Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Monday, September 24, 2007

Sacred Music

Having spent a bit of time watching football each of the past two Sundays, I've seen the new series of Cadillac ads probably 30 times. Not sure if you've seen these, but the last ten seconds of the ads features music from Hum's "Stars."

My first reaction when hearing these was: "Hey, cool. Good for Hum!" This surprised me. Time was I'd shake my fist at the heavens and lament one of my favorite bands selling out or some such thing. Or I'd be angry that some company pooped all over one of my favorite songs by using it to shill for something. Not this time.

Some of it is just getting older. Having more pressing concerns than whether or not some band has "sold its soul to the man, man."

The bigger part of it, though, is that I was really excited for the guys in the band. They haven't really been a band much for, what, 8 to 10 years. It's pretty cool that they've gotten a chance to make a bit more scratch from their music. Nothing wrong with that.

But then I think there are still some songs I'd like to never hear in a commercial. The Beatles' catalogue, for example. What do you think? Is it cool to hear your favorite bands in an ad? Disappointing? Any songs that should be kept out of ads?

Thursday, September 20, 2007

I'm tagging myself.

I was just reading Sara Tracey's blog and she had this question thing up there, but she didn't tag anyone. I'm pretty much an absentee blogger and have missed a lot of taggings in my day, so most folks who would tag me have given up by now. So I'm tagging myself. Here we go.


1. Pick out a scar you have, and explain how you got it.

I have a 1/4 moon-shaped scar on the inside of my right forearm. In 7th grade, I told the girl in front of me in Social Studies class that here sweatshirt was inside-out, because it was. It was intentional and I knew that (it was the style at the time). Anyway, I kept tapping her on the shoulder and telling her and she turned around and dug her nails into my arm to get me to knock it off. She must have had pretty strong hands and nails because it's still visible.


2. What does your phone look like? List your reasons to buy it?

It's a gray/blue flip phone. I bought it because it was one of the promo offers from T-Mobile.


3. What is on the walls of your bedroom?

Paint.


4. What is your current desktop picture?






5. Do you believe in gay marriage?

Absolutely.


6. What do you want more than anything right now?

More time w/ the family.


7. What time were you born?

4:15 AM


8. Are your parents still together?

No.


9. Last person who made you cry?

My daughter. She just started school.


10. What is your favorite perfume/cologne?

For me? Gillette Wild Rain. For her? Tresor.


11. What kind of hair/eye color do you like in the opposite sex?

Dark hair. Green eyes.


12. What are you listening to? Why?

Lately it's been a lot of 70s music. I don't know why. Some of it is really good and some of it is so horrible that it's likeable in an odd way.


13. Do you get scared of the dark?

Not anymore.


14. Do you like painkillers?

No.


15. Are you too shy to ask someone out?

It's been a while since that's been an issue, but no.


16. If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?

London Broil made by Mary.


17. What was the last person who made you mad?

My daughter. She thinks it's funny to run away from me at soccer practice and she gets really far off and it scares the beejezus out of me.


18. Name one habit you have that has the potential to annoy people?

Most everything I do annoys people.


19. Who was the last person who made you smile?

My daughter, my son.


I tag Mary.

Dusty

My computer screen is dirty enough today that many times when I type a "." it looks like a ":".

It's kind of annoying, but I'm not sure the best way to clean a laptop screen.

Holla.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

I have a lot of pets.

Five cats and a dog.

Sometimes it really strikes me as odd that I've got all these animals running around my house. They're not wild animals, mind you. For the most part they just kind of laze about and take turns holding the furniture down. Still, though. Every now and again it strikes me as I see all these little furry tails trotting around.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Still thinking about Winter Wheat.

Not sure what I want to propose session-wise. I've always had a good time leading sessions on dialogue in fiction, and last year, I did a bit on professionalization which was pretty well-received. My initial thought is to pick something new, but I don't know. Maybe the Winter Wheat world is clamoring for another dialogue workshop. Who knows?

I need to get off the pot, though, before I miss the boat. How's that for a mixed metaphor?

Friday, September 7, 2007

So this is kind of troubling...

This is entirely from memory:

We are The Bears, the shufflin' crew
Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you
We're so bad, we know we're good
Blowin' your mind like you knew we would

Walter Payton:
Well they call me "Sweetness" cause I like to dance
Runnin' the ball is like makin' romance
We've had the goal since training camp
to give Chicago a Super Bowl Champ
But we're not doin' this because we're greedy
The Bears are doin' it to feed the needy
We didn't come here lookin' for trouble
We just came here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle

Willie Gault:
This is Speedy Willie, and I'm world class
I like runnin', but I love to get the pass
I practice all day and dance all night
I gotta get ready for the Sunday fight
Now I'm as smooth as a chocolate swirl
I dance a little funky, so watch me, girl
There's no one here that does it like me
My Super Bowl Shuffle will set you free

Jim McMahon:
I'm the punky QB known as McMahon
When I take the field I've got no plan
I just throw my body all over the field
I can't dance, but I can throw the pill
I motivate the cats, I like to tease
I play so cool, I aim to please
That's why you all got here on the double
To catch me doing the Super Bowl Shuffle

Mike Singletary:
I'm Samurai Mike and I play it cool
They don't sneak by me 'cause I'm no fool
[unknown]
(actually, these lines might be for Mike Richardson)

Otis Wilson:
This is mama's boy, Otis. One of a kind.
The ladies all love me for my body and my mind

Richard Dent:
The Sack Man's coming. I'm your man Dent.
If the quarterback's slow, he's gonna get bent.

Mike Richardson:
This is L.A. Mike and...[see Singletary]

That's all I've got. Steve Fuller had a good line about doing it "for Mike and Papa Bear Halas" but I don't remember anything else from him.


Anyway, I was singing this song yesterday and I was shocked and a little dismayed at how many of the lyrics I knew. I know I used to listen to the single (45 rpm, baby!), but holy man! I wish I could get that info out of my head to make room for something useful.