The Ballad of Booth

 

Last Friday Houston was host to **SNOWPOCALYPSE 2011!!** that engulfed our fair gulf city, effectively bringing Beltway 8 and my mother (in town with dad for business) to a complete halt.  So when I got a call from Paul, Keith and Zach to see if I wanted to hang out, my evening was as free as Interstate 45!

I got over to his house and the first thing he says is:

Paul: So… do you know who Yann Tiersen is?

Me: The name sounds familiar, but that means nothing really.

Paul: He’s the guy who wrote the music for that French movie Amelie.

Me: *mouth wide open* OMGILOVETHATSOUNDTRAAACK!!

Paul: Oh, so then I guess the answer to “Would you be interested in going to see him perform at Fitzgeralds later tonight, then?” is going to be a… … … “yes”?

Me: YEESSSSSSSSSS!!

 

I don’t remember exactly when I first saw Amelie, but I do know that it actively changed the way I watched movies.  Suddenly I was noticing the subtleties of cinematography, the way shots were composed, how long scenes would last until being cut to a different camera angle, the use of color, and (more relevant to this particular post) how a score can effectively enhance the viewer’s experience.  As you can see from the poster to your left and the film trailer above, this movie is where color saturation goes to binge.  Think of it as Snookie at a Spec’s… but with ultraviolet tanning booths. 

The use of reds, greens, blues and yellows was inspired by Brazilian Artist Juarez Machado, and it’s actually something that always comes to mind when I’m decorating my apartment.  I know it sounds rather, I don’t know, pretentious to say that “this movie changed the way I see the world,” but it kinda did in both a literal and metaphorical way.

Also, don’t believe me about my apartment? CHECK OUT BELOW!!

 

We had a couple of hours to spare, so we watched the most recent episode of 30 Rock, a couple of backlogged  How It’s Mades, and grabbed some Tex-Mex for dinner.  As we were pulling up to the place I realized that I had been here before when I first moved to Houston and hung out with Brad and Michele the first time.  Except… it has two different stage areas and we sat downstairs for about an hour listening to a god-awful rock band wondering where the hell the act we came to see was.  (The answer is: upstairs in the main stage).  Needless to say, I wasn’t going to let us make that mistake.

We found a pretty good spot to the left of the stage near the (quite paltry) merchandise station. The guy manning the table absolutely looked like he didn’t want to be there and we all started joking around that it was probably Yann’s nephew, who, after his father died in a tragic bus accident, was shuttled away by his mother (Yann’s sister) so that he could have a good father figure in his life.

 

Dani Tiersen: Drifter of the first order (Also, I’m not sure why this looks like a still shot from The Shield)

 

We also all agreed that, if ever there were to be a movie made about his life, that Meryl Streep should be cast.  Need I remind you?… I think I shall!

The opening act was S. Carey, whose sound we can best equate to music written by a pod of whales trained by Rufus Wainwright in an aquarium run by Philip Glass. 

Me: What did you think about that first act?

Paul: I mean it was nice, I guess.  Very “chill”. I could have a conversation during the performance without A.) straining my voice [always a plus for singers] and B.) having to feel guilty about it.

During the long intermission (that’s what it’s called at a concert, right?) we took the chance to eavesdrop on the clientele.  Or as Zach put it: “Geez, I feel like I'm in an episode of Skins—the British version, of course. Not that bastardized new MTV one.”

WATCH OUT TEENS!!!! The Parents Television Council is after you!!!

One Christmas I went to Wal-Mart with my sister-in-law, Joanie, and while waiting in line she of the statistics background asked: “I wonder what percentage of people here are shopping for Christmas presents and what percentage are just here for every-day items.”  I had never really thought of things that way (my non-sequitors are generally seen through a pop-culture tinted lense).  Now when I am in large groups of people and trying to kill time I will ask a similar question.

Me: How many people here do you think watch How It’s Made.

Paul: Oh wow, probably not many.  How many people here do you think are teenage couples awkwardly holding hands?

Me: Hmmm, definitely more than my question.  OOH, I wonder how many people here both watch How It’s Made AND are a teenage couple awkwardly holding hands.

 

If only there were some way that we could visualize that raw data.

 

The break also gave us an opportunity to peruse the scenery, noting that the barn-turned-concert-venue feeling would lend well for a dinner theater experience, which quickly spiraled into our planned mounting of a musical version of the 30 Rock episode we had seen several hours previously.

It’ll be this decades The Producers, I promise!!

 

There was much excitement when Yann made the stage, the most emphatic being a fellow Frenchman screaming out something in their native tongue.  I really wanted to yell something out as well but my French isn’t that good.  About all I could muster was: “JE M’APELLE JOSEPH!!” “ICI-BAS!!!” “LE SANGE ET SUR LA BRANCHE!!!!!!!” 

At one point he pulled out a violin for an intro to one of his pieces, which always reminds me of my friend, Clinton, who said every time he used to play at his church in Lake Jackson someone would inevitably come up to him afterwards and say something like: “Yeah yeah, that Mozart was real nice BUT… can you play “The Devil Goes Down to Georgia?!?!”

 

HOE-DOWN!!!!

As Zach noted, it was interesting to see what music he performs when not in the context of a certain character or cinematic mood (ie: the whimsey and fantasy of Amelie’s Paris).  The whole time I was there I kept wishing that my former roommate, Lembit, could have been hanging out with us.  I always loved when he would just stroll around the house playing his accordion and sing-narrating whatever was happening: “Your saaaaauccccee needs more cummmiiiiiiiinnnn” or “Joseeeeeepphhhh, your laundry [dominant chord] is *dramatic pause*… FINNNIIISSSHEEEEDD [minor tonic chord]”.  Basically he was our very own wandering Amelie soundtrack long before Yann was even in the picture.

So once again a fantastic evening (and yet another shattered mirror of a blog post) was birthed from equal parts free evening and social happenstance! Unfortunately I once again forgot to get pictures of the four of us for the blog… so in our final WTF?!? moment, with the magic of photoshop and the pilfering of facebook I’ve taken some pictures from my dear friend, Heather’s, wedding last year when she had a photo boot at the reception and made an Amelie homage.  (Note to former brides—DO THIS!!!!  It was fantastic!!)  Also, as I am not friends with Zach and Keith on the fb I had to do the best I could…

(With special guest star body, Nancy Brooks!)

Artist: Stephen Sondheim/ Album: Assassins

BONUS ROUND!! As I was leaving the concert I spotted a classmate of mine  from High School, James, across the dance floor.   We were headed out the door at the time and I wasn’t able to say hi to him, but in a bit of serendipity he was actually at Heather’s wedding as well and got a shot in the photo booth.  So, sorry I couldn’t chat, but I’m giving you a blog shout out!!!

Heather and James Dean Franco Rains

Fat Bottomed Girls

 

In honor of my friend, Paul, appearing in the University of Houston’s production of The Magic Flute (now in 3-D!!!) I am finally getting around to posting our trip to what I consider the best burgers in Houston.

Burger Guys—no, not Five Guys—on Westheimer and Dairy Ashford is where all of your ground beef and french fry dreams come true.

   

Yes, the “Houston” has onion bacon jam; yes, the fries are “finished” in DUCKFAT!!!; and yes, I got both

 

An added bonus was that they have Dublin Dr. Pepper on tap!

…or as my brother calls it, liquid Haribo berries

 

Let’s just bask in this glory, shall we? (Which shouldn’t be hard to do seeing as how there is so much grease for the light to bounce off of that even Snookie would be jealous of the tan I gots).

 

Thought it’ll be months before I go back… rest assured I WILL be going back.

Artist: Queen/ Album: Greatest Hits, Volume 1

My Stupid Mouth

(Fair warning, this is probably the first time that I’ve actually ever used the blog to vent about a political subject, so if you don’t particularly want to know my views on a certain Tea Party candidate in the Delaware senate race then you shouldn’t read any further.  Instead, go here to see an absolutely adorable picture of a baby pig in rain boots and consider this blog post read for the day.)

Dear Sarah Palin’s mainland doppelganger Christine O’Donnell:
So here’s the thing.  I get the whole angle you’re going for—perky, great hair, a doe-eyed “awe shucks what do facts matter” attitude that has gotten the Tea Party [side note: the original “tea party” was for taxation without representation, not taxation with representation that you didn’t vote for but got elected through a democratic process, see: history [or has the Texas School Board excised that already?]) all hot and bothered as of late. It worked for La Palin and it might just work for you.
What really scares me is that a part of me thinks that you and those like you might get elected, probably not this term but perhaps further down the road, and not because of your political views but because a collection of voters will view your "treatment" (also see: politics in general) in the media as unfair and give you a sympathy vote.  It’s kind of hard to be angry at someone when their act of malice boils down to pressing play on a tape recording and watching the words you said come driveling out of your own mouth.

What I am referring to is, of course, your debate today with Chris Coons in which you seemed bewildered at the notion of the First Amendment's involvement in the principle of separation of church and state. 

I guess watch for yourself:

I mean, I’m pretty sure even Snookie’s bump knows the First Amendment deals with it.  Snookie.. the one who’s brain is a halfway house for an aerosol residue carbon footprint Godzilla would be jealous of and enough ethanol to tranquilize an African wildebeest and still have enough left over for a piña colada strong enough to put even Señor Frog under the table.

And when I say deals with, I do completely admit that nowhere in the First Amendment does it specifically have the phrase “separation of church and state”, much like nowhere in the constitution do the phrases “separation of powers” or “checks and balances” appear and yet they have become a sort of legislative shorthand in reference to Arcticles I, II and III.  I am not willing to deny that over a half century of supreme court cases *cough*  Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) Allegheny County v. ACLU (1989) Bowen v. Kendrick (1988) Capitol Square Review & Advisory Board v. Pinette (1995) Edwards v. Aguillard (1987) Engel v. Vitale (1962) Epperson v. Arkansas (1968) Everson v. Board of Education (1947) Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001) Hamilton v. Regents of University of California (1934) Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc. (1982) Larson v. Valente (1982) Lee v. Weisman (1992) Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) Marsh v. Chambers (1983) McCollum v. Board of Education (1948) Roemer v. Board of Public Works of Maryland (1976) Santa Fe Ind. School District v. Doe (2000) Stone v. Graham (1980) Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock (1989) Tilton v. Richardson (1971) Wallace v. Jaffree (1985) Walz v. Tax Commission (1970) Westside Community Board of Education v. Mergens (1990) Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)
Zorach v. Clauson (1952) *cough* has led to an establishment of what is generally referred to as the separation of church and state.  I know, I know, I really should get that cough checked out before my audition this weekend. 

True, the constitution and its interpretations are constantly changing, much like me when trying to decide which tie to wear to the opera.  More specifically, which paisley tie to wear to the opera. I guess I have more of a problem with the way in which you dealt with the whole situation, which is representative of your campaign and the campaigns of more and more politicians these days. Instead of making a coherent argument and saying something like: "Excuse me, but no where in there does it have this phrase," you just kept snarkily asking: "You're telling me that the separation of church and state is found in the First Amendment?"

Coons: "Government shall make no establishment of religion." (not an exact quote from the Constitution btw).
You: "That's in the First Amendment??"

 New York Magazine's DailyIntel put it best:

For someone hoping to serve in the Senate of the United States, saying "You're telling me that [the establishment clause is] in the First Amendment?" is like a prospective astronaut saying, "You're telling me we can't breathe in space?" It's like a heart surgeon walking into the operating room and asking, "You're telling me there are four chambers in the pumpy thing?"

 

Even after Coons attempted to clarify by acknowleging it was the evolutionary process of the Consitution that has led to the idea of separation of church and state and not necessarily the Amendment itself you seemed incredulous. (Uh oh, I brought up the "E" word!! "It's the theory evolution, not the fact of evolution you pagans!" You know, just like it's the theory of gravity not the fact of gravity that tells me I shouldn't have this bowl of Blue Bell.)

When asked about your policy regarding Amendments 14th, 16th and 17th you had this to say: "I'm sorry I didn't bring my Constitution with me, fortunately senators don't have to memorize the constitution, can you remind me what the other ones are?"   Now don't get me wrong-- I'm a lover of sass, but this isn't the race for the next queen of the Grapeland Peanut Festival (which is a real thing and happened to have happened this past weekend).  There's just 27 of them... take each day in February and learn one and you can reward yourself with a vacay on the 28th. Do I know all of them? No... but it's also not my job to.  However, if you wanna know the difference between a blacksmith hurricane and a double walled hurricane at the Barn then come sit right over here on this PB Comfort sectional and I'll tell you all about it.

But back to the subject at hand. The phrase originated from then president Thomas Jefferson in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut (they really should eliminate the redundant redundancies in their name) in regards to concerns over protection of religious liberty and against a government establishment of religion.  In it he states:

"...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

Forgive me, but I’ll take the author of our nations Declaration of Indepence’s view on the First Amendment over a woman whose most notable claim to fame is having dabbled in witchcraft.  Or as SNL’s Kristin Wiig recently put it:

So yes, Mizzzz O’Donnell, you are correct as far as the semantics are concerned (and who am I to be anti-semantic).  As far as your substance is concerned, though... well, I'm not too sure.

K Thanks,
Joseph Roberts

Artist: Audra McDonald/ Album: Build a Bridge