has been

So I've been listening to William Shatner's new 11-song CD, Has Been, and I'm shocked to admit that it's not as horrible as I had anticipated.

No, he doesn't sing (thank heavens). As with Shatner's previous recordings, it's all spoken word stuff, but the cheesiness factor is cut considerably by collaboration with some talented singers and musicians.

There's some very funny stuff, like in "You'll Have Time":

"Live life like you're gonna die
Because you're gonna
I hate to be the bearer of bad news
But you're gonna die."

with a gospel chorus back-up.

But the CD also includes some deeply personal pieces which which I found incredibly moving, like "That's Me Trying," a song about his attempt to build a relationship with his daughter long after it's too late, and an unaccompanied piece called "What Have You Done," about his wife's death (his wife drowned in a pool in 1999):

Whatever I might think about Shatner's performance and acting abilities (but don't forget...he's STILL MY FAVOURITE STAR TREK CAPTAIN!!), I've got to give the guy credit for guts as well as his benevolent willingness to laugh at himself.

I found the album to be remarkably honest, the songs well-suited to Shatner's unique style and personality. My favourite song on the CD is the last song, "Real," which was apparently written for Shatner by Brad Paisley:

"I have saved the world in the movies
So, naturally, there's folks who think I must know what to do
But just because you've seen me on your TV
Doesn't mean I'm any more enlightened than you."

Track listing:

1. "Common People" (with Joe Jackson)
2. "It Hasn't Happened Yet"
3. "You'll Have Time"
4. "Trying" (with Ben Folds and Aimee Mann)
5. "What Have You Done"
6. "Together" (with Lemon Jelly)
7. "Familiar Love"
8. "Ideal Woman"
9. "Has Been"
10. "I Can't Get Behind That" (with Henry Rollins, Adrian Belew on guitar)
11. "Real" (with Brad Paisley)

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POLL: Costumes? Hallowe'en?

I recently had a conversation with a friend about whether we were Hallowee'en/costume or non-costume people. He said he was definitely NON-Hallowe'en. I lean more toward the Hallowee'en/costume end, but it does depend on whim and mood. I used to get dressed up as a witch when I lived in a house and handed out treats.

A Hallowe'en Season and Costuming Survey:

Do you celebrate Hallowe'en? Do you like or dread the whole trick-or-treating ritual?

Are you a costume or non-costume person?

What costumes have you worn in the past that you find especially memorable, whether good or bad?

Do you make your own costumes?

Do you spell Hallowe'en with an apostrophe? (thanks to Rand for the additional poll question idea)

My first costume: Snow White (see below)



Ruth and me, Hallowe'en night. I'm dressed up as Snow White.

My most memorable costume: When Jeff and I went as the Way-Outs to a friend's Flintstones party. As I recall, Andy went as Betty Rubble. Kaarel went as a bowling ball.

My favourite costume: Performing in medieval dress at the Tolkien Gathering last year with Allison and Jodi! I never expected to enjoy wearing Tolkienesque garb so much; now I only wish that there was more opportunity to do so AND that it didn't take up so much room in one's luggage. :-)



Urban Tapestry performing at The Gathering in December.

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dot com survivor

Congrats to my sister, whose book with Hazel Hutchins, "Sidewalk Rescue, has been nominated for the 2005 Blue Spruce Award!

So I was going through some old lyric sheets and came across a song that I wrote several years ago, taught Allison & Jodi, but we never got around to performing in public; we didn't get out to many conventions as a trio that year, and all forgot about it after that. It's too late to resurrect, so I'm posting it here before it sinks into its final obscurity. Be warned that it's one of my songs in which the scansion is likely baffling until you hear how it fits with the music (which you won't, so you'll have to suffer, sorry):

food and books and music and Shatner

Oh, I am So Bad.

The photo above was taken this morning when Parki, Jeff and I had brunch at 3's Company, currently one of our favourite brunch places in Toronto. The photo? It's what I had for breakfast: French toast stuffed with peanut butter and banana, drizzled with chocolate, whipped cream. My waitperson also gave me some maple syrup on the side, "in case it's not sweet enough." She didn't quite manage to say it with a straight face.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

Gushing thanks to my friend Parki, who told me that the Return of the King Extended Edition Preview is available online. Dear lord, I CAN'T WAIT CAN'T WAIT CAN'T WAIT. Obviously, I need to do a cartoon about this.

I'm about a third of the way through Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I'd be able to go a lot faster if the book wasn't so darned BIG; I can't read it in the tub and it's a pain to carry on the subway. Quite enjoying so far, though!

I've also started The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud, first book of The Bartimaeus Trilogy (thanks for the loan, Parki!). Love it, must get my own copy. Also hope the second book comes out in paperback soon.

Jeff and I just picked up William Shatner's new CD, "Has Been." Dear lord. We're still listening to it, so I can't quite decide if it's good or bad or simply unclassifiable (I suspect the latter). The list of artists who collaborated on this CD is mind-boggling, including: Ben Folds, Nick Hornby, Brad Paisley (wrote a song specifically for Shatner), Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, Adrian Belew (guitars), Matt Chamberlain (played drums for Tori Amos, Fiona Apple), Sebastian Steinberg (bass, Soul Coughing), and Jon Auer (guitar, The Posies).

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happy anniversary, D&D!

Cora in Austria.


It looks like our children's concert at OVFF is going to be at Sunday from 12-12:30 pm, a half-hour joint concert with Ookla the Mok. Many thanks to Mary and Emily for coordinating the programming. It's been quite a few years since UT and Ookla have performed together, so this should be lots of fun. The Hockey Monkey Song is on the playlist, of course. Anyone with a child or who is still a child at heart is welcome. :-)

Saw "I (heart) Huckabees" last night with Parki. Entertaining movie with some clever writing; I just wish it had a stronger story. There were some very funny scenes, however, and I LOVED the interaction between Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman.



Intriguing sculpture in the Schloss.


So it's the 30th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons today. How many of you out there were or are into D&D and other roleplaying games, online or offline? I'm curious.

I found out about D&D through Games magazine when I was eleven, was SUPER-excited about the concept, ordered it as soon as it was available, then spent weeks waiting anxiously by the mailbox. When it finally arrived, I happily pored over the manual, created a campaign, did the maps, etc., then inflicted it on my family.

In the first session, when my family came across a candlelit cave with a creepy vampire coffin, my brother and sister got too scared (heck, I admit scaring myself as well) and my parents nixed the game permanently. And thus ended my first and only stint as Dungeonmaster. I didn't even think about trying to get my friends to play; they would think it too weird, I knew. My notes and maps ended up in the trash.

In high school, I heard that the War Games club was playing D&D and got all excited again, but unfortunately it didn't work out. I was the only girl, and it was clear that my presence was putting a crimp in their style. They kept apologizing whenever there was violence, for instance, and were WAY too polite. Augh. I never came back.



Vendor at farmer's market.


At university, I participated in several campaigns under DMs like Tom West (I had a wimpy magic user named Rowena), Andy (hobbit thief named Charity), Reid (Heroes game, can't remember my character), Mark Thompson (Xlaw campaign), John Chew (2nd edition of D&D, Oriental Adventures supplement). Jeff played D&D as well, though he and I were never in a campaign together. Jeff's games group played D&D last night in honour of the anniversary. Hey, my friend Harald just posted in Blatherchat:

"Xlaw is called Rolemaster now; I'm in two ongoing campaigns. :-)

We're having a D&D session tonight in honour of the anniversary. When I created my character I realized that I've never actually played a D&D mage before; I've always played in campaigns where the D&D magic system was replaced with Spell Law."

I no longer play D&D, but more because of a busy schedule than lack of interest. Creating a character usually takes a lot of effort, time and record-keeping, and then (at least for me) the sessions themselves need to be fairly frequent, else the immediacy and interest fade. Sometimes I wonder how we managed to find time for studying amidst all the gaming and socializing. :-)

But I loved the imaginative and storytelling element, the challenge of figuring out the rules and riddles of another world. Now I get my fix through reading and writing sf/fantasy instead. Very cool that my friend Reid plays D&D with his son and stepson from time to time.

I do still feel the occasional twinge of nostalgia, remembering those hours immersed in someone else's invented world with my companions, our fates sometimes hinged on a single roll of a 20-side die....

Happy Anniversary, D&D!

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