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6 years ago
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
P.O.V.
The other day I was thinking about my time in Boston, Mass. My last stint there was a truly great period of my life. I lived with three good pals, worked in the North End, ate Dunkin Donuts breakfast sandwiches every weekend, and went to "Chapel" every Friday night. We were very religious. Chapel was held at a dive bar on the edge of Boston College's campus called Mary Ann's, the last stop on the Green Line's C train. It was a veritable oasis that we piously trekked to after a long week of work for the sacraments of pop-a-shot and $1 beers. The place reeked of puke, cologne- soaked polo shirts, and spilled beer. It had the look of a 1983 bar inspired by a leaf-peeper's 1967 dining room. Browns, buttery golds, burnt oranges all twisted together and mixed with neon beer signs. It was holy.
One night, after lots of sacraments, my pal Tyler noticed a few pretty girls drinking bottles of Coronas. He approached them. I trailed behind a step to witness his game. As something awesome blasted from the jukebox, something awesome blasted out of Tyler. "You guys much really like Corona." He swayed (accidentally in beat) waiting for their reply. They didn't have one so he elaborated. "Cause these are a buck!" He raised his glass so they knew what he was talking about. They turned around and we went back to pop-a-shot.
Whenever we find ourselves around a campfire we retell this story (and many more). I thought about this the other day and wondered what'd it look like if the Corona girls also retold this story when they get together. I know they don't. But I wanted to play around with the same story from a different point of view. So here goes.
Anna is a medical sales rep and her two friends (Mandy and Eric) are moms. They're at a spa, chatting about old times.
"Remember Mary Ann's?" Anna says.
Mandy rolls her eyes underneath her cucumbers. "That place was a hole."
"Remember the jello-shot night?" Erin says. "Junior year?"
"Yeah. It was after our spring fling. You puked in the bathroom." Anna recalls.
"Everyone puked in that place. That bathroom?!! Sick." Mandy doesn't wax nostalgic like her friends.
"Remember Buck?" Anna asks Erin who nods as she sips her wheat grass smoothie.
"Who's Buck?" Mandy doesn't remember Buck.
"You weren't there that night. Buck was this guy who looked like a...I don't know, how would you describe him, Mandy?"
"He looked like Nick Lachey."
"Yeah, but a beat up version."
"He was cute!"
"Yeah. Until he talked."
"What happened?" Mandy asks.
"He and his buddies were obsessed with that basketball game." Erin explains.
"And Busch Light." Anna chimes.
"Yeah. They weren't BC guys."
"Which is why we were interested."
"Yes. We were...but..."
"He talked." Anna concedes.
"Right. Buck came over to Anna and made fun of her for drinking Corona."
"He was wasted." Anna defends Buck to Mandy.
Erin continues, "He goes, "You guys must love that Corona. Just point blank. And he just stood there."
"That was his line?" Mandy asks.
"I guess?" Erin says. "Then he lifts his Busch Light and goes, "Cause these are a buck!"
"I almost pooped." Anna laughs. "And he was dead serious."
"Why would he say that?!" Mandy asks disgusted.
"Who knows? Cause he was drunk. We turned around and ignored him." Erin explains.
"Did he say anything else? Mandy asks.
"Nope. He and his toady friends went back to playing miniature basketball." Anna says.
"And drinking Busch Lights for a buck!" Erin adds.
"Sweet Buck." Anna reaches for her drink. "Nick Lachey's poor cousin."
The Corona girls laugh and go back to relaxing in their terry cloth robes, sipping their cleansing smoothies and tapping their pedicured feet to the soothing sounds of Enya.
One night, after lots of sacraments, my pal Tyler noticed a few pretty girls drinking bottles of Coronas. He approached them. I trailed behind a step to witness his game. As something awesome blasted from the jukebox, something awesome blasted out of Tyler. "You guys much really like Corona." He swayed (accidentally in beat) waiting for their reply. They didn't have one so he elaborated. "Cause these are a buck!" He raised his glass so they knew what he was talking about. They turned around and we went back to pop-a-shot.
Whenever we find ourselves around a campfire we retell this story (and many more). I thought about this the other day and wondered what'd it look like if the Corona girls also retold this story when they get together. I know they don't. But I wanted to play around with the same story from a different point of view. So here goes.
Anna is a medical sales rep and her two friends (Mandy and Eric) are moms. They're at a spa, chatting about old times.
"Remember Mary Ann's?" Anna says.
Mandy rolls her eyes underneath her cucumbers. "That place was a hole."
"Remember the jello-shot night?" Erin says. "Junior year?"
"Yeah. It was after our spring fling. You puked in the bathroom." Anna recalls.
"Everyone puked in that place. That bathroom?!! Sick." Mandy doesn't wax nostalgic like her friends.
"Remember Buck?" Anna asks Erin who nods as she sips her wheat grass smoothie.
"Who's Buck?" Mandy doesn't remember Buck.
"You weren't there that night. Buck was this guy who looked like a...I don't know, how would you describe him, Mandy?"
"He looked like Nick Lachey."
"Yeah, but a beat up version."
"He was cute!"
"Yeah. Until he talked."
"What happened?" Mandy asks.
"He and his buddies were obsessed with that basketball game." Erin explains.
"And Busch Light." Anna chimes.
"Yeah. They weren't BC guys."
"Which is why we were interested."
"Yes. We were...but..."
"He talked." Anna concedes.
"Right. Buck came over to Anna and made fun of her for drinking Corona."
"He was wasted." Anna defends Buck to Mandy.
Erin continues, "He goes, "You guys must love that Corona. Just point blank. And he just stood there."
"That was his line?" Mandy asks.
"I guess?" Erin says. "Then he lifts his Busch Light and goes, "Cause these are a buck!"
"I almost pooped." Anna laughs. "And he was dead serious."
"Why would he say that?!" Mandy asks disgusted.
"Who knows? Cause he was drunk. We turned around and ignored him." Erin explains.
"Did he say anything else? Mandy asks.
"Nope. He and his toady friends went back to playing miniature basketball." Anna says.
"And drinking Busch Lights for a buck!" Erin adds.
"Sweet Buck." Anna reaches for her drink. "Nick Lachey's poor cousin."
The Corona girls laugh and go back to relaxing in their terry cloth robes, sipping their cleansing smoothies and tapping their pedicured feet to the soothing sounds of Enya.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Bad News Brown
I'm pretty sure the harmonica (also known as the french harp, mouth organ, lickin' stick, Gob-iron, tin sandwich, Rhythm stick, sidewalk Stradivarius, blind harp and slide harp) has never looked so cool. I did a little research and put together an abridged history.
The "harmonica" has been attributed to being invented by the emperor of Japan over 2,000 years ago. Currently, it is the peoples' instrument of China and is annually the most sold instrument in the world. It has retained this elite status since 1922, when the popularity of Borrha Minovitch and The Harmonica Rascals brought it to prominence starting in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Blues players in the city picked up the Gob-iron and started "bending" notes into their unique sound through changes in air pressure. Then Bob Dylan happened. And now Bad News Brown. The future is unclear. But I'm certain The Harmonica Rascals are thrilled with the mad beats of this video.
Also, Mr. Bad News makes me wanna buy a new hat. Now I'm going to research that.
The "harmonica" has been attributed to being invented by the emperor of Japan over 2,000 years ago. Currently, it is the peoples' instrument of China and is annually the most sold instrument in the world. It has retained this elite status since 1922, when the popularity of Borrha Minovitch and The Harmonica Rascals brought it to prominence starting in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Blues players in the city picked up the Gob-iron and started "bending" notes into their unique sound through changes in air pressure. Then Bob Dylan happened. And now Bad News Brown. The future is unclear. But I'm certain The Harmonica Rascals are thrilled with the mad beats of this video.
Also, Mr. Bad News makes me wanna buy a new hat. Now I'm going to research that.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A true story
This is a true story about three people and a worship event this past Sunday evening.
One guy (the worship leader) was brushing his teeth when he felt like God told him there'd be 2-3 people at the event who were jobless, hopeless and consumed with worrying about how they were going to pay the bills this month. As he put the toothbrush away, he felt like God gave him an idea.
One woman felt like she was supposed to bring her friend to the event. She felt this every month for the past three months.
The friend woke up that morning feeling suicidal again. She was unable to work due to chronic pain and felt hopeless and unsure that even God cared anymore. She agreed to come to the event, but prayed (told) God that morning she needed him to "show up in a big way" for her to keep believing in him.
Part way thru the worship event the guy addressed the crowd. He said he felt like there were 2-3 people who were jobless, hopeless and consumed with worry. He asked them to stand up to receive prayer. Immediately, the friend stood up. For a minute she was the only one. The guy still felt like there were two more and soon two more stood. He said, "We're going to pray for you. But first, I want everyone around these three women to give them all the cash in your wallets." The crowd was stunned. They sat there motionless. He said, "I'm serious. Do it."
People looked around at their husbands, wives, friends deciding what to do. Soon, one by one, people stood all over the auditorium and brought the three women their cash. The friend began to sob. She stood there as her hands filled with cash and her sob turned into a wail. It filled the room. She started to collapse to her seat and a woman standing beside her held her up as more and more people brought her money. The second woman who was jobless, hopeless and consumed with worry, turned around and placed her new cash in the first one's shaking hands. She collapsed to her seat, overwhelmed by answered prayer. Everyone in the crowd, the band, the guy, literally everyone had tears streaming down their face. We too were overwhelmed.
One guy felt like he heard from God. Clearly he did.
One woman felt like her friend needed to connect with God. Clearly she did.
One friend needed to really know God still cared. Clearly he does.
One guy (the worship leader) was brushing his teeth when he felt like God told him there'd be 2-3 people at the event who were jobless, hopeless and consumed with worrying about how they were going to pay the bills this month. As he put the toothbrush away, he felt like God gave him an idea.
One woman felt like she was supposed to bring her friend to the event. She felt this every month for the past three months.
The friend woke up that morning feeling suicidal again. She was unable to work due to chronic pain and felt hopeless and unsure that even God cared anymore. She agreed to come to the event, but prayed (told) God that morning she needed him to "show up in a big way" for her to keep believing in him.
Part way thru the worship event the guy addressed the crowd. He said he felt like there were 2-3 people who were jobless, hopeless and consumed with worry. He asked them to stand up to receive prayer. Immediately, the friend stood up. For a minute she was the only one. The guy still felt like there were two more and soon two more stood. He said, "We're going to pray for you. But first, I want everyone around these three women to give them all the cash in your wallets." The crowd was stunned. They sat there motionless. He said, "I'm serious. Do it."
People looked around at their husbands, wives, friends deciding what to do. Soon, one by one, people stood all over the auditorium and brought the three women their cash. The friend began to sob. She stood there as her hands filled with cash and her sob turned into a wail. It filled the room. She started to collapse to her seat and a woman standing beside her held her up as more and more people brought her money. The second woman who was jobless, hopeless and consumed with worry, turned around and placed her new cash in the first one's shaking hands. She collapsed to her seat, overwhelmed by answered prayer. Everyone in the crowd, the band, the guy, literally everyone had tears streaming down their face. We too were overwhelmed.
One guy felt like he heard from God. Clearly he did.
One woman felt like her friend needed to connect with God. Clearly she did.
One friend needed to really know God still cared. Clearly he does.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Mumford and Sons
My insides have been captured (dare I say raptured) by four lads from West London. It happened in high school the first time I heard Dave Matthews. It happened in college the first time I knowingly heard Miles Davis. It happened in my late 20s when I saw MuteMath in concert. Music reached into my gut, somehow grabbed my heart, spine, and all things core and shook me awake. It was instantaneous and mysterious. Call me melodramatic if you like. It happened. And will continue to happen.
Music has an odd brawn to it. My friend, Jim Zartman (the one who passed the band onto me) phrases it like this, "Music has a power to touch us beyond the surface when it is done well. There is a reason why people have sung to God together for all of time. Music is the best medium for a shared experience that is purposeful, emotional, and intentional." Mumford and Sons (according to their bio) set out in 2007 to make music that matters. The intensity and passion you feel in their lyrics and sound is intoxicating. This bit from their bio sums it up, "They have fire in their bellies, romance in their hearts, and rapture in their masterful, melancholy voices." I hope to see them live someday, somewhere in the UK, sharing a pint with my Irish friend, Jason.
(if you hate the F word skip the first video)
Music has an odd brawn to it. My friend, Jim Zartman (the one who passed the band onto me) phrases it like this, "Music has a power to touch us beyond the surface when it is done well. There is a reason why people have sung to God together for all of time. Music is the best medium for a shared experience that is purposeful, emotional, and intentional." Mumford and Sons (according to their bio) set out in 2007 to make music that matters. The intensity and passion you feel in their lyrics and sound is intoxicating. This bit from their bio sums it up, "They have fire in their bellies, romance in their hearts, and rapture in their masterful, melancholy voices." I hope to see them live someday, somewhere in the UK, sharing a pint with my Irish friend, Jason.
(if you hate the F word skip the first video)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Floppy Demon
The only reason dogs haven't gone extinct (killed off by justified humans) is that they're so frustratingly cute. If puppies looked like toads, dogs would be nothing more than faint memories on the walls of pyramids. If Lola looked and smelled like a catfish I would've wrapped her in newspaper and thrown her down a sewer by now. But she doesn't. She looks like a floppy Christmas morning. That's the only reason the little demon is alive.
Makes me think that God must see us the same way. He puts up with us ruining all his stuff, and only listening when it's convenient, and crapping on his couch because he finds us so frustratingly cute. Otherwise, he'd off us like he did those dinosaurs. Meteor style. They looked like toads with car-sized teeth as puppies.
Makes me think that God must see us the same way. He puts up with us ruining all his stuff, and only listening when it's convenient, and crapping on his couch because he finds us so frustratingly cute. Otherwise, he'd off us like he did those dinosaurs. Meteor style. They looked like toads with car-sized teeth as puppies.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Hot Chip
Every bit of you is gonna want to stop watching this video before it gets to :55 seconds. If you do, you'll miss something special.
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