Latest Listening Pleasure... Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird at Overture Hall, Madison WI 9/26/12 - A short review

Last night Andrew Bird and his band kicked off his fall tour in Madison.  We went to see him at the same place almost exactly three years ago and it was a show that I enjoyed very much.  He layered his sounds very well and connected with the very respectful audience.  Back then flash photography was not tolerated and you saw very few cell phone lights during the show.  Last night seemed a bit more disjointed, both on stage and in the crowd.  There seemed to be fewer people this time and more photos, cell phones and shouts to the stage.

He is an artist and his music evolves over time, with the albums showing a snapshot, so you don't always hear what you expect.  Last night, his layering of sounds sounded more haphazard to me as well, oftentimes I would lose any semblance of beat or rhythm while trying to tap my toe.  Now, I did enjoy the evening, but I do think he was better in 2009.  My wife and I had good seats, mezzanine - front row center, though she found the height a bit dizzying.  Overall, with dinner and a short trip down State Street, it was a very nice evening.

When it comes right down to it, I enjoy his music very much.  I have enjoyed listening to him often recently in anticipation of this show, and that is why Andrew Bird is my Latest Listening Pleasure.    Enjoy.

Andrew Bird - Eyeoneye

Naughty Kitties

As much as they act like they love us, it seems they just can't wait to escape!


Actually the screen door is locked, they are learning what handles are for even if they can't operate them - yet.  The biggest escape attempts have been at the back door.  They only go to the bottom of the stairs and don't run from us, but they are too young to be trusted outside without their harness and leash.

In-Law Cabin Fever

We spent the weekend at a cabin on Castle Rock Lake, north of the Dells, this weekend with my wife's family.  It was a nice cabin and had a nice view of the lake and the sunsets over it.  Overall, it was a pretty good time.  We played games, had a camp fire, and talked quite a bit (there was no TV, just dvds).  I actually found myself talking more at times than I think I have with this group.  After being married for over 11 years, like it or not, they are becoming family to me, too.

I was able to escape to a place called Boomer's Pub to watch the Badgers play on Saturday.  I sat in the bar with only Boomer, talking and watching the game for the first half.  Then a couple more people showed up, especially a very nice, funny, older couple (60's) that I enjoyed very much.  We had a great time, the Badgers won, then I went back to the cabin and took a nap!  Cheers to Boomer, Mark and Linda!  If I'm ever in the neighborhood again...

Not Business.. Busy-ness

Life seems to have been rather busied lately.  I work hard at my job all day because I can and I enjoy it.  I'm still learning and improving some aspects, but that will come with experience.  Now, when I get home it's not like I'm busy working until bedtime, I still take my needed down time, but that time has shrunk much lately.  I need to air some things and organize my thoughts:

• I have no project at the moment.  The compost bin was a good one, and I still have a bunch of lumber in the garage so I have been thinking of things that I could build for us.  I have a few ideas of what I could do pretty easily... if I can find the time these days.
• Football season is here.  Many years ago I used to go out for the games, but as I've gotten older I enjoy sitting in my easy chair, watching my TV and rooting for my favorite teams.  So far it has been 'off' a bit this season.  First, all the weeknight preseason games were a pain.  Football should be played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, in my opinion.  That is what they have ingrained in us over the years and because of that, that is my ideal watching time.  Also, friends want to come by for the game more often than in the past.  I like my friends, but especially Sunday afternoons, I would kind of rather be alone with my game before I have to go to bed early for Monday morning.  It's just what I like now.
• I finally called the newspaper to stop my daily delivery.  I have read it daily for most of my adult life, but an earlier starting time at work has me leaving before the paper arrives and when I get home, well, I have other things I want or need to do.  I'm not going cold turkey, though, I will still get their Wednesday and Sunday package deal.  It will be different, but there's just not enough hours in the day.
• The cats have been energetic to put it best, little hellions otherwise.  Oh, they could be worse and, thankfully, they aren't as bad as they could be, but they can sure be a handful sometimes.  Still, they are very young (about 5 months) despite their ever-increasing size, and I'm sure they will calm in time - even if it is a few years!  Care for them is ongoing and can't be skipped - they won't allow it.  I give them soft food every morning and when I get home every evening, the litter box is done while they are eating so I can clean it in peace.  Then there's the occasional claw clippings, baths and walks.  The problems really come from trying to modify their behavior.  Keeping them off the table, out of the dishwasher (and oven!) and not destroy our blinds or anything else.  And then they get the crazies....
• My drive home from work has been doubled to about half an hour due to road construction.  It wasn't really that bad until school started back up recently, now there is more traffic and big, slow buses when I am trying to get home.  I want a transporter like they had in Star Trek, is that too much?
• I had a recent post about an odd letter I received.  I did email him and sent him a link to my post.  He did respond after a couple of weeks, now it has been longer since I have responded back.  I will, though, but I would rather be relaxed and thoughtful about it than just hammer out an email to someone I haven't otherwise talked to in almost 35 years.
• Unfortunately, I know what will have to go to make time.  I do not watch TV usually unless there is a game on or I am almost or in bed.  I use the internet as my entertainment.  I have a list of blogs and sites that I check daily, as well as podcasts to listen to if I don't find the time at work to play them.  I love the internet, but I may have to cut back.  I can be on it anywhere from 2 to 4 hours on a weekday, so just trying to be on it less every night would be good, but I'm thinking more of an internet-free couple of nights a week.  I don't know if I could stand it, but it is worth considering.

And there are the other daily chores and duties, dinner with people here, a birthday party there, and more coming up soon that I'm saving for another couple of posts.  How long ago was my vacation?  I think I want another one.

There, I feel better.  Now maybe I can relax for a bit before doing it all over tomorrow.  Thanks for listening.  PTFO

Happy 9-11 To Me

I turned 45 today.  Thank you to those who emailed and sent cards or gifts.  I have taken today and tomorrow off, a luxury that I haven't been afforded in quite a while.  A Tuesday sucks anyway, but I also have this 9-11 stuff to look forward to every year now.  Well, it could be worse, I know.

Just what I need, another reason to drink...


Really, though, I slept in today, and then napped for quite some time in the afternoon and it felt really, really, really good.  Earlier this evening my wife and I made a very rare mid-week outing to our favorite local bar and grill for dinner and drinks.  I have tomorrow off and I may just surf the net, catch up on my newspapers and maybe tie up some loose ends here and there.

My next planned vacation day comes later this month, the day after the Andrew Bird show at the Overture Center.  We went the last time he was here, back in 2009.  This post from 3 years ago today shows how I am looking forward to it.  Last time I got pretty good tickets in the back of the main floor, this time I got tickets in the front row of the first level up and almost dead center.  I'm looking at this as a nice occasion to show my wife that I have some class and treat her to a fancy night out.  You know, dress up a little bit, have a nice dinner and then off to the show.  This is no heavy metal concert, and I may be one of the older ones in this audience, but all I know is that I like what I happen to like.  Thankfully, this is one performer that my lovely wife can appreciate enough to do this with me.
Or at least she humors me well....

Andrew Bird - The Happy Birthday Song. 


PTFO

Kittens Are Becoming Cats

The kittens are listed as being born on April 20, so they're not even 5 months old yet, but the size difference since we got them on June 9 is amazing to us, and they're not nearly done growing.  I was looking back through our photos and I tried to find a couple that have something in them for perspective (a chair and my lap, in this case) to demonstrate how they have grown.  The pics on the left are dated June 25 and the pics on the right were taken yesterday and today.  They look pretty cute here, but they are very mischievous cats, indeed.

68% evil, my ass.  Oh, my wife is only 50% evil, somehow I find that more believable. ;-)

I am 68% Evil

You Are 68% Evil

You are very evil. And you're too evil to care. Those who love you probably also fear you. A lot.

How Evil Are You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

 

 

 

Well, how did you do?  Tell me in the comments.  Thanx Joanne!

Latest Listening Pleasure... Pain, Part Two

My first LLP post featured the band Pain.  Seven months later, and while enjoying my other LLPs greatly, I find myself coming back to Peter Tagtgren's project more than ever.  There hasn't been anything new released, but I don't care, I'm still enjoying Pain's whole catalog of music immensely.  Enough to share it again. 

Here is probably their biggest song, Shut Your Mouth.


And another of my favorites, Bye/Die

A Fire With Friends

After work on Friday, Kate and I went out for a couple drinks and a snack.  When we got home we proceeded to have a couple more drinks and someone (me) suggested we have a spur of the moment fire pit with friends the next night, Saturday.  So after a half day of recovery we prepared to do it again.  It was fun to get together around the fire, now that the fire ban has been lifted and the lawn is almost all green again.  I still used the pallet and grill mat, I don't want to scorch the grass like I did the first time we had a fire.  That brown spot was in the lawn almost all summer, that year.  It was nothing fancy on Saturday night, just a few friends who mostly would otherwise be sitting at home gathered around a fire and enjoying each others company.  It turned out to be a very enjoyable evening after all, though we did pay for it again on Sunday.  I'm getting too old for that much liquid fun in one weekend, I think.

Bullets and New Ink

Hi!  How are you?  It has been over a week since I've last posted.  I know I have been lazy about blogging, and I don't really have a lot to say, but let me say a few things just to keep in touch.  Yes, bullet points again.  It just makes it easy and quick for me.

• We went out on Kate's friend Terry's pontoon boat on Sunday.  It was a nice day for it and her dog was relatively calm.  I don't think I got on the lake at all last summer due to health and healing so it was nice to be on the water, um, except all they do is drive about 10 minutes from the marina to a cove and put down anchor.  If it was my boat I would spend a lot more money on gas and see the sights and sounds around the whole over 200 square mile lake.  But, alas, it is not my boat, and I'll take what I can get... sometimes.
• I have been meaning to do some maintenance around here, mainly the right column.  Lists and links need to be updated as it has been more than quite some time since I have done anything.  That's another lower priority thing to get done, but it bugs me more and more so it will probably get done sooner than later.
• Now, I think that I get 300 MB of memory a month for free from flickr.  I'll have to look into that later, or be lazy and let it play out.  So far, 1 pic seems roughly 1 MB.  I may learn to like flickr after all.
• I'm sorry I haven't called you yet, Sis! I'm glad the appendix came out okay and I hope all is well with your new home and the kids. Send me pics!  I'll call you this weekend, I promise!
• After work yesterday I went straight to an appointment I had at a local, well-regarded tattoo shop.  It has been 20 or more years since my last tattoo.  I spent about 3 and a half hours in the chair and received a touch up of two older tattoos and a new design to pull them together and another brand new one that I really like.  I won't post pics of them here, but you can get a hint from the bandages I took off this morning if you dare!  No, it's not really too gross and, yes, that is the paw of a bad kitty in the lower right corner.

Picture after the break

Photo Uploading and Final Compost Bin Pic

For about three and a half years I have uploaded pictures to this blog and my garden blog without a care in the world... until I could no longer post photos.  I didn't realize I had a limit of free space so I shared a lot of pics, 1 gigabyte, if I remember right (I forget those measures of memory sometimes, is that irony?).  So anyway, I had to venture out and do what I hate to do - sign up with another site.  I've been on the web for quite a while now but I have always been judicious about what I sign up with and why, so I hate this. 

I now have a flickr account.  I have finally figured out how to get the picture from there to here.  It's not quite as convenient as it used to be, but I will get used to it.  I'm not sure how this will change the viewing experience, but then, I guess if you didn't click on the pics at all then it will be pretty much the same.  Flickr is allowing me 300mb of space for free, so from this point on I will be more careful as to what pics I post.  I like using accent pics for the post I'm writing (like above), and I should be able to link to one in google pics or something for those occasions (again, like above), thereby saving my free space available in flickr.  Sorry folks, I think the Pic Dumps are dead.  If I do anything like any pic dump again it will only be for a very good reason.

Now, with all that said, it would feel like unfinished business if I didn't post the pic of the finished compost bin placed in the corner of the back yard near the gardens.  I also have to go update that site now.  PTFO

An Unexpected Letter

I received this letter close to a month ago.  I have been unsure how to react so I set it aside and have looked at it now and again and I still don't know what to do.  As soon as I saw the name on the return address I recognized it immediately as an old grade school classmate.  I had probably last talked to him when I was 11, in 1978 or so.  Our class was rather small in that catholic grade school, so my first thought was of a reunion, perhaps.  I was a little taken aback by what I then read.
Red is the letter, Blue is my thoughts and responses, just to be clear.

Hi [Scoakat],
This note is from [childhood chum].  I don't know if you'll remember me, but I was in your class at [grade school] in [city, state] before your family moved away.  I hope you don't mind me contacting you out of the blue like this.

No, really, not at all.

I'm sure it's weird getting a note from me after 35 years!

A bit, but my first thoughts were good ones.

The reason I am writing is to ask your forgiveness for being such a jerk to you in grade school.

Really?  Now I was one that was prone to bullying*.  But I probably would have expected this letter from 1 or 2 others than this classmate.  He was a real dick sometimes, but also a showoff, as all kids are at that age.

I am currently working through some issues in my life and actually going through the Twelve Steps made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous.

A-ha!

When I got to step 8 and started making a list of people I treated badly in my life, I thought of you.  I remember some distinct times where I treated you badly when we were kids and wanted to write and let you know how sorry I am about that.  You certainly didn't deserve it.  I remember some times of being friends and doing fun things together (like watching those old SpiderMan cartoons at your house), while at other times I'm sure I must have seemed much more like an enemy.  At the very least I was a really poor friend.  so I hope you will receive this apology and be able to forgive me.

As I noted earlier, that was a very small class even for those days, I always thought we were pretty tight as a group when it came right down to it.  Well, I thought we all felt that way back then, but I moved away and they had to grow up together!  I had bad moments and good moments with each, to varying degrees, but I never considered myself as bullied too much, unfortunately I just was near the bottom of the pecking order then.  Cripes, we were kids!

You were a nice kid, and I have good memories of you.

Well, thank you.  Really kind of unnecessary, but if it helps, thank you.  The next few sentences are just personal info and chat.

Sincerely, [Childhood Chum]

He did provide his email in case I wished to contact him, and I may. Now that I have written this I may just send him the link as my response and then take it from there. In that case, I do want to say thank you for your thoughts, Childhood Chum, and good luck dealing with whatever brought you to this point.  All my sincere best wishes to you and yours.

Regards, Scoakat


*Edit  8/22 - What I meant by 'prone to bullying' is by other kids.  Sorry if my writing was misleading.
*For perspective, when I was that age I can say that I had no older siblings, no kid relatives (cousins, etc.) in the area and even if I did I was one of the oldest of those, and my dad got home late and left early six days a week.  I could go days without seeing him and when I did it was usually to berate me and/or whip me with the belt.  I'm just saying that I had no one to look up to or out for me back then and I didn't really do a good job of it myself.  But that was as kids, mostly when I could tell you my age on my fingers.  I've turned out as fine as anyone.