The Art of the Album

So I was just telling my friend about Steve Vai. One of the most talented, inventive contemporary electric guitarists today. His first album came out in 1984 and his newest one is being released this month. When I was in middle school, I was lucky enough to have a friend who played the guitar who introduced me to all these musicians I had never heard of then, but are now, a huge part of my life, including Steve Vai. Vai is coming to Providence later this year and I really hope to get to see him.

One thing that is really great about Vai's albums is that they are true albums. The tracks make up a cohesive unit, each telling an individual story (and yes, a story can be told without words), but all having a similar feeling. This is becoming a lost art, the album. In an age where you can download a song from the CD or that soundtrack, fewer and fewer artists are putting the thought into making a complete album. Not that Vai releases concept albums (except for maybe Fire Garden), but the tracks go together. The thing about Vai is that even his compilations are true albums. He puts tremendous thought into what track should go on the compilation and writes insightful album notes for explanation. What are your favorite albums?

Seadogs and Fireworks

Yesterday we went to a Portland Sea Dogs game with a bunch of people from my work and from Sean's work and our best friends. It was really fun, the weather was good ( a little cold) and there were fireworks! There were lots of kids there, the baseball was actually pretty good, except for some horrible errors made by the Erie Seawolves (for example, the classic two guys going for a fly ball and neither calls it so it drops on the ground in between them for a hit), and the Sea Dogs pitcher was really pretty good until the 6th inning. Thanks to everyone for coming and making it a fun night.

RIP Mr. Wizard

Mr. Wizard (aka Don Herbert) passed away yesterday after battling bone cancer. He was 89. Mr. Wizard had a show on Nickelodeon when I was growing up on which he had dorky kids (much like myself) do cool science stuff. My favorite episode was when he measured how tall a tree was with a plate full of water. Science is cool!

2007 Rock Honors

So this year VH1 honored ZZ Top, Heart, Genesis and OZZY. It was a pretty interesting show with a bit of randomness:

Who is Bam Margera and why was he the host?

Billy Bob Thornton wore a jacket with shoulderpads.

Jada Pinkett-Smith was in a band that played at Ozzfest?

Nickelback played ZZ Top fantastically.

Gretchen Wilson played with Alice in Chains and sounded amazing.

Genesis didn't sound that good.

Heart still rocks and Nancy is a great performer and guitartist.

Criss Angel is a freak.

Ozzy and I have the same haircut if I part my hair in the middle.

Zakk Wylde is jacked!

Buddy is free!

Finally, Providence will have it's mayor back. And some hotel in Boston will have one of the best PR guys around. REALLY?!?

Happy Birthday Mr. Z.

Happy 66th birthday Bob Dylan. Thanks for all the great words and music.

What was your first album?

First off, if you have to ask what an album is, stop reading this blog. I was talking with one of my co-workers last night and he said his first tape was Alice Cooper. This then forced me to ask, "You never had an album?" Apparently, no, he was too young. So then another co-worker and I were reminiscing about our first albums. He couldn't remember but guessed it was a Beatles album. Mine was Graceland by Paul Simon - remember Donkey? I used to play it all the time and it had that skip in it and I didn't know the correct words to Graceland until I heard it on the radio!

What was your first album?

Happy Graduation!

My friend Ryan graduated from his Masters program at BU yesterday. Congrats Ry! I am very happy for you. And his wife Alisa just found out she has a permanent teaching job. YEAH! We can't wait to celebrate with you guys!

Fantasy Baseball

Well, this year is beginning to look like the first year I had a fantasy baseball league for me - basement dweller. I am really hoping my pitching starts to look a little better, although at this point I would take anyone to look better. I think my downfall this year was that I didn't prepare for the draft and ended up drafting players I liked rather than knew anything about their stats. Oh well, I'm still having fun as I hope everyone else in the league is.

And at least my Sox are doing great! In 1st place!

Goodbye Gilmore Girls

This week hosted the series finale of Gilmore Girls. This was a fun show about a quirky town with crazy characters centered around a mother and daughter relationship with a few hot guys thrown in (see below, although Scott Patterson is only cute with the hat on).

I really liked this show because even though it was weird it was funny, dramatic, but not overly, and it was a nice escape from all the TV with people getting blown up or competing fiercely against each other to win some crazy prize.


Plus, this week, even though it was the last episode, was extra fun to watch since my friend LB threw a GG party where we all ate like the Girls (i.e. take out chinese, pizza, chicken nuggets, ice cream, cookies, brownies, mallomars, etc.)

I thought the show was well done considering it wasn't necessarily written to be a series finale. It was funny, yet sentimental and Luke and Lorelai kissed (YEAH!) For more recaps check out:

I'm sad it's not on anymore, but at least now I can cross off another show I am addicted to.

Pandora Internet Radio

So there is this cool site: Pandora Internet Radio. You just sign up for free, tell it what artists/songs you like and it tries to create a radio station based on what you tell it. Then you can rate the songs it chooses if you like them or not and it will customize even more. You can create many stations too, so you don't have to have Aerosmith and Bach on the same station. Try it out!

And the next item up for auction is....

This sweet ride.

A new place and festivities

Sean and I found a new apartment. This is good, because otherwise we would be homeless since our current place was just a winter rental. Our new place is really nice. It is actually a condo, but the owner is renting it out so it is more like a home than an apt. We have to move again, but the place is really nice so I think it will be ok.

Soon our wedding season will start. Next month I have a shower and wedding to go to. In June
there are 2 weddings on the same day, another shower and wedding in July, another shower in August, then one wedding in September and one in October. Woo hoo! It will be fun! I love weddings, they are so much fun and everyone is so happy.

Another fun thing that is happening is a very important graduation in May. Congrats LB!

I know it's been a while

For all of you who care about this blog, I'm sorry I have been such a blogging slacker. I was sick for about 2 weeks, we had to look for an apartment, I had a conference, it was Easter, blah blah blah.

Opening Day was amazing. I was sick but nothing was going to keep me from being there, even my own stupidity. We got there just about when the festivities were starting. We got to our seats when Harry Connick, Jr. was singing "America the Beautiful." Then the Blue Angels flew overhead. How those planes just don't crash into each other is mind boggling. Then 23 of the guys who played on the 1967 Impossible Dream team came out from behind the HUGE flag that was hung on the Green Monster. They all went to their respective positions wearing their old school unis and then they threw out the first pitch to the 2007 Red Sox. It was really inspiring. And of course, Robert Goulet sang, "The Impossible Dream."

The weather was dry but COLD. Luckily, our friend Jenny lent me one of her down jackets, otherwise I would've had to spent way too much money on a sweatshirt, blanket, etc. It was overcast, but when the sun came out it was really warm. At one point during the 7th or 8th inning when it was really cold, the sun came out a little bit and everyone cheered and started chanting, "Sun! Sun! Sun!" It was hilareous.

The game itself was really fun. First of all, we won 14-3. We were playing the Seattle Mariners, Beckett vs. Jeff Weaver (aka the sucky weasel). I hate Jeff Weaver. I don't know if it's because he was a Yank or his general overall "I deserve the world" attitude. After the game, I couldn't give two hoots about Jeff Weaver. He threw something like 48 pitches in the first inning and gave up 7 runs in the first two innings, so I was pretty happy. Beckett was on fire. Considering he had to wait for a LONG time in between innings he was very good with 8 Ks. He pitched 7 innings and then they brought Donnelly in. This was where it got interesting. Donnelly is ok. And apparently, he had a personal beef with one of the Mariners, who, when he was up at bat said some words to Donnelly after he was struck out. This P.Od Donnelly who proceeded to bean then next batter on the butt. This of course led to a scuffle including the emptying of the bullpen. And who was the leader? None other than our own J.P. Papelbon lept like a racehorse out of the pen stripping off his jacket as he sprinted toward the mound. Luckily, there were no fisty cuffs as the last thing we need is for our premier closer to break his hand. It was pretty funny though.

The game was followed by a nice dinner with Sean's parents at Brasserie Jo - Yum!

I live for this!

Yeah for strawberry daquiris!

Check it out.

More substantial posts to come.

OPENING DAY TICKETS!

Just got Red Sox Opening Day tickets! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be cold but I don't care, it's my only game this season. I couldn't even get Yankees tix since they occur on weekends I have much more important things to do (friend's weddings!) But Opening Day! I've never been to Opening Day before! I feel like Kermit when he's introducing the first act on the Muppet Show. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And joining the great ranks of parents of twins....

No, not us stupid.

My boy!

Man those are going to be some OCD athletic babies!

New post

posted here

Sorry it didn't show up as new. I created it a while ago and just decided to post it.

What Superhero are you?

Well, at least I'm not Batman.

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 75% The Flash 75% Supergirl 60% Wonder Woman 50% Spider-Man 50% Green Lantern 50% Robin 42% Iron Man 40% Catwoman 35% Hulk 25% Batman 25%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Aerosmith is better than Aretha Franklin

Horrors! Gasp you might say! How could I say that ANYONE is better than the Queen of Soul? I apologize friends, but, quite easily. I TiVoed the RnR HoF ceremony and Ms. Franklin sang a few songs as a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun who founded Atlantic Records and who passed away last year. I forget the first song she sang which was great. She then sang her hit, "Never Loved a Man (the way that I love you)" which was covered by Aerosmith on their latest studio album, Honkin on Bobo, changing the title to "Never Loved a Girl (the way that I love you)." I just like Aerosmith's version better (at least compared to Aretha's live version during the ceremony). Maybe her album version is better. It just seemed this song was too low for Ms. Franklin's range. Maybe it used to be her range, but it's not anymore.

I can't wait to watch the part about Patti Smith (she also got inducted along with R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash and The Ronnettes).

I love Rock and Roll (and yes, I know that is a Joan Jett song).