« September 2005 | Main | November 2005 »

October 31, 2005

Halloween: "A game of terror?"

Well nothing makes me laugh more than Hugo Chavez's more nonsensical tirades against the Evil Empire (that’s US).

According to a BBC article, he is discouraging Venezuelans from celebrating Halloween because it is about "putting fear into other nations, putting fear into their own people".

Only he could extrapolate such nefarious and ill-willed intentions from our little holiday. If he were going to critical of the US, one would hope that it would be for other issues than our love of scaring and grossing each other out and dressing up and being someone else for a day.

On that note, Happy Halloween! Don't go terrorizing your friends and neighbors or we'll be giving Chavez more arsenal for his ongoing crusade against the EVIL EMPIRE ;-)

Posted by eva on 10:39 PM

October 30, 2005

My night with Albert Einstein, Superman and Darth Vader...

Not your average Halloween affair! Saturday night at Cafe Atlantique in Milford, a special Halloween concert was held. Three up-and-coming local singer/songwriters put on a great show and fully embraced the Halloween spirit to a packed house.

The show kicked off with Eugene Gallagher's set. Dressed as Albert Einstein, Eugene was accompanied by Rob Platt on bass. Then Clark Kent ... I mean Sean Fournier hit the stage and worked the crowd as well. And last but not least Mike "Darth Vader" Morello (This guy had it all, the mask, the light saber, cape and even the sound breathing apparatus). Eugene Gallagher returned for a final set, this time swapping his guitar for a mandolin.

If you get a chance, you should check these guys out as they are amazing musicians and I suspect time and experience will make them even better.

Here are their respective websites for a schedule of upcoming gigs:

EUGENE GALLAGHER - www.theugene.com - You can get free downloads of his tracks directly from his site ("Nights like these," "Stay with me" and "Ordinary" are favorites of mine). If you sign up for his mailing list, you can get a his latest CD, Third Floor Sessions, for free, provided you give him a mailing address.

SEAN FOURNIER - www.sean-fournier.com - Listen to his newest song, "Something About You". His latest album, Put the world on stop, is available through iTunes. "Angel's Face" and "Another Like You" are worth a listen.

MIKE MORELLO - www.mikemorello.net - Mike's album, Leisure, is also available on iTunes. Some standout tracks from his set were "Girl Next Door," "Hula,""Next to You" and "Diggin' on you."

Posted by eva on 12:58 AM

October 29, 2005

What the ..... Christmas in October!!!

Today as I was out and about at my local mall I heard something that caused sheer annoyance. When I perused the merchandise, I was enjoying the sound of The Killers "On Top" (An ironic choice for a lingerie store). Suddenly, a highly recognizable melody chimed in and I swear my jaw almost fell through the floor.

They were playing "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" !!!!

Now the last time I checked the calendar, it was still October and we're in the midst of the Halloween weekend. Black Friday is about 28 days away.

In addition to this sonic assault, various stores are already putting up Holiday decorations and preparing all their special sales. It seems that every year, the holidays are being celebrated earlier and earlier. They have become more commercial and lost some of its original meaning. Try hitting the mall on a weekend during the holiday season! You'll see bumper to bumper traffic in parking lots, parents losing tempers, children throwing tantrums, people fighting over last-minute gifts ... the list could go on. My views may seem a bit cynical, but I've witnessed all of these behaviors and more.

As the song came on, one of the employees enthused that she was so excited to hear Christmas music in the store. Let's see how she feels about it in a month's time when she'll be dealing with demanding customers, grumpy kids and potential cat-fights. Will her heart still jump for joy with "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!" ....? Only time will tell.

Posted by eva on 12:12 AM

October 27, 2005

The Agony and Ecstasy of Brain Sex....

Get your minds out of the gutter!

We're talking about determining the gender of your brain.
Those Brits at the BBC have come up with a quiz.
It takes a while, but you can take to the test in installments. It's an interesting experiment and not a bad way to kill some time.

Brain gender influences the way you deal with relationships. Perhaps this test and the corresponding article will give you a new perspective on what's going on in your head.

Posted by eva on 4:55 PM

October 24, 2005

Songs for the Moment: Premiere partie

Music is an integral part of my life and so I've decided to share some of my favorite songs (old and new, depending on my mood) with you, faithful readers of the Forum.

These songs can be therapeutic, helping purge pent up feelings as I sing along or silently cry. Others get my body moving, inspiring moves not unlike those displayed by Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels. More importantly they make me feel. So here's the starting line-up:

1 - Hot Hot Heat - Middle of Nowhere - "Don't get mad if I'm laughing/Blame the caffeine for all the 5 am phone calls/
I haven't slept a single night in over a month...." Perhaps this explains Area Codes Al's early AM dialing practices.

2- Interpol - Song Seven - Released on their special edition of Antics, this one is for the darker days.

3- Roxy Music - Love Is the Drug - Although I wasn't even a thought in my parents' mind when Bryan Ferry was macking it with Jerry Hall, he still rocks my world. I "heart" Bryan Ferry.

4- Kinky - The Headphonist - This one plays on my iPod every morning on my walk into work. Puts some groove in my step.

5- Generation X/Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself - Crazy dancing until 4 AM in the college slums of Allston, MA.

6- Madonna - Like a Prayer - Sing along classic in my circle of friends and a must before a night on the town.

I could go on but I'll save them for a next installment.
Be brave o readers of the blog and share some of your favorites!
To quote the Libertines:

"Don't be shy
For if you are shy for tomorrow
You'll be shy for one thousand days
Now is your time to shine
Dance and hear your song
or you may wake up one day in the last chance saloon
to find your last chance has been and gone"

Posted by eva on 5:35 PM