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Words get in the way
I don't like to bitch a lot on blogs. So, when I do, it's because I really need to vent.
I have a few pet peeves (But that's another blog), but one that reins right there at the top is when someone cuts me off while I'm saying something. Major Grrrr!
This happened 2 times yesterday! I can't understand why people do this. Why can't these people simply wait til I'm fully finished with my point to speak, instead of jumping in and abruptly cutting me off!? I just think that is both rude and in a way selfish glory. Like "Oh Glen that's nice...but hey listen to this!...." Whatever.
I didn't say anything to either of the people that did this though. I took the quiet, non confrontational route as usual. But ooooh, it made me feel so unimportant. It always does.
I have a few pet peeves (But that's another blog), but one that reins right there at the top is when someone cuts me off while I'm saying something. Major Grrrr!
This happened 2 times yesterday! I can't understand why people do this. Why can't these people simply wait til I'm fully finished with my point to speak, instead of jumping in and abruptly cutting me off!? I just think that is both rude and in a way selfish glory. Like "Oh Glen that's nice...but hey listen to this!...." Whatever.
I didn't say anything to either of the people that did this though. I took the quiet, non confrontational route as usual. But ooooh, it made me feel so unimportant. It always does.
Pink Martini shakes and stirs
I was a bit grumpy at first, but the hr. long drive from Seattle to Tacoma was worth every mile.
I will admit I'm a fairly new fan of Portland OR. based Pink Martini. I discovered them when they played a live studio set on NPR about a yr. ago and was impressed and in love with their world music sound from the start! So when my sister got me a ticket to see them in Tacoma with her and her hubby I was quite excited to say the least.
The Pantages Theater in Tacoma was a perfect venue to see this band for a couple of reasons. It's a fairly small theater that seats about 600 so it made it a much more personal, and intimate atmosphere (even lead singer China Forbes said "playing a smaller place is a nice change") and the smaller size made the acoustics wonderfully rich and vibrant! This was a big plus since it was about a 10 piece band including a cello, violin, percussion, Upright Bass, trumpet and of course band leader/director Thomas Lauderdale on piano.
They opened up with a classic from their 2nd record called 'Let's never stop falling in love' with China Forbes dressed in a flowing all black full length dress. Her voice is simply breath taking. Ranging from full and almost operatic in some parts, to a calming whisper in others. All beautifully blended and controlled. One of the most enjoyable things about her singing is her fluency in 7 languages. She sang songs in Japanese, Croatian, Italian, French and even Arabic. The songs ranging from golden oldie classics like 'Tea for two' and 'Never on a Sunday' to contemporary blends of Flaminco and Bossa Nova tunes like 'No Hay Problema' and 'La Solidad'. There seemed to be a genuine warm and often humorous exchange between China and Thomas as they introduced songs and band members. Each member of Pink Martini by the way are so talented in they're own right. The solos were all given much deserved applause. Thomas at one point went over and sat on Cello player Pansy Changs lap while China was singing, and China told a quick funny story about Thomas prank calling a hotel.
The band played a lot of new material to promote their new CD 'Splendor in the grass' which has even more world music than their previous 4 albums. This album has songs from chamber music to Cuban to foreign films. One of the most light hearted and fun songs is called 'Tuca Tuca' which translates into 'Touch Touch' and China got Thomas to get up from his piano and do a quick silly 'dance' where they patted each other from head to toe, much to the audiences delight and laughter.
But the highlight of this superb concert came at the end of the 2 standing ovation songs. The management actually arranged a autograph signing from the entire band after the show! I got my 'Hang On Little Tomato' CD signed and got to speak a little to all of them. Ya can't ask for a better night!
I will admit I'm a fairly new fan of Portland OR. based Pink Martini. I discovered them when they played a live studio set on NPR about a yr. ago and was impressed and in love with their world music sound from the start! So when my sister got me a ticket to see them in Tacoma with her and her hubby I was quite excited to say the least.
The Pantages Theater in Tacoma was a perfect venue to see this band for a couple of reasons. It's a fairly small theater that seats about 600 so it made it a much more personal, and intimate atmosphere (even lead singer China Forbes said "playing a smaller place is a nice change") and the smaller size made the acoustics wonderfully rich and vibrant! This was a big plus since it was about a 10 piece band including a cello, violin, percussion, Upright Bass, trumpet and of course band leader/director Thomas Lauderdale on piano.
They opened up with a classic from their 2nd record called 'Let's never stop falling in love' with China Forbes dressed in a flowing all black full length dress. Her voice is simply breath taking. Ranging from full and almost operatic in some parts, to a calming whisper in others. All beautifully blended and controlled. One of the most enjoyable things about her singing is her fluency in 7 languages. She sang songs in Japanese, Croatian, Italian, French and even Arabic. The songs ranging from golden oldie classics like 'Tea for two' and 'Never on a Sunday' to contemporary blends of Flaminco and Bossa Nova tunes like 'No Hay Problema' and 'La Solidad'. There seemed to be a genuine warm and often humorous exchange between China and Thomas as they introduced songs and band members. Each member of Pink Martini by the way are so talented in they're own right. The solos were all given much deserved applause. Thomas at one point went over and sat on Cello player Pansy Changs lap while China was singing, and China told a quick funny story about Thomas prank calling a hotel.
The band played a lot of new material to promote their new CD 'Splendor in the grass' which has even more world music than their previous 4 albums. This album has songs from chamber music to Cuban to foreign films. One of the most light hearted and fun songs is called 'Tuca Tuca' which translates into 'Touch Touch' and China got Thomas to get up from his piano and do a quick silly 'dance' where they patted each other from head to toe, much to the audiences delight and laughter.
But the highlight of this superb concert came at the end of the 2 standing ovation songs. The management actually arranged a autograph signing from the entire band after the show! I got my 'Hang On Little Tomato' CD signed and got to speak a little to all of them. Ya can't ask for a better night!
Stubborn
Twice within 3 days I have been called stubborn, and I'm pretty sure it's not the last either. Well, yes, I admit openly that I am stubborn, on things that I don't enjoy. But is that such a bad thing?
The first of the 2 times I was given the 'title' of stubborn was at my friends birthday. He is the type who likes a loud band, playing in a small bar, with even louder people trying to talk over the loud band. I knew this and told him and his room mate that I'd be happy to meet them at their apt. and hang out for awhile before the others went to the show. Fair enough right? I have known both the room mates and the small group going to the show for over a decade. So they know me well! The time cames to leave, and suuuure enough, as I was giving out the farewell hugs, Jay (birthday boy) says "C'mon n join us Glen!" Which is a kind gesture of course. I politely say "No, not really my scene, ya know." and hoped that would be the end of that. ..Wrong! That started about a 3 min. exchange from each person there going "Ohh c'monnn" "Glen, you can't leave" Etc. etc. Finally Delaney (who is one of my dearest and long time friends) says "Guys, Glen is THE most stubborn man on the planet, he won't go to a bar, and will just get mad if you keep asking". True! I was glad she said that (though getting called the most stubborn...was a bit much. Lol! ) I just would be so completley miserable in a crowded, noisy bar! I won't ever like that scene either. If it were a Wedding party I'd make the exception. Really. That's a once in a lifetime event. But a birthday is every year. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I don't think I should be at a place and spend moneyand be irratated, just to be there with friends. I showed up early and gave my present as well.
Ok, the other time was last night. A new friend Pete, who is super cool and we get along great, is a huge, huge movie affecianado. To the point of having a certificate from a film study program of some kind. He is the type to be able (and loves ) to break down a movie of any genre to what the 'message' of the movie was, lighting, shot type, etc. So obviously he sees a film in a different way than the average movie goer. I love that too! I have learned many neat facts and gotten a great perspective on some movies we've watched. Well here's the stubborn part. Halloween is coming up and of course that means horror films a plenty are going to be watched. Again, this is something I don't like. I have watched a handful of horror movies and I just don't enjoy the blood, gore, tension and violence in them. I actually get a bit of a upset stomach in fact. Pete invites me to watch a horror film on Halloween ("you just gotta Glen, it's Hallowen!") I say no thanks, not my thing...and BAM! "Glen your just being stubborn ya know?!" Urrr..yes. Yes I do. But again, why should I go n watch 2 hrs. of blood, tension and violence if it's going to make me sick?! He pulls the "But you only have seen a few..who knows, I bet there's one you'll like!".
I just don't get it. Why can't some people just let a person be content with their choices and not try to change that?
The first of the 2 times I was given the 'title' of stubborn was at my friends birthday. He is the type who likes a loud band, playing in a small bar, with even louder people trying to talk over the loud band. I knew this and told him and his room mate that I'd be happy to meet them at their apt. and hang out for awhile before the others went to the show. Fair enough right? I have known both the room mates and the small group going to the show for over a decade. So they know me well! The time cames to leave, and suuuure enough, as I was giving out the farewell hugs, Jay (birthday boy) says "C'mon n join us Glen!" Which is a kind gesture of course. I politely say "No, not really my scene, ya know." and hoped that would be the end of that. ..Wrong! That started about a 3 min. exchange from each person there going "Ohh c'monnn" "Glen, you can't leave" Etc. etc. Finally Delaney (who is one of my dearest and long time friends) says "Guys, Glen is THE most stubborn man on the planet, he won't go to a bar, and will just get mad if you keep asking". True! I was glad she said that (though getting called the most stubborn...was a bit much. Lol! ) I just would be so completley miserable in a crowded, noisy bar! I won't ever like that scene either. If it were a Wedding party I'd make the exception. Really. That's a once in a lifetime event. But a birthday is every year. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I don't think I should be at a place and spend moneyand be irratated, just to be there with friends. I showed up early and gave my present as well.
Ok, the other time was last night. A new friend Pete, who is super cool and we get along great, is a huge, huge movie affecianado. To the point of having a certificate from a film study program of some kind. He is the type to be able (and loves ) to break down a movie of any genre to what the 'message' of the movie was, lighting, shot type, etc. So obviously he sees a film in a different way than the average movie goer. I love that too! I have learned many neat facts and gotten a great perspective on some movies we've watched. Well here's the stubborn part. Halloween is coming up and of course that means horror films a plenty are going to be watched. Again, this is something I don't like. I have watched a handful of horror movies and I just don't enjoy the blood, gore, tension and violence in them. I actually get a bit of a upset stomach in fact. Pete invites me to watch a horror film on Halloween ("you just gotta Glen, it's Hallowen!") I say no thanks, not my thing...and BAM! "Glen your just being stubborn ya know?!" Urrr..yes. Yes I do. But again, why should I go n watch 2 hrs. of blood, tension and violence if it's going to make me sick?! He pulls the "But you only have seen a few..who knows, I bet there's one you'll like!".
I just don't get it. Why can't some people just let a person be content with their choices and not try to change that?
Did you know...
I love random, useless, non life-changing trivia. :) The following handy batch of 'impress your friends' tid bits comes from my favorite place to get my fix: Mentalfloss.com
Your foot is the same size as the distance between your wrist and elbow. You can put your foot in that area and it will fit. Your forearm and foot are the same size.
After going into heat, an unaltered female ferret can actually die if she does not mate. Similarly a spider can die when molting because it requires using every muscle and tremendous energy.
Goosebumps are actually caused by a muscle. It is called the arrector pilli muscle.
Yahoo! is an acronym for “Yet Another Hiearchical Officious Oracle.”
“Britney Spears” is an anagram for “Presbyterians”.
Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world that lies in two continents.
Over 1/2 the population of Uganda is under 15 yrs. old.
The first seedless grapes were kind of an accident. Thousands of years ago in the Middle East, a random genetic mutation caused a group of grapes to spontaneously abort their own seeds before the seeds could develop hard casings. The result: seedless produce. To reproduce the fruit, a sly farmer simply cloned the vine (with no seeds, there’s nothing to plant)—meaning that all seedless grapes today are direct descendants of that one mutated grape vine.
Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare side effect of brain trauma, whereby a patient’s enunciation is altered to the point where it begins to resemble a foreign accent. Perhaps the most famous example occurred in 1941, when a young Norwegian woman began speaking with what sounded like a German accent after being hit in the head with shrapnel. Her community, thinking she had Fascist sympathies, shunned her.
Your foot is the same size as the distance between your wrist and elbow. You can put your foot in that area and it will fit. Your forearm and foot are the same size.
After going into heat, an unaltered female ferret can actually die if she does not mate. Similarly a spider can die when molting because it requires using every muscle and tremendous energy.
Goosebumps are actually caused by a muscle. It is called the arrector pilli muscle.
Yahoo! is an acronym for “Yet Another Hiearchical Officious Oracle.”
“Britney Spears” is an anagram for “Presbyterians”.
Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world that lies in two continents.
Over 1/2 the population of Uganda is under 15 yrs. old.
The first seedless grapes were kind of an accident. Thousands of years ago in the Middle East, a random genetic mutation caused a group of grapes to spontaneously abort their own seeds before the seeds could develop hard casings. The result: seedless produce. To reproduce the fruit, a sly farmer simply cloned the vine (with no seeds, there’s nothing to plant)—meaning that all seedless grapes today are direct descendants of that one mutated grape vine.
Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare side effect of brain trauma, whereby a patient’s enunciation is altered to the point where it begins to resemble a foreign accent. Perhaps the most famous example occurred in 1941, when a young Norwegian woman began speaking with what sounded like a German accent after being hit in the head with shrapnel. Her community, thinking she had Fascist sympathies, shunned her.
Check please!
http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/21337.html
I love finding a good restaurant, and I would try any of these places in a heartbeat!
Btw, if you don't know about Mentalfloss.com yet, if you like fun, unusual and weird stories written with great wit, then check them out....now! :)
I love finding a good restaurant, and I would try any of these places in a heartbeat!
Btw, if you don't know about Mentalfloss.com yet, if you like fun, unusual and weird stories written with great wit, then check them out....now! :)
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