No, what has had me wringing my hands for a couple of days is a betrayal of trust that I incited. You might think it was nothing if I told you about it, but it really hurts me in retrospect. I hate it. It makes me mad at myself. I don’t really have any lessons learned to offer from this other than to follow your heart and your instincts, even if you have to say no to a friend.

They’ll get over it.

NP :: White Rabbits - “The Salesman”

Whatever you thought about last night, it was still the greatest thing on TV this decade.
Thanks for the memories, LOST.

Charlie, Hurley, Eko, Sawyer, Rose & ‘nard, and everyone else, you were the best.

NP :: Jason Isbell - “However Long”

Montalban is great, of course, and Shatner is Shatner. It is credited with “introducing” Kirstie Alley to the world, so fans of “HEY LOOK AT ME I’M KIRSTIE ALLEY AND I’M STILL ON TV!” over on The OxygenTime Network have this to thank, I guess (she was never my favorite part of “Cheers.”)

I will say that it’s a good looking film for 1982. Having not seen TRON at the time, I’m sure it was impressive enough. Certainly THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, appearing two years earlier, is miles beyond it, though, right? Right.

I believe THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK comes on HDNet sometime this week, and I might just record/watch that one, too. I honestly can’t remember if I’ve seen it or not. I KNOW we went to see THE VOYAGE HOME (Whales!) and I think maybe the one previous, but I’m not certain. Also missing from my memory banks: Did I ask to go see these early Trek films, or was my dad interested in them? He was no huge sci-fi afficianado later on, so I’m guessing that Young Gray was eager to check out ANYTHING involving spaceships.

I do hope he got to see a movie he liked once in a while. Our last trip to the theater together was REMEMBER THE TITANS, which he liked very much. Inspirational sports stories were usually a win for Mike Whitten. Thanks for putting up with everything else you might have taken me to, Daddy.

In February!
I went to Florida to see a Space Shuttle launch (!!!), and saw a Led Zeppelin perform with a Foo Fighter and a Queen of the Stone Age.

In March!
Well, I don’t really have that much March under my belt as of yet, but the plan is to see the Harlem Globetrotters this weekend, so that’s pretty cool! Also, scored some tickets to the CoCo show!

How’s your year going, friend or stranger?

NP :: Chopin - Sonata #2 in B-Flat Minor for Piano, Op.35: I. Grave - Doppio Movimento

Liz saying “Sharkfarts” on 30 Rock
Live Meatwad Christmas performance @ Criminal
Hangar steak + jalapeno mac & cheese @ PURE
LOST S1, D3 review w/ Melissa
Polenta pancakes @ Radial (BEST EVER?)
Made it out of Sand People enclave alive in KOTOR
Chicken pizza + a decent new Simpsons episode!

WEEKEND LOWLIGHTS

Working late Friday night
The Weather
Still behind on every project ever started
Had to come back to work today

NP :: The Bird and The Bee - “Diamond Dave”

Whatever the case, here’s a quick one.

Amusingly Appropriate Products I Heard Ads For While Listening To Conservative Talk Radio On XM During Drive Time:

Data backup software
Prostate care pills
Wang-enlargement pills (WITH free measuring device)
Hot flash treatment medication
Brandy! (the drink, not the fine girl)

The brandy really tickled me. That just doesn’t seem like something that needs to be advertised. You find a drink you like through word of mouth, or trial and error, and you stick with it. I guess if anyone knows their brandy, though, it’s someone who hosts a talk radio show (???).

I’m grasping at straws here, but I thought it was pretty funny. You couldn’t pick a beverage more closely associated with portly old guys smoking cigars in a secret back room if you tried!

Alright, back to the grind. Stay frosty, Internet.

2) Justin Townes Earle was opening for Dan Auerbach at the Variety, so I entered Criminal’s ticket drawing, and won! I’m a pretty vocal supporter of JTE, having seen him a couple of times in the past. He’s sort of a modern-day version of Hank Williams, I guess? Tall, skinny, country– the voice definitely sounds like Williams to me, but the vocal mannerisms that contribute to that impression are probably not accidental. Anyway, he’s a great song-storyteller, and I recommend. You should buy his EP, Yuma.

3) I’m only a casual fan of The Black Keys, and I never did get that album they made with Dangermouse, but I like their sound. Dan’s the guitarist of the duo (and the primary singer, I guess?) His band, The Fast Five, includes a member of My Morning Jacket and some Weird Beard in a Man With No Name poncho who played the bongos with two maracas in each hand (I think he might have been there mostly for show.) Distractions aside, this band sounds good together, and they know how to rock a set. I didn’t know a single song they played, but it all made the Variety rumble with pleasant frequencies. Approve! Nice use of lighting, too.

So, big thanks to Criminal Records!

Who have you seen perform lately? Were they good?

NP :: Cannibal Ox - “The F Word”