My choir director introduced me to Rajaton (Finnish for “boundless”) early this Spring, and I’m completely hooked — easily the best a cappella vocal group I’ve encountered thus far. Unfortunately, the only recordings I have of them are a mixed CD containing eight miscellaneous tracks, and seeing how all but one is in Finnish, I have no idea what the titles are. Well, actually, the first track is in English. But that’s it. Below I’ve included a live rendition of that piece, entitled “Butterfly”. Note that this is neither a professional recording nor an actual performance: it’s actually a bootleg video capture of a soundcheck in Edmonton, Alberta. I love unadorned acoustic music, hence why this video is so special. Oh, and the fact that all Scandanavians just tend to be hot for some reason. It makes me sick.

Here’s a more polished performance — also acoustic, with no amplification devices — in their native tongue. Brilliant.

Filed by Trevor at 12:48 am under The Arts
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I went down to the gay pride parade today. In the smallest way, I felt like a sellout, in that I was technically only there to promote the show that Devon is working on, which I can’t honestly recommend anyone go see. However, I never actually said the words, “Please come see the show,” or anything like that. And I wanted to see the parade. I handed out beads, for the most part. Some of the time I handed out two-for-one coupons to the show. (Again, I never actually encouraged anyone to go see the show. I just handed them the coupons. What they do with those coupons is totally up to them. They can wipe their ass with them for all I care…but they were made of sharp, rigid plastic, so I can’t recommend that either.)
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 4:36 pm under Gay Agenda
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I recently read an article by Isaac Asimov, written in 1964 and published in a World Book Encyclopedia. He told in scientific terms how life on this planet probably started. After I read it, it was like a light turned on in my head.

A long time ago, when the Earth was very different than it is today (i.e., no plants, no animals, no Starbucks, lots of hydrogen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, etc.), the oceans were much more volatile and both liquids and gasses on this planet were much thinner. The sun’s rays could penetrate the atmosphere much more powerfully, and UV rays would get through to everything. At some point, the oceans’ water was less like the water it is today and more like ammonia, with all the hydrogen and whatnot, which is a fair argument since hydrogen is the most abundant substance in the universe.

Back in the 1950’s, some scientists ran a series of tests in which they concentrated UV rays on liquid mixtures that they theorized the oceans were probably like. The UV rays typically caused the atoms to get very excited, and larger molecules formed. They found in several of the compounds (which were most akin to ammonia) that the concentrated UV rays caused the creation of amino acids, which are the basic building blocks of proteins, which are key to providing energy for things like, oh, you know, self-reproduction.

So, the theory goes that back on ancient Earth, the sun’s UV rays eventually created amino acids in the ocean, which after a while formed into proteins, and sooner or later cells began to reproduce themselves (ta-da! Life!), and gradually became more and more complex, which has gotten us to where we are today.

Asimov said it more elegantly.

Nevertheless, I find it to be a very, very good explanation of how life actually started, and it was verified by multiple experiments trying to do exactly that. Once I read this, I knew I had science on my side.

Before reading on, I would like to steer you towards my friend Ben’s blog, where he has posted an interesting article on the natures of science and religion (it is the article dated June 16, 2007).
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 9:08 pm under Religion, The Science
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“There is something very sad about an empty dressing room. It’s like a discarded pair of underpants, which it resembles in a number of respects. It’s seen a lot of activity. It may even have witnessed excitement and a whole gamut of human passions. And now there’s nothing much left but a faint smell.” –Terry Pratchett, Soul Music

Hi. I’m your dresser.

I’ll be here, in this dark theatre, hours before you every day to prepare for your arrival and a clean, smooth show.

I’ll press your shirts, steam out wrinkles and remove stains from where you carelessly dropped food onto your self whilst in costume.

I’ll be here well after you leave, doing laundry and hanging up all of the items you shed during the course of the show.

I am educated, well-spoken, competent and capable. I will help you get dressed and back onstage as quickly as possible. I will grab your water for you. I will have a safety pin, a needle and thread, and a cough drop available should you or your costume need them.

I will do your laundry. I will have spare pantyhose. I will be prepared for nearly anything that comes my way backstage. And I will do it all quietly, with a smile on my face, and a positive outlook.

You are the one onstage, the performer, the “talent,” as they say. You might think of me as your support staff. In this vein of thought, and while we’re on the subject, let’s get some things straight right now:
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Devon at 3:47 pm under The Arts, Fightin' Words
3 Comments

Anyone need a post-modern monologue for your next audition? Anyone? (Make sure your sound is on.)

Filed by Trevor at 11:25 pm under General
1 Comment

You may have noticed a new section over to the right entitled…well, “Blogalogues” — hence the title of this post. My main motivation for this is to perpetuate the discussion on anti-art initiated by Bries (who I’m fairly sure is the first person to use the word “blogalogue”") but will be using it to provide a permanent home for similarly noteworthy discussions that arise in the future, as opposed to letting them just disappear into the archives. Which seems to have already happened to the blogalogue in question, so hurry up and revive that thing — I haven’t even joined in yet!

I freely admit, however, that my “Dollar Project” is far from a noteworthy discussion and just a shameless plug. Whatever. Just go over and donate already.

Filed by Trevor at 6:10 pm under General
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In case you haven’t visited my website yet, I’m attempting to raise $25,000 by a means I’m referring to as “The Dollar Project”. I realize this method of internet fundraising is not new (SaveKaryn.com, anyone?), but rather than panhandling to defray outstanding credit card debt, my purpose is far more substantial:

(Reprinted from trevorpatrick.com)
I am looking to raise a significant amount of money in the most unintrusive way possible. In August I will be moving to Chicago to set myself up not only as a full-time musician, but specifically as a full-time private instructor. Essentially I am once and for all throwing off the shackles of the part-time employment as a server that seems a tacit requirement of legions of artists nationwide, and as can be expected, such an action carries with it a hefty price tag. Obviously amounts of $5, $10, or $100 are always welcome, but all I ask you are two things: donate a dollar and tell your friends.

My primary goal as an instructor is to devote a significant amount of my time to pro bono work. Naturally I will be seeking a regular stable of 16-20 students, but in addition to this I will be contacting Chicago-area music directors in search of motivated students who may not have the financial means to study privately. Along these lines, I will be purchasing 10 new Yamaha student flutes for the purpose of loaning out to those students — pro bono or otherwise — that may not either have the financial means for a decent instrument or any instrument all. Additionally, I plan to take full advantage of such a large number of students by establishing a flute choir, necessitating the purchase of alto and bass flutes, which will also benefit me in my session work. Finally, I am in desperate need of a professional-level flute and piccolo; not only have I been playing on my current flute, an intermediate-level Yamaha, for nearly 14 years, it isn’t even mine — it has always belonged to my sister. My piccolo is in a similar condition: while mine, it is a student-level Gemeinhardt that I have owned for nearly the same span of time. What remains of the money raised will not only facilitate the purchase of new music for my library, to be used for the flute choir as well as individual students, it will also assist greatly in defraying the cost of living expenses during the initial shaky months while I recruit new students and establish myself professionally.

Again, all I ask from you is $1. And please tell 24,999 of your closest friends to do the same.

I will have a “Make Donation” button at the bottom of this page — a page I will have posted in the right-hand column of this blog from this point on — but I have one last thing to say about donating: you can donate whether or not you have a PayPal account, but if you don’t, it takes about 20-30 cents on the dollar off the total donation amount. Beggars can’t be choosers, of course, but I did wish to mention that.

Please help spread the word. Thank you for your help, all of you!

Filed by Trevor at 6:00 pm under Shameless Plugs
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Please forgive my total flakiness over the past week or so, but behold, I have an excuse: my website is finally up and running! I have a lot more work to do, but the basics are there. I have a lot more I’d like to say on the matter, but if I sit at this computer any longer this evening, I think I’ll have a panic attack.

Go!

Filed by Trevor at 3:09 am under Shameless Plugs
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I think I will always have you
clutching at my brain.
Once upon a time,
I dreamed you up
and you ran off with what was mine.
It’s amazing
how many excuses a person can make
for another’s behavior –
as for me,
no matter what pep talks I can give myself
you manage to grip your place
between index and middle, even
like an unfiltered cigarette.

There’s a room in my mind
where you’re holding me –
we’re dancing in your kitchen.
I followed a trail of roses to your bedside
(forgive me for not tearing up)
and perhaps that should have clued me in.

There’s a room in my mind
where our hands are linked across the table
as we make peace with ourselves.
I waged war for so long, friend.

I’m pounding
tearing down the door,
racing inside
shrieking,
two sets of bleary eyes greeting me.
No God ever heard me
as I paced the streets,
but they did –
the unlucky bystanders.

There’s a room in my mind
where I am kneeling
(for some reason)
pleading for you not to take it all away.

We’re dancing now.

I sat across from you,
tacitly acknowledging
this hand life had dealt me.

There’s a room in my mind
where I’m fidgeting with my tie
making silent oaths to myself
to quietly disregard you.
Oaths that dissipated as quickly
as each drag from my cigarette that afternoon.

You considered me silently,
hating me.

I held my arms wide and cherished your lingering scent
for what I imagined to be the final time –
the very thing I grew to hate.

There’s a room in my mind
where you’re leaning forward,
no hesitation,
on the precipice.

There’s a line down my life.

Once upon a time I dreamed
of what could (should never) be.
No God ever heard me,
and no God will ever hear you.

There’s a room in my mind
with white walls
and a box full to bursting –
that’s all you’ll ever be
as long as I’m alive.
In the meantime,
pleasant dreams to you.

I snatched my good wishes from the bookshelves,
and so I snatch my good wishes from your heart –
pleasant dreams to you.

May flights of angels sing you to your rest.

Filed by Trevor at 2:17 am under Fightin' Words
3 Comments

Well…this is about the funniest news article I’ve seen in a while…

Spat gives Alabama Senate black eye

I was so geared up when I read the original headline (something along the lines of “Alabama State Senator punches fellow State Senator”). My first thought was Awesome, it’s about time there was some kind of action in the Senate…

Unfortunately, as I read the article, I learned that not only was there just one punch thrown — one single punch — I discovered that the senator didn’t even punch the other senator in the face. He punched him in the neck. The neck. Talk about a wussy fight. I guess his hands were too soft to punch a guy in the face, he had to go for a more tissue-y target.

And so, once again, the Alabama State Senate disappoints me.

Filed by Bil at 3:13 pm under Politics, Fightin' Words
1 Comment