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We stopped by Blockbuster on Sunday night to pick up Star Wars, Episode I. You see, Pete has an opportunity I never did growing up, namely to watch all 6 Star Wars movies in order. Amanda already spilled the beans (for shame!) that Anakin will become Darth Vader, but hopefully he’ll be able to experience the rest of the story as it unfolds before him.

While we were trying to find the movie, I passed by the Guitar Hero III demo they had set up in the store. I had never *experienced* the Guitar Hero phenomenon, so I picked up the guitar, scrolled to Weezer’s “My Name is Jonas,” and began to jam. The first time through didn’t go so well, and I got booed off the stage less than half way through. Not one to be easily discouraged, I started the song over again and began to find my groove. Before the lead singer could sing about the choo choo train leaving right on time, I had the digi-fans out of their seats, hooting and hollering as I wailed away on my recently acquired axe. When it was all said and done, I hit 89% of the notes but was convince that if I played it just one more time I could probably get into the high nineties. I can see how people get addicted to that game.

By the way, Pete really liked the movie and has since been frequently stabbing me with his collapsible light saber and “aiming” his palm at me, attempting to throw me across the room using the Force. Does anyone know where I can pick up a kit to test Pete’s midi-chlorian levels?

So, I got to thinking. I listen to music all day at work, while I am (hopefully) concentrating on other things. I listen to music while I’m riding my bike to/from work. I listen to music while I work out in the yard. I listen to music while I’m driving. But, do I ever actually listen to music? Not really. I wonder how much deeper this new-to-me album would sound if I were sitting at home listening to it and doing nothing else.

I also wonder what other pursuits this applies to. How many things in my life do I passively experience, but not really experience at all?

Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan): “I’m gonna make you a mix tape. You like Phil Collins?”

Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin): “I have two ears and a heart, don’t I?”

If you don’t watch 30 Rock, you should.

Anyway, not long after that Europe’s The Final Countdown came on (check out the YouTube video. It’s totally rad!). While I’m sure I’ve heard the opening to that song in dozens of NBA playoff games, I don’t think I’d ever listened to the whole thing. Were you aware that this song is actually about the crew of a spaceship that will be traveling from Earth to Venus? Yeah, that seems normal.

So, the next time your favorite NBA thug is getting ready to take the floor in search of a game winning buzzer beater, you better hope the sound guy queues up this 80’s glam-rock/sci-fi classic. I mean, nothing can get an athlete pumped up like a man-who-looks-like-a-woman singing about his impending space travels.

Can somebody please explain to me how Frank and Dave could possibly be considered similar artists?

After awhile the lack of creativity and quality doesn’t bother you so much. I mean, it’s better than working without any music at all, plus the beats are kind of catchy.

Next thing you know you’re doing dishes in the kitchen and you’re singing along with Kanye’s latest hit and calling your wife “Shorty” when she comes over to help you dry. You know you’ve hit rock bottom when she picks up a plate and you tell her to drop it like it’s hot, at which point those who really love you sit you down for a loving “intervention.”

From that point on you join an accountability group that asks you if you listened to any FM radio that week, and you install a program that checks your internet and iTunes traffic on your computer. Sure, it’s a long road back, but the alternative is a life of misery and musical disappointment… with Soulja Boy as the soundtrack.

Typically I agree with the “file sharing is stealing” crowd. If you are listening to someone’s music, the artist should be compensated (however indirectly) for their work. It just seems fair to me that way. However, my once-was-bought-but-now-is-lost music collection has me thinking. In this day and age there are plenty of outlets that I could go to in order to try and rebuild my music cache without paying a dime for it. Aside from the risks of downloading a virus to my computer, and risking getting sued by the hyper-active RIAA, I am wondering if downloading my lost Sixteen Stone album would be morally wrong.

In most cases stealing is pretty easy to identify. If I steal your car, you can no longer drive it. I am depriving you of the use of something that you have paid for. If I have it, you can’t use it. If you have it, I can’t use it. Digital audio files don’t work like that. If you have a copy of Metallica’s black album, you can duplicate the files and give them to me. Now you and I can both sing along with Lars and the boys on our iPods. So, if the owner of the item being shared isn’t being deprived of its use, is it really stealing?

You could argue that the one being stolen from here is the original artist, but I’m not sure I agree. They were fairly compensated for their work when I bought the CD. What difference does it make to them if in the course of a dozen moves since high school I lost the CD on which the audio files were available? Do they deserve to be compensated again just because I’m retrieving those exact same audio files that they’ve already been paid for?

I’m curious to hear what others think. Is this a gray area? Am I rationalizing? Are the RIAA cops going to come break down my door ten minutes after I publish this? What do you think?

—and—

A: You’re embarrassed when your non-Christian friends find out you do this.

Q: What is listening to KLOVE?

As for Independence Day, you can’t do do much better than this:
[audio:raggedoldflag.mp3]