Musical Jeopardy for $800

Music most likely to make me jump on a platform and start freestylin' like it is 1994 and Tracks is at peak:

What is "You Belong," by Hercules and Love Affair?

Correct!

(Also the song that's most likely what Michael Jackson would have sounded like had he come out after "Thriller" and embraced his S&M streak. Which is better that what he became!)

The genius of Joss Whedon

The post-modern musical is alive and well. Whedon really can do no wrong.

And who knew both Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris could sing?

A love note to Kenny and Zuke's

We first encountered K & Z's at Christmas, when we stayed at the Governor Hotel before continuing on to Mt. Angel. We saw it on an early morning wander through NW Portland while looking for a more substantial breakfast that pastries. Imagine our surprise to find a updated deli smack on the Ace Hotel and Stumptown Coffee. Intrigued, we stopped and grabbed a table, and ordered from an unapologetically retro menu.

To say our meals were good, or even great is to miss the point entirely. I have never had pastrami or corned beef made with as much love and care as Kenny and Zuke's uses. Both meats were perfectly cured from fine beef. The sides and condiments were perfect. The bread was hearty deli bread. There was nothing light or nouvelle about K&Zs deli cuisine: it was and is full bodied, full flavored, full of fat and satisfaction.

I could not stop thinking about it, so it should be no surprise that one of my first stops while in Portland for my mother's birthday was K&Zs. I bought sandwiches and lox and bagels for mom and me - with which my mother was thrilled (Mt. Angel, and her retirement community aren't really hip to Central European meets American ethnic food filtered through the Slow and Craft Food movements.) It should also be no surprise that I bought lox, corned beef and pastrami to take back to Washington, DC with me.

Bruises Part 2

The bruise on my thigh is the color of eggplant; it covers all of my inner thigh. With assurances from doctors, I know the bruise will fade and heal (looking like "a Rothko painting" per my orthopaedic surgeon's comment).

My psychic bruising is a different story. Passing cars startle me, and vigilance has become hypervigilance. Seeing African-American men of a certain age makes me tighten my grip on my umbrella (which in turn accompanies me to and from work). With work, the base anxiety and uncertainty will be resolved.

But will there be scars? Will I be able to move smoothly, without visible distress or discomfort through any situation?

What's good for the goose

From a comment yesterday left at Joe.My.God:

Good satire is lost on Americans, particularly after being satire desensitized, first by the Reagan administration, and now by the Bush/Cheney administration.

The equivalent McCain satire of Senator John in Depends and Cindy with her Amex card and prescription drugs in the Oval Office would have the networks and NPR (nice polite republicans) baying.
scory | Homepage | 07.14.08 - 11:22 am | #

I'm not quite sure where this originally appeared, but I find it mighty amusing.

Bruise

The follow up from last night's adventure. This is what happens when a thrown tire iron hits one's leg.

No, there are no naked pictures. Please move along. Nothing more to see.

Target

I was walking home from the Metro on a warm summer night, on a street I’ve walked pretty much every day since we first moved into our house in March. I wasn’t paying too much attention to my surroundings as I was listening to Joni’s “The Hissing of Summer Lawns”. I’d smiled at the couple walking past me on 9th Street NE. I saw the dark blue Chrysler drive past as I turned the corner on to Kearney. I admired the day lilies and saw a young man jump out of the car and walk toward me.

He was holding a tire iron. And he was motioning threateningly at me. If he said anything, I couldn’t hear it. “Edith and the Kingpin” had just segued into “Shades of Scarlet Conquering”. I play my iPod loud.

I’m pretty sure he wanted the iPod though.

I was carrying an umbrella, a heavy messenger bag, and my cell phone.

I don’t think he expected me to swing the umbrella at him. I swung at his jaw and missed. He ran back to the car, throwing the tire iron at me while on the run. It hit my leg. The iron didn’t damage my khakis. However, there will be a bruise.

I picked up the tire iron as I was dialing the cops. I thought about throwing it at the car, or smashing a window. But then I exercised some judgment.

I called the cops immediately. They answered, and at the same time, a patrol cruiser rolled past, and stopped when I flagged him down.

The officer very patiently took down the information, and asked for more details. I provided them as best I could. I should have taken a picture of the license plate - or the kid. Oh well. If charges are filed, it will be for simple assault.

I’m pretty shaken. G Squared is a bit more shaken, I think.

I’ve said that if you stay aware, and walk with confidence, you’re pretty safe anywhere you go in the world. I still feel that way. But I won’t be wearing my iPod on the street any more. I was lucky. This guy was not.

And I will be carrying an umbrella, or a walking stick.

That is all.

Good Times

It follows from this (disco redux) and this (chamber punk) that I love the outsider music of the late seventies and early eighties. It won't be a suprise that I made this playlist (good times) with the purpose of it being the soundtrack for our housewarming party.

The Brazilian Hipster The New Gold Standard Fort Knox Five
Ain't It Funky (Fort Knox Five Dub) Ain't It Funky / Tricka Technology A.Skillz & Krafty Kuts
I Love to Move In Here Last Night Moby
World's Famous Duck Rock Malcolm McLaren
Soweto Duck Rock Malcolm McLaren
The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance Vampire Weekend
Wordy Rappinghood (Remix) Tom Tom Club
Do What You Wanna (Mr. Scruff's Soul Party Remix) Verve Remixed 2 Ramsey Lewis & Mr. Scruff
Blue Monday - ('88) (The Best Of) New Order New Order
Les And Eddie Cinco De Mowo! Mocean Worker
Sound Of Silver Sound Of Silver LCD Soundsystem
Money In the Bag (K & S Remix) Boogie Angst Kraak & Smaak
Dancin' At The Bains Douches Kid Creole Redux Kid Creole & The Coconuts
Good Times (LP Version) Dance, Dance, Dance - The Best of Chic Chic
Cowboys And Gangsters Fabriclive 36 - James Murphy & Pat Mahoney Gichy Dan
Blind Blind - Single of the Week Hercules and Love Affair
Workinonit Donuts J Dilla
D.A.N.C.E. Justice Justice
Ghetto Train Chaos Restored - Justin Martin Justin Martin
Back To The Raw (Ruff Mix) Louie Vega Presents Dance Ritual Kerri Chandler
I Am the Black Gold of the Sun Nuyorican Soul Nuyorican Soul
Housequake Sign O' The Times (Disc 1) Prince
Kiss Parade Prince
Anotherloverholenyohead Parade Prince
A Noite Sem Fim Sao Paulo Confessions Suba


It's not a suprise to me that its more fun today to dance around our family room, looking over the lawn and the roses and the kitchen garden than it is to claw out a bit of space at a big room dance event. I've experienced the highs and lows of street life, and while I may go back from time to time, I'll be a tourist. No more for me scrambling for a cab at 4 in the morning after a long evening of drinking, dancing, and sometimes more. I'll do most of my dancing in the sunshine, thanks.