Life Has No Meaning

I’m so relieved

Bangbay — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:48:41 +0000

Albert Pujols won his second MVP award today, and I’m feeling quite relieved. I was prepared to swear off baseball if Ryan Howard won the award. I refuse to believe a player who barely bats .250 and strikes out 199 times is the most valuable player in a league. Of course, his team won the World Series, but so did Pujols’ team in 2006 when Howard won the MVP award.

I can proceed waiting five month more months till next season.

Back to black

Bangbay — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Every few years, sometimes months, I redesign my Web site. Most of the time, though, it’s not so much a redesign as it’s a variation on a theme. I admit there are certain elements that I use again and again, sometimes moving away from them for awhile, but inevitably returning. That’s how I am with most of the things that interest me. I’ve always wanted my Web site to convey my personality, not just mirror what’s hip on the Web.

For many years, I used my Web site for self expression and not necessarily anything else. (Even now, I’d like to think that I’m maintaining this site not just to impress anyone or increase my PageRank™.) Despite the fact that I like to code and I’ve always updated my site with new coding techniques, I used to think that I couldn’t work in the Web world.

I was offered an internship at a Web company in 2000 or 2001, but I turned it down. I went to the company’s site and it had a long Flash intro without a skip button. I was pretty turned off. (Even today, if I go to a site that has that blasphemous Web behavior, I probably will never return to it.) But that wasn’t the only reason why I turned down that internship. I didn’t want a Web job, or a job working exclusively on a computer.

However, I’ve gladly spent many hours on my Web site for over a decade just because I like doing it. And now that I work in the Web world, it really isn’t so bad. It probably would’ve helped me a lot financially if I realized this several years ago, but I wouldn’t change what I did if I could.

Look it up …so I did

Bangbay — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:00:21 +0000

With higher gas prices and “saving the environment” on consumers’ minds, car companies have to use these topics to their advantage. All car commercials seem to mention their EPA MPG ratings now, conveniently always citing their highway MPG rating. (I live in Los Angeles, so “highway MPG” has no real meaning to me because I’m rarely not driving in stop-and-go traffic. And, I’m going to bet that’s the case for most other American city drivers, too.) So, how do car companies get consumers to buy their cars without actually improving their vehicles’ fuel economy? Define what “good” fuel economy means because, c’mon, there wasn’t an official definition anyway.

There’s this GMC commercial where an official suit-type says that most Americans don’t think of fuel economy when they think of a crossover (a term that I had never heard before these car commercials). He says that the GMC Acadia gets better fuel economy than the Honda Pilot (which is not saying much). The commercial ends with the directive, “Look it up,” and shows www.fueleconomy.gov.

So, I looked it up. I see that the Acadia FWD model has a highway rating 1 MPG better than the Pilot’s 2WD model, but that the combined rating is the same. Call me cynical, but is this supposed to be impressive? Is 24 MPG on the highway impressive?

My guess is that part of the effectiveness of this campaign might lie in the authority of the phrase, “Look it up.” It may seem like because they told me to look it up, they’re confident about the answer and I don’t need to confirm it. (The answer being, “The Acadia has ‘good’ fuel economy.”) In fact, my reaction to “Look it up” should be “You look it up, douche bag” or “I already knew that, douche bag” or maybe just “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”

For the most part, I’ve been living in a bubble about fuel economy. I drive a small car and have only been driving regularly for a few years. Unless I’m moving across the country, I usually drive about half the annual mileage of the average American. I’m lucky, I guess. I tend to live relatively close to where I work and near all conveniences. The gas price increases over the last year have meant sacrificing about one or two take-out meals per month for me. When people talk about how much they’re “hurting” from gas prices, I guess these people have to eat out four times less per month.

Surprisingly Fuel Efficient… my ass

Bangbay — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:05 +0000

There’s this commercial for the Honda Pilot where a Pilot driver picks up two guys, and one of the guys is stuck inside cement. The driver calls the Pilot “really fuel efficient” and then the guy in the cement chimes in with “It’s true” and quotes something he read on a blog. Then the voiceover calls the Pilot “surprisingly fuel efficient.”

So, I got curious about what Surpisingly Fuel Efficient™ means to Honda. This is what I found out from www.fueleconomy.gov:

I actually wasn’t surprised. At a combined 19 MPG or 18 MPG rating, the Pilot is only slightly more “fuel efficient” than a Hummer.

That’s so mainstream

Bangbay — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:30:18 +0000

Something’s been on my mind lately, and I figure I’d do what any other person of my generation would do: write about it in my blog. (Actually, I guess I should write about this on Facebook or MySpace, but since I have my own Web site…) I’ve been thinking about the phrase, “That’s so gay.” Like sagging pants and the ’80s, I hoped that this phrase would go away once I left high school. And it has, for the most part, at least in my world.

This phrase is commonly called a “playground taunt” and I guess I’m lucky that the first time I heard the phrase wasn’t until 11th grade. It’s not surprising really. If I wasn’t hanging out by myself growing up, I usually was around polite, straight-A students. I actually remember the scenario in which I first heard “That’s so gay,” and it shocked me when it happened, but it was uttered by someone in the “regular program” and, in my Oscar Wilde imitation, it seemed like something I could attribute to the lower classes.

However, the phrase is widespread, yet seemingly innocuous. Most people who use the phrase claim that it has no connection to gay people. People say it’s like the word “gypped” — most people don’t know that the word is derogatory towards gypsies. But, c’mon, how many bonafide gypsies are there wandering the halls of American high schools? (As a side note, my guitar teacher in high school sought to motivate us while teaching us a somber ballad by saying, “Let’s pretend we’re a bunch of gypsies and we just got caught shoplifting.” I actually had no idea why she suggested that, because I didn’t know anything about gypsies at the time.)

It’s easy to see how “gypped” has lost its context, but what is the most common use of the word “gay” in today’s world? To say that “gay” doesn’t connote gay people seems to be idiotic, even if the idiot who said it doesn’t think so.

Is it worth fighting over? Probably not. People can use the words “bad” and “filthy” to describe something good or cool. I guess they can use a word that meant happy, then homosexual, to mean something bad (and by bad, I don’t mean good). However, I think the core irritation I have about “That’s so gay” is that the phrase itself has lost context. It reduces a bunch of other good arguments into one simple, flippant phrase. I think many things that get called “gay” are bad. But they’re bad because they’re so mainstream, they’re so bland, they’re so outdated, they’re so poor quality. They’re so acceptable. So c’mon, that’s not gay. That’s most of American society.

Garlic is as good as ten… garlic

Bangbay — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:30:40 +0000

I’ll let you in on a little secret about myself. I love garlic. And I would say it is no ordinary love… I mean, I can eat whole cloves of raw garlic. It makes me hoot and holler sometimes, but hey, that’s love.

I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival for the first time this weekend. To pump myself up for the festival, I watched Les Blank’s brilliant Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers. (And I don’t ever call any film brillant.)

The garlic braid I bought from the festival.

I had expected the festival to be a bit counter-culture, and maybe it was 30 years ago when most people, meaning white bread Americans, didn’t eat garlic. Garlic still has the stigma of being “stinky,” but I don’t think it scares The Man anymore.

I had the Gourmet Alley scampi, which was four pieces of shrimp and two pieces of bread on a bed of garlic. Then, I had the stuffed mushrooms. I didn’t find either food to be particularly garlicky, or gourmet, but maybe my garlic taste buds aren’t as sensitive as others. Maybe some of the beef or pork dishes would have had more garlic taste, but I didn’t feel too interested in paying $12 for either.

Then, I tried the garlic ice cream. I had the pecan praline flavor. I didn’t find the ice cream too garlicky either, but I could taste it in there and I really liked it actually. It’s strange to me how scared of garlic ice cream some people seemed to be. Some people seemed to really not like it, but I don’t know what flavors they were eating and if that had an effect. At any rate, the garlic ice cream seemed to be the only thing that seemed somewhat counter-culture.

The festival seemed like any other food festival. Barbecue, fajitas, corn on the cob… The arts and crafts vendors seem to be selling the same things as at any other fair… I guess, in the end, the festival has to play up the garlic twist that makes it “different” from other festivals, but it ends up being like most other festivals because most people just want some barbecue and a beer garden.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a good time. It was hot, dusty, and it took me six hours to drive up there (because I made a brief stop in Santa Cruz, it took me only five hours to drive back to L.A.), but now I’ve done it and I’m satisfied.

I cut off the bottom bulb of the braid to roast it. I had never seen a prettier garlic bulb. It looked just like a rose.

I have no picture of what it looked like after I roasted it, because I ate it too quickly. Now, that was great garlic!

Like a swallow, I return, just a little late…

Bangbay — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:00:30 +0000

Back in 2002, I visited several California Missions. My first stop was to San Juan Capistrano, but I arrived there after the mission was closed, so I never got to see inside of the walls.

Now that I live in California, and I theoretically would have an easier time at it, I could finish the trip I started back then. However, I admit my interest has waned on the subject. After seeing Mission San Juan Capistrano yesterday, though, I was reminded of why I was so taken with the missions.

There’s a link to the past I feel when I’m at these missions. I imagine the people who occupied the same ground 200 years ago. When I looked at the ruins of Mission San Juan Capistrano, I smiled, and said to myself, “Wow. Imperialism.”

Imperialism, since 1776.

Baptizing the savage boy in a loin cloth…

Richard Nixon rang these bells.

There was an 1880s reenactment that day.

I also headed down to San Diego for the first time in 20 years. I went to the Padres–Braves game. It was 1998 NL Championship Celebration and Family Fireworks Night. I’ve never really followed the Padres. The only recollection I had about their 1998 season was that they were swept by the Yankees in the World Series. However, I found myself almost teary eyed during the pre-game ceremony. Members of the 1998 team were there, including Kevin Brown (for how much, I wonder…) and Ken Caminiti (in spirit), and then millionaires and alleged drug users threw out the ceremonial first pitches to current members of the Padres. Then, they hugged and shook hands while “Now and Forever” played.

I thought the choice of music seemed odd because of the general machismo of baseball. (”Now and Forever” was the opening song for A League of Their Own.) Then, to turn the celebration up a notch, they played “We Are Family” (you know, “I’ve got all my sisters with me”). I had a great time, though, and the game had some good “small ball” plays. I mean, Greg Maddux stole a base, for chrissake.

Out of the 13 ballparks I’ve been to (two of which are now defunct), I must say PETCO Park is the nicest one I’ve seen. I wasn’t that enamored with the old ballparks that everyone ogles over (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium) and I also thought new ballparks were pretty lame (AT&T/SBC/Pacific Bell Park, Minute Maid Park/Astros Field/Enron Field). But, you can’t trust my opinion. I like Shea Stadium.

When I first heard that this ballpark was going to be named PETCO Park, I thought it was a silly idea. PETCO? But, now that I’m a pet owner, and I’ve seen the PETCO mascots, I think it’s kind of cool. Much better than Qualcomm Stadium.

The ballpark feels intimate, yet the field is big. No easy homeruns. I liked how the ballpark faced the skyline and blended into the urban landscape, while the ocean breeze blew from behind. Airplanes touched down in the distance. It was incredible. To watch the fireworks, the people who sat in the lawn and bleacher areas during the game were allowed to sit on the field. I thought that was a nice gesture.

You can call me up and have a date any old time

Bangbay — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:00:48 +0000

For my last “Theme Party” show, my theme was “Sequels.” (I finally started putting my setlists in the RSS feed for my podcast.) Most of the songs were sequels, but I included some borderline material, including songs that could’ve been more accurately called “answer songs” or just “based on another source.” (I probably won’t do an answer song show, as WFMU has already put together a spazzy collection of them.) One of these borderline songs I played was “Beechwood 4-5789” by the Marvelettes, to which “634-5789 (Soulsville U.S.A.)” is related.

When I spent a semester at the Biosphere 2 Center in 2000, I bought a Marvelettes greatest hits CD at a store in Tucson. It was one of those “I just wanted to buy something” moments, as I only knew “Please, Mr. Postman” and wasn’t particularly eyeing anything on the CD. I was also just stocking up on material to play on WBAR once I returned to New York.

And I didn’t really listen to the CD until I returned to New York. During that summer, I had a lunchtime show on WBAR, and I got a surprise request. (Surprise, because I figured no one was listening to me.) I was playing a Shirelles song, so someone called in and asked me if I had any Marvelettes. At first she asked for “The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game,” which wasn’t on the CD, but then she asked for “Beechwood 4-5789,” which I played obligingly.

It wasn’t an instantaneous thing, but soon after I got really attached to the song. Aside from being a really catchy tune, there’s something about the simplicity and sense of beginning in the song that I really like. No rushing off to get married or jump in the sack just yet. No claiming love at first sight — just a phone number exchange after figuring out you like each other and want to see each other again. It’s beautiful.

Of course, if you want some lovin’, you can call 634-5789.

S-S-S-Songs about K-K-K-Katies

Bangbay — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:14 +0000

Check out my latest “Theme Party” show on WHFR, “Songs About Katies.” While putting together the show, I came across the gem of a song, “K-K-K-Katy” written by Geoffrey O’Hara.

Songs About Katies (1 June 2008)

“K-K-K-Katy” - Rob Carriker
“Never Wanted Nothing More” - Kenny Chesney
“Navajo Rug” - Jerry Jeff Walker
“Katie” - Deana Carter
“Katie’s Been Gone” - The Band
“Sitting Still” - R.E.M.
“Monster Ballads” - Josh Ritter
“Katie Dear” - Louvin Brothers
“Dear Katie” - James Blunt
“Katie” - Mighty Mighty Bosstones
“Maybe Katie” - Barenaked Ladies
“Katy Too” - Johnny Cash
“Katie Wants a Fast One” - Steve Wariner & Garth Brooks
“Here to Forget” - Phil Vassar
“Katie” - Marvin Hamlisch
“She’s in Love With the Boy” - Trisha Yearwood
“Katie Bar the Door” - Sierra Highway
“K-K-K-Katy” - Helen Breen & Earl Wentz

Subscribe to my podcast!

It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to

Bangbay — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:00:34 +0000

For the past few weeks, I’ve been doing a show called “Theme Party” on WHFR - Washington Heights Free Radio where I play songs around a single theme each week. The idea stemmed from not really having an idea of what to do a show about, but needing a general guideline to give myself. So, for the first week, I played “Songs About Dying in Motor Vehicles” and just last week, I did a “Songs That Ask Questions” show.

I create the show rather crudely (for my audio/visual production background) with what equipment I have at my disposal, but I think I’m getting better at it after each week. As with the show I used to have in college, putting together these shows is just an excuse to rediscover the music in my collection, pick up some new tunes, and have fun. It airs live on WHFR on Sundays at 2 P.M. PST, but I’ve also set up a podcast for my recordings. The shows are all exactly one hour, except for the first show that came up a little short.

Here are the playlists for shows I’ve done so far:

Songs About Dying in Motor Vehicles (4 May 2008)

“Stan” - Eminem
“Three Wooden Crosses” - Randy Travis
“Last Kiss” - Pearl Jam
“Teen Angel” - Mark Dinning
“Truckstop Girl” - Kelly Willis
“Car” - Catherine Wheel
“There is a Light That Never Goes Out (Live)- Morrissey
“Big Empty” - Stone Temple Pilots
“Wreck on the Highway” - Louvin Brothers
“Leader of the Pack” - Shangri-Las
“Only the Song Survives” - John Hiatt

Mother’s Day Show (11 May 2008)

“Van Lear Rose” - Loretta Lynn
“Hey Mama” - Kanye West
“Ms. Jackson” - Outkast
“Mama Didn’t Lie” - Jan Bradley
“Shop Around” - Miracles
“Days Like This” - Van Morrison
“Mama Said” - Shirelles
“Mother” - Danzig
“Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
“Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)” - Ruth Brown
“I’m Livin’ in Shame” - Diana Ross & The Supremes
“Mama Tried” - Merle Haggard
“Good Intentions” - Randy Travis
“Jesus on the Radio (Daddy on the Phone)” - Tom T. Hall
“To Daddy” - Dolly Parton
“Mama You Sweet” - Lucinda Williams
“Honour Your Mother and Father” - Checkered Cabs
“What a Friend We Have in Mother” - Louvin Brothers

Songs By On Stage Drunks (18 May 2008)

“Knoxville Girl” - Louvin Brothers
“Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” - Doors
“Cabaret” - Liza Minnelli
“Rehab” - Amy Winehouse
“It’s a Shame About Ray” - Lemonheads
“Sunday Morning Coming Down” - Johnny Cash
“Put Your Cat Clothes On” - Carl Perkins
“Honky Tonkin’” - Hank Williams
“If I Needed You” - Townes Van Zandt
“Choices” - George Jones
“Paradise City” - Guns N’ Roses
“Hot For Teacher” - Van Halen
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” - Rolling Stones

Songs That Ask Questions (25 May 2008)

“Who Needs Pictures” - Brad Paisley
“Am I the Man” - Jackie Wilson
“How’s the World Treating You” - James Taylor & Alison Krauss
“Must You Throw Dirt In My Face” - Louvin Brothers
“What Does a Lifeguard Do in the Fall???” - June August
“Ain’t It Amazing, Gracie” - Buck Owens
“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” - Shirelles
“Aren’t I True” - Kelly Willis
“Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” - Dolly Parton
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” - Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Is She Weird” - Pixies
“Where Are You Going” - Dave Matthews Band
“Which Will” - Lucinda Williams
“Why Me” - Josh Caterer
“Could You Be Loved” - Bob Marley & The Wailers
“Were You There?” - Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” - Beach Boys
“Can the Circle Be Unbroken” - Carter Family