Even though my brother is most likely worse than I am about this stuff, I still suck at watching TV/movies. Neither one of us is the guy you want sitting next to you if you were planning on relaxing on the couch, and mindlessly staring at a movie for 2 hours.
Reason being, unless you're watching a film that's relatively consistent, eyes will be rolling and continuous commenting will be taking place.  Sorry.

Example: Just watched Battlestar Galactica .. or whatever... but I'm pretty sure that it's not the new one my friend James keeps telling me to watch, since it was online and from the late 70's.
Although it was pretty awful, I watched it for as long as I could. And then, the next day I watched another, then another.... until I almost started to like it.

I discovered that I actually enjoy watching those old "future" shows, and chuckling at all of the "futuristic" gear (supposedly FROM 7000 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE!) that isn't even up to speed with todays technology. Like the "future radar" that can't quite detect a comet storm from invading spaceships. Or telephones with those curly big red cords, and the HUGE black & while computers. Bigger was better back then... so things must be GIANT in the future. Then there's just some things that don't seem to have any practical purpose at all. Like....

What the hell is THAT?

And then I like noticing things that only "look" futuristic, but with no actual practicality to them. - Like, what purpose does a helmet with moving arcade-style lights, that buzz around the face serve? I don't know. Seems to me that those flashy lights would only get in the way of your vision, while making you a more visible target at the same time. Just sayin.

Are the helmet lights really necessary?

And why do the older statesmen ALWAYS wear robes in the future?
And if future beings are capable of building a self-sufficient space craft, one thats the size of an entire planet... one that hundreds of thousands of people can sustain life on..... then couldn't they also build a big enough weapon to destroy earth in a single shot? .... huh?

I mean... these questions NEED to be answered. By the 70's. The 70's need to answer my questions.

See? This is what I'm saying. I'll do this kind of thing through the ENTIRE movie. If the plot, and plot-related realities don't add up, I can't handle it.
Now, I'm not the kind of guy who watches Superman and says, "People can't fly. That's stupid". If it's part of the story line, then I'm cool with it. But movie producers always seem to create certain guidelines for the story, stick with them for a while, and then just ignore their self-created laws of physics and reality. It's usually at this point that my suspension of disbelief goes out the window, and the unruly mocking begins.


A friend of mine was nice enough to let me watch the movie Cloverfield with him. Needless to say, I probably won't be invited to do that again.
Horrible.

I didn't even know where to begin on this one, so I started looking around to see what other people thought about it, and immediately stumbled on this...

"The person controlling the "creative" aspects of Cloverfield should be beaten with the piece of rebar he impaled one of his characters with. People don't run around after being impaled on rebar for several hours. Helicopters don't fall fifty stories and then have three survivors emerge from within to run around waiting to die. For this and many other implausibilities that go beyond the realm of suspension of disbelief I take away one star. I award a second beating with a piece of rebar to the side of the director's face for trying to be artsy and I take away a second star because the stupid, idiotic and nauseating camera technique did NOT make the story any better, it made the film hard to watch instead."

- Trevor Snyder

(That was written by an Iraq war veteran, with years of military photojournalism experience, and not just farted out by the Comic Book Store Guy on the Simpsons.
Check out his site - trevorsnyder.com)

Anway, this guy nailed it so perfectly, I didn't bother typing up my opinions.
And since so many people told me how "AWESOME" Cloverfield was, it was simply impossible not to mention it.

Ok then. If you're planning on living far into the future, then you'd better purchase one of these.

They're available online... apparently

Then you too will be an important statesman. (according to future predictions)

... Uh oh. I think I DO like the old 70's Battlestar Galactica.
This must be what it feels like to come out of the closet.


One of these days I'll share my thoughts on "Little Miss Sunshine" or "I Heart Huckabees".
I'll just do it now. Awful.

Those opinions aren't changing.
Your opinion is wrong.

See ya.

-me

I just found this article online, and it got me thinking.

Banned from a Cruise line.

Are you one of those people who complains about every little thing? Better be careful on your next cruise, or you just might find yourself banned from your favorite ships.

There's a fascinating story today at expertcruiser.com about a Cleveland couple that apparently complained just a little too much about their frequent trips with Royal Caribbean. The site says the fed-up line recently told them not to come back. Ever.

The site says that while Brenda and Gerald Moran liked sailing on Royal Caribbean, they had a habit of documenting all sorts of problems big and small that occurred during their cruises. And they weren't shy about talking about the problems in online cruise forums.

At first, Royal Caribbean tried to make nice by offering the couple a discount on a future cruise and other perks. But after the Morans kept posting at online site cruisecritic.com about their complaints -- and the compensation that they were getting out of Royal Caribbean by complaining -- the line changed its tune, says expertcruiser.com. The site says the Morans received a phone call from a Royal Caribbean executive and then an official letter informing them they were banned from the line forever.

This is SO sweet to me. It's about time somebody stood up to these sorry ass people. I realize that customer service in this country is quickly declining also, but if you've ever had to work with the public, then you know how horrible these bastards can get. There seems to be a growing sense of unjustified entitlement, and it's been pissing me off for a long time now. I don't care if you think you've had a rotten life, if your boss sucks, if you're the prettiest housewife at your country club, or if your daddy owns an oil company in Saudi Arabia.... it's still no excuse for treating anyone miserably.

I was in CVS the other day buying a few stupid things like, paper-towels or whatever. I go to this particular CVS a lot, so there us usually a familiar face working behind the counter. As I approached the counter, the cashier asked me how my day was going. She does this every time I go in there because I was friendly to her once a while back. I remember her almost having a seizure the time I said, "Hey. How are you today?" And ever since then, she remembers me and we have our little "small talk" while she rings up the items.

Anyways, just as she says "Hello" to me this time, some Gucci bag, Chanel glasses, Fendi wearing soccer mom ... sticks her sizzled, bleached-fried head RIGHT in front of me and barks out the words, "DOG FOOD!".
Not, "Excuse me, but could you please tell me where the dog food is?" Or maybe, "I'm sorry for interrupting, but do you carry dog food here?" Then acknowledge me in some manner.... just for good measure?

Nope. She definitely didn't do any of that. Just, "DOG FOOD!"

And so with this my friend behind the counter immediately jumped to attention and said, "Excuse me ma'mm? What did you need?"
"DOG FOOD, DOG FOOD, DOG FOOD!!! Where is it??", she says with a scowl on her face.

My cashier friend informs her that it's downstairs, and the woman storms off shaking her head as if it's the world's fault that she has to go ALL the way downstairs to get the goddamn dog food.

Anyways the idea here isn't to bitch and complain... which I know... is pretty much what I'm doing, but to make a simple point. Did CVS throw this lady out and "ban" her for life? No. So maybe our public service would improve a bit, if the customer didn't walk into every situation assuming the person about to serve them.... a person who is most likely working a shitty job for barely any money, owes them something extra. Next time remember... YOU are not owed anything special, moron.
If you expect to be treated a certain way, then treat others the way you expect to be treated.

And I feel the same when I'm a paying customer also. I don't care if every other ass-face that walks into your store is rude, or if you wish that you had a better job, or if you're a racist who hates my ethnicity, or whatever. Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you, and at least try to be polite to me in return.

My educated guess about those two idiots on the cruise ship is this:
They weren't nice to their severs, their bartenders, room keepers, or any other of the ship's personnel. So why would they expect the cruise line to be nice to them?


Sorry for the Rant.

But I didn't even bother going into all of the nasty situations that I was subjected to during the years I spent working in high-end retail.  It was truely unbelievable my friends.

Take care now.

- Mike

 

Hello there everybody.
I've been a bit of a butt-nut about posting new entries, and for that I apologize.
Let's see..... where to start...

I've been locked away in "writing mode" for a few months now, and finally the next Damone record is now well under way. I'm pretty happy with how it's coming along too. We recorded a bunch of tunes at Mudrocks studio (with David Spreng) in Los Angeles, and lately we've been finishing up the other tracks at a small family owned spot in CT called S.O.F. studios. Hopefully we'll have something available for you soon.

Lately I've been concentrating most of my efforts on the writing/arranging & producing end of things, and trying to work with as many artists as possible. This aspect of the business will almost certainly be the next step in my career. If you or your band is interested in trying a collaboration, then please feel free to contact me.

I've also got a new website in progress. I'm hoping it will help to get this new venture off the ground here. Check it out here Mwoodsmusic.com or click the picture below.

As for now .... just happy to be spending as much free time as I can here in Boston.
I was recently reading a blog that Cassie Petrey posted about her love for Nashville Tenn. I couldn't believe how perfectly it described my similar feelings towards Boston. I've thought those same things as I've looked around my city. This place gave me my first feeling of belonging, the first sense of freedom, the first taste of real culture and diversity, and an over all new start at life. Sooooo... well done there darlin'

Also...if you're interested in reading more, then take a second to check out this interview I did (a little while back) for movement magazine. I'd have to say that it's one of the better ones. (again, click the picture below)

Ok, till next time kids, be good

-Mike