2010/01/27
2010/01/21
Holidaisies
This may be somewhat belated, but since there has been so much material to cover as of late, I've decided to add this to the mix even though its release is somewhat delayed. We'll make this less wordy than posts have been of late, unless of course you're assuming that pictures speak a thousand words, in which case, this post will be the most wordy this blog has ever seen. Interpret this as you will.
This has been one of the better holiday seasons in quite some time, which I credit almost entirely to the fact that I was not working at my former place of employment for the first time in FIVE YEARS. Five Christmases, Five Thanksgivings, Five New Years. It has been the most psychologically refreshing change in my life, honestly, and I don't know why I didn't do this sooner...? (Yes I do: It's because I'm usually broke). So here's a review:
The Tracy house was decorated for the occasion: Thanksgiving 2009
This has been one of the better holiday seasons in quite some time, which I credit almost entirely to the fact that I was not working at my former place of employment for the first time in FIVE YEARS. Five Christmases, Five Thanksgivings, Five New Years. It has been the most psychologically refreshing change in my life, honestly, and I don't know why I didn't do this sooner...? (Yes I do: It's because I'm usually broke). So here's a review:
The Tracy house was decorated for the occasion: Thanksgiving 2009
Two long tables in the living room--28 guests to fellowship together!
Pie credit goes to yours truly on these three--although I think there were close to 11 pies total once we were ready to eat. No such thing as too much pie?
Pumpkin pie and eggnog. Holiday treats.
Christmas open mic at Second Wind.
The "F-Dubs" and I went ice skating at the outdoor rink in downtown Tulsa. Giant Christmas tree behind us! From L to R, Anna (Tracy), Rachel (Knorr), Me, Kali (Knorr).
Christmas Eve blizzard off our back porch. You can see the snow swirling in the light from the porch lamp. It was like that in the sky everywhere. Much like the below picture.
Same porch. More visible snow in your face.
Christmas Morning--didn't have to dream of a White Christmas this year.
Christmas Dinner--what a feast!
Christmas Apple Crisp--another TK creation. What can I say, I'm basically Rachael Ray.
Christmas porch shot; classic.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care.
Me & Mama.
At first dad and Anna were making pterodactyl poses. Then the family made an attempt to take an artistic picture. I might make more sense to you now. Love them.
The fam.
Cakes from our MLK Day party. Funfetti frosting for celebration--chocolate and vanilla marble swirl cake for black and whites coexisting and loving each other.
Dream.
Pumpkin pie and eggnog. Holiday treats.
Christmas open mic at Second Wind.
The "F-Dubs" and I went ice skating at the outdoor rink in downtown Tulsa. Giant Christmas tree behind us! From L to R, Anna (Tracy), Rachel (Knorr), Me, Kali (Knorr). 
Christmas Eve blizzard off our back porch. You can see the snow swirling in the light from the porch lamp. It was like that in the sky everywhere. Much like the below picture.
Same porch. More visible snow in your face.
Christmas Morning--didn't have to dream of a White Christmas this year.
Christmas Dinner--what a feast!
Christmas Apple Crisp--another TK creation. What can I say, I'm basically Rachael Ray.
Christmas porch shot; classic.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care.
Me & Mama.
At first dad and Anna were making pterodactyl poses. Then the family made an attempt to take an artistic picture. I might make more sense to you now. Love them.
The fam.
Cakes from our MLK Day party. Funfetti frosting for celebration--chocolate and vanilla marble swirl cake for black and whites coexisting and loving each other.
Dream.2010/01/15
A "Hard" "Day's" "Work*"
Today I babysat for six Greeno Chick-fil-A empire heirs and heiresses from approx. 5am until approx. 4pm. Their parents were going (and went) out of town.
Some people consider babysitting work. Sometimes it is hard work. In my case, it is nearly always "hard" "work." As in I have to make 9 grilled cheeses before I actually get to eat one. Or a screaming four year old won't let me wipe the chocolate off her face. Or I can't get the TV remote to work for several minutes and my arm gets tired from being in the air.
But usually I eventually get a grilled cheese, the screaming tends to stop at least temporarily, chocolate faces get cleaned, and I can almost always get the TV to eventually allow me access to the hundreds of channels I will probably not watch after flipping through them all.
Today, at "work," this is what I did:
1. Dora. (x500 episodes--why does Nickelodeon have like 8 channels which play the same episodes throughout the day but at different times? Because they want to kill me.)
2. Letting the kids entertain themselves.
3. Aqua Sand. (?) Weird but Cool but really messy.
4. &hotdogs. Classic.
5. Duh.
6. Not exactly this. But we did make brownies.
7. I totally had the fun factory when I was a kid. Unfortunately, today, we did not. But still.
8. See number 2, while entertaining myself.
It's almost not fair that they pay me. How do I keep getting "jobs" like this?
It is actually awesome.
Some people consider babysitting work. Sometimes it is hard work. In my case, it is nearly always "hard" "work." As in I have to make 9 grilled cheeses before I actually get to eat one. Or a screaming four year old won't let me wipe the chocolate off her face. Or I can't get the TV remote to work for several minutes and my arm gets tired from being in the air.
But usually I eventually get a grilled cheese, the screaming tends to stop at least temporarily, chocolate faces get cleaned, and I can almost always get the TV to eventually allow me access to the hundreds of channels I will probably not watch after flipping through them all.
Today, at "work," this is what I did:
1. Dora. (x500 episodes--why does Nickelodeon have like 8 channels which play the same episodes throughout the day but at different times? Because they want to kill me.)
2. Letting the kids entertain themselves.
3. Aqua Sand. (?) Weird but Cool but really messy.
4. &hotdogs. Classic.
5. Duh.
6. Not exactly this. But we did make brownies.
7. I totally had the fun factory when I was a kid. Unfortunately, today, we did not. But still.
8. See number 2, while entertaining myself.
It's almost not fair that they pay me. How do I keep getting "jobs" like this?
It is actually awesome.
2010/01/06
J'ai Lu, Decembre 2009
It's the last month of the year! I made it. I didn't quite make 4/month, but I put up a noble effort with a grand total of 37 books read for fun this year. It's been great, and I definitely want to keep it up.
I'm trying to decide whether to adjust my strategy at all. For the most part I was just choosing books based on my own interest or on recommendations from friends as I needed them. For this coming year, should I follow these same guidelines, or alter my approach: perhaps trying to read all Pulitzer prize winners, or all Nobel Prize for fiction winners? Maybe I could take suggestions and recommendations from friends and compile a list now? Is anyone interested in reading these reviews or has it been for my enjoyment alone? This is your chance to give feedback! Don't miss it. Speak now or face the possibility of further mind-numbing multi-part ramblings on my favorite topics... your fate is in your own hands at this point.
December was an interesting month for reading, especially considering I didn't finish a book during this month until December 24th. In fact, you can thank the legendary Blizzard of 'ought 9 that I even had the time or the patience to meet this month's quota at all. But each book was an entirely different genre and different experience, so it kept things interesting for this, the twelfth month of my adventure.
The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne) – Apparently I’m forming a habit of reading classics that I probably should have read by this point in my life but have never gotten around to or have never been required to read. This particular story by Hawthorne was a truly fascinating read with a haunting story that puts forward many intriguing ideas about sin, guilt, and the young American church. While Hawthorne was very likely biased in his negative representations of the church, it certainly gives a fascinating perspective on the hypocrisy and hate that can often be found where love and forgiveness are meant to be practiced. (7)
Eve’s Revenge (Barger) – This is a book we read excerpts from in our Girls Bible Study this past semester. Barger explores some topics surrounding Biblical womanhood and being a woman in a male dominated culture as well as in a society that exploits female sexuality in an often degrading way. Definitely some interesting and encouraging points for any women interested in the topics, especially as a follow up to some of Serven’s talks this semester. (7)
Fargo Rock City (Klosterman) – This is the second book I’ve read by Klosterman (this year, even) and while it had an entirely different tone and feel from Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, I really thoroughly enjoyed it. Essentially, Klosterman is giving his real life perspective on the evolution of rock music from the 70s-90s. This is interesting for people who listen to rock music and for those who don’t. I fall into the latter category for the most part, and so reading his analysis of this music, what it meant to the people who made it and what it meant to the people who loved it, was really a look into a new world for me. I really enjoyed Klosterman’s witty insights as well as his perspective as a fan who was there when the bands of the era—Motley Crue, Van Halen, Guns N Roses—were trying to make it. Klosterman’s regular profanity and blatant sexual references continue, however, so I’ll rate it at least PG-13, but I’ll grade it an (8)
Infidel (Ali) – This is the autobiography of a young Muslim woman who grew up in Africa in the 1970s, and went on to cause an international scandal. Ali was able to escape an arranged marriage and moved to Holland, where she was able to acquire Dutch citizenship. She was later elected as a member of Dutch parliament, and sought to awaken the Western world to the atrocities being committed against Muslim women which she had been witness to throughout her life. This story is a detailed perspective on the life of women inside this religious institution, and Ali’s story truly is remarkable. (8)
In addition to spending a large amount of time reading these last few days, I have watched..several movies. I'm not normally a movie watcher unless I have an extraordinary amount of time to kill, so here are my grades for my winter-break film viewings:
A Muppet Christmas Carol A+
Ice Age 3 A+
Julie & Julia A-
Elf A++
Avatar A-
It's A Wonderful Life A++
The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past D-
Almost Famous A
Star Trek A
Bottle Shock B+
New York, New York D+
Sherlock Holmes A
The Fellowship of the Ring A
The Two Towers A-
Return of the King A
Here's to the nights we felt alive.
I'm trying to decide whether to adjust my strategy at all. For the most part I was just choosing books based on my own interest or on recommendations from friends as I needed them. For this coming year, should I follow these same guidelines, or alter my approach: perhaps trying to read all Pulitzer prize winners, or all Nobel Prize for fiction winners? Maybe I could take suggestions and recommendations from friends and compile a list now? Is anyone interested in reading these reviews or has it been for my enjoyment alone? This is your chance to give feedback! Don't miss it. Speak now or face the possibility of further mind-numbing multi-part ramblings on my favorite topics... your fate is in your own hands at this point.
December was an interesting month for reading, especially considering I didn't finish a book during this month until December 24th. In fact, you can thank the legendary Blizzard of 'ought 9 that I even had the time or the patience to meet this month's quota at all. But each book was an entirely different genre and different experience, so it kept things interesting for this, the twelfth month of my adventure.
The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne) – Apparently I’m forming a habit of reading classics that I probably should have read by this point in my life but have never gotten around to or have never been required to read. This particular story by Hawthorne was a truly fascinating read with a haunting story that puts forward many intriguing ideas about sin, guilt, and the young American church. While Hawthorne was very likely biased in his negative representations of the church, it certainly gives a fascinating perspective on the hypocrisy and hate that can often be found where love and forgiveness are meant to be practiced. (7)
Eve’s Revenge (Barger) – This is a book we read excerpts from in our Girls Bible Study this past semester. Barger explores some topics surrounding Biblical womanhood and being a woman in a male dominated culture as well as in a society that exploits female sexuality in an often degrading way. Definitely some interesting and encouraging points for any women interested in the topics, especially as a follow up to some of Serven’s talks this semester. (7)
Fargo Rock City (Klosterman) – This is the second book I’ve read by Klosterman (this year, even) and while it had an entirely different tone and feel from Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, I really thoroughly enjoyed it. Essentially, Klosterman is giving his real life perspective on the evolution of rock music from the 70s-90s. This is interesting for people who listen to rock music and for those who don’t. I fall into the latter category for the most part, and so reading his analysis of this music, what it meant to the people who made it and what it meant to the people who loved it, was really a look into a new world for me. I really enjoyed Klosterman’s witty insights as well as his perspective as a fan who was there when the bands of the era—Motley Crue, Van Halen, Guns N Roses—were trying to make it. Klosterman’s regular profanity and blatant sexual references continue, however, so I’ll rate it at least PG-13, but I’ll grade it an (8)
Infidel (Ali) – This is the autobiography of a young Muslim woman who grew up in Africa in the 1970s, and went on to cause an international scandal. Ali was able to escape an arranged marriage and moved to Holland, where she was able to acquire Dutch citizenship. She was later elected as a member of Dutch parliament, and sought to awaken the Western world to the atrocities being committed against Muslim women which she had been witness to throughout her life. This story is a detailed perspective on the life of women inside this religious institution, and Ali’s story truly is remarkable. (8)In addition to spending a large amount of time reading these last few days, I have watched..several movies. I'm not normally a movie watcher unless I have an extraordinary amount of time to kill, so here are my grades for my winter-break film viewings:
A Muppet Christmas Carol A+
Ice Age 3 A+
Julie & Julia A-
Elf A++
Avatar A-
It's A Wonderful Life A++
The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past D-
Almost Famous A
Star Trek A
Bottle Shock B+
New York, New York D+
Sherlock Holmes A
The Fellowship of the Ring A
The Two Towers A-
Return of the King A
Here's to the nights we felt alive.
2010/01/03
Battle Studies Review, Pt 4
This November, when Battle Studies was finally released near the five-year anniversary of John and I's introduction, I was anxious, for both entertainment and nostalgia's sakes', to hear the record I had been so long anticipating. John's first single from the album was released in early October, and when I first heard "Who Says," I honestly had immediate mixed feelings. While the song showed definite promise, it sounded almost too similar to two tracks on John's last album, Continuum, which already sounded a lot like each other: Stop this Train and The Heart of Life. Since I was hoping to see a more creative side of John emerge on this album, I remained skeptical after this song was released, even though I did like the acoustic feel that the song had, much like the early songs on the live album, Where the Light Is.
I pre-ordered the album in order to get benefits when ordering concert tickets, and chose to order the actual LP rather than the iTunes digital version, literally using the logic: "so I can give this to my children."
I have issues.
SO, when the "keepsake" album arrived just after its release, I put it in the player as my roommate and I drove to the nearby grocery store. The first track, "Heartbreak Warfare," which was released as the second single for the album (and the better one, in my opinion), is great. It morphs the sounds of classic John Mayer from the Heavier Things era with a sort of U2 sound which really works and is an excellent intro track, and I think what a lot of us were expecting to hear as the culmination of its predecessor albums. If the entire album was more along these lines, I'd give it an A++, hands down.
The following track, "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye" is another glimpse at a promising tune. Mayer's falsetto says it all in this simple acoustic tune akin to much of what was heard on early Mayer recordings, but with a matured style which fits both the writer and the concept for the album well.
Classic Mayer reappears on tracks "Perfectly Lonely" and "War of My Life," and the final track, "Friends, Lovers or Nothing" follows more along the lines of the Continuum era bluesy style rather than the more pop sound seen in Mayer's early work.
This has been a long time in coming, but here are my final words on the subject (which I'm sure you're all* very relieved to hear): The album was not what I expected. After three years of waiting for a studio album release, I was moderately disappointed. BUT, I didn't hate the album as a whole. It was not a bad album. There were several songs on it which I think can rival John's previous work as some of his best. But I think that there is no question that he's capable of much, much better. John is still my number one love. While he has come a long way from the chords of "Why Georgia," I think that he only has room to improve from here. This is a learning project, and I think while he made some mistakes, I think he did a lot of things write which affirm the promise of his gifts.
Overall, I give the album a B-.
John Mayer himself, I give an A++.
*Lindsey
I pre-ordered the album in order to get benefits when ordering concert tickets, and chose to order the actual LP rather than the iTunes digital version, literally using the logic: "so I can give this to my children."
I have issues.
SO, when the "keepsake" album arrived just after its release, I put it in the player as my roommate and I drove to the nearby grocery store. The first track, "Heartbreak Warfare," which was released as the second single for the album (and the better one, in my opinion), is great. It morphs the sounds of classic John Mayer from the Heavier Things era with a sort of U2 sound which really works and is an excellent intro track, and I think what a lot of us were expecting to hear as the culmination of its predecessor albums. If the entire album was more along these lines, I'd give it an A++, hands down.
The following track, "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye" is another glimpse at a promising tune. Mayer's falsetto says it all in this simple acoustic tune akin to much of what was heard on early Mayer recordings, but with a matured style which fits both the writer and the concept for the album well.
Classic Mayer reappears on tracks "Perfectly Lonely" and "War of My Life," and the final track, "Friends, Lovers or Nothing" follows more along the lines of the Continuum era bluesy style rather than the more pop sound seen in Mayer's early work.
Album Lows:
1. Mayer's attempted publicity stunt with popular teen country singer Taylor Swift is the worst mistake of this album.
This song is low quality, and Taylor's cameo appearance seems to serve no other purpose than to make Mayer's album appear to a younger teen demographic. This song does not belong on a Mayer album, it would have been more successful appearing on a Swift album, and it breaks up the flow that the album would have much more successfully achieved without it.
2. "Crossroads" cover would have been better suited on a different album.
While this track showcases the harder blues sound that appears on the Trio album and that John has verbally expressed greater interest in performing, the style does not mesh with any of the other tracks on the album and is always a surprising inconsistency with each listen. Not a bad song, just a wrong album choice.
3. "Do You Know Me" acts as a 2 1/2 minute interlude but doesn't seem to fit or make sense.
Seems like a filler and not very substantial.
1. Mayer's attempted publicity stunt with popular teen country singer Taylor Swift is the worst mistake of this album.
This song is low quality, and Taylor's cameo appearance seems to serve no other purpose than to make Mayer's album appear to a younger teen demographic. This song does not belong on a Mayer album, it would have been more successful appearing on a Swift album, and it breaks up the flow that the album would have much more successfully achieved without it.
2. "Crossroads" cover would have been better suited on a different album.
While this track showcases the harder blues sound that appears on the Trio album and that John has verbally expressed greater interest in performing, the style does not mesh with any of the other tracks on the album and is always a surprising inconsistency with each listen. Not a bad song, just a wrong album choice.
3. "Do You Know Me" acts as a 2 1/2 minute interlude but doesn't seem to fit or make sense.
Seems like a filler and not very substantial.
Album Highs:
1. The most creative track on the album is successful in showcasing Mayer's ability and the level of creativity he is capable of.
The track, "Assassin," uses a variety of instrumentation as well as John's creative lyrical metaphors to communicate its message, and the end result is something unique and promising to the caliber of work John is able to produce.
2. The song Edge of Desire wins my vote as the most well written and overall best song on the album.
John's ability to connect with the human condition and to vocalize its deepest desires and fears comes to fruition in this unassuming song. The beautiful thing about this song is that it is FULL of emotion. It demonstrates the passion that Mayer is so very capable of conveying in his music, and drives itself powerfully into the hearts of every listener. This is the song I'm most looking forward to hearing live in March.
1. The most creative track on the album is successful in showcasing Mayer's ability and the level of creativity he is capable of.
The track, "Assassin," uses a variety of instrumentation as well as John's creative lyrical metaphors to communicate its message, and the end result is something unique and promising to the caliber of work John is able to produce.
2. The song Edge of Desire wins my vote as the most well written and overall best song on the album.
John's ability to connect with the human condition and to vocalize its deepest desires and fears comes to fruition in this unassuming song. The beautiful thing about this song is that it is FULL of emotion. It demonstrates the passion that Mayer is so very capable of conveying in his music, and drives itself powerfully into the hearts of every listener. This is the song I'm most looking forward to hearing live in March.
This has been a long time in coming, but here are my final words on the subject (which I'm sure you're all* very relieved to hear): The album was not what I expected. After three years of waiting for a studio album release, I was moderately disappointed. BUT, I didn't hate the album as a whole. It was not a bad album. There were several songs on it which I think can rival John's previous work as some of his best. But I think that there is no question that he's capable of much, much better. John is still my number one love. While he has come a long way from the chords of "Why Georgia," I think that he only has room to improve from here. This is a learning project, and I think while he made some mistakes, I think he did a lot of things write which affirm the promise of his gifts.
Overall, I give the album a B-.
John Mayer himself, I give an A++.
*Lindsey
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