xtcian

5/17/02 My search for a

5/17/02

My search for a Mac-based Napster-esque application finally came to a close yesterday; I'm not sure why it took me so long to find Limewire, but now I'm back in the swing of things again. The user interface isn't half as easy as Napster (you can't play the tunes within the application) but it does allow you to search for movies and other objet de porn. It's what Morpheus always promised to be for PCs, but alas, never for the Mac.

Of course, this rediscovery of instant access to all the music of my childhood has reminded me of That Internet Job, where I spent the better part of a year downloading Kajagoogoo songs on a T3 connection. I mean, it was their fault for hiring a Senior Editor before they even had a business plan that wouldn't make investors shriek with derisive laughter. I think about that job a lot, as I see my old office window almost every day while crossing the Manhattan Bridge. What a different era, so not-so-long ago.

my office at the Woolworth Building, marked with red arrow

Anyway, Limewire came through on a number of occasions, given our stampede towards the first rough cut deadline, allowing several songs like "Mr. Sandman" and "Break My Stride" to sneak their way into the movie (we intend to buy the rights to many of these songs, making the electronic theft issue easier to swallow). Putting songs into a movie is fascinating: it's like setting your best friend up with another best friend. It's all about chemistry, and you're right as often as you're wrong. But here's a few things I've learned:

1. Music makes funny things more funny.
2. Music makes slow shots seem quicker.
3. Music with any words at all will destroy your scene.
4. Slow, beautiful classical music especially Impressionistic pieces � makes you look like a better filmmaker than you probably are.

Since I didn't want to use any crap from John Williams or Horner or anyone else currently writing movie scores, I used the people they ripped off: Ravel, Respighi, Vaughan-Williams and Holst. I mean, you might as well go to the source.

The rest of the soundtrack has XTC, Supreme Beings of Leisure, Ivy, Komeda, the Kings of Convenience and a host of really smart, groovy pop. Dare to dream, right?

The Celextant, May 17, 2002

Either this drug really has something to it, or else the placebo effect is really going into overdrive I forgot to take my pill two days in a row, then took it today. And I feel much better, getting a bit of the nice haziness back to blanket my anxiety. I'm not sure if it's full-scale dementia or the Celexa, but I seem to have the clutch pushed in, memory-wise. I forget shit every time I go anywhere. Ironically, this trip to Columbia County, I forgot the Celexa. Fortunately, my friend Ian from 3 days ago (someone who continuously saves my ass) thought ahead in time and shoved some Celexa in my wallet. Thanks, 3-day past self! You showed some real spunk!