Friday, April 30, 2010

The new Arizona Tea - now with more over-processed white sugar

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What a Seattle morning.  Gray as Glenn Beck's heart outside, but the energy where I've been indoors is off the charts.  I had to visit REI's flagship store to get a new exercise BPA-free hydration system (translation: plastic water jug on a belt).  Every dood or doodette there was AMPED! at 9:15am.  This came after dropping Maya into the friendly din of Friday activity that is her pre-school (ah, the excitement of the sabbath's cup runeth overeth).  And before sticking my head into the Espresso Vivace across from REI where the crowd was lined up out the door although no one waiting for a fix seemed to mind.  Our society has so many squeaky wheel moments.  Waiting for coffee can surely be one of them.  But when you see a group of people being this tolerant and kind to one another (while buying drugs, no less) it gives me hope that we CAN all get along.  At least until that second jolt starts tipping the collective attitude a bit more toward Happy Hour and thoughts of the weekend and...well, I'll just try to enjoy the moment.

I'd be an incomplete version of myself if I didn't at least weigh in on Arizona's immigration bill.  It would surely be easy to scoff at the stupidity of that bill's timing and intent.  It is, after all, one of the stupidest bits of legislation I've ever seen come down the pike.  I can't see how it isn't undercut or gutted entirely by the lawsuits already mounting.  But for me, one aspect remains largely forgotten in the discussion.  In a best case scenario, who wins?  Did the bill's sponsors envision a reduction in Arizona's budget for services that are somehow available to illegal immigrants?  Did someone expect an atmosphere of intolerance would scare immigrants away, sending them to the other border states and erecting a metaphorical border the length of not only Arizona's southern desert, but those American borders to the east, west and north?  I don't have anything to base this on other than gut instinct and way too much time spent listening to the blather on all sides, but I do have a best case scenario theory.  Arizona wanted to draw the population of Tea Partiers there, to buy the overbuilt suburbs of Phoenix (one of the worst real estate markets in the country).  They wanted to draw the Tea Party to hold an anti-Burning Man and similar caravan events for Euro-America.  The problem is that summer's basically here.  Arizona sucks this time of year.  Maybe some of their more short-sighted residents wanted to make that a year-round thing.  That, after all, would make about as much sense as anything I've heard.

Hope your own questions are answered in the asking today.  Rock on.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Introducing my new tipsheet meant to rival the exposure of "Playbook" - reprinted clippings of Penthouse Forum articles from 1978-83

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Amidst all the standard Spring flings, I've been diggin' a few new things.  Most of all, The Tallest Man on Earth.  Don't be afraid, he's actually quite normal-sized.  He (Kristian Mattson) is Swedish, though, which can be unsettling for some.  He gets lots of music geek buzz and all sorts of comparison reviews that say he sounds like Bob Dylan.  Yeah sure, that's in the sound.  But there's something else masterful, infectious and just downright surprising in his music.  I don't think I've played a new album more often in the first week after buying it than his latest ("Wild Hunt").  Sarah and Maya agree.  This guy's something special.  My rating for this album - a solid A.  Check it out.

I need to also weigh in on the NYTimes Sunday Magazine profile of Mike Allen's "Playbook" obsessive political news/media insider shtick that runs daily on the Politico.  I was an early adopter, especially since I'd been reading Mikey's work for years at the WashPost and the NYTimes.  "Playbook" is just a newer iteration of the sort of tipsheet compendiums so many others have been doing for years (The Hotline, ABC's The Note, lots of others without the buzz - I just noticed that Seattle's Publicola does a good, short "Morning Fizz").  Does "Playbook" have influence because so many people are reading it?  Probably.  Is this worth thousands upon thousands of words in a magazine piece that goes absolutely nowhere?  Nope.  Insiders love this crap.  I'm no insider.  This article isn't worthy of fish wrap, to be totally unfair.  But, admittedly, I still skim through the "Playbook" most mornings.  I'm so meta.

More interesting for me in that same issue of the NYTimes was the profile of the band, The National.  I just love what a writerly example of highly skilled and nuanced musicians they represent - editing and remixing and riffing up until the last minute before release on their new album ("High Violet").  I really look forward to that release next week.  Mmm, dork dork dork.  I'm sure I'll review it here, so feel free to check back.  Why the hell not - won't cost you a thing.

On the home front, Maya really got a kick out of planting a serious stack of vegetable seed packets this weekend.  I have absolutely no confidence in my abilities in that realm, so this one will be up to ol' Momma Nature.  And since we hope to be eating all that stuff, I pray to Jeebus that the compost I collected in our bin and then spread is fit for raising such crops.  If only we were raising a crop of lawn moss.  We'd be rich, beeyatch!

Hope your own playbook has a few tricks worth trying out today.  Rock on.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Finally, someone to pull away that precious title from Jim Belushi

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If I've learned anything by moving regularly from the highest of high to the lowest of low brow movies, it is this - Nicholas Cage is the worst living actor on the Planet.  Maybe of all time.  There was a time when "Raising Arizona" earned him a bit of slack to step away from that pronouncement.  But after suffering through a recent Cage double bout of the mental runs, I can no longer afford to give him that much rope.  First of all, "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" is a complete sewer of dumped cliches and flushed mental hygiene products.  I give it a strangely-coveted big phat F rating.  Weirdly, it got enough flaky good press that I thought I'd grind through it via Netflix.  Big mistake.  It's not that it's gritty.  It's just bad.  And Cage is by far the worst part of it.  Given that he's on screen in every single scene save a few interspersed short expositions with even less likable characters, well...you've been warned.

Then I moved onto "Kick-Ass" in the theatre.  It's a little "s" success of a movie.  There's enough sweetness layered into the silliness to make it entertaining front to back.  My rating - a very watchable C-plus.  But as much as Nicholas Cage should be hilarious and perfect for the good Dad doing bad things training his assassin daughter, he is just doubly awful.  Much of the time he's vamping Batman including the horrible Christian Bale accent from "The Dark Knight".  But he slips out of the accent enough while in costume to sound more like Adam West from the 60s TV version, and he doesn't seem in control enough to figure out which persona he's making fun of.  He just about ruins every scene he's a part of as a result.  There was a time when I maybe liked him as an actor.  I'm sorry to say that was a few decades ago and I've officially given up on him.  So use that to buck up and do some good work, Nick-o.  I doubt you will, but I don't want to be entirely a downer.

In contrast, one recent small movie that stuck with me for like 10 minutes because of the leading actor's performance (in a good way) was "The Ghost Writer".  It's not Roman Polanski's best.  Or even very close to it - he's got bigger issues than work right now given his extradition and associated legal fight.  Still, in "The Ghost Writer" the political-thriller story is overdone and the humorlessness of most of the action made it feel so cold and dated.  But Ewan McGregor is fantastic.  He adds something to every line and his infectious charm is the perfect counter point to an otherwise downbeat film.  He almost single-handedly earns a recommendation for the film.  Instead, I'll give it a C-Plus and say wait for the rental.  And whatever Ewan's in next, right in line next to me.

Hope your own reviews move you instead way above the mean today.  Rock on.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The new Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill, as seen from the across the street.

I had to go check out the new digs for Elliott Bay now that it has reopened on Capitol Hill. Short story - I love it. I think a ton of other people will, too. The cafe` is not yet open. It smells like fresh paint. There are no used books. But the space is beautiful. Everyone working there appeared to be stifling a jubilant yell. Hopefully, they'll get the chance to let loose after work. Check it out. My rating - a strong A-minus.

They brought along the old entrance stained glass sign. Classy.


The weirdest thing I noticed - graphic novels are filed in a section named "Graphica" which is also right up front. Pretty sure that's a big change.


The view from the upper level shows the really strong, open, woody feel of the place.


The same Real Change salesguy came along to the new place. It was nice to see that he made the move safely, too.


"Lobster attack!"


"Lobster attack!"
Originally uploaded by emaggie
Prepping for Sarah's birthday dinner earlier this week. Two of those pictured above didn't survive the process. The other soon thereafter was no longer freaked out. And quite satisfied.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Sarah wanted to see whether her new haircut could properly withstand gale force headwinds. Success.

We ran a half marathon on Whidbey Island this weekend with a group of friends. Maya led the enthusiastic cheering squad. Good times were had by all. A few pics from the weekend follow. Rock on.

The ferry out to Whidbey Island didn't require a Tootsie Roll Pop. But why not.


Hunting for shells along the eastern shore of Whidbey Island.


Maya offers up her congrats post race.


Riding the ferry back to Mukilteo.


Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Even though Randy Jackson tries so hard every week to do so...

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We spent last weekend in Chicago.  It already seems like months ago.  I truly admire that city - it's one of those vertical places that just draws your gaze upward more often than not.  Included in that short trip was a full-on gorgeous Hindu wedding (bride side), with some strong Jewish themes (groom).  Mazeltov for a counterpoint to the Easter Bunny and all the sugary bunk that he brings with him.  Also included in the weekend was a long run along the stunning Lake Michigan shore, with the looming buildings of downtown beckoning us forward all the way to and around the beautiful individual draws of the larger Museum District.  Round it all out with a chance to visit the Art Institute, which I've only been through a few times. It still lives on as one of my favorite museums in the world.  The special Matisse exhibit was interesting, but I'm not a huge fan.  I was maybe more inspired by a disdainful walk around the really recent American art rooms.  Thank gawd for pretentious artists and the descriptions of their work offered up to explain, for example, a room with bad wallpaper and bags of kitty litter scattered about.  Otherwise, how could a rube really laugh with purpose at what would otherwise be impenetrable.

Back here in little ol' Seattle, I had a few larger thoughts that I want to share quickly.  First of all, "American Idol" is dead to me.  Everyone seems to be saying that the singers this time around are not that impressive.  Maybe so.  But if you really want to know what happened, I think it boils down to one person.  Adam Lambert.  He killed "Idol".  He killed it with his talent that the viewing public just couldn't handle (hell, he couldn't handle his own talent, as evidenced by what he's done since finishing as the runner-up last year).   But, more uncomfortably, Adam Lambert killed "Idol" with his gayness.  Gayness that I totally support.  I love his gayness.  It was liberating and cheesy at the same time.  And it just plain pushed the show flailing madly over the proverbial shark chomping below with the lowest of expectations for a new Carrie Underwood, or some sort of Daughtry-type tater.  The "Idol" shall intrigue this generally great land no longer.  Y'all had a good run.  Now go away.

Secondly, I am wondering why no one has come up with the sport of summer biathlon.  Seriously.  As someone who is getting a huge kick out of running regularly and who misses the Winter Olympics events that no one really cares about for 3 years and 50 weeks in a row - where is the summer version of long distance run/ski/bike/grass-dogsledding and rifle shooting?  I'd like to offer free use of the following un-trademarked event name to those persons who will begin promoting it mercilessly - "duablastathon".  Either that or "sunandfungunning".  Regardless, I'm convinced this one's a winner.

Hope your own random thoughts today also bring to light unidentified societal blindspots.  Rock on.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

You Should Run. Too.

We're heading off to Chicago tomorrow for what should be a fun family wedding.  Given our muddled American mutt heritage, an Indian wedding on Easter Weekend sounds like the right spice to add to the stew.  Especially since I've done such a lousy job on Passover this week.  It all started last Friday when I was packing preschool lunch for Maya.  She was having a special pre-Passover break seder with her classmates, so a lunch was gilding the lilly.  Still, I asked Maya if she wanted a tuna sandwich.  She quietly withdrew into her own shell while still seated at the counter for breakfast.  When I finally noticed and asked her why she was upset, she told me that bread wasn't allowed for Passover.  I corrected direction as best I could and apologized to for not knowing the drill - she's really a good kid who so dearly wants to follow the rules.  Oh well.  At least I hadn't asked if she wanted a pulled pork sandwhich or a shrimp po' boy.

If you've caught wind of another blog I started last week, I hope you will check back as I look toward some upcoming goals.  For those totally unaware, I'm training for a half marathon in little more than a week.  And then a full marathon in early October back in Minnysoda (the Twin Cities Marathon on the 3rd).  My new project ("You Should Run") is envisioned as a runner's blog that hopefully will add a bit more zazz than just running shtick to the daily posts.  Please check it out if you want to track whether this not-so-long-ago big ol' load of a feller can pull it together for a full marathon given another six months of training.  Not that it matters, but ages ago I ran my one and only marathon (Seattle in late '96) well enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  But I trained so poorly and so ruined myself in the process that I had to skip Boston that following Spring.  This time around, I'm trying to show that I'm a decade and a half smarter about the grand arc of such an endeavor.  I know, I know - silly me.

Hope your own loops are new and tree-lined this weekend.  Rock on.