Tuesday, December 31^st 2013

I’m back online longer tomorrow.  In our condo and my computer was set up last night.

Reignwolf, Canadian from Saskatoon.  I saw him in the summer of 2000 in Calgary for the first time.  A child prodigy.  I saw him again in Regina once when Kim and I were dating. The show wasn’t nearly as good as the one in Calgary.  What does his mom call him?  Jordan or when he’s in trouble it’s probably Jordan Something Cook.

I bought a CD at the show in Regina. Not that great to me.  Blues rock.  I preferred the people he had in his band in Calgary!

The upcoming Reignwolf album seems like it might be OK, I should check if there’s one on iTunes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKmuzgS4w10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekq4ZMgMa1Q

Jordan Cook in the studio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWQraAqpOk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Bq4IUFtY0 interview with Jordan Cook.

It’s December 31^st.  So tomorrow I’ll wake up and magically be able to walk and see properly, right?  Doesn’t 5 years make me cancer free?  Not really with brain cancer.  I’ll be in a wheelchair for a long time.  I’m still going to continue to workout.  My left eye has to heal itself. 

We’re in our condo and it’s fantastic! No more smashing my knuckles on door frames, I can get into any room now!  Every doorway is 36” wide except our on suite bathroom, it’s still big enough for me to wheel into.

Yes, everyone went crazy with gifts for me again this season, not needed but still appreciated.  I would like to get other people piles of gifts, but I don’t have the money to spread around.  I find Christmas to be far more enjoyable when someone’s receiving a gift from you, rather than you receiving a gift from someone else. 

I’ve got a ton of Canadian musicians to review, but I will slow this blog down a bit.  I’m reviewing Canadian music or unheard of music for the Rock It Out Blog.  So I’ll post stuff 3 times a week and on the odd weekend as well.

“Don’t judge anyone until you’ve been in their shoes”

“Just because today is a terrible day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be the best day of your life. You’ve just got to get their” Today has not been a terrible day.

“Don’t try to please everyone, it CAN’T happen”

“Apologize for your mistakes and learn something from them”

Bye,

“Hubby Boo Boo” aka “Butthead” aka Christopher

chrisg.fraser@gmail.com or Chris G. Fraser on facebook

Thursday, December 19^th

We’ve got the condo as of our walk through yesterday!  Kim is there today just for the movers and delivered items.  It’s very nice and I don’t bang my knuckles on the door ways!  The only appliance that was in there was the dishwasher yesterday.  The rest should be there today.  Yes, I can get out now, at the condo.  Our old house I couldn’t get out with my wheelchair. At the condo I’ll at least be able to get out of our suite with my wheelchair and Brewster!  We checked out our storage area in the parking area as well!  I hope my CDs and DVDs will fit in our suite? If the CDs don’t, that’s fine I get just about all of my music from iTunes anyways.  DVDs and Blu-rays have to be in our condo suite somewhere.  I don’t want to go to the basement everytime I want to watch a movie or something!  Our mattress was delivered yesterday, it’s memory foam so it may smell a bit.  I’m not sure what Kim is thinking but I think we should let it air out one more night, maybe stay here tonight?  Then come back for supper on the 24^th and back again for Christmas day in the morning?  That’s the plan “…..so far….”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w3aVfVyr20

We’ll have a different phone number, so hopefully we won’t get those stupid phone calls from 444-444-4444 or 000-000-0000!  Or the scam where they ask you to turn on your computer to run a virus check on it!  Idiots!  Kim has a lot on the go right now between moving and getting ready for Christmas.  At least we get fed and have ” ……a roof over our head……” and a bed to sleep on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylaLG-DdT7E

Only 6 days until Christmas.  It doesn’t really feel like the holidays to me yet, usually I get that feeling in November?  It’s probably that my James grandparents wont be here with us, they’re both gone now, that’s just wrong in so many ways.  At least I still have my Fraser grandparents.  Could also be that I’m not able, and neither is Kim, to give as many gifts as we’d like?

Last year I struggled with making a Christmas list.  Didn’t really want anything, this year is the total opposite.  1,000s of dollars of stuff on my Christmas list, why? Everybody has done their shopping but next year, all I would like are my season tickets if we can’t afford them and a donation to Uncle Kent and Aunt Leanne’s Shelterbox team!

Every year my parents say to Mitch and I “We can’t spend that much money on gifts next year.”  Then they give us so much that I feel guilty about my gifts when I speak with my friends.  Mom said a few weeks or months ago that Kim and I were already over their limit, I said to please just stop, they’ve helped us quite a bit, financially, over the last however many years.  Yes, it’s stuff I would like but not anything I need.

I hope you all have a fantastic “holiday” season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypap19WTUEQ The Watchmen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxTgPNWeBZk Skeletor

“Don’t judge anyone until you’ve been in their shoes”

“Just because today is a terrible day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be the best day of your life. You’ve just got to get their” Today has not been a terrible day.

“Don’t try to please everyone, it CAN’T happen”

“Apologize for your mistakes and learn something from them”

Bye,

“Hubby Boo Boo” aka “Butthead” aka Christopher

chrisg.fraser@gmail.com or Chris G. Fraser on facebook

Monday, December 16^th

I know it’s early, but Kim and I get possession of the condo on Wednesday!  We just have a lot to do in a short amount of time.  This will be my last post…………………..this year.  Once we’re settled, I’ll be back online.  Kim has her iPhone and laptop should something pop up that we should know about.  Here are some random thoughts I’ve had lately.

Police descriptions.  I’m glad I have a patch and a wheelchair.  Most police descriptions are (white male, early to mid 30s, blue eyes last seen wearing a hoody).  If they added (left eye patch, and wheelchair) I’d be rolling away from the police everyday!  Good thing Dave’s a part of the Regina City Police! Why are police, teachers, fire fighters, paramedics, nurses not paid as much as doctors?  They’re all providing a needed service.

Customer Service.  After purchasing a product from a certain retail outfit, they have to have great customer service if I have a problem, or else there’s no need to make any future transactions with them.  For my music stuff it was always B-Sharp music for me and my brother.  Maybe something was cheaper at a different store?  I knew if I had a problem with anything they’d “make it right”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFeKHBC_xaA That took a while there’s a lot of groups that have a song called “make it right”.  Anyways, customer service employees don’t always have the “authority” or proper information needed to fix a problem.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNroBo5feYY it was this or John Mellencamp, had to make another decision there. At the moment Kim’s having problems as to what time tomorrow our appliances will be delivered from Sears Home.  “Some time between 8am-5pm” that’s when people would blow up on me when I worked at the “Staples Call Center”, that was all I could tell them.  Kim handled it the right way though and said on the phone “I know this isn’t your fault” we might or she may be going to the store today at some point to see if we can get a smaller time frame since only the contractors will be there.  Yes, first world problems.

Big thanks to Corey, Jolene and baby Hannah for having us over yesterday for “Christmas Cheer” yesterday.  I almost had to lactate on demand yesterday?!  I can’t lactate under that kind of pressure?!

My father and his crew of marry men have wired our condo already, since dad knows the builder and has worked with him before.  Once we get the media stand delivered and in place, we’ll choose where to put the TV on the wall and find some moola to have surround sound with a sub woofer in the wall so as not to shake the suite below us.

We know that Corey’s naughty pieces are OK now that he has fathered a child.  Now we’ll wait and see what happens with Kayll, my brother Mitch and Rydell.  If they’re capable of fathering a child I’ll be free, from what is now called “The Fraser Smash n’ Grab”………………..I don’t know if Corey is planning on having another child?  Until I know, he’s free game for me. 

Sure, I beat cancer and changed into a person I didn’t really like when I started blogging about the experience.  I don’t really have a filter, I just blurt out what’s on my mind.  The filter is coming back though.  I’m not a hero or victim.  I’m a “tough mother shut yo’ mouth” as I’ve been told

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFvRvSxsW-I Yes, I listened to the whole song!  Why????  I told Kim many times “I don’t care what colour whatever the thing is.  I’m a guy, if it works, great!”.  I got the location and they accept small dogs. Brewster should be fine.  He barks when he sees other dogs, which will be hard to do from the 3^rd /top floor with our blinds closed!

Anyways, catch you in January.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

“Don’t judge anyone until you’ve been in their shoes”

“Just because today is a terrible day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be the best day of your life. You’ve just got to get their” Today has not been a terrible day.

“Don’t try to please everyone, it CAN’T happen”

“Apologize for your mistakes and learn something from them”

Bye,

“Hubby Boo Boo” aka “Butthead” aka Christopher

chrisg.fraser@gmail.com or Chris G. Fraser on facebook

Saturday, December 14^th

Yep, I’ve already done a review of them, I know.  The second I heard their first album “Naveed” I knew they’d be huge.  They were opening for Van Halen!  Mike Middleton had a VHS of a show, that’s how I found out about them.

I thought they’d be huge if this was the type of music they’d release…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O94CW_tIEzU

That didn’t happen though.  This was a single from their second album, a complete left turn from the first album…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6i9_LQQ-x0

The singer, Raine Maida, sounded more whiny/nasally throughout each album.  I gave up on them 4 albums in. “Naveed”, “Clumsy”, Happiness is not a Fish that you can catch”, “Spiritual Machines” then I gave up.  They became very hit and miss for me from the 5^th album on.  This was on the 5^th album as a single…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Z89zW-8sY A HUGE disappointment for me.

Elka lent me her copy of July Talk’s self titled album and it’s in my regular rotation now as well.  A Canadian group that is pretty much unknown, The Wild Feathers, Queens of the Stone Age, Trivium, July Talk and Alter Bridge are the albums I’m going crazy on at the moment.  The best way to describe The Wild Feathers is to compare the to a modern day Lynyrd Skynyrd.  July Talk is very difficult to compare to anyone, so here’s a few songs to let you know what they sound like….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU5qp-cAtOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGV8SomuIn0

Depression.  I had it and I was embarrassed about it.  I had a black dog too. 

http://www.upworthy.com/what-is-depression-let-this-animation-with-a-dog-shed-light-on-it?g=2

Sure I wake up everyday and I say to myself “What the heck was that”?  Then I just go about my day and figure out how to do things from a wheelchair, no biggie really!  I’m just slow at everything.  I sort of workout everyday.  Just standing up to get something from an upper cupboard is a kind of workout.  I’m more than willing to dry dishes, put dishes away, fold laundry, get my own breakfast and lunch, etc.  Kim is responsible for supper since I get tired at the end of the day.  If she needs it, I can help out with supper too though.  I just don’t make stuff on the stove, oven or BBQ.  Toaster and microwave unless someone is around.

Top 50 albums of 2013 according to the Rock It Out Blog.  I’ll have a Kanye West moment “Queens of the Stone Age had the best album of the year”!  It’s subjective, I expect everyone to have a different numero uno!

http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/12/albums-of-the-year-2013/

It’s not a lie.  I had brain cancer and had the will to live.  God didn’t give me more than I can handle. Kim told me that everyday.  So I’m good and I’ve got this, I can deal with this.  I’m alive!

http://natepyle.com/confronting-the-lie-god-wont-give-you-more-than-you-can-handle/

“Don’t judge anyone until you’ve been in their shoes”

“Just because today is a terrible day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be the best day of your life. You’ve just got to get their” Today has not been a terrible day.

“Don’t try to please everyone, it CAN’T happen”

“Apologize for your mistakes and learn something from them”

Bye,

“Hubby Boo Boo” aka “Butthead” aka Christopher

chrisg.fraser@gmail.com or Chris G. Fraser on facebook

Thursday, December 12^th 2013

Neil Young benefit show in Regina!  I’d go in a heartbeat, but our moola should go towards stuff in our condo!

http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/music/Neil+Young+announces+benefit+show+Regina/9264672/story.html?fb_action_ids=10152199496909050&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B399675643498586%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.recommends%22%5D&action_ref_map

Are you serious?  Arcade Fire, named band of the year?  Not my taste in music at all, they are Canadian though.  So is poutine, back bacon and maple syrup.  ¾ isn’t bad I guess?!

Dave Grohl needs to hear some Big Wreck.  I read an interview with Ian Thornley and they both seem to prefer making albums on tape instead of the latest fancy software on a computer.  I tend to agree.  It will sound more like the group in a live performance and you’d have to be EXTREMELY good at your craft. Any recording I’ve done is into a computer, and only once that I know of Jerry had to auto tune one note of my singing.  I gladly would have done it again until I had a good take.  You have the option of making everything perfect or just leave it and redo it until you get that “Lightning in a bottle”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXWrmQW-OE You had to see that coming, way to easy!

Really?  He had the least amount of votes doing this?  That’s not an easy song at all, and I still love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0SrTfvJjmA This is one show that has decent contestants.  At the same time how can anyone judge another art?  My favourite singing show is back…The Sing-Off!  Where it’s all acapella groups who have to sing like an instrument or harmonize with the other members of their group.  Harmonies aren’t as easy as they seem!  I’m no singing God or anything close to that.  If it’s in a choir it’s much easier to do a harmony with a group of people singing the same part.  If it’s like 8 or fewer people singing together, I always got distracted by the lead vocal and wanted to sing that part.  Good thing I got to sing the lead in the bands I’ve been in!

I don’t mind The Voice or The Sing-Off. I actually like the Sing-Off.  American Idol, Glee and the X-Factor I could do without.  James also sang this yet didn’t make it to the finales???  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI8WlrygCXA That’s my problem with these shows.  The “judges” ultimately tell you what to listen to or give you a top however many to pick from.  Unless you pick the winner you’ll most likely be unhappy with whoever wins and is on your radio everyday.  Here’s hoping Harry Connick Jr. can have a positive influence on American Idol!  Those who make it passed the first cut are usually much better than I ever was.  Why aren’t they signed already?  They go on these shows for their big break.  If that’s the new way of being signed by a label, I guess that’s the way it’s gotta be!

Metal.  There’s all of these sub-genres of metal, power metal, death metal, thrash metal, black metal, grind metal, etc.  I don’t abide by those structures.  It’s just metal, if you like a band, great!  If you don’t that’s cool too.  Maybe you just don’t enjoy metal music all together?  You can’t be wrong about the music you listen to or make.  Or any type of art for that matter! It’s all subjective, not everyone will like the same book, movie, TV show, song, etc.  That’s cool more variety for others to say to their friends “Hey, check this out.  You might like this?”. 

Foo Fighters play a 27 song set at their first show in Mexico!

http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/12/the-27-song-setlist-from-foo-fighters-first-ever-gig-in-mexico/

Please put an end to this ASAP!  I know Canada’s not perfect, but you don’t see multiple, random shootings here.

http://vod.io/OF94_/

Monday, December 9^th 2013

Radiation affects in the U.S.A. from Japan Nuke accident!

http://www.turnerradionetwork.com/news/72-mjt

More from Japan, please read/watch.

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/12/the-urgent-fukushima-video-everyone-needs-to-see.html?m=1

My New Years resolution?  To be better at everything.  Walking, talking, standing, cooking, etc.  I should learn to play my guitars again too.  Next year for Christmas, my season tickets, unless Kim makes a pile of money and a hefty donation to Uncle Kent and Aunt Leanne’s Shelterbox, and nothing more.

I’m fine, I’m in a wheelchair but I should be able to fix that.  I have double vision and can’t drive so I always have a ride home if I drink.  I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep on and blankets/Kim to keep me warm.  If I never walk again fine I’ll deal with that until I can!  Our condo will be wheelchair accessible, GREAT!  Now help others who actually could use the help, I’m fine!

I’m fine and SEXY!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D7rlhbBfU

Dave Grohl interview, NOT FOR KIDS! About playing live and the music industry in general.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OoevpPS0-k

Just funny!  Your Christmas pictures are in!

http://seriouslyforreal.com/funny/walmart-called-your-christmas-photos-are-ready-24-pics/

Top 10 metal/rock albums of 2013 by Loudwire.com

http://loudwire.com/best-rock-albums-2013/

Another Blue Jay in the hall of fame. Roberto Alomar and now Roy Halladay

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/halladay-salutes-blue-jays-organization/

“Don’t judge anyone until you’ve been in their shoes”

“Just because today is a terrible day doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be the best day of your life. You’ve just got to get their” Today has not been a terrible day.

“Don’t try to please everyone, it CAN’T happen”

“Apologize for your mistakes and learn something from them”

Bye,

“Hubby Boo Boo” aka “Butthead” aka Christopher

chrisg.fraser@gmail.com or Chris G. Fraser on facebook