Blogging With a Ghost

My Office Enemy

2008-04-10T23:00:00.011-05:00

What a day. You wouldn't believe it if I told you about it. Seriously. I'm so mad I'm shaking.

SHAKING.

Why you ask? There's this guy at work. His name is James, but I like to call him Jumsen "TC" "Risky Business" Coolingwood. Take a look at this guy:

I know, right?

Anyway, I've been collecting photographic evidence over the past 24 hours. Look at this. You can see why I'm so upset with him.

He thinks he's handsome, but he's never in frame.

He dresses like literally everyone else.

He's always holding a lantern or something weird and totes bright. (I love this picture.)

He dances, but it's always too blurry for anyone else to enjoy.

He likes 55/45 Pop n' Drops. (Maybe he's not so bad afterall?)

Anyway, he's been acting all messed up towards me, and I don't know how much more I can handle. All I can say is that I'm so glad no one at work knows about this blog--my last safe haven to complain about the idiots I am forced to work with (i.e. Coolingwood).

I've Never Enjoyed Skateboarding, but...

2008-04-03T21:28:00.003-05:00

...this video knocks my socks off. I guess mixing equal parts M83, Spike Jonze, and slow motion is a recipe for success.

On second thought, I'd go 50% M83 and 25% of the others.

I could be Burial. You could be Burial.

2008-03-10T00:25:00.000-05:00

Few things move me anymore.

Throughout my music-listening career I have gone through a series of highs and lows--a sine curve between inspiration and complete dispassion. Previously, the biggest musical slump I had was the summer of 2004, when I was in Minneapolis. I couldn't find a new album to listen to for the life of me, as much as Chris and Wipert tried to sell me on their instrumental and Brit Pop/emo music, respectively (obviously). It was quite frustrating.

At the end of that summer, Chris made me a mix CD that helped me reconnect with music after months of being unable to. It had fantastic, custom-made artwork. On the inside of the case it had a little pocket that housed stickers promoting Interpol's then-upcoming release, Antics. And on the back it had a series of inside (hilarious) jokes from the summer, such as "CT shops at Joe's Market," "Buce douche riot! Pious!," and "What a scoop!" I remember listening to this thing as I drove my dad's (and Radio Tokyo's ex-) van over the St. Croix river for the last time that summer and being blown away by the first songs I heard by Aurore Rien, Jon Brion, Maserati, Stars, and so on. It was the perfect end to a perfect summer.

So I guess it's appropriate that Chris is the one who brought me out of the current musical slump (fingers crossed). Listening to his Top 100 Songs of 2007 list introduced me to a surprising number of great songs and artists. I have listened to many songs obsessively (more on that later?), but one stands out way above the rest. The song is"Archangel" by Burial, an anonymous UK dubstepper, and it comes from his second album, Untrue.

I have since read that Burial wrote "Archangel" after his dog died and his mom (one of the supposed five people who know Burial's true identity) told him to write a song about it. This song captures the grief and loneliness of losing someone better than any song I've heard since The Prayer Boat's Polichinelle. And it does this with ridiculously innovative production--gender-blended vocals, haunting ambiance, fresh click drums, and a ghostly crackle track. The result is the freshest song I've heard in months.

The rest of Untrue is meticulously subtle and eerily beautiful. I fell in love with the album when walking around downtown Chicago late one foggy January night. The street lights and the fog created this orange glow around the city. You couldn't actually see the lights, but the aura was everywhere. This ghostly glow combined with an urban setting completely devoid of any sort of population was the perfect setting to listen to this headphones masterpiece. Everything about this album screams loneliness: the lack of the creator's identity; the sublime lyrics; the subtle tweaks that can only be fully appreciated by carefully listening on headphones; even the artwork featuring a isolated man with nothing but his coffee; .

The highlights on the album are numerous: the song-transforming non-transition at 3:29 on "Shell of Light" give me shivers every time; the Cassie-like synth-bass and layer upon layer of vocals on the aurgasm called "Homeless"; the rolling vocoded vocals on "Etched Headplate". But like a truly great album, each listen brings light to a new highlight. Even after dozens of listens new layers appear of nowhere: a distant vocal track surfaces, crackles and pops (such as sampled rain and fire) start to stand out, whole tracks that have previously passed as filler take the main stage. The result is an addictive album that maintains its appeal listen after listen.

If you have any interest in electronic music, I can't recommend the album enough. It's the perfect blend of the innovation of non-instrument-based music and the emotion often completely overlooked by electronic music.

And thanks again, Chris, for the suggestion.

I don't feel comfortable with you rounding me to the nearest tenth.

2007-05-14T22:52:00.002-05:00

Olde English is a comedy group based in New York City. Their website doesn't really give a ton of information, except listing the five members and stating that they've made various performances across the country in their four years of existence. The rate at which these guys make videos (or maybe just put old ones up on their website) is astounding. Every time I go on there I'm overwhelmed by how many new videos there are. I'm sure there are some other gems on there, but I will now present three of my four favorite videos.

"Why not all four" the astute reader asks. Well, if you will recall, Dave Ryan tried to steal my thunder on this post. (I guess that's what I get for sharing something with him.) Anyway, I love this video because I think it fairly accurately summarizes the way most Lost fans (at least those that I know) are feeling right about now. Countless questions, very few answers, and plots that are getting increasingly far out (see also: Pergatory, Four-Toed Foot Statue, Jacob!?!?). Anyway, I think they did a really good job capturing the pure lunacy that Lost has turned into.

Now on with the videos!

Video 1: Ben Takes a Photo of Himself Everyday

Don't worry Dave. You're not the only one who stole my thunder. Pfeiffer did it awhile back too when he posted about Noah K's series of daily self-photographs. Although, I guess he never did post a link to the video on YouTube.

Olde English created a parody of this video in which Ben Popik supposedly takes a picture of himself everyday. He goes through several Joe-for-a-week-type phases, including dabbling in gangster rap, a successful romp on the stock exchange, juggling two girlfriends, etc.

I love this video. The level of detail in this video is astounding. I've watched in at least a dozen times, and I notice something different every time: the posters changing on the wall, the props that appear for just one shot (including my favorite, the badminton photo), people popping in for one frame, they toys on the desk moving slightly. I also don't think he wears the same shirt twice. Very good stuff. It's rare that YouTube provides a good parody, in my experience, but these guys nailed this one.

Video 2:

Here's an incredibly dorky video on an incredibly dork's incredibly dorky blog. What'd you expect from an actuary?

Love those math jokes! Almost as much as I love you...clidean plane geometry. Wow, that works much better when it's not in writing.

Video 3: Adam's Orange Stand

Wow. A backwards video. How clever. Where's the payout?

THERE IT IS.

Honorable mention, in case you can't get enough:

The First Date - Contains some rather funny moments, as well as a good soundtrack.

So there ya have it, Tubers. Another Chapter in Pat's book of YouTube comes to an end.

Fighting off the zombie blog

2006-04-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

Two posts in two days!? (Don't get used to it.)

Molly sent me a link to an online comic (thanks, Molly!). Normally, I'm not a fan of these, but this guy's is fantastic. He basically says everything that I think. This is the first comic I've seen that has done this since Calvin and Hobbes did back in 1995.

Anyway, my favorite comic is below. Check out his site if you get a chance (Other good ones: 83, 85, 87, 89).

Paging Mike Rickmanwich

2006-02-17T08:40:00.000-06:00

...and Wipert?

http://music.ign.com/articles/688/688622p1.html

Best TV of 2005

2006-02-03T17:40:00.002-06:00

The 8 Best TV Moments Seen in 2005 (Excluding Six Feet Under)
More proof that Pat is, in fact, just like Harry's average American.

8. Arrested Development - The Mole vs. Jetpants in Tiny Town

Arrested Development is far better at combining its multiple story lines into a phenomenal climax than any other show, even Nip/Tuck. George Sr.'s "Jetpants", Tobias' mole costume, and GOB's Tiny Town all crash together in one of the funniest TV moments I've ever seen.

7. Lost - The Pilot Episode

There have been only two pilots that have floored me: those of Six Feet Under, and now TV's Lost. As soon as Dr. Jack Shepard awakes to the catastrophic events around him this episode is gripping. Throughout the episode the events of the entire season are foreshadowed: Charlie walks around aloofly, John Locke looks as if he doesn't believe what has happened to him, and Kate enters rubbing her wrists, etc. And then we fall in love with Dr. Jack Shepard as he saves six people. Well done, Lost.

6. Arrested Development - "...It's my illusion!"

After what appears to be the most awkward Arrested Development ending ever, the "Next Time on Arrested Development" pulls a u-turn and delivers the show's finest conclusion. Another flawless merging of multiple jokes from the episode.

5. The Office- The Booze Cruise

Several great moments between Pam and Jim and a glimpse into the real character of Michael Scott. Everything I love about the Office rolled into one great episode. (By the way, all the episodes since The Booze Cruise have been phenomenal.)

4. Arrested Development - "Has anyone in this family ever even seen a chicken?"

I was searching for the last episodes on a torrent site, and I found a file called "Chicken Dance Take 4." It is perhaps the greatest thing I have ever downloaded.

3. Nip/Tuck - Talking Heads and Suicide

The Poor Man's Six Feet Under never resembles the original more than it does in this episode, although it lacks the subtlty of SFU: "You're not real; this is my subconscious talking." Thanks. Regardless, this episode is unreal. After the talking head we're treated to an emotional suicide and a funeral of SFU caliber. The ambient, three-toned Nip/Tuck theme playing all the way from the eulogy to the scattering of the ashes in the sea.

2. Gilmore Girls - The Resurrection of Jess

The only true ray of light in an otherwise boring and uninvolving season of Gilmore Girls. Jess has always been one of my favorite characters, and when they brought him back I knew good things were in store for Rory. Also, the subsequent shouting match between Metzger and me was priceless.

1. Lost - The Arrival of the "Others"

The peak of my obsession with TV's Lost occured when Sawyer and Michael arrived back at the island and saw Jin run out, hands bound. He tells them in his broken English that he has seen the others. We see them march out with creepy, primitive weapons in hand and zombie-like looks on their faces. Just then, the episode ended and Metzger, Megan, Marcus, and myself literally went crazy.

The 7 Best Albums Heard in 2005

2006-01-31T23:50:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow I move to Chicago (I actually dropped some stuff off tonight because my dad has to work tomorrow and I was storing it in his van). I will miss many things about the unemployed, Brookfield life, especially hanging out with O-Negative (despite his lies) and The Hero. These guys have made the last month very enjoyable through imitation games and bad movie rentals. Also, I woke up at 11 and took a 3-hour nap today. I'll miss that sort of thing. And I'll miss not having to shop for groceries. I really hate shopping for myself. My parents are surprisingly good at it.

I am, however, very excited to be getting on with life. I feel as if I haven't used my brain in about six months. I'm also excited to be moving back within walking distance to Dave.

The 7 Best Albums Heard in 2005

7. Sigur Rós - Takk...

This is the first Sigur Rós album that I've truly fallen in love with, although part of this may be due to seeing them play the greatest concert of my life. It boggles my mind that Sigur Rós is able to create music in the way they do. Every song is revolutionary. If you want to be blown away, listen to the piano dance with the bells and the Icelandic vocals on the track Sæglópur. This song nearly brings me to tears every time I listen to it.

6. Saxon Shore - The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore

Simply put, the best instrumental album I've heard since Explosions in the Sky's The Earth is Not a Cold, Dead Place by the only United Statesian band on the list. Finely crafted keyboard- and guitar-based songs with drums that blend the epicness of Explosions and the creativeness of The Appleseed Cast. The perfect combination of ambiance and rock.

5. Múm - Finally We Are No One

I was late to hop onto the Múm train, as I just recently discovered them from the Wicker Park soundtrack. While that movie may not have been fantastic (although I thought it was), it did use Múm's We Have a Map of the Piano and I Can't Feel My Hand Any More, It's Alright, Sleep Tight perfectly. Another album that proves Iceland knows how to progressively rock with their accordian and haunting vocals.

4. The Most Serene Republic - Underwater Cinematographer

This album has possibly more gimmicks than that New Found Glory video. The difference is that the The Most Serene Republic cleverly uses each gimmick to make each song stand out. The combination of conventional pop-rock with hands, claps, samples of children speaking, beat boxing, conversational intros, spoken background vocals, and choral chanting makes each song unique, both from one another and from songs by any other artist.

3. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

Another Canadian studio band to add to the list. While Stars' live show was lackluster, Set Yourself On Fire explodes with brass, strings, inventive keyboard and guitar parts, and beautiful dualing vocals. Each song provides unique and honest song-writing about love and its lack that provides the option to listen to over and over and over again.

2. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us

There are four songs on this album that I can't even listen to (No, Car Crash Terror is not one of these four). I have to skip them everytime they come on. However, the other ten songs are so good that this was my favorite 2005 release. Both the structured electro-rock songs (Don't Save Us From the Flames, Teen Angst) and the beatifully ethereal songs (I Guess I'm Floating, Slight Night Shiver, Let Men Burn Stars) provided the perfect summer/fall soundtrack this year. Also noteable: this album is the first album I've heard in years that sounds better as it gets louder, especially Teen Angst.

1. Tegan & Sara - So Jealous

An album full of perfect pop songs, complete with self-doubt and the best backing vocals I have ever heard. Although upon my first listen I told Metzger that I preferred the new Coldplay (slaps forehead), I quickly grew to love this album. Even now, every time I listen to So Jealous I fall in love with Tegan & Sara for the first time over and over again.

A Real IMDb Gem

2006-01-29T11:04:00.000-06:00

I was browsing IMDb in search of praise of Big Momma's House 2, starring Mahr-in! (Martin Lawrence), when I came to a really insightful message. I looked at who had written it, and the author's name looked familiar. What he had to say was extremely insightful and will undoubtedly lead to all sorts of hilarious controversy (racism and typo's, namely).

Warning! Spoiler alert!

Another list!

2006-01-27T02:07:00.006-06:00

People often ask me, "Pat, you love making lists, and you love celebrities. Who are your top 10 celebrity crushes at this exact moment in time?" To them, I answer:

Pat's Top 10 Celebrity Crushes at the Moment

10. Lauren Graham - Lorelai Gilmore (same initials!), you are pretty much the only thing about Gilmore Girls that's thing keeping me watching. You are also my sole reason for practicing slapping my knuckles together. Don't worry. Some day I'll finally learn how to, and the banging between my knuckles will symbolize how banging you truly are.

9. Margo Harshman - It's all about her eyes in the episode of Even Stevens where she tells Louis that she loves him. So blue! Not only is she hot, but she's got a "celebrity" blog that puts Wesley Crusher's to shame! It even has audio blogs! Also, at her website I just learned that I have indeed missed her 18th birthday. In fact I also missed her 19th birthday. Sad. At least I can feel less guilty about this obsession now.

8. Emilie de Ravin - Ever since she gave birth and was back to normal in about six days, Claire has gotten hotter and hotter each week. Seriously, every episode! Her eyes are bluer than the dude from The All-American Rejects, and her Aussie accent is fantastic. And she was pretty great in the one episode of Roswell I've seen (thanks, Jess!). Keep it up, Emilie, and you'll be Queen of the Hierarchy.

7. Kelly Clarkson - "Here's the thing, it started out good." Then it got GREAT! After witnessing what a Kelly Clarkson concert is like on the Music On Demand channels, I have decided that I have to go. The eyes on the screen above the stage? The wedding dress? The fist pumps? The Sigur Ros-like exposition? The horse trot? Next time she tours, I'll be in the front row with Brammer, pumping my fist. I've always enjoyed the Mighty KC, but my love for her has exploded with the release of "Behind These Hazel Eyes." Go listen to the dualing vocals in the second pre-chorus. I literally listened to this song about ten times straight on the walk to class one day last semester. True story.

6. Daisy - Notice how all hot cartoon characters share the same name? This Daisy, while not a duck, is the only Super Mario Strikers character that could have possibly torn me away from my love affair with Waluigi. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you check out her Shimmy-Shake immediately. Also, in her victory celebration, she licks her finger, touches her painted-on shorts, and decides it's too hot to touch. It sure is, Daisy.

5. Elizabeth Banks - The newest member of the Crush Squad, Ms. Banks has recently impressed me with her acting in The Baxter and Heights. I also just recently learned that she was the crazy girl in The 40 Year Old Virgin. I do remember thinking that she was hot, but I didn't make the connection until doing my "research" for this post. Not much to report, otherwise. We don't have much of a history. Yet.

4. Jenna Fischer - Every time I watch The Office I have an intense desire for my upcoming office life to be like this show. Ninety-eight percent of the reason for this is because of Pam. Much like Claire (#7), Pam seems to get hotter episode. It's amazing! Also, I saw Jenna Fischer on Carson Daily awhile back, and she's even hotter than Pam is!

3. Evangeline Lilly - Oh, Freckles, you make Lost so much more enjoyable each week with your fantastic smile and your assortment of tank tops that span all the colors in a Crayola 24-pack. It's no wonder your name contains both the name of a beautiful flower and the word "angel." (No, not because it's made up.)

2. Naomi Watts - My first interest in Naomi Watts happened immediately when I first saw her in Mulholland Drive. However, I didn't truly fall in "love" with her until I saw her in the Verbinski Masterpiece known as The Ring. Naomi Watts? More like Naomi Hots, as in I have them for her.

1. Sara Quin - Up until I started doing "research" for this list (Google Images), Sar-Sar was going to be number two behind Naomi Watts. However, after looking at pictures for about ten minutes, not only do I think I had a heart attack, but I've also fallen back in love with Sara. Sara embodies everything I could possibly want: hotness, humor, charm, sincerity, talent, and Canadian-ness.

So there you have it. A list of Pat's crushes that contains NO MEN. I know, I'm shocked too. I was hoping this one would maximize the number of items out so I could include everyone else I obsess over (mostly dudes), but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Hold tight, Dr. Jack Shepard, Mark Ruffalo, and Richard Jenkins.

The 10 Best Movies Seen in 2005

2006-01-23T23:47:00.002-06:00

People often ask me, "Pat, you love making lists, and you love movies. What are the ten best movies you saw this year?" To them I answer this:

The 10 Best Movies Seen in 2005

10. The New World - When I saw The Thin Red Line in theaters, I was bored out of my gourd, probably because I was expecting another Saving Private Ryan. This time I expected a masterpiece from Terrence Malick, and for the most part my expectations were met. The poetic internal dialogue, unbelievably gorgeous setting, and dreamlike feeling of the movie far overshadowed the problems I perceived in pacing. When I got home from this movie, I got out of my car and stared at the sky for about five minutes. Any movie that has that effect on me is ok with me.

9. Tarnation - Unfortunately, I completely missed Tarnation when it came out in 2003. Jonathan Caouette created a truly revolutionary documentary by piecing together video clips, pictures, and answering machine messages that he accumulated throughout his life. The end result is an emotional tale with a fantastic soundtrack. Also, the trailer is among the best I've ever seen. Check out the transition from preteen Jonathan pushing his hair back to adult Jonathan doing the same thing. Genius.

8. The Edukators - Crazy German kids kidnap a Capitalist fat cat and take him on a soul-searching retreat in the mountains? I'm sold. Again, great landscape shots made it pretty, and the discussion, albeit extremely slanted, of the benefits of Socialism kept me interested all the way through the vague, abrupt ending (perhaps my favorite kind of ending).

7. Brokeback Mountain - More proof that I'll like a movie as long as its got some pretty scenery to go along with it. The mountains, that is, not that Nip/Tuck chick. While the plot was a fresh and endearing story of love, the fantastic nature shots and the acoustic score were enough for me to love this movie. It has also provided some great quotes for the impression game that Harry and I play.

6. War of the Worlds - This is the first movie I've seen since Jurassic Park that made me feel like I was 12 again. As soon as the huge robots came out of the ground and started charring everyone in sight, covering the survivors in their ashy remnants, I was unable to blink. Also, looking over at Wipert as he had a similar reaction was among my favorite movie-going experiences of the year. Sure, the ending was a letdown and that Tim Robbins scene was grueling, but the rest of this movie returned me to a time when every movie I saw was the best movie I had ever seen.

5. The Squid and the Whale- Right from the opening scene in which the central conflict is demonstrated through a family-splitting tennis match, this movie presents the best story about the intricate effects of divorce that I have ever seen. Even though the characters are all pretty unlikeable, you can't help but sympathize with them as they struggle with the new rift in the family. Jeff Daniels (Mr. Ryan plus a beard) and Laura Linney were both great, the two actors that played the children gave surprising performances, and I even enjoyed the Baldwin brother.

4. The Weather Man - Gore Verbinski returns, folks! This movie was a movie of excess for Dave and I. We saw this movie as the "popcorn movie" (the second movie) of a double feature. After seeing the disappointing Shop Girl, we made our way to the arthouse theater in Mayfair Cinema to see the Weatherman. With popcorn and soda in hand, we relaxed in the great leather seats, with a table between us, to enjoy this movie. Delicious. Nicholas Cage was excellent as a the terrible, yet trying, father/weatherman. I felt especially drawn to the plot of a man who had settled for mediocrity in his life trying to find personal excellence. Hopeful, relatable, and set in Chicago. Any movie that is set in Chicago immediately gets five points, even Derailed.

3. Stay - I haven't seen a movie this confusing since Mulholland Drive. The only difference was that Stay actually had a payoff! The confusing manner in which the story was told was appropriately matched by an intriguing style and captivating music. Ryan Gosling and Ewan McGregor were great, and Naomi Watts was fantastic as always (see future list #2). I can't wait until this movie comes out on DVD so I can rewatch it and look for all the hints that I completely missed the first time.

2. The Baxter - I'm a sucker for Romantic Comedies. In a year where the genre largely failed me (Must Love Dogs, Just Like Heaven, both of which I am ashamed to admit I saw in theaters), The Baxter was not only an enjoyable RomCom, but perhaps the best I've ever seen. Fantastic performances by Showalter, that Joe guy from Six Feet Under, Peter Dinklage, and, most importantly, Elizabeth Banks. And celebrity impressions game that Justin Theroux and Paul Rudd play in the bar brought me to tears both times I saw it. "I'm an electric man...."

1. Me and You and Everyone We Know- I watched this movie in my lonely apartment shortly after I had returned to Madison for my last semester. Most of my friends had moved on, and during this particular weekend many of those that hadn't (namely, Metzger) were gone. I felt really disconnected from the world. Had I watched Me and You and Everyone We Know in another situation, it may not have had such a strong effect. This movie studies the awkward difficulty people face when trying to connect with one another, and it is backed up with the best film score of the year, fantastic acting by everyone (ha!), and a phenomenal first directing effort by Miranda July. A truly beautiful film.

Mootzgerino, This One's For You!

2005-12-20T21:44:00.000-06:00

My new start page.

New York Changing

2005-12-15T11:14:00.000-06:00

I was looking aroud The Morning News, referred to me by Megan's blog, when I found a very cool photo gallery:

New York Changing

Douglas Levere replicated a series of Bernice Abbott's photographs of New York City in 1938 almost sixty years later in 1997. I thought the obvious changes in architecture were really interesting, but you can also see how fashion, advertising, population density, etc., etc., etc. have changed.

I was also really impressed with how accurate the pictures are: the angles and distances seem right on. I love that Levere took this picture at the same time as Abbott.

I can't believe "Goose Fraba" was taken.

2005-11-27T20:08:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the blogspot home of P Arty. I have created this spot as somewhere I can post stuff that I don't feel belongs at Life After 208.

I have gone with the title "Blogging With a Ghost," coined by Jes because, let's face it, it's far too good to waste. Oh, and my obsession with Tegan & Sara has now completely surpassed any previous obsession I have ever had, including Six Feet Under, The Prayer Boat, Explosions in the Sky, and even Our Lady Peace and The Gufs. Those Quin sisters are magical.

And since some jerk already took Goose Fraba, I will be located at yabahaba.blogspot.com for the time being. Hopefully I will think of something more creative, and I will change this.

In the words of HDR, "here's where I complain." I plan on posting more day-to-day things here. This will be somewhere where I can take off my slightly-funny hat and put on the black winter cap I wear every day during the cold months. That's all you get: a plain, black hat. I do hope you all (whoever you all may be) enjoy it.