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2012-02-14T23:03:00.003-08:00

If you're a current or former 21ster or thinking about becoming a 21ster, you should watch this video. It is very eye-opening! Disclaimer: I learned a lot during my time at 21st Mortgage and made many dear friends. I truly valued my time there. That being said, i never approved of the way they recruited recent college grads. Their tactics are misleading, dishonest and downright nefarious. I hope they change, but fear they never will.

This is an incredible video performed by Allison Summers. I hope you enjoy! Thanks to Becca Davis for initially posting it to the LA21ST group page!

Collections from Allison Summers on Vimeo.

The right way isn't always the simplest...

2012-01-11T03:50:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying that i'm always in search of the simplest way. In fact i go out of my way to figure out the simplest way to do something like solve a problem. It pains me when that way doesn't present itself.

Let me also say that the right way isn't always the safest, fastest or easiest either. God knows i love predictability, efficiency and decisions that take little effort.

Additionally, it should be said that the right way doesn't always make me, you or anyone else happy. Although happiness can be a nice consolation prize (like the prize the non-winners get at the end of the gameshow) and occassionally the result, it most of the time is neither.

What good is the right way anyway then? The answer is simple. The right way IS the right way.

I hope you find it this year.

Godspeed.

Happy Mew Year!

2012-01-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

I know that i posted just days ago about Lupe Fiasco's Friend of the People and you're probably just getting your hands on that. If not, what are you waiting for?! But, i couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell y'all about another musical gem i just started listening to recently or the opportunity for a new year/mewsical pun. Haha, there's another one! :-))

In case you haven't already figured out the name of the band, it is in fact Mew. Yeah, weird name, right? I thought the same thing when i was first told about them roughly a year and half ago by my friend, Alex. Obviously it took me a while to give them a chance because i was just that put off by their name. Now i'm kicking myself for waiting so long. Don't make the same mistake!

Mew formed 15 years ago in Copenhagen and is comprised of lead singer Jonas Bjerre, guitarist Bo Madsen and drummer Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen. Their songs can go from 0-60 in the blink of an eye and back to 0 just as quickly... all in the same song! They're all over the place. One moment they're slow and quiet, the next fast and loud. You have to hold on tight or you might get whiplash!

Lyrically lead singer, Jonas Bjerre sings wistfully (Wayne Coyne-esque maybe?) about relationships in an abstract and yet strangely vivid way. For example, in the song 156 from the album Frengers, he sings "Callie in the summer rain/You will be kept dry you see/If you got the money for me." For you lyric hounds out there, there's plenty of depth to sink your teeth into.

I can't say enough about this band, so i'm going to stop and let you hear for yourself. Check out the song Comforting Sounds also from the album Frengers below. It's a pretty lengthy track, but i think you'll appreciate its length when it's all said and done. Incidentally this song is featured at the end of an episode of East Bound and Down. A stamp of approval in my book!

Happy Mew Year everyone!

Friend of the People

2011-12-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends and happy holidays! I just recently came across the newest mixtape by Lupe Fiasco called Friend of the People (thanks for the recommendation, Lee!) and let me tell you, it is nothing short of amazing! I've been craving some new hip hop this holiday season and this was just the fix i needed!

Friend of the People is a compilation of beats by some of the most prolific DJs around. They lay the foundation for Lupe's poetic and thoughtful lyricism that mix with laser-sharp precision with the beats themselves.

The first track is an intro that sets up the rest of the tape perfectly. I won't go into details, but it is a brilliant way to kick things off. The second track starts hard with the masterfully done dubstep beat "Doomsday" by DJ Nero (who also produced the first track) and rest of FOTP just keeps bringin' it with some incredible dubstep/electronic/house beats. It even samples John Coltrane's, "Love Supreme."

I know, i know. Some of you won't approve of Lupe going the dubstep route, but if you give it a chance you might just be pleasantly surprised. I was!

FOTP is truly a work of art i highly recommend you get your hands on as a late Christmas/Hannukah gift to yourself. You'll definitely want to be bumpin' this one into the new year! The best part is that you can download it for free at datpiff.com. (I've included a track below for your listening pleasure in case you're still a little hesitant.:-))

Happy New Year everyone! We'll see y'all in 2012!

Oslo Cole & Becki Grace-"Lift Me Up"

2011-12-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is from my performance (the Rejectionist) last nite at the Pizza Kitchen on Northshore. This song is one that Becki and i co-wrote and it is a good song! Hope y'all enjoy!

The Slow Road Back to Prosperity: 12 Ways to Thrive in a Stagnant Economy - US News & World Report

2011-12-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

For those of you struggling in this ailing economy, here are some great tips for surviving and thriving during difficult economic times. I especially like slides #6--#9 and #12 and #13, but think that they're all good. Click the link below to check it out.

The Slow Road Back to Prosperity: 12 Ways to Thrive in a Stagnant Economy - US News & World Report

Hottie of the Week!

2011-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Since i received complaints from an acquaintence of mine (who will remain anonymous) demanding i post another "hottie of the week," here's one dedicated to him! His name is Marcel (apparently lacks a last name) and he's a fitness model. I have to admit, i've been trying to make this guy a "hottie of the week" for a while now because he's just that hot, but have been unable to find a great video of him on youtube. This is the best i can do. I hope you approve, my anonymous acquaintence. If not, i don't really care.

Eliot Ness- The Crime Fightin' Microbrew

2011-11-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

I have some friends who started the blog knoxbeersnobs.com and they asked me to be a guest blogger. Here is the post i'm submitting.

Most of you may know Eliot Ness as the mafia-busting organized crime fighter who took down Al Capone, the most infamous mob boss of all time. But did you know there is a tasty amber lager brewed in Cleveland, OH named after him as well?

A good friend came into town a few weeks ago toting microbrews that you can only get in Ohio. One of those brews was the Great Lakes Brewing Company's Eliot Ness. I took a special interest in this particular beer because one of the guys in a fantasy football league was calling himself Eliot Ness. I won't bore you with the details of that story but i'm glad i decided to give this brew a try regardless of the reason.

As i mentioned before it is an amber lager which might seem like an odd combination at first blush, but the folks at Great Lakes knew exactly what they were doing when they crafted this beer. It has a bold, crisp taste that strikes with a sweet, fruity, nutty flavor, but mellows out quite nicely on the back end. The richness of this brew is undeniable, but drinking 2 back to back would not overwhelm the taste buds. The alcohol content might be a little overwhelming though clocking in at a healthy 6.2%.

Now you might be wondering why a Cleveland-based brewery would name a beer after a Chicago gangster-wrangler. Fortunately you don't have to google it to find the answer because the good folks at Great Lakes answers that question right on the label. Eliot Ness was at one point the Cleveland Safety Director and he frequented the original bar that is now the the Great Lakes Brewpub. Pretty cool, huh?

So next time you're in Cleveland, OH or parts near by, look for the Eliot Ness. After you've had a couple you might be ready to take down a mob of your own!

Henry Cavill is Super!

2011-11-11T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, my friends! My apologies for being away so long. I've been sooooo busy! Everytime i think i can't get any busier, i do! It's a good problem to have if you're a small business owner, but not if you're also a blogger. I do the best i can and i appreciate your patience with me.

Unfortunately i don't have an overly thoughtful or philosophical blog post for you. I just found this video of Henry Cavill who stars in the Immortals (out today) and will be starring as the newest version of Superman. I thought this interview was very cool and especially like the answer he gives at the end about his body in both roles. I can't wait to see it for myself!

So here's the hottie of the week, Henry Cavill!

The most important book i've EVER read

2011-09-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

I just finished rereading the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. In fact this is the first and only book i've ever read twice. The first time i read it was about 7 years ago and thought i should read it again since it had been so long.

It was a wise decision because i got so much out of it the second time around! I remember enjoying the book and it having a profound effect on me, but now having read it again, i understand why.

Ishmael isn't a traditional novel. In fact it is difficult to describe it as fiction although the characters are most definitely fictional. It doesn't even really come across as a work of non-fiction either. It's one of those books that like Da Vinci Code takes elements of non-fiction and repurposes those elements to tell a different truth. Unlike Da Vinci Code however, it isn't nearly as theatrical. Most of the book consists of a conversation between the two main characters.

It's hard to imagine a story told that way holding one's attention, but Ishmael manages to do just that by presenting some of the most thought-provoking ideas i've ever heard or read. These eye-opening ideas will get your mind working in ways you won't believe.

Some critics of this book say that it makes too many generalizations, that its science is flawed and that it's just another piece of liberal propaganda. Those who find the book even the slightest bit compelling still think it lacks in substantive solutions to the issues it raises and others complain that the writing is poorly done. I'm not here to argue against any of those critiques because there is probably some merit to each. What i am here to argue is that despite its flaws and short-comings, it is still a book not only worth reading, but one that absolutely should be read. Why? Because it provides a different view of the world, of our culture and our civilization that we so desparately need. Don't believe me? Read it and prove me wrong.

Please read this book. You can find Ishmael on amazon.com fairly cheap or you can check it out at your local library. Hell, i'd even be willing to loan you my copy if you can't get it any other way, but do yourself a favor and read this book. It might very well be the most important book you've ever read.

BTW, if you have read this book, please post a comment with your thoughts about it if so inclined. I would love to get a discussion started about it here on the blogozphere!

Big Ideas= GINORMOUS Effort

2011-09-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

I talk to a lot of people in my line of work and fortunately i really enjoy doing that. From time to time, i would talk to individuals who had really big ideas and even bigger dreams. I'd listen attentatively as they described a business idea to me in great detail and with great enthusiasm. There was always one glaring obstacle to overcome. They had no real idea of how to make their dreams a reality..

To those of you thinking about starting a business, here's my best piece of advice. START SMALL! This little nugget of knowledge alone will give your business a substantially better chance of survival. One of the main reasons why my business has stayed afloat (aside from my natural charm and quick wit! :-)) is based on this simple concept.

Think about it. Let's say you're thinking about opening a coffee shop. Thinking about it???? Good. Now, let's consider all of the start up/overhead costs associated with this type of venture. For starters, you have to find retail space in the best possible location (location, location, LOCATION). Then you have to build out that space to capture the atmosphere you're trying to create. You have to find vendors to supply the coffee. You have create a menu, test your products and ensure that you're in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations for the coffee business.

Then you'll have to hire a staff, train them and schedule them as to optimize payroll expenses. You have to pay rent, utilities, taxes and liability insurance. On top of that, you have to do some marketing to get people in the door and most likely you'll have to hire an accountant or bookkeeper to keep track of your finances.

There are other considerations and expenses that aren't included above of course, but you get the idea. Here's the takeaway. There's a lot of work to do that will take a tremendous amount of effort, time, skills, experience, expertise, money and other resources and all with no guarantee of success. And if you're idea is even bigger than a coffee shop, the burden increases exponentially. Your break-even point would be so astronomically high that you probably wouldn't see a profit for the first 3-5 years. You'd probably give up before you even tried!

Allow me to clarify one thing. I'm not suggesting you dream small. You should absolutely DREAM BIG. I'm just saying START SMALL and build your capacity until you're able to reach for those big dreams.

So you might be thinking "what kind of business can i start keeping this idea in mind?" Here's a suggestion. Start with what you know and especially with what you know well. If you're an artist, consider selling your art. If you're exceptionally good at playing a musical instrument why not offer lessons (i give guitar and sax lessons btw ;-). If you're a great cook, think about offering a dinner delivery service or become a traveling chef. We each have unique talents, skills and abilities that others would be happy to pay for. You just have to figure out what yours are (shouldn't take long), cultivate them and offer them to the world!

**Warning! Shameless Plug!** If you're someone who has an entrepeneurial spirit and you're thinking about a business idea (big or small) and you're in need of some guidance, please contact me at oslo.cole@gmail.com. I've learned a lot in the first nine months of Orange State's existence and this knowledge may be of use to you as you begin your endeavor. Initial consultations are free and my rates are very reasonable. I'm just saying, everyone could use a little help! :-))

Continue to DREAM BIG my friends, but also remember to START SMALL. Your dreams can come true!

Godspeed!
oslo

Great Video!

2011-09-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

I always find good stuff on youtube. Arguably it is my favorite online resource. I found this video moments ago and just thought it was beautifully done. If you're particularly homophobic you probably won't want to watch, but if you're particularly homophobic you probably aren't reading this blog.

The song is by Beloved and it's called "Sweet Harmony." So fitting for this video.

Thought I'd Lighten Up!

2011-09-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

So it's been over a month since my last post. My apologies for the delay. I've been pretty busy these days building my business from the ground up. It's been a fun process so far, but it's getting more and more hectic! On top of that, football season just started and i have 3 fantasy football teams this year. Over the top! Okay, enuf excuses. It has been far too long, i agree.

For my indiscretions, i've decided to give the old blog a facelift. That's not the only reason for the change, but it's one of several which i will take a moment to explain below. I must warn you though. It contains some math.

First off, the dark background i thought was appropriate at first. It looked like visiting an old school speakeasy in a low key part of town. I thought it was edgy, mysterious, provocative and controversial. But on the flipside of that, was the inaccessibility of it. Dark elements typically only draw in a certain crowd which makes me happy because i'm a part of that crowd! However, i was hoping to reach a broader audience when i restarted this blog earlier this year. I've accomplished that, but still think there is room for growth.

Additionally i think the brighter colors are more indicative of the hopefully uplifting nature of this blog. Most people associate dark places with sad places. I don't, but think the majority of people do. Here's the equation:

Light= Hope, Prosperity, Happiness (L=h2p)
Dark= Hopelessness, Depression, Despair (D=hd2)

So it makes sense to lighten up. It'll probably do me some good, too!

Plus i didn't want it to look like a porn site. There! I said it! It was either this or stop posting the hotties which i just cannot bring myself to do. There are way too many of them! ;-)

Lastly, you can see the blog a little easier and loads faster. Those might be the best 2 reasons of all!

Thanks for stopping by, y'all! I'll try not to be gone for so long before the next post, but i hope you'll be patient with me either way.

Til next time,

oslo

Who's driving?

2011-08-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

First off i want to say that this is my 100th post on the BlogOzPhere (aka oslos30th) and what a ride it has been! I feel like popping a champagne cork or 2 in celebration, but that'll have to wait. So much has happened in the nearly 4 years i've been writing this blog and it is hard to believe how much my life has changed. Here's a quick recap of the most significant changes in semi-chronological order:

1) Left jescoe, the band i played with for almost 5 years.
2) Moved out of the Alki Lane duplex after 6 years and into an apartment by myself.
3) Came out of the closet.
4) Bought a house.
5) Left 21st Mortgage, the company i worked for for 7 years.
6) Started my own business (Orange State).
7) Launched a solo music project. (the Rejectionist)

There is one common element to each of the changes listed above and the common element is this. These changes happened because I made them happen! I made the tough decisions to make change happen in my life. Was it easy? Yeah, actually it kinda was. Why? Because i did the things i needed to do to live a better life. It's amazing how easy those decisions actually are!
My question for you is, who's driving change in your life? Is it you or someone else? If you feel like life is jerking you around like a Raggedy Ann doll then chances are someone else is and that is just plain unacceptable!

All of the changes i listed above were transformational and have made me the person i am today. The decisions i made to bring about those changes weren't easy, but here's the rub. CHANGE ISN'T EASY regardless of who's driving. So if that's the case, why would you entrust someone else to drive? Last i checked, you only need a designated driver if you're too inebriated to drive yourself.

I realize that no one has control over everything that happens to them, but not having complete control doesn't mean the same thing as having no control. Do you know the Serenity Prayer? If not, here's the first part of it:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

So i ask you again, who's driving change in your life? If you can't say with emphasis and with confidence that you are, then you need to find out who has your keys and take them back!

**Thanks to all my readers who've been around since the beginning. I hope you're looking forward to the next 100 posts just as much as i am!**

Have a good weekend, folks!

oslo

July in the Rearview

2011-08-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

As you know, i have busy schedule. So busy in fact that instead of blogging about each and everything i'm doing as everything happens, i've chosen the route of recapping an entire month's worth of stuff in a single post. I find it to be the most efficient method of passing along the information.

It's also beneficial to me because it gives me an opportunity to relive each meaningful moment, activity or special event. It's difficult to recall every episode and i'm sure i've left out and will leave out some things. I use pictures to help me remember at least the moments i remembered to take pictures of.

So without further adieu, here is the month of July in the rearview!

Wing Ding 33

On my way to Market Square one evening to meet up with my friend, Christi, i happened upon a really cool thing-- a bike rally! It turns out it was the Wing Ding 33, America's biggest touring bike rally. I thought the bikes were super cool and a lot of them were very futuristic looking. I took several pics and have shared a couple of them below.

A Bientot, Christi!

Christi and me

One of my newest friends, Christi moved to Denver last month. She and i were just starting to get a good thing going and now she's gone. :-( She will be missed for sure, but she won't be forgotten. Thanks for everything, sweetie. You're awesome! I look forward to the next time our paths cross. God speed!

Dani Johnson Returns!

Many of you may remember me posting back in February about the Secret Millionaire that featured the Joy of Music School on their first episode. Dani Johnson was the "Secret Millionaire" who gave the school a check for $40,000! She returned to the school on July 15th on a book signing tour to check on the school and give away free copies of her book to students. It was great having her back even if it was just briefly.

Dani listens as Frank Graffeo describes how she's helped the school.

Thanks to Dani the school has made a significant amount of progress since the original airing of the show and i'd like to thank her personally for the contributions she's made to the program both financially and otherwise. I also just finished her book "First Steps to Wealth" and really found it useful and motivational. I would highly recommend picking up a copy or visiting her website for more information about her amazing life story. Truly inspirational!

Storms In Knoxville

I talked about how many bad storms we had in the Knoxville area in my June Rearview post. The storms have died down a bit, but the damage from the June storms still linger. The picture above is of a tree that was completely uprooted not more than a mile from my house. It is true what they say, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." The woman in this case is Mother Nature and i do believe that human beings have been a major cause of that scorn.

Lord T and Eloise Back in Action

I went to see Lord T and Eloise again in July at the Ciderhouse and they were a ton of fun as usual. I was impressed by the number of people who were there. They're notoriety has definitely increased. I was a bit disappointed that it was a $10 cover this time to get in. Oh well. I guess that's the price you pay for a group that's trending!

Summer Party

Lee sporting a fancy balloon hat

I went to a pool party at the Willows apartments with one of my best friends, Lee and his wife Jennifer. Lee's sister Jennifer (yeah, i know. Confusing right?) is a leasing agent there. Let me tell you, they know how to throw a party! They had food brought in from local restaurants such as Brixx Pizza and Firehouse Subs, had drawings and contests for prizes and even had karaoke. It was awesome! We sat out by the pool for the better part of the afternoon enjoying delicious free food and drinking tasty libations (not provided by the apartment complex btw). I would highly recommend that if you're looking for an apartment to check out the Willows. Tell 'em i sent you!

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Later that evening after the summmer party, i met up with my good friend Ashley and her boyfriend, Jonathan at Latittude 35 for drinks and to play catch up. It was also Jennifer's (Lee's sister) 30th birthday that weekend so they came and met up with us there. We had a blast! Happy birthday, Jennifer and welcome to the club of 30 somethings. Glad to have you!

The Black Cadillacs Rockin' Face!

On July 18th my friend, Jared, who i hadn't seen in years was in town from Cali with his girlfriend and her sister. They were staying at my house for one nite and they wanted to get out to see some live music. It was a Monday nite so choices were limited, but what luck! The Black Cadillacs were playing at Preservation Pub! If you aren't familiar with this band, they are a Knoxville-based (originally from Memphis) rock n' roll band and let me tell you they do rock face! Check out their myspace page or look them up on FB to find out more about them. I think they have what it takes to be the next big thing out of Knoxville and that's no exxageration.

Aftah Party is Back!

After a lengthy break, the band Aftah Party is back on the Knoxville music scene. They played at Barley's a couple of weeks back. They are a funk/R&B band that brings the thunder each and every time i see them. They play mostly covers, but everything they do is top notch. Plus they're just a lot of fun. Check them out on myspace or look for them on FB.

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Good friend and "band mate," Sarah D. had her 30th birthday back on July 23rd. We celebrated at Latitude before moving onto the Backroom in the OC. It was a fabulous celebration! Happy birthday to you, Sarah and welcome to the club. It is truly an honor to have you!

Sarah D. and me

Smokies Baseball

Panorama at the Smokies game

I went to a Smokies game with good friends, Becki and Jeff on a Sunday a couple of weekends ago. As most of you know, i don't do much on Sundays aside from laying on my couch recovering from the weekend. I made an exception this time though and i'm glad i did. We had a great time watching the Cubs-affiliated Smokies tear the Carolina Mudcats a new one as we chugged beers and heckled the outfielders. It was the most fun i've had at a baseball game in a long time!

Mayoral Debates

I've taken quite a bit of interest in the local political scene here lately. In fact i have a sign in my yard supporting one candidate in particular for mayor. I decided though that i wanted to learn more about each candidate so i went to the debate sponsored by WBIR on July 28th.

I thought 2 candidates in particular did a good job-- Madeline Rogero and Mark Padgett. My guess is our next mayor will be one of these two, but only one of these candidates is getting my full support. At this time i would like to officially endorse Madeline Rogero to be the next mayor of Knoxville. I believe she has the experience and the vision to lead this great city into the future. I hope that you will consider casting your vote for her as well during the Sept. 27th primary.

Relix Variety Theatre

Mother Mange's Russell Garner

I went to my first show at Relix (pronounced "relics") last month and i have to say, that place is AWESOME! It has a huge stage, church pews for seating and a really cool atmosphere. They also have a really personable staff which is just the right amount of icing on the cake.

While i was there i got to check out Mother Mange, a Knoxville band of two with a drummer and guitarist/vocalist much like the Black Keys. That's where the similarities end though. Mother Mange is a hard chargin' indie rock band who know how to play loud, but still manage to keep it controlled. They don't play around town much, but when they do, they show up BIG.

The Forms, another band of two, from NYC played after them and played a good, syth heavy set. They started their set with a steel drum and accordian if that tells you anything about them. Worth investigating.

You MUST check out a show at Relix folks. It's off the beaten path, but not far at from downtown Knoxville and venue itself is extraordinary. They host an open-mic every Monday nite so that would be a great time to go check the place out. If you still aren't convinced, let me just add that they also have the best tasting PBR draft in town!

The Bar at Relix

The Roof is on Fire!

After anxious anticipation, Preservation Pub has opened their rooftop for business and it is sweet! You get a great view of Market Square and the setting is really well done with lush green plants and ambient lighting. The bar is cash only and you can't bring glass up there, but those are minor inconveniences that are totally worth dealing with once you arrive at the top. At Pres. Pub, the roof is indeed on fire. You don't need no water, but you will probably want to grab a beer!

View from the Pres. Pub Rooftop

Okay, that's it for July. Wow, that took a while. Maybe August won't be nearly as hectic, but i'm guessing it will be. ;-)

Thanks for reading, y'all.

-oslo

Chewing gum and dog sh!t...

2011-08-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

What do these two things have in common? Yeah, you know what i'm getting at. These are probably the 2 worst substances on earth to find on the bottom of your shoe. So why in God's name do so many people choose to throw their gum on the ground when they grow tired of chewing it? And why is it that so many dog owners think it's not their responsibility to clean up after their quadrapeds?

Doggie bag! :-))

It is truly baffling to me that in a society where no one likes to find these two things crammed into the crevices of the soles of their footwear that people continue to do these things. Are they so oblivious that they don't realize these things are offensive, destructive to personal property and f*ckin' aggravating? Or do they think that the spoken and/or unspoken rules of society don't apply to them? Whatever it is, it's got me really pissed off... enough to blog about it.

And no, i haven't stepped in either of these in the last 24 hours, but you know as well as i do, you don't ever forget the feeling of utter rage that sweeps through your body when you do. The explitives that flow freely from the soul when either event occurs can only be described as something straight from the depths of hell. Just think back to the last time you stepped in gum or dog sh!t. You remember, don't you? Yeah, thought so.

So folks please let's be good to each other if in no other way than this one. Please don't throw your gum on the ground (especially not on the sidewalk) and please clean up after your freakin' dog. The world will be a slightly better place if you would follow these simple instructions.

Oh and spitting on concrete is just plain gross.

Music Recommendation of the Week

2011-07-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

When i hear a great band, i can't help but wonder what makes them tick? Why is their sound so pleasing to my ears? What makes me play their album over and over again? What makes them so godd@mned special? It's almost inexplicable. The Silversun Pickups fits into this category.

I was introduced to them by my buddy, Shane a year or two ago and decided to buy their most recent album, Swoon (released in 2009). The love affair was almost instantaneous and has lasted for well over a year. There was something about their sound that was unique and genuine, but i couldn't put my finger on it.

Is it the instrumentation? Nothing really special there. A four-piece band made up of drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals. Is it the melodies? Some of their melodies are quite provocative, but still notsomuch so that they stand out. Is it how well lead singer, Brian Aubert's voice (and Nikki Monniger's for that matter) blends so seemlessly with the music? I think we're getting warmer, but still not quite there. Is it the lyrical content? The lyrics are in the 90th percentile and full of thoughtful introspection, but that alone doesn't quite explain the appeal of this band.

It is only when you put all of these things together that you begin to understand what "it" is.

If you're still not convinced that they have "it," check out the youtube video below to hear for yourself. You will then probably want to pick up the album, Swoon. Once you've emersed yourself (as i have) in that album, then we can have a lengthy, intelligent, thought-provoking conversation about what "it" is.

Quick note: From what i've been told by a reliable source (my buddy, Shane i mentioned earlier), they are in the studio recording a new album to be released sometime in the Fall. I hope and pray it is as good or better than Swoon, but they've set a high bar. I have a feeling that they won't disappoint!

The Perfect Meatloaf

2011-07-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that today's life tip would be completely intuitive, but if i feel it necessary to post this, it must not be. If you're trying to lose weight, you should probably stop watching the Food Network, the Cooking Channel or any cooking shows for that matter. In fact, you should probably avoid watching infomercials advertising such products as the "Perfect Meatloaf" pan (i totally want one of these) or my personal favorite the Ronco "Showtime Rotisserie" (set it and forget it!). All these shows/informercials will serve to do is make you hungrier.

You should especially avoid watching this type of programming late at night to help you curb the urge to eat late. Eating late night screws with your metabolism and will also make it more difficult for you to sleep.

All that being said, if you are perfectly happy with your weight, you should definitely check out Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Now that's food tv worth watching. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Paula Deen is good, too. Yay glutonony!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-07-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello again, my friends and thank you for visiting the blogozphere! Boy do i have a treat for you... if you're into steamy hot guys with incredible biceps that is. ;-) I happened upon this stud while doing "research" on youtube. His name is Alon Gabbay and he is a German-born fitness model. He still lives in Germany in fact.

He has an incredible body to say the least, but isn't bad on the eyes regardless of what part of his anatomy you're staring... i meant looking at. :-)) Also, it looks like he might play the guitar which is a plus. No, i can't tell that by looking at him. You can see a guitar in the background during the video silly. If you like him, he does have website so check it out.

Hope y'all have a pleasant weekend. I have a full one ahead of me so hopefully i'll have some good stuff to post come Monday!

Laters!

I'd rather cut my toenails!

2011-07-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so i don't read a lot of books. In fact the idea of reading a book sends me running for the hills. I will come up with 100000000000 other things to do before i pick up a book. I'm sure i'm not the only one. I'd venture to guess that most of you are the same way (except for the Moons, of course). In fact, most of you probably didn't even get this far in my post due to that dreadfully boring activity we call reading.

Needless to say, if i'm recommending a book to you, i do it with this in mind so believe me when i say this is a book worth reading. It's called The Money Book for the Young Fabulous and Broke and was written by Suze Orman.

You can get a used copy for $.01 on Amazon!

I know you're probably thinking "hey is that the really annoying lady who pops up on cable tv when i'm flipping through the channels to get to the Food Network?" The answer is yes, but this "annoying lady" really knows what she's talking about when it comes to personal finances and she wrote a really good book about it.

I'm not going to tell you it's a "fast-read" like most people tell you when they're trying to convince you to read a book. "Read a book? I'd rather cut my toenails" you think to yourself when someone says that. It is a fast-read though. :-)) And the great thing about the book is that you don't even have to read the whole thing! You can pick chapters to read that pertain to your specific situation if you'd prefer. It's almost like a text-book in that regard, but a lot more enjoyable.

The other great thing about this book is it is written for people like us, young, fabulous and broke. If you are someone who's having difficulty getting your financial house in order, this is the book for you. It's also a good book for the more financially savvy individuals reading this.

Again, i know how much of a chore reading is and believe me, i feel your pain. I don't expect most of you will get this book, but if you do, you'll be glad you did. Who knows, you might pick up another book after reading this one. Hahaha, yeah right!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-07-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Hope this evening finds you all well. If you aren't well, maybe this week's hottie will lift your spirits.

This week's hottie is Todd Sanfield and all i can say about him is holy sh!t! He's so hot, the word hot isn't hot enough to describe him. He's an international cover model (for good reason) and also has his own underwear line. Youtube his name to find more videos. I promise you'll thank me!

Hope you enjoy the video and i hope you have a great weekend!

BTW, the Rejectionist (aka me) will be playing tomorrow nite at the Pizza Kitchen on Northshore from 7-10. Come check me out... after you've checked out Mr. Sanfield, of course. :-))

Through the Wormhole

2011-07-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of the Science Channel like me, you've probably already seen the show "Through the Wormhole" hosted by Morgan Freeman. If you're not familiar with this show, please let me be the first to introduce you!

The show is remarkably well-done as it explores some of the most complex questions human beings contemplate on a regular basis such as is there life after death and is there a creator. The show provides expert commentary and research from multiple fields of science as it attempts to find answers to these questions. The show does a really good job of educating in the process using easy to understand examples and explanations.

And Morgan Freeman is just a bad@ss host. I love the fact that this is a man who's a very accomplished film actor, but like all of us is trying to find the answers to these eternal questions. He's also just a really cool dude!

Check out the clip if you aren't already convinced that this is a show worth watching. If you give it a chance, i'm sure that you'll be sucked into the wormhole just like me. :-))

Happy Friday, y'all!

Smoking With Cigarettes!

2011-07-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a smoker. Not a hardcore smoker (probably 3 or 4 a day tops), but a smoker nonetheless. I'm one of those smokers though who enjoys smoking out in the open air and not indoors. In fact, i would be perfectly okay if every bar in Knoxville were to go non-smoking. I would just prefer not to smoke everyone else's cigarette, thank you very much!

On top of that, it would be much healthier for bar staff who are subjected to second-hand smoke everyday they work. Sure you might say "they chose to work in a smoking environment" and certainly you have a point, but all the same, no one should be consistently subjected to second-hand smoke. According the the American Cancer Society website second-hand smoke is responsible for:

•An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in people who are currently non-smokers

•About 3,400 lung cancer deaths as a result of breathing secondhand smoke

•Other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function

•50,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually

•Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma

•More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children

•Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth- weight babies.

Of course i know the chances of Knoxville bars going entirely non-smoking are a Virginia slim to none. I'm hopeful though that this will change.

Until then, i thought i'd provide some tips on one of the most annoying aspects of going to smoky environments-- the way your clothes smell!

I absolutely hate the smell of my clothes after i've been in a smoky bar for even a few minutes. In fact, i try to avoid places that allow smoking indoors. Occassionally though, you have no choice. When that happens, here are a few tips on getting the smell out of your clothes as quickly as possible:

First off, you'll want to take your clothes off almost as soon as you get home.
Don't hang them up with the rest of your clothes and don't stick them in your clothes hamper just yet.
Find an open room in your home where you can hang your clothes overnight giving them a chance to air out.
If your clothes still smell like smoke, put your clothes outdoors for a few hours. Airing your clothes out in the open air is by far the best method for removing smoke from your clothing.

Unfortunately i don't know any tricks for getting the smell out of your hair. If you have any suggestions on that, please post a comment.

I hope this has been useful information. Have a great rest of your day!
-oslo

June in the Rearview

2011-07-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, folks and happy 4th! It has been a crazy summer thus far and i thought i'd take some time to run through some of the highlights from the past month. Believe it or not, Bonnaroo wasn't the only thing going on in June! Here's a quick rundown of what else happened.

Beardsley Farm Festival

I played my first show as a solo artist back on June 4th. It was a nerve-racking yet gratifying experience. Thanks to all who attended!

JC and the Dirty Smokers

JC and the Dirty Smokers at Pres Pub

I went to see JC and the Dirty Smokers at Pres Pub on June 17th. They've got this country rock thing going on and they pull it off in convincing fashion. Not sure when their next show is, but i highly recommend you check them out if when you get a chance. Be warned. They aren't called the Dirty Smokers for nothin'! :-))

Listening Party

I had a private listening party at my house on June 23rd to give my friends a chance to see me perform before i start booking shows. It was awesome! Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the show and gave me some positive feedback afterwards. They said things such as "your voice is like a cross between Fergie and Jesus!" Okay, so maybe no one actually said that, but the feedback was positive and that's what matters. ;-)

My dining room slash concert hall post show

I also used the opportunity to do some fundraising for the Joy of Music School where i give volunteer lessons. We raised $105 for the school! Thanks to everyone who donated. Your donations will go a long way to helping disadvantaged kids get free music lessons!

Also, i'd like to say a special thanks to Bob for letting me use his PA, Dannoh for the queso and Lee for helping get set up the day of the show. You guys rock!

A quick note about my music. I go by the Rejectionist and have a reverbnation page and a myspace page if you'd like to check me out. The Rejectionist also has a musician's page on FB . I would love it if you would "like" it. Special favor will befall you if you do!:-)) For those of you who haven't heard my music before, i've posted some video of me doing a couple of songs on this blog if you'd like to check them out. Click here and here if you want to see those videos.

I hope to start booking some shows here in the near future. I will keep you all posted when i do. Would love to see y'all out at a show sometime soon!

Wicked Weather

Storm brewing from my back deck

We've been having some wicked weather the last several months here in East Tennessee. Can you say "global warming?" Needless to say we haven't been the only ones affected, but it has been pretty radical for us here on ol Rocky Top.

The week of my listening party was no exception. I lost electricity on Tuesday nite and wasn't sure it would be back on by the time the party was starting that following Thursday. I was fortunate it did. Some weren't quite so fortunate. My buddy, Lee was without until Saturday afternoon!

Even though the power came back on, it stormed like crazy most of Thursday evening. So much so that at one point during my set, the power flickered. Late that nite well after the party was over and everyone had gone home, the skies unleashed a fury like i had never seen! I got some video of it. Check out below.

Despite the dangers inherent with massive storms (strong wind, ground to air lightning, hail, flash flooding and the potential for tornadic activity), it is still awe inspiring to see what mother nature can do.

Kristen Karb's 30th!

Kfish enjoying her birthday

Kristen Karb (formerly Fisher) joined the ranks of the 30 somethings back on June 22nd. Just goes to show you that time is in fact contagious! Happy belated birthday, Kristen! I'm glad to call you a friend and i look forward to knowing you for the next 30.

Pridefest

Knoxville had its version of Pridefest on June 25th. I went down there around 7pm and was impressed with the number of people who were there. It gives me some hope that Knoxville is becoming more tolerant to the Gay/Lesbian community, but time will tell if that's really true. Afterall, former teenage pop star, Tiffany was the headliner so that could have explained the huge crowd. :-))

Former teenage recording star, Tiffany. "I think we're alone now"

Godspeed Josiah and Keli

Keli and Josiah at Sundown

My very good friends, Josiah and Keli moved west back to Memphis on June 28th. They will be sorely missed! Godspeed, you too. I look forward to seeing y'all again before too long. Take good care.

Welcome Back!

People come and people go. The latter is necessary sometimes, but the former is nicer all of the time! So i'd like to take the opportunity to welcome back to Knoxville some of my dearest friends. Jon Miller has been in Minnesota and Wisconsin for the last 6 years and we're glad he made it back down south. Matt and Gina have been in Jackson, TN for the last few years and we're glad they made it back east. Brent and Alexis have been in Tallahassee, FL and we're glad they made it back North.

Having y'all back will make the journey that much more enjoyable. I'm thankful for all of the memories we have made over the years and i'm looking forward to making some new ones, too!

I think that about does it for the month of June. Here's hoping July will be as much fun. I have a good feeling! See ya next time!

-oslo (aka the Rejectionist aka Scooter Lemonz aka Mr. Iswell)

Hottie of the Week!

2011-06-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

Of course i realize it's been weeks since i've posted a hottie. I just got done with my Bonnaroo Review though so maybe you'll forgive me. If not for that reason, maybe you'll forgive me because of this week's hottie. His name is Seth Kuhlmann, a former high school football star turned actor and model. He is smokin'! I hope you agree. I'm also hoping that calling him "Sexy Seth Kuhlmann" hasn't already been coined. :-))

BTW, there are some provocative pics in the video i selected (you've been warned), but there are even more out there on the interweb. Might i suggest a web search?

Enjoy!

Bonnaroo Review- Final Installment!

2011-06-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

Okay folks, let me start by saying this has been one detailed recounting of my Bonnaroo X experience, a lot more so than i was intending. When i started writing this review, i had no idea how much time this was gonna take. Wow, what a journey! I can honestly say, i'm glad we're near the finish line. I'm sure you're feeling the same way. :-))

Now this is gonna sound bad, but because it has been over two weeks since we got back, i can honestly say i don't remember a good bit of Sunday. I kind of remember how it started, but have no idea what happened in the middle of the day. I've looked through my pictures, looked at the show schedule and of course racked my brain to no avail. Best i can guess is that i wandered around aimlessly until i landed at the Iron and Wine show at right around 4:30pm so i'm gonna start there if that's okay with all of you. What's that you say? Having a tough time hearing you!

I pity the po fool who's never been to Bonnaroo!

Day 4-- The Watershed Moment

I got to Iron and Wine a few minutes late, but early enough to know that they had just started. I didn't get too close choosing to avoid the hassle of working my way through the crowd. This was the main show i was looking forward to all weekend so i was planning and did end up staying till the end.

At Iron and Wine

I was there by myself, but that was fine. My relationship with Sam Beam's music was personal anyway and i wanted to attach myself to it to help me make sense of how i was feeling at that moment. It had been a challenging weekend so far on multiple levels and i wanted to find some peace.

Sam Beam has a bad habit though. He doesn't like to play a song the same way twice it seems and that's somewhat bothersome to someone like me who had fallen in love with the original versions. I knew this about him going into it however, so i braced myself this time.

Iron and Wine in black and white

It didn't really help. I never felt truly connected to it. I enjoyed it overall, but it didn't settle me as i had hoped. That put me in a tight spot. If Iron and Wine can't help me find resolution, who could?

About half way through the show i spotted Josiah heading into the bleachers. After a few minutes i decided to head to the bleachers as well to join him. I found a seat right next to him and took a load off. We exchanged pleasantries but didn't talk much otherwise. That was okay. We were both there for one reason-- to see Iron and Wine.

The show ended and Josiah and i decided to head over to see Beirut in the Other Tent. We found a pretty decent spot to the left of the stage. I hadn't seen Beirut before, but had already formulated a negative opinion of Zach Condon after reading an interview he did a few years back. I also had listened to one of their CDs and didn't find it appealing. The cards were stacked against.

I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't remember much about Beirut's sound from having listened to them a few years back, but i was really blown away by it that Sunday at dusk. I was most impressed by their ability to smoothly incorporate lush horn parts into their melodically complex arrangements. It was d@mn good! Also during that show, i had the opportunity to catch up with my good friend, Benson which provided some much needed comfort. At Beirut that memorable day i found the peace i was seeking. It was a watershed moment.

The last Bonnaroo X sunset. Super massive black hole!

We didn't end up staying for the whole show though. Josiah was wanting to see the superjam so we headed to That Tent to catch a part of the set. Don't remember much about that show other than that it was much quieter than any other we had seen that weekend. There was a lot of bass at Bonnaroo this year-- so much so in fact that they should start calling it Bassaroo! :-))

Anyway, i had been communicating via text with Jon about meeting up with the MF1 crew at Widespread Panic, the last show of the festival. After an exhaustive search, we found them. All was right with the world.

At Widespread

After a short bit, Josiah wanted to get closer so he disappeared and Matt and Gina decided to head back to the RV about half way through leaving Jon, Wes and me to finish this thing out. I suggested we move closer and we did. We fed off the energy of the band and the crowd as we danced our @sses off to "Chilly Water."

The Johnny Miller Bonnaroo Shuffle

They played a few more numbers and just like that it was over. The music stopped and Bonnaroo X had officially come to an end. Unofficially though, there was still a matter of one more night stay and getting out the next day.

Weird, huh? Not at Bonnaroo it isn't!

I wanted to spend a little more time with the RV crew so i decided to head back to the RV with Wes and Jon. John O and his lady friend, Tara had already left. Wes and Hussey were leaving that nite as well. The MF1 inhabitants were dispersing myself included. I had decided that i needed to sleep at guest camping that nite to make for a quicker getaway the next morning.

I filled up my backpack and a shoulder bag of stuff to take back with me to guest camping as i sipped a beer and said goodbyes. It was an eerie feeling looking around the RV once full of lively bonagroovians now conspicuously empty. It was sad, but appropriate.

Wes and Hussey took off into the nite on a one way to Knoxville leaving Jon, Matt Gina and myself. Matt and Gina were going to ride back to Memphis with Jon the next day. They asked me to stay there that nite. I declined figuring it would just be easier that way. We said our goodbyes and i was on my way back to guest camping.

Two hours, 5 miles (3+ on foot!) and an unforgettable post-Bonnaroo experience later (ask me about it if you're interested), i finally made it back to guest camping. Josiah was still awake in the hammock. We stayed up talking for a little while about our individual experiences, drinking the last of our beers and taking our last few drags. It was a fitting near end.

Josiah hopped out of the hammock and went into the tent. I hopped in the hammock looking forward to a good nite's sleep. It was decent.

We got up fairly early the next morning and hung out for a bit before starting to pack up our stuff. It was sunny and the temparature was unusually comfortable. I was blaring Ludacris and Snow Patrol on my car stereo. We finished packing up and were ready to leave. My battery was dead. We got a jump and we were on our way back to Knoxville leaving Bonnaroo in the rearview.

Post Bonnaroo. We weren't even parked in the dustiest part!

So thus ends my Bonnaroo Review 2011. It was a Bonnaroo for the ages not sound too cliche. I would have to rank it in my top 2 Bonnaroos and not because of the shows (those were good, too), but because of the overall experience. I covered a lot of ground this year both figuratively and literally and am grateful for every last moment.

Thanks for reading, y'all. You're the best!

oslo

P.S. Last piece of B'roo advice for ya, loyal fan. Don't do drugs... they kill your brain cells! Pot's okay though. ;-) And remember to drink lots of H20!

Bonnaroo Review Part 3!

2011-06-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

My apologies for it taking so long to get part 3 of my Bonnaroo Review posted. It's been a busy time and the weather hasn't been all that cooperative either. Just par for the course i suppose. I'm hoping that it's still fresh enough on my mind though to give y'all the best possible accounting of events and shows. I guess we're about to find out!

Part 3-- The "Incident"

The day started out as most Bonnaroo days do... early. Even with the RV you're still up earlier than you probably would be under normal circumstances. That's what's unique about the 'roo however. There is nothing normal about being at the 'roo. It's whole nother world.

I slept on the couch the nite before much to the chagrin of Hussey who came in late that nite. Earlier that nite i had attempted to inflate the queen mattress built into the couch, but discovered too late that the cap was off and the air was escaping rapidly from it. It was so loud though that i didn't want to attempt filling it again for fear of keeping others from sleeping. Thus Hussey ended up the odd man out as i was the first nite.

Hussey took a different tact though. He decided "f*ck it, i'm gonna stay up all nite." He came in that next morning dragging and crashed almost immediately and deeply in the same reclining chair i slept in on Thursday nite. There were some classic photos taken (i didn't take any) of this coma-like state Hussey found himself in. So coma-like in fact that he didn't realize that Chinese finger cuffs had been placed on his index fingers. Absolutely hilarious!

Later that morning we found ourselves outside the RV drinking morning beers and discussing the day ahead. The big show of the day for me was The Black Keys, but had planned to see OCMS, Mumford and Sons and Gogol Bordello and STS9 late nite as well. It was going to be a good day, i thought.

Who ya gonna call?!

We ventured to Old Crowe and found a good spot on the lawn. We sat and watched as strangers sauntered by on their way to the "next thing." It was an excellent people-watching spot. About 20-30 minutes in i spotted Josiah among the strangers. I ran and caught up with him and invited him to chill with our group. Although we drove to Bonnaroo together, we didn't really see each other much the first couple of days so it was good to catch up with him then.

At Old Crowe Medicine Show

After about a half hour, he and i decided to head back to our guest camping spot and hang out there for a while. I made plans to meet back up with the rest of our RV group later that day and then we were off. We got to our campground and posted up for what seemed like quite an extended period of time. We had a serious conversation that got me amped. The conversation ended abruptly i headed back to our RV camp shortly after. Then came the unexpected. An incident that would shape the rest of the weekend and probably the nature of my relationships with some of my closest friends.

Fast-forward. I missed Mumford and Sons and then The Black Keys. Not what the plan was, but sometimes it's necessary for plans to change. I was hanging out with Hussey at the RV when John O and his special lady friend came in touting a flashlight party in the RV later that nite. We hung out for a bit with them and then Hussey and i headed back out to Centeroo parting ways shortly after getting through the inspection point.

I went to Buffalo Springfield. I wasn't familiar with them at all, but thought i'd see what they were about. Not exactly what i was hoping for, but they can't all be winners. There was a pretty significant number of fans there however. I sat and watched this one guy who seemed to be one of them. He was wearing a flannel-looking shirt and dark blue jeans that were rolled up to his calfs. He had shoulder-length sandy blonde hair that i think he had pull back into a pony-tail if i remember correctly. He also wore a nicely-groomed short-haired beard, was about 5'10 and had a slender athletic build. Just my type. He was beautiful! I thought for a moment about approaching him. "Why not" i asked myself over and over again. What's the worst that can happen? You're at Bonnaroo for God's sake! Live a little! I talked myself out of it of course. I'm such a chicken sh!t sometimes!

After the last song (which i stayed for only because of this anonimous hot guy) he wandered off and i did the same. I wandered over to the Eminem show and caught a short bit from the bleachers. Didn't really blow up my skirt but during the show, i caught back up with Josiah and told him about the "incident." He spoke supportively as we made our way back to guest camping. We stopped off at Guest Hospitality to use the facilities and watched as parachuters swirled above our heads. Suddenly one of these parachuters decides to make a landing not more than 50 feet from us. It was a bit of a rough landing but spectacular nonetheless!

We got back to guest camping and chatted as Josiah swung in the hammock he put up within the first few hours after we arrived on day 1. Then out of nowhere, a huge fireworks show started just above the treeline near the mainstage (aka What Stage). The fireworks lasted for what seemed like forever. Everytime i thought it was over, they fired up another round. It was a bittersweet ending to another long day at Bonnaroo.

I didn't turn in though. I was determined to see STS9 and Gogol Bordello. I had missed The Black Keys and Mumford and Sons earlier due to the "incident" and i wanted to salvage what was left of one of the most grueling days i've ever had. I also got a text from my friend Christy who i was trying to catch up with the entire weekend saying she was going to the Scissor Sisters. At this point it was almost 2am, but i wasn't going to be denied. I said a few parting words to Josiah and headed back into Centeroo.

Me too! :-)) (At the Scissor Sisters)

I caught part of the Scissor Sisters set, but wasn't able to catch up with Christy. I enjoyed the Sisters anyway. They are very well-liked by the GLBT community. According to Alex Hannaford the Scissor Sisters were "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York." Their show was sexually provocative to say the least and even though i couldn't see the stage very well, i could tell they don't hold back. I really enjoyed myself, but decided to move onto Gogol Bordello.

Gogol was lively and fun just as i expected and i was able to get relatively close. I didn't stay for very long though because i was starting to wear down. It was almost 3am CST.

I headed over to STS9 who was running later, but i waited it out. There were tons of what i like to call the "new breed" of Bonnaroo goers. Kids in their early 20s (if that) wearing flatbill caps (i was wearing one too!), funky sunglasses and all kinds of flashing lights that would send an epileptic in to seizure. I liked this crowd though for the most part. I was familiar with them as i had been to previous STS9 shows and found comfort in their "devil may care" attitudes. They were/are a constant reminder of who i used to be and still am... to an extent. :-))

I stuck around for about 45 minutes of the STS9 set and decided i needed to crash. I chose to sleep at the guest camping spot thinking that was the best idea given what had happened earlier that day.

At STS9

I got there and found Josiah sleeping like a baby in the hammock where i thought i would be sleeping. Oh well, just another one of those Bonnaroo moments you just have to power through. I didn't want to sleep in the tent though so i posted up in the reclining camping chair i had brought with me. I slowly drifted off into a restless sleep.

The final day was upon us and i was looking forward to what the day had in store. I'll give you a preview. It involved music, drinking, lots of walking and of course the injestion of the finest parsley Bonnaroo has to offer. Did you know that the Ancient Romans actually believed that if you eat a piece of parsley it would allow them to have the capacity to drink more wine and never become drunk? Silly Romans!

The final installment will be up soon. Please check back in a day or two. I'll try not to take so long this time. If it's any consolation, i am still wearing my Bonnaroo wristband. I won't take it off until i finish my review. Yeah, i know i'm weird, but Hussey wore his 2010 B'roo wristband for almost an entire year. Fortunately for you, you won't have to wait that long for the finale of Bonnaroo X!

-oslo

P.S. If you are still reading this, thanks! You are one dedicated fan of the Blogozphere. Here's another piece of Bonnaroo advice as reward for your dedication. Bring something to cover your nose and mouth at B'roo like a bandanna or a dust mask. It gets really dusty there and you don't want to catch the Bonaroo flu--dust built up in your lungs for weeks after Bonnaroo. Also remember to drink LOTS of WATER! Holla!

The Bonnaroo Review Part 2!

2011-06-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

If you've not read part 1 of my Bonnaroo Review, you should probably go back and do that before you start part 2. If don't feel like it, tough sh!t! :-)) It might be useful to do so, but not entirely necessary. Your call!

Here's a brief synopsis of what you've missed so far:

Got to festival
Set up camp
Drank beer
Went to some shows
Ate chicken on a stick
Streaked through Centeroo
Called it a night

Okay, now that we're all caught up here's part 2.

Day 2-- 25,000 Steps

I ended up sleeping in a reclining chair in the RV the night before due to Hussey's take over of the couch. A night in a reclining chair in an RV is still better than tent camping by far so i was pretty well-rested for day 2. I didn't realize how much i would need that rest!

I headed out late that morning to get back to our spot at guest camping. On my way, i ran into Josiah who was heading towards the RV. He needed to get some stuff out of my car (including his cell phone) and needed my car keys. It didn't register to me that i didn't have my car keys on me until we trekked all the way back to guest camping a mile from the RV. Ugh! After 45 minutes of reflecting on my own idiocy and realizing the importance of getting into my car, i began the journey back to the RV.

I got back to the RV and decide to rest up a bit before heading back to Centeroo to meet up with Josiah. By this point, i'm already starting to feel drained. It's starting to get hot, i've walked 2 miles already and i hadn't been to a single show yet! I was supposed to meet Josiah at the Ben Sollee show between 1-2 that afternoon. I missed that window of opportunity (Josiah didn't get to that show either i later found out) and knew that my only other option was to walk back to guest camping to unlock the car door. Bummer!!!

I want to take a moment here and say that there's something about Bonnaroo that brings out the survivalist in you. Maybe it's because the conditions are so challenging compared to everyday living. Or perhaps it's the energy and vibe of the festival that is so empowering. Or maybe you just spend a majority of the weekend so inebriated that nothing bothers you. Whatever the case maybe, you find another gear when you're there and that is part of what makes the experience so gratifying. You really get a chance to test your limits while seeing and hearing great music, dancing uncontrollably, and of course getting baked... by the sun! :-))

The scene at Centeroo

I got back to guest camping and unlocked my car door which seemed anti-climatic. At this point i've logged almost 4 miles on foot and i'm starting to feel the effects. On my way there, i caught a little bit of the Flecktones show which sounded great and a taste of Phospherescent which was not at all what i was expecting.

I hung out at guest camping for a short period before heading back to Centeroo for Matt and Kim. I'm glad i made the trip because they were exceptional. They covered "The Final Countdown," a song Sarah Dixon and i are fond of singing much to the chagrin of our mutual friends. Probably would help if we knew more of the words. :-))

At Matt and Kim... i think :-))

I headed back to the RV afterward opting to pass on Atmosphere, a hiphop artist i really wanted to see. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made at Bonnaroo. I figured it would be best to save my energy for My Morning Jacket on the main stage at 8. I grabbed a jalepeno corndog on the way (a B'roo delicacy i HIGHLY recommend) and caught back up with my fellow RV companions.

We chilled for a bit drinking beer and resting up before deciding to head out early to catch Florence and the Machine on the way to My Morning Jacket. I don't remember much about that show mostly because i was delirious from walking so much already.

MF1 Captain Jon Miller before MMJ

We got to My Morning Jacket before they started and caught the entire show-- one of only 2 shows i saw from start to finish. They got off to a bit of a rocky start. There were a few sound issues and it took the band a song or two to find their groove. Once they did, it was on! They rocked hard for 2 hours and played several tracks from the album "Z", my favorite album by them. That setting was absolutely perfect for MMJ and their rock-driven tunes. They are definitely best enjoyed in the great outdoors!

My Morning Jacket on What Stage

After MMJ, i headed back to guest camping to take a load off before Arcade Fire. At this point i think i had walked around 7 or 8 miles or approximately 16,000 steps and i wasn't done yet! We headed back to the mainstage for Arcade Fire's set. I wasn't and still am not really an AF fan, but Josiah is and i thought i'd give them a chance in a live setting. Didn't really do it for me so i left after about 30 or 45 minutes to check out Bassnectar, a DJ highly recommended by John O'Grodnick, a fellow MF1 dweller.

The Nectar of the Bass

Bassnectar was pretty much what i expected. Bass heavy. It was good, but i could only stand so much. I left that show and went back to the RV. On my way back, i heard Big Boi doing "Bombs Over Baghdad," one of my favorite Outkast tunes. I danced and sang along just outside the fence of Centeroo and lamented not being inside to see the performance. Oh well, back to the RV for much needed rest.

Overall a good day two despite all the walking. I'm not sure exactly how much i actually walked that day because my pedometer reset at some point earlier in the evening, but last i checked i was over 25,000 steps and over 10 miles for the day. I'm pretty sure it was closer to 12 or 13 miles when it was all said and done.

This leads me to another piece of sage advice from a Bonnaroo vet. Be sure you have quality footwear for the 'roo. It can make or break your experience. If you're flat-footed like me, you might also want some arch supports. And again, drink lots of water!

I will be posted part 3 and 4 in the next day or so. I hope you'll check back to read about the thrilling conclusion of Bonnaroo X!

The Bonnaroo Review!.... part 1

2011-06-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have never been to Bonnaroo, let me be the first to tell you it isn't for the faint of heart. It can take hours to get in and out; it's hot, there's hardly any shade, it's dusty and you spend most of the weekend absolutely funky. I mean rank! On top of that, sleep is a rare comodity, the porta poddies are pretty filthy most of the time and you'd better like standing and walking. I kept a pedometer on me the entire 4-day festival and logged well over 25 miles on foot. Great exercise to be sure, but killer on the feet, the legs, the hips and the back.

I'm not painting a pretty picture am i? Bonnaroo virgins are probably thinking to themselves, why in the world would i subject myself to what sounds like utter torture? Well, hopefully my recap of the weekend will shed some light. Read on!

Day 1-- The Arrival

I drove in with my good friend, Josiah who had agreed to go with me at the last possible moment. It was a beautiful afternoon, not as hot as it would get later that weekend. We had special directions, too which allowed us quick access to the grounds. We arrived onsite around 3 or 4pm and began to set up camp and drink beer. We met a couple of camping neighbors from New York who were pretty cool although i didn't see them much over the course of the weekend. They did recommend an act to go see later that night called Childish Gambino.

Josiah at guest camping

After setting up camp, Josiah and i decided to head into Centeroo where the real action of Bonnaroo takes place. I had friends camped in RV camping and was planning on staying there most of the weekend. We met up with a couple of those friends, Matt and Gina, near the clock tower on the other side of Centeroo from where we were camped. We followed them back to the RV.

When we arrived at the RV, i recognized quickly how sweet our set up was. This RV was a beauty and contained all of the amenities of home. I must highly recommend getting your hands on one if you are thinking about going to B'roo although you virgins should start in a tent in GA miles from Centeroo. Then and only then would you be able to appreciate the awesomeness of having an RV instead!

View from on top of our RV-- Motherf*cker 1

We hung out at the RV for a while talking, drinking and catching up before we headed back out to Centeroo for the majority of the evening. The first act we went to was the Sleigh Bells. It was packed and the mix wasn't very good. Kind of a bum way to start the festival, but it would get better. I went and found myself some dinner, a meal of rice and a slab of grilled chicken on a stick. Delicious!

We then headed over to see Childish Gambino. Now this was more like it! Good mix, not too crowded and Mr. Gambino was spitting made fire! His first song had as a hook, "don't start no sh!t, won't be no sh!t." Words to live by in my opinion!

Childish Gambino overlapped another act we were wanting to see called Beats Antique. This act was highly recommended by good friend and RV captain, Jon Miller. We decided to head over leaving before Gambino was done. Glad we did because Beats was outstanding. If you like "Live Organic and Electronic Instruments, Heavy Bass, Belly Dancing and a Tribal Influence" you'd love this act no doubt!

One of many great t-shirts you'll find at B'roo!

I decided to head back to the RV before the end of the Beats Antique however because i wanted to rest up for day 2. This leads me to this piece of advice for B'roo virgins and veterans alike. You have to pace yourself if you want to get the most out of Bonnaroo. Pacing may not sound like as much fun, but i guarantee you'll enjoy the experience more if you do! Oh and drink LOTS of water!

This ends part 1 of my Bonnaroo recap. I will post part 2, "Day 2-- 25,000+ Steps" in the next day or two.

Stay tuned!

Jack@ss hits parked car

2011-06-06T01:45:00.000-07:00

I live on a pretty busy road in North Knoxville, but it's usually quiet at this time of night. Not tonight though. I was working at my computer in my dining room when i heard tires screeching and a loud crash as if someone had run into another car. I ran outside immediately to discover that some jack@ss had run into a parked car. I then watched and listened to what sounded like this individual trying to dislodged their vehicle.

I realized after a moment that this person was attempting to drive off. I also realized that this person had hit the parked car head on meaning it had to be driving on the wrong side of the street. I took it in for a few more moments and decided to return inside.

A couple of minutes later i saw red and white lights flashing signifying that a fire engine had been dispatched. I ran back outside and saw that three or four police cars had arrived on the scene and that the car that was attempting to drive off was now on fire.

I ran back inside to grab my smartphone to get some pics, but was unable to get back out fast enough to get a picture of the burning car. It didn't look as though an ambulance had arrived so i don't think the driver was hurt. Perhaps the driver ran on foot? Probably not, but who knows.

Anyhow, thought i would share cuz i thought it was funny. See below for the video i was able to capture minutes after the accident and thanks for reading!

oslo

Beardsley Farm Fest!

2011-06-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

I will be playing my first public show this weekend at the Beardsley Farm Fest. The festival goes from 11-3. I will be playing from 12:30-12:50. I would love to see a few friendly faces in the crowd. The address for the event is 1719 Reynolds St. 37921 (behind the Laura Cansler Boys and Girls Club). Please check out the Beardsley Farm website for more details. I hope to see you there!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-05-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

My oh my! I'm not sure if it's just the weather getting hotter or if the guys are or maybe both? ;-) Whatever the case may be, i'm having a tough time getting anything else done after finding this particular hottie. His name is Jakub Stefano (even his name is hot!) and he is originally from the Czech Republic (i love that this video was produced by the website "All American Guys." Haha!) Jakub is a personal trainer and a model.

There's a lot of him on youtube and i had a tough time picking out a video to display his gorgeous smile and even more gorgeous body. I think this one will suffice, but if not, feel free to peruse youtube for yourself. Be warned though. Make sure you have at least an hour to spare because you might well get sucked in. Don't say i didn't warn you! :-))

Hottie of the Week!

2011-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

I follow a blog called "Shannon's Blog" written by Shannon Boh, a bloke from Australia. I found his blog by accident whilst on youtube one day several months back. His blog kinda served as inspiration for the revamping of my own.

He is a photographer, world traveler and he is gay. He is also quite the cutie. He has several pics of himself on his blog which are attractive, provocative and just really well done. He also provides advice for others in the GLBT community that is both useful and refreshing. Definitely check out his blog when you get the chance. You'll be glad you did!

He is the one i got the idea of doing a hottie of the week incidently and from time to time i like to check in on his selections because he always finds the most gorgeous guys. The hottie he has posted this week though i thought was too good not to share with my readers as well.

I don't have any info. on him and no video. Just a pic, but wow, what a pic! See for yourself!

An Oslo Original!

2011-05-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit out of pocket the last week or so. First i couldn't get on Facebook because they thought i was using a fake name (long story). Then i started a part-time job working for the YWCA (thanks Danielle!). And i've been planning my first solo gig. Been busy for sure, but excuses excuses. I've been neglectful and no one likes being ignored.

I'm gonna make it to you right now though (i hope) with one of my original songs. I've been really trying to sharpen the proverbial ax... and the literal one, too for that matter preparing for the ultimate goal of playing some public shows. This is just a small taste of what you can expect if you come see me play live.

If you like it, check out my version of "Karma Police" for a little contrast. Oh and please feel free to comment. I really would like to know what y'all think.

The song is called "Bring." Forgive me for the lack of creativity in naming this song. I'm no good with song titles. Dave Matthews and i share that in common. :-))

Hotties of the Week!

2011-05-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

In a tribute to the series finale of Smallville, i've decided to make this week's hottie, a list of pics of hot guys who have appeared on Smallville. These are in no particular order of hotness. I think they're all hot, but Tom Welling definitely started the ball rolling.

Many of the actors pictured have gone on to stardom in their own right. Jensen Ackles stars in the TV series Supernatural, Ian Somerhalder in the series, Vampire Diaries and of course Sam Witwer in the series Being Human. Shawn Ashmore played "Iceman" in two of the X-Men movies. Smallville was a launching pad for these actors and i think it's a testament to the overall quality of the show.

Lastly, there were other hotties who appeared on the show who deserve to be on this list, but i had to cut it off somewhere. Forgive me for this shortcoming. I think you'll be quite pleased with the selection here however. Coincidently there are 13. ;-)

Thanks again, Smallville. You were the best in some many ways... especially when it came to finding hot young talent.

Tom Welling (the Prototype)

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Sam Witwer (My Favorite)

Alan Ritchson

Ian Somerhalder

Smallville Series Finale Tonite!

2011-05-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

I was in my early 20s when Smallville first aired. I was living in a 3 bed 2 bath with 2 other guys. One was my buddy Jason Burgess. We were in marching band together at the University of Tennessee and he was kind of big brother figure in my life. A good and loyal friend. The other was a guy who was having a difficult time getting his sh!t together. Later he did, but not while he was living with us.

I had graduated from college earlier that year and had just begun working for Target as a human resource manager for one of their stores. I started learning to play the guitar that year as well. It was the start of a lot new things in my life.

9/11 occurred roughly 5 weeks prior to Smallville's debut on the WB (now on the CW). It was just what the world and myself personally needed at the time-- a hero! Enter Tom Welling. A gorgeous, tall drink of divinity. I was hooked at first glance.

Tom Welling

Although Tom brought me in, it was the excellent writing, character development and overall production that kept me enthralled. I watched each episode religiously for the first few seasons. This is remarkable because i try my best not to get hooked on a show where i have to watch each new episode the moment it airs. I made an exception for this show... and for Tom Welling. :-))

But there came a time when i could no longer spend the time watching every week. Too much other stuff going on. And i'm sure my roommates at the time (2 entirely different guys), were starting to get suspicious of my motivations for watching the show. This was obviously well before i was officially out of the closet.

I continued to watch the show... discreetly from time to time. I then began to buy each season on DVD hoping one day i'd be able to watch each episode privately. That day arrived in the Spring of 2008 when i decided to get an apartment by myself. Great decision!

I would watch several episodes at a time in my living room alone at Sutter's Mill. I was in a state of utter euphoria! To date, i've seen just about every episode (with the exception of a few in the 10th season) in addition to the deleted scenes; director, producer, writer and cast commentaries; behind the scenes vignettes; cast spotlights and pretty much everything the DVDs had to offer. I've seen it all and devoured it like a starving puppy!

Needless to say, i was obsessed and just couldn't get enough Smallville for the past 10 years. It has been and will probably always be my favorite show.
Despite all that, today shouldn't be a day of sadness for the literally millions of Smallville fans across the universe. It should be day of happiness and rejoicing for the 10 years that this show has touched our lives. I'm gonna have a beer and toast to those years!
Thanks to cast, crew and fans for making this experience so satisfying and enriching. Now on to new endeavors. Godspeed and enjoy the last episode of Smallville!

oslo

P.S. Below is a fan created trailer for the last episode. Hope you enjoy!

Bonnaroo Schedule Announced!

2011-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Bonnaroo schedule was released today and i must say that i am pleased at how little overlap there is in the bands and artists i want to see. It seems like every year i've gone, i've had to make some pretty serious sacrifices about who to see. The year jescoe played i had to miss The Roots entire set! Well this year will be different and i couldn't be happier. I am also excited that it will give me a chance to see some artists that i haven't heard before.

On a related note, does anyone else get bummed when you get to the end of the Bonnaroo schedule? It's like thinking about what you have to do on Sunday night to get ready for work on Monday while you're still at work on Friday afternoon. What a buzz kill!

My apologies if i'm harshing anyone's weekend buzz. I guess misery really does love company! Anyway, let us look forward to the joyful and musical time Bonnaroo X will be and try and not lament about it's passing until that day comes. Happy Bonnaroo, my friends! It will soon be here!

Death and Taxes

2011-05-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

They say that the only guarantees in this life are death and taxes. Pretty morbid and depressing stuff to be sure. Science has discovered ways to extend our lives pushing back the inevitability of the former and apparently hedge fund managers have figured out how to minimize the burden of the latter.

Now, i'm not one of these hardcore liberals who think that the rich should carry the poor on their backs for all eternity, but i am a big proponent of fairness. Judging by the chart below, i would say fairness is hardly on the minds of some of the wealthiest in our country.

As we continue the debate about debt and defecits and spending cuts versus tax increases, we should all be aware of the inequities in our current system. This chart is a good place to start.

Death and taxes may in fact be our only guarantees, but as far as taxes go for some, there are worse things.

Hottie of the Week!

2011-05-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get in the habit of posting a Hottie of the Week on Fridays, but would like to do it earlier than 8:30pm EST. Oh well. Maybe i'll be more on top of it next week. ;-))

This week's hottie is very, very hot for sure, but there's more to him than meets the eye. His name is Matt Schiermeier, he's a model for Rufskin Jeans and he's gay. He is also HIV positive and an advocate for a cure to the disease. He has an interesting story, but i won't try to retell it. Instead i encourage you to click this link to read for yourself. He is an impressive physical specimen and a gorgeous guy, but he's even more impressive and gorgeous on the inside.

Okay on to what you've been waiting for. First let me say that i couldn't find a suitable video on youtube of Matt. Well, i found one, but thought it was probably just a little too racey for the blogozphere which is saying something. :-)) For those adventurous souls out there, feel free to click this link to check it out for yourself.

What i do have are some excellent still shots. There are a lot of great pics of Matt Schiermeier on the internet including some really provocative ones. Might i recommend a bing/google search of his name. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks for visiting. See y'all next time.

Oslo Performs Karma Police!

2011-05-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Greetings folks!

So i was getting a little frustrated with myself for only posting hotties these last few weeks, but i've been busy with other things so i haven't been able to focus as much on the blogozphere. I thought to myself that it would be a good idea to let y'all in on some of the other things i'm doing with my time.

Next week, i'll be recording my first solo demo! This has been a long time coming and i'm really excited about it. Soon, i would like to start playing some solo gigs out in public.

Music is a big part of who i am and it really is awesome for me to get a chance to start playing for people again. That being said, i wanted to give you all a little taste of what i'm doing musically. I've been spending a lot of time practicing covers by some of my favorite artists such as Dave Matthews, Citizen Cope and others. I've been working on some original material as well and i may post me performing one of my originals at some point soon.

For now, here is Karma Police by one of my favorite bands, Radiohead. The sound quality isn't the greatest and my guitar needs new strings, but otherwise i think it's pretty good. Hope you agree and hope you enjoy!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-04-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, i must apologize for only posting Hotties of the Week these past couple of weeks, but i've been super busy getting my business up and running. Takes a lot of my time and effort. It's worth it, but it is time consuming. Please bare with me!

In the meantime, here is this week's hottie. He is a very recognizable sports figure not just for his abilities on the "football" field, but also for his stunning good looks. He is none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, forward/winger for Real Madrid.

I found this video on youtube and thought to myself, 'holy crap this is hot!' I hope you will agree. Makes me want to be a housekeeper... or not. :-))

Take it away Mr. Ronaldo.

Hottie of the Week!

2011-04-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've been a fan of this week's hottie for quite some time now. I'm not sure how i came across him the first time, but it was love at first site!

Alan Valdez is a former basketball player turned fitness model from Mexico. He also does live webcam shows for those who would like to get to know him a little better. ;-) Seriously, Alan is one of the hottest sexiest guys alive. Hope you enjoy the view! :-))

Have a great weekend, folks! See ya next time!

-oslo

The Mountain- A Must See!

2011-04-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a wonderfully beautiful video. What a truly remarkable creation our universe is. We are so very blessed. Don't lose sight of that, my friends. No matter what.

**A note about the artist:

The video artist behind this masterpiece is named Terje Sorgjerd and he happens to be from namesake, Oslo, Norway. Weird coincidence, huh? Anyhow, check out his other videos on youtube especially this one called The Aurora. You can follow Terje on Facebook by clicking here or on twitter by clicking here.

Thanks everyone, for dropping by. Have a great night!
-oslo

Panic in Asheville!

2011-04-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

"Inspiration ah she barely waits a moment- Elevator doors open, hear the footsteps touch the stand."
-WSP

Hello again, folks! I hope you are all doing swimmingly well!

I had an awesome time this past weekend in Asheville, NC to see Widespread Panic. The trip started kinda slow for me, but definitely finished triumphantly! This was my third time catching Panic in Asheville and it may have been my favorite so far!

I took a lot of pictures with my new Droid X and will let the pics tell the story. I will also include a video clip from the show to give you a better idea of what the experience was like. Don't tell the band, though. ;-)

Additionally, i want to say thanks to the Karb family for letting us invade their home for the weekend. They were truly gracious hosts as always (Karb's dad even came to the shows!) and we really appreciate the hospitality.

And thanks to you all for reading. See ya next time!

The Drive-- Love the mountain vistas heading to and from Asheville. It is truly beautiful country.

Left Hook!-- Wes getting a much deserved punch in the face! :-))

Cameron Backing that @ss Up-- Cameron backed his Cadillac up the windy driveway at Casa de Karb. No small feat! I used the "solarize" effect on my Droid to take this one... not on purpose. I was trying to get video of this impressive display but couldn't figure out how to switch to video mode.

The Lobby Nite 1-- This was only the beginning!

JJ Grey and Mofro-- Everyone in our group thought it was odd that Panic had an opener for both nites. I've seen them several times and this was the first time i've seen them with an opener. I wasn't upset though because i've been a Mofro fan for a while. It has been ages since i've seen them so it was a special treat to see them 2 nites in a row.

Sugar Beet Cafe-- We had brunch at Sugar Beet Cafe on Saturday morning. This place boasts the biggest mimosas (served in hurricane glasses!) i've ever had as well as a stellar brunch menu. This was what Cameron ordered - corned beef hash and a side of bacon. You can also see the mimosa in the top right corner. I highly recommend this place if you're ever around Asheville.

Baby Evelyn-- Karb and Kristen's baby girl, Evelyn joined us on the trip to Asheville. She's adorable, isn't she! And relax, she didn't go to the show with us although we did see a 2 or 3 year old the first nite on a leash and sound canceling headphones (i hope they were sound canceling anyway). I don't know if that's an appropriate place to bring a young child, but hey, what do i know about raising kids...

Karb and Kristen-- We pre-gamed before nite 2 started at this place called the Bier Garden. An excellent bier selection as you might imagine. I snapped this one of the couple before they had a chance to try them all! :-))

These Guys!-- Cameron and Wes, two scheming mutha f*ckers!

Nametags!-- The nametags got brought out for tonite's show and apparently i had Bieber Fever in my @ss crack the entire nite. Not a disease you want folks, i assure you! I'm not quite sure what this tag on Kristen's blouse is suppose to mean, though. That's clearly a bone, and the letters "ER" which typically stands for emergency room. Oh well, i'm sure i'll figure it out eventually.

PDA-- Wes and Lillie with a little pre-show shenanigans. Thank God Cameron was there to photo bomb this shot. Get a room you two! :-)) That's a look of utter joy on Lillie's face, isn't it? Makes me happy.

Widespread Nite 2

Set Break-- When the lights come on during set break, you can truly appreciate the size of the crowd. Needless to say, there isn't much breathing room down there which is why we spent most of the 2nd nite in the stands. Yeah, i know. How lame!

Light Up!-- WSP's light show is just awesome these days. They have definitely stepped it up a notch and made their shows both audibly and visually pleasing. We all gained a whole new appreciation of the light show from our vantage point in the stands.

Shadow Dancers-- Wes and Lillie shake their @sses to the rhythmic stylings of Widespread! Unfortunately this dance battle ended in a draw.

The End-- It's always surreal when the show ends and people slowly make their way out of the venue chattering about how bad @ss Jimmy Herring was or why they didn't play "Keep on Using Me." I for one, was really pleased with the second nite and i'm looking forward to seeing Panic again in the not so distant future. We'll see you @ Bonnaroo, fellas!

Sugar Beet Encore-- We all enjoyed Sugar Beet so much the first time, we went back for breakfast on Sunday morning. I had a Croissandwich w/ Italian Sausage -and a bowl of of cheese grits. So freakin' good!

That's the Ticket!-- This may be my last show before Bonnaroo... not including Sundown of course, but you get what i'm saying. Anyhow, yet another fun-filled weekend. Looking forward to more like this one in the future. Now check out the video clip below.

Hottie of the Week!

2011-04-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings All!

Hope you all have a had a good week since my last post. I definitely have! I went to Widespread Panic in Asheville this past weekend and it was a d@mn good time. Details forthcoming in the next post.

For now, i'd like to leave you all with this week's Hottie. His name is Alex Meraz and he plays Paul on the last installment of the Twilight Series, New Moon. Didn't really catch my eye the one time i watched it (don't judge me!), but i'm glad i gave him a second chance.

He's an attractive guy right off the bat, but has a look that grows on you in a wonderfully magnificent way! He's also a dancer and a martial artist. Great credentials!

One last thing. He too has a Tyler Shield's Video on youtube. Not as good as MD's, but it is the reason why i gave Mr. Meraz a second glance! ;-)

Hope you all enjoy. See ya next time!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-04-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

Okay folks, i have a real humdinger for Hottie of the Week. His name is Matt Dallas, an actor who got his big break starring as lead in Kyle XY on ABC Family. I found this video months ago, but rediscovered it and made the easy decision to bring it to the light for fans of the blogozphere. This could quite possibly be the sexiest thing i've ever seen!

BTW, this video was done by Tyler Shields, a world-renowned video portrait artist. His work is extremely powerful, raw, intense and incredibly sexy. I would recommend checking out some of his other videos on youtube if you get a chance. You'll be glad you did!

Lastly, if you'd like to submit a recommendation for "Hottie of the Week" consideration, please shoot me an e-mail to oslo.cole@gmail.com including the name, a pic or video as well as permission if it isn't someone who's depictions are available to the public. And yes, you can submit yourself for consideration, but remember that i will be the final judge! :-))

Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce you to the tantalizingly hot Matt Dallas!

Swiperboy Meets Ashley Simpson...

2011-04-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

Swiperboy (aka Renaldo Woolridge)

So i was hanging out at Barley's last nite helping my friend Ashley Hoskins celebrate her birthday and it just so happens that Swiperboy (aka Renaldo Woolridge), a local rapper and UT basketball player was performing. It seemed a bit odd for that show to be taking place there, but that wasn't really that big of a deal.

What was a big deal was the fact that Swiperboy's performance was for all intents and purposes lip synced or "lip rapped" as it were. The music itself wasn't bad. Not really my style, but it's good dance/club music, but the performance of it was terribly disappointing. If i could give Swiperboy one piece of advice (not that he's asking for it) it would be to drop the main vocal rap track and go completely live rap with it. It might be more difficult, but would make a huge difference.

On a another musical note from last nite, The Theorizt opened for Swiperboy and i was quite impressed with their music and overall performance. Full disclosure, the drummer used to be the drummer for jescoe so i'm a little biased, but i do think their blend of hip hop, rock and acoustic is worth checking out.

Jason Wells, drummer for The Theorizt

On a complete unrelated note, i want to say kudos to Barley's for putting a new sink and mirrors in the men's bathroom. Not really a big fan of the trough style, but a stark improvement from what used to be there. Now all they need is one more soap dispenser and it will be d@mn near perfect!

Happy birthday, Ashley! I hope you had a great time. I know i did!

The Birthday Girl!

Umphrey's McGee... for Free!

2011-03-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Sundown in the City lineup was announced yesterday and i have to say i am thrilled to see Umphrey's McGee is coming back. What a great band! I haven't seen those guys in far too long and it's just a special treat to be able to see them for free. If you guys aren't familiar with this band hailing from the Windy City, check out the video below to get a sneak peek. If you're going to go to one SITC this year, might i highly recommend you make it this one on May 19th.

If you're trying to decide on a second one, check out Warren Haynes on June 16th and get there early for the Black Cadillacs. The Black Cadillacs are a hot up and coming band based out of Knoxville. They definitely rock hard and are worthy of your support.

Hope you're all well and i look forward to seeing y'all on the Square!

Tallahassee? Good Idea!

2011-03-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hello, my friends and welcome back to the BlogOzphere! I've been out of pocket for about a week now and the big reason for that is i took a trip to Tallahassee last weekend. Let me tell you, it was a brilliantly good time! I spent the weekend with Brent and Alexis and they were outstanding hosts. I also got the chance to catch up with a couple of friends in Atlanta on my way to and from and even got to visit my Mom (awww, yeah, i know is what you're thinking... save it! :-)) Anyways, i am recounting my trip below complete with pics and a couple of videos. Enjoy!

Nite 1-- St. Patty's in Atlanta

The only downside is it was Molson!

I got to Atlanta around 6:30 and met up with my buddy Chris Riccardi at his house around midtown Atlanta. We had a couple of beers there and were joined by a friend i hadn't seen in years named Ravi. We left Chris's place and grabbed a quick dinner before heading to the Virginia Highlands for the rest of the evening. It was surprisingly quiet there, but we still managed to have a great time and i got to drink a green beer!

Day 1-- Onward to Tallahassee

It was about a 5 hour drive to Tallahassee from Atlanta including a couple of stops along the way. I ran across several what looked like enchanted forests of trees lined up in neat little rows. The trees hadn't blossomed yet, but it was still pretty cool looking. I got a couple of pics that won't do them justice, but hopefully will give you an idea of what i'm talking about. I also want to mention that there isn't a major interstate that runs to Tallahassee from Atlanta which was kind of a pain, but was manageable.

The enchanted forests!
There dozens of these fields filled with trees like this on the way down Hwy 319.

I got to town around 5, picked up a 6er of Drifter Pale Ale and drove straight to Brent and Alexis's apartment in a fairly convenient part of town. Brent wasn't back in town yet so Alexis and i got a chance to chill and catch for a bit on their patio drinking beers, eating bean dip and playing a little guitar. Once Brent got there, we continued that trend trading original songs and drinking more beer. The weather was beautiful and the company was as well!

Nite 2-- Crawfish and Oysters

We decided to head out for some dinner so Brent and Alexis took me to this place just a few blocks from their apartment called Calico Jack's for some oysters. We sat out on the patio because like i said, it was a beautiful nite. When we sat down, we noticed someone at the table next to us eating some crawfish. I was thinking to myself "man, i'd love some crawfish" and wouldn't know, the lady who was eating them came up to our table and offered what she had left which turned out to be most of them. Now that's hospitality!

Crawfish!

We ordered some calamari, oysters, black beans and rice and beer and ate and drank just about everything on the table. We had an awesome waitress named Christina who gave us phenomenal service! Had to give her props for being on the ball the entire time we were there.

We left Calico Jack's and headed to Chez Pierre, a swanky little French style restaurant and bar just a short drive from B&A's place where we finished the nite out chatting with a bartender named Jordan originally from Chicago. I do love synchronicity! We headed back to B&A's place where stayed up until about 5am drinking beer, talking and listening to target="_blank"Jeff Buckley's Grace (a great album BTW). A good nite to be certain!

Christina, our awesome waitress at Calico Jacks

Day 2-- Cock and Balls, Silver Dolphins and Huge Slices!

We didn't get going until around 1:30 in the afternoon after a long nite before. Not the best way to start the day, but we rallied! We got dressed and headed downtown for a tour. On the way in, we took in a view of Florida's capital which is shaped very much like a cock and balls. The architects on that project probably didn't think that one through, but i guess it gives the place some charm!

We took a brief tour of the old capital because the new one (not really new, but newer) is closed on Saturdays. The old capital is basically a museum of Florida's political history. I'm a huge politics buff so i soaked it up!

We left the capital and walked around downtown for a little while taking in some of the beautiful vistas the city has to offer. The downtown area is really well done with tons of trees, plazas and green space. Despite the lack of forethought on the C&Bs shaped capital, city planners did a really good job with the layout and design of the downtown area. It was almost disappointing that more people weren't out taking it in, but i guess not everyone was entertaining a visitor from Tennessee.

We stopped at a museum to check out the ancient bones of a mastadon discovered in Florida before heading back to the capital to take pictures with the silver dolphins. We drove by the FSU campus and i must say, i was thoroughly impressed! The campus is beautiful with thoughtful landscaping, a great location and remarkable brick structures. The stadium facade is even made of brick! Really cool looking. We headed out of downtown on a road called Tennessee street which is one of the main drags in town. I was pleased!

Silver Dolphin pic

We went to MoMo's Pizza for a late lunch. This place is famous for pizza slices as big as your head and let me tell you, they aren't just whistling Dixie! I had one intimidating slice of the Deluxe which has pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives and Bradley's Hot Sausage, a local delicacy. So freakin' good!

Momo's Pizza-- One of many great ideas!

Nite 3-- Breathtaking Sunset and Eye Candy Galore!

We went back to B&A's to change clothes and headed to a place called Level 8 to catch the sunset from eight floors up. Alexis said this was the best place in town to catch the sunset and also to get a good view of the city. She was absolutely right! I told her that i was thinking to myself a few weeks before about how i hadn't seen a sunset in a while and that it was a perfect way to spend the evening. It was so awesome! We sipped on martinis as we watched the sun retreat below the horizon and delighted in the wonder of our solar system. Incredible!

Just before sunset

Alexis also mentioned before we arrived at Level 8 that they were notorious for hiring only the most attractive men and women. She was right about that, too! There was seriously a glut of hot guys working there who just started coming out of the woodwork towards the end of the time we were there. It was almost like they were dispatched to seduce us into staying longer... and it almost worked! But we decided to head out to take in more of the nite life. It was a really, REALLY tough decision! :-))

We headed over to a place called Waterworks, a kind of hipster bar in midtown Tallahassee where we got great service, drank some beers and took a water moccasin shot. There was eye candy here as well, but packaged altogether different. Level 8's eye candy was decked out in all black, clean cut and traditionally good-looking where as at Waterworks they were tattooed-cladded, wearing ironic t-shirts and looking a little rough around the edges. Personally, i like both styles and Tallahassee has both!

We left there and headed to a place called Finnegan's Wake/5th Avenue Tap Room. This place reminded me of something you'd find in Knoxville. Finnegan's reminded of Crown and Goose and 5th Ave of Southbound. An interesting combination to say the least. We had this guy come up to us asking if he could leave his empty glass on our table. We kinda gave him a hard time just for funsies and he claimed to be the lead singer for George Clinton's band. He was apparently totally full of it, but got him to sing us a couple of songs which was pretty d@mn entertaining. As we left there, i snapped a pic of a guy passed out on the lawn. Hysterical!

This dude was passed out on the lawn outside Finnegan's/5th Ave.
Couldn't resist taking this pic!

We headed back to Chez Pierre's to close out the nite. It was a bit of a whirlwind nite, but it was cool to end up back at a place we were the nite before. Like coming full-circle, ya' know what i mean?

Day 3-- Brunch and a Sunday Visit to the Liquor Store

We got up at a more respectable 12:30 on Sunday and headed to Food Glorious Food for brunch and mimosas. I had eggs benedict, Alexis a Greek salad and Brent pan-fried grouper. It was delicious! After brunch we headed across the street to ABC Wine and Spirits, the mother of all liquor stores. We sampled a little red wine and bought some champagne and orange juice for Brent and Alexis to make mimosas later on that day.

Brent's grouper at Food Glorious Food.
Everything else was delicious but this was exceptional!

We went back to their place, said our good byes and i headed out back to Atlanta where i crashed at my buddy Colin's for the nite. I stopped by my Mom's for a quick visit the next morning and drove the rest of the way back to Knoxville worn out, but so happy that i made the trip.
--
There were two overriding themes for this trip. The first was the overabundance of eye candy. Tallahassee has more than its fair share of hotties and is worth a visit for that reason alone! Secondly, it seems like each of us had at least one good idea for the weekend to take the overall experience to the next level. The trip itself was a good idea and the good ideas just kept flowing from the time i left Knoxville until the moment i arrived back on Monday afternoon.

Brent and Alexis truly know how to showcase their city and i'm so appreciative to them for being great hosts. Thanks so much Brent and Alexis! Can't wait until y'all are back in Knoxville!

And thanks to all of you for reading and checking out the blog. We'll see y'all next time!

Fabulous ambassadors for the city of Tallahassee!

This moth sat outside B&A's apartment door for the entire time i was there. Kinda cool!

A reminder of home

Tip of the Day-- Be First in Line!

2011-03-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've seen it happen way too often. People blindly following the lead of others leading them into awful situations. Housing bubble anyone? But it never fails that people are much more likely to follow bad examples than to set good ones. The masses aren't always right, my friends. In most instances they are dead wrong and when they are, the consequences can be dire to say the least.

I encourage you to be bold, be thoughtful and make decisions that are best for you. Afterall, just because someone is in front of you in line doesn't mean that they should be followed. Chances are they are following the person in front of them and so on while all the while no one in line has a clue.

I urge you, implore you, beg you to start your own line! This may not be necessary in all instances, but in many instances, it will be better for you and society if you forge your own path. God gave us all the ability to think and reason for ourselves. We should use that ability every chance we get. So when necessary, be willing to be the first in line. You might be surprised to see others following your lead!

Thanks for reading folks and take good care.

oslo

Drop It Like It's Hot!

2011-03-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know if y'all have seen this commercial yet, but it is freakin' hysterical! Not sayin' it makes me want to drink Sundrop, but it does make me want to drop it like it's hot! :-))

Ben Maney's a bad@ss!

2011-03-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you unable to make it to Barley's last nite, let me tell you, Wolfe Jam was a really awesome event. The music was great and extremely eclectic and the event raised around $3000 for the Joy of Music School! Absolutely stellar!

It was truly a magical nite. Every musician brought their "A" game and the crowd was really into it. The event went so smoothly too, and that's thanks to Mike "Bones" Allen, the brains behind the operation. Great job, Bones and congratulations a very successful event. Looking forward to next year!

I'm posting some pics from the concert below as well as a video of Ben Maney ripping a 4+ minute keyboard solo. Simply amazing! He is officially the BlogOzphere's first "Badass of the Month."
If you guys ever get a chance to, go see Ben Maney and all of the other phenomenal musicians below. They donated their talents for this event free of charge and we're so glad they did!

This was one of the silent auction items. Pretty sweet!

This was a Yuengling beer chest donated for the silent auction. I won't lie, i really wanted this!

Davis Mitchell started the nite of music. Good start!

Quartjar kept it going!

Frank Graffeo, Executive Director for the Joy of Music school made an appearance and spoke about the school.

Matt Woods played an acoustic set and also designed the Wolfe Jam poster. A man of many talents!

Pictures of Rick "Biggie" Wolfe. Without him, Wolfe Jam would not exist!

The Bearded played an inspired set!

Ran into these friends out partying bachelorette-style for Nicole Freels. Love those wigs!

Laith Keilany with Jack Renfro and the Apocalypso Quartet

Mike Crawley and the Macdadies kicking @ss!

The official concert poster was auctioned off for $150!

Below is a video of bad@ss Ben Maney givin' it he!! on the keys. The quality of this video doesn't do the man justice. He is truly one of the best musicians Knoxville has to offer and there are some really, REALLY good musicians in Knoxville. Hope you enjoy the video!

Wolfe Jam and the Joy of Music

2011-03-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

If you don't already have plans tonite and you're in Knoxville, you should check out Wolfe Jam. Wolfe Jam is named for Rick "Biggie" Wolfe who was a staple of the Knoxville music scene for 35 years. It was Rick's desire that this concert continue on in his memory and it benefit a deserving charity. Joy of Music is definitely that. The details below are taken from the Wolfe Jam website:

"Wolfe Jam 2011 will be held at Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria on March 12, 2011 beginning at 9:00 p.m. The cover for this year's event will be $5.00, and all ages are welcome.

In addition to lots of great music, there will be a silent auction from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. with lots of great items up for bid. There will also be handmade jewelry and souvenir items available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds will go to The Joy of Music School. There will be a jam at the end of the evening hosted by the MacDaddies. Stay tuned for information about additional neat stuff!"

Again if you don't already have plans for tonite you should come out!

Lastly, i am posting an interview with Dani Johnson, the lady from Secret Millionaire who appeared on Good Morning America. She had a lot of good things to say about the Joy of Music!

50 inch vertical leap?!

2011-03-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

I saw this story on Yahoo! news about this kid who wants to compete in the NCAA dunk contest taking place during Final Four weekend. The only issue is that he plays for a Division III school which aren't typically allowed to participate. So he did the logical thing in this day and age and made a youtube video of him showing off his abilities and wouldn't know, it's gone viral!

And for good reason. Check out this video folks. It's one of the most impressive displays i've ever seen... on any level! If you think the NCAA should make an exception, spread the word!

Thinking about starting your own business...

2011-03-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

You're not alone. I found this article on usatoday.com, my preferred news source. It seems that people are more motivated than ever to work for themselves myself included. :-)) If you're thinking about starting a business, i might be able to help. I am in the midst of starting a business myself. We may be able to help each other!

Click on the link below to get to the article. Maybe it will provide the inspiration/motivation you're looking for!

Recession inspires people to start own businesses

Secret Millionaire Featuring the JoM

2011-03-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure and honor of volunteering at the Joy of Music school for the past 7.5 years. The school has come a long way since then! Such a long way in fact that it will be on primetime tonite on ABC's debut of the Secret Millionaire.

I can't begin to tell you all how exciting it is that this is happening. The JoM has been providing free music lessons for disadvantaged kids for over 10 years now and it is truly remarkable what a difference it makes in the lives of these kids. To be featured on a major network's debut show is nothing short of amazing, awesome and just downright cool.

Check out the show tonite if you have a chance. Again, it is airing on ABC and will start at 7pm EST. Tune in!

Tip of the Day

2011-03-06T13:23:00.000-08:00

Fear is a natural demotivator. Recognition of this law of nature is the first step in combating it. So today's tip is don't let the fear of making a mistake keep you from striving for your life's ambitions.

Lord knows i've made my fair share of mistakes. The key is to learn from them and don't dwell on them. Easier said than done i know especially for those seemingly colossal mistakes we have each made at some point in our lives. I truly believe that if you don't let your own human flaws consume you, you will be better for it... and so will the world!

**Here's a bonus tip. I've heard it said many times and most recently by my good friend, Becki McGaha that wisdom is having the ability to learn from the mistakes of others. Yup, that's right. You can actually glean lessons without having to endure the challenges of making the same mistake. Now isn't that just ideal!

Lastly, i'm posting some pics below from the last 12-24 hours. I thought these were good pics, but wasn't sure when i'd be able to use them so here they are. Check out the captions for more details and thanks for reading!

In my post about my trip to Chicago, i talked about the heart showing up in random places. I found one of those random places in the OC in Knoxville last nite. It was too appropriate to pass up!

I hung out today with my good friends Chris Karb and Kristen Fisher Karb with their 6.5 month old daughter Evelyn. She is as adorable as it gets!

Hottie of the Week!

2011-03-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

His name is James Dawson Martin, he's a personal trainer in Los Angeles and he is gorgeous! Hmmm, i'm seeing a trip to the west coast in my future! Ayappa, i hope you're ready!:-))

Anyhow, i thought this video was really well done and actually enjoy the song choice. Maybe this video will turn me into a Linkin' Park fan? Probably not, but it is a good song nonetheless.

All right enuf with the intro. I hope you can appreciate this work of art!

Oh, almost forgot. If you'd like to submit a recommendation for "Hottie of the Week" consideration, please shoot me an e-mail to oslo.cole@gmail.com including the name and a pic or video. And yes, you can submit yourself for consideration. I make NO guarantees though. ;-)

Mr. Martin, take it away!

Space Capone and Lord T Eloise Bring IT!

2011-03-05T15:56:00.000-08:00

Hey folks! Hope y'all are having a good weekend so far. I definitely am! I started the nite at the One Eighty Ragazine launch party at Ironwood Studios with good friend, Becki McGaha. We had a great time talking, partaking in the shrimp boil and drinking Bud Lights. The weekend was off to a good start!

Afterward we parted ways and i headed to Trevor Cox's for a pre-game for the Lord T and Eloise show. Stayed there long enough to have a Yuengling and headed to the Ciderhouse for the show.

Show Poster

DJ 4Matiks started off the party there and did a commendable job firing people up for the nite. After a short break, Space Capone came on and let me tell you folks, these guys were awesome! They are out of Nashville and have a great funk groove going on. I was very impressed with their show and presentation and i wasn't the only one. There was this one kid there who was dancing his @ss off listening to these guys. It was almost as much fun watching this kid dance as it was watching the band.

Space Capone

Dancing Kid

The Wolfe and Michael Johnson drinkin' beers

Space Capone stopped around 12:15 and after a 10-15 minute break, Lord T and Eloise came on stage and let me tell you, Ciderhouse was packed and rockin'! If you don't know anything about these guys, you're definitely missing out. They are a hip-hop/rap act out of Memphis and boy do they bring it each and every time i see them. There lyrics are hysterical and their stage presentation is nothing short of comedic genius. And let me tell you, they know how to take a party to the next level. They are definitely worth seeing next time they're playing a city near you. They will rock your world!

Me!

Lord T and Eloise

Ladies on stage

Chris Bell rockin' the Run DMC look

Last nite was especially fun because a lot of friends were there including some i hadn't seen in a while like Kristen Fisher Karb and Katy McCall. Nites like last nite are always more fun when you can enjoy them with old friends. :-))

Tonite i'll be jamming with some other friends and generally just hanging out and recovering. I do have some good news though. A buddy of mine, John Weidekamp came by this morning to fix my scooter. Although it isn't fully functioning just yet, it is only a matter of time before the Wild Fire rides again!

Holla!

***Bonus Footage- I'm posting my video from the end the night last. Please forgive the flub when i accidently called the band Space Capone Cowboy Capone. The name of the band is definitely Space Capone! And also please forgive the poor lighting. Anyways, here's the video.

February in the Rearview Mirror

2011-03-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

Klein's buddy, Sean stoking the fire

Last month was quite an eventful one for the Oz. First of all, i decided that i was going to start my own business called Orange State (check out the page "Orange State Services" to find out more about it), but that's not the only thing that happened. Of course there was a trip to Chicago which i blogged about last nite, but i also had a chance to head down to Atlanta to celebrate my buddy Steve Klein's 30th birthday. That was a good trip marked by excessive amounts of whiskey and a bonfire. We coined the band name "Whiskey Piss" only to find out that the name had already been taken by a band out of Cali. Still got a good laugh out of it!

I also got to dress up like Abraham Lincoln on his birthday which was site to see! The same nite i saw 2 good musical acts. The first was Band of Humans playing at Pres Pub that nite. A very good band and worth checking out next time there in Knoxville or in a town near you. I was also pleased by the new SpeakEasy on the 2nd floor of the Pres. Pub. A nice addition to be sure and a non-smoking one at that!

Abe Lincoln, here? I said a Blinkin'!

Ello guv'nah!

I also got to check out Paper Tiger at Cider House. Their music is a unique mix of trance sounds and vocals that remind me of those of Gwen Stefani. A really cool sound especially for those looking for some good chill music for relaxed days at home.

Club Voodoo

Club Voodoo too

I also got to sneak over to the Valarium for Voodoo nite which was my first experience with that. They had some great techno house music going on and it was just a really groovin' vibe. This is truly one of the best parties in the city of Knoxville!

Slow Motion Centerfold

Later in the month i checked out a band from Nashville called Slow Motion Centerfold once again at Pres Pub. A buddy of mine named Rollin had been trying to get me to listen to them for a while so i thought this was a perfect opportunity to see what they were about. They have a good sound, but they had to hold back a bit due to playing upstairs and playing earlier in the evening. I look forward to seeing them again fully unleashed.

Sapphire DJ-- Does anyone know his name?

Later that nite, i went to Sapphire for a few beers and got to groovin' to their house DJ who does a really good job of keeping the party going. Does a

nyone know his name?

I also bought a really nice dining room table after my last one got repossessed... not really. I just like to tell people that because they actually believe me for a second. This new table really ties the the room together, wouldn't you agree?

It really does tie the room together!

Okay, i think that gets us fully caught up for now. I'm going to try and not get so far behind next time with my blogging but i've been extremely busy as you might imagine getting my business up and running. Once things start rolling i'll be able to devote more of my time to the BlogOzphere.

Lastly, i would like to congratulate the Green Bay Packers on their Superbowl victory. What a great game! My hat's off to both teams for one of the best Superbowl games in recent memory. If only the half-time show were up to par!

Chicago-- The Big City with a Big Heart

2011-03-04T01:26:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to get out of town for a few days to Chicago last weekend and it was marvelous! I spent 3 days and 3 nites in the Windy City and it was everything i was hoping it would be and then some. I'm going to try and recreate the experience as best i can, but it will be very difficult for me to convey how truly magnificent the experience was. I will do my best!

Nite 1-- The Arrival

Hussey and i drove into Nashville to catch a flight on Southwest. We were bound and determined not to miss this plane. We did that a couple of years ago on a trip to San Diego. Good story if you ever want to hear it. Anyway, made it in enough time to each have a beer and a half in the Airport O'Charley's.

We get into Midway (1 of 2 Chicago airports) and get picked up by our buddy, Benny. We get to his place and are greeted by Benny's fiancee, Arianne, who we were meeting for the first time. We were joined by Arianne's cousin and his girlfriend.

Arianne is a trained chef and treated us to a fabulous dinner of braised ribs and blue cheese mashed potatoes. Seriously good stuff! Hussey and i had stopped off at White Castle on the way into Nashville because we were both starving, and tried not to fill up, but we did because like i said, we were starving! I still managed to eat every bit of the meal Arianne made because it was that d@mn good!

Dessert from nite 1

We spent the rest of the night eating sage ice cream, drinking beer and enjoying an over abundance of laughter and good conversation. A great start to the weekend!

Day 1-- Aorta Transformata

We woke up that morning and Arianne whipped us up a delicious breakfast of corn casserole and eggs. She spoiled us! Because Benny had to work, Arianne served as our guide for the day. So cool! She made us feel at home and was truly a wonderful hostess!

She took us to her art exhibit on display at her church called Unity Church, housed in what used to be a country club. The art exhibit was called Aorta Transformata and it was absolutely incredible! Not only is this girl a phenomenal chef, she is also a phenomenal artist.

The exhibit is a depiction of the phases the heart goes through as it deals with heartbreak and the metamorphasis that takes place as it heals. I took a few pictures below, but this is something you'll want to experience for yourself. Check out her website for a virtual tour and if you're in Chicago anytime in the next month or two you should check it out in person. You will not be disappointed.

Aorta Transformata

Aorta Transformata-- Heart Under Construction

Arianne and Hussey

After the exhibit we went to one of Arianne and Benny's favorite restaurants called Uncommon Grounds. We had a great conversation about the exhibit and about love and happiness and we were served by this really cute waiter. It was a good afternoon!

Nite 2-- Frittes and a Taste of Home

We picked Benny up from work in downtown Chicago, our only venture downtown the entire trip. On the way there, Arianne drove us through an area of the city called Boy's Town, an all gay district. I thought that was pretty cool and made me like the city even more.

We drove back to B&A's condo and then dashed over to a fitness club for Benny's tennis match which he and his partner won 6-1 6-4 while Hussey and i drank Sierra Nevada's. We head to another favorite spot of B&A's called Hop Leaf for a couple of beers and crap ton of Frittes!

Carol's

Me, Hussey and Benny at Carol's

After Hop Leaf we walked a couple of blocks to a bar called Carol's. This place was random to say the least, but oddly familiar. There was a southern rock/country cover band playing and a bunch of what looked to be drunk @ss college kids. Yup, it was like being back in Knoxville! We thought it strange that a place like that would be nestled in Uptown Chicago, but just proved that Chicago is as diverse as it gets. We stayed there for the rest of the nite!

Day 2-- Postcards and Pizza

Brisquet and Frittes

We woke up pretty late after being up drinking until about 4am (5am EST!) last nite. Hussey whipped up some leftover brisquet and frittes for breakfast which was delicious! After breakfast and showers, Hussey, Benny and i headed down to Loyola University campus (yeah, i had no idea that was Chicago either) and checked out another exhibit called Post Secret-- Confessions on Life, Death and God. It was remarkable to say the least. I've posted some pics of this as well, but this is another exhibit worth experiencing for yourself.

Post Secrets

We then drove to Lou Malnati's for some authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza. Absolutely fanf*ckingtastic!

We met up there with a friend of Hussey's from UT and his girlfriend and between the 5 of us ate up a large pepperoni and sausage pie and a spinach loaf. Sooooo good!

Afterwards we headed back to B&A's and caught a good bit of an episode of "Wipe Out" before leaving to go to Benny and Arianne's engagement party at Arianne's parent's about an hour outside of Chicago. There we munched on some finger foods, drank beer and wine and played games like "How Well Do You Know the Bride and Groom?" We got back to B&A's around 2am and we were all spent. We all crashed immediately.

Lou Malnati's

Hussey's friend and girlfriend

Day 3-- Time Flies
We were up around 10:30 or 11 and watched the rest of the episode of "Wipe Out" from the day before while Arianne got ready for church. We said our good byes to her because we weren't sure if we'd see her again before we left. We sat down to watch an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (one of my favorite shows of all times!) while we each showered and got ready for brunch. We finished getting ready and the episode of MST3K and drove out to Uncommon Ground.

We each grabbed a breakfast beverage (Hussey a Bloody Mary, Benny a hot chocolate espresso and me a Mimosa) and waited for our table. The cute waiter from earlier that weekend was working behind the bar. We made eye-contact as he handed us each our drinks. I swear there was something there, but talked myself out of exploring it further. A little late in the game to be trying for a love connection. Perhaps next time... if there is one!

We got seated and shared some delicious chorizo nachos while we finished our breakfast bevs. I then had some sausage and bacon pancakes while Benny and Hussey each had the eggs benedict. A great brunch to say the least.

While i was feasting on my pancakes and eggs over easy i realized that i had not gotten a picture of Benny and Arianne together. I was really bummed about it and shared that with Benny and Hussey. I was sitting there trying to figure out how i was going to get a picture of the two of them together for this post thinking to myself what a dumb@ss i was for not thinking about this sooner. I had pretty much come to terms with my stupidity when Arianne walked in fresh from church. It was a beautiful moment!

Benny and Arianne

Group Shot

We finished our brunch, took some pictures and said our good byes to Arianne this time for real. We hopped in Benny's car and then off we went to the airport driving through Downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan on our way.

We got to Midway, said our good byes to Benny and checked in. We flew out of Chicago at 4:45 CST worn out from a whirlwind weekend, but very satisfied with the experience.

--
There were two overriding themes that were present during this trip. The first was the idea of returning to winter. When we left Nashville on Thursday night, it was in the 60s. When we landed in Chicago it was around 30 degrees and threatening to snow. It did end up snowing Friday night and pretty much all day Saturday. It was such a contrast from where we came from, but ended up adding another layer of depth to our trip. It was a pretty cool effect!

The second overriding theme was the imagery of the heart. Between Arianne's exhibit and random spottings, it was a heart-filled weekend. As i'm typing this listening to "Heart's a Mess" by Gotye i can't help but wonder if my heart belongs somewhere else. Perhaps in Chicago?

Whatever the case maybe, i had an awesome time and want to thank our host Benny and hostess, Arianne (aka Goddess) for showing us Chicago in such a unique way. They really did show us the heart of the Windy City!

Benny's tennis partner, Mark and friend Jeffrey

Arianne's cousin Jeff... One of the funniest people i've ever met!

Winter 2.0

Not sure what's going here, but thought it was picture worthy

Sear's Tower at night

Plane ride home

My First Music Video!

2011-03-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Okay so it's nothing real special. I was just foolin' around with a little ditty and decided to record it and post it to youtube and my blog. This is pretty raw, but has a lot of potential. What do you think?

My First Webcam!

2011-03-01T22:52:00.000-08:00

Technology is a wonderful thing! I am just getting to use my web cam for the first time and it's pretty cool. I recorded the following video yesterday and thought i would share it with y'all. I think video conveys in ways that other mediums cannot so i will be incorporating more webcams into the blog. As i state in the video, this won't be the only format, but one of several.

In other news, i will be posting about my trip to Chicago this past weekend shortly and it will also contain some video footage taken with my Envy Touch camera phone. Should have that post up in the next couple of days.

Anyhow, here's my first video.

Bonnaroo!

2011-02-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

I ordered my ticket today to attend the tenth annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival aka Bonnaroo X! I chose to do the payment plan to make it easier. If you aren't familiar with the payment plan, i highly recommend you check it out if you're thinking about going, but are a little short on funds. Click this link to find out more about it.

I went to the very first Bonnaroo (and 4 others) and just couldn't pass up the chance to go to the 10th Anniversary. I'm really pumped to see Widespread, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket and Iron and Wine, but the line up so far is spectacular. Can't wait to see who else gets added.

If you're thinking about going, give it your full consideration because this year's Bonnaroo will be one to remember!

Breakfast Revisited

2011-02-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

So i didn't want y'all to think i eat eggs and bacon everyday for breakfast so i'm posting this morning's breakfast to show the variety in my diet. To me, the key to life IS variety! So here's the menu for this morning:

1 Bowl of Fiber One Raisin Brand Clusters w/ blueberries on top

1 Banana

1 8 oz glass of Simply Orange Orange Juice w/ Vitamin D, Calcium and NO pulp

I tried blueberries on top of my cereal for the first time and i must say it was magical! Thanks for reading. Again, feel free to comment!

Tommy Emmanuel

2011-02-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

If you've not heard of this gentleman then i'm glad you're reading this post. Tommy Emmanuel is one the most spectacular musicians on the planet. There are a lot of great guitar players out there (myself not included, but i try which is all that matters?), but Emmanuel is in a league of his own. Check out this video and see for yourself. You can thank me later. :-))

This Morning's Breakfast

2011-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Not that you care that much what i eat for breakfast, but here's what was on the menu just in case:

2 Jumbo Eggs scrambled w/ Kroger brand Mexican style 4 cheese blend
3 Strips of Kroger brand hardwood smoked bacon
4 Sister Schubert's rolls
~1/4 cup mixed berries
1 8 oz glass of V-8 Splash Berry Blend

Not pictured: Tabasco sauce... for the eggs, of course. Without it, eggs would be barely recognizable. :-)) What'd you eat for breakfast this morning? Feel free to leave a reply if you have a sec.

Thanks!

How Creditworthy is the United States of America?

2011-02-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

According to the web's top investment resource Investopedia, the US would have a credit score (also known as a FICO score) of approximately 650 (range 620-720; the highest score you can get is an 850) if it were scored the same way individuals are scored. That's about average. How you feel about the US having average credit i guess depends on where you stand politically and comparatively speaking. ;-)

If you want to read the entire article as published by Investopedia, click here.

Bill O'Reilly's Interview with President Obama

2011-02-07T22:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, please hold your boos and hisses. I'm not a Bill O'Reilly fan or viewer either. In fact i very rarely turn on Fox News at all (i'm more of an MSNBC man as if you couldn't already tell:-)). That being said, this interview i thought was absolutely on point. It is as good as the Black Eyed Peas half-time show was bad... and that's sayin' somethin'!

Anyhow, you can judge for yourself by following the link below. Hope you find it as pleasant and thoughtful as i did... but i'm biased.

O'Reilly/Obama

Matthew Santos- Daughter of the Sun

2011-02-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

Nuke It!

2011-02-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you're like me and you use the microwave from time to time to make meals (okay a lot of times), you might find it especially easy to overcook something using this modern wonder of a kitchen appliance. Here's a tip: don't nuke everything at the highest power of the microwave. If you have the capability to adjust the power setting (10 usually being the highest and 1 the lowest), i highly recommend it. Obviously some things can and should be nuked on the highest power (water for tea par example), but not everything needs to be. Here's a good rule of thumb. If you're microwaving leftovers, you should probably adjust the power setting down.

Hope this helps you increase the enjoyment of your microwave meal. Happy nuking!

2011-02-06T10:24:00.001-08:00

So you want to be a PhD?

2011-02-06T01:09:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, this isn't meant to discourage you if you have a desire to become a clinical pyschologist or get your PhD in any other field for that matter. I'm simply posting this because a buddy of mine sent it to me and i thought it was hysterical in that sorta funny but you don't know why kinda way (or maybe i do know why?). But perhaps this vid does raise interesting questions about our goals, what motivates us, seeking the counsel of others and doing some hardcore research about important life choices.

If you find something on youtube or anywhere on the web for that matter, worthy of attention or being highlighted on this blog, please send it to me via e-mail at oslo.cole@gmail.com or send me a message on Facebook. Enjoy!

Carfax

2011-02-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

If you're in the market for a new "used" car, might i strongly recommend getting the Carfax on the car you're wanting to purchase. The report provides valuable information regarding the car's history that can save you from buying a POS. Also, any reputable car dealership will have the information readily available for you. If they don't, you can pull the info. yourself by getting the car's VIN. Just know though that the dealership is probably trying to hide something if they don't provide the Carfax to you free of charge.

Everything In Its Right Place

2011-02-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

I often find wisdom in the strangest places, but have found that music is one of the most consistent locations. I have a buddy who is constantly losing his wallet. Thus this bit of wisdom from the Radiohead track "Everything In Its Right Place" off the Kid A album (A phenomenal album BTW). It is much more difficult to lose things if you put them

back where they belong. That is, identify the place where your things should belong (ie keys, wallet, remote control, etc.) and put them back in the same place every time, no exceptions. This rule applies especially to your home, but can apply in other places as well.

If you're one of those people who is always misplacing important items such as the items listed above, this rule should help solve that problem. I know it seems like a common sense approach to living, but you'd be surprised at how many folks out there don't follow this simple rule. Are you one of them? If so, let Radiohead be your guide!

Being Human

2011-02-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

The Sci-fi channel (their new handle is spelled Syfy) is notorious for putting on wonderfully horrible b-movies and garbage that only the MST3K fandom would find entertaining, but from time to time they put something on that's worth watching. The new series Being Human is one of them. This series
chronicles the lives of 3 other beings (a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost) attempting to lead "normal" human lives. It is well-written and the acting is superb. Even if you're not into the whole teeny-bopper eternal struggle between Edward and Jacob, you would probably find this show more than enjoyable. The show is written and produced for a sophisticated and discriminating adult audience. It is definitely worth checking out.

Oh and one more thing. Sam Witwer (pictured below) plays Aidan, the vampire. Some of you may remember him as Davis Bloom (aka Doomsday) on the hit series "Smallville" (another personal favorite). He is smokin' hot not to mention a fantastic actor.

Song of the Week...

2011-01-31T20:25:00.000-08:00

Wonders of the Solar System

2011-01-31T18:29:00.000-08:00

The Science Channel has been airing a series called "The Wonders of the Solar System" with Brian Cox. This guy is incredible and does a great job of explaining really complex stuff. Check out the link for a preview. Wonders of the Solar System Also, be sure to check out the daily image from NASA posted on the left side of this page.

I'm back, baby!

2011-01-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

I am reviving the blogspot page for the new world. I hope y'all are ready!

More on the health care discussion...

2009-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

As promised, i am posting below some ideas sent to me by one of my most truly conservative friends who also happens to be...
in the healthcare industry. I always appreciate my conversations with this individual as he is very thoughtful and respectful in our political discussions.
That's hard to find regardless of party affiliation.

He would like to remain anonymous at this point and i will respect his desire. Again, some of his ideas are very provocative and i don't necessarily agree with all of them, but they should be considered and debated. If nothing else, it's good to hear real ideas coming from the other side of the political spectrum instead of lies and negativity.

Also, please make sure to read my first healthcare post from last week just below this one. It's good! Thanks again as always for reading, y'all and God speed.

oslo

Start of anonymous friend's memo:

Sorry for the delay in getting this to you. It’s not the perfect organization, but it lays out most of what we discussed via phone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Health Insurance Reform
a. Create National Marketplace, not state licensed.
1. Blue Cross has 60% Market Share in TN, 80% in AL – How is that competitive?
2. Auto Accidents are expensive (Property Damage $10k-$20k+, Medical Bills, $5k-$25k+, Pain & Suffering,etc. Where is the national Auto Insurance crisis?
3. Premiums based on individual factors, not “group” buys (like employer based). Auto insurance is individual and vehicle specific. Why should 30 year old, non smoking, marathon runner pay the same as 50 year old, 400 pound chain smoker?
b. No ban on Pre-Existing conditions. Create pool that payors contribute to for Pre-Existing Conditions like banks do with FDIC insurance. Make federal proceeds available to supplement and support this population.
c. Set retention limits (i.e. 80% of every dollar collected must be paid in care). Insurers must control overhead to make a profit from the 20% they retain. Blue Cross is “non-profit” and has approximately 3.5 times the legal requirement for reserves (1+ Billion $). Shouldn’t those extra funds go back to members as premium refunds AND/OR be sent to providers for care?

2. Tort Reform
d. Malpractice suit damage estimates range from $60B to $200B annually. Do Trial Lawyers really deserve 1/3 of that?
e. Insurance premiums can cost Physicians 6 figures annually. Those costs are passed on to patients/payors as part of doing business.
f. How many unnecessary diagnostic tests (that patients and payors pay for) are done as CYA for potential litigation?

3. Portability of Health Insurance (Decoupling from Employment)
g. If you make $50k in Salary and your employer pays $10k for Health Insurance, pass laws to keep compensation whole (make Salaries $60k and employee buys own insurance).
h. Give tax breaks to individuals/families of $1.25 dollars for every $1 spent on health insurance
i. Make tax penalties of $1.5 dollars for every $1 not spent on health insurance that should have been (therefore not illegal to not have, but not smart financially)

4. Raise Medicare Age Limit
j. Age 65 established in 1960s when average life expectancy was less than 65. Eligibility age should be indexed to national life expectancy rates (currently 75+)

5. Government Oversight and Regulation
k. Government should be a referee in the game, not a referee AND a player.

Allow me to chime in...

2009-08-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here is an op-ed written by my very close friend Alexis Williams's dad, Don Williams. I have posted one of his op-eds before and really like his writings. Regardless of which side you agree with on the health care debate, it's hard to argue with several of the points he makes. Please feel free to comment or copy and paste this into an e-mail to send out.

I also have a good friend who works in the health care industry who has some very provocative health care alternatives to consider in this debate. I will get them up on the blog in the next few days.

Before i post Don's piece, i want to share one quote with you all to ponder as you go about your days and hear more about the health care debate than you probably want to. It is a quote from Edmund Burke. If you don't know who he is, he is worth researching. Here's the quote:

"But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint."

Thanks for reading and God speed, everyone!

oslo

On 'death panels,' 'socialized medicine' and other red herrings
by Don Williams
Ain't it a shame our so-called liberal media is obsessed with "death panels" of fevered imaginations rather than death panels that exist in the real world, notably in our present health-care system?

Such "death panels" are comprised of CEOs, accountants and actuarial analysts at those insurance companies that--sight unseen--deny benefits to people most desperate for help. Such panels trot out an amazing array of phony reasons to deny or sandbag claims, according to patients, insurance executives, physicians and others who testified before Congress recently. Several outlined how some companies entrap insurance applicants into providing false information on confusing forms just so they can later deny benefits based on "false information." Others reported how "pre-existing conditions" and delayed treatments resulted in denial of life-saving treatments by some companies. Not all, but some.

Yet, while real people are suffering and dying, talking heads spend hours covering antics of those profiting from such misery. As an industry insider emailed, "You and I know the 'liberal media' has more to gain by showing the hot emotional shouting by ignorant peasants willing, once again, to fight the battles of the rich and powerful rather than broadcast intelligent discussions."

Here's an intelligent discussion worth having. Why is it the World Health Organization ranks the U.S. healthcare system 37th in the world, based on several standards and that 42 countries have longer life-expectancy, according to the Washington Post, most of them with "socialized medicine" or at least a "public option."

And here's one. With all the talk going down about "socialized medicine," shouldn't we acknowledge that all insurance programs are based on "socialist" or "collectivist" ideas, with their emphasis on shared risks and costs? The difference between corporate collectivism and public collectivism is that private insurance corporations, like all corporations, are in business to provide ever-increasing profits to shareholders, directors and CEOs, some of whom bring home salaries and bonuses in the hundreds of millions?

This is a built-in motivation to short-change the paying customer, to cheat, lie and steal from those who need help the most. These are the true death panels that media mostly ignore. Teddy Roosevelt knew that tyranny and serfdom exist as a result of unbridled power. That's why he sought a balance, by busting monopolies and setting aside parks (a "public option" for entertainment and preservation you could say). The practice of CEOs stacking one another's boards to create artificial wealth, fix prices, dampen true competition, vote each other exorbitant salaries and hire lobbyists to help create oligopolies is a way around trust-busting and private competition, but I digress. To get back to the subject at hand, just ponder that number... 42nd.

We rank 42nd. No amount of dogma or rhetoric should make that a comfortable number for a country that prides itself on being #1 in everything from athletics to space travel. Nor should we be comfortable with spending 15 percent or some such of our gnp on healthcare administration. That's a crime, especially when some 45 million have no healthcare coverage. You see them lineup, many laughing or crying, when free healthcare clinics come to town and set up for the weekend.

Yet still you hear, "No socialized medicine," even from Medicare recipients, as well as from those who embrace public interstates, schools, public energy options, entertainment, military, fire prevention, cops, media, utilities, social security, the G.I. Bill and much else. Why not a public health option? Viewing the world as a laboratory, experiments in dozens of nations have shown that a single-payer system is more rational and provides the truest freedom and equality in a mixed economy. We won't get there soon, but a public option should be part of the mix at least. Think of the true freedom that could emerge, the human potential unleashed in energy, ambition and talent if we freed people from enslavement to ill-suited jobs they often hate but don't dare leave--for fear of their lives and lives of loved ones--due to an irrational and antiquated employer-based system of healthcare.

Too bad we can't have civil discussions-absent guns, yelling and pushing-when it comes to an increasingly expensive and exploitative system that most of us are going to fall prey to at some point in our lives. I suspect most of us already have. How often do you find yourself filing claim after claim for, say, dental reimbursements, and following up with phone calls due to sandbagging on the company's part? How often do premiums rise? You know you're one of the lucky ones. It's a shame our so-called "liberal media" refuse to take cameras inside emergency rooms to show how the poor are receiving expensive and belated "healthcare" and just who's paying for it.

Finally, ain't it a shame that we seldom hear on Fox, CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS about the millions of dollars quietly ponied up in "campaign contributions" from the medical and insurance establishments to congressmen and lobbyists feverishly drumming up opposition to meaningful reform in order to cover their bought and paid-for backsides?

Don Williams is a prize-winning columnist, short story writer and the founding editor and publisher of New Millennium Writings, an annual anthology of literary stories, essays and poems. His awards include a National Endowment for the Humanities Michigan Journalism Fellowship, a Golden Presscard Award and the Malcolm Law Journalism Prize. He is finishing a novel, "Oracle of the Orchid Lounge," set in his native Tennessee. His book of selected journalism, "Heroes, Sheroes and Zeroes, the Best Writings About People" by Don Williams, is due a second printing. For more information, email him at donwilliams7@charter.net. Or visit the NMW website at www.NewMillenniumWritings.com.

http://www.mach2.com/williams/

A year later...

2009-07-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a full year since i first made the public announcement about my sexuality. It's hard to believe! So you might be wondering what's changed. I was talking to a friend about that very question earlier today and it's funny to me how little has... at least in my microcosm that is. A lot has changed in the grand scheme of things, but as for me, i'm still single w/ no real prospects; i still work for the same company and still have the same friends. I guess that's good, right?

Maybe so, but i'm not so sure. Part of me would like to be telling a thrilling story of triumph and disaster. Some sort of harrowing tale about how i've over come adversity and been able to defy the odds. Unfortunately it's been pretty d@mn boring.

That being said, i do feel like i've changed in a lot of intangible ways. My mentality is different. I'm a lot more at ease with myself and a lot less annoyed by the stupid sh!t other people do. I also am not making the mistake of falling head over heals for someone who isn't interested or who just doesn't get it. Overall, i'm pretty satisfied with my situation.

Obviously there's always room for improvement and i'm working on that everyday. I hope you are, too.

Thanks for reading and thanks to all of my friends for being so supportive of me and my decisions. You all have been the best friends a guy could ask for! Now it's time for a celebration b!tches! Not really. Just gonna have a couple of brews. I have to work in the morning!

God speed, y'all,

oSLo

Did someone say threesome?

2009-06-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

I was having a tough time deciding between three very intriguing topics for this blog entry and then i thought screw it, i'll just blog about all three. Fortunately for you though, i plan all in short order to save myself and you time... you're welcome!

1st- Dave Matthews Band is back on the radar!

I bought the new DMB album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King and i must say i am quite pleased with it overall. It sounds aggressive and progressive for the band that cut it's teeth playing frat parties and smoke-filled bars and venues. In many ways it doesn't really remind me at all of the DMB i was reared on, but i'm not complaining. There is one key exception though... the lyrics. Dave is singing about weird sh!t again and it's awesome! The only two tracks that disappoint in both lyrically and musically are the last two. They sound like they should be on the more unctuous Everday or Stand Up albums. But i've only listened to the album once though so there is time for those tracks to grow on me. There is also time for the others to sour... but i'm pretty confident that won't happen. If i were rating the album, i'd give it a very solid B and i assure you that isn't a generous rating. I think it's right on the money!

2nd- Can you say vasectomy?!

Did y'all hear about the guy here in Knox County who has fathered at least 21 kids by at least 11 different women?! This is the most ridiculous thing i've heard in a long, LONG time. I know it's probably pretty trendy to bash this guy, but seriously, has the whole world gone crazy?! It gets better though. This guy has a minimum wage job and one of the mothers is only receiving $2 a month in child support. I've said time and time again that nothing surprises me, but this is pushing my limits. A buddy of mine told me this quote and i think it sums up the situation quite nicely: "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy." I'm starting wonder though if i'm the crazy one!

3rd- Cadillac dreams...

Do you remember the days when the Cadillac was the gold standard of the automobile industry? If you owned a Cadillac, no one could tell you nothin' to quote the Kanye West song "Wait til I get my money right." Well apparently GM didn't get it's money right and had to file Chapter 11 last week. Michael Moore says it best:

"It is with sad irony that the company which invented 'planned obsolescence' -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years. GM stubbornly fought environmental and safety regulations. Its executives arrogantly ignored the "inferior" Japanese and German cars, cars which would become the gold standard for automobile buyers. And it was hell-bent on punishing its unionized workforce, lopping off thousands of workers for no good reason other than to 'improve' the short-term bottom line of the corporation. Beginning in the 1980s, when GM was posting record profits, it moved countless jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, thus destroying the lives of tens of thousands of hard-working Americans. The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars? History will record this blunder in the same way it now writes about the French building the Maginot Line or how the Romans cluelessly poisoned their own water system with lethal lead in its pipes.
So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors."

Has the final bell rung for the former heavy-weight champion of the automotive world? Can the Cadillac reclaim it's place as the gold standard for the car industry of the future? Who knows, but one thing is for certain, nothing will ever be the same.

I appreciate your time and attention. Take good care, all of you until next time.

God speed,
-oSLo

Citizen Cope

2009-05-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

If you aren't familiar with Clarence Greenwood aka Citizen Cope or even if you are, i encourage you to take another listen to his music. His best album (in my opinion and by far) is the Clarence Greenwood Recordings.

What makes his music so good? To the musically inclined it sounds simplistic and remedial. To the not so musically inclined, it sounds simplistic and remedial. How does he make it work? The answer is simple. Sincerity. He believes in the music he's making and that translates into great music.

Now don't get me wrong. I think there are plenty of artists out there who are sincere in the music they write and play, but Citizen Cope is special. Why? Because he's able to hone in on the emotional content of his music like a laser and doesn't get distracted by the influences that exist when creating music. A lot of musicians have a tendency to veer off course when writing a song or performing music. It's hard to stay focused. You want to impress people with your grasp of music theory or your mastery of a musical instrument that you forget why you should be making music in the first place. Citizen Cope and others like him don't make this mistake.

I get a little irritated with people who think that music has to be complex to be good. Who made up that rule? It's not the complexity of the music that's important. It is the complexity of emotion being conveyed. Without an emotional connection, you're just making noise.

That being said, i encourage you to listen to Citizen Cope with different ears especially if you're someone who thinks that his music is too "simple" to be good. It doesn't have to be hard, my friends. It just has to be real, it has to be sincere and it has to have meaning. Citizen Cope's Clarence Greenwood Recordings meet all of those requirements.

This is the first in a series of posts i'm planning to do on the topic of music so stay tuned.

Below, you will find an entry from Citizen Cope's Bio page on his website. I think the writer captures a lot of my own personal feeling about Citizen Cope and for those unfamiliar may provide some insight as to why people love his music so much.

Thanks for reading, y'all and as the cliche goes, "keep it real."

oSLo

"Something is great about this one." The phrase buzzed around in my head, mixing with the endorphins that cracked and snapped about their different relays, telling me that I liked this music. This music is good. The beer in your hand is good.* You are loving this, aren't you? Aren't you?

Singer/Song Writer, Citizen Cope recently headlined in Towson's Recher Theatre, a large dimly lit room washed in blood red drapes. Two bars, bouncers at the door who think they're funny, an entrance covered in music posters: enough ambiance to make you dream of owning rooms filled with nothing but silk pillows and feathery boas. Brilliance -- all of it.

His music is simple to the point of being stripped down, as if bearing it all was the only way to get our attention. The Spartan band behind him was made up of a drummer, a bassist, two keyboardists, and Cope on guitar. A mix of hip-hop, folk, and blues his songs are mostly beats - mix bass drum, high hat, snare, clap track and repeat - buffed smooth by a haggard, road-weary voice. Uncommon chords for texture and keyboards for lift.

I was there in the middle of a crowd that hung on Mr. Cope's every word. You have probably been in a situation like this one before. If you have seen a favorite artist live, you know the procedure. Stand elbow to elbow with lovers in varied states of decay - high school to golden years - and you reach clumsily into your bag of lyrics, struggling to throw them out in time with everybody else. Nevertheless, you dance, sway back and forth and put your chin to your chest to feel that beat and buzz in your rib cage. Somebody screams, "You're melting my face!" Artist finishes up a song and you try to guess what's coming next. You are loving this, aren't you?

But even as I enjoyed myself like everyone else, the experience unsettled me. Cope is an intensely powerful lyricist. Without useless contemplation or pretension, you sense a plain type of grief laced in his words. A grief at once deeply personal, but one that managed to untether me from the scene, causing me to think about what I was listening to. His song topics range from a laundry list of tragedy in "Let the Drummer Kick That" to exploration of danger of American jingoism in "Bullet and a Target." One of my favorites, his song "Penitentiary" taps into fears for a culture growing more trapped by fear and war: "Well I'm waiting on a time when people walk free to see/From the penitentiary in our mind/When there's no need to bleed/For your father/Or your son."

One Rolling Stone critic called him "a modern day bluesman who paints a plaintive portrait of the human condition." Another, not-so-friendly critic from music and culture website, SoundtheSirens said: "I'm sure there's some soulful guy with a guitar who can write better songs sitting in some coffee shop somewhere who deserves the exposure more than he does." This may be warranted, I just happen to disagree.

As a balding-twenty-something tapped his toe to the beat of "Sideways" against my heal, I was reminded of a perplexing moment a few months prior. I had created a Citizen Cope "station" on an Internet radio website called Pandora. If you have not used Pandora before, its program takes an artist that you give it and plays the music of similar artists based on style and genre.Normally, Pandora is right on, accurate as anyone could hope for. But the artists that Pandora surrounded Cope with -- Damien Rice, Jack Johnson, Ryan Adams, Howie Day, Beck -- sound nothing like him, perhaps Beck being the closest. I won't say that no one sounds like Citizen Cope -- that cannot be justified. However, one has serious trouble placing him in any sort of context. This frustrates me, because I need musical landmarks, but at the same time I don't want them. All the qualifiers, folk, hip-hop, blues, singer/song writer, suddenly seem vapid -- a lame attempt to conjure context out of thin air.

Good artists can recreate the high people get from good music -- that electricity that makes the crowd sway. After all, that heightened sense, so amazingly replicable across cultures, is what makes music a universal human constant. But the excitement that surrounds great artists -- painters, musicians, writers, and doers alike -- is that you as if you are in the presence of someone who is saying what no else is able to or willing to say. I felt the unsettling electricity in Cope's performance -- the feeling that I could not do this, nor would I ever want to. Who could bear being the only one for long? There's something great about this one.

This line of thinking is flawed. I argue that Citizen Cope is great, but that just makes him great to me. To you he could be anything or nothing. But he got a reaction out of me, a departure from normalcy that left me buzzing afterwards, and it's hard to find words that aren't useless contemplation. Words that avoid shameless worship to someone who does not want to be worshipped. But I knew I was doomed to fail when I started this.

Written by: Joseph Johns
Published February 12, 2008 · The Loyola Grayhound

Happy Cinco!

2009-05-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while, folks. I've been busy out here in the "real world" trying to make moves. It's a poor excuse for ignoring you for so long so my apologies. This isn't even a real post which is the worst of it.

Here's a little history behind the holiday we celebrate alongside our Mexican friends. In light of the recent outbreak of so-called "swine flu," a welcome celebration of Mexican history is definitely in order. Here is the history of this joyous holiday we celebrate on the 5th of May each and every year (Thanks to Jennifer B. for passing along the info.):

Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.

This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.

So now you know.

Happy holidays, folks!

oSLo