Wastin' Away on th' North Coast, Aargh!

Monday, June 05, 2006

Party at th' Start o' th' Tour

    Cap'n Schmoe makes margaritas fer th' first time.  Smike plays an auld out-o'-tune guitar.  We intended t' celebrate th' first night o' th' 2006 tour by drinkin' Twisted Teas, makin' margaritas, keepin' an eye on th' Pistons game, and recordin' a podcast.  We accomplished all o' those .., we'll keel-haul ye, we'll keel-haul ye! except th' podcast.

    Granted, it’s no Tiki Bar TV, but we still had fun makin' it.
    ...And we even got our first review on iTunes that night too!  Too bad it were bein' only one star.  (Speakin' o' which, not that a certain “Twinkles” would care, a slightly longer version o' th' above [with synched audio] is available in our podcast feed.)
    P.S.: video remastered on July 8 t' a more appropriate aspect ratio.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Episode 3: Post-Game, Pre-Tour

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 31 2006, (9:30 -11 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Start time were bein' delayed by th' Pistons/Heat Game 5.  Smike, Mickey Finn, and Joe are joined by Rum-Runner Greg; and we got cameos from Don, Meredith, Rum-Runner Greg 2.0, and BK Kevin.  We sound tired and worn-out by th' game, but hopefully th' bonus three endin's might make up fer it.”

    A more low-key show this week, seein' as everyone were bein' worn down from th' rain plus we waited till th' Pistons game were bein' o'er before startin'.  Shots were purchased in honor o' birthday lad Smike.  Our choices were Hot Damn or Hot Sex.  When queried, Meredith replied with th' immortal “Damn is hot and Sex is sweet” which unfortunately were bein' not recorded.  Rum-Runner Greg 2.0 and Kevin’s intro were bein' obviously recorded early (and were bein' in regard t' a personal pizza), as were bein' our discussion on TV finales.  Surprise guest Don hung aroun' till th' start o' th' show and Rgeular Rum-Runner Greg lasted almost halfway through.
    As ye already know, Jimmy Buffett’s selections fer th' Today show appearance were “Margaritaville”. “Changes”, and th' up-tempo version o' “Floridays”.  Regardin' Jimmy’s movie cameos, TV Week.com puts it succinctly: “Jimmy played th' role o' th' armless lubber in th' 1994 film Cobb.”  And “Jimmy played th' role o' th' 727 Pilot in th' 1995 film Congo.”  (Of course, he has other connections t' Hollywood, but these are th' ones discussed in this episode.)  Mickey Finn is confused about Buffett’s heckler character bein' “quadriplegic”.  Aye, all four limbs are affected, but only two are immobile.  If memory serves, th' character sat in a wheelchair and had hooks fer hands.  We’re still not sure when Buffett’s cameo occurs, but we’re not that eager t' rewatch th' movie t' find out.  Mickey Finn’s comment about Congo can also refer t' character actor and Michigan native Bruce Campbell, who also beat a timely retreat from th' movie.

Re: th' Hoot auction.
    Again with th' Hoot auction.
    Smike sent out an e-mail Wednesday mornin':

Accordin' t' BuffettNews, th' Buffett worn wardrobe from Hoot is up fer bid now.  Current winnin' bid is $293.  The sale ends 6/5/06.
Mick, wasn’t this up before and there were no bids?

    Coincidentally, Tuesday mornin' Mickey Finn received an e-mail o' four new Hoot auctions (because he subscribes t' th' New Line Auctions newsletter e'er since tryin' t' buy props from Lord o' th' Rin's [NERD!]); but these four new auctions dern't include th' Buffett one.  Buffettnews’s link works, o' course, and it shows a full-bodied red-blooded auction fer Buffett Hoot wardrobe—in complete disregard t' th' auction link New Line sent out in its first Hoot newsletter, which is th' one Mickey Finn described back in episode 1 (and 2, and 3, and 4, and 5, etc).
    Mickey Finn’s favorite Hoot link still shows an auction that ended with only one $25 bid.  A closer, closer inspection shows th' auction were bein' closed after one day, suggestin' it were bein' published in error.  The auction Buffettnews links t' is obviously th' correct auction and is th' one ye should bid on, except fer th' fact it’s probably o'er and done with by th' time ye read this.
    Note: th' Buffett auction has ended, with a winnin' bid o' $902.00.
    Can we move on now?

      >  Pirate Episode 3

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Episode 2: Low Battery

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 24 2006, (9:30-11 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Guests stars: The Black Scott, Rum-Runner Greg, Rum-Runner Greg 2.0, and Patti.  Despite th' tape trouble we still manage t' talk too long about Buckeye Lake, Buffett parties o' yesteryear, and, once again, Alpine Valley.”

    The audio editin' were bein' finished Thursday mornin', but not soon enough t' upload it before th' work shifts started.  Thus these notes are actually posted in advance o' th' podcast itself.
    It’s official, our emcee is now Rum-Runner Greg 2.0, who begins every show by ridiculin' us.  Not only are th' core three speakin' tonight, but we have two guest stars: Sublymonal Rum-Runner Greg and Alpine Valley Patti.  It were bein' a marathon session, but a large chunk o' it were bein' lost due t' battery problems.  Only th' first five minutes o' th' podcast survive from th' first tape; th' remainder o' th' cast comes from th' forty minutes recorded on th' second tape.  (And that constant squeakin' noise is a ceilin' fan.)
    What were bein' missed: Cap'n Schmoe is still obsessed with a Nicolette Larson concert CD, sled dogs, and confusin' “T” with “P”.  And lad were bein' that cat story hilarious!  [By th' way, as The Black Scott could tell ye, if he cared enough t' record somethin', th' version o' “Margaritaville” from th' Nicolette Larson tribute is not available separately in iTunes.]  Plus, Mickey Finn did extensive research on concert tickets.  Unlike usual, he verified th' research before announcin' it on th' cast, in an attempt t' not be so prominently corrected in these show notes; but since it did not recorded, it ends up in th' show notes anyway.
    DTE Music Theatre had a two page ad in Sunday’s Free Press (2F-3F) which finally announced tickets fer Jimmy Buffett’s September 12 concert go on sale June 19.

The Palacenet website states lawn tickets cost $36.50 and pavilion seats are a whoppin' one hundred dollars more!  This makes it th' most expensive concert in DTE’s summer line-up.  In comparison, Bruce Springsteen is only $92.50; Ozzfest is 86.50; Countin' Crows/Goo Goo Dolls are $67.50; John Fogerty/Willie Nelson are $59.50.  The second most expensive show at Pine Knob?  $128.50 fer Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
    Not only is Buffett’s $136.50 th' most expensive show at Pine Knob, th' Pine Knob show is almost th' most expensive stop o' this first leg o' Buffett’s summer tour.  All th' other shows are $126.50, but fer some reason Jimmy has t' add ten bucks when crossin' th' Ohio border.  Maybe this surcharge is th' reason he hasn’t performed here fer a few years.  The most expensive stop is New York’s Jones Beach, where th' top ticket price is $156.00.  (By comparison Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s top price is an incredible $251!  And this isn’t just some high-priced New York thin', since th' John Fogerty/Willie Nelson show is th' same $59.50, and th' Countin' Crows/Goo Goo Dolls show is actually cheaper: $49.50.)  Remember, these aren’t packages or broker prices; these are face value.
    A quick look at Ticketmaster reveals pavilion seats are still available fer Alpine Valley.  Mickey Finn were bein' able t' reserve three seats, together, in row U o' section 201; but, oddly, Smike and Patti were not interested    Durin' Smike’s Bocephus story Cap'n Schmoe and Mickey Finn are look at a sheet with “th' year on th' back”.  The sheet is a print-out o' a ticket fer a 1975 Portland (OR) show.  The Kin' Kong Trio were bein' a mini-tour in th' mid-80s o' Jimmy, Smike Utley, and Robert Greenidge.  Mickey Finn’s “cartography classes” jest is another Arrested Development reference.  Take it from us, it were bein' much funnier on TV.  We advertently reported Rum-Runner Greg’s leg were bein' amputated followin' Episode 0.5.  This were bein' printed in error.  The movie music comes from Willy Wonka & th' Chocolate Factory—but ye already knew that.  And th' robot’s name is Ralph.
    Jimmy will be on th' Today show Friday mornin'.  Smike and Cap'n Schmoe will be Cedar Point-bound and will miss it.  At his last appearance, Jimmy asked Katie t' request what song he would play; conventional wisdom says she’ll point at th' middle o' th' back cover o' Songs You Know By Heart and will choose “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.  And then, a week later, Jimmy’s tour kicks off in Atlanta.
    As per request, here’s yer chance t' help decide details o' our special remote podcast…
    [And, once again, hats off t' 24cast, from whom we get our best ideas.]

      >  Pirate Episode 2

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Episode 1: Mapped and Charted

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 17 2006, (9-10:30 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Almost down t' twenty minutes!  This week: a few words with Rum-Runner Greg 2.0, a chat with Smike, Mickey Finn, and Cap'n Schmoe; a shot with The Black Scott; and a visit from Heidi.”

    The gang wanted t' watch end o' th' Pistons/Cavs game (which th' Pistons lost, 86-84) so th' recordin' session were bein' delayed.  In th' meantime, we recorded a segment with The Black Scott, a few comments from Rum-Runner Greg 2.0 (includin' th' first o' what assumedly will be many mentions o' Cap'n Schmoe’s Cat Story), and, as we repaired t' th' recordin' studio, a visit Big Al’s waitress Heidi.
    Our new theme song, courtesy o' GarageBand, is called “Two Seater”.  Cap'n Schmoe misses th' date by only one full week.  Hopefully this won’t confuse people when next week’s show comes out.  Both Cap'n Schmoe and Mickey Finn came prepared with notes, determined t' keep th' conversation brief and on course.  As mentioned, The Black Scott’s movie review were bein' recorded ahead o' time.  Mickey Finn wants t' point out his comment about it bein' “beautifully recorded” were bein' supposed t' be self-deprecatin'.  “At th' time I were bein' assumin' th' bar noise would be too loud.  It came out much better than expected, but we didn’t know this till we were all done.”  Incidentally, we returned t' usin' th' Core Sound mics this show.
    • Ebert & Roeper’s Hoot review
    • Turks & Caicos Margaritaville
    • Learn more about Tom Ball here and here
    • Roger Clyne’s Buffett quote [PDF]
    • Some gossip about Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
    • [Beware searches fer “one legged chick”]
    This is th' Hoot auction t' which Mickey Finn refers.  A quick look at th' Bid History shows that although th' auction has ended, it did not end successfully.  Evidently th' minimum value were bein' not met and th' auction has been closed.  Poor Jimmy, no wants t' get in his pants anymore.
    • Smike’s brother Jim’s My Space page
    • Smike and Cap'n Schmoe’s Dog/Ice/Winter Movie Picks:
                Disney’s 8 Below
                Disney’s Snow Dogs
    The mention o' a “robot podcast” refers t' this offerin' [iTunes link] from 24cast.
    The end title music is called “Greasy Wheels” and is also from GarageBand.  Post-production were bein' much more elaborate this week, with contributions from Peak, GarageBand, iTunes, Final Cut, and Soundtrack Pro.  Still hearin' spots that need a little bit more work—but it’s too late now: th' file is up,

      >  Pirate Episode 1

Monday, May 15, 2006

“The Ship Can’t Take It, Cap'n!”

    After strugglin' all weekend t' get this page t' show up properly in Internet Explorer (while it displayed without a problem in other browsers), all I can say is:

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Changin' Tack

    I were bein' goin' t' label this “Pickin' Up Steam”, but that didn’t seem t' fit with all these sailin' references.
    There’s more news t' share though, in th' form o' another new development with our feed.  I (without consultin' th' others) impulsively bought a domain fer our podcast.  Northcoast.com and northcoast.net are already taken, but I came up with usin' NorthCoastCast as our new port o' call.  Short, simple, and hopefully easy t' remember.  It’s paid up fer two years too, so those other WANC’ers better continue ’castin' with me t' get th' most out o' this investment.
    There won’t be any additional content there however, since, in fact, th' new URL simply refers ye back t' this page.  Therefore, ye needn’t bother tryin' th' link now.  If ye’re here, ye’re here.  But th' new URL might be a nice mnemonic t' bookmark.
    Similarly, scrap all those e-mail changes too.  They’ll all still be active, but ye might as well use our new address: podcast AT northcoastcast DOT com.
    P.S.: more changes.  I can’t say I’m surprised one o' th' podcatcher sites is displayin' our title incorrectly.  The site is Yahoo, and a bottle of rum! and th' problem is that danged apostrophe.  Therefore, effective Sunday mornin', our feed is now called “Wasting Away on th' North Coast” (as opposed t' th' canonical “Wastin’ ”).
    Also, in th' interest o' cuttin' down on bandwidth usage, th' downstreamin' versions, playable on that cool iPod player—how ’bout that iPod player?!—have been downgraded t' monaural 32kbps versions.  For th' full-quality 96-160kbps stereo versions, ye’ll have t' subscribe, I'll warrant ye.

Friday, May 12, 2006

Wind in Our Sails

    I were bein' tryin' t' spruce thin's up a bit last night, and I guess I broke th' column display (fer those usin' IE).  It took me all day today, but I figured out what th' problem were bein'; so th' page should be lookin' proper now.  Also, I finally got our XML feed so that iTunes will display our (temporary) feed art.
    P.S.: Don’t forget ye can drop us line at ladi34t AT shortfatguy DOT com.  (The “ladi34t” o' course refers t' th' title Livin’ and Dyin’ in ¾ Time.)  Or ye can Skype us at “shortfatguyonline”.  Or leave a message at our phone line: 774-221-7346.  That’s 774-221-S.F.G.O.
    We’re glad t' have ye along fer th' ride.
    P.S.: And how ’bout that new podcast player?!  (Thanks t' Jeroen Wijerin', “Eric”, and The Tyron Effect! [né “Where’s Your Tyron”] fer help with settin' it up.)
    P.P.S: scrap th' e-mail information.  The address is still good, but t' keep us from havin' t' explain “ladi34t” every podcast, we’ve set up an easier address fer yer comments and criticisms: northcoast AT shortfatguy DOT com.  And, seriously, how ’bout that new podcast player?  Isn’t it cool?, and dinna spare the whip!