Gay Boyfriend

This confirms my long-held believe that everyone needs a gay boyfriend. I mean, there's a SONG about it, so it must be true! Anne (the blond) and I went to Vassar together-- she was hysterical then, and clearly, she still is!! We both were in the Night Owls (she is an amazing bass), and she was the only one in a very somber group of girls that didn't take everything so seriously (I mean, come on, people. It's only a cappella). It's terrific to see her still using her talent for good! The 'souped-up-techno-ish' version of this song was a top dance hit on the U.K. charts (I think you can also find that on YouTube), but I like the original version.

Here's "Gay Boyfriend" by The Hazzards (check out their album on iTunes).

In Case You Missed the Chicks...

As I did-- here's a repeat performance. Also take a look at my sister's recent blog entry, as she said it best. "Shut Up and Sing" is available on DVD beginning next Tuesday (2/20); I highly recommend it, whether you're purchasing it or Netflixing, it's definitely worth the "see." Plus-- a great intro from the great Joan Baez.

They're Baaacck!

In my zealousness to get to the Obama rally, I forgot about music's biggest night... and didn't have my Tivo ready to tape it. If I have said it once, I'll say it again... thank heaven for YouTube! Of course, it may not have been as exciting as if I had watched it "live" (was it live for any of us?), and I'm bummed because 2006 was actually a really good music year; but regardless, this did give me an awfully big grin. Can't WAIT for the tour!!!

The Man Who Would Be King

Only if you live under a rock do you not know that this man is running for President. Even before the official declaration yesterday in Springfield (IL), the speculation was swirling... and perhaps even that audacity of hope-- hope that this could be the person that could change the tide of wrong through which we've all (well, maybe not all) unwittingly been dragged. I went to Senator Obama's rally at UIC tonight in Chicago. It was exciting and inspiring and, well, hopeful.

He's the candidate that you want to believe in-- separating himself from the "Washington Insiders" and the establishment; supporting health care reform and education, as do they all, of course. But among the very smart things that he said tonight, there was a particular gem about the war: "We have to be as careful about getting out of the war as we were careless getting into it." He may not have voted for the war (well, because he wasn't in a position to do so yet), or support the reasons why we are in it-- but he supports the troops and doesn't want to see one more American soldier killed; by pulling funding (of which many are in favor), it means no armor, no weapons, no protection for the soldiers. This is a man that we should get behind. This is someone that I can believe in.

But for the time being, I'm reserving making a decision. There's a lot more race to run... and we've only just begun to get to know those who have thrown their hat into it-- even the junior senator from Illinois. And we have not only the luxury of time, but the obligation to learn and educate ourselves about all of the candidates. We are a democratic nation-- and we can only continue to be one if we make educated decisions and actually elect a leader who not only has our best interests at heart, but can also represent our nation-- and repair its image, on the global stage.

Hope is an iffy thing at best... something that I tend to want to squash in myself. But this is a man that inspires people to actually believe that we can make a difference-- who makes people believe that change is possible. Perhaps it shouldn't be about audacity at all-- but rather, an obligation. Not only to hope, but to actually do.

Only in New York

Yes-- some clever New Yorker has actually logged, with painstaking detail, the good (ummm, not much good...), bad and the ugly smells around the city of New York (click on graphic).

When I was there last week, I actually had the pleasure of seeing frozen dog pee AND frozen vomit on the sidewalk. Classic. Not only because I didn't know either could actually get cold enough to freeze, but also because New Yorkers just sidestepped it without so much of an acknowledgement of disgust. Oh, you've gotta love New York. And of course I couldn't help but draw the comparison to Chicago where you wouldn't see non-frozen dog pee, let alone vomit on any sidewalk... I've often wondered if there are oompa loompahs who scuttle around and clean up the mess in Chicago city streets-- there is nary a cigarette butt, nor animal or human excrement that one need avoid. Maybe Midwesterners are just cleaner.

But I still love New York.