Got a head of shattered dreams

This is my musical day thus far:

1. I discovered/perhaps reminded that I have an autograhed Gandharvas CD. Not that anyone cares mind you. News to me.
2. I got winked at repeatedly for liking Opeth, and their new album.
3. Got told that I look like someone who enjoys Pink Floyd (which I do but I fail to see how my appearance and demeanor illustrates that).
4. Listened to Take That's "Back for Good" too many times. I enjoy Gary Barlow every now and again.
5. I have WIllie Nelson singing numerous jazz cover songs stuck in my head.
6. I have may in fact purchased too much metal
7. Apparently I have 1.3 days worth of music in my itunes. This is with me removing everything after I transfer it to my ipods.


Apparently some teenage comedy hip-hop duo is opening up the free event that I am working tonight. God save my soul.


I adore Paradise Lost. That is all.

Dude, you're getting a temperature regulated home!

You know I have issues when I cry watching a reality show. I don't watch reality shows for the most part because a) I watch 2-5 hours a week at most and b) they bore me. That being said, I have a soft spot on my heart for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I think this is one of the only worthwhile reality shows on television (granted I am also mildly addicted to the food network, but I feel it is a different level of television. And I've got a culinary crush of Mario Batali. DAMN that man can cook).

I'm a softie for people in need, and this show hacks at my heart strings. Damn you ABC! DAMN YOU!!! (if I could find a way to make a Wrath of Khan reference here , I would do so).

Tonight I cried repeatedly while watching EM:HD. I'm not as big of a fan of Ty and the gang, but rather their actions. Even a curmudgeon such as myself can enjoy this, and I do.

You may commence with the mocking.

Excerpts of crazy suburban white trash

Last night I was working outdoors at an event run sponsored/run by the company I work for. We have a band play music until dusk, and then once the sun has disappeared we show a popular movie on a large outdoor screen. We get a fair turn out (especially last night) and it is all done for free. This year all we asked was that people bring donations for the local food bank.

I'm good at these events (all about modesty I am...) as I have perfected the art of mindless smiling chatter. At these events I embody the idea of a single dose friend-- I'm polite, cheerful, and can have a decent three-minute conversation and leave it like that. I don't linger, and I don't impose. Plus, I enjoy the change of scenery, so being outside for four hours is quite enjoyable to me, and it shows in my interactions with people.

For the most part I enjoy interacting with the people that come to these events. They are generally well-mannered and friendly, which always equates to a good repore. There are always a slim few that grate at my nerves and try my patience, and below I have documented some of those from last night.


Idiot #1

Woman picks up DVD case that has the DVD moving inside (usually just needs to be put back on the insert tabs)
Woman: *shakes case* It's moving
Daughter: *looks at her blankly*
Woman: *continues to shake it* That's not a good sign *continues shaking some more*
Me: *grabs the case, inspects DVD for possible damage caused, finds none. Returns the errant DVD to its secured home and places back in a box of DVDs* That happens sometimes
Woman *gives me a half-stink eye*

Idiot #2

Guy: Do you have _____________ (title I cannot remember) and __________ (same deal)?
Me: Not that I recall, but we have quite a few titles here, so it's not saying much that I don't recall
Guy: *stares blankly*: So you don't have it?
Me: Not that I remember, but feel free to look around
Guy: Well this title is hard to find. The one they show on TV every once in awhile, but the other never
Me: Oh *polite yet unconcerned look on my face*
Guy: *starts talking but I tune out/help real customers*


25 minutes later

Guy asking the owner of my store: Do you have (same titles as before)
Owner: I don't really know, she (gesturing to me) would know better
Guy: Well I already asked her, but I thought you might know
Me: *turn around and roll my eyes*
Owner: Sorry I don't

Those people aside, I have already started to have regulars at these events, some who have returned from last year, and surprisingly I remember. These are the ones I have in-depth conversations with about movies, plots, quality, the event, you name it. I like these people, and I will go out of my way to help them.

Some days it really is worth getting out of bed.

Beer beer!

So I have my newest musical obsession: Finnish folk-metalists Korpiklaani. Came across it at work when a co-worker was inputting stock. I became obsessed after the first song.

Watch this and prepare to enjoy


Never has a band been more metal than by adding an accordion.

I'm tearing up as I write this. Real water tears and

Who would have thought?

I got into an argument with a junkie in my store today.......

There is no title worthy of this post

So Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, and even Stephen Colbert have their own Ben and Jerry's flavours, but now Elton John.... it is called "Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road."

It will consist of "an outrageous symphony of decadent chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks."

Dear lord Elton, I love you even more now.

I'd buy you a monkey,. haven't you always wanted a monkey?

Steven Page from BNL arrested on possession of a controleld substance? Man a million dollars can really buy you everything except media silence.'

Oh I'm back from my mini-vacay.

And unto thee

Realization of the day:

That the Premium earbuds that accompanied my Zune package have magnets in them..... It amused me for a whole minute. I feel speical.

No really, and not in the "I have to wear a helmet to bed" kind of special either.

End of an era?

Just in


Lou Reed (aged 66 don't ya know) can no longer wear his trademark sunglasses onstage - in case he falls off.

He has banned dark glasses from his performances because his co-ordination is failing with age.

"If I wore shades on stage, I'd fall off. Or trip over a cable. Those days are finished for me."

Are his days of looking haggard over too? Because I don't know if could take that.

Zune Diaries

Star Date..... who the hell cares.


So after 2 impatient weeks of waiting on my part, my free zune from matchstick.ca arrived. I feverishly opened to box to get at my goodies.

Inside my kit, which a letter has indictated I am only 1 of 300 people in Canada to receive is the following:

1. 8gig black Zune (accompanied by USB cable and generic earbuds that have colour coordinating covers. Unfortunately for Zune, I hate these kinds of headohones, and shall not be using them. Same thing happened to my ipod earbuds)
   
2. AC adapter (which keeps unplugging from my socket, so I ended up just plugging the Zune into my USB port)
3. Premium headphones

Right now my Zune is charging, but in the next day or so I shall provide pics and some preliminary opinions. In the coming weeks I will be providing an in-depth review of the Zune, and comparison against an ipod 4 gig nano, ipod 30 gig video, and the Iyiyi ipod dock player. We'll see whose cuisine reigns supreme.

Off to download the programming.

If I could turn back time

Dear Tom Waits,


Hey old man. Please stop letting people like Scarlet Johansson cover your music. I know from past experience they you are adverse to people using your music for personal gain. Kudos on that by the way. Sticking to your guns, very honourable of you. Unfortunately the fact still remains you let that trollop of a Woody Allen muse (proving to me further that Woody Allen isn't funny). I cannot begin to fathom what your rationale was, or why you have yet to chastise her for it.

Seriously Waits, what were you thinking? I sincerely hope that this was done as an ironic comedy album. At any moment I'm expecting the entire Monty Python group to pipe up and argue about dead parrots and the like. Hell, I'd even tolerate Margaret Cho interrupting ScarJo's butchering of your music with a clitoris monologue. But no, we're stuck with this tripe (my apologies to all tripe enthusiasts) . Even though I'm not a fan of you to begin with, I feel for you man.

Please do something to rectify this situation. Maybe a mercy killing, or two. All in the name of music and integrity. Right?

So there it is. I've selected my fighting words. You know where to send you apologies Tom.

Update

Still waiting for my Zune to arrive........