The 24-Hour Freedom To Read Marathon
Well, it's not every week you have the opportunity to stand in front of a radio microphone and read aloud from The Joy Of Gay Sex, do you? This week was Freedom To Read Week, and Thursday at 10 a.m. started The 24-Hour Freedom To Read Marathon at campus radio station UMFM. Each person had ten minute time-slot to read from a banned or challenged book. My God that was empowering! (Scary too.)
And to think that less than a decade ago, I was so in the closet that I wouldn't even admit to myself I was gay.
CRASH???!?!!!
There is NO FUCKING WAY IN HELL that Crash was a better movie than Brokeback Mountain. The old boys network and Hollywood homophobia win again. What a fucking travesty.
Oh well, at least Ang Lee won for best director, and Brokeback Mountain won for best adapted screenplay and best score (both of which they deserved).
This is NO way detracts from the power and impact of the film, and how it has touched people's hearts and changed people's minds.
UPDATE early the next morning: I think I was speaking out of anger and disappointment when I blamed Crash's win on the "old boys" network and Hollywood homophobia. If anything, Hollywood has been much better at late in putting out realistic, accurate portrayals of people who are not drag queens or butch lesbians. It's just that it's SO disappointing to have Brokeback Mountain lose to a movie which seems to have had a much bigger advertisement budget.
See both movies and judge for yourself. Crash did NOT deserve the Oscar for best picture.
Anyways, I'm all Oscared out. There's much wailing and gnashing of teeth on the BBM fan forums, but life goes on and the sun rises tomorrow.
"I want to thank two people who don't even exist...their names are Ennis and Jack."
Ang Lee's acceptance speech for the Best Director award. (sorry, I still have to figure out how to embed YouTube videos into my blog, as I've seen other people do. Oh wait, got it:
My Top 200 Songs
Ryan's Absolutely Most Favourite 200 Songs (at the moment: March 23rd, 2006) With Copious Notes as to Who, What, Where, When and Why :-)
1. A Change Will Do You Good - Sheryl Crow
2. A Little Respect - Erasure
3. A Love That Will Never Grow Old – Emmylou Harris (from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, the song that should have been nominated for Best Song at the Oscars)
4. Adelaide’s Lament – Vivian Blaine (from the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, sung by the original “Adelaide”)
5. Afer Ventus - Enya (I find this an exceptionally soothing, meditative song)
6. Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent - Gwen Guthrie (Preach it, sister!)
7. Akanamandla - Fjedur (From my Lutheran youth group days, South African freedom music)
8. All I Ask Of You – Barbra Streisand (a cover of the Phantom Of The Opera tune, but with a COMPLETELY different feel, sunlight where there was darkness. Easily my favourite Barbra Streisand song from her extensive repertoire)
9. All Things (Just Keeping Getting Better) - Widelife with Simone Denny (The Queer Eye TV show soundtrack)
10. All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down – The Mavericks
11. And If Venice Is Sinking - Spirit of the West (Part of a trio with the Iris and Drops of Jupiter)
12. Angel - Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban (Live 8 Concert)
13. As I Lay Me Down - Sophie B. Hawkins (This is just a beautiful song)
14. Bad Timing – Blue Rodeo
15. Beautiful - Christina Aguilera (Now if she could cut down on the ostinato just a little bit)
16. Beautiful Life - Ace of Base (I bought the CD single; the song just makes me so happy)
17. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel (Oh like I *WASN’T* gonna put this one in :-)
18. California Dreaming - The Mamas & The Papas (One of my favourite songs, I listen to it over and over)
19. Carry You - Amy Grant (I would play this on an endless loop on really bad days)
20. ’Cause Cheap Is How I Feel – Cowboy Junkies
21. Collide - Howie Day (Don’t remember how I came across this gem, but it was via the net)
22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen (If I had to pick one Queen sone, this catchy tune is it)
23. Crucified – Army of Lovers (via my friend Brian)
24. Cruel Kindness (Italian Reprise) - InsideOut
25. Crush – Jennifer Paige
26. Dance With Me - Orleans (“Dance with me, I want to be your partner” :-)
27. Days Are Numbers (The Traveler) - The Alan Parsons Project (From my brother’s music collection)
28. Days To Dust – Grey Eye Glances (discovered from one of the fanmixes posted to the Wranglers group on LiveJournal)
29. Deacon Blues - Steely Dan (From my brother’s music collection)
30. Dona Nobis Pacem - InsideOut (Based on just 4 a cappella songs, I bought all 5 of their CDs! This is another wonderful calming song in 6-part harmony)
31. Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel (The words speak to me in my worst and loneliest moments)
32. Don’t Tell Me You Do – Rockapella
33. Don't You Ever Let Nobody Drag Yo' Spirit Down - Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir (Winnipeg Folk Festival)
34. Drops of Jupiter - Train (part of a trio with Venice Is Sinking and Iris)
35. Ellie My Love - InsideOut (Just amazing 6-part a cappella)
36. Evergreen - Barbra Streisand (Oh like I *WASN’T* gonna put this one in :-)
37. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M. (This is my “everything’s gonna be all right” song)
38. Everyday Is a Winding Road - Sheryl Crow (More good advice from Sheryl)
39. Everything Possible - The Rainbow Harmony Project (My chorus performing in a Dec. 2004 concert, of a song I just love)
40. Falling - Julee Cruise (That haunting song from the soundtrack of Twin Peaks)
41. Feel – Robbie Williams (the only song of his I like, but I really like it a lot)
42. Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione
43. Filthy/Gorgeous - Scissor Sisters (I just cannot get enough of this song or this group)
44. Floating - Lorraine Bowen (From the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre and Winnipeg Folk festivals)
45. Friends - Michael W. Smith (This is a classic song from my Lutheran days)
46. Genius - The Murmurs (From the people who lived in Plain Layne’s comment box)
47. Gipsy Woman (She’s Homeless) – Crystal Waters
48. Glory of Love – Peter Cetera
49. God Save The Queen – The Sex Pistols
50. Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys (A classic)
51. Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5
52. Harvest Moon - Neil Young (If I had to pick one Neil Young song, this classic is it)
53. Head Over Heels - The Go-Go's (Great 80s, from the soundtrack of the movie 13 Going On 30)
54. Hey Jude - The Beatles (Oh like I *WASN’T gonna put this one in :-)
55. Hey Ya! – Outkast
56. High - Lighthouse Family (Introduced to LF’s music by my best friend Brian)
57. Holiday Road - Lindsey Buckingham (From the 1983 Chevy Chase movie Vacation)
58. How Long? - Ace (“Well your friends with their fancy persuasion / Don't admit that it's part of a scheme….”)
59. Hung Up – Madonna
60. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
61. I Don't Know You Anymore - Savage Garden (“The picture frames have changed and so has your name”; now the song is part of my huge Brokeback Mountain fanmix—“How do you redefine something that never really had a name?”)
62. I Feel Fine - HalfDay (From somebody’s radio.blog I think)
63. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (Classic Motown; of *COURSE* I had to put it in)
64. I Only Want to Be With You - Dusty Springfield (Another classic I had to include)
65. I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston (Always part of a pair with Never Gonna Give You Up)
66. I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles (I was born the week this song hit #1 in America)
67. I Will Be Here for You - Michael W. Smith (This is a classic song from my Lutheran days)
68. I Will Remember You - Amy Grant (This song is now forever associated with my Grandma Elizabeth)
69. I Will Survive (a capella) – Chantay Savage (I first heard this on last.fm and I was so staggered by this woman’s voice and the power of this arrangement that I actually bought the extended CD single via Internet.)
70. I’ll Hear Your Voice – Rockapella (from the album Lucky Seven)
71. Into the Groove - Madonna (If I had to pick one Madonna track, this is it)
72. Iris - Goo Goo Dolls (Part of a trio with Venice Is Sinking and Drops of Jupiter)
73. It’s My Life – No Doubt
74. I've Been Thinking About You - Londonbeat (I could play this song FOREVER...)
75. Jabula Jesu - The Rainbow Harmony Project (My chorus performing in a Dec. 2004 concert)
76. Just Another Day - Jon Secada (Catchy little angsty number, what can I say)
77. King Of The Road – Teddy Thompson and Rufus Wainwright (from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack)
78. Kiss From A Rose - Seal (Great male vocalist, I think)
79. Kiss Me - Sixpence None The Richer (This song charmed the pants off me; NOT literally ;-)
80. La Bamba - Ritchie Valens (Catchy, catchy, catchy party tune)
81. Lady - Little River Band (Another classic tune)
82. Lean On Me - Bill Withers (Oh like I *WASN’T* gonna put this one in :-)
83. Leaving Las Vegas – Sheryl Crow
84. Lessons to Be Learned - Barbra Streisand (Her CD Higher Ground was a light in a dark period of my life)
85. Let's All Chant - Michael Zager Band (Goofy fun song)
86. Let's Talk About Sex - Palast Orchester mit Max Raabe (This is a MUST-HEAR 1920s-Big-Band-style cover of Salt-N-Pepa;s hit)
87. Let's Talk About Sex - Salt-N-Pepa (“Spinderella cut it up one time...”)
88. Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy (Hey, I *LIVE* in a “northern town”: Winnipeg, Manitoba)
89. Life is Eternal - On Wings of Song & Robert Gass (A healing song from Sister Therese)
90. Lift every voice and sing - Linda Tillery & Cultural Heritage Choir (You wouldn’t recognize this 1899 hymn!)
91. Lifted - Lighthouse Family (Introduced to LF’s music by my best friend Brian)
92. Loloye - Angélique Kidjo
93. Longer – Dan Fogelberg (another classic)
94. Losing My Religion - R.E.M. (One of my all-time favourite songs ever; as soon as the mandolin starts they've got me)
95. Lost in Love - Air Supply (If I had to pick one Air Supply song, this is it)
96. Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar (Great 80s, from the soundtrack of the movie 13 Going On 30)
97. Make Your Own Kind Of Music - Mama Cass (soundtrack to my favourite scene in that movie, Beautiful Thing)
98. Michael – Franz Ferdinand. (something from the Plain Layne days)
99. Minnie The Moocher – Cab Calloway
100. Missing - Everything but the Girl (One of those haunting songs that you just can’t forget)
101. Monday, Monday - The Mamas & The Papas (This one and California Dreaming are my faves)
102. Moondance - Van Morrison (If I had to pick one Van Morrison song, this is it)
103. Morning Dance – Spyro Gyra
104. Move – Pele Juju
105. Moving On Up – M People
106. My Girl - The Temptations (Another classic)
107. My Immortal - Evanescence (Just had to buy the single for this one, loved it so much)
108. Never alone - San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (GALA Choruses VIIe Festival, Montreal)
109. Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley (always part of a pair with I Wanna Dance With Somebody)
110. Never Let Go - Josh Groban (Another song I hold on to during the bleaker, blacker times)
111. Nothing Else Matters – Metallica (the only Metallica song I like)
112. Nothing Wrong With You – Finn Brothers (another great “pick yourself up and keep walking” song, found via a Brokeback Mountain fanmix on Wranglers)
113. O Happy Day - San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (GALA Choruses VIIe Festival, Montreal)
114. O Siem - Susan Aglukark (A little more CanCon = Canadian Content :-)
115. Old Park Bench - InsideOut (Based on just 4 a cappella songs, I bought all 5 of their CDs!)
116. Only Time - Enya (I’m a big Enya fan, and I agitated to get her music up on Last.fm)
117. Only Yesterday - Carpenters (laugh if you want, but Karen Carpenter had a GREAT voice)
118. Only You -- Flying Pickets (My friend Larry introduced me to this vocal group)
119. Orinoco Flow - Enya (I’m a big Enya fan, and I agitated to get her music up on Last.fm
120. Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba (from Doctor T’s Last.fm profile :-)
121. Peaceful, Easy Feeling - The Eagles (If I had to pick one Eagles tune, this is it)
122. Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore - Céline Dion (She sings much better in her native French than she does in English)
123. Prayer of the Children - InsideOut (From my friend Larry, a gift CD included this song; our chorus has performed it and I just love this piece; I went and bought all the CDs put out by this Utah a cappella group.)
124. Predatory Wasps Of The Palisades Are Out To Get Us – Sufjan Stevens
125. Proud - Heather Small (From the Queer As Folk soundtrack; our choir has performed this)
126. Question Of Faith - Lighthouse Family (Introduced to LF’s music by my best friend Brian)
127. Rainy Day People - Gordon Lightfoot (Introduced to GL’s music by my high school friend Tim)
128. Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood (this song always got me on the dancefloor at those Transcona socials)
129. Rock The Casbah – The Clash
130. Save the Best for Last - Vanessa Williams (A great romantic song)
131. Shambala – Rockapella (a great cover!)
132. Shh – Frou Frou (“darling what are you doing…we don’t have time for this”)
133. Showroom Dummies - Señor Coconut (From the music blog fluxblog)
134. Silver Thunderbird - Marc Cohn (My other favourite song from the tape Walking In Memphis)
135. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding (Oh like I *WASN’T gonna put this one in :-)
136. Siyahamba - Fjedur (From my Lutheran youth group days, South African freedom music; also a song my chorus has performed onstage)
137. Sleepsong – Secret Garden (the loveliest lullaby I’ve ever heard)
138. Sleeping to Dream – Jason Mraz (another find from a Brokeback Mountain fanmix on Wranglers)
139. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
140. Snow – Grey Eye Glances (another track from my new favourite group, discovered via the Brokeback Mountain fanmixes on Wranglers)
141. Somebody Loves You – Eels (my favourite Eels song, again a song I first discovered through a contact on last.fm)
142. Something Pretty – Patrick Park (“At the most I’m a glare, I’m the hopeless son who’s hardly there. I’m the open sign that’s always busted. I’m the friend you need, but can’t be trusted.”)
143. Something So Strong - Crowded House (Rediscovered this favourite from Doctor T’s last.fm profile)
144. Something to Talk About - Badly Drawn Boy (From the music blog fluxblog)
145. Song For A Winter's Night - Gordon Lightfoot (Introduced to GL’s music by my high school friend Tim)
146. Stand tall and be happy - Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir (Winnipeg Folk Festival)
147. Stepping Out on your Word - San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (GALA Choruses VIIe Festival, Montreal)
148. Stumbling Through The Dark - The Jayhawks
149. Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine (In my opinion this is a better version than the one by The Postal Service)
150. Such Great Heights – The Postal Service (But I have to admit this version is catchy)
151. Sweetest Goodbye – Maroon 5
152. Sunrise - Norah Jones (If I had to pick one Norah Jones track, this is it)
153. Supreme - Palast Orchester mit Max Raabe (a WAY better cover version of Robbie Williams)
154. Biggest Part of Me - Take 6 (as I told you, I’m a total a cappella whore :-)
155. Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair) - Sheena Easton (Forever associated with my friend Patricia Lucki, who was killed by a drunk driver. She gave me this song as a birthday present)
156. Tequila - The Champs (Catchy, catchy, catchy party tune)
157. The Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice
158. The End of the Innocence - Don Henley (Road music from my summer working for AECL in Pinawa, Manitoba)
159. The Heart of the Matter - Don Henley (I love the message just as much as I love the song)
160. The Last Time I Felt Like This - Johnny Mathis (A Little Something from the Schmaltz Vaults :-)
161. The Logical Song - Supertramp
162. The Prayer – Josh Groban and Charlotte Church
163. The Promise - InsideOut (From a gift CD, from my friend Larry; I love this song)
164. The Wings – Gustavo Santaolalla (the Brokeback Mountain theme)
165. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Lucksmiths (a hilariously earnest song from the wonderful blog Trout Fishing in South-Central Wisconsin)
166. These Eyes - The Guess Who (One of Canada’s best bands, and from Winnipeg to boot)
167. Three Ways To Vacuum Your House: Pat I – Madrigaïa (a fun song performed by Manitoba’s seven-member female worldbeat a cappella group, which I first discovered at the Winnipeg Folk Fest; I’m a big fan)
168. This Will Be Our Year - The Beautiful South (a beautiful, hopeful song from the blog Trout Fishing in South-Central Wisconsin)
169. To Where You Are - Josh Groban (This song is now forever associated with my friend Scott, at whose funeral service I first heard this song)
170. Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler
171. Trouble Sleeping – The Perishers (from a Brokeback Mountain fanmix posted to Wranglers)
172. Turn a Square - The Shins (from the blog Trout Fishing in South-Central Wisconsin)
173. To Beds and a Coffee Machine - Savage Garden (The lyrics and mood just catch me in the throat: "Another ditch in the road/Keep moving/Another stop sign/Keep moving on/And the years go by so fast/Wonder how I ever made it through")
174. Un Garcon Pas Comme Les Autres (Ziggy) - Celine Dion (A little gay CanCon = Canadian Content ;-)
175. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles (It was 1980, I was 16, and this was *MY* song; I ripped an MP3 straight from my original 45 single :-)
176. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Angélique Kidjo
177. Vuma – Soweto Gospel Choir (another group I first heard on last.fm)
178. Walking in Memphis - Marc Cohn (“Ma’am, I am tonight” :-)
179. Waterloo - ABBA (If I had to pick one ABBA track, this is it; my best friend Brian would KILL me if I didn't include at least one)
180. Walkin’ On The Sun – Smash Mouth
181. We Rise Again - The Rainbow Harmony Project (My chorus performing in a Dec. 2004 concert; we ROCKED)
182. We shall not give up the fight - Fjedur (From my Lutheran youth group days, South African freedom music)
183. Weightlifting - Trashcan Sinatras (from the blog Trout Fishing in South-Central Wisconsin)
184. Welcome to Heartlight - Kenny Loggins (What can I say, his music just pulls me in and hugs me)
185. We're not lost, we're here - San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (GALA Choruses VIIe Festival, Montreal)
186. What A Fool Believes – Doobie Brothers (I love the sound of Michael McDonald’s voice)
187. What Beauty Really Is – Jeff Staflund (a truly beautiful song, written and performed by someone I whom I know)
188. What I Like About You - Lillix (Great 80s, from the soundtrack of the movie 13 Going On 30)
189. What You Waiting For – Gwen Stefani
190. Whatever Gets you Through the Day - Lighthouse Family
191. When Will I See You Again – The Three Degrees (“Are we in love, or just friends? Is this my beginning, or is this the end?”)
192. When You Say Nothing at All - Alison Krauss (My God does this woman have an incredible voice!)
193. Whenever I Call You 'Friend' - Kenny Loggins (Like I said, his music just pulls me in and hugs me)
194. Where Do I Begin? – Jill Sobule (this song describes my life and my housekeeping to a T, folks; found this gem via last.fm)
195. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler (Yes, I cried at the end of Beaches)
196. You Are - Lionel Richie (Re-heard this classic via Cool Jazz COOLFM99.1)
197. You'll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins (This song just speaks to my heart so strongly, I usually cry when I hear it)
198. You're So Damn Hot - OK Go (From the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy soundtrack)
199. You're The Inspiration - Chicago (If I had to pick one Chicago song, this wonderful song is it)
200. You've Got a Friend - James Taylor (If I had to pick only one James Taylor song, this is it)
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