There’s one thing that has always bothered me about the Overture Center. I’m not talking about the politics of it or other issues, I’m talking about the building. How much money was spent on constructing that building? I know it was a lot. Even so, somewhere between transferring the idea of the building to actual form, someone made a mistake.

Notice the discoloration and difference in texture? That’s a patch. That patch is there because an air bubble caused a deformation in the facade. It’s important to agitate the pour when filling a complex form, such as the face of the Overture Center, that don’t have a flat surface. This is of course merely cosmetic, but is it a sign that other faults may be present? Are there other bubbles buried inside the stonework, some just below the surface, waiting for the erosion of weather and time to reveal them? I wish I’d taken a picture of the fault when I first noticed it before it was patched. The patch helps hide it, but they could have done a better job matching the color and texture.


And would someone please tell me what is going on with this area at Mifflin and Fairchild? The buildings are empty and ugly. If the area is being redeveloped, someone needs to put up a sign so people passing by don’t think our downtown is turning into Detroit.

It’s been awhile since I’ve pimped a song I like. The wait is over (as if anyone was waiting).

One of my favorite NOFX songs is “Scavenger Type”. The music is drop dead simple. Overly simple some would say. Hell, it consists of a few guitar chords repeated through the entire song. But the pairing of the simple chords and poetic lyrics make this song a standout.

Gigin alone at the bottom of the hill
Our protagonist named Bill
Sets his sights on an anchor steam pint
All he needs is thirteen quarters
Congregated in his hat
A crow, a scavenger type
California redemption provides him with his rent
Room and board inside of a fifth of comfort
As the wind penetrates his bones
His mind keep focused
Tidal waves of sound catapulted
From his horn wail like lovers
The coins don’t drop consistent as does the mercury
His meter slows realizing a zenith
He’s reached perfection
No one did see him die

This is the kind of song wail out at the top of your lungs with your drunken buddies. Even a novice can play it properly on the guitar thanks to the simplicity.

Back when I was on active duty and lived in California there was a Forward Observer, MOS 0861, in my platoon from Hawaii. We’d grill out all the time. He’d bring his acoustic guitar and play some traditional Hawaiian songs, as well as inventing new songs. It was great. Scavenger Type reminds me of those days. Life was oddly simple for us then. It’s funny. I always feel like the past was so simple, but I sure didn’t feel like that at the time. It seems that as I move forward in life things become more complex. Some day I’ll have to drop off the face of the planet or I’ll end up feeling like I’m carrying the weight of the world.

I’ve been noticing the spam filter at Gmail has been missing a lot of junk mail lately. Usually 3 or 4 messages a day. I guess it was only a matter of time before spammers figured out how to fool Google’s filters, but it’s disappointing that Google has fallen a step behind the spammers.

But I did notice something funny when I was clearing out my spam folder. We all know that Google is driven by advertising revenue and ads that are targeted by keywords in your mail was a big controversy of Gmail, but sometimes those ads are just funny.

If you ever need a new Spam recipe, check your Gmail spam folder. Mmmm, spam hashbrowns.

Have you been to the book store lately?

As always, whenever a movie about a book is released to theaters, that book is featured predominately at book stores. I was at a book store last week with my girlfriend so she could get a study aid for her Praxis II exam. While waiting for her to finish at the checkout counter I glanced over the featured selections at the front table. One book caught my eye, the lauded Brokeback Mountain. Much has been said about this story of two gay cowboys. I never saw the movie, so I can’t really comment on it. I will say that this is not the type of movie I would ever go see. Not because it’s about gay guys or cowboys, but because it’s nothing more than an artsy film to give middle class America something to talk about. I’ve also noticed that “critically acclaimed” movies are often boring, predictable and uninspired. I find my time is better spent watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the latest installment of Robot Chicken.

There’s one thing that struck me about the book however. It’s a short story. A very short story with large print. In an age when Hollywood can’t find anything original to do, we’ve become accustomed to books being made into movies. The one rule about a book being made into a movie is that some portions of the story have to be cut in order to make the film into a viewer friendly length. That’s not the case with Brokeback Mountain. That story is so short they probably had to invent scenes in order to get the movie up to the 134 minutes it presents.

Now if you want to entertain me with a movie about gay guys in traditional masculine roles, you better make it good. Take the gay out of Brokeback Mountain and you have nothing. If you’re relying on the gay element to carry the film, then you’re stretching. You want an idea for a good movie about a couple gay guys? How about having a couple gay astronauts in the Apollo program. You’d have a story of two men pushing the limits of human endurance, reaching for the stars and dealing with the fact that they’re different. That’s a good role model for not just gay people, but everyone. Despite being different, you can achieve great things.

On a side note, I haven’t been blogging for awhile for several reasons. First, it was my birthday and I’ve been taking it easy. Then I went The American Club in Kohler with my girlfriend. And now I’m sick. Despite all those things, I’m sure I would still blog if my girlfriend had internet access at her apartment downtown. Instead I have to take a trek to coffee shops with free wifi access. Which means I have to put clothes on and get off the couch.

I’ve been slacking with blogging. Too bad. It was my birthday and I’m allowed to slack off.

Now if you don’t mind, I’m old now. I’m going to read about my social security benefits and pop arthritis medicine like Mentos.