Sentimental Valium

Watched 21 Grams again tonight. That movie affects me. I think it's the realistic portrayal of emotions. Too many movies show people cry or laugh or yell or sit and think--but it feels like someone is acting. It's not convincing. How many times have we watched a movie where someone cried and you could almost see the saline POURING out of their eyes?!?! There's a lot in that movie--a lot of questions about faith, responsibility, blame, love--and there are even a few things I still don't understand. But what has moved me twice now are the emotions of so many characters. And I think Benicio Del Toro is developing into one of my favorite actors!! Staring with "Usual Suspects," I have tried to see everything he has been in and have enjoyed virtually everything! Naomi Watts was also stunning in this movie!

And I'm quickly becoming a Focus Features fan! They have put out some great fims: "Lost In Translation," "Eternal Sunshine...," "Traffic," "Waking The Dead," "Topsy Turvy," "The Pianist," "Sylvia," "Swimming Pool," and "The Man Who Wasn't There." Amazing lineup! (And for those who haven't seen all of these movies-get to it! "The Man..." is one of the best new black and white films to come out in a long time. Of course, all of this is simply one baldtrain's opinion--and I also happen to be a bit of a pop culture snob so... Do what you want with that info)

I'm learning that big frustrations in life are made up of many little ones. Not very often does one thing happen that pushes me over the edge. It's the combo of little stuff--the laundry basket handle breaking; the fuse in the kitchen blowing a couple times; the shoelace breaking on the shoes you badly want to wear; hearing Justin Timberlake on two separate radio stations at the same time; realizing you forgot to set a towel out once you shut the water off. That is frustration--the sum of those experiences. I'm trying to get better at dealing with the individual events. I think I am frustrated too much of my life.

Part of me actually kind of likes one Justin Timberlake song--but we'll keep that between us right?

posted by -tr0y- @ 10:47 PM

Once again boys and girls, Amish Aaron steps up and provides something both educational and hilarious. He has provided insight into the recent "stinky piss" post by providing us with asparagus facts. Turns out not all of us can produce the smelly pee--OR smell it! Very interesting. Mad props to AA--who is genuinely one of the smartest people I know!!

So I checked to Google searches again last night, just to keep up on what people are plugging into the engine. I was surprised and wanted to share the Top 5 with you.

1. Patio furniture
2. Seduction tips
3. Grilling accessories
4. Sassy sleepware
5. MP3 downloads

It could be embarrassing (and downright painful) to mix up some of those interests! (Although some people are into that kind of stuff: sassy sleepware and a big grill spatula..... freaky if you ask me!)

Once again, I'm confused (and this time a little offended) by the search results that have brought people to my blog. I can't even figure out why someone might have entered this particular phrase into a yahoo search, but... It got them to visit me:

BALD TACO

No laughing allowed--especially from you c@it!!

Just finished Nick Hornby's novel "Songbook." It was a great collection of essays about his love for and observations about music. He's well-versed and, I'm happy to say, listens to a lot of the same things I listen to--or would it be more accurate to say it the other way around?? Anyway, I wanted to provide a couple excerpts. They are, admittedly, lengthy, but worth it--especially since most of you will never read the book.

"When I was fifteen, it was satisfyingly hard to hear the music I loved. It wasn't played in supermarkets or on airplanes; it wasn't blasted out of passing cars; there wasn't a TV station devoted to it. To listen to Led Zeppelin in 1972 I had to be in my bedroom, and I liked it that way. If you are fifteen now, what must it be like for the music you love to be dogging your every step? I don't have the figures on hand, but it seems unlikely that 'Yesterday' received as much exposure during the first five years of its life as the latest Destiny's Child single has in the last couple of weeks."

In the next essay, Hornby decided to buy and listen to all the albums in Billboard's July 28, 2001 Top 10. The list, including Destiny's Child, Linkin Park, D12, P Diddy, and Blink 182, pushed Hornby outside his normal listening genre--and provided him with great content for this essay. Here's a piece:

"The single biggest influence on most of these artists, according to the acknowledgments in their liner notes, is....Actually, let's see if you can guess. Who do you think is at least partially responsible for such songs as "Where The Party At, " "Bootylicious," "Bad Boy For Life," "American Psycho," "The Girlies," and "Pimp Like Me"? Who do you think inspired the rapper on D12's "Ain't Nuttin' But Music" ("Independent women in the house / Show us your tits and shut your motherf@*ing mouth" --a chummy reference, presumably, to Destiny's Child, whose hit "Independent Women Part 1" opens the 'Survivor' album)? Give up? Okay. You may well be surprised to learn that the very first person thanked in the liner notes of the CDs containing these gems is the Almighty Himself. He gets thanked on seven of the ten albums, by sixteen different contributing artists."

One last piece. I've always thought about some music as being something bigger than just a song--bigger than just something someone recorded or came up with. Some music seems to have this "out there" effect on me--and presumably, plenty of other people too. Hornby opens one chapter, about Rufus Wainwright, addressing this idea.

"I try not to believe in God, of course, but sometimes things happen in music, in songs, that bring me up short, make me do a double take. When things add up to more than the sum of their parts, when the effects achieved are inexplicable, then atheists like me start to get into difficult territory."

Laundry is scattered around my room right now... It's my typical Friday chore! I've also had a problem with blowing a fuse lately. Virtually everytime I try to use the microwave I blow a fuse and have to trek downstairs to flip the switch. Anyone with more household know-how than myself have insight or suggestions for me? (I'm growing though--at least I now know what peppercorns are used for!)

posted by -tr0y- @ 4:39 PM

I had a great night! Played at "Rockies" tonight--just did three songs for this open mic thing, which I vowed I was finished with for the rest of my life. A few of the guys I've started to get to know around here though go a lot, so I have joined them and it's actually quite fun. I'm getting connected with quite a few artists and musicians in the area here. That's a big help!

Some guy tonight sang this rediculous song in half spanish, half english, thinking he was funny and clever. He had words like "Yo soy so horny" and stupid crap like that. Everyone in the place looked at him with contempt and disgust--then he did two more songs. Those kinds of things are painful!

OK--gotta give you a few pieces of news that are entertaining!!

1. Woman Bites Off Part of Boyfriend's Tongue

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A little too much passion, perhaps. A St. Paul woman who became frightened Wednesday morning when her boyfriend squeezed her too tightly while they kissed bit off part of his tongue, police said. ``I guess I bit down too hard,'' the woman told officers, explaining that she has been victimized by men.

The woman, who is 43, was arrested for assault and could be charged Thursday in Ramsey County, investigators said.

The man who was bitten, who is 47 and also from St. Paul, walked with the woman from her home to a restaurant, where they called police around 3:10 a.m. He was taken to Regions Hospital, where he was treated and released.

Officers went to the woman's home to look for the tongue, but they couldn't find it.

The woman, who had been drinking with her boyfriend, told them she doesn't remember what happened to the end of his tongue. Police estimate that it measured about 1.5 inches.

She might have swallowed it, the woman said.


2. 'She-Pee' Urinals Bring Relief to Festival-Goers

LONDON (Reuters) Female revelers at Britain's outdoor Glastonbury Festival will be able to enjoy this year's show without straining their bladders -- courtesy of stand-up urinals.

Organizers have installed two sets of the urinals around the main Pyramid stage for the exclusive use of women, complete with "concierge" attendants to ensure a dignified experience.

Key to the arrangement is a special, anatomically shaped funnel to be handed out to each user.

"There are plenty of places the men can go and have a pee when they're right in the middle of the festival and not near some of the proper toilets. These are the female equivalent of that," said a spokesman for the festival.

"It's equality for women, basically."

The pink-colored urinals, dubbed "She-pee" by the festival organizers, will be unveiled in a pink ribbon-cutting ceremony at midday on Wednesday, ahead of the three-day event at Pilton, in Somerset, southern England which starts on June 25.

The spokesman said the urinals had been used at other festivals, including in the Netherlands.

"They are well-tested," he said.


Got a piece of mail today from c@it that was SOOOO sweet. I am the proud owner (and wearer) of a black bracelet and I also have a clear/sparkly one to give to someone special some day! I also have a pic of a fatty cat and a great cat card/stationery. You too can check out Maximilian if you would like! c@it would love some internet love directed towards the feline I'm sure.

Internet has been sucky tonight. Keep getting booted--but I am glad I could sneak this post in. I'll write more tomorrow--day off!!

w0000t!

posted by -tr0y- @ 2:58 AM

Just returned from "Blues On The Mall," a 10-week concert series in downtown GR. I actually had forgotten about it until I was driving home and a few guys stopped me at a stoplight and asked if i was gonna meet them down there. So I finished my drive home and started walking after I parked the car. The more time I spend here, the more I get a handle on the diversity. A few people actually call this series "Freaks On The Mall." I think I might have seen the lead singer of Warrent and Quiet Riot tonight--in FULL 80s leather and boots. Scary!

Eating a pasta salad currently, including my favorite vegetable: asparagus. C@it and I talked about that wonderful food today and she confirmed something I have been telling friends about for a long time--it makes your pee pee smell bad. (Or, as she colorfully says it: stinky piss...) People don't believe me. Along with a slight green discoloration, your urine (try saying those two words outloud real fast a couple times...) smells bad!! I'm sure none of you will be leaving comments on how exactly things are going for me and my pee--and I'm confident I won't be telling you. But for those doubters about the effects of asparagus, now I have another person to attest.

posted by -tr0y- @ 9:36 PM

WOW!!!

What happened yesterday at thebaldtrain? I had 13 people stop by the site. That's unheard of! Not only that, but I didn't even post anything new. Haven't for a few days unfortunately.

I was gone virtually the whole weekend--except for the late nights, that I spent chatting it up with c@it. I went to a film festival on Saturday (which I will "review" later on--I'm at work and don't have a ton of time...sssshhhhhh!!) and to Amish Aaron's on Sunday. His oldest girl--and the most precious being on the planet--had a ballet recital. Amelia is 4 and always brings life and joy and hope into my life. It's so humbling to have someone THAT excited to see me.

While we were in the recital it started to rain. Not that big of a deal. Well, except that it was gorgeous out up until we went inside, so Uncle tr0y left his sunroof and windows open. It was miserable riding home. It's since dried out enough, but now it's starting to smell pretty bad. Luckily I think girls like riding in a car that smells like moldy gym shorts with a bald guy. So I have nothing to worry about.

I don't know why I complain about small things like that. Having a car with wet seats surely isn't tragic. Sorry I waste our time with small details like that.

But not sorry enough to erase it from the post....

posted by -tr0y- @ 9:17 AM