I recently moved to Chicago.  I'm going to try to keep everyone updated on my life and what I'm doing, what music I'm listening to and what movies I'm watching.  Please keep me updated on yourselves, too.  I enjoy knowing about everyone. 

I've been busy with the move and work and settling in, so not much to say yet except about my excitement to be somewhere new and around new people and opportunities.  Everything in my life is kind of up in the air, as it has been, which is both exciting and annoying at times.  Sometimes you just want to know what's coming next.

I've been getting to know my neighborhood a little bit, there's good food and some music venues.  Some really cool stuff to check out.  I look forward to checking more out as I settle in.

I'm planning on making this blog primarily about music I'm listening to, so here's where that starts.

A live version of Paul McCartney playing "Let It Be" at The Concert for New York City after 9/11 came on the radio on my drive home this morning.  It seemed to fit well.  I hadn't connected to a Beatles' song like that in a long time.  I listened to a lot of a Beatles back in the day, and kind of got burnt out, I guess.  Then they were everywhere for awhile after their catalog sold and families were connecting over some music they all liked.  Maybe now enough time has passed since The Beatles: Rock Band came out for me to enjoy them again.  Also, Paul McCartney is set to get the rights back soon.

Haim has been in my music rotation for a long time, especially since their album came out.  Frightened Rabbit and Childish Gambino are constants.  Other than that, She & Him, The Rolling Stones, Kanye West, J. Cole and 2 Chainz have been popping up a lot.  If you haven't heard "Crooked Smile" by J. Cole featuring TLC yet (it's been out a while now), get with it.  Best song on the Born Sinner album, I was glad when I found out it was a single.

There are 2 albums I'm anticipating right now.  I'm really excited about the new Childish Gambino album.  He made some news last week by writing down some of his thoughts and insecurities and posting them on Instagram.  He announced on twitter that he finished the album and has posted a song in July that's supposed to be on it.  Also, If you didn't know, Fall Out Boy recorded a new album that Ryan Adams produced.  They recorded it at Adams' studio in 2 days. I'm super excited about this.  I enjoy the single they put out.  It's super punk.  All of the songs on the album are listed as under 2 minutes except 1. 

I'm always looking for new music and enjoy knowing what other people are listening to, feel free to let me know what bands/artists I should check out.

Stay fresh,
KK

So I was informed last night that there is a live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot in the works.  I was excited, then i read rumors that Michael Bay was involved.  My excitement dropped off significantly.  They also originally had the writers of Iron Man 2 writing it, then decided to get some dudes who write a crappy TV show and Mission Impossible 4 instead.  My excitement dropped more.

The NBA Lockout is still going on.  The meeting tonight (currently in progress, over 10 hours) is supposedly going positively, but I've lost hope and am not all that interested since the media gets fans hopes up, then cuts them down.  I'll be pleasantly surprised if they have any form of a season, if not I'll find other things to do with my time.

I went to Chicago for Halloween, it was a very fun time.  I saw friends I don't see nearly enough, went to a Blackhawks game on Halloween night, people in costumes at hockey games are a good time (One of my favorites was a Care Bear with the Blackhawks logo on its tummy).  If you're wondering, I dressed as The Macho Man Randy Savage.  Chicago has been a great time every time I've been there.  I'm hoping to relocate there this Spring.

Childish Gambino's CAMP comes out Tuesday!

Winter is Coming.

It's been getting colder outdoors, and I've come to peace with it.

I've been finding enough things to pass the time with, here's some things I've recently heard, seen, experienced and some things I'm looking forward to that I think anyone I know should take note of.

MOVIES (In Theaters): I've seen Moneyball twice now, it's a great movie.  I think anyone would enjoy this movie.  Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill star in it, it's about the business side of baseball.  It's the story of the 2002 (correct me if I'm wrong on that) Oakland Athletics and their small bankroll competing with teams spending WAY more money than they did.  It doesn't focus so much on baseball as the business.  It also has a good enough and broad enough story to appeal to anyone, in my opinion, so check it out.





I also just saw 50/50 last night.  It's the story of a 27-year-old guy getting cancer, and how he deals with it with some humor.  It's funny, emotional and well done.  It was loosely based on the writers actual experiences.  Seth Rogen was a friend of the writer (they worked together on The Ali G Show) and produced it and played his friend in the movie.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt took the lead role.  It also featured Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air) and Angelica Huston (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) as his grief counselor and mother.  Bryce Dallas Howard is also in it, I hadn't seen her in anything expect Spider-man 3; she's more attractive as a redhead.  The acting was great, the story was great.  Solid film.  It is sad and emotional, but also funny and enjoyable.  I recommend this one, too.  There is a lot of adult language and sexual reference, it's rated R, so not for the whole family, though.






MOVIES [and a TV Show] (On DVD/Blu-Ray):  I wrote a blog about The Beaver with Mel Gibson.  Go read it if you want to know more about it.  I bought it on Blu-Ray.  I love this movie.

Almost Famous: The Bootleg Cut will be released on Blu-Ray on October 4.  It's a great movie, I haven't seen the bootleg version, but plan on owning this eventually.  I own the DVD of the original version, so I'm not in a super hurry for it, but I do want it.  The Bootleg Cut was previously released on DVD, and still goes for just under $50.

Community: Season 2 was recently released, as well.  It's great, my favorite show on television.

MUSIC:  If you haven't heard Watch The Throne by Kanye West and Jay-Z, I urge you to.  It's a great album by two of the biggest names in music.  Great all the way through.

Childish Gambino's new album, Camp, will be released on November 15.  It was originally supposed to come out at the end of September, but he got put on a label (Glassnote, the same label as Mumford & Sons and Phoenix) so it got pushed back so they could do their stuff to it.  The first single "Bonfire" is out and it's awesome.



Cole World by J. Cole just came out.  I haven't listened to it yet, but he's a great up and coming rapper, so if you're into it, check him out.

The next album I will for sure be purchasing will be Ryan Adams' Ashes And Fire, which is steaming at NPR.com (http://www.npr.org/2011/09/25/140640429/first-listen-ryan-adams-ashes-and-fire).

Also, She & Him are putting out a Christmas Album, which I will probably buy, I'll have to give it a listen first, though.  Great band featuring M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel, if you've never heard of them.

RANDOM:  Someone finally made a mask of Sloth, from the Goonies.  This is something I've wanted for years, and plan on buying one eventually, but I don't want to drop sixty bones on it right now.  Here's a link if you want to check it out.  http://www.80stees.com/products/Goonies-Sloth-Mask.asp

My Halloween costume has been chosen.  The Macho Man Randy Savage! Oh Yeah!

Oh...and for all the 90s VH1 Fans....

POP UP VIDEO IS RETURNING, SUCKAS!

Stay Fresh and Keep Calm,
KK

Writing to Write

So I haven't blogged for quite some time, and for some reason I just got the feeling to write. No one will probably read this anyway, and that's fine. I'm just writing to write.
The last time I wrote one of these, I was probably talking about the Denver Nuggets. Their season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs losing in 5 games to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were the team I most feared in the Western Conference, and I believe whoever wins the OKC/Memphis series will win the West and most likely the Championship, although Dallas is playing the best basketball I've ever seen their current team play so I won't close the door on them yet(Dirk is playing like a big man should, and probably wants a ring while he's still in his prime).

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, I also decided that I should get an autographed Charles Barkley Suns jersey, frame it and hang it (I may never get around to this, but we all need goals), as he's been my hero since I was a tyke. Chuck Klosterman says whoever your hero is when your 9 is your hero forever, and I agree with this as Sir Charles is still my hero, though, I'm sure younger NBA fans see him as nothing more than comic relief. I even had a crush on a girl in the 4th grade because she had a Charles Barkley jersey, I later found out she was not even a big basketball fan and it was her brothers, but she will always have a place in my heart. When I was a kid, no one thought the Round Mound of Rebound was a good role model, not even him. He had a whole NIKE ad campaign about how he wasn't. My mom didn't think he was either, but she still bought me his jerseys and poster which I am thankful for. Personally, I think he was a good role model. He taught me honesty and to stand up for myself, and that effort and passion are a big part of basketball, and of life.

ANYWAY, that's enough about NBA Basketball for now. Lately I've been feeling pretty great about everything, I'll soon be leaving my crappy job, keeping my resume building job, and going back to an old job where I know people and will get more hours thus more money, not to mention I'll be working overnights so I'll be more comfortable with my schedule, I'll take very late nights over very early mornings anytime. In starting a new (old) job, I took a pre-employment drug screening today (a piss test). Whilst in the waiting room of the hospital, I thought a webshow about a hospital waiting room would be fun (anyone interested in making one, I'm open to collaborating on that project).

I've also been working out a lot lately and eating healthier. I'm motivated to better myself right now, even though I believe I'm a pretty awesome dude, I just need to look like it. Working out makes me feel a lot better about myself and gives me more energy and leads to me doing more things and enjoying life more I think, and enjoying life is what I want to do (One of my goals is to be next in line as The Most Interesting Man in the World). Working out also gives me something to do and enjoy, living in a small town you need hobbies.

I also started playing guitar again, something I'd been slacking on for awhile (due to my ex not liking it as much as she thought she did, and not much feeling like it after the breakup). The weird thing about this is, I like to write songs as a hobby, it helps me get out my thoughts and all, sort of like a journal, I guess. But I've been listening to a lot of rap lately, if you guys don't know Childish Gambino, check him out, he's fun and great and he makes his own beats and sometimes samples good indie songs. Listening to rap is good, I believe it helps raise self-esteem, but it creates a problem when you're used to writing crappy acoustic songs. So I've been writing some crappy acoustic songs with more swagger. I've also been writing raps a bit, but they're horrible, I'm sure.

This year I also decided to attempt to half-ass follow Major League Baseball, as I haven't for a long, long time. I can't watch baseball on TV because I have a short attention span and get very bored; for the most part, I can watch basketball no problem, but not baseball. I have however been to two games already this year and I had an amazing time at both. The first was the White Sox vs. Tampa Bay in Chicago. The White Sox are my favorite team because they were my favorite team as a child (until i lost interest in baseball). Frank Thomas was the man, and always will be in my world of baseball. The White Sox lost the game, and have been losing a lot this year, but they can go out knowing they got a fan back this season (even though I probably won't pay as much attention as I aspire to, I'll most likely lose interest). The other team I follow is a National League team, The St. Louis Cardinals. I've been a fan of them for as long as I could consider myself a fan, too. They are the closest team in proximity to me, and they have a strong tradition and fan base. The game I went to was against the Florida Marlins, and it was fun, we had bleacher seats in the first row behind the Marlins bullpen and a good crowd around us. The Cardinals won the game and I had a lot of fun. So I'd like to welcome baseball back into my life, even if I don't care about you as much as others, I don't feel like you care about me much, either, but we're cool.

So that's where I'm at in life right now. This seemed like an odd collection of thoughts, but that's where I am, in the midst of the upswing of a renaissance in my life. Sorry for the overuse of parenthesis, hopefully it was slightly enjoyable for anyone who wasted their time reading it, and if you did, thanks (you even made it to the end!).