uncool2pillow

I've been in a tournament predictor pool with some friends. Leading since the 2nd day of group matches, I'm now tied for 2nd after England beat Netherlands. I have to get a bit crazy to reclaim 1st and win, so I'm picking England 1-0 with Foden scoring the goal.

I'm already mourning the end of 2 tournaments Sunday. As a teacher, it's been a glorious football-filled summer. The Olympics will help, then BOOM! right back into the Premier League season. Everton seems to be showing some hopes of stabilizing their future with a solid new owner. Hope springs eternal, but it's the hope that kills.

I assume the drone at the end of Less Than You Think just went on between sets?

Oh shit, I was there too! Guitar wizard. Fantastic show!

2011 movie starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter. Very good. On Hulu if you're interested. Those two have now done this movie and George & Tammy together. Very different characters, but they really play off each other very well.

Baby Reindeer, like the rest of the world, apparently. 5 episodes in. 4 wrecked me.

An exceptionally easy one too.

MiB became one of my favorite pods during the pandemic. Roger Bennett is a truly special person. So enthusiastic, positive, empathetic, funny, smart, and hard-working. Check out his memoir (Re)Born in the USA. He spent a summer in his teens in Chicago. Changed his life.

I became an Everton fan because of Tim Howard's presence on their side after the 2014 World Cup. I often rue that decision, but not last Wednesday. #UTFT

I'll allow it since Dortmund is still alive in the Champions League.

Last night. Living Colour in a high-end cocktail bar in Omaha, adjacent to a Bentley dealership which doubled as the band's green room.

What's it called? I'm in Des Moines and find myself in Iowa City a few times a year.

Yet Don Henley lives

Lake Street Dive with Monica Martin opening. Listening to Martin now. Beautiful vocalist.

Mike Doughty & the Ghost of Vroom

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/opinion/abba-dancing-queen-pop-music.html Sorry if it's behind a paywall.

Before I realized they change their name I found an electronic artist on Spotify called Ohmme. I feel like I saw somewhere there was legal action involved. Neither name does much to capture the imagination. I do very much enjoy their music though.

It never occurred to me that it might be on Imax in Des Moines (it's not). So I'm glad I got a ticket for tonight to our newly renovated arthouse. It's not showing at the other (slightly less artsy) theater where I saw it originally. Would have loved to relive the memory.

I'm going to say you nailed this perfectly. No notes.

Holy crap is the Ed Stasium mix of Tim brilliant! Give it a listen. It really pops out of the speakers. The keyboards on Here Comes a Regular are throughout the whole song, no just the end. I can see why Ederlyi wanted them at the end for a climax, but it's really so much better now. Every song truly is. Bob Mehr's liner notes are great too. Maybe a reason to not just rely on streaming.

The Abba Voyage Hologram show in London tomorrow!

Saw Nora O'Conner, Uwade, and Andrew Bird at Out of Space in Evanston last night. A truly sublime night of music. I've listened to Bird lots but never seen him live outside of sitting in during Wilco's 2008 Winter residency. Unbelievable. A feast for ears, eyes, and soul. Uwade is a young singer-songwriter. Only a few things out there online, but check her out. I hope she goes places.

Hemming and hawing on Willie Nelson

Enough said.

Spent a lot of time outside in DC Tuesday-Thursday supervising a school trip. I felt it. NYC looked 5x worse.