Scary Halloween Cat Rufus says, "Beware the Vampire Cats! They show no mercy! Flee now before my thirst for blood forces me to kill! Stop looking at my exposed gonads!"

1. I think I'm almost twelve months off the bandwagon here, but I've been listening to Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" all weekend. This shit is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.


2. Just so you know I haven't gone completely off the musical deep-end, I will save my credibility by saying what a knock-out the new Bloc Party "trac" is. "Two More Years" is available from their website. Check it out.

3. OK, so maybe I was a bit pre-mature. It seems as if I've slipped to page 5 of the RapidWeaver Site Showcase Top Rated Sites. Oh well, I can't be hogging the spotlight all the time.

4. Today we ended Daylight Savings Time. Tomorrow is Hallowe'en. Tuesday is All Soul's Day. Could there be a more depressing three days in a row?

5. This shit is bananas. Did I say that already?

Big shout outs to all my fans who made me the #1 blog on the RapidWeaver Site Showcase! Don't believe me? Check it out.

Rich, thanks for the email! I've been trying to write you back but I can't seem to deliver my email to your mailbox. Not sure what the problem is, but try emailing me at this address. There's a few things I want to talk to you about.

I went to see the Shaw Festival's production of Gypsy this weekend at the Festival Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Gypsy is the first musical to ever be staged at the Festival Theatre, and is a radical break from traditional Shaw Festival fare. This is my first Jackie Maxwell production, and I have to tell you, I am smitten. Everything about this show blossoms with passion, and sincerity. You'll get taken in instantly by the attractive and beautifully designed sets--sort of the way Rose and the girls have been taken in by the lure of the theatre. The most startling and effective point comes at the end, when Rose is alone on a bare stage, with the wings and backdrops taken away, revealing the back of the Festival Stage. Just as Rose bears her soul, her surroundings are bare as well. Extremely moving. Nora McLellan is a formidable Mamma Rose, but there is a real humanity, and warmth to her that at times elicits pity from the audience, and then, in a matter of seconds, with the swish of a dress, turns that pity into sheer admiration for her determination, which just as quickly turns into sympathy for living her dreams vicariously through her two daughters. You can't take your eyes off of her for a second, lest you miss some minute detail in her performance. Brilliant. I'll be brutally honest here, I'm no Shaw Festival fan, which is such a shame as it's right in my own backyard. Since Jackie Maxwell has taken the reins of Artistic Director, I have had my interest piqued, but never actually took the leap and went to see one of the shows. I won't be making that mistake anymore, and can't wait until next season's production of The Crucible.

I got a library card today. I can't recall the last time I was a member of a public library, but that was then, this is now. We have a new library that has opened in our new city hall building, and on my way home tonight, I had to drive right by it, which I rarely do. So I decided to stop, go in, and get myself a card. I don't think any self-respecting person should be without one. There is no fee, and the possibilities are endless. I saw someone sitting reading today's newspaper, the same one I have delivered to my home, and realized, "Hey, anyone can come in here and find out what's going on in the world, and they don't have to pay for a lousy subscription that never arrives on time!" (is anyone at National Post listening?!?) Libraries are cool. Go join one.

...and I guess I've been missing the ball here. Haven't posted in a few days, and I have been feeling guilty. Thought I would share some recent info: I got a set of arm chairs and some dusty Shakespearean books at the auction I went to on Saturday. It was held at the Loretto Christian Life Centre, which used to be the Loretto Academy School, a very beautiful, (semi)historic old convent overlooking Niagara Falls, Ontario. The sisters who owned the convent have been forced to shut it down and sell the property on which they've lived for over 100 years. Rumour around Niagara Falls is that the convent will be snapped up for some major dollars, and torn down and turned into a new hotel. It is on some prime real estate. What a shame This picture doesn't do it justice. If you want to read about the auction click here.

It never ceases to amaze me what a Google Image search will return when you type in random search queries, say for instance, "Bastard Hippo". You get this golf club head from Amazon.com. Go figure.On a completely unrelated note, I bought a LaCie mini Companion Hard Drive for my Mac mini this week, but so far haven't done anything with it other than hook it up. Hey, I've been busy (and lazy). But It looks cool with my mini. Sorta like this:

OK that's all I can do right now. Tired. very tired. And I have to go to an auction tomorrow. More on that later.

Think you have what it takes to be a rock 'n' roll god? Meet Anton Newcombe, the Messiah-complex-toting, speed-talking, speed-shooting evil mental genius behind The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and his rotating band of, well... bandmates. Never heard of BJM? Maybe you've heard of their more profitable, and (ahem) well-adjusted friends/foes The Dandy Warhols? Anyone, regardless of musical pedigree, who has even a passing fancy in rock music, will get a huge kick out of Dig!, the seven-years-in-the-making documentary from Ondi Timoner, chronicling the rise and fall of Anton and his nemesis Courtney Taylor, singer/songwriter for The Dandy Warhols. Never has there been a better example of yin and yang set squarely in the world of rock. It's a compelling and sometimes tragic look into the mind of a musical genius, and the intense rivalry, jealousy, and celebrations that go hand-in-hand with the rock lifestyle. You won't be able to look away, even though there are moments when it truly hurts to watch. Joel Gion, tambourine-playing, muttonchop-sporting BMJ mainstay is so compelling--how come no one has given him his own TV series? I would pay money just to see him stand around and quip one-liners, and play with assorted props. The man is an untapped talent pool. Dig! is out now on DVD, after a successful tour of arthouse theatres and film festivals.

In the middle of a rainy, grey-sky day, get into your car, and venture into the busiest part of where you live. When you find yourself stopped at a traffic light, or stuck in a moment of rain-induced gridlock, start playing "Disappearing World", the last track on David Gray's new album Life In Slow Motion, not too loudly, but just loud enough that the sound of the rain and the world outside becomes part of the track. Prepare to be moved beyond words.
Then, later that day, after dark has come, while the rain continues to fall around you, leave one lone light on, stand by your front window and play the track again. Have tissues ready to dry your eyes. If needed, play the entire album while you sit in your favourite chair, curled up to keep warm. Sleep in peace.

You have to check out this comic strip by artist Chris Bishop. The banner should link you to the site directly. Check out the previous strips--some of them will make you piss yourself laughing. I have to go change my pants right now.

Apple has set up an invitation-only special event on Oct. 12th, presumably to announce a new product or product line. Rumor has it that next Wednesday the world will get it's first glimpse at the new iPod video--hot on the heels on the iPod nano release last month. The invitation features the words "One more thing..." in front of a red, theatre curtain, leading people to speculate that the announcement will be video/movie related. Who knows? Most likely there's only a handful of people that do, seeing as that most Apple employees had no idea that the nano was coming or even in development. Steve Jobs is notorious for ending keynote addresses by saying "one more thing" and then introducing a new product or product line. Looking forward to Wednesday to see what comes of this.

I'm hooked, man. Like a sucker. It's like real-life SURVIVOR (how scary of a thought is that), but it's still a television show. I just finished watching the first four episodes of Season One of LOST... and I want more. No, I need more. I'm not a huge fan of TV on video/DVD, but this could very well make a believer out of me. The nice thing about it is that I really don't know anything about the show. I am coming into this fresh, never having seen an episode, and never having read anything about it (except for an interview in this month's DETAILS with Matthew Fox). This makes it all the more fun, so don't go spoiling things on me if you've been watching all along. I can see now why it won best Drama series and the awards for directing. I'm afraid of searching online, lest I come across a spoiler on a website somewhere, but I did happen to use Google Blog Search (as mentioned in my last post), and came across a blog posting that literally stole the wind from my sails by using the title I was planning to use. Check his site out at http://moonib.blogspot.com/ and tell him I sent you. Not that he knows who I am. So, go on... GET LOST

I just came across this Google Beta site that allows you to search content exclusively on blogs. Kinda cool, eh? It would be interesting to just type in some random words and see what kind of returns you get. You can link to the Blog Search here. Here's what the page looks like (not much different from a standard Google page)
If you come across any cool hits from interesting search words, I'd like to know. Post a comment so everyone else can check it out, too. (Yes, this is a desperate attempt at feedback to this fast-becoming pointless exercise).

...with Franz Ferdinand: Got my hands on the new album last night, and after spending the morning with it, I must concur with the title. Fan of the first album? Then you'll love the second one. Low on sentiment and emotion, high on energy and flash, this album puts them in the position of being at the head of the new-new wave movement, yet still forging their own sound, direction, and aesthetic. Download "The Fallen", "This Boy", "Evil and a Heathen"--ah hell, just get the whole thing. It's out in North America Oct. 4. Let the skanking in the streets begin!

Been a few days since I posted, but things have been slightly busy. Rufus is doing much better now. he's still taking his antibiotics and drops for his eyes, but all that will be done by Monday morning, just in time for his second round of shots at the vet's. Have some pictures of him now, and will try and put them into a gallery page soon.
I saw Les Misérables last night at the Princess of Wales in Toronto. I will admit, I really did like it the first time i saw it back in 88/89, and then again a few years later, but now that I have a better appreciation of stagecraft and performance, I have to say that the cast I saw perform last night were really third-rate. It wasn't just a "down night"--there really was a lack of spark, or talent. Yeah I know they're a touring company, and yeah I know they have some pretty big shoes to fill, but COME ON! This isn't American Idol, now, is it? They were singing like the numbers were pop tunes. I just didn't enjoy it this time out. Next up: Movin' Out (the Billy Joel musical).
Other than that, not much to say. Hope you're having a good weekend.