Monday, March 31, 2003
Do it NOW!!!
1. Logon to Kazaa
2. Search audio for "Radiohead Hail to the Thief"
3. Download the shit out of it
Fuck... it's fucking good. I only have three songs so far, but damn. They're back. Actual pop songs. Download. Go. Now. NOW!!!!!
NP: Radiohead - Go To Sleep
posted by Hanson |
12:01 AM
Sunday, March 30, 2003
An Acute Annoyance
No, the Chinese community hasn't en masse embraced Clinic as its band du jour. The thing is, the SARS scare has whipped a lot of us into a frenzy. Even in Vancouver, people are buying surgical masks like they ain't no thang, all in a bid to stave off inflection.
Riiiiiight. Hypochondria much? Not too much, but much too much. (Ace shout out!)
Even my grandmother has gotten into the act, making me "preventative" teas and all that. Of course, I appreciate the gesture, but come on! This pseudo Pascal's Wager thing has got to stop.
NP: Radiohead - Punch Up at a Wedding (live in Lisbon)
posted by Hanson |
1:48 PM
Saturday, March 29, 2003
Mraz-merized By the Chant-euse
Great show tonight. I saw Chantal Kreviazuk and Jason Mraz at the posh opera/ballet/concerto venue The Centre. I had to meet Joanne there because my driving was not to be trusted (right?) ;-) Ah well.... it just gave me more time to work on my group paper :-)
Jason opened the show to a chorus of screaming girls. Big ups. He played a little over half an hour, and it was quite entertaining in the Jack Johnson/Dave Matthews-lite sorta way. Nah, scratch that last comment. It's stupid for me to compare them like that.
Chantal was at her usual form: engaging, chatty, and potty-mouthed. Besides her piano (and sometimes a keyboard), she had some strings with her too, though they only stuck around for the first few songs. She basically played her entire new album (execpt for my personal fav, Miss April) plus a bunch of the singles from her previous two. Oh, and Blue and Feels like Home too. The encore featured the aforementioned Blue (on piano), The Redemption Song (Bob Marley cover), a new one on guitar about her trip to Iraq called Heaven's Hard to Find (or something like that), and the Peter Gabriel cover Here Comes the Flood. From what I can tell, her guitar playing has improved immensely since the last time I saw her. Like always, can't wait till her return.
Revelation of the night: apparently, Chantal "can't fucking stand Nicole Kidman."
NP: The Bens (Lee, Folds, and Kweller) - Just Pretend
posted by Hanson |
1:16 AM
Friday, March 28, 2003
(A Long One On) Post-Traditionalism
As a computing and marketing student, I don't get fed the large dosage of post-*ism that most arts students have to deal with, my newly-acquired Canadian Studies minor notwithstanding. That being said, please let me know if there's already a term for what I'm going to describe.
I just finished watching part three of a three-part documentary on PBS about Chinese-Americans, their history, experiences, that kind of thing. There's some really interesting stuff about the older first-gen Americans who are now in the 50s, their struggles against racism, growing up "different," and all that jazz. But the real meat came when the thoroughly Americanized twentysomethings were trotted out.
They talked of lofty parental expectations, strict codes of conduct, pressures to succeed in school, a "pervasive fog of guilt and disappointment," and the compelling need to fit into the stereotypical model minority. Not only that, they dropped terms like FOB, twinkies, etc.: keywords familiar to most people of my demographic. [aside: but in front of whitey? how dare they!!] Basically, they were typical "bananas" that grew up in traditional Chinese households.
As a self-centred egoist, I brought it all back to myself. While I recognize the similarities between what I was seeing and what I saw in myself, I couldn't help but notice how different we were. First of all, pressures that I had to succeed in school: nil. Not that I was so dumb that expecting success was unmerited, it’s just that marks were never really a concern in my household. In elementary and early in junior high, I basically got straight B’s except for A’s in Math (duh) and quirky stuff like Drama and PE. That was never an issue, and I was never made to feel bad or anything. Well, except for my horrendous handwriting. *That* was always a monkey on my back. Anyway, the no-pressure strategy worked, as by the end of high school, I got scholarships and ended up with straight A’s except for a B in friggin’ French 11 (Madam Schimmel was out to get me, I swear). I also got accepted directly into the only school/program I applied for: Computing Science at SFU.
Even my choice of post-secondary studies was my own. Yes yes, I realize I’m doing both of the popular Chinese subjects, computing and business, but I’m doing a double major here! Most would just do joints (the non-smokeable ones) because it’s easier. My insisting on not being half-assed is actually not that typical among the stereotypical cmptsci/business Chinese guy. I was basically free to study what I want, and med and law schools were never even suggested to me. In fact, if anything, my dad discouraged me from becoming a lawyer because, as he said, they have to live by the law and not by their own values. Good shit.
I was also never compared to other people’s kids. I never got the “so and so got this and that, so why can’t you get this and that too” spiel, and as far as I know, they didn’t use my brother and I as symbols of success (though they easily could have) in front of their friends. Not that they weren’t proud of us; they would display our trophies, attended our plays, and made it known that they were proud: it’s just they didn’t need to do it publicly to *prove* to their peers that we were the shit.
Instead of being taught to ruthlessly drive for success, I was taught patience and sportsmanship. In fact, “congratulations” was one of the first English words I knew! I was taught that word after playing Monopoly (Hong Kong edition, of course) when I was 6. Shake hands and say “congratulations” after I lose my last dime was a tradition. Air-conditioned flat on a hot Hong Kong summer day. Congratulations. I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Another difference between the TV-people and me was that they were very westernized growing up. Their parents force-fed Chinese qualities to them and told them they should be proud to be Chinese just because, and all the while they themselves were trying to be as American as possible. That hypocrisy was the exact opposite of my upbringing: I was brought up on Chinese literature, Chinese values, and Chinese culture. What I did with what I was taught was my own business, and I wasn’t made to wave the Chinese flag without question. In other words, my cultural identity was cultivated from within while theirs was painted on with a big Made in America paintbrush. Naturally, they jerked, and the paint cracked. For me, the roots grew so deep, I couldn’t imagine myself being anything else.
Why were our experiences so different? I think it’s because my parents weren’t the “white worshipers” that their parents were. My mom and dad didn’t aspire to whiteness by adopting white customs, values, religions, etc. My parents were among the few Chinese intellectuals who didn’t think that the West is the shit. While acknowledging some of the good points about Western culture, they nevertheless kept a lot of traditional Chinese customs that many so-called “educated” people of Hong Kong reject simply on the grounds that they are relics from a “backwards” culture. Things like a shrine dedicated to ancestors and demigods (a “sun toi”) and Chinese herbal remedies are a common place in the Ho household. The same cannot be said of many Chinese professionals though.
A synthesis of the thesis of the traditional Chinese and the antithesis of the westernized Chinese, the necessary progression from Chinese traditionalism is naturally the post-traditionalism that I was brought up with. No burden, no guilt: just good cultural stuff.
Hmm…. this has turned into a bit of a rambling here…. I hope I was somewhat coherent :-)
NP: Jason Mraz - The Remedy (I Won't Worry)
posted by Hanson |
2:01 AM
Thursday, March 27, 2003
One More (Quick) Thing Before I Go Back To Work
Books on the 'to-read' list:
* Ender's Shadow - Card (been sitting on my shelf for six friggin' months!)
* Being and Nothingness - Sartre (*ugh*... I hear it's long)
* Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding - Hume (and this time, finish it)
At the pace I munch through these things, I'll be happy if I'm done *one* of them by May 1st.
NP: Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a Seventeen Year-old Girl
posted by Hanson |
1:14 AM
I Think, Therefore I Think
Critical thinking is hard. Hard hard hard. Way harder than most people give it credit for. This is especially true for me when I come across information that goes against my current beliefs. How I deal with that contradictory information, IMO, is more important to me than how much I know. Therefore, my goal in life is to become a great evaluator and synthesizer of knowledge.
In order to do that, I try to limit the amount of beliefs that I hold. I’m relentless in my quest for knowledge, but for me, conclusions from that knowledge are not drawn easily. I'm often accused of and berated for not taking a stand on issues, but to me, picking a side is easy, standing pat and acknowledging that both sides have equally valid and powerful arguments is not. Ask me anything: I'll give you good arguments on both sides, or at least I'll try to. One day, though, there will be no try: only do. My dream, ah, my dream.
NP: (PBS documentary on the history of Chinese people in America)
posted by Hanson |
12:25 AM
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
!!!!
Halliburton? Halliburton!? Halliburton?? Halliburton!?! Halliburton????
Halliburton!!!!!
NP: Cursive - The Recluse
posted by Hanson |
8:20 PM
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
School Hard
Sorry, no Spike and Dru fun here. This time last semester, My Indie World was littered with complaints about tiredness, projects, and exams. Well, let it begin anew (not that it ever really stopped)! Today, I handed in my B2B Marketing paper on how independent record labels can utilize radio the way major labels do minus payola and shit. After that, I headed over to the lab and finished my software engineering assignment on project planning. When I got home, I started preparing for my presentation on Sarah McLachlan for my Canadian Music class on Wednesday. All the while, I've been thinking about my 50-page marketing ethics group paper on the Kyoto Protocol for which I have a meeting tomorrow, not to mention researching for my "O' Canada Girls" mix CD project for my Canadian Music class. Ya. It nasty!
Oh, hmm... I need to get to that "In Defense of Avril Lavinge" bit posted soon too!
Hehe... and I've been trying to find a way to squeeze Peaches into my Canadian Studies project :-)
NP: Eric's Trip - Happens All the Time
posted by Hanson |
1:21 AM
Monday, March 24, 2003
Huge Pianist Win
So, Chicago got its goodly share of wins on Oscar night (including Best Picture), but IMO, it was the Pianist that came out the big winner. Polanski for Director, Brody for Best Actor, and the guy who adapted the screenplay for Best Adapted Screenplay: it was a cume that very few had expected. Brody, thrusted into the spotlight, laid a long one on Halle Berry. The orally-gifted Brody then mounted a speech that was a little on the overdramatic side; perhaps he had caught it from Berry mere seconds before.
Anyway, the Oscars are always better when you don't have to write a paper while watching it. *groan*
PS: the Stars and Broken Social Scene show on Saturday night was great! Going solo sucked and it was way too short, but both bands lived up to their hype with great tunes and great stage presence. Hmm.... I think I might be developing a lil' somethin' for Amy Millan (guitar player/singer of Stars) too :-). Oh! And they had Keith's on tap at Sonar! Yay for Canadian music (and beer)!
NP: Stars - Elevator Love Letter
posted by Hanson |
1:04 AM
Saturday, March 22, 2003
You Know You're An Addict When...
.... you have papers and projects due, and yet you still feed your time-consuming habits. Yes, it's true that I'll be skipping out on curling tomorrow to do a group paper at school (pun intended), but I'll also be checking out Stars and Broken Social Scene tomorrow at Sonar (doors at 7, I believe).
Of course, I rationalized it by not seeing Dreamcatcher tonight. Yup, hearing Jason Lee say "fuck" in his distinct way in yet another movie will have to be delayed a week for the sake of seeing a couple of great (and/but buzzy) bands from Eastern Canada! Anybody who are not too pissed off at [insert object of pissed-offness] are welcomed to join me :-)
To quote Sarah Bettens of K's Choice (Buffy shout-out!), "I'm not a addict, baby, that's a lie."
NP: Broken Social Scene - Lover's Spit
posted by Hanson |
12:29 AM
Friday, March 21, 2003
I'll Fake It Through the Day
Instead of devoting my time fully to my paper on B2B marketing of the recording industry, I watched Good Will Hunting (again) on Showcase. God damn I love that movie! Affleck as Chucky, Robin Williams as a some-what sane shrink, and Damon as the titular math genius. Bah! Havahd! Wicked Smaht! Hehe... I hope I don't get my ass kicked in Boston for chuckling too much.
Oh! And Elliott Smith provided the bulk of the soundtrack. Shit that was an awesome soundtrack! And one day, I'm gonna use that "I gotta go see about a girl" line too.... wicked pissah! :-)
NP: DNTEL - The Dream of Evan and Chan
posted by Hanson |
2:20 AM
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Seattle Again
May 1st, 2003: Postal Service @ The Croc Cafe in Seattle
Tickets Charged on Credit Card: 1
I get to see Ben and Jen! That's Gibbard and Lewis, not Affleck and Lo! Yeeeehah!!
NP: Sarah McLachlan - Vox (on DVD)
posted by Hanson |
1:28 AM
Monday, March 17, 2003
It Is Always Appropriate to Say I Told You So
I find it ironic that a lot of the same people marching at peace rallies today are the same ones that were, two and a half years ago, saying that there's no difference between Bush and Gore. The same (people) voted Green, and look what happened:
- Further erosion in a woman's right to choose by the banning of partial birth abortions
- Appointment of conservative (and not necessarily libertarian-minded) judges and public servants
- Deterioration of the economy (it's still the economy, stupid!)
And oh yeah! Iraq too. So don't tell me there are no differences! So what if big corporations funded both of their campaigns? They both breathe air too! That doesn't mean there are no salient dissimilarities between the two! Nitwits.
NP: Trespassers William - I Know
posted by Hanson |
6:53 PM
Saturday, March 15, 2003
Papers Make Me Post.... A Lot
you're indie!
How can I label you?
brought to you by Quizilla
NP: Phantom Planet - Hey Now Girl
posted by Hanson |
11:31 PM
Introducing the 2003 Bidet of Quasi-Evil
I had my fantasy baseball draft a couple of weeks ago, and it was easily the earliest draft I've ever done. After a few hours of draft day research, here's the team I ended up with:
C: Javy Lopez. Mid-draft selection. The first of my many gambles of the day.
1B: Erubiel Durazo. Liberated by the A's, he'll finally get a full season of ABs, providing he doesn't get injured first. Gamble #2.
2B: Jose Vidro. A good pick up in the 8th round. Hits for average, drives in runs, and plays second to boot.
3B: Scott Rolen. 3rd rounder. He’ll be blue-chip unless he pulls a Phil Nevin.
SS: Aaron Boone. Ah ha! He qualifies at short! If he continues to steal bases and gets his average back up to around .280, I’ll be sitting pretty.
OF: Lance Berkman. My first Big Bat. As my second pick, he better deliver.
OF: Torii Hunter. He did very well for me last year, picking up those extra SBs. I think I overpaid though getting him in the 4th.
OF: Jermaine Dye. 10th round pick. It’s nice to have another piece of that Oakland pie.
DH: Vernon Wells. Technically my 4th outfielder, I expect him to hit more homers and steal more bases this year. Getting him in the 14th round, I think I did well.
Bench: Mo Vaughn. Come back, Mo, come back! Gamble #3.
Bench: Joe Crede. He hit well after being called up last year. Hopefully, he can translate that into a full season.
Bench: Marlon Byrd. So much hype, I gotta see for myself. Gamble #4.
Bench: Frank Thomas. Frank will bounce back. I don’t doubt it.
Starter: Pedro Martinez. Hot dang! This is first time I’ve had Pedro! I would’ve taken A-Rod or Vlady before him, but since they were both gone by the 4th pick, Pedro isn’t a bad consolation prize.
Starter: Joel Pineiro. Break out season! I’ve had him the last 2 years, and I want to be there when he gets 18 wins, a sub 3.00 ERA, and a 3-1 K/BB ratio.
Starter: Mark Prior. The 12th round might be a little high for someone who’s only had 19 major league starts, but in those starts, he had 147 Ks. I’d rather overpay to get him rather than not get him at all.
Starter: Mike Hampton. Got his ass outta Colorado, but who knows. Gamble #5.
Starter: Chan Ho Park. Oh god I hope he recovers from last year. He should count as *2* gambles. Gamble #6.
Starter: Orlando Hernandez. Hmm… do you see a trend here? Gamble #7.
Starter: Kirk Saarloos. Heard great stuff about him for a while now. Not a bad last pick, I think.
Reliever: Mariano Rivera. Had an off year last year, but a healthy Rivera should give me plenty of saves.
Reliever: Kelvim Escobar. I’ll swallow that high WHIP and high ERA for 35 saves.
Reliever: Luis Vizcaino. Someone please put a hex on Mike DeJean.
Reliever: Cliff Politte. I need holds, and he’s also my insurance policy if Escobar implodes.
Note: Politte and Vizcaino were waiver pickups after dropping part-time-ass Gabe Kapler and out-for-season Bob Wickman.
Play ball!
NP: (nothing cos I'm writing)
posted by Hanson |
9:03 PM
Never Doubt the Selling Power of Becks et al
The only United tickets available are singles. After only a few short hours. Unbelievable. (Well, not really).
NP: Canucks vs. leaves
posted by Hanson |
6:07 PM
Friday, March 14, 2003
Oh Joyous News
Grandaddy's gonna be in town! Grandaddy's gonna be in town! April 23rd opening up for Pete Yorn! So, it looks like April won't be a total lost in terms of going to shows (in Vancouver).
Also, United vs. Celtic @ Seahawks Stadium in July tickets go on sale Saturday. *sigh* I still haven't gotten any solid commitments from people who want to go, and I'm not in the greatest cash-flow state right now. I know that VIP tickets are $125-150 US, so I'm hoping they'll have cheaper seats too cos I *need* to go; I just gotta find a way, solo, in debt, or a combination of the two. Fuck dude, it's United, so there's no excuse!
So, anybody want to see a great soccer game in Seattle in the summer? ;-)
NP: Elliott Smith - (another new boot!)
posted by Hanson |
1:37 AM
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Of Sacrifices and Regrets
Financial costs aside, these trips to UCLA and BU will cost me dearly. You see, Bright Eyes are playing here on April 4th, and Kathleen Edwards will hit Richards on April 14th. I will miss them both just to get my ass kicked at NAQT and, to a lesser extent, at TRASHionals.
Is it worth it? Well I'm going, aren't I? Besides, by then, I would've likely been to 12 shows already in 2003 :-)
music and quiz bowl
passions that i cannot quell
long will the fires burn
NP: Stars - Violent
posted by Hanson |
12:23 AM
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
4 Shows in 5 Days
Some quick grades and notes (cos writing 4 reviews will kill me):
March 4th: The New Folk Implosion (with Alaska! and Mia Doi Todd) - A
Friggin' awesome. Lou, Imaad, and Russ P. kicked some serious ass, and Burning Papers and Insinuation were played. Mia was good too.
March 5th: Ladytron (with Simian and Mount Sims) - B+
Ladytron were very good, as their studio sound translated live with no problems. Simian were entertaining, and about half of their set was good. Mount Sims was kitschy and lame, strippers notwithstanding.
March 7th: Emm Gryner (opening for Holly McNarland) - A-
Emm was spectacular as always, though the set was a little short (duh!). Holly was pretty good too, though her voice sounded a little rough.
March 8th: Melissa Ferrick (with Yvette opening) - B-
I was waaaay too tired to enjoy this too much. It was an International Women's Day event, which resulted in a room full of lesbians (literally). I think there might've been 5 guys there in total out of a few hundred people. And no, I'm not exaggerating.
NP: Stars - This Charming Man
posted by Hanson |
12:44 AM
Monday, March 10, 2003
Since I'm a Ho...
... I might as well be a pimp as well.
After some recent prodding, I created a LiveJournal called My Experimental Side-Project. It is exactly what it sounds like: a side-project with content a little on the "experimental" (i.e. werid-ass) side of things.
What will be on it? Words one after another that don't make much sense together, lines that rhyme but sorta repeat themselves, and phrases arranged in such a way that they seem like they were suppose to convey meaning: you know, that kind of stuff. Like scores of hip-hoppers have said before me, it ain't no thang.
Rest assure though: My Indie World will continue to be my Death Cab, while My Experimental Side-Project will be my Postal Service / All-time Quarterback. I shall devote/waste my time to/on both.
NP: nuthin'
posted by Hanson |
1:04 AM
Sunday, March 09, 2003
Glass is Class for Watford
One of the teams that I support, Watford, are into the semis of the FA Cup! This is especially thrilling because they're a Division 1 team, a full league below the top flight, the English Premiership. The latest result of this season's stunning cup run is a 2-0 defeat of Burnley, thanks to goals by Tommy Smith and Stephen Glass. The Hornets will now face either Arsenal, Southampton, or Sheffield United (Sean Bean's team) in the semis in order to book a place in the finals. Chances of that happening aren't very good, but then again, who would've thought they could get all the way here?
WATFORD!!!!!!!!!!! GLORY GLORY WATFORD!!!!!!! I'M WEARING THE YELLOW ON MONDAY!!!!!
Oh, and I'm talking about (English) football here (i.e. soccer to you North American folks).
NP: my heart pounding
posted by Hanson |
11:46 AM
Saturday, March 08, 2003
Who Wants to Go???
Sasquatch! Music Festival: Saturday, May 24, 2003 (Memorial/Victoria Day Weekend) Gorge Amphitheatre Theatre
: Death Cab For Cutie
: Kathleen Edwards
: Pedro The Lion
: Flaming Lips
: Neko Case
: Modest Mouse
: Jason Mraz
: Calexico
: Sam Roberts
: Coldplay
: Jurassic 5
: DJ Cherry Canoe
: Master of Ceremonies, El Vez
: My Morning Jacket
: Maktub
: Joseph Arthur
: Eisley
: Minus The Bear
: Reclinerland
: Brandi Carlile
: Ron Sexsmith
: Patrick Park
Dude, if I can afford it, I'm SOOOO there!
NP: Melissa Ferrick - North Carolina
posted by Hanson |
4:41 PM
Friday, March 07, 2003
In Defense of Chinese Food
In North American society, Chinese food has a gotten a bad rep for being greasy, salty, and full of MSG. Evidence from the cultural mainstream seems to support that, but let me smash that stereotype like a motherfuck-ass fortune cookie.
You see, the only reason white people think so negatively of Chinese food is because they're getting "whitified" versions of what we eat. All that sauce, all that grease, all that MSG: all put in to satisfy the whitey palate. At home and at good Chinese Chinese restaurants, you don't get any of that shit! Chefs "ham it up" for foreigners. Chinese food is about subtleties of preparation and diverse use of ingredients, not goopy sauces and strong-ass flavours!
And also, we eat with a bowl of white rice in front of us. The dishes "go with" the rice, and the plain rice tempers the strong flavours. To eat Chinese food without rice is like eating pizza without the crust: it's just wrong. If you're not Chinese and want authentic Chinese cuisine, get a Chinese person to take you. It's the only way to go.
NP: Jimmy Kimmel
posted by Hanson |
1:02 AM
Tuesday, March 04, 2003
Shortlisted!
Amidst the tiresome drudgery that I have to plow through, I got some good news today: I've been shortlisted for an interview to get into the Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue down in The Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in the fall! This would be a fantastic opportunity for me to learn away from the typical academic world, as about twenty students are gathered together for a semester of dialoguing about important cross-disciplinary issues. Certainly, it'll be a (nice) change of pace from Computing and Business. For the upcoming fall, the discussion and work will be centred around the "Urban Experience." Shit, boy! It sounds bloody brilliant! Can't you heard my glands salivating? And yes, I'm perfectly aware that glands don't make sounds when they work their mojo.
So if I get in, I'll be delaying my graduation date by another semester (at least), and it'll also bring my final credit total to a whopping minimum of 197. Of course, I don't really care about the delay too much because this is simply too good of an opportunity to pass up. I mean, intelligent, in-depth discussions for the entire semester? Oh yeah. Oh fucking yeah. This is what post-secondary education should be all about.
Rest now, cos The Folk Implosion is tomorrow!
NP: Folk Implosion - E.Z.L.A.
posted by Hanson |
1:32 AM
Monday, March 03, 2003
My Impression of Noel Gallagher
drifting into another day
blues sky fading into gray
someone please take me away
far from the dreadful -- ah fuck this... lets go have a pint at the pub
Ack! These projects are killing me! Stupid function point counting!!!! Why can't Tront write a concise and intelligible assignment!!!
NP: Jonatha Brooke - War
posted by Hanson |
1:42 AM
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