eternity is a day

Rest in Peace, Alex Chilton

2010-03-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

The world lost one of its most beautiful people today. Alex Chilton earned more than just everyone's respect as a musician; he was revered--as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. It always seemed that he was particularly adored by people with troubled hearts, such as Elliott Smith. In fact, it was Smith who introduced me to Big Star in 1998 through a live cover of Chilton's famous ballad, "Thirteen," which Chilton wrote as a young teenager and which Rolling Stone praised as "one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence."

There was always an incredible warmth in Chilton's music that was impossible to explain. You just had to listen to any one of his songs to feel it for yourself. His voice was flawlessly fragile. His guitar arrangements were intricate and bright. But what stood out most were his melodies and harmonies and his idiosyncratic arrangements. His songs could inspire stars to shine brighter and convince all of us that life can be beautiful.

Lincoln

2008-11-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

As many of you already know, one of our 7-year old twins, Lincoln, suffered a serious skull fracture yesterday after falling from a tree and striking a concrete sidewalk headfirst. He was air lifted from Banner Gateway to Phoenix Children's when doctors determined the extent of the fracture and the existence of intercranial bleeding and air pressure around Lincoln's brain.

Lincoln is doing remarkably well and should be downgraded from ICU tomorrow if he continues to remain stable. Lincoln faces a long, difficult rehabilitation in the months ahead, but the doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery without any significant long-term consequences or permanent impairments.

We appreciate everyone's love and support and know that many of you have been praying on our behalf. Your prayers have been critical to our feelings of peace. These feelings have only been repeated throughout the day through your expressions of love and concern.

We love all of you,

Patrick and Natalie

The Band's Visit

2008-11-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

The Band's Visit certainly deserves the overwhelmingly positive reviews it has recevied on Rotten Tomatoes. The film represents the debut work of a young Israeli film director, Eran Kolirin, who does a wonderful job exploring Middle Eastern social and cultural tensions albeit in a remarkably understated--and even humorous--manner. Kolirin diffuses the tragic stories behind many of the characters through highly clever and subtle comedy, starting with the film's opening narrative caption: "Once--not long ago--a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this...It wasn't that important." The irony, of course, is that the police band's visit ultimately becomes an extremely important event for everyone involved and demonstrates how art, especially music and film, can connect all humans through universal emotions and experiences like love and loss. For me, The Band's Visit provided a much needed respite from my bleeding political ulcer.

Obama's Economic Policy: Socialist or Progressive?

2008-10-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

I had originally planned to devote this post to the issues of abortion and Supreme Court nominations, but those issues will have to wait, because I can't let another day go by without addressing McCain's ongoing efforts to turn this election into a choice between "socialism" and "capitalism." I'll give McCain credit: the "Joe the Plumber" stunt has unleashed a tidal wave of conservative fear-mongering, particularly among demographics who still haven't moved beyond the Cold War. But McCain's efforts to portray Obama as a socialist have only solidified my belief that McCain does not have the integrity to lead our country. If Obama's tax policies were truly "socialist," then McCain would have some serious explaining to do concerning his own "socialist" tendencies over the past 8 years:

Following George W. Bush's legacy, the McCain campaign seems to be guided by the belief that the average voter is persuaded more by fear than reason. Rather than rationally explaining why a proposed 3% increase on the top-5% income bracket would be a bad idea for the economy, McCain's campaign has resorted to McCarthyism by suggesting that Obama's economic policies are part of his conspiracy to become the world's next Stalin.

I would love for McCain and his supporters to explain why Obama's tax plan is any more "socialist" than Reagan's earned-income tax credit or McCain's proposed health care credit, both of which intentionally redistribute wealth to low-income Americans in amounts that sometimes exceed the total amount of taxes paid by the recipients. I don't know whether to be more outraged by McCain's hypocrisy or more terrified by his disconnection from reality.

When McCain actually attempts to discuss the specifics of Obama's tax plan, he seems to focus almost exclusively on the effect Obama's plan would have on small businesses, despite the fact that Obama's plan would only affect about 10% of all small businesses. And in some cases, Obama's plan would even reduce small business taxes, including those of "Joe the Plumber:"

FactCheck.org: "McCain's Small Business Bunk"

In reality, Obama's proposed tax rates would be almost identical to the rates established during Bill Clinton's first term (a time when our economy was thriving by today's standards). Although a lot of economic growth during Clinton's presidency might be attributed to technology growth, it is difficult to argue with the fact that the country enjoyed more economic prosperity during Clinton's presidency than during any of the five Republican presidential terms since 1980. It is also difficult to argue with the fact that the superior economic growth during Clinton's presidency is consistent with the superior economic growth during all Democratic presidencies since 1947 as compared to Republican presidencies:

NY Times: "Is History Siding With Obama's Economic Plan?

As even most conservatives would concede, a robust middle class is vital to any democracy. Over the past 8 years, however, the wealthiest 5% of our nation has flourished, while the middle class has rapidly diminished. This disparity has only snowballed over the past several months. Ultimately, "trickle-down" economic policies have resulted in "trickle-up" redistribution of wealth.

Anyone who has spent any significant time in a developing country will tell you: when wealth is concentrated in the hands of only a few people, the rule of law loses its relevance, citizens become alienated, and democracies die. In his magnum opus, The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith espoused a progressive tax for the same reasons as Obama (and John McCain, at least up until a few weeks ago). In Adam Smith's own words:

"The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state. The expense of government to the individuals of a great nation is like the expense of management to the joint tenants of a great estate, who are all obliged to contribute in proportion to their respective interests in the estate. In the observation or neglect of this maxim consists what is called the equality or inequality of taxation."

Unfortunately, all of the controversy surrounding the "patriotism" of Obama's tax policy obscures a larger question: which president is more capable of handling the present economic crisis and responding to future, unexpected crises? I don't expect any candidate for president to be a world-renowned economist, and I certainly don't believe that the fate of the economy rests solely on who eats breakfast in the White House, but I do expect a president to have enough discernment to surround himself with competent advisors and enough intelligence to make informed decisions based on the input he receives from those advisors. Interestingly, most economists, including many Republican economists, think Obama is more capable than McCain in this area:

The Economist: "Examining the Candidates"

I'll admit: part of the reason I don't trust McCain to surround himself with quality advisors is his troubling selection of Palin for his VP. But I also believe, for the reasons explained in my post entitled "Ability vs. Experience," that Obama is simply smarter and more talented than McCain. I'm also satisfied by the long list of respected economists and financial experts, including America's wealthiest taxpayer, Warren Buffett, who will advise Obama on economic matters:

List of Obama's Economic Advisors/Supporters

I don't think anyone believes the economy will recover overnight, regardless of who wins the election, but one thing is certain: when I cast my vote on November 4, I won't be questioning my patriotism, and I won't be worrying about whether or not I'm voting for a socialist. And neither will Warren Buffett.

With Charity for All

2008-10-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best short lectures I've read in a long time. It was given by Matthew S. Holland to the Law and Literature Class at J. Reuben Clark Law School on April 3, 2008. The lecture analyzes Lincoln's demonstration of Christlike charity and humility to unite the nation toward the end of the Civil War. I read the lecture through the lens of today's political divide and couldn't help but wonder how different our nation would be if Republicans and Democrats alike could somehow overcome the urge to claim the moral high ground. No matter who is elected this year, our government will not change until we as an entire people change. Of course, it would certainly help to have leaders who, like Lincoln, are capable of sacrificing their own vain political ambitions for the sake of uniting the country, rather than dividing the country with unfounded character attacks, gross generalizations, worn out stereotypes, and claims of intellectual, moral, or even spiritual superiority.

Matthew S. Holland: With Charity for All

Ability vs. Experience

2008-10-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

I thought it might be a good idea to write down some of the reasons I'm voting for Obama in this year's election, so I can start referring family members, friends, and neighbors to my blog instead of spending several more hours engaging in heated debates or discussions with people I love. For my first installment, I think it would be best to analyze the difference between "ability" and "experience" in order to address the popular concern that Obama lacks McCain's experience.

First, "experience" doesn't necessarily translate into "ability." Our country has been fortunate to have some amazing, transformational leaders (e.g. Abraham Lincoln), who had very little political experience prior to taking office. Rather than focusing solely on experience, it sometimes helps to look at a particular candidate's actual talents and abilities.

Obama was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Review (the first Black in the history of the school) and is on the verge of becoming the 3rd youngest president in the history of the country, despite overwhelming odds against him (how many people honestly thought Obama had a chance to be the Democratic nominee, let alone the president, even two years ago?). Unlike Obama, McCain was a miserable student who was best known for taking risks and graduating in the bottom 1% in his class at Annopolis (No. 894 out of 899 to be precise). McCain has also proven to be a failure as a campaigner over the past 10 years, beginning with his unsuccesful bid to receive the Republican nomination against one of the most unpopular presidents in U.S. history, George W. Bush.

I'm not saying that school achievements necessarily dictate a person's entire life, or that campaign success translates into effective political leadership, but when it comes to someone's ability to run a country, it certainly raises a red flag when a candidate was only 5 people away from graduating last out of a class of 899 students, or when that same candidate has proven to be incapable of running a credible, organized campaign. Ultimately, Obama is winning a lot of independent and conservative votes because he appears to be smarter, more talented, and better tempered than McCain. In fact, many view Obama as a potentially transformative political figure. Obama's perceived "ability" is thus trumping McCain's "experience" in the minds of many voters, including conservatives like George W. Bush's former Secretary of State, Colin Powell. I thought Powell's explanation for his support of Obama aptly described the reasons why so many people, including conservatives, have openly supported Obama's candidacy.

Second, McCain's 25 years of experience can't save him from his VP nomination. Unlike the concerns about Obama's lack of experience, the concerns about Palin actually involve her mental fitness or intellectual sophistication. What good are McCain's 25 years of experience if he can't be trusted to select a competent vice president? I realize this might offend a lot of people, but be honest, do you really want a vice president (and potentially a president), who has to be shielded from the media because she can't be trusted to answer questions about her political views and her record as Alaska's governor?

Third, I think Obama is smart enough and cares enough about his historical legacy that he won't become the liberal socialist that many are portraying him to be. All presidents tend to move toward the center, particularly those who, unlike George W. Bush, like ideas and welcome opposing viewpoints (see, for example, Team of Rivals, a fine book about Abraham Lincoln, which analyzes how Lincoln brought together advisers who often strongly disagreed with him). McCain, on the other hand, has a legacy of taking unsafe risks (whether it be wrecking air planes in the military or nominating a vice presidential candidate that scares 75% of Americans). McCain himself touts himself as a "maverick." I would think that 25 years of experience in Congress would teach you that acting like a maverick (and even being proud of it) isn't the best way to keep people's confidence, let alone run a government and protect a country.

So, ultimately, I am willing to take a chance on someone who might turn out to be an incredible president as opposed to playing it "safe" with someone who hasn't proven to be incredible even after 25 years in office and, in some ways, someone who has proven to lack well-tempered judgment. At this critical time in our country's history, I don't think we can afford to play it safe with a self-proclaimed maverick. I think it's safer to "bet it all on Black."

The Crossing

2008-10-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

"The reverence attached to the artifacts of history is a thing men feel. One could even say that what endows any thing with significance is solely the history in which it has participated. Yet wherein does that history lie?" (p. 405)

For those unfamiliar with this book, The Crossing is the second part of Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy. It follows one of my favorite all-time books, All the Pretty Horses. Although The Crossing might be a deeper exploration of McCarthy's obsession with the relationship between history and reality, I'm not sure the plot or the characters are as interesting or as carefully developed as they are in All the Pretty Horses. I realize it's never very productive to compare works of art to each other, but for some reason, The Crossing didn't fill me with the same exhilaration as All the Pretty Horses. Maybe The Crossing is simply too heartbreaking? Regardless, I'm excited to start the final segment to the Trilogy, Cities of the Plain.

John McCain's Role in the Keating 5

2008-10-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

For anyone still wondering who they will vote for, it might be worth it to consider John McCain's role in the Savings & Loan Scandal. I'm shocked that no one, not even in McCain's home state, seems to know anything about this story.

Is This Sarah Palin's Debate Coach?

2008-09-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

For Those of You Still Twitterpated by Sarah Palin:

2008-09-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

At least admit that her trustworthiness is slightly questionable after her repeated misrepresentations regarding the "Bridge to Nowhere." Don't take my word for it, just look at the facts:

FactCheck.org

2008-09-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

2008-09-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

2008-09-07T08:22:00.001-07:00

Trails.com

2008-09-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

I used to frequent Trails.com several years ago when it was free, but I stopped using it when they started demanding money for all of their hard work. A few weeks ago, however, I took advantage of a free trial subscription, and I finally decided it was worth it to pay for an unlimited subscription. I can't believe how much the site has improved. You can literally access topographical maps and trail guides for anywhere in the United States. I'm trying to hike or mountain bike on a new trail every week for the rest of the year, so this site has essentially become a daily companion to my Book of Mormon. I realize how difficult this will be with college football already underway, but it's definitely within reach. In fact, I've already hiked or biked 5 different trails in the past 4 weeks. And the best part is that Lincoln and Noah have joined me on two of those hikes.

10 Years Ago Today . . .

2008-08-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since I flew home from Guatemala after having one of the most amazing experiences I ever could have imagined possible. So much has happened since that day, yet I still think about it and dream about it almost every day. The hardest part is knowing that it won't be the same place when I finally make it back to visit.

Together Again with My Blur

2008-08-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

I went mountain biking yesterday for the first time in two years. I could almost hear my bike whispering to me as I pointed my front tire down my first stretch of desert singletrack: "Patrick, where have you been?" I tried to find the words to explain that I had been busy trying to recover from a back surgery, but the only thing I could think to say was, "let me enjoy this moment."

Uinta Mountains

2008-07-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I took my first vacation to Utah in nearly a year. The day after arriving in Utah, we packed our tents and headed out for a camping trip in the Uinta Mountains. Shortly after setting up camp, we wandered down to a nearby lake, where I was able to prove to Lincoln and Noah that I'm the greatest rock-skipper in the history of the world. Later that night, Lincoln and Noah crawled into their sleeping bags and requested that I tell them several scary, but true, stories about my childhood. Long after the boys fell asleep, I took a short walk outside our tent to count the stars and bask in the light of a full moon, (and ponder the reasons why everyone else in the world seemed to be able to sleep but me).

The next morning, we packed our tents and hiked a short way to some fly fishing on the south fork of the Ashley River. I somehow hooked a fish on my very first cast into the river, which apparently qualified me as the world's greatest rock-skipper/fly fisherman. After catching and releasing all of the fish in the river, we packed up our fishing poles and drove to a safe spot to shoot my dad's old single-shot 22 rifle and my grandpa's 22 pistol. As we shot a few rounds at an old rusty can, I was able to convince Lincoln and Noah that it would be best if we let the rabbits (and all of the other animals they wanted to kill) go free.

Despite foiling the boys' hunting plans, I believe Lincoln and Noah accomplished everything else they set out to do on our trip. They even succeeded in overwhelming their Aunt Melanie with an endless barrage of questions during the 4-hour car ride home. I can't feel too sorry for Melanie, however, because I had previously warned her to pace herself within minutes of our departure from Orem. But she recklessly spurned my advice and proceeded to answer all of the boys' questions (in even more detail than the boys themselves anticipated) during the first 30 minutes of the trip. Despite Melanie's poor judgment, I'm confident that she still found a moment or two to appreciate the beauty of another family adventure in the Uintas. I know I did.

2008-07-16T23:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't been this excited since Bourne Ultimatum. I just hope it's really deep and dark so I can take my kids to it and freak them out. If they're not going to believe in Santa Claus (or WMD's in Iraq), then I'll at least make them believe in the Joker.

America We Stand As One

2008-07-04T02:05:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to live in a country where anyone can make a patriotic music video. Would it be nice if some people didn't have that right? Definitely. But I'm still proud to live in a country where everyone is free to make complete fools out of themselves without the fear of criminal punishment.

All the Pretty Horses

2008-07-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

I finally felt inspired to read Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain). I can already tell I'm going to love it. I've had a hard time getting into several other books over the past couple months--ever since I finished 100 Years of Solitude (how do you follow Marquez' masterpiece without experiencing at least some degree of letdown?) But prose like the following paragraph seems to be the way out of my boredom:

"They rode out along the fenceline and across the open pastureland. The leather creaked in the morning cold. They pushed the horses into a lope. The lights fell away behind them. They rose out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in the tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing." (p. 30)

The Vinyl Revolution

2008-06-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

The age of mp3 piracy has produced at least one positive outcome: record companies are finally beginning to acknowledge the increased demand for vinyl by audiophiles who prefer the warm, rich sound of analog over the thin, compressed sound of digital formats like cds, mp3s, aac files, and every other dilluted format. To satiate the increased demand for high-quality records, EMI/Capitol have announced that they will be reissuing vinyl copies of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, as well as Radiohead's entire pre-In Rainbows catalogue. Combined with the vinyl reissue of M. Ward's Transfiguration of Vincent, it appears I will have no choice but to start redeeming the seemingly endless supply of Amazon credit card points I earned when I paid for my back surgery earlier this year. Maybe I should also break down and buy the $100,000 Continuum turntable I've been dreaming about for the past couple years?

The Second Most Beautiful Game in the World

2008-06-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

I'm happy David Stern and his band of NBA referees decided to pull the plug on the season tonight (although it appears ESPN "journalist" Stephen A. Smith is just getting started with a daring summer story about how racism permeates everything in life--from the food we eat to the air we breathe). Anyway, now that the NBA season is officially over, I can focus on the most beautiful game in the world that isn't called college football.

Firefox 3: Download Day 2008

2008-06-17T23:20:00.000-07:00

Firefox 3, the world's most functional Internet browser for both PCs and Macs, was officially released today. Of course, this news is nothing to get excited about if your name is Natalie Hall and you like slow browsers with security issues (i.e., Microsoft's Internet Explorer). But for those of you that want to enjoy "doing the Internet," you should probably download it: Firefox 3

Shifting Pixel

2008-06-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

I used to think I could be a world-class photographer. But then I never bought a camera. So now I just appreciate what other great photographers can do and try to convince others that I know how to distinguish between good and bad photography. If I ever get cornered, I just say something about lines, textures, and the contrast between darkness and light. This particular picture can be found on one of my favorite photography websites: Shifting Pixel. If you've never visited Shifting Pixel, start with the "must see" group of photos (these are the photographer's favorite pictures).

Obama, I've Always Thought Your Big Ears Are Sexy.

2008-06-07T12:40:00.001-07:00

Thank you for finally conceding, Hilary. And thanks even more for that passionate 30-minute concession speech today. I'm sure all of your "destitute single-mother" campaign contributors are happy to know they didn't waste their time and money on your losing bid to continue the 20-year "Bush/Clinton" dynasty.

Maybe There Is a Basketball God?

2008-05-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently the NBA is going to fine players for flopping next season. It would have been nice to implement this rule about 10 years ago, (before the Spurs won 4 championships), but it's never too late to make a change.

ESPN.com: Article

Son of Rambow

2008-05-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

I got to celebrate Memorial Day by seeing Son of Rambow in Scottsdale. The film is one of the best independent comedies I've seen in awhile. In light of its success at the Sundance Film Festival, I'm a little surprised that it's only scoring 75% on the Tomatometer. But most top critics seem to be receiving it well. I guess the other 25% just lack a sense of humor--or worse yet, a heart. For those of you that liked movies like Unstrung Heroes or Rushmore, you won't be disappointed. I won't even bother to tell you what it's about--just go see it.

Existence

2008-05-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

There must be one million raindrops
Falling into the streets tonight.
And even the smallest possible raindrop
Is held together by its own infinite existence.
Whether any of them know it or not,
The light from a single street lamp shines
Through each of them at the same time,
Regardless of distance,
As they blaze downward shivering
All alone
In their own straight lines to earth
Longing to be born again,
Yet surrendering their lives,
With all the molecular fury in the world
Into puddles.

I can't sleep knowing there are so many of them.

Remember When The Osmonds Rocked?

2008-05-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

Suns Fans: Light Yourselves on Fire

2008-05-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank my brother for encouraging me to make my way to ESPN.com for the first time in nearly two weeks. I had been attempting to avoid anything that might remind me of the Phoenix Suns. After their Game 1 double-overtime loss to the Spurs, (highlighted by the Suns' blown 17-point lead and Tim Duncan's 3-pointer), I knew it was only a matter of time before spending another long off-season of "what-ifs," while Robert Sarver continues to carry out his brilliant fiscal strategy of trading good draft picks for worse draft picks. But this off-season will be different than the past 3 offseasons: for the first time, I have come to grips with the fact that Mike D'Antoni's "Seven Seconds or Less" dream is officially over.

I probably should have seen this coming long ago. From the beginning of the 2007-08 season, it was obvious that Nash had lost a couple steps. Younger guards like Chris Paul and Derron Williams abused Nash in ways that literally forced me to cover my eyes and turn away from the television in horror. Even against mediocre teams, Nash was always a turnover waiting to happen. But Nash wasn't the only problem. Shawn Marion permanently decided that he could no longer co-exist as the third-best player on the team. In addition, Boris Diaw (never mind that he was the Suns' best player in the playoffs), privately decided that he was going to break his own NBA record for most "fake layup/kick-out" passes in a season, and Raja Bell spent the first 3 months of the season trying to find a 3-point shot. Midseason, when the Suns' front-office finally realized that the Suns were never going to win a championship with their existing lineup, they pulled the trigger on the Shaq trade, which brought hope to everyone. Unfortunately, the "Big Cactus" project came too late and never completely meshed. Now we'll likely spend the next two years paying Shaq $20 million a year to do what he did in Miami the past two seasons: nothing.

From 2004 to 2007, I don't think I ever enjoyed watching a team in any sport as much as I did the Phoenix Suns. I also don't remember enjoying a single player as much as Steve Nash. He singlehandedly revived my interest in the NBA. He represented everything that can be great about sports: he was a great teammate, he was smart, he was the underdog who only received one scholarship offer out of high school, yet he had somehow worked hard enough to become one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. Even after losing to the Spurs last year, I told a Spurs' fan that I would rather watch Steve Nash and the Suns play fast-break basketball during the regular season (and wind up a lottery team), than watch Tim Duncan and the Spurs boringly plod their way through an entire season (and flop their way through the playoffs to a championship). In other words, I was willing to concede ever winning a championship for the ability to watch the Suns play beautiful offensive basketball.

I could go on for weeks about this, but this article by Bill Simmons, in which he refers to the Suns as the "critically acclaimed" Phoenix Suns, tells the story much better. If only there weren't so many "what ifs" . . .

Bill Simmons: A Requiem for the "Seven Seconds or Less" Era

Wolf Parade

2008-05-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

The only thing certain about 2008: the music for Wolf Parade's upcoming album, At Zoomer Mountain, should be better than the album's cover art and album title.

FORA.tv

2008-04-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

I thought a few of you might be interested in FORA.tv, one of my favorite places on the Internet, especially during Election Year 2008. This "think tank" is usually the first place I go when I want to read about political issues, watch video of interesting seminars, or discuss issues on an internet message board without getting sledge-hammered over the head by political rhetoric. It's also a good way to attend virtual seminars and scholarly forums without having to pay tuition or wear a corduroy sport coat with elbow pads. And for those of you that are still single, there are lots of hot chicks, too.

FORA.tv

True Love Will Find You in the End

2008-04-01T19:07:00.001-07:00

I've loved this song ever since hearing Wilco cover it for a b-side to one of the Summerteeth singles. But I never really understood the song's significance until hearing the original Daniel Johnston version unfold during the final credits of the documentary film, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, (which I recommend if you want to learn more about the amazing real-life story of Daniel Johnston, his music and art, his mental health issues, and his family's unconditional love for him). Although the song has been performed by almost everyone except Clay Aiken, I think the recent performance by Spiritualized tops all of them.

Rainer Maria Rilke and the Tao

2008-03-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

I've read the Duino Elegies several times over the past 15 years, but never with the clear understanding that the "angels' hierarchies" referred to in the First Elegy has nothing to do with the angels of the traditional Christian heaven, but rather, an impersonal higher order of invisible reality. In LDS terminology, this "higher order" would be akin to the infinite reality or immortality that is only understandable or possible beyond the veil. Rilke's Elegies are thus understood within the context of the impersonal "Tao" described in Lao-Tzu's Tao Te Ching.

The Elegies express Rilke's belief that the role of artistic expression is to bridge the gap between the higher order of invisible reality and the perceptible "Things" of the human world. In the First and Ninth Elegies, the artist bridges the gap between the human and divine by simply paying attention to the springtimes, stars, waves, songs, and other Things that are waiting to be "noticed." Once these Things are "noticed," the artist expresses them in ways that connect us to immortality and ultimately comfort us. The First Elegy thus concludes with the scene of a funeral, where the void felt by the mourners is pierced for the first time by the musical harmony flowing from the "daring first notes of song." According to Rilke, "It is our task to imprint this temporary, perishable earth into ourselves so deeply, so painfully and passionately, that its essence can rise again, 'invisibly,' inside us. We are the bees of the invisible. We wildly collect the honey of the visible, to store it in the great golden hive of the invisible."

The First Elegy

Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the angels'
hierarchies? and even if one of them pressed me
suddenly against his heart: I would be consumed
in that overwhelming existence. For beauty is nothing
but the beginning of terror, which we are still just able to endure,
and we are so awed because it serenely disdains
to annihilate us. Every angel is terrifying.
And so I hold myself back and swallow the call-note
of my dark sobbing. Ah, whom can we ever turn to
in our need? Not angels, not humans,
and already the knowing animals are aware
that we are not really at home
in our interpreted world. Perhaps there remains for us
some tree on a hillside, which every day we can take
into our vision; there remains for us yesterday's street
and the loyalty of a habit so much at ease
when it stayed with us that it moved in and never left.
Oh and night: there is night, when a wind full of infinite space
gnaws at our faces. Whom would it not remain for--that longed-after,
mildly disillusioning presence, which the solitary heart
so painfully meets. Is it any less difficult for lovers?
But they keep on using each other to hide their own fate.

Don't you know yet? Fling the emptiness out of your arms
into the spaces we breathe; perhaps the birds
will feel the expanded air with more passionate flying.
Yes--the springtimes needed you. Often a star
was waiting for you to notice it. A wave rolled toward you
out of the distant past, or as you walked
under an open window, a violin
yielded itself to your hearing. All this was mission.
But could you accomplish it? Weren't you always
distracted by expectation, as if every event
announced a beloved? (Where can you find a place
to keep her, with all the huge strange thoughts inside you
going and coming and often staying all night.)
But when you feel longing, sing of women in love;
for their famous passion is still not immortal. Sing
of women abandoned and desolate (you envy them, almost)
who could love so much more purely than those who were gratified.
Begin again and again the never-attainable praising;
remember: the hero lives on; even his downfall was
merely a pretext for achieving his final birth.
But Nature, spent and exhausted, takes lovers back
into herself, as if there were not enough strength
to create them a second time. Have you imagined
Gaspara Stampa intensely enough so that any girl
deserted by her beloved might be inspired
by that fierce example of soaring, objectless love
and might say to herself, "Perhaps I can be like her?"
Shouldn't this most ancient of sufferings finally grow
more fruitful for us? Isn't it time that we lovingly
freed ourselves from the beloved and, quivering, endured:
as the arrow endures the bowstring's tension, so that
gathered in the snap of release it can be more than
itself. For there is no place where we can remain.

Voices. Voices. Listen, my heart, as only
saints have listened: until the gigantic call lifted them
off the ground; yet they kept on, impossibly,
kneeling and didn't notice at all:
so complete was their listening. Not that you could endure
God's voice--far from it. But listen to the voice of the wind
and the ceaseless message that forms itself out of silence.
It is murmuring toward you now from those who died young.
Didn't their fate, whenever you stepped into a church
in Naples or Rome, quietly come to address you?
Or high up, some eulogy entrusted you with a mission,
as, last year, on the plaque in Santa Maria Formosa.
What they want of me is that I gently remove the appearance
of injustice about their death--which at times
slightly hinders their souls from proceeding onward.
Of course, it is strange to inhabit the earth no longer,
to give up customs one barely had time to learn,
not to see roses and other promising Things
in terms of a human future; no longer to be
what one was in infinitely anxious hands; to leave
even one's own first name behind, forgetting it
as easily as a child abandons a broken toy.
Strange to no longer desire one's desires. Strange
to see meanings that clung together once, floating away
in every direction. And being dead is hard work
and full of retrieval before one can gradually feel
a trace of eternity. Though the living are wrong to believe
in the too-sharp distinctions which they themselves have created.
Angels (they say) don't know whether it is the living
they are moving among, or the dead. The eternal torrent
whirls all ages along in it, through both realms
forever, and their voices are drowned out in its thunderous roar.

In the end, those who were carried off early no longer need us:
they are weaned from earth's sorrows and joys, as gently as children
outgrow the soft breasts of their mothers. But we, who do need
such great mysteries, we for whom grief is so often
the source of our spirit's growth--: could we exist without them?
Is the legend meaningless that tells how, in the lament for Linus,
the daring first notes of song pierced through the barren numbness;
and then in the startled space which a youth as lovely as a god
has suddenly left forever, the Void felt for the first time
that harmony which now enraptures and comforts and helps us?

Translated by Stephen Mitchell

Big Star

2008-03-27T00:56:00.000-07:00

This post is for all the people keeping this blog alive at 1:00 a.m.

Swell Season at The Orpheum Just Got Sweller

2008-03-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just found out that John Convertino and Joey Burns (founding members of Tucson's Calexico), will be joining Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova at the Orpheum on April 23, 2008. I know many of you already have tickets for the show, but those of you that don't, you might want to reconsider. Calexico have toured in the past with Glen Hansard's wonderful full-time band from Ireland, The Frames, so I expect the upcoming Calexico/Swell Season collaboration to work extremely well. I'm definitely excited to see what songs the two acts perform together. Regardless, it looks like we'll have to find a good Mexican restaurant prior to the show.

Calexico Joins the Swell Season at The Orpheum

Black Guy Asks Nation for Change

2008-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Onion: "Black Guy Asks Nation for Change"

Which Religion Will Win?

2008-03-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

This month's Atlantic had several intriguing articles about religion, but the most interesting article to me was Alan Wolfe's article entitled "And the Winner Is . . ."

In his article, Wolfe examines the often-overlooked symbiotic relationship between religion and secularism and identifies many of the forces that influence the growth and decline of certain religions. He predicts that the global proliferation of secularism, particularly the separation of church and state, will ultimately level the playing field for all religions to compete with one another and potentially flourish. Interestingly, Wolfe identifies Mormonism as the popular dark-horse pick to win the worldwide race for converts, despite the Church's relatively small present-day membership.

The article also discusses the unique status of the United States as the only nation in the world that can realistically claim to be both wealthy and religious (a sobering thought if you consider that the United States is only shallowly religious). I couldn't help reading Wolfe's description of the generally inverse relationship between wealth and religion without thinking that many of the ideas in the Book of Mormon have proven to be far ahead of their time, regardless of whether or not you believe the Book of Mormon is an authentic compilation of inspired, ancient prophecies.

Anyway, here's a link to the article:

Alan Wolfe: "And the Winner Is . . .

Fleet Foxes

2008-03-09T18:26:00.001-07:00

Fleet Foxes' self-titled album is one of the more soulful and organically beautiful albums I've heard in awhile. Almost sounds like an album that My Morning Jacket would make if all of the band members went to church on Sunday.

There are a few places on both this album, as well as their Sun Giant EP, where they create the "symphonic warmth" of Pet Sounds. The obvious example would be "White Winter Hymnal," but listen to "Quiet Houses" beginning at approximately 2:30 second--you'll understand what I mean. I know Brian Wilson comparisons are cliché for anything with a perceptible vocal harmony, but Pet Sounds is a legitimate comparison in this case for more reasons than just the vocal harmonies.

For example, I'm amazed by the complexity and quality of their arrangements. They use a variety of instruments, but all of them seem to have been thoughtfully chosen for a specific role in each song (sort've like the bass harmonica in Wilson's "I Know There's an Answer"). Each instrument is written and recorded in a way that allows the instruments to be enjoyed in isolation. And when the various parts come together with the percussion, vocal harmonies, and choruses, they're able to achieve an incredibly unique, living and breathing, wall of sound.

Cash: "I just want to rock out, Dad."

2008-03-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Cash listened to my iPod for 30 minutes this morning until I finally had to take it away. His favorite album is still Pet Sounds, but he is beginning to express interest in female artists like Neko Case and Chan Marshall.

Juno

2008-03-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

Finally got to see this wonderful show tonight. Everything about it was great: cast, performances, dialogue, humor, humanity, all of which are carried by a clever little soundtrack, especially Cat Power's cover of Robert Plant's hit single, "Sea of Love."

Patrick Hall Commits to USC

2008-03-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

I'm excited the whole saga is now over so I can just focus on the upcoming season. This was not an easy decision for me, especially as I've watched the USC Song Girls rapidly decline into one of the ugliest group of cheerleaders in the history of the world. But I ultimately decided to trust my mom. She has loved Pete Carroll ever since his first visit to our home and she's convinced that USC is the best-suited program to help me achieve my dream to play in the NFL.

Article: Hall Commits to USC

Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova at The Orpheum

2008-02-26T22:56:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely not trying to upstage Natalie's gathering at Amazing Jake's, (because that would be impossible), but I thought I'd invite everyone to get tickets for 2008 Academy Award winners Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova performing live at The Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix on April 23, 2008. Here's an mp3 from the Soundtrack for your downloading pleasure:

Buy tickets here:

Swell Season Ticket Info

Barack Obama Is There For You

2008-02-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

I love sites that force me to wear out the "refresh" button:

Barack Obama Loves You

For Emma, Forever Ago

2008-02-19T20:49:00.001-08:00

"this is my excavation and today is kumran

everything that happens is from now on"

Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was officially released today by one of my favorite music labels, Jagjaguwar. The album was actually self-released last summer, but quickly sold out all of its initial copies after scoring positive reviews from several bloggers and music critics between October and December of 2007. I bought the album last September following a recommendation from a music-nerd friend. He recommended the album to me shortly after I had lamented that the world needed a new Elliott Smith to come along.

I didn't actually listen to the entire album from start to finish until September 14, 2007, while taking a flight to Denver to see Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem at Red Rocks. Ironically, listening to For Emma on my flight to Denver was more memorable than seeing Arcade Fire (although my recollection might be different if I hadn't already seen Arcade Fire before). Bon Iver is certainly not Elliott Smith, but his emotional songwriting genius is similar. In addition, Vernon's vocals and lyrics far surpass the technical brilliance of Smith's. In fact Vernon's vocals evoke the godliness of Jeff Buckley combined with the soulfulness of Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio.

According to Bon Iver's website, the name "Bon Iver" derives from the French words "bon hiver," meaning "beautiful winter." The misspelling was apparently intentional, although I don't claim to be smart enough to know why it was misspelled. The album was written and recorded by Justin Vernon between November 2006 and January 2007 in a remote hunting cabin in Wisconsin. Vernon apparently went to the cabin to find some peace and quiet after experiencing some difficult personal disappointments, but ended up writing and recording nearly the entire album during his stay.

The record was recorded by Vernon with nothing more than a few microphones and some low budget recording equipment. But the handmade nature of the album is part of what gives it charm. In fact, For Emma sounds like Vernon woke up early on an icy Winter morning, chopped some wood to carve out his own guitar, experienced personal epiphanies throughout the day, and recorded some songs in the evening, (while his hands were still tired and cold), in an effort to document his beautiful experience. Although the album sounds simple at first, repeated listens to each of the songs of the album reveal new sounds and new depths that confound me over and over. Clearly, the songs must have been growing in Vernon's heart and mind for a long time--perhaps it just took some peace and quiet, and a beautiful environment, to call them forth.

The lyrics to each of the songs would also suggest that Vernon spent a great deal of time pouring his heart into making the album. The line quoted above (underneath the album photo) is a only a glimpse into Vernon's command with words and ideas. I recommend spending as much time reading the lyrics as you do listening to the music.

Can Anyone Spot Me Some Money?

2008-02-19T17:55:00.000-08:00

If you could paypal the money, that would be great. I need to buy this to help round out my collection:

The World's Greatest Music Collection

By Regis Behe
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, January 18, 2008

For sale: 3 million record albums and 300,000 CDs; rare and out-of-print titles, all varieties of American music from classical to hip-hop.

But it's much more than vinyl and jewel cases.

"It's the history of music," says Paul Mawhinney, the owner or Record Rama Sound Archives in Pine. "It's my life's work."

Mawhinney, 69, is reluctantly parting with a collection he started more than 40 years ago. Legally blind and fighting diabetes, he wants to spend more time with his five grandchildren.

The collection is worth millions of dollars -- Mawhinney's personal estimate is at least $50 million -- but he has received only one solid offer.

That bid of $28.5 million fell through. Other parties have shown interest, and Mawhinney says he continues to talk to a few interested parties. He has set of goal of selling the collection by March 1.

"I've had a lot of people that wanted it, but they don't have the right kind of capital," he says.

While Mawhinney's albums are a record collector's fantasy, they are beyond the financial reach of most vinyl enthusiasts. That's unfortunate, because there are a lot of desirable items, including:

• An unreleased, untitled Rolling Stones album of early singles. Originally recorded in mono, the songs were remastered in stereo for FM radio stations in the early 1970s. Mawhinney estimates the album is worth between $5,000 and $10,000.

• A rare original copy of Phil Spector's album "A Christmas Gift for You" that features Darlene Love, The Crystals and The Ronettes.

• 15 copies of the first edition of "Elvis' Christmas Album." Mawhinney says the original album, released in 1957, has a red gatefold cover and features Presley singing "Santa Claus Is Back in Town," "Blue Christmas" and 10 other seasonal songs. Estimated worth is $700.

Scott Neuman, president of Recordweb Communications LLC in Lakehurst, N.J., and owner of the online site www.forevervinyl.com, says Mawhinney is spot on with his evaluation of the collection. He agrees the Stones album -- especially if it is unopened -- could be valued at $10,000. "A Christmas Gift for You," in mint condition, could fetch between $700 and $800, and the Presley release might be worth as much as $1,000, Neuman says.

Without having inspected the collection, Neuman believes Mawhinney's estimate of its worth at $50 million "is pretty darn close," he says. "That sounds right."

Optimally, Mawhinney would like the collection to go to a major library or museum, or someplace that will keep it intact. He tried to contact local and national politicians about his dilemma, but he has not received any feedback.

"I can't seem to get any interest from the country in preserving this for history," he says. "I'm very concerned about that."

David Byrne: Survival Strategies for the Music Industry

2008-02-12T13:37:00.001-08:00

When I was a little kid, my parents would let me rummage through their record collection stacked near the family turntable. After deciding on my favorite album cover, my mom or dad would drop the needle on my chosen record. As the music played, I would peer into the tiny holes of my parents' stereo speakers and marvel at the fact that people could live inside such a small space. I ultimately decided that singers and musicians must be really special people with magic powers. This was especially true for The Beatles.

Nearly 30 years have passed since my earliest memories of music, and now music seems doomed to extinction, thanks to the ease with which music can be pirated on the Internet; the shallowness of consumers willing to waste money on the latest Britney Spears album; and the short-sighted greed of large record companies. As a result, radio station DJs have been replaced by corporate robots, MTV has been replaced by "reality" programming, and consumers have chosen Jessica Simpson and Nickleback as the voices of their generation.

As David Byrne (former lead singer for the Talking Heads) recently pointed out in an article published by Wired, music used to be much more than a thin compact disc packaged in a plastic jewel case. It was a social experience. It was the experience of hearing a song for the first time outside your bedroom window, gathering for a dance with a small group of friends, or going to a concert with thousands of other people. Fortunately, great music might be more accessible than ever before. In the article, Byrne discusses several reasons why truly great musicians might finally have the means to sustain themselves without having to sell their souls.

Our Next President: Barack Obama

2008-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

Now that McCain is going to get the nomination from the GOP, you can start counting the days until Obama is sworn in as president (no, Hillary doesn't have a chance). McCain will get crushed in the general election. Many of the Republicans voting against McCain in the primaries, (especially the Romney and Paul supporters), hate McCain so much that they'll vote against him in the general election, regardless of the fact that he's the Republican nominee.

Mitt Romney: "Who Let the Dogs Out?"

2008-01-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

This deserves one of the biggest lol's in the history of the Internet.

Some have speculated as to what exactly was going through Romney's head at the time:

0:06: "I am surrounded by Black people."
0:09: "Black people love rap music."
0:13: "The only rap song I vaguely recall is that 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' thing."
0:15: "If I make a reference to that, these people will like me."
0:16: "I am going to ask these Black people who let the dogs out."

DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography

2008-01-26T01:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Rob Eagleston, I got to see Rod Meldrum's recent DVD entitled DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography. If you haven't seen it, you should. I'll probably be thinking about this for awhile.

The 4-hour DVD basically presents two hypotheses: (1) that there is strong evidence of Hebrew DNA (i.e. Haplogroup X) in Native Americans residing in the Great Lakes Region, Ohio River Valley, and Mississippi River Valley, and (2) that the events of the Book of Mormon took place almost entirely in these same regions.

Meldrum postulates as follows: (1) that Lehi's family landed somewhere along the Gulf Coast, likely somewhere between Louisiana and Florida; (2) that the Nephites migrated to the North along the Mississippi River and East through the Ohio River Valley and Great Lakes regions; and (3) that the Lamanites ultimately occupied everything to the South, Southeast, and West as far as the Rocky Mountains. Meldrum identifies potential Book of Mormon cities, rivers, and other sites with surprising exactness. In fact, he specifically pinpoints the present-day town of Zarahemla, Iowa, as the site of the ancient city of Zarahemla, and he identifies the River Sidon as the present-day Mississippi River. He further asserts that the temples, cities, homes, and war artifacts found throughout the Great Lakes, Mississippi River, and Ohio River Valley are more consistent with the Nephite civilization described in the Book of Mormon than the temples, cities, homes, and war artifacts found in Central America.

Until now, I've never been too interested in mapping the events of the Book of Mormon. In fact, as a missionary in Guatemala, I scoffed at "Ancient Church Site" tours, because they all seemed ridiculously speculative and even illogical. Despite my skeptical inclinations, I was strongly convinced by many of the theories contained in this DVD. In fact, Meldrum has completely changed my mind about the possibility of mapping some of the significant sites of the Book of Mormon. The DNA evidence is compelling on its own, but Meldrum also goes through approximately 3 hours of other evidence (too vast to discuss here), which fully supports his hypotheses. His hypotheses are also completely consistent with the Church's recent one-word alteration to the Introduction to the Book of Mormon.

Like most (if not all) scholars, Meldrum might have made some flawed assumptions in the DVD. But I'll let you be the judge. That said, the only part of the DVD that bothered me was his slightly unprofessional criticism of John Sorenson and other scholars who have advanced the Central American theories. I was also a little uncomfortable with his friend's testimony of his "conversion" to the Church based, at least in part, on some of Meldrum's findings. Whether or not you ultimately agree with all of Meldrum's ideas, this DVD is highly informative and certainly one of the most fascinating presentations I have ever seen on the DNA and geography issues raised by the Book of Mormon. I can't recommend it enough.

To purchase or obtain additional information about the DVD, please visit:

http://www.bookofmormonevidence.org/

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel

2008-01-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

Everything that M. Ward does is beautiful, so I don't expect his collaboration with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel to be any different, especially after hearing the fist single, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" As evidenced by the album art, the duo have named themselves "She and Him." The album is set for release on March 18, 2008. If you've never listened to M. Ward, please repent and listen to Transistor Radio as soon as possible.

RIP Heath Ledger

2008-01-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

I never really knew a lot about Heath, but he always seemed genuine. He also shared an interest in music. He played Bob Dylan in the recent movie I'm Not There, and was close friends and business partners with Ben Harper, one of my favorite musicians (at least from 1994 to 2003). Ben wrote the song "Happy Everafter in Your Eyes" for Heath's little girl and Heath directed the music video for Ben's song, "Morning Yearning," shown below.

100 Years of Solitude

2008-01-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

"The search for lost things is hindered by routine habits and that is why it is so difficult to find them."

I had to read it twice, but I haven't been so astounded by creative genius since reading William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! How does anyone talk about this book without feeling overwhelmed? Where do I begin? There are so many parts to the novel that it would take hours to unpack even 10% of its brilliance. Seriously, the book is packed with incredibly powerful and imaginative stories, allegories, and symbols. The 4-year rainstorm brought on by the Banana Company? Meme and the yellow butterflies? Jose Arcadio Segundo's train ride with 3000 dead people? Ursula's blindness? Colonel Aureliano's 17 little gold fishes? Or the invention of ice?

Through all of these stories, and the pride, ignorance, selfishness, and compassion of the Buendia Family, Marquez captures the history of Latin America (and in many ways, the entire world). But nothing stood out to me more than the recurring theme that blind obedience to mundane habits, traditions, and cultural conventions often causes us to forget what it's like to hold a snowflake in our hands, or even worse, to neglect the temporal and spiritual needs of others--both in our immediate families and in faraway places like Kenya. In other words, our stubborn pride or selfishness is often the single greatest source of our solitude.

My Blog Has Launched!

2008-01-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

Out of respect for Martin Luther King, Jr., I decided to have a Negro host my launch party. Oprah couldn't make it, so she sent this girl instead.

Anyway, now that I will have a lot of time on my hands over the next few weeks, I thought I'd get my blog off the ground and running. I look forward to reading everyone's comments and hope that my blog traffic is enough to get me sponsored by google ads!

This Blog Has a Theme, I Swear

2007-12-29T16:43:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, about an hour before the end of a sunny afternoon, Cash and I were sitting together all alone on the back porch when suddenly Cash's eyes lit up like a pair of sparklers. His head then cocked from side to side, his face turned white, and his arms and legs began flapping as if the entire earth were about to split open beneath us. After about 10 seconds of thrashing around in my arms, Cash suddenly froze as if he had been struck by lightning. My eyes searched the backyard for something out of the ordinary but found nothing unusual. I then studied the expression on Cash's face and discovered that his entire soul had riveted to a choir of birds wailing all around us. As the birds' notes filed into a single, comprehensible hymn, Cash turned toward me with a smile stretching beyond the width of his face, his eyes exclaiming, "Dad, do you hear that?"

may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living
whatever they sing is better than to know
and if men should not hear them men are old

may my mind stroll about hungry
and fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if it's sunday may i be wrong
for whenever men are right they are not young

and may myself do nothing usefully
and love yourself so more than truly
there's never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all the sky over him with one smile

E.E. Cummings