Sunday night the wife & i went to see House Of Sand And Fog at the movie theaters (i think the first movie we've gone out to see since Finding Nemo). Well, despite the fact that Erin didn't like it much, i thought it was excellent. Ben Kingsley is amazing in this film, as he usually is (if you've never seen Sexy Beast, do yourself a favor) and the story is excellent (based on a novel by Andre Dubus III). Of course my wife thinks the only reason i liked the movie was because of Jennifer Connelly, who is average, as she usually is. Not true, but this is a good flick, none the less.
-cpb 12/30 {link}
Well, christmas has come & gone & i discovered something fairly disturbing. Despite the fact that i'm only 25, i now receive a plethora of "old man" gifts for Xmas. Ties & shirts. That's cool though, cos i need them. The wife & i got some good camping equipment from her sister & brother-in-law too, which is good. Plus, my wife hooked me up with the The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus (all 4 seasons on 14 discs). That's good stuff.
So it was a good holiday, even though it was the first christmas that i didn't see my parents, now that they're in Albuquerque. But i got to see my grandparents & sister & the in-laws, which is all good. I guess it makes putting up with puke-inducing commercialism & those goddamn Salvation Army people ringing there damn bells for a month all worth it. Selah.
And in other good news, my recently engaged friend Peter B., who was the Best Man at my wedding, asked me to be his Best Man. Very cool & quite an honor.
-cpb 12/28 {link}
Ho, ho, ho... biatch! So it's christmas time again. Yee-haw.
And what did i get you? A new batch of Random Thoughts, actually. Only the third one this year. Pretty bad. My apologies to the throngs of fans that hinge on that kinda stuff... especially the "gundog".
This one's actually a bit odd, cos there's a lot about my cat, Eli R. Duke. Not sure why, i guess it's just because he's been up in my face a lot lately. I think it's cos i've cut down on how much food i've been giving him, so he's always hungry. It's his own damn fault, though. He says he wants to start training for the luge in the next Winter Olympics again, so he's back on his diet & exercise kick. I don't put much stock in it, though. He's said this three other times. Then it's always a "pulled hamstring" or "torn rotator cuff" or whatever his damn cat doctor can come up with.
-cpb 12/25 {link}
A bit of a pre-Xmas treat for TERRY's KID fans everywhere. After seemingly losing the official TK site forever, we were able to rescue some of it with the help of the Wayback Machine. I'm still working on restoring the site to what it was before, but soon it should be back (almost) to pre-crash existence. Anyway, you can see the progress so far here.
-cpb 12/23 {link}
Do you ever wonder what the 80 best albums of this century so far are? Well, before you didn't know, but now you know.
-cpb 12/21 {link}
And we're off! Again.
The BSAofEY Project, as a said last week, is off & running once again. And now... PROOF! I just finished the first four years of this decade, so take a look.
-cpb 12/20 {link}
So, they finally got a hold of good ol' Mr. Hussein. Tough guy to track down, i guess. And did you see the picture of him when he was found? I heard that they actually found his beard, infiltrated it, & then found him hiding inside.
Seriously, though, i was pretty surprised at the news. I would've thought that they'd wait until election time to finally find him. Maybe they're saving those pesky WOMPs for that.
-cpb 12/15 {link}
Well, it's "that" time again. And what is "that" time? Ho, ho, ho... that's what. Christmas music in all the stores, decorations everywhere... people in my face asking for money that i don't have. God i love christmas. I think it gets worse every year as i slip further & further into becoming The Scrooge.
Actually, "that" time started the day before Thanksgiving. And here i thought that most people had the decency to wait until after Turkey Day. Aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr!!!
-cpb 12/14 {link}
About a month ago, i posted something about my 10BSAofEY Project. And those two of you who actually did check back might have realized that i have done nothing. Sorry, but i haven't had much time. However, after getting back into it & coming up with some preliminary lists, i realize that i'm going to have to expand on the "10" part of it. I'm thinking the lists will probably be 25, give or take. I also realized that the 4 lists i had posted were wrong. Oops. Anyway, i'm back into the throng that is (now) the BSAofEY Project.
-cpb 12/11 {link}
WE'RE #397!
The results are in for the 'People's Choice Award' category of the 2003 Interactive Music Awards and we ended up at #397. Although we didn't move up quite like we did from '01 to '02 (991 to 448), we did move up a little. At this rate, if i live to be 200, maybe i'll taste victory. Anyway, as always, here's the list of jokers who own me. Thanks for the votes.
-cpb 12/10 {link}
Did you see this shit? What the hell is Ozzy Osbourne doing driving an ATV? Or driving anything, for that matter? The man can't complete a full sentence & probably can't even wipe his own ass... & someone lets him get on an ATV? And this just a few days after we found out he was taking 42 prescription pills a day. Sounds like a good idea to me.
And in other news, i can't stop listening to Hey Ya! & Take Off Your Cool from OutKast's new album.
-cpb 12/9 {link}
Another one bites the dust. My good friend, Peter B., is now engaged. That means in the year & a quarter since i got hitched, two of my best friends from my college years (Keith & Brad) have been married & two of my best friends from high school (Jeff & Pete) have gotten engaged. Not to mention Cory LaCrosse, who i haven't seen in ages, who is also engaged. Shit man. When will it all end? Message to B-Early, Bierlein & Shan-O: Hold out as long as you can!
On the serious tip, though... congrats to Pete & Jennie.
-cpb 12/5 {link}
And we end tonight on a sad note...
My in-laws had to put their dog to sleep today. He might have had gank breath, but he was a good dog. We'll miss ya Mo-mar.
Mozart "Mo" Angevine, 1992-2003
-cpb 11/28 {link}
Gobbldy Gobble
I loves me some Thanksgivin'. Good eats e'ry year.
This year, though, there was a little extra. I was sitting at a table with my sister & two sets of great aunts & uncles. Per usual, there were about 4 conversations going on at the table, when out of nowhere my Aunt Bonnie blurts out, "This corn tastes like bananas!"
I just about shit myself.
-cpb 11/27 {link}
So, yeah... like i said, U of M by 2 touchdowns.
-cpb 11/22, 3:41 AM EST {link}
Well, it's about an hour before the "Big Game", OSU v. Michigan, & although i've gone back & forth on who i think will win, i guess i've gotta go with the Buckeyes. Get back to me at halftime, though... maybe i've changed my mind.
-cpb 11/22, 11:07 AM EST {link}
A few months ago i posted a playlist of music i'd been stuck on & i liked the idea so much i thought i'd do it again. I might even do it again on the 4th of April, next year.
Anyway, unlike a few months ago when i was listening to a lot of individual songs, i've been listening to a lot of albums recently. As such...
1) A Rush Of Blood To The Head & Parachutes - Coldplay (esp. the first 5 songs on each)
2) Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
3) Lonelyland - Bob Schneider
4) A Place For My Stuff! - George Carlin
5) Stage Left - Martin Barre
6) The 3 E.P.'s - The Beta Band
7) Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
8) Sea Change - Beck
And also Speed Graphic & Sunny 16, the first two of three 5-song EPs that Ben Folds is putting out. These are excellent & i would highly recommend... YOU GET THEM!
-cpb 11/12 {link}
Well... he's either very smart or he's very dumb.
-Quint (Robert Shaw) from Jaws
The crazy shit i'll do just to save 14 dimes. This morning at 7:00 i drove my wife to work in Dearborn, which is about 30 miles from Ypsilanti. About halfway there, the gas light came on. After dropping Erin off & now riding on E, i noticed the price of gas there was $1.49. Knowing that gas at the station right down the street from our apartment was $1.39, i decided to go for it. It is 30 miles, but it's all on the highway, so i thought i'd just set the cruise at 82mph & i'd be able to make it. I got a little nervous about halfway home, however, when i noticed that the needle was pretty much buried, well below the E. I then turned the radio off & started listening... at the first hiccup i would get off at the next exit. And i almost goddamn made it!
The hiccup came at the last exit before the one i needed to get off at. Luckily, though, it was just inches before the "point of no return" where i wouldn't be able to swerve & hit the exit. I just made it, getting off just as the engine light came on & the steering wheel started locking up. Luck shined again, granting me a green light. I then coasted into the nearest gas station & made it right next to the pump just as the engine cut off for good. Now that's getting everything out of a tank of gas! Of course the station i stopped at was $1.49. Damnit! So, i got one gallon then drove the two miles to the station near my apartment & filled the tank with the $1.39 shit.
Moral of the story... i risked running out of gas on the highway & walking who knows how far on a balmy 22 degree morning. And for what? About a buck-forty. And why? I really don't know. In the grand scheme of things, a dollar and forty cents isn't really that big of a deal, but i just can't stand getting bent over every time i go to the pump. Selah, i guess.
He's gone under the boat. No, he's not a smart big fish, he's gone under the boat.
-cpb 11/9 {link}
Recently, Schmorgan & i were having a drunken conversation about the state of music today. Although he wasn't completely sober...er, i mean, serious, Schmorgan at one point blurted out, "Have there been any good albums made this century?" I quickly rattled off a few & Schmorgs quickly realized how drunk...er, foolish a comment it had been.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the best albums that've been made so far this millennium and i came up with some lists. This, in turn, got me thinking even harder. And that brings us to this announcement:
The 10BSAofEY Project is underway.
Hoo-ha! And what is it? Well you can go to the page... or i can tell you here. Uh. Anyway.
I'm making lists of the 10 Best Studio Albums Of Every Year starting somewheres around 1960 or so. So far, i've only answered the G-man with lists for 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003. I'll be adding lists as i get them done. It may take awhile. If you've got any suggestions, e-mailing me may help. Wird out & check back.
-cpb 11/8 {link}
It took me a few hours of staring at the monitor, dumbfounded with a finger up my nose, but i finally realigned a couple of things i've been thinking of realigning for a while. I removed all the non-music stuff from In My Humble Opinion and moved it over to the Random Thoughts page. So IMHO is now strictly music. Interesting, huh? Not really, but i'm sittin' here & got nothin' else to type. Wird.
-cpb 11/2 {link}
Well, Halloween is coming up tomorrow & i think i'm gonna apply my tactic from a couple years ago again this year. Except that i don't have a porch... damnit!
-cpb 10/30 {link}
Rerun... where have you gone?
But in more important news, i've finally got the P.K. Chronicle up & in effect. Thank you & you're welcome.
-cpb 10/23 {link}
Yes indeed, it's that time of year again. Time to get to the polls & vote... for THE Experience in the 'People's Choice Award' category of the 2003 Interactive Music Awards. It's been quite a journey the past two years, rising from #991 in 2001 to #448 last year. Hell, if we move up another 543 spots we'll... well, that'll be weird.
Anyway, just click below & give us your vote... we deserve it & so do you:
-cpb 10/21 {link}
Game one of the World Series starts tonight! What an un-freakin'-believable Playoffs it has been so far. Looking back through this months posts i see that i've been talking a lot about the Playoffs, which is a bit odd for me. I don't really post much about sports, even though i like sports quite a bit. But with this year's Playoffs, i just can't freakin' help it. They've blown my mind. Besides that, i've had no funny lately. In fact, i'm feeling about as un-funny as i have since i was in the 4th grade. I'm thinking about trying stand-up again. I figure, i wasn't any good at it when i was feeling funny, so maybe it'll work out this time. Follow the logic?
-cpb 10/18 {link}
Burn It CD Swap
Not sure how i came across this, but it sounds like an interesting idea. If you've got the resources, give it a try.
-cpb 10/14 {link}
Just when i thought the Baseball playoffs couldn't get any better, a fracas - some might even call it a melee - breaks out and a 300 year old man gets tossed. Great stuff so far.
-cpb 10/13 {link}
Some have been asking about this problem that i was trying to help Shaney out with. Well, here you go. A little turtle prob... not that you've got to worry yourself about it... or do you?
-cpb 10/7 {link}
So, as i sat there & watched Eli R. Duke, an 11 pound cat, chase around Day-Z, a dog about 4 times his size, it came to me. In that, there lies the dichotomy. Male & female, cats & dogs - living together. Breathing in, breathing out. What else is there to say? Fortuitous, to say the most. Satanic, to say the least. Wird... out.
-cpb 10/5 {link}
I know it's horrible, but be honest... is there any way that you can read this and not start laughing? We feel for ya, Royston.
And in less humorous but more entertaining news, it looks like my picks aren't really gonna work out now that Florida has eliminated the Giants. I don't mind, though. I'm glad to see the Marlins move on. Besides the fact that their game today was un-freakin-believable.
-cpb 10/4 {link}
Is there really anything better than the Baseball playoffs? The only sporting event i can think of that comes close is March Madness. Anyway, i know i'm a couple days late, but i just wanted to get on record with my picks:
American League - Oakland over Boston, New York over Minnesota & New York over Oakland
National League - Atlanta over Chicago, San Francisco over Florida & San Francisco over Atlanta
World Series - San Francisco over New York, 4 games to 2
There you go, place your bets.
-cpb 10/2 {link}
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