Friend of Northwest Noise Scott McCaughey (REM, The Minus 5) will debut his new side project, The Baseball Project, tonight (June 20th) on Letterman. Check it out if you're home early tonight, or Tivo it and watch it tomorrow morn.
You can check out Scott's interview with Northwest Noise at http://www.northwestnoise.com/interviews/scott-mccaughey-interview
Friday, June 20, 2008
Intervision at Jimmy Mak's
Intervision will perform this Saturday night, June 21st, at Jimmy Mak’s in the Pearl (10th and Everett) at 10PM. Evoking the styles of Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, and Jamiroquai, the show is sure to be a funky good time. Lead singer, Paul Creighton, is also featured on friend of Northwest Noise Debra Arlyn’s new cd Tomorrow Another Day (see CD review here: http://www.northwestnoise.com/reviews/debra-arlyn-tomorrow-another-day). Cover is $10.
Northwest Noise will be at the show, interviewing the band beforehand for a future podcast, as well as checking out the tunes. Stop on by for a rockin’ good time (be sure to arrive early, Jimmy Mak’s fills up quickly).
Check them out at www.myspace.com/intervision
Northwest Noise will be at the show, interviewing the band beforehand for a future podcast, as well as checking out the tunes. Stop on by for a rockin’ good time (be sure to arrive early, Jimmy Mak’s fills up quickly).
Check them out at www.myspace.com/intervision
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Oh Darling is Nice Nice
Northwest Noise had the opportunity to interview Portland band Oh Darling this past Sunday before their show at the Doug Fir Lounge.
Oh Darling features the lovely Jasmine Ash (who is so cute I just want to pick her up and put her in my pocket) on vocals and keys, J. Marie on bass and fashion, and Daven rockin’ the guitar, which he had to learn to join the band. Jake from the band Jonah fills in on the skins and adds plenty of enthusiasm and on-stage theatrics to the group.
The band’s first full-length album, Nice Nice, is officially out in Mid-August, but is available at their shows now. I have not been able to stop listening to the album since I received a copy a week ago. I was a fan of Jasmine’s solo stuff (“Fall – Hidden Fortress Remix” being one of my favorite tracks from last year), but have been pleasantly surprised by the dynamic a full group adds to her vocals. The songs on Nice Nice are exceptional and act as further proof that the Portland music scene is chock full of talent.
You can hear the full audio interview at http://www.northwestnoise.com/podcasts/the-oh-darling-interview.
Oh Darling features the lovely Jasmine Ash (who is so cute I just want to pick her up and put her in my pocket) on vocals and keys, J. Marie on bass and fashion, and Daven rockin’ the guitar, which he had to learn to join the band. Jake from the band Jonah fills in on the skins and adds plenty of enthusiasm and on-stage theatrics to the group.
The band’s first full-length album, Nice Nice, is officially out in Mid-August, but is available at their shows now. I have not been able to stop listening to the album since I received a copy a week ago. I was a fan of Jasmine’s solo stuff (“Fall – Hidden Fortress Remix” being one of my favorite tracks from last year), but have been pleasantly surprised by the dynamic a full group adds to her vocals. The songs on Nice Nice are exceptional and act as further proof that the Portland music scene is chock full of talent.
You can hear the full audio interview at http://www.northwestnoise.com/podcasts/the-oh-darling-interview.
Friday, April 25, 2008
So Much Rock, You Will Need an Extra Pair of Socks!
Friday night brings a night of music with The Dimes, The Heavenly States, and The Minus 5. The Dimes are one of my favorite Portland bands and well worth checking out. They played an amazing set at Mississippi Studios last week featuring almost new music; I’m hoping they rock some of the new tracks tonight. The Heavenly States are heading north from the Bay Area. Gears, Tim, and I will interview them tonight for a future podcast (VERY excited about that). And The Minus 5 feature Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck from R.E.M. The evening begins at 9PM at the Doug Fir Lounge and will only run you the price of a couple beers ($10). The boys of Northwest Noise will be there early to get our Fir Burger on!
Saturday brings even more rock as Mike Doughty (formerly of Soul Coughing) will be performing a FREE in-store performance at Music Millennium on Burnside at 3PM. Mike Doughty has been one of my favorite artists for awhile and has had his music featured on Grey’s Anatomy and Veronica Mars. Friend of Northwest Noise, singer/songwriter Debra Arlyn will also have a FREE in-store performance at the Tigard Border’s at 7PM. Debra is promoting her new album Tomorrow Another Day, a cd that I highly recommend. Finally, the Mike Doughty Band will be at the Wonder Ballroom at 9PM. The Panderers open the show. Tickets are $18.
Please support independent musicians (and a very cool signed artist) by checking out one of the shows. Hope to see some of you out this weekend.
jp
Saturday brings even more rock as Mike Doughty (formerly of Soul Coughing) will be performing a FREE in-store performance at Music Millennium on Burnside at 3PM. Mike Doughty has been one of my favorite artists for awhile and has had his music featured on Grey’s Anatomy and Veronica Mars. Friend of Northwest Noise, singer/songwriter Debra Arlyn will also have a FREE in-store performance at the Tigard Border’s at 7PM. Debra is promoting her new album Tomorrow Another Day, a cd that I highly recommend. Finally, the Mike Doughty Band will be at the Wonder Ballroom at 9PM. The Panderers open the show. Tickets are $18.
Please support independent musicians (and a very cool signed artist) by checking out one of the shows. Hope to see some of you out this weekend.
jp
Monday, April 14, 2008
Jedi Master
I would do the world a great disservice to not share the info that I have received from my own personal hero:
The underlying principle beneath all of this is to make sure that you are in control of your emotions, and the situation. If at any point you do not control one of these, it is often a safe idea to make yourself scarce. Women are genetically wired to be attracted to men that are in control, doesnt mean you have to BE in control, you just have to APPEAR you are in control. (i.e. dont be shaking, talk confidently, take up space when you sit down, look overwealmingly and uncharictaristically comfortable.)Given that you called you last night: If I was you, I would call back tonight and be cordial, be friendly, act however you normally act, and then end the conversation abruptly, perhaps making reference to some set of plans your looking forward to this weekend. Whatever you say, just do it genuinely with a strong frame (like you would say "the sun is shining") and you'll be fine. Take the weekend to re-evaluate some things and see if you can grasp some of the principles in the book, then call on Tuesday. As a side note, its always a plus to make her the aggressor (make her call, make her initiate hugs, make her do the work to get your attention) and the book go's over ways to do this, as does the double your dating ebook. Just breathe deep, dont be in a rush, and apply sound principles one by one and all things fall into place. The objective is not to let the drunk monkey in your brain control your actions (we all have one, you just have to learn how to tell him to shut up.).
The underlying principle beneath all of this is to make sure that you are in control of your emotions, and the situation. If at any point you do not control one of these, it is often a safe idea to make yourself scarce. Women are genetically wired to be attracted to men that are in control, doesnt mean you have to BE in control, you just have to APPEAR you are in control. (i.e. dont be shaking, talk confidently, take up space when you sit down, look overwealmingly and uncharictaristically comfortable.)Given that you called you last night: If I was you, I would call back tonight and be cordial, be friendly, act however you normally act, and then end the conversation abruptly, perhaps making reference to some set of plans your looking forward to this weekend. Whatever you say, just do it genuinely with a strong frame (like you would say "the sun is shining") and you'll be fine. Take the weekend to re-evaluate some things and see if you can grasp some of the principles in the book, then call on Tuesday. As a side note, its always a plus to make her the aggressor (make her call, make her initiate hugs, make her do the work to get your attention) and the book go's over ways to do this, as does the double your dating ebook. Just breathe deep, dont be in a rush, and apply sound principles one by one and all things fall into place. The objective is not to let the drunk monkey in your brain control your actions (we all have one, you just have to learn how to tell him to shut up.).
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Who's Gonna Drive You Home Tonight
Yesterday, I requested that Tara from 94.7FM play The Cars "Drive" for the 10AM theme of the day, which happened to be driving. She gave me a nice shot out (thanks Tara) and played the tune. As I listened to it, I remembered just how much I enjoy that song. Something about it brings me back to my childhood in Vegas. Driving home late at night, sometimes from Grandma's in Boulder City, half-asleep in the car, with that song playing. It puts me in this great mood as my mind wanders back to a simpler time. I've listened to the song a couple more times since and each time it puts me in a happier frame of mind. That song truly is one of my happy places.
RIP Benjamin Orr (bassist for The Cars and singer of hit single "Drive")
RIP Benjamin Orr (bassist for The Cars and singer of hit single "Drive")
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
29
There's no denying the fact that I am a very lucky man. I have been fortunate enough to find myself surrounded by the most incredible people and I can't express enough how grateful I am for all of them.
A week and a half ago, I celebrated my 29th birthday. I had not been looking forward to it as it would signal less than a year until my thirtys. However, a good group of friends can get you through such trying times and a great group of friends can help you forget that you were even bummed about getting older to begin with.
The weekend of festivities began Friday night at a jazz club in downtown Portland, Jimmy Maks, to watch my friend, Debra Arlyn, perform. The vibe at Jimmy Maks was certainly cool, even if the older female bartender was obviously lacking in any social nice-ities or customer service skills. Jimmy Maks, you would be wise to let this one go. I also didn't like the fact that if you didn't make reservations to get a seat, you were pretty much screwed as there was minimal standing room. For a venue that specializes in live music, how do you not have a decent area for patrons to stand and watch the show? They do have a back room with pool and TVs that is great for lounging, but with no view of the stage. In any case, I had good friends Gears, Tim, Nathaniel, Matt, Nikki, Clarissa, Dusty, and Marcie all join me for the show. My ex was also there with a friend of hers. The show was, as usual, amazing, though Debra was obviously fighting a cold or some other illness, as well as exhaustion from a long week of travel. Took in a few drinks, some tunes, and company from my friends. An enjoyable evening capped off with a trip to Life O' Riley for yet more drinks and a full-on view of a couple going to town on eachother (the girl was straddling the lucky bloke; Tim coments on the incident on his website at http://www.northwestnoise.com/articles/making-out-at-bars) and another girl that was flashing her breasts to distract her pool opponent (I was buzzed enough to believe the girl had a decent rack). As the lights went up in the small bar, it was time to call it a night, but the rest of the weekend awaited.
Saturday brought with it a "surprise" party planned by Nikki. While Nikki had every intent of making it truly a surprise by telling me that she was taking me out to dinner for my birthday, she neglected to let everyone else know it was a surprise, so in the days prior to the party, I had many friends tell me they were looking forward to seeing me Saturday night, or they were gonna to be a few minutes late, or so on. So the cat was out of the bag. I still didn't know where or who was to be there, so at least that remained a surprise. We met at the Manzana downtown and Nikki had managed to round up Cla, Gears, Marcus, Sara, Becky, Christy, Timmers, David, and the Johnsons (Ryan, Robin, and Matt). Of course, having Nikki put this all together meant the world to me as she had obviously spent a lot of time planning everything. The restaurant was decked out with balloons and party favors. She even had a cake brought out with a Chinese candle, which is more like a firecracker and quite frightening to try to blow out. After the restaurant we headed to Blitz, a cool little bar that I had not yet been to. There we were joined by Luketan, (Holla!) Kristi, and Lil' Willey (if any others joined us and I have forgotten, I apologize; there was a lot going on and I had been drinking). My friends made sure the drinks were flowing and both hands were always full, with an extra on the table next to me just to be safe. Thankfully the darts were plastic tipped, otherwise that's an accident waiting to happen.
While at Blitz, I met a 5th grade French teacher. Not sure how that works, but after all that drinking, I may have crossed some of the details. Maybe she was French or she taught French; I don't know. Now as she was talking to me, I gaze around the room and notice that no less than 10 of my friends are gawking at me. Yeah, that's not incredibly creepy. We talk for awhile, but with all the eyes on us, I'm uncomfortable and she obviously is as well. We say our goodbyes and as she leaves, a couple of my friends take her place to ask me what was going on with the situation. Ask they are asking their questions, one of the members of the girl's group is still sitting next to us, listening to my interogation. Needless to say, my friends are horrible wingmen/women and I don't think I will be talking to ladies while they are around. But an amusing story anyway.
After Blitz, it was off to Life O' Riley once again where luckily we managed to miss out on any couples straddling and making out, but sadly missed out on any flashed breasts. At this point, I don't remember much of that bar, though I do remember Audi Isaac joining us with some of his crew and the return of Kristi. However, after closing out that bar two nights in a row, Matt brought a group of us to a late night Jewish deli that was nothing less than "da bomb." The service was a little strange, but nice enough. Our server provided us with a toy elephant, giraffe, and My Little Pony to play with, which reverted all of us to our middle school years as we posed the toys in pornographic positions. But little maturity can be expected at 3am from a group of drunks, I suppose. While I can't remember the name of the deli, I can say that the pastrami was incredible. Easily the best late night eats I have ever had, surpassing even Old Mac at the Montage (though the vibe of the deli could never stand it's own against the all mighty Montage). The deli does have an interesting environment in that it is located in close proximity to one of Portland's gay clubs and has big windows for the exiting club patrons to display their "talents". It also happened to be Mardi Gras weekend, meaning we did manage to see many breasts, unfortunately none of them female. I also did manage to see one of the scariest transsexuals I had ever seen in my life as this "lady" was way too big and burly to ever legitimately pass as a lady. I must say though, no matter how conservative you are, the pastrami is by far worth the sideshow you have to watch.
That ends Saturday night and sadly for now, this post. I didn't even get to the Super Bowl the next day. I'll have to save that for another time as I'm at work and have already wrote way more than I anticipated writing today.
A week and a half ago, I celebrated my 29th birthday. I had not been looking forward to it as it would signal less than a year until my thirtys. However, a good group of friends can get you through such trying times and a great group of friends can help you forget that you were even bummed about getting older to begin with.
The weekend of festivities began Friday night at a jazz club in downtown Portland, Jimmy Maks, to watch my friend, Debra Arlyn, perform. The vibe at Jimmy Maks was certainly cool, even if the older female bartender was obviously lacking in any social nice-ities or customer service skills. Jimmy Maks, you would be wise to let this one go. I also didn't like the fact that if you didn't make reservations to get a seat, you were pretty much screwed as there was minimal standing room. For a venue that specializes in live music, how do you not have a decent area for patrons to stand and watch the show? They do have a back room with pool and TVs that is great for lounging, but with no view of the stage. In any case, I had good friends Gears, Tim, Nathaniel, Matt, Nikki, Clarissa, Dusty, and Marcie all join me for the show. My ex was also there with a friend of hers. The show was, as usual, amazing, though Debra was obviously fighting a cold or some other illness, as well as exhaustion from a long week of travel. Took in a few drinks, some tunes, and company from my friends. An enjoyable evening capped off with a trip to Life O' Riley for yet more drinks and a full-on view of a couple going to town on eachother (the girl was straddling the lucky bloke; Tim coments on the incident on his website at http://www.northwestnoise.com/articles/making-out-at-bars) and another girl that was flashing her breasts to distract her pool opponent (I was buzzed enough to believe the girl had a decent rack). As the lights went up in the small bar, it was time to call it a night, but the rest of the weekend awaited.
Saturday brought with it a "surprise" party planned by Nikki. While Nikki had every intent of making it truly a surprise by telling me that she was taking me out to dinner for my birthday, she neglected to let everyone else know it was a surprise, so in the days prior to the party, I had many friends tell me they were looking forward to seeing me Saturday night, or they were gonna to be a few minutes late, or so on. So the cat was out of the bag. I still didn't know where or who was to be there, so at least that remained a surprise. We met at the Manzana downtown and Nikki had managed to round up Cla, Gears, Marcus, Sara, Becky, Christy, Timmers, David, and the Johnsons (Ryan, Robin, and Matt). Of course, having Nikki put this all together meant the world to me as she had obviously spent a lot of time planning everything. The restaurant was decked out with balloons and party favors. She even had a cake brought out with a Chinese candle, which is more like a firecracker and quite frightening to try to blow out. After the restaurant we headed to Blitz, a cool little bar that I had not yet been to. There we were joined by Luketan, (Holla!) Kristi, and Lil' Willey (if any others joined us and I have forgotten, I apologize; there was a lot going on and I had been drinking). My friends made sure the drinks were flowing and both hands were always full, with an extra on the table next to me just to be safe. Thankfully the darts were plastic tipped, otherwise that's an accident waiting to happen.
While at Blitz, I met a 5th grade French teacher. Not sure how that works, but after all that drinking, I may have crossed some of the details. Maybe she was French or she taught French; I don't know. Now as she was talking to me, I gaze around the room and notice that no less than 10 of my friends are gawking at me. Yeah, that's not incredibly creepy. We talk for awhile, but with all the eyes on us, I'm uncomfortable and she obviously is as well. We say our goodbyes and as she leaves, a couple of my friends take her place to ask me what was going on with the situation. Ask they are asking their questions, one of the members of the girl's group is still sitting next to us, listening to my interogation. Needless to say, my friends are horrible wingmen/women and I don't think I will be talking to ladies while they are around. But an amusing story anyway.
After Blitz, it was off to Life O' Riley once again where luckily we managed to miss out on any couples straddling and making out, but sadly missed out on any flashed breasts. At this point, I don't remember much of that bar, though I do remember Audi Isaac joining us with some of his crew and the return of Kristi. However, after closing out that bar two nights in a row, Matt brought a group of us to a late night Jewish deli that was nothing less than "da bomb." The service was a little strange, but nice enough. Our server provided us with a toy elephant, giraffe, and My Little Pony to play with, which reverted all of us to our middle school years as we posed the toys in pornographic positions. But little maturity can be expected at 3am from a group of drunks, I suppose. While I can't remember the name of the deli, I can say that the pastrami was incredible. Easily the best late night eats I have ever had, surpassing even Old Mac at the Montage (though the vibe of the deli could never stand it's own against the all mighty Montage). The deli does have an interesting environment in that it is located in close proximity to one of Portland's gay clubs and has big windows for the exiting club patrons to display their "talents". It also happened to be Mardi Gras weekend, meaning we did manage to see many breasts, unfortunately none of them female. I also did manage to see one of the scariest transsexuals I had ever seen in my life as this "lady" was way too big and burly to ever legitimately pass as a lady. I must say though, no matter how conservative you are, the pastrami is by far worth the sideshow you have to watch.
That ends Saturday night and sadly for now, this post. I didn't even get to the Super Bowl the next day. I'll have to save that for another time as I'm at work and have already wrote way more than I anticipated writing today.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
New Name
I quietly changed the name of this blog a few weeks ago in honor of my good friend and personal hero, Chris Grow. On his Facebook page, he lists "The Inimitable J... P..." as one of his favorite books. I believe it is only fair that I at least try to create some sort of reading material that bears that title for the man. So here you go; much love, my brother.
Carl Karcher 1917-2008
Heard on television last night that Carl Karcher, the founder of Carl's Jr. passed away on Jan. 11 this year. I was a little bummed out, not because I'm a huge Carl's Jr. fan, but because I had met Mr. Karcher a few years back when I was working at the Marriott. He was very friendly and respectful of the all the staff. The weekend that he stayed in the hotel, he always had a smile on his face (he was in Eugene for a relative's graduation). He even gave me a VIP pass for Carl's Jr, which I believe entitles me to free burgers for life, though I have never used it. The few people I have talked to that have also met him, mostly former employees of Carl's Jr., have always had positive things to say about the man. Though I didn't know him well, this burger pioneer will surely be missed. Perhaps I will take advantage of the VIP pass this week in his honor.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Music Recommendation
If you have not yet heard Jeff Buckley's tune "Everybody Here Wants You," do yourself a favor and download or purchase it and listen to it immediately. It's around 10 years old now, but is still an amazing song that I still am digging.
Monday, August 07, 2006
How Long Can One Man Go Without TP?
Apparently a LONG time...
For whatever reason, I have been appointed the designated toilet paper purchaser in my household. No big deal, I work for a retailer anyway.
A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a total of 8 rolls of TP for the house. A week later, it was gone. No joke. I consider myself to be pretty conservative with the stuff and I live with only one other guy, so I have to assume he is the guilty party. And as the guilty party, I thought it should be his turn to make this oh-so-important purchase.
So I waited...
And waited...
And waited some more...
In the meantime, I had a roll for my own "personal" use hidden away. I just wanted to see how long he would go without some Angel Soft or Charmin. A social experiment, if you will.
Finally today, I gave in... a week later. Even Milgram had to put an end to his experiment when it got out of hand, and a week without TP is out of hand. I purchased another 8 rolls, which I anticipate will be gone by next week. Don't get me wrong: I love my roommate and will miss him when I move out this month. I mean, we've been living together for 5 years now. But a week without? Damn, that's gross.
For whatever reason, I have been appointed the designated toilet paper purchaser in my household. No big deal, I work for a retailer anyway.
A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a total of 8 rolls of TP for the house. A week later, it was gone. No joke. I consider myself to be pretty conservative with the stuff and I live with only one other guy, so I have to assume he is the guilty party. And as the guilty party, I thought it should be his turn to make this oh-so-important purchase.
So I waited...
And waited...
And waited some more...
In the meantime, I had a roll for my own "personal" use hidden away. I just wanted to see how long he would go without some Angel Soft or Charmin. A social experiment, if you will.
Finally today, I gave in... a week later. Even Milgram had to put an end to his experiment when it got out of hand, and a week without TP is out of hand. I purchased another 8 rolls, which I anticipate will be gone by next week. Don't get me wrong: I love my roommate and will miss him when I move out this month. I mean, we've been living together for 5 years now. But a week without? Damn, that's gross.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Other Purchase...
I also purchased a humidor today (in addition to the Pete Yorn ticket), though it's hard for me to say what exactly I need a humidor for. I did manage to pick it up for the great price of $.99 off Ebay, though it was another $30 for shipping. Maybe I'll become a bit of a cigar aficionado now, like my good friend, Nick. Any recommendations for a good cigar?
Pete Yorn in Portland
I just bought the last ticket to Pete Yorn's upcoming show at the Doug Fir Lounge. That's right, ticket #300 out of 300. Wicked awesome! I unfortunately could not purchase another ticket to bring a date, but at least I'll get the chance to see one of my favorite singer/songwriters and the man responsible for one of my Top 5 desert island discs, "musicforthemorningafter" (actually, I'll see him twice that day, as he is doing a free in-store performance at Music Millenium before the concert).
Monday, May 29, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
RIP 200SX
Was in a pretty bad car wreck a couple of weeks ago. Completely totaled my car. From the picture, I'm sure you can guess it wasn't my fault. Had some wicked whiplash to boot.
I'm doing much better now. Ended up with a sweet new ride, which I will post pics of shortly. And I certainly feel better. But I thought I should share the damage with you all...
I'm doing much better now. Ended up with a sweet new ride, which I will post pics of shortly. And I certainly feel better. But I thought I should share the damage with you all...
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Quit Yer Sniveling
I am really tired of hearing the individuals associated with the movie Brokeback Mountain complain of how they were robbed of the Best Picture Award at the Oscars last month. These people make ridiculous claims: the Academy members are close-minded, Hollywood is playing it safe, the Academy is out of touch with the rest of the country, etc.
And now the author of Brokeback Mountain, Annie Proulx, is joining in. Here’s a thought: maybe your movie wasn’t the best one that was released last year. To be fair, I have not seen Brokeback Mountain, nor the movie that actually won the Best Picture Award, Crash, however I did hear that both are excellent films. But it seems to me that Brokeback… offers little more than a love story, albeit one between two men (cowboys, nevertheless; didn’t South Park lampoon this idea years ago, claiming that independent films were just about gay cowboys eating pudding?).
Brokeback Mountain received a lot of attention because of it’s subject matter, and that seems to be the card that the makers of the film want to exploit (by claiming they didn’t win because the Academy voters are close-minded). However, there have been plenty of films dealing with the subject of homosexuality before, and there are sure to be plenty more afterwards. Should To Wong Foo… have won an Oscar because the movie features drag queens as the main characters?
While I don’t agree with every award given by the Academy, it seems to me that Crash was simply the better film. And since when is Hollywood concerned about stirring up controversy?
And now the author of Brokeback Mountain, Annie Proulx, is joining in. Here’s a thought: maybe your movie wasn’t the best one that was released last year. To be fair, I have not seen Brokeback Mountain, nor the movie that actually won the Best Picture Award, Crash, however I did hear that both are excellent films. But it seems to me that Brokeback… offers little more than a love story, albeit one between two men (cowboys, nevertheless; didn’t South Park lampoon this idea years ago, claiming that independent films were just about gay cowboys eating pudding?).
Brokeback Mountain received a lot of attention because of it’s subject matter, and that seems to be the card that the makers of the film want to exploit (by claiming they didn’t win because the Academy voters are close-minded). However, there have been plenty of films dealing with the subject of homosexuality before, and there are sure to be plenty more afterwards. Should To Wong Foo… have won an Oscar because the movie features drag queens as the main characters?
While I don’t agree with every award given by the Academy, it seems to me that Crash was simply the better film. And since when is Hollywood concerned about stirring up controversy?
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Update on "The Legend of Hatoon"
I received this comment from an old acquaintance of Hatoon's. It tells quite a different story than the ones that have been reported before. Based on the information I had at the time, I had made the assumption that it was her children that had neglected her. However, it seems that quite the opposite was true. I appreciate receiving this other perspective and thank the author for sharing this information with me:
Hello,My name is ----------, and I knew Hatoon very well back in the 70's. This letter is a year late, but I just returned to Eugene for the first time in decades. Because you mentioned her children, I thought I could possibly fill you in on a bit about that. I ran the Women's Center here in Eugene in the early and mid 70's, and at that time, Hatoon, who was then known as an alcoholic, stayed there frequently. I spent months talking to her, and often went to her apartment to stay with her in the evenings. She also came to my home frequently. Hatoon was a heavy drinker then, but it was clear she was intelligent, and could be interesting. She had attached herself to the women's community, and spent much of her time interfering with activities and parties given by individuals and groups. People tried very hard to be kind to her, but she always managed to thwart their efforts by reacting in a cruel and belligerant manner. In the center, she created problem after problem, mostly by endless manipulation, with the goal of dividing women from each other. At that time she already had many of the habits described in the articles from after her death, but in a less smooth form. She developed her habit of walking up to people and complimenting their looks because she had an angry relationship to the lesbians in town. She would go up to them and offer them lipstick, feminine clothing etc in an angry manner. Her compliments were a means to make people nervous. When she saw that I was making a difference at the Women's Center, she began to attack me personally in front of new women. She verbally attacked a dozen people a week though, so I did not take it personally. She did a lot of screaming and yelling around town in general. Ironically, I actually made a big impression on Hatoon, who admired my college background. She began to read, and learned the tactic of acting crazy, but then 'coming to' when people patronized her, so as to make them look and feel stupid. She began to dress, and speak more consciously, and made a point of copying me.She was particularly cruel to her children. Her daughter, whom she spoke of rarely, did not live in Eugene, but her son did, and feared her greatly. She was frightening, because she was essentially such a heartless person, who was utterly unfazed by the pain of others. Instead of enjoyment or warmth toward people, she was able to feel only jealously. Her take on life was -- people better notice me, or else. She always had an apartment when I knew her, but she preferred for people to see her as homeless. I don't know what her situation was when she died, but I'd be willing to bet there were individuals somewhere who knew a lot more about how she survived than the general public. Or maybe her methods had changed by her last years.If you Google Hatoon, you can find a blog from 'Bob', a friend of her son's, attached along with many others to the article on her death, who tells it like it really was -- how inhuman she was to her son. She threatened him, screamed at him, and made life unlivable for him. All she wanted from either child was attention, but even that had to be utter enslavement, and giving it did not stop her from her sarcastic cruelty toward him. She gave no money, physical care, clothing or food to either of them by the time I knew her, but I had heard she was marginally better when they were very young. I see that Eugene seems to be a place that applaudes and even deifies mental illness. Coming up here from Berkeley has been a real shock. Recently a toothless man who urinates in his yard was asked to move from a cabin in my ally because he was living in squalor, throwing his trash in the ally, and constantly sponging off everyone who attempted to walk there. When they heard he was leaving, several neighbors wrote letters to the owner of his house pleading with him to let this man stay, and calling him 'an asset to the neighborhood.' After he left, I found there were no more beer bottles thrown up and down the ally, nor trash littered everywhere, especially around my back parking in the ally. I am a single woman, and he specially picked me out for all kinds of harrassment. This is a man who was considered 'colorful and interesting,' just like Hatoon. In Berkeley people like this are given real help, and places to live. They are not allowed to live on the street, where they satisfy their narcissism by becoming public figures. I believe Hatoon was not schizophrenic, but probably manic-depressive and somewhat paranoid. I think she learned to exaggerate many of her tendencies in order to mask her essentially cruel personality. I'm sure she suffered terribly from the pangs of conscience she must have had, and I'm sorry she is considered a 'legend,' rather than someone whose behavior was at best benign, and at worst psychopathic.
Hello,My name is ----------, and I knew Hatoon very well back in the 70's. This letter is a year late, but I just returned to Eugene for the first time in decades. Because you mentioned her children, I thought I could possibly fill you in on a bit about that. I ran the Women's Center here in Eugene in the early and mid 70's, and at that time, Hatoon, who was then known as an alcoholic, stayed there frequently. I spent months talking to her, and often went to her apartment to stay with her in the evenings. She also came to my home frequently. Hatoon was a heavy drinker then, but it was clear she was intelligent, and could be interesting. She had attached herself to the women's community, and spent much of her time interfering with activities and parties given by individuals and groups. People tried very hard to be kind to her, but she always managed to thwart their efforts by reacting in a cruel and belligerant manner. In the center, she created problem after problem, mostly by endless manipulation, with the goal of dividing women from each other. At that time she already had many of the habits described in the articles from after her death, but in a less smooth form. She developed her habit of walking up to people and complimenting their looks because she had an angry relationship to the lesbians in town. She would go up to them and offer them lipstick, feminine clothing etc in an angry manner. Her compliments were a means to make people nervous. When she saw that I was making a difference at the Women's Center, she began to attack me personally in front of new women. She verbally attacked a dozen people a week though, so I did not take it personally. She did a lot of screaming and yelling around town in general. Ironically, I actually made a big impression on Hatoon, who admired my college background. She began to read, and learned the tactic of acting crazy, but then 'coming to' when people patronized her, so as to make them look and feel stupid. She began to dress, and speak more consciously, and made a point of copying me.She was particularly cruel to her children. Her daughter, whom she spoke of rarely, did not live in Eugene, but her son did, and feared her greatly. She was frightening, because she was essentially such a heartless person, who was utterly unfazed by the pain of others. Instead of enjoyment or warmth toward people, she was able to feel only jealously. Her take on life was -- people better notice me, or else. She always had an apartment when I knew her, but she preferred for people to see her as homeless. I don't know what her situation was when she died, but I'd be willing to bet there were individuals somewhere who knew a lot more about how she survived than the general public. Or maybe her methods had changed by her last years.If you Google Hatoon, you can find a blog from 'Bob', a friend of her son's, attached along with many others to the article on her death, who tells it like it really was -- how inhuman she was to her son. She threatened him, screamed at him, and made life unlivable for him. All she wanted from either child was attention, but even that had to be utter enslavement, and giving it did not stop her from her sarcastic cruelty toward him. She gave no money, physical care, clothing or food to either of them by the time I knew her, but I had heard she was marginally better when they were very young. I see that Eugene seems to be a place that applaudes and even deifies mental illness. Coming up here from Berkeley has been a real shock. Recently a toothless man who urinates in his yard was asked to move from a cabin in my ally because he was living in squalor, throwing his trash in the ally, and constantly sponging off everyone who attempted to walk there. When they heard he was leaving, several neighbors wrote letters to the owner of his house pleading with him to let this man stay, and calling him 'an asset to the neighborhood.' After he left, I found there were no more beer bottles thrown up and down the ally, nor trash littered everywhere, especially around my back parking in the ally. I am a single woman, and he specially picked me out for all kinds of harrassment. This is a man who was considered 'colorful and interesting,' just like Hatoon. In Berkeley people like this are given real help, and places to live. They are not allowed to live on the street, where they satisfy their narcissism by becoming public figures. I believe Hatoon was not schizophrenic, but probably manic-depressive and somewhat paranoid. I think she learned to exaggerate many of her tendencies in order to mask her essentially cruel personality. I'm sure she suffered terribly from the pangs of conscience she must have had, and I'm sorry she is considered a 'legend,' rather than someone whose behavior was at best benign, and at worst psychopathic.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Another Birthday...
I've been requested to write about my birthday, which occured a little over a week ago. Quite honestly, I didn't want to think about it a whole lot; I was depressed about turning 27. B was quite sweet in helping me to deal with it, but it was pretty hopeless at the time, as I was so bummed.
B took me to dinner at West Bros. for some good ol' BBQ. She got me tickets to O in Vegas when we go next weekend, as well as sweet ass pair of shoes, that I love. She managed to cheer me up at that point, but I really had to push aside my feelings of inadequacy and failure in order to be in a better mood.
The next day was the Super Bowl, which allowed me to play host to many of my friends. While the outcome of the game wasn't as we had hoped, I always enjoy having company. B upped the ante on sweetness by showing up on my doorstep with a lighted birthday ice cream cake and leading my friends in a chorus of happy birthday. While the effects of a six-pack prevented me from throwing my arms around her, it couldn't stop the smile on my face.
I can't really explain why I felt so depressed (and while I continue to feel so if I think about my age). Deep down, I still feel like a kid: irresponsible and immature. I haven't really accomplished the things I wanted to by 27. Not that I know what those things are, but I feel like I'm so behind in things that I should have already done. I should be smarter, more mature, richer, have more credentials and accomplishments, etc. I'm currently at where I feel that I should have been 5 years ago, and that bums the shit out of me because I have nothing to show for those 5 years.
In addition, the age 27 holds some weird feelings for me as the people I idolized as a kid: Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix, all died at 27. Robert Johnson and Janis Joplin as well. Wikipedia states that "occasionally, this (27) is the ideal age to die." At one point in time, I bought into that. How messed up is that?
To those that sent cards and birthday wishes: thank you. They helped to cheer me up in what was, and still is, a speed bump in my life's journey.
B took me to dinner at West Bros. for some good ol' BBQ. She got me tickets to O in Vegas when we go next weekend, as well as sweet ass pair of shoes, that I love. She managed to cheer me up at that point, but I really had to push aside my feelings of inadequacy and failure in order to be in a better mood.
The next day was the Super Bowl, which allowed me to play host to many of my friends. While the outcome of the game wasn't as we had hoped, I always enjoy having company. B upped the ante on sweetness by showing up on my doorstep with a lighted birthday ice cream cake and leading my friends in a chorus of happy birthday. While the effects of a six-pack prevented me from throwing my arms around her, it couldn't stop the smile on my face.
I can't really explain why I felt so depressed (and while I continue to feel so if I think about my age). Deep down, I still feel like a kid: irresponsible and immature. I haven't really accomplished the things I wanted to by 27. Not that I know what those things are, but I feel like I'm so behind in things that I should have already done. I should be smarter, more mature, richer, have more credentials and accomplishments, etc. I'm currently at where I feel that I should have been 5 years ago, and that bums the shit out of me because I have nothing to show for those 5 years.
In addition, the age 27 holds some weird feelings for me as the people I idolized as a kid: Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix, all died at 27. Robert Johnson and Janis Joplin as well. Wikipedia states that "occasionally, this (27) is the ideal age to die." At one point in time, I bought into that. How messed up is that?
To those that sent cards and birthday wishes: thank you. They helped to cheer me up in what was, and still is, a speed bump in my life's journey.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Sunriver
So I promised drunken updates from Sunriver and failed to deliver on that promise. So here is a brief summary of the weekend:
Got drunk on Crown and effed up on Absinthe, smoked a cigar, passed out, had Leslie draw tits on my face, was awaken at 5am by drunken brothers in the hot tub, talked to the police about the loud, drunken brothers in the hot tub, and received a $250 disturbing the peace citation as the person in charge because of the loud, drunken brothers in the hot tub.
Quite a weekend. And the Monday after, I received a call from the rental company "thanking" us for trashing the house and informing me there would be some additional cleaning charges.
So while I spent the weekend putting out fires, there was no time to post. My apologies and I hope this makes up for it.
Got drunk on Crown and effed up on Absinthe, smoked a cigar, passed out, had Leslie draw tits on my face, was awaken at 5am by drunken brothers in the hot tub, talked to the police about the loud, drunken brothers in the hot tub, and received a $250 disturbing the peace citation as the person in charge because of the loud, drunken brothers in the hot tub.
Quite a weekend. And the Monday after, I received a call from the rental company "thanking" us for trashing the house and informing me there would be some additional cleaning charges.
So while I spent the weekend putting out fires, there was no time to post. My apologies and I hope this makes up for it.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Challenger, Twenty Years Later
Wow, has it really been twenty years? I remember that day very vividly: sitting in a school gym in Las Vegas watching on a tiny television the launch and the following explosion. I'm sure I was too young to fully understand what had happened, but it is one of those memories that sticks with me, a moment that, in part, defines my generation.
The fact that it has been twenty years also makes me feel VERY old, especially with a birthday fast approaching...
The fact that it has been twenty years also makes me feel VERY old, especially with a birthday fast approaching...
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