Roo-minations

It's that time of year again. Bonnaroo '09 is in full swing, and I couldn't be farther from it. And what a year to miss! I basically have to go 1/4 down the line up to find the first band I wouldn't be pumped about seeing. So what will I do to celebrate the weekend? Well, besides playing a little frisbee under today's perfect Korean sun, I'm going to indulge in some nostalgia. Here, for your viewing pleasure, are some snapshots from my own Bonnaroo ('06) experience. Three years have passed, but the images are no less vivid. In fact, they will probably be seared into my mind for longer than I care to think about. Enjoy your weekends. Hopefully there's room in there for a little good music.

Pleasant Surprise

I've always been aware of Larry King, but I suppose I seemed to think of him as sort of a joke. He was certainly always portrayed as such when I would read about him. From his heap of ex-wives, to the nearly 60 year gap between him and his youngest children - King just seemed somewhat too ridiculous to take seriously. He is a fossil, no doubt about it. But, I don't think he would deny that, and just recently I've come to believe that his antiquity is kind of what makes him awesome. That's right... I think Larry King is awesome.

Why? Because he just might be the last truly classic interviewer of our time. Sure, there are tons of people out there who can conduct a riveting interview, but none - at least in my opinion - do it with the panache of a Larry King. He was schooled in the world radio when radio wasn't a poor man's TV. Radio was IT. Being on radio was the ballgame, and making it meant you had genuine talent as an entertainer. King may look eerily frog-like, but his talent is undeniable. And the stupefying longevity of his career is a testament to that.

Just watch the video above and tell me you don't feel the charm just ooze out of him. The man is probably one of the most gifted story tellers I've ever heard. His are like your grandfather's greatest stories, only he's just beginning. Do yourself a favor and commit 15 min to the video. I would love to know what you think.

... eh hey.

Tell me the resemblance isn't uncanny.

Have a good weekend!

So because all I can think about is this Levon Helm show, I figured I might as well throw out this video before I descend into another weekend. This is actually the last song the fully united band ever played together.

I'm on the list.

In 2002, I discovered The Last Waltz. It changed my life. The Band's music was instantly recognizable, but mystic and somewhat impenetrable at the same time. I would later discover that whatever mystery they had lay in the fact that their musicianship was deceptively brilliant, and more or less unparalleled. My young ears simply couldn't understand what was going on. I couldn't understand how a song like Stage Fright resonated with me, becuase I certainly had never heard anything like it on the radio. I couldn't undrestand how I felt such a connection to a band without a clear leader, because hero worship was something I was very into at the time (see: Eddie Vedder, Jimmy Page, Bob Dylan). The Band's music was instinctively mature - something I was not, but something I needed to become (or at least try).

But, just as the Band's music was steeped in integrity, so too was their decision call it quits. The Last Waltz was the finale. They are one of the few bands that has never fully reformed, despite the obvious payday that would follow. However unfortunate this is for the fans, I think the absence of a reunion has kept their legacy in tact. Nobody will have to watch Robbie lose his speed, and nobody will have to see Garth miss a few notes in Tears of Rage. We're all better off this way. Suffice it to say, I never had dreams of an authentic live Band experience. I was content with the reality that live Band would only exist in my heart, my ears, and my mind. It would never be truly tangible.

Today, only three original members remain - Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, and Levon Helm. There is no way that these men will play together, and even if they did, their sound would be a shadow of what it was while Richard Manuel and Rick Danko were around. However, Band fanatics still have one last opportunity to taste the energy these five men once created - and that lies with Levon.

Several years ago, Helm decided to open his barn studio to the public for a series of intimate concerts. These shows - called Midnight Rambles, after the travelling minstrels Helm saw as a boy in rural Arkansas - propsered, and brought Helm's heavenly gifts back to the fore. The price of admission is not cheap, but again, this is the closest a Band fanatic can get to the real thing, and I think any of us will tell you that there's nary a price we wouldn't pay to have that. Midnight Rambles don't issue tickets. You are immediately added to a list after dropping the bills. I'm proud to say that, as of last night, I am on that list.

September 5th... Woodstock, NY... me... profoundly loving my life.


- Levon.

- the opening of a Midnight Ramble (I'm not sure what's going on with the kids).

Gnawing Passion

Totally forgot to relay this story to you guys. This week at my afterschool class the smartest kid lost at the game we were playing. Another kid was making fun of him for losing, so he bit her forearm. It brke skin and proceeded to bleed all over the game board... which we later threw away. No one wants to play on a blood stained game board. The girl's arm was alright, minus the instant bruising, blood and teeth marks. The smart kid burst into tears right away and then the girl who was crying went over to him and said "don't worry.. it's okay."?!! wtf. My CoT barely reacted or scolded the kid. Maybe it's a common occurance or he has a biting problem. Who knows.

- as told by Jen Lisi.

Answer me!

Three weeks ago I began teaching two evening classes at another school three times a week. These classes certainly make those days very long, but the kids are sweet and very engaged. Though I'm definitely TIRED at the end of these days, it's a real treat to hang out with some of these young'uns.

Ok, rewind three weeks to my first day. I arrived 30 minutes early for a small intro/orientation, and then got put in a classroom with a typed list of questions to ask my new students - who are all in the 4th to 6th grade range. That means none of them have been learning English for more than 3 years - keep that in mind.

These 20 questions were supposed to guage both their listening and speaking ability. I didn't end up using any of them. Here's a smattering of the 20 - I hope they convey the point I'm trying to get across.

Remember, the organizers of these classes prepared the questions in advance, assuming they were level-appropriate. I'm also not paraphrasing. The questions below are directly from the sheet, which I saved for this very opportunity.

1. What is the difference between western culture and Korean culture? (This could be a college essay).
2. What is the biggest stress in your life?
3. What country do you think will become a world super power in the future? Why?
4. Talk about a habit you have tried to break or foster.
5. What do you think is the biggest problem in Korea? Why?
6. What are some bad things about your personality?
7. What kind of food do you usually eat? Do you think the way you eat is healthy?
8. Does your father smoke? What do you think about smoking? (notice there is no hint at a mother being able to smoke...)

I hope this says something to you about the amount of pressure these kids have to learn our language. I give so many of them my utmost respect and admiration, because the truth is I - even as a 23 year old man - could not handle what they do on a daily basis.

p.s. - Hardly any of the beginner students could correctly answer when their birthday is.

Hey remember that... before the recession? Pt. 11

Nu metal.




(note* I was probably guilty of liking the first two tunes at one point. However, I ALWAYS hated Big Truck. That someone would ever decide that "BIG TRUCK!" is a suitable chorus will always be beyond me.)

Times were simple. Life was good.