Post a day 2011 | Peaches Prattlings

{January 16, 2011} Day 116/14 – RadioCult

Saturday night, after I went to see a hockey game with friends, I went to a bar to see a band, Radio Cult.

I am lucky enough to be friends with the drummer and unfortunately, for me, they play out of state often, so I haven’t had the opportunity to see/hear them play. Well, tonight was the night and away I went. I hadn’t heard of the bar, but my phone GPS did and I wasn’t far away.

I got there and met up with my friend as the band was waiting and waiting and waiting for the Falcons-Greenbay game to end so they could get started. The bar didn’t want to turn off the game, that’s why most everyone was there and of course, they were hoping that people would stay after the game ended to listen to the band. Most did and they were not disappointed.

The band definitely puts on a show, they are dressed as a punk band from the 80s, most definitely. Lots of black and white and red, stripes and checkers were the order of the day, with some plaid thrown in.

The drummer, Jay-Jay, is decked out in plaid pants, black shirt, black & white striped tie with a skeleton on it and his signature red plaid cap.

Ricky Zero on Bass and Vocals is tall and lean, which is amplified by his black & white striped shirt and red leather pants, exactly what a young punk rocker should be! The long hair, round glasses and serious mutton chops complete the ensemble.

Aldo, on Guitar, rockin’ the Van Dyke facial hair and licks on his axe, more subdued in his attire than his band mates, that night, but definitely standing out and making a statement.

The band is rounded out by Bambi Lynn on Keys, Guitar and Vocals and is definitely a show stopper. She is wearing a white button down shirt with a micro mini plaid skirt, many a man’s fantasy, black & white striped thigh-highs and red furry leg covers, all I wanted to know was what muppet had to die for those things! Pony tails with fuzzies completed the ensemble and she got the crowd to rock.

Enough about fashion, let’s talk about music. I am a big fan of 80s music, even though I wasn’t crazy about it when I lived through it, now, as an “adult” I love it and I loved this band! When they get ready to play, you are expecting to hear maybe some Dead Kennedys, Dead Milkmen, not The Commodores, Rick Springfield, Gloria Gaynor, the list goes on. What a treat! Don’t get me wrong, I love the DKs, DMs, but this was great. The music was on, the vocals were tight, the band put on a show and that show was fantastic! Bambi Lynn was great, as she ran around the bar playing and singing to everyone.

Unfortunately for me, I am allergic to smoke, so I didn’t get to see the entire set, but I will definitely see the full show sometime soon! I assure you, dear readers, that I will be making an effort to go out and see them again.

Rock on Radio Cult!

http://www.radiocult.com/

{January 15, 2011} Day 115/13 – The Green Hornet

Well, all I can say is if Seth Rogen wasn’t in it, it might have been better, but he wrote it…

There were definitely pluses and minuses to the movie, but unfortunately for me, the big minus was Seth Rogen, but since he wrote it, I guess it was logical that he was in it, right? There were some bright shining moments though.

Kato, I want one! Jay Chou, who is one very musically talented man, can play piano, guitar, cello, Chinese flute, Chinese zither and jazz drum, and is one of the most popular pop singers in Taiwan and also in Chinese-speaking region. Not only is he yummy to look at, his character was funny, sarcastic and incredibly talented. He could make an amazing cup of cappuccino, build a bullet proof car, upgrade said car with amazing weaponry, fight like the dickens, and drive like a demon; a well rounded individual I would say.

Black Beauty, the car, GET ME ONE! It was a star in its own right, so it gets its own paragraph! And I really enjoyed the soundtrack, with one of the last songs by Jay Chou himself.

I’m still out to lunch on some of the additional casting; I wasn’t impressed with Cameron Diaz’s character, not sure what the point was. Edward J Olmos didn’t seem like a good fit for such a small role, Edward Furlong was in the movie, didn’t even realize it was him until I saw the credits, James Franco was good for his brief moment on the big screen. Tom Wilkinson was good as the tyrannical dad and Christopher Waltz was good as the lead bad dude, Chudnofsky, definitely ruthless, but on the goofy side. He was bothered by the fact that he didn’t look scary or intimidating, he wanted his name to instill fear in those who heard it, but he went about it the wrong way. For those of you not familiar with Christopher Waltz’s name, he was Col. Hans Landa, the lead bad-dude Nazi in Inglorious Bastards.

I am all for turning a comic book or radio serial into a modern day super hero movie, LOVED Iron Man, something went wrong here… I think Seth Rogen was trying too hard to emulate Iron Man, but it didn’t work. I like a good comic book movie, but no matter how out there it is, I still like a little reality stuck in my fantasy, this went beyond. There were a few scenes that bugged me and I am going to share one with you, this will not be giving the movie away.

They drive the car, Black Beauty, into a building, of course, then into an elevator… “Get into the front seat”. Up they went. “Will it still drive?” “Front wheel drive” and then they drove out of the elevator, do i have to continue?

All in all, even though it was a hit at the box office, I believe this movie will be on DVD very shortly and at that point, it will be worth the $1 RedBox rental fee.

{January 14, 2011} Day 114/12 – How I watch movies.

I love movies. I think you may have figured that out by now, but if you haven’t, let me put it out there, I don’t just like, I love movies.

Everyone looks at movies differently and each persons reactions are solely their own. We may enjoy the same movie, or not, we might have some of the same responses for why we think its great or not, but no matter what, movies affect us each individually. I know that for me, when I watch a movie, I really get into a movie, get a feel for the movie. If the movie is top notch, I won’t notice any flaws or at least very few flaws in the movie, if it’s not so great, my eagle eye comes out and I won’t be able to get past certain things.

I think when you watch a movie for the second, third or even fiftieth time, it’s amazing how that movie makes you feel and why you would watch it two, three, fifty times. I know, for myself, if I love a movie and I am going to watch it multiple times, it must have had a profound effect on me. I am one of those people who, if I’ve seen a movie a few times, can put it on in the background and not even watch it, it’s just on and I know, just by some of the dialog or music what point of the movie it is, what scene. I can even play the scene in my head without even thinking, I might be able to recite the dialog for you [I have really, really tried to stop doing that, I know some people find it amazingly annoying! but if you encourage me, it’s your own fault!]

I was watching the Star Wars Trilogy the other day and it was on in the background while I was getting some work done and there are certain moments when I have to stop what I am doing and watch the movie. It doesn’t matter how many times I have seen it, when I hear that sound of the lever going down because the Death Star is about to fire its primary weapon on the Rebel base and Luke turns his computer off and is going to use the force to fire his final shot and destroy the Death Star, I still sit on the edge of my seat and keep my fingers crossed. When Lea kisses Luke for the first time because Han has pushed her buttons, when Darth Vader asks Luke to take off his helmet so he can see his son with his own eyes, I still look at these scenes with wonder.

When I watch other adventure movies, I have the same reaction, a comedy, I know the parts I want to watch and they still make me laugh until I snort, the love stories that I still cry at the same spot when I think they might miss each other and it might not happen for them or when they finally do find each other, I am balling and need more than one tissue… When I watch Pride and Prejudice, the Kiera Nightly version, when Mr. Darcy proposes for the second time, when they meet at dawn, I always hold my breath and wonder when that will happen for me, when someone will say something that profound to me and I will just know, when I watch the movie Invincible and it’s towards the end of the movie, the Eagles season opener against the New York Giants, I am rooting for the Eagles in this one, you have to, they are the underdog and I still sit on the edge of my seat as he makes his famous move that started it all, retrieves the ball and heads towards the end zone and I am on the edge of my seat “He’s at the 40, he’s at the 30” that still gives me chills and I just watched it the day before.

We all have our own way of watching movies and I know how much I love them by my reaction, body language and just the way I feel while I am viewing a favorite. I may have just finished a movie and I might start it all over again after its finished.

{January 13, 2011} Day 113/11 – Customer Service

In an age of automation and call centers, customer service seems to have gone out the window. But, I had the most wonderful experience this evening and I want to share it with you.

They opened a RaceTrack gas station right down the street from me and when I saw them clearing the land to build that gas station, I wasn’t the most pleased person in the world. I couldn’t understand why they needed to build a new gas station when there was one across the street, another one down the road and another one and so on and so on, why do they need a new one. I didn’t say that I wasn’t going to patronage the gas station,they usually have some of the lowest prices and it would be convenient, but I still couldn’t figure out why they cut down trees and cleared land for this.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we have been in the middle of “snowgedden” as they have been calling it and I needed to get out of the house and get a few supplies, most specifically toilet paper and cat food. The roads were still icy and the ground of the gas station was almost a solid sheet of ice. I had problems with the credit card processing at the pump and slid my way inside. When I got in, there were about 6 people working and 2 customers. They all greeted me, asked how I was fairing and the manager offered me a cup of coffee, cappuccino and when I said I didn’t drink coffee, they offered me a hot chocolate, with marshmallows, no less! I said, are you sure? He said, “Baby Girl, go for it! It’s cold out there, have something!” I thanked him immensely, it was such a treat. Everyone was in a great mood, especially for people that had to be at work on a cruddy night like tonight and there were so many of them, they couldn’t all have been busy, but the store was clean and well stocked and welcoming.

As I was walking out, they reminded me stay warm and don’t forget to pump my gas before I left. I thanked them all for being so kind, the hot chocolate and warm wishes. Go Race Track Go.

{January 11, 2011} Day 112/10 – Snow Day!

Today was a snow day! Well, it was a stay at home day for almost everyone in the state, and it is looked at so differently by different people.

Let’s start with kids. A snow day is a wonderful day, no school, stay up late, sleep in, playing outside in a snow suit, building a snow man, snowball fights, sledding, hot chocolate, cookies, games, movies, naps and then do it all over again! What could be better…can we go back and be a kid again?

Parents…a chance to play with the kids, watch them wonder at snow, sometimes for the first time, especially if you live somewhere that it’s a rarity. Bundle the kids, go outside, play in the snow, snowball fight, help build a snowman, take pictures, keep them from hurting themselves, wipe their noses. Back into the house, unbundle them, get them to the potty, put on dry clothes, wipe their noses, clean up the wet, make hot cocoa, set up the games and movies, start the fire, get the blankets out, cuddle with the kids.

Teachers…a day off, they can’t work from home, no one to teach, no work, a chance to play with their kids. On the other hand, this just means a day they will tack on somewhere or, if there are more snow days and school closings, tack on to the end of the year, double edged sword.

Business owners and employees who get paid by the hour… If the business is closed and can’t open, a day off, but that’s money lost, not being made. If the business stays open, risking your safety to get there and what if no one comes in?

Truck drivers…it’s dangerous, they have to drive to live and survive, if they hit a patch of ice, could be over. They have to not only watch out for themselves, but every other driver out there, so much responsibility!

Delivery drivers…if people stayed home, they might be persuaded to order in and if the restaurant is open, they take their lives in their hands, stay home! We already made the run on the store for bread and milk!

Personally, the company I work for has been open, there are jobs that cannot be done remotely, but they did send e-mails out indicating that if it was not necessary for you to get on the road, please don’t but if you did, use extreme caution and whatever you decide, talk to your manager and there were some managers at the company who called their teams and told them to work from home on Monday and so on. I am quite lucky that I can work from home and get things done, I don’t know what I would have done if I had to get out and drive in this.

A few weeks ago, when we had a snow storm Christmas Day, everyone was excited, a White Christmas, hasn’t happened in over one hundred years in Georgia! We were snowed in, what fun! Then a HUGE snowstorm hit NY, how exciting! Day two was still fun, day 3, we could drive in Georgia, but in NY day three turned into four, then five and people were beginning to get a bit of cabin fever. I saw a number of postings on FaceBook, “Why couldn’t this have happened next week, when we have to be back at work?” Well Georgia, we are in the middle of some serious winter weather, a serious storm, 5-8 inches in a few places, can’t go into the office, some peoples homes are spotless now, what else can they do but clean, I’ve unpacked some boxes, but the cabin fever has started to set in… I see people playing outside, some people had to get to the store, just to have something to do. I went for a walk just to get out of the house. It’s one thing to work from home and not go into an office, but you can still go out and get places, it’s entirely different to be stuck with no way out… cabin fever.

The more difficult thing in Georgia, we are not equipped to deal with all this snow and ice! But, conversely, apparently, neither was NYC the week after Christmas! I would leave if I could, but the ice is not melting and I am not risking my neck, I might be walking to the store for something to do this week!

So many different perspectives on this glorious thing mother nature has dropped on us, what do you think?

{January 10, 2011} Day 111/9 – Salvador Dali- The man behind the mustache

I had the pleasure of seeing the Salvadore Dali exhibit at the museum today and it was fantastic. I saw techniques and styles I did not know that Dali created in and with. Did you know that he designed jewelry? I didn’t, but it was exotic and inventive and sparkly, the best part. come on, I’m a girl, we like the spark-lies!

Of course, one of his most famous, or I should say, his most famous because it is the one piece that everyone knows, Persistence of Memory. The story behind the creation of the painting… Dali was painting a landscape and looked over to see some Camembert cheese he had on a plate starting to melt and voila… he then asked his wife, Gala, what she thought of the painting when it was completed, she said no one would ever forget it after seeing it, and that’s how it came to be named. the interesting thing about this painting, like the Mona Lisa, every time we see it represented in a movie, it’s enormous and, like the Mona Lisa, it’s tiny, relatively speaking, and difficult to get close to to view, always has a crowd around it.

But, I must admit, what I am most fascinated by and I know I am not alone in this… his mustache! It takes some serious skill to grow a mustache like that and I admire him for it! I think that it was a toss up as to what he is more famous, most remembered for, his artwork or his mustache. The opening of the exhibit had quotes from a conversation between Dali and photographer, Philip Halsman and throughout their lives and friendship, Halsman photographed Dali in many settings and situations, some humorous and many on the bizarre side. One of the photos that kind of got to me was Dali being suspended from a helicopter by his mustache, ugh!

This may be one of my shortest entries…

{January 8, 2011} Day 110/8 – James Hance – Relentlessly Cheerful Art

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a show opening at the Cornbred Gallery in Atlanta. James Hance, self proclaimed Relentlessly Cheerful Art and I must say, it’s all true!

I have been a fan of James Hance for quite some time, once my friend CM introduced me to his work and I was hooked. He has such a vivid and charming imagination with things that I love, Winnie the Pooh, Star Wars, The Muppets and The Beatles, just to name a few and for anyone who knows me really well, knows that I am huge into ALL those things! Combining Winnie the Pooh with Star Wars… Wookie the Chew, how incredibly clever.

His work takes so many subjects and changes them ever so slightly and combines them with something equally as wonderful to create something clever and unexpected. Fraggle Rock characters or the boys from The Lost Boys as The Beatles: Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Taking Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” and modifying it slightly, with Jim Henson as g-d and all the Muppets surrounding him with Kermit as Adam, Boba Fet as the Fonze “Boba Fonzerelli”, the list goes on and on, just incredibly smart, innovative, clever and fun.

I had the opportunity to meet the artist, it was great fun that evening. JL, CM, TS, JB were with me that evening, all excited to view the exhibit and meet the artist and we did. He was very laid back and an enjoyable chap, seemingly like his art, relentlessly cheerful. There was Beatles music playing all evening, a great start, wouldn’t you say? Ok, stop, they all said I was gushing, maybe I was, it was cool! He had Beatles lyrics tattooed on his arms and had a great way about him, easily approachable and very personable, didn’t hurt that he’s cute, can’t help it, no matter what, I’m still a girl! We talked about movies, music and his work, very charming.

The first thing I saw when I walked into the gallery I was in love with and it was sold… It was a canvas, painted yellow, with Kermit the Frog looking down at his banjo, something I would love to have commissioned, who knows… then I turned around and wham! Wookie the Chew walking hand in hand with R2D2 down a snow laden path, I wanted it and while I was debating buy art/pay mortgage/buy art/pay mortgage… someone purchased it, who knows what the future holds! I did get to purchase a piece that I am excited to pick up, on a piece of tree, from Wookie the Chew, Elevensies [check out the link for the image] it’s terrific!

I purchased a few prints and his book, Wookie the Chew, he’s working on two more books based on the other movies. Looking forward to them coming out! We had a great time, will be going back later in the month, to pick up my purchase and possibly see some new pieces on the walls.

If you have the opportunity and live in Atlanta, I would recommend going to the Cornbred Gallery and seeing the work of James Hance, a delight.

http://www.jameshance.com

{January 8, 2011} Day 109/7 – Trivia Nite

I just got home from a fun night. I was at a show opening at a gallery with some friends and then we went together to get some dinner. The first place we went was going to have a three hour wait, because of a football game, uh…no thanks, easy decision. Luckily we were in an area that boasts lots of restaurants and we qucikly decided on another.

There were several empty tables, problem solved! The waiter came up to us, offered us menus, took our drink orders and asked if we were going to play trivia, we shrugged, wasn’t our intention coming in and the first thing out of all our mouths, “I don’t know squat!”

Well, most of the time, even if everyone thinks they don’t know squat, usually each person in the group knows something about something, thereby contributing. Now this is generally true in cases where the group is not an actual trivia nite team, just friends who happen to end up at a bar that is having trivia nite.

Those nites are fun, like tonight, because none of us took each other or the event too seriously, we were just having fun. We knew a few answers, got a bunch wrong, but… we were never in last place and… we won two free pitchers of beer! I know I don’t drink, but some of my friends do and we won! Once it was a random name draw and the other because we were in last place. Now I know I said we were never in last place, but at the moment we won, the other teams that were worse…had left the bar!

What I love is to see a team get excited because they know an answer together or just one person knows the answer with conviction! That was us!

All in all, a good time was had by all and even if we’re not going to win any trivia nite championships, we won two free pitchers of beer and had a great time, as it should be!

{January 6, 2011} Day 108/6 – Resolutions – Did you make any?

Did you make any resolutions this past December 31st? Or, did you, years ago, resolve to never make resolutions? That is one of my favorites!

I found a picture from Calvin and Hobbes that says “Resolutions? Me?? Just what are you implying? That I need to change? Well buddy, as far as I’M concerned, I’m perfect just the way I AM! [http://bp1.blogger.com/_BFmrOqQJl0c/R3t9w8rJq8I/AAAAAAAAADE/-u8VadoJaWY/s1600-h/Resolutions.jpg]

I think this cartoon is fantastic! And should be how we all feel about ourselves, but is that the case? Not usually. So, in answer to my own question, no I did not make any new year’s resolutions, makes breaking or not breaking them so much easier on the conscious.

When someone asked me about my resolutions, it did give me pause to think because, I guess, in a way I did, sort of. I made my 40 by 40 list and that is a list of all the things I want to accomplish before I turn 40. Resolutions? Not sure.

Then, when I went to the gym on Monday evening, January 3rd, the place was PACKED! I normally go to the gym in the mornings on the way to work or at the location near my office in the evenings. Since I am working with a trainer now, and we’ll discuss that later, I am tending to go more to my local gym in the evenings.

Ok, back to Monday being slammed. I asked a few people, of course, everyone is in agreement that the gym will not be so packed in a month or two, when everyone has fulfilled enough of their obligation to their resolution and get out of the habit. Apparently, my local gym is always packed Monday evenings, why you may ask… According to everyone at the gym, binging eating and drinking bring them in. Ok, so, the answer… don’t go to the gym on Monday evenings before 8pm.

So, to make a resolution or not to make a resolution? That is the question. I will leave that up to you.

{January 5, 2011} Day 107/5 – My Red Shoes

I LOVE my red Dansko shoes, I mean, when I say I LOVE my red shoes, I LOVE these shoes. I practically live in them.

What inspired me to write about my red shoes is that I was in the bathroom at work and when I came out of the stall, the person who was talking with me said she knew it was me by my red shoes! I have to be honest and tell you that every day I wear them, someone compliments me on them and I am not kidding! I have random people, in elevators, servers in restaurants, men and women, just anyone tell me and I LOVE it! Now, let me tell you how I came to be in possession of these fine specimens of footware!

Two years ago, someone sent me $50 for my birthday, thank you “Mr & Mrs TheB’s” [inside joke] and I was excited to get something fabulous and not spend it on bills! I was in NYC for my birthday, my dad flew me up for my birthday that week, thanks daddy and we were walking down Broadway and passed David Z’s shoe store, [http://www.davidz.com] and I saw these shoes in the window and I said, I MUST have those! They are Dansko’s, [http://www.dansko.com], which admittedly, I had never heard of, but apparently they are great with and for people in the medical field, those who stand on their feet a lot and I know why.

They are red, of course, being my favorite color, tapestry, with flowers embroidered on them, in gold thread, not gaudy or tacky, just right. They also had the shoes in black, but red is my color, besides they matched my car! They were $150 marked down to $50, WHAT? Exactly what I had in my pocket from my birthday money! I am going to buy them!

We got to the counter and what did my dad do? He bought them for me, I am spoiled, definitely a daddy’s girl! Are you sure daddy? Yes, then THANK YOU!!! I wore these shoes out the door, I have worn them for over two years now, the soles are still in great shape and I can go for miles and days in them, they have seen a few quite a few states and hopefully to see a few countries in the near future! I wish, as we all do, I am sure, that I had bought a few pair of these, because when they eventually wear out… boo hoo, you can’t find them anywhere!

That is the story of my red shoes and tomorrow, I am going to tell you part two of this story…

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