Brass Machine

and I DON'T mean the Maynard Ferguson song. I'm talking about a real brass machine.

The DC Brass Connection is my most recent music obsession. Anyone who lives in DC has probably seen these little rock stars (and if you haven't, you should really look for them--they are SO great and adorable). It's a 7 piece brass ensemble that features 5 trombones, 1 sousaphone and 1 mellophone. I've seen these guys at Dupont a ton, and now I find myself making increasingly frequent pilgrimages up to hit the Urban Outfitters and Loft in Chinatown now because that's their new spot.

What I find so special about this particular group (and why I drain my pockets to their collection bin) is that the band is clearly all about the kids. It appears to be a very enriching experience for them--which in turn makes it all the more enriching for the audience. There's one adult in the mix, but he plays the drums--he basically just keeps time. The kids all take turns soloing while the rest keep the rhythym moving in the background. Putting yourself out there to solo is no small feat--and to do it WELL is exceptionally impressive. These kids know chords and keys in ways that I don't think I was ever capable of when I used to play. The smallest one (he honestly can't be more than 7 years old) matches his kicks to his green trombone, which I find so endearingly baller that I just want to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me. 

See?

This isn't your average kids'  recorder concert--these guys are GREAT. This is a video of the DC Brass Connection celebrating a big Caps win, and here's one of the group playing in Dupont. 

Music, and especially completely instrumental ensembles is something I hold near and dear to me. I played tenor saxophone in my high school's jazz band and it was a hoot. At a benefit concert for the fund honoring one of my closest friends, I got some of my old band mates back together to play a tune for her. Despite the fact that we were a little rusty, I have to say--music really does bring people together in ways that other forms of communication and collaboration just can't. It's one of my favorite memories--and to see a bunch of kids getting together to make music as often as this group does is really special. 

It really warms my heart every time I see the DC Brass Connection, and I just wanted to give them a shout. Rock on, little brass soldiers. I'm one of your biggest fans. 

Breaking Bad: A Way Forward

The first half of AMC's Breaking Bad fifth season is in full swing and I am just loving my life. Blog posts of yester-months may have led some to believe that Mad Men is my favorite show, but really BB (can I call you that, BB?) is my main squeeze.

I'm going to try to make some predictions without having any spoilers--in case anyone has missed the first two eps of the season (and if you're reading this and haven't seen ANY of the earlier seasons, then may God bless you but we're not friends).

Predictions and/or Hopes

Jesse splits from Walt, again

In seasons past, rifts betwixt Jesse and Walt primarily spawned from Jesse's brash actions and general noobery. This time, however, the rift is more likely be caused by the lack of compassion that comes along with Walt's metamorphosis into a one-dimensional meth machine. Jesse has managed to find himself on a (relative) moral high-ground.

Jesse tries his luck at a solo meth-venture after some new misunderstanding divides the twosome again. He saddles back up into the Crystal Ship (the RV from he and Walt's humble beginnings) and hits the open desert for some good old-fashioned cooking. In not wanting to completely rip Walt's recipe (but not really knowing any other way), he laces his meth with Franch to make it his own. This is a huge improvement from Chili P, but still not quite as potent as Walt's meth brew. Skinny P and Badger fall back in line as Jesse's meth soldiers. Despite Jesse's sprinkle of genius in the opening ep of the season ("yeah bitch, MAGNETS"), his savviness in the illicit business has not improved. He only ever manages to hold a mediocre market share.

Skyler dies

Not particularly likely, but I wish it would just happen. In the mean time, I'm thinking of starting a support group for people like myself that feel personally affected by Skyler White's general whoredom. Her role in the show is quickly diminishing and so she'd be a pretty easy cut, but somehow I imagine that Walt's ultimate downfall will be related to his family (although as of right now it doesn't seem that love for his family is really guiding his actions at all).

The ending scene in episode 2 where Walt is coming onto her in bed is supremely uncomfortable and solidifies my fear that he has become a bonafide villain. Nevertheless,that doesn't stop me from having residual hatred for Skyler--and I think I'm being generous in sparing Walter Jr. (Flynn) from my dire prediction.

Germans Invade

Accomplishing what their ancestors never could during WWII, the German executives from Madrigal Electromotive (parent company for Los Pollos Hermanos) will invade the US and try to destroy every remaining link they could possibly have to the late Gus Fring's international dealings/meth empire.

Mike, newly broke after his granddaughter's off-shore bank account gets emptied by the likes of Hank going H.A.M on everyone in his path, is in straits more dire than we have previously seen. He will want to fully control the US front of the Gus fallout, and must put his perpetual state of exasperation to rest in order to be in the proper mindset to be diplomatic with the Germans.

If it wasn't clear from the outset, I don't fully believe that any of this will actually happen--but it'd be pretty boss to be able to say I saw Franch coming as a major player before anyone else did. I will revisit this post to see what, if anything, I was right about.

Cheer up, Graduates

I can't speak for anyone else, but I was obsessed with getting free t-shirts during my tenture at Syracuse. While the majority of my collection boasts that telling orange only socially acceptable on campus and/or at Sign of the Whale, I have a fully loaded arsenal of t-shirts for organizations to which I was not an active member. My most prized free t-shirt is definitely my Vagina Monologues t-shirt (because how was I supposed to resist a black tee that said VAGINA in hot pink right across my back?)

After graduating, I thought my free tee days were over. I'm pretty sure part of my tuition money went toward supplying them, and I somehow doubt that any of my tax dollars go toward free clothes (although who really knows, amiright?)

Luckily, I was so wrong. Today at work all Washington staff received this fateful e-mail:

"In celebration of summer and the upcoming Olympics, *Baby Spice and *Jay Gatsby will be delivering FBD t-shirts shortly to everyone.  Enjoy!!"

Naturally my first reaction was to jump up, THROW the door to my office wide ass open and proclaim, "OMG, FREE T-SHIRTS, HURRY TO ME." As soon as it arrived I put it on, popped the collar and took myspace pics with my friends. I still haven't taken it off. Also haven't unpopped the collar.

Despite the free shirt from work, I'm still feeling a bit nostalgic for Syracuse. However--I'm taking solace in this fact: As a 2011 graduate, my "Home to the Dome" t-shirt handed to me sometime during late August 2007 is now officially vintage.

The real world isn't so bad.
(*Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

Who Run The World?

Girls, yes. HBO's Girls? Well, I'm not sure.

I recently binge-watched all the eps in Season 1--and while I liked it, I don't think I could handle more than 1 season because I'm afraid that my face could retain the cringing scowl that I assume whenever the really bad sex occurs...which is at least 2.5 times per ep. Those scenes leave me feeling emotionally barren.

Now that everyone knows how I feel about the sex in 'Girls', here is what I think of everything else:

I wouldn't go as far as some and say that 'Girls' is the voice of our generation--but it definitely spoke to me. I mean, it's just relatable to see someone else struggle with a nurse who has the audacity to weigh you and NOT account for the that you have your clothes on (ATTN nurses: you don't even know my life so stop judging). No but really--some of the things that happen in that show made me say outloud, "GOD I'm so happy they're showing this." One example of this occurred in the episode where they go to the Bushwick party and Hannah is talking about why she isn't a big drinker and says, "Last time I got drunk and ate all this brie [cheese] and threw up on my cellphone." Now, that hasn't necessarily happened to me, but I could totally see that being my story one day.

And yet...I'm not quite ready to say I'm a real fan. I'm so confused.

I'm just not exactly sure how much I can relate to Hannah and the gang. I'm a girl in my 20s, it's true. Definitely not a child, yet not exactly sprinting to be a full-fledged adult. In fact I was VERY RESISTANT to going on my own phone plan (but really--just who did my mom think she was signing us up for T-Mobile? The coolest phone I could have was a Sidekick so...it was time). Clearly, I have dumb "first world problems" not unlike those of the 'Girls' protgaonists. I get mad when I'm carded at client dinners. I worry about my cat when I stay late at work. I become irritated when I only have t-shirts for the gym because I prefer tanks--etc., etc., etc.

I don't want to be compared to them. Relative privilege aside--I just hope I don't come off as whiny as they do sometimes. Marnie especially is just so, so whiny. This HuffPo article details some other complaints, and they seem valid. One complaint that I find to be a little dramatic is the racism criticism. Why does the absence of people of color on this TV show have to be anything other than a complete accident? I don't think absence of racial diversity is necessarily a symptom of racism, but whatever, just sayin'.

If I'm being honest--I guess my main gripe with 'Girls' is that I'm just such a 'Sex in the City' fanatic that I find it hard to fall in love with 4 women who aren't Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, or Miranda.

Although, I would totally substititute Jessa for Miranda.

Dos Equis

Do you see a difference?

Because I don't.