An Appetite for Greater Things: the Coward Robert Ford

For whatever it's worth: I think Casey Affleck should have gotten the golden prize last night. I'm sure that Bardem was great in "No Country" (I have not seen NCFOM), but Affleck's performance in "Jesse James" was one of the best I've ever seen.

Let's Hear it For the Girl: Morland Needs a Kick in the Rear

(Photo by Rahav Seger via NYT)
As I mentioned a while back, I haven't been going to a lot of shows recently. I attribute this to the fact that I've stopped listening to music. And by that I mean I really haven't listened to a whole song for weeks now. It hasn't really been a conscious thing...I just find that I reach for my iPod less when I'm wandering around and finding myself listening to the city more. And while this might sound romantic and charming, at root I find it makes me depressed and sullen. I'm pretty sure that all this is just a phase but I'm also certain that this anti-music period in my life is something I'm going to have to dig myself out in a proactive like fashion.

In that vein, today I have purchased a ticket to see the Walkmen at Webster Hall in a couple of weeks. If they can't snap me out of it, I'm not sure who will. I've never seen them live but I've always meant to. So instead of making another excuse this time around I just bought a damn ticket. I have also spent a sizable amount of time today "discovering" new music to track down and listen to when I get home. Since a handful of the bands on my list are coming to town soon, hopefully I'll find something in there to get excited about.

I have also added a new feature to my blog, which you can see on the right hand side. This widget allows you, my dearest reader, to send me files directly. Specifically, I'd love some audio files. If you have a song you've been listening to over and over and can't get it out of your mind, I want to hear it too. Send it on over: click the add button, find the file, hit the drop button. Easy peasy.

Together, we can get this blog back on track!! Ha!

So Much For Consistency (and other thoughts)

So, I joined LinkedIn. And Facebook. And I promised that I'd write more. What do you want from me?! Ha. Anyway, I've completely zoned out over the Democratic primary elections such that any free time I get at work is spent surfing the web to get the latest polls, pundit's opinions and projections, and stump speeches. And all I can say is, isn't this exciting?!!

No doubt about it, I'd love to have the chance to vote in the first female or black President of the USA. And I'd *really* love to get a progressive liberal back into the White House. But, fundamentally, this election is exciting to me because people are getting involved after seemingly years of a serious decline in political engagement. Perhaps it's my optimism or wishful thinking, but I can't help sense that people are getting into the process this time around--I've had more conversations about politics with friends, workers and family than I can remember from previous election cycles (and the record numbers set at the primary polling stations around the country seem to support my feelings as well). And, as more and more States get the opportunity to be a deciding factor in the nomination, the more riled up and involved everyone (hopefully) will become. And that goes for the Republicans as well. And that's a good thing, no?

That said, it's a tricky balance for the Democrats. Roger Cohen has some interesting thoughts about this towards the end of his NYT OpEd today. Food for thought....and I'm looking at you, Washington...