Inglourious Basterds. Hot. Hot. Hot.

I ended up watching Inglourious Basterds after picking up Marie from Laguardia Airport. Going into the movie, the only thing I remember was that I did like a trailer for it; the one where Brad Pitt had the smug look on his face, telling his troops that they were gonna kill Nazis.

Well the movie surpassed all expectations. Quentin Tarantino is one hell of a storyteller, and even saying that, this might be his best movie yet. Once again, the characters are so fleshed out; the Nazi Colonel and the French movie theater owner were my absolute favorites. There are 5 Chapters to the movie, and each Chapter was utterly crucial. Of course, all the homages and references Tarantino makes to old movies (Dirty Dozen, Reservoir Dogs, etc.) were tasteful and did not detract one bit from the story.

It was also cool seeing Daniel Bruehl from Goodbye Lenin (amazing German movie) as one of the lead characters. And I also recognized that the bar owner in one of the scenes was a doctor in another German movie Downfall (Der Untergang). Diane Kruger, Brad Pitt, and Michael Myers performed well. And of course, B.J. Novak. You can't go wrong with B.J. Novak.

There's talk of the Nazi Colonel (Christoph Waltz) perhaps getting an academy award for his performance; I 100% agree. The Colonel's performance is mesmerizing, to put it mildly. He's cunning, resourceful, an opportunist, and evil and communicates this in 3 languages. Sooo good. Also his mannerisms are pretty amazing too.

Conclusion: Best Quentin Tarantino movie yet. Best film of the year so far. And I'm most likely going to see the movie again in the theatres. It was that awesome.

Observations about myself. August 2009.

I started drinking coffee last week (hazelnut cappuccino to be exact), and have found out that I need it more than ever to stay alert at work. The fruitful beginnings of a dependence is what you can say. The downside is that once the caffeine is diffused through my bloodstream, I have this nervous energy in my system. It seems as if my body is warning me that the apocalypse is coming and that we are all doomed . I don’t like this feeling, but it’s the trade-off for not falling asleep at work.

Conclusion: GO APOCALYPSE!

I think I’m a suspender type of guy. Once I learn how to actually wear them correctly.

CONCLUSION: look up how to put on suspenders at youtube.

I treasure female companionship more than male companionship on the whole, although sometimes when I’m with a super close male friend of mine, like Greg Fine, then I’m really 100% suffused with being in that moment with that particular male friend.

CONCLUSION: hang out with Greg and family once again.

I need to start running again, for my body’s sake. Especially if I want to run a marathon in two years. I need that feeling of being healthy again.

CONCLUSION: start simple run this weekend: 1-2 miles only.

I really enjoyed playing and singing with Rachel Zamstein. She is an unbelievably talented musician in all aspects, and in a way I feel like we’ve been spiritual friends in past lives. Like maybe she was a knight in the middle ages, and I was her stable boy.

CONCLUSION: play and create more shenanigans with Rachel.

I wish I had ½ half the ingenuity and talent of my friend Nick Jenkins. The dude is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

CONCLUSION: Snatch Nick Jenkin’s genius if it happens to accidently spill out of his head. Claim innocence for snatching said genius.


I like the fact that at work, I’m known as the ‘go to guy if you don’t want to waste your food’. My co-worker Tina just asked me “I want just how you much food you can eat in a day. I’m going to buy a bunch of food, and just keep feeding you the whole day.” I replied “I welcome the opportunity and the challenge”.

CONCLUSION: keep up my splendid reputation.

Fri,Feb. 20 - Back to the Future II is a LIE. Where the hell is my hoverboard?

And my flying car that runs on fusion? and the mini Dominoes pizza that you put in the dehydrator? None of this is true. I guess we still have 6 more years until all of this transpires, but I'm not holding my breath for these predictions to happen.

However, I am excited about one prediction that will happen:

SINGULARITY.

The singularity is near.


Singularity, according to Singularityhub.com, is

"The point in mankind’s future when we will transcend current intellectual and biological limitations and initiate an intelligence and information explosion beyond imagining. "


Basically, singularity will possibly be the most important event ever to happen to humankind, and it's supposed to happen around or before 2050. By then, advances in technology, nanotechnology, and computers will make it possible to eradicate all diseases, and prolong human life considerably. Also, most human beings by that time will have some sort of biotechnological advancement implanted in their body, that the majority of us would actually be classified as being android than 100% human being.

I personally welcome it. As long as human beings still have free will, and not controlled by some diabolical superintelligent machine, then i'm down with it. I ain't down with Terminator 2.

And I do want to live forever. I read somewhere that advancements might go a thousandfold within the next 50 years, that computers might have the possibility of mapping out and downloading consciousness. So basically, we can never die. All we'd have to do is find an exterior machine/body where our consciousness will be able to control.

I'm totally cool with that. I want to be like 5,000 years old and still kicking it and songwriting it and kissing beautiful ladies and traveling through space. I'd be known as the Ancient One. That's so badass.

Feb. 19 - Demetri Martin LIVE at The Bowery Ball Room = AWESOME.

He even made a joke about using the word awesome, which I’m sure he’ll be using on his show soon.

Casey and I went, and basically for an hour and 15 minutes we received the revelation of Demetri’s Genius. Like genius with a capital G. He’s that good.

My favorite part of the show was when he read out these fliers he made. But all of the show was really witty and clever. Pretty much Martin’s bonafide m.o.

It seemed like he was trying out new material, because he brought a tape recorder, and whenever a joke didn’t do as well, he took his recorder and said something to the effect of “note to self: do not do suicide joke. Not as funny live as it seems in bedroom.” He also plays this vintage Casio keyboard (I think it’s an SK 1) , and sings his jokes while he does it.

Favorite joke of the night, which Casey and I agreed : “The number of balls juggled by a man is inverse proportional to the number of girls who want to juggle that man’s balls.” Once he said that, Casey and I looked at each other, and said “Kaler!!!” in reference to our friend Josh Kaler, guitar player/drummer for Slow Runner, and professional juggler.

Ah, Kaler. We miss you, you bastard.

I’ve been a fan of Demetri ever since I saw that comedy central special of him a couple of years ago. It was an honor to watch him perform live. I think my brain had an orgasm.

Wed. Feb 18th - First Potluck of 2009!

Was a good time had by all. It happened three weeks ago, so I can’t promise that my memory will be 100% accurate…but I’ll try my best.

Cast of characters:

Laura B
Dave and Isabelle
Jannes
Karin and Riki
Laura’s male friend, the actor
Laura’s cat



I got the invite from Marie, who got it from Dave and Isabelle. I went over Laura B’s place at Sunnyside. Dave answered the door, and when I entered, everyone was around a table, playing a card game.

Not sure what the card game was called, so here’s the gist: You have 7 cards, all with nouns. The player in charge picks up two cards in the center of the table, which are adjectives, and you and your opponents try to pick the card in your stack that best matches the description of the adjectives. The player in charge then picks the noun card he thinks fits the best with the adjective cards, and whomever card that player picks, the person who put that specific card down is the winner.

I was thrown right into the game while Laura got me a glass of wine. It was around then that I was introduced to everyone. It was nice seeing Jannes from Berlin again; he gave me a card with his band’s myspace info on it. Dave and Isabelle were there too, solid and happy to be there. I met Laura’s friend, the Actor, though I do not remember his name. He seemed like a gentle guy, and I believe went to college with her at Charleston. Then I got to meet Karin and Riki, who both taught and traveled with Laura in Thailand. Besides having awesome names, they were really nice, and told me a little bit about their adventures there (something about elephants, if I remember correctly) …and about the food. Oh my God, I love Thai food. Karin and RIki were staying with Laura for a few months.

I brought 2 bags of Terra Chips, which were happily consumed by everyone, especially Karin. Most of the other guests had already eaten, so there was a plate of fancy crackers, brie and a bagel pizza waiting for me. Of course I ate everything…because you never turn down a food offer from the host. Ever.

For some reason, Karin kept winning (approximately 4 out of every 6 tries), which was starting to bug me, since I ended up not winning a game the whole night. But I got over it, especially after she told a funny story regarding her dad. Oh, and Laura’s cat was there, and everyone else was petting her, except for me. But somehow I wasn’t feeling allergic, which usually never happens. I wonder if her cat is hypoallergenic, if there is such a thing as hypoallergenic cats.

After Isabelle and Dave left, I spent another half an hour hanging. Laura had her laptop open, so we showed each other youtube videos (my God, has we all gone geeky?) I of course showed them the 1st part of Food Party.. Then Jannes showed us an animated video of this kid who recorded John Lennon with a tape recorder back in the late 60’s; it was a little long-winded (Lennon can yap for a ridiculous amount of time) but did have its pretty moments.

All in all, it was a good time. I do believe that we might have a tea party in a couple of weeks, and perhaps do a blind tea taste test, to see if if my company’s tea is better than the tea Karin buys. Stay tuned…

Wrestling With The Wrestler

I saw the Wrestler with Marie and her friends Terri and Emily, and Bill. At the Landmark Theatre on E. Houston, after spending a couple of hours at the progressive book store near Rockwoods.

The Wrestler is a great film, and deserves all the accolades it’s been getting. Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei were heartbreakingly honest in their performances.
The only weak link of the story is the daughter-dad relationship between Mickey and Evan Rachel Wood; although still good performances in both parts, it felt nauseatingly Hollywood cliché, and was trying to do too much in those minutes. But other than that glitch, it is a great film.

I couldn’t help thinking while watching the Wrestler, about the song The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel. Especially these lines, which I will try to cull from memory:

“I am leaving, I am leaving/ but the fighter still remains.”

I wonder if the Soderbergh and the screenwriter were inspired by this song, sing a lot of the song’s gist seems to course through The Wrestler. Don’t know.

Tues. Feb. 17. I am a Cookiemonster.

Chomp chomp chomp.

My co-worker Mary had a whole roll of these Girl Scout Cookies that she put on top of her cubicle for everyone to eat. I first took 3 cookies,
then 15 minutes later when she was at her desk, I asked her if I could take a few more cookies (about 5). She said she doesn’t eat them because they’re bad for you. Oh well.

Then 20 minutes later I went back to her desk and asked if I can take a few more. She laughed, and said to go ahead. So I took 3 more.
She said I was a cookie monster.

Yes I am.

Finally, an hour later there was still 6 cookies left in the roll. And she wasn’t at her desk, so I took the whole thing.

I love it when I get free food at my workplace. I get the same feeling like when I was a 5 year old kid, stealing Topps football cards from Pathmark supermarket, even though I had no interest in football. It’s like I stick it to the man.

Mon., Feb 16 - MOMA = The Museum of Malcontent Artists

I mean, The Museum of Modern Art. Awesomeness. Haven’t been there in a few years, so it was nice to go.

Marie and I met up with Dave and Isabelle, who had one free ticket to give us, which was awesome. So we did the whole MOMA experience, and all of us were modern-arted out after the 2.5 hours.

Unfortunately, Van Gogh’s Starry Night wasn’t there. I know it’s quite a cliché, but I absolutely love that painting. It inspired a few lines in a song I wrote called The Night I Met Her:
“The sky is like a Vince Van Gogh/ full of slingshot stars”.


The current exhibit is of this South African artist named Marlene Dumas, who I really liked. A lot of her paintings were really dark and unsettling. She uses blues and grays a lot, but uses them in a way as to make the subjects look like their faces are decomposing. And a lot of the subject’s faces were deformed, and many were in compromising positions. There’s a lot of tension and horror present in her paintings. Some of it is pain too. My favorite painting off hers was the Turkish School Children. Their faces were ghastly, with deliberately sad/scary eyes.

Other highlights (in my opinion) of the place: Le Mademoiselles D’Avignon, by Picasso, which I studied during my art class; both Van Gogh’s paintings, which are intense to look at; some of the Dada art, and some of Dali’s stuff. Also really liked Rothko’s paintings, which I didn’t like the last time I went there, and still continually to be flabbergasted by Jackson Pollock, who I think might be my favorite contemporary artist.

Sun, Feb. 16 - To the Old man Snoring Loudly throughout the showing of Coraline.

You are my hero. Thank you for snoring so loudly that Marie, her friends, and I can hear you, even though you were about 20 rows away.

I’m sure the kids around you really appreciated it too. Especially during the quiet parts of the dialogue.

I’m also sure the relatives who brought you must have been really proud of you too. Way to go, cakemeister.

Thank you for your contribution to the happiness and enjoyment of everyone at the movie theater. I hope the theater gives you free tickets for life so you can snore so loudly at each showing you go to.

V Day Dinner and honey bears.

I had Valentines Day dinner with a loved one. California Pizza kitchen near the Fortunoffs and Roosevelt Field. The place was super-packed, for V Day, that when we arrived, we were told it would be a 40 minute wait, so we walked to the Borders nearby.

Upon arriving, I see a ridiculous honey bear. I’ve decided to call super-attractive girls honey bears, because I think the name fits, rather than call them hotties. This honey bear was in her early 20s, blond, grey skirt, leggy, full lips, and with a much older man, who I presume was her father. I remember her somewhat passing by me (I don’t stare, but sometimes look peripherally at things or people who catch my eye), and my body having a mini panic attack like “holy cerebrum, she’s coming this way!!! May day!!!!! Flex those pecs, and stand up straight, and look confident, you singer-songwriter bastard!” Once the tempest subsided, and she and her dad (or sugardaddy?) went upstairs, I saw this other guy about 5 feet away from me, dumbfounded too at the honeyness.

It's weird how honey bears seem to stop time all around you.

Another note: my loved one saw this postcard book called “Bad News Told by Baby Animals”, which turns out to be pretty genius. Basically, it’s postcard pictures of baby animals in really cute situations, yet the caption by the animals says stuff like “ I cheated on you” and “You’re the Father” and other sweet things to have whispered in your ear.

Anyway, we get back to the Kitch. I ordered this chipotle Pizza, which was pretty decent, and she ordered the tandoori chicken pizza, which was really good. The mango in the pizza really added such a sweet flavor to the rest of tandoori chicken, and I was a little jealous that she ordered that one. Ah, whatevs.

C’est la vie. Or as Nick Swardson’s Gay Robot would say, “It ain’t no thing but a chicken wing”.

Saturday, Feb 14th - Famous

If you wanna stay a while
you don't have to go
even if you're famous
no one has to know
If you wanna stay a while
you don't have to go
even if you're famous
no one has to know

I can see you
for who you are
not who you appear to be
in magazines


If you wanna close your eyes
and open the window
you'll feel the weight of fireflies
landing on your clothes
they'll lift you up across the sky
and gradually you'll float
to the city limits way up high
before you're carried home

I can see you
for who you are
not who you appear to be
in magazines


Br:

they don't care about what is true
you are beautiful even when you're blue
they don't give a damn who you are
you're my star

if I only have night
and disappear by daylight
I'd spend these hours beside you
if you asked me
if I only have night
and disappear by daylight
I'd spend the night beside you

If you wanna stay a while
you don't have to go
even if you're famous
no one has to know

- lyrics, words, and music by John-Flor Sisante
copyright 2009 by John-Flor Sisante

Friday the 13th!!!! CH CH CH CH HA HA HA HA

I hope that scared you a ton, that you now can't sleep tonight. Because I'm evil like that.


Cast of characters:

Harry George
Adam Sullivan
Tom Loschiavo
Jeni Nielsen
Eric Seader
Matt Jasper
Kieran Kelly
Casey Tuck
Owen Biddle and Adriene
Jeanie P
Rachael
Ben Williams
Dan Carmen
Joanna and Chelsea
Rob

The Friday show at The Waltz was so awesome. It was a crowded room, and I got to meet a lot of new faces who I guess ended up liking my shenanigans. It's the ukelele, I tell you. They don't like me- they like my ukelele.

My playset:

Symphony Smile (piano)
Bad At Telling you (piano* debut)
Modern Masterpiece
Second Wind
The Britney Spears Song
Bed of Nails
The Night in her apartment
buttercup
Kneecaps


Harry George is a fine, fine songwriter. I absolutely loved the 2nd or third song he played. And I really like his vibe too. Adam Sullivan played a solid set of whimsical, thoughtful pieces, and is quite an amazing piano player. He's also a great vibe to him too. He sang with a girl in a couple of songs, which was also really nice. And Tom Loschiavo also did a great job, with his music reminiscent of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, but even more vulnerable. It was a great night for music.

It was nice meeting Rob, Harry and Adam's roommate. We share the Filipino thing, so I'm probably somewhat related to him.

Alas, a lot of friends came to this show too...Jeni Nielsen is so sweet, and I'm really glad I had a chance to hang out with her a little bit. She fed me some of her peanut butter cake and the half of the sandwich she ate, and we got to talking a bunch with her, and also with Eric Seader, who had some great, great news to tell! Eric, you are awesome, and I am happy for you :)

Also in the crowd was Casey, el drummer extraordinaire, who also brought Owen and his significant other, Adriene, and a bunch of other friends. That was really awesome to see all of them, and Owen and Adriene are now New Yorkers!! So awesome...he literally is the funniest guy I have ever met, and quite the talented bass player.

It was also sweet to see Jeanie there too. She brought her cousin who just came from Taiwan, and also her friend Rachael, who kinda from my angle on stage looked a little bit like St. Vincent, which I thought was interesting. I really enjoyed talking to them too, and Rachael told me about a ukelele player she digs.

And Ben Williams and Dan were there too, which was awesome. Ben is a great guy, and I am happy I got a chance to talk to him. I didn't get a chance to talk to Dan as much though, but hopefully next time I will.

Matt Jasper, fellow long-island bred singer-songwriter, was there too. It turns out he most likely will be working with Kieran Kelly, the producer from The Buddy Project who I will be working with in a couple of months...so that's awesome. He's a good guy; too bad his girlfriend wasn't there also, since she's really nice.

Kieran was there too, with his wife, and some other friends. We got to talking and he said once in a while if no on is recording at the TBP I can call him up, borrow the keys, and use the piano....which is so awesome, since it's a really good piano.

Oh, and it was really nice formally meeting Joanna and Chelsea. Jo told me about her life as a teaching fellow, and I told her I have had two friends who have gone through it; one is totally doing great with it while the other one dropped out after a couple of months. She said that the classes can vary considerably, but she said she's been doing well, which is awesome. She also invited me to her birthday coming this Friday, which is also awesome. I mentioned she should do some karaoke, but I think she's set on getting her groove on and dancing.

Chelsea also was really sweet; it turns out she's very involved with dance, and even live in Charleston this past Summer doing dance stuff, which is cool. I told her how I absolutely loved the modern dance recitals given by Boston Conservatory kids back in my days at Berklee, and I asked her next time she gets dance tickets and can't find anyone to go with, invite me! Because I'm into modern dance especially. And appreciate it much more, especially after watching Talk To Her, Almodovar's best film.

Well, that's pretty much it. I guess I'll hit the hay for now.

- jflo

Feb 5-Feb 10: A conversation between two bros.

My brother Jason and I send weird e-mails to each other during work hours. He loves this monkey stuffed animal that Marie and I bought him; he named the animal munkiRawr (mR). mR is pretty naughty, and recently just got a new stuffed animal guinea pig as a pet, named Bandero. (????)

Here’s a typical conversation:


JF: On Saturday there is the opening of Jollibees at Woodside!!! Come on down!!

JAS:What!?!?1 That's crazy!!!! Is there a menu online?

JF: Possibly. We should TOTALLY EAT THERE!

JAS: We should do a facebook invite and get all of our pino friends to go there at the same time.

mR (munkiRawr) woke me up today to show off him feeding Bandero. He overfeeds even though I tell him not too.

JF: Tell mR to stop overfeeding Bandero!! Tell him JF says so, or else no new nana!

JAS: mR is too busy playing with Bandero to go online. His emails are piling up. But he'd rather overfeed Bandero than check his correspondence.

JF: Tell mR I scoff at his boastful attititude.

JAS: And mR will use his diabolical cuteness to get nana from you. You are no match for his cuteness. He gets what he wants!

he's laughing @ you........and petting bandero

He asked me to teach him how to bathe Bandero.....any tips?


JF: Tell mR. NO BATHING BANDERO IN GATAS (milk) !!!!!! Not even soy gatas! It’s not a good idea.

Also, have mR be gentle. Rubber duckie would be ok, if Bandero likes that sort of thing. Bubble bath would probably irritate bandero’s eyes.

JAS: He says he wants to bathe you in gatas!

===================================
Conversation 2:

This is when I told my brother that I was looking for apartments, in the end of January. He asked where we were looking:

JF: Primarily in Astoria, Williamsburg, LIC, and around that area.

JAS: Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww

So you're basically looking @ Hipster Central City?

Who are you dating now?

JF: Not dating at all. Biznitch. I’m going to try to run the NYC marathon for charity this November…I just started seriously last week, and I already feel pretty good. Not doing too many miles yet. They said you shouldn’t over train.

JAS: Nice. As long as you're not using Target running shoes



Conversation 3

My brother tells me about the new iLife.

JAS: You catch the apple keynote yesterday? New iLife looks sick!!!!! Oh yeah, the last 3 episodes of (Always Sunny in )Philadelphia have been RIDICULOUS.
JF: No I haven’t seen it. What’s so good about the new iLife? Also, what is this thing about Philadelphia?  they have seasons 1 and two in Target.
JAS: New Garageband gives guitar and piano lessons! And you can learn songs from the artists themselves.....you should do a youtube version of teaching your songs

JF: Yeah perhaps maybe I might. Which one? Soldiers Marching? (a really old song of mine - jf).
JAS: Yes...or home of my father..or the bleggi song....you know...the classics ((other really old songs of mine - jf).

JF: What are you up to? Did you and Maybeth want to eat an early dinner at Krystals (Filipino restaurant) this Saturday?
JAS: i'm actually snowboarding this weekend, so I won't be back until Sunday afternoon. I saw slumdog millionaire last night....totally awesome
JF: Nice, dawg. How come you no invite me fah snowbawding?

JAS: B/c you're always busy on the weekends!
JF: Nice, dawg. Is it going to snow tomorrow? Are you still going to snowboard?
JAS: yes and yes!
JF: You’re more crazier than me.
JAS: Damn right! How many girls you dating this weekend?

Old notes from myspace blog.

I was cleaning house on the myspace, and thought to put a couple of those blogs on this blog.

1.
Notes on the song Midnight
lyrics:

I met somebody
I met somebody else
I met somebody else now
it’s not your fault

I’m with somebody
I’m with somebody else
I’m with somebody else now
it’s not your fault (though I’ve said it is)

If you get my phone call past midnight,
don’t you cry for me

I love somebody
I love somebody else
I love somebody else now
it’s not your fault (though I’ve said it is)

- lyrics and copyright by johnflor

First off, this is the main skeleton of this song. I’m still thinking of adding an extra instrument here and there (perhaps my friend Aaron from the Corduroys might be into adding slide guitar).

Also, I almost changed the chorus after my friend Michael Flynn from the great band Slow Runner opted for changing it, but when I did try that for a while, it just never felt right...so I’m sticking with my original idea for the song, since to me it was more purer. Don’t wanna mess around with creation too much, you know.

Finally, the ridiculously amazing songwriter and spiritual giant Greg Fine provided the high harmony vocals for the chorus in the end and the whole "though I’ve said it is"I’m proud and honored to have recorded a ton of vocals with him at his house in December.

Anyway, that’s pretty much it. Hope you get something out of it.

- johnflor sisante

=====

My Top 20 Friends - You Should Check Them Out :)
Some of them are good friends. Some of them are just artists I admire.


All of them have significant gifts and talents that they share with the world.
Just to mention a few:

Ohmarie- an amazing photographer.
Check her stuff out at www. ohannamarie. com.
She also sings harmony on my track Second Wind, and plays the melodica really gracefully and sings with me at shows here and there.
Renaissance woman, perhaps?

Beat Radio- Two of their songs have been constantly on my Itunes playlist repeat over and over again. Check out Everything is Temporary and Mexico on their myspace site. And they have a CD Release Party on October 4th.


Miles to Dayton - my favorite band from Long Island? Check out Don't Be Afraid. It's honest and memorable.


Greg Fine - amazing, amazing artist. We helped each other record vocals last November-January. Check out Always Time and We're Still on his myspace, although my most favorite songs of his are called Good Life and Water.


Slow Runner - Michael Flynn was my roommate in college, and possibly the biggest influence in me switching from a jazz-head to a singer-songwriter head (is that even a real word?). His band's music imprints you in the heart.


Nate Campany - a friend from school. Music that you can't help but repeat on your ipods. Check out Since You Left, I Could Sing.


Maryann Leone - a Long island friend and super talented singer-songwriter. Check out Sunny Afternoon.


Uhh Yeah Dude - this is the FUNNIEST thing I've heard in a long time.Definitely only for mature audiences, so no one under 18!!! They have these hour-long podcasts, and usually for about 15 solid minutes during that hour, I am ROTFLMAO. My God, I'm so lame for writing that.


Miranda July - possibly makes one of the best movies of the 21st century (Me, You, and Everyone We Know), and does all these other art projects which are so original, and amazing. If anything, Nextflix that movie, and tell me if you liked it or not. The 10 people who i recommended it to all loved it.


Mr. Jenkins - Nick Jenkins is a modern-day Renaissance man. Great music, great illustrations, great CD packaging design and whatnot. I wonder what else he has up his sleeve.


Winter Took His Life - I saw Susanna open up for Nate Campany, and she blew me away. Check out Oh, When you Said You Headed Home, and Lucky Star.


The Sweet Hurt - saw them link from my friend's page. Where Would You Go is a PERFECT song. And Dream for a While is awesome too.


Danny Katz - Japanese dance pop originals sung by a half-Japanese,half-Jewish prince. And he plays keyboards for me once in a while. He's great...

Pattern is Movement - my favorite band right now. Indie rock Wagner space opera, or something. Check out Right Away and the sound of your voice.


St. Vincent - I know her a little bit from college. She would attend the songwriter forums that my friend Annie and I headed. Even back then, I remember thinking this girl has talent. Since then, she's done great things. Check out all the songs on her page.


That's it for now. As I keep meeting people in NYC that I really dig their music, I'll add them on Top Friends. Until my profile explodes.


sincerely,

john-flor.

-----------

1st album on www.
cdbaby. com/johnflor and itunes

2 EPS coming out 2009!

Sign up for the mailing list! for free mp3s and whatnot! E-mail me at Sisante@gmail.com and say you want it.

You want it.

Do you?

======

Coolest week and a half.....ever?

Heres a recap of my craziest week and a half ever...well, not crazy, but a memorable one.

Last Thursday - performed a full set at Heckscher Park's Huntingon Summer Arts Festival as an opener for my friend Martha Trachtenburg's band Return To The Dream. Used my looper, and was successful for 2 of the three songs. Played a song I haven't played in a while- my Natalie Portman inspired song, called Natalie. And debuted Bed of nails to a huge audience.

Parents were there. Jon and Krista from miles to Dayton, and soon to be newlyweds, were there. Afterwards we had pizza at my MOST FAVORITEST PIZZA RESTAURANT EVER, Guiseppe's Pizza on Rt. 110 in huntington Station.

Friday- July 4th! Happy BIrthday america. We owe you one.

Went to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and the pre-show. Was delighted again by the announcer of the show, although he did frequently go towards creepy old man territory once in a while. Saw these two guys do things on a trampoline you couldn't believe. Saw a guy propose to his girlfriend in front of 30,000 people. Then saw Kobayashi eat crow again :0( after him and Joey Chesnut were tied and had to do sudden death. Weak.

Next year, I will be carrying a sign that says "Revenge of the K" like Revenge of the Sith from Star Wars. I also might wear a Darth Vader outfit.

Friday night- saw the July 4th NYC fireworks with my roommates Marie and BQ, and with Marie's friends Jen and Collette. In Long Island City, which wasn't as good as Southstreet Seaport or Brooklyn, but it did the job. Especially dug the smiley face fireworks, and the fireworks that look like weeping willows.Afterwards Collette wanted to see me play GTA 4. So I entertained by shooting innocent bystanders in cold blood.

Saturday -
Murakami exhibit at Brooklyn Arts Museum. Went with my mom, brother, his gf, and his close friend.Absolutely awesome. Especially Inotchki and the anime of KaiKai and KiKi.

Saw the band Matt and Kim in Hugs at Williamsburg. They're friends with my roommate BQ. I met up with BQ and Marie after BAM. Then Marie's friend Brian from Wisconsin/Boston met up with us when he got off the Chinatown shuttle. Matt and Kim played a great live show, and even gave tribute to Kim's dad, who was there. Afterwards, we all went to the Barcade, which is a an old school video game arcade/bar. Had my first buzz in a while, and fought BQ in Tetris. Then watched Marie and Brian battle it out on the same game. BQ and I then played Contra and Arkanoid. Afterwards we went to place near Hugs and had amazing chicken wings to help me sober up.

Sunday- went to open mics at Pete's Candy Store and Vox Pop in Brooklyn. Won a bunch of new fans, which is always sweet. The announcer at Vox Pop goes by the name of Punxsatawny jesus. hmm...

Monday - carpooled with my co-worker Nelson to trabajo. Was at work for 11 hours.


Tuesday - saw a Wet Hot American Summer screening at McCarren Pool in Williamsburg. Michael Showalter, Paul Rudd, and Joe Lotruglio were there to intro the film and they ended doing this comedy schtick for 10 minutes. Then we just chilled and all watched WHAS.

Afterwards, roommate, his gf, and I went to Astoria Beer Garden. I love that place. Want to go back when they have Czech polka.

Wednesday - played at Acoustic Long Island one of the looper songs, and then played a couple of songs at Ken's open mic in Cool beanz in Saint James. won new fans. But most important, got one of the ridiculous brownies from Cool Beanz and even got to do laundry later.

Thursday - saw Saint Vincent at Castle Clinton in Battery park. Only saw the second half of her 1 hour set, but she and her band are phenomenal. her new song was great too. Then had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant with Marie and her good friend, Hanalei.

Friday - ?

Saturday - performed at The Great South bay Festival. I did well, although I had some issues with the looper andthe power went off for about 5 minutes during my set. So I "entertained" by telling people about the hot dog contest and also jabbing at why Jon Preddice, who is getting married the next day, is performing with me. Also talked about my super short haircut, and how I wanted a kielbasa after my set. I did get the kielbasa.

Other highlights of the day:

Odetta. Holy holy. As jack from Jack's waterfall said " it's like someone tapped into God". For me, it was like she said her body and was all soul. Unbelievable.

I played a a couple of songs with the very talented and solid songwriter Jack from Jack's Waterfall. His Bella song is a really fun song.

The 7$ all you can drink homemade root beer (9$ for non-performers/stage crew). It was tasty, and I had about 5 full cups of it.

Miles to Dayton!!! They rocked like the sweethearts they are,and were funny, and poignant, and groovy. Awesome set!



Sunday - Jon and Krista's wedding!!!

- A good 10 days overall. Hopefully.

Wednesday. Feb 4th 2009 -this landlord is a character

Marie found from Craiglist a 3 BR that wasn't too expensive, right in Bushwick. So right after work I went to meet her in Bushwich and head off to the place.

The landlord is this Italian-American man who lives in Long Island. When I told him I'm from Long Island, he got super excited, and we started to discuss Long island matters. He was a very nice guy, although you can tell he's probably the type of person who would brag about every little accomplishment or favorable circumstance he's in. Supposedly he said he's also neighbors with a huge superstar, and I couldn't helping thinking that 1) he might be full of c#$p, and 2) can he introduce me to her so i can have a powerful contact in the music industry?

The apartment itself was ok. It was a duplex with high ceilings, but the top floor of the duplex had a little too short of a ceiling and probably would have gotten really annoying for the person who was going to live in it. The stairwell also took up a lot of space in the common/living room area, so you wouldn't really have much of a living room. The bathrooom had a small jacuzzi tub, which is pretty awesome, though. I would love to have a small jacuzzi tub where I can go home to after work. Buy a rubber ducky. Bubble baths. Pretend I'm a submarine. you know, the usual.

We were interested, and went to one of his businesses to get an application. It turns out he used to bodybuild back in the day, and is super-Catholic. Has a ton of pictures of the Saints and his family plastered all over his wall. He's definitely old-school.

The next day, our other roommate went with Marie to see the place, and he didn't like it as much. And I think the landlord didn't like our other roommate as much, because he has a "faux-hawk". oh well. And to think about it later, it was a weird room layout. So I guess it was ok that we didnt' pounce on this badboy.

Tuesday - Feb 3; 54 laps in the pool

1 ten lap, 1 twenty lap, then 1 14 lap. Then I went back to the apartment, and worked on a new version ofMidnight a little bit. I was asked by a female friend if I can send her Midnight, and I thought this would be the perfect challenge to "rethink" that song and put it on paper.

We'll see what happens.

Monday, February 2nd - THE 1st EP final mixdowns are finished.

I went over Jon Mizrachi's place so he can give me the last part of his
mixdown. He had it all setup for me to hear, and I thought in retrospect

As if I was the jury, and he was the lawyer trying to get me to give a
verdict..with the songs as evidence.

Well, I was happy with the way it turned out. The songs sounded strong
and cohesive. Means to an End sounded strong, The Best I Can sounded
strong, and Midnight sounded especially pretty. Even 24 Lives sounded
geeky enough for me to be happy with it.

While he made a final burn, Jon and I jammed on guitar and banjo. It was
my first time really trying to figure out a banjo, and I had some pretty
decent ideas that Jon leapt forward on with his guitar.

We then talked about mastering. He recommended it especially if I was
going to duplicate it on CD, but he said if I was to release it only
digitally, then there was no need. He then told me the prices of various
masterers, and said the minimum to get it mastered would probably be
around 500$. Jon said he'd give various mastering people to get it
mastered by. Which is good.

Oh yeah,I took a rain check on celebrating with Jon the finishing of our
project. He said he'd get me a beer or two. Perhaps after February he
can treat me out to some buffalo wings or something. That would be
choice.

- jflo

Feb 1st -Superbowl. Or soup-per-bowl? A set of Haikus.

Dave and Isabel
Asked us to join their party
We said we’d be late

Marie fried the wings
It would take 60 minutes
I made the hot sauce

Marie, Steve, and I
Drove in Bushwick for a while
It was past 7.

Then we found their place-
Parking spot that’s right in front -
It was meant to be.

Dave and Isabel
Had us meet all their nice friends
Our wings were a hit

Jann was from Berlin
Lauren we met from Nick’s show
Isa’s cookies rocked

Rogan and Abby
Played flag football and sang in
A capella group

Steve brought stock paper
And I drew bizarre cartoons
Drew a self-portrait

It was me with sax
About to be eaten by
A huge piranha

Then I drew a girl -
held oboe with flaming reed
And who wore shark shoes

Marie drew box mouse
Isa hung it on her door
I went to rooftop

Met Jann and a guy-
Played acoustic bass, yet I
Didn’t get his name

We looked at skyline
The city seemed so quiet
This was not Pittsburgh.

- jflo

it was a Jackson Pollock night

Cast of characters: Rorie Kelly
Chris Capobianco
Jay Scott
Chaka Knice
Angela, Chaka's gf
Richard and Denise Hughes
Brigitte, Pisces Cafe food manipulator
Jeff and Justine
Maryann Leone


Tonight would be the 3rd show of 2009. Rorie Kelly and I met to carpool in Glen Cove, which was sweet. She just had come back from Montreal, where she visited a friend.

Rorie taught me that Montreal means "real mountain" in French. Which totally makes sense, that i feel unintelligent that I didn't figure that out for myself. She also showed me 4 songs from her upcoming LP , which I enjoyed, especially her song Sincere. I asked her about her sister, Neeva, who I can never pronounce her name right, (I think she yelled at me last time when i called her Nivea...and if she reads this, will probably be mad at me for referencing this).

We arrived at the unitarian universalist place at Bellport. Jay Scott was there outside to greet us, which was swell, because he is the nicest guy in all of Long Island. I found out later that we both played jazz saxophone, though I doubt his dad had to force him to play Kenny G covers anytime guests arrived.

Also, the sky was breathtaking. very similar to the jackson pollock night I saw back in Riverhead years ago, inspiring me to write the song Second Wind. All the constellations were out, having a celestial party. Big Dipper was there, high as a kite. And that Orion is a flirt...she bats her eyes, and the darkness in between the white holes in the sky flock to her like all those handsome man towards Madonna in her "Material Girl" video.

We go inside the German beer hall/performance space, and see Chris Capobianco, who directs alot of the Patchogue Theater shows. He just might have to arm wrestle Jay Scott for the nicest guy in Long Island award. He's a good guy.

Rorie played an awesome set. She's so good live. Her 2nd song in the set, i think called "Not A Face in the Crowd" could possibly be my newest favorite song of hers...

I played - The Astronaut - Second Wind (Chris C request), Natalie (Jay Scott request), Bed of nails, modern Masterpiece, buttercup, and kneecaps.

Afterwards, Rorie drove us to the Pisces Cafe in Babylon. upon entering, I see the fabulous Richard Hughes and his wife Denise, and a bunch of their friends. It was great reconnecting with them, and we had a good conversation until I sat down next to Rorie and opposite Chaka Knice, who is awesome and looks like a lion. His girlfriend Angela was there too, and she was really cool. Goes to CUNY hunter, and I told her I know a bunch of people who go there right now, and maybe they might know each other...but more likely not.

I actually don't remember too much of the conversation, because I was already half asleep when we arrived there, and I got progressively worse and worse. I do remember Bridget saying she would not feed me because I never play at the Pisces anymore, and that sort of became a running joke throughout the night. But their Angus burger was absolutely the best thing I've ever had in my whole life. I've kinda been thinking about going vegetarian, but if I do, I know I would miss eating a burger of that stature. It was that good.

Finally, 20 minutes before we left, Jeff and Justine, the owners of Pisces, came in, and were shocked that I was there..which makes sense, since I haven't been there in years...but I was happy that I was there, even if I was falling unconscious throughout the whole night. And I remember Jeff being super dressed up, but he later revealed he got all his clothing at a thrift store. Which is choice.

I do remember telling Justine and Jeff that i saw Maryann Leone at the Union Square barnes and Nobles. and they were just as excited as me telling them about it. I felt like I was a WW2 fighter pilot, telling them stories about how I avoided being shot down by the those nasty Messerschmitts around St. Lo.

uh oh...i'm falling unconscious as I type this. I should go before I start writing gibberish, and keep referencing more obscure World War 2 events, places, and things.

Battle of Britain. Operation Market Garden. Hedgerows. T-34 tanks with their impenetrable armor. Jerries everywhere. Saipan. Yamamoto and his fleet. Loose lips sink ships. Panzerfausts. Partisans. Sniper.


- jflo

Friday, Jan 30th - The most healthiest grocery shopping ever.

What I got:

Progresso vegetable soup (3 cans)
Cajun trail mix (walnuts, honey roasted nuts, pretzels, other nuts - 2 packs)
Morning Star Vegan sausage patties
Campbells Gumbo soup (3 cans)
Pepperidge Farm's German Whole Grain Bread
Click Bar
Gatorade 1 Gal
Barilla whole grain Pasta
Del Monte 4 pack Fruit Cup
electrolyte chewable tablets (forget the name)
Skippy's low fat Peanut Butter


What I ended up forgoing:

2 for 5$ pepperoni pizza sale
TGIF's honey chicken wings
EL Fudge Stripes


What is happening to me? Oh yeah. Marathon dreams. And I want to live forever.

I also swam today. 50 laps. 2 10 lappers, and 1 20 lapper. I'm getting stronger, and my arms feel more conditioned. It feels good.

This week in Summary

This week in Summary:

Cast of characters: roomies
Jon Mizrachi
Allison Francis
Jenn Pelly
Julie Hill
Laura Butler
Molly
Kevin, Laura’s friend
College sweetheart
April and Jozelle
Adam Sullivan
Mark Yodice
Michael Flynn of Slow Runner




Saturday, Jan 24 - Ran today. Played a show at the Perch Café. Allison Francis and Julie Hill both played solid sets. I especially like Allison's Massapequa a lot. It’s such a sweet song. And Julie did a version of somewhere over the rainbow with the looper, which was really, really cool. On request, I played Midnight for Allison, the Astronaut for Julie, and Natalie (on ukulele) for Jenn Pelly. Also was happy to see Adam Sullivan come, and later see Mark Yodice, April and Jozelle come too. And Molly stopped by too, which was really excellent. I haven’t seen that chestnut in a while. She told me she’s moving to Portland in a couple of months to go to school there, and I was happy for her. Sweet night overall.

Also remember talking to Allison about the band Stars. Michael Flynn introduced me to their EP a while back, and I loved them from the get-go, but actually don’t know too much about any of the stuff they released the last 5 years. I remember going to T.T. and the Bears in Boston with my college sweetheart, and how we saw Stars perform. It was so sweet. There were a few people who came to see them, and most people were around the bar area, but by the end of the set almost everyone in all of T.T.’s was watching Stars. So good.

I also remember I tape recorded their set, and told Allison about that later in an e-mail. I will record the tapes being played into my laptop using my mbox. I’ll probably do that with the other tapes I have too. I know somewhere in my tape collection also is a tape of Belle and Sebastian, when I was obsessed with them oh so many years ago.

And by the way, T.T. means ‘penis’ in Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines. So I chuckle like a 9 year old every time I think of or hear about T.T. and the Bears, because in reality I’m hearing it in my head as ‘penis and the Bears’.

Sun – Ran today. Had the official meeting with roommates to figure out all the moving stuff. At night, saw Laura Butler perform at Café Mojo’s in LIC. Fabulous performance, and On A Day as Cold as You is a great song. Met her friends Pedro, and this really nice guy named Kevin, who is one of Laura’s yoga students at The Matrix in Astoria. Kevin is quite the Star Wars fanatic, and I told him about my co-worker Frank.

Mon-Wed – Did treadmill on Wednesday. And sang main vocals for ‘to my better half’ on Tuesday. Everything else all a blur. Somewhere in that blur, I remember looking at the sky in Astoria, and it was beautiful. There was one star shining, surrounded by darkness. And then a plane came out of the East and look like it flew into the star.

That’s kinda how I was feeling. How in reality we are all alone, like that star. And when a friend or lover comes, it’s like they intersect us…but the reality is we are all hundreds of thousands of miles away from each other.


Thur- Worked on ‘to my better half’ during lunch break, then posted it up on myspace 30 minutes after midnight.

Saw an apartment with Marie around 28th St and Ditmars. I liked it mucho, but other roomie has to see it too.
Afterwards, went to the Buddy Project to see Jon Mizrachi in action work on finalizing the mixes for the upcoming EP. He was using the same equipment that was used on one of my songwriting heroes Sufjan Steven’s album Come On and Feel the Illinoise. That was awesome enough. Also played the piano there a little bit, and wish I brought my mbox and laptop.

I think I’m going to make the Britney song into a piano ditty. Or at least for the myspace version.

juan-flores

Friday - Jan 23rd - Williamsburg, or Astoria...

This is where the roommies and I decided to focus on searching for an apartment. Of course, if we see a good deal, we see a good deal...but February is going to be a little carazy, I think...

anyway, I took care of someone close to me who is sick from a 24 hour virus. And afterwards, I worked on music. So it was a good day in general.

i've got a little crush on someone.

I can't say who it is, but I'm in that weird head space where I'm starting to envision if her name goes well with my last name, and if we propagated our species, wondering if our offspring will be dope. or undope.

But I've chosen to not start anything anytime during 2009. There's just so much I want to do, and achieve, and experience, that it wouldn't be fair for my honey-in-waiting. And there's still a lot of things I have to work out personally about myself. But each day, hopefully, I'm getting closer and closer to the person who i want to be.

Maybe New Years 2010 is the day I make a move. But that would be repeating my past a bit, since I also officially started going out with one of my exes on the first day of the New Year years ago. So I would be making a cliched move. But then again, I would be a little bit wiser, and have a little bit more life experience.

Yet I still think in many aspects I can be really selfish, and definitely get lost in my own world, to the detriment of those who love me and who I love. And I've got demons. And boy, they try to pull me under when the opportunity arises.

I wrote a song that touches on it a little bit:

"it's the truth I'm ready to face
i've broken things with battered wings
upon touching you, no light escapes
the angels and demons in my head"

I don't know. I wish I could decipher God's will, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I'm capable of loving unconditionally, to the point where it hurts me. But I'll do it anyway. That's becoming more and more of my nature. And I embrace it, even if there'a possibility that the embrace burns me in the end.
--------------------------


I went swimming tonight during my 2nd attempt to go to astoria Sports Club. the first attempt sucked lemons; I ended up going there around 6:30 ish to run, but I forgot my lock and shorts to run in. So I had to go back.

But the 2nd time I went to ASC, I got to swim, which was great. I did a total of 50 laps (3 ten lap workouts, and 1 20 lap workout), so i know I'm going to be sore in the upper body tomorrow, but afterwards my left knee area felt so much better, that I was so happy that I did it. So i've decided that after a long run, I'll try to hit the pool the day after, just to loosen my knees yet still build endurance. I think that's a good strategy. We'll see if I'm in great running condition on Saturday...I've asked Laura Butler if she would be into running with me on Saturday, since she's the running vet who ran marathons and whatnot. Maybe I'll just slow her down, maybe not. But I'm readying myself to run.

Jan 21 - My jacket keeps bleeding feathers

My beloved black jacket is the warmest jacket ever. It’s like I’m wearing God’s love. But every time I sit down or make a sudden move with my jacket on, feathers keep bursting out of my jacket at all different places. Like my jacket is a battlefield, and little artillery shells explode on the surface, resulting in a series of feather explosions.

But enough about war, and rumours of war.

Today was decent. I’ve been enjoying my car commutes to work ever since I got the Ender’s series CD audio books by Orson Scott Card, and Speaker of the Dead has been blowing my mind. It was a great read two years ago, but even better as an audio book.

Marie has some bang chung, this Vietnamese specialty food they serve during Tet. She told Steve and I that this was made by her relative’s friends who are awesome cooks in Chicago (but don’t remember if she said they were chefs or not.) Anyway, it tasted pretty sweet, although I have to say my favorite, favorite Vietnamese dish is Goi Quon, which is out of this world. It rivals kare-kare in the hierarchy of food awesomeness in my life.

So I had a little of the bang chung, and also had rice and some Wisconsin beef jerky that Marie had extra pieces of. While I ate, we all watched two episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Then I helped out with her lab project for an hour, before I ended up going back to my room to work on April.

For April, I re-sequenced some of the drums, and re-tracked those drums, and the other instruments on the file, and then recorded 4 takes of main vocals and 1 take of all the harmonies. It’s getting there; I think tomorrow during my lunch break I will work on compiling the main vocal takes, and after work (but before running?) I will add a harpsichord part using Miroslav to give it a little bit more of a chamber pop feel. It still needs 2-3 more different instruments for it to be fully ready for Saturday’s release to the myspace world, though. But I think I will find it tonight and tomorrow, and perhaps on Saturday morning.

Jan 20 - Inauguration Day - tear ducts working brilliantly

Inauguration Day. This is what our HR director sent to our whole office:

“Good morning,

From 11:30 AM through 1:00 PM, the televisions in Conference Room No. 2 will be tuned in to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, if you'd like to stop by during your lunch break. No food or beverages should be taken into or consumed in this newly refurbished conference room. “

It was a sweet inauguration My boss boss (or boss Squared) was even at the conference room, which I found amusing. Funny…I pegged him as a free market capitalist/social conservative. But then again he’s from California.

Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman with 2 other musicians I don’t know )their names off-hand) played a beautiful tune which I recognized the melody from. I think it is an early 20th century American composer who composed it. I kept thinking “how the hell are their instruments gonna survive the coldness of Washington at this moment? The weather would probably warp their instruments’ bodies…

I had tears in my eyes a bunch of times during Obama’s inaugural speech. I remember hearing one of his speeches back in April on a political podcast I download once in a while..and it brought me to tears, how eloquent, and beautiful his speech was to his supporters. I think it was then that I believed he had the power to help change this country for the better.

Yet he comes in during one of the worst times to be a president in all of American history. He, and we, all have a daunting task of getting ourselves out of this mess. But I hope we do. Especially when I start having little kiddies of my own.

And I hope.

----------------

Later that day:a synopsis

Went to Target. Bought my lunches and breakfasts for the next two weeks.

Picked up Marie from the airport. While listening to the audio book of Speaker of the Dead, by Orson Scott Card. Steve was there to meet us when we arrived at Astoria.

Jon sent me 24 Lives today, besides a few things here and there, I really liked how he mixed it. It’s a fun song, that 24 Lives.

Worked out on treadmill for 45 minutes. My right side of foot didn’t hurt this time, but my left knee is starting to feel a little weird pain, which is not normal. I didn’t run the treadmill as hard as yesterday, but still it was a workout.

When I came home, Steve was already helping Marie with her plethora of lab work, and I offered to help, after I took shower. But I could only help a little before sleep started to kick my ass. Oh well.

Jan 19th - My Day in the form of 6 Haikus.

I had run today
But didn’t work on music
Looked for apartments

Williamsburg,Greenpoint
I still love Astoria
It’s adorable

Marie’s flight cancelled
The weather is a biatch
It snowed all day long

Got In the Garden
There’s distortion on the drums?
He didn’t call back

Forty-five minutes
My workout on the treadmill
Playlist – so and so


Foot ached afterwards
Dinner was Chef Boyardee
I like a Pinay

musings on snow

I love how snow makes everything outside automatically poetic

I love how the snow parachutes down like some major mini-invasion by the maker of Pixie Sticks

I love how the footprints make the sidewalks in Astoria look like one huge murder-mystery novel

I love the coldness of snow. And how the air bites with coldness and your breath exhales as if you were smoking an invisible cigarette


I love how seeing my breath is almost like an out of body experience. Or at least proof that at that moment, you exist


-----------

When i was younger I tried to make a sexy snow women by giving my snowman breasts and trying to sculpt the body. Yet it ended up looking like George Washington instead.

I love how I was so jealous of my younger brother's absolute love of his stuffed animal Piglet of Winnie the Pooh fame, that I buried Piglet in the snow for a day or two so my brother would focus on me.

I remember when I was younger how I thought the snow looked like cocaine, and that if the snow actually was cocaine we would all be cokeheads.

FOOD PARTY!!!!! AHHHH TOO MUCH GENIUS MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE

Why is this the best thing ever? And shouldn't the ice cream cone macking it with the custard get an Oscar?

Jan 17th - You've got to show me love

there's a remix of that song blasting from downstairs. We're on the 3rd floor, and on the 1st floor there is a bar that every weekend has a dance party like you can't believe. Well, I've actually never been into their bar at late hours; I'm usually just thinking about music or something else (most likely girls) around this time.

Today I recorded piano tracks for Laura Butler. She's someone I met at the Waltz-Astoria open mic, who writes some sweet, sweet tunes. I remember first seeing her sometime during the Summer, and struck by her prettiness combined with her wearing a summer dress (Summer dresses are kryptonite to me). She looked like a flower child from the 60s.

Anyway, we've become friends and I think back in December I even got a chance to sing for her and for her sister Megan the "Night in her apartment' song with the looper, and remember being really slutty onstage as I crooned to her, ala Bill-Murray 'Star Wars' style.

Ok. maybe slutty is not the right word. how about...mildly? flirtatious? Actually, it was probably super flirtatious, because i've been told that I'm a big flirt in real life by several close friends and exes ...so if I even caught myself onstage being like "wow, jf, you are flirting", then that means I was FLIRTING.

Alright. Enough self-assessment for tonight.

I showed up at The Buddy Project arond 1:30, and played some sparse piano for two of her songs. Kieran Kelly, her producer (and soon to be my producer for the 2nd EP for 2009) said the recording takes were awesome, and Laura seemed to like it too, so I was happy with that. We finished the session around 2:30.

After the session, we shot the sh%t a little bit with Kieran. which was so cool. Laura said she took this Steinway Piano factory tour, which is only blocks away from her place. And she made it sound so intriguing that I'm dying at the chance to go with some peeps perhaps next week.

I walked Laura back to her place once Kieran kicked us out, and it was nice to talk to her. I thought perhaps her sister Megan would also be at their apartment once we arrived at her door (I was kinda hoping she was there), but alas, she wasn't there. Her friend from the midwest was though, and he had to go to the bank, so we walked again towards the studio, and they were telling me about their running experiences and schedules (laura has run both marathons and half-marathons, which is d-o-p-e.)

When I got back home, I remember working on music a little bit, but then starting to feel really, really tired from lack of sleep. So I went to sleep for 3 hours, then Gerge-Foreman grilled the Buffalo wings from yesterday. While eating said wings, I watched It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Which is a great show.

I'm tired as I'm writing this, but I promised my great friend Greg Fine that I would work on adding some of my tracks to his music before the morning..I think I'm going to sleep, and then work on it. Or maybe work on a little bit of it.

we'll see how I hold up in the next 15 minutes.

Jan 16 - 2nd show of the year /driving while falling asleep

I brought my MacBook pro, guitar, mxbox, and ukelele into the office; thankfully very few people saw me bring the guitar and ukelele or else I would have aroused the curiosity of the masses at the office. And I don't want to do that. I just want to focus on work and then during my lunch break work on music.

Lunch break was sweet. The last 4 days i have been bringing the laptop and mbox into the kitchen/rest area, and going into my corner to mix. And by the time I had to leave lunch break, for modern masterpiece I re-eq'd guitars and vocal, and added the "underground water pad" sound which I felt blended in with the song perfectly.

I went straight to the library after work, to drop off some books and the audio CD Book of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Marie introduced me to Ender's Game a couple of years ago, and I've been a fan of the Ender Series ever since. So I picked up a few more Ender's related CD audiobooks - Ender's Shadow, and Speaker of the Dead. And I'm happy to say that I'm embracing my Orson Scott Card geekdom/fandom fully. When I heard Ender's game was being made into a movie, I had a joygasm.

Since I got to cool beanz around 6:30, I decided to keep working on modern masterpiece. I brought in my keyboard to add the piano part, and remixed the vocals a little bit, because alot of the levels, even with compressions, were so drastically different from each other (like one word it would be really soft, and then the next couplw of words after that it would be really loud, and vice versa). But I was able to pull off a mix before people started arriving for the show.

The show went well! The PA at cool Beanz isn't really a great-sounding PA, so we did our best to make things work. And it was Cat's birthday (Cat is someone i met a while back at cool beanz when i used to go to their open mics) , so a lot of the people there were in a festive, yet-eager-to-listen-to-melancholy-music mood(which is what Michael Korb and I are really all about). A lot of Cat's friends, who are her Marist college buds, were really sweet; hell, one of them even had a Metroid t-shirt on, and we started to talk about gaming (awwww yeah......awwwwww yeah......AWWWWWW YEAHHH!!) Cat brought cupcakes, which I did not get a chance to try (weakness) but brought her boyfriend, who seemed to be a fine fellow. It turns out they both play instruments, but did not meet each other at some band-related event in Marist.

Michael Korb and I traded sets during the night. Damn. Every time I hear him play, I am just amazed at his musicianship,and song-writing. Both his sets were solid and , I was happy I got to hear him play Circles, which is my favorite song of his. He also played this newer song (or at least a song of his that I've never heard)and it blew my friggin' mind. To quote Teen Girl Squad, Michael Korb was 'sooooooooooooooooo good'. Or 'Grood....i mean, good and great'.

my set list

(1st half)
We Would Last Forever
Modern Masterpiece
Natalie
Kneecaps
Buttercups

(2nd half)

Sally Song - Nightmare Before Christmas Cover
Tag (Jon Greco request)
To All Indie Stars I had Crushes On In College
24 Lives
She Wants (Cat request)

and before the end of the night, I played the Britney Spears song, to honor Cat's 2nd request. Ahh..Britney.

It was nice to see some familiar faces once again :) Jon Greco updated me on his life; he's going on tour playing bass for a punk band, which is so phresh. And I got to see Jaime and her boyfriend Ed (who I embarrassingly kept calling John the whole time I talked to him), who met at music education college and we even talked about our respective instruments, and how we all know the Preddice dynasty (the best Long Island music dynasty EVER.) And about the trumpet. oh man...my sweet, sweet trumpet days of the 7th and 8 grade.

*reminiscing*...


Afterwards, we went to the Applebees near Smith Haven Mall. Long Island, represent!
Stasia was eager to learn the ukelele, so I showed her a couple of chords after the show was done, and i let her borrow it while we waited for a half an hour at applebees. She picked it up really fast, and most likely I think she is going to get a uke for herself....I think...

I just got buffalo chicken wings (which i've been craving), and only ate a couple of them while I immersed myself in conversation all around. Topics discussed included The Marist Poll, Joe Broome's girlfriend who is going to Germany, pad thai, and....i don't remember anything else. Oh yeah, a classmate of Cat's, who went to high school with her, was also in Applebees and had his stomach-stapled (not at Applebees, but at a hospital) and lost 150 lbs. That's pretty dope. And all dope about people wanting to change their lives for the better.

Phil Minissale, super-talented blues player/singer-songwriter, met up with us at Appleebess, having just come from seeing a Wood Brothers concert, which he said rocked. He also told me about a couple of shows he's doing next weekend at DC and Pennslyvania, which is also dope. It was nice to see Phil, since he's a good guy, and we need more good guys in this world.

Word to your mother.

I was a little confused though on the lady who was with Michael Korb. I kept wondering if they were going out or not; the only info i gathered was that they knew each other from high school, and lived as roommates here and there. They seemed actually very in sync with each other, but I wasn't sure if Michael introduced her as his girlfriend when we 're-met' before the show.

I have a terrible, terrible memory. It's almost like if it isn't music, information that gets sent through my brain leaves fast. F*ck.

When I left Applebees, it was around 1 sum sum. And i struggled to stay awake after 30 minutes of driving; it was really, really bad. I remember losing consciousness, and then regaining it and freaking out that I lost consciousness...only to lose it again in 3-5 minutes. I even got woken up when I heard my car driving over the part on the right side of the highway that warns you when you are driving too close to walls enclosing the highway..all I heard was the ''gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-' and freaked out. I also remember driving on Grand Central Parkway, only to realize later that I somehow drove to the L.I.E. I took a nap around Exit 19 on the L.I.E. A 30 minute overdue nap..and drove fine afterwards home.

note: I really have to stop driving while tired. it's really dangerous to myself and to others. Im sorry, people. i'll make sure to get some coffee next time at the slightest hint of dreamland.

Jan 15 -Finishing Modern Masterpiece

Is just another step for me to healing my heart from the Sad times

January 14th - The Weeping Willow

I wanna sleep underneath the weeping willow
As it cries all night, quietly
Its tears all around me
I’ll sleep there so soundly
Until I’m allowed finally
To wake and be happy again
To wake and be happy again

- Grandaddy,
The Sophtware Slump


The song Weeping Willow, by Grandaddy. Such a beautiful melody. I remember hearing this song a while back, when this album came out, and it hit me straight in the heart.

I have good memories with weeping willows. I remember kissing one of my ex’s under one, when we started going out. It was really dark, and I believe it was Summer. Fireflies everywhere. The willow surrounded us, like we were trapped in a mystical fire that couldn’t hurt us. It was magical.

Jan 13 – I can’t get up

to run. I set my alarm at 6:05, hoping to get up at 6:10, stretch for 15 minutes, and then run to the smokestacks and back. But I was so comfortable when I woke up, and it was dark outside, so I ended up going back to sleep.

Ugh. Weakness. I knew it would be hard for me to run later. And I did . I didn’t run today when I said I would. And my body is even fine right now. No pains, aches, and whatnot.

I brought my laptop to work so during my lunch break I can work on 24 Lives, and compiling the best of the best from my vocal recordings. And when I got home from work, I ended up working on it, but got distracted when Marie said she cooked some awesome chicken wings that she and Steve marinated the night before. So I succumbed like the weak bastard I am, and the 15 minutes I allotted to myself to eat became an hour and a half when I decided to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with both of them.

Always Sunny in Philadelphia – possibly the best sitcom on t.v. right now besides the Office? Perhaps…

Well, I went back to editing my tracks, and started to think what kind of instrumentation I could add to fill in the verses a little more, but then got super-tired about an hour into listening and listening and listening to my voice. So I gave up and decided to work on the 2nd chorus and 3rd verse tomorrow.

I also thought I might be able to hit the gym and run for an hour on the treadmill, but it was way too late when I thought I was near finished with editing. So I left that goal of mine today slide.

I am a backslider. And that feels bad. But I hope to accomplish my goals tomorrow. At least I backslid for music, and not for something else.

Jan 12 - somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

and it's me. Mondays are not the funnest time in the week. Except...


FREE Healthy Valley organic Cereal Bars at work!!

They are so ridiculously good. I'm usually not a corporate shill, but I am proud to say my company makes these little bad-asses. My favorite is the French Vanilla bar. It's like someone playing one of your favorite songs...in your mouth. And then reciting your favorite poem in your ear. It's that good. Shoulder massage by female superstar you think is awesome.


("Gather the faces of woman" to jf's ear)
(Cucurucurru...paloma... in Jf's mouth).
( A little to the left, Paz Vega. Awww yeah. That's it.)

and SCENE.

Jan 11 - When you seduce them one by one with witty lines.

I ran today. Running shoes were awesome, and my right foot side doesn't hurt too much. I just ran from the front of my apartment to the Con Ed smokestacks on 19th ave, so back and forth it was about 3.8 miles. The snow and ice wasn't fun to run on, and I was a little scared that I might trip and splatter my brains all over the pavement, but I ran as much as I can, anyway. I am concerned about my left knee, though. It started to feel really sensitive, and now when I move it dramatically, I hear a 'click' which probably isnt good.

After running, my best friend Marie marinated some chicken wings, after reading the Hooters recipe for hot wings. I then fried it, and afterwards put the buffalo sauce on the wings to see if it is any good.It was pretty good, but I think we'll try to put more of the hot sauce in the buffalo sauce next time.

At 8:30 I arrived at the studio, and recorded vocals for '24 Lives. It went really well, and I'll have a bunch of stuff to work on for tomorrow, and Tuesday. Goal is to get this song done at my end and give it to Jon Mizrachi on Wednesday. This will happen. Oh yes, it will happen.

After the session, we went to Pathmark so I can pick up recycling bags, and chicken wings. I also picked up some cereal (Honey Kix!!! holy canoli). and Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies. That was pretty it for today. Nothing crazy. Just good solidity of getting goals accomlished...

- j to the F

Jan 10 - Modern Masterpiece

modern masterpiece - a father's love song

by jf


When God was a boy, he made the Earth
but all the people that came were so imperfect
God had grown tired of all the ugliness
So he made you his modern masterpiece
just because he was wide awake
he said "I will make you my modern masterpiece"

he took all the stars
put 'em in your heart
and when it beats, new constellations
new constellations are born
as your mother beams
it is you she sees
most beautiful child of creation,
with no hesitation
at all


Cuz he made you his modern masterpiece
the smile went out from the Mona Lisa
she said " I can't compare"; she got so envious

Cuz he made you his modern masterpiece
the ceiling fell down from the Sistine Chapel;
I think it gave up - when it saw you enter the light

and with all his might
he gave you the night
already the sky has been blinking
like flash from a camera, in awe
Over time you'll see
what you mean to me
you won't need divine intervention
just my attention
and love

------

Cast of characters:

Marie

Jeni Nielsen, her friends Rachel and the others whose names i
forgot

The trio of Kristyn, Samantha, and Jeanie

Julie Hill

Jon, Krista, and Ruby Preddice

Dave March


Today I donated platelets at 1 PM. 1st donation of 2009. Before I left, I had to get Marie to let me borrow her keys so i can duplicate it because they somehow fell out of my key chain. Worse key chain ever.

The platelet donation wasn't too bad. The needle going into my right arm wasn't as painful as I was imagining it in my head. I also didn't have any problems with vein pressure this time, which was a big problem last time. Awesomeness.

I read Tagalog vocabulary lists while being drained, because one of my goals is to have full conversations in Tagalog by the end of this year. Here are some words that I'm recalling from what I learned yesterday:

wood - kahoy
Peace - kapayapaan
naawa - to have pity on
kaunlaran - development, progress
kapighatian - loneliness, misery
kasalrian - independence
kasinungalian - falsehood; lies


At 4:30-5ish, I had an early dinner with Jeni Nielsen and her friends at Krystals at Woodside. I also was waiting for the sweet trio of Kristyn, Samantha, and Jeanie to show up,but unfortunately one of them got in a small fender bender since it was snowing, and they couldn't go. Que triste. It's all good though. Everyone is ok.

Kris's voice is so sweet on the phone. Hearing her is like immersing yourself in a vat of gnutella chocolate.

I met Jeni, her friends Rachel, and two of their other friends who I for some reason cannot remember their names (I'm super bad, Seth Rogen - style, with names). It was their first time trying filipino food, and they liked it (except for the squid thing..I should have advised them not to get the squid.) We got and shared

1. some kind of sinigang (Filipino beef vegetable stew)
2. kare-kare ( my favorite - oxtail peanut butter stew with vegetables)
3. rice with milkfish and egg (it was breakfast for one of them).
4. the squid thing (i've never liked it)
5. lumpia shanghai (fried spring rolls with meat and vegetable)
6. monggo (mong bean stew with beef)

They liked everything, and especially liked the kare-kare. I am trying to convert everyone into being kare-kare fans. They even liked the shrimp paste (baguong) that you eat with the kare-kare. I really don't like that stuff, and thing it should be banned from being eaten because it's gross.

I want to make kare-kare vegan-wise, so I can spread the kare-kare love to some friends (and romantic interests) who are vegetarians or vegans. My mom taught me how to make it, but I have a major problem remembering directions on how to cook food. I guess I just have to do cook more.

F^*k.

Our dinner was sweet. Good conversation. All of them except for Jeni were going to this "tasting" party in Forest Hills where you put some kind of nut from South Africa (I think?) in your mouth, and it supposedly makes everything you taste afterwards really sweet. I was intrigued, and curious. Also, Jeni mentioned in passing about having the hots for some young director who was a friend of theirs, and totally wanting to invite this director-dude to some kind of breakfast event they were hosting. Go Jeni!

We then had brazo de mercedes, the Filipino egg-custard cake. It is so good, i want to wrestle Hulk Hogan and some bears at the same time thinking about it.


When I went back to apartment, i was in a writing mood. Julie invited me to hang out and play ipod playlists, but I was feeling a little zapped from the donation, and there was no way I could have mustered the energy to subway it, then walk from St. Marks to her friggin' place on Ave. C and 6th on a cold, snowy day. Sorry, Jules.

...

A long time ago when I was at Berklee, I had this melody and lyric idea in my head, which I titled Modern Masterpiece. I remember playing it to Glenn at my dorm room, and he liking the lyric idea. But I could never finish the 2nd verse. So I kind of buried the idea in my head for all these years.

Until Jon and Krista Preddice had their baby. I have known them for a long time (supposedly, back in high school I sang a song that i dedicated to Krista in front of her boyfriend at the time, thus........... earning the ire of her boyfriend at time.) They both make up two members of the Long Island band Miles to Dayton, which is this wonderful group that sings really sweet harmonies, and write good songs. Dave March, Krista's brother and also a member, played bass on my upcoming electropop EP.

http://www.myspace.com/milestodayton

Jon and all the members of Miles to Dayton have backed me up in past shows, and once in a while I have played keys for them in their shows. Jon especially almost always willing to play cello with me when i'm around town, and he raises the bar when I play 'She Wants'. It was and is always a fun experience playing with them, and I treasure the musical moments. But more important is that they are good people, with great hearts. The whole lot of them.

Well, when Jon and Krista had their young one, I was super-excited :) I'm such an ass though and decided not to call them, because I'm sure they received a ton of congratulations from all their friends and family members (they have a ton of friends and family members). They were positively overwhelmed, and I didn't want to add to the stress. So I ended up just facebooking them congratulation comments and leaving comments on their picture pages. Wow, I am a nerd. But I also was super happy for them. I knew their kid is going to grow up with two wonderful parents who couldn't be more right for each other. Like the definition of ying and yang. And that she would be truly loved and adored and they will have a happy life. and she will grow up,surrounded by music. And probably will be this musical genius too.

So it was in that frame of mind that I started resurrecting the song modern masterpiece...and yesterday, after getting home eating Filipino food, I worked on it and finally finished it. Almost 8 years in the making.

I'm putting it up a demo of it on myspace by the end of this coming week. It's for Jon and Krista especially, and to all new parents everywhere. and one day, God willing, i'll be able to sing it to my future little one and to my future love-of-my-life.


- jflo

For all those who didn't think i would do it.

January 9th - rewatching The Diving Bell and The Butterfly- play by play- dont' read this if you haven't seen it

it's devastatingly beautiful.

My favorite line:(32:15) "Hold fast to the human inside of you, and you'll survive."

Henriette is a beauty bombdiggity. She reminds me a little bit of one of my singer-songwriter friends, Alli Collis. I really liked it when she lost her cool and started lecturing to Dauby. Soo good.

And the guy who put the Russian snow hat on Bauby. He's pretty awesome. I liked how he is introduced, with the toy motorcycle that he catches off the table. And then when he starts reading the alphabet is soooo good.

"Two things that aren't paralyzed: my imagination, and my memory".

Mon dieu. The actress who plays Claude Mendible, the girl who takes dauby's dictation, is beautiful. Maybe even more beautiful than Henriette? hmm...

Wait..the girl who plays Empress Eugenie, wife of Napolean III...she's friggin gore -jizz. WTF, French cinema people? What are you trying to do to me?

Bauby's monologue, when he starts dictating to Claude, is so good..and then when his friend started to read Honore de Balzac to him....gives me the chills. Perfect music, perfect emotion, perfect scene.

The scene afterwards, where the dudes install the telephone...I was laughing too, before he started laughing. I wonder if that makes me a bad person.

Holy vegetarian cow..Marie is like the hottest cougar I've ever seen in cinema. The French are even beautiful when they get older. That's just not far.

Put
whoa...Bauby's ex-wife is maganda too. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, it's not fair..

oh shoot...I remember seeing her in a French movie year ago when I was in Paris. She played this French pop star.....the funny thing is, the movie didn't have any English subtitles, so the friend I was with (who also didn't speak French) just sat through the whole movie, watching without really understanding what happened.

C'est La Vie.

That meal scene, where he dines with Claude. Damn...I totally want to do that in real life. It has to be with the right bombdiggity muffincake, though.

I liked how he got all pensive in the dinner table right after..he's such a good actor.

His interaction with Marie and the priest is a great scene. I love how the background looks..

The next scene that introduces him going to Lourdes, with one of his girlfriends and her flying hair, is awesome..it's so simple, yet that's how I feel sometimes when my windows are down in the car, and I'm blasting music. I feel like a 20 sum sum actress in a French movie going to Lourdes. C'est magnifique.

That's funny too, with the whole "I can't make love with her watching". I used to have this picture of a painting of the Savior in my bedroom at my rent's house, and I sometimes would really resist my adolescent hormonal bombs as much as I could because of the pic. You never want to do anything naughty if Jesus is watching you. Or I think that's how I rationalized it..did it work? I would say, about half the time. Sometimes I would just turn the picture around.

oh my...when Princess Eugenieand Bauby...anyway....I think one of new wishes in life is to travel back in time to 1870's France and make out with a French socialite. This is totally plausible.

Wow..the whole part about Bauby talking to his dad over the phone...priceless...

And Claude's gift to him on the boatride. "Jean-Do, I don't mind you dragging me down to the bottom of the ocean...because you also are my butterfly..."It's a heart melter for singer-songwriter boys. Oh..if only someone only said that to me. Then I would be like "You stole that from that movie, you algebra major!"...

Damn...that scene with Ines and Celeste...I'm glad they kept it in. It's such a truthful scene. Celeste's face, when she spells out his wishes, is one of the most beautiful moments in cinema. It's like every letter, her heart gets pummeled, pounded to the ground..but what can she do? She loves him....and so does Ines...

oh man...when he starts to sing...and what happens afterwards...I love the last couple of minutes or so of the movie, when the voices become dull, and the cinematography is breathtaking...I do have to comment though on the last song choice, while the ice caps were reassembling;the song blows chunks. What up, genius filmmaker? I hate your film now.

I'm only kidding, Mr. Schnabel. Your movie was awesome. Thanks for blowing my fi&*ng mind.

january 8th - karaoke madness

to celebrate Ariele Gonzalez's sweet, sweet birthday... At Planet Rose, on Ave A btw, 13th and 14th st. It was a surprise party. Marley made a photo scrapbook for her. She's a talent, that chestnut. Matt, Marley's brother, was there too. So I know two people at the place...but as the night progressed, I met mostly everyone else. i really dug one of Ariele's friends, who I am forgetting his name, but is tall, and wasnt afraid to dance. I kept thinking in my head, I wonder if Danny Katz would like him...probably...

Ariele was super-surprised, which was so awesome :) And then we got her to party, which was even awesomer. She and Marley did this one song right before I left, which I'm totally forgetting what the song was, but they stood on top of the seats at the place like that movie with the girls who dance on the top of the bar..what was it? Coyote Sweetheart? Fox Good-Looking? I can't remember.

I also do have to mention one of Ariele's friends, who I didn't introduce myself to (i'm sorry), but the two songs that he requested were Guns N Roses songs, which was super awesome. Not so much the Guns N Roses songs, but that he picked them. Like he loves them so much, he picked those two songs to sing, out of the thousands in karoake lists..that's fu*@ing devotion.

I sang Take On Me,and I Want It That Way with a bunch of cool new people I met (like Kristine, who I found out from the Facebook that she's a HUGE Backstreet Boys fan.) And holy fuzz, you can say that I Rocked The Casbah. Not sing in on the mic...but rocked it. I think I hurt my foot again though, while jumping and flailing and dancing . Damn it, I don't think I can run for another couple days now. Ugh.

But seriously: What's up with that friggin' annoying song from Grease the Movie (Paradise on the something something) polluting the karaoke airwaves? it feels like Sweet 16 Summer Mania all over again. Although that Frenchie from the movie..she moves through my dreams like a beautiful ghost from...Grease the Movie.

Oh, and before I went to Planet Rose, I went to Barnes and Nobles to get a present and card for Ariele (which I forgot to label the present and sign when I was at PR. Weak. Hopefully they still have it). As I was about to leave the building, I see freaking Maryann Leone just standing bout 10 feet away from me. I don't think she saw me. I said out loud "Maryann Leone", and she looked right at me, mouth agape, and gave me a hug. Then we chatted for 10 minutes or so. She is going to this super hippie/meditation yoga trip in April, which is pretty dope. And she's been liking all my facebook comments and whatnot, which I thought was odd that she brought it up, but it's all good. And it's only all good because she HAS a nose ring.


Holy cow I am going to collapse. I only had two hours of sleep the night before, which sucked cow tittie. no I am about to get 4 and a half hours. Whoo hooo!!!! LIFE!!

- jf

Jan. 7th - The Bell and The Butterfly ; 1 JF major accomplishment

So far, it's been the best of the year. But then again, it's only been 7 full days and nights since the advent of 2009?

All the characters were solid, and essential, and it was poetic. It sort of had the same pacings and a few similarities to one of my other favorite movies that I can't watch casually, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But it was unique in so many ways. When I think about it, I like the movie more. It's more than likely a future buy for me to add to the most awesomemest DVD collection ever.

Oh, and what's up with all the woman being super beautiful in that movie? Every main character was drop dead gorgeous, but georgeous in the more old school sense of the world. Like, they would be gorgeous even if it was the 1920s..or 1400s...or 3rd century B.C. yadda yadda yadda.

Then again, it is France. France is a country filled with beautiful people; i know that from experience.

Oh, and tonight marks the first time ever I have ever written a song, finished it, and arranged it and threw it on myspace within the same day...so congrats to me!!! I have goals this year, and I accomplishing them!!
Oh yeah...

January 6th - She was such a pretty girl

- the version being co-produced by Jon M and I...is being mixed gradually...and it sounds really beautiful.

I hope when people listen to the new album, they will feel a little more beautiful.

because we all are a beautiful bunch.

On a side note, I shaved my moustache, my beard, and my soul patch. I feel like I look like a 5 year old kid, wearing that burger king hat , with a toy silver cowboy pistol in his right hand.

oh man...those were the days.

- jf

Jan 5th. My toothbrush has super-powers.

It's this Sonic Care toothbrush I bought for a ridiculously insane amount, but I don't mind it because it brushes for me. I can't wait till everything's roboticized. The power of the vibration as it cleans and cleans and cleans my mouth is inspiring. I want to wrestle a Yeti with my fragile hands after I brush.

Waxing on about brushing I guess is my way of trying to forget the trials and tribulations of today. I didn't have a good work day today, and when i went home, I was uninspired to make any music. But I was inspired to listen to the tracks that Jon Mizrachi and myself worked on last night. He sent it to me today while I was at work.

Jon programmed totally different drums to Pretty Girl, and it's so good. It's probably my favorite drum programming of his in my whole E.P. that we've been working on. But I guess I'll just have to wait until I can share it with everyone. Besides, we're still fine-tuning the song.

Darn it. I already broke 5 resolutions. I think rather than try to maintain resolutions, I should just set goals for myself. I think it will be helpful, especially once I start running again on Wednesday. I think I figured out that the pain thagt I have is Plantar Fasciitis, which is caused by worn shoes. And boy, were my Target shoes worn, indeed.

I guess that's it. I've got to start planning for my next track to upload to myspace...

- jflo

Sun, Jan. 4 - no run today, but mixing with Jon

I couldn't run today. The right side of my foot is still in pain. When I talked to the guy who sold me shoes yesterday, he said I should probably take a week off. Well, I'm not willing to take a week of, but I'll try for Tuesday.

I did walk around with the new shoes though. And i added that Nike + contraption to it,and tested it out while I waited for Steve and Marie to come from Michaels. It seems like it works well; Steve said it's pretty dope.

When we drove to Pathmark, I waited in the car and read more about Katipunan, the organization responsible for freeing the Philippines from Spanish rule in the late 19 century. It is really interesting..like for one example, there was a female version of the Katipunan, mainly the wives and sisters of Katipuneros, and when the Katipuneros would have their secret meetings in the back, of the house, the ladies would be singing and dancing in front of the house so Spanish authorities and their cohorts, when passing the house by, wouldn't notice anything strange. I thought that was awesome.

I went to Jon Mizrachi's afterwards. We worked a lot today, and got a lot of things done in 2 and a half hours. We worked on The Best I Can a little bit, but he mostly did all the revisions yesterday.

We did work on Pretty Girl a lot. He changed the feel of the song a ton, with a very different drum tracks, but it sounded great. He ended up keeping the original vocal take I did (which was the rough one), modified the bridge a little, re-added part of this guitar track I originally had on a different take of Pretty Girl, which was on the 1st and 2nd verse, mixed in the new piano take I did at The Buddy Project, and threw this really cool reverb effect on the end of the bridge, where I go "Oh, how I miss Her".

We then worked on Means to An End. Jon brought down the pianos, brought down the strings a little bit but increased the viola part that Caleb did during the instrumental after the bridge (which was beautiful), increased the main vocals at certain spots in the mix, and brought up the guitar part in the end. We'll see how it sits....

The last thing we discussed was which was the last song that should be on the album...there's 3 choices - 24 lives, Merry Go Round, and In the Garden. I'm not sure which one I want to add as the last one. I'm going towards 24 Lives, since it's the most developed, and I just need to rewrite 1 line, and redo the vocals. It's also a little bit diverse from the rest of the tracks on the EP ,in terms of the feel...but I really do love In The Garden...i just don't know if it's ready yet. Also, people don't believe me when I tell them it's not an instrumental..

oh well...we'll see how it goes. Till then, I'll be biting my elbows.

Running shoes. Check. Moving out. not fun.

A bunch of significant things happened today: my roommates and I decided we would try to move out of the apartment by February 15th or march 1st, and I bought running shoes..

About the apartment: well, our lease is up in February, and due to reasons I dont' want to get into, we do not want to renew our lease. I am all for still living in Astoria, especially in the Ditmars area, but my roommates are not so keen into that. I would be into living in Fort Greene, Park Slope, Williamsburg, and parts of Bushwick. Woodside too. But I'm not sure if one of my roommates is even 100% into moving with the other two of us. My friend Megan I heard is up for moving in with us (the only caveat I have with her is she is a HUGE Jack Johnson fan. Not that he's bad or anything...but that does scare me a little bit).

And about the shoes. I finally bought a decent pair of running shoes, which I heard should be replaced every 400 miles or running or so. I went to Sports Authoriy near my place, and after an hour of trying on shoes, ended up with the Nike Air Max Turbulence, which felt pretty good on the feet and had all these cool little technological features on it. You can also use Nike +, which is this feature where you can connect your ipod to this contraption you put on the bottom of your Nike shoe, and it's basicallhy a pedometer, which is awesome. Or something to that effect. Don't know too much about it yet, but will try it out tomorrow morning!

I also got running socks - 4 pair for 15 moolahs. And these protein drink shakes endorsed by Michael Phelps. Hell, if he endorses them, then you know it's good, right?


Other things:

The moon was so awesome tonight. It looked like the Body of Christ.

I think I'm going to put out the a capella version of batang bata (Apo Hiking Society's famous song) as my first song out of 52 songs on myspace. I have to add a couple more things to it first though...

I'm tired as heck. I'm going to sleep. i have a big day of working on mixes with jon Mizrachi and also running and working on new track.