These Are the Days

Labels: Indy 500, IndyCar, more rain, rain

Posted by D. Schwa at 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: Jasmine, Scooby Doo

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Wow, well if I don’t write 5 of these in the next month, I think I am all done with the blog scene. When I get my teaching job I’ll have to cease writing or at least under a nom de plume so to continue may be delaying the inevitable anyway. Well, I am sitting on my patio in this beautiful weather thinking I should write something, so I will review some movies. If you thought my employment at a video store would allow me to see a ton of movies, you would be correct. However I have discovered I am maybe the harshest movie critic in my store & it pushes me to ignore a lot of movies. Here is the good stuff I have been watching.

Fathers & Sons

I don’t even know how to describe this movie other than to say it is absolutely fantastic. It was an extremely small release and few have seen it but I HIGHLY recommend it. I consider Fathers & Sons among the best movies I have ever seen.

Little Children

I actually 1^st watched this because I have some sick fascination with trains & the commercial prominently featured a train. Little Children has a strong cast (Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connely) and an even better story line about suburban life. It has a little of everything from affairs to sex predators to grown men crashing on skate boards. This has been one of the few movies customers across the board love too.

The West Wing

While obviously a TV show, I rented the series so it counts. West Wing is now my all time favorite TV series, surpassing even House. NBC spend something like $6 mil an episode & each one comes across as a mini-feature film. There is too much to describe, but I will say even completely un-political Amanda loves the show & she has way better taste in everything than I do. There is a little of everything for everyone while being extremely entertaining & educational.

Carnivale

This is another TV series, however it is way messed up. I don’t know whether I am recommending it or stating how screwed up I am. It is set during the great depression and follows a preacher and a carnival on a collision course of good and evil. Watch the 1^st 2 discs & you either love it or hate me for recommending it.

Everyone’s Hero

This is one of those Shrek like animated movies that has become so popular. Originally backed by Christopher Reeves, (Insert joke A-holes) it is simply a great story. There is a talking bat & baseball and Babe Ruth, how can you go wrong?

Entourage

OK, another TV series. I have only seen the 1^st season, however the show is awesome. Guys will undoubtedly like it & I am told women will like it because there are good looking guys… shallow, shallow souls. You are guaranteed to like this. (I since have watched it all, a must watch)

The Departed

The whole good cop versus bad cop story but with a great plot line & great actors. Martin Sheen, Matt Damon, & Mark Walhlberg are in too name a few. This was a little like Smoking Aces, but good.

Flags of Our Fathers

I just started reading the book which I hear is way better than the movie. It better be Damn good because the movie was awesome as it takes a look at Iwo Jima & the politics surrounding WWII.

Waterborne

I only watched this because dredg did the soundtrack. I ended up liking it. Waterborne follows the fictional fallout of the Los Angeles water supply being poisoned by terrorists.

The N Word

This is a documentary about the N Word. You should watch it.

The Painted Veil

Completely a chick flick featuring Edward Norton & Naomi Watts. It is ind of a Lifetime movie reversed as the woman is the evil doing wench and the husband is the faithful good guy. Veil features a cholera epidemic, nuns, and a trip to 1920’s China, Amanda was left bawling at the end.

Posted by D. Schwa at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments

This is one of those blogs everyone except for possibly 3 people see the topic 7 cease reading, that’s ok. I apologize for my lack of sarcastic humor & wit you check this page periodically for, I just haven’t had it lately. I have been focused on finishing the last few credits for my degree, my career, & enjoying life with Amanda. Life is really good & I don’t have a whole lot to be a smart ass about, it has been a while since I have been this way. There is a serious piece I wrote on suicide in my life I want to post soon, other than that it is going to take some divine inspiration to get my golden touch back in my writing.

A month or so ago, Tim McGraw’s new disc Let It Go was released. It hasn’t left my car stereo since. Although obviously a huge fan, this is easily his best disc since 2000’s Set This Circus Down. Overall the disc has the feel of a 70’s rock album even more than country. It seems to buck the trend of the pop melody country that has dominated the country scene for the last few years. Before I get into my song breakdown, I am just going to say pick up the disc. Let It Go does not disappoint at all.

1. Last Dollar (Fly Away)
This was the 1^st single on the radio. It is a catchy tune & was a really good 1^st single. (I think it hit #1.)

2. I'm Workin'
Decent song, but is a lot of what he had been doing the last few albums. This probably the low point of the album.

3. Let It Go
Obviously this is the title track for the album. It isn’t a stand out song but I find myself singing the song to myself when I write papers. I like.

4. Whiskey & You
If a lot of country artists had done this song, it would have been just another single. Tim somehow makes this a really strong & enjoyable song as well as one of the better tracks on the album. “Come tomorrow I can walk in any store/ It ain’t a problem yeah they’ll always sell me more/ But you’re forgiveness is something I can’t buy/ Ain’t a thing that I can do/ &that’s the difference between the whiskey & you.”

5. Suspicions
This song was released as a single for something like a week. It is almost jazz-like & really wasn’t made for country radio.

6. Kristofferson
Just a solid country ballad mentioning country legend Kris Kristofferson.

7. Put Your Lovin' On Me
Put Your Lovin' On Me is one of those sad break up songs I love. It’s about a guy dealing with the weight of the world & I think it is referring to a quick fix one night stand. The song is so much better than I am describing here. This is the point where the CD really takes off. ”There’s nothing here to catch me now/ I’m gonna fall anyway/ It’s just that kinda day/ You might not know me good but you know me good enough/ To make me okay, okay”

8. Nothin' To Die For
I’ll be honest, a good song but the lyrics are a bit awkward.

9. Between The River & Me
Between The River & Me is my absolute favorite song on the disc. It is a pretty daring song for a country artist in it describes a man killing his stepfather. The song is extremely well written & features a dominating instrumental. This is a must listen on the disc. “I might have had a knife in my back pocket/ I might have pulled it out before he saw it/ That’s all between the river & me/ I might have had a gun but I didn’t fire it/ He might have tried to yell but I kept him quiet/ That’s all between the river & me”

10. Train #10
I had heard this was going to be the title track up until the last second. Train #10 is another strong single that should tear up the radio. It is about going to all lengths to save a relationship & setting up deadline after deadline… “I’ll take the last train I can find just in case I want to change my mind/ The last one out is number nine but here I am just spitting in the wind/ Waiting on train number ten”

11. I Need You
I Need You is the latest single to hit the country charts & is a duet with Faith. I really like this song a lot (I know, a theme.). I would rate this not at the level of Like We Never Loved At All but fairly close.

12. Comin' Home
This is an upbeat ballad & fits perfectly with the disc.

13. Shotgun Rider
This is another duet Faith. If not for such a strong disc, this would really stand out as a strong song. It is that very traditional country I absolutely love.

Purchase & enjoy…Peace.

Labels: Between the River and Me, I Need You, Let It Go, Tim McGraw

Posted by D. Schwa at 1:13 AM | Permalink | Comments