Something About Three Kings Lost Makes This #TBT A Lot More Wistful

Posted on April 21, 2016 by geelw

“Sometimes it snows in April.” Thanks to not sleeping last night (working on a few projects for the site plus tackling a small freelance job) I was quite out of the loop today and only heard the news that Prince died when I walked in the door. While I wasn’t a die-hard super fan like a few friends, the fact that he did just about EVERYTHING on his studio recordings and was so prolific that it made me wonder if the man ever slept. That sort of work ethic has always impressed me, but it’s always sad to see someone so talented leave so soon. Anyway, I’ll just leave this clip here (it’s been circulating the internet like a satellite today). In a way, I feel sorry for the kids today who never got to see any of these legends live or don’t know of how much they all changed the music and entertainment scene. All were human and had human problems, but on stage or on whatever you listened to them on, your brain and body were moving to beats that still resonate and motivate when the need arises.

Back in a bit. My favorite Prince song? Wow. Much of Purple Rain aside, I guess this one because it made me laugh (that dancing in the video is awesome but amusing) and even more so when it was covered by an icon from a previous era whose career got a massive boost afterwards.

STL Ocarina Serves Up A Double Friendly (And Mildly Undead) Reminder…

Posted on October 11, 2014 by geelw

Ah, I knew I’d forgotten something was happening this weekend besides people getting sick at (from and of) Comic-Con. Season five of AMC’s The Walking Dead kicks off on Sunday, which means I get to camp out in front of the TV and probably see that premiere episode twice if it’s really good. Yeah, I’ll have to sit through Talking Dead if I do that (okay, it’s not a bad post-show watch, but it can be if the guests are nuts), but that’s a small price to pay.

Anyway, STL Ocarina made me chuckle with this pretty neat rendition of the show’s theme. That’s reminder one. Reminder two is yeah, you probably need a nice musical gift for someone this year for the holidays or some other occasion, so you should think of STL if you’re in need of a nicely quirky yet fully awesome surprise. And hey, if you DO decide to go the ocarina route and do so before October 12, 2014, feel free to get a little discount thanks to STL’s Fall Sale! Save 15% by entering this coupon code: fall2014. As noted, this deal is only valid through 10/12/2014. Okay, that’s my plug of the day (and I only plug stuff I like!) – go do some kind of impulse shopping!

Must Be An Internet Holiday or Something…

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Hmmm. So, here I sit with a sloooooooooooooooooow wi-fi connection, a just-dead wireless mouse, a full inbox and a nice hard table I can bang my head against, except I’m in a public place and I think the other people around me would want to go first with that head-banging stuff. If it’s because there are too many people using the signal here, I’d like to vote the wannabe “model” with the stack of fashion magazines in front of her “studying” how to get her dream job, the really funny guy who shows up daily with a HUGE stack of lottery tickets to fill out based on some numerical formula (it seems he’s trying every possible combination as it seems he fills in at least 100 cards a day) and the kids using library PC’s for gaming or facebook (when they shouldn’t be doing either during school hours) right off the island so I can get some work done.

(Thanks, DeSilvatron!)

Grrrr… back in a bit. That I’m even getting THIS post up (it’s got no images, so it’s easy-peasy) is a good thing, but I’d actually like to run something more… substantial.

Oh, NOW I’m In Demand! Sort Of…

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Ha. My inbox, which is normally quite packed with invites to all manner of events (but not enough for my tastes) that usually require a bit of reservation time, was recently targeted by a few PR folks with some last-minute invites to events tomorrow and Friday that I may or may not make for a few reasons. I don’t mind going to any and all of them, mind you. But these days, a day or two is a wee bit too short to add, change or make plans to pop out to see something cool to write about because I tend to operate on a sort of semi schedule that I like to follow (sometimes). For short notice events, I tend to go with the musical selection below along with a coin toss:

THAT said, I’ll most likely see the Oculus Rift “transporter” setup down at the Marriott Marquis tomorrow, as I’ve been saying for well over a year or so that the Rift will get the most use outside of gaming as a consumer entertainment device that provides virtual vacations or short tours of famous places for a small fee. This event tomorrow is only a few minutes long total, but it’ll be the first time I strap on those goofy goggles and see what’s what in the company of others. I was around for VR’s first commercial go-round in the 90’s (ah, Dactyl Nightmare!), so this time I’m going in with no expectations other than to be surprised and even more immersed.

There’s another tech event later that evening I’ve already RSVP’d for a few weeks back to attend, but I’ll probably not stay for the full three hours, as there’s free booze and snacks and that’s always TOO tempting to fill up on even though I don’t drink much these days. Well, seeing new tech toys is always a plus, so that’s my main reason for showing up. I got a sudden invite to see a steering wheel peripheral for the PS3 and Xbox One and responded right away, but I’m still waiting to hear back from the PR guy who contacted me. Finally, my entrepreneurial brother is speaking at an event here in the Bronx in the evening, so we’ll see how long my driving experience lasts and if it bleeds into that time. I know pretty much what he’s going to cover, but I won’t ruin the surprise here, as it’s an idea that’s fairly simple yet quite grand if it takes off and goes where he wants it to. Anyway, let me stop here and go check my inbox again, as I just peeked at it and I saw a few more invites in there. Well, lookit – I’m popular again! Go me!

I’m Just An Idea Man, Ma’am…

Posted on September 14, 2014 by geelw

Stuff I think about while traveling around #452. I have no time, money or patience to do any of this, so I kind of bop about hoping someone asks me out of the blue for a good or weird idea. Like this one:

How come some really creative BioShock fan (and they are legion) hasn’t rewritten the lyrics to “Rapture” by Blondie and gotten together with like-minded folks to make an appropriately themed music video? I mean, the song is lying there waiting for references. “Fab 5 Freddy” can get a Big Daddy switcheroo, I’m sure one can easily work the Little Sisters in there, the assorted powers and yes, given the location of that game IS a place called Rapture, it should inspire those who know the game inside and out to get in on this one if someone decides to shoot a decent video. Of course, it has to be not for profit, as I can see the cease and desist letters dropping from the sky already…

Well, if you’re reading this and do attempt this feat of daring and potential tangled legalese, keep me posted. I need a decent bit of amusement these days and hey, you can always say you stole the idea from me when the lawyers come a-knockin’ at your door. More terrible ideas to come – stay tuned…

A Moment Of Joyful Noise For The Banjo Man…

Posted on January 28, 2014 by geelw

(Thanks, Paul Wall!)

Farewell, good sir – you brought the world a lot of memorable music and helped folks like me broaden our horizons. I’d day today’s music scene could learn a lot from your life and its work, but I don’t want to judge too harshly. Or maybe I do, but I’m going to be silent out of respect for a good man we lost earlier this morning…

So Long, Lou Reed: A Walk on the Mild Side Brings Back Memories…

Posted on October 27, 2013 by geelw

I made Lou Reed laugh once. A long time back (I think it was 1986 or 87, but my memory is a bit fuzzy), I ran into him downtown around St. Marks Place as I was walking to a friend’s place for a birthday party. I recall it was around sundown with fading light and he was coming out of a small shop I don’t recall the name of. As I stopped to nod in his general direction (what I usually did when encountering a celebrity type on the streets of NYC) a trio of Asian tourists (a guy and two women) recognized him and asked if he’d pose for a quick photo with them.

Since I was only about five or so feet away (and probably grinning like a nut on the loose from Bellevue), one of the tourists looked in my direction and smiling as if he’d won the biggest lottery ever, motioned me over pointing to his expensive camera and asked me to snap a shot or two. Of course, I jumped at the chance and three shots later (because I got my thumb in the way on the first picture), handed the camera back to the guy who now wanted ME to pose with Lou. I declined, as I’m not the “Lookit me with the star!” kind of guy (and back then I was a lot more camera shy than I am these days), but Lou was in a pretty good mood and said “Come on”, waving his hand up and forward… Continue reading →

Gravity “Now Playing” Spots 1 & 2: What Are You Doing At Home Reading This?

Posted on October 4, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, YOU. get out there and go see this one before somebody you know does and blabs out the ending or whatever. Amusingly enough, I can’t even see it if I wanted to in a non-3D version as the movie theater near me closed down (!) with no notice. Which stinks as there used to be three or four within walking distance many years back and they’re all something else now. BOO. If I want to go to the movies now, it’s a few miles walk or a bus trip (but I’m a cheap bastard and I’d probably hoof it on a nice day). So go see this and if you run into me on the way to the movies, don’t tell me a damn thing, grrr…

Gravity TV Spot 6: “And Now I’m Mad About Space Junk”

Posted on September 30, 2013 by geelw

I actually had a crazy dream the other night that the end credits to Gravity were going to be Devo’s 1978 tune “Space Junk”, but we know that’s not going to happen (although it would be a pretty darn amusing joke… well, to me at least. Can you believe DEVO has been around for 40 years? Well, their first LP was release in 1978, but the group first got together in 1972/73! Of course, if you have to ask “Who’s DEVO?”, you need a proper conversion. No need to do anything, dears… it’s all been arranged. Just step outside during the next full moon and look up to the northwest. Things will happen and you’ll be converted. Um, take a good umbrella or even better, a hardhat and remember to not forget to close those peepers. It may sting a little…

World Noose: Some Musical Selections to the People Who Run Things Worldwide…

Posted on August 30, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, Ben Murphy!)

You can’t get more precise than that, but let’s have another, shall we? To wit (and about ten or so years later):

(thanks Waldo667!)

Angrier and louder (and less funky), but yeah, you get the message. Just pass it up the ladder ’til it reaches the top. And hell, add some Creedence in for good measure (because nobody doesn’t love them some Creedence):

(thanks ChowdhuryMorshead!)

And so forth and so on. Pick a few of your own favorites and make up a playlist. Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on.. maybe one day they’ll start listening. And talking to each other before the shit hits the fan… again.