A Game of Thrones

As I watched the premiere of Game Of Thrones last night, a wave of giddiness washed over me. The first three books of this series were a large part of my high school life. Back then, I read science fiction, horror, and fantasy novels like they were going out of style, two of my favorites being The Song of Ice and Fire, and anything by Stephen King. George R.R. Martin's tale was so brutal, sexual, gritty, and intriguing that I couldn't put those three books down. They were epic. I had never read a fantasy series where main characters were killed without mercy and so suddenly. For that alone, I knew that the series was something special.

And then after reading volume three, GRRM didn't publish one till I was a freshman in college, by which point, I wasn't really that interested in reading fantasy novels. I wanted to continue the story, but could never muster up the energy to crack another 700 page tome. Too much time had passed - even though it was only three years or so since I had so voraciously read volumes one, two, and three. I was boozing in college, reading Hemingway. No fantasy for me.

Since then, I've thought about the series, but still have not read that fourth volume. Why? Two key reasons. First, while the story and the characters are top notch, the prose is a bit clunky. Not to be a snob, but for the most part I like to read literature. A book needs to have a solid literary style for me to really enjoy it. Like most fantasy, the writing style was a tad pedestrian. It made reading another SOIAF novel a bit of a bummer.

Secondly, fuckin' A there's a lot of shit to remember. I wouldn't feel confident starting 4 now. I've forgotten everything! I'd need to read 1-3 again, and that's 2,500 pages or something. A lot to comit to, especially from a guy who laments every unread article in The New Yorker.

But as I watched the first episode of the HBO series, I remembered how good it was. SOIAF is so unique, the characters unlike any other series or novel I've read. Hell, the sex scenes alone used to get me off. And that all came flooding back to me as I watched, remembering things I thought I had forgot, knowing my friends had no idea what they were in store for. Granted, episode one wasn't the best hour of TV I've ever watched, but knowing what we are in store for, I could picture this TV series being very entertaining.

Long story short: I am inspired to read the series again and catch up. Will I? Probably not. I see myself struggling with page one of the prologue in Game of Thrones. But I'm gonna try. The story of Dany and her weird brother across the Narrow Sea really made me itch for the novels. I remembered the way Martin conjured that weird nation and its inhabitants, and I felt it again in the HBO series - which is high praise, I think, comparing the excitement of a good read to a TV program.

So let's see. Maybe I'll read it, maybe I won't. But I'm definitely going to continue watching the series. I just hope that people who haven't read the book will enjoy it as much as I am and feel that I will.

Hell, watch it for the tits!

Spring Music

There's nothing quite like that first day when the weather's really, truly Spring. Spring has sprung, my friends: today is that day. And this weather always goes great with music, especially those tunes that pop and make ya feel great, like storming the ramparts or running around or falling in love.

By chance, I found a jam that I need to share. I was listening to a podcast on All Songs Considered where Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear was playing guest DJ. He chose this song "How You Satisfy Me" and it appears in the dictionary as the definition of "bring in the spring song".


I can't get over that organ. What a hook. And the lyric nails what I really love about a good lyric:

1) Simplicty.
2) Directness.
3) About getting/trying to get love.

So crack upon a brew, drink outside, and watch the skirts. To Spring!

What Makes a Song Great??

I was just thinking about good songs. What makes a good song? What makes a good song great?

The answer: in a nutshell, character. A hot woman may be hot, but a hot woman with character is beautiful. That's the answer. Easy no? You'll still plug in and enjoy that hot woman, but if she has character you'll enjoy the next morning. At least, that's what I think would happen.

And you get it with the great songwriters. So really, it's all about the character of the song writer. Obvious, no? It seems so to me, writing this. I've been listening to some Pete Townshend and some Warren Zevon. Both guys have character. And they make great songs.

Again, as always, it's about people. People are everything in this world, all that there is, and people are the people that make what's worth it in this world worth it.

Two examples, enjoy:

Charlie Sheen

Too long have I been silent about Charlie Sheen.

I've always liked Charlie Sheen. In my junior year of college I watched a lot of Two and a Half Men. Those lazy, uneventful Monday and Tuesdays evenings were perfect to enjoy that funny, if not outrageously original, sitcom. And why was it funny? The fat housekeeper? The cunty mom? Ducky? No. Charlie Sheen is the reason you tuned in, and Charlie Sheen was the reason or part of the reason that so many movies were so damned good. He's a great actor. A great comic actor at that, so you know he's got my respect. Add all of the legendary boozing, drugging and womanizing and you've got my kinda guy. Not that I am like that kinda guy, but those guys are undeniably something else entirely than me and you, and I think everybody deep down inside has a desire to live the life of that kind of person or at least embody a few of his characteristics every now and then.

So duh. Charlie Sheen is a good - maybe great - actor. For the roles he chose to play, he's obviously perfect. Maybe not Olivier, but damned fine and charming and all the rest. I just want everyone to remember that: He's a good actor and that's how everyone knows him, unless you're Emilio or Bree Olsen, etc. No one reading this post knows Charlie Sheen, other than on screen.

And that's where I want to start. Everybody is saying, he's crazy, he's insane, blah blah blah. Maybe so. But we all don't know. When has it become our duty to judge Charlie Sheen? Why does everybody care? He's an entertainer and he's doing a damn fine job of it, isn't he? Let him be, then. If he has troubles, I hope he gets help - but I'm not gonna give it to him! Are you? Is Dr. Drew on TV? No. It needs to come from whoever is able to do it, and only Charlie knows who that is. Maybe it's nobody and in that case someone may have to step up and do what needs to be done to slap some sense into him. But it's not you and it's not me. So as long as he doesn't break the law and endanger people (again) then he is a-okay with me being as manic as he wants to be.

Plus, I think he looks fine. So he's a little crazy. We're talking about a Hollywood star here, people, not Joe Schmo across the street in suburban Columbus, Ohio. Sheen's practically par for the course. Every star is fucking bat shit crazy in some way. By definition, being a star, I think you gotta be abnormal in some way or else you wouldn't be a star. Extreme acting ability -- that's abnormal! Fortunate and cool, but abnormal. Yeah, Charlie can say the most outrageous and strange things - but whatever. Maybe it's all an act. Maybe it's genuine. But is it all that terrifying? Is all that shocking? Let the guy do his thing! Either pay attention and enjoy it, or block it out, move on. Don't complain that Charlie didn't tweet about the tsunamis in Japan first thing in the morning. I didn't tweet about the tsunamis in Japan this morning, why should he (and he later tweeted about it, Sheen, not me)?

I have a soft spot for him. I've always dug his style. It may all come crashing down - some of you might say it already has. But right now, he's WINNING. He has become the biggest sensation in the country. Everyone knows about him. Everybody is saying the things he is saying. They'll have to change the definition of winning in the dictionary. And you might argue, we're laughing at him, not with him. Maybe so. Does it matter? Do you think Charlie gives a flying fuck about you? I don't know, but looking at the guy it seems that he is content having sex with two hot young women, tweeting, doing his thing. Money problems? Everyone has 'em. Sure, he shouldn't have them, but he might - or he might not. What's it matter? Everyone should just enjoy the ride and let Charlie do his thing. Who knows what's really going on or what will happen in the end, but let Charlie be Charlie.

And when Charlie says that he is a rockstar and he willed himself to be sober, you know what? I believe it. He's Charlie Sheen! He's 45, we're not talking about Lohan here. Maybe the dude does have Adonis DNA and tiger blood. Some people are just born to party. Born to booze. Most people are not. But just as some people are good at gardening, some people can do what Charlie does: WIN aka DOING WHAT HE DOES. Whatever it may be, I do believe that some people are wired and built differently than others. Some people can take it. Some people are special. Maybe Charlie is special and maybe he's not. Maybe he'll outlive us all or maybe he'll be dead tomorrow. But right now, Charlie, do your thing. I know that, duh, Charlie is doing his thing, but it feels good for me to say it. Do it up, Charlie. It's better to burn out than to fade away, as Neil said. Is anyone gonna remember Emilio or Jon Cryer? Probably not. But Charlie Sheen? The man will always be a legend, and legends never die.