Friday, October 03, 2003
Colder, darkerThe days are getting shorter at a fast pace and the nights colder; two weeks ago we were still in the midst of an Indian summer heat wave here in the Bay Area, now winter is on our doorstep (at least, the Californian version of a winter). The ideal setting for listening to Field Songs by Mark Lanegan. Some may deem this record pretty depressing, I think it's strikingly beautiful. In a week Lanegan could be singing for Queens of the Stone Age in the Warfield in SF - should go and check it out.
El Hombre 12:37 AM
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Nobel Prize LiteratureThe Nobel Prize literature has been awarded to J.M. Coetzee. This means that Hugo Claus has yet to wait another year.
Keep hanging on there Hugo, sooner or later the Swedes will have to recognize your genius!
El Hombre 4:52 PM
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Down with AtkinsI'm usually not that outspoken about dietary issues, but now that even some of my friends start lauding the merits of the Atkins diet, I feel that I need to do something; because, as a matter of fact, I believe the Atkins diet is a big bunch of bullcrap. Sure, by depleting yourself from carbohydrates and entering a state of ketosis, you burn fat and lose weight; however, besides the at best dubious long term health effects, the chronic lack of glucose means you will perform like an anemic duck during sports, exercise or outdoor activity; energy release from burning fat is slow! My dietary advice: eat a little bit less of everything and work out more.
El Hombre 12:36 AM
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
The Mars VoltaEigenaardig maar briljant plaatje: 'Deloused in the comatorium' van The Mars Volta. In het begin vond ik er maar niks aan; na een eerste luisterbeurt leek het mij hoogal irritant arty geneuzel met af en toe een paar goeie riffs, en ik vroeg mij al af waarom ik hiervoor dollars opgehoest had. Maar het hoeft niet altijd liefde op het eerste gezicht te zijn: nu ben ik ervan overtuigd dat dit een magistraal meesterwerk betreft, een grootse synthese van avant-garde jazz, Pink Floyd-achtige 'prog' rock, ziedende hardcore, catchy pop en Latijnse ritmes. Soms over the top en op het randje van het bombastische, meestal schitterend.
El Hombre 1:02 AM
Sunday, September 28, 2003
South leafWent (mountain) biking saturday morning in El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve, also known as Skegg's; this is a favorite place of mine and I wanted to try something we usually don't end up doing during mtbsh rides: park the car on the west side (lower section) of the park and explore some of the trails there. What I've learned: the South Leaf trail is a great piece of technical singletrack (Demo Forest grade but narrower and with rather intimidating exposure) that scared the shit out of me, but which is beautifully poetic.
El Hombre 11:18 PM