to own a few Chopin recordings. I would highly recommend the Ballads and the Scherzos as these are some of his greatest solo works.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
The complete asshole coach who pulled his son (the catcher) out of the baseball game today in the middle of an inning after the kid made 3 errors. I was coaching for the opposite team. That was simply the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Asshole, asshole, asshole. How in the hell could this possibly be a good lesson for a 14 year old? A pitcher having problems on the mound is one thing but to pull a position player out of a game in the middle of an inning has got to be one of the most humiliating things you can ever do to a player. Not only that, but this guy actually rags on his son from the first base coaching box while the kid is trying to hit: "oh....that's a great swing....just great"........"keep doing that, that will work". Oh - I'm sorry - let me be more clear: Chatsworth Junior Baseball League Junior Giants. Asshole.
This is a 3 part blog - 1st sports, then movies, then music. All your infotainment in one tightly wrapped package. It's late and today's blog will be a bit brief. (I know - that's what I always say) So for my sport of the day I've chosen Poker. Ok - it's not a sport...whatever...it's a game. I'll only address the people that wonder why and how people could get so attached to it. It's as simple as this - it's a rare game that combines advanced mathematical skills, psychology and completely unpredictable chance. Now once you get the first two mastered you set yourself up to have a better chance once you hit those moments of chance. It's as simple as that...you can think it through but there are simply not that many games out there that combine a high skill level with what some would consider total luck.
SPELLBOUND
Spellbound was a documentary that followed a number of very intelligent little kids in their pursuit to win the Scripts National Spelling Bee. I can sum this one up easily: The exciting thing about the movie was the simple fact that these kids came from so many different walks or life, locations, and unbringings. It shows that the most talented kid can come from anywhere and what makes this kid talented is not easily predictable. I would even recommend this one for those of you with kids. All the kids in the movie are wonderful, and whether you think their parents are pushy and drive them or not, all the parents deeply love their kids and you can see that in the movie.
CHOPIN
I guess my mom missed me once I left for college and thoughout her last years. She died just prior to a full week of dress rehearsals and performances I had for an opera I was conducting. I flew to the funeral and left the next day to get back for my performance. It was difficult to do this as I had to leave my brother and sister in NY and not even help clean out my mom's apartment. However, after the funeral we went back to her place and I found a stack of CD's - all Chopin piano music. It seemed that almost all I played growing up was Chopin. She loved it and I know how much she missed my playing. She even sold my piano within a year of when I moved out to help me out with money for college. I wonder how she felt the day the piano was moved out. I'll never know now. One thing I do know - everyone needs to own a few Chopin recordings. I would highly recommend the Ballads and the Scherzos as these are some of his greatest solo works.
GRIPE OF THE DAY
The complete asshole coach who pulled his son (the catcher) out of the baseball game today in the middle of an inning after the kid made 3 errors. I was coaching for the opposite team. That was simply the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Asshole, asshole, asshole. How in the hell could this possibly be a good lesson for a 14 year old? A pitcher having problems on the mound is one thing but to pull a position player out of a game in the middle of an inning has got to be one of the most humiliating things you can ever do to a player. Not only that, but this guy actually rags on his son from the first base coaching box while the kid is trying to hit: "oh....that's a great swing....just great"........"keep doing that, that will work". Oh - I'm sorry - let me be more clear: Chatsworth Junior Baseball League Junior Giants. Asshole.
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