New Yawrk City Part ONE

New York City is like, kinda, big.

I like big cities. Like undersells my feelings towards urban communities. But nothing prepared me for the enormous monster that NYC is. Buildings are huge. I mean every building is huge. The city covers an unbelievable amount of territory. You see in Toronto, you have three options, you can take the subway, a cab or you can walk. In New York, you don't walk. I mean you can walk, but you don't get to a location by walking, you walk once you get there. The number of people in NYC? Everywhere. You can't get away from the people. There were so many people it made me nauseous. Like I said, everything is big. That underlies my first experience with NYC.

To anyone who has been there, it seems redundant to mention this fact. But if you haven't been there, you have no idea. In addition the sensory system is completely overloaded. Lights, sounds, smells are everywhere. Times Square is a particularly good example of this. Mind you this was during the holiday season, but people were cramped from the sidewalk right into every store. There is just no escaping a sensory overload.

I like it this way. But two things I have been DYING to point out. AS CLICHE as they will be, I can't dicuss the city without refering to them.

1) People are particularly aggressive and rude. This doesn't particularly bother me, seeing as I'm naturally inclined to this disposition, but its shocking. Cliche as it may sound, in Canada, you run to polite people. In NY you get out of the way, or risk being verbally assaulted. I picked up on this quite quickly. The first night I was there, a Saturday night, I became some what belligerent. Nothing came of it, but if you've never experienced me belligerent, it would be hard to convey, other than....WHAT!?!?!.....WHAT!?!?

2) The city is particularly dirty. I'm not talking about litter, either, although there probably is some. My hands though always felt dirty when I was out. The subway cars just looked dirty. It adds a certain grimy element that completes the city. I don't think NYC would be NYC without the grime and the graffiti. Some subway stops are well over 50 years old, and they wear the years on their sleeves. Its kinda neat, there is no way to fake the grime of this many people living in a city. Sure, I feel like I just picked up TB, but on the other hand, I know this is NYC. You can't find grime like this just anywhere.




Tomorrow I will get into recounting THE experience. Believe me, I almost didn't make it home.

Al'ight,
Its been awhile. Things are back to normal.

My feelings on Sloan have soften quite a bit. I used to be a hater. Here is something I found on YouTube, featuring David Cross with Sloan backing him up in Brooklyn. Cross is singing "Jesus Christ Superstar"....which is fitting. Quite fitting I'd say.



I know Brooklyn. Well if you consider knowing it riding through its underbelly. Which is kinda like saying "I used to date this girl" when you really mean you said "HI" to her once.

And while I'm at it:

Sloan - Money City Manics



I used to be such a hater, I don't even know if Sloan fans like this song. But I've come around on it.

Sloan - The Other Man

This song drives me crazy. BY FAR THE WORST SONG by Sloan. Honestly I can't think of a song which matches this song's lame factor. Wait! Did I just use the term 'lame factor'??? Oops....I will now proceed to stick the offending fingers which typed that phrase into a meat grinder.

You think, I'm kidding.

I'm not.

The NYC weekend post is still coming, forgive my tardiness, but I am in-training right now so my time has been very limited. I promise there will be more posts once my life returns to normal shortly. Its pretty funny stuff, so keep posted.

Coming Soon.

Yo.

I am going to try and re-capture last weekend this weekend in a post, so keep posted.

There were moments during the weekend that ranged from thrilling to tramatic.

NYC is something else.

the motherfucking list: round three

Jules is off running errands, but this is what was supposed to be posted for the motherfucking list.


The Rapture
"Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh-Huh"

"People don't dance more/ They just stand there like this"....Yeah, until this track reached their ears.

BTW: I'm kinda serious. I mean I'm not dancing but I could see someone wanting too.



The Knife
"We Share Our Mothers' Health"

This track is other world demented....and fabulous.



Camera Obscura
"Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken"

One important note about this track: It is referencing a 1984 song: Lloyd Cole & the Commotions' 1984 ballad "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?"

However isn't the whole "I'm ready to be heartbroken" kinda like putting a HUGE sign on your forehead that says: 'I give you permission to walk all over me'....? And if that is the case, who is kidding who? You can't tell me that this girl really wants that, or that she won't whine after Lloyd walks all over her.

Or is it that I am too insensitive to understand true love?

Until I find an explanation this chick is like -8 on a scale of 1-10 of intelligence. (10 being smart)

There has to be an explanation for this right?

This is a money video!

Those recommendations from Jules got my juices flowing, so before I continued with 'the motherfucking list' I wanted to post a couple quick videos.

Johnny Cash
"Hurt"


Man, for whatever reason this simple cover by Cash makes this song so much better. I will admit though that I'm heavily sedated right now from excess turkey. So tomorrow I will probably wake up see this post and pull the trigger on the cold medal beside my head....

Some of you won't understand this joke but I have something against NIN. Other than having incredibly melodramatic lyrics (which is about as cool as adult contemporary music) - to me endorsing NIN would be like praying for someone incredibly snotty and bitchy to pour their alcoholic drink on me.

Okay, a short explanation might be in order: my friend the blonde cum bucket (BCB) used to tell me how much she loved NIN. (That was awhile back, but since those days I have always associated NIN with her) However some time ago she got incredibly drunk and bitchy, to point where she decided it would be great if she poured her drink all over me. (Did I mention she is a huge bitch?) I always like to point out I hadn't even done anything to her that night. Anyways I lost my mind! It was a huge scene mostly because she didn't like her expensive salon doo being shampooed with beer afterwards. (And I'll admit the reason I'm telling you this is because it was a pretty awesome moment for myself and everyone there) So we don't talk anymore. Surprise?!?! And NIN not only is incredibly lame, but is associated with BCB. Which is in my mind worse that sending your money to a scummy televangelist.

But you know what?

Fuck that. It's a pretty awesome cover by a pretty awesome artist.


This other post is something I couldn't resist. I know, I know, everyone has been all over this since God created earth. Not only that but its just not that great of a cover. I agree. But sometimes you just got to say fuck it! I am going to post an uncool, overexposed YouTube music video. It's just one of those late nights!

Enjoy.

Michael Andrews
"Mad World"

the motherfucking list: Round Two

Jules Winnfield: I'm back to this motherfucking blog with some more selections. One thing I should make clear is that this isn't one of those year-end lists. Or top ten lists. Those are as interesting as the excuses I encounter in collection - "Some more time man, please!" - After about the 10th time I'd rather put a bullet in my head than the poor sucker on his knees in front of me. No this is a motherfucking list. If you want a ranked list: go fuck yourself.

(JEB: Watch the language asshole!)

Jules: Like I said "Go fuck yourself"....anyways enough of this shit: The Motherfucking List part two.

Hot Chip
"Boy From School"

This video is pretty trippy shit. But even if it wasn't awesome, I'd still put this song on here. The song has this wonderfully mastered electronic dance-pop flowing under the sweet but sad "We tried, but we don't belong." It exudes a wistfully melancholy that touches even the most unsentimental bones.



Candi Staton
"His Hands"

This gospel track is full of sorrow and strength. Its powerful appeal lies in the authentic nature of the characters in the track's story who have all been dragged up from Staton's past. And it is in the climax of the song that she gives us a glimpse of the strength which helped her survive an abusive husband. Gospel and I usually mix like water and oil, but Staton brings the song alive through her own pain and struggle. So here is my props: you have made the motherfucking list! Be proud.

I also feel like I should add: If her ex-husband's shadow ever crossed my door, I'd pump his womanly torso full of steel, slap cement boots on his feet and dump his ass in a toxic waste land fill.

Midlake
"Roscoe"

This track makes you think of some tranquil backwoods. If I was an earthy, sentimental type I would like it more.

Speaking of backwoods, I whacked some guy in a forest last week . A real shame, God rest his soul! But I helped his bride get over it pretty quickly.


(I should point out this isn't the official video, but rather somebody's creation)

The Thermals
"Here's Your Future"

I picked this track because it has this bratty-punk sound mixed with a bleak dystopian outlook. Its so warm, I couldn't possibly resist not spreading it.

Of course if I was Hutch Harris' father I'd tell his whiny-ass his future: Picking weeds on my lawn until your 18th birthday, then you can move the fuck out. And don't ever come back!