Saturday, June 08, 2002
i am starting a new collaborative blog to discuss spirituality. check it out and let me know if you want to join.
down under 200lbs! first time for this since, uh - probably the reagan era...granted not much under - prob 199.9 - but clearly under - esp. considering i was clothed! of course the bagel i just ate prob put me over - but anyways....
also am able to go from down dog to chaturanga dandasana to up dog continuously...i know yoga is not about "achievement", but the less enlightened part of me is pretty proud....
also am able to go from down dog to chaturanga dandasana to up dog continuously...i know yoga is not about "achievement", but the less enlightened part of me is pretty proud....
i kinda crashed a friend's cookout last night - but we've been friends so long i think crashing is permitted. had some rather tasty red wine from argentina while a plethora of topics were discussed including but not limited to:speed racer's monkey (chim chim); whether or not any good art/music/etc was being made now or if it is all just rehashing the past (my stand was: now is just like another era - most of what is popular is lame, but quality art, movies and music are still being made as much or more than ever...); whether i was "allowed" to eat fish or lobster; and women's basketball. a good time was had by all...
on the way there and back i put "i walk a thin line" from tusk on repeat on the cd player - what a gorgeous song...
on the way there and back i put "i walk a thin line" from tusk on repeat on the cd player - what a gorgeous song...
Friday, June 07, 2002
10 o'clock last night and the only thing on tv worth watching is dexter's lab...something is wrong either with me or our cable system.
by the way, can anyone explain how cycling races work - like the tour de france (a replay of the 2001 race was on oln earlier - they've been showing it the past week or so - a great network - love their FREEDOM promo spots, except i'm obviously not a fan of the hunting and fishing shows)...i enjoy watching the races, but some of the terminology and strategy i can't quite figure...
Thursday, June 06, 2002
i am sooo lame - bought fleetwood mac's tusk for 6 bucks and tax at the used record store - might burn a cd of just lindsey buckingham's tunes from it...
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
i was going to post about my weird yoga class last night (discussing how the band anthrax might change their name - my suggestion:smallpox; what the words incubus and succubus mean (i looked them up when i got home- gross); whether one needs to eat meat; doing armbalances with blocks makes it easier, etc...) but i am in so much pain from my knees (unrelated to yoga) that i can barely think...so going to watch the e! profile of sandra bullock and maybe go to bed and read...
the votes have been tallied in the bbc6 poll for the glorious 50 - the best 50 recording of the past 50 years, in honor of the queen's jubilee
as i've written elsewhere, half the fun of these polls is the debates they spark - so here's my two cents...
the top spot is a suprise, the eponymous record by the stone roses. i am pretty unfamiliar with this band (can anyone tell me about them?), although i know they are more popular in the uk than in the usa (recall hearing how they won a nme poll recently as most influential band - or something like that). second is pink floyd's dark side of the moon - i have to pick up that cd again...i kinda got burned out by rock music (esp. "classic" rock) and haven't really listened to it much recently- but i loved that album before and would be curious to see if my opinion has changed. (by the way, has anyone ever attempted the synchronization of dark side with the wizard of oz? this made the rounds via junk email a few years back - i don't know anyone who can confirm or deny...)
the beatles, of course, made the poll several times (3 in the top ten:revolver - great record, sgt pepper, the white album, although my favorite, abbey road, did not place - had all beatles fans voted for the same record, as opposed to splitting their votes, it is likely they'd have the top spot), as did many classics you might expect - dylan, the who, zeppelin, the stones, springsteen, marvin gaye, stevie wonder, etc... some newer artists which you might expect (radiohead, radiohead,...) a few artists big in the uk mainly - the jam, oasis, the smiths...a few artists make the poll that i don't know much about, like the stone roses, which must be bigger in the uk (or i have completely lost touch with rock music) - i.e. ian mcnabb. a couple of suprises - at #23 is miles davis - kind of blue - i am suprised NOT because i don't think it deserves it (i think this is the best recording. EVER!) i am suprised that this jazz classic made a poll of primarily, i'd assume, rock listeners. another suprise is #40 dido - no angel. i really like that record, but to include it in the 50 best of the past 50 years??? biggest suprise omission - no elvis costello - i would have expected one of his first 3 - my aim is true, this year's model or armed forces - to make the list - especially in the uk... on my top 50, i'd be sure elvis was there along with steely dan, ruben gonzales, michael hedges, badi assad, john mclaughlin, thelonious monk, cassandra wilson etc got a spot, but we can't expect the whole world to think like us, can we?
2 of my 3 votes (kind of blue #23, clash - london calling #14) made the 50. my other choice, joni mitchell - hejira - did not make the poll, although mitchell's more famous and mainstream recording, blue - did make the #40
i did NOT win the drawing for the complete set of cd's (boohoo)- you had to listen to the show during breakfast time (3am here, probably) then, if they called your name, phone in and answer some questions...needless to say, at that time i was fast asleep!
as i've written elsewhere, half the fun of these polls is the debates they spark - so here's my two cents...
the top spot is a suprise, the eponymous record by the stone roses. i am pretty unfamiliar with this band (can anyone tell me about them?), although i know they are more popular in the uk than in the usa (recall hearing how they won a nme poll recently as most influential band - or something like that). second is pink floyd's dark side of the moon - i have to pick up that cd again...i kinda got burned out by rock music (esp. "classic" rock) and haven't really listened to it much recently- but i loved that album before and would be curious to see if my opinion has changed. (by the way, has anyone ever attempted the synchronization of dark side with the wizard of oz? this made the rounds via junk email a few years back - i don't know anyone who can confirm or deny...)
the beatles, of course, made the poll several times (3 in the top ten:revolver - great record, sgt pepper, the white album, although my favorite, abbey road, did not place - had all beatles fans voted for the same record, as opposed to splitting their votes, it is likely they'd have the top spot), as did many classics you might expect - dylan, the who, zeppelin, the stones, springsteen, marvin gaye, stevie wonder, etc... some newer artists which you might expect (radiohead, radiohead,...) a few artists big in the uk mainly - the jam, oasis, the smiths...a few artists make the poll that i don't know much about, like the stone roses, which must be bigger in the uk (or i have completely lost touch with rock music) - i.e. ian mcnabb. a couple of suprises - at #23 is miles davis - kind of blue - i am suprised NOT because i don't think it deserves it (i think this is the best recording. EVER!) i am suprised that this jazz classic made a poll of primarily, i'd assume, rock listeners. another suprise is #40 dido - no angel. i really like that record, but to include it in the 50 best of the past 50 years??? biggest suprise omission - no elvis costello - i would have expected one of his first 3 - my aim is true, this year's model or armed forces - to make the list - especially in the uk... on my top 50, i'd be sure elvis was there along with steely dan, ruben gonzales, michael hedges, badi assad, john mclaughlin, thelonious monk, cassandra wilson etc got a spot, but we can't expect the whole world to think like us, can we?
2 of my 3 votes (kind of blue #23, clash - london calling #14) made the 50. my other choice, joni mitchell - hejira - did not make the poll, although mitchell's more famous and mainstream recording, blue - did make the #40
i did NOT win the drawing for the complete set of cd's (boohoo)- you had to listen to the show during breakfast time (3am here, probably) then, if they called your name, phone in and answer some questions...needless to say, at that time i was fast asleep!
Tuesday, June 04, 2002
happy fellow
well, when i left my faculty fellowship project yesterday i was facing one of those silly, stupid problems that seem to tie up big chunks of time. those are the worst. you have to solve them, but when you do, there is little sense of satisfaction and left unchecked can burn a lot of time. well, happily, the problem was resolved fairly quickly this AM so not much time was wasted on it...and given i actually started the project before my official start date - i should be in good shape...
one of the most memorable, although not elegant, moments of the 2002 winter olympics was when australia's steve bradbury took the gold in men's 1k short track skating after a collision took out the four leaders (including american favorite apolo anton ohno) and bradbury, who was far behind was left the only man standing and skated to the win. there were some who have booed or made light of bradbury's accomplishment due to the unusual circumstances - but just making it to the race was a major victory. there is an article in the newest issue of fasst which describes his background. to summarize the article, at 15 he suffered a fractured skull and a broken collarbone and was in a coma for 3 days due to a skating injury. later he lost over half of his blood when he received a deep puncture to his thigh in a short track crash. the cut required 111 stitches. in 2000 he broke his neck in another skating injury and had to wear a halo.
any on of these injuries might have done in a lesser competitor. so laugh at the finish if you want, but steve bradbury was a gold medalist when he made it to the starting line.
any on of these injuries might have done in a lesser competitor. so laugh at the finish if you want, but steve bradbury was a gold medalist when he made it to the starting line.
please, folks, if you haven't already rated my blog, please do so (see link above Rate Me on BlogHop.com! - dark green is best, etc...). currently have 12 votes and you need 15 to be included in the rankings!
Monday, June 03, 2002
i came home tonight and my family was watching the pet psychic. i rarely speak in absolutes, however, this show is the single stupidest thing i have seen in my life...
well, i am officially a fellow!
my summer faculty fellowship began today! tough getting back into the 9-5 routine, but i'm sure this will be a great experience...
Sunday, June 02, 2002
of all the arguments i've heard against a vegetarian diet, the one which, for some reason, boils my blood, is the one that states "you should eat meat cause it is natural for humans to eat meat"
first of all, considering how animals are raised, the hormones, antibiotics etc that they are given - it is laughable that anything about the average american diet could be described as natural
secondly, very little about 21st century life is natural (in the way it is meant in the above comment) - is it natural to live in houses, work at crt's 8 hrs a day, have indoor plumbing, etc...it makes little sense to me to abstract one aspect of modern life and point to it as being or not being natural.
the gift of humanity is that we can use our brains to be "better" than natural in some respects if we chose to - heal illnesses, not be violent or hateful to those different than us or perhaps develop a healthful diet that causes less suffering and environmental damage...
we are not animals forced to live their instincts; the choice in all the above matters is hours...
first of all, considering how animals are raised, the hormones, antibiotics etc that they are given - it is laughable that anything about the average american diet could be described as natural
secondly, very little about 21st century life is natural (in the way it is meant in the above comment) - is it natural to live in houses, work at crt's 8 hrs a day, have indoor plumbing, etc...it makes little sense to me to abstract one aspect of modern life and point to it as being or not being natural.
the gift of humanity is that we can use our brains to be "better" than natural in some respects if we chose to - heal illnesses, not be violent or hateful to those different than us or perhaps develop a healthful diet that causes less suffering and environmental damage...
we are not animals forced to live their instincts; the choice in all the above matters is hours...
i'm thinking of removing my tag board...i added it before i had comments for each post and now it seems superfluous and besides that "exceeding what is sufficient or necessary"
removing it would free up some real estate...the other alternative would be t move it - perhaps below the links (which need better organized btw) - but i fear then no one would find it...
i'm a bit foggy this AM and i can't make decisions like this now - what do you all think?
removing it would free up some real estate...the other alternative would be t move it - perhaps below the links (which need better organized btw) - but i fear then no one would find it...
i'm a bit foggy this AM and i can't make decisions like this now - what do you all think?
well, i start my summer job tomorrow. finished all my teaching assignments - including the special one which wrapped up this past friday - just have to complete the grades...
my summer job is a faculty fellowship with a large government research lab...i am very exciting, but am getting very nervous...i'll just be doing some web development - i've already started playing around with what i need to do...i don't expect the assignment to be hard, but i am very nervous anyhow - i expect in the end this will be one of those things that you get all worked up about, but turns out just fine (see entry a few days back...) so for the summer i have this and a grad school course (which i REAL easy...) to keep me busy - somewhere in there i need to learn .net so i can teach it in the fall...
oh well, wish me luck...
my summer job is a faculty fellowship with a large government research lab...i am very exciting, but am getting very nervous...i'll just be doing some web development - i've already started playing around with what i need to do...i don't expect the assignment to be hard, but i am very nervous anyhow - i expect in the end this will be one of those things that you get all worked up about, but turns out just fine (see entry a few days back...) so for the summer i have this and a grad school course (which i REAL easy...) to keep me busy - somewhere in there i need to learn .net so i can teach it in the fall...
oh well, wish me luck...
