Mike Bikes.

( Dinner )

Julian's post about the "mystery nightclub for sale" has me wondering: What does it take to own/run a bar/nighclub? Is it a good investment? Is there a specific type of bar/nightclub that is absent from town, and that Seattleites would attend?

Personally, I'd like to see an upscale, dresscode-required "speakeasy" type club with a 40's style lounge singer/band several times a week, but I'm not sure how many people in Seattle would go for that.

( Portland Thoughts )

Tell me about interesting things to see, places to visit, absolute musts on the "if you're only in Portland for a few days, you must go here" list.

Thanks.

Flyer & Photos

I spent this morning watching an online video of a science panel (and Bobby McFerrin) discussing the neuroscience of music, essentially talking about what goes on in our brains when we listen to, and participate in, music. One of the key points was that our brains build up expectations of the patterns (tonal and rhythmic) that we're exposed to, and there are interesting things that happen both when those expectations are met and when we are surprised by an unexpected change that still fits within the framework of our concept of tonality and rhythm (say, a bridge that goes up a perfect fifth).

This made me have two simultaneous "Ah-ha!" moments:

First, I've really been digging the album "Beyond" by Informatic for about six months now. I think it's a really great, enjoyable, listenable album, and I think the reason why I like it so much is because almost all the songs have surprising bridges or middle sections that deviate from an established pattern in a tonally or rhythmically pleasing manner. For example, the single "Temporary" jumps up a fifth (I think) at 2:25 into a section with almost operatic backing vocals and a different, but cohesive, bassline, and then drops back into the familiar chorus for the remainder of the song. Every time the song hits this part, I feel a little smile come across my face, because of the way it both defies (shouldn't there be another verse here?) and meets (this key change fits) my expectations for the song.

Second, I had noticed before that these bridges made me happy, but if I just skipped to the bridge, somehow it didn't seem as good if I wasn't listening to the rest of the song beforehand. The video I watched made me realize that it's the setup of the expectation, not just the payoff, that brings the real joy to the experience. In isolation, the bridge loses it's context, but as part of the larger whole, there's a whole brain experience of joy from the progression of the pattern of the song, and the cohesive break in this pattern to something different and new.

I think this realization will change how I write songs in the future.

Current Mood: impressed

If any Seattle residents would like to reply with their impassioned platitudes for or against any candidates on the recently mailed out ballots, I'm all ears.

Goodspaceguy is right out.

Current Mood: curious

I'd like to recommend The Tin Table to anyone who enjoys mildly upscale dining. While the first time we were there the service was lackluster, tonight it was spot on. Both times the food was excellent, and the decor and mood are exactly what I expect from a casual, quality restaurant.

Also, Airfield Estates 2007 Cab Sauv goes great with Steak Frites. GREAT.

Current Mood: satisfied

It could have been called "500 Days of Psycho", but it wasn't. Mary suggested we go see "500 Days of Summer", so we hit Lincoln Square and caught an afternoon show. It was amusing, and enjoyable, and surprisingly not what I expected. Still, it was evident, even without the prologue, that it was about a relationship that was doomed from the start. Maybe the benefit of age and hindsight clued me in to all the warning signs. There were certainly relationship fragments that rang true to me: the girl who pulls you close one second and then pushes you away the next; someone who is physically intimate, but puts up an emotional wall that is insurmountable; a partner who acts poorly, and then apologizes only for the tiniest transgression, and proceeds as if everything is then okay; someone who never truly defines the boundaries of a relationship, yet goes through the motions of normal dating, but still feels free to do what they want because ground rules were never laid down.

I think any guy who has ever been head over heels in love and had their heart broken, because they were been blinded to all the flaws in that relationship at the time, can relate to this movie. It's clever and funny, and also frustrating for anyone who has moved on and found a much better relationship where the people involved were on equal footing. There were many times during the film that I realized, if that were me now, that relationship wouldn't last past three weeks. But I also saw previous relationships and flirtations of mine in this movie, and saw my own narrowly avoided land mines up on the screen.

It has what I would consider a happy ending, although if you're like me, you'll be wondering if certain people can ever truly be happy, or even if it is possible to really know certain women. If you're also like me, and in what I would consider a solid, healthy relationship, you'll be thankful for what you have, because the alternative can really be misery.

Current Mood: thoughtful