Twilight

I know I'm a bit behind in music. This includes buying the new Elliott album, uh which I just bought tonight, in addition to the new Aracade Fire (hadn't heard them until I was in a rental minivan headed to Elizabeth NJ). But I just wanted to briefly mention Elliott's Twilight, a beautiful song.

The choruses, 'I'm/You're already somebody's baby,' is so wonderful because it spans the entire life cycle. Let me explain.

Already being somebody's baby suggests something like, "hey, I'm sorry, but I can't go out with you because I've already got a girlfriend." It affirms the existing relationship, and turns away someone interested in you. But at the same time, it destabilizes the existing relationship itself, the one just defended: being somebody's baby, also means, "you can never be my mother or father -- I'm already somebody's baby/child,"

So the two meanings -- most immediately, "I'm taken", but simultaneously (and less obviously, but more literally) "I'm yours, sure, but in a way, I'm still only 'a baby' to my parents" -- gracefully combines adult love and childhood. I really think it's kind of brilliant. It takes a throwaway word like 'baby', and juxtaposes the love meaning with the literal, infant one. Fuckin' A. It gets me every time.

Child's Play

I know I'm not the most charitable guy in the world, in fact I tend to be pretty skeptical most so-called "charities", but I came across this the other day.

The guys over at Penny Arcade started a charity last year called Child's Play. Basically what happened was they saw a letter in a newspaper complaining about how video games cause violence and decided it was time the video game community did some nice. So they talked to a local children's hospital and got a list of toys the kids would like. The list was posted online and people could buy something from Amazon and have it sent to Seattle, where it would sit till Tycho and Gabe (the Penny Arcade guys) delivered everything.

They started November 24 and figured they would raise a few thousand dollars worth of stuff. Three weeks later they were looking at 4 storage units holding $250,000 worth of toys and donations.

This year they have expanded to 5 hospitals throughout the country are starting earlier. They have a website where you can see the wish lists of each hospital.

The best part is you buy the toys from Amazon and they are sent directly to the hospital, so you know your donation is making a difference.

So if anyone was looking for a way they could help without a lot of bullshit or spending a ton of money I encourage them to check it out.

Child's Play

Before the flood.

I think we can all agree that any team that has Scott Stapp sing "God Bless America" doesn't deserve to win the World Series, no?

IT'S . . .

NaSoAlMo!