Monday, Monday...

If you're into singer/songwriter style folk jams at all, I highly recommend seeing the film Once. I have to give thanks and credit to everyone who suggested it to me (you know who you are). It's so simple, but with so much to give. If you want to hear some samples of the featured music, look up Glen Hansard on iTunes. "Falling Slowly" & "If You Want Me" are great places to start.

So...

I wanted to touch on last Thursday's tragedy at NIU. Any time something of this nature happens, I find myself holding those close to me a little closer. Of course, the question everyone would like answered is, "Why?". I think the hardest thing to try and wrap your head around is the idea that there is nothing you can do. Both of my parents graduated from NIU, as did my older sister, and my younger brother is a junior there this year. He was at the library right next to Cole Hall when everything happened. Scary. Right before the farewell tour started, Spitalfield played at Cole Hall on that very stage the shooting took place from. Surreal is really the only word that can really describe the feeling looking back. I guess the scariest part of events like this is posing the question, "How can you stop someone who is prepared and willing to take their own life?". What kind of security measures could you really take to prevent something like this? I think the emphasis should go on what you can do when something like this starts to happen. On a much different scale, it's the same idea of putting locks on your doors and windows. What are they for? To keep out common thieves, bored teens and random robbery attempts. If somone really wants to break into your house, they'll find a way. An average security system alerts that someone has broken in, it doesn't stop them from entering. Do you see my line of thinking?

Remember to let people you care about, appreciate and admire know how much you do. You never know what this world is going to throw at you.

-Mark

Hope Won't Weigh You Down

Word associations. Part 1.
By: Mark Rose

Snowfall = Tired
Cats = Assholes
Comedy = Entertaining
Grammys = Fixed
Love = Magical
Ice Cream = Fried
Music = Everything
Cologne = Strong
Movies = Worthwhile
Bulls = Frustrating
Contracts = Frustrating
Craigslist = Frustrating
Mariokart = Brilliant

Listening to (lately):

Halloween, Alaska - Too Tall to Hide

Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance

Jonny Lang - Turn Around

Mute Math - Mute Math

Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face

(they might be) GIANTS!

"Best offense of all time"? I could see that. I can even agree with it. "Best team of all time"? Not a chance. I, like many others, loved watching the Patriots get knocked off of their collective high horses by the, underdog, Giants. I don't think you can lose the most important game of the season and still be considered for the "best team of all time".

Here's the thing... I am not a Giants fan. I did, however, root for the Giants five weeks in a row. My logic? I am a Chicago Bears fan. They are the only team I truly care about winning. My enemies are who I care about losing. So, by default, the team playing against my enemies is my next favorite team of the moment. The Patriots in Week 17? Dallas? GREEN BAY? The Patriots part deux? I wanted to see all of them lose.

On the topic of Superbowl Sunday... were the commercials lacking this year, or what? I think the competitive spirit has really died out in recent years. A couple chuckles here and there... but seriously, I've had about all the "it's funny because they are CGI animals... dancing!" for my entire lifetime. The "real dog lapping up water from his bowl" may have been the most attention grabbing commercial of the night.

Oh yeah, welcome to my new blog!

I'm keeping myself busy with new music, eating, sleeping & shoveling snow. I've also taken in a number of movies off of cable... for better or worse. I definitely DVR-d "The Princess Bride" and "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird", both of which I am stoked to watch (hopefully with an awake or semi-awake E-Lo).

Thanks for all of the cover suggestions to everyone who hit me up last week. I've been doing some listening and experimenting. We'll see what lands right side up.

From a spinning office chair,
Mark