Today will be a great day...

*iLife 09 will arrive today
*GF's bday gift will arrive today
*Last day of my "Jewish Experience Through Music" class, which means that we're just going to sing and listen to the best music from the class
*GF's advancements are today...she'll be great!
*I pick up two more final drafts from my producer (picked up Adon Olam & By A River last night, and while they need a few minor changes, they sound AMAZING)

Hooray!

Food related post to come later today...or tomorrow...

Highlights from "The Speech"

These are lines that may, or may not, be remembered as the highlight catch phrases of President Obama's (I can't believe I can actually say that now!) inaugural speech. Enjoy!

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

What if...

...John McCain had won the election? Would there be the same number of people marching on the capital? Or would the vast majority be there, but protesting the results?

...John McCain had won the election, and then died because of some health issue? Sarah Palin would have been inaugurated today. I just don't want to think of that.

...Dick Cheney had not pulled a muscle in his back and was confined to a wheelchair today?

There are plenty of "what if's" and even more "what now's." One thing is certain, though:

Barack Obama is our next President. And I couldn't be more proud.

the end of me

there may or may not be a wii in the living room.

"Inauguration Survival Guide"

Something rubs me the wrong way about how the Washington Post's inauguration guide (i.e.: where to go, how to get to the ceremonies in the quickest way, etc.) is called:

The Inauguration Survival Guide

Are there threats people should know about? Oy.

I hate to say it, but if Obama goes his entire presidency without an assassination attempt, it could be a miracle. And I don't mean a miracle in the sense of "oh wow, I was able to get the lid off the pickle jar!" I mean it in the sense of "dude, if this happens, the head of the secret service could be up for saint-hood. Ya know, assuming he's Catholic."

Apple Releases two new SWEETS

Yeah, I went there.

iWork looks awesome, but iLife is even better!
I am so excited to integrate the new version of iWeb in my website, and the "faces" trick in iPhoto looks downright awesome.
Check it out at apple.com/ilife

Two Events, Same Reaction: Kachow!

Event #1 - I finally saw Cars. Great movie with incredible referential humor. Kachow!

Event #2 - The Chargers beat the Colts! Kachow!

A Restart

Well, there's a reason this blog is called "an attempt." I stopped posting a few years ago, but I think it's time to restart. Get ready for some thoughts on life and times, food, Judaism, music, sports (watching, not playing).

So, what's up today?
1) News: "Israeli ground troops have begun moving into Gaza." There are lots of people that have VERY impassioned thoughts about Operation Cast Lead. I will leave other bloggers to write their thoughts. For example, check out J. Fro in J. Lem, Just Another MOT, or Social Jewstice, amongst others.

2) Sports: I'm not usually a betting man, unless you're talking about the amazing free sports betting site, cent sports. Here's how it works: They give you 10 free fake cents with which to bet. You can make bets and win and lose the money. If you drop below 10 cents, they bump you back up to 10 for free. If you win and keep winning until your dollar level is above 10 dollars, you can cash out and they'll send you a real check! No joke! They cover their expenses through advertisements. If you are going to sign up, though, become my crony so you can get a portion of my winnings and vice-versa.
Anywho, I bring it up because the Chargers are playing today, and I don't expect them to win. LT and Gates are pretty banged up (bung up?), despite both teams coming into this game with a lot of momentum. Don't get me wrong, I am a San Diego fan. But being a true San Diego fan means that you expect your teams to lose, unless, of course, they are playing indoor soccer (soccers) or minor league hockey (gulls). Then, you expect them to win some obscure title or trophey (Taylor cup?). Nevertheless, when the San Diego sports teams win, the thrill of victory is compounded as we also celebrate the lack of another loss. I started a Facebook group about this a few years ago called "The San Diego Sports Curse." Check it out if you'd like the full history of San Diego professional sports losses. The spread is Chargers +2, and that's where my money is. This means that the Bolts can lose by up to two points for the bet to win. Hooray!

3) I get to sit with two great souls today and just hang on the couch. It will be a great day.

Giving thanks. It's a good thing.

        What a difference a year makes. In many ways, my life is completely different than the last time I wrote my thanksgiving thoughts; in many ways, it is very much the same. At this point last year, I was in the most serious relationship I have ever experienced, I was on NFTY board, the reality of the Bencher was a mere point in the future, I was barely involved with ASUCD and AEPi. While the venues of these commitments and involvements has changed, in a more general sense, the time that I dedicate to each has remained the same. While I am not in a romantic relationship, I have taken that time to make sure that I keep friends. I know, this seems obvious, but I am learning that keeping friends close is a difficult task even though it is one of the more important things in life. While I am no longer on NFTY board, I am still heavily involved with the Reform youth movement. I am constantly song leading and these opportunities have turned into a real job - a web site, business cards, a resume, compensation, and all. The Bencher was published. Now, I've taken it on myself to think of creative ways to market the book so that NFTY can get returns on their investment and, more importantly, the Bencher can be used for its intended purposes. While I was considering a Senate bid for a while, I have decided that two years will be a good amount of time to dedicate to ASUCD. This means that I will work my ass off for the commission, finish out the year as the External Affairs Commission chair, cut my losses, and run like hell. As you can see, I have a lot to be thankful for, and there are many people who deserve thanks.
        First, of course, my family. My family is in good health, and they're all happy. And there is nothing else I could ask for. My incredible sister has a great job that she really enjoys, she keeps getting more and more involved with the business side of things, and she has become (and I never thought I would actually say this) a true adult. But not one of those "I'm an adult so I'm better than you" kind of adults, Becky's one of those "I'm an adult which means I can do cool things, even though I know my responsibilities" kind of adults. She's a great person and is always willing to take the extra step to make me remember why she's the best sister in the whole entire universe.(Pause for the obligatory "aw"s) Becky is also very lucky. Almost two years ago, she met Eric. I am really thankful to have Eric in our family. Even though it's not official, he's always at family get-togethers in the bay area (which seem to happen more often than get-togethers in San Diego) so it pretty much seems like he's a MOG(member of the Gimbels). He's such a great guy, and I'm so glad that "Frank" and "Gimbel" are so close in the alphabet so it provided Becky and Eric to sit together on the flight to Israel. My parents. I am so thankful that so many great things happened to them in the last year. My dad's new business has finally taken off and he is able to sleep at night. I am also really thankful that my Dad and I are able to have more meaningful conversations about mutually interesting topics. One of my favorite days this past summer was when the two of us went guitar shopping. We must have spent a good six to eight hours together going from place to place. We had not had the time to bond like that in a very long time, and it was great to catch up with him on so many levels. I am so thankful that we have reconnected and now that the song leading gigs have picked up, he is always my first call before making a business decision. This was also a very big year for my mom. Though, I think every year after last year's birthday will be considered a "big year". I am so thankful that we have finally found a venue where I come to her for advise: food. It's so great that we're able to bond over simple things like how to boil water, and how Emril can kill a recipe with one ingredient. I am really thankful that we have a certain level of distance so that we actually appreciate the time we spend together.
        Second, I am very thankful for my friends. I lost contact with some friends, and others I reconnected with. Remaking connections is always something I really enjoy because I feel like it gives us another chance to keep in touch. I really hope that I keep those connections. Every time I get the chance to, I always thank my friends; however, like last year, I feel it necessary to mention a few people in particular: my board(NFTY Board and Soffer...they will always be "my board"), Arielle, and Sarah
        Soffer - In short, I could not have had this past year without you. Your support and guidance during our time on board was inspiring. I know I must sound like a broken record by now, but you really deserve a great deal of thanks for your help on the Bencher. And you should also know that every time I presented something in the Bencher during Biennial (at the PSW Council dinner doing candles and kiddush, and the HUC alumni breakfast doing Birkat Hamazon), I thanked you. I could really go on and on, but the truth is you embodied what a Rabbi should be: a mentor, a mensch, and a machor(macher? good person in yiddish...). I always look forward to our conversations about all things Jewish and secular, and I'm excited to continue our conversation on how for an american, going to Israel is kind of like going to Grandma's house. I am so thankful for you and Jen and I hope you both have continued happiness. You did it!
        My board - BASBHAT. 'Nuf said. No, not 'nuf said. You all made this past year so incredible for me, and I am so thankful that you are all a part of my life. I know that we are all going to stay close because every time we speak or meet up, it is as if no time has passed. We're still close, and I know that we will meet up on many future occasions. (Hopefully one this summer...) You all really mean so much to me, and I hope you all know that I will always be there for you.
        'Relle - Not gonna lie, we had an awkward moment this past June. But it made me realize that considering you a "good friend" wasn't enough. I realized that if I wanted to change our status from "good friend" to something more substantial, we actually would have to put the effort into keeping in touch. I am so glad that we have put the time in and reconnected. You helped me get through some trying times, and you were there during the times when all I could think of was track 1 on the new Jason Mraz album (it's "Life is Wonderful"). You helped me realize that what is important in life isn't the spur of the moment events in life, the important part is what you do after those moments. You mean so much to me, and I am so glad that our friendship has started to flourish, again. Some day, at some big life event, I'm going to get you a bottle of Jonnie Walker Blue with a note: "Bartlet for America".
        Sarah - I am so thankful we have remained close though all this time. You have been there for me when times were tough, when they were good, and when they just were. Even though we had some interesting events and situations during the summer, I never feared that our friendship would be affected. We really have gotten to that point in our relationship where I know that however our relationships change with others, ours will not. It's a comfortable place, and I am very thankful that you are such an influential part of my life. I hope you have a safe rest of your trip and I'm so excited to see you in December.
        Lastly, I want to apologize to those who I have hurt in the last year. I know this is something I should have done on Yom Kippur, but I believe that it is never a bad time to repent and forgive. I try to do my best to say I am sorry when it is necessary, but there are many times in life when your actions hurt others, even though you don't know their ramifications. So to those who are distressed because of my actions, I truly and sincerely apologize. I hope that you will bring this to my attention so that I don't make the same mistake twice. A person's friendship is something I truly treasure, and I hope I can help mend wounds.
        I'll conclude the same way I did last year. Not because I'm trying to be vain by quoting myself, but because I am still struggling with my questions: Something bothers me about Thanksgiving. I understand how one can be thankful, I can understand how one can be appreciative, but how does one give thanks? It is going up to someone and saying "thank you"? Is that giving thanks? Or maybe it derives from a sacrificial ritual from the early Temple days which would prove that Thanksgiving is REALLY a Jewish holiday. Maybe. It's something to ponder, and maybe there is no right answer. All I know is that life is good.

Biennial Plog Post #2

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005 - 1:08AM(CST)

Biennial has been a unique experience for me. For the first time in a VERY long time, I actually get to participate in an event. I know, shocking. I'm only responsible for a few things, and the rest of the time, I have the incredible opportunity to take advantage of everything Biennial offers. That is the best way I can describe the past day.
I woke up this morning, had breakfast with Allison L., and went across to the Convention center. I didn't really have anything to do until the workshop I was co-leading at 1:30PM, so I had the morning to myself. After wandering around the halls for a while(the exhibit halls weren't open before noon), I called my old Rabbi (Rabbi Jon Stein) to find out where he was and when he was coming in. Curiously enough, he was just pulling up to the convention center. We met up and grabbed Starbucks. It was so great to catch up with him. I caught him up on everything in life - family members, how each is doing, and what they're up to; music stuff; his super-cool Treo; friends; college life; everything. In my Jewish upbringing, I've found that I identify Rabbi Stein as "my rabbi." After some good chatting, we shopped at the bookstore and the exhibition booth. And yes, we got matching yarmulkes.
Then, I had my workshop. The title of the workshop was "Blogs, Chatrooms, and LiveJournal: What the E-generation is Doing Online," and I taught it with Rabbi Koppel. The workshop was basically on how kids put WAY too much information out on the open internet and how to make sure that kids are safe online. A few notes about the meeting I found amusing:
*We were talking about how technology has changed over the last 30 years(1975 - First home computer; This year's senior class started kindergarten when the first widely-used web brower, Mosaic, was introduced), and there was a woman knitting. I found that amusing.
*New term I didn't know for AIM: POS - Parent over shoulder
*www.blackjew.com. 'Nuf said.
*Rachel G: Change your myspace. I used it as a REALLY bad example of a myspace, and everyone gasped when I showed it to them. You put yourself WAY out there. Take some of the info down. Your myspace is WAY high-risk. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.
After the very successful workshop, I had some time to chill with Andy S. It's so great that even though he's in a position that could go straight to his head, he's still a really good guy. We sat for a while, then met up with Dr. Soffer(Matt's dad), talked to Matt in the Holy Land, met up with Sarah R. and Rabbi Laura, and talked about responsible sexual behavior for about 45 minutes. It was pretty intense. Although, I did want to go to the workshop Craig Taubman, Cantor Lisa Levine, and Rabbi Billy Dreskin were leading: "Klezfusion, Country, and Hip Hop: the next wave of liturgical music?" But alas, I did not.
We came back to the hotel, tried to go out for dinner, but had some difficulties navigating downtown Houston, and ended up ordering in Papa Johns. Then, we went to the first big Plenary session. After a brief welcome by Chairman Bob Heller, there was a beautiful and moving presentation about the URJ's response to Hurricane Katrina. As the video presentation ended, the VOG(Voice of God - Paul) announced that everyone should rise as the Torahs from the affected Congregations, which had all been saved, were entering the room. The scrolls were carried by the Clergy of the synagogues. The emotions in the room ran very high. Feelings of sorrow for those who had lost their homes, hope for the future, and pride in the fact that the scrolls were saved filled the room instantaneously. It was a beautiful moment.
Then, it was off to networking:-). One of the things I love about my summer job is that it gives me a legitimate opportunity to go up to people like Beth Schafer and say "Hey, can Camp Newman steal you for a week this summer?" Then we trade business cards. It's so sweet. I'm so excited for this next summer. It really looks like the music program will finally have a great structure again. I just love walking into the hotel lobby and running into people, like The Cantor. It was great to meet up with her and find out when her service will be. I'll be there, for sure.
Until a few lines down,
jg

Biennial Blog Post #1

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005 - 12:58PM(PST)

My Biennial experience started this morning with something I had been looking forward to since June: voting in the WZO elections. I got the e-mail this morning, right before the SuperShuttle came, and I cast my vote for the ARZA slate. After voting for the second time in two weeks, (at least, for something that matters; ASUCD meeting votes don't count) I realized that voting is one of my favorite things to do. I know, I am a dork. I might even go so far to call myself a nerd. It still doesn't change the fact that I always feel so empowered after voting. It's so simple, yet it is the easiest way to make change happen. If you havn't already registered and/or voted, PLEASE register and vote at www.votereformjudaism.com.
After a pretty easy SuperShuttle ride to the airport, I checked in and sat down at my gate, A2. I was about an hour and a half early, so I just started working on some GarageBand projects. A guy walked by, sat down near me, and pulled out a guitar. It was a beautiful guitar - a custom made Larveiee D-series. He started to play some riffs, and I got really intimidated by his abilities. He mostly played bluegrass, but we were able to find some songs that we both knew (ie: "Man of Constant Sorrow," "Long Black Veil," and a jam in A). His name was Chad, he had just finished doing some session work for Dreamworks, and was flying to Detroit to audition for one of the "biggest bluegrass bands in the country." This guy was awesome. We talked about guitars, playing style (he had played with John Mayer at a festival, the 2nd guitarist for Cream at a random bar, Jean Larveiee - ie: the maker of Larveiee guitars), and other music items of interest. Something he mentioned, which I had never heard before, was that it is actually bad for the guitar to de-tune before going on a plane. This was contradictory to what I had been taught, as it would seem that the strings could break as the altitude gets higher and the strings contract. He said Jean Larveiee had taught him that you need to keep constant pressure on the strings so that you don't wear out and warp the neck and head. From this day on, I won't detune when going on planes. If there's someone I will trust on this subject, it's someone who makes guitars for a living.
Now I am just chilling on the plane, REALLY enjoying the fact that NFTY travel got me elite status on America West, and hoping that the flight doesn't get delayed so that I miss my connection to Houston.
Until a few lines down,
jg

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005 - 1:21AM(CST)

It really is amazing. Every time I come home from an event such as this, my parents always ask "So, do you still want to be a Rabbi?" My answer is always yes; if anything, the event only strengthened my want to get into the Rabbinate. I can tell that even though I've only been in Houston for a few hours, this will be that kind of event.
Those who have been to a NFTY event or Kesher Convention will understand the following: You know when you arrive at an event and you find that it takes you far longer than it should to do a simple task, such as checking in, because you keep running into people you know? That's what Biennial has been for me so far. After arriving at the hotel, I kept seeing people from past experiences, beit NFTY Board(staff members, mentors, commission members, etc.), friends, camp, random past Jewish experiences. I'll give you an example. (And no, I'm not just naming these people to name-drop them, this story actually happened.) I was talking with a rabbi about Friday night's dinner service, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Craig Taubman walking past. I had never met Craig, but I had wanted to, so I quickly got out of the conversation with the rabbi, and I met Craig while we were walking across the sky-bridge that connects the hotel and the convention center. The conversation lasted maybe 45 seconds, but it was awesome. 2 minutes before that, I had never met the man, and because of the greatness that is Biennial, I had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people.
Until a few lines down,
jg

I'm shaking it's so exciting...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0807409650/qid=1129929139/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-0424223-1375352?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Birkon Mikdash M'at is available for pre-order on amazon.com. Wow.
It's $5 a copy, and has this description:
This pocket-sized volume of blessings and songs was compiled by a Reform Jewish teenager, making it one of the most unique benchers on the market today. Birkon Mikdash M’at promises to inspire a new generation of Reform Jews. Perfect prayer and song selections are sure to make this wonderful resource a popular addition to weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and many other celebrations. Throughout the Reform Movement, prayers such as Birkat HaMazon and Shabbat blessings are recited and then followed by communal singing. Birkon Mikdash M’at is designed to facilitate the joy of singing in groups, the ritual moments of holiday observance, and enhance the spiritual experience of Shabbat.

Go check it out!!! Plus, it's available for Free Super Saver Shipping...so if you buy 5 copies, they'll ship for free.

You can see it for yourself when it's officially released at the URJ Biennial!

Rice-a-VP? The San Francisco Treat?

From today's USNews and World Report
Sparked by today's Washington Post story that suggests Vice President Cheney's office is involved with the Plame-CIA spy link investigation, government officials and advisors passed around rumors that the vice president might step aside and the President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"It's certainly an interesting but I still think highly doubtful scenario," said a Bush insider. "And if that should happen," added the official, "there will undoubtedly be those who believe the whole thing was orchestrated – another brilliant Machiavellian move by the VP."
Said another Bush associate of the rumor, "Yes. This is not good." The rumor spread so fast that some Republicans by late morning were already drawing up reasons why Rice couldn't get the job or run for president in 2008.
"Isn't she pro-choice?" asked a key Senate Republican aide. Many White House insiders, however, said the Post story and reports that the investigation was coming to a close had officials instead more focused on who would be dragged into the affair and if top aides would be indicted and forced to resign.
"Folks on the inside and near inside are holding their breath and wondering what's next," said a Bush adviser. But, he added, they aren't focused on the future of the vice president. "Not that, at least not seriously," he said.

Okay, good part about Condi possibly being Veep: A woman VP. It's about damn time.
Bad part: 'Nuff said... Even though the article says many Republicans don't think she should run in '08, the possibility is still out there. I think it would be funny (not funny "haha", but funny "whoa man, our country is going down the crapper") if a theory I heard came true: Dems put up Hilary for Pres; in response, Republicans put up Condi, arguing "Yeah, we've got a woman too. AND SHE'S BLACK!" Oy. I'm not saying I'm against a black woman president, in fact I think it'd be great for our country, but Condi's not the kind of president I want.

Thoughts? Yve?

Current Music Raves

I'm not usually one to tell you lovely, fantastic, loyal readers to go out and spend money on something. That is, unless I think it's really worth it. These two current music raves are TOTALLY worth the 99 cent cost.

1) Love Heals (From the upcoming movie version of the musical, "RENT"). The lyrics are great, and the song is actually one that Jon Larson wrote even though it didn't make it onto the stage version of the show. Even though the movie sound track is getting mixed reviews, I like it a lot...I almost think it's better than the broadway recording...but that could also be because I'm a production nut and this album is INCREDIBLY well produced. Anyway, the song is great and I highly recommend getting this track.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=80447021&s=143441&i=80447008

2) Tears In Heaven by Various Artists. Somehow, they got tons of artists to record this great new version of the beautiful Eric Clapton song. And it makes you feel good when you download the song because all 99 cents will go to Save the Children, a group helping people in the Gulf Coast and the areas affected by the Asian tsunami. Great song, great cause.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=82153265&s=143441&i=82153199

I really need to go back to writing a paper, but I wanted to update you all on this...

But in the style of Steve Jobs, I've got ONE MORE THING (and yes, there is a media event tomorrow for Apple where they will be showing the "latest pro innovations"...rumour sites say there will be new powerbooks and powermacs, and some are saying there will be a new software app called "Photo Plus" which is supposed to be "iPhoto on steroids." Who knows...we'll find out at noon tomorrow! Yet I digress...

This article was in the New York Times today:
Ms. Pirro Seeks an Unlikely Donor for Campaign Funds: Mrs. Clinton
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Recently, Jeanine F. Pirro sent out letters to potential donors in her campaign to unseat Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton next year. But there is very little chance that she will get any help from one recipient of her appeal: Mrs. Clinton herself.
In a potentially embarrassing (albeit minor) gaffe, one of the Aug. 19 fund-raising letters that Ms. Pirro's campaign sent out was addressed to none other than Mrs. Clinton.
It would have been bad enough if the letter had been addressed to, say, Mrs. Clinton's home in Chappaqua. But this one was sent to her previous residence: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500-0030 - an address more commonly known as the White House. The letter was forwarded from the White House to Mrs. Clinton's Senate office.
"Dear Hillary, You and I have been through a lot over the years," the solicitation begins. "I need you and every New Yorker on my side. But most importantly in this difficult campaign, I need people like you who I can trust."
The Clinton campaign, which released the letter to reporters, said the misdirected solicitation could explain the Pirro campaign's anemic fund-raising pace.
"It's not surprising that they're having trouble raising money," said Howard Wolfson, one of Mrs. Clinton's advisers.
Last week, Ms. Pirro's campaign reported that she had collected slightly more than $400,000 since announcing her candidacy on Aug. 8. By contrast, Mrs. Clinton's campaign reported raising nearly $5.3 million in the three-month period that ended Sept. 30.
Ms. Pirro's campaign manager, Brian Donahue, said that the appeal was sent to Mrs. Clinton because someone registered on the Pirro campaign Web site. He speculated that the person who registered was out to create mischief. "If it was in fact Hillary Clinton, we'd be happy to have her contribution," he said.

Oh man...first the infamous "Hilary Clinton.....(48 seconds of silence and confusion later...)...Where's page 8?" and now this...my money's on Pirro to beat Clinton.  If Clinton doesn't turn this into a land-slide victory, she shouldn't even consider running for President at ANY time.

Back to my paper titled "The Right Boat" where I use a boat as a metaphor for the development of rights from the French Revolution to the Industrial Revolution. Yeah, I went there...

La la la la la la la, Life is wonderful. Ah la la la la la la, Life comes full circle.

Almost two years ago, a friend of mine, a musician, had to leave his house very quickly because wild fires were approaching. He didn't have time to gather any belongings. When his house burned down, he lost everything; significantly, all three of his guitars: an ovation, nylon string, and an electric. While I knew insurance would cover everything, I knew that it was really important to make sure that we got a guitar in his hands quickly. I asked a number of people from our Synagogue, where we both worked, and we were able to pull together enough to get him a really nice guitar: A Taylor 214. It sounded great, and he was very happy with it.

During the last few weeks, I have been researching guitars to buy. I got one today after scratching Carvin and Timberline off the list. Both brands had decent guitars, but they were not what I really was looking for. Larrviee had good guitars, except their sound died when I put a capo on the neck. Seeing as how capo playing is how 70% of song leading encompasses, I knew I had to pass. Tonight, I found what I wanted: a Taylor 214e - the same guitar I bought my friend, but this has electronics so I can plug it in to a pa system. I'm super-duper stoked. Like whoa. It sounds great, the action is fantastic, it's got a very rich sound, and it's a Grand Auditorium(which means it's got the feel and sound of a jumbo, but not as big of a bottom end). Here are pics:

Link to the main Taylor page for the guitar: http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/model.aspx?model=214-E/


Case Closed

Case Open

Full body shot

Head shot

Full box

Close box

See, it's REALLY a Taylor! The tag even says so...

DMB - August 25, 2005 - Coors Amphitheater

Preface: Sorry for not doing this behind a cut. But you can scroll if you want...Also, the pics at the bottom, are not resized(found them on an antsmarching.org forum)...enjoy!

Simply, incredible. Dave and the band looked like they were having an incredible time and the crowd totally fed off their energy. (I'll go into more detail further down in the post)
Before the show, I met up with Lauren W. at the Park & Ride in Mira Mesa. We had a fun drive down to Chula Vista, surprisingly only hitting traffic when we merged onto the 805. After having lots of fun telling the other cars to move (okay, maybe I was the only one talking), we made our way over to Ben Farris' house. It was really great to see Naomi (Ben's mom) again. I don't think I had seen her for about a year, so it was great to catch up in the five minutes we were there. After picking up Subway, the three of us had more fun in traffic as we parked at Coors Amphitheater. Then we waited for Nate H., who was stuck in more traffic, we went in to the show. Unfortunately, we waited so long that we didn't get to see the opening act: Slightly Stoopid. Oh well. Not a big deal, but we didn't pay to see Slightly Stoopid, we came to see Dave. And the Band. And Butch. He's not an official member yet...yeah...
Lauren and Nate's seats were in section 303, but Ben and I had seats in section 201.

Yeah, that's where we were sitting...sweet...
Since we had some time to kill before the band was coming on, we decided to see if there was any merchandise we wanted to get. There was. An awesome poster. Every tour, they make concert specific posters(ie: has a general design with the date of the show and the venue) and this tour's posters are great. This poster is mos def goin' up in my room when I move in. I'll post a comment when the images are available in the DMB store.
Anyway, so on to the show:
Lights go down, we're all stoked. I'm sitting next to a couple that had gotten tickets from a friend who couldn't go. it was their first Dave show. I don't think they knew what to expect. The first song starts: "Pantala Naga Pamba -> Rapunzel." Awesome. Great opening song. It was also a great live version. Carter, the drummer, and Stefan, the bassist, kept going back and forth with slight nuances. All in all, a great opener. Before the first song was done, I smelled a familiar smell. I said to Ben "you know you're at a DMB concert when the first song hasn't even ended and you get a whif." Good times. Didn't partake, but they sure did. Back to the music...I was very worried about the setlist. This was the first show since the three show Gorge stint, and I was anxious to see if they would revert to some of their older setlists, like the show in Marysville. Instead, they opened with a song they have only used once before as an opener. Awesome.
After that was "One Sweet World" with a crazy scat outro, courtesy of Dave and Carter. It's a good song, but I think it's a bit overplayed in shows. This was the 21st time they've played the song this tour, and last year, they played it 31 times...that's a bit much for a song that was never on a major studio release (ie: from "Under the Table" on). I am also REALLY glad it wasn't the opening song. It just doesn't have the same feeling of an opening song as PNP->Rapunzel does. Also, it would have been the 10th time on this tour that One Sweet World would be an opener. That's just too predictable for me. Also, it's a pretty slow song. As a second song in the list, I felt like I was almost ready to sit down. Anyway, bottom line: good song, but I won't be disappointed if the song takes a break for a few years.
Then came the first song from the new album: "Stand Up(For It)". This is a song that is great on the album, and even better live. On the album, the first part has a voice through a vocoder that takes the voice down an octave or two; live, Butch Taylor(the pianist/backup vocalist) just spoke some jibber-jabber, but it sounded pretty cool. The crowd really got into dancing throughout this one. Although, it's hard not to when Carter's pounded out the incredible beat for this song. Even cooler: LeRoi helped in vocals (the "Stand Up" part). Since when does he do that?!? Yeah, I was excited.
After that one, Butch did a cool string (keyboard strings, of course) prelude, Dave gets up to the mic, and conducts the vocals (Dave, Carter, Butch) for the intro "yeah"s of Dreamgirl. A really great version ensued with some mild jamming between LeRoi and Boyd. The song has really come into its own live. It's really great to see how this song has evolved since it was first played live.(and yes, I have a version from june 4...it's changed) Then, instead of the song ending and the lights resetting, Dave went straight into "Hunger for the Great Light". It was not a transition I was expecting, but it really worked well because Dreamgirl has a lot of harmonies, and the beginning of "Hunger" has some great three part harmonies. Hunger was okay; strong and powerful, but kinda short without too many changes between the studio and live versions.
Then, a curve-ball. Carter starts doin' this solo. I say outloud "You Never Know?" because the solo sounded like it could have been the introduction for YNK. Still unsure, we waited the solo out. Then it hit me: "Say Goodbye." One of my favorite DMB songs, and they totally played it. The version was just great. Nothing completely over the top, but a great all-around version of the song. During the opening drum solo though, some guy ran on stage and started dancing without a shirt. Then a security guard whisks him offstage, and Carter didn't skip a beat. He just went on like nothing was happening. Awesome.
Then, "Grey Street." Great song; powerful, crowd dancing, good vibes. Nothing special, nothing bad, only greatness. I was really glad they played it because it is one of my favorites, and it's even better live.
Next, the "American Baby Intro." I thought it was very risky for Dave to be playing this song in such a military town, but they went for it. The song started with Dave doing the main riff solo. Then the song built. Everything revolved around this one two bar riff. The song just built and built until Dave was literally screaming "SHE SAYS...YEAH" with such a passion that I just got chills. It was beautiful. I really think that of the new album, the American Baby Intro is the most under-rated track. Not many people pay attention to it because it's so abstract for DMB, yet it encapsulates such incredible emotion. After the show, I was looking at the fan forums and many people who travel to multiple shows a summer said this was a truly stellar version.
Surprisingly, there was no direct transition into the next song: "American Baby." Good song, well translated to live performance. After "American Baby", I turned to Ben and noted that I was surprised that we were 10 songs into the set and there hadn't been a slower song yet. Then they played "Granny". Good song, nothing too special. Although, it was great to see all the fans shouting "LOVE!" and "MAYBE!" Such curious lyrics: love, maybe.
Next, a crowd favorite: "Warehouse." Can't go wrong with live "Warehouse." They even did a salsa style outro. Groovin'. At the end of the song, Carter and Butch trade looks, nod at each other, and Butch goes into "Norwegian Wood!" WHO DOES THAT?!? It was the second time in the tour they've done that outro, and it was so great. Then, Butch goes into the intro for "Steady As We Go" and as the song goes on, christmas lights light up on the light rigs around the stage and by the climax of the song, the fibre-optics behind the stage lit up in the firedancer. It was so sweet. Here's a pic.

Then they started ending the set with "Louisiana Bayou." It was a good version, but I think it would have been better with a guest or two as they had done in previous shows. Oh well. Then they did "What Would You Say," and I was pretty surprised that they had LeRoi (the sax player) do an extended solo, and then they didn't go into "Anyone Seen The Bridge? -> Too Much" which is a transition they usually do with "What Would You Say". I was caught a little off guard. I just checked up on it though, and they usually play this one as it's own, and go into that segue between "So Much To Say" and "Too Much"...So Much to say, What Would You Say...such slight differences...
Fortunately, they ended the show on a really high note: "Tripping Billies". Such a great song live. Again, nothing too special, but just very energetic.
After a long encore break, they came back with two songs that I was very disappointed with: "You Might Die Trying" and "What You Are." Don't get me wrong - these are good songs. But as an encore? I was really hoping for something "Watchtower" or "Ants Marching" or "Everyday" or something like that. But no. The version of "Die Trying" wasn't bad, but it just seemed like the guys just ran out of gas. I was really bummed that the closer was "What You Are". The introduction before the song was interesting, but almost scary. I'm sure the guys behind us must have been tripping like crazy. After the concert, we sat in traffic for about an hour and a half. Oh well.

Overall:
The concert was really great. With the exception of the encore, the setlist was really great. If I had a list of songs I wanted to hear, just about all the songs they played would have been on the list. Plus, they mixed things up and kept it interesting for those who have been going to the shows all tour (or at least those who have been downloading the shows all tour:-)). I was impressed with the way the new songs translated live. They played my favorites from Stand Up, and I really can't wait to hear what they come up with next. All in all, a great night.

Pics from the show(More will show up later):

My Favorite Representative

My favorite representative in the US House is Mr. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Escondido, CA).

Today in the San Diego Union Tribune, there's an article about some of his real estate dealings:
"A defense contractor with ties to Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham took a $700,000 loss on the purchase of the congressman's Del Mar house while the congressman, a member of the influential defense appropriations subcommittee, was supporting the contractor's efforts to get tens of millions of dollars in contracts from the Pentagon."

In response to this, Duke claimed: "I've never even smoked a marijuana cigarette. "

Good for you Duke, but WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!?

This is why Duke is my favorite.

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Full article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050612/news_1n12windfall.html

My first listen to Stand Up:

Dream Girl - Not a bad song. Something that sounds like it should be in the middle of the album, not the begining. Then again, it's a really good warm up and transition song(transition from DMB of past and new album). I'm glad there's a little outro at the end. It's something I really liked about Before these crowded streets
Old Dirt Hill - I think Stefan (the bassist) is doing the vocals in the beginning. Awesome. Great line "the first time I kissed you, I lost my legs." Obvious hip-hop influence, especially on the rhythm section. Oh...there are strings. Strings and hip-hop beats. Wow. Surprisingly really well done.
Stand Up - weird intro; the intro drums don't match the rest of the song, and then there's some weird deep vocals. Dave used "angel" in two consecutive lines "an angel next to me...an angel in my bed", bad form Dave; I think that was meant to be a first draft of the lyrics, 'cause it's a little awkward. I like the informal jamming sounds in the background. Awesome percussion additions: clapping, tambourine, shaker, and an awesomely tight beat. This song sounds like it will evolve into something really cool when on the road with tons of flexibility for solos/jams.
American Baby Intro - this is where Rolling Stone said there were guns/bombs sounds. Dave playing piano I think. Really powerful background chords with reverbed violin and echoing vocals. Everything faded out and now it's just solo piano with gun sounds. This is beautiful. Strings are really striking a beautiful chord, makes a great transition into American Baby.
American Baby - whenever i heard this song on the radio or on my iPod, I thought it was good. it makes so much more sense now in the context of the album. I now realize the song is on par with hatikvah: it's about hope for the future. Powerful statement DMB. Hope the next song can transition well though. This is going to be crucial. I love the jam at the end of American Baby. It's just awesome. That is the transition. The jam. Maybe?
Smooth Rider - Whoa. Deep piano, deep drums, echoed vocals = DMB attempts a blues track. It's okay, not too great, but not bad. This track is definitely not normal DMB. No sax, no violin. Drums, Piano, guitar, bass, organ. Weird. It's only 2:17; am I missing something? Aparantly it's just a short song. It does fade out though; I'll put money on this song only being played when they have special guests (ie:
Everybody Wake Up: Cool intro. Dave's vocals don't seem to match up to the beat, but the beat seems to be really abnormal; I'd be curious to see the sheet music. He totally just made a reference to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". The lyrics of this song appear to really be a statement: "everybody wake up / if you're living with your eyes closed / see the man with the bomb in his hands / everybody wake up". I don't think Dave liked the election results. I didn't either, but he can make a statement like this and it's awesome. Another fade out, another jam on tour?
Out of my hands - solo piano/vocal, just Dave. Interesting contrast from the statement of the last song and the lyrics of this one "it's out of my hands now / I can't just walk away". Really cool drum effects in the background with simple march drumming; nothing intrusive, very much in the background, really cool mixing idea. In the last song, it's subtitled "Our finest hour arrives", even though that lyric doesn't show up; in Out of My Hands, he mentions "Now our finest hour arrives". Drum outro blends very nicely into a possible live transition to Hello Again...
Hello Again - This song debuted on this past summer tour; it's turned into a semi-country song. Interesting effect on the mix: there are very few low tones; it's all in the highs and mids; makes for a good contrast to the previous song which was really low. This is the only song that made the album of the five that were debuted this summer, interesting choice. Really heavy organ parts; it seems like they're giving Butch Taylor more and more to do and more prominence. Maybe they'll make him a full member of the band soon? He's so essential for so many of these songs now, they might as well. WHOA! The song just cut off and transitioned into Louisiana Bayou. And I know it's not just from my version, because it started the transition before the track ended. That was really cool.
Louisiana Bayou - Not a huge fan of the chorus of this song; kinda gets annoying after a few times. I really like the southern influence in this song, unfortunately though, the gentle piano kinda takes away from the feel. Last half of the song is a jam; I love it! I'm so glad they got away from the rigidity of "Everyday". This song leaves itself open for lots of improvisation live, which is great. Once it finds its groove live(if you heard the version from the Jazz Fest in late April, you'd see how the song hadn't really found its groove yet), it'll be really awesome. Nice to listen to a jam for half a track though.
Stolen Away On 55th and 3rd - the intro beats are straight up hip-hop; then some sax soloing that sounds like it's coming from an alley; really cool. Very chill, grooving song. "The first time you did me that way...I saw you dancing / but I thought I'd get in the way" in a hesitant voice; almost shyly; I can see how a lot of people are going to connect to the mood of this one. Fade out came kinda early, lots of silence.
You Might Die Trying - "to change the world / start with one step / however small / first step is hardest of all / once you get your way / you'll be walkin' tall." Really vocally focused song, not too much going on musically; the guitar part is pretty circular, and the bass/drum lines are really simple. "If you give / you begin to get the world". Really interesting contrasts: try to fix the world, try something you hadn't done before, but you might die trying. Aw, Boyd(the violinst) gets a little solo...how cute...(I like him, but I feel like he doesn't do that much musically...he's there sometimes, but at least LeRoi (saxophonist) does really long solos and improvises a ton...oh well)
Steady As We Go - Another piano driven song, Jazz-y feel; not like jazzed-up, more like Jazz lounge feel. I feel like I need to listen to this song with a cigar and a whiskey. "so if the road gets rocky / just steady as we go". This is a really melancholy song, but hopeful. That seems to be the theme of a number of songs on this album: sad with the past, but hopeful for the future. "troubles they may come and go, let good times be the goal." Oh I like this: totally thought the song was ending, drum roll off, Broadway style re-ignition with a powerful force of every instrument available. Awesome!
Hunger for the Great Light - I heard this one was really expressive...and sexual..."i wanna see you open wide, and then I'll go down for you, I wanna blow your mind" Yup. it's pretty sexual. Very rockin', which is a cool sound for DMB. Lots of grunts. Queen style vocals in the middle! Tons of harmonies and overdubbing! I love it! The song is completely traditionally structured: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. Nice to see them try the standard. The track ends with an album outro of strings. They don't resolve, just fade in the tension. Really cool.

Hope you all enjoyed that! Stand Up is officially released on Tuesday, but is available for streaming on vh1.com. Shabbat Shalom!

What my "normal" week will look like for the rest of the school year

Mondays:
9-10 AM - Computer Science class
11AM-1PM - Tabling for External Affairs Commission(I'm the chair)
Tuesday:
10AM-3PM - Class(Comparative Literature, War and Terrorism, Intro. to International Relations)
5PM-6:30ishPM - External Affairs meeting
Wednesday:
8-9AM - IR discussion
9-10 AM - Computer science class
3-4PM - Computer science discussion
6-7PM - War and terrorism discussion
Thursday:
10-3PM - Class (same as Tuesday)
3:30-5:30PM - Office hours for EAC
5:30-8:30(if we're lucky) - Senate meeting
Friday:
9-10AM - Computer Science class

And somewhere in there, homework, and...well...eating...

Today on the awesome scale: AWESOME

+Ate Breakfast for the first time in a REALLY long time
-tried to help matt reber fix his comp...didn't help...then applecare were lameasses to him
+Comp lit went well...which was fun...we talked about hell(in Dante's inferno)
+My fav prof this quarter lectured in SAS 7(war and terrorism)
+My fav prof this quarter lectured in POL 3(intro to IR, his class...)
+we played "who wants to be an IR scholar", based on "who wants to be a millionaire"
-meeting about Esperanza...
+picked up and ate Chipotle
+attended my first full ASUCD Senate meeting
+got confirmed as External Affairs Commission chair!
+Karly, from EPPC(environment policy and planning commission) wrote this note: "Good job! Congrats and welcome to the table!" Stellar.
+Participated in lively, yet very long discussion on a piece of pending legislation
-The debate lasted about 3 hours (no joke)
+all the commission chairs at the meeting walked out when the vote passed. it was so awesome.(we weren't in favor of the bill...Monday's Aggie will have the story...I'll post it here)
+Grabbed late-night with the chairs...had to swipe them all in, but it was totally worth it...so much fun
+"take a look in between my eyes, because I'm back. yeah."-weezer
+ending the day feeling SOOO accomplished...such an awesome feeling.