Maps
1. Where is this?
1. Where is this?
2. What country is this?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Weekend Notebook
Isn't Football a Fun Game?
Would any of you college football fans care to know what it feels like to go, in a week, from national title contention to -- I am not making this up -- having your fourth-string quarterback brought off the field with an injury?
No, I thought you wouldn't.
Eh, it could be worse. I could be one of the quarterbacks.
How's Your Health?
Six days later, I seem to be out of the woods.
Mrs.5000, however, is a different story. She spent much of the morning engrossed in the book shown at right. This afternoon, she took to bed and has been sleeping fitfully with a low grade fever.
Since she is not a football fan, I suspect that her illness is of occult origin. If any of you old X-Files fans have any advice for me, I'm listening.
Turning to Sports...
Before Mrs.5000's mind was captured by the mysteries of The Great Pyramid, we played a game of Scrabble last night in which we combined for 820 points. 423 - 397. That's got to be some kind of record, for us anyway. In fact, I know it is, since I, um, keep meticulous records. But you could have already guessed this about me.
Online Music....
Pandora added a classical library this week to their free online music service! And it is surprisingly broad and quirky. I'm in music-streaming heaven. With the station-mixing feature, I can get consecutive selections from my stations that specialize in the various rock musics, plus electronica, old country, soul, hiphop, folk.... and now string quartets, concerti, symphonies, etc. It's like the radio station I've always dreamed of. Bliss!
Comments on Comments
Comments from The Favorite Bands, 2007
OK, I've made it my business to bring home the music that a few of you suggested, such as additional Andrew Bird, Art Brut, Voxtrot, etc. The verdict -- too early to tell. It takes me a long time to assimilate stuff, these days. I'm sure I'll love it by the time everyone else has forgotten about it.
I'm afraid I still like Mike Doughty.
Comments from The Monday Quiz III
There has been a bit of a dust-up on the topic of just how darn easy The Monday Quiz III was. Anyone who doesn't know about the Sistine Chapel, it was argued, is either still in elementary school or has lived in a cave all their life.
Don't get me wrong, the Sistine Chapel was an intentional near-gimme. But, since I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have recognized the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel -- or any other painting outside of The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa -- at my graduation from high school, I thought this might be overstated.
Now me, I had a fairly minimal basic education. Niece #3, on the other hand, recently graduated from one of the best elementary schools in Washington state, and she won something like four of six of their "Most Annoyingly Bright Student" awards. Sent the Sistine Chapel image from Monday, she was asked to identify it, its location, and painter. Her response was: I don’t know the answers to any of your questions, but my mom does. She is being most infernal, and isn’t telling me them.
I have not yet been able to find a cave hermit so that I can complete this investigation.
Comments from Do The Collapse
To address fingerstothebone's forcefully stated concerns, here's Yoyo the LOLcat!!!
Comments on The Great Movies: All About Eve
I got some love for my recent Guided By Voices content, and that inspired me to upload the scruffy little cover of "Fair Touching" that I made to test out my new concertina last spring. Listen with love in your heart, as it is but a junky home recording. Also, I do not know how to play concertina.
Here it is. It made me sad I haven't been doing any home recording recently. Too much time blogging, I suppose.
Would any of you college football fans care to know what it feels like to go, in a week, from national title contention to -- I am not making this up -- having your fourth-string quarterback brought off the field with an injury?
No, I thought you wouldn't.
Eh, it could be worse. I could be one of the quarterbacks.
How's Your Health?
Six days later, I seem to be out of the woods.
Mrs.5000, however, is a different story. She spent much of the morning engrossed in the book shown at right. This afternoon, she took to bed and has been sleeping fitfully with a low grade fever.
Since she is not a football fan, I suspect that her illness is of occult origin. If any of you old X-Files fans have any advice for me, I'm listening.
Turning to Sports...
Before Mrs.5000's mind was captured by the mysteries of The Great Pyramid, we played a game of Scrabble last night in which we combined for 820 points. 423 - 397. That's got to be some kind of record, for us anyway. In fact, I know it is, since I, um, keep meticulous records. But you could have already guessed this about me.
Online Music....
Pandora added a classical library this week to their free online music service! And it is surprisingly broad and quirky. I'm in music-streaming heaven. With the station-mixing feature, I can get consecutive selections from my stations that specialize in the various rock musics, plus electronica, old country, soul, hiphop, folk.... and now string quartets, concerti, symphonies, etc. It's like the radio station I've always dreamed of. Bliss!
Comments on Comments
Comments from The Favorite Bands, 2007
OK, I've made it my business to bring home the music that a few of you suggested, such as additional Andrew Bird, Art Brut, Voxtrot, etc. The verdict -- too early to tell. It takes me a long time to assimilate stuff, these days. I'm sure I'll love it by the time everyone else has forgotten about it.
I'm afraid I still like Mike Doughty.
Comments from The Monday Quiz III
There has been a bit of a dust-up on the topic of just how darn easy The Monday Quiz III was. Anyone who doesn't know about the Sistine Chapel, it was argued, is either still in elementary school or has lived in a cave all their life.
Don't get me wrong, the Sistine Chapel was an intentional near-gimme. But, since I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have recognized the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel -- or any other painting outside of The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa -- at my graduation from high school, I thought this might be overstated.
Now me, I had a fairly minimal basic education. Niece #3, on the other hand, recently graduated from one of the best elementary schools in Washington state, and she won something like four of six of their "Most Annoyingly Bright Student" awards. Sent the Sistine Chapel image from Monday, she was asked to identify it, its location, and painter. Her response was: I don’t know the answers to any of your questions, but my mom does. She is being most infernal, and isn’t telling me them.
I have not yet been able to find a cave hermit so that I can complete this investigation.
Comments from Do The Collapse
To address fingerstothebone's forcefully stated concerns, here's Yoyo the LOLcat!!!
Comments on The Great Movies: All About Eve
I got some love for my recent Guided By Voices content, and that inspired me to upload the scruffy little cover of "Fair Touching" that I made to test out my new concertina last spring. Listen with love in your heart, as it is but a junky home recording. Also, I do not know how to play concertina.
Here it is. It made me sad I haven't been doing any home recording recently. Too much time blogging, I suppose.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Great Movies: "All About Eve"
Curious about "The Great Movies" concept? Look here.--------
All About Eve
Joseph Mankiewicz (1950)
Frankly, All About Eve seems more of a good movie than a great movie. I say this with fear in my heart, though. All About Eve is famous (among old movie people) for its crackling wit and its devastating sly humor. I have seen it described as "the smartest movie ever made." This raises a question of terrifying implications: What if I missed the best jokes? What if this movie is too smart for a lummox like me to fully appreciate?
Well, it's certainly possible. Roger Ebert is a lot smarter, and knows a hell of a lot more about movies, than me. But it's my blog. Me, I admired the assured skills of a primo cast who seem to be enjoying their work. They got off some great lines. The ending, as well as the entire premise, effectively combined that particular American dream of a young person seeking celebrity with a mild horror-movie creepiness. And if the film all but offers up its own feminist critique, I'm disinclined to scold a 60 year old movie for social backwardness. Basically, you've got a very solid film here. One of The Good Movies.
Plot: A Broadway star befriends a wide-eyed girl from the country, who then embarks on a cold-blooded attempt to commandeer her life. Hijinks ensue. People say lots of witty things and, as in real life, are very funny when they are drunk.
Dialogue: Sparkling, in that mannered way of actors from the black-and-white era, when everyone sounded like they just got back from three years in England and were feeling frightfully earnest.
Visuals: There are a few exceptionally well-composed scenes. The two that involve young women trying on their idols' dresses are particularly memorable; the dresses all but become characters for the length of the scene.
Prognosis: Recommended for people who like old movies, are into "the Theater," or who think Bette Davis is awesome. She really is something, in this movie.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Do the Collapse
So, a weird thing happened last night. I collapsed. Or fainted. I'm not sure which word is better. I get grief either way. Michael5000: I fainted a couple of times last night. It was kind of scary.
Mrs. ChuckDaddy: You WHAT? You FAINTED? What are you, a Victorian woman? Was your corset too tight?
Michael5000: I collapsed a couple of times last night. It was kind of scary.
Heatherbee: What do you mean? You fainted?
Michael 5000: Yeah, I guess so.
Heatherbee: So women "faint," but men "collapse." Hmph.
So, yeah, I wake up in the middle of the night to take a leak, and then I feel kind of queasy, and then I'm laying on my back in a lake of cat water and cat crunchies and everything that I dragged off the bathroom shelves on the way down. So, that was kind of trippy. Mrs.5000, showing up immediately afterwards, was treated to the sight of me getting to my feet, getting out half of a sentence, and then doing a face plant on the hallway floor.
It all sounds very dramatic, and we didn't hesitate to hie my ass to the emergency room, but it turns out that this kind of thing happens all the damn time. "I get an average of one of these a night," said the kindly ER doc. "It happens to a lot of people, but you probably shouldn't have to worry about it happening again." (and, lest this sound kind of perfunctory, I should say that it was after a couple hours of observation and bloodwork to rule out the shittier causes of fainting).
Nothing like a good collapse, though, to make you feel OLD OLD OLD!!! At least it wasn't a hip.
I thought about y'all when I was at the hospital. I thought, "It's a shame that Mrs.5000 didn't take the time to pack a camera. A picture of my hooked up to the IV would really give a blog post about this a snappy edge."
(I should maybe clarify that Mrs. ChuckDaddy and Heatherbee are AWESOME friends and were making me laugh pretty hard in the above conversations. They are the furthest thing from jerks.)
Sunday, November 18, 2007
The Monday Quiz III
Famous Paintings
1. Who painted this?
2. Where is this painting located?
3. Who created this piece?
4. What is the name of this triptych?
5. Can you give me either the painter or approximate title of either of these paintings?
OK, then. Answers in a comment, of course.
Note: The Thursday Quiz will not be held this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Favorite Bands 2007, part two
My "Penultimate Ten" Favorite Bands were covered last Friday.
The Top Ten!
...favorite bands of michael5000, at this particular point in time. Here goes.
Blue Scholars -- Representin' hip-hop on The Top Ten, Blue Scholars hail from the far northern edge of Greater Portland, a suburb called "Seattle." Hands down the smartest raps I've heard, incorporating a horn section over the beats for a fine, fine melodic complexity.
the Books -- Brainy duo from one of those big East Coast cities scrounge around for old reel to reel tapes, home movies, and other sources of thrift-shop found sounds. Put together with beats and electronically modified cello and guitar, it becomes not only trippy and (often) beautiful and interesting, but downright MUSICAL. Which is good, with music.
the Decemberists -- Critics of the Decemberists might argue that mock Edwardian ballads, lyrics that anticipate the "FreeRice" phenomenon, and prolific use of accordian and hurdy-gurdy are BAD things. But they are wrong. The Decemberists ouvre is music by, for, and about dorks, and we all know that dork is the new cool.
Mike Doughty -- Why is Mike Doughty not a household name? It's not like he's pitching to a niche audience. His music is pretty much strightahead rock, albeit with enough melodic and rhythmic inventiveness to keep it highly interesting. Acessible to the masses and the cogniscenti alike. The lyrics are very high in smartitude, which I'm sure you've gathered is big for me. "Haughty Melodic" is one of the best albums ever. Check out a live recording if you can find one; the man dishes out some AWESOME stage patter.
Earlimart -- Earlimart is all about making interesting sounds and noises; music is sonic by definition, but with Earlimart you are always in the presence of experiments in sound. It has been exciting to watch the songs that the sounds are attached to get stronger and more fully realized with each record. On a good day, Earlimart sounds like redemption. (Here's a brief concert write-up from September.)
Jim's Big Ego -- The best introduction to JBE might be the way I originally bumped into them -- an old "All Things Considered" piece on internet music distribution. Three talented, smart, funny guys from Boston make smart, funny, and sometimes surprisingly touching songs. It's you basic drums/guitar/bass lineup, but the drumming is SCORCHING funky, and that has made all the difference.
Mountain Goats -- If you don't know about the Mountain Goats, GO! Now! Find a copy of the Sunset Tree! Stop Reading! Now!
If you know about the Mountain Goats and don't think they belong on a top ten list, there's no much I could say to convince you.
If you are reading this thinking, "Yeah! I love the Mountain Goats!" I suggest you go put on some Mountain Goats. Why not make your day better?
Jennifer O'Connor -- Her record "Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back to the Stars" came out of nowhere and kicked my ass. I know nothing about this girl, except that I fell in love with her album at first listen. It's a rare and beautiful thing. Smart lyrics and life and loss and relationships and such, but in a good way, with a smoky voice, an aggressive acoustic guitar, and a drum kit that sounds like rifle fire.
Rilo Kiley -- Smart, sexy, dark, funky, spare, grim, lush, cryptic, vulnerable, weird, and, how to put it: rockin'. The non plus ultra of Los Angeles rock. (Here's a brief concert write-up from September.)
The Thermals -- The second smartest band in Rock City Portland marry an aggressive garage punk with some of the most eloquent lyrics currently out there. These meditations on religion and culture can be hard to hear under all of the sheer noise (not to mention the stoopid title of their second album, "Fuckin' A"). The band seems to be moving towards a less abrasive attack and a slightly cleaner – though not TOO much cleaner – production, putting the songs themselves front and center, where they can more than take care of themselves.
The Top Ten!
...favorite bands of michael5000, at this particular point in time. Here goes.
Blue Scholars -- Representin' hip-hop on The Top Ten, Blue Scholars hail from the far northern edge of Greater Portland, a suburb called "Seattle." Hands down the smartest raps I've heard, incorporating a horn section over the beats for a fine, fine melodic complexity.
the Books -- Brainy duo from one of those big East Coast cities scrounge around for old reel to reel tapes, home movies, and other sources of thrift-shop found sounds. Put together with beats and electronically modified cello and guitar, it becomes not only trippy and (often) beautiful and interesting, but downright MUSICAL. Which is good, with music.
the Decemberists -- Critics of the Decemberists might argue that mock Edwardian ballads, lyrics that anticipate the "FreeRice" phenomenon, and prolific use of accordian and hurdy-gurdy are BAD things. But they are wrong. The Decemberists ouvre is music by, for, and about dorks, and we all know that dork is the new cool.
Mike Doughty -- Why is Mike Doughty not a household name? It's not like he's pitching to a niche audience. His music is pretty much strightahead rock, albeit with enough melodic and rhythmic inventiveness to keep it highly interesting. Acessible to the masses and the cogniscenti alike. The lyrics are very high in smartitude, which I'm sure you've gathered is big for me. "Haughty Melodic" is one of the best albums ever. Check out a live recording if you can find one; the man dishes out some AWESOME stage patter.
Earlimart -- Earlimart is all about making interesting sounds and noises; music is sonic by definition, but with Earlimart you are always in the presence of experiments in sound. It has been exciting to watch the songs that the sounds are attached to get stronger and more fully realized with each record. On a good day, Earlimart sounds like redemption. (Here's a brief concert write-up from September.)
Jim's Big Ego -- The best introduction to JBE might be the way I originally bumped into them -- an old "All Things Considered" piece on internet music distribution. Three talented, smart, funny guys from Boston make smart, funny, and sometimes surprisingly touching songs. It's you basic drums/guitar/bass lineup, but the drumming is SCORCHING funky, and that has made all the difference.
Mountain Goats -- If you don't know about the Mountain Goats, GO! Now! Find a copy of the Sunset Tree! Stop Reading! Now!
If you know about the Mountain Goats and don't think they belong on a top ten list, there's no much I could say to convince you.
If you are reading this thinking, "Yeah! I love the Mountain Goats!" I suggest you go put on some Mountain Goats. Why not make your day better?
Jennifer O'Connor -- Her record "Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back to the Stars" came out of nowhere and kicked my ass. I know nothing about this girl, except that I fell in love with her album at first listen. It's a rare and beautiful thing. Smart lyrics and life and loss and relationships and such, but in a good way, with a smoky voice, an aggressive acoustic guitar, and a drum kit that sounds like rifle fire.
Rilo Kiley -- Smart, sexy, dark, funky, spare, grim, lush, cryptic, vulnerable, weird, and, how to put it: rockin'. The non plus ultra of Los Angeles rock. (Here's a brief concert write-up from September.)
The Thermals -- The second smartest band in Rock City Portland marry an aggressive garage punk with some of the most eloquent lyrics currently out there. These meditations on religion and culture can be hard to hear under all of the sheer noise (not to mention the stoopid title of their second album, "Fuckin' A"). The band seems to be moving towards a less abrasive attack and a slightly cleaner – though not TOO much cleaner – production, putting the songs themselves front and center, where they can more than take care of themselves.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
L&TM5K at 100
It's the 100th post!!! In celebration of this TOTALLY auspicious occasion, The Life and Times of Michael5000 will be giving away -- that's right, GIVING AWAY -- an appropriate prize!!!
Well, no. Not THAT appropriate. Actually, what I'll be giving away is TRIPLE THE LOVE.
That's right. For everyone who comments on this post before 6 p.m. PST Friday, I will leave THREE comments on your blog within the next two weeks. And not crappy little "nice post!" comments, either. No way. I'll be giving real comments, and they are going to be upbeat, encouraging, and insightful.
Q: You already comment on my blog, all the time. The last thing I want is to encourage you.
A: No problem! You may optionally request I stay off your blog for two weeks, instead!
Q: This is the first time I've ever looked at your blog, and it's totally stupid and I'm never coming back again.
A: No problem! Triple the love!
Q: I don't even have a blog.
A: If you start a blog in the future, simply remind me that you left a comment during this promotion. I will deliver three comments to your fledgling blog when it needs them most!
Q: You totally stole this idea.
A: True! But I can't remember who from.
Offer good on one comment per participant. Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell your lonely blog friends who yearn for higher comment counts!
-------------
Meanwhile, we've got
Winners for The Thursday Quiz XII
Our Gold Star winner this week is collecting her first star ever, which will look good with the MQII exclamation point in her trophy case. No doubt she'll dedicate this win to her Shakespeare prof. From the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our champion this week is Allie!
From beautiful Portland, Oregon, City of Roses, a quiz regular since the beginning, she'll kick your ass on the ultimate frisbee field or on the Scrabble board, and she is going home with her first Silver Star this week: MyDogIs Chelsea!
From postindustrial upstate New York, a man who needs very little introduction, the 166th greatest crossword puzzle solver in the universe and The Man To Beat in the Thursday Quiz, Rex Parker takes the Blue Star.
And, representing the three very same places, albeit in a different order, we have no fewer than three Green Stars going out this week, to Mrs. 5000, Sandy, and Jessica.
Congrats all around!
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