First Day Of Spring

Yes, despite the fresh snow falling outside today, it is apparently the first day of spring.

Which leads me to believe that statement has nothing at all to do with the season.

I have a spring in my step - maybe that's the deal?

There's springs in my mattress, my car, my watch, and my extensive diving board collection.

There are springs in things, just not the weather yet...

Later!!

Driving In Calgary (Despite The Obstacles)

Just gathering a few random thoughts today after our brief but robust icy snowfall that occurred just in time for yesterday's commute to work:

* Bees? Honey. Ants? A picnic. How do you attract reckless, irresponsible asshats? Snow and ice on the morning roads. Bad tires? Going too fast - who cares! If I drive a truck or a BMW, I can go as fast as I want, and you are only in MY way. Sure, I may spin out of control after passing you on sheet ice, and almost kill everyone waiting at the nearby bus stop, but I have surely proven I am the most superior being of all, and most importantly, I got ahead of YOU!!

* Synchronize traffic lights? As the good folks at Calgary Traffic Planning state in their daily mantra, "Synchronization is for swimming, bitches!!" Bear in mind, these pinheads can't even synchronize the few lights on an overpass, ironically planned to speed up the flow of traffic...

* Clear the roads? Put down salt or gravel? Ha Ha Ha!! Hey, the sun will come out tomorrow, right??

* I am positive that even though a green light in the far distance will stay that way for the 15 minutes it takes me to approach it, the motion detectors ensure that they will turn red as soon as I get close enough to almost make it through that intersection. The amber will appear, briefly -  timed perfectly to force my frantic braking right through the pedal, down to the asphalt...

* Hey Alberta - remember when we had that Distracted Driving law come into effect a year or so ago? Good times, those couple of weeks where people at least tried to hide checking for emails and calling their besties to discuss urgent matters, like how they forgot to do their nails that morning. Seems like now the problem is twice as bad as before they tried to correct it. Maybe the province should consider deputizing responsible drivers.

I'm sure I've got more, but I better quit so that I can brace myself for another brush with Darwin's dullest this morning....

Later!!

Snow?? Again???

Can somebody find a suitable candidate for Mother Nature to date, so we can get her attention refocussed, and foul mood wrapped up for this winter??

We could see the grass yesterday - now the whole damn outside world is covered in snow again!!

Failing that, remind me why I live in Canada again??? "Hello, Hawaii, are you still accepting loooong-term visitors??"

Ugh...

Later!

Blog Anniversary!

Wow.

Back on March 17th, 2006 I took my first stab at posting in this online forum called a weblog.

Clearly, I had no idea what I was going to do with a blog, and certainly had no idea that I would eventually end up posting daily, even if daily often meant a wide variety of content lengths.

For quite some time, the most comments I had for something I wrote came back from a one-word post! I think I jotted down "butter", and then clicked "publish". There's literally no telling what will connect with readers, but that silly bit sure did.

Since then, I've posted daily musings, brief bits of humour, the odd rant, links to my weekly newspaper humour column when it ran - and my national column when that went into the online world.

Concert reviews, travel blogs, theatre, interviews - the list goes on and on.

Recently, my actual writing career has turned 360 degrees, back to my first publication credits - I'm doing music writing again, for now in cyber-space primarily. That is going to change, I believe, but I'll just leave you with that teaser for now.

Up at the top, you can click the photo montage to watch or listen to my interview series - that feature has been running since 2009. Even more recently, I've taken a more serious stab at developing a YouTube channel - which you can click on just over to the right.

Oh, and of course there is that recurring chain-smoking alcoholic chicken that continues to be among my top viewed offerings. There's really no accounting for taste...

I am determining that I need to rebrand, to try and focus my efforts to gain more readers, but for now, the scattergun approach continues.

Thanks for being part of this ride, and I hope you continue to check in when you can.

Here's a couple of links, my first post, and the year following...

Thanks!!

March 17, 2006

March 17, 2007

Later!

Chicken Scratch

(posted by weekend guest blogger Charlie Chicken...)

Huff.....

Huff....

Wheeze....

Oh mah cluckin' hot claws and spindalee knees!!

AAAAWK!!!!

Huff...

Huff...

WHEEZE.......

Ah think ah juss dropped a rib....

AAAAWK!!!!

Lemme catch mah breath - so ah kin explain.

I think ah left it about 3 kilometres back - kin ah ask ya ta go pick it up fer me??

AAAAWK!!!!

Huff...

Huff...

WHEEZE....

Funny, ah juss got on this blasted contrapshun - ah've only juss tried to turn it on!!!

Can't...reeech...tha...power..buttin....

AAAAWK!!!!

Ah think ah need ta press mah lungs back inta place....

Or lay mah ass down fer a coupla hours...

Cluck fer now - this is radikilous!!!!!

Bartender!!!

Calgary Folk Club Review 03 14 13

Calgary Folk Club

March 14, 2013

With

The Arrogant Worms,

West My Friend

Calgary Folk Club Review, 

March 14, 2013

The Arrogant Worms, with West My Friend

The rumours are just not true - The Calgary Folk Club is NOT sold out for every performance. But the club sure was for this one last night, featuring Canadian folk icons The Arrogant Worms, with newcomers (and award-nominated) West My Friend. The house was packed with appreciative fans, and I don't think a one of them left disappointed...

Victoria-based quartet West My Friend launched the festivities, along with their new CD "When The Ink Dries".  Featuring Eden Oliver on guitar, flute and vocals, Alex Rempel (mandolin, vocals), Jeff Poynter (accordion, vocals), and bassist/vocalist Adam Bailey, the group showcased all that's great right now in modern folk.

While suggesting during their between-song banter that they were perhaps the serious, sombre counterpoint to the Worms, there were still moments of subdued humour, with their opening song about an ethno-botanist. As they suggested, not a lot of bands can say that about their songwriting inspirations...

But it was in the subdued and the serious that West My Friend really sparkled - the top-notch "Go Straight Away", the personal "Thin Hope", as well as "Ode To Sylvia Plath". As good as those were, "Tic-a-Toc" may have been the best of the bunch -  a fine, robust bit of folk there!

After being brought back to the stage for an encore, the crowd was rewarded with rich harmonies in an A cappella performance. 

To learn more or find out about buying their music, check out their website...

*********************

What can you say about The Arrogant Worms? Canadian folk icons? Fellows Of Funny? Darn Good Performers??

Whatever your leaning, last night's two sets did not leave anyone wanting - music from their own new CD "Space" fit as comfortably as any of their back catalogue, of which much was performed to laughter, cheers, and/or moments of inappropriate singing along. The ease these gentleman have on stage after all the many, many years shows - in a good way!

Blending ample (OK, extensive) humour into fun melodies, The Arrogant Worms have won over audiences for 20+ years - but like others in this genre (Moxy Fruvous and The Heebee-jeebees just to name a couple), there's plenty of vocal and musical talent to back up the silly. Which is why they continue to slay listeners with hilarious tracks like "The Guy Who's Always Out Of Tune", "Uncle Lou", and "Jesus' Brother Bob". 

The laughter and the catalogue were relentless last night. "Yoga Pants", "A Manly Song", and "When Canada Rules The World" are terrific additions to their library from that new album. "Rocks And Trees", "Celine Dion", and their "hit" "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" were all crowd favourites. Not to mention the chastising that same crowd receiving for not following instructions for "The Mounted Animal Nature Trail". I suspect we did exactly what we were supposed to, after all...the laughter sure seemed to indicate that.

While the Worms have undergone personnel changes over the years, this combination with Mike McCormick (guitar and vocals), Chris Patterson (bass and vocals), and Trevor Strong (Vocals. Occasionally guitar. But mostly vocals...) is a well-oiled machine of merriment and mirth. 

If you've never seem them perform, they are at their best on a stage with an audience to bait and cajole.

However, you could do yourself (and the boys) a favour, by stopping by their website to find out more, and maybe order an album or two - there's lots to choose from! 

There's only two more shows this season, and next year is now on sale - so another reminder - stop by  The Calgary Folk Club yourself. Quit missing out!

Later

Today's Commute...

Some congestion on my commute to work today. I had left two cases of soda pop at the top of the stairs, which I had to evade in my efforts to get downstairs to my office.

Scenery nothing to scream about, I really need to hang a few pictures along that stairway wall...

Later!

The World Is Flat!

Well, if you live in Saskatchewan....

Later!!

The Negative Aspects Of Weed.

I'm not sure why so many people across Canada and the U.S. are wanting to legalize weed, or in some cases, already have.

In my garden, the damn thing literally chokes out what I'm TRYING to grow - and don't even get me started on my lawn! Those dandelions are a blight - A BLIGHT I TELL YOU!!

Why would anyone in their right mind want to encourage weed, instead of removing them when they poke up uninvited??

Legalize? We need to literally stamp out weed, thistle by thistle, root by root! Gardens shouldn't have to suffer trying to grow around this culprit that clogs valuable soil. Even in potting...

Just say NO, to weed!!

Later....

Inertia

See Below:


















Later!

Goldilocks Was A Brunette!

This is just starting to hit fake news sources, but new evidence is shaking up the worlds of make believe and fairy tales.

Testing on hairs found on the scene in the Three Bears' home shows that Goldilocks was clearly just a name adopted after a dye job - "Goldi" was born a brunette!

This changes nothing really. She still slept in their beds, ate their porridge, and left with their big-screen TV - for all we know she may have been Rapunzel out on a day pass.

Now, the dirty cover-up story is out!

Shaking up the world of children's stories today...

Later!

Chicken Scratch

(posted by weekend guest blogger Charlie Chicken...)

Howdy hoomans!

Juss ra-hearsin' with mah new band, tha Side A Fries - fer sum reason tha uther members uv tha band thought that wuz a good name - who am ah ta argue??

BUK-AAAAWK!!!!

We gots a gig comin' up next week, and ah need ta be in mah best from - ah'm tha vocalist.

Basikelly, ah'm tha vocalist cause mah chicken wings is too small ta hold a instrumint...

BUK-AAAAWK!!!!

Ah guess ah could shake a tambooreen....

Anyhow, we cover all kindsa populer songs - "Country Fried", "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" "Chickens A'Crowin' On Sourwood Mountain", and uv course, tha "Chicken Dance". Them cluckers is pretty good pluckers!

BUK-AAAAWK!!!!

So, fer now ah better git back tah rehearsin' - tha yodel sections iz gonna KILL me otherwise!!

Cluck fer now...

Paul Slade Smith - "Unnecessary Farce"

Paul Slade Smith

Actor, Playwright

"Unnecessary Farce"

Stage West Calgary

In my first-ever Skype video interview recording, I have a brief conversation with actor and playwright Paul Slade Smith about his career as an actor, his award-winning comedy "Unnecessary Farce", and what he has coming up.

A very authentic and forthcoming individual - enjoy!

(Only on YouTube right now, but will be loaded onto my podcast site and iTunes as soon as my maxed storage limit is cleared!!)

Paul Slade Smith Interview Click Here

Later!

Income Tax Time!

Well, here we are once again - that time of year where we await our income tax slips from our employer, and gather up RRSP statements before we prepare our taxes.

In the U.S., there's the IRS to contend with. Here in Canada, it's the polite barracudas over at CCRA.

Herein, I share some recent correspondence with the latter - just for shiggles!

Dear CCRA, Eh?

Enjoy!

Later...

Bad Local Commercials

Every city I've ever lived in has had some local business owner earnestly flogging their wares themselves, occasionally in an unknowing horrific way, but sometimes taking the criticisms for poorly written, produced or unwanted commercials, and converting that into intentionally tongue-in-cheek terrible ads.

For example, years ago in Winnipeg there was Kern-Hill Furniture Co-op, where the owner was entirely over the top in pitching furniture sales. His commercials became regularly nutty, and eventually his son took over in that tradition.

In Calgary, there's Flaman Fitness, with a fitness superhero spokesperson, and a local Realtor who has a line in one of his ads that sums up his approach: "Cheese?".

Cheesy indeed...

How about YOUR city? Is there someone that drives you crazy with agonizingly amateur commercials, but you never forget what their business is? Granted, you may never use that business because of the ads, but you do tend to remember the enterprise nonetheless...

Later!

Valerie Boyle Interview: Stage West Calgary - "Unnecessary Farce"

Still not able to post a link yet to my podcast version, but here's a YouTube link to my interview with actress Valerie Boyle!

"Talkin' With"

Enjoy!

Later...

Lesser-Known Greek Gods

You know the old 80-20 rule, how less than 20% of people are successful as some endeavour? Well, seems the same thing goes for Greek gods!

I came across a few in some "research" recently, and I'd like to share those with you now:

1) Sofacles - the god of evening lounging furniture - funny, I thought he might be more popular than some of the others, but many not in Greek heaven...

2) Coffeeteetee - Goes without saying, we'd all be missing the best part of waking up without the contributions of this oddly obscure Deity...

3) Broccoliopolis - Well, I can see why this god was rightly doomed to unpopularity! Maybe if there was a god of dip...

4) Thighrashtophles - Ugh! Nuff said!!

5) Diarrheanees - OK, I think we've discovered just about enough unpopular Greek gods for one morning...

Later!!

Where's The Bouncing Balls??

Remember when commercials had chipper musical soundtracks, and a little bouncing ball that bounced over the lyrics so that you could sing along to the song?

Either we've gotten more literate over the years, or we lost the last bouncing ball lyric animator...

Someone ought to Google to find that out...

Later!

Chicken Scratch

(posted by weekend guest blogger Charlie Chicken...)

Hmmm.....

Programs fer children an youth...

Programs fer adults...

Ah huh...

HOWS ABOUT CHICKENS!!!!!

BUK-AAAAWK!!!!

Wut kinda dumb-ass librerry duzn't offer poultry currikilums??

An fer anuther thing - Crowfoot??

DISCRIMINATION!!

BUK-AAAAWK!!!!

Well, ah guess ah'll hafta put on mah fake mustache, an register as an adult.

Wut a cluckin' way ta start tha month off!

Better run, an start collectin' hairs offa tha pillows upstairs....

Cluck fer now!

Calgary Folk Club 02 28 14 (Ellis Paul, Rebecca Loebe)

Calgary Folk Club

02 28 14

with

Ellis Paul, and Rebecca Loebe

The "Before-Noon" Entertainment Review: 

Calgary Folk Club, 

February 28, 2014

with 

Ellis Paul and Rebecca Loebe

On a cold Canadian evening in which even polar bears and penguins were checking into Holiday Inns for a reprieve from the polar vortex, a couple of talented American artists treated hardy attendees to a robust helping of modern folk music that warmed the crowd up quite nicely.

Rebecca Loebe started the evening off with a joie de vivre that was not blunted at all by the cold she was battling to sing through. There is no doubt she loves what she's doing, and the stories she shared between songs gave the audience glimpses into her sense of humour and a world observation view that seeps into her songwriting.

That sense of humour was most evident in songs like "Married Man", while her insightfulness showed in songs like "The Chicago Kid", and "Swallowed By The Sea".  

An alumnus of the first season of NBC's The Voice, her rendition of Nirvana's "Come As You Are" turned around the chairs of Christina Aguilera AND Adam Levine, taking her already active performing career into even more exposure, and bringing some juggling challenges with pre-booked shows overseas.

Loebe made an interesting confession towards the end of her set regarding that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of national TV exposure. Her line about the "four judgmental pieces of furniture" ran a line between doing what you do for the opinions of others, and doing what you do because it's what you love to do.

Eliciting a standing ovation, her sing-a-long encore of "Redneck Karoake Bar" was a fun lead into the break...

Check out Rebecca's website, or download her music from iTunes!

Ellis Paul is multiple award-winning American musician that was embracing his "almost-Canadian" side last night, with plenty of references to Canadians, and iconic Canadian themes. He teased about our two Gold Canadian Olympic hockey teams. He strung a thread of Neil Young through a delightful guitar story. And he ended with an encore of Joni Mitchell's "Circle Game", with the support of Rebecca and the Calgary Folk Club Sing-A-Long All-Stars.   

As a storytelling songwriter, he is only slightly overshadowed by his masterful work on the guitar. During songs like "Chasing The Beauty", or when he outright created the illusion of a three-piece band on "Maria's Beautiful Mess", Mr. Paul showcased a melodic virtuosity on "Guinness" that was the solid foundation for his vocals and lyrics.

For me, the clear winners for "Moment Of The Night" were the lovely "Home", and the insightful "Hurricane Angel". 

"Angel" reminded me of another American roots artist and a similarly themed song, slide guitarist Spencer Bohren's amazing remembrance of Hurricane Katrina in "The Long Black Line". Both haunting, both phenomenal...you should have both of those in your collection...

However, I have to admit, when you introduce a song as a "Texas Roadkill Christmas Song", and you pen it with lyrics that include snow, cactus, and armadillos, you've got something pretty darn original there. That one was "Snow In Austin", from Paul's Christmas album. Just one of many available on his website...hint hint!

If you haven't already, you REALLY need to check out the Calgary Folk Club - these nights (even in sub-arctic conditions) are always amazing!

Later!!