"Which is worse?" - election campaign song edition

Here in our province of Alberta, there's a leadership race for the governing party and the race's second (and final) ballot is this weekend. There are three finalists that Progressive Conservative party members will be voting for - and if you need any proof of why we should be freakin' scared...

The two front runners - Jim Dinning and Ted Morton - have expensive, high-profile campaigns. These campaigns include not-so-expensive "campaign songs".

No, they couldn't choose a classic Fleetwood Mac or Bruce Springsteen track as their theme songs, a couple of their supporters actually wrote them new, original material. Now usually I'm all for originals over covers ;-) but MAN... you just have to check these out for yourself.

Ted Morton's song: Ted Morton is the Man

Jim Dinning's song: Let's Sing a Song for Jim

They're SO INCREDIBLY TERRIBLE!!!!! So here's my question for you - which is worse?

cn

Your Caffeine Sunday sickness update!

Actually this has nothing to do with the health of Caffeine Sunday. I mentioned in earlier posts there was a fairly serious illness affecting a family member that was causing a lot of anxiety. Update - the family member has been operated on, and things are really looking good. In fact, his progress has been nothing short of miraculous and has surprised all of the many experts and doctors who have been working on his case. There is the possibility he could be home by as early as Christmas... so great news on that front.

However, personally, my earlier reports that my own cold/flu/whatever may be "getting better" were greatly exaggerated. I'm still quite sick, and am even on steroids to try and get my respiratory system over this. Sure does suck... but it's nothing compared to what others have gone through so I'll stop complaining now!

Except to complain that my laptop has died (speaking of health-related topics)after years of intermittent service. Kind of sad that a computer that's 4-5 years old can be so out-of-date and such a bugger to service that it's a better investment to just throw it off a balcony than try and replace a friggin' hard drive?

cn

CN meets the tower named after him

I was in Toronto this week for a new media workshop with Shel Holtz.
I've never been to T.O. before. I've been "through" it once, when my family was driving to Quebec some 15 years ago, and we literally drove through Toronto. But this was my first time, and from the very limited area I got to experience (airport, freeway, hotel and downtown Toronto) I thought it was pretty nice, actually. It's a huge city, but it felt Canadian. Walking around downtown felt like I was walking in downtown Calgary except T.O. is much bigger and much more multicultural.

My friend Pam and I went and found the HMV store on Yonge Street. What crap. CD sales are definitely in the death spiral because big CD stores are really sad looking now (those of you in Edmonton - have you seen A&B Sound Downtown recently?)

And yes, I went up the CN Tower. The glass floor is a little freaky, and the outside observation deck was freezing cold, but it was still a cool place to visit.

But going back to the workshop I was there for - I got a lot of really valuable info and cool ideas for my day job, but also for Caffeine Sunday for whenever this new recording project is ready to release. SO...stay tuned...

cn

"Jump! Might as weeeeell jump."

If you're sane and don't care to break your spinal column anytime soon, chances are you've never heard of milk crate jumping. If you're the more active, crazy type, like my brother, then you've probably tried this inexpensive thrill sport for yourself.

Either way, if you want to see some jumping (done well and poorly) for yourself, check out this video my brother Jeff has posted on youtube. He made it recently at the camp he worked at near Calgary (he's leaving soon to work south of the border at one of Paul Newman's "Hole in the Wall Gang" camps). Definitely good for a laugh, and pretty good video editing on his Mac to boot.



In unrelated news, I'm still recovering from a chest infection that's been weighing me down for two weeks now. The drugs seem to finally, slowly be working their magic. Can't wait to feel normal again!

cn

Special delivery

Some of you may remember Kirk - he played a few gigs with CS as a synth player in the late '90s. He's still a close friend to me and Ryan, and now lives out in B.C.

Anyway, he and his wife just had their first baby on the weekend, a little (well, eight pounds) girl named Rory Hannah. Congrats Kirk and Daubs!

cn

F.L.U. Crisis

Just getting over a nasty flu my daughter gave me on the weekend. Gross times. For her and me. So the studio stuff has been sitting, but I've been listening to lots of new stuff in the meantime. Mostly Imogen Heap on repeat, actually. She wrote, recorded and mixed her whole album herself with ProTools in her home, and the whole thing is amazing. Mind you, she remortgaged her flat to buy her ProTools rig and softsynths - I quickly had that concept vetoed when I mentioned it in my house...

cn