For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease a couple of weeks ago... I hate baseball. I'd really much rather have been diagnosed with a basketball disease. Maybe Wilt Chamberlain disease. That's the one where you have sex 20,000 times and then you die.
-- Carla Zilbersmith
I never met Carla Zilbersmith, the accomplished singer, teacher, and comedianne. I have never even heard of her until I ran across an entry on another blog (hat tip: The Daily What).
Zilbersmith was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, better known as ALS, in 2007. Despite dying slowly, she kept living life as she wanted, the best she could. Trips, singing, and plays. She wrote her own blog Carla Muses and even starred in a documentary Leave Them Laughing: A Musical Comedy About Dying.
I'm going to have to get this movie when it becomes available.
Last month, Zilbersmith slipped into a coma and passed away. Before her death, she made this video that was to be played during her funeral. I'll be damned if she didn't make people laughing a priority.
Thank you for your humour and inspiration, Carla. We didnt get to meet, but its an honour to know you.
Anyone can cook aloo gobi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham?
-- Jess from Bend It Like Beckham
Its an exciting time for soccer fans with the World Cup going on for the next four weeks. There are have been some really excellent games so far and its only third day of the tournament. Its definately been worth the hype.
England's Rob Green will be hearing about his miscue for awhile, but as any player knows, it happens to all of us. Unfortunately for Green, it just happened during one of the biggest games ever.
At least he made an attempt to stop the ball, unlike Algeria's Fawzi Chaouchi, who watched the ball sail in. Hell, I could have done that. Maybe I can play for them! Ok, maybe not.
Japan doesn't play for a couple of days so I'll be anxious to catch that one. It will be hard as hell to try not to watch the games at work. Our network doesn't have that kind of bandwidth.
Maybe I should call in sick. For the next four weeks. Yeah, that's it. *cough cough* Hehe...
Ok, that wont happen either. I'll have to do what I can to catch as many games as possible. For now, lets play the official song for the event.
Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) by Shakira
Damn. In a few weeks, I'm going to have the same problem when the Tour de France starts.
Lt. Col Strobl: If I'm not over there, what am I? Those guys, guys like Chance. They're Marines.
Charlie Fitts: And you think you're not? Want to be with your family every night? You think you have to justify that? You'd better stop right there, sir. You've brought Chance home. You're his witness now. Without a witness, they just disappear.
-- from Taking Chance
Today is the day we Americans remember those soldiers that died for us. It doesnt matter whether or not you believe in war or not. Its there and its something that must lived through.
Its the soldier that pays the price with their life. We should never forget that.
Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
‘She must weep or she will die.’
Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.
Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.
Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
‘Sweet my child, I live for thee.’
You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning.
-- Billy Wilder
I typically have music playing whenever I'm busy, whether it be office, working out, or house work. The one advantage I have by working on office stuff at home is that I can actually sing without destroying my co-workers ears.
The other advantage is that I can do my typical video surfing at the same time, usually because thats when I stumble on the little gems.
Case in point is today's found treasure. The cover that Ling Mai's Mighty Mayo Films group does is absolutely brilliant. I loved the fun and creativity it brought out in the song.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Every Morning by Sugar Ray
Tears are the silent language of grief.
-- Voltaire
In 1992, Eric Clapton released the song Tears In Heaven about the loss of his son, Conor, who fell from a New York City apartment window. Clapton has much stopped playing the song, citing that the pain and loss are not there for him as much any more.
In some ways, that is a good thing. People have to move forward with their lives or else end up becoming hollow inside.
Fortunately for we, the audience, this beautiful song has been covered by several artists. As I was going through a search for semi-mellow music, I found these videos.
Ironically enough, these versions are sung by young men. Perhaps they could have been Conor's age by the time they sang these. Perhaps now its not so much a hurtful reminder, but rather a heart touching ballad that we shouldnt forget.
Tears In Heaven by The Choir Boys
Declan Galbraith was around 14 or 15 when he did this cover.
Tears In Heaven by Declan Galbraith
What is it with Brit music videos and cathedrals anyway?
Hey, Doc, I got a mother. All right? I mean, you got a mother. Sarge's got a mother. I mean, shit, I bet even the Captain's got a mother. Well, maybe not the Captain, but the rest of us got mothers.
-- Reiben from Saving Private Ryan
Since music a pretty typical theme, I figured I would do a slightly different look at Mother's Day music. Here are a couple items that, at first glance, don't appear as tributes to motherhood.
Billy Joel's She's Always A Woman started as a love song, but the John Lewis ad expands on the lyrics. The simple imagery of a girl growing into much more is quite effective.
Not bad for only one minute thirty.
As harsh as this next song may sound, the lyrics touch upon some of the hardest things that a mother must go through. Listen carefully and you can hear the gratitude to the one person that kept him alive.
Hate Me by Blue October
Being a parent is a tough, thankless job and its seems nowadays, children are more apt to blame their parents than thank them. Two days out of an entire year isnt enough to honour them. Appreciate them while you still have them, hm? Even if they arent in your life, keep them close by.
So to mine and all you other mums out there, thanks.
Let's work the problem people. Let's not make things worse by guessing.
-- Kranz from Apollo 13
There are people that act like they're from outer space. Then there are those that belong in outer space because of the fact that there just may be too much oxygen in their cranium.
Its up to the rest of us to figure out which is which. Case in point...
Major Tom by Shiny Toy Guns
Parents shouldn't be friends to their children and neither should teachers. As soon as that happens, the relationship is not what it's supposed to be.
-- Deborah Gust
Several families of ducks have made their home around the large lake at the office complex where I work. They wander to and fro along the lawns and trees, eating bugs, swimming along, and just being ducks in general.
As I parked the car next to a small hedgeline in the lot, an adult duck stuck her head out of the brush and watched as the vehicle came to a stop. When I opened the door, the little bugger hissed at me. I've gotten used to having the ducks around, especially on the soccer field, that we share with them, but this was the first time one actually hissed at me in such close proximity. And with no wonder.
When I actually had gotten out of the car, I could see that the ducklings were in the same hedge, all around mother duck's feet. Then came father duck from the other side of the hedge and both parents were hissing at me. The ducks will actually come after the pedestrians that come to close to the wee ones. Rumor had it that they had bitten one woman on campus.
I wasnt too worried since I could have always kicked them like a soccer ball. If I was really bad off, the baseball bats were in the trunk. But nothing else happened as I walked away.
It doesnt really matter what species though, does it? Become a threat to our little ones and parents become protective.
When I was younger, I never fancied myself much as a parent. After all, I never believed that I would be a good father especially with way I behave. Even at my age now, people are surpised by how old I am just by the way I act, not to mention my appearance.
Then every so often, the inkling does strike me about being a father. Perhaps I would be a little more relaxed than my own father. A little more strict in others. Definately just as protective, if not overly protective.
And when the time comes, perhaps I would even sing my wee ones to sleep...
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) by Billy Joel
Who knows? Maybe some day.
By the way, don't forget Mother's Day is coming up this weekend.
Am I wearing boxers? For future reference, I usually prefer briefs for their security and peace of mind.
-- Max from Get Smart
The mobile company Vodafone comes up with some pretty good ads. If my office mates ever did something like this, we would be out on our ear.
The text at the end? "Piu smart con Vodafone."
I dont feel smarter.
Hatch: Where do I stand for a corner kick?
Colby: At the far post, facing the ball.
Hatch: Thanks. For a while there, I thought you were keeping it a secret.
-- from Victory
And just like that, another soccer season has passed me by. The team I'm on, BC United, just seems to get better and better every year. This year we took the first seed into our tournament and earned the right for a first week bye. That was definately a new feeling.
The hardest part is that the tournament spans across days and not everyone can make the same day. That goes for all the teams, not just us. So everyone feels the difference to some extent. 
For United, we placed fourth, our highest ranking ever.
I guess in the long run, it really doesnt matter. Everyone comes out and plays hard. Everyone has a good time regardless of the outcome. And in the end, we all enjoy being out as a team, as a group, as friends.
That makes the whole season worth it. 
So to United and to everyone in the league, I thank you. Its always an honour to take the field with you.
It's true that every time you hear a bell, an angel gets its wings. But what they don't tell you is that every time you hear a mouse trap snap, an angel gets set on fire.
-- Jack Handy
I've been playing a lot of mellow music again as of late. I guess it goes with my mood. You know: tired, beaten, whipped. That sort of thing.
Its just that there are those times that we all need a little time to unplug. Some people read. Others meditate. I play loud, harmonious music that sounds like we should be in church.
That's when I came upon this UK group that meets the bill as well as satifies the soul. Not to mention the eyes.
Nothing Compares 2 U by All Angels
Perhaps this is just another excuse to look at attractive women without feeling like a total deviant. Heh.
Sound Of Silence by All Angels
You guys look like an 80s rock band!
-- Ben from The Fantastic Four
I was doing my nightly scan through all the silly sites and landed on this one. Its definately too funny to pass up.
So here are the Axis of Awesome doing their 4 Chord Routine. Turn off the notes if you don't want the spoilers.
Come on, Barbie, lets go party...
On matters of style, swim with the current. On matters of principle, stand like a rock.
-- Thomas Jefferson
I was wading through You-Tube again and found this by accident. The video is from the alternative version of the original song, but group's melody is so impressive that I felt compelled to show it.
With or Without You by Stanford Mixed Company
Don't be absurd. Such activities are totally beyond my mother. My father only got anywhere with her because he told her it was a cure for diarrhoea.
-- Edmund from The Black Adder
There is always a danger when playing Magic The Gathering without sleeves. Granted, what male likes to put a sheath of plastic over their stuff?
Then again, you wouldnt have to worry about stuff like this.
Ok, I found myself semi-aroused by that. I would be more than willing to let her work on my deck...
I hate watching Passion of The Christ with my mom at church. She always says "Miho, why don't you want to watch it?" and I tell her "Come on, mom. I've read the book and seen the movie. I know how it ends."
-- Carlos Mencia
On Friday night, a buddy of mine from the office, who is also a Magic The Gathering player, invited me over to his place. Alara and his wife were having a Good Friday sort of party, where they had invited people from their work as well as other family friends. They were both up front about what was going on: good food, good people, and a good movie, which just happened to be Passion of The Christ.
Ben, another fellow company worker and avid Magic player, wasnt sure if his wife would be able to handle the movie considering the content is pretty vivid, especially the bloody parts.
I had never seen it with a church or religious group per se. I saw the film at the theater when it first came out and even then, I noticed that people were having trouble with the whippings, blood, and crucifiction. Watching this as a small group setting would be a new experience.
The young teens who had not seen the film before were horrified. Some of the older folks who had seen it before were still having trouble with the graphic violence, but understood the reason for it, even appreciated it.
Mel Gibson may be a prat, but he does make a good film.
At one point we had to pause the film for bio breaks, food, etc. While the mood was still somber, I tried to lighten things up by cracking my wise arse comments.
Since the movie is spoken in Aramaic and Latin with subtitles, I spurt out "You know, if someone was high and tried to watch this without the subtitles, they would probably go 'Dude, I'm so messed up! I can't understand a word they are saying!'"
Yes, that was pretty bad, but it got a laugh. I even paraphrased a few comments from the man, Sam Kinison. Here is the NSFW version.
Happy Easter to everyone! I hope its a quiet, safe, and enjoyable one.
A violinist had a violin, a painter his palette. All I had was myself. I was the instrument that I must care for.
-- Josephine Baker
Ever get in the mood for orchestral music? Maybe not even orchestral per se, but something more mello to match whatever mood you happen to be in.
Ok, maybe its a shite excuse of mine in order to play something abit different than usual. Considering everything going on around me, a chance to breathe wouldnt be such a bad thing. I dont mind being busy, even frenetic, but using the snorkel every day can wear you down.
On the plus side, crazy days like today end up giving way to more creative culinary ideas because there arent too many healthy options late at night. A can of chili and beans, simmered with a combination of ground beef, onions, scallions, and cheese. Pour on top of tortilla chips and off you go.
I'm not sure if there is really a point to this note. I dont think there really was one other than perhaps its times like these where we miss simplicity. Simple, quiet times without the hustle and bustle of every day life.
Or maybe I'm just burned out and I'm whining like a little bitch. In that case, just rub your fingers together to play the world's smallest violin for me.
Return To Innocence by Enigma
Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry. I'm here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you.
-- Charlie Brown
Some song covers arent so bad. Some are really different that they can't truly be called covers. They are more like re-imagining of the song.
Case in point; one of Crowded House's most popular songs has been covered by alot of people including Sixpence None The Richer. I personally prefer the original version.
Don't Dream Its Over by Crowded House
The irish group Dove did a hip-hop version of the song which isn't bad, but definately different.
Don't Dream Its Over by Dove
Ah, variety. The spice of life indeed.
We will put no impediment in your way and we will be at dockside bidding you a farewell as you set off into the sunset.
-- Charles M. Lichenstein
Here is a mix of alternative rock with a twist of classic opera. Katherine Jenkins does bloody brilliant cover of Evanescence although I do miss some of the anger that raged in Paul McCoy's voice.
Bring Me To Life by Katherine Jenkins
Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.
-- Yogi Berra
Hopefully, Coach Pill and Mermaid get a kick out of this one.
Back in the 80s, one of the first concerts I ever got to attend had these two little bands that hardly anyone had ever heard of: Men At Work and their opening act, The Outfield. Both have been favourites of mine since.
Back in the day, it wasnt uncommon for me sing their music all thoughout the night. As matter of fact, I still do sing their songs at night and to be honest, I do it just as badly now as I did back then.
So when I saw the news that The Outfield has the original trio back together and are releasing a new cd, I was totally estatic! This is one group I definately would see again. I will even buy the cd so I can have a physical copy of their work instead of just downloading the songs from Amazon.
Here is the promotional video with drummer Alan Jackman, that had left the band and has now returned.
Since most people are used to hearing Your Love, I opted for a different track.
All The Love In The World by The Outfield
There isnt really a video for this song, but it was another favourite song off of their first album, Play Deep. I have to thank the You Tube user for posting it.
I Don't Need Her by The Outfield
I think I actually have what's left of the original cassette somewhere in the house. I'd be amazed if it still works considering I pretty much wore it out by playing it constantly in the car. Then again I practically wore out the cd playing it on the bedroom stereo, the car stereo, the portable cd player, the boombox, the computer...
Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.
-- Dave Berry
The guys from OK Go are at it again and this was too good to pass up. There is always something about being able to play at your job.
This Too Shall Pass by OK Go
FYI, RGM means Rube Goldberg Machine. If you've never seen one before, just watch an old Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Hat tip to Gizmodo for this tidbit.
The Steward
