The Flow is Getting Stronger with Smaller Increments of Time and Eddies of New Ideas are Increasingly Hard to Find

Tuesday. Well, tomorrow is the big financial conference so today I am pretty much tying up any loose ends and making any last minute changes to my presentations. I fly out at 6:00am so that means I will be waking up at around 3:30am to make the hour drive to the airport, check-in, go through security, etc. I can always count on getting flagged for special screening ever since they found a pair of mini-scissors in my school backpack several years ago (I had used them to make flashcards and forgot about them). After that embarrassing incident, security has pulled me aside every time I've flown. What can you do? I'm a marked man...

Since today is my quasi-Friday I picked something a little more upbeat to start out my morning drive. I had Bad Religion in my head the other day, so that is whom I chose for today's selection. These guys are one of my all-time favorite punk bands. Not only are they totally rockin' but to me the lyrics are perfect. It's unfortunate that due to the medium in which they are presented that they are often unclear to the unseasoned listener. These verses transcend the usual punk anarchy themes. The lead singer holds a doctorate in evolutionary biology and his intelligence is reflected in his writing. So each time I listen I get hit with the one-two combo of awesome punk rock and excellent lyrics. I can't help but smile. I love these guys. I could go on and on, but since I've already reviewed them here I'll stop for now.

I've mentioned a few times before on this blog that in an alternate plane of existence I am a lead singer in a punk rock band (among other things in other respective planes). I just want you all to know that in this other dimension we do a killer cover of Bad Religion's We're Only Gonna Die.

Also, since I will be out of town until Friday and won't have access to a computer, I very unfortunately won't be able to update this blog for the next few days. Please try to fight back those tears, and I'll see you all when I get back.

It Went the Dull and Wicked Ordinary Way

Monday. An ok day so far I guess. I have been working on my presentations for this big financial conference for most of the day. Since the conference starts this Wednesday, we had a big run-through with one of the Directors of Finance to ensure that our respective addresses were suitable for the ears of the CFO and the other financial directors. Since I am in Denver and not at the corporate headquarters, I had to do both of mine by phone, which was fairly awkward, but I think I did ok. The worst part of it all was having to stick around on the phone to listen to everyone else's presentations. After about 2 ½ hours I think the phone receiver started to melt to my ear...

Taking up the recommendation of fellow blogger Lisa V., I chose to listen to The National's Alligator on the way into work this morning. I really liked this album. The instrumentation is rich without going over-the-top. The lead singer's voice register is deep, similar to that of Franz Ferdinand or The Killers, but better. Since this was my very first listen, I have yet to fully digest everything that this album has to offer, but my first impressions were very good. The tracks that stood out for me right off were Daughters of the Soho Riots, Abel, and Friend of Mine. I'll definitely be listening to this album more. Thanks for the recommendation, Lisa, and I'll forward this recommendation to everyone else.

Gonna Keep On Tryin’ ‘Til I Reach My Highest Ground

Friday. Yeah! Today has been typically boring so far. I've been working on my post-upload spreadsheet for most of the morning and I'll probably be doing some more work on my presentation later this afternoon. I found out today that not only is the company monitoring our internet usage, but also that every single one of our instant messages is being printed out and read as well. Now, I'm sure that there's some fine print that says that they have the right to do so since the conversations are taking place on their software, but really, there's something fundamentally offensive to the idea that our private conversations are being printed out and read by management. This type of stuff really ticks me off and I honestly don't know how much more of it I can take.

Since it's Friday and I always try to start my weekend out right with some jammin' tunes, I busted out some old Stevie Wonder on my drive into work. Now, I'm talking about the old, funky Stevie Wonder, not the cheesy wuss stuff that he put out in the '80s. How could someone who put out such groovin' tunes as Boogie On Reggae Woman and Sir Duke turn around and put out such vapid drivel a decade later? I think there is a line in the movie High Fidelity regarding this, something like "can an artist be forgiven of his current transgressions based on his past achievements?" I would look it up on IMDB, but I don't want to get busted by the corporate internet police...

Anyway, I really like Stevie's older, funky releases. Sure, everyone has heard Superstition or Higher Ground a million times, but they still never cease being fun to listen to. Living for the City is another great one, as is Uptight (Everything is Alright). I had a lot of fun listening to these songs this morning and I'm willing to bet you would, too. While I wouldn't recommend the entire Stevie Wonder catalogue, definitely check out his earlier stuff and find out why so many people still hold him in such high regard despite his general lameness in the 1980s.

Isn’t This A Lovely Day?

Thursday. Well, so far today at work has gone better than yesterday, but there's still not much excitement to be found. I uploaded the receivables website this morning, and now I am approving vendors for job orders. Other than that, the same old boringness going on here. I'm really starting to yearn for something else, but since I'm indentured for at least another 14 months, I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it.

So, I was listening to the local college radio station the other day while I was out driving and I heard a really funky jazz/hip hop tune that sounded pretty cool. The DJ said the name of the track was Smith Street, so when I got home I did a little research and found out that this was a release by a duo named Layo and Bushwacka. Despite their name, I secured the album and decided I would give them a review.

Much to my disappointment, this was the only song on Feels Closer that had that funky jazz theme. The rest of the eleven songs were all techno/electronica. I'm sorry, but I really don't care for techno music. I mean, some backing samples and sound effects can be cool, but I just really don't get into a track completely made up of electronic noises and drum machines, especially if it is incredibly repetitive. Perhaps if I was dropping X in a club instead of driving to work at six in the morning I would think differently, but since the latter was the case I just didn't get into this album at all. As far as techno goes, this was probably some of the best I've heard, but to me being the least bad doesn't make it good. If you like this genre of music, please check it out. You'll probably like it. For me, I'll probably keep Smith Street around for the novelty factor, but I highly doubt that I'll be listening to the rest of this album any time soon.

When You See a Hand That’s Held Out Toward You, Give it Some Love, Some Day It May Be You

Wednesday. Well, faithful readers, today has been fairly crappy so far. The Big Boss Lady was in town for a half day today. Basically she stopped in to get a preview of my two presentations I'm giving in a week and then she was out the door to catch a flight to Philadelphia to meet with the customer. The good news is that she liked both of my presentations. I just have a few minor tweaks and I should be good to go for the big financial conference in a week. The bad news is that the Big Boss Lady informed me that the company has just implemented an internet monitoring program that in Big Brother fashion will now monitor the times that we as individual employees log onto the internet, how long we visit each site, and what sites we are visiting. That means that I have to seriously cut back on my blogging so I don't get flagged on one of these monthly usage reports. I can't express how lame this is going to be. This job is already boring enough, but to not be able to sneak in a quick blog read in between spreadsheet projects is seriously going to suck. Other than that, I am dealing with a bunch of other crap and trying to fight off some kind of nasty sinus pressure/headache deal that is making my head feel like it weighs a hundred pounds.

Sorry for all of that bad attitude. I just needed to vent. Now that's over, let's move onto the music review portion of today's post...

Today I listened to Janis Joplin on the drive into work. If you aren't at least somewhat familiar with Ms. Joplin, you definitely need to educate yourself in a hurry. I know she gets lumped in with all of the other '60s rock stars that partied hard and died young, but Janis was a truly talented vocalist of which there is no compare. Everyone knows her songs like Bobby McGee and Piece of My Heart, but prefer her bluesy stuff where she could belt it out like nobody's business. Some of my favorite Janis tunes include Ball and Chain, One Good Man, and I Need a Man to Love. Of course there's many others that she recorded in her short-lived career as well. To say that Janis Joplin remains one of the most influential artists to this day is an understatement. To truly understand the lasting effect that her contributions have made to the music world, I would highly recommend picking up some of her stuff right away.

People Say that Your Dreams are the Only Things That Save Ya; Come on Baby, In Our Dreams We Can Live Our Misbehaviour

Tuesday. Not much going on here today work-wise. I spent the morning working on my pre-upload spreadsheet, and now I am trying to work through some vendor disputes. Apparently some manufacturers expect to be paid for their goods and services. They must not have read the fine print on our purchase order agreements close enough...

I listened to some new music today on the drive into work, Funeral by Arcade Fire. I came across this band because they were one of those "if you like this band, you'll like this one" recommendations on Amazon and the like. Arcade Fire hails from Canada and employs a wide variety of instruments in their recordings. The band has been critically acclaimed and enjoys the mentorship of none other than David Bowie.

It's hard to pin down Arcade Fire's sound. They sound a lot like The Pixies to me. I'm about to digress into a tangent here, so please forgive me, but I was pondering this question as I was listening to this album. If a group sounds very similar to a group you like a lot, what do you do? Do you shun them? I mean, if you really like the sound of one group, shouldn't you like a group that has a similar sound? But, does a group deserve being liked if they are just a carbon copy of a preceding band? Then again, isn't all music derivative of the influences that have come before it? I couldn't come up with an answer to this one. Please comment if you have any thoughts on this.

Ok, back to Arcade Fire. I didn't mean to say that they sounded exactly like The Pixies, but there were some noticeable similarities, including some Kim Deal-ish backup vocals. However, I really like The Pixies and many groups from Nirvana to Modest Mouse have been accused of ripping them off before so I don't think that should be held against Arcade Fire now. I did enjoy how several songs would change up midway through to keep you on your toes. The music was definitely tight, and the lyrics were strong. It might take a few more listens to really latch on to this one, but for right now I am leaning towards a favorable review. I'll let you all know more as my ears investigate this album further...

Who Never Showed You About the Easy Way? Who Never Told You About the Perfect Life? Guess It’s Some Kind of Some Guarantee You’ll Never See

Monday. So far this has not been the best way to start a week. I woke up super early because the weather report forecasted a foot of snow to usher in the first day of spring. We didn't get near that much accumulation but it still took me an hour and forty minutes to get to work. Awesome. Although I wake up early every morning, I definitely do not consider myself an early morning person. Waking up a half-hour earlier just to sit in traffic tends to only make matters worse. Despite high levels of coffee ingestion, right now I feel like I am going to do a face plant on my keyboard. Having an hour and a half-long teleconference first thing this morning or doing my post-upload spreadsheet report hasn't really help liven me up, much either. I should have just stayed in bed and called in "too warm and cozy to come to work." I'm sure the Big Boss Lady would understand.

Awhile back I did a review of The Greatest by Cat Power and ended by saying that that I would like to hear more of Ms. Power's work. Well, here it is, three months later and I am going to review Cat Power's What Would the Community Think? I admittedly went into this with a bit of hesitation. I have really grown to like the song (and the album) The Greatest, and wondered if that affection would diminish if I exposed myself to weaker releases by Ms. Power. I am relieved to tell you all that What Would the Community Think? only bolsters my fondness for Cat Power's work.

Cat Power's style comes across like butting contradictions. Her vocals are soft yet powerfully forceful. Her music is seemingly smooth and mellow, yet very raw and moving. Her mood is intimate, but her lyrics often caustic. However, it is more than that duality that draws me in as a listener. These songs come across as genuine, and straight from Ms. Power's own emotion. Her voice is haunting and sticks with you long after the disc is through.

I still think that Cat Power is a horrible choice for a stage name. Ms. Power's real name is Chan (pronounced "Shawn") Marshall. Why not go with Chan? That seems quirky and original enough for me. Perhaps it really is brilliant, because it's kind of hard to forget. But what is in a name, anyway? The music is good and to me that's all that matters. Recommended tracks: Taking People, Nude as the News, and They Tell Me.

What You See is What You Get and You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Friday. Yeah! Right now I am totally stuffed. We had a pot luck here for lunch and I chowed. Since I usually eat a really light lunch my stomach right now doesn't know how to handle this sudden overload. Plus now I am super sleepy. I wonder if anyone would notice if I crawled under my desk and took a nap...

The JavaScript manual I ordered arrived in the mail yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised since it came about a week ahead of its estimated delivery date. I plan to sit down this weekend and start learning some new code. I know I'm a nerd, but I'm seriously pumped. Definitely expect some new interactive and dynamic features on Inaction in Action in the near future.

Well, once again I grabbed a CD this morning only to find that I had grabbed an empty jewel case. Lame. Luckily I had my iPod as a backup, but that meant spinning through my selector wheel trying to find something good while barreling down the interstate at 75mph. So, I stopped at the Beastie Boys since they seemed to be a pretty good selection to get my Friday started off right.

I chose Licensed to Ill because I don't think I've covered that one on this site before. It isn't my favorite B-boys album, but admittedly, it is a lot of fun to listen to. I think I like this one less than the others because it was released as a joke album. The Beastie Boys were really a punk rock band who were fooling around in the studio one day with some of the turntables and were overheard by a couple of producers. They cut a rap record, with the big joke being that they were three white Jewish guys busting rhymes about Led Zeppelin, Budweiser, skateboarding, and other "white" things. Much to probably everyone's surprise, people took the joke seriously and suddenly they had phenomenally successful album. Unfortunately for the B-boys when they really did try to put out a serious album, no one paid attention, and the world missed out on hands-down one of the greatest albums of all time, the insanely fabulous Paul's Boutique.

Licensed to Ill isn't without merit, though. Fight For Your Right is a timeless party anthem, and Brass Monkey is a whole lot of fun as well. The New Style is an excellent track, as are Slow Ride and Posse in Effect. I usually skip over Girls (a song that came back to haunt the B-boys when they spoke out against the misogyny of Prodigy's Smack My B1tch Up), but who doesn't catch him or herself turning up and singing along to No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn? Sure, you'll be hard pressed to find anything substantial lyrically here (besides the in-jokes about white culture that no one got) but they are quite clever and a lot of fun. There are definitely better B-boys albums out there to buy, but this is the one that they will always be remembered for and no record collection would be complete without it.

As of Now I Bet You’ve Got Me Wrong; So Unsure We Reach for Something Strong

Thursday. Yet another busy day, but not as bad as the other days have been this week. I uploaded the receivables website this morning and I have spent the rest of the day trying to put together slides for my presentation in two weeks. I had to get one of the sets of slides done by today since they are a section of a greater presentation, so I really had to crack to get those done. Other than that, I've been working on collections since I'm still trying to bring in those big $$$s by the end of the month.

I didn't have any new music to review today and nothing in my head, which usually results in a trip to the old CD collection to pick something out. However, since I have been mp3 boy for a while and I've been doing these reviews daily for almost a year now, it's beginning to be slim pickings trying to find something in the collection that hasn't been done before. Even more often it ends up being a group that was modern rock when I bought the album, but now has sadly become classic rock during my lifetime. Hence is the case with today's selection, Alice in Chains.

I used to be all about the grunge music. I wore flannel and Doc Martens and saw all of the big bands in concert: Pearl Jam, Sound Garden, Stone Temple Pilots, etc. Of all of these bands I think that Alice in Chains was by far the best. Their album Dirt is a pure work of genius. Jar of Flies is pretty amazing as well. I'm sure today's youngsters think of these bands the same way I do about the hair bands of the '80s (i.e., they suck royally), but these guys are actually really good. The lyrics are well written, and back when I was hearing these songs for the first time I really connected with them. Sure, they played some of your typical grunge stuff (I actually didn't care much for their Facelift album), but a lot of their later work is quite melodic and beautiful. Today I didn't just listen to a certain album, I just put in a mix disc of some of my favorite AiC tunes, some of which include Swing on This, Whale and Wasp, Brother, and Nutshell.

It's funny because I hardly ever listen to any of Alice in Chain's contemporaries any more, but I still really like these guys a lot. For those who are generally turned off by the whole grunge thing, I recommend checking out some tracks on Jar of Flies and their releases there after. You just might be surprised.

If It was Rainin’ Gold I Wouldn’t Stand a Chance, I Wouldn’t Have a Pocket in My Patched-up Pants

Wednesday. I would say to beware the Ides of March today, but in the business world backstabbing is a year-round event. Today I have been focusing on my presentations. I pretty much know what I am going to talk about, but I am trying to get it all together on PowerPoint slides. This is going to be pretty dry, but I'm giving it to a bunch of other financial people, so they should be used to it by now.

Last night I heard a song on the radio (yes, I admit it. I was listening to commercial radio) that sounded a whole lot like Norah Jones, but the DJ said it was a different band. I did some investigation and sure enough Ms. Jones has released a country album as a part of a group named The Little Willies. Apparently this name is a salute to Willie Nelson, but I'm sure the name's double entendre was not lost on the band. Although this release of cover tunes and country-influenced originals has come unheralded, it shouldn't be a surprise to any one who heard the hints of country and western coming through on Ms. Jones' most recent album Feels Like Home.

I'm not a huge country fan. Well, let me take that back. I'm not a big fan of that top-40 pop music sung in a southern accent that currently passes as country music. I respect the old-school stuff of which The Little Willies music more closely resembles. Songs like Gotta Get Drunk and Streets of Baltimore remind me of something you would here in an old time honky tonk. Most of the songs exhibit humorous lyrics, especially the hilarious (at least to me) Lou Reed. I liked this album, but I don't know if others would as well. Is this a tribute or a satire? With these lyrics it is hard to tell. I would say the latter if I didn't already have a copy of Ms. Jones singing a very excellent cover of Waylon Jennings’ Wurlitzer Prize or a duet with Dolly Parton showing that she really does respect the influence of these country and western greats.

And What Do You Got at the End of the Day?… A Bottle of Whisky and a New Set of Lies, Blinds on the Window and a Pain Behind the Eyes

Tuesday. Man, it's been another busy day here. The Big Boss Lady started calling me right away as soon as I got in this morning, and before the coffee even had a chance to really kick in I found myself in a three-way call between her, our customer contact, and myself still trying to get this $600k paid. Every time we jump through their hoop to get this thing resolved, they just hold up another hoop for us to somersault through. We finally asked them to cut out the BS and just tell us what needed to be done to take care of this thing. I'm glad that we got some straight answers, but it added a new spreadsheet project on top of my already overflowing plate. So, three spreadsheets later, I think I am finally able to come up for air (probably just to be dunked back in the water again).

I listened to Dire Straits on the way to work this morning. I reviewed this band before here, but it had been awhile since I had listened to them and I thought they would fit in well with the mood I was in this morning. Sure, everyone knows Money for Nothing and Walk of Life, but I really don't think those two selections properly represent this great band. I began to develop a deeper respect for Dire Straits back when a college roommate of mine exposed me to some of their deeper, lesser-known tunes. These guys are actually pretty darn good, despite their cheesy early '80s MTV image. Don't believe me? Then sample a couple of these tunes and then get back to me: Romeo and Juliet, Skate Away, Water of Love, and Your Latest Trick.

You know, I was just re-reading my old post on Dire Straits and I am noticing an odd trend going on. Today is Tuesday. I did my last Dire Straits post on a Tuesday. My Velvet Underground post I did last Thursday was a repeat of an old post I did on a Thursday. I've noticed this happening before, but I just thought it was a matter of chance. However, I am now wondering if my choice of music selection is influenced by the day of the week (with exception to Friday, in which I consciously choose certain types of music). Hmmm... interesting...

Stow Your Sorrow, Stow Your Fear; What Did You Do to End Up Here?

Monday. I've had a busy day here. I know, being busy should be a cure for boredom so I shouldn't complain, but in this case it isn't the good kind of "busy." If I felt like I was getting ahead or accomplishing something positive, that would be one thing, but instead I have been confronted with a ton of new problems, obstacles and bottlenecks to add onto the existing problems, obstacles and bottlenecks that I am currently trying to work through. I swear, as soon as I resolve one issue, another one sprouts up to fill the void. I guess it's good for job security, but sometimes the whole thing just seems brain-numbingly futile.

Luckily for me, I have a side project to keep my brain active during my off-the-clock hours. Faithful readers will remember that a few months back I picked up a book on HTML with the objective of teaching myself this introductory web-programming code. While I wouldn't say I've anywhere near mastered HTML, I have worked through the book and feel like I have definitely learned a lot in this relatively short time period. Not only was I able to do substantial tweaks to this blog, but I also created several other web pages completely from scratch using my own code. Since I feel like I am ready to move onto the next level, I ordered a book on Javascript over the weekend. Since I am a cheapskate and chose the least-expensive shipping rate on Amazon, the code will probably be obsolete by two versions by the time the book gets here, but I still think I will have something to go off of in my continued pursuit to teach myself web design. I'll keep you all updated as this story progresses.

I've been listening to a lot of Iron & Wine lately. I know that seems like a rough segue, but really it isn't since that is what I've been playing during my weekend web page coding sessions. His songs' mellow unobtrusiveness allows me to concentrate while still providing a sublimely pleasant musical backdrop by which to work. Today I chose to listen to The Creek Drank the Cradle, since I felt that it would be a good compliment to my slow, snowy start to a melancholy Monday morning (how's that for a double alliteration?). I was not disappointed. I like this one a lot, with notable tracks including An Angry Blade and Muddy Hymnal. I think I might actually prefer this album to Our Endless Numbered Days, but perhaps more comparison is needed. That shouldn't be a problem. I recommend this album to those of you out there who enjoy the "sensitive guy with an acoustical guitar" genre. Good stuff.

(side note to Light Strikes a Deal: I think I found that Iron & Wine rarities and covers collection that you recommended, but I have yet to secure it. I'll keep trying and let you know what I think)

With Jaded Eyes and Features You Think They Really Care?

Friday. Yeah! Well, it was another typically boring day doing collections and spreadsheets until I got on a teleconference that I just hung up from. Apparently The Big Boss Lady wants me to do another presentation for this big financial summit conference thingy in a couple of weeks. So, on top of my other presentation I am going to do on the highly entertaining subject of summary billing, I now have to provide an overview of our division's business in the Southwest region. Sure I have nothing to go off of and I only have four business days before I have to submit my rough draft to her, but of course I told her it would be no problem. I would be crazy to turn down another opportunity to make a complete idiot of myself in front of the CFO and other financial higher-ups...

I had a little trouble trying to pick out some music to listen to this morning. Despite my efforts to keep the reviews fresh, the past couple of days have been repeats. Of course, since repeats are boring and this blog is about boredom, then maybe that's fitting. But the music discussions are supposed to be the antithesis to the "bored at work" discussion, so I gotta keep on top of it. Anyway, I was skimming over my CDs this morning trying to find something I haven't done on this blog before. Since it's Friday, I had to find something upbeat, because as faithful readers know, I always pick something rockin' to get my weekend started off right. I thought about going with Ministry because sass talked about them on her blog the other day, but I didn't want to be a copycat. But then, right below Ministry was a beacon of light. My selection was sealed. It would be The Misfits' Legacy of Brutality.

The Misfits are one of those bands that when I listen to them I am instantly transported to different age of john. My junior high/freshman years were pretty much spent listening to a steady diet of punk rock music, most notably The Ramones, The Sex Pistols and The Misfits (there was also a lot of Zeppelin and The Beatles, but that was an independent anomoly from the group I hung around in). I had bangs down to my chin, wore black jeans, and tried my very hardest to be cool despite being 13, gangly and having braces. We would all hang out over at my friend Mark's house until all hours, blaring loud music until 3:00am and doing things that in hindsight no 13-year old kid should really be doing.

Legacy of Brutality instantly whisks me back to those nights at Mark's house, singing the lyrics to Where Eagles Dare at the top of our lungs. Legacy is back-loaded with the best songs appearing towards the end of the album, but they're all good. The album is ridiculously short, with pretty much every track coming in under 2 minutes in length. The lyrics are fairly inane and often misogynistic (usually two big negatives in my book), but I can't deny that even after all this time I still derive great pleasure in driving down the highway listening to American Nightmare and other such tunes. I wouldn't recommend The Misfits to just anyone. I have a feeling most people would probably be turned off. If you are into punk rock, most likely you already know who they are. However, if you are one of these posers who think that listening to Blink 182 or Good Charlotte makes you a punk rocker, have a listen at one of the real things. Then pick up an X or Sex Pistols album. Your credibility will thank you.

Anyone Who Ever Had a Heart, They Wouldn’t Turn Around and Break It; And Anyone Who Ever Played a Part, They Wouldn’t Turn Around and Hate It

Thursday. It's been another wonderful day in the world of accounts receivables. I uploaded the website this morning, which went without incident and then I worked some more on collections. Other than that, rumors have been surfacing about an impending account shakeup (probably due to my co-worker's sudden dismissal previously discussed in other posts). I had to call and assure one of my account managers that I would fight vehemently to keep her account group under my jurisdiction because she said that she would rather quit the company than to have her accounts go back to being monitored by the financial rep previously handling her accounts. I honestly don't blame her but thus far, The Big Boss Lady has not mentioned anything to me about it either way. I guess we'll find the truth soon enough.

I listened to The Velvet Underground on the way into work today. I just love Lou Reed. I think he is highly underrated as a songwriter. To me, he's up there with the masters. Unfortunately, despite the fact that he's put out a whole schlew of albums you only hear Walk on the Wild Side on the radio. Despite the VU as being listed as one of the most influential bands of all time, you never, ever hear them played. So, how does one get the word out? Well, I'm going to do my part by writing a blog post about this great artist and his former band. I did a review on the Velvet Underground before here, but it has been awhile so I figured I better post another one again. Actually, I just read the original post and it pretty much covered everything. Anything else written here would be extraneous deification on my part.

Every Time You Think You’re Walking You’re Just Moving the Ground

Wednesday. I've been working on collections all day. I've been doing well since The Big Boss Lady asked me to move back into collections last August to take on some of the nastier accounts, but I am looking to pull some really big dollars this month. I'm really trying to capitalize on this potential so I can stand out while the Big Boss Lady makes her big decision regarding the vacancy caused by the sudden dismissal of one of my co-workers two weeks ago. They haven't formally announced a position opening yet, but I'm not taking any chances on this one. I'm going after it.

I listened to The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse this morning. Recent readers of Inaction in Action may not know this, but I have been completely enamored with this band for some time now. I have settled down in the past few months with my MM listening in the morning, not because I like them any less, but because this website was turning less into a blog about boredom and more into a MM fan site (which would probably raise my readership significantly, but alas...). Anyway, The Lonesome Crowded West was one of MM's first releases. It is much more raw than their subsequent releases, but Isaac Brock's lyrical prowess is still quite potent even in this early stage of the band's career. A few of my favorite tracks on this album include Out of Gas, Lounge (Closing Time), and Cowboy Dan. The rest are pretty darn good, too. I did a previous review of this album here, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to reaffirm my love for this supremely excellent band. I recommend The Lonesome Crowded West, but only after you've purchased The Moon & Antarctica and Building Something Out of Nothing first.

I Wish I was a Headlight on a North-Bound Train, I’d Shine My Light Through That Cool Colorado Rain

Tuesday. Another uneventful day going on here. I put together my pre-upload spreadsheet this morning, which took up the first half of the day, and right now I am going through the customer's schedule-to-pay report to see how much money I can expect (so far) to come in this month. The good news is that I am scheduled to bring in over $358k on one of my problem accounts. The bad news is that on my other big account the customer is only paying $18.60 in aged receivables after assuring me that around $650k was confirmed. Yes, that is eighteen dollars and 60 cents out of $650 thousand. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry at that cruel joke.

Today I listened to Europe '72 by the Grateful Dead on the drive into work today. Ok, I say this just about every time that I do a Phish or Dead review, but it always bears repeating. Yes, I am a Dead fan. No, I don't consider myself a hippie. Yes, I bathe regularly. No, it is not in a lake. Yes, I take care of my hair. No, it is not by twisting it into dreadlocks. Yes, I have a steady, full-time job. No, it is not selling veggie burritos out of the back of my VW bus. Etc, etc.

I say these things not because there's anything inherently wrong with people who fit that description, but because I want everyone to know that this stereotype does not accurately fit the very wide array of Dead fans. I have known Dead fans of all stripes. Yes, I have known and have been good friends with your typical hippie deadhead. I have also known deadheads who are conservative business-types that completely defy the image that first comes to mind when thinking of this band's followers. Neither way is “right” or “wrong.” We're all across the spectrum so don't try to pin us down.

That being said, I do play a mean game of hackeysack, so watch out.

Also, please note that I consider myself a "Dead fan," not a "deadhead." I clarify that difference here.

Anyway, back to Europe '72. I love this double live album (I have it on CD, it was a 3-LP set on vinyl). Listening to this album was my turning point from a just guy who had a few Dead CDs to a true Dead fan. This CD, compiled from 22 concerts performed on their 1972 European tour, is an excellent showcase of the Dead in their prime. I think this is a great transitional album for those who have maybe Skeletons in the Closet or something basic like that and want to hear the true sound of the Grateful Dead. There are a handful of familiar tunes like Truckin' and One More Saturday Night for the beginner but still plenty of good stuff to keep even the most advanced deadhead entertained. The album is incredibly accessible (well, except maybe the super long experimental jam towards the end of disc 2) and for a live recording, the tracks sound extremely crisp and clear. Some of my all-time favorite Dead songs are on this album, including He's Gone, Tennessee Jed, and the fabulous China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider combo. I highly recommend this album for those who want a glimpse into the Grateful Dead deeper than what the often-misleading "best of" collections have to offer. Slip in the disc, burn some incense, eat a veggie burrito, kick back and enjoy...

The Coast Disappeared When the Sea Drowned the Sun and I Knew No Words to Share With Anyone

Monday. Pretty much an uneventful day thus far. I came in, whipped up my post-upload spreadsheet, tried to do come collections, paid some vendors, and now I am doing some billbacks. Some time I need to start putting together my presentation that I have to do, but that task keeps getting pushed aside for more immediate needs. You know, like making blog entries.

I've had Death Cab for Cutie in my head all weekend, so I listened to Plans this morning in hopes that I could rectify that situation. However, I think I just exacerbated the problem. I guess it really isn't a problem, though, if you like the songs, but it does get a bit repetitious. Much like when I review albums that I’ve already covered on this blog about a dozen times before like this one. Man, these songs are infectious, though, and as I've said many a time on this blog, when my brain tells me I should listen to a song/band, then I do what it says out of fear of its mutiny from the rest of my body. It pulls all of the strings and it knows it. Plus, in some bitterly unfair division of bodily labors, my brain knows exactly what I think about it as well. As punishment for these thoughts, it just may make me come off like a blithering lunatic in my daily blog post. I better listen to recommended tracks Crooked Teeth and I Will Follow You Into the Dark on the way home to prevent such nonsense from occurring.

I Can be Anything I Put My Mind to Man, All I Gotta Do is Give Myself Half a Chance

Friday. Yeah! Well, I finally finished that manual summary billing. It only took me three days. Next month it better generate correctly, that was a complete pain to have to do. The irony is that this new way was supposed to make it easier. At least I can personally guarantee that it's accurate. That would be a first in about a year and a half.

On sassinak’s recommendation yesterday, I listened to the John Butler Trio on the drive into work this morning. The JBT is an Australian jam band that sounds similar to The Dave Mathews Band but more funky and bass-driven. It's like a cross between the DMB and, say, the Infectious Grooves. After having a couple of platinum albums in Australia, they came stateside and released Sunrise Over Sea, which went gold in its first week. Not bad for a band who releases albums on their own label. The big single that has been getting radio play around here is a tune called Zebra. It is pretty cool, but my personal favorite that I've heard from JBT is a song titled Betterman. This track starts out normally enough, but then changes over into a funk riff, then into a drum solo, and then into several other exploratory themes until returning back to its opening bookend nine minutes later. I've never seen the JBT in concert, but I'm guessing that they could probably stretch this one out into a pretty rockin' jam live. I'm not the biggest DMB fan, but I do like jam bands and I love the bass. It's like they took what was good about DMB, funkified it, and then gave it an Aussie twist. I recommend the John Butler Trio if you are into the jam band genre of music. It was definite a fun, funky way to start my Friday off right.

Faded Like a Forgotten Dream Further Than it Seems

Thursday. I am having another busy day here. I uploaded the receivables website database this morning, and now I am still wrestling with this summary billing spreadsheet for the second day in a row. Something in the computer system kept it from generating, so I am trying to do it manually. It has been a complete pain, and I have a feeling I know what I'll be working on when I come in tomorrow morning.

Well, I successfully remembered to grab that Ben Harper disc out of my CD player today. I really dig Ben Harper. For those out there unfamiliar with Mr. Harper, he is in the "guy with an acoustical guitar" genre. However, unlike Jack Johnson who plays mostly light, fun type of tunes, Ben Harper has a tinge more angst and profundity to his style. A lot of his songs like Excuse Me Mister and Opression deal with social issues. He also does some great cover tunes including The Verve's Drugs Don't Work and Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing. Harper can play a soft, soulful song, then turn around and crank out a rousing tune. This guy is pretty good. I would definitely recommend picking up some of his stuff.

Sorry again for the short post. I've been swamped here lately. I can't believe they actually expect me to do work at this job...

Held to the Past, Too Aware of the Pending

Wednesday. Ok, sorry for the short post today everyone. First, I have been fairly busy today trying to take care of a long list of things on top of cranking out several spreadsheet reports. I've also had to correct (yet again) a summary billing report for one of my accounts and that has also taken up a significant amount of my time. Second, I don't have any music to review today. After mentioning Ben Harper in yesterday's post, I was surprised to find that I have never done an entry on him on this blog before. So, I grabbed a Ben Harper disc on my way out the door only to find that I had taken only the jewel case. The disc was still in my player at home. Luckily I had my iPod so I didn't have to endure the torture otherwise known as commercial radio. Since I didn't want to agonize over the decision of what to listen to, I just picked something I hadn't heard in a long while Oh, Inverted World by The Shins. This album is great, but I've mentioned The Shins like a bazillion times on this blog so I'll stop now to avoid the redundancy.