Songs You Should Check Out: 9/3/09

Been a little bit, hasn’t it? I’ve had some ideas, but as is the norm when I get one of those, they were to grand in the scheme of things. I’m slowly working on them, though. I already have an idea that I can actually accomplish in the next few days. It should be fun. Until then, here’s five more songs I’m really enjoying right now. Hope you all enjoy!

Alice in Chains – Check My Brian

As stated before, I love Alice in Chains. They are the most unappreciated bands from the early ’90s Grunge-era of music. They are heavier than most of the bands to come out then(aside from Soundgarden perhaps). I never thought I’d see another AIC single after the death of frontman Layne Staley, but alas they have returned. It doesn’t sound like they’ve missed a beat if you ask me. Yes, this song rocks.

Cage The Elephant – Back Against the Wall

Another repeat band on my blog, but it’s definitely deserved. I totally dig this band. They’re young, too, so I’m hoping for great things from them in the future. Check out the lead singer during the solo, he’s able to do his thing a bit. Check out their live stuff. The dude is nuts. In a good way. Am I the only one creeped out by the gnomes?

Muse – Uprising

Without question, this album is the one I’m most excited for this year. Their “Starlight” is one of my all-time favorite songs and their HAARP concert from Wembley Stadium blows everyone out of the water. Seriously. Check it out on DVD or youtube. They’re incredible. This is their first single off the new album. If this is any indication, I don’t think I’m going to be disappointed. By the way, there’s an awesome fan made video on youtube of this song playing during the climax of V For Vendetta. It’s pretty rad.

Paramore – Ignorance

I really like Paramore. I don’t care what any of you say. They rock and that’s that. I’m very happy that they got their differences out of the way and back to work. I love their stuff. Miss Williams has a set of pipes on her! One of the better female rock singers to come around in a long time. And yes, she’s really hot, too.

Scars on Broadway – They Say

This song is a little older than the others. Unfortunately, it didn’t get enough play. These are the guys from System of a Down, minus singer Serj Tankian. Just like SOAD, they have something to say here which is pretty rare nowadays. This is an awesome song that kicks all sorts of ass.

That’s all for now. Be back again soon.

- Chris Lejarzar

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Now playing: Anberlin – The Feel Good Drag
via FoxyTunes

Songs You Should Check Out: 8/13/09

Been a little while since I did one of these (I’m getting back in the flow). So these might be a little dated, but these are some current songs I’m totally digging right now. They’re getting a good amount of play on stations like KROQ and Live 105, so might have heard all of these. Oh well. Hope you all enjoy!

The Dead Weather – Treat Me Like Your Mother

Another Jack White creaction (this time he plays the drums!). As with the White Stripes and the Raconteurs, this band is awesome. If you like the other two, you’ll like this one as well. I believe Jack is heading back to the studio with his “sister” Meg next. I can’t wait.

Hollywood Undead – Everywhere I Go

Are they being serious? I have no idea. But this is a very catchy song. I thought it was Eminem at first. I guess I wasn’t the only one.

Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)

This song just shows the extraordinary sad nature of the radio in the city I live in. This, in my opinion, is the song is the summer. Great cruising tune. It’s just now starting to get decent play here. I’m sure most other places this has been being played for a couple months now. Shame.

Owl City – Fireflies

If you’ve been following me on Twitter (and chances are that you have if you’re here now), I’ve been talking about this song lately. I’ve finally decided I like it. Very cool song. I’m not sure what that says about me.

Phoenix – 1901

Cool song. I like bands like this. That’s all.

Alright, that’s it for me. Hope all is well with you all!

- Chris Lejarzar

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Now playing: Linkin Park – New Divide
via FoxyTunes

10 Movies That Give Guys Allergies

We all know the deal: guys don’t cry. Period. I think that’s a bunch of BS and we all know it. Here are ten movies that may or may not have produced the tears from me. At the very least, they got me going. It is not a top ten, but a selection of ten movies only. And, it’s okay guys: weep away. And yes, there are spoilers upcoming.

ANY Dog Movie

Alright,  so this is a cop out, but let’s be honest, dogs are man’s best friend for a reason. And I certainly don’t mean Cujo here, either. Any movie where the dog ends up dying could be on this list: Old Yeller, Where The Red Fern Grows, Marley & Me, the list goes on and on. The clip above is from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and it’s different because the dogs come back. Try not to get invested when Chance is running to the little boy…or when, well you can see the clip above for the rest.

Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

Surprisingly enough, this is Robin Williams’ first appearance on this list. This is an extremely good movie. A classmate’s suicide prompts the upper tier private school to fire it’s new and most engaging teacher. It couldn’t have been his overbearing father who wouldn’t let the young man do what he wanted to in life, of course not. This is the end scene, where a good majority of the class salute Mr. Keating, starting with the shy Ethan Hawke, all while sticking it to the man in the process.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

I could have picked a few scenes for this movie (including with ET “dies”), but I had to go with the end (a common theme for movies like this). ET has to return home, which leaves Elliot without his best friend. The heartfelt goodbye can get just about anyone going.

more about “Hulu – Field of Dreams: Ray and His D…“, posted with vodpod

Field of Dreams (1989)

Yup, it’s the catch scene. I could have picked the Burt Lancaster bit when he goes into the cornfield and Shoeless Joe yells after him, “Hey Rook! You were good.” But this is the ultimate. Kevin Costner was completely estranged from his father and never had the chance to make things right before his father died. This was his chance. After Ray introduces John to his daughter-in-law and grand daughter for the first time ever, this moment happens. A simple catch. Brilliant.

Forrest Gump (1994)

While I will say this movie is overrated now (Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption are both superior films, for example), one can’t deny Tom Hanks’ performance and the amazing story being told here. Another scene that would work would be when Forrest meets Forrest Jr for the first time, Forrest starts to cry and wonder if he was smart or more like himself. But I prefer this bit. Forrest talking to his now deceased love of his life. It slowly builds until he breaks down, saying how much he misses her.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

One of my very favorite movies. This is toward the end of the movie, where Will finally sheds his tough guy facade and has a “breakthrough.” It’s a very powerful moment when Will finally begins to let go and grow up. Incidentally, this movie has one of my favorite last lines ever:

Will (Matt Damon) in a note he has left for Sean (Rob Williams): “Sean, if the professor calls about that job, tell him sorry, I have to go see about a girl.” Sean: “Son of a bitch…he stole my line.”

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

So much has been said about Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy. This chapter is the best of the trio by far. While it may drag at the end, one cannot deny the greatness of this movie. While you can argue there are other scenes that I could have picked (“For Frodo,” “My friends…you bow for no one,” etc) this is my favorite part in the entire series. The Ride of the Rohirrim. These are men, already defended their homeland, coming to the aid of a land that didn’t return the favor before. They knew full well that there was an excellent chance that they would not make it back alive, but they still answered the call. The scene is just beautifully done, including the music.

My Girl (1991)

This isn’t exactly the entire clip I wanted, but this one was by far the most elusive clip for me to find. I haven’t seen this in years, but I remember watching it at the library theatre when it first came out. Not a dry eye in the place. The story: Thomas J was her best friend. She lost her mood ring (that belonged to her deceased mother), he went to find it. As he does, he upsets a swarm of bees and is killed. This is his funeral and she just loses it. Sad times.

Rudy (1993)

I have to say, Sean Astin has done very well for himself. He’s been Mickey in The Goonies, Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings, and the title character in this movie. Pretty much makes him immortal now. One of the best underdog, hard work pays off stories ever put on film. He finally gets to dress for Notre Dame, leads the team out, the place chants for him, he gets in, he gets a sack. Amazing. You can’t help but to get wrapped up in it all. This clip is the entire game, more or less, and the magic begins around 4:00 in.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Another one of my all-time favorite movies. This is probably the best movie I have ever seen in the theatre. There isn’t much to say, it’s just the self sacrifice these men showed during the entire movie. Tom Hanks in yet another amazing performance, telling Matt Damon to “earn it,” then the older James asking his wife if he was a good man. Incredible.

Hope you all enjoyed. I’ll be back soon with some more stuff, probably some songs you all need to check if you haven’t yet. Hope your summer has been great!

- Chris Lejarzar

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Now playing: Cage the Elephant – Back Against the Wall
via FoxyTunes

Songs You Should Check Out 6/19/09: 90s Flashback

Again, it’s been a while since I’ve posted up. I haven’t been feeling great lately. I think I’m getting better now finally, but it definitely was a scare to say the least. Anyway, song time! Get into the time machine and let’s all go back to the ’90s!

Alice in Chains – Would?: This is obviously a MTV Unplugged performance. Such a great song from one of the best Unplugged shows of all time. In my opinion, AIC is one of the most underrated bands from the grunge era, constantly overlooked. They’re well known, but are still underrated. They belong in the discussion with Nirvana and Pearl Jam without a doubt. It is a shame that Layne Staley couldn’t overcome his addictions. A completely unique voice was lost early.

Candlebox – Far Behind: One of the best songs from the grunge era from a pretty much one-hit wonder. Good live performance from Seattle here. These guys still have it and are still pumping out albums. Check them out.

Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You: I love Hootie and the Blowfish. That’s right. I said it. Younger folks probably have no idea just how big this band was for about a year in 1995. I’d argue it is because Hootie went back to simple pop songs which fans enjoyed due to being bombarded with dark stylings grunge and “gangsta” rap. Of course, this led to an unfortunate backlash against Hootie themselves as their follow up albums were solid stuff as well. This song happens to be my favorite from them. Just saying.

Proclaimers – 500 Miles: Definitely an one-hit wonder here, originally from the Johnny Depp movie Benny and Joon soundtrack. Say what you want, but this performance is rather recent and they have this stadium jumping up and down like crazy! One of the best sing-a-long, road trip songs ever. Try it sometime, just put it on a mix CD and people will sing it loudly. It’s just one of those songs.

Toadies – Tyler: This is a rather obscure band that had a pretty big hit in the mid-90s with “Possum Kingdom,” the lead single from Rubberneck, the same album this song comes from. The Toadies were such a dark band, this album had no lyrics to it, so you really weren’t sure if they were singing about what you thought they were. Here’s a hint: they are, this song included (possibly inspired from a prowler case in Tyler, Texas). The video starts up about 10 seconds into it, by the way.

I hope you all enjoy the songs. I tried to mix it up a bit. I think all the performances are awesome, though. A word of reminder: check out Dave Lawrence’s DL-TV. He plays some great rock concert footage from (all come within the last month as well). You can see the link over in the right column. Don’t miss it!

- Chris Lejarzar

Songs You Should Check Out 6/6/09: KROQ Weenie Roast Edition

So, it’s been a while since I posted one of  these. To make up for it, I’m posting live performances from the KROQ Weenie Roast concert from last month. It’s a big festival event from the big “alternative” music station down in the LA area. I found some awesome footage that sounds great. Most of what follows are bands you probably should know, but if you don’t…well, that’s what I’m here for. I encourage you to check out all of these bands more closely.

Before I get to that, I would strong suggest that you check out Dave Lawrence Online (the link can be found to the right) where he does Live Tour Tracker every Friday night (9 pm Pacific Standard Time). Always has great stuff and it’s all under a month old.

The Airborne Toxic Event – Sometime Around Midnight: What a great tune. Is it me or do they remind you a little bit of The Pogues? Good new band on the rise.

Cage the Elephant – Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked: Needless to say, the lead singer is pretty crazy on stage. Young band from Kentucky. Very cool song.

Kings of Leon – Use Somebody: Slowly but surely becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. They’re definitely taking the industry by storm. Awesome performance.

Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye: One of the breakout bands on “alternative” radio (I can’t stand that genre name, if you havent noticed) last year and this was the song that did it for them. Still going strong, this is a great show. Wait til the end. It’s worth it.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero: This song just has a cool sound to it. Lead singer is quite the performer…and what is up with that outfit? Anyway, yet another very good performance. The girl in front of the camera is clearly enjoying herself.

That’s all. I think the performances speak for themselves. Check out all of these bands if you aren’t familiar with them. I’ll probably do a Flashback next week then a BFD Edition after that.

Have a great weekend!

- Chris Lejarzar

To Boldly Go…

A short overview of Star Trek and a review of the 2009 movie by JJ Abrams.

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before.

In the World of Dorkdom, battle lines have been drawn. Unfortunately, in this world, one must often pick a side. The battle is simple: Star Trek vs. Star Wars. I refuse to pick one or the other. Honestly, isn’t it possible to be geeked out to both universes? To me, they’re like apples and oranges. They’re both good, so why compare them to begin with?

I will admit, I’m “only” 27 so my early childhood exposure to Star Trek: The Original Series was very limited. I don’t recall even seeing an episode (though I’m sure I must have) until my teens. I do, however, remember watching many of the movies; most notably The Wrath of Khan, The Voyage Home, and The Undiscovered Country, you know the GOOD ones? (okay okay, I wore out The Search For Spock, too, but I was young and didn’t know any better!).

Yes, that’s “fight” music from TOS interjected over the scene. I think it makes it better. Nothing can overcome the fact that the main villain in Search For Spock is Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Honestly, if there was ever a casting misstep, it was that one right there.

The original cast are all iconic and legendary. Every single one of them (not just, say, Kirk and Spock) will be remembered forever. What seems like a silly show (loaded with sex, mind you) was actually a harbringer in television history in cultural and racial relations. No. Really. It’s true. It even included the first interracial kiss ever seen on TV:

Yeah, that didn’t light my world on fire, either. Still, it was THE first and I guess it had to start SOMEWHERE. By the way, that scene was originally planned for Spock and Uhura to share that historic kiss, but Shatner (that dirty dog), put himself in that role instead. I’m not sure if I can blame the guy, to be honest. Dick move? Sure, but understandable, nonetheless.

Aside from the movies, my first real foray into the Star Trek universe came in the form of The Next Generation. While this show is not quite as iconic (though most of the cast is very recognizable and may even be on the level of TOS…Kirk and Spock aside, of course), I would argue it was better. It explored so many different elements and focused shifted from character to character much more frequently than in TOS (for better or for worse). This is the show that introduce many of the villain races for the shows that follow (most notably the Cardassians and, of course, The Borg).

The end of TNG pretty much signaled the end of television Star Trek for me. I did not follow Deep Space Nine, though I probably should have. The more I read about it, the more I tend to think I would like it. Voyager, well, I did try. Honestly, I did. And as much as I love Robert Picardo (The Doctor) in just about everything he does, I just could not get invested to any of the characters. Yes, that includes Seven of Nine. Enterprise, I never really saw even though it did have Scott Bakula (and Jolene Blalock).

To chose would be...illogical.

Yeah, I would describe both cases as everyone involved saying “Yes, the show sucks, but we’ll give you a couple of reasons to watch still.” I’ll give you three guesses what those couple of reasons are, but you’ll only need one.

This leads to the subject at hand: JJ Abrams’ Star Trek. It is a mistake to think of this movie as a prequel or reboot. It’s a re-imagining. It also creates an alternate reality. So everything from 1966 to the end of Enterprise remains in the “official” Star Trek cannon. So, when this happened:

it actually occurred. This movie doesn’t change any of that. The time travel element creates a new universe to be explored.

All of that said, this is an absolutely fun and fantastic movie. The comparison to being “this year’s” Iron Man are completely accurate. It’s an overall bright and optimistic movie, with lots of humor and heart. The casting is simply outstanding. All the leads are very strong in their roles and do what they have to do. Simon Pegg is a scene stealer as Scotty and Karl Urban probably has the mannerisms and delivery of McCoy down the best of all the cast. Who would have thought? A badass from Lord of the Rings would find his calling as the cranky (well “bitchy” is probably more accurate) medical officer of the Enterprise?

And it isn't long until we meet an old friend...

Of course, the movie wouldn’t work if Kirk and Spock aren’t believable. Zachary Quinto does a very nice job as the half human/half Vulcan. I do believe he will grow into the role much like the character of Spock will grow closer and closer to the one we all know and love. Chris Pine is pretty much spot on as a young Kirk. He shows all the flash and the “by the seat of your pants” type decision-making that Shatner made famous (check out the Kobayashi Maru test scene where Pine REALLY channels Shatner).

This is not a perfect movie, but it’s damn close to being a perfect summer movie. It’s a ton of fun, the action sequences (especially the space battles) are amazing with a good amount of humor mixed in, lots of winks and nudges from past Trek-lore (including behind the scenes references), and they throw enough curveballs to keep us on our toes while reintroducing the characters.

Overall grade (and do keep in mind I judge movies differently based on what they’re trying to be): 9.0/10 If you haven’t yet, go see it. Now. Or you’ll have to answer to this guy:

Live long and prosper everyone!

- Chris Lejarzar

Basketball: All-Time Starting Five

Finally finished with school for the semester. Next will be a job hunt, take an online class at the JC. Needless to say, I figure I’ll have more time to post nonsense on here…I mean, REALLY cool and interesting stuff on here.

In honor of the pretty darn good NBA playoffs, here’s my all-time starting five at their natural positions (some honorable mentions, too).

Point Guard

Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1996)

The leader of the “Showtime” Lakers, at 6′9 Magic was certainly tall to be a point guard. However, that didn’t stop him from earning five rings (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) and along with three MVP awards (1987, 1989, 1990). He could run the break better than anyone, but could take over a game when needed as well. Two hooks of his were unforgettable: one in the 1987 NBA Finals against the Celtics and one from three point land during the 1992 NBA All-Star Game. He did it all with a smile on his face, too.

Honorable Mentions:

Bob Cousy (Boston Celtics, Cincinnati Royals), John Stockton (Utah Jazz)

Shooting Guard

Michael “Air” Jordan

Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998)

Washington Wizards (2001-2003)

As if there would be any doubt. Owner of six rings (1991-1993, 1995-1998) and a five time MVP (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998). Jordan could do it all. When questioned about his defensive abilities, he went out and became the Defensive Player of the Year. When questioned about his shooting ability by the Portland Trailblazers, he went out and made a then record six three point shots in a single NBA Final game. Simply put: he’s the greatest player to ever live.

Honorable Mentions:

Pete Maravich (Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans/Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics), Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers)

Small Forward

Larry “Legend” Bird

Boston Celtics (1979-1992)

He might not look like much, but Larry Bird was a bad mofo. Magic said in all of his years of playing, Bird was the only player he came across that actually scared him. The winner of three rings (1981, 1984, 1986) and three MVP awards (1984-1986). A great rebounder and underrated defender in his prime (making the second all defensive team from 1982-1984). He is best known for his passing ability, his ability to succeed in big moments, and being one of the best shooters of all time.

Honorable Mentions:

Julius Erving (Virginia Squires, New York Nets, Philadelphia 76ers), Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers)

Power Forward

“The Big Fundamental” Tim Duncan

San Antonio Spurs (1997-Present)

There is absolutely nothing flashy about Tim Duncan, but he is arguably the highest skilled big man to ever play the game (hence the nickname). He has great footwork, the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive past people, and is an expert in the lost art of the bank shot. A great defender, though is often saved of those duties until the end of the game. An owner of four rings (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) and a two time MVP (2002, 2003). He is the leader of the quiet San Antonio Spur Dynasty.

Honorable Mentions:

Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets), Karl Malone (Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers)

Center

Bill Russell

Boston Celtics (1956-1969)

This was a tough decision to make. Ultimately, I had to go with the all-time greatest winner in the history of all team sports. Need proof? Let’s try five MVP awards (1958, 1961-1963, 1965) and ELEVEN NBA titles (1957, 1959-1966, 1968, 1969). A master of the blocked shot, John Wooden called Russell the greatest defensive player he’d ever seen. A tenacious rebounder and possibly the smartest player to ever play the game. The reason for the lack of nickname? Two fold. One, his mother didn’t want him to have one. Two, his name is the nickname for this time in Celtic history: “The Russell Era.”

Honorable Mentions:

Wilt Chamberlain (Harlem Globetrotters, Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Diego Conquistadors), Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers)

There’s my list. Feel free to comment with your own lists or just discuss mine. I always like to see what others think on topics like this.

- Chris Lejarzar

Songs You Should Check Out 5/22/09: 80s Flashback

So I finally finished that paper. I have no idea how well it went, but I don’t really care. I’m just glad it’s over. So, I’ll post something this weekend, but for now here are five new songs…

Ah, yes. New format. 80′S FLASHBACK. These are five 80s acts performing live. Some of the videos are from the time they were popular, others are more recent. I think I’m going to have more themed music posts like this. I’m kinda liking the live performances as well. I hope you all enjoy.

Huey Lewis and the News – Jacobs Ladder: I absolutely love Huey Lewis. I grew up on his stuff and saw him live about ten years ago. He still puts on a great show and this is just a taste of his live performance. “Jacobs Ladder,” while going number 1 on the charts, is largely overlooked which is unfortunate. Yes, folks, he has more songs than “Power of Love.”

Living Colour – Cult of Personality: Oh. my. god. What a performance! I don’t think anyone in the audience had any idea what they were getting into. I think Arsenio’s reaction is legit, too: they tore the place down! This is one of the all-time best hard rock tracks. It’s a shame this band didn’t hit bigger than they did. They were a fresh voice (and look, obviously) with something to say.

Peter Gabriel – Slegehammer: I think everyone knows this song. It’s one of those quintessential ’80s songs. Peter Gabriel was absolutely huge back then. This is a cool performance, I’m digging the star suit which calls back to the end of the music video, one of the many innovative music videos by Gabriel.

Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World: Speaking of quintessential ’80s songs, we have one of my favorite songs ever here. It’s also from one of my all-time favorite movies Real Genius (which will be talked about here sometime in the future, I’m sure). There’s just something special about that opening synth riff and the chorus is one that will stick with you for a long while.

Tesla – Love Song: How can I do an ’80s flashback without some hair metal…and more importantly a power ballad. Tesla is one of my favorite bands from the era. “Love Song” is their power ballad. I love how it builds and erupts in a crowd sing-a-long, it never fails. This is actually a performance from the Frank Hannon Band (Frank being the lead guitarist for Tesla). I saw them live a few years back and they were great. Good crowd interaction plus good songs. Can’t ask for much more.

Let me know what you all think. Any ideas for themes, any songs you’d like to see (especially done live), just give me a shout. I will post again soon. I promise. Happy Memorial Day weekend!

- Chris Lejarzar

Songs You Should Check Out 5/13/09

So, I’ve been rather busy with this paper I’m trying to set up and write the past few days; not to mention the basketball I was doing this weekend. So, I apologize for not updating much lately. I’ll work on it in the coming days, especially after I turn this paper in.

I’ll keep it simple, here are five new songs to check out for the week! I hope you all enjoy!

Green Day – Whatshername (2004): I think alot of people probably have heard this song at some point as it’s the final track on Green Day’s comeback album American Idiot. Regardless, I do think it’s underrated and is my personal favorite track on the album. I think alot of us have a “Whatshername/Whatshisname” in our lives. At least I hope I’m not the only one!

The Kooks – Jackie Big Tits (2006): Don’t let the name fool you. This song is pretty much as silly as the title. But it’s actually a very snappy pop song by one of one of the better bands out there, even if they’re relatively unknown.

Maria Mena – You’re The Only One (2004): This singer was introduced to me by a friend on Palace/Phalanx. It’s a chat server of sorts. I really like her voice. This is a song that stands out to me, though. Not only is it my and my Palace friend’s favorite by her, but the lyrics are pretty funny if you listen to them. Yes, she really does say what you think she’s saying. I included a video with the lyrics so you could follow along if you wanted. There’s a line in the third verse that’s laugh out loud funny. It doesn’t hurt that Ms Mena is pretty damn hot, too.

She & Him – Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? (2008): Why yes, that IS Zooey Deschanel singing. And yes, I do have a celebrity crush on her, but that has no barring on why this song is here. I found this band in the past couple of days. They really don’t sound like anyone else out there currently and I like it. This song was on Rolling Stone’s top 100 songs of 2008 list as well.

Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World (1977): Oh, an older song on here. This is a nice little song for the romantics in all of us. I first heard while watching Stranger Than Fiction, a quirky (an underrated) Will Ferrell dramedy. He performs it at one point. It’s also been covered by many acts including Elvis Costello, The Monkees and The Proclaimers. It actually does sound like something Costello would do…and I’ll get to The Proclaimers at some point in the future. Also note that the song is only about three minutes. The feed above goes for four minutes (a full minute of nothing) for reasons I don’t know.

Those are the songs for the week. Next week I’ll probably have a different format. It’ll definitely be another five songs, though. I’ll try to post something else in the following days. The sooner I finish that damn paper, the happier I’ll be!

Before I go, I just wanted to send a shout out to my twitter friend, Stevie Hart who turns 24 today! I’d say she doesn’t look a day over 19, but that’s just my opinion. She’s an awesome and funny chick that dabbles in art on her spare time. I’d follow her if I were you.

ANYway, happy birthday, Stevie! I got Sir Paul McCartney here to sing to you for just such an occasion. Don’t ask me how I got him to do it, I had to call in some major favors! Ha!

- Chris Lejarzar

Short Story: The Walk

So, I’m going to keep it simple today. My sister is playing in an allstar game in a few hours, so my mind is pretty much on that. This is a short story I wrote a year or two back. It started with that opening line. I couldn’t get it out of my head. The rest just grew from it. It’s certainly not world changing. I was just happy that I actually FINISHED something. I hope you enjoy it for the fluffy piece it is. Leave a comment if you liked it. If you didn’t, I don’t need to hear it.

The Walk

She could only hope he was proud of him. That was the only thought going through her head as she walked toward her father. She could hardly look him in the eye as he beamed at her. She smiled back and looked away briefly as he took her by the arm. Today was the big day. The white dress, church along with all the friends and family were proof of that.

They walked together in silence, his hand clasping hers as they made their way to the fateful aisle. She drew a deep breath as the age old music began to play. The audience stood and turned to watch as they took their first slow steps. She couldn’t help but to recall all the stories of her learning to walk. She would only walk for her father at first. Others would get her to stand, but she would only take those wobbly steps for one person. She was Daddy’s little girl from the start.

She looked side to side, seeing all the smiling faces. There were some childhood friends on the benches reminding her of playing in the park. Her father would push her on the swings and be extra watchful as she learned to climb higher and higher on the jungle gym. She smiled to herself as she remembered that first day of school. It was so exciting and scary at the same time that she was on the verge of tears. It was only when her father hugged her and told her he’d be there to pick her up that day that she was able to join the rest of the children in line.

Halfway down the aisle she looked up at her bridesmaids, one of whom already was sniffling. She thought of all the sleepovers she had at her house and of the many times her father would come into the room to keep the noise down. This was something they would heed the best they could, but they were girls in the end and the next time she’d see her father he would be there to tell them lights out and goodnight.

Her focus went to her maid of honor, her very best friend. This made her think of prom night that was now so long ago but seemed just like yesterday. It was a double date and all of the parents were there. They went through the picture and talking ordeal with everyone. She could vividly picture her father. On his face there was a sense of pride and joy, but under it there seemed to be sadness. His little girl was growing up and time just went by so fast.

She then moved her gaze to the groom. They had hit it off from the start when they met in a college class. Her life was turned upside down after they had met. She didn’t become that lawyer she and her father always thought she would be. Life had thrown her a curve and she went with it. They had their ups and downs just like anyone else, but they were meant for each other. It was a long engagement, but today was the day they began their lives as husband and wife together.

They had finally reached the altar and the audience sat down as the priest began.

“Who here presents this woman?”

“I do,” replied her father with the slightest hint of a sniffle. He squeezed her hand before handing her off to her husband to be and sitting down with her mother. The choked up response told her all she needed to know. She may or may not have finished all she intended to. Things may not have turned out as originally planned, but it didn’t matter at all. No matter what had happened or what the future may hold, she would always be his little girl. And he was very proud of her.

- Chris Lejarzar