Alright, so maybe I jumped the gun in saying how much I love my commute — just like the B-line train that jumped the tracks, hit a power line, and caught on fire last night. (A friend who lives right there said it sounded like a bomb had hit and it pretty much lit up the entire area.) Perhaps I should start exploring other routes to and from work, not just today but on a more regular basis. (It did look really cool when I went by on the bus, though. I was sorry I didn’t have my camera with me.)
How much do I love Jason Mraz‘s new album? Well, for starters, I like it more than I like Gavin DeGraw’s new disc. Mraz got his sophomore slump album out and behind him in 2005 with the release of Mr. A-Z, and now he’s back with We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, an album that displays growth and maturity, and more importantly, impressive songwriting and singing skill. Most folks who know Mraz already love his first single, “I’m Yours,” but as good as that song is, it’s not as full of life as the album’s jazzy, funky opener “Make It Mine.” Better still is my favorite track, the jangly, easy-going “Live High.” Duets with Colbie Caillat (“Lucky“) and James Morrison (“Details in the Fabric“) also impress. And that aforementioned maturity is on display in “Love for a Child,” which recounts Mraz’s parents’ separation, and shows that Mraz has come a long way from the youthful novelty of his debut disc, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, or songs like “Geek in the Pink” from Mr. A-Z. Really, there’s not a bad track on the album (though “Coyotes” is kind of lame). We Sing, etc. is completely enjoyable; I’m sure it’ll get plenty of playtime on my MP3 player this summer.
My new niece, Abby, spent her one-week birthday weekend much like she spent the rest of her first week of existence: sleeping and eating (and apparently, crying in the middle of the night too). She also met some cousins, modeled some adorable outfits, and of course, posed for many, many pictures, which you can see if you click here. I just can’t get over how cute and perfect and fun and little and awesome this girl is. She’s my niece, my sister’s daughter, my parents’ granddaughter. Wow. It’s still amazing to think about that. Have I mentioned yet how cool it is to have a niece? I’m still on a high. (If you’d also like to see Mitzi and Jason’s pictures from week one, click here.)
I bought Abby her first CD last week: Snacktime by Barenaked Ladies. It’s the band’s first full-length CD for children, but I bought a copy of my own as well, and I have to say, listening to it while driving down to NY on Saturday made the trip so much more enjoyable. If you’re a longtime fan of the band like I am, you likely miss the novelty and fun that marked their earlier albums, particularly Gordon. Well, that sense of whimsy is all over Snacktime. There’s a song called “Popcorn” that’s basically a solid minute of the word “pop” over and over. The song “Crazy ABCs” is a typical alphabet song, except the lyrics start out like this: “A is for Aisle, B is for Bdellium, C is for Czar” and continue in similar fashion, with none of the words cited sounding like they begin with their first letter. Many of the 24 songs are two minutes in length or shorter, and nearly all are about things kids can get into, like “Vegetable Town,” “Bad Day,” and “Allergies,” which lists all the things a child can possibly be allergic to (bees, dust, wheat, etc.). Most songs work on multiple levels, like the best of the Disney movies do. For example, one of my favorite tracks is simply called “Eraser,” and it celebrates what that thing can do. Toward the middle of the song, there’s a break in the upbeat tune, and Steven Page sings, in his most deadpan serious style, the following lyric: “If I wrote you a letter, but I made an error, I could fix it … and make it better.” It’s humor that may go over most kids’ heads, but if you’re a parent (or a childless adult), you’ll appreciate it. As children’s music goes, this is the kind that doesn’t grate or annoy. Snacktime is fun, tuneful, and, um, tasty. It’s also one of my favorite BNL albums. I can’t wait till Abby hears Snacktime and enjoys it on her own. Until then, I know her parents will love it. And so will I.
Watching Iron Man, it’s almost as if the movie’s not based on a comic book.
Sure, it’s about a guy in a suit who fights evil, but Iron Man deals with contemporary issues — like terrorism — in such a serious way that it’s not as hokey as most other films in the genre typically are.
Not that a film like Batman Begins is hokey, per se, but given that the villains in those movies are all disfigured or “special” in some kind of way, having a bad guy who’s simply a businessman and arms dealer is sort of, ahem, disarming. Continue reading →
Lin-Manuel, who is only 28, started writing his show when he was a sophomore at Wesleyan and never expected to act in it.
But his collaborators found that no one knew the show’s freestyle raps as well as he did, and thus, somewhere along the way to Broadway, Lin-Manuel became the star.
According to a recent survey of 1,435 employed adults 18 and older, when people at work talk about TV, they most often discuss American Idol. Among women, Dancing with the Stars is the second most popular show, and among men, it’s Lost. Surprisingly, workers age 65 and older were more likely than any other age group to say they discuss AI more than any other show at their workplace. Now, AI and Lost I can see, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone in my office ever discuss DwtS. Ever. We talk about The Office most often around here. And there’s also a large following for America’s Next Top Model — which I do not watch, thank you very much. DwtS? What kinds of office workers were interviewed for this survey?
If you live in Boston, no doubt you’ve heard about the huge accident in Packard’s Corner this morning. Wild, wild stuff. That picture above (courtesy of ilovesashimi) and the one below (from Boston.com) only show part of the story. For a video report, go to MyFoxBoston.com or read the story at Boston.com. Multiple crashed cars, blocked subway tracks, an exploding truck, etc. What a mess. Thankfully, I had my walking shoes on and an umbrella in my bag; I walked from Packard’s Corner all the way down Comm Ave to Kenmore Square. This, after walking last night all the way from my office near South Station, down Boylston Street and Comm Ave, and up to Allston Street. Suffice it to say, I’ve gotten plenty of exercise. But here’s the best part: when I got to the T stop at Kenmore this morning, an empty train pulled up and I was able to score the same seat that I had before I got off my train earlier up the line. And I only got to work 30 minutes later than usual. So I guess the commute really wasn’t so bad for me after all. But anyway, yeah — what a scene on Comm Ave this morning.
Call me crazy, but I think this is pretty cool. The new Apple Store on Boylston Street, scheduled to open next week, has signage up announcing its imminent opening that’s in the style of the scoreboard on the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Yes, that’s right, I’m excited not just about a store opening, but about the signage. And yes, I went to the store today to take a picture of it. I’m crazy, right? (No, maybe I’m just stupid.)
Alright, so maybe I jumped the gun in saying how much I love my commute — just like the B-line train that jumped the tracks, hit a power line, and caught on fire last night. (A friend who lives right there said it sounded like a bomb had hit and it pretty much lit up the entire area.) Perhaps I should start exploring other routes to and from work, not just today but on a more regular basis. (It did look really cool when I went by on the bus, though. I was sorry I didn’t have my camera with me.)
Martin's Musings 