the complaining annex

7 reasons The Sing-Off is better than Glee

2010-11-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Last winter, I tuned in to NBC's The Sing-Off, for the same reason I do most television shows...to ridicule it mercilessly. I was met, however, with a surprisingly good competition show that struck a chord (pun fully intended) with that high-school version of me that used to sing with my friends in the hallways of our school.

Likewise, I am constantly told by some of those same friends that my hatred for the show Glee is just my way of covering up that part of my youth as if I am ashamed of it or something.

So, in order to set the record straight, and do my part to promote a fun show, I present:

7 Reasons That The Sing-Off is Better Than Glee

1) No Over-Production - It's just vocals. Recorded live. No invisible instruments. No phantom background tracks. No "studio-produced" vocal tracks that make everything creepily and unnaturally perfect. The kids on Glee are talented. But, the contestants on The Sing-Off don't get the benefit of Taylor Swift-like post-production to make them sound great.

2) Ben Folds - He makes everything awesome. If he ever actually did an episode of Glee, I would probably have to watch it in its entirety. I pray to God that never happens. Plus, he knows a thing or two about a cappella music.

3) It's About The Singing - I have long maintained that Glee would be great if it were reduced to a 1/2 hour variety show. Lose the stereotypical characters. Forget about the tired and "topical" storylines (see #5 below). Just focus on the singing. 80% of the people who watch Glee will openly admit they only watch for the songs. So, why do the producers keep shilling out the other crap? Because they have to fill the gaps between songs and Jane Lynch punchlines with something. The Sing-Off is just the songs. Those gaps don't exist. It is simply...what Glee should be.

4) No Stereotypes/Gimmicks - The first season of The Sing-Off celebrated diversity. Like REAL diversity. Not the "I'm free to be myself as long as 'myself' is an outcast of some sort or another" type, but real, honest to goodness, variation in humanity. Honestly, I would rather pay attention to the ladies of Maxx Factor (right) or winners (and Puerto Rico natives) Nota (above) than ANY combination of blonde cheerleader, mis- understood drama queen and overly-effeminate gay kid.

5) No Mundane/Forced Storylines - No one on The Sing-Off would ever need to dance like Beyonce to kick a football. I think that about sums it up.

6) The Swan Song - The Sing-Off is smart enough to know when to walk away. The first season was only 4 episodes. Admittedly, that's probably because the producers had no idea if the idea would fly. This season is 8 episodes. The perfect number if you ask me. Get in. Crown a winner. Move on. Leave the audience wanting more. As opposed to, say, coming up with more and more superfluous scenarios, themed episodes and guest stars to throw at the audience to fill 22 shows a year. Come on, Glee. Even the worst offender of all time, Will and Grace, waited a couple of full seasons before it started down that long and winding red-carpet of shame.

7) Sloppy Seconds - Arguably, the best part about Glee this entire season has been the introduction of a new rival school, Dalton Academy....whose background vocals are actually performed by the runners-up from last year's The Sing-Off. So, Glee owes the success of its most interesting current attraction to 4 episodes of a legit talent show from last December.

So, there you have it. Tune in tonight on NBC to see clever arrangements, true group dynamics and, above all, great talent, the way it should be.

Slurpees not included.

the joys of driving: boston edition

2010-09-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

so, tonight, i embarked on a simple driving task. all i had to do was go from beck's work in cambridge ("A" on the map below) to the marriott long wharf in boston ("B").

in short, this is what i tried to do:

(click to see larger version)

...and...thanks to the brilliant layout of one-way roads and hidden ramps, this is the route that i actually took:

this is, indeed, why God invented the subway.

my musical childhood...as seen on youtube

2010-08-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

when i was growing up, music was a big part of my life. it would go on to be one of driving forces behind most everything i do and, to this day, music remains a cornerstone of my present daily life and my past, cherished memories.

but, as much as i pride myself in the finely-tuned and varied musical tastes i have acquired and held on to over the years...the beginning was...well, frankly, embarrassing.

inspired by a facebook gesture from my lovely wife, a recent search through everyone's favorite online depository of brilliance, youtube.com, allowed me to rediscover a song i hadn't thought of in quite some time. it was a song that was a staple in my house growing up. and it got me thinking:

"what were the top 10 songs of my childhood?"

of course, it wouldn't be legit unless i stuck to some sort of self-deprecating criteria like "number of times listened to" as opposed to something lame like "favorite."

so, sit back and imagine a 7-9 year-old me sitting in my basement or in my yellow shag-covered living room huddled next to either this:

...this:
...or, depending on the level of awesomeness, this:

...and enjoy the "top 10 songs, by sheer number of plays, of my childhood...as found on youtube."

(in no particular order and with no particular sense of dignity)

10) lionel richie - "you are" 1982

the one that got me thinking about this whole thing. the song is pure, infectious pop-romance. lionel owned my childhood. he was the first concert i ever attended. that said, the only thing more embarrassing than this starting off the list...is the fact that this is only ONE of two lionel songs on the list. of course, the only thing cheesier than two lionel richie songs is...

9) barry manilow - "copacabana" 1978

...two barry manilow songs. the first of which, of course, being the classic and tragic story of lola, rico and rico's diamond earring. i heard this song in a gap at the mall about 8 years ago and was horrified when i knew every word even after not hearing it for more than a decade prior.

8) julian lennon - "too late for goodbyes" 1984

john's little boy produced the second 45 record i ever purchased. i don't know why i loved it...but i did. and i listened to it all the time.

7) kenny rogers - "the gambler" 1978

dad listened to country music on the am radio. real country. he grew out of that shortly after i did, but some of it stuck. to this day, i can't hear "the gambler" without thinking of that 8-track cartridge and my neighbor getting annoyed while babysitting me because i wanted to listen to it again...and again...and again.

6) jeffrey osborne - "on the wings of love" 1982

i have no real comment about this one. it just is what it is.

5) michael jackson - "billie jean" 1982

honorable mention goes to the entire "thriller" album. i wore that thing out. but "billie jean" has been and always will be my favorite mj track. there were millions of white suburban kids just like me all over the country. and for good reason.

4) alabama - "mountain music" 1982

say what you will, the boys from alabama could write a catchy tune. one of the greatest little surprises of combining cd collections with my wife a few years ago was the fact that i instantly owned alabama's greatest hits...something i hadn't had since ronald reagan was in office. grandma and grandpa didn't actually used to play it like this...but it still holds a place in my heart.

3) stevie wonder and paul mccartney - "ebony and ivory" 1982

i was probably too young to know how awesome this song truly was. the former beatle and motown's favorite son combining on an uber-cheestastic ode to racial harmony. how popular music continued on in the shadow of this masterpiece is beyond me.

2) barry manilow - "mandy" 1974

i remember all my life
raining down as cold as ice
a shadow of a man
a face through a window
crying in the night
the night goes into

morning, just another day
happy people pass my way
looking in their eyes
i see a memory
i never realized
you made me so happy, oh mandy

1) lionel richie - "all night long (all night)" 1983

if you listened to this song a million times...not only would you not even come close to the number of times i listened to it, but i also guarantee that it will be impossible for you to have a miserable life. i don't throw around the word "transformative" to often...but sometimes, you just have to call it what it is.

world cup fever

2010-06-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

i have to say i have really been enjoying the festivities in south africa the last 6 days. people have tried to make it a point to complain about everything from the low scores to the new design ball to, of course, the dreaded vuvuzela.

none of these things have bothered me. which i know, given the very nature of this particular blog, seems as foreign as the names on the back of the cote d'ivoire players.

i'm not really going to spend a ton of effort breaking down the matches that have happened or highlight the upsets or the fact that my wildcard (uruguay) is kicking some butt right now. no, the entire purpose of this blog post is simply and hopefully to annoy every last one of you with the new "vuvu-roll." for those of you whose computer volume was already up, welcome to your internet nightmare for the next month or so.

EDIT: if you missed it, go here.

Go U.S.A.! C'mon, England.

how i spent my memorial day weekend

2010-05-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

it's been a while. but this belonged here and not somewhere else in cyberspace.

we have officially tackled the last untouched room on the 2nd floor of the house. see previous attacks here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here; not pictured: the painting of the dining room and kitchen.)

clearly, this was small potatoes compared to some of the other projects, but it still took some work. the sunroom needed some love so we could turn it into the new office. the old office, of course, will become the nursery. first, i had to run power to the sunroom since it didn't have any. the easiest way to do that was to cut out a chunk of the back stairwell plaster (vomit!) and run a new line to the basement from there.

a hole was cut in the old wall board of the house and an outlet box was installed and properly insulated (the subtitle of this project is "how to avoid all possible drafts"...it gets cold in the sunroom in the winter.) and two new breakers were added to the breaker panel in the basement and viola...electricity.

a second outlet was run to the other side behind what will be the new baseboard.

speaking of drafts, something needed to be done about the open seam at the top of the ceiling (at the old exterior wall of the house. it pretty much just goes straight into a crawl space on the third floor and lets anything (bugs, cold, etc.) in.

but, we'll get to that. first, the room needed to be painted.

before:

after:

and now, back to that ceiling seam. well, a nice sealed crown board ought to do the trick.

so, it was mostly just painting and some baseboard work. and the electrical.

either way, we are going to replace the old (unused) door to the stairwell before we block it off with a new bookcase. the computer will move soon and work will begin on filling the nursery.

that's all for now. peace.

RE: oscars 2010

2010-02-03T05:05:00.000-08:00

to whom it may concern,

in a complete unwillingness to overcome the fact that i a) can't bring myself to care, even remotely, about most of this year's oscar nominations b) cannot even express how ridiculous it is to have 10 best picture nominees c) will not be able to see more than a handful of the nominated movies anyway and d) won't even be watching this year's telecast....i will not be doing any oscar predictions this year.

the only thing that interests me at all about this year's show is steve martin and alec baldwin. and the fact that i will be missing them, saddens me slightly. also, that christoph waltz should and will win for best supporting actor.

other than that, you're on your own.

we apologize for any inconvenience. better luck next year.

-cade

stop & shop is killing the planet

2009-11-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

our nearest grocery store is a stop & shop. stop & shop is one of the 3 main chains in this area and is widely regarded as the middle of the road option (not the most expensive, not the cheapest, etc.) i really have no issue with them as a corporation or a business. they have recently installed a system where you can scan the items in your cart as you go and then just pay on the way out. saves time. super-convenient. they do alright.

but i have always hated one thing about shopping there. that is, simply, their receipts are ludicrously and unnecessarily long. i mean, it's truly ridiculous.

for example, today, we went in and picked up a bag of these:

...and one of these:

...and, in return, got this:

a little much, don't you think, stop & shop?

travelogue: visiting the beautiful north shore - part 3: what to do

2009-10-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

the beautiful route 1 corridor in saugus and peabody, mass. is a stunning stretch of roadway filled with charming places to stay and wonderful dining establishments. in this third and final installment of "travelogue," we explore the many, many entertainment options available to you during your stay.

enjoy.

overview: you don't have to fork over a lot of money to have a good time along route 1. with a little imagination, you can find all kinds of things to keep you and your family busy for several, action-packed days. as always, we have reviewed some of the best options for so all you have to do is show up.

so, here are our picks:

1) route 1 miniature golf

thrifty travelers could spend an entire vacation's worth of activity time at this landmark sports and entertainment complex near the route 1/route 99 interchange. miniature golf. batting cages. a dairy castle...the options really are endless.

but, it is the golf course's famous resident, the big orange dinosaur, that the masses flood to for the ultimate thrill. the iconic sentinel (he stoically overlooks route 1) has been the target of vandals and adoring fans for generations. but he is not alone. humpty-dumpty and other storybook friends also keep visitors entertained on the links.

2) hockey town, usa

some say that the hockey at hockey town, usa is just a bunch of kids on skates having fun. to that, we say "pish." what the locals don't want you to know is that when you are in saugus and are looking for a good fight, this is the place to go. don't let the youth league atmosphere fool you...these hocksters are vicious.

non-traditional thrill seekers, you're welcome.

3) db's golden banana

with all due respect to the "continuous entertainment" at nearby cabaret, there is only ONE place to go when you are looking for a more sophisticated place to spend your entertainment dollar along route 1. located among some of the nicer trailer parks in the peabody highlands, the banana is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy the show. and, just as the exterior suggests...this place is all class.

just don't ask to see db's actual golden banana. apparently, that's a touchy subject.

4) car wash

in the event that you are lucky enough that your trip falls in the middle of the week, make sure you check out wacky wednesday at car wash. you will NOT regret it. we promise.

and, while you're there, you could always check out amateur night at nearby cabaret...just don't tell db.

5) fountain of life church/spice closet

we have received many requests for suggestions for other miscellaneous activities along route 1 that are important to some travelers. places of worship. adult novelty shops. those sort of things. well, we are happy to give you suggestions for not only each of these...but for BOTH of them.

the fountain of life apostolic church is located conveniently smack next door to the very popular spice closet boutique. bring the family. make a day of it.

saugus is nothing if not accommodating.

we wish you luck on your trip and look forward to hearing all about the wonderful experiences you will have when you visit one of the most charmed and lovely areas our nation has to offer. bon voyage.

2009 network tv dead pool

2009-09-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

i've wanted to do this for a few years now, but haven't gotten around to it due to poor timing and monumental laziness. anyway, here it is:

this is simply a pool where we each chose a show that is new to the 2009 fall tv line-up and whoever's show gets canceled first....wins some sort of prize that will be determined at a later date. simply comment on this post with the show you wish to chose and wait for the axe to fall. first come, first serve.

here are the shows:

8) ~~accidentally on purpose (cbs)~~ jenny
3) er ~~trauma (nbc)~~ rcade
9) ~~melrose place (the cw)~~ bruiser
- v (abc) pix
- ncis: los angeles (cbs) judy
- the good wife (cbs) s
11) ~~the forgotten (abc)~~ bg
- glee (fox) buerger
7) ~~er mercy (nbc)~~ cade
1) ~~the beautiful life (the cw)~~
2) ~~eastwick (abc)~~ leanne
4) ~~hank (abc)~~ dan
- the middle (abc) kroeker
- modern family (abc)
- cougar town (abc) jessie
10) ~~flash forward (abc)~~ carrie
- the vampire diaries (the cw)
- community (nbc)
5) ~~brothers (fox)~~ care
- the cleveland show (fox) dave
6) ~~three rivers (cbs)~~ james

choose wisely. and if you can't or don't want to leave a comment here...you may send me a message on facebook.

disclaimer: only new shows on network stations are included. no cable shows, for obvious reasons. also, reality shows are not included, because it is typically impossible to cancel a reality show mid-season. i will wait until the 5th choice is in before i make mine as to not cherry pick any obvious picks.

well...they tried

2009-09-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

dear readers, the annex is proud (and somewhat horrified) to present to you...

...the 10 worst tributes to michael jackson available FOR PURCHASE on etsy.com:

10.
this simple t-shirt captures a young michael before he started all those chin reconstruction surgeries. but surprisingly, AFTER he had his nose and lips done.

we know that the official cause of death had something to do with propofol...but we're pretty sure that thing behind him in this picture didn't help.

we debated including this one because we couldn't decide whether this was actually michael or some tribute to yoko ono. we assume it's michael.

7.
just...beautiful.

6.
we know what you're thinking...but it's a finger puppet.

5.
this must have taken forever to get right.

we finally see what mama-se mama-sa ma-ma coo-sa is all about.

3.

our thoughts exactly.

umm....awesome?

1.
yep. that's elvis welcoming michael into the great beyond. we can only hope we all get this exact reception.

bands i'm done with - volume 2

2009-09-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

today's band: owl city

seriously? are you just trying to be a whinier, less interesting version of ben gibbard from death cab for cutie?

well, mission accomplished.

maybe i would have cared in 2004.

either way...done.

travelogue: visiting the beautiful north shore - part 2: what to eat

2009-09-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

in our previous segment, we explored the varied and majestic hotels that line beautiful route 1 in saugus and peabody. now that you have chosen a place to stay, we intend to give you some helpful information on choosing from the many wonderful dining opportunities along this historic corridor.

enjoy.

overview: there is no shortage of quality restaurants to choose from in this area. the fare covers a wide range of tastes and aesthetics. italian, asian, mediteraenian, german, mass amounts of raw beef...you name it, you can get it. and more than likely, it's going to be found under some sort of giant, gaudy, over-the-top enormo-sign. and for your convenience, we have weeded through the 18 dunkin' donuts and multiple mcdonald's to bring you our top picks.

so, here they are:

1) hilltop steak house ($$)

frank giuffrida is a legend in massachusetts. so much so, that no one can really agree on what that legend truly is. well, whether or not the new management has, in fact, stopped allowing the giuffrida family from dining a gratis after years of such favor has little to do with the food...which used to be great.

if you want a kitschy dining experience from a staff that cares less and less each year about the once iconic steak house, then this the place for you. just look for the enormous cactus bearing the name of a mythic man who is surely turning over in his grave.

2) prince pizzeria (and comedy club) ($$)

family owned and operated for roughly 400 years, prince pizzeria boasts a very popular line up of pizza...which can be enjoyed while taking in some local comedy in the attached giggles comedy club.

but if pizza and laughs aren't your thing, don't worry...crushing bitterness and apathy are available upon request.

3) kowloon ($$)

however, if you're like us and LOVE amateur comedy...but want something a little more exotic than traditional italain fare...then, kowloon is the place for you.

its ecclectic mix of asian dishes and themed rooms (tiki lagoon!) make this unique gem a must for any self-respecting foodie visiting the area. add in kowloon komedy nights and cheap scorpion bowls and you have to be without a pulse to NOT have a great time.

4) donatello ristorante ($$$)

men in suits have prevented us from actually eating here on multiple occasions so a proper review is not possible. it must be good, though. it's always full, if not a tad on the dark side.

so, we'll just say that this is probably the best italian restaurant you will ever eat at.

5) karl's sausage kitchen ($$)

we have never heard anything but great things about karl's sausage. in fact, we've been told that karl's sausage is the best in new england. we're just going to trust that that's true.

6) bel-aire diner ($)

the bel-aire offers patrons a chance to enjoy classic diner fare in the confines of a sleek, nostaglic setting and is a real treat to experience. management closed the diner down in 2005 to embark on what will surely be a historic and breathtaking rennovation project that 4 years in and counting...promises to change the way we americans view the classic diner.

we, for one, cannot wait to see the results.

happy eating!

editor's note:, at press time, the editors were unable to visit the brand new sonic drive-in located on route 1 north in peabody due to the excessive (2+ hour) wait times. sorry for any inconvenience.

bands i am done with

2009-08-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

it's time for a new segment here at the annex. bands i am done with is an effort to create a complete list of new bands that seem to get a lot of love but are, in fact, not that great.

there are a handful of bands out right now that have caused me to consider making this segment. but, none have baffled me more than our first installment:

airborne toxic event

a.t.e. (as our local, independent radio station likes to call them) burst onto the scene in 2008 with the song "sometime around midnight." it's like a combination of early snow patrol and the late, great josh joplin group (both of which i like) all thrown together in an angsty little emo stew.

and i can't stand angsty little emo stew. we get it...you're in pain.

but, i tend to try not to judge a band on one song, so a.t.e. had their chance to redeem themselves, though, with the follow-up single "wishing well." unfortunately for them, the song does nothing for me.

so, i'm left with only one choice...to be done with airborne toxic event. i'm sure they're nice guys. i just don't care.

it's been a while AKA: CADE'S FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

2009-08-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

in this long-awaited return edition of FALL MOVIE PREVIEW, we look at some of the biggest movies to grace our local multiplexes this fall and early winter. if you don't see a movie that you want to see...that's probably because it's either not worth my effort or just plain terrible. if it's the former, i apologize. if it's the latter, get better taste. either way, enjoy.

(reminder of my ratings scale: *=awful, **=not good, ***=tolerable, ****=okay, *****=might be worth seeing)

WARNING: possible spoilers included. (i.e. amelia dies at the end of AMELIA.)

ALL ABOUT STEVE (9/4) with all due respect to the sudden success of bradley cooper's career (and not to take anything away from co-star sandra bullock) this movie starts the preview because of the fact that it kicks off the fall with a role from none other than ken jeong. don't know who that is? impossible. since, apparently, you can't make a movie without him...(or a tv show either for that matter.) settle in. the age of jeong is at hand. get on board or get run over. ***

EXTRACT (9/4) mike judge, jason bateman, mila kunis, kristen wiig, gene simmons...what's not to love? well...ben affleck's in it too, but i remain hopeful. *****

9 (9/9) this big screen version of maury yetson's award-winning broadway musical boasts....wait....that's THIS nine. well, what is this one then? oh, it's that kinda cool, oscar-winning animated short from a few years ago? and tim burton's producing it? sounds good to me. ****

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (9/23)

dear michael moore,

we get it. you are unhappy with the world we live in. please make a decent movie for a change.

sincerely,
everyone.

**

THE INVENTION OF LYING (9/25) ricky gervais claims this is "the funniest episode of the twilight zone ever." i'm in. ****

SHUTTER ISLAND (10/2) it's about time martin scorcese and leonardo dicaprio made a movie together. ***

MORE THAN A GAME (10/2) starring lebron james.... ? *

COUPLES RETREAT (10/9) the ken jeong train rolls on. don't even try and stop it. jeong not enough to get you to see this? well, how about this? it was written by jon favreau and vince vaughn. if you are at all like me, you like...nay...you LOVE anything that is written by jon favreau and vince vaughn. ****

WHIP IT (10/9) despite the fact that i like several of the people involved in this roller derby comedy directed by drew barrymore...it's still a roller derby comedy directed by drew barrymore. **

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (10/16) my man-crush on director spike jonze prevents me from making any snarky comment about this movie. it looks spectacular. *****

THE ROAD (10/16) the feel-good movie of the year finally makes it to theaters. brings the kids. they're gonna love this one. *****

THIS IS IT (10/28) all bets on whether mj can pull a "heath ledger" this oscar season are off. i just hope it's as good as captain eo. ***

ZOMBIELAND (10/9) after wrapping this lighter-than-it-sounds flick, woody harrelson was so immersed in the movie's world that he claimed to have mistaken a new york photographer for a zombie...and decked him. well, if woody can get that wrapped up in it...i guess maybe i can too. or...maybe not. **

NINE (11/25) this big screen version of maury yetson's award-winning broadway musical boasts a pretty great cast and an experienced director. i don't expect a lot of my friends to beat a path to see this...but i may just check it out anyway. ****

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON (11/20) something about vampires... honestly, the only thing that interests me about this "saga" is finding out just HOW uninterested i can become in it. it's like a personal challenge. and i bet i succeed brilliantly. *

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (11/13) personal hero, wes anderson's, long awaited telling of the classic roald dahl story finally comes to...holy crap? it's ANIMATED!? i don't know, wes. i just don't know about this. ****

BROKEN EMBRACES (11/20) it's about time pedro almodóvar and penélope cruz made a movie together. ***

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (11/6) there is simply no way in the world this movie can live up to the awesomeness that its title forces on my brain. **

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (11/6) great. another version of a christmas carol. and just in time for...what...guy fawkes day? *

2012 (11/13) just when i had forgiven john cusack for doing america's sweethearts...he goes and does a roland emmerich movie. ROLAND "FRIGGIN" EMMERICH!! i hope the mayans were right just so we don't have to watch this man continue to get money to make (stargate possibly excepted) the worst movies ever. -*******

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (11/25) so, i guess disney decided that instead of actually shutting down its 2-D animation studios...it would rather reevaluate its entire 72 year history and FINALLY make a movie about black people. what's the matter disney? ebony skin too hard to render on a computer? *

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT (12/4) i literally know NOTHING about this movie. it's just nice to know that meg ryan is still alive out there somewhere. **

SHERLOCK HOLMES (12/25) comment not available. the author is too busy standing in line already to purchase tickets to this movie. *****

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKUEL (12/25) i hope you're happy, america. because of you, they made another one. *

that's all for this round. until next time, i'll see YOU at the movies. or, at least, sifting through the wastelands on netflix.

one sentence movie review: harry potter and the half-blood prince (aka "harry 6")

2009-07-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

love, love, love, death; i miss angry harry.

which is the more misunderstood musical instrument?

2009-07-16T08:17:00.001-07:00

the banjo? or the accordion?

vs

both are grossly confined to small, musical pigeon holes in most common people's minds. ask anyone on the street what they think of when they hear "banjo music" and nine times out of ten the answer will be something along the lines of "hillbilly (beverly or otherwise)," "bluegrass" or some variation on the "backwoods/deliverance" theme.

likewise with the accordion. "polka bands" or "parisian street music" will be the response with very little room for other answers.

personally, i feel both are done a great disservice in the whole of the musical universe. both can be, and have been, utilized quite nicely in genres other than their predestined stigma. but which is the MORE misunderstood of the two?

for me, it is probably the banjo. the soaring, metallic staccato in the right setting could be a wonderful addition to many songs in many genres. not just bluegrass or country. and a true banjo-virtuoso is a gorgeous thing to observe. and while i like a well placed accordion, i believe the banjo just has more range when all is said and done.

that is not to say that the accordion can't be used to great success in non-traditional ways as well. i've heard it...but it's probably just a little more tricky to pull it off.

anyway, just something i was thinking about. thoughts and more expert opinions are welcome.

when technology claims the things we love

2009-05-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

i have many hobbies. most of which deal with the collecting of specific groups of items and all of which are, at the very best, half-assed.

over the years, i have collected everything from matchbooks to pint glasses to coins and paper money, subway tokens, comic books, vinyl records, funny hats and ticket stubs. some of these items, i still actively pursue. others, i have abandoned or they have abandoned me*. i don't remember the last time i grabbed a matchbook simply to keep it. of course, given that smoking is now prohibited in many of the locales where i once would have found a matchbook, it was not hard to walk away from that particular hobby. and they don't even make subway tokens anymore.

which leads me to my point. the one, constant collection i have maintained since my high school days is that of ticket stubs and programs. i love having a tangible and wholly unique reminder of the things and events that i have been able to see over the years. i distinctly remember a large coca-cola bottle shaped bank that i had growing up, which was never more than an inch or so full of actual money...but often times filled more so with worn stubs to the various movies i had seen throughout junior high and high school (the oldest one that i recall was for back to the future II at the old dickinson cinema 8 in my hometown). most of these didn't survive the abuse of being thrown in amongst pennies and dimes for years and years and thereby went the way of the trash can with little to no fanfare. but in and among those little movie stubs was a thin, paper ticket to a live production of cats in london's west end that i had seen on a high school choir trip the summer after my junior year.

i'm not sure the exact day, but i clearly remember looking at that stub and thinking "man, that's getting beat up in that bank. maybe i should put it somewhere and try and keep it nice."

i found an old magnetic scrapbook in the attic and started putting ticket stubs in it. and just like that, a collection started.

to this day, i still have the same book. and though i have had to replace and add pages over the years, it still remains pretty much the same: theatre tickets in the front. then concerts. then a page of ku basketball tickets followed by baseball tickets from stadiums all over the country. then some random sports tickets. museum tickets followed by some special event tickets. one page with only my ticket to the world trade center observation deck from august, 2001. and finally in the back, some of the more interesting (in my mind) travel-related stubs, including my ticket from newark to london on that trip back in high school.

so what?

no real point, other than to say that i have noticed over the past couple of years it has become increasingly difficult to procure these tiny, paper mementos. with the dawn of the e-ticket, i have to pay special attention when ordering something to make sure that i am going to receive an actual ticket instead of an email link and instructions on how to print it out (conveniently) at home.

for the most part, i have been successful. but for how long? a couple of weeks ago, i ordered tickets to see one of my favorite bands, depeche mode, for the first time in 15 years. i specifically requested the tickets be sent to me via the mail and when i received them...they were actual tickets, but they don't look that much different than if i were to take my confirmation email to kinkos ** and have them print it off on standard printer paper.

so, how much longer before the "old-style" ticket stub goes the way of the subway token?

i guess, like any true collector, i can't let that stop me. as long as there is a printer hooked up to my computer, i suppose i'm all set.

it just won't be the same.

* - i even started collecting dollar tokens from casinos in las vegas...until they stopped making them altogether as well.

** - or some other place that's not kinkos.

change we can believe in

2009-05-06T16:59:00.001-07:00

ballpark review

2009-04-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

CITI FIELD - Flushing, NY

nationals vs mets - april 25 2009 - i may have been the only person in america that was sad to see shea stadium go. but that only lasted a day or two. now the mets have a fantastic new home and shea is a parking lot. citi field is cozy and comfortable and it is a very nice place to enjoy a game. the seats are all close (if not blocked by railings that are just a little too high) to the field and there is something to do or see seemingly everywhere you look. the outfield is huge, which makes the new, much larger apple a bit of a rarer beast. maybe it was the fact that this is the first mets game i've been to that wasn't brain-meltingly hot or subjected to freezing rain, but i had a great time.

atmosphere: 7.5

viewability: 9

architecture: 8

peanuts: 8

so, since i've been neglecting my blog lately

2009-04-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

...i've decided to spice it up a little.

so here is some cyber-sex related comedy that might be the funniest thing i've read in a long, long time.

my apologies to those that this might offend. if you think it's in bad taste...you can't say that you weren't warned.

2009-02-27T23:34:00.000-08:00

friday, february 27th, 9:03pm, studio live, foxboro, ma

p.s.
something's always wrong
whatever i fear
woodburning
crowing
good intentions
butterflies/within you without you
windmills
way away
know me
nanci
nightingale song
come back down
don't fade
all i want
little man big man
inside
fall down
come down
crazy life
+ walk on the ocean
_________________________

one spectacular evening

travelogue: visiting the beautiful north shore - part 1: where to stay

2009-02-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

most people immediately think of a few specific things when they think of the boston area: paul revere, the red sox, beans....that sort of thing. well, we here at the annex have decided to start a new series of travelouges that will open up some of the finer, lesser-known attributes of this wonderful part of the country. but, we want to stay away from the touristy duck-boat tours and museums that tend be crowded and overwhelming and will, instead, focus on some of the wonderful areas just north of the city. specifically, the saugus/peabody corridor of route 1.

enjoy.

overview: lodging along route 1 is plentiful. quaint, locally owned establishments dot the area like a field of glistening sunflowers. frugal travelers will want to stay away from more high-end places like the james motel and the colonial traveler motor court which are situated just a little too close to some of the more posh and uppity areas of malden. instead, focus on some of the gems hidden in plain view along lovely route 1.

here are some of our top picks:

1) chisholm's motor inn

don't let the fact that it looks exactly like the creepy motel in the john cusack movie, identity, deter you from the charms of this wonderful place. it has a jacuzzi AND a hot tub. and it's easy to get a room here. i've driven by it hundreds of times in the years i've lived here and it ALWAYS has vacancy. how's THAT for convenience?

but it's really this hotel's proximity to route 1 mini-golf ("home of the orange dinosaur" - watch for a feature in future installments) that makes this a truly worthwhile experience.

2) fern's deluxe motels

you want privacy? you got privacy.

this charming stop located just steps from chisholm's motor inn boasts world-famous, semi-private bungelows. all outfitted with free HBO and unparalleled comfort.

check with the front desk upon arrival and inquire about the "new room" (just don't ask what happened in the "old room") or see if you qualify for one of their classic "owrates."

complimentary rodent traps available by request.

3) new englander motor court

though technically not along the corridor (it's located on adjacent, and equally spectacular route 99) and though in the same, upscale neighborhood as the motels in the overview, the new englander simply HAD to be included on our list due to one, unavoidable fact...this editor LOVES motor courts.

maybe it's just that this particular establishment reminds me of some of the grand palaces (note: not THE grand palace) in missouri's scenic branson highlands of my youth.

or maybe, it's just because who doesn't love a good continental breakfast?

if the high-paced action of saugus is too much for you to truly relax and enjoy your trip...OR if you are just feeling a bit amorous and romantic, we suggest you make your way up route 1 to lovely peabody (pronounced "PEE-buhdy") and to...

4) mario's motor inn

share a tender moment with the one you love in one of mario's heart-shaped jacuzzis, or "luv tubs." weary travelers will also find the choice of "regular" or "round" beds refreshing following a hard day of perusing west peabody's many wonderful and eclectic boutiques.

mario's caters to a wide variety of customers so this is an ideal choice for those who enjoy people watching.

and there is no better way to take your mind off of trying to figure out why those hypodermic needles were in the parking lot than losing yourself in the warm glow of color television.

the annex's efforts to contact the management to investigate whether new ownership would affect the beloved charm of this classic new england establishment were not returned.

we hope you found this helpful. stay tuned for future editions that will outline the many fine dining and entertainment options along one of america's most beautiful and historic stretches of roadway.

iiiiiiiiiit's oscah-time!

2009-02-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

i have to start off by saying that i have issues with some of the noms this year (see notes at the bottom). in fact, overall, i feel this is a pretty blah year for the oscars. i have no personal heroes to root for. i wasn't blown away by anything i saw. i can't rightfully jump on board with any of the current, trendy campaigns.

in short, i'm trying to care. really, i am.

(warning: contains possible spoilers)

so, here we go:

FINAL SCORE: 16/24

supporting actor - alright...i'm sick of hearing about. i'm sorry...but i'm sick of it. that said, i think it is wrong of people to say that heath ledger was only nominated because he died. i disagree. i think he will WIN because he died...but his twisted and instantly memorable performance as the joker certainly deserves the nomination. there is simply no way the academy will dare go another direction.
winner: heath ledger; the dark knight
__

supporting actress - i love me some marisa tomei. and after her...ahem...performance* in the wrestler, i love me some even more. but if the mantle full of awards ms. cruz has already garnered for her role as an "eccentric" ex-wife has anything to say about it, i think the die is already cast. besides, i REALLY like vicky cristina barcelona and this is its only shot at nabbing a statue.
winner: penélope cruz; vicky cristina barcelona
__

actor - it's penn v. rourke in a clash for the ages. honestly, i have no idea which way the academy will go with this one. insiders claim that it's split pretty evenly. me? i'm going to flip a coin. heads, it's the fantastic harvey milk. tails, it's the triumphant randy "the ram."
flips coin
winner: mickey rourke; the wrestler
__

actress - for as much as oscar has seemingly loved kate winslet in her relatively young career, it's only been nominations for her to this point. her performance as a stifled 1950's housewife in revolutionary road was far better, in my humble opinion, than that of her turn as a former nazi guard. besides, to quote...well...kate winslet (from extras,) "how many more movies do we need about the holocaust? i mean, we get it, it was grim." but, for whatever reason, oscar loves the holocaust. even more than it loves meryl streep.
winner: kate winslet; ~~revolutionary road~~ the reader
__

director - despite david fincher (a beloved annex favorite) getting his first nomination for button, this is proving to be the most boring race in recent history. there's an outside chance that gus van sant could pull the harvey milkian upset here, but again, i am forced to go with the ever-overinflating "indie" bandwagon.
winner: danny boyle; slumdog millionaire
__

picture - for the record, i LIKED all...but did not LOVE any of the nominees this year. i imagine that i'm not going out on a limb by picking slumdog to win it. i would not be surprised if there is an upset here, but i'll be darned if i can pick one of the other four to pull it.
winner: slumdog millionaire
__

cinematography - simply put, button is the only of the nominees that i walked away from inspired by the photography. i fully expect to not be right, but i have to go with what i like. and i'm going with the rich and stylish new orleans that miranda gave us.

winner: claudio miranda; the curious case of benjamin button
__

art direction - as always, i'm going with the ONE that i haven't seen.
winner: michael carlin & rebecca alleway; the duchess
__

animated feature - if i even had the slightest of remote inklings that either bolt or kung-fu panda had a shot at winning this category...i would try and see them. but, since they don't...
winner: wall-e
__

animated short - presto is standard pixar magic. oktipodi is standard pixar magic...if it were made by europeans. lavatory-lovestory is cute, if not over simple. i love the concept of la maison, but give me creepy undertakers any day of the week.
winner: this way up
__

live action short - eeny, meeny, miney...holocaust.

winner: spielzeugland
__

foreign language film - too many previous awards to be ignored.
winner: waltz with bashir; israel
__

documentary feature - done. book it. moving on.
winner: man on wire
__

documentary short - cambodia, FTW!
winner: the conscience of nhem en
__

costume design - baz luhrmann + catherine martin = oscar.
winner: catherine martin; australia
__

make-up - i'm torn. part of me really wants to go with hellboy, but the other part understands how much of a slam dunk button is in this category.
winner: greg cannom; the curious case of benjamin button
__

original score - it's different. it's fresh. it's got tons of buzz. it will be copied over and over again ad nauseum for years to come. yep, it's a winner.
winner: a.r. rahman; slumdog millionaire
__

original song - i will forgo complaining about the fact that the academy took a major dump on this category by only having 3 nominees and omitting other worthy (and award-winning) songs from this past year, and just pick one. it's easy to think that the voters may cancel out the two slumdog songs, but i think that's a fallacy this time around. for the record, i really want newman and gabriel's "down to earth" to walk away with it, but i'm not going to put any money on it.
winner: "jai ho" from slumdog millionaire
__

film editing - multiple story lines. various time periods. kinetic action vs. static tension. there were things i didn't like about slumdog...the way is was put together (masterfully) was NOT one of them.
winner: chris dickens; slumdog millionaire
__

sound editing - gotham has never sounded more vibrant or more menacing.
winner: the dark knight
__

sound mixing - YOU try making a solitary and silent robot wandering a deserted planet entertaining. actually, i'm fairly certain that the dark knight will win this, but i'm holding out hope for my pick.
winner: wall-e
__

visual effects - superhero movies are supposed to be visually stunning, right? well, these two certainly were, but the gang on button made brad pitt look like a 70 year-old midget...convincingly. you can keep your explosions.
winner: the curious case of benjamin button
__

adapted screenplay - why not?
winner: simon beaufoy; slumdog millionaire
__

original screenplay - i'm a sucker for fast-paced, hard-to-understand accents...so naturally, i loved the script for in bruges. but, it will be the likable and tragicomic tale of the life and death of a certain charismatic gay activist that wins it.
winner: dustin lance black; milk
__

misc thoughts:
- i'm baffled by the praise over josh brolin's performance in milk. not that i didn't think it was great. i just don't see the big deal.

- this year's show has some serious "snoozefest" potential due to the fact that so many of the front runners are going to win. maybe we'll all be wrong...but i doubt it.

- can you even imagine if someone else wins for best supporting actor? how awkward would THAT speech be?

- at press time, i still haven't seen doubt, rachel getting married or the changeling but probably will before sunday. seeing them won't change my picks, but i thought it worth mentioning.

- i look forward to hugh jackman as host. he may be the only thing that keeps my interest.

maybe, i'm finally just THAT bitter and jaded. oh well. enjoy. and as always, you can't spell 'academy awards' without 'cade.' peace.

* - all "stripper" jokes aside, it really was great.

we're still here

2009-02-15T15:44:00.001-08:00

2009 oscar predictions are currently being compiled.

we thank you for your patience.

one sentence movie review

2009-01-31T20:17:00.000-08:00

today's movie: fireproof

why does "christian movie" always have to equal "awful movie"?

usa! usa!

2009-01-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

i meant to post this closer to returning from texas, but i just now got a hold of the picture. so without further ado...

...let freedom ring, people. let freedom ring.*

*- except for you, mexico. f' you.

some music-related notes

2009-01-12T06:42:00.001-08:00

- i can't get the new song from the killers out of my head. i basically must own this album as soon as possible.

- when "spaceman" is not running through my head...this is.

- every song on weezer's red album grows on me each time i hear it.

- i am trying to nail down the precise moment in the past few months...that i started liking the ting tings. i am completely confounded by this.

- ditto for the raconteurs (though that one can probably be traced to the first time i heard this song and is not nearly as confounding...as the raconteurs are great.)

- r.e.m.'s accelerate is a great album.

- i megaloathe scott weiland's new song.

- beck and i are going to see toad the wet sprocket next month. words can't describe how excited this makes me.

- i don't care what anyone says...incubus sucks.

fun with cade(s) in airports: holiday '08 edition

2008-12-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

aka: no flight through DFW goes unpunished.

WITH DIAGRAMS!!

using the above diagram, follow along with our latest trip through the dallas/ft. worth airport terminal A.

A) arrive DFW via gate A20 at 8:15 am.

B) proceed to nearest food court to have some breakfast and wait until flight to st. louis at 12:30 pm.

C) after breakfast, realize there is a 9:25 am flight to st. louis. proceed to gate A24 to see if it's possible to get on the earlier flight. we are told it is possible, but that our luggage could not be transferred. we ultimately decide to stay with our original flight.

D) walk to gate A11, await original flight. at roughly, 12pm we board our plane. 25 minutes later, due to a leak in the hydraulic system, our plane has to be taken out of service. we are asked to deplane and await further instructions.

E) another plane is found, we are told to move to gate A26. at approximately 1:45, we are informed that our new plane, unfortunately, must ALSO be taken out of service. american airlines is sorry for the inconvenience and appreciates our patience.

F) yet another plane is found and we return to gate A11. they begin boarding at about 2:45 pm, but almost immediately pull the people off of the jet bridge citing the fact that maintence has not yet cleared this aircraft. they apologize for the inconvenience. 10 minutes later, american airlines tells us that our third time is not, in fact, a charm. this plane is also taken out of service. our continued patience is appreciated.

G) a fourth plane (as if there are any actually left in all of dallas) is found and we are instructed to move our stuff to gate A20. so, we chuckle briefly at the irony that this is the gate we originally arrived at and head over.

H) at 3:45 pm, we are told to move one last gate over to A21 and begin boarding.

at 4:05 pm, we finally depart DFW en route to st. louis. our bags are the first ones off the carousel.

happy holidays.

yankees sign 1B mark teixiera...

2008-12-23T14:04:00.000-08:00

...cade finally gives up.

i haven't watched must baseball in the last couple of years.

even if the royals were worth paying attention to, i still would only get to see a handful of games. so, it's convenient that they are terrible.

and i have never fully bought in to the red sox while living here. i love going to fenway, but there is nothing about the team that calls to me (and for other reasons that i will get to in a moment.)

now...the much-hated yankees have spent almost a half a billion (yes...BILLION...with a "b") dollars on free agents and extensions this off-season to complement their already grotesque payroll*.

to say i'm sickened would be a horrible understatement.

this, of course, isn't an overnight phenomenon. but, for too long, i have overlooked the gross overspending in baseball today and chalked it up to "just the way it is." and as much as i hate the yankees, they aren't the only team ruining baseball. the red sox and even my second favorite team, the mets (not that it has done them any good), are also guilty of throwing silly amounts of money at players. and new clubs are crossing the $100 million threshold every year.

the point is, it's out of control. something needs to be done. baseball is not a game of the elite or privileged. it's a game of the common man. who can honestly find a hero in someone who whines and complains and gets their buddy scott** involved so that they can make even MORE of a ridiculous amount of money.

however you look at it, this over spending is an advantage that only a handful of teams have over the others. the pittsburgh pirates aren't going to magically come up with an extra $200 million to catch up with the yankees or the red sox. it's impossible. someone please explain to me how it is, therefore, not considered cheating. every team deserves the chance to compete or fail (depending on the competence of their general manager, of course) on the same level as every other team. it should be about smart decisions and talent management...not who can enable who to get the bigger house.

but more importantly...it's about the fact that no one needs to make $22 million a year. NO ONE. especially not athletes. it's ludicrous. it's vulgar. it's unethical.

sure, i will probably not give up completely on the game. i will probably still try and cross a couple of ballparks off of my list next year like i do every year, but that's a pride thing. i'm too close to quit now. but i'll be damned if i devote any more time and energy than that to the shallow shell that our nation's pastime has become.

implement a salary cap...or hemorrhage to death and start over, baseball. only one of these will bring me back.

* - with the signing of teixeira, and the recent aquisition of pitcher c.c. sabathia, the yankees now own the 4 highest paid players in the history of the game.

** - boras

no words

2008-12-14T11:37:00.001-08:00

excercise your music muscle

2008-12-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

there are the names of 74 bands in this picture.

how many can you find?

(i know that the image has been altered at the left...this is the only "full" version of the image i could find that was large enough to actually see.)

theatre review: boeing-boeing and spring awakening

2008-11-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

in this review, for the sake of brevity and fairness, i will reduce my review for each of these shows (now playing, for a limited time, on broadway) to one sentence.

boeing-boeing

classic madcap, farce-style comedy yields one of the surprisingly funniest things i have ever seen live...period. A

-------

spring awakening

a 19th century german emo kid reads a book about sex and the knowledge, inexplicably, destroys the lives of everyone in the show. C-

all i want for christmas

2008-11-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

...is more debt.

for years, car makers and credit card companies have tried to convince us that a new (often luxury) vehicle is the perfect ~~christmas~~ holiday gift.

but with the current global financial uncertainties, coupled with the fragile state of the american automobile industry, i can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, these already unrealistic ads should be tucked away on a shelf this year.

is it just me?

the facts are these...

2008-11-21T05:26:00.000-08:00

the other shoe has dropped.

pushing daisies has been canceled.

at least now, i can watch BOTH hours of the biggest loser uninterrupted.

UPDATE: of course, in the light of this story...the cosmic entertainment universe has taken a giant step toward righting itself. with the canceling of one clever and witty show...the pseudo-redemption of another clever and witty (so...naturally, canceled) show looks to be a done deal. funny how that works.

"have it your way" - a play in one act

2008-11-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

scene - a burger king drive through. a man drives his car up to the speaker box to place his order.

speaker box voice - may i help you?

man - yeah, i'd like a number ten with ketchup only...and a dr. pepper.

speaker box voice - that's a number ten with ketchup only and a dr. pepper. is that all for you?

man - yes.

speaker box voice - that will be $6.08 at the first window.

the man pulls forward to the first window. another worker sticks his head out of the window

window worker - that'll be $6.08.

the man in the car hands the window worker a $10 bill.

window worker - (brief pause) do you have 8 cents? or a dollar?

man - excuse me?

window worker - do you have $1.08?

man - (looking around the car) i have a dollar...but not 8 cents.

window worker - (pause) are you sure?

man - (confused) yeah...i am. i only have like 4 or 5 pennies here.

the man hands the window worker the dollar and there is about 20 seconds of silence

window worker - you don't have 8 cents?

man - no.

window worker - how much did you say you had there?

man - what? oh...like 5 cents.

another 7 seconds of silence

window worker - let me have that.

the man collects the 5 pennies and reluctantly hands them to the window worker.

window worker - next time...you owe us 3 cents.

man - excuse me?

window worker - (handing the man a $5 bill) you owe us 3 cents next time you come by. comprende...i mean, do you understand?

man - uh...sure.

man pulls up to the second window and gets his food. then leaves, bewildered, vowing never to return to this burger king again.

hmmm...

2008-11-11T16:15:00.000-08:00

my scalp is abnormally dry and itchy.

i have found myself, more times than not, wearing my fleece socks around the house.

when i left work tonight, it was dark out and the air smelled like cold pine trees.

[sigh]

yep...it's winter.

cade factor: article 1 paragraph 3

2008-11-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

we haven't dipped into the fabled cade factor on here in quite some time. while it is true that most factor issues deal with me traveling (airports, hotels, etc.) it is very important to remember that the entire reason the factor exists in the first place...is because i always tend to get screwed over in restaurants.

in fact, right out of the gate in section 1, the factor addresses specific food service issues that waiters and cooks can reference when it comes to me being their customer. for instance:

article 1

all meals should be treated with a basic level of carelessness. ideal situations would include dropping, abandoning or altering without permission as seen fit. service and/or preparation personnel are encouraged to forget or lose orders or institute any other sort of hindrance that would lead to longer than normal waits.

so, take the last sentence of that paragraph, couple it with a brand new (and not THAT crowded) p.f. changs and what do you get? a nearly 2-hour lunch experience, of course.

we never got a full explanation why we weren't getting our food and those around us were finishing up and leaving. only a lot of apologies.

...and the whole meal (plus dessert) comped.

so, i guess they made up for it by giving us everything for free...but they have only been open a week. they probably just don't know any better.

hooray science

2008-11-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

imagine the things that mankind can tackle now that we have a cat...that glows....under a blacklight. what a breakthrough!

it's a proud day for science.

of course..

2008-11-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

video

words really fail me. but it seems that spending a lot of money on something that you claim the bad men are just going to take away might not make the most sense.

the stars at night...

2008-10-31T05:15:00.000-07:00

...are big and bright.

for those of you doing the math...that's 1 out of every 4 people.

an open letter to anyone who says they will move to canada if obama wins

2008-10-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

every election, some angry person (or group of persons) threaten to do this. so far, to my knowledge, not a single one has made good on his/her promise.

do us all a favor and either come up with a more creative way to voice your disapproval of the other candidate (i hear calling him a "terrorist" is en vogue right now) or follow through by packing your bags and moving to saskatoon.

i'm sure that the lovely people of canada would be thrilled to add your ranting and raving to their collective national pride. you would most certainly be welcomed with open arms, your life would once again be perfect and your freedoms no longer threatened.

by all means, do whatever it takes to get away from the horrible atrocities that will surely befall the good ole u.s. of a. in the event of your candidate losing.

and while you're there, please remember to enjoy your "socialized" health care.

sincerely,
cade

ABC Mulls Changes for Struggling Series

2008-10-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK - American television network ABC is considering drastic measures to improve the chances of survival for it's fledgling sophomore dramedy, Pushing Daisies, a spokesman has said.

The critically acclaimed show starring Lee Pace and Anna Friel about a pie-maker who can bring dead people back to life has struggled to find an audience despite its groundbreaking originality and excellent use of highly stylized fantasy settings. Fans of the show have begun to express their fears that the show could be canceled in the very near future.

ABC executives want the fans to know that they hear the worry and are addressing the issue.

"We're very proud of the show, but feel that its relatively small audience and dwindling ratings are cause for some imaginative thinking," says Paul MacPherson, President of Creative Programming for the nation's second highest rated network, "We are not ruling out any option at this time."

One such option would be renaming the show in hopes of drawing in a wider viewership.

"A couple of ideas have been tossed around," MacPherson said. "We really want to tap in to what the American viewers are responding to and at the same time want to stick with the show's clever 'who-dunnit' theme."

A couple of new name suggestions mentioned were Law and Order: Dead/Not Dead and CSI: Pie Hole.

"We think they are great suggestions," MacPherson noted while somehow avoiding being crushed by the irony of his own job title.

In addition to possibly renaming the show, vast format changes were also being discussed. One such change would do away with the standard "narrative" structure of the show and implement a way for viewers to call or text in and choose the outcome of each episode. This would likely require the episodes to be recorded live which would all but sacrifice Production Designer Michael Wylie's rich visuals. When asked to comment, Wylie noted "It wouldn't be that big of a deal, really. They have assured me that what we lose in artistry we would more than gain back with the addition of the new host."

Negotiations for said host are not yet underway, but network insiders are speculating that both Ryan Seacrest and Nicole Richie have expressed interest.

"It's an exciting time for ratings-driven network television," MacPherson added.

Show creator Bryan Fuller is said to be contemplating the network's new direction in private and was not immediately available for comment.

i call 'bs'

2008-10-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

http://www.dunkinbeatstarbucks.com

i notice they haven't released the "details" of the taste test.

if america prefers double-brewed, burnt coffee...then america can HAVE double-brewed, burnt coffee.

i will soon be changing the name of this blog

2008-10-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

...from 'the complaining annex' to 'the official PETA is the dumbest thing on the planet blog.'

more of their wondrous adventures.

i'll take guliani

2008-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

..and will destroy all comers.

our government sucks

2008-09-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

story

how about instead of voting for the one we want to lead us...we just line 'em all up and punch everyone in the face EXCEPT for the one you want to lead.

might not be that great of a system...but i know I would feel a lot better afterwards.

i am officially done with PETA

2008-09-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

they're f-ing crazy.

the best is yet to come

2008-09-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

after years of missing him in vegas by mere days, this guy:

...is coming to our own backyard.

needless to say, christmas came early in the cade house this year.

a few things of note...

2008-09-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

...after a week of having my dad here.

the (somewhat) cleaned out sun room with new window trim (to be painted white).

the office is finally trimmed out. it's a natural stain. yes, we are leaving it like that.

our new back patio...and newly assembled grill.

thanks for a great week, pops.

just call me "fleck rookie"

2008-09-16T13:08:00.001-07:00

sarah palin family name generator.

-------

and for those who may be interested, the renovation progress report in the sidebar is creeping dangerously close to "100%." thanks dad!

really?

2008-09-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

the "where i've been" trivia question on facebook today was:

which well-known steakhouse is known to its patrons as "the vatican of meat"?

a) bern's (tampa, fl)
b) hilltop (saugus, ma)
c) peter luger (brooklyn, ny)
d) cattleman's (el paso, tx)

i never realized that this monument of tackiness that i drive by several times a month was considered a "well-known steakhouse." oh well.

the answer is c, by the way.

ladies and gentlemen...our (maybe) future vice president

2008-08-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

i think he just solidified my vote.

sometimes...

2008-08-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

...a 38 year old song still resonates

ball of confusion (that's what the world is today)
by the temptations

people moving out, people moving in.
why, because of the color of their skin.
run, run, run but you sure can't hide.
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
vote for me and I'll set you free.
rap on, brother, rap on.

well, the only person talking about love thy brother is the...(preacher.)
and it seems nobody's interested in learning but the...(teacher.)
segregation, determination, demonstration, integration,
aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation.

ball of confusion. oh yeah, that's what the world is today. woo, hey, hey.

the sale of pills are at an all time high.
young folks walking round with their heads in the sky.
the cities ablaze in the summer time.
and oh, the beat goes on.

evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul.
shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon.
politicians say more taxes will solve everything.
and the band played on.

so, round and around and around we go.
where the world's headed, nobody knows.

hh, great googa mooga, can't you hear me talking to you.
just a ball of confusion.
oh yeah, that's what the world is today.

fear in the air, tension everywhere.
unemployment rising fast, the beatles new record's a gas.
and the only safe place to live is on an indian reservation.
and the band played on.

eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors,
mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills,
hippies moving to the hills. people all over the world are shouting, 'end the war.'

and the band played on.

great googa mooga, can't you hear me talking to you.
sayin'... ball of confusion.
that's what the world is today, hey, hey.
let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya.
sayin'... ball of confusion.

2008-08-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

well, this has been a busy couple of days.

-our recently installed/more recently broken shower is fixed (thanks moen!) and the bathroom is back to 100% operational and 0% annoying.

-today, we got our furniture delivered. the sofa and love seat were the wrong color, but it's been so long since we ordered them that neither of us realized it. bernie and phyll's called later this afternoon to inquire about the mix up (apparently, our real set was still sitting in the warehouse, we were still unaware) and we decided that we would just keep the ones that were delivered.

-more things have gone to the attic.

-fewer things are in the office.

-three months after moving in to the house...it's finally starting to resemble something of a home.

a thought

2008-08-04T04:37:00.000-07:00

it is impossible to hear and be moved by music in it's purest and most honest form and deny the existence of God.

finished-ish!

2008-07-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

these are as close to finished pictures as we are going to get for a while.
the bedroom is only missing the window sill in one window. we have since moved the bed and dresser in and it already looks well lived in.

the bathroom is done (i am currently resting comfortably following the inaugural shower) save some touch up paint. notice the baseboards and their stunning resemblance to the vanity cabinet.

the office is painted. baseboards and trim will wait for now. this picture was taken just after we removed the paper on the floor (it's still pretty dirty) and just before we crammed a 1/3 of our stuff down from the 3rd floor into it.

so, i guess that's it.

thanks for following along.

we're going on vacation.

one last progress report

2008-07-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

the next one will be finished pictures.

for the time being, i added a "status counter" on the sidebar. i'll be updating that daily.

basically, the bathroom is stalled at 95% until we get the baseboards in. i think we finally figured out a good stain/color combo for the baseboards that matches the cabinets...so that should be capping off shortly.

the bedroom is scarily close to done, yet still a disaster. it's a weird combination. after some fancy wiring, the ceiling fan is in. we got the trimwork in today and put a coat of primer on them. the walls are painted so we are just a coat or two of trim paint and some touch up wall paint from being done there.

the closet is essentially done. becky painted the ceiling and walls and i got the heating ducts for the office and the 3rd floor put in today. all we need now is some shelving and some sort of rug and we have ourselves a closet.

the office is the ugly step-child of the project. we finally got it mudded and partially sanded. so, we still need to finish sanding and do a second coat of mud. then some more sanding (our new favorite pastime,) some painting and a new ceiling fan in there and we'll call it good. the trim work will wait for now.

lastly, the hallway outside the bathroom has been sitting with a coat of primer on it for a couple of days now. it actually looks pretty good, so we haven't put much thought into it. basically, a coat of paint and some trim for the bathroom door and the seams where the new drywall meets the old plaster and that is done.

so, there you have it. more when we are done, done. (or at least "for now" done.)

here's a couple of pics to ponder for now:

warning: the following pictures may actually resemble something

2008-07-08T18:54:00.001-07:00

the "kellie shelf*"

actual walls!

beck enjoying that lovely primer.

dr james lends a hand.

a real, honest to God, grown-up floor.

look what i did!

and i call this last picture...."yay!"

* - named so for kellie's suggestion that we utilized the space next to the chimney in the bedroom.

molson canadian presents: uber-project 2008 progress report

2008-07-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

the tub is in place

i don't see what's so hard about being an electrician

and...in goes the shower surround

the new frame for the office ceiling

drywall drywall and more drywall

post script: mr. murrow, you are awesome.

progressitude

2008-06-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

after solving some slight issues related to plumbing and structure inherent in a 100+ year-old house...things are starting to look up.

the man (still not my brother) hard at work.

the semblance of a wall.

hey look, a floor!

my contribution.

updation

2008-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

mike and i are NOT brothers.

mighty putty does NOT seal a pressurized leak.

so it begins

2008-06-19T17:21:00.000-07:00

the brave warriors suit up.

before the major demo began, we uncovered some of the forgotten treasures in the house. check that wallpaper.

bye bye, drop tile ceiling.

mike gets in the first shot.

"progress."

and click here for a nice feel for the before/during of the bathroom demo.

more soon.

in preparation

2008-06-14T18:44:00.001-07:00

thanks, mr. barnes

2008-06-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

we all had THAT teacher.

the one that not only made you enjoy the classroom despite the subject matter, but also (as a friend of mine wrote) "got people to use brains they didn't know they had." the kind of teacher that cultivated such a safe and supportive environment in the classroom that you never thought twice about going to them with any problem, whether school-related or not.

and to a certain degree, the kind of teacher who would go to see pink floyd at arrowhead stadium and subsequently miss 3 days of school.

well, at olathe south high school, we had keith barnes. he was every bit that teacher and more. he taught biology and was never without a funny neumonic or story. he made us care about studying. he was the perfect balance of fun and challenging and people scrambled to land a spot in one of his coveted, college-prep classes.

frankly, he was the very definition of a beloved teacher.

i just received word last night, that mr. barnes passed away on friday.

there are other teachers that i had in high school that have died. i suppose the time for such things is inevitable. but, this one hurts. mr. barnes wasn't just a teacher. he was an icon. his "chicken lab" projects and year-end house parties were the stuff of legend.

there will never be another like him. the school was at a loss when he retired several years ago. now, the rest of the world shares that loss.

goodbye, mr. barnes. and thank you. you will be missed.

cade grades the trip to paris

2008-06-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

weather (in general): B+
weather (while we attended the french open): D-
iberia airlines: C+
barcelona airport: F
hotel: B+
paris metro: A
perfomers on the paris metro trains: B (the guy with the puppet show really picked the rest of you clowns up)
4-day museum pass: A+
museé du louvre: C
museé d'orsay: A
museé rodin: A-
museé du l'orangerie: B
pompadou center: B-
the "1€, 1€" guys and the "excuse me, do you speak english?" girls: F
the eiffel tower: A
our lonely planet paris "encounter" book: A
the risto pizza romano restaurant on rue marbeuf: A+
night cruise on the seine: A
our pictures from said cruise: D or A; depending on your sense of humor
notre dame: B
sacre coeur: B-
promenade plantée: D
seeing james and brooke: A
parc asterix: INC
the head cold i came back with: F

more to follow.

brb

2008-05-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

10 years

2008-05-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

10 years ago today...i graduated from college.

the bruiser, myself and fletchie-poo pre-hillwalk

despite the fact that i have thoroughly enjoyed the years (both good AND bad) since that day; and despite the fact i could not be more thrilled with how my live has played out, i have to admit...i am NOT ok with this milestone. or, at least, i should say that i am not ok with how fast the time has gone.

college was one of those times that was so special, so set apart that i simply can't allow myself to believe that 10 years have passed already.

either way, i will spend my day fighting off retrospective and nostalgic thoughts as i help 400+ young people embark on the same angst-ridden, nervous and imminently exciting adventure that i started a mere decade ago.

this just in...

2008-05-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

i have amazing friends.

that is all.

i have decided....

2008-04-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

...that this will be my last post as a single person.

i was trying to think of something witty and important to write. but i'm tired today and the ideas are few.

so, i will just leave you with this:

$240 worth of pudding.

enjoy.

new york mets to get rick roll'd

2008-04-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

story.

i don't know which is funnier, the fact that the write-in campaign actually worked...or the fact that i was one of the write-in voters.

here's hoping the mets actually honor it.

the 15 worst songs ever made

2008-04-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

15) boulevard of broken dreams - GREEN DAY - 2004 - (lyrics) hey billy, here's idea for a lyric: "i walk a lonely road. i am misunderstood. somebody please pay attention to me." just repeat that basic idea over and over again and...oh wait, you already did. nevermind.

14) woo hah! got you all in check - BUSTA RHYMES - 1996 - (lyrics) this is the only song on this entire list that i actually like. but that doesn't discount the fact that it's strange...and terrible.

13) abracadabra - STEVE MILLER BAND - 1982 - (lyrics) oh steve. no. just...no.

12) heartbeat - DON JOHNSON - 1986 - (lyrics) maybe it's just me...but he looks a LOT like that guy from nash bridges. now, if you'll excuse me, i off to find a HEAAAAAARTBEEEEAT!! (x12)!!

11) drops of jupiter - TRAIN - 2001 - (lyrics) - let's see...awful "cosmic" imagery? check. 700 plays a day on every radio station in the country? check. completely pointless reference to an uber-popular metro-coffee drink? check. what's not to hate?

10) rico suave - GERARDO - 1991 - (lyrics) there is just no excuse. none. nada. but hey, that's the price you pay for being a gigolo.

9) hollaback girl - GWEN STEFANI - 2004 - (lyrics) i'm not sure that B-A-N-A-N-A-S describes this song justly. perhaps E-X-C-R-E-M-E-N-T is more apropos. the only thing sadder than this drumline-chic nightmare is the accent it puts on ms. stefani's fall from adorable and awesome to annoying and repellent.

8) foundations - KATE NASH - 2008 - (lyrics) the song that inspired this entire post. if this "i have a horrible accent so i'm gonna sing with it because it's 'cute'" trend continues, i will officially give up on pop music...again. the best way i have found to articulate my reaction to this song is this: it makes me want to drive into a pole.

7) dear mr. jesus - POWERSOURCE feat. SHARON BATTS - 1985 - (lyrics) look, i hate child abuse as much as the next person. but perhaps, just perhaps, powersource should have found someone OTHER than a seemingly tone deaf, 6 year-old memeber of their team to sing this ode to injustice. then maybe they could have done something about the cause instead of becoming a bonus question on the world series of pop culture. and yes, even as a 10 year-old boy, i was this bitter.

6) thong song - SISQO - 1999 - (lyrics) what better way to follow up the tugged heart-strings of dear mr. jesus than with an ode to dental floss undergarments? this could have been the next baby got back. could have. instead, it had all the staying power of a fart in the wind. it probably didn't help that nothing about the song DIDN'T suck.

5) courtesy of the red, white and blue (the angry american) - TOBY KEITH - 2002 - (lyrics) yeah toby, i was angry too. but i chose not to make myself look like a d-bag in front of the entire world. thanks for aiding in the healing process there, buddy.

4) statue - LOW MILLIONS - 2004 - (lyrics) the only thing worse than the lyrics to this song....is cancer.

3) little things - SHAWN CHRISTOPHER - ???? - (lyrics not available) after hearing it before a movie a couple of years ago, i still can't find anything about this song anywhere. it's apparently so bad, even the internet doesn't want to acknowledge it exists. you just have to trust me.

2) whatzupwitu? - EDDIE MURPHY feat. MICHAEL JACKSON - 1993 - (lyrics) i really don't feel like i need to explain this to anyone, do i? it should be very, very obvious. and very, very painful.

1) achy-breaky heart - BILLY RAY CYRUS - 1992 - (lyrics) long before hannah montana was rotting the brains of our nations tweens, miley's daddy took his own shot at killing off the brain cells of an entire generation. i honestly believe that 98% of all of today's problems wouldn't be an issue if billy ray had never released this song.

dear kinkos

2008-04-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

you suck. you are now officially on the list.

catharsis

2008-04-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

ca·thar·sis (noun)- [kəˈθɑrsɪs] [kuh-thahr-sis] - 1. the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions.

2. a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

SEE ALSO:

this post is completely meaningless

2008-03-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

other than the fact that it is awesome.

raiding windmills: a concert review...but not really

2008-03-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

last night, as becky and i sat in the basement environs of club passim in lovely cambridge, listening to a stellar opening act followed by a tremendous set by the one and only glen phillips...my mind wandered.

many times throughout the evening, i tried to spin an angle or conjure a device to be able to preserve, after the fact, the experience here in this, my own little corner of cyberspace.

did i want to talk about the pleasant surprise of mr. kingham busting out a fantastic folk-rock tribute to bobby brown, complete with an improvised, "shout-out" laced, well-rhymed and scary-good "rap" interlude?

did i want to focus on the fact that here was one of the (if not THE) most iconic voices in my life soaring out of this unassuming and sometimes awkward man who was no more different than you or me than...you or me?

was it the fortune of experiencing one of my musical heroes standing no more than 15 feet away from our table and having him, despite his numerous lyrical gaffes, connect both in song and in spirit with every person in the room?

or was it simply trying to figure out how to express the impact on my heart of the nearly perfect playlist as he rattled off beautiful song after beautiful song with stunning and powerful affect?

the answer, i found, to all of these was no.

i realized about halfway through the set that i wouldn't be able to capture it...let alone express it appropriately. so, i just sat back and relished the one, truly amazing part about the entire night:

that i don't HAVE to tell anyone about it. because the most important person in my life was sitting right next to me soaking in every moment as well. and as long as she remembers that night, then it is something we can always share...even without words if necessary.

yep. it was our experience. our little secret. and, for me, that is all that i needs it to be.

musical quandry

2008-03-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

so, driving home from work yesterday afternoon, my radio station played an utterly annoying new song that i hadn't heard before. the vocals were off a bit, the song was a little too "raw" and the chorus seemed like they just wanted to be "shocking" by using the phrase "son-of-a-bitch." how edgy.

i had the same, typical reaction as i do to MOST utterly annoying new songs that i hear: i sat there, mouth agape, and angrily thought "how can people listen to this and think it's good?"

then the song ended and big jim said: "and that was mixed up s.o.b. the new one from the presidents of the united states of america."

suddenly, i wasn't angry anymore. it was the POTUSA. i LIKE those guys. the quirkiness, the off-tune melody, the irreverent attitude. it all made sense.

my question is HOW did i go from total scorn to complete acceptance with just the mention of a band name?

and, to borrow loosely from nick "high fidelity" hornby, what are some other musical sins that can be forgiven due to past (i won't say greatness. let's just leave it at...) endearments?

thoughts?

dear greater boston community

2008-03-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

there is no such thing as "st. patrick's day season."

it's one day.

the irish laugh at you.

that is all.

cade to cade across america presents:

2008-02-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

the great wedding reception mix tape, volume 1

the beck and i need your help.

simply, we are compiling the list of songs that will be available at our reception. requests are welcome and strongly encouraged...if not demanded.

so, what do you want to hear?

the writers strike is over...

2008-02-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

...and my usual and complete domination of the oscar predictions is only just beginning.

what follows are my opinions on all 24 of this year's oscar categories. join me, won't you, on this journey into perfection. i've seen a good number of the nominees this year so the surprises will be limited. the only true question remaining is now that the writers are back...what are the odds of the horribly-long-and-pointless-montage-makers guild of america going on strike before sunday?

enough of this jibber jabber...on to the picks:

(warning: contains possible spoilers)

here we go:

supporting actor - i feel kind of gypped that javier bardem has become SO MUCH of a lock for this category. when i saw no country i had a feeling he would be the favorite for this category. the nightmares i had about him in the months to follow solidified it for me. then everyone else copied me and started the hype machine. but this hype, is completely deserved.
winner: javier bardem; no country for old men CORRECT

supporting actress - i saw 4 of the five performances. the one i didn't see (amy ryan) is favored in many circles. ruby dee is apparently getting the "judy dench" treatment by being nominated for essentially one 3-minute scene in a 2 hour 40 minute movie. only problem is, she's not judy dench. the girl in atonement was good, but she creeped me out. i beleive the race is between ryan and cate blanchett. i'm gonna give the nod to cate on this one...with a caveat: this is the LAST oscar she is allowed to win for playing a real person. i'm gonna need some fictional characters from this point forward. you hear me, cate?
winner: cate blanchett; i'm not there INCORRECT - tilda swinton

actor - as far as i am concerned, daniel day-lewis could have played oil man daniel plainview as a juggling, bagpipe playing ballet dancer and it still would been leaps and bounds ahead of the others. of course, i said the same thing about his portrayal of bill the butcher in gangs of new york, and that turned out to be a filthy lie.
winner: daniel day-lewis; there will be blood CORRECT

actress - with all due respect to julie christie...if cotillard's performance isn't what oscar is looking for...i don't know what is.
winner: marion cotillard; la vie en rose CORRECT

director - i haven't seen that butterfly movie but apparently the guy who directed that did a pretty good job. and i have the utmost respect for p.t. anderson. but it's not often you get to see your idols win the grandest prize of all.
winner: joel and ethan coen; no country for old men CORRECT

picture - for the first time in years...i actually LIKED all of the nominees this year. there are a couple that are better than others, but on the whole, i am not disappointed. that said, i would love to have a clear-cut favorite to win it. all i have is MY favorite.
winner: no country for old men CORRECT

cinematography - i can't pick. don't make me do it. i saw 4 of the noms and i would be happy with any of them. each was spectacular in it's own way. since i am unable to pick, i have decided to rely on the proven scientific process known in some cultures as "eeny-meeny-miney-mo." and in the end, my mother told me to pick the very best one and it was...
winner: roger deakins; no country for old men INCORRECT - there will be blood

art direction - burton's excellent take on the classic sondheim musical has a real shot at getting shut out on oscar night. thanks to the high stylization and stunning use of scarce and contrasting color...i don't think it will.
winner: dante ferretti & francesca lo schiavo; sweeney todd the demon barber of fleet street CORRECT

animated feature - last year, i went with pixar and that penguin movie won. i fully expect that since i am NOT going with pixar this year that brad bird will grab his second statue for ratatouille (rat-a-too-ee). and i won't even mention my disgust at the fact that ANOTHER FREAKIN' penguin movie is in the mix.
winner: persepolis INCORRECT - ratatouille

animated short - même les pigeons vont au paradis made me laugh out loud. but i met the walrus is a hand-drawn short about a kid who met john lennon. ok, you got me.
winner: i met the walrus INCORRECT - peter and the wolf

live action short - haven't seen any of them. only one is in english (my favorite language) and it doesn't hurt that it is based on an elmore leonard short story.
winner: the tonto woman INCORRECT - the mozart of pickpockets

foreign language film - i've heard good things about kaytn, but the counterfeiters is about the holocaust. and oscar LOVES the holocaust.
winner: the counterfeiters; austria CORRECT

documentary feature - i'm never one to take the popular high road when it comes to a pick...but i'm tired.
winner: sicko INCORRECT - taxi to the dark side

documentary short - i tried the mathematical approach last year (ie. trash > AIDS = fun > depressing). so, i will try it again this year: lesbian legal battle > boy with AIDS.

of course, last year, i was wrong.
winner: freeheld CORRECT

costume design - now that i think about it, sweeney todd has a GOOD chance of going 2/3. i mean, i appreciate kiera knightley's costume in atonement's fountain scene as much as the next guy, but i have never been wrong about colleen atwood.
winner: colleen atwood; sweeney todd the demon barber of fleet street INCORRECT - elizabeth: the golden age

make-up - you know what? i'm gonna do it. i don't even care, i'm doing it.
winner: rick baker and kazuhiro tsuji; norbit *

original score - i really enjoyed the throwback brilliance of 3:10 to yuma and apparently the guy who scored michael clayton used to be in toto, but anyone who can use a typewriter as a legitimate musical instrument deserves to win.
winner: dario marianelli; atonement CORRECT

original song - kudos to stephen sondheim for not pandering to the academy and writing an new song for sweeney todd. that said, as of post time, i have not seen the movie that accounts for 60% of this year's nominees. although, i like alan menken and stephen schwartz a lot...i have to go with my sentimental favorite. without "falling slowly," once doesn't happen...and that would have made me very, very sad. besides, that august rush song is awful.
winner: "falling slowly" from once CORRECT

film editing - as much as i would love to see "roderick jaynes" make history, i think action wins out on this night. though i will be completely ok with being wrong.
winner: christopher rouse; the bourne ultimatum CORRECT

sound editing - despite the lack of the classic, original transforming noise from the cartoon, transformers still had some great stuff. soundwave would be proud.
winner: transformers INCORRECT - the bourne ultimatum

sound mixing - with a lack of musicals in this year's race, the real question here is: which is better? isolated and sparse or loud and awesome. personally, i go for the former. but, i don't vote for the academy.
winner: transformers INCORRECT - the bourne ultimatum

visual effects - am i the only one that is getting increasingly bored with this category? either way...here's the hat trick.
winner: transformers INCORRECT - the golden compass

adapted screenplay - if 'adapted' means "truest to the text of the source material," the winner HAS to be no country. the movie follows the pace and interactions of the book with ridiculous accuracy. only departing it toward the end. if it means "capturing the tone of the source material," it ABSOLUTELY HAS to be no country.
winner: joel and ethan coen; no country for old men CORRECT

original screenplay - as i have stated to anyone who would listen to me...i do not think that juno is a fantastic movie. a GOOD movie, yes. but not groundbreaking. the script was quirky and fun but not monumental. i don't want to throw my hat in the "this film is so hip and fresh that you HAVE to talk about how hip and fresh it is" arena, but it's very difficult not to cast a vote for someone named "diablo."

and it's impossible not to cast a vote for a FORMER STRIPPER named diablo.
winner: diablo cody; juno CORRECT

misc thoughts:
- is there a record for the most nominees in a single year that are in french?
- join me in taking a drink for every time the words "strike" or "britney" are uttered

that's it. should be an interesting and entirely too long show. peace. and as always, you can't spell 'academy awards' without 'cade.'

* - j/k...i really can't do it. ACTUAL winner: didier lavergne and jan archibald; la vie en rose CORRECT

2 things that require an act of congress

2008-02-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

1) declaring war on another country

2) canceling your xbox live account subscription

if you need me in the next few days...

2008-02-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

...forget it.

i'll be hanging out at this place:

don't ask. i mean it.

pobody's nerfect

2008-02-04T05:16:00.000-08:00

c/o amazon.com and the boston globe

sidenote: i particularly enjoy the book it's coupled with in the 'better together' section.

i give up

2008-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

broadway...you are officially dead to me.

remembrance

2008-01-30T15:27:00.000-08:00

as we approach the one-year anniversary of the "hoax" that brought this great city to it's knees, i find myself wondering if we are any safer that we were that day.

have we taken every precaution to protect ourselves from future guerrilla ad campaigns? are we ready to respond the next time a couple of hippies promote a cult movie in hilariously misunderstood ways?

the answer, i am happy to say, is that it doesn't matter. none of it matters because as long as this man is still going strong...we are all gonna be just fine.

little help?

2008-01-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

can someone PLEASE tell me who is in the superbowl this year? it's a little more than a week away and NO ONE is talking about it!

sometimes i just can't contain the anger

2008-01-24T14:57:00.000-08:00

westboro baptist "church" is at it again.

i wish they would all just martyr themselves and rid the world of their excrement once and for all.

i honestly believe that if there were away around it...legally and morally, i would have no problem killing off the whole lot myself.

no problem at all.

bridal registry redux

2008-01-19T10:01:00.000-08:00

so, beck and i started the process of making lists of things that we want people to lavish us with this coming may. despite the physical toll of walking around for hours and hours in the local bed, bath and beyond and target stores...it's a relatively painless process. it can even be fun at some points depending on one's personal definition of the line between "need" and "want."

but the thing that i noticed most as we dug through the seemingly endless aisles of kitchenaid goodies and domestic bric-a-brac wasn't necessarily the things that we wanted...but more, the things that we absolutely, under no natural circumstance and unconditionally do NOT want.

i hold strong opinions on a very limited number of gift ideas and, for the most part, i trust the taste of our friends and family. but i believe that, in lieu of a bridal registry, we should have the option of signing up for something more helpful...an ANTI-registry. simply, a list of the things that will only lead to the drawing of ire and a full trash can.

things like this. and this, for example.

it would encourage a personal touch and creativity in our guests, but would offer a helpful framework in which to operate.

i think it's a winning idea.

i tried to warn her

2008-01-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

the year was 2004. the red sox were still cursed. i was on the road 80% of the time. and i was living in a one-bedroom apartment with a cat that was beginning to hate the world...and a computer. this annex was not yet fully established...so there was cadeland. technically, there STILL IS cadeland (a hearty 'thank you' to the 5 people who visited in 2007), but it's not used in the way it was then.

every once in a while, i pour through the pages just to do it. sometimes, i find things that are still relevant.

take this musing for example:

"an open letter to jamie lynn spears"
10.06.2004

dear jamie lynn-

what ever you are about to do...don't.
trust me, just because your big sister has had success with her music and acting (okay, just music) career, and just because you look just like she did when america fell in love with her, doesn't mean that you have to follow in her footsteps. do us all a favor and go to school, pursue a career in teaching and live off of your sister's money.
siblings of annoying celebrities who try to go it on their own, more times than not are doomed to mediocrity at best. does the name kieran culkin mean anything to you?
so, unless you want to be constantly scrutinized and compared to what britney WAS and eventually suffer the same, embarrassing freefall into a "jacko"-type punch line existence, please think before you jump headlong into this crap-bag called celebrity.
you don't need to do it. you have money now. please, use your life to do something that will benefit people.

concerned
-cade-

p.s. if you wouldn't mind signing the enclosed picture and returning it, that would be great.

anyway, i found it entertaining - in light of current events.

that is all.

EDIT: i also enjoyed re-reading this quite a bit.

there will be blood

2008-01-12T10:39:00.000-08:00

a) saw the movie last night.

b) went to the dentist today for the first time in over 5 years.

i'll let you tie the title with the appropriate event of your choice.

waving the wheat (hopefully)

2008-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

in just a few short minutes, the good doctor, the doctor's wife, the counselor and myself will be taking these:

to this:

more to follow.

GO JAYHAWKS!

merry christmas

2007-12-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

from our family to yours.

a post that nobody probably cares about but me...but it's something

2007-12-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

with friday's release of this movie, i have quelled my excitement for just a moment to let my mind run a little wild. the other night, as i flew home from kansas city, i punched the 2005 recording of the musical into my not-iPod to catch up on some things in preparation of the movie. then, i started to think..."i wonder what OTHER sondheim musicals would look like as movies?"

so here are my completely unwarranted picks for who i would like to be involved in studio versions of my 5 other favorite sondheim creations:

(note: actors' ability to sing was NOT taken into account on this list.)

into the woods

directed by terry gilliam

cast

narrator - jim dale
witch - michelle pfeiffer
baker - ed norton
baker's wife - naomi watts
cinderella - jennifer aniston
jack - zac efron
jack's mother - jessica walter
rapunzel's prince - vince vaughn
cinderella's prince - owen wilson
featuring andy serkis as milky white the cow and will ferrell as the giant

fresh on the heels of gilliam's recent stab at fairy tales, the brothers grimm, i really can see no one else doing justice to this "what if all of these stories intertwined...and completely unraveled themselves?" masterpiece. as i began putting this cast together it became quickly apparent that i was dangerously close to turning it into a live-action cartoon. but, it would be an AWESOME live-action cartoon. HIGHLIGHTS: "agony" as sung by jilted princes vaughn and wilson would be the show stopper. and generally, watching this cast lay the smack down on each other in "your fault" would be amazing.

sunday in the park with george

directed by michel gondry

cast

george - jude law
dot - scarlett johansson

this fictionalization of the brief life of french impressionist, georges seurat, revolves around his muse/lover (dot) and his push to perfection on his greatest work would need an artist to make. and the balance between the original story and the subsequent story of seurat's great-grandson (also law) in the present day doing his best to reinvent himself would need a brilliant story teller. enter michel gondry. with a fairly hefty cast (imagine all of the principle figures in the painting coming to life...then morphing into a modern art crowd) i decided to only focus on the two main roles. HIGHLIGHTS: gondry's visuals in bringing the painting to life. law's impassioned attempt to get it right with "finishing the hat."

company

directed by stephen frears

cast

robert - hugh jackman
amy - kristin chenoweth
marta - toni collette
david - john cusack
joanne - glenn close
special appearance by kate beckinsale as april

a single guy and all of his married friends. for years, this was my favorite sondheim piece. it's still phenomenal, but the "robert" in me is long gone. comedic and touching. optimistic and truthful. "company" is nothing short of brilliant. the trick is it's lack of story. it's more of a series of vignettes than anything. stephen frears has worked wonders before...he could do it again. HIGHLIGHTS: of course, chenoweth's take on "getting married today" would be hysterical and collette's "another hundred people" would be as honest and brutal as it should be.

merrily we roll along

directed by christopher nolan

cast

franklin - ethan embry
charlie - jack black
mary - kirsten dunst

"merrily" has never really found success, but i have always loved the music. it's the story of a group of friends and the success and unavoidable failure they find in the music business,and with each other...told in backwards chronological order. now, who do we know that has successfully told a story in backwards chronological order? as for the cast, well they had to be young enough to pull off being teenagers, but old enough to carry on the next 25 years convincingly. it's an old-school style musical but still an interesting look at people and how they get to where they are. HIGHLIGHTS: black's charlie finally and hilariously letting go of the building tension between himself and franklin in "franklin shepherd, inc."

assassins

directed by spike jonze

cast

proprietor - daniel day-lewis
the balladeer - neil patrick harris
john wilkes booth - christian bale
john hinckley - philip seymour hoffman
sarah jane moore - joan cusack
lynette "squeaky" fromme - kate hudson
charles j. guiteau - john turturro

simply put, this would be impossible to film. like "company," there is no story to speak of. my favorite of sondheim's works, it's a darkly comic study on those who sought to take the fate of a country into their own hands. past assassins' stories are all told with the help of a balladeer (harris; who played the role in 2004's revival on broadway) and all culminate on a november morning in dallas in 1963. it tap dances on good taste and walks away marvelously. HIGHLIGHTS: the opener, "everybody's got the right to be happy" led and organized by a smarmy day-lewis would set the perfect tone. hoffman and hudson's duet "unworthy of your love" sung to jodie foster and charles manson respectively would continue it. and the chilling "another national anthem" would seal the deal.

in the news II

2007-11-27T12:26:00.000-08:00

inventor of gatorade dies.

maybe NOW i'll see some of that money.

in the news

2007-11-15T06:06:00.000-08:00

awful.

it's weird that it's weird

2007-11-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

tonight, for the first time in 15 years...THIS is happening and i am not there.

i have missed exactly one pageant (OK '98) since 1995 - which is something that even the director of the program can't claim - and i gotta say, it's REALLY weird not being there. which is, in itself, weird.

the pageants are hard work. they are long days, loads of manual labor and exhausting chore after exhausting chore. i tend to dread them in the week leading up to each one simply because over the years, my responsibilities have expanded and i have taken on many of the tasks that no one wants/thinks to do. i don't mind doing them. it's second nature to me and i can almost sleepwalk through the productions after 8 years at the helm. but it is a lot to cram into 2 1/2 short days.

but on the flipside, it is a time that i get to reconnect with friends that i have literally been through the trenches with for the better part of a decade and a half. we work well together as a cohesive unit and despite the constantly regenerating apprehensions i have going into each weekend...i truly do enjoy being there.

the life of a vagabond affords few opportunities for repeatable and familiar experiences. one of the few constants i have been able to claim since my days as a young undergrad...strangely, has been the pageants. i mean, i have moved THREE times since march of this year, but i have been doing the pageants every year for FIFTEEN years. that's just shy of half of my life.

just a few saturdays ago, at this time, i was sitting in a high school auditorium in the middle of rural nebraska frantically cutting music together for the preliminary show that night. the girls were rehearsing the opening number on the stage. the projection equipment was still not put together. the sound and light guys were desperately troubleshooting their equipment to fix all of the problems we were having. and despite the chaos and lack of sleep...i was calm and felt an overwhelming familiarity resting on top of me.

right now, as i am typing this, i am missing that same rehearsal (albeit, in a different auditorium in a different state) and that same, awkward feeling of comfort.

and i find myself missing it.

the first annual cadeland skymall awards

2007-10-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

despite all its woes, i love to fly. i enjoy the solace. i'm fascinated by people confined in small spaces and enjoy gaging others' reactions to the adversity that innately comes with air travel. but, as my loyal readers can attest, i have the occasional "issue" with flying and many airports tend to seek me out to force me to stop leaving home altogether.

every once in a while, though, i have a seamless and smooth trip. it's these times that i like to sit back and enjoy the fine literature that our major airlines provide for us, the weary travelers.

and it is in this spirit that i present: the first annual cadeland skymall awards.

what follows are my selections of outstanding (for good or for bad) items from the current issue of everybody's favorite, worthless catalog.

without further ado.

first up, the "i just can't help but laugh at the thought of someone acutally using this" award goes to... the hidden cat box.

the highly anticipated "as pointless as it is annoying" award should be a product that is as pointless as it is annoying in both concept and practicality. the winner (easily) is this alarm clock.

honorable mention goes to this little doozie.

the "worst interpretation of an overused cliche" award is a lofty award that demands a very specific set of criteria. this year, the honor goes to this desktop gem.

the "finally, the perfect gift for the dumbest person you have ever met" award goes to this wonder of intellectual forethought.

in the artistic categories, we have the "cade's favorite picture regardless of the product" award. the inaugural winner is this picture of a cat.

honorable mention goes to this picture..

rounding out the artistic awards is the "best name for a product NOT called the 'rat zapper'" award. there was a tie in this category. between this and this.

the coveted "that's actually kinda cool and i want one" award goes to the classic travel vest.

next up, the "not in my house, mister" award goes to this creepfest.

what child WOULDN'T want to be seen with the winner of this year's "it's so stylish, my child won't even know they are being tracked" award? view the winner here.

in the technical categories, we have this, the "it really makes you wonder how they recorded the sound effects" award. this year's stand out winner is the crib light.

the "???" award goes to this coffee table.

in a similar category, the "WTF???" award goes to this coat rack.

this year's winner in the always competitive "great idea, but what if you need to use both at the same time" award is this well thought out item.

and finally we have the "if i actually ever see one of these...i WILL hit it with my car" award. the winner, by a landslide, is this decorative hitch cover.

congratulations to all of this year's winners. we don't know where we would be without you.

lost update

2007-10-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

looks like jin will be the next to die.

What is it about these actors and hawaii?

idiots.

memo to bustedtees.com

2007-10-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

for your consideration:

the copa room's final curtain

2007-10-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

joey bishop died today at the age of 89.

for those of you who don't know, bishop, a comedian, owned the dubious task of playing straight-man to the likes of frank sinatra, dean martin, sammy davis jr. and peter lawford in sinatra's unmistakable and incomparable band of bums, "the summit" (aka "the rat pack").

while far less known and respected than the others, joey was nonetheless part of a piece of american pop culture as big as elvis, marilyn monroe and john wayne.

he was the last surviving member of "the rat pack." and with him dies one of the coolest eras in our collective conscience. an era that can NEVER be replicated. massively talented guys who made the world their playground and made no apologies for having the time of their lives.

fortunately for us, we were invited along for the ride.

even the place they made famous, the fabled sands hotel, is now an italian-themed mega-resort rising high above the las vegas desert. joey was the last remaining link to that hey-day...and he will be missed.

goodnight you old son of a gun.

wonderings and realizations

2007-10-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

i have to wonder if the folks at TBS had to collectively sleep with the entire organization known as major league baseball in order to secure the rights to broadcast HALF of the series in this year's playoffs; leaving only 3 (including, mercifully, the world series) series to air on non-cable, network television (if one could still consider FOX a network). it's not quite the NBA finals on TNT or the stanley cup on Spike, but it still sucks.

i have to wonder whether my falling away as a fan of the sport of football has passed the proverbial "bingo fuel" point. given that i haven't seen a chiefs game in over 2 years and the jayhawks are 5-0 and ranked in the top 25...and i don't really care*, if i turned back now and worked my way back to being a fan...would i be successful? or have i gone too far down the "apathy way?"

i have to wonder, with all of the seemingly good movies coming out this fall, how the game plan managed to take the top box office spot in the country....TWO WEEKS IN A ROW.

but, i realize that none of these wonderings matter.

because of this.

* - i love that they are having success and i will root for them....if i ever get to actually watch a game. which, living in new england, won't happen for a long, long time.