Music, movies, art, reading and writing, theatre, cooking and cuisine, video games, architecture (specifically Googie-style), computers, and the internet.
There is, of course, more...But I try to keep my lily-gilding to a minimum.
Music
Queen, Ben Folds, Better Than Ezra, Barenaked Ladies, Cake, Bic Runga, Stone Temple Pilots, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Beatles, Black Crowes, Live, and a cast of thousands of others. I have a particular affinity for 90's alt-rock...Music from a time when "Alternative" meant something: A junk-drawer approach to radio programming that threw everything non-mainstream into a delicious stew of disparate styles. There was a small, maybe five year-window from about '93 to '97 when things were really very interesting and good, and I recall it fondly. Basically, I like anything with clever / thought provoking lyrics, an earnest melody, and a singer who MEANS IT. So, while Josh Groban may be a technically-proficient-as-all-hell little Popera-moppet, I vastly prefer the far-more-earnest (if not as trained) dulcet tones of an Adam Duritz, Steven Page, or Robin Wilson. Honestly, I'll listen to damn near anything at least to give it a shot, as long as it's not exceedingly dissonant or atonal.
Except country. Country isn't just bad music, it's a crime against humanity, and at least partially responsible for the dumbing-down of Western culture. Country is stupid, formulaic music for stupid, formulaic people. Anything that celebrates ignorance as being an acceptable way of life is anathema.
Click below to check out a longtime favorite of mine that the rest of the US finally seems to be catching up to...KT Tunstall and her astonishing solo rendition of "Black Horse and Cherry Tree".
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Movies
Anything Kevin Smith touches, The Warriors, Princess Bride, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The City of Lost Children, most foreign and independent film. I enjoy a wide variety of stuff, but tend to stay away from formula, film-by-numbers, T-and-A-and-explosions "Hollywood-y" tripe unless I'm actively seeking an evening of mindless popcorn escapism. Pretentious, character-driven art-house stuff is where it's at, baby. I think, deep down, we all know this.
Television
Film is Art.
Theatre is Life.
Television is Furniture.
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Look, ma! It's TMJ4's report on strangers, and AH HAYLPED!
Books
You name it, I'll read it! Due to my intense and abiding love of the language, I tend to favor character-driven stuff, heavy on the expository prose. I'm also a big fan of the classics, the kind of stuff they assign in literature classes in school, and try to stay up on them. As for nonfiction...Big fan of "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris, "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins, and "The Truth - With Jokes" by Al Franken, whom I simply cannot wait to vote for.
Heroes
Henry Rollins, the modern renaissance man. I'm also a big fan of Stephen King, Penn Jillette, Anthony Bourdain, George Carlin, Michael Moore, Kevin Smith, Travis McNabb, Andy Warhol, Andrew Vachss, and my folks. Especially my folks.
I'm a big fella. I shop in the "husky" section, mostly, and I don't particularly see any point in being coy about this. First, I'm not necessarily convinced it's a bad thing. Second, it's more or less self-evident upon making my acquaintance. Third, I'm ever-discovering that there doesn't really seem to be all that much I can bloody well do about it. Raw data-wise, this means I'm 6'5", and fluctuate between 325 and 340 depending on what I've eaten that week. That being said, I'm light on my feet, quick with a smile and a pithy bon mot, and my friends know I'm more or less a teddybear. Most guys my size are. Typically, this is because we have absolutely nothing to prove. Call it the reverse Napoleon complex, I suppose. However you'd like to see it, in the interest of total disclosure, I do like to get that out of the way upfront. It tends to somewhat allay the shocked looks the first time I come through the door...And more or less fill it.much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
Other pertinent .. Until recently, I had butt-length wavy brown hair, but after 15 years of fighting with it (and against the perceptions it brought), I've adopted a slightly more conservative coiffure. I still cultivate a reasonably-successful assemblage of facial hair, which I keep sculpted and trimmed to near-Pythagorean precision. The reason for this is largely because it is not socially-acceptable for men to wear makeup outside the theatrical realm (which I have not occupied with any regularity for many moons), and well-tended face-foliage is something I CAN maintain which dramatically improves my appearance. As for the rest of my face, I've more or less accepted it, and have long since internalized which lighting situations and angles result in the most flattering portraits. Pity that the former becomes darker, and the latter becomes more extreme as the D.O.B. field on my drivers' license recedes further into the mists of yesteryear; but, as ever, getting older certainly beats the trousers off of the alternative.
much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
I'm college-educated, and obsessively creative to the point of near-lunacy. I have a deep and abiding love for all pursuits artistic...Whether this manifests itself in the form of creating things myself, or drinking in someone else's work, I'm equally satisfied. This means, unlike most who list high-falutin' interests in an attempt to appear erudite, I actually GO to concerts, theatre, museums, and the like.
much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
I have the world's greatest friends. They're goodly enough to opine that I'm quick and funny, which I'm sharp enough to appreciate. I'm also unfailingly loyal to them, and all who earn (and keep) my trust. However, those who cross me out of petty spite do so only to their own detriment. Not that I'm the vindictive sort, mind you...heavens, no. It's just that with alarming reliability, bad karma seems to cheerfully visit itself upon those who go out of their way to earn my ire.much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
I love to laugh, to travel, and to meet new people, though I never get as much of a chance to do any of those things as I'd like. Though, admittedly, if I did, I'd not have much (if any) time left for anything else, including sleep and restroom trips.much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
I think that about covers the basics, and thanks for reading. Anything else, feel free to drop me a line and ask me. I'm pretty much an open book, albeit one with a lot of footnotes, references, and somewhat small print.
Who I'd like to meet: Anyone intelligent, fun, spontaneous, open-minded, creative, and non-judgmental (I don't lead the world's most conventional life on more than a few fronts). Someone who's comfortable in their own skin, and understands the power of positive thinking. Someone friendly. I think that's why we're all here, eh? I'd be surprised to read a profile that said, "I'm looking for cruel, backward-thinking ultra-bastards to abuse me, bruise me, and launch a full-fledged, take-no-prisoners assault on my self-worth."
Maybe that's just me.
Uncle Beefy's Friends (in no particular order, because I've always felt that if there are people nice enough to like me, RANKING them into some sort of arbitrary hierarchy is crass and uncouth):
Hey Jim! Having a huge birthday party on Saturday, hoping you can make it. Imperial Room, 417 1st Ave N Minneapolis, 55401 (612) 376-7676 7pm, but come anytime before midnight when we count down the last minutes of my twenties!
Jim, I think you're one of a few people that know there's an earlier version of "Good Time Girl." Thanks for the good thoughts. I hope you and your lovely wife are doing well. Thanks for checking in. P.S.-No recordings from the IPO. It was a fun 30 minutes and a great 9 years. Hope to run into you some time sooner than later. Jack
Did I tell you what a pleasure it was to meet you and your lovely lady? Did I mention that? Srsly. I just loved being able to have a real human interaction with you.
