Outside my window, birds are chirping, squirrels are chasing, flowers are blooming, and the grass is green and growing. Spring is here. Amidst the many changes that Spring brings - yard work, flip flops and the like - allow me to draw our attention to one of the more crucial shifts that is often tragically...

Over the past year or so, I had read repeatedly and been told multiple times how amazing HBO’s series The Wire is. When a friend of mine offered to loan me her Season 1 DVDs, I figured I’d see what all the fuss was about. Said friend did caution me that the show started off a bit slowly,...

Since I was a kid, I’ve loved Tron. It’s really as simple as that. I saw the movie multiple times and, best of all, my buddy had the arcade game at his house! I can’t even imagine the endless hours I spent playing that game. It was awesome! It should come as no surprise that when...

Eleven years ago, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynold released Live at Luther College, a 2-disc acoustic album that showcased a measure of talent that most music fans in the 90’s simply weren’t used to hearing. Jaws dropped worldwide as Tim redefined the term ‘accompanying musician,’...

So, a few weeks ago, I decided to give up drinking sodas altogether. I don’t know if addicted is the right word, but I couldn’t seem to make it through the day without my favorite carbonated, sugary beverage. I’m sure my decision was based, slightly, on paranoia after reading various...

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon an NPR interview with emerging British group Mumford & Sons which began by posing a question of labels. The interviewer asked the group if the classification ‘folk-rock’ was an appropriate label for their music. Lead singer and band namesake, Marcus...

After the holidays every year there always seems to be a lull in the music scene. Whether it is little new music coming out or a lack of live performances, this time of year can be a challenge for the avid music listener. Luckily for me, I stumbled across a musical gold mine recently and am ashamed to...

I’m not afraid to toot my own horn - Valentine’s Day went particularly well in my household this year. In the absence of roses, chocolates, jewelry, or even a simple card (gasp!), I pulled it off bigger and better than ever before. V Day 2010 required more work than usual, but it was worth...

Ever come across something that harkens back to your youth?  I’m sure you have at some point.  One day, as I’m rummaging through stuff at a friend’s house, I came across this.  I saw the words “indie rock coloring book” and was immediately hooked.  Like a little kid,...

Last Summer, I recommended the second book by New York writer Malcolm Gladwell, titled Blink. Before Gladwell published his three best-selling non-fiction works, he reported for the Washington Post and then, in 1996, began writing essays for The New Yorker. A few months ago, Gladwell released a selection...