michigan bound, and the timing couldnt be better ...

so i am off to michigan for the weekend to celebrate an engagement of a great friend of nearly 10 years. i am so happy to be stepping into this next phase of life with my good buddy mr mead, and i am also glad to be getting the f#ck out of baltimore. as most of you know the transition/downgrade from sydney to baltimore has not been the easiest for me and well ... the hits keep coming! last night the car i was driving (cricket b's) had the front passengers side window smashed and an ipod stolen from the center console (it was my lil borthers). welcome back, eh?

keeping the head up and looking forward to the things around me right now that i know bring me joy. focus on the happiness, the joy, and what brings you content ... the negative shit is just too negative and shitty for you to give it too much attention.

merry christmas ...

i love the holidays. lots of food, lots of fun, lots of love, and the what not. in my family situation i have what i would like to call the perpetual a.d.d. christmas. heres a little tastes of what was in store for me over my 24 hour christmas marathon.

starting at 3:30pm on the 24th with the family appearance at church (i am a doubter when it come to church, not to god) that wasnt too horrific, my moms side of the family piled into our family room and proceeded to gorge on too much tenderloin, venison, turkey, and crab. you will begin to see that food is the one constant theme throughout this marathon. after some bawdy public displays with some tacky australian boxers, a smoked sausage, and a stuffed animal - my 1st act of the annual christmas charade was over.

now that the youngest in the house is 17, we dont start the christmas morning ordeal until around 10. this year we had some wayward travelers without a family, both female (alright!) and both from far away lands - australia & south africa (double alright!!) - who fit in perfect and added a feminine presence that has never graced 420 range before. cool new twist. well presents went well and of course the annual eggs benedict/grand mimosa brunch went over like a treat.

with little time to digest let alone recuperate it was time to dash off to northern virginia to spend time with jb's side of the family. after more food, a plethora of sweets- again these are the people who have had an italian bakery in the family for nearly 75 years - some booze based presents, and a quick catch up with the relatives (perpetually explaining about my time in australia and what im going to be doing now) it was off to dads for the final meal and the curtain call on christmas.

dad lives in northern virginia as well so its definitely a 2 birds 1 stone kind of deal with the 3rd and 4th act. by the time we arrived at dads (jmc and the female australian were my companions) i had already consumed about 12000 calories, 4 glasses of wine, 2 mimosas, 5 beers, 3 whiskeys, and lord only knows how many altoids (** note these are only rough estimates over the 1st 3 acts of the clare marathon christmas). dads was pretty low key and stacked high with good food. after some chocolate martinis (i passed) and some apple crumble to top it off, it was time to waddle back out to the car and call christmas a night. oh and then drive an hour and half back to baltimore.

it was long, fattening, and at times a freaking hassle ... but for me thats christmas. bouncing around, always on the go, and having to make an extra effort to pull it off. but the effort put in is always rewarded by spending some q.t. with family.

hope christmas 2k8 was a time of love, joy, and warmth for all of you!

count down ...

final nights sleep before wilco

its friday ...

jmc and co. arrive on the 2:06 train today, get to go kick it with quality peeps all afternoon, and there is a welcome home 'hey, steve' party tonight. all things to get pumped (understatement) for - but i cant freaking shake wilco out of my mind. 2 more sleeps and we're there.

another day down ...

until wilco at the lyric. i know its a bit overboard, but i am freaking stoked to be seeing these chicago crazies in charm city, usa.



unemployment, culture shock, and jetlag have provided me with ample time to read, write, and space out so i want you all to know that i am working on something to get up here. as a tease ill let you know that the mix cds will be reoccurring, i have some comments on the musical year, and there will be plenty of blogging about trying to find a job with the federal government. keep it here

4 more sleeps to go until...

wilco! get pumped!

a mix cd for you ...

while unemployed, jetlagged, and smack dab in the middle of a tough, but good transitional phase i have turned to my extensive music library for a bit of company. the result is this wintery pseudo melancholy mix. feel free to download the mix off the sendspace link, stoke the fire, hug a buddy, and most of all stay warm. love to know what you think!

'just to take the edge off' a mix by hey, steve (click to download)

belle & sebastian - 'it could of been a brilliant career'
lcd soundsystem - 'someone great'
death cab for cutie - 'cath...'
bishop allen - 'flight 180'
broken social scene - 'anthems for a 17-year old girl'
wilco - 'radio cure'
band of horses - 'no ones gonna love you'
sufjan stevens - 'all the trees of the field will clap their hands'
bon iver - 're:stacks'
radiohead - 'gagging order'
jeff buckley - 'hallelujah'
modest mouse - 'gravity rides everything'
the national - 'gospel'
wilco - 'poor places'
coldplay - 'everythings not lost'

truth, love, grace ...

well im am on the backside of a transitional phase, and if you know me you know how much of a struggle transitions are for me. the closing of one chapter has been followed by the beginning of a new chapter and has been difficult, but real.

i have left the warm sunshine of australia for the pale blue skies and blustery winds of baltimore in winter. its a difficult transition, but its amazing what a meal with an old friend, some love from family, and some trust in god does for your soul during this process.

i am reminded that i have no clue what lies ahead. all i can do its stand in thanksgiving and awe of life and approach the present with an abundance of truth, love, and grace ...

its good to be back and writing again

finished!

the degree is all wrapped up. thanks to you all for the love and support!

now the best graduation present will arrive in sydney on sunday ... jmc

cannot wait until the 14th of december ...

... when wilco plays the lyric opera house!

here a little something to whet your appetite - 'im trying to break your heart' from europe 2007 summer tour

good on ya' us of a ... im coming home

just happy to see the resounding roar for rejection of the status quo. makes fielding questions over here a bit easier. im so excited that i moved my plane a couple of weeks forward and will be home a couple of weeks after thanksgiving now. actually the flight change was on the cards for a while, but now im using obamas win as another excuse to get back home ... see you state-siders in the 1st week of december

obama & the national ...

heres my token election video clip. less content focused and more stoked on the background music - 'fake empire' by the national

wilco still up for grabs, 2nd exam, dewey is in town, and j. blackwood's 1st live show = today!

this is one of the days that will go down as massive.

- work matt & sarah g ... im not going to be able to stay up till 1am again trying to get wilco tickets

- exam #2 out of 3 until this guys is a master. what?!?!?! seriously though i am exhausted and over stretched on studying global environmental politics

- have a good family friend, mr dewey du., in town this week/weekend and its so comforting connecting with friends and loved ones while over here. good on ya dew!

- well my roomate, j. blackwood has is 1st gig tonight in manly on the beach at a pub called henry afrika's - if you are reading this in sydney ... come to the show. if you are reading this in the states, dont worry there will be pictures to come!

david sedaris' election short story via jmc ...

I don’t know that it was always this way, but, for as long as I can remember, just as we move into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign the focus shifts to the undecided voters. “Who are they?” the news anchors ask. “And how might they determine the outcome of this election?”

Then you’ll see this man or woman— someone, I always think, who looks very happy to be on TV. “Well, Charlie,” they say, “I’ve gone back and forth on the issues and whatnot, but I just can’t seem to make up my mind!” Some insist that there’s very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that they’re with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.

I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”

To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.

I mean, really, what’s to be confused about?

When doubting that anyone could not know whom they’re voting for, I inevitably think back to November, 1968. Hubert Humphrey was running against Richard Nixon, and when my mother couldn’t choose between them she had me do it for her. It was crazy. One minute I was eating potato chips in front of the TV, and the next I was at the fire station, waiting with people whose kids I went to school with. When it was our turn, we were led by a woman wearing a sash to one of a half-dozen booths, the curtain of which closed after we entered.

“Go ahead,” my mother said. “Flick a switch, any switch.”

I looked at the panel in front of me.

“Start on the judges or whatever and we’ll be here all day, so just pick a President and make it fast. We’ve wasted enough time already.”

“Which one do you think is best?” I asked.

“I don’t have an opinion,” she told me. “That’s why I’m letting you do it. Come on, now, vote.”

I put my finger on Hubert Humphrey and then on Richard Nixon, neither of whom meant anything to me. What I most liked about democracy, at least so far, was the booth—its quiet civility, its atmosphere of importance. “Hmm,” I said, wondering how long we could stay before someone came and kicked us out.

Ideally, my mother would have waited outside, but, as she said, there was no way an unescorted eleven-year-old would be allowed to vote, or even hang out, seeing as the lines were long and the polls were open for only one day. “Will you please hurry it up?” she hissed.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have something like this in our living room?” I asked. “Maybe we could use the same curtains we have on the windows.”

“All right, that’s it.” My mother reached for Humphrey but I beat her to it, and cast our vote for Richard Nixon, who had the same last name as a man at our church. I assumed that the two were related, and only discovered afterward that I was wrong. Richard Nixon had always been Nixon, while the man at my church had shortened his name from something funnier but considerably less poster-friendly—Nickapopapopolis, maybe.

“Oh, well,” I said.

We drove back home, and when asked by my father whom she had voted for, my mother said that it was none of his business.

“What do you mean, ‘none of my business’?” he said. “I told you to vote Republican.”

“Well, maybe I did and maybe I didn’t.”

“You’re not telling me you voted for Humphrey.” He said this as if she had marched through the streets with a pan on her head.

“No,” she said. “I’m not telling you that. I’m not telling you anything. It’s private—all right? My political opinions are none of your concern.”

“What political opinions?” he said. “I’m the one who took you down to register. You didn’t even know there was an election until I told you.”

“Well, thanks for telling me.”

She turned to open a can of mushroom soup. This would be poured over pork chops and noodles and served as our dinner, casserole style. Once we’d taken our seats at the table, my parents would stop fighting directly, and continue their argument through my sisters and me. Lisa might tell a story about her day at school and, if my father said it was interesting, my mother would laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he’d say.

“Nothing. It’s just that, well, I suppose everyone has a different standard. That’s all.”

When told by my father that I was holding my fork wrong, my mother would say that I was holding it right, or right in “certain circles.”

“We don’t know how people eat the world over,” she’d say, not to him but to the buffet or the picture window, as if the statement had nothing to do with any of us.

I wasn’t looking forward to that kind of evening, and so I told my father that I had voted. “She let me,” I said. “And I picked Nixon.”

“Well, at least someone in the family has some brains.” He patted me on the shoulder and as my mother turned away I understood that I had chosen the wrong person.

I didn’t vote again until 1976, when I was nineteen and legally registered. Because I was at college out of state, I sent my ballot through the mail. The choice that year was between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. Most of my friends were going for Carter, but, as an art major, I identified myself as a maverick. “That means an original,” I told my roommate. “Someone who lets the chips fall where they may.” Because I made my own rules and didn’t give a damn what anyone else thought of them, I decided to write in the name of Jerry Brown, who, it was rumored, liked to smoke pot. This was an issue very close to my heart—too close, obviously, as it amounted to a complete waste. Still, though, it taught me a valuable lesson: calling yourself a maverick is a sure sign that you’re not one.

I wonder if, in the end, the undecideds aren’t the biggest pessimists of all. Here they could order the airline chicken, but, then again, hmm. “Isn’t that adding an extra step?” they ask themselves. “If it’s all going to be chewed up and swallowed, why not cut to the chase, and go with the platter of shit?”

Ah, though, that’s where the broken glass comes in.

more mandatory music ...

well ladies - and there might be a couple of guys who read this blog, but i know who my audience really is - the papers are all handed in, one more week and then 2 finals, a week off, and the last one on the 12th of november! i am officially back from burrowing under in order to finish the semester and the first thing i did was ... my laundry. but the second thing i decided to do was ... get some sushi from my favorite sushi train, makoto, and then thirdly i came home and decided to write about some mandatory music.

it feels good to be writing about tunes again - so this week i have decided to go back nearly a decade to the millennium (thats 2000 for you aussies) in order to talk about modest mouses smash hit, 'the moon & antarctica'.

'the moon & antarctica' is probably my favorite modest mouse cd closely followed by 'good news for people who like bad news' and it did receive a 9.8 from the music geeks (elitists) at pitchfork. so what the hell lets do this...

the album kicks off with a 'third planet' which has such an innocent beginning but slowly picks up to introduce you to lead singer, issac brocks vocal range and his ability to sound melodic with a microphone and a bull horn. the soft opening theme thats playing on the creation of the world continues with the next track called 'gravity rides everything'. here the listener is introduced to the layered, multi percussion, rhythmic sound that is so central to modest mouses distinct post punk sound. following 'gravity' we are treated to the edgy and hallow opening of 'dark center of the universe' which starts off all hallow and innocent but then kicks your chair over and while standing over top of your body declares 'this is fucking modest mouse!'

the next section of the cd starts off with the banjo introduction of 'perfect disguise' a song filled with angst directed at someone who obviously hung brock out to dry. next track, 'tiny cities made of ashes' introduces the listeners to the choppy head bopping thumping angry rhythmic modest mouse that is so awesome that it makes me want to chain smoke camel lights while getting a full sleeve tattoo. sticking with the urban theme the next track on the album is called 'a different city'. 'different city' has that modest mouse cringing guitar set as the backdrop for some more pretty brock vocals.

'the cold part' is the next track whose full ensemble sound creates a very hallow vibe which exudes a fittingly cold ambiance. the next song 'alone down there' continues the slow, cold, and detached feeling that started with 'the cold part' which helps to link the two tracks together. 'the starts are projectors' is the longest track of the album clocking in at 8:47. the song starts off disjointed and confusing but transitions from this initial confusion and turns astral and reflexive in a stripped down acoustic setting. funny enough the longest track of the album proceeds the shortest track 'wild pack of family dogs' which is just shy of 2 minutes. this song really emulates the upbeat and sing a long chilled out nature that modest mouse can demonstrate from time to time. the next track is the one that you have probably heard before - its easy to love 'paper thin walls' - i know i love it. the last song that i need to tell you about is 'lives' which starts out rather melodramatic but after the 1:26 mark the song turns out to be some of the most beautiful modest mouse out there.

let me know what you think if you pick it up ...

who do i kiss? owl or bear?

the fellas at owl & bear have done it once again. bu 'it' i mean achieved levels of superior awesomeness in their dedication to music especially wilco.

wilco live set from lollapalooza (02/08/2008) - its a high quality streaming video bitches!

setlist and song info

chicken little: "the sky is falling" ...

so its very interesting times. the aussie dollar is trading at a recod low (since i have been in the country) of US65 cents (which means i might get that pair of r m williams boots afterall) and the entire world is on egg shells about the apparent financial doomsday that is lurking - or depending on who you talk to has already decended upon us.

so i thought (insipired by this american life) that i would give you some links that might explain what is happening and why if you are interested. its kind of funny that we are all living or lives normally, but in actuallity we might all be pretty fucked!

this american life: 'another friehgtening show about the economy'

npr's planet money blog

new york times 'freakronomics' blog

jonathan safran foer ...

here's a pretty sweet video off of slate magazine about the young author.

fleet foxes ...

Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains

wow what a lobby ...

so this past weekend was the national student leadership forum at the hyatt hotel (hence the police academy reference in the title of this post) in the aussie capital of canberra. for those of you who dont know i went to this forum when i 1st got to australia in august 2k6 and worked as an intern for the forum in 2k7. this year i got to return as an assistant facilitator.

the premise of the forum is to bring people together from various backgrounds, throw them together into small groups and start talking to each other in a open, honest, and trusting way and see where that leads. if you know me you know that this would be right up my alley.

i love it because these groups all start out as strangers. the talk focuses initially on self and then begins to slowly, through the telling of personal stories (fears, goals, faith, family ...), start shifting to focusing on each other, and then eventually on the group 'community'. its amazing! each individual sits there and says we are so lucky that our group works so well together or what are the chances that we would end up being so close ... when in reality those results are a given when you set a safe, trusting, inviting, loving,and warm framework for others to step outside of themselves and feel comfortable in who they are which in turn empowers the individuals to love outside of themselves. fucking love it!

other notes:

one more paper this week and then its 10 days of break - ill be reading tolstoy and sitting on lots of beaches

aunt sammy and uncle ed are in town and its so nice to have loved ones enter into my life over here

redskins are 2-1 and i love waking up at 4am to listen to games.

resurfacing ...

not really sure what this one is supposed to be about other than an exercise in the art that is blogging. you know writing when you dont necessarily have something mind blowing, ground shaking, or really relevant to say but you still want to write. i hope this is as good for you as it is for me.

so for the past month i have been running at a pretty hard pace. it hasnt looked like a break-neck speed where i have been running around like a headless farm friendly fowl; rather its been a toll taking month. guess im not a spring chicken (farm friendly fowl that i was referring to earlier) anymore and the school (a mini-mester class within regular semester is not a recommendation of mine), the 530 mornings for the coffee shop, and the being away from loved ones have all been ground together and mashed into a veggie patty august thats been difficult to swallow.

but its now september ...

man i freaking love how life isnt static! its this on going dynamic mystery that takes weird twists, awkward turns, and brings you to a place that when you snap out of yourself and open your eyes you realize how beautiful your existence is. and when that happens you better be thankful!

here is what i am thankful for and stoked about as of late - the people i share a house and my life with right now, successfully being finished with 5/8ths of my masters degree with a very do-able 3/8ths left, knowing my aunt is making her way to sydney, wilco, gilman beating dematha in football, facial hair, imago dei podcasts, npr's live download of radiohead's sata barbra concert, mom in africa, tolstoy, going back to tasmania, and getting reacquainted with my old buddy - spring time!

i have heaps i want to talk about ...

but yesterday and today are not the days to be bloggin because of work in the coffee shop, universtiy (classes, reading, assignments), and because i am in a new found place of trying to engage in a non performance or task oriented relationships where i can dedicate more head and heart space to others.

if you have been on the receiving end of my conditional friendships, all i can say is that i am sorry, and that i really do care.

happy birthday matthew ...

dear strongbad,
today is matts 29th birthday.
sincerely,
steve sydney, AUS


thank you steve and sydney or steve sydney. do people ever call you 'ss' and make like silly snake sounds that really annoy you and make you jump up an shout "stop hissing in my ear you idiot!"

no seriously matthew -

lots of love to you on your 29th. shit i probably shouldnt of told everyone how old you are since there is an unusually high volume of readily available 20 something women who read this super sweet blog. dont worry your street cred is still sky high.

love

lil brudda

obama just armor plated his achilles heel ...

looks like senator joe biden will be obamas running mate for the november showdown with mccain. like the article says obama is cover his lack of foreign policy experience butt with the head of the senate foreign relations committee. seems like this is what he needed to do to stop any attack, BUT it lacks that fire and integrity to fix dc from the outside-in that i had come to feel obama had. but at the same time the guy needs to be elected if hes going to do anything eh?

new music, sunshine, and life ...

so lets focus on the 1st theme of this week's blog topics for today...

new music: i have been crushing it lately with regards to tunes. i have invested in a 320 gb external hard drive and have moved my music collection to the next level of cataloging, storing, and well im at 318 albums right now with many many more to come! (note: big thanks to bracey, jb, and owl&bear)

so here is what i have been obsessing over lately:

- mgmt - 'oracular spectacular' i finally broke down and got the mgmt album and have to admit that i really dig the dirty electro pop and party themes that fill the album. i am pretty sure most people have heard 'time to pretend' as it is has found serious airplay on college radio over the summer and is even on hollywood soundtracks. despite what the guys from the balck keys say, this album is worth a listen and would probably go well with any of your end of summer/labor day driving trips.

- bon iver - 'for emma, forever ago' with winter coming to a close over here and on the distant horizon over there its only natural that a bloke with the name bon iver should get a mention. (note: the phrase bon hiver means good winter en francais) the album has been getting some serious hype by some folks who i really look to for musical guidance and whos opinion i totally respect, and well i kind of dig it. its nice to see guys like Justin Vernon bringing back the idea of singer-song writer/creative musician extraordinary. 'flume' and 'skinny love' are the songs that are getting air time and are the so called singles off the album, but i am a huge fan of 'lump sum'. there is no need to wait for the changing of the seasons to check this one out.

- fleet foxes - 'fleet foxes' so the 1st fleet foxes album is one of the handful of records that i have to publicly thank bracey for turning me onto. out of the three cds that i am talking about this week this is by far my favorite! seattle and subpop records have again put out an amazing band and an amazing product in this cd. the songs are eerily harmonic and organic in the sense that they are earthy, true, and softly folk styled. my 1st thought about fleet foxes, and i mean this in the best way, is that they can be thought of as the illegitimate love child between jim james of my morning jacket and iron & wine. in other words stunning vocals and harmonies coupled with original guitar + banjo work = an incredible album!

wilco for me,and you, and everyone we know ...

radio cure

semesters back on ...

time for the 2nd and final round of classes for my masters. for those of you keeping score at home heres what we are up against this go-round.

us security and foreign policy
asia-pacific politics
environmental politics
media and international politics

its going to be a doozie of a semester, but i know whats required and im feeling confident in myself! masters degree here i come!

heres something to tide you over ...

... until i finish my review of the band of horses sophmore album, cease to begin

monday's mandatory music (pt 10)

so i am back and ready to get going on some fresh album reviews/exposes for all of you to enjoy. again the whole focus of this is to share the music that has acted as the soundtrack for my life over the past 3-5 years to give you a glimpse into my life and to hopefully get you searching out more new music. i also would love to hear your takes on some of the albums ive talked about and also share some of the albums that you have come to love, or find very impressive, or sleep with under your pillow every night ... im keen to know.

with the mission statement out of the way lets dive into this weeks selection, 'boxer' by the national. the national, a 5 piece out of brooklyn (home of amazing music) create a very deep almost puplely melodic sound that has been referred to as a gothic style. the main reason for this is description and label can be attributed to lead singer, matt berningers warm mellow baritone voice that plays the leading role for the national. berningers voice has tremendous depth and warmth while at the same time projecting an understated sophistication and understanding.

the album opens with the rolling track 'fake empire' which kick starts the album and demonstrated the bands stripped down sound, clever drum fills, and is the perfect introduction to berningers vocals. 'mistaken for strangers' the albums first single shows how the national creates an authentic sound that has an understated edge or grit to it that actually comes across very melodically and well composed. the 3rd track, 'brainy' is a drum fueled ballad where the nationals songwriting ability really shines. again understatement rings true not only for 'brainy' but for all three of the albums opening songs.

'squalor victoria' offers the listener an opportunity to really get into the gothic musical architecture that the national builds through the combination of drum, piano, simple guitar, and berningers voice. 'green gloves' lies at the 5th position is almost contrast to 'squalor victoria'. 'green gloves' focuses on the soft nature of the national where berningers voice is reminiscent of a mellow springsteen. 'slow show' again features more vocals and more acoustic guitar that paints a peaceful background for the firm tones and images created by the tracks lyrics.

'apartment story' is another single off the album that really highlights all that the national is (click the link). 'start a war' is a personal favorite of mine about abandonment and clinging desperately onto something that is slipping away more and more the tighter the grip becomes. on the track 'guest room' we get a heavy does of the duo of vocals and drums and on 'ada' we get that duo couple with some guitar picking and a more uplifting vibe overriding the entire song.

'racing like a pro' is very stripped down and consists of mainly soft guitar, piano, and a warm bass that help to settle down the latter half of the album. the thoughful and emotional lyrics totally complete the song and really help to complete the entire album. where 'racing like a pro' would be the perfect set up man (this is baseball season folks) 'gospel' is the ideal left handed closer. the song like 'fake empire' has a rocking (like waves to a boat) rhythm that paints a beautiful and perfect the national picture which is made complete with berningers voice, soft piano chords, warm acoustic guitars, and understated drumming.



fake empire

stay out super late tonight
picking apples, making pies
put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us
we’re half-awake in a fake empire
we’re half-awake in a fake empire

tiptoe through our shiny city
with our diamond slippers on
do our gay ballet on ice
bluebirds on our shoulders
we’re half-awake in a fake empire
we’re half-awake in a fake empire

turn the light out say goodnight
no thinking for a little while
lets not try to figure out everything at once
it’s hard to keep track of you falling through the sky
we’re half-awake in a fake empire
we’re half-awake in a fake empire

generation kill ...

i was in the baltimore airport getting ready to leave to head back to australia when i wandered into the terminal bookstore and came across 'generation kill'. flipping over the back cover and seeing that it was compared to 'black hawk down' and 'dispatches' (thank you mr whaley)and was being made into a mini series by hbo (in fact david simon and ed burns of 'the wire' and 'hommicide' are the ones behind the mini series) really grabbed my attention. since the book was only 15 bucks (compared to the average price of $27.50 for a book in australia) and i had 20 hours in a plane to look forward to, i took a gamble and purchased the book. i loved it. its vivid. it provides an outlook on the invasion of iraq that is neither pro or con, but is real. nothing more and nothing less.

the book got me thinking about the war and i have differing thoughts on it from day to day and hour to hour, but rather than give you my nickels worth of thoughts i wanted to give you a snippet from the afterward (confessed reader of both introductions and afterwards) for you to chew on.

"It's the American public for whom the Iraq War is often no more real than a video game. Five years into this war, I am not always confident most Americans fully appreciate the caliber of the people fighting for them, the sacrifices they have made, and the sacrifices they continue to make. After the Vietnam War ended, the onus of shame largely fell on the veterans. This time around, if shame is to be had when the Iraq conflict ends - and all indications are there will be plenty of it - the veterans are the last people in America to deserve it. When it comes to apportioning shame my vote goes to the American people who sent them to war in a surge of emotion but quickly lost the will to either win it or end it. The young troops I profiled in 'Generation Kill', as well as the other men and women in uniform I've encountered in combat zones throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, are among the finest people of their generation. We misuse them at our own peril." - Evan Wright, 'Generation Kill' p.370

**if anyone wants to hook up this guy who is without hbo with the dvds of 'generation kill' he would be very much appreciative!

pope's in town ...

so world youth day is in full effect here in sydney town and the city has been overrun with joyful, enthusiastic, and sometimes straight up crazy young catholics and the pope who wears funny red shoes (its true). its been hectic catching trains, walking around the crowded streets with flags from different countries flying, and having your coffee shop packed with folks from all over europe ... but i really like it. its created a buzz around town having close to half a million (thats 500,000 for those who have difficulty reading numbers) people running around high on life and god. it can be overwhelming at times, but hey its only a world youth day that happens to last an entire week ...

check out the photos from the sydney morning herald's coverage of the opening mass ...

monday's mandatory music (pt 9)

so i am still getting my feet under me from a bit of travel and wanted to give you some music for monday so i snaked this doozie off of owl & bear. hope you like.



"Neon Bible lacks Funeral’s immediate pop appeal, but this album is no less intriguing.

On 2004’s Funeral, the Montreal group turned what could’ve been a depressing effort into a serious- but joyous- rumination on both death and life. And while it was predictably 80’s-influenced, the band managed to forge its own identity outside of Win Butler’s obvious appreciation for Bowie and Byrne-like vocals.

In an attempt to transcend the Funeral hype, Arcade Fire have created something quite different (their agnostic album?) that is abounding with negative references to the Church and Bible. Neon Bible is weird, dark, and perhaps even more influenced by New Wave.

But is it a step backwards? I don’t think so.

Butler now restrains his emoting in accordance with the rise and fall of the music, and he doesn’t sound so much like Bowie as early Goth now, which (all implications aside) is an improvement. The music has also taken on a much darker edge, at times sounding downright tuneless, but just as listeners will begin to wonder what the Hell is going on, the melody arises and it’s all good again."

'keep the car running'

its saturday and i'm still pretty jetlagged ...

so i have been up for the past couple of hours reading, writing, and finding all my favorite songs on youtube before dawn breaks.

so heres your wilco fix: 'spiders (kidsmoke)' from bracelona, spain 2007. its amazing and its unfortunately (but professionally) split into 2 parts, but it accurately captures the energy, the cosmic jamming, and straight up rock that is wilco.

'spiders (kidsmoke)' part 1



'spiders (kidsmoke)' part 2 .... oh my goodness!

pausing in cosmic reflection ...

over the past 15 days (i lost 2 crossing the international date line) i have had an amazing time waltzing in and out of the lives of people who i love and care about at different moments and different circumstances with differing effects. i got to surprise my mother in an airport in maine that brought tears to her eyes and urine to her bladder. i got to go to a wedding that i so desperately wanted to attend and didnt think was humanly let alone financially possible, but because of the help only an older brother can provide i was able to see lauren and r.a. get hitched. i got to visit the place i hold dearest in my heart - great pond in belgrade, maine. this is the lake that my family for 4 generations has been coming for fun, for recharging the soul, and for letting go of pain, grief, and anguish. it was really special to be there for a full 7 days! i also got to see a lovely lady glowing in her transitional phase content with life and full of joy all the while running for mayor of her new town. her love of life and joy were infectious and encouraging at the same time. i also got to visit with the old man who has of late been down on himself, and i was able to pour a bit of that love that i get from the source (god) into him and his life like a son is supposed to. gran on my moms side is doing to hot (shes in her mid 80s) so i brought over some croissants and coffee for a little morning get together and i got to take a stroll with her and her dog around the block. and then in my last hours of time in the us of a i got to pick my younger brother up from the airport after a successful lacrosse camp and i was able to share in the excitement and college talk with him and my step dad over some chicken wraps at a nondescript airport hotel sports bar while clock watching for when it was my time to leave.

thanks guys. i feel really loved, encouraged, and totally focused. cannot wait to see everyone again - plus all the folks who i didnt get to see.

drum roll please ....

so my grades are in! well at least 3 out of 4 are in and things are looking pretty good for ole steve-o!

for all the aussies im carrying a solid high credit average with two 73s and a 72 with one to come.

for the americans i have pulled the definition of 'high credit' out of the university handbook for your understandings

High Credit(70-75) Highly proficient work. It is well-written and documented. It provides evidence of extensive reading and initiative in research, as well as a sound grasp of the subject matter and appreciation of key issues and context. It engages critically and creatively with the question and attempts an analytical evaluation of material. Furthermore, it makes a good attempt to critique various political interpretations, and offers a pointed and thoughtful contribution to a particular debate in Political Science and International Relations. Some evidence of ability to think conceptually and critically as well as empirically, and to conceptualise and problematise issues in political terms.



in other words i am 'pwning' this masters degree! big ups to all you guys and all your support.

love ya

monday's mandatory music (pt 8)

its monday, schools out, and a chill has hit the air in sydney. winter is fastly approaching and when contemplating what to hit you all with for my 1st disc back from my extended hiatus i only had to go back to this time last year and think about the cd that consumed my june, july, august, and september until i got to see most of the tracks of bishop allen's 2007 release entitled 'the broken string'.

now like a lot of music in my life (more so when i was growing up rather than in the past 3-5 years) i was introduced to the brooklyn based rock, movie, sparknotes.com band by my older brother, jmc. 'jam' as we (me) sometimes (almost never) call him put me onto bishop allens 1st cd, 'charm school', one weekend in new york back in late 2005. i was hooked on the band and got even more hung up on the group during their extensive ep project in 2006 where they produced an ep per month.

all of my fandom and hype towards these indie rock/art legends fronted by 2 harvard grads, justin and christian (who looks a lot like 'jam' at times), culminated with the release of broken string. their sophomore album starts out with a lyrical master piece entitled 'the monitor' describing a historical battle during the civil war with ties to the old brooklyn armory. the track transfer happens seamlessly from 'the monitor' to 'rain' an upbeat pop tune that has demonstrates bishop allens playful musical nature paired with their image driving lyrics. the next track is probably what i would dub the album single, 'click click click click' which has made it onto tv through you guessed it a digital camera commercial.




'chinatown bus' the track not the cheap mode of transportation between major cities dotting the eastern seaboard is the next song on the album that approaches themes of different cultures and their interactions. the salsaie spanish themed tuned 'like castanets' really highlights the literature foundations to bishop allens lyrics. 'butterfly nets' is a soft tune featuring darbie (the female member of the band) on vocals singing about chasing, catching, and releasing a particular butterfly and the comfort it brings. the short stripped down tune following 'butterfly nets' is called shrinking violets and features justin on a banjo that makes you wonder why he doesnt pick it up more.

'corazon' is the last track i will discuss (i am omitting the last 3 tracks because i need to make dinner for my roomies ... i am going with the slam dunk simple quesadillas). its a freaking fantastic song with a string driving beat littered with strong piano chords that play as the setting for the story of how the band found the piano on the side of the road abandoned by a school and adopted to complete the band. i mean these guys could not get any cooler. the cd will set you back 15 bucks but you will get so much value out of it ... im serious on this one!

click click click click


had ducked out of the rain
into miaria's wedding day
and i sat there with her friends
and with her family
and i was happy

i wasn't someone they'd invite
because i didn't know the groom
or know the bride
but when i stood next to her brother
for the photograph
he was laughing

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

sure, i've got pictures of my own
of the people and the places that I've known
here's one: i'm carrying your suitcase
outside of alphabet city

but in someone else's life
where maria is a wife
i'm on the mantle in the corner of the photograph
smiling pretty

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

are you tired of where you've gone?
and you think you might belong
in a moment when you step out of the rain?
and you've ended up in someone else's frame?
and they're memory now is never quite the same
and they never even thought to ask your name

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

its been a while ...

sorry. while my head was above water for a little time, i had to re-submerge in order to finish the semester off with a great effort. unlike my undergrad years where i would scrape by with a chip and a chair, my postgrad semester has been one where i actually do the research, i read ahead, and i feel confident going into exams. i love it. ill keep you posted when grades get posted towards the middle of next month.

in the mean time ill update you on some music (we might see the debut of the chicago sextet that has change the way i look at music and maybe some aussie music as well), talk to you about some good books ive had the chance to pick back up now that im not crushing foreign policy reviews and critiques (cs lewis' chronicles of narnia and flannery o'connor's the complete stories are the 2 sitting next to my bed as i type), and we will be able to talk about some movies and some food ...

i am looking forward to my break and getting recharged and getting back into the blog

my head is above water ...

so i only have to finish my take home international security exam (1 x 2000 word response and 1 x 1000 word response) and then take my politics of the world economy class exam next wednesday night and then i will officially be 1/2 way through my masters degree. i am in good health and good spirits. i have been on a steady listening diet of wilco and jeff buckley (thanks to the coffee shop and jblackwood). i appreciate all the kind words, good thoughts, and loving prayers that have sustained me to this point! 5 days to go!

pretty legit spot for a study break ...

beirut - 'nantes'...

amazing song, super video, and awesome city ...

poor places ...

do you have a song that you can throw on and listen to on repeat for what seems like hours and never grow tired of the same words, chords, and sounds? you know that song that just picks you up when you need to be lifted or wallows in the depths that you like to embrace from time to time or puts that smile on your face when youre walking and the sun is shining? ... i have a song like that, poor places by wilco

it's my father's voice trailing off
sailors sailing off in the morning
from the air-conditioned rooms
at the top of the stairs

his jaw's been broken
his bandage is wrapped too tight
his fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

there's bourbon on the breath
of the singer you love so much
he takes all his words from the books
that you don't read anyway

his jaw's been broken
his bandage is wrapped too tight
his fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

someone ties a bow
in my backyard to show me love
my voice is climbing walls
smoking and i want love

my jaw's been broken
my heart is wrapped in ice
my fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

and it makes no difference to me
how they cried all over overseas
when it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside

they cried all over overseas
and it makes no difference to me
when it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside

it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside
i'm not going outside
i'm not going outside

live from the library ...

where i have moved to for the past 3 days and will be living for the rest of the week. i am so glad that in the midst of studying for my 3 finals and getting 2 research papers done, that the country has come to its senses and allowed for obama to claim the nomination. even over here people are stoked to see this tiny step in the right direction for the us.

good on ya barack

a new experience ...

last night was a 1st for me. i was taken into a part of sydney that i have very little experience with and know very little about: chinatown.

my escorts were none other than glush, my army buddy from class, and the future minister of finance for japan, and the chinese girl who married an american foreign service officer. the locale was set, red chili restaurant, and the experience was going to be hot pot style dinner.

we get to the restaurant and have to climb through 3 stories of diners most - like 98% of them who arent speaking english and are asian (a very good sign) until we finally arrive at our table. our table sat 8 with 2 people on each side around and a giant square shape hole in the middle. the hole was filled after a while with a giant golden dish that was divided into two sections with liquid in each. on section had a clear broth with herbs and spices in it and the other side had a red broth with herbs and chilies floating in it.

the dish was placed in the hole and the heating element was turned on and the liquid came to a boil. in the liquid we were able to chuck anything we wanted in there. shaved beef, lamb, tripe (beef intestine), chicken wing, tofu, chicken heart, liver, kidney, any type of mushroom under the sun, bean curd, veggies of all sorts - and let the food poach in the delicious goodness of the hot pot broth.

i opted to stay with only the food from the hot side of the dish because the combination of the flavor and the heat made for a deliciously addictive dinner. then the funniest thing happened (it was later explained to me by glush and the chinese girl who married an american foreign service officer) i started getting loopy. conversations took on a silly tone and were hilarious in their nature. i was intoxicated (i only had 3 beers during the meal - for those who know me; thats not intoxicating) off of food. so what they explained to me is that a mixture of the heat, the green tea, and small amounts of alcohol cause a chemical reaction in your brain that releases a large amount of endorphins. it was awesome. i mean here a culture has stumbled upon (although the stumble has taken thousands of years) a natural, communal, safe, and fun way to get high with food!

its academic ...

so i did the big time grad student thing yesterday and attended my 1st university guest lecture event. it was everything a post grad could wish for. a blueberry and raspberry friand, some bottles water, black coffee, chit chat with classmates about the future of the us supreme court, and avoiding my professor who is grading my mega research paper right now thats worth 50% of my grade all the while waiting to be adressed and have some q & a with francis fukuyama author of many many books on us foreign policy and us politics.

i loved hearing from dr fukuyama, but i detested the overly academia stigma that was attached to so many of the questions that were being asked. i mean it was like a squander opportunity that was wasted because people wanted to hear their own voices. this lecture and most of my time this first semester has only helped to solidify my thoughts on what to do next after graduation; not become a university professor.

fukuyama's wikipedia page

monday's mandatory music (pt 7)

i'm sticking with the female theme to make up for all of the years that i brushed female singer/songwriters aside, plus since i have stared writing about chick musicians 'disco files' has experienced a significant spike in the female 18-25 demographic and an unexplained spike in the male 40-49 category.

this next band is not a chick band by any definition, but their front-person is a chick and she is awesome. the band i want to talk about this week is rilo kiley and their latest album,'under the blacklight'.

rilo kiley is a unique band formed by 2 former child stars turned indie rockers, jenny lewis and blake sennett who stared in troop beverly hills (ill admit that i used to love that movie as a kid) and camp salute your shorts (again another old favorite) respectively. luckily the 2 have decided to give the acting gig a rest and take on the calling to be awesome indie pop rockers making very hip music.

the album opens with a anthem tune called 'silver lining' that has a driving rhythm to it that helps introduce the sharp guitar licks of sennett as well as the gorgeous voice that jenny lewis brings to the table. 'silver lining' is followed by a much more rock oriented tune that is more indicative of the rilo kiley style named 'close call'. the 3rd track, 'moneymaker' has one of the best opening drum guitar intros out there.

the next 3 tracks are more mainstream and represent the indie pop section of the album. the first of these tracks is called 'breaking up' and is a track where lewis shines through and really conveys her strong will/nature/attitude. i have this image in my head that 'breaking up' is the track playing on the ipod of all those confident women i see walking through the streets of sydney. the title track, 'under the blacklight' is next and shows the the softer rhythm acoustic range that rilo kiley can switch in and out of - also shows more vocal range for lewis. the next track, 'dreamworld' is straight up an amalgamation of the cure and and the vocal harmonies of fleetwood mac. in other words really good music.

the final section of the album turns a little more funky and fun. there are more samples and more synthesizer in tracks like 'dejalo' which flexes the bands latin funk muscle and the folkie based song '15' which addresses the same topic as the police's dont stand so close to me and nabokov's 'lolita'.

the tracks 'smoke detector' and 'the angels hung around' focus more on the acoustic strumming and the country honky tonk twang that jenny lewis can pull off. and the album finishes with quite a unique electro-pop gospel themes song called 'give a little love' which encourages the listener that "you got to give a little love to get a little love."

'silver lining'


and i'm not going back
into rags or in the hole
and our bruises are coming
but we will never fold

and i was your silver lining
as the story goes
i was your silver lining
but now i'm gold

hooray hooray
i'm your silver lining
hooray hooray
but now I'm gold

and I was your silver lining
high up on my toes
you were running through fields of hitch-hikers
as the story goes

hooray hooray
i'm your silver lining
hooray hooray
but now i'm gold

hooray hooray
i'm your silver lining
hooray hooray
but now I'm gold

and the grass it was a ticking
and the sun was on the rise
i never felt so wicked
as when i willed our love to die

and i was your silver lining
as the story goes
i was your silver lining
but now i'm gold

hooray hooray
i'm your silver lining
hooray hooray
but now i'm gold

hooray hooray
i'm your silver lining
hooray hooray
but now i'm gold

but now i'm gold
but now i'm gold

monday's mandatory music (pt 6)

after a week off (it never happened remember) i wanted to do something different for this week's installment of MonManMu. i wanted to go for a thematic approach this week. with that idea running through my mind i was trying to come up with a suitable theme, and after much turmoil and deliberation i have decided to pick on of my favorite things in the world as this week's theme: women.

even as recent as a year ago i was a self proclaimed 'woman hater' when it came to music. let me explain for my female friends before they decide to feed me to the lions. female musicians simply didnt do it for me. there were none on my radar and none that i thought deserved a spot on my radar for that matter. you will all be happy to know that over the past 12 months there have been 5 albums that have helped reshape my musical radar and helped my cross the proverbial line at a middle school dance to embrace the fairer gender.

the 1st woman centered band that i want to introduce to you is
grace potter and the nocturnals and their august 2007 release entitled 'this is somewhere'. this chick can rock and this chick can sing! her voice is something else. it has these deep tones of the south (Even though she is from the north) it has this assertiveness to it but yet is still vulnerable.blues based rock and roll woman for sure and you can hear this in the politically charged track 'ah mary' and the album's 2nd track 'stop the bus'. her softer side can been found in the tracks 'apologies' and 'you may see me'

here's a little sample of grace potter



she's skilled at the art of deception and she knows it
she's got dirty money that she plays with all the time
she waters the garden but maybe she just likes the hoses
she puts herself just a notch above human kind

ah Mary
she'll bake you cookies then she'll burn your town
ah Mary
ashes Ashes but she won't fall down

she's the beat of my heart
she's the shot of a gun
she'll be the end of me and maybe everyone

yeah
she's the beat of my heart
she's the shot fo a gun
she'll be the end of me and maybe everyone

call her a bully she'll blow up your whole damn playground
pour her a drink and watch it go straight to her head
she'll take you so high she'll cover her eyes as you fall down
then in the morning, don't be surprised if you're dead

ah Mary
she'll bake you cookies then she'll burn your town
ah Mary
ashes Ashes but she won't fall down

she's the beat of my heart
she's the shot of a gun
she'll be the end of me and maybe everyone

she's the beat of my heart
she's the shot of a gun
she'll be the end of me and maybe everyone, ohh Mary

excuses, excuses, excuses ...

folks im sorry for being such a slack blogger. lets just pretend that last week never happened. it started off with me battling the flu. had to get some work at the coffee shop in to earn some multi colored cash (its not all green over here). had a bit of drama back home that was difficult. i also had 2 presentations for class last week. and then on top of all that i got sick again this time with strep throat on thursday that ko'ed me for another 3 days. all excuses. all probably valid, but in the end i need to keep writing.

with that being said i am going to 1289753445% have monday's mandatory music for you all this week!

photo montage from tassie...

another reason why i love hobart, tasmania ...

it was during their last day in hobart (monday) that 'the nurse', 'the lawyer', and 'the student of life' took on the feat of doing a self proclaimed cafe crawl through the bustling streets of the states capital. on this coffee crusade 'the student of life' found himself sifting through a bin a bargain cds when he stumbled upon a diamond in the rough for only $4 aussie dollars ...

thats right i freaking scored john lee hooker's double cd entitled 'highway blues'.

monday's mandatory music (pt 5)

hold onto your seats, mess up your hair, grab some fluorescent sunglasses, and throw on your hipster dancing outfit cause this week we are coming at you with the hippest uber layered and composed punk dance-tronica. hows that for an esoteric genre!?!? but no seriously thats the best way that i can describe the music of lcd soundsystem off of their 2007 album 'sound of silver'.

lcd soudsystem is not your 'usual' band and as a result do not create your 'usual' music. the band doesnt exist, rather it is a collaboration effort headed by james murphy who acts as vocals, producer, craetive genius who drives the lcd soundsystem train. the band comes together to play live shows through out the world, which during this past tour has seen them head to australia, europe, and all throughout the states leaving a sweaty trail of over danced and rocked out hipsters in its wake.

these guys eat complements and articles heralding murphys musical genius as being the most innovative man in indie rock, and quite frankly they are pretty spot on. but lets cut through quickly and move past all the hipster 'holier than thou' bravado bull shit and let me tell you how much this cd rocks the house!

the grammy winning 'sound of silver' (best dance album in 2008) is exactly what the dance/elctronic music movement needed to burst onto the main stage and unite music fans with electronica buffs and dance freaks all around the world. the cds complex and creative beats are layered so perfectly that the sounds and beats blend together in ear soothing sounds. the open track of the album, 'get innocuous!' demonstrates this layering perfectly and deliberately. the track begins with a simple drum kit beat, followed by a couple of keys, then the bass line, then more keys, then the guitar, then the drum set, and wham the music is in full effect and you get introduced to some hauntingly inviting murphy lyrics. its electronica 101.

the opening track is then followed by 'its time to get away' which is a great example of why i use the 'punk' in lcds uber layered and composed punk dance-tronica genre - its stripped down, jagged, and has a bit of edge. the satirical and elevated level of lcd soundsystem is on display during the anthem 'north american scum'. upon looking at the track title you would think they are simply like the rest of the world and hate the us, but lcd soundsystem dispels all the rumors that they are british and proudly proclaim that they are infact 'north american scum' while demanding "wheres the love?!!?".

the next tune, 'someone great' is a beautiful track that i use all the time as my bait to get people to bite on the lcd fishing line! its got everything gorgeous lyrics, that air tight composition, and the flow that makes the song very linear starting narrow and ending very wide. the single off of the album is the next song entitled 'all my friends' and in my eyes deals with the late twenties/mid thirties angst of the awkwardness of growing up and separation from where you have been before as you move on. but lets face it the lyrics are only half of this song the driving force like the rest of lcd soundsystems tunes is the composition and production of the music.

'us vs. them' the longest track of the album topping out at 8minutes and 30seconds and just comment on the fact that there can not possibly be more cowbell on track! i love it. 'watch all the tapes' comes next and again hints unashamedly at the groups punk influence all the while doing it in a electronic/dance setting. the title track comes next and with its thumping bass drum, high hat hitting, and driving beat makes it a dance anthem for the ages. the final track of the album is the lyrically driven tune called 'new york i love you but you are bringing me down'. the name of the song gives away murphys feelings and it wonderful to see or rather hear through the song the love hate relationship that exists for the composer and his home town. i can relate.

if i knew more about the production process of music i would of been able to of given this album its proper due. for now i will tell you to get a hold of the album, put it on the best audio system you can find, and turn it up real LOUD!

All My Friends

live from tasMANIA ...

yeah hey, steve is down under down under. ive been hop, skipping, and jumping through this unbelievable state ... will have much more to write on later when i return to sydney

seth rogen's got nothing on this mcdonogh grad ...

my buddy from high school, none other than mr matt gielen has made a full length coming of age flick called the graduates. (you can watch the trailer on the website)

from the looks of the trailer this is going to not only put matt and ryan on the map, but will help to shed some light on the general awesomeness of ocean city, warm gin, and the debauchery that was/is senior week.

matt - bravo mate cant wait to catch the whole thing