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April 17, 2006

Monkeys, Grails, and Beautiful People

A few interesting TV shows have come to my attention and I thought I'd pass them along to you with Eva's Stamp of Approval:

1- LOVE MONKEY - Too little, too late... I am guilty as are all the other deviant TV watchers who let a little gem like Love Monkey get cancelled. Fortunately for those of us who have fallen in love with this show, VH1 has scooped up the whole season, and as of this Tuesday will be showing unaired episodes at 9 PM. We will never know what will become of our beloved Love Monkey, so I'll cherish these episodes.

2- GOD OR THE GIRL - I know the title sounds like a gimmicky game show, but this A&E documentary reality series, chronicles the life of a group of twenty something Roman Catholic men, who are deciding whether they are called to the life of priesthood. The show gives you an insight to the difficult and confusing decisions these young men are facing.

3- 8TH & OCEAN - Okay, I'm embarrassed to say that on occasion, I watch this new MTV reality melodrama, my guilty pleasure. Not only are the male models nice eye candy, but the vapidity of their conversations perfectly scored by latest in pop, rock and hiphop reduces me to a chortling mass. I sense a new college drinking game in the works with Teddy dropping the following line a few times an episode:"I'd buy her dinner." This frivilous piece of fluff is a nice way to blow off steam after a rough day.

So these are some of the shows I've been watching. They may not be Emmy nominated television, but they are both thought provoking and, of course, funny. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Posted by eva on 5:46 PM

April 11, 2006

Black Asphalt

Some nights I am restless. I'll be driving home from work or being out, and suddenly I am overwhelmed with the desire to pick up and go. Pedal to the metal, rubber on the road, I just want to drive and put as much distance between me and my life. I don't know where to go, but I follow the black asphalt and hope it leads me somewhere, anywhere really.

Lately, it's been getting stronger. It's as though I enter this trance, where I am on autopilot, stopping at red lights and going on green. The darkened empty roads are my partners in crime, inciting me and exciting me, an electric current.

This is a physical manifestation of the restlessness I feel in my life. I'm confused; always unsure, worse than a weathervane. I have so many interests and yet no opportunities. One day I think I've got things figured out and then the next I am back to square one. At times, I'm jealous of those people who know what they want and hit the fast-track. Things just fall into place for them. My indecisiveness gets the better of me and gets me down.

Maybe this is just part of being a twenty-something in this era. Maybe it's a quarter life crisis: when I was fifteen, I imagined myself in a different place at 25. I thought I'd be somebody, but my reality is different. So until I sort things out for myself, there will always be the black asphalt.

Posted by eva on 9:48 PM

April 7, 2006

A friendly rodent strikes again!

Banksy, the renegade artist, struck again in London. His latest victim, the iconic red phone booth of England.

Posted by eva on 9:05 AM

April 3, 2006

Songs of the Moment : Spring Fling

As we get closer to the warm sunshine and vibrant blooms, it's time for me to blow the dust off of some of my favorite albums. This are guaranteed to lift my mood up and bring me out of the winter funk and get me good and ready for sunshine and fun. So without further delay, here are my picks:

1 - Beleza Tropical - This is a compilation of Brazilian music put together by David Byrnes of Talking Heads fame. The majority are from the Tropicalista movement, and even though many may argue it should be updated with some of the newer artists, I still think it is an excellent sonic time capsule. These tunes are classic and definitely make me think of warm breezes. Standout tracks: Jorge Ben's Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma), Caetano Veloso's O Leaozinho and Maria Bethania and Gal Costa's duet, Sonho Meu.

2- Oh, Inverted World - Mellifluous strains of indie rock, a breezy blend which makes a great soundtrack for walks in the sunshine. Tracks to check out: This Celibate Life, Girl On the Wing and The Past and Pending.

3- The Art of Amalia - April showers bring May flowers, so a rainy day warrants something a little heavier. One could say this is standard issue in most Portuguese families. My father would play this music while driving in the car, and now as an adult I've truly come to appreciate Amalia's voice, a Portuguese Billie Holiday. My favorites: Ha Festa Na Mouraria, Vou Dar De Beber a Dor and Primavera.

4 - Weezer
The initial offering from the boys now maligning the lifestyles of Beverly Hills, "The Blue Album" reminds me of the 8th grade and my first forays into the world of alternative rock and debates held with friends while waiting for French class to start. Remember these: The World Has Turned and Left Me, Surf Wax America, and Buddy Holly.

5- The Best of Blondie - One way or another, the newly inducted Rock'n'Roll Hall of Famers have experimented and never were afraid to make something different. To think that the now classic disco driven Heart of Glass was initially imagined as a reggae influenced song. This original compilation of their greatest hits has all the mainstream hits often butchered on karaoke nights. Sing it: Atomic, Dreaming and Hanging on the Telephone.

Posted by eva on 9:28 AM