Author Archives: Murphy

Go Lakers!

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I had to go to a sales demo thing this afternoon. I was kind of looking forward to it. Polycom is a good company, and I knew they had some new stuff.

They had a raffle at the end. I had almost left, cause I had a conference to kick off. But I didn’t leave and I’m glad.

I WON LAKER TICKETS!

Lakers v. Celtics at Staples Center.

I get to see Shaq and Kobe in person!
From the VIP suite, even.

This is my fourth season as a lakers fan. I was introduced to them by my cute boyfriend. I was a huge SNOB about sports. Sports, as with all TV, was only for the loss masses who didn’t read.

SNIFF

But my cute boyfriend could read, so my theory was on shaky ground. He said he could intruduce the sport in such a way that I would enjoy it.

At first I thought that it was good, because it was couch-cuddle time. But he had been a fan for long enough, he knew all kinds of detais about the players. He told about their lives, and introduced the drama to me.

I am hooked now.

I like to give different players nicknames. Naturally, anyone who is not a Laker is assumed evil. Stoudemire of the Portland Blazers is the Sodomizer. Ostertag of the Utah Jazz is Osterwuss. Reggie Miller is so amazing to look at. I think he is beautiful, every single sinew in his body is visible to the naked eye. And he is FAST! I call him the Ethiopian chicken, because of that joke i heard in grade school: “what’s the fastest animal on earth?” He is honorarily un-evil because I love watching him move.

Of course, the former lakers I have known still hold a place in my heart. I think Lue (aka Glue) is adorable.

Shaq and Kobe are the stars of the Lakers. But I have respect for the other players. Madsen is the dork, but he’s a serious player. Old Man Horry comes through when you need him. Fisher has lost his headband. What happened, man? I hardly recognize you! But he’s very nice to look at too. He always looks very serious, and he has those big round muscles. He’s solid.

I was very sad when Chick died. It’s not the same without him.

And I have been creating a theory that Phil Jackson’s little underlip shock of white hair is his attempt to evolve into baleen. It’s quite useful to be able to eat plankton!

Well, I could go on. But I’m quite excited about the game. The 21st! In the VIP suite. Yay me!

Poetrychoir: view, inter- and re-

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Inspiration House Poetrychoir: the Spoken Word in the Neighborhood

At 9 p.m. on February 28, Peter J. Harris, host of KPFK’s Inspiration House, organized a Poetrychoir at the Rock Rose Art Gallery at 4108 North Figueroa in Highland Park. The theme for the event was achieving peace.

Inspiration House airs on 90.7 FM Monday nights; from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. Harris founded the show, which features a single poet speaking aloud their work over musical accompaniment.

The Poetrychoir event was based on the same model as Inspiration House performances, however a total of seven poets would perform in the same show. This event was the first of its kind. As Harris said, “I wanted to bring voices together in a format where we could sorta sing.”

The poets were Peter J. Harris himself, and Gloria Alvarez, Carlos Ramirez, Sequoia Mercier, V Kali, Jawanza Dumisani, and finally Dorian Merina. The accompanying musicians were Michael Ligon on the baby grand piano, Marcos Loya on bass, and Rafael Robledo played the guitar. The performers had not rehearsed together, or been told what they were expected to do. The event was meant to unfold. As Harris said, “If you trust writers—trust their creativity and their intelligence—the rest is the gift of improvisation.”

As the musicians prepared the audience for what they were about to hear, Harris stepped up to the microphone, “Put down your gun. Pick up your baby,” he said. As he spoke out his poem, the night’s event began.

Harris introduced the other poets with this statement: “The writers that will join me are writers of uncommon witness, of long voice.” When he finished introducing the poets and the audience, each poet spoke their poems in turn. Unaware of what to expect from each other until after it was voiced, the poets chose their pieces to fit the moment and the performance.

The musicians played beautifully behind the poems, pausing occasionally to catch the feeling of the new poem being brought out. Ligon described it this way: “a lot of gospel, spiritual and soulful music.”

The poets were different from one another. Alvarez frequently used Spanish and English together in one poem; V Kali liked to use images from music, even singing occasionally as part of the poem. Ramirez used his poetry to describe with frightening realism scenes that seemed to be actual events from his life. Mercier took the opportunity to highlight her poems of physical pleasure and intimacy. Dumisani placed his words together to create diamond-cut meaning. Merina took the simplest ideas and used them to open the gates of heaven.

The choir was a success. The beauty of the music and the spoken words absorbed the listeners. It was an extraordinary event.

The surroundings for the performance were helpful to contemplating peace as well. The Rock Rose Gallery had a display of visual arts—paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and others—with the theme “Visions of Peace.” The gallery’s director Rosamaria Marquez said, “Creating a sense of community through the arts, that’s our mission at Rock Rose.” Rock Rose has an active community calendar, often with several events each week.

Enigma

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(This is Cross-posted)

I’m listening to an old CD…Enigma” MCMXC a.D.”

I love this CD. It rocked my world when I first found it. At that time, I didn’t notice that it had all kinds of sub-texts going on.

All I cared about was the beat. I had never heard that kind of mesmerizing synthetic beat before, and I could not get enough of it.

And the album is so sexy!

Later, when I actually listened to it, I did hear all the intelligence put into it. THe juxtapositions of desires inside a person. The music is very trace-like, and it nudges your thoughts in the direction of contemplating very deep desires, the desires of the spirit, soul and body.

Enigma was smart about it. They (he? I don’t even know) used a lot of very interesting sounds to let the listeners create their own train of thoughts.

I still love it.

Even though I’ve found additional sources of synthetic beats.

Continue reading →

My Votes for the Critiqees

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Here we go!

Best short series or special: The Forsyte Saga. I enjoyed it tremendously, and I’ve watched my tape of it again more than once. Good Show, PBS!

Best film: The Hours. Those ladies were fabulous.
Runner up: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Tolkien Rocks, and the movie was really good.

I thoroughly regret having no opinion on books of 2002. I am pretty sure I have never read a book the year it came out–not once in my life. I gravitate to the old, approved classics. Teachers of literature approve of me.

But maybe I should join the new millenium.

That daring devil

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(This is cross posted)

Is it the sunglasses? is it the blind thing? I don’t know, but Ben Affleck was very sexy in this movie.

It was darker than I expected from a comic strip movie. Superman has always delivered his criminals into the hands of justice, and they always went to jail.

Batman sent them off to the institute for the Criminally insane.

But Daredevil just kills ’em.

He probably shouldn’t do that. That’s what I was thinking as I watched it.

And the character started thinking it too, after a while. It ended up being one of the motivating forces in the plot.

While I wouldn’t call it a work of cinematic genius, I really enjoyed it. I’d watch it again.

Especially to see Affleck in that red leather suit again.

Colombo’s: the Melting Pot of Eagle Rock

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This is a story I did for the Highland Park News.

Colorado Boulevard has the spot for good food, friendly smiles and amazing entertainment. Colombo’s bar and restaurant, open 7 days a week, has been around since 1954. It has become an Eagle Rock institution. Regular Mary Duffy-Petersen says, “It’s almost like a party every Friday night.” Autumn Hays, who works in Glendale, comes in with her co-workers for lunch several times a week. She says her favorite night is Monday. There is a lot of excitement about coming in to Colombo’s any time.

It is true; Colombo’s has great food. The original owner Sam Colombo is the one who developed their hand-rolled lasagna recipe, along with the other Sicilian-inspired Italian dishes. Chef Raul Villasenor has been serving the people’s favorites for 16 years. But Colombo’s is more than just food.

When entering the restaurant, the smoky-mirrored walls and romantic gold-framed paintings on the wall invite pleasant relaxation. The red overstuffed upholstery and crisp white tablecloths bring to mind the glamour of Hollywood. Pretty beaded lamps light the booths, and management makes sure to put fresh flowers on every table.

The evenings are filled with music—jazz music. Every night features a talented line-up. As manager Vic Parrino said, “One of the things we are trying to offer is entertainment that you don’t have to pay for. We don’t have a cover…We hope people will be willing to drive a little farther than they would otherwise just for dinner.”

They have live music every night of the week. On Thursdays, the Fiaumara Armbrewster Quartet takes the floor. Friday and Saturday nights Linda Lopez tickles the ivories. Eric Exstrand’s trio plays Sunday and Monday, and Wednesday is the performer wildcard, featuring various local talent.

Customers love to hear the band play, and often join right in. Linda Lopez has a steady stream of vocalists coming to the mike stand at the piano. Eric Exstrand leads his band in a jam session, with all kinds of drop-in musicians joining. As one patron said: “You don’t have to be a great singer. You don’t even have to be a good singer. Everybody’s part of the party at Colombo’s.”

For those who might not be swept away into the music, or those who just want a place to talk and laugh with friends, the bar has a lot to offer. Separate from the dining area, it is a place to belly up and socialize. Tony the bartender is generous with the liquor; he makes a mean key lime martini. The TV at the end plays sports, and the painting of a lounging female nude behind the bar reminds everyone to get flirty.

Mrs. Ann Colombo still comes to the restaurant every day. When her husband Sam passed on about 5 years ago, nephew Vic Parrino took over the business. He is proud to be part of it: “It’s a tradition my aunt and uncle worked very hard to establish. There aren’t a lot of family owned businesses.” His pride is evident in the way things are done.

When Vic came to Colombo’s he brought Yolanda Nagueira in to assist. She is the one who started the entertainment line up. She made a lot of nice touches to the décor, and her friendly smile really lights up the place. More than one person can tell how Vic and Yolanda have done great things at Colombo’s.

Colombo’s is located at 1833 Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. They are open 7 days a week. Monday through Friday, they are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturdays, they open at noon and close at 11 p.m., and Sundays they are open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

HIGH-PUR-BUH-LEE

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Hyperbole:
“A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton.
”

I finally figured out what’s wrong with L.A.

I’ve been here six months, and I’ve been having a little trouble making friends. I have gone out and systematically met with people. I take advantage of the opportunities that are out there.

But somehow, it’s been falling flat. A lot of people don’t really want to get together again, and I’m not that disappointed.

I haven’t really met anyone that I made a connection with.

I went swing dancing a few weeks ago for the first time at a place called the Derby. I was worried about going alone, I thought people wouldn’t be friendly.

I couldn’t have been more wrong! Lots of people were there, lots of nice men asked me to dance. Some people even sat and talked with me.

But I came away feeling a little flat. At the time I was thinking, “L.A. boys are too nice.”

Boy that is not something I would imagine myself thinking. I’m not the “bad boy” type. I really enjoy respectful, intelligent well-dressed men.

Something was wrong.

My brother Chris came to visit me yesterday. He just got back from a world tour of Orthodox monasteries.

I was really worried that our conversation would be really heavy.

I did not want to spend the evening being very serious.

So I made a point of poking fun. There is a hell of a lot that is funny about monasteries, once you stop and look at it.

And my brother has a great sense of humor! There were times when I had him cracking up. And he made me laugh, too.

I woke up this morning, and I figured it out.

NO ONE IN L.A. HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR.

That’s the “too nice” I’ve been running up against.

I love to laugh and make fun of things. The aforementioned “Hyperbole” is one of my favorites…To exaggerate something to show how ridiculous it is..I toss those little hyperboles off all the time.

And I’ve been met with blank stares and nods.

“No! It’s funny! I didn’t mean it literally!”

You can’t explain a joke. Everyone knows that. I couldn’t defend myself.

Things that are bust-my-gut funny are taken totally seriously by everyone I’ve met.

It’s starting to make me feel like a crazy person. Stupid little jokes at work, like “Boy, this coffee is so strong I think it just walked out the room and asked the boss for a promotion” don’t even illicit a groan or an eye-roll.

When you say outrageous things, and laugh uproariously ALONE, you look imbalanced.

But I suppose it’s not a surprise. Being funny is a career in Los Angeles.

Anyone that can crack a half-funny joke is locked in some dungeon somewhere churning out one-liners for That 70s Show or The Simpsons

All we are left with here in the main populace are incredibly earnest and serious peace activists, vegan animal rights people, weight lifters, motivational coaches, yoga instructors and failed actors.

Anyone that wants to laugh has to watch reruns.

A Very Neat Open Letter

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I have a job, and I am pleased that I have a job.

But there are times in any job that are less than pleasant. Times when you are faced on all sides with a Catch 22.

So today, I had a lot of those.

But the thing that took the cake…My Own Personal Point of Pride…Yesterday, a local deity asked me to write some instructions.

I lay aside the fact that to create these instructions is to create and distribute a sharp pointy stick than is meant for poking me.

It had to be done, and I understood why. A global deity needed appeasement, and it took this sharp pointy stick distribution plan.

Fine.

BUT! When I carefully WROTE the instructions, the local deity carefully took the beautiful succinct clear phrases and instructions and made them longer, more confusing and ugly…hoh..

it is one thing to write something badly, and never get around to finishing making the writing better.

I do that practically every day on this blog.

but to take pretty, crafted words and MAKE THEM WORSE ON PURPOSE!

it wounds me.

It wounds me more that I must send them out as if they were my own. It’s like wearing a sign that says “i’m stoopid”

SIGH

In desperation, I was avoiding the situation. I was surfing.

I found this letter.

I think it’s a very beautiful thought. Beautiful thoughts are good. And I wanted to share it.

High Noon

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Got this DVD out of the library recently. It’s on the AFI list of recommended movies.

I’m not a fan of Westerns. They are such GUY movies. Usually there is no woman in the movie that acts in any way resembling what I might do.
Or even what any female I know might do.

But I thought I would give it a try.

I am pleased to say that this Western was not that kind of movie. There are some kick-ass females in it!

One, played by Grace Kelly, was a really strong female. She was the sugar one, but she had some real backbone.

You know the kind of woman in a movie who just can’t seem to do ANYTHING? During the fight scene, her hero will get his gun kicked away from him, and it will land right at the woman’s feet.

AND SHE WILL JUST STARE AT IT!

Stupid female.

But this chicky was not like that. She had some strong convictions. She did stuff. She even grabs the gun at the end.

The other female was the spice. She was actress Katy Jurado, and a latina. BEAUTIFUL, and in total control. She is the one I would want to be, much as I admired Little Bo-Peep Grace Kelly. She had everybody in the palm of her hand, doing what she had to do, and doing it better than anybody else.

The story was good, very suspenseful. I like that the story hinged on the relationships between the characters.

I might even buy this one!