I've been reading about asexuality again. I've found this site: http://www.asexuality.org. Tons of useful information there, to say the least. I've barely started dipping into it, and I am a little overwhelmed at the moment.;) There are actual DATING SITES for asexual people, btw. Of course, my first thought was, "why on earth would you be interested in dating if you don't want to have sex?" - but then I thought again, and asked myself why I no longer check any of the dating sites I used to be on a few years back. And the answer is, "because I am not comfortable with people automatically assuming that if I like them/interact with them, I will at some point inevitably want to end up in bed with them, too". ( Read more... )
Antarctica
May. 28th, 2011 10:57 pmI have a recommendation tonight. If you're in the mood for some sweet & steamy gay romance - and most people reading this would be, I presume ;) - watch a lovely Israeli film called Antarctica. The title can be misleading, because obviously the film isn't about Antarctica at all - it's just a place that one of the characters dreams of visiting. It serves as a symbol of something that seems unattainable at first, but then, suddenly, miraculously, happens - like love. At least that's my interpretation.;) ( Read more... )
daily blabber
May. 22nd, 2011 11:30 pmThanks for the jelly beans, ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dissonant_dream! <333 *munches happily* ;)
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY,slesia!... wherever you are. Please drop me a line if you see this. You are missed...
Summer came back today, but it is supposed to retreat again by the end of the week. As far as I can tell, the apocalypse did not happen.:P Not that I would have noticed in the flurry of mundane errands that filled this weekend. My legs are sore from all the running around I did - which is nearly a permanent condition ever since I got rid of the car, anyway. I am on a quest for more comfortable shoes - I mean, I do have a few pairs that are quite comfortable, but those are the ones I wear most often, especially now, and some are already looking shabby. Plus, the definition of "comfortable shoes" changes when you actually walk around the streets in them on a daily basis, not just around the office.:P
Btw, I just ordered my monthly pass for public transportation. My workplace offers this employee transit program where they take money off your paycheck pre-tax and put in on a debit card that you can use to pay for bus/train fares. I signed up for it right after I sold the car, but I had to wait till there was enough money in the account to cover the monthly fee - so for now I am still paying as I go. Which can be a hassle, since I have to remember to always carry enough cash on me to be able to reload the transit card if I need it. The monthly pass will reload automatically, and it's good for unlimited rides on all buses/trains in the entire Chicago area. It will also save me quite a lot of money in the long run...
Also, I FINALLY bought new headphones for my iPod. The old ones were so worn out they were starting to screech when the music hit higher notes... lol. Plus, they had very limited volume range - good enough for the office, but if I was outside at the train station, or on the train, I sometimes couldn't hear a peep out of my iPod over the noise. The new ones look pretty basic too, and cost me less than ten bucks... but OMG the difference. I nearly destroyed my eardrums when I first put them on, because the volume on the iPod was adjusted to the old ones. I CAN HAS MUSIC NOW, wherever I go. *beams*
And that is all in today's newsflash. I need to hit the pillows, pronto. *crashes*
dissonant_dream! <333 *munches happily* ;) And HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
slesia!... wherever you are. Please drop me a line if you see this. You are missed... Summer came back today, but it is supposed to retreat again by the end of the week. As far as I can tell, the apocalypse did not happen.:P Not that I would have noticed in the flurry of mundane errands that filled this weekend. My legs are sore from all the running around I did - which is nearly a permanent condition ever since I got rid of the car, anyway. I am on a quest for more comfortable shoes - I mean, I do have a few pairs that are quite comfortable, but those are the ones I wear most often, especially now, and some are already looking shabby. Plus, the definition of "comfortable shoes" changes when you actually walk around the streets in them on a daily basis, not just around the office.:P
Btw, I just ordered my monthly pass for public transportation. My workplace offers this employee transit program where they take money off your paycheck pre-tax and put in on a debit card that you can use to pay for bus/train fares. I signed up for it right after I sold the car, but I had to wait till there was enough money in the account to cover the monthly fee - so for now I am still paying as I go. Which can be a hassle, since I have to remember to always carry enough cash on me to be able to reload the transit card if I need it. The monthly pass will reload automatically, and it's good for unlimited rides on all buses/trains in the entire Chicago area. It will also save me quite a lot of money in the long run...
Also, I FINALLY bought new headphones for my iPod. The old ones were so worn out they were starting to screech when the music hit higher notes... lol. Plus, they had very limited volume range - good enough for the office, but if I was outside at the train station, or on the train, I sometimes couldn't hear a peep out of my iPod over the noise. The new ones look pretty basic too, and cost me less than ten bucks... but OMG the difference. I nearly destroyed my eardrums when I first put them on, because the volume on the iPod was adjusted to the old ones. I CAN HAS MUSIC NOW, wherever I go. *beams*
And that is all in today's newsflash. I need to hit the pillows, pronto. *crashes*
wtf, weather?!?... yet again
May. 15th, 2011 12:33 amSo, the nice summer weather is all gone. It's dark and wet and gloomy and really, really cold for the middle of May. And it's totally affecting my energy levels. All I managed to accomplish today was take a bath and go out for groceries. It took me forever to decide what to wear... and then forever again to figure out what I will be cooking tomorrow - which of course determines the contents of the grocery list. Now I'm ready for bed, even though I've slept in till nine in the morning and THEN taken a nap.:/
Oh, and I saw another heartbreaking film last night. The Unknown Woman by Giuseppe Tornatore (who also directed the famous classic Cinema Paradiso). I don't have the time or energy to write much about it right now, but it was scary and tough and beautiful and just... such an amazing character study. ( Read more... )
Oh, and I saw another heartbreaking film last night. The Unknown Woman by Giuseppe Tornatore (who also directed the famous classic Cinema Paradiso). I don't have the time or energy to write much about it right now, but it was scary and tough and beautiful and just... such an amazing character study. ( Read more... )
Happy Birthday, taelyn_sass! I hope you had a good one. Best wishes for the coming year!
How is it summer already?... We barely had any spring to speak of. I still wore my winter coat less than two weeks ago - and now it's too hot for a long-sleeved shirt?... WTF? I'll never get used to your wild mood swings, Chicago weather. *bemused headshake*
Also, I am exhausted. The darn squirrels who live on my window sill keep waking me up around 5-5:30 a.m. with their mad scrambling and dashing around all over the place, and I can't go properly back to sleep after that, since I now get up at 6:30.:/ So I probably have to start hitting the pillows by 11 p.m. if I want to get any decent amount of sleep on a daily basis. Haven't managed to do that so far... but today I feel so wiped that it just might work.;)
Random unrelated remark: there was a gay couple on the bus today. Two almost identical big fuzzy "teddy bears" who totally looked like brothers - until they started cuddling. Which was kinda cute, if unexpected.:P
And then this gorgeous Maori-looking guy walked in at the next stop. Very dark skin, thick luscious dreadlocks and strong, sculpted features - like an ebony mask of an ancient warrior. Simply magnificent. Good thing he didn't sit facing me - or I would have a hard time tearing my eyes away. Yes, people-watching on the bus can be a rewarding experience.;)
I don't have any more profound insights to share tonight, kthxbai. *falls on face*
taelyn_sass! I hope you had a good one. Best wishes for the coming year! How is it summer already?... We barely had any spring to speak of. I still wore my winter coat less than two weeks ago - and now it's too hot for a long-sleeved shirt?... WTF? I'll never get used to your wild mood swings, Chicago weather. *bemused headshake*
Also, I am exhausted. The darn squirrels who live on my window sill keep waking me up around 5-5:30 a.m. with their mad scrambling and dashing around all over the place, and I can't go properly back to sleep after that, since I now get up at 6:30.:/ So I probably have to start hitting the pillows by 11 p.m. if I want to get any decent amount of sleep on a daily basis. Haven't managed to do that so far... but today I feel so wiped that it just might work.;)
Random unrelated remark: there was a gay couple on the bus today. Two almost identical big fuzzy "teddy bears" who totally looked like brothers - until they started cuddling. Which was kinda cute, if unexpected.:P
And then this gorgeous Maori-looking guy walked in at the next stop. Very dark skin, thick luscious dreadlocks and strong, sculpted features - like an ebony mask of an ancient warrior. Simply magnificent. Good thing he didn't sit facing me - or I would have a hard time tearing my eyes away. Yes, people-watching on the bus can be a rewarding experience.;)
I don't have any more profound insights to share tonight, kthxbai. *falls on face*
(no subject)
May. 7th, 2011 11:33 pmI went to see my chiropractor today. It used to take me about 20 minutes by car to get there. By public transportation, it's a 20-minute commute (with a transfer) PLUS a 30-minute walk. One way, of course. YEEEAH. You bet I can feel every muscle in my legs right now (after that, I STILL had to get my groceries).:P But the doctor said I "moved nicely" when she did her customary adjustment. She also said I looked happy. Well... significant reduction of money-related stress tends to have that effect, I suppose.;)
But the real reason for this post is the movie I watched last night. The Stoning of Soraya M. I can't remember the last time I was so shaken by a film - literally, I just fell apart at one point and simply sat there shaking, choked with tears, completely unable to control myself. It was scary. But then, it is an unbelievably gruesome story. Gruesome, heartrending and perfectly true. It actually happened. ( Read more... )
But the real reason for this post is the movie I watched last night. The Stoning of Soraya M. I can't remember the last time I was so shaken by a film - literally, I just fell apart at one point and simply sat there shaking, choked with tears, completely unable to control myself. It was scary. But then, it is an unbelievably gruesome story. Gruesome, heartrending and perfectly true. It actually happened. ( Read more... )
(no subject)
May. 1st, 2011 10:45 pmHAPPY BIRTHDAY, illuins_lair!!! Just in case you somehow happen to see this post. Because life is full of surprises, after all.
illuins_lair!!! Just in case you somehow happen to see this post. Because life is full of surprises, after all. thumbs down for Salt
Apr. 30th, 2011 01:27 amI don't suppose anyone remembers, but I mentioned here some months ago that my favorite Polish actor - on whom I used to crush heavily as a teen - had just recently had his first chance to play in a Hollywood film (Salt, with Angelina Jolie). The film itself didn't sound like it would be my cuppa, but I decided to see it anyway - out of pure curiosity. I guess I should have known better. That's two hours of my life I will never get back... LOL. ( Read more... )
mission accomplished :D
Apr. 25th, 2011 07:03 pmOMG... I sold it. O_O The car, I mean. About three hours ago. For $750. Not to either one of the guys who had seen it last week, btw. To a completely different person, who emailed me yesterday. ( Read more... )
Almost sold the car today. A guy came over, poked at it for a while and asked me what my lowest price would be. I told him about the other guy who had offered me $700. He said he'd pay the same, but he didn't seem 100% sure, so I told him to think about it and call me back on Monday (I'll be going to visit my parents for Easter this weekend, and I'd prefer to use the car while I still have it, instead of begging my sister & brother-in-law to pick me up on their way there and being dependent on their schedule). ( Read more... )
(no subject)
Apr. 18th, 2011 10:37 pmHAPPY BIRTHDAY, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
surreysmum!!! (a little early, since it will be late by the time I manage a post tomorrow)
Here's something to make you smile - or, perhaps, swoon a little...;)
surreysmum!!! (a little early, since it will be late by the time I manage a post tomorrow)Here's something to make you smile - or, perhaps, swoon a little...;)
(no subject)
Apr. 17th, 2011 11:47 pmSo, in addition to not receiving comment notifications (I am getting SOME, but I found at least one lengthy comment to one of my recent posts that I was never notified of, so I suspect there might be more), I am apparently not seeing some posts by mutual friends on my friends' page. Great.:/ You disappoint me, LJ. I wish I knew how to quit you... *snort*
Also, there is a kink meme going around, and I haven't done a meme in a while.;) So here goes (I am assuming this refers to what I read, not to what I write, since everyone knows I write mostly sappy fluff with a touch of very mild kink here and there...:P):
( Kink Meme )
Also, there is a kink meme going around, and I haven't done a meme in a while.;) So here goes (I am assuming this refers to what I read, not to what I write, since everyone knows I write mostly sappy fluff with a touch of very mild kink here and there...:P):
( Kink Meme )
Apparently, I am not getting comment notifications right now.:/ So if you are reading this, and you replied to a comment of mine in the past few days, I have not seen it.:(
In other news, here's a link to an amazing read - Prophecy: Destiny and Design by Pecos (who is, as many of you surely know, one of the best authors in LOTR slash fandom):
http://www.blueskydancers.com/pecos/hollowman.html
Twenty long chapters of gripping suspense, gut-wrenching drama, mystery, psychological depth, quirky humor and hot sex, all rolled into one.:) It includes secret organizations, dubious genetic experiments (Orlando is a clone OMG!!!), paranormal abilities, "messages from the future" etc. - you get the drift.;) Oh, and all of this is happening during LOTR filming, I should add - with most of the principal cast somehow involved in the proceedings. On the slash side, the chief pairings are Domlijah and Orlibean - later replaced by Viggorli, which then seamlessly morphs into Viggorlibean (with a side of Vigbean, or however you want to define it - the main point is, you get the three abovementioned guys in all possible configurations ;P). And it's all done in a skillful, psychologically convincing way. Honestly... a rare treat. I have been living inside this story for the past few weeks, and I feel a little bereft now that I've finished reading it.:( I want more of the same. Seriously - any recs of a wild, sophisticated sci-fi/fantasy AU involving the above threesome (or twosome, minus Bean) are extremely welcome.:) Other pairings and permutations are fine - all I really care about is that V & O end up together at some point, and stay that way.:) Yeah... some things never change.:P
In other news, here's a link to an amazing read - Prophecy: Destiny and Design by Pecos (who is, as many of you surely know, one of the best authors in LOTR slash fandom):
http://www.blueskydancers.com/pecos/hollowman.html
Twenty long chapters of gripping suspense, gut-wrenching drama, mystery, psychological depth, quirky humor and hot sex, all rolled into one.:) It includes secret organizations, dubious genetic experiments (Orlando is a clone OMG!!!), paranormal abilities, "messages from the future" etc. - you get the drift.;) Oh, and all of this is happening during LOTR filming, I should add - with most of the principal cast somehow involved in the proceedings. On the slash side, the chief pairings are Domlijah and Orlibean - later replaced by Viggorli, which then seamlessly morphs into Viggorlibean (with a side of Vigbean, or however you want to define it - the main point is, you get the three abovementioned guys in all possible configurations ;P). And it's all done in a skillful, psychologically convincing way. Honestly... a rare treat. I have been living inside this story for the past few weeks, and I feel a little bereft now that I've finished reading it.:( I want more of the same. Seriously - any recs of a wild, sophisticated sci-fi/fantasy AU involving the above threesome (or twosome, minus Bean) are extremely welcome.:) Other pairings and permutations are fine - all I really care about is that V & O end up together at some point, and stay that way.:) Yeah... some things never change.:P
a sad song for a change
Apr. 12th, 2011 09:45 pmSince everyone around seems to be very keen on celebrating poetry month, here are some more lyrics I feel compelled to share. It's one of my favorite songs by DeVotchKa, called Undone (from the album A Mad & Faithfull Telling, 2008):
Father, you know where I have been
and you know what I have done
they say that you see everything
so you know I never hurt no one
what I have stolen won't be missed
by those who had so much, so long
we'll soon be laughing about this
they'll never notice it is gone
I could bend the universe
if I can only get there first
there are some foolish fresh-laid plans
my fate is firmly in your hands
Take if you must take me
but I cannot go peacefully
I left someone waiting for me
I left things so terribly ( undone )
Father, you know where I have been
and you know what I have done
they say that you see everything
so you know I never hurt no one
what I have stolen won't be missed
by those who had so much, so long
we'll soon be laughing about this
they'll never notice it is gone
I could bend the universe
if I can only get there first
there are some foolish fresh-laid plans
my fate is firmly in your hands
Take if you must take me
but I cannot go peacefully
I left someone waiting for me
I left things so terribly ( undone )
one less thing to worry about
Apr. 11th, 2011 11:00 pmHad jury duty today. Didn't mention it here ahead of time, because I had a feeling that if I do, I will somehow jinx it and end up having to serve on a three-week trial or something. *shudder* But I was lucky, and my panel wasn't assigned to a case. I just spent most of the day lounging about in the waiting room, reading a book. ( Read more... )
Also, I am a little concerned about frequent LJ downtime and supposed attempts to destroy the site by those who'd like to silence some Russian political blogs. I mean, I've been here since 2003 and I really don't want to go anywhere else (I just bought extra icon space, for heaven's sake!...) - but I am beginning to think that maybe I should create a backup journal somewhere, just in case LJ goes to hell with no warning or something. If I were to do that, which sites would you recommend, dear flist? I know everyone seems to be on DreamWidth these days, but I'm not really familiar with it. How does it work? Is it much different from LJ, or more or less the same?... I don't handle big changes easily, so I'd prefer a site that functions in a similar way. Like, for example, I want to still be able to use my icons!... (yeah, I'm NOT leaving the sandbox without my toys... LOL) Or change layouts without having to become an html wizard.:P Or... you know. Just give me your thoughts/recommendations/whatever. And now... OMG bedtime. *face hits keyboard*
Also, I am a little concerned about frequent LJ downtime and supposed attempts to destroy the site by those who'd like to silence some Russian political blogs. I mean, I've been here since 2003 and I really don't want to go anywhere else (I just bought extra icon space, for heaven's sake!...) - but I am beginning to think that maybe I should create a backup journal somewhere, just in case LJ goes to hell with no warning or something. If I were to do that, which sites would you recommend, dear flist? I know everyone seems to be on DreamWidth these days, but I'm not really familiar with it. How does it work? Is it much different from LJ, or more or less the same?... I don't handle big changes easily, so I'd prefer a site that functions in a similar way. Like, for example, I want to still be able to use my icons!... (yeah, I'm NOT leaving the sandbox without my toys... LOL) Or change layouts without having to become an html wizard.:P Or... you know. Just give me your thoughts/recommendations/whatever. And now... OMG bedtime. *face hits keyboard*
just because I can
Apr. 7th, 2011 10:00 pmI know I'm getting repetitive, but I do have a strong obsessive streak.;) Anyway... here are the full lyrics to the song Oh, No, from the album Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike. Why? Because those lyrics are awesome, and so, so true. And also, it's a much better topic for a post than my clinically boring daily existence, isn't it? :P
( yo man, how's your blackout? )
( yo man, how's your blackout? )
This was inevitable, I guess. I am an official hardcore Gogol Bordello fan.:) I've got ICONS of Eugene Hutz, for heaven's sake. *points to the left* And now I am going to make a post of my favorite quotes. Just because. In more or less chronological order. Oh, and some pics I found online. Starting with this one, from the set of Everything Is Illuminated (2005):
Elijah seems quite the fan as well, doesn't he? ;) ( Anyway... here goes: )
Elijah seems quite the fan as well, doesn't he? ;) ( Anyway... here goes: )
still in gushing mode :)
Mar. 31st, 2011 11:17 pmWe had another power outage at the office today. It came completely out of the blue, since the weather was perfectly fine. It also happened in the morning, before 11 a.m. Initially we were told to stick around while they were waiting for ComEd to show up and fix the problem - so we did some cleaning around our desks, took early lunch etc. But by noon it was obvious that the power wasn't going to come back for the next 2-3 hours, so they let us go home. Which was really a godsend, since I needed a nap after staying up too late night.:P
Anyway... back to last night's topic. I almost forgot to mention another singer/songwriter I accidentally discovered last weekend. I was just checking out one of my customary feminist blogs, and there was a post about a gay music festival. Which included a video of this artist and a link to her download page. She is a cute little baby dyke with an endearingly young voice, as well as smart, funny and thoughtful lyrics. So, without futher ado, I introduce Mal Blum:
http://malblum.bandcamp.com/
Again, you can listen to the full album on the website, and the download is 8 bucks. My favorite song is called Wait Forever, Baby:
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever - not for you
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby...
But I guess there's nothing else to do
So cute.:) Not a musical or vocal masterpiece, perhaps, but a pleasure nonetheless.:P
Yeah... I think that covers all my latest discoveries. Now, back to Gogol Bordello. I just realized they have a few official videos on their website, and was wowed all over again. I mean, the first clip that plays when you open the video page (http://www.gogolbordello.com/us/official-videos) is this hilarious animated masterpiece that puts most other music videos to shame. I also checked the band member profiles, and found they are a wildly eclectic ethnic mix of like-minded people whose varied cultural backgrounds make the music such a truly explosive blend. ( Read more... )
Anyway... back to last night's topic. I almost forgot to mention another singer/songwriter I accidentally discovered last weekend. I was just checking out one of my customary feminist blogs, and there was a post about a gay music festival. Which included a video of this artist and a link to her download page. She is a cute little baby dyke with an endearingly young voice, as well as smart, funny and thoughtful lyrics. So, without futher ado, I introduce Mal Blum:
http://malblum.bandcamp.com/
Again, you can listen to the full album on the website, and the download is 8 bucks. My favorite song is called Wait Forever, Baby:
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever - not for you
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby...
But I guess there's nothing else to do
So cute.:) Not a musical or vocal masterpiece, perhaps, but a pleasure nonetheless.:P
Yeah... I think that covers all my latest discoveries. Now, back to Gogol Bordello. I just realized they have a few official videos on their website, and was wowed all over again. I mean, the first clip that plays when you open the video page (http://www.gogolbordello.com/us/official-videos) is this hilarious animated masterpiece that puts most other music videos to shame. I also checked the band member profiles, and found they are a wildly eclectic ethnic mix of like-minded people whose varied cultural backgrounds make the music such a truly explosive blend. ( Read more... )
I come bearing music
Mar. 30th, 2011 11:57 pmSo, I have this big music post coming up, but I am not quite sure where to start. 'Cause that's what I've been busy doing for the past week or so - downloading music, creating playlists etc. It all started quite accidentally, with a random post by a randomly friended stranger, who was talking about how she randomly walked into a bookstore and ended up with an album she wasn't planning on buying, as well as a link to a free music download given her by the checkout clerk, who happened to be in a band. How awesomely coincidental is that? Well, here's the link in question:
http://theluckyjukeboxbrigade.bandcamp.com/
Only four tracks, but you can listen to them right there on the website, as well as download them for free. I think my favorite is Moroccan Fire Drill, but they're all pretty awesome - especially for a debuting band. Apparently, that was enough to awaken in me a wild hunger for new music - because I've been on a roll ever since.:)
Anyway... what my randomly friended flister described as "this Russian-French blues Piafian swing thing floating through the air" was the music of DeVotchKa. I got very intrigued (I'd heard of the band before, just never listened to their music), and promptly found several albums for free on Pirate Bay. And... yeah. French-Russian-Spanish-Italian-alternative-rock-folk-blues-film-noir-whatever-kinda-thing.;) Absolutely delicious.
But that was only the beginning. The abovementioned post also randomly referenced Goran Bregovic, whose music I have always loved. So I went on a random search for albums/tracks I might not be familiar with. Btw, I heartily recommend the website http://www.soundike.com/. They have nearly everything you can think of, music-wise, for the ridiculously low price of 15 cents per track. I ended up finding/rediscovering an obscure Polish band I never thought I'd hear again after my sister borrowed and lost their only album I had, years ago. But I digress.
All of the above sort of reminded me of Gogol Bordello, whom I had discovered back in 2007 or thereabouts (after watching the amazing film Everything Is Illuminated, starring Elijah Wood and the band's frontman, Eugene Hutz). I had bought the first two albums on CD, and then somehow stopped following the band's further progress for a few years. Until now. So imagine my delight when I found four other albums on Soundike. Now, here's where I am at a loss for words, because I feel like gushing profusely for about three hours, while in fact at this point in time I should already be in bed.:/ So I think I'm going to come back to this later. Let me just toss in the link to the band's official website:
http://www.gogolbordello.com/us/home
You can listen to some of their music on the website, and there are plenty of videos available on YouTube. I had meant to post some here, but I only managed to watch 3 or 4 before my prehistoric laptop "lost display functionality" again.:/ So no YouTube for me.:( Anyway... I'll leave it at that. For now. I can't possibly squeeze the awesomeness of this band into one sentence, and it's too late to keep trying anyway.:P
http://theluckyjukeboxbrigade.bandcamp.com/
Only four tracks, but you can listen to them right there on the website, as well as download them for free. I think my favorite is Moroccan Fire Drill, but they're all pretty awesome - especially for a debuting band. Apparently, that was enough to awaken in me a wild hunger for new music - because I've been on a roll ever since.:)
Anyway... what my randomly friended flister described as "this Russian-French blues Piafian swing thing floating through the air" was the music of DeVotchKa. I got very intrigued (I'd heard of the band before, just never listened to their music), and promptly found several albums for free on Pirate Bay. And... yeah. French-Russian-Spanish-Italian-alternative-rock-folk-blues-film-noir-whatever-kinda-thing.;) Absolutely delicious.
But that was only the beginning. The abovementioned post also randomly referenced Goran Bregovic, whose music I have always loved. So I went on a random search for albums/tracks I might not be familiar with. Btw, I heartily recommend the website http://www.soundike.com/. They have nearly everything you can think of, music-wise, for the ridiculously low price of 15 cents per track. I ended up finding/rediscovering an obscure Polish band I never thought I'd hear again after my sister borrowed and lost their only album I had, years ago. But I digress.
All of the above sort of reminded me of Gogol Bordello, whom I had discovered back in 2007 or thereabouts (after watching the amazing film Everything Is Illuminated, starring Elijah Wood and the band's frontman, Eugene Hutz). I had bought the first two albums on CD, and then somehow stopped following the band's further progress for a few years. Until now. So imagine my delight when I found four other albums on Soundike. Now, here's where I am at a loss for words, because I feel like gushing profusely for about three hours, while in fact at this point in time I should already be in bed.:/ So I think I'm going to come back to this later. Let me just toss in the link to the band's official website:
http://www.gogolbordello.com/us/home
You can listen to some of their music on the website, and there are plenty of videos available on YouTube. I had meant to post some here, but I only managed to watch 3 or 4 before my prehistoric laptop "lost display functionality" again.:/ So no YouTube for me.:( Anyway... I'll leave it at that. For now. I can't possibly squeeze the awesomeness of this band into one sentence, and it's too late to keep trying anyway.:P
I haven't made a movie post in a while, so let me just mention a lovely, quirky film I watched this weekend: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I hadn't expected to like it quite as much; I mostly picked it for the cast, not for the genre, which I don't normally go for. As it turns out, I'm not quite sure why I don't.;) It was quite delighful; smart and hilarious and really touching in unexpected ways. Now I have this sudden urge to see all Terry Gilliam films (I haven't seen any, except for 12 Monkeys - which I did like, though I wasn't aware he had directed it until I looked him up on Wikipedia right now). As well as all Heath Ledger films. I mean, the guy is just... beyond words. *sigh* It's such a bloody shame that he died so young.:( In fact, The Imaginarium was his final role, and he died about halfway through filming - so instead of giving up on the project, they had three other actors (Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) step in and complete the part, which actually adds another dimension to the script. It's a fantasy film, about the power of the imagination - so it makes perfect sense for the characters' faces to change depending on who's "imagining" them, as it were. But I won't give any spoilers.;) ( Read more... )
