Thursday, June 11, 2009
Shake me like a Monkey...
So I just added a few new albums to my CURRENTLY LISTENING TO section. For those Coldplay fans out there, I HIGHLY recommend, LeftRightLeftRight. It's a complementary live album... TOTALLY puts you in the middle of the atmosphere. The crowd interaction is phenomenal. For those few that have been lucky enough to check out Coldplay live, listening to this album totally gives you chills. My girlfriend kinda looks at me crazy when I crank up VIVA LA VIDA. (OOOOOOOOoooooo...)
Another new album I just picked up (me and the rest of the World) was DMB's latest, Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King. I myself am a classic DMB fan. Every show that I go to, you WANT to hear the old tunes... Ants Marching... Two Step... Say Goodbye... #41... Tripping Billies... Warehouse... even his cover of All Along the Watchtower. When he plays the newer songs, I feel that you're being force-fed the newer songs because it's what's on the radio. And ever since Busted Stuff... I've felt that DMB's music has steadily declined... Everyday. (Not good) Stand Up. (Some tunes are good live, but not on the album). So with Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King, I did not have high hopes for this album. But I have to admit, I'm pleasantly surprised. It's not "DMB's BEST ALBUM EVER!!!" as some of the critics are saying. There are a few moments when you hear the classic summertime rockin' out style that made DMB famous. My favs are Shake Me Like a Monkey, Why I Am and Alligator Pie.
So here I am weeks after Aida and (hopefully) weeks before my next project (whatever that might be). I definitely have been feeling a bit lost in my currently work/life situation. I find that at the age of 28, I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I need money to make a confident change in my life, but I can't make that change without making money first so I'm still where I am. After the past few weeks, I've racked up a pretty substantial bill on my credit card (by my standards) so I need to pay that off before I can start saving. After the bills are paid, then what? work towards school? Well, that costs money. Work towards a new job? But, you have a job. I'm grateful to be where I am, don't get me wrong... I'm just praying for guidance. And good ol' PRESTO now has a little over 175,000 miles. I need to start saving for a car too. ACK!!! Not sure where I'm headed to or what to do... just keep on working... get a handle on my bills, work, life and then see where I am in a month or so.
On the lighter side of things, this past weekend was the wedding of two dear friends of mine, Ian and Emily. I don't know if I've ever known a storybook romance to go this far. They met when they were in elementary school and despite a short break up, found each other again and never looked back. The wedding was beautiful, held at The Waterview in Monroe, CT. I was fortunate enough to be in the wedding party. Chocolate tux, shadow stripes, and a light mint green vest/tie combo. Ian's one of the calmest, coolest cats you ever met. Nothing can phase him. Unless your name is Emily Dann and you come walking down the aisle in your wedding gown. That was quite the moment. Barely a dry eye in the house. The wedding... the reception... the bachelor party two weeks prior... the weeks leading up to the big day... it's been quite the ride. And I was lucky enough to be apart of most of it. It's funny when you think about it... back in 2004, I was working in the mailroom at ESPN. One of the guys that I worked with, Jeff, convinced me to audition outside of Southington for this little group in Naugatuck called United Arts. The show ended up being a disaster... but that experience introduced me to Ian and Emily as well as a cast of other characters that I still talk to to this day. From there I worked my way over to the Thomaston Opera House... then the Warner. So come to think of it, this little tiny small audition led me to my role in Aida and to my friend's wedding. So you never know I guess...
