Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Sunday, July 22, 2012
MY LIFE: My take on the town of Humansville!
We passed by a town in Missouri called "Humansville"! I said it sounded like the name of a homo sapien ghetto on a robot planet, or a really bad name that a town of aliens came up with to hide what they were!
My daughter and my girlfriend, for some reason, gave me weird looks!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humansville,_Missouri
My daughter and my girlfriend, for some reason, gave me weird looks!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humansville,_Missouri
Saturday, July 21, 2012
MY LIFE: my mom and knives in her home
Girlfriend while we're visiting my mom: "Does your mother have knives?"
My sister: "No, my mom has no knives in her house!"
Me: "There was a big fight, and they're not allowed knives in the home anymore!"
Yes, we are a family of smartasses!
My sister: "No, my mom has no knives in her house!"
Me: "There was a big fight, and they're not allowed knives in the home anymore!"
Yes, we are a family of smartasses!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
CULTURE/SOCIETY: We Need to Redefine What We Mean When We Say 'Manly'
Apparently, all the chest-waxing, makeup and facials have the folks at the New York Times feeling worried, and a headline today anxiously asks, "Are Modern Men Manly Enough?" Oh no! Let's completely ignore the War on Women and the wage gap and steaming pile of injustices that women face everyday. Won't someone think of the men?
http://m.jezebel.com/5925829/we-need-to-redefine-what-we-mean-when-we-say-manly
http://m.jezebel.com/5925829/we-need-to-redefine-what-we-mean-when-we-say-manly
CULTURE/SOCIETY: Apple pie, diplomatically interpreted
As predicted, not too many of 15 global takes on all-American apple pies at the State Department’s Fourth of July celebration on Wednesday evening actually looked like pies. Once the trio of judges’ marks for appearance, taste and creativity had been tallied, Belgium’s fruity eagle on a patriotic background landed in the No. 1 spot.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/apple-pie-diplomatically-interpreted/2012/07/05/gJQAY9iLQW_blog.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/apple-pie-diplomatically-interpreted/2012/07/05/gJQAY9iLQW_blog.html
CULTURE/SOCIETY: Fascinating photographs, "Half Drag"
NY-based photographer Leland Bobbé makes these weird portraits of burlesque performers for his art project titled “Half Drag.”
http://izismile.com/2012/07/13/half_drag_photo_project_10_pics.html
http://izismile.com/2012/07/13/half_drag_photo_project_10_pics.html
ENTERTAINMENT: 10 rock bands you either hate or love
There are a number of artists who frequently make the “best of” lists but most rational people don’t argue their merit. The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are typically at the top in classic rock, and even their critics don’t place usually place them farther than top 20. Move a little farther down and you’ll find Jimi Hendrix and The Who where most will agree if they’re not the all-time greatest, at least they’re not horrible. Bruce Springsteen may not be everybody’s favorite, but most rock fans appreciate what he does. This list is specifically made up of groups who have a large contingent of rabid supporters, yet they also have a large number of devoted detractors. People are passionate for them, or passionate against them.
http://listverse.com/2010/03/27/10-rock-bands-you-either-hate-or-love/
http://listverse.com/2010/03/27/10-rock-bands-you-either-hate-or-love/
Saturday, July 14, 2012
CULTURE/SOCIETY: Video on an Olympic runner from Lesotho
A video about an Olympic athlete from Lesotho, my old African home!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
MY LIFE: How a crabby boy found his happy place!
Text from my girlfriend: 'I sarcastically told a very crabby son on the way to camp he needed to have a good attitude and find his happy place... After our water games turned into water wars and he was soaked head to toe, he comes running over to me and yells "I found my happy place!" '
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 09, 2012
ENTERTAINMENT: My take on Day 2 of 8035
These are just some things I wrote for Facebook but couldn't manage to get my phone to put them up.
- Ready to rock out on Day 2 of 80/35. And to folk out, bluegrass out, and even jam out. But I'll say one thing, with all this heat and sweat, it's obviously that I'm out!
8035, I love you dearly. But damn, you take a toll on this middle age body!
- One thing I forgot to mention on Facebook on Day 1 was how I was amused when I saw where 80/35 had their headquarters. It was our old GLBT center.
We had got kicked out a couple of months back, and now it was sitting vacant. Last I heard, some of The Center's stuff was still there. I kinda wanted to go in and see, but I didn't!
But I'm on a couple of the committees for The Greater Des Moines Music Coalition, who put on 80/35, so I probably could have gone in. Buti'll ask if anything was still there when we're chatting before the committee meetings start.
- Ready to rock out on Day 2 of 80/35. And to folk out, bluegrass out, and even jam out. But I'll say one thing, with all this heat and sweat, it's obviously that I'm out!
- Arrived at 80/35 just in time! As I got there, the lead singer said, "Hi, welcome to 80/35. I'm Derek Lambert."
Why did I not know about Derek Lambert & The Prairie Fires? A really good local folk rock band that can rock out while keeping the folk roots.
- Checked out Now, Now. Two female guitarists and a drum machine. Pretty bland indie rock.
- Little Ruckus last night at The Vaudeville Mews and today at 80/35 have been the best shows yet! Their shows are experiences, not concerts! Full of fun audience participation! (Long live The Sandwich Eating Crew!)
I have never had such fun messing up my arthritic knee! Little Ruckus totally wore out this middle age man with their fun interactive show.
- Now enjoying the sweet air conditioning of Subway!
- Once again, I'm watching a band from the outside using the big screen. Listening to Grensky Bluegrass. They're pretty good, but kind of mellow for my taste.
- Well, went back to Grensky Bluegrass after catching the end of the Mumford's and checking out Night Moves. (Night Moves didn't move me!)
But Grensky Bluegrass seem to found their groove and put out some awesome music. Their banjo player and mandolinist were incredible, and the way they played off each other was amazing.
I have to add that the heat isn't keeping the jam band/bluegrass folk from dancing at 80/35!
- Favorite t-shirt I've seen at 80/35: "I've seen bands that don't even exist yet!"
- John Isbell & The 400 Unit was some nice well done roots rock. And he uses an accordion in one song!
- The K-Holes were some interesting hard rock with a nice stage presence in their sexy black clothes!
- Okay, Dan Deacon does some really fun, energetic, pounding electronic dance music. But by performing on street level instead on the stage, he has made sure only people within five feet in front of him could see the performance. Which is too bad, cus it was some of the best music this weekend. I would have liked to have SEEN the show!
Oh, well, at least it have me a chance to sit and rest. Could hear and see everything just as well that way!
- Tried to watch Deathcab For Cutie since it's the favorite band of one of my nieces. There were two songs that had a pretty good groove going on. Other than those, they rather bored me.
- Went to After 80/35 party at Vaudeville Mews. Pure Gut with Patrick Fleming of Poison Control Center opened. It featured Ladd Askland, who's usually involved behind the scenes with Des Mounes music. The band, though, was fun and energetic. And Askland has a very interesting stage presence!
But Poison Control Center closed out the night. It seems these guys have been involved in every 80/35! If not in the actual festival, then doing an after party at The Mews! It's just NOT 80/35 without a PCC performance!
And the crowd was hopping! The show was free and the bar was packed. And the front of the audience was bouncing all over the place with plenty of local musicians filling the ranks.
I have to admit that I was rather annoyed cus they didn't do "Magic Circle Symphony"! But after the crowd chanted "One more song!", they closed with it. So we all repeated what Pat Fleming just said! And the stage was stormed with much if the audience singing how love was the answer!
It put a nice big exclamation to the end of 80/35!
- Ready to rock out on Day 2 of 80/35. And to folk out, bluegrass out, and even jam out. But I'll say one thing, with all this heat and sweat, it's obviously that I'm out!
8035, I love you dearly. But damn, you take a toll on this middle age body!
- One thing I forgot to mention on Facebook on Day 1 was how I was amused when I saw where 80/35 had their headquarters. It was our old GLBT center.We had got kicked out a couple of months back, and now it was sitting vacant. Last I heard, some of The Center's stuff was still there. I kinda wanted to go in and see, but I didn't!
But I'm on a couple of the committees for The Greater Des Moines Music Coalition, who put on 80/35, so I probably could have gone in. Buti'll ask if anything was still there when we're chatting before the committee meetings start.
- Ready to rock out on Day 2 of 80/35. And to folk out, bluegrass out, and even jam out. But I'll say one thing, with all this heat and sweat, it's obviously that I'm out!
- Arrived at 80/35 just in time! As I got there, the lead singer said, "Hi, welcome to 80/35. I'm Derek Lambert."
Why did I not know about Derek Lambert & The Prairie Fires? A really good local folk rock band that can rock out while keeping the folk roots.
- Little Ruckus last night at The Vaudeville Mews and today at 80/35 have been the best shows yet! Their shows are experiences, not concerts! Full of fun audience participation! (Long live The Sandwich Eating Crew!)
I have never had such fun messing up my arthritic knee! Little Ruckus totally wore out this middle age man with their fun interactive show.
- Now enjoying the sweet air conditioning of Subway!
- Once again, I'm watching a band from the outside using the big screen. Listening to Grensky Bluegrass. They're pretty good, but kind of mellow for my taste.
- Well, went back to Grensky Bluegrass after catching the end of the Mumford's and checking out Night Moves. (Night Moves didn't move me!) But Grensky Bluegrass seem to found their groove and put out some awesome music. Their banjo player and mandolinist were incredible, and the way they played off each other was amazing.
I have to add that the heat isn't keeping the jam band/bluegrass folk from dancing at 80/35!
- Favorite t-shirt I've seen at 80/35: "I've seen bands that don't even exist yet!"- John Isbell & The 400 Unit was some nice well done roots rock. And he uses an accordion in one song!
- Okay, Dan Deacon does some really fun, energetic, pounding electronic dance music. But by performing on street level instead on the stage, he has made sure only people within five feet in front of him could see the performance. Which is too bad, cus it was some of the best music this weekend. I would have liked to have SEEN the show!
Oh, well, at least it have me a chance to sit and rest. Could hear and see everything just as well that way!
- Tried to watch Deathcab For Cutie since it's the favorite band of one of my nieces. There were two songs that had a pretty good groove going on. Other than those, they rather bored me.
- Went to After 80/35 party at Vaudeville Mews. Pure Gut with Patrick Fleming of Poison Control Center opened. It featured Ladd Askland, who's usually involved behind the scenes with Des Mounes music. The band, though, was fun and energetic. And Askland has a very interesting stage presence!
But Poison Control Center closed out the night. It seems these guys have been involved in every 80/35! If not in the actual festival, then doing an after party at The Mews! It's just NOT 80/35 without a PCC performance!
And the crowd was hopping! The show was free and the bar was packed. And the front of the audience was bouncing all over the place with plenty of local musicians filling the ranks.I have to admit that I was rather annoyed cus they didn't do "Magic Circle Symphony"! But after the crowd chanted "One more song!", they closed with it. So we all repeated what Pat Fleming just said! And the stage was stormed with much if the audience singing how love was the answer!
It put a nice big exclamation to the end of 80/35!
Sunday, July 08, 2012
MY LIFE: One thing I really miss about living in Africa!
That was the great thing about Africa, outside of town, the stars were so vivid!
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Friday, July 06, 2012
MY LIFE: Father and daughter music taste differences
Daughter: "I'm fine if you take it upstairs and I don't have to hear your military band music!"
Me: "I'm not listening to military bands! The Fourth of July is over. I'm listening to 8035 music!" 80/35 is the local alternative/indie/jam music festival.
Daughter: "Oh, that's so much better!"
Me: "I'm not listening to military bands! The Fourth of July is over. I'm listening to 8035 music!" 80/35 is the local alternative/indie/jam music festival.
Daughter: "Oh, that's so much better!"
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
MY LIFE: Mindreading with my girlfriend
Girlfriend: "You can't just understand what I mean? You can't read my mind?"
Me: "Uh, no... And if you're expecting that in the future, you're going to be gravely disappointed."
Daughter: "Yeah! Gravely!"
Me: "Uh, no... And if you're expecting that in the future, you're going to be gravely disappointed."
Daughter: "Yeah! Gravely!"
CULTURE/SOCIETY: Your dad originally celebrated the hip 4th of July?
Your dad celebrated the 4th of July before you did and he’s still got the banana hammock to prove it.
http://dadsaretheoriginalhipster.tumblr.com/post/26492611885/your-dad-celebrated-the-4th-of-july-before-you-did
http://dadsaretheoriginalhipster.tumblr.com/post/26492611885/your-dad-celebrated-the-4th-of-july-before-you-did
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
MY LIFE: Some things are better left on your childhood!
Heard this song earlier today! Hadn't heard it since I was a kid! Wished it had stayed that way!
http://www.last.fm/music/Bo+Donaldson+&+The+Heywoods/_/Billy,+Don't+Be+A+Hero
http://www.last.fm/music/Bo+Donaldson+&+The+Heywoods/_/Billy,+Don't+Be+A+Hero
Monday, July 02, 2012
Sunday, July 01, 2012
POLITICS: Africa on the rise
An article about how Africa can improve featuring old African home of 6 1/2 years, Lesotho...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/africa-on-the-rise.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/africa-on-the-rise.html