A pair of ragged claws scuttling across the floors of silent seas

Tidbit 1: It really blows my goddamn mind that some people were worked up about a Muslim congressman swearing into office using the Quran. In fact, it really, really motherfucking blows my mind that they expected him to swear in using the motherfucking Bible, and viewed his desire to take a ceremonial oath on a book that actually, y'know, means something to his faith, as somehow un-American and dangerous. What in the cunting motherfucking shitfuck is wrong with some people? Seriously.

Tidbit 2a: Finally watched The Prestige last night with ibnfirnas, xwrn and Antonia. What a fantastic movie. My expectations were pretty damn high, because a) Christopher Nolan, b) Christian Bale, and c) DAVID GODDAMN BOWIE AS NIKOLA GODDAMN TESLA, but this movie exceeded all expectations. It was over two hours long, but every single minute was essential to the plot--and best of all, I really had no idea how and where the movie was going to end up. The ending? Blew me away. Even the cheesy dying-gasp-of-air speech and Big Revelation were riveting. I will be buying this when it comes out on DVD, oh yessss, preciousss.

Also? The slash for that movie practically writes itself. And I'm not normally one for slash fiction.

Tidbit 2b: Finished watching Capote on Wednesday night. It was another movie that blew me away; Philip Seymour Hoffman deserved that Oscar and then some. The movie's take on Capote as an utterly self-centered being with the occasional self-aware glimpse of what he'd become was just brilliant. Watch this movie. Do it.

Announcement: I'll be in Califnordia from tonight through Wednesday evening, gallivanting with assorted people at assorted times, but primarily with redsouffle, ariiadne, xwrn, vyrin and tarentel. We're going to catch a taping of The Price is Right live, eeeeee! If you need to get ahold of me, call me. This is going to rock so hard.

Also, a request: if anybody has suggestions for songs to play as we drive into Los Angeles, I'd love to hear 'em. So far, the contenders are:

"Los Angeles, I'm Yours" - The Decemberists
"Take California" - The Propellerheads
"California" - Wax
"Welcome to the Jungle" - Guns n Roses
"Paradise City" - Guns n Roses
"California Love" - 2Pac
"LAUSD" - Jurassic 5
"Californication" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Ænema" - Tool (I get the impression Maynard James Keenan isn't very fond of LA from this song; what about you?)
"Beverly Hills" - Weezer
"Burn Hollywood Burn" - Public Enemy
"Celluloid Heroes" - The Kinks
"Hollywood Freaks" - Beck
"Surf Wax America" - Weezer
"L.A." - Elliot Smith
"Boyz-n-the-hood" - Dynamite Hack
"Straight Outta Compton" - N.W.A.

I was thinking about music--specifically, how it's one of the few things that will switch my brain off reliably and pleasurably. This is why I like going to shows so much; when the music is good, my whole body aches, and I feel like I could just float off the floor and burst out of my own skin.

And thinking about music reminded me how Bach's string compositions can reduce me to a happy, twitching pile of goosebumps and love. I clearly need more Bach--Johann Sebastian, that is, though I certainly don't object to more PDQ, either--in my life. The problem is, there are so many damn recordings out there. Anyone have any recommendations? I have put one of János Starker's recording of Suites for Solo Cello on hold at the library, as well as Tafelmusik's recording of Bach's violin concertos, but I'm hungry for more. I'm especially interested in a really, really good recording of the Brandenburg concertos. I have a decent two-disc set at home, but I'm looking for something superlative.

Any baroque music buffs in the audience want to pipe up? Also, other baroque composers for me to look up would be marvellous; I'm especially partial to string and organ arrangements, and not so big on unaccompanied harpsichord. I've listened to a whole lot of Vivaldi (and I have to say, I mostly agree with one critic's assessment that Vivaldi didn't really write two hundred concertos once so much as one concerto two hundred times [I'm paraphrasing somewhat here]), a moderate amount of Handel (he's all right, but he doesn't really r0xx0r my b0xx0rs), some Scarlatti (he's awful fun to play, but so-so to listen to), Telemann (ditto) and I'm interested in listening to some Pachelbel that's NOT Canon in D and Albinoni that's NOT the Adagio in G Minor.

So, yeah. Anyone? Hello?

*crickets chirp*