Field Of Dreams

Baseball is in the midst of Spring Training.  Whichever team that you cheer,  you can rest assure that this is a sport that has been here for generations.  For the first time since 1982, the Minnesota Twins will be playing outdoor baseball on real grass.  I remember our old outdoor stadium rather fondly.  The Mall of America sits on the location of the old Metropolitian Stadium.  On the floor of the amusment park in the center of the mall, there is a plaque that commerates homeplate. 

I just finished watching the movie "Field of Dreams."  I have to admit that the ending is a tear jerker.  I have the two-disc set with a round table discussion including: Johnny Bench, George Brett, and Bret Saberhagen. These all-pro baseball player's discuss their reaction to the film, and the impact that playing catch with their father as kids had on them as well as their own kids.  This may not sound like much, but it is a very imporant part of  male bonding and the male experience.  It is something that can continue to florish as a boy becomes a man.  This is at the very heart of team sports.  The bonds that are experienced between father and son and then between others continue to strengthen the very fabric of our culture.  We tend not to think of ourselves as a warrior culture, so we trancended this in to the art of sport. The desire to sacrifice for practice so that one my gain victory or bounce back from defeat is at the very heart of every athlete.  I did particpate in team sports for a short while in my youth.  I have become a keen observer to this point. Will I ever be a good athlete again?  I doubt that I have the drive or ambition  to do so. I consider myself to more or less a weeble right now. So we will leave it at that.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
December 31, 1978
Winterland Arena
San Francisco, CA
Matrix recording (As soon as it come available, I will put up a link,)

Grateful Dead
October 30, 1973
Kiel Auditorium
St. Louis, MO
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 1, 1973
McGaw Memorial Hall
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
listen here
Second set only (Morning Dew>Playing in the Band> Uncle John's Band> Playing in the Band) That's how the set started.

Casting A Vote For The Oscars

On Sunday night, the Academy Awards will be shown to a worldwide audience.  This is an event that I try not to miss.  I will try to pick the winners in each category.  I will give a reason for why I think they will win if it deserves a mention.

Actor in a Leading Role:
Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
Most of the the other award shows had picked him, so the momentum is going his way. 

Actor in a Supporting Role:
Christoph Walz in "Inglourious Basterds"
He was completely outstanding in this role.  He was the best part of the whole movie.  Without his acting ability, this movie would not be at the level to which it exists.

Actress in a Leading Role:
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"
She is the most outstanding actress that Hollywood has produced.  Her portrayal of Julia Child is the caliber of acting the deserves such praise.

Actress in a Supporting Role:
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
She had won at other award shows for the same role. Again, it comes down to momentum.

Animated Feature Film:
"Up" Peter Doctor
It should win,  because it's Pixar. Duh.

Art Direction:
"The Imagininarium of Doctor Parnassus"
Thsi movie was a wonder to behold.


Cinematography:
"The White Ribbon"
I only saw the trailer in the theater, but the contrast of black and white photography sets the tone for this film.  I want to see it when it comes to Netflix.

Costume Design:
"Coco before Chanel"
A movie about clothing designers will get the nod everytime.

Directing:
"The Hurt Locker: Kathryn Bigelow
I think James Cameron's ego needs to be knocked down  a few pegs.  This would be the blow that would do it.

Documentary (Feature):
"The Cove"

Documentary (Short Subject):
"Music by Prudence"
This is just a shot in the dark.

Film Editing:
"District 9"
I saw the bonus features on the filming of this.  They had shot so much film that it took quite some time to assemble this film into the masterpiece that it is now.  For all the hard work that they did in putting together this film, I believe some recognition is in order.

Foreign Language Film:
"The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)"
Going back to my statements on Cinematography, this is why this film should win.

Makeup:
"The Young Victoria"
This is another shot in the dark.  But let's be real.  Makeup: Star Trek? I don't think so.  I'm a Trekker,but I can do without this award.

Music (Original Score):
"Avatar"

Music (Original Song):
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)"

Short Film (Animated):
"Logorama"
This was great.  It had Ronald McDonald as a crazed gunman. He was a cereal killer.

Short Film (Live Action):
"The New Tenants"
This had everything going for it.  It was crazy fun.  It also featured a recipe for cinnamon buns that were to die for.

Sound Editing:
"Avatar"

Sound Mixing:
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" 
Yeah, It had Megan Fox, but they don't have an award for her. Damn!

Visual Effects:
"Avatar"
This is a no-brainer.  A runaway train on this award.  This is why this award was made for a movie like this.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
"Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
I would say that by the title of this film they were shooting for this award from the get go.

Writing (Original Screenplay):
"The Hurt Locker" Written by Mark Boal
Having been in the U.S. Army, I can really believe the dialogue in this film.

Best Picture:
"The Hurt Locker"
Yeah, "Avatar" has all the eye candy, but for the real story, this film deserves all the top honors.  One of the producers did step in it and is banned from all the fun, but still, it will win the top prize.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
October 29, 1973
Kiel Auditorium
St. Louis, MO
listen here

Jefferson Airplane
November 25, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium
San Francisco, CA
listen here (look under Jefferson Airplane and the date)

Jefferson Airplane
November 26, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium
San Francisco, CA
listen here (look under Jefferson Airplane and the date)

FYI, Post Meeting With Her

I was a little harsh yesterday in my assesment of the person who is going to help me lose weight.  Yeah, it's a suck ass job with little reward, but someone has to do it.  What  kinds of major changes am I looking until the surgery?  A big one is that I have to lose weight so that they can do the operation.  I have to have my liver pliable so that they can move it out of the way.  It's a little housekeeping thing for the surgery.  I can't have any carbonated drinks until maybe six monthes after the surgery.  For the folks on the East Coast, this is soda, and for the midwest folks, it is pop.  For me, it is plain flavored water. :(  I would drink diet soda, but my kidneys can't  handle it.  The other big thing is whole grains.  The last thing is I have to chew my food until it is like apple sauce.  A meal is no longer a quick thing.  I have been known to literally inhale food without chewing. It has to be a practical exercise of mindful eating.  I have a therapist that I will be working with to help me through these issues. I will have to increase my intake of fruits and veggies.  It reminds me of this song, "Deportees."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
October 27, 1973
State Fair Coliseum
Indianapolis, IN
listen here

Catch 22 Of The Dieting World

The long journey to a whole new me begins tomorrow when I meet with a DIEtician to discuss my eating habits.  This is the part that I hate the most.  Most are geared to work with folks that have a significant other that they can share meals.  I live alone.  I eat 99% of my meals alone.  I have tried in the past to follow the orders of these fascist pigs.  When I bring my concerns up to them, they just blankly stare at me like my words were weapons that clog up the workings of their fragile minds.  As soon as they heads cleared, it was back to the same drivel.  I guess I could find someone to dine with me if I was better looking and THIN, but I know that won't happen as long as I am still breathing air.  It is a real Catch-22.  I suppose I should have a better outlook on what I would feel like to lose 100 pounds or more.  I don't think it really matter what my feelings are in this matter.  Feelings ebb and flow so fast with me that I can't trust them at all.  It just matters if I do it or don't. That is it. "Eat to Live" is my new motto.  Oh by the way, all the joy of eating has now offical ceased to exist for me.  You can thank the "label reading, anti-pasta (or any bread of any kind), anti fun, skinny, nazi Hags."  Won't I look great? Fuck....

Music for today:

Gratful Dead
October 23, 1973
Metropolitan Sport Center
Blomington, MN
listen here

Grateful Dead
October 25, 1973
Dane County Coliseum
Madison, WI
listen here

The Whole (censored) Thing

I wanted to go completely over the top.  Believe me there are some Dark Alleys where I have been that it is better for some mere mortals not to venture near.Be it the the dark woods or the dark recess of the mind, they have rules as to where I can take you.  So I will leave you with something tame like this video of  "Fargo."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
September 26, 1973
Buffalo War Memorial
Buffalo, NY
listen here

Grateful Dead
October 21, 1973
Omaha Civic Auditorium
Omaha, NE
listen here

The All Seeing Eye

I was at 10,000 Lakes Festival a few years ago, and some guy was taking pictures of eyeballs.  That would be my left eye in case you were wondering.  I have had that hanging on my refrigerator for quite some time.  Around the same time, I was involved with a twelve step support group.  I went to a service meeting, and this very cute woman starts to hit on me. She hands me a small baggie that had a rather large tooth in it.  I found this to be rather strange.  I found out later that she was married.  A married woman who tries to attact another mate with extra body parts? Yeah, it didn't go far.  She asked for the tooth back.  I had lost the damn thing.  And I wonder why I don't have a girl friend here in Minnesota.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
September 21, 1973
The Spectrum
Philadelphia, PA
listen here

Grateful Dead
September 24, 1973
Pittsburgh Civic Center
Pittsburgh, PA
listen here

Floor Show

Yesterday, there was an incident at my favorite breakfast spot.  As I was eating and reading the newspaper, a woman in a booth across from me had an unknown spell.  It was serious enough to call the paramedics. This event did not register in my mind until  I saw out of the corner of my eye the kit that they use th treat the patient.   I looked up and saw all the commotion.  I continued eating and watching.  I was about leave when they brought the stretcher and blocked me my way.  I was going to finish the last of my breakfast which was just a couple of bites, but when they got her on the stretcher and she threw up, I was finished for sure. 

My reaction to this incident reminded me of the way I responded to a similar accident when I was little.  I was living in a suburban setting next to a drainage pond.  Earlier in the day, I had gotten mad at my friend, so I put my fist through his screen door window.  I was watching TV, and there was a lot of commotion behind me.  I looked baut didn't seem to care.  I went outside through the patio door, and there was a large crowd gathered.  I asked what was going on, and they said "Don't you know? Your brother almost drowned." 

The story that I got from my brother was that he and a neighbor girl were playing by the pond.  She threw something in the wather and told him to go get it.  He did, but he struggled and went under the water.  he said that the next thing he saw was my mother standing on the deck watching him go under.  She ran as fast as she could and pulled him to safety.  This is where we came into the story.  It is surprising to me how close the past truly is.  There is a thin veil that seperates what we precieve as time.  Of course, there are some things that sould remain hidden from view.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
September 20, 1973
The Spectrum
Philadelphia, PA
listen here