unexpected mascots

zappa plays zappa

Last night my friend Anthony and I went to hear Zappa Plays Zappa perform at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. Both of us were fortunate enough to have seen Frank Zappa in concert three times (twice in 1984, once in 1988), so we were pretty psyched to hear Dweezil pay musical tribute to his dad's vast catalog of songs.

We were not disappointed. Dweezil has assembled a tight and talented group of musicians able to perform Frank's music with accuracy and humor. The special guest for this tour is long-time Zappa guitarist/vocalist Ray White. Ray sang his ass off last night, sounding just as good as he did in '84--highlights for me were his renditions of City of Tiny Lites and The Illinois Enema Bandit. Plus, he played a great solo in Advance Romance, trading bluesy licks with Dweezil.

At the merchandise table I purchased the new Zappa 2-CD set entitled Buffalo, a full concert from 1980. I've listened to the first disc so far: killer guitar solo on Pick Me, I'm Clean. I also bought the Classic Albums DVD that focuses on the making of Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe--this documentary is a must-have for any and all Zappa fans.

On the DVD, Dweezil sits at the mixing desk and isolates various tracks so you can hear all the cool little guitar and keyboard riffs that sometimes go unnoticed. He also play snippets from the sessions that were edited out of the final releases, including more great backing vocals from Tina Turner and the Ikettes. Plus, a full version of Montana shot live onstage at the Roxy in 1973! Buy this now--it is soooo worth the money.

Thanks to Anthony for the ticket, and thanks to Dweezil and band for an excellent night of music. And a special thank you to the Lemon Grass on Lee Road for a very satisfying pre-show Thai meal.

Life is good.

double happiness

A big thank you to Monique for the title.

inna gadda da yerba (buena)

Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco CA

I love this little park, located right by Moscone Center and only a block away from my hotel. Every morning before heading into the convention hall, I sat here and watched the seagulls swoop into the fountains. Elderly Asians practiced tai chi while other people stretched out on the grass to meditate.

What a mellow way to start the day. I'm glad to be back home, but I will miss these peaceful mornings.

prisoners coming!

In about seven hours I will be flying to San Francisco to install a large exhibit for a trade show at Moscone Center. My camera is malfunctioning lately, so I can't guarantee any photos but I will try. I just hope that I don't end up on this trolley.

air pudding and wind sauce

completely kinetic

Sculptures by Charles Ringer

Be sure to check out the Whimsical section. Every town needs a Creature to stand guard.

find your anger

An Interview with Henry Rollins

Be sure to watch the YouTube clip at the end of the interview. I know where my anger is. I just need to figure out how to use it more effectively.

warholic ii

static never sleeps*

1.
you can hear,
as of time, to the time,
sixteen miles outside the city--
the smooth human sound.
underneath its wings
with my hands around its neck,
its mouth like a shipwreck.

2.
in a photo that bent,
chasing change from above,
falling in early afternoon--
when i forgot
to come around,
and the wind also fell
and was not surprised.

*Composed by Broken Poem Generator & Babelfish--
tweaked by lowercase lifestyle.

strange bedfellows

Photo courtesy of my good friend Amber.

embrace your problems?

I am not choosing an easier life;
I am choosing a better quality of problem. -- Robert Fripp

The above quote nails how I've been feeling lately but haven't been quite able to put into words. Life will never be problem-free, but we are free to pick or discard certain problems. Or as Henry Rollins once said, just because someone hands you a turd doesn't mean you have to take it.

Don't give me your problems!

embrace the random xxiii

The Captain Haddock Insult Generator

Dunderheaded coconuts!

evil lurks in stagnant waters

what for you no write in blog

I seem to have developed a little case of writer's block lately. Maybe it's because I'm still floating on my post-vacation cloud, or perhaps that cloud is really a fog caused by me kicking the caffeine habit once again.

Maybe it's the weather: "Yep, Ma, I reckon it's too hot to blog, jus' too dang bloggin' hot." Oh well, this too shall pass. In the meantime, here's some more Kent State plant life.

warholic

and through the wire

what i heard on my spring break

Today is the last day of my eleven-day vacation, and I feel physically and emotionally healthier than I have in months. I feel lighter yet more solid, more real, more me. Maybe that has been the goal of all my reading, all my therapy, all my meditation: not to become a better person but to become the real me. Slowly discarding my once-useful, now-harmful defense mechanisms, I'm discovering the truly decent guy beneath all the armor.

Being away from the usual distractions and conflicts, away from the external and internal noise, I have allowed many lessons to resonate clearly inside myself. The true challenge now is to keep the resonance going once the noise and distractions resume. The true challenge is to reach inside and touch the sound.

five maxims to live by iv

1. True mistakes are never malicious.

2. There are always more than two choices, except when there are not.

3. If you can't say anything nice, take a walk.

4. Initial information is rarely accurate.

5. Cult movies are born, not made.

how high's the water, momma?