Stronger Than Pain

I had no intention of commenting on Heath Ledger’s overwhelmingly tragic death today, as the surfeit of news coverage — particularly in the online gossip rags — would render any words of mine entirely redundant. However, while combing through TMZ just now, I found something that really irked me, regarding Ledger’s family:

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

They never are. You can take my expert word on that one.

EDIT: I’ll admit even I didn’t see this one coming: apparently Westboro Baptist Church (if you’re looking for a link, forget it) is planning on picketing Heath’s funeral due to his involvement with Brokeback Mountain. And honestly, I hope they do — just imagine the shit-storm that will await them. I’m all for free speech and freedom of assembly, but freedom and license are two very different things. John Cameron Mitchell’s mother taught me that.

Champagne For the Brain

“I like it in the city when two worlds collide: you get the people and the government, everybody taking different sides. Shows that we ain’t gonna stand shit; shows that we are united.” — Adele, “Hometown Glory”

I took a nap after teaching this morning and woke up with “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables stuck in my head. It’s still in my head, actually, and I find it sadly appropriate given what today is.

Anyway.

If Amy Winehouse decided to cover Regina Spektor, you’d have Adele. As always, I’m weak in the knees for a strong low alto with a good straight tone — her album drops next Monday, but until then you can check out her cornucopia of material on YouTube and Myspace.

(EDIT: This one is the unaltered tagline for American Spectator magazine. So there!)

The More You Know

Bil tagged me a week ago, and I’ve been attempting to come up with a suitable response. Rather than come up with ten random facts about myself (seeing as how those who know me best already know more than they ever cared to), I’m going to switch it up a bit.

25 Things I’m Still Learning

1.) When a person recounts the dialogue from a recent disagreement with a third party and tells you “And then I said…” what they really mean is “I wish I had said…”

2.) People who are overly critical are hiding something, and it’s usually something big. And you might be one of them.

3.) Those who are described as being “good Christians” ostensibly are those who merely exercise common sense and decency.

4.) Being “too busy” is a worn-out excuse; there is always time for the things most important to you, no matter how busy you think you are.

5.) I still have no clue what I want to be when I grow up.

6.) Be your own best friend first.

7.) No one will ever remember how much money you had. What they will remember is how you made them feel.

8.) All I want from anyone is their time.

9.) Any straight man who pretends he can’t tell if another guy is attractive or not is lying.

10.) Adulthood is the struggle to reconcile who you truly are with what you always hoped you’d be.

11.) The hand-written word is a dying art.

12.) There’s no excuse for poor grammar and spelling.

13.) The more wrong a person is, the louder he speaks.

14.) There is no hatred on earth that was not once love.

15.) The key to winning a debate isn’t to know more than the other party. You must make them think you know more than they do.

16.) Too much leisure is almost as exhausting as too much exertion.

17.) I think like a woman; if you don’t already know why I’m upset, then I’m certainly not going to tell you. I also know how stupid that sounds.

18.) Call your grandmother.

19.) Getting up at noon sucks.

20.) Don’t say in thirty words what you could say with zero.

21.) Not returning phone calls is the height of rudeness.

22.) Everyone is addicted to something; some addictions are just more public than others.

23.) Everyone is a racist.

24.) Optimism without action is stupidity.

25.) Be suspicious of anyone who claims to know what God thinks.

In other news, the BBC has published their yearly list of 100 things we didn’t know this year — check it out. I’m a particular fan of the fact that I can make a cell phone call from Mount Everest, I can have a diamond that was originally a peanut, and both Richard Dawkins and I enjoy singing Christmas carols. And, incidentally, one year from today we will finally see the end of the most disastrous administration in the history of this country.

By the way, Bil, what’s the score? Do I get a point for this one?

Vegetable Orchestra — Amazing!

Play To Win!

The Jingle-Tune-Or-Catchprase Title Contest begins today!

This contest, which I’ve just made up, will be a competition to see who can post the most eligible entries on this blog in the next month. For your entry to be eligible, the title of the post must contain a refrain (or the entirety) of a commercial jingle that reminds us of days long past or long present. For example, Trevor’s post “Like A Good Neighbor” makes us finish the tune in our head with “State Farm is there…” (Trevor starts this competition with one point.) Alternately, you can use a slogan or catchphrase from a commercial product (as long as that product does not carry its own jingle…like Lucky Charms — they are magically delicious, all right, but there’s no song). Also, TV show themes will count for points.

Here’s the thing, though. It must pertain to the subject. You can’t just title your post “Save Big Money At Menard’s” and then not talk at all about money (or Menard’s). Use your head. Make a good choice. I will moderate, since a) I initiated this contest, and b) that way I can change the rules if I want to. I’ll leave a comment notifying you that you’ve received a point.

Also, for all of you out there who aren’t contributors to this blog…you can play, too. If you leave a comment that slyly incorporates a jingle tune phrase or slogan into your comment, you will also get a point. But you must use complete sentences. I will not have the rules of the language abandoned for the sake of crushing your opponents. That’s what fists are for.

Good luck, everybody!

Like a Good Neighbor

The jury’s in: my upstairs neighbors are dicks. I wish there were a pithier, more erudite way of saying it (as my Music Theory professor from college was fond of saying), but I’m afraid this is what I’ve been pushed to.

It all started on Christmas morning. I had been up insanely late the night before, and after rousting myself out of bed far earlier than I wished, I had a ton of things I needed to do in the space of a short period of time. I walked across the park in the freezing morning air to get to my car, drove across town to take care of Stephen’s cats, then had to get back in time to prepare my family’s traditional Christmas breakfast. I got home around nine, cranked up my music to get myself in the proper spirit, then hopped in the shower. I had barely finished picking up the apartment, getting Devon’s stocking ready, making the quiche and croissants, and setting the table by the time Bil and Devon arrived at 10:30. But I was done!

“Um, you have a note on your door, Trevor,” Devon said peculiarly, peeling it off and handing it to me.
(Keep reading…)

I make a good point.

See if you can figure out what it is.

A Joy Filled and Kingdomized New Year

This is a reading of a spam message that somehow found its way to the tech support queue where I work. I can’t even tell you how much joy it brought to my day, though perhaps not in the way that the author intended. I thought I needed to share it.