The Return Of Mechasmack

Today's adventure on the train featured a guest appearance by...

Crazy Ramblin' Man

Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen. Get ready for your morning entertainment as Crazy Ramblin' Man talks very loudly to no one in particular. I have to admit, some of things he said were funny.

"James Brown may be dead, but Oprah is walking corpse. You ever see her without makeup!?"

I wasn't the only one who smirked at that one. And he was clever enough to stop ramblin' when the train stopped in order to fool the people getting on so someone would sit near him and then be trapped and inundated with ramblin'.

I've often wondered if people like this are actually mentally impaired, or are they just acting out for attention, which I suppose stil falls under mentally impaired. Then there's the question Is this person homeless because he's crazy or crazy because he's homeless? I might never know. Maybe one day I'll have the courage to talk to Crazy Ramblin' Man/Woman.

Today on the train I had to deal with the pregnant woman dilemma.

What's the pregnant woman dilemma? Well, that's when a pregnant woman boards the train and there are no seats available and she's standing near you. This situation becomes a dilemma in one of two ways:

1) The woman isn't really pregnant. Her coat is puffed out for some reason or she's just got a big belly or just looks pregnant for some reason. Having almost made the mistake of asking someone if they're pregnant when they're not, I'm always a bit cautious when I see these women where it's not obvious. So you can accidentally insult them by implying they're pregnant or offend them by not offering up your seat when they really are pregnant.

2) The woman is clearly pregnant. You offer up your seat like a gentleman (or lady, cuz it shouldn't fall completely on men's shoulders to give up a seat to a pregnant woman) and she doesn't take your seat. So while you've made the effort, you still have the reminder that is her belly in your face the rest of the trip. On top of that, you can feel the people who got on after you made the offer glaring at you for sitting down while this poor pregnant woman has to stand. Your only hope is that you will soon be stopping at one of the interchanges and enough people will get off so she can sit down.

So this morning I had to deal with number 2. It's always a joy.

I was also reminded of something else that's been bugging me a bit lately. What's with the women with no manners? You go through a door, you know someone is walking literally 2 feet behind you, you hold the door for them. Not hard. I swear, I've had so many doors slam in my face lately it's just sad. If I ever let a door slam into some woman's face it would probably be on the news that evening. But are women exempt from this common courtesy because doors are supposed to be held open for them? I don't think so. And on top of that, a lot of them don't even acknowledge or say 'thank you' when a door is held open for them. Shame on you, ladies.

Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

OK, I'll admit, I haven't even listened to this yet. But I finally downloaded it from eMusic the other day so I'll get to it soon. I have to give it props just for the name alone.

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Though I've had some exposure to Neko Case over the years, I never really got into her music until 2006. I had downloaded a couple of tracks from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood from her web site early in the year but it took a while for me to really listen to them. And when I did I was convinced I needed to hear the entire album. I'm so glad I finally got around to 'discovering' her.

I've always said I like a little bit of everything... except country. But that's not true. I do like country music. I just don't like the popular country music. I enjoy the older, more traditional styles like Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn. And I do like this new-fangled alt.country music the kids are into these days. Having said that, it's all about the voice with Neko. I just love it. While listening, it feels like she's just hanging out in your living room, playing with her friends. It's a warm feeling.

Armed with gift cards, I foolishly went to Best Buy this morning to see if I could get my hands on a Wii. The internet's been abuzz the past few weeks about shipments of Wii's arriving at Best Buy, Circuit City, and Target. I thought I might have a chance if I got there early. Unfortunately, I made 2 mistakes:

1) Trusting the stores hours listed on the web site
2) Underestimating the will of people wanting to get their hands on the Wii, who were there hours before the store opened

It's ok. It's not like I have a 7-year-old waiting at home with her heart set on getting a Wii. At some point in 2007 their availability should increase. Some day.

If you're looking for a PS3, they've got plenty.

And to that lady that almost hit me as I was coming into the parking lot and then had the nerve to give me that "What the hell are you doing?' look, LEARN TO DRIVE! Don't you hate that? It's bad enough that the other person is clearly in the wrong, but to top it off they give you that look like you did something wrong.

Lupe Fiasco - Food And Liquor

I told you I wasn't giving up on hip hop. Album's like Food And Liquor are exactly why. I won't get started about the state of commercial hip hop. I've said it all before. So it's refreshing to finally get the proper debut from an MC who's been making noise for a minute.

Kick, Push, the single from Lupe that turned a lot of heads in 2005, is finally followed up by his full-length debut album. And it does not disappoint. I have to say, when I first popped in the CD I wasn't really feeling the first few tracks. But I got excited when it got to I Gotcha. This Neptunes produced track is the bomb, reminiscent of some mid-nineties jazz inflected sound that is sorely missed. I've opened my ears to more of the album and am happy that Lupe has a chance to show his skills. The roster of guest artist here is a definite sign of respect he has from his peers. Collaborations and production by artists like Jill Scott, Jay-Z and Mike Shinoda broadens the range of sound while allowing Lupe to show his diverse lyrical skill and wit. Not that there's much competition, but this may be the best hip hop album of 2006. Maybe if he wins the Best New Artist Grammy he can share it with Kanye so he'll calm down for a bit.