I was listening to this song the other day by Adrian Orange off his album Bitches is Lord (review forthcoming,) and it started me thinking.  The song prodded both Adrian Orange and the listener to ask themself if they were doing what they wanted or doing what they didn't want to and why?  And furthermore, why not do something about it before it is too late...

How many of these have you heard before?  Work sucks, and so I am going to write an angst filled blog... no don't worry that isn't my intention at all.  Because that song inspired me and made me realize that I would rather take less money, and less hours working this semester than to continue to be dissatisfied and I did something about it.

This isn't meant to be a pat yourself on the back blog, just a story of what I did and something to consider if you find yourself in the same situation.  I'm not so idealistic that I pretend everyone is in a position where they can walk away, and yet many are but are afraid to do so.  The weight off my shoulders knowing that I will have a few days next week to focus on my passion (the website) and recharge before trying a new position with the agency is amazing.  I feel almost liberated.

This is just a small step towards actually doing what I want to on a regular basis.  The goal now, is to find a way to make TWM into a vehicle that I can invest my time and effort into while seeing more tangible results.  I have so many idea, just need to working on the implementing of said ideas.  For now I must reach more viewers so any help in that sense would be appreciated.  If you check us out, continue to do so and maybe tell a few friends?  2007, will be a telling year for us and hopefully this time next year I will no longer be asking the question in the subject of this blog.

Dan

Man it has been way too long since I took a couple minutes to write up a blog here so I am going to do another one as much as I can get before 3.

First off,

Rock Star Supernova.

Yes I watch this show and even though I despise Canadian and American Idol I will argue with you till you are blue in the face that this is considerably different than those shows.  Still in the end you'd have to call it lame but different.

I don't know why this band would want Tommy Lee on drums because the guy is a complete moron.  The other guys make reasonable observations and suggestions to the performers and then Tommy Lee hits on the girls and repeats whatever the other band members say to the guys.  He is unable to think on his own except for slightly clever ways to say that he wants to bang every girl on the show. 

The song selection this year is very limited.  I have already heard four Nirvana songs, three Stones tracks, a couple Who songs and the same with the Beatles.  Is the bands that these guys know that limited?  Or is the show on a smaller budget or what?  Mix it the fuck up you douchebags. 

My pick to stick is Lukas.  He is the too cool for school punk rock kid from Toronto who is about 5 feet tall or at least it appears that way but has great stage presence and is someone who I would listen to independent of this show.

I can't say the same about many other performers.  Dilana is getting a lot of love and she has a great gimmick going on but that is exactly why she won't win.  I have serious doubts about her range and whenever she strays from it and starts singing it is very pitchy and for whatever reason they don't bug her about leaving the comfort zone.  It is coming soon though, I promise.

I also have love for Phil.  He was nearly eliminated but an attrocious decision to sing Duran Duran saved him and since he has vastly improved.  His cover of "White Rabbit" on the last performance episode was one of the very best I have seen so far.  As Jason Newsted said he needs to learn to "CRUSH IT!!!!!!!!!!!" But if he does he is my darkhorse.

Non performance related observation, Navarro seems to be on the sauce and I would be too if Carmen Electra wanted to divorce my ass.


On to baseball, I wish John GIbbons would have kicked Shea Hillenbrand's ass. Worst time of the year for a distraction and it sure seems to me like somebody was a little uncomfortable with having to adopt a baby and being gone for 5 days when he came back by what transpired.  Good f'n riddance.


Outkast has a new album coming out soon and I just got my hands on some leaked tracks!  This is exciting news for me and look for one of them to appear in an upcoming track review on TWM and well if it doesn't win then that doesn't bode well for Idlewild being any good. 

And now, I need to wrap this up and clean up as I am having over some of my friends this weekend for a booze/weed fest.  With the way school has been lately this is long overdue.

Cheers

Dude... what a fuckin' night!  I have been moping around the house for two days with some stupid cold or something causing my throat to kill me (it better not be fuckin' strep) and all the while knowing that I was going to a Pearl Jam show at the ACC tonight.

Bit of background for you.  Pearl Jam has been my favourite band almost as far as my memory goes and various times I have attempted to see them and had it blow up for different reasons.  One time my friends went and we were supposed to get tickets but didn't and then had to hear them talk about it for years after the fact.  Scott, finally I don't have to regret that shit.

Yeah you saw them before me but on tour for arguably their worst album whereas I saw them tour their best album in years.  And tonight was opening night for the tour as well and holy shit that band seemed ready to explode. 

I'm sure a few months down the road they might sound better than they did tonight but I guarantee it won't have the same spontaniety and energy.  Not to mention they played a cover of "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" one of the greatest songs of all time which completely made it one of the more memorable nights of my life.

No Elderly Woman which made me a bit sad or Spin in black circle, and I Got Shit but their catalogue is so massive that I am sure everybody who went to the show tonight left wishing one or two songs they really would have love to hear didn't get played.

Sorry Matt they didn't play Rats, Bugs, or Heyfoxymophandlemama which really is a shame.  I would have loved to see the reaction from the crowd when all of a sudden you heard "She prides herself on her cleaning habits".

Anyhow, I'm on cloud nine right now.  Any of you hit up the show tonight?  What did you think?  Let me know.

Cheers,

Dan
twowaymonologues.com

Its weird to know that come the middle of October our family's house on Rockwood will be gone.  I haven't lived at home on a regular basis since I graduated highschool and yet I only really start to feel like I am in Kingston when we turn that corner onto Mona and start to approach the place.

My entire life before going to Kingston was a series of moves.  From Calgary to Missisauga to Winnipeg to Langley to Kitchener to Kingston.  And since then all over London and now Toronto.  I was reluctant to get used to Kingston as home because past history had told me not to get my hopes up.  But after a while I let my guard down and the place became the best home I ever had.

So many good times in that place, we spent our last time with our mother there.  I hit and missed hitting the century club numerous times and the horrible reprecussions afterwards.  The massive party I had when I managed to hide 30 people out of the view of the neighbors when they came to the door and yet still ended up getting caught weeks later when I was ratted out by the Bolgers.

Monday Night Raw gatherings, and PPV watchings when my dad didn't come home and flip out and throw everybody out.  Remember that one?  That was a classic Mr. Dub meltdown wasn't it?  And Andy I still know it was you who left that damn gum out.

Even in the last few years there was a certain comfort to coming home and going to my basement which in spite of Andy's best efforts remained somewhat of a time capsule of my years living at home.  And looking at the CDs left behind would confirm that.  Dr. Dre... Master P... Method Man... Stabbing Westward.  I'll never listen to those again but it was always fun to get high and joke about whatever we were able to find around the basement.

Come mid October all that is going to change and it won't ever be that way again.  The new place is beautiful (so I  hear) and is considerably larger than our house.  And its not like I won't have a place to sleep... but I won't have MY place to sleep.  Its not like I won't have a television to watch the game on but I won't have my PLACE to have the friends over to watch the game.  And that does make me sad... when I come home it won't be the same.

Brandon's families place just sold their place the closing date is next weekend or something like that.  Cameron has moved downtown and is living with the girlfriend.  Things change... and Kingston is becoming an entirely different place than what it was

But on the bright side Donna and my dad do truly seem really happy together and this is the type of place that they can retire into.  That I can bring my kids too in the future, and we can all get together for bbqs and things like that.  And not to mention it has a inground pool!  And is right on the water.

Its a new chapter and admittedly I am a little reluctant to flip the page and move on but then again I don't really have a choice.  So I need to get with the damn program.

That's all for now.

Dan

Time to write a blog.  One of my tests is in this ridiculous course called Strategies for Student Success and one of the theories we learnt about in that course is something called "C Fever". 

In short it basically means in your life you have A, B, and C priorities.  A and B priorities are more important and usually not the most fun.  C priorities are things like... reviews, blogs, watching sports, sex, and anything else basically that is fun but perhaps not productive.  So "C Fever" is when you are doing these activities instead of what you should be doing. 

Today I could have been admitted my fever has been so high.  I used to get like this in University... you see I used to do a lot of fiction writing and low and behold whatever novel or story I was working on would suddenly consume my every minute whenever an exam or something much less fun would roll around.  I denied that then, but it is very apparent now.

Anyhow, I think this school strike is the crime of the century really.  Profs get a two week extension for marking, but we don't really get much of anything.  Nothing you can do about it I suppose... just how it is.  Thankfully I had a killer average going in because i won't on the way out.

I'm sure many of you on my list who are in College know where I am coming from.  On the bright side the website is going better and better (thanks to many of you).  We are now updating every day, and have added enough writers now that it gives a nice variation.  Not to mention its nice to not have to worry about what we are going to review next now that the labels are taking notice and working with us.

Although I still wish more of you would sign up for our forums.  I always hope those forums will become more active than they are. 

Here is something pathetic, the Much Music VJ Search.  I did not watch that show although I will admit I flipped to it most Tuesday nights in the last five minutes to see who was being eliminated.  I wanted (like many people) the flamboyantly gay VJ Sean to win.  Why?  Basically because the rest of them were idiots and/or douchebags.  But the winner wa sdetermined by a fan vote and low and behold the fans voted like morons.

The pretty boy won, and the station I grew up continues to plunge further and further into the shitter.  Oh well, in that sense I am actually amused.  Muchmusic used to be a renegade channel... but those days are gone.  I need to let it go.  Just wondering, do they actually play videos on there anymore?

I wish a new station would come along and do it right, and knock them straight off the air.  That would make me very happy.  Too bad TWM doesn't have the bank roll to do it.

Anyhow, my C fever has made this longer than it was supposed to be.  Time to find something else unproductive to do.

Cheers,

Dan

Ok, quick explanation.  It was my intention to write a thorough blog tonight about a few things but then I just realized the clock is about to move forward an hour and I should try to get some sleep tonight.  So I have given myself five minutes to get out what is on my mind (I type about 100 words a minute).  Starting now.

How many of you have seen the show on teletoon the Boondocks?  I know that if you are American there is a better chance you have.  We are behind the times in Canada and usually get the new cartoons either after a season is done, or after they have already been cancelled.

The Boondocks is based loosely around a comic strip of the same name.  It follows a black family with two sons being taken care of by their grandfather.  One kid is deep, philosophical and basically a genius, the other kid buys into every fad is very sterotypical and wants to be a thug.  I find the show to be absolutely brilliant... very sarcastic and some might wonder if it at times is in bad taste.  I think you just need to have your tongue-in-cheek.  I love the late night swim, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Clone High, Undergrads are some of my favourite shows.  Now the Boondocks is starting to move into that category.  Its on in Canada Friday night's at 10:30 and then again at 1:30.  Next week if you get a chance check it out or record it.  Let me know what you think.

Three minutes to go:

I heard the new Red Hot Chili Peppers single "Dani California" and first listen I was not that impressed, thankfully the next few listens it immediately improved.  I wish the band would have done more, and tried to experiment more but its almost all forgiven with the absolutely incredible guitar solo at the end by the marvelous John Frusciante.  Hit me up if you want me to send that over to you.

I also have been listening to the new Flaming Lips album, which I should be reviewing as soon as possible.  I was both counting down the days and dreading the release of this album as I really thought there was no way possible it could live up to "Yoshimi".  Well, I am relieved.  The lead single "Yeah Yeah Yeah song" is easily more addictive than crack.  Not that I know anything about crack but I am just speculating.

My Calgary Flames look like a lock for the playoffs now, and probably are going to win the division.  How do you grow a playoff beard when you already have a beard?  I will have to ponder that.

Lastly, I saw Hustle & Flow tonight with Terri and was impressed.  The movie basically follows the life of a pimp that is sold a keyboard from a junkie and then runs into an old friend who is semi in the music industry and decides he is going to pursue a rap career.  The movie is really raw, and the lead ( I can't forget his name) is a wicked actor.  Fuckin' movie even has a semi decent acting performance from Ludcaris.  I recommend the movie for sure, its one of those rare Oscar nominated movies that you don't have to be an extreme movie buff to enjoy.

Time's up, sorry for the scattered thoughts.

Dan

** This is a rant against Morrissey's idiocy.  I am not really opposed nor am I a big supporter of the seal hunt.  I don't pretend to know everything about the topic... I do know that Morrissey needs to shut his fucking trap. I will put the link at the top, the blog likely has more impact if you the article.

Link

More and more celebrities keep sticking their nose into the seal hunt of Newfoundland.  I am not one to be adamantly against celebrities getting involved to fight for an issue they believe in.  I supported the celebrities who rallied around to try and get George Bush to lose the last election, and someone like Angelina Jolie's involvement with her charities is admirable.

However, far too many celebrities open their mouth and get involved with causes without taking the team to make sure they really understand the situation.  Paul Mccartney and his wife Linda Mccartney made this mistake in regards to the seal hunt, and Morrissey has taken this foolery to an entirely new level. 

As a musician I am a fan of Morrissey, but as a person this isn't the first time he has rubbed me the wrong way.  Just last week he made some absurd comments about the new rock sensation the Arctic Monkeys in NME magazine, only to rescind them almost immediately when the backlash hits.  Morrissey has been doing this for years, to keep his name in the press while his music career has been somewhat stagnant.  The same pompous nature that makes him such a successful musician, also makes him very easy to dislike as a person.

So now he isn't going to tour in Canada as a slap on the wrist to the country for not doing something about the seal hunt and to that I say who cares!  NME themselves are at fault for massive false reporting on the topic as well.  The article states that as many as 325,000  young seal pups could be killed in the coming weeks, when in actuality the hunt does not focus on the young seals at all.  It is this type of false reporting that has created the massive misconception that Newfoundlanders are killing baby seals, which has what has caused this uproar to begin with.  Bottom line, the outrage would be far less if these people were not under the impression baby seals were getting murdered. 

"The Canadian Prime Minister says the so-called 'cull' is economically and environmentally justified, but this is untrue," says Morrissey.  Well Morrissey, would you care to tell me why this is untrue?  Since you have so thoroughly investigated the facts about the situation, to the extent that you didn't even realize that the hunt isn't focussing on baby seals.  It is the bold nature of these statements that really grinds my gears.  But this isn't even the worst one, later on is when he really gets me infuriated.

My family has a Jewish background, my father and his side of the family still practice.  I lost relatives during the holocaust and have members of my family still living who were able to escape the Holocaust, and when Morrissey compares Stephen Harper allowing the seal hunt to go on to the Holocaust he is making one of the most idiotic non-sensical comparisons I have heard in my life.  Now, Morrissey is not the first person who in an attempt to make a point more powerful compares something that has no business being mentioned in the same breath as the Holocaust to perhaps the biggest atrocity in the history of the world. 

Morrissey, is a vegan and I am sure this is a major reason why he is so passionate about this and I don't expect him to change his tune once he is presented with the facts.  However, the Newfoundlanders have logical reasons to go ahead with the seal hunt.  The province have an over-abundance of seals and if they were not to go ahead with the hunt it would eventually become a massive problem.  The bleeding heart ideas of the Mccartney's to create some sort of a sanctuary isn't feasible.  It would be far too expensive, and Newfoundland doesn't have the room or the money to do this.  I for one, am not seeing Morrissey, the Mccartney's and the others so opposed to this so-called atrocity putting up the money to create this sanctuary. 

Lastly, and perhaps the most important point of all isn't this a rather convenient little coincidence that Morrissey's new album "Ringleader of the Tormenters" is coming out in about a week.  So for the last two weeks now Morrissey has been headline news in NME magazine and a variety of other publications right before he launches his new album.  Well, I bought Morrissey's last album and it was decent.  However, I am not going to buy his new album as my own little protest to Morrissey's absurd politics and lack of fact checking before diving into an issue.  I fully realize that my not buying his album won't hinder Morrissey's massive bank account but its my little protest against the massive atrocity that is Morrissey's mouth.

This weekend we replaced my couch, with a new black leather couch.  I don't know exactly how long I had the old couch, but it definitely has been longer than a decade.  And I know its just a stupid couch, yet in many ways getting rid of it was a big decision.

My mom picked out that couch... she fought to get that couch.  She loved it, personally I always thought it was ugly but in spite of its ugliness I liked it because my mom thought it was pretty AND because it was damn comfortable. 

The last four years I lived in Kingston that couch was in my basement where alll of my friends spent much of our free time.  That couch has been through everything you can dream of.  You name it, we spilt it on that couch.  From every type of alcohol imaginable, juice, pop, tobacco spit.  Chris "fucking" Richard dropped pizza on it like it was his job.  One night I remember that idiot dropped pizza on it three times in a row and I was getting pissed off and he was like "Whatever man, its THE couch" and he was right.  It was the couch, and it survived anything. 

At least a few of my friends probably had sex on the couch.  It was in my basement and apartment for years so we can fill in the blanks.  A baby was conceived via an affair on that couch. 

My best friend Brandon lived on that couch when his parents split up, we called it his home.  Still did, up until recently.  Speaking of Brandon, he is actually responsible for its eventual demise.  PLaying video games one day Brandon spazzed out and punched the couch.  Now we had done this a million times before but this time the old bugger couldn't take it anymore.  He devastated the spring and it was never to be fixed.

For years the couch persevered, half of it was still decent but the other half ot it was brutally painful to sit in.  Yet we kept it, and the good times continued to roll.  Everybody has a couch like this when you are a student.  Nobody can afford an actual quality couch.  But now its gone.  Which maybe is a sign you know.  I feel differently walking into our living room now with all the new furniture we got. 

It always looked basically the same as it did when I was a stoner living with Brandon coming home to smoke pot every day.  Now... you come in and feel like an adult.  That isn't such a bad thing... although I am semi scared to eat or even lounge on the couch so that will take some getting used to.  Yet I still feel some sadness when I go by the couch which has yet to be hauled off to the dumpster or taken by somebody.

R.I.P The Couch
1994-2006
You will be missed.

Signing off,

Dan

My buddy Cam and I today went to see the movie Heart Of Gold.  The title somewhat gives it away but if you haven't seen a preview this movie is a semi documentary, semi concert film about a performance Neil Young did shortly before his brain aneurysm surgery to support his most recent studio album Prairie Wind.

I idolize Neil Young, there are very few (if any) musicians that I admire and respect as much as Neil Young.  He stands for everything that is right in the music, and he has just as much energy in him today as he did thirty plus years ago when he broke on the scene.  It is a life ambition of mine to see this wonderful performer live, and watching Heart Of Gold is as close as I have been able to get so far.

If you are a fan of Neil Young you must see this movie.  Going in I figured there was little to no chance I would see something that made me more impresed with Neil Young on my way out and I was wrong.  The film is shot by Jonathan Demme who manages to make you feel like you are at the show.  I wanted to clap after every song, I found myself moving along and doing what I would at a concert in my movie seat.  It was amazing.

Prairie Wind isn't Young's best album, but being played live with the cast of muscians he put together for that show in Nashville made me forget.  After the album is done being played through, Young dips into his catalogue playing some of his timeless classics, which also do not disappoint.  Along the way, sharing charming and heartfelt annecdotes with the fans.  When he talks about losing his daddy you are right there with him, and you can tell how much pain it caused him.  Yet he tells it in a way that offers comfort to the audience.

Can you tell I liked the movie?

Don't walk, run to the nearest theatre playing heart Of Gold.  It might be hard to find in your city but its worth it.

Cheers,

Dan

When my mom passed away so much changed.  Prior to my mom passing away I avoided funeral's like a plague.  If somebody passed away and I didn't have a direct connection I would rationalize avoiding the service.  I regret that now... having experienced first hand how much it means to those who have lost to see each and every person who shows up to pay tribute and lend their support to you in that time.  But now... something has changed.

I feel an over-whelming urge to make every effort in my power to attend a funeral when somebody I knew loses somebody.  Even if the connection between them and I is not that powerful.  I can't explain it.  If somebody loses their mother this feeling is intensified even more... or if the person who has experienced the loss were in attendance at my mom's funeral. 

My dad said to me tonight... its a strange club to be a part of when you lose your mother or your wife in his case.  At that point... after some time has passed people who know what you have gone through sometimes look to you for guidance and support.  Meanwhile, you feel like it is almost a responsibility to put yourself out there in case the person feels they could benefit from talking to you. 

And each time someone loses their mother... its painful for you.  Both because you know the intense pain and suffering that your friend and their family is going through, and because there is almost no more real of a reminder of what you yourself went through then this. 

So why all this?  Well... an old friend of mine from highschool lost her mother yesterday.  Its a horrible story... she was in Ireland and still hasn't made it home.  I remember now her being in attendance at my mom's funeral... and she by no means had to be.  That was a really impressive thing to do on her part.  And now here I am trying to decide whether or not my presence is valid at the funeral.  I don't know... but I am leaning towards going.  I just want her to know that if she needs somebody to talk to... maybe somebody who has been through this before and who is somewhat detached from the current situation that I am more than willing. 

My friend Chris is in the same boat.  Now in this instance its a no-brainer for him they are very close and have been for years.  But... we both lost our mothers and both feel very similarily now in terms of feeing a responsibility towards helping others who experience what we did.  And you know... the club isn't one you ever want to be a part of but deep down... I think my mother and any mother would be proud of their son for accepting it and trying to help. 

I'll try to keep the next blogs to music but this is really on my mind right now and I wanted to just talk it out in writing and I think it helped me in my decision.

Thanks

Dan