Comments for Hard Like Algebra

Comment on It’s all a mystery by Jim_Withington

Jim_Withington — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:28:04 +0000

Hey, thanks!

I find that the 750 words thing combined with “rock poet” thing has made me start writing a lot about music again. I might need to start updating here again, too.

Comment on It’s all a mystery by Erin

Erin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:34:51 +0000

This is lovely. And it made me think about this NPR thing from the other day:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/04/14/135408812/when-did-you-break-up-with-your-favorite-band

Not that you ever broke up with the Flaming Lips.

Comment on Whatever and Ever Amen by Ann

Ann — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:46:37 +0000

I got this album as a bargain-bin tape ca. 1997 – being popular enough to be “pressed” in bulk guarantees some will make it to discount dotage, I guess.

“Kate” is totally a regular in my sunny-singing-out-loud-biking-around-town category. I love “I think she smokes pot” used as the shorthand for being cool and unattainable.

Comment on Ellen and Ben by What in the hell … :: … does my daughter know about music? :: September :: 2009

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:58:52 +0000

[...] old post over at Jim’s music blog reminded me that I want to write about singing to my daughter. Jim’s post is about the [...]

Comment on 30 Days in April: Day 25 by Kelly Duncan

Kelly Duncan — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:23:00 +0000

It’s impressive how organized and purposeful you are with your creative outlet! I agree with your friend regarding the phone photos, and with you regarding the its-too-easy-to-count feeling. However, not everyone can see a photo, with or without the accoutrements we typically use to make nature more “natural-looking”. Face it – you’ve got a good eye. Maybe even two.

Comment on 30 Days in April: Day 15 by Jesse Dangerously

Jesse Dangerously — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:38:31 +0000

I totally understand your response and don’t think it’s inappropriate or wrong, it’s just really far from how I felt about the film. I can’t really account for it, either, because I am one of the easier people to upset with disturbing content in films!

I wonder what makes for such a different emotional reception of the film?

Comment on 30 Days in April: Day 15 by Jim_Withington

Jim_Withington — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:36:10 +0000

I haven’t seen Happiness.

Ha! I meant the movie.

I don’t think it was sweet at all, except in the scene where July walks down the street with the shoe dude. Seriously, Erin sent me a description of the movie someone had written and was like “did we even WATCH this movie? THIS movie sounds delightful!”

I think in another context maybe it wouldn’t have been so creepy. But it just kept making us wonder if we wanted to finish watching it.

Comment on 30 Days in April: Day 15 by Jesse Dangerously

Jesse Dangerously — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:24:38 +0000

I’m with you on the squick potential of the film, but what I felt was masterful about it was – and this diverges from your experience – that it managed to incorporate those elements and remain completely sweet. I think it’s kind of about… I’m pulling this out of thin air so maybe I don’t even think it… maintaining or reclaiming a sort of innocence in the face of things which would in many cases shatter it?

I’ve seen it twice and both times I was surprised by that content and awed by how far I was from being upset by it, when ordinarily it would be the exact sort of thing that would wreck a film for me.

When I compare it to, for example, Solondz’s Happiness, it’s like magic!

Uh… I want to say more but I’m in class. So, later!

Comment on Top Ten Albums of 2008 by Hard Like Algebra» Blog Archive » 30 Days in April: Day 15

Hard Like Algebra» Blog Archive » 30 Days in April: Day 15 — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:56:44 +0000

[...] or maybe just “mellowing out.” But I think the success last year (worldwide, and in my own house) of Vampire Weekend proves that in many ways, people finally want artists of all kinds to stop [...]

Comment on 30 Days in April: Day 14 by Jim_Withington

Jim_Withington — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:41:16 +0000

Thank you much, Casey!

The writing that you see up there is, again, typical of what comes out when I just…go. The way that I typically write songs or performances is that I go back through all the those bits like you see above, and pick the ones that fit the music I am writing, and off I go.

It’s cool to hear that there might be something there, though–I had a hard time posting it, nearly unedited, for all to see.