Missing in Action

I guess it's time for an update, since Matt seems to have comfortably gone on vacation and come back since the last time I've posted. I'm looking forward to Iceland update--I hope there are fairies involved.

The last couple of weeks have been horrendously busy-lots of marking, assignments of my own, and my protocol presentation is finally coming up. I like marking and generally most of the students are
pretty good, so often it's a case of learning from them. I wish I'd been able to TA earlier, I think it would have made me a much better student.

For those of you who missed my (well, to be honest, mostly my roomate's) housewarming party, please be aware that it was mentioned in the Globe and Mail.

Also in this time, I spent a very rushed, but very pleasant thanksgiving weekend at the cottage. Apart from the 7 hour drive from Ottawa, it was good to be amongst family. My dad also scrounged some box seats for the Senators' game. I'd always thought that box seats weren't that good, but I've changed my mind. It's the only way to see a game.

The next weekend, Andrew made a suprise visit. If by surprise, you mean, leaving numerous messages on my answering machine the week before that I had neglected to pick up. He was staying at his friend Ryan's place, which fortunately was quite literally a stone's throw from my place and so I was able to see him briefly amongst my weekend of working misery. Very good to see him. Coincidentally, Andrew aand his friends were off to see a band called Space Elevator, a band I had stumbled across at the NXNE, and am the owner of 1 of less than 150 copies existing of their CD.

I also forgot that other people want to go to concerts in Toronto, and many of them seem to be much quicker on the draw than I am, leaving me ticketless for both Beulah and the Thrills.

A final sign the world is ending: I went yesterday to put money down for the new Napster. I know, I know, paying for downloading music is terrible, but they seemed to have a deal that would be worthwhile-$10 bucks a month for unlimited downloading of music (in non-burnable form). Since I don't have a CD burner and listen to music mostly on my computer, I though that it would be a good way to get access to the commercial stuff. However, it appears that Canadian money is no good, so I shall have to stick to the free stuff for now.

All the umbrellas in London

I returned tonight back into the fold of the soft revolution. Yes, it was the night of the Stars concert at the Horseshoe. It was Paperbag records one year anniversary and everyone was having a good time. The Stars were unbelievably drunk, but still managed magic. They were so drunk that the look on Torquil's face when another round of Tequila was sent up on stage said " Oh my god, no." But they rocked. The crowd rocked too. People were dancing and going crazy and singing along. It was like a kitchen party for old friends. Even a few of the Stars' parents were in the crowd. They played one new song I think called Le petit monde, a song that certainly bodes well for future albums.

Celebrity spotting: Hayden was in the crowd accompanied by (I'm pretty sure despite the oddity) Peaches. I wonder what she thought.

Glad to see Andrew back in the game. I was worried there with all the Swarthy gentlemen running around his house. I found his comment about different types of music interesting. My first thought was that I thought the Hives and Radiohead, although quite different bands, weren't that different genre-wise. But how to check that out?...I turned to www.allmusic.com for answers. But the answer still wasn't totally clear. All four bands (Hives, Strokes, Radiohead, Coldplay) are listed as being Rock Genre, but of the more specific styles categories only Radiohead and Coldplay have a common bond:Britpop. The Hives and Strokes don't share a common style. Then I started playing a fun game. How many clicks to go from one band to another. For instance, A Perfect Circle to Radiohead: Three clicks (APC--Smashing Pumpkins-Mercury Rev-Radiohead). Trust me, it's fun.

I think in the day of downloading many people's music collections are varied because the range and availablity of music out there. For instance, the Kazaa group by category thing tells me that I have 48 different categories of music at the moment (albeit 4 of those are variations on "unknown" and for some reason there another four relating to Low-fi or Lo-fi rock. ) And I doubt that I'm much of an anomaly or have a particulary varied collection. It's just that there is such good music out there in all sorts of different genres. It's really great to see.

Oh Andrew, you should check out this link for a pic of Emily Haines in concert last week. She looks sort of the same in real life except ridiculously skinny. I think she's pretending to be a robot in the picture. She does it very well.

Would you get a degree from these people?

I have been amused lately by the quality of spam arriving lately. The orginality of the spammers never fails to put a smile upon my face. However, I'm not certain if the latest offer I got really encourages me that they have a substantial product. Make up your own mind:

Ctaere a mroe prosrupoes furtue for ylursoef

Reveice a flul dipmloa from non accredited
univeisitres based upon yuor real lfie expecirnee

You will not be teestd, or interveiwed
Recieve a Metsar's, Bacoelhr's or Dtcoorate

Clal 24 hours a day 7 dyas a week

Clearly, university degrees don't require spelling any more.


On the other hand, I would gladly sign up for the University of the Polyphonic Spree. I though it would be good, but I entirely underestimated the raw spirit of these guys live. They obviously must be making approximately zero dollars. All 40 odd of them must be doing it for the fun of it. And it shows. They got a crowd that seemed determined to limit themselves to the hipster head bop to engage in full on dancing. How can you dislike a band with a harpist that grooves? One of the best concerts of the year for sure.