Yes, I'm back after a long hiatus and I've decided to get back into the whole blog scene and stuff. It had been so long that I forgot I ever did a post called "Sonic You Snowboarding Champ". I definitely laughed when I saw that. Hope you did.
Anyway, I just got done working as a Ridge Leader at good 'ole Sanborn Western Camps for the Summer and now I'm back in Tennessee for a wedding. Yah. Today I got a smoothie from McDonald's (Who knew?), went to goodwill and bought a vintage golf polo and George Benson CD, and attempted to thwart evil and all that while I played some video game from the deepest darkest recesses of my youth. Am I weird?
And by the way, I have a moustache now. It's black... thanks genetics.
I am trying to learn French now to go along nicely with my 'stache, so I will hopefully make an attempt to do a blog post in French one day. Oui. Tres bien.
Been a while. A long while. I have just returned to Knoxville from a place called Aspen, CO where I spent the last 3 and a half months. Heard of it? Quite a trip. Snow. Boards. Hot Tubs. Mountains. These were all included, and somewhat enjoyed. But that's another story. The one I have to tell today is a novella I have been working on starting approximately 11 hours ago. Though it may have never have the joy of being finished or subsequently reviewed, here at least is an excerpt from what I have so far:
You are floating. I am floating. He is floating. Floating in some undefined cosmic space, some result of an expanding universe or black holes and event horizons or whatever the top thinkers of our age enjoy talking about nowadays. No light. All he knows is infinite darkness, and no theory can describe to you what that’s like. No hope. No point. No fluffy animals. Just floating.
Fisher wakes up. No longer floating in the traditional sense, now floating in covers and blankets and unusual stuffed animals possessing a strange resemblance to Ewoks. He hugs one cause he feels lonely, but the Ewok doesn’t hug back. He hopes one day it will. That would be nice. Ewok hug.
Deep in the cavernous blanket cavern he hears a vibration. Have the Ewoks come alive? No. it’s a cell phone, the ring tone a fanciful MIDI interpretation of some Burt Bacharach song from 2,000 years ago or something like that. With no rush in mind, he dives under the covers in a desperate attempt to locate the phone, fumbling his hand around in little nooks and crannies only cell phones have the ability to find. Quicker than usual, his fingers grasp the metal receptor. He quickly hit’s the talk button and raises it to his ear. Trained Dog.
“Hello”
“Fisher, hey…”
Images and ideas flash through his brain. Caroline. Green eyes. Stars. Penguins… Girlfriend.
“Hey Caroline.”
There she is. She’s pretty, isn’t she? Dark hair, curly. No, wavy. You could get lost in it. Fisher hopes there are no poor Ewoks lost in her hair. What else? Pretty smile, full set of teeth. Caroline.
“Are you at home Fisher? I left some paint I needed there, bring it to me?” She might as well have batted her eyelashes over the phone. Nice eyelashes too, if you’re into that.
“Uh..” For a second, he has the strangest sense that he’s out of place, a foreign man in a foreign land. Gypsy. Traveling Salesman. Buy this stranger!… Composure. “Of course, but only if the Ewoks aren’t using it.”
“Ewoks?”
“Uh, never mind.”
“I’m assuming that’s a yes.”
“Yes.”
“See you soon then.”
“See you in 31.8 minutes, you know, the approximate time it takes to deliver explosive paint.”
“Its not explosive.”
“I’m not taking any chances.”
“In that case, be careful, and hurry.”
Click. What a strange conversation. Fisher wonders if they have always had strange conversations. Oh well. Then he thinks about the paint. Caroline, artist, creator extraordinaire. Canvases fill the bedroom, explode out the closet, fall on the cat, etc… Some people think the Mona Lisa is a fine work of art. Fisher thinks Caroline is a fine work of art.
It's been over a month since I've done a post, so I thought it was about time I brushed the dust off the laptop and racked the contents of my brain for my blogger password and did something productive for once. Now the only problem is that I need to find something to blog about. I mean, when it's been this long, you just get out of the groove, and it's about time I got back into it.
Here's what I've accomplished since the last blog:
Graduated from college
Moved out of my apartment
Wrote a couple songs
Bowled terribly
Established dominance at chess
And now it's 2011. A New Year.
What will the tide bring in?
By the way: Check out Jeremy Fisher and his songs Kiss the Moon and Scar that Never Heals
The following contains a list of songs for the solo drive, when it's just you, the open road, and the thoughts inside your own head. There has always been a big difference between listening to music alone and with other people. When no one else is around, all that exists is the music you love, whether you prefer singing along or just getting lost in the melody. Here is a list of some songs I have been experiencing recently....
Phoenix - Love for Granted
Of Montreal - 1st Time High (acoustic version of "An Eluardian Instance".
Billy Joel - You're My Home
Vampire Weekend - I Think UR a Contra
Boz Scaggs - Georgia
Eric Clapton - Reptile - also check out "Modern Girl"
Kings of Convenience - Misread
Phoenix - Alphabetical
Thin Lizzy - Fight or Fall
Bruce Springsteen - New York City Serenade
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
All of these songs are some of my favorites. I recommend not only feeling the mood of the music, but also paying attention to the beautiful lyrics that weave in and out of the melodies. Just today I listened to both "alphabetical" and "love for granted" by Phoenix on the way to school and will surely listen to a couple more by the end of the day.
At least these songs will come in handy until you go somewhere where "we don't need roads."
Anyway, hope you enjoy and see you next post. Maybe.
Two days ago, I heard the sad news that Andy Irons, legendary surfer and father-to-be, had been found dead in his hotel room. Irons was a three-time world champion surfer and only 32 years old. A very sad day for the surfing community.
Andy grew up on the fabled North Shore, Hawaii's famous surfing mecca. Him and his brother Bruce grew up in the water, learning the excitement of danger of ocean's reef while competing with each other.
This zeal for competition would shape the boys into two of the world's finest surfers. Andy would go on to win three surfing world titles, forging a stiff rivalry with Kelly Slater, the famous nine-time world champion. Bruce also competes on the tour and is a rising star, despite flirting with quitting and becoming solely a free surfer.
The loss of Andy Irons is heartbreaking news for everyone. Though he may have started surfing because it was the "party", he continued his passion not for the fame, but because he had to. Andy once said that surfing was the only thing that kept him from going over the edge; that kept him sane. Maybe he lost his love somewhere and finally toppled over. I'd like to think that he was on his way back to another spectacular world title, but it was not meant to be. My love goes out to his widowed bride and his unborn child. I wish them the best in this tough time.
Since the advent of the talking picture, movies and music have been synonymous. From happy-go-lucky musicals to soaring epics backed by massive orchestras, music has been a crucial influence on the power of motion pictures. Just think about it, would that decisive final battle or that perfect kiss be the same without the right music in the background? I don't think so.
So in remembrance of all those great movie moments, here is a list of some of the best pairings of music and film in history. Enjoy, and don't be afraid to cry. It's okay.
Best Movie Theme:
Star Wars (Main Theme) - John Williams
Well, I went with the obvious choice. But let's be real, this is probably one of the most memorable and classic movie theme of all time. When those horns hit for the first time as you stare into the vacuum of space on your TV screen, you know you are in for an epic adventure. And what a strange and wonderful trip it really was.
Runner Up: Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story - Randy Edelman
Decent movie, great soundtrack.
Best musical:
Little Shop of Horrors
Runner up: Singin' In the Rain
The Golden Age of Cinema. Just singin' and laughin'... try to get that one out of your head.
Best Compilation Soundtrack:
The Blues Brothers
Fun, fast, and of course, Bluesy. Everybody needs somebody who listens to this soundtrack.
Runner Up: The Graduate
Oh Mrs. Robinson.
Best Movie + Music moment:
The Elevator Scene - Vanilla Sky
The whole sequence in the movie leading up to the roof scene is absolutely genius. It begins with "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys as David realizes he's living in a dream. As he yells for tech support, an elevator opens. The scene in the elevator was mesmerizing to me. As David hears the heartbreaking truth about his life, we here "Doot Doot" by Freur and then "Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized. I'll never forget hearing the lyrics of the "Floating in Space" as I learned of David's actual death: "All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away." It is then that Edmund says: "Consequences, David. It's the little things." All in all a heart-wrenching scene.
Runner Up: Squints kisses Wendy - The Sandlot
Nothing makes me miss those carefree days as a kid more than The Sandlot. The movie captures the essence of those days filled with baseball, fun, and adventure perfectly. And there's no moment better than when Squints kisses the bombshell Wendy Peffercorn, the lifeguard while "This Magic Moment" plays in the background. Ahhh... Wendy, how I loved you.
Well, that wraps up the review of the magic union of movies and music.
Last night while doing homework I was randomly inspired to research the wily and wild life of the late Alex Lowe, a climber and mountaineer I had heard about over the years. He was brought to my recent attention during a lecture by Conrad Anker, his long-time friend and fellow climber. Anker, who is now married to Lowe's widow, did not mention his fallen friend while he was painting the pictures of his mountain adventures to the packed audience. Lowe is definitely a man worth mentioning. As fascinating as he is spirited, he propelled himself up dangerous peaks and memorable climbs, never losing his desire for the inhospitable climate of the mountains.
Alex Lowe lost his life in October, 1999, on the mountain of Shishapangma in Tibet. He was buried under an avalanche along with high-altitude cameraman David Bridges. The other member of the trio, the aforementioned Conrad Anker, miraculously survived the barrage, but was unable to locate the bodies of his friends buried underneath the snow. Interestingly, Anker would go on to marry Lowe's widow. My initial reaction is that the situation is very strange and uneasy. How could Anker marry his friend's widow? But maybe Lowe would have wanted it that way.
Due to the events on Shishapangma and dozens of other tragedies, many people are of the opinion that climbers and mountaineers are reckless and stupid, attempting feats that are better left undone. "Why be a miserable on a mountain when you are comfortable in your own bed?" They might say. But that is the essence of the human spirit, I would argue. To achieve the impossible, to push farther and higher than ever before, to discover the unknown and discover the meaning that lies beneath it all. The human race climbs because there will always be a man who sees a mountain, steps forward and says: "I can do that." Is that the only reason? Maybe.
Lowe was the epitomy of this ideal, striving not to be the "world's best climber" but to climb because he couldn't stay away. "The best climber is the one having the most fun!" He would say. His life was filled with colorful adventure, from a famous rescue on Denali to an ice-climbing accident in Montana that left him looking like "a mangled victim in a Wes Craven movie." His philosophy may have been best shown by his favorite quote from Helen Keller:
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
Alex Lowe 1958-1999
A quick word about music.
One of my favorites, Kings of Convenience, with some beautiful songs.
Next Post:
Music is back! The much-awaited next entry will be of the most awesome nature and will concern itself with the wild world of movie music!
