Chillin' Fragments

It's late and I am chillin' reading my old blog posts....so I am inspired to contribute more to a blog that has no readers. So here's some questions that occasionally pop into my head (or just popped into my head right now).

How do I feel about having zero readership?

Good question, its fine, really. No, really. The last person I told I had a blog, I made it out like it's a secret blog and I don't really want readers, so I can really just be myself.  And I suppose that's kinda true, but I wouldn't mind having a loyal reader or two. I mean, even my wife doesn't read my blog.

What have you been listening to lately?

Chillwave or lo-fi vaporware or lofi hip hop. I dunno, still trying to figure out what it's called...I am putting a sample below....it's good music to grade and get work done. Also, Hollow Coves (not listed, just look em up, bro)





What did you think of the new Weezer album, The Black Album?

It is terrible. I mean, I like "High As A Kite"...that's it. That's even bad for a bad Weezer album.


What's a random dream you have?

I thought of creating a podcast of just interviewing regular people, as if they were someone important. Just talking to regular everyday people. I think it would be called "Everyday People". I bet someone is already doing it.

What are the things that make me feel old?

1. My children 2. My back (its been a bit weird lately) 3. pop-culture references that I can't use in class anymore because I am so old (for example, a "Cheers" reference I knew wouldn't work, but did it anyway.... I just looked right over at my older student in the room and she gave me a knowing look with a smile).


What keeps you excited about work?

It ain't teaching to be honest. This semester has been a rough one, it's been busy and my students have largely sucked. I like teaching particular subjects more than others but the real excitement is planning trips. I have one in May-June this year and hoping to start planning my next faculty-staff  retreat to Northern Ireland next year or the year after. I have further plans after that, going back to Peru for a study abroad and later to Europe for another study abroad....we'll see.


What are you hopes and dreams for your children?

To lead safe, healthy, meaningful and  happy lives. To be where they can just be. I hope so much for them and yet see a world falling apart. I hope their generation steps up, ours has done them no favors. I love them so much, when I think about it, my heart bursts a little.


Are you getting tired of this stupid Q&A format blog?

Yes, thanks for asking, this was a dumb idea

Late Night Fragments

It's been awhile and it's late at night...so here's some fragments.

No, if you were hopeful these would be fragments about the NBC show "Late Night" you will be dissapointed....but since you're here.

Late Night Host Rankings

1. Conan
1a. Dave
2. Seth

Speaking of which, I do recommend Conan's new podcast. Great for listening while doing yard work.

I took my son to see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in December and was blown away. I loved it. It might be my favorite super-hero movie ever. One of the few movies I have ever seen and been visually stunned at how it looks. I suppose I haven't felt that way since Lord of the Rings: Two Towers with Gollum's animation (and before that the OG Jurassic Park). Spider-Verse just captures what comic book would look like brought to life. Also, the script, the characters, etc. loved all of it.

My Favorite Comic Book Movies

1. Spider-Man 2
2. Spider-Verse (may move up, I need to see SM 2 again to really know)
3. Ant-Man (probably too high, but it's cute and made me laugh)
4. Spider-Man 1
5. Captain America 1 (really liked this more than most people)
6. Iron Man 1
7. Guardians of Galaxy (1 & 2 ...why not)?

(I like Spider-Man, in case ya didn't notice)

Also, I have seen a ton of the Marvel movies with some major exceptions...like I think I have only seen the first Avengers movie and I missed Black Panther but whatever. I am super-heroed out. That's why Spider-Verse knocked me off my feet. Marvel movies are fine, they are good but it's like pizza. By itself, once a week, it's amazing....but if you have it every day during the week....it gets a little old.

And since I am on a list-rage...

Pizza Chain Ranking

1. Pizza Hut
2. Papa Murphy 

3. Little Caesar's
4. Domino's 
4. Papa John


I dunno, I don't feel that strongly about any of that...except we have Little Caesar's every Friday and man, some Fridays that makes me sad.



The kids and I just finished up our eight-show run of Willy Wonka a few weeks back. Fragments are forthcoming....but it went great and it was a lot of fun.  There were few nights during our two week run that I woke up at 2 or 3 AM in a nervous half-dream and thought I had forgotten to get on stage. I actually got out of bed and was ready to leave...very bizarre.

The other night I had a strange dream featuring going to the bathroom that was built in a "bounce house" with my son. When we came out Tom Hanks was there and we took a walk with him as he bounced my son's basketball. He ended up accidentally dropping it down a ravine and was like, "don't worry, I'm very wealthy".

I recently had a couple of weird things happen between myself and a friend at work. I can't get into all the details (it's not dramatic) but my friendship isn't the same anymore and I'm not sure it ever will be. Makes me sad but I remain hopeful. We are currently on "ok" terms (I think).  

Work has also be exhausting, I still feel like I am recovering from Wonka and my crazy programming coordination, which has moved up a level this semester with no pay! A little stressed, but what can I do?  I am getting ready to go travel with students around the country and that does make me excited...I am hoping this summer will rejuvenate me and my friendship with my colleague as well.

Spurs made the playoffs again. Yay. Now that the big three were dismantled and they are a non-contender, I thought I would lose interest....but nope...I found them just as interesting as before! I thought I would have more time to read about important things. Oh well, that's sports for ya. I think they have a great shot to beat the Nuggets....but hey, if they don't, oh well.

It's way too late and I gotta go.

Life can be pretty tough sometimes but I am thankful for the life I have. Don't take anything for granted because some days, even having Little Caesar's is pretty good.

Don't forget to take out the trash and early vote.

Ghost of Ghost

It's been twenty years since one of my best friends died in car accident. I wrote about the night I found out here (holy cow - eight years ago).

Twenty freaking years.

It was a lifetime ago and now she's been gone longer than she was alive.


A few months ago I wrote a poem about a very specific memory I have. I would explain it, but I would rather it speak for itself. I don't think it's a very good poem, but it means something to me all the same. Give someone you love a hug today.

Ghost of a Ghost

No one else will know how close we came.

It was so long ago, like some half-forgotten dream, a ghost of a ghost.

I awoke to this memory and felt ashamed, for I hadn't thought of that night in so many years -

when I held you a little and you held me.

We were children then, brother/sister/lovers.

Reaching for something beyond and figuring out how to be.  

Suddenly, the barrier came between us.

Between two worlds  

Forever intertwined

Forever apart

And the only thing left is this lonely memory

That will one day fade away like a ghost of a ghost.  

My Top Ten Post-Pinkerton Weezer Songs

It's been a good long while since I've had a post dedicated to Weezer and of course, my adoring readers demand it, so here ya go.  In this post, I am deep-diving back into Weezer history and selecting my personal top ten "Post-Pinkerton" Weezer songs.

Before we begin, there's a few things to untangle.

What is "Post-Pinkerton"?

"Post-Pinkerton" is the long accepted standard of dividing time between "Classic Weezer" (1993-1997) to "New Weezer" (everything after). Although now the band is well over twenty years old, this standard is starting to feel more arbitrary ("Pre-Scott Shriner" just doesn't do it for me). Still, I find it the most meaningful way of dividing Weezer history.

According to orthodox interpretations of the Gospel of Weezer, it is believed that the first two albums (Weezer (1994) - AKA "The Blue Album") and Pinkerton (1996) are the two-best Weezer albums and nothing released since really comes close. At this point, many have left the fold but almost all that are part of the flock would admit there are at least a few songs that can come close to the pinnacle of the Classic Weezer era, but that's as close as you'll get for hard-line orthodox fans.

Yeah, I guess I kinda have to bring up the SNL "Weezer" skit that revealed to the world the inner-workings that is Weezer fandom. I was waiting for a White Album mention that never came. All in all, it wasn't bad but.... weird...like someone going into your bathroom unexpected and finding your dirty underwear on the floor.

I would have counted myself quite orthodox for many years but as the years have gone by, a strict adherence to that belief has gotten harder to defend. For a short while, Weezer made really, really good music (2014-2016). I would also meekly submit that the two Classic albums are so-what time dependent (Blue, less so). What I mean is that I am not a raging 20-year-old anymore. Admittedly, I really have to be in a mood for Pinkerton now. It's clear Pinkerton was ambitious and challenging but it's like looking at photos from college. Sure, it's me but I don't want to see that photo of me holding two beers and smoking two cigarettes. I mean, it happened but I've moved on (yes, if you have that photo, please destroy). I don't want to belittle the albums though and nor do I find them "deal breakers" either. They are still great rock albums and they still hold up today, no apology needed.

So, ahem, "Post-Pinkerton" for our purposes of this blog post includes every official release since the release of "Pinkerton" in 1996. I am not including songs only played live (Homie stuff or SS2K, i.e.), demos or other songs released well after 1996 but written in the same era (i.e., "Longtime Sunshine", "Tragic Girl", etc.) of the Classic Weezer era.

I also want to make it clear this is my personal list. It's completely subjective and if you are Weezer fan, it may upset you. Honestly, my list ended up surprising me. Some of the reasons why I love particular songs are completely dependent on my personal history. I really won't be "defending" my choices, as I am sure they might seem quite strange to another Weezer fan. Such is life. 

The Method Behind the Madness 

The easiest way for me to do this was to go back in my head, album by album, track by track and write down what I thought were the best songs from each album. There are many more songs that I find “good” and “okay” but these are the songs that stood above the rest. Most of time I did not need need to google the track list (although I really needed it for Hurley...which is telling).  This initial list is basically songs that I like.

 Notable Post-Pinkerton Songs (as of 2018)

1. Velouria (Pixies Cover)
2. The Christmas Song  (Christmas CD)
3. Don’t Let Go (Green)
4. Island In the Sun (Green)
5. Hash Pipe (Green)
6. Simple Pages (Green)
7. O Girlfriend (Green)
8. Teenage Victory Song (Green B-side)
9. Dope Nose (Maladroit)
10. Brunt Jamb (Maladroit)
11. Keep Fishin’ (Single Version)
12. Slave (Maladroit)
13. Perfect Situation (Make Believe)
14. This is Such a Pity (Make Believe)
15. Pardon Me (Make Believe)
16. The Other Way (Make Believe)
17. Pork and Beans (Red)
18. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Red)
19. Dreamin’ (Red)
20. The Angel And The One (Red)
21. Ms. Sweeney (Red Deluxe)
22. It’s Easy (Red B-side)
23. Automatic (LA Riots Remix - GT5P Soundtrack)
24. I Don’t Wanna Let You Go (Raditude)
25. The Prettiest Girl Girl In the Whole Wide World (Raditude Itunes Pass track)  
26. Ruling Me (Hurley)
27. Run Away (Hurley)
28. Eulogy of a Rock Band (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
29. I’ve Had It Up To Here (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
30. Foolish Father (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
31. Everyone Needs Salvation (Fan Club Single 2015)
32. California Kids (White)
33. Wind in Our Sail (White)
34. Girl We Have A Good Thing (White)
35. Do You Wanna Get High? (White)
36. Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine (White)
37. Jacked Up (White)
38. LA Girlz (White)
39. Friend of a Friend (White Digital Deluxe) 
40. High As A Kite (Black) (note: this was edited so this song  could be added) 

Notes on the Notable Songs

Again, I want to stress, this threshold was pretty easy to meet and it was a lot more extensive than I thought it would be. That said, it was largely predictable, I love the White Album and I have an affinity for the Green and Red eras, while disdaining the Rad and Hurley eras.

For those scoring at home here's what the album breakdown is:

Green - 5

Maladroit - 4

Make Believe - 4

Red Album - 4

Raditude - 1

Hurley - 2

EWBAITE - 3

White - 7 
Pacific Daydream - 0  
Black - 1 

Other (B-sides, deluxe tracks, etc.) - 9

  

If you included the songs from the album's respective "era", it would add one to Green, three to Red Album, one to Raditude, and one to White. So, does this mean White is the third best album? Yes, and I would go so far to pair it with Blue and Pinkerton as a "Classic" album. Obviously, it will never have a cultural following or impact, but as a quality piece of art - I consider it one of the band's best works. In fact, since the album’s release I have easily listened to White more than Blue and Pinkerton. God forgive me.

Anyway, this isn’t an album post (coming soon in the next decade or so).

The next step was to make some cuts - but I didn't want to think too hard, so I told myself this would the second of three cuts. Here’s what made it to the second round:

Some of my Favorite Post-Pinkerton Songs

1.     Island In the Sun

2.     Simple Pages

3.     Perfect Situation

4.     This is Such a Pity

5.     The Other Way

6.     Dreamin’

7.     The Angel And The One

8.     Ms. Sweeney (Red Deluxe)

9.     I Don’t Wanna Let You Go

10.  Ruling Me

11.  I’ve Had It Up To Here

12.  Foolish Father

13.  California Kids

14.  Wind in Our Sail

15.  Girl We Have A Good Thing

16.  Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine

17.  Jacked Up

18.  LA Girlz

19.  Friend of a Friend (White Digital Deluxe)

This was a little harder, but I focused on keeping songs that gave me the most pleasure or songs I connected with in some way. Surprisingly the hardest cut maybe was "It's Easy" (lately been spinning this Brian Bell-penned song). So, after a first round of cuts the albums break down like so:

Green - 2

Maladroit - 0

Make Believe  - 3

Red - 2

Rad - 1

Hurley - 1

EWBAITE - 2

White - 5 
PD - 0
Black - 0 

Other - 2

Now, comes the hard part, I am going to cut nine songs. Gulp. Here goes nothing.

My Top Ten Post-Pinkerton Songs (in chronological order)

1. Island in the Sun
2. Simple Pages
3. Perfect Situation
4. The Other Way
5. The Angel and The One
6. Foolish Father
7. Wind in Our Sail
8. Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine
9. Jacked Up
10. Friend of a Friend

Notes on the Top Ten

I have to say, I feel a bit dirty. How did" Island in the Sun" and "Perfect Situation" get on this list? What kind of hardcore fan am I anyway???  Here's a bit on some of the songs.

"Island in the Sun"
Almost 20 years later and its hard to believe this song was just a minor hit, but it was. Yet, today most people know and love the song. There really is no deep personal connection with this song other than it's just a really really good pop song. That said, I was there the first time the band played this live and knew it was a hit. It was also the only Weezer song played at my wedding reception, being that it was the best Weezer song I could fit into such a setting (only played during the meal portion for those scoring at home).

"Simple Pages"
I've always loved this song and I have always found it incredibly underrated by hardcore fans. Sure, it's a bit goofy but it's super catchy and manages to bring Green's energy up a bit. It's fun. I also probably have a sweet spot for this song because it was on when I almost died. So, there's that. 

"Perfect Situation"
The first 47-odd seconds are pure Weezer perfection. It's basically why this song is on the list. I love that intro and I admit that's probably stupid logic, but it's my list. I like it. It features the worst lyrics on this list as well. Some a little cringe worthy.

"The Other Way"/"The Angel and The One"/"Friend of a Friend"
All themes of unrequited love, all the while knowing you're not supposed to feel that way. It's a theme that's powerful and intriguing. I have a lot more to say about TAATO but that's for another blog post someday....

"Foolish Father"
Some might think the song is cheesy...but I love it. It comes from the right place of empathy for our fathers and the empathy we will all need later. The last chords reveal the complexity of the album's title as well (again, this song is underrated and I need to write a whole post about it).

"Wind In our Sails"/"Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine"/"Jacked Up"
All tracks from the White album that I love dearly for different reasons. I won't start because I won't be able to quit. That said, your MUST listen to the Song Exploder of DDSE.

Well, well, well....Weezer just dropped the Teal Album (an album of cover songs) and no, none of those songs would get on any of these lists. Ultimately, I find it to be a lazy and uninspired album...I mean I know it was for promotion and it's fun but it's something that could have been something so much more than a novelty/flavor-of-the-week experience.