Recursion (maybe, I'm not exactly sure about the definition of this term)

Emergency! was a spinoff of Adam-12 which was a spinoff of Dragnet. One of the main doctors on Emergency! is in a cameo on this Dragnet episode! crazy prescient recursion?!

A few notes on basketball.

1) The people they show cheering before the game are not live, because they don't expect fans to be loud and such during winter break.

2) We won by 51 points today--113-62! (side note, when did I start caring about basketball?).

3) During half time, they have a "super shot" contest, in which one can win prizes if one makes certain shots. Half court shot winning the ultimate prize of a year's tuition and books. You sign up before the game if you want to participate. In no way was I ever planning on signing up for this. Apparently, someone thought it would be a really great idea to sign me up without telling me! And I was picked! SERIOUSLY. I didn't think I was even going to make a lay up, nonetheless a half court shot. yeesh. I was so nervous, shaking like I was about to get some sort of shot a the doctor's office. Oy, the announcer makes jokes about you the whole time! But, at least, I did make a lay up. One usually gets one Muscle Milk (such a lame prize) but they ran out (thankfully), and so I got a free burrito from Chipotle.

3a) I have only eaten at Chipotle twice previously. Both times were because I got free burritos.

4) Oh my god, I love James Keefe. This is mostly because he was in one of my geography classes, but also because he is quite good looking and a pretty solid basketballer.

Side note: I haven't done a Royce celeb update in a while. Both super pregnant Jennifer Garner and super high-heeled Patricia Arquette were at The Nutcracker this past Saturday.

Things I learned yesterday

1) Apparently, it took only 12kb to get to the moon on Apollo 11. (I didn't do any research to confirm this). This got me thinking a lot. I find it hard to believe that if, today, we tried to send a man to the moon on only 12kb we could still do it. Have we lost the ability to do things the way they were done pre-new technologies? By the way, Andrew Dawson is performing at UCLA's Little Theater tonight through Sunday; I highly recommend it!

2) I always knew what the "Twinkie defense" was, but now I know where it came from! Yay movies teaching you things.

3) The 800 block of Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica is actually pretty sketch. Surprising. Watch for the establishments named "Cash N Run" and "Sober Inn."

2008 Concert Photos

Mr. Greenwald put up his annual Best Of Concert Photos post. Last year mine were so much better than his. haha. Since then, he has improved and, in comparison, mine are pretty weak. Plus, his blog has a nice and convenient way to view the photos unlike mine. Hopefully you can handle it anyway. Enjoy!

unacceptable

Dear Swingers,

How dare you charge me a dollar for two quarters of a pickle. That is ridiculous. I overuse the word ridiculous, but I am pretty sure it is quite appropriate here. Not even Jerry's Deli charges for pickles; they provide a whole plate full of free pickles. That makes them better than you, which, I must say, is an unfortunate predicament for you to be in.

No longer your fan,
Laura

Thank Hugh

Dear SNL,

How do you make the hilarious Hugh Laurie not funny?

Sadly,
Laura

P.S. To see Hugh in all his comedy glory, please watch any episode of Jeeves & Wooster or most any episode of A Bit of Fry and Laurie. Try this one:

Omg.

I just unwittingly ate octopus. And, it was DELICIOUS. weird.

Update: Octopus has come up a lot lately. Another great octopus: the one painted on the wall at the party in the beginning of classic movie Beat Street.

Vocabulary Lesson

So amazing. Real word:

palinode

PRONUNCIATION:

(PAL-uh-noad)

MEANING:

noun: A poem in which the author retracts something said in an earlier poem.

Also,

14.71% of visitors to this blog this month searched for etrog vodka. How timely.
5.88% for "susan harris" ucla.

Trouble is My Business

If you don't actually know me, you may not know that I am obsessed with all things Raymond Chandler. And, as such, I have started a blog that I actually update with quotations by Chandler and pictures by me. It's basically a photo blog with captions, or a quotation blog with illustrations. Either way, you should check it out.

Also, on this blog, see the incredibly growing sidebar list of books I read this year--go me!--and how Chandleriffic it is.

The real inspiration for this announcement is ErGo's "Metaphorplay" post. Chandler is nothing if not a craftsman of metaphor and analogy. One of my favorites from The Little Sister:

At 3 a.m. I was walking the floor and listening to Katchaturian working in a tractor factory. He called it a violin concerto. I called it a loose fan belt and the hell with it.

Finally, if I do know you and you like movies, please join me on my more recent quest to watch every movie based on/written by Raymond Chandler. Unfortunately, about half of them are not on Netflix, so this might be a challenge.

Disservice

To whom it may concern,

If I call/email/chat with you for any of the following reasons:

• my computer suddenly loses all sound
• you charged me for wireless internet with included router but did not send me a modem/wireless router
• you don't tell me that the price of the service is actually the price after a mail-in rebate, which won't be applied until four to six weeks after you received the filled out rebate, which I won't even receive until over a month after service begins
  

Please do not thank me after every step of your mind-numbingly repetitive process. Please do not call me Ms. Laura. If you deleted both of these horrible things from your script, we could solve problems much more efficiently. Seriously, all of the following were stated just for "Bert" to tell me that I need to reinstall the audio driver for some reason which he does not know.

Bert : Thank you for confirming.
Bert : Thank you for the information.
Bert: Thank you for the information.
Bert : Thank you for your efforts inchecking all the information.
Bert : Thank you for the information.
Bert : Thank you for the information.
Bert: Thank you for confirming.
Bert: Thank you.
Bert: Thank you for your time and patience.

And now, to especially you, Verizon, please do not tell me you can not give me my money back (for your, of course, incorrect charges) because you have not yet generated the bill when I have the bill in my hands. And when I tell you I have the bill in my hands, don't just ignore that and move on like there is no such bill.

Also, Micaela, please learn how to speak English. "Just to confirm, is the music files are same on external hard drive earlier also?" Huh?

Best,
Laura

Happy Anniversary Canter's!

Um, so, I ate beef yesterday. Weird. But, seriously, at least it was super incredibly delicious, oh man. And, even better, this is what 60 cents bought me: an entire (2 halves) corn beef sandwich, a pickle (a little too bitter, not sour), a "taste" of potato salad (I don't like potato salad, so I gave it to a friend who actually ended up with three such tastes), and a rugulach! SO good. SIXTY CENTS. ridiculous. I feel like Huell Howser should have been there for this moment.

The most important thing one can take away from the film Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton

Make sure your workspace has hardwood floors and you sit in a chair that has wheels. Do not ever get up. Do not ever give up.

Too many "In Memoriam, Intial Initial Initial"s lately

Dear Paul Newman,

I always liked you better than Robert Redford. You were incredibly dashing. Plus, your Italian salad dressing is delicious.

Adoringly,
Laura

My wisdom was extracted on Tuesday.

Consequently, I've been bleeding and reading--and not eating. Plus, watching a lot of movies. A few notes:

• I finally finished alphabetizing all the 'rock-pop-soul' CDs at my internship. The Hives' Black and White Album really has fantastic album art. The font is spectacular. Looks like a great old movie. Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of the back where this great font is. So you'll just have to believe me.
• Also at my internship, I've been doing a bit of golf cart driving which is, I gotta say, quite fun. The silly thing about the lot, though, is that the limit lines for stopping are about three feet behind the intersections, and, thus, you can't actually see anything when you stop there. It is all very silly.
• I also interviewed James Franco again last week. I'll play it on my show as soon as I finish healing. Stay tuned!
• I watched Hitchcock's last movie, Family Plot, today. Didn't like it too much, unfortunately. There are two interesting likenesses though.
  
• 1. The villain looks remarkably like Zev Yaroslavsky!
• Bruce Dern in this film reminds me of Will Farrell. But kinda only in this movie. Weird.

In Memoriam J.A.W.

Dear Jack A. Weil,

For you, I resurrect my letter writing. For you, I spent 85 dollars on a shirt. For you, I made my friend drive twenty minutes out of the way so I could spend those 85 dollars on that shirt. I am glad I did. And I still regret that we didn't stop by earlier in the day so I could meet you. I don't have a picture of you, either, but trusty Charles Phoenix does and a mighty good one, too! You are great. I mean, come on, you invented the western pearl snap button shirt!!! You, and not that hideous Lee Greenwood song my mom loves so much, make me proud to be an American.

Laura

P.S. Your initials are JAW!

Start them arms a-flappin'!

Please join me in reviving the Funky Chicken. Do the Funky Chicken now!



Here's another video for your viewing pleasure of Rufus Thomas is all his pink glory at Wattstax!

Just for a while, just for a while.

I watched another movie you can't get (or rate) on Netflix last night: Marlowe, you can't even get it on DVD! As you may have noticed, I am currently reading and watching everything I can get involving Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe private investigator character. This movie is an adaptation of Chandler's The Little Sister. While I would only give this movie 3.5 stars out of 5, if this movie was on Netflix, I would start two new lists in addition to the one I created last week about movies that have parts that take place in the Hollywood Bowl. Marlowe's office is in the beautiful downtown Bradbury Building and another scene takes place in Union Station. There also quite a few noteworthy small roles in this movie--Caroll O'Connor as Lt. Christy French and Bruce Lee and killer(killee?) Winslow Wong.

Edouard Edvard Edward Eddie Ed

I have written about this man, one of my professors last year, previously on this blog. Now you have some absurdity/genius to match with the name. In this clip, Soja is almost like a super-intense-in-a-completely-different-way Huell Howser!

nonpareil

So, it is always sad when I can't rate movies on Netflix. One movie that I watched in 2006 comes to mind, in particular. Raffles, with the nonpareil David Niven. It is so great. You should watch it today. That is the end of this post.

-fin-

floccinaucinihilipilification

My feelings exactly.

Mr. Hutchinson nicely described my silly useless internship today, a way I will never actually use.

Facilitated the transition to a digital system, specializing in the reduction of a dependence on physical capital for longevity, preservation, and efficiency gains.

I am just going to try and avoid being asked what I did--upload CDs for 8 hours a day twice a week for an entire summer.

On a side note, it is SUPER air-conditioned in these offices. And now, of course, another semi-relevant Chandler (not really, see previous post) quotation:

"It felt good after the hard desert heat, but it felt artificial too, like the soothing touch of an embalmer."

Being that I have a lot of free time on my hands...

• I became a petanque tournament champion whilst playing against a man named Fabian. Don't ask me to repeat that triumph. Do buy me some boules, please, so I can practice.
• I got quite sunburned. Boo.
• Been talked to mindlessly about economics of some sort, which ended with: "when we get back groovin, we'll be groovin'." I still have no idea what he was talking about.
• Finished another Raymond Chandler book -- look at the way that list is growing on the right and be proud of me!
• Turned 21, did some drinking, and, of course, found a Chandler quotation for the occasion: "I swished a little more of his Scotch around in my mouth. If I was going to drink it I might as well try to prevent cavities while I was at it. " (Although I didn't actually drink any Scotch and Chandler didn't actually write that quote. Robert B. Parker did, after Chandler died).
• Watched a lot of movies I couldn't rate on Netflix, which was disappointing, especially because the movies were not. A couple examples: Come Live With Me and It Happened in Flatbush. One pretty great Jimmy Stewart movie and one not so great but nevertheless enjoyable movie about baseball. I quite like baseball movies.
• Oh, I also saw Fabio whilst I was driving. That was silly.
  

Dear Old 97's,

Your music video for "Dance With Me" is horrible. This makes me sad.

Laura

I am slow at getting drug references.

L-R, T-B:
1) Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians: Heaven
2) Rod Stewart: Sing It Again, Rod
3) The Rolling Stones: Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
4) Piano Rags by Scott Joplin
5) Piano Rags by Scott Joplin volume 2
6) Sean Lennon: Friendly Fire

1) As already explained in one post or another, I like to patronize little record stores. This predilection is unfortunate when there really is nothing worth buying in a store. Well, not necessarily nothing worth buying but nothing worth buying at the store's prices. This store on the corner of a block of Melrose (I can't remember what it was called) had some okay records, mostly overpriced. This is just an EP or single; I can't really decide. I really do like Robyn Hitchcock, but the songs on this aren't too great. Overall, this purchase is regrettable. I shouldn't buy records if I'm not going to like them. heh. Maybe I'll get into this one day and be really happy I ended up buying it. Hopefully.

2) I've gotten into quite a few arguments with people over this record. I think it is a piece of masterful music. Others don't quite agree with me. First, however, you can't argue about the album art. The picture obscures the fact that this record is not rectangular -- wow! hehe. It is die-cut to look like a whiskey shot glass and depicts Rod's smiling face looking through it. And when you pull out the record, the inner sleeve has his face. It's just so great. I don't remember where I got this, possibly Rhino but also possibly MAMSROC. It has many gems, but the highlights for me are 1) his Street Fighting Man cover and 2)Reason to Believe. The only song on it that I could do without is his Pinball Wizard version. I also own this album on cd (found it for five dollars in Colorado last winter!).

3) This is one of my dad's old records. A 1966 collection.

4) & 5) Both are from Rhino. Both are solid. Who doesn't like Scott Joplin? These feel particularly American. Is ragtime particular American? I don't know.

6) I got this record when I interned at Capitol Records in the fall of 2006. I like the album art better than the music, but the music ain't bad, either.

Can socialism be built in the desert?

yes, but it is not advisable. after a while there will be a shortage of sand! The above and following jokes come from this very interesting documentary, Hammer & Tickle, about humor in the Soviet Union. This title is spectacular, or unfuckwithable, as one might say. One problem: it's not on Netflix and I can't rate it. It's truly sad when I can't give it that closing stamp that is a Netflix rating. And now for some more jokes:

Ladies and gentleman, we are about to enter the Soviet Union. Please sit down, fasten your seat belts, put your trays up, and wind your watches back ten years.

East German toilet paper is always two-ply because we have send a copy of everything we do to Moscow.

On a side note, LAist used another one of my photos--this time uncredited. :-/
Additionally, LA Weekly has an interesting article about the way billboards are getting by as "mural signs."

I'd rather be a forest than a street.

Back from a break of these little insights into my record collection, as records are now out of boxes and sprawled across the floor of my home rather than neatly organized alphabetically in my now previous apartment. Starting off where I left off:T-B, L-R:
1) Sergio Mendes - s/t (1983)
2) Shelley Berman - Outsie
3) Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends
4) Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
5) The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas
6) The Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela (The Special Remix)

1) I love Sergio Mendes; I don't love this album at all. But, hey, it was only 10 cents at the Rhino closing sale. Also, the peppers being bigger than his face -- a little silly.

2) Nice old Jewish comedian. I really like the cover drawing. Don't remember where I got it.

3) Inherited this from the parents, although someone named Sandler seems to have owned it at some point. It's a classic, obviously, and includes my favorite of their songs, "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and probably their best known, "Mrs. Robinson." When I saw Simon and Garfunkel on their Old Friends tour, I cried. But that was because of some weird medical nonsense that makes me crazy at super loud thunderous sounds, like marching bands and most things that happen at the Staples Center.

4) Another one from the parents, another classic. My favorite song on this album is "Cecilia," but I love that they had a song called "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" and also like the mostly Incan "El Condor Pasa."

5) wooo, gots to love the incorrect grammar of this record's title which I bought from MAMSROC. The Sinatra Family wishes, you know, not wish. But whatever, I forgive them, primarily because of Frank Jr.'s sock/shoe combo and Nancy Jr.'s sleeves. Also, this record is "under the direction of Nelson Riddle," a man who was pretty awesome.

6) I've been waiting to get to this record since the start of this series; it is definitely one of my favorites of all the ones I own. First, the boldness of the cover is great. Second, this album was produced by Elvis Costello and purchased during the height of my EC obsession during high school. This record has the LP version, instrumental mix, annnnd six-and-a-half minute club mix. Yeah, that's right, a spectacular dance song about social injustice. This one cost me a whole three bucks! One of my teachers in high school once recounted an anecdote of the I-didn't-need-to-know-but-thanks-I-guess variety: he and his sister used to dance on tables this song. There were a lot of colorful descriptors involved, but I have already forgotten those.

oh man, Lillian.

[22:59] EmeraldFacetsGlo: my gloved hand touched his gloved hand twice today at work
[22:59] EmeraldFacetsGlo: *swoons*

I miss Adam-12 marathons.

Dear TV Land,

I feel like I have written this letter many times, but, if I haven't already, it's about time! While I do appreciate Hogan's Heroes being brought back, that is not nearly enough to make up for all the grave programming mistakes you have made.

The first error was to play shows that were on TV originally during my lifetime. I am not old enough for this! I was mildly agitated with Wings and quite annoyed about Full House, but The George Lopez Show? Come on! And then now you start having "original programming." But only the worst possible original programming--the exact opposite of the quality shows you previously aired. Going from Mary Tyler Moore to High School Reunion? And now this She's Got the Look, which plays Coldplay snippets every four minutes. The upcoming Family Foreman looks beyond absurd.

TV Land, get your act together.
Laura

Hodge Podge Mod Podge

1. Oh man, do you remember Mod Podge?!! That stuff is the best. 2. I saw Rhett Miller walking on the street last night. Didn't react in time to roll down the window of a super old car, though, to say hi.

3. Rilo Kiley was much better than I expected but still a little boring. Also, the audience was too much of a hipster relay for me.

4. Some things I learn as a file clerk: Suge Knight's real name is Marion, hole punching takes way too much strength, super fast multi-page scanners are awesome except when they jam every 45 seconds

5. Wattstax is way interesting.

6. I wanted to go to this, but there was way too long of a line.

Lesson #2.

Lesson #1
Lesson #2: Check spam filter! Or you miss winning free concert tickets!


Also, this is my 150th post. Carazy.

I Believe.

L-R, T-B:
1)Starsailor: Love is Here
2)Stephen Stills: Right by You
3)Stephen Stills: S/T
4)Steve Martin: "A Wild and Crazy Guy"
5)Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
6)Stevie Wonder: Talking Book

Lots of ST-starting names today. You know, when one has a lisp, it is easier to say the 'st' sound than the pure 's' sound. There ya go, as NBC previously pronounced with a shooting star for emphasis, there more you knowwwww.

1) I bought this for a lot of money at Amoeba. I like this album a lot, but it wasn't worth all that money. It's not one of the ones I really need to have somewhere other than my computer.

2) From Rhino. 10-99 cents. Pretty bad album. Sorry Steve, I guess I should have guessed from the cover that you wouldn't live up to your best.

3) Rhino, 99 cents. This album on the other hand, I love. It includes the classic "Love the One You're With."

4) I never understood why titles are put in quotation marks on the thing itself. Bizarre. Anyways, this is from MAMSROC. These days Steve Martin bothers me quite a bit, but there are times when I am way into this album.

5) Steeeevie! From my parents' collection. This album includes my favorite Wonder song--"Sir Duke," the oft-sampled "Pastime Paradise," and department store staple "Isn't She Lovely," and quite a few other greats. This "Collector's Album" edition from 1976 comes with a small book! There are so so so many lines I'd like to copy out here for you, but really you just find a way to see this yourself. Especially on the back page of the book and the inside of the first page. I guess I'll just give you one sentence to entice!:

"Songs in the Key of Life" is only a conglomerate of thoughts in my subconscious that my Maker decided to give me the strength, the love + love - hate = love energy making it possible for me to bring to my conscious an idea.

6) This album, also from my parents' collection, has braille on the cover and inside of the gatefold! I wonder how expensive that is to do. I like every song on this album. But I especially love "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will be Forever)," which is the last track on the album and also featured prominently in the ending of the film High Fidelity. This song will be playing at my wedding, f'sure.

On a side note, I just made a sauce for my favorite Costco potstickers, and I put waaay too much chili oil in it. Yeesh!

Being Mice Elf Again

L-R, T-B:
1)Styx: Kilroy Was Here
2)The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go
3)Taj Mahal: Music Fuh Ya' (Musica Para Tu)
4)Talking Heads: Little Creatures
5)Three Dog Night: Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits
6)Triumph: Just a Game

1) Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!

2) 10 cents! Rhino. Diana Ross looks SO scary here, kinda like a really frightening Eartha Kitt. I think it has something to do with the really awkward talon-like hair that falls right between her eyebrows combined with the not-exactly-a-smile smile.

3) How can you not like something titled "Music Fuh Ya'"?! That's like not liking the Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)." Also, Taj is the man who once said "I do play by the rules; I play by intergalactic, cosmic rules, man! The light steps out through me and I don't cheat on it."

4) This may be one of my least favorite Talking Heads albums, but it's the only one I have. I do, however, really like their outfits on the back of the album. I am continually sorry I didn't take pictures of the backs of the records for these posts.

5) I can't remember if this is one of my dad's records or if it is another one I bought for him at Rhino that he never listened to. It's a nice font, no? Also, for some reason this record has everything written in Portuguese; I think this was from Brazil. Two of the singer's sons are in bands that have been on my show, woo!

6) Another Rhino purchase. I really like the six minute epic song that is "Hold On." 1979 arena rock. Grand!

Morricone Youth

L-R, T-B:
1)U2 - Joshua Tree
2)Various Artists: Chanukah Songs
3)Various Artists: Do Re Mi
4)Various ArtistS: Do They Know It's Christmas?
5)Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Eddie and the Cruisers
6)Ennio Morricone: Frantic

Guess who told herself she'd not do anything Friday night so she could write her essay? Guess who still hasn't done it and is instead blogging? Me? Correct!

1) This album is a classic; this album art is classic. The 49 cent price ain't bad either (Rhino). Also, this is definitely U2's best album. Period.

2) 1988! I have no idea where I got this. But it did teach me some things. While most Chanukah songs are "traditional," some are actually attributed to people. For example, "Chanukah, Oh Chanukah" is apparently by M. Rivesman. I have listened to all my records at least once, but that must be it for this one because I have no idea what it sounds like.

3) I don't know if you can tell this from the picture, but the red is showing through the black part which was cut to reveal the wonderful stuff underneath, especially the Phil Silvers illustration. I haven't seen this movie, but I like Silvers a lot. This is allegedly "A Great Razzle-Dazzle of a Musical!" As promised in an earlier post, here is another gem from the small print on the back of the outer sleeve: "This record contains the revolutionary new antistatic ingredient, 317x, ..." Woah, code name for antistatic ingredient!

4) They don't know a lot of things. Neither do we. MAMSROC!

5) I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to get this record. I saw this movie once on TV and thought it was alright. And then, I don't know exactly when or why, began to love it tremendously. I also saw the really bad sequel on TV relatively soon after that. It's an incredibly silly movie, but the main character (Eddie) is 80's good looking in a Bruce-Springsteen-kind-of-way and the songs of his "band" sound like sorta weak Bruce Springsteen songs. Y'all know how much I love The Boss. MAMSROC for two dollars, but I went to Record Surplus yesterday and they have at least two copies in the attic so you should go get it (92 cents, come on!). Especially great song = "On the Dark Side."

6) Another movie I haven't seen, nor probably will ever see. A Roman Polanski film. Roman Polanski is a creepster. Ennio Morricone!

Chandlertown.

I was planning on going to sleep after I wrote the previous post, but then I looked out my window and through the shades I realized it was already getting to daylight. I had class at 11am; it was going to be way difficult to get up if I went to sleep then. I then had the genius of idea of going to up to my roof to watch the sunrise--gots to take advantage of my apartment before I move out!

As expected, it was beautiful and calm. I finished reading my most recent of Chandler novels, The Little Sister.

"I smelled Los Angeles before I got to it. It smelled stale and old like a living room that had been closed too long. But the colored lights fooled you. The lights were wonderful. There ought to be a monument to the man who invented neon lights. Fifteen stores high, solid marble. There's a boy who really made something out of nothing."

Birds were chirping, sun was rising. All was great--until a bee landed on my leg and I sat there perfectly still. eek! Anyways, I went back down after the sun was up with all these great plans--cooking a full breakfast, watching an old movie, and even getting some work done before class--but I ended up going to sleep anyways at 8. And, now, it was even more difficult getting up at 10 for class! But it was worth it.

I just started a book by Edward Thorpe called Chandlertown about Los Angeles. Check it out in the sidebar links.

Husky men of war.

L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: Gigi
2)Various Artists: The Gospel at Colonus
3)Various Artists: The Guns of Navarone
4)Various Artists: Hogan's Heroes
5)Various Artists: Honky Tonk Rag Pickers
6)Original Soundtrack Recording: Lawrence of Arabia

Ok, so it's 4:38 AM when I have class at 11. I obviously fail at being sensible today. I also have some heartburn right now. Records are currently stacked on my desk backwards, so I'm going to work my way from #6 to #1.

6) Many things of note with this album. A: ORANGE. B: Classic classic movie. C: way cool painting of the main face. D: Winston Churchill quote (yes!).

5) I have to say, most of the best lookin' albums in my collection have at least something to do with honky tonk. I mean, seriously, so cool. This one's from Rhino.

4) This record is actually very aptly titled, as it includes only Hogan's Heroes, not Hogan himself. This is where Erica would chime in with "Hogggan!" Anyways, they "Sing the Best of World War II." Come on, the best of World War II has to be great. And it is. There's, perhaps not surprisingly, a lot of Hogan's Heroes representin' going on in my collection as it is my favorite classic TV show. The title of this post comes from the words of the "Hogan's Heroes March" which are not sung in the show but are on this record. The record also includes such greats as Irving Berlin's "This is the Army Mister Jones." I got this record as a gift! From Matt Cohen in high school. Really good gift. Kudos. Update: TV Land is now playing Hogan's Heroes again! Hallelujah. Weird, though, that they don't play the end credits with the theme song and end title sequence.

3) Unfortunately, I haven't seen this movie. Disgraceful, I know, but it is in my queue. I do love Gregory Peck and David Niven; I am not sure if I could even choose a favorite amongst those two. Dimitri Tiomkin is a fab film scorer. On a side note, I highly recommend the Maritime song "Guns of Navarone." OH, I finally 'got back' to David Niven. It's been a while, eh?

2) This movie I have seen--several times, starting in 10th grade is Ms. St. Clair's English class. What a silly class. The Gospel at Colonus is Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy in gospel Black Pentecostal Church form. And it is INSANE. With the Soul Stirrers! The Blind Boys of Alabama! Morgan Freeman! Robert Earl Jones! This one was 49 cents at Rhino.

1) This record symbolizes three things. One, whenever I travel, I like to go to record shops. This record was purchased at Angelo's in Denver, Colorado. Two, I like to buy people records as gifts. I bought this record for my mom 'cause she loves the movie. Three, my mom never listens to records I buy her because she never listens to music outside of her car. Hence, this record is now in my collection. This record is also an example of the fact that I frequently forget that I own some records that I rarely listen to. I have another version of this record that doesn't have the singers from the movie. And, really, I love Maurice Chevalier, so I am not gonna listen to no "TV stars including Michael Stewart, The Gay Blades, something Winter (white text on white background isn't really smart folks), Jack Brown, ..." Perhaps the next time the radio station has a record swap, I'll be able to get something for the non-Chevalier version. This past swap I didn't have any records I didn't want. Really, I am glad I don't have more than one record I don't actually want to have. That would be foolish.

This post will not become obsolete.

L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: The Muppets Take Manhattan
2)Various Artists: No Nukes: From the Music Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future, Madison Square Garden, September 19-23, 1979
3)Various Artists: Percussion Espanol
4)Henry Mancini: Peter Gunn
5)Henry Mancini: The Pink Panther
6)John Williams: The Reivers

2) Rhino. I paid a whole four dollars for this. It's a gatefold album so on the inside there are lots of fun pictures from 1979, including Jackson Browne looking good, Chaka Khan looking grossly spandex-ed, Gil Scott-Heron looking cool, and Doobie Brothers looking like it has waaay too many people. This has three records; all of which are good. James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Graham Nash do "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and someone named John Hall does a greatly titled song "Plutonium is Forever." Also the sun on the cover is embossed, oooooh.

3) I bought this for the album art. And the fact that is says in quotation marks: "THE BIG SOUND."

4) Peter Gunn! Only the best theme song ever. From the back, "This music is Peter Gunn's kind of jazz. I think you'll find that it's you kind, too" (their italicization!). Also, this is one of those great records that says "You can buy today, without fear of obsolescence in the future." Some even better statements like that will come in future posts, most definitely.

5) Wooooo, more Mancini! And at 99 cents! Peter Sellers wrote the notes on the back. Pink Panther! I mean, that's enough. And then there's something about some 'new' RCA invention -- "Dynagroove." One of its characteristics is "Realistic Presence--sound projected in 'photographic' perspective." What the hell does that mean?

6) I haven't seen this movie, but who doesn't like Steve McQueen? And John Williams is pretty competent, I think you'd all agree. This doesn't even sound like Star Wars (like oh so many of his scores do). The back of the record quotes Time Magazine: "The Reivers is one of the year's most pleasant movie experiences." I wish reviews still sounded like that. So pleasant!

I know the Royce celeb-sightings have been few lately; that's because I have been working more back of the house stuff. Hopefully soon I'll have some more for you, although I am sure it will be mostly angry parents in the upcoming slew of graduations.

Six Records Speak

L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists (Dani Dassa): Rikud
2)Various Artists: Roots: The Black Beginnings of American Music
3)Various Artists: The Secret Policeman's Ball
4)Six Presidents Speak
5)Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Sting
6)Various Artists: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band

1) I got this at the last night of Cafe Dansa before it closed. I had always wanted to go but never did, but at least I made it out there before it was gone foreverrr, and it was exactly how I wanted it to be--way tiny, cramped, and stuck in the 1970s. I danced with random old men (old men seem to be becoming a recurring motif in this blog). And got this great record, which is made even more great by the picture on the back of Dani Dassa in all his eyebrow glory. I have some good pictures of this, but since I am an inadequate tagger, I cannot currently find them on flickr.

2) This also came from the Rhino closeout sale. As you can see by the cover, it has some pretty good artists on it, like Big Bill Broonzy and Fats Waller. The record also has some nice generalizing statements on the back: "Here then is 'Roots'. Black Music (capitalization theirs). Black Music that speaks for God and man; joy and sorrow; hard work and good lovin'; music and artists who have influenced the music of America, the music of the world."

3) Rhino. I never listen to this. Was worth the ten cents just for the fact that it says on the back "Stage show slightly directed by John Cleese."

4) I don't remember where I got this one. It includes FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. It was produced by the Ford Customer Service Division of Ford Motor Company in 1972. I wonder for what reasons people were given this record. Everyone got it? Only if you had car trouble? Christmas gift? Bank of America once gave my dad a really bad holiday CD. I would have much preferred this. It's pretty great to listen to; some of it is unbelievably dry. I like to listen to it while watering my plants on the balcony.

5) Scott Joplinnnnnn. This soundtrack is superb. The movie ain't bad either. I love Paul Newman. This movie made me see why people like Robert Redford, but I still prefer Newman. Also, what a great font!

6) Another soundtrack. This movie is crazy. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees play the Beatles. I am sure this movie was created due to all sorts of drugs. The songs are ok, some better than others. I like the Bee Gees, for sure, but they are better singing their own songs. Billy Preston doing Get Back, on the other hand, is great.

In other news, I may have failed my midterm today, but I am still GM of UCLAradio.com for next year. Oh yeah, James Franco was on Auto Stapler today. He's silly.

We Won't Play Sun City (or eat gross salad dressing)

First, LAist used a photo of mine again. Crepes!

Second, records part deux.L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: Songs of Naomi Shemer
2)The Original Cast Album: Song of Norway
3)Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City
4)Various Artists: Them Old Country Songs
5)Various Artists: A Treasury of Christmas
6)Various Artists: We Are the World

1) I bought this from the middle-aged man who sells records on campus. I don't want to have to write that whole sentence in the future. From here on out, all such records will be signified by "MAMSROC" (middle aged man sells records on campus). I didn't pay much attention when I bought this--It is the songs of Naomi Shemer sung by other people. It still has some classics, though, such Al Kol Eleh, Anashim Tovim (Chalutzim, Tsofim, the Sabras, and the Seniors, CITs, JCITs, and Staff. Kochavim! etc.), and a medley of songs like Yesh li Chaver (middle school classic!) and Hopa Hey.

2) I don't know where I got this, maybe Rhino. I obviously bought it just because I like Norway, not 'cause I knew anything about it. The interesting thing about this record is that instead of a plain paper inner sleeve, the record is enclosed in a bizarre fitted plastic bag, printed on which are the words "A New World of Sound" and a funny cartoon character that has no face and is holding a globe. I am sorry I don't have a picture of that for you as it is more fun-er than the cover.

3) A Rhino purchase. I bought for 10 cents during their going-out-of-business sale (oh, how I miss thee, Rhino Records!). I didn't know anything about Sun City until I took History of Rock and Roll my first quarter of college. I bought this record around the same time. This is by Artists Against Apartheid, which scandalously didn't include Paul Simon who continued to tour in Sun City. It does include such notables as Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, Bono (of course), Jackson Browne (who is playing a free show today which I will not be going to. boo), George Clinton, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Herbie Hancock, Darlene Love!, Melle Mel, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone, the Boss, and Ringo, among a lot more.

4) MAMSROC. I obviously bought this because of the great font and title. Also because it has a song called "Laura (What He's Got that I Ain't Got)"--undoubtedly great. Not to mention that it has a Porter Wagoner/Dolly Parton duet, two people whom I quite enjoy.

5) Rhino. 49 cents for a four record treasury! what a steal. And this ain't no elevator music--it's Leonard Bernstein, Doris Day, Mahalia Jackson, Johnny Cash, Andre Previn, and others. All good Jews love Christmas music; we follow the way of Irving Berlin aka Israel Isidore Beilin.

6) You know everything about this one. I like Sun City better. FYI, Bob Dylan's eyes are closed on the cover. Cyndi Lauper's hair is yellow and pumpkin-colored. Michael Jackson is wearing lace socks.

Yes!

Ok, so let's start this record collection rundown. I am going to start at the end of the alphabet because I have yet to upload the pictures from the first half.

L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: Globestyle Worldwide Your Guide
2)The Who: Who's Next
3)Wings: Wings Across America
4)YES: 90125

1) This album is SO good. I got it from UCLAradio.com because they didn't want it anymore. They are missing out. I got it because the title was just so great and rhyme-y. Ooh, assonance! The standout tracks are Ofra Haza's "Yachilvi Veyachali" and Dissidenten & Lem Chaheb's "Inshalla - Kif Kif." Now let me delight you with some text from the back of the sleeve. About Haza: "String sections, samplers, electro and traditional yemenite percussion (including petrol can) .... Also available is 'Galbi' -- the first Yemenite tradtional 12" club mix??" Andddd, "What next from Globestyle? More of the same aka more of the different! Worldwide - Your Guide!"

2) I don't know where I got this one, but it was originally owned by someone named "Lee." I actually don't listen to it too frequently, but it's a solid pick with "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again," of course. The Decca label on the LP itself is way nice, very colorful.

3) This has 3 records in it. I inherited it from one of my parents. I have listened to it only once. Nothing really to say about this one.

4) This has "Owner of a Lonely Heart." It doesn't have the one YES song I actually like -- "Roundabout." I bought it at Rhino (my favorite, now-extinct record store) for 49 cents. 90125 is its original catalog number, not a zip code. If you type it into google maps, you get Palermo, Italy.

No Scrubs

I went to a record store today to ask for a job. The last time I was at this store, there were maybe four other people. Today, there were at least a hundred people (88% old men). Turns out, their huge sale is happening right now unbeknownst to me, obviously a bad time to ask for a job. No big deal; I'll go back next week and I bought nine records for three dollars!

Anyways, as I was searching through the "12" Singles" category, I found TLC's "No Scrubs" and was excited. This is an example (although not as much so) of a recent phenomenon. Songs that I did not like, even some songs that I could not stand, now are viewed with much greater appreciation. I don't think this is due to a change in taste, rather those songs now fit into my continual nostalgia. This nostalgia is usually for things before my time but seems to be expanding now to my elementary school years.

So, even that is not the point of this post. The point of this post is the old man who was tremendously excited for me finding that record. This man, who was roughly 6'2", almost entirely bald, hunched over, and probably in his late -60s to mid-70s, appeared behind me out of nowhere pointing to the album on top of my pile saying "oh, you like that, too?! I love that song. TLC. So bluesy. I own the blah blah blah blah edition. I also bought the blah blah blah when it was first released. So good!" He went on for probably a full five minutes. Spectacular.

Title

Look at me, actually posting more than once a week again! wooo. Anyways, I took this video in early 2006. But it is now 2008, and flickr has video hosting. woooo (again). Erica, pay close attention. Oh yeah, the details = LA Chinatown Chinese New Year celebration in early 2006.

Brotherly Love.

Dear Robert Carmine,

Why are you everywhere I go? I would much prefer it if your brother was everywhere I go. Can you make that small change for me?

Thanks,
Laura

P.S. Swingers, your cupcakes are good, but four dollars good? No way.
P.P.S. Why do all jukeboxes eat my change?

"Some Fwend, Mostly Chef"

Dear Daniel Boulud,

I really like your programme (yes, I know I spelled it programme), After Hours with Daniel. I also really like the way you pronounce your name like Danielle. However, I really can't handle this sudden influx of Grey Goose advertising during your show. It's beyond product placement now. I was okay with the constant ads and even fine with the constant close-ups on the bottles. But now you have gone too far! Don't get me wrong; I would love to be your best friend and perhaps marry one of your chefs de cuisine, Olivier. You randomly yelling out "that Grey Goose is great, eh?" in the middle is just really bothersome and distracting. Please stop.

Thanks in advance,
Laura

Dear Bloomingdales,
This is incredibly unsatisfactory photography.
You have shamed yourself,
Laura

Knuckles

Guess what? I have a midterm tomorrow (er, today). So it's perfectly logical that I would choose to write an entry now, right? This is just a quick preview of a new feature of this blog: an expedition through Laura's Record Collection. Perhaps I will come up with a witty title for real entries, but this is doubtful. Anyways, to give you a sneak preview of the wonders that this feature will reveal, check out this gem:
Explosive Honky Tonk by Knuckles O'Reilly! Obviously, I bought this record because of the album art. You must admit it is amazing, especially the random vessel/vase/thing behind him, which could be so many things, perhaps a spittoon? I can't remember exactly where I bought this record; it may have been from the old guy who sets up a table on campus and tries to pretend like he's giving me such a good deal by selling records for two dollars, when he always sells them for two dollars. He may be forgetful, but I am not!

Anyways, if I did, in fact, buy this one from him, the record was well worth the two dollars. The music does also not disappoint, especially the strong start--"Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis"--the great song from 1904 which is prominently featured in the Judy Garland movie, Meet Me in St. Louis.

Recommended listening time: sunny afternoons! Perhaps whilst watering plants. Or whilst drinking a weird lime-infused concoction.

'Eye Nosh'

Woooo, on LAist again!

Update: Also, people, I would say at least seven men, are currently singing that soccer Ole Ole Ole Ole song very loudly somewhere nearby. Oh, college.

Anddddd, Jon Brion!

Also, I just love the way Jon Brion comes up in things randomly. Like everyone is just saying whatever and the only fitting conclusion to everything is Jon Brion-related. Even the FollowThatOstrich-approved Robyn Hitchock did so (in an answer to question on a blog post I found through hypemachine in a completely unrelated search--woo internet!):

the gig in this pub in East London. And I think we did ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ there…possibly with Jon Brion; I know he was in town. I love digging that one up at parties.

By the way, I was going to acronym Follow That Ostrich into FTO, like Erica acronyms Read Dance Bliss into RDB, but then I googled FTO and saw it was Foreign Terrorist Organization and decided that might not be the best idea.

You should be happy I don't have a picture attached to this post.

So, uh, er, I just watched the guy from Man Vs. Wild eat a yak's eyeball and have liquid spew out of the eye whilst it's in between his teeth. I didn't want to watch that, David Letterman! Why'd you have to show that clip?! Cringe! oy. Boo you.

Excellent Asians.

They filmed the Asian Excellence Awards at Royce on Wednesday. I won't reveal any of the winners since they don't air until May 1st, but I don't think you care about that anyways. Let's just go through a quick run-through of the random people who were there, starting with Kenny G. What? Then there were a ton of reality TV folks (most of whom I wouldn't know if I hadn't read the program): some American Idol girl named Ramiele, JabbaWockeez, Cheryl Burke, Cristian de la Fuente, Carrie Ann Inaba, Karina Smirnoff, and Tia Carrere (who sang two Hawaiian songs and was really uninteresting). And the folks that someone once cared about and have now become reality TV folks: Ian Ziering, Daisy Fuentes, oh yeah-Vern Troyer. And then the so-called celebrities other people were excited about but whom I had never heard of: Rex Lee (Entourage?), the guy who (co-?)invented YouTube, and so many more. Sonja Sohn, of the Wire, gave a pretty intense speech about how it was 'about time' and great that the Asian community was accepting of the mixed race folk. This speech went on for quite some time. B.D. Wong who plays the psychologist (I think) on Law and Order: SVU! I don't even like this show but anything even semi-related to Law and Order has the potential of making work just slightly less boring. heh. Also, a very disheveled Quentin Tarantino. People who are awesome: Kristi Yamaguchi (so skinny! so short! pretty dress).

A great moment: we didn't let Three Six Mafia into the VIP reception cause of a lack of tickets to the VIP reception, only to get the oh-so-funny "You don't know who they are?!?!" There was also one guy from the Black Eyed Peas.Also, three pageant queens were there. "Miss LA Chinatown"'s crown was perhaps a foot tall. It was beyond absurd, especially for a winner of not even a city's pageant, just a section of a city's pageant.

Finally, !!! Mr. Iron Chef America Chairman Mark Dacascos said hi to me and my fellow usher and started walking away before he turned around and came back to shake our hands and tell me I "have a great smile." awww.

"painted over like a mezzuzah on a Boyle Heights doorway"

Dear Dad,
Please follow through on our agreement which was brokered over the Afikoman. You got the matzah; I get a car.
Thanks,
Laura

P.S. The title of this post is quote from Culture Clash's 'radio play' excerpt about Chavez Ravine from the Ash Grove 50th Anniversary show night one at Royce Hall this past Friday.

Venn Diagram

So, it sucks to be sick.

This, on the other hand, is awesome. Two of my photos in the "Seven Reasons LA is the Best" post on LAist. yay!

Where do these two meet? Being sick makes me sit around and do nothing--otherwise known as adding pictures to my flickr account.

Transportation Dunce Cap!

This view from the Wilshire RapidBus is pretty great--could have so much heavy-handed metaphor in this but will leave it out (although I already put some of it in the title).

A little biographical information.

Old superpatriotic movies make me teary-eyed, especially ones starring Gary Cooper. I like that about myself. I am not as much of a fan of Cary Grant, although I like him quite a bit. Bogart's okay, don't like Clark Gable. I do like William Powell. Gotta love Joel McRea. David Niven is second to none but James Stewart. Oh yeah, can't forget John Payne. Yes, Payne, not Wayne.

Basically, this is here because I removed it from my facebook profile but didn't want to delete it entirely.

Also, some new colors on this here blog. Wooooo!

Dine & Dance

dining and dancing of a different kind. Portland, OR.

Ex-LAT dance critic Lewis Segal went to see La La La Human Steps at Royce tonight. Which made me kinda sad. (also weird that I recognized him). Not that I ever read any sort of dance criticism in LAT or otherwise. Which made me feel kinda fake.

In other news, I started a new blog tonight, "I like to eat on Pico Blvd." Real posts will start soon.

A Metaphor.

Steve Wiebe is the Brian Wilson of Donkey Kong.

I thought you were famous, but actually you are just incredibly attractive.

I kinda agree with this, but also think Zev needs to stop making excuses. On the subject of newspapers, I am going to take this opportunity to provide you with a few more sentences from The Long Goodbye which made me think a lot about Sam Zell--not that he would be saying these sentences at all, except maybe the first one.

I own newspapers, but I don't like them. I regard them as a constant menace to whatever privacy we have left. Their constant yelping about a free press means, with a few honourable exceptions, freedom to peddle scandal, crime, sex, sensationalism, hate, innuendo, and the political and financial uses of propaganda. A newspaper is a business out to make money through advertising revenue. That is predicated on its circulation and you know what the circulation depends on.

Now, as promised, here's the Royce Celebrity Update (TM). Daryl Hannah, lookin' mighty Botoxed and Cocaineoxed, Tom Morello, and the guy who hosts Survivor were in attendance at the Steve Earle show on the 25th. There was also a man which inspired a fellow usher to state the sentence which has become this post's title. Tonight--er, yesterday--Amy Brenneman and Maria Bello showed up to see Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert (the author of a book Erica and Oprah like). This show was almost unbelievably sold out, but a lot of people didn't show up after buying tickets. Also, the majority of this crowd, a supermajority even, were middle-aged women; perhaps, 40% were bottle blondes. yeech.

Even though this picture was taken in Colorado in December, I am oh so sure these women would have flown in to see the "conversation" tonight. By the way, please do notice that the four women are all wearing THE EXACT SAME THING.

I am Scared of Spring Break.

The usual scene.

Last night, I left work at midnight. There was not one other person when I walked to my apartment. eeek! The campus was so eerie. Usually there are at least tens of people around campus at that time. Dancing, even! But there weren't even any people walking around the apartments either. creepy spring break!

There were some fun/noonereallycares celebz at the show, which I will get to in a later post.

In other news, I finally went to Mashti Malone's yesterday and it was delicious!

A "Long Goodbye" to the "Time Lady"

The sun has set (on Sunset) for the Time Lady.

You can't hear this mechanical voice anymore. AT&T stopped offering this service at the end of last year. According to NPR, a recording of the voice of the last "Time Lady," Joanne Daniels, will be put in the Smithsonian! I would link you the audio but I can't find it. Instead, I'll point you to this article that cheesily proclaims, "Time has run out on the Time Lady." The service started in the 1940s but was obviously already well known enough to be referenced by Raymond Chandler in 1953 in The Long Goodbye, a book I highly recommend.

And when she spoke her voice had the lucid emptiness of that mechanical voice on the telephone that tells you the time, and if you keep listening, which people don't because they have no reason to, it will keep on telling you the passing seconds for ever, without the slightest change of inflection.