The Hungry Hungry Writer

I don’t have any right now. Thoughts on faith, that is.

Anne Lamott is one of my favorite authors. I admire her for everything she’s gone through: Alcoholism, questioning faith, raising a child. Every book she has written has touched me in some way or another. I identify with the struggles, even if my struggles may not be as deep. I identify with her as a writer, even if my own accomplishments aren’t as recognized. I identify with her thoughts on faith, even if my own thoughts on faith aren’t as sorted out – yet.

If you ever get a chance to read one of her books please do yourself a favor and pick one up.

Here are my favorites:

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (nonfiction)
(my favorite!!!)

Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year (nonfiction)
(a must read if you’re a parent!)

Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith (nonfiction)

Plan B: Thoughts on Faith (nonfiction)

I’m currently reading:

Blue Shoe (fiction)

Pick up a book or two. I especially recommend, “Bird by Bird”, for writers and non-writers a like. Then read Traveling Mercies.

Are you a perfectionist? It’ll lead to your unhappiness in life AND the unhappiness of others around you. If you are a perfectionist, you probably dwell in a world of others who are also striving for perfectionism. It’s probably an escape from ‘reality’ or a crutch to get you away from the real things that make you who you are.

I don’t strive for perfection. Ever. It would drive me crazy. Sometimes you have to stop and say, “that’s the best I can do”.

It will drive anybody crazy.

Why?

Because perfectionism is unattainable. And trying to be perfect is… INSANITY!

It’s true.

90% of everything I’ve written, no matter how many rewrites and table readings, and more rewrites, every time I hear it out loud I cringe. Last night’s screening is another example. I’m sure the writing could have been better. It went through several rewrites. I was happy with it. But once again, I hear the words out loud and I’m like, shit, did I write that? Okay, sometimes… SOMETIMES, 10% of the time, hear something and I’m taken aback – did I write that? Cool!

Perfectionism will only lead you to a wall. You’ll forever be doing that – striving for perfection without realizing other things around you that you should be paying attention to.

So the above quote by Anne Lamott really stands out. Perfectionism is a burden. It’ll weigh you down. And in the end what have you achieved? Probably, nothing.

MOOD: Depressed

Anxiety? Frustration? Depression? What is it? Why do I feel the way I feel on some days, on others feel TOTALLY different: opposite? Today is one of those crappy days.

I didn’t get much sleep: like four hours or something. I watched two episodes of Lost, Friday Night Lights, and some sports recap. Maybe my lack of sleep contributes to my emotions today. Although I think I started to feel this way in the middle of the night.

I had a dream about Jacob playing baseball and the sick feeling I get when I think of those god-awful parents in the stands. It was such a frustrating dream. I hate those types of parents. I don’t like coaching for that reason alone. I might have to stay away from it and focus on Jake’s skills as an athlete.

I’m sleep deprived!!!

How Much Do You Need?
Different people require different amounts of rest. While the majority of adults should spend between eight to nine hours asleep, a small number of people function perfectly well on only three to four hours of rest. The time a person spends asleep also changes with age:

Zero to 24 months: Thirteen to seventeen hours.
Two year olds: Nine to thirteen hours.
Ten year olds: Ten to eleven hours.
Sixteen to 65 years: Six to nine hours.
Over 65 years: Six to eight hours.

Symptoms

Exhaustion, fatigue and lack of physical energy are common sleep deprivation symptoms. Exhaustion and fatigue affect our emotional moods, causing pessimism, sadness, stress and anger. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has suggested that social problems such as road rage may be caused, in part, by a national epidemic of sleepiness.

The brain’s frontal cortex relies on sleep to function effectively. Insufficient rest adversely affects the frontal cortex’s ability to control speech, access memory, and solve problems. The effect on physical energy is also startling: otherwise healthy people quickly show symptoms of age and early diabetes as glucose metabolism falls by up to forty percent. These physical reactions disappear when the test subject is allowed to rest properly. Driving and other activities can become dangerous without sufficient rest.

My kids are a great example of sleep deprivation. My kids need exactly as this chart suggests:

Bella: 3 yrs: Nightime Sleep 10.5 hours, Daytime sleep 1.1 hours, Total Sleep 12 hours.
Jake: 6 yrs: Nighttime Sleep 10.5-11 hours, Daytime sleep 0 hours, Total Sleep 10.5-11 hours.
(from YourChild:Sleep)

They go to bed between 7:00 and 7:30… They wake up 5:30 to 6:00. That’s perfect. And Bella gets more than an hour nap at school. By 7:00 PM they are more than ready to sleep and if they stay up later, they get past that fatigue and for some reason are wired. What’s the explanation behind that?

Anyway, I need more sleep. Maybe when I get at least six hours sleep I won’t be as depressed.

I should start a mood category to track my emotions and log my entries based on my mood. Good idea? Yeah… good idea.

The turnout for “The Turning” was a huge success. A full house, lots of drinks, a festive, spirited crowd and, if I say so myself, a great five minute short!

100+ people were there, some missed it and a few extra people made it through the doors after waiting in the cold on Hollywood Blvd. Some people wanted more backstory, some people wanted more front story, everyone wants to see a full blown feature! And hopefully, someday, we can bring it to you!

But for those who want a little back story, here’s a little excerpt from the work we did prior to the filming of “The Turning”.

NEWS FLASH
Just released was a confirmation of an area quarantined by the government similar to that of Area 51. This area was on an uncharted island one hundred miles south of New Zealand. The island is called AZS51 and Australian military sources confirm the island’s call sign stands for A: AREA, Z: ZOMBISM S: SCREAMLAND and the numeral 51 to mirror the stretch of land in Nevada, a sub-area of the Groom Lake facility, where UFOs are stored, built, and tested also called “Dreamland”.

AZS51 was inhabited by natives of the island but a compound housed what they are calling, Zombies - reanimated dead quarantined there for scientific testing.

Two months ago a scientist infected with what they classify as a Type: X-12 virus was able to exit the daily physical exam with a clean bill of health. He never reported back to base. His name has been withheld from the media.

It is confirmed that the majority of the island inhabitants have been infected with the Type: X-12 virus through bites from “Zombified” victims. The population as of 2004 census shows 60,000 inhabitants on the island. There is a 100% mortality rate once infected.

One to five minutes after a person dies by infection, the body resurrects in a ‘zombie-like’ state and acts in very violent ways - like a rabid-dog. It wanders with aimless aggression biting those that are within reach.

The compound has an automatic lockdown and approximately two hundred people are still within. Leaflets were dropped onto the island with instructions on how to protect yourself and on the symptoms of the Type: X-12 Virus.

Both the US officials and General Bradshaw of the Australian Military have stated that the outbreak of the Type: X-12 Virus has been contained to the island and the public has no need to worry but they also admit that they are currently trying to locate two other doctors who went through the same physical exit exam before departing to Japan and The United States on the day of the Type: X-12 virus outbreak. If one or both of these doctors are infected, the outbreak may move quickly through the general public with no known cure.

A military plan is already being set to extract the remaining individuals from the compound on the AZ51 island.

So you want to know what happened to our heroes, Alexis and Tsairus? They caught a virus and its called:

TYPE: ZX-12 VIRUS

Signs and Symptoms

Once infection occurs, the ZX-12 virus grows in muscle tissue and may go undetected for several days or months depending on the size of the wound where the individual was infected: you can only be infected through a bite by another infected individual carrying the ZX-12 virus.

During the incubation (or latent) period, the infected human appears healthy and shows no sign of infection. Eventually, the virus migrates to the nerves near the site of the infection and spreads to the spinal cord and brain (i.e., the central nervous system). It will spread through the peripheral nerves to the central nervous system. At this point, the disease progresses rapidly, and the infected human begins to show the classic behavioral signs of ‘turning’. The virus spreads to the saliva, tears, breast milk, and urine. The human then shows no signs of life and within 1 to 5 minutes reanimates into a full-fledged TYPE: ZOMBIE X-12.

Prior to death the infection progresses in a predictable manner, from the initial prodormal phase to the excitative, or furious, phase to the final paralytic phase.

The first sign usually is a change in behavior. Humans that are infected should be aware that behavioral changes can occur as a result of many conditions, from digestive disorders to poisoning.

Infected humans usually stop eating and drinking, and may appear to want to be left alone. After the initial onset of symptoms, the human may become vicious or begin to show signs of paralysis. Some bite at the slightest provocation and others may be somnolent and difficult to arouse. Once the infected human shows signs of paralysis, the disease progresses very quickly and the human dies.

Prodromal phase: first symptoms of ZX-12 infection
The early symptoms of the ZX-12 infection tend to be subtle and include the following:
· Change in tone of voice
· Grinding of teeth
· Fever
· Loss of appetite
· Subtle changes in behavior

Furious phase: “mad dog syndrome”
An infected human may viciously attack any person verbally or physically.
They may show the following signs:
· Craving to eat anything
· Constant irritability
· Episodes of aggression
· Facial expression showing anxiety and hyperalertness
· Restlessness
· Seizures
· Trembling and muscle incoordination

Paralytic phase
Initial symptoms include the following:
· Appearance of choking
· Dropping of the lower jaw
· Inability to swallow, leading to drooling and foaming of saliva (i.e., “foaming at the mouth”)
· Paralysis of jaw, throat, and chewing muscles

Paralysis then spreads to other parts of the body, the human becomes depressed, rapidly enters a coma and dies.

Zombie phase
Within 1 to 5 minutes of death, the deceased body reanimates into a full-fledged TYPE: ZOMBIE X-12.
The Zombie will show all of the following behaviors.
· Craving to eat Humans.
· Dilated pupils
· Disorientation
· Erratic behavior
· Aggression
· Facial expression showing anger
· Irritability
· Restlessness
· Roaming

Cure for the Type: Zombie X-12 Virus
There is no known cure after the Zombie phase at this time. Decapitation of the head, extreme physical trauma to the brain or reducing the body to its base elements through burning are the only means to stop a TYPE: ZOMBIE X-12 from continued reanimated life.

“The Turning” - WGAw registered

You might learn something new about murder plots, the Beatles, orgasms, orphanages and something else.

KUNG TUT
Did you know King Tut was around 19 years old when he died? He was also thought to have died as part of a murder plot, being bludgeoned to death. Today, through CT Scans, etc., it is revealed he may have died from an infection caused by an infection in a leg where a fracture was found on his thigh bone.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWO
As of late Monday night, one night before “The Turning” screening, 102 people are scheduled to attend. Wow. We figured, 50 or so people would RSPV and some of those would be no-shows. 102 people are supposed to attend, as far as the eVite RSVP count shows, of course some will not, and… several have called to say they will come. We predict 100 people with the no-shows and add-ons. That’s pretty huge for a small venue, a short film, and a TUESDAY NIGHT! I’m impressed.

THAI FOOD
After the screening, Donna and I will be eating some Thai Food in Hollywood, at our favorite Thai restaurant. I can’t wait.

What else?

AN APPLE A DAY
Apple is trying to strike a deal to be able to sell Beatles songs on iTunes. They want an exclusive right – for a limited time at least. I bought the Beatles Album, “LOVE”, at Barnes & Noble because it wasn’t available on iTunes. I bought the U2 Deluxe edition of U218 on iTunes in order to get a specific song but if I want the DVD I’d have to buy the Deluxe edition Album at a store. I hate this exclusivity crap.

FANTASY
Fantasy Sports anyone? => I’m kicking ass in my Fantasy Football league. I’m 10-2 in a 10 team head-to-head league. I’m in 2nd place in my Basketball Rotisserie League BUT… I’m in last place (out of 12) in a hockey head-to-head league and 4th (out of in another hockey head-to-head league. I don’t like fantasy hockey. Maybe I’d do better if it were rotisserie based instead of head-to-head. I finished in 2nd place in my past Fantasy Baseball League. So far, this year has been good to me as far as Fantasy Sports is concerned. Attending live drafts helps big time.

ORGASMS AND RUNNERS’ HIGH
Are you depressed? Want to recover? Here’s info on Runners’ High: a pretty good article on how it can cure depression: Is ‘Runners’ High’ a Cure for Depression? Someone described his Runners’ High over at the Runners World Forums. He pretty much nailed it. I’ve experienced it several times now. Here’s what he had to say…

“Each of my three experiences occurred in the middle of easy 6 mile recovery runs 4 days after a marathon (my 4th, 6th, and 8th). Two occurred while running outdoors in a park. The third while running on an indoor track. Each “high” lasted less than 20 minutes. During those minutes, I drifted into what I can only describe as a trance. Though I was fully aware of my surroundings, everything seemed to be remote. I knew my legs were moving, but I felt like I was floating. Running was beyond effortless…..it was like an out-of-body experience. It literally felt like someone else was doing the work and I was merely along for the ride. Those magical moments were among the most sensuous and pleasurable experiences I have had that didn’t involve sex. Each was interrupted abruptly by a sudden, loud sound (a car horn, a dog bark, and a shout) after which I couldn’t get it back, though the runs continued to be very enjoyable. (A lesser intensity high?) Maybe it was a form of hypnosis. I don’t know. However, I do find it curious that each occurred approximately 100 hours after finishing a marathon. And, it wasn’t my first run after the marathon in any of the three instances. “

I remember describing the same feeling on a 6.2 mile early morning run while listening to “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. There have been other instances where I’ve felt the same feeling, one being during my 8 mile run on Thanksgiving. I distinctly remember struggling through to get to mile 6 and somewhere between mile 6 and 7 I disappeared. I don’t even remember getting to and past mile 7. I looked down at my watch and I had passed the 7 mile mark and although I was struggling at mile 5-6, I was breezing through mile 7 with only one mile to go. I forced myself to take a minute walk before continuing but knew I had hit that Runners’ High once again. It was such a contrast to the pain and suffering on the previous mile. It was so easy: an out of body experience!

Some say an orgasm is closely related because of the endorphins released or something. Although both are pretty damn good feelings I don’t think it’s a good comparison… Runners’ High lasts longer. J I kill myself sometimes with my humor. Brilliance!

HALF MARY
On Sunday I will be attempting my first half marathon. That’s 13.1 miles for those who are running illiterate as I once was just a year ago. It marks a year anniversary to when I started endurance training. I ran a 5K back on December 11th, 2005. I struggled through it finishing it in 31 minutes and 24 seconds. And now, just a year later, I’ll be running 13.1 miles with a goal to finish in 2 hours and 30 minutes. WOW. Just saying it gives me chills. From 3.1 miles to 13.1 miles in a year. The push for 26.2 will be a serious challenge. The problem with this Sunday is that I’ve been feeling under the weather. I’ve averaged 15-19 miles a week up until two weeks ago when I only did 6.2 miles and last week when I only did 11.6 miles. This week I might be good for 15 and I follow the first week in December with a half mary. Whew. I hope I can do it. Steve and I may pace each other at 11 minute miles with a walk here and there. Both of us are sick so we’ll play it by ear.

ORPHANAGES MAY BE JAKE’S BIGGEST FEAR
The movie, “Annie”, touched fear in Jacob that caused tears and a night where he couldn’t sleep. During our viewing of “Annie” on Friday, Jacob asked what an orphanage was. So I explained. Simply, a place for kids without parents. Why? Because some parents may have died. Well, soon after that explanation he started to cry and said he didn’t want to go to an orphanage. I told him he wouldn’t have to. And that was that. Later that night, he started crying in bed. Crying, crying, crying, saying he couldn’t stop thinking about the orphanage. I told him that I would try not to die. Well, it got ridiculous as he kept crying and crying and crying… it was to the point where Bella couldn’t even sleep so she yelled, “Papa!!! Jacob is crying about the Orphanage!!!” Ugh!

He came out, I hugged him tight, reassured him that he wasn’t going to an orphanage because I wasn’t going to die. I told him to: think about Baseball or Lego Star Wars II, close his eyes and go to sleep. He finally fell asleep.

Whew. That damn “Annie” movie!

If you made it this far then you made it to one of U2’s best songs…

JAKE AND BELLA
I’ve come to realize that every song U2 has is one of their best songs… Well, this song is special because Bono wrote it for his dad about his dad. It’s pretty sad. He sang it at his funeral in 2001 I believe. It’s called, “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”. I love this song. Friday night, after the whole orphanage thing, I listened to it over and over again. It brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. I went to Jake and Bella’s room and gave them hugs… There’s a line in the lyrics that says, “And it’s you when I look in the mirror.” And someday maybe both my kids will look into the mirror and say this about me. I know that I have taken a good look into the mirror and have seen both Jake and Bella. I look at myself and hope I can raise these kids to be better than the person I see in the mirror as I see myself in both of them already. There are so many things I have yet to teach them – about life, about love, about commitment and passion. I hope I succeed.

Here are the lyrics:

“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”
By U2

Tough, you think you’ve got the stuff
You’re telling me and anyone
You’re hard enough

You don’t have to put up a fight
You don’t have to always be right
Let me take some of the punches
For you tonight

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

We fight all the time
You and I… that’s alright
We’re the same soul
I don’t need… I don’t need to hear you say
That if we weren’t so alike
You’d like me a whole lot more

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

I know that we don’t talk
I’m sick of it all
Can you hear me when I Sing,
you’re the reason I sing
You’re the reason why the opera is in me

Where are we now?
I’ve got to let you know
A house still doesn’t make a home
Don’t leave me here alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you that makes it hard to let go
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own
Sometimes you can’t make it
The best you can do is to fake it
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

And that wraps up this ‘Random Pieces of Information’ entry.

This looks fun: Snoopy vs The Red Baron

Do you remember the Get Smart episode where Max battles the Red Baron? I loved that episode because as a little kid who loved Snoopy, I got to see the Red Baron FOR REAL! Well, real as in KAOS-real. Do you know what KAOS stands for? It just means Chaos – the opposite of CONTROL which means ‘control’. KAOS was the International Organization of Evil. And they battled CONTROL.

Memories. Ah… Memories.

Well, no Twilight Zone for me this past Thanksgiving. No running this weekend either. I was planning to do 3/8/3/5 miles on Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat respectively. I managed 3.5 on Wednesday and 8.13 miles on Thursday afternoon before Thanksgiving dinner. Friday, I was sick; Saturday, I spent most of the day in bed, and Sunday, I was recovering from being sick. So I managed 11.6 miles for the week. Which is my lowest mileage output for the month since July, I believe. Kinda sucks, but you rest when you have to rest.

Thursday’s turkey was awesome. Lees did everything, except the salad. And it was one of the best turkeys ever! Then we had another big dinner at Donna’s sister’s house (on Sunday). And although the turkey was top notch, the larb and sticky rice was what I focused on. Yum!

Larb (Thai) or Laap or Larp or Laab is a type of Thai/Lao meat salad. It is most often made with chicken, beef, duck or pork , flavored with fish sauce and lime. Larb made with duck, turkey or fish is also popular. The meat can be either raw or cooked; it is minced and mixed with chilli, mint and, optionally, assorted vegetables. The dish is served at room temperature and usually with a serving of sticky rice.

Laap is the unofficial National Dish of Laos and is also very popular in Thailand.

Yum yum yum yum!

On Friday night I bought one of the best U2 albums put together. I got it through iTunes. It’s a compilation of songs called on an album called, U218 Singles. It contains 18 songs – sixteen of their most well known ones and two others. But… a limited edition version comes with an additional 10 songs recorded on the Vertigo Tour in Milan. I can listen to the live tracks over and over and over.

But one track on the album, first time released, is their song, “Smile” (The track comes from the sessions for ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’). It’s a great song and I don’t know why it didn’t make it onto that particular album, which, by the way, is a great album in itself!

Learn anything new yet?

What about this?

The Rubik’s Cube is purportedly the world’s best selling toy with over 300 million Cubes and imitations sold around the world! It was originally called the Magic Cube (1974) by Ernő Rubik its inventor, a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture. It was renamed Rubik’s Cube in 1980 and released worldwide, winning a Spiel des Jahres special award for Best Puzzle.

Do you like getting high? Well, here’s why I like to run so much: Runner’s High. The good feeling one gets from running is partially attributed to the release of endorphins.

You know about Black Friday - but do you know what they call the Monday after Thanksgiving? Cyber Monday – often associated with the unfounded belief that it is the busiest shopping day of the year for online retailers, because people would continue shopping while at work from the company’s computer. Coined in 2005, after the 2004 Monday after Thanksgiving where eCommerce sales skyrocketed.

Oh, if you knew all above, here’s something you didn’t know. Our short film, “The Turning”, which will be screening on November 28th, 2006 was originally a script that contained paintball guns that shot balls filled with Holy Water instead of paintballs.

Yeah, we changed that weapon into swords. But the original is pretty good too! Very comic-bookie!

So there- something new you didn’t know.

Here are the lyrics for Smile from the album mentioned above, “U218 Singles”

Smile
By U2

Gravity, is not pulling me
I won’t be a picture with no sign
Decaying, I’m praying
You are my air but
I need the ground to kneel upon
And love can’t be a song
I don’t want to see you smile

I’m breaking it, taking it
I’m breaking it slowly in mind
I’m seeing it, freeing it
I know love is in this soul of mine
It’s not in your eyes
I don’t want…
I don’t want to see you smile

I started, light-hearted
It won’t be easy like you said
I’m going, flowing
I’m leaving on the day of the dead
I will live again
You will live again
I don’t want to see you smile

God knows it, knows me
Knows me, knows me
You sing, hear me love
Say it again, burnt out blind
The smoke machine is yours not mine
I don’t want to see you smile

I will live again
You will live again
I just don’t want to see you smile

Click for full size image

Ahh, Charlie Brown… I know what you mean.

Wolf Creek (2005)
My Rating: 6/10

Wolfe Creek is a meteor crater (astrobleme) in Western Australia, Australia. It is surrounded by the Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park.

It is 875 metres in diameter, and it is estimated that the crater was formed by a 50,000 kg meteorite impact and the age is estimated to be less than 300,000 years (Pleistocene). The crater is exposed to the surface.

The local Djaru (Jaru) Aboriginal people know it as Kandimalal.

The crater was featured in the 2005 horror film Wolf Creek, which also commented about unusual electromagnetic activity in the surrounding area.

Here’s a picture: Wolf Ceek Crater

I watched the movie, ‘Wolf Creek’, last night. It was pretty disturbing. If you like ‘Saw’ or other torture movies, then I guess its for you. I like fun slasher films like, ‘Scream’ and ‘I know what you did last Summer’.

It’s basically an Australian, ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’

The tagline is great: Tagline: 30,000 are reported missing in Australia every year. 90% are found within a month. Some are never seen again. And here we watch three of those 30,000 missing people and what they go through.

It kept me on edge AFTER about an hour. The first hour was this that and the other thing with a weak attempt at character development. There was a lot of wasted film time that could have been used to get some ‘character’ into the film. Too bad they didn’t, it would have made me feel more for those involved.

I didn’t hate it but I definitely did not love it. I liked how it kept me on edge and that’s about it.

So what’s on my agenda?

Bella is sick. So we’re watching Annie right now and if you haven’t seen it, you have to see it just for Carol Burnett! She’s awesome. And what a heart warming movie it is too.

Donna is taking a nap from working all night, and Jake is out with ‘Ampa’.

At noon I’ll be off on an 8 mile run. I hope it’s not too hot out there. It might be cut short because I did something to my back this morning and I’m in a little bit of pain. Two Advil’s, a pillow propping me back and Annie to entertain should hopefully help.

AND THEN…

AND THEN!!!!!!!

It’s Turkey Time! 3:00 PM, at Lala’s house! Turkey, gravy, some of this, some of that and a nice FAT glass of wine!

Hope everyone else has a great dinner as well!

Oh here’s a quick review on Annie…

Annie (1982)
My rating: 9/10

A perfect movie for the family. It keeps the kids engrosed and there’s enough story for us adults as well. Its a feel good movie PERFECT for the Thanksgiving/Christmas season! And if you’ve never seen it before, watch it just for Carol Burnett’s role. She was awesome!

-quick enough?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Educate yourself and learn about Thanksgiving here: The Thanksgiving Story

All you need is…

LOVE The Beatles

I read the news today, oh boy…

If there’s only one Beatle album you need to own, it’s this one. Its fresh, its new, its as if they put together a reunion album! It’s awesome. 26 powerful songs all packed into one CD for UNDER $15.00 ($11.95 if you’re a Barnes & Noble member). That’s unheard of!

Brilliance.

This CD is the soundtrack for the new Cirque Du Soleil show at the Mirage in Vegas entitled: The Beatles Love.

With LOVE, Cirque du Soleil celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles
Born from a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, LOVE brings the magic of Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion behind the most beloved rock group of all time to create a vivid, intimate and powerful entertainment experience.

LOVE evokes the exuberant and irreverent spirit of The Beatles, as interpreted through the youthful, urban energy of a cast of 60 international artists. Using the master tapes at Abbey Road studios, Sir George Martin and Giles Martin have created a unique soundscape of The Beatles music for LOVE. The custom-built theatre at The Mirage features 360° seating, panoramic video projections and surround sound which will envelop the audience, who will experience The Beatles music like never before…

Love samples 130 songs to create 26 musical pieces. The songs are mixed so that the lyrics and instrumentation from one song blend into the next.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the two surviving Beatles have responded very positively to the album, with Paul noting that “This album puts The Beatles back together again, because suddenly there’s John and George with me and Ringo”; and Ringo commending George and Giles Martin for the album and admitting that the album is “really powerful for me and I even heard things I’d forgotten we’d recorded.”

My favorites:
Because, Get Back, Eleanor Rigby, Something, Blackbird!!!, Strawberry Fields Forever, Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds (I LOVE THIS SONG!), Here Comes the Sun…

and of course my all time Beatles song…

A Day in the Life… and if you know nothing about the Beatles you should at least know about this song and the history behind it! Look it up some time. Or go here: (wikipedia) And if you ever watched Mr. Holland’s Opus, his ‘opus’ ends the same way.

Brilliance.

And the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) is so fricken cool!

The last song: All You Need Is Love makes me want to watch Love Actually again.

BUY THE CD!!! You won’t be disappointed.

Again, I restate what I said before… if there’s only ONE Beatles album to ever own…

“All you need is LOVE!”

From Thanksgiving to New Years, it’s MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!!!

I have one memory of Thanksgiving from my childhood. I think about it every year but as the years go by, the images of that day start to disappear. It sucks. But its my favorite memory of Thanksgiving.

It’s Thanksgiving Day. The weather is a light sweater type, cool day. It’s kinda dark but there’s no real threat of rain. The leaves are everywhere on our street.

Twilight Zone plays all day long and I catch as many episodes every once in a while going outside to ride my bike in circles in the neighbor’s driveway.

Then, as the day turns to night, I am dressed up in ‘church clothes’ and we head out to my auntie Inez’s house. She was a friend of the family, a Swedish Lady who weighed about 300+ pounds. She had the whole spread. Everything! Turkey, potatoes, salad, cranberries and my favorite… biscuits! She made the best biscuits!

My little sister and I were provided coloring books and we colored while the adults talked. They were Auntie Inez’s sister’s coloring books. Her sister was retarded. It was sad.

We’d eat and eat and eat. And then… the dreaded piano thing. My sister had to always play a song on the piano for all the guests. I hated that part. Why ruin a good thing.

Boy were we young. I loved going to her house to visit. But I also hated it because I was uncomfortable with her retarded sister – I can’t even remember her name. I felt sorry for her, but I was so young and I didn’t really understand. I knew she was retarded, I just didn’t ‘get it’ you know? And I was more uncomfortable than anything. And every time we went, I had to play the piano.

Auntie Inez died about fifteen years ago. With her weight problems and all, she was very unhealthy. I wished I payed more attention to her on the phone when she called from the Hospital that one time she called. I didn’t know how to deal with it back then. Its never easy I guess.

Well, those were my favorite Thanksgiving dinners: the ones at Auntie Inez’s house. I wish I could relive em… unfortunately I can’t.

So we move on and have many more Thanksgivings. Now with my own kids.

I hope there’s a Twilight Zone marathon this year!