Balance starts when you get out of bed

Friday, October 19, 2007

Ending Song

Today was my wifes last radiation treatment. God bless her and our family....

Ending song

No more needles,
No more knives,

Time to heal,
And stop fighting for our lives

No more storms,
No more winds,
Time to heal,
Forget the lightning and the sins

Somewhere in the middle of it all,
between the wilted flowers and babies breath ,
You understand what it means-
In the midst of life we are in death-

Somewhere in the middle of it all,
I have found my old friend,
She was hiding in plain sight,
Lucky souls, sometime mend



"No matter what happens now
You shouldn't be afraid
Because I know today
has been the most perfect day I've ever seen." t. yorke

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Italy


I love my job on trips like this. I could spend all day explaining things- but pictures tell more than words can-




















































































Friday, October 12, 2007

In Rainbows: Radiohead's Paranoid Android's Orgy

This is Radioheads sex album- Never thought the lads from Oxford would get all geeky horny on you, but here it is- Tonight I downloaded the songs from their website here. You can pay for it- a penny or a pound- you name the price:

http://www.inrainbows.com/

A lot more mellow- jazzy- than anything they have ever done. More mature, with adult themes- These guys are dealing with people, not spaceships, robots and fairytales anymore. They are adults now and it shows in their music and lyrics. They are talking more about sex, though- a lot more than they ever have before- All I can imagine, when I listen to this music is Thom Yorke dressed as Hugh Hefner- all pajamas and bling.

Well maybe not- the mental image hurts my brain....

Here is my take on the songs:

15 Steps- Good, funky for a Radiohead song. Common man fighting for his bit of turf theme song

Bodysnatchers- More common man fighting against the system stuff- Nice
"Electioneering" sound mixed with Neil Young- Warm Fuzzy analogy sound.

Nude- Best song on the album in my opinion. All about the hollowness of guilt- wonderful misery.

Weird Fishes- At first I thought this was the weakest song on the album- not sure on second listening. Another song to do with desire- That's the funny thing about their songs- you initially hate them then they grow on you. This requires more listening.

All I need- Another song about desire and why you stay with someone- probably for the wrong reasons. The desire to stay safe- Builds to a nice climax at the end.

Faust ARP- This is a Beatles like tune musically- but it's all about not measuring up to expectations- going through the motions.

Reckoner- I have no idea what this song is about- Is it about someone cheating on someone else? Its the most musically advanced song they have ever done- using harmony to create a simple, beautiful song.

House of Cards- This is about cheating- and what the hell is this? Key parties? A paranoid android orgy? Its about people screwing around and living in denial. It's got a moral center to it- probably the most classical song structure here. .

Jigsaw Falling into place- This is another one about sex...this is Radioheads Barry White album, isnt it? Best I can guess it's about a one night stand. Driving beat- Grows on ya after the second listening.

Videotape- Another favorite song. Simple- a bittersweet good bye- Builds to a nice climax as it drifts off...

I would put this between OK Computer and Kid A as their strongest album to date. Might actually be better than Kid A. It doesn't show the immaturity of the Bends- however it lacks the humor of OKC and the Bends- Much better than Hail to the Thief.

I paid $10, or basically a buck a song- which is what I would give Steve Jobs if I was buying it off Itunes.

I will probably get the box set as well. Awesome album....

Good job boys-

FRANTIC USA

Sitting in my seat on the way back from Rome yesterday- I was completely shocked by the manors of the American flight attendants on the plane. For a week I was used to seeing slower, more relaxed individuals in service positions. People from the United States seem to move and speak in loud and sweeping gestures compared to Italians, Germans, Finns or Japanese. The women on the plane were brittle and nervous. They didn't seem human- frantic creatures- with an illness of the soul we suffer from here in this country.

We always seem afraid here. The fear soaks us, bends us and twists us- we are always trying to over compensate for some inadequacy- not enough money, not handsome enough, not smart enough. We refuse to be a culture satisfied with who we are.

Mostly because we don't know who we are supposed to be.

We live our lives through pop stars, personalities and sports idols. We can't just be people in this country- we have to look like, smell like, act like somebody who has higher status.

In Europe, I am not sure what status is. I am sure there are name droppers and climbers- but I didnt see any (or don't understand enough Italian to know). Everyone I met seemed pretty much who they were. They accepted their lot in life. They didn't relocate to the other side of the planet- they spent their lives within 40 miles of where they were born. Saw their mothers every Sunday. There is a sense of community there- a sense of belonging to a culture two centuries plus old.

They seemed less afraid. A good lesson to learn- one, I am afraid I didn't learn.

Less than a day after getting back- I was frantic and nervous- back to the paniced pace I left.

Welcome home, I guess....

Time to download In Rainbows from Radiohead---Brilliant! More on that next post...

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Lucky

I'm on a roll,
I'm on a roll this time
I feel my luck could change.

Kill me Sarah,kill me again with love,
it's gonna be a glorious day.
Pull me out of the aircrash,
Pull me out of the lake,
I'm your superhero,
we are standing on the edge.

The head of state has called for me by name
but I don't have time for him.
It's gonna be a glorious day!
I feel my luck could change.
Pull me out of the aircrash,
Pull me out of the lake,
I'm your superhero,
we are standing on the edge.

We are standing on the edge.


I am back and on my way to Italy tomorrow...time to move on and keep at it- All that and Radiohead is back with a new album in a few days. How wonderful.