Friday, March 25, 2016

Instead of Saying All of Your Goodbyes

The internet is awash with obituaries, top 10 lists, tweets, hashtags, photoshopped photos and hosts of other social-media-centric things following Phife's death. I don't feel the need to add to this flotsam in the ether because I celebrate Phife's/ATCQ's music all the time. And instead of saying all of my goodbyes I'm going to continue to continue to do so.



I think society in general doesn't appreciate the great people doing great stuff all around us until they're gone. Not necessarily dead, but once they've stopped doing great stuff. For example, Stefan Edberg was the last true serve-and-volley player in tennis. After he retired I realized I would never get to watch his style ever again. Sure, Sampras and Rafter and Becker had serve-and-volley in their repertoire, but they didn't come to the net on every point. It felt like they took paradise and put up a parking lot, you know? So I promised myself that I would try to appreciate people and things more from then on.

Like Ghostface Killah. I blog about all his crazy weed-infused activities all the time because he's a great lyricist who does greatly crazy stuff.



I also try and find the time to appreciate Snoop Dogg. He has a new video series called "Planet Snoop" in which he narrates nature videos. You can find it on his MerryJane.com website. The first video debuted yesterday and it turns out that Snoop is a fan of G:TB. I say this because he spends his time appreciating rob. Seriously, here's Snoop rooting hard for rob in a fight with what I hope is a non-venomous snake. The language is a little coarse so keep the volume down at work.



So I encourage you to be more like Snoop and me--take the time to appreciate the things around you that make you happy while they're still around you. If all you do is write rhymes eat drink shit and bone without taking the time to admire, for example, the ill C-cups, then with all these trials and tribulations, yo, you'll been affected. So inhale the people around you like a breath of fresh air. You'll be better for it.

39 comments:

TR said...

My wife doesn't remember ever watching Shandling's stand-up. I dug up a couple of his Comic Relief sets. We also found his big break - his first time on Carson in '81. He was 31 at the time. Making it to Carson was a game-changer back in the day if you were good.

Sorry to distract from Zman's love for Edberg and his nut-hugging shorts.

rob said...

i'm gonna state for the record that this will be the only phife memoriam that also shouts out stefan edberg.

Danimal said...

Any rap with a billy idol tune lay down....you bet dawg.

I concur w/Z. Haven't thought about Garry in a while, now all I wanna do is watch Larry Sanders from beginning to end. Why did he have to die for that desire to kick in?

We should appreciate someone each week that is still with us on this earth but not so much top of mind. Roseanne Barr for example. Or her X - Tom Arnold. Okay, not those two.

Lastly Z - you pulled a Danimal and duplicated the vids...Both the latter two are Ghostface - no Snoop. Have seen the Snoop thing elsewhere. It is quite good.

rob said...

'inhale the people around you like a breath of fresh air' is a welcome addition to the gheorgian creed

Mark said...

Many thoughts today:

The Snoop stuff is great. He even has a Twitter feed that has short clips that he narrates. A tremendous time waster. Animal Plizzanet.

I got around to listening to the Simmons/Glazer podcast. It's entertaining but I believe less than half of what Glazer says. I feel like he's selling me a used car.

Simmons has a podcast with Mike Tollin (Varsity Blues, Who Killed the USFL, etc) that just dropped. It's not bad. Totally worth the listen for his Trump story at the very end.

On Simmons podcast network, another podcast on Channel 33 (The Watch) just did a 90s music podcast. The talk about ATCQ and have a tremendous interview with The RZA. There's a 1996 Spotify list they put together for it as well.

Finally, I've been really sick all week. I've been working through a DayQuil haze since Monday. I usually drop a cold quick through a combo of sweat and DayQuil but this cold was a monster. Last night I decided against taking NyQuil and instead had a large glass of Woodford Reserve. I feel so much better today it's staggering. Bourbon: Even better than you thought.

zman said...

This isn't the most coherent thing I've ever written but I think you get the point, it's sort of a Tito Puente thing. Not sure why TR immediately thinks of Edberg's crotch when I suggest we appreciate people's best aspects but I'll let him expand on that if he wants.

D'mal, if you hit refresh you might get the Snoop video.

rob said...

i come back to america to a ted cruz sex scandal? the hell is wrong with you people?

T.J. said...

The Simmons/Lampley pod was excellent

T.J. said...

yo danimal - http://bit.ly/1q5XR7b

TR said...

Cruz news - holy crap. Who would let his slimy pecker inside them?

National Enquirer is usually right when they drop bombs like this. Nice knowing you, Ted!

zman said...

I have previously opined that Ted Cruz is bizarro John Edwards because they are so clearly lying every time they open their mouths, but I didn't expect this added wrinkle.

rob said...

lost somewhat in the cruz story is the fact that the ceo of the national enquirer's parent company is named david pecker. indeed.

T.J. said...

This year's Apple Blossom Grand Marshal is... http://bit.ly/1pM5YWX

zman said...

Lost somewhat in the Cruz story is the fact that Trump cheated on Ivanka with Marla Maples. Publicly! Doesn't infidelity cut against both of them? I bet Kasich has a Boehner now.

Clarence said...

Much applause for this post and this sentiment, Z. Have been thinking the same things since Bowie kicked it and the posthumous celebration was ubiquitous. Come on, people, celebrate each other while you can still make them blush.

Hey Teej, you're awesome.

T.J. said...

Thanks Clarence. I agree.

Clarence said...

Ivanka is his daughter. Ew. Ivana is his ex-wife.

Trump loves his Ivans. He's a Lendl guy.

T.J. said...

and a Drago guy.

Squeaky said...

Zman, you liking the new MX-5 RF?

zman said...

I'm a fan of the new MX-5 in all its incarnations except those with automatic transmissions. Defeats the car's purpose if you can't shift it yourself.

zman said...

But yes, the targa is really pretty.

rob said...

the roster of former grand marshals at the bloom is stupendous, as is the fact that the bloom's url is thebloom.com: http://thebloom.com/celebrities/sabf-celebrities-of-past-festivals/

is there a more fitting grand marshal than sorrell booke (class of 1987)?

rob said...

i think it's cute that zman is trying to introduce rationality into this presidential election. we'll all be doing that, right up until president trump gets inaugurated next january.

rob said...

and finally, this is an excellent sporting day. usmnt, u23 version, playing the first of two legs against colombia with an olympic berth on the line at 5:00, which will segue nicely into the evening's hoops contests. if those suck, the usmnt, full-grown edition, takes on guatemala in a world cup qualifier at 10:00. clear my calendar, gladys.

(gladys is the new administrative assistant the teej hired. i hope you guys like her.)

zman said...

Voting is an irrational act, but I do expect some internal consistency with voters' rationales for selecting a candidate. As always, I'm an idiot.

T.J. said...

It has been revealed Gladys slept with Cruz, so I had to terminate her employment with the firm.

rob said...

shit. she seemed nice.

Squeaky said...

I hear Heidi might be available soon.

Squeaky said...

Noticed earlier today The Joy Formidable have a new record out today as well as Bob Mould. Highly record both if grinding alt rock is your thing. And both are touring, highly recommend either show, just bring some earplugs.

Here's a good live clip from The Joy Formidable: https://www.thejoyformidable.com/videos/joy-formidable-little-blimp-live-roundhouse. I'd also include Ritzy in the women that rock category.

rob said...

bob is coming to the 9:30 club this spring, dc gheorghies. i'm in if you are.

Danimal said...

Sports Marshal = Cal Ripken Jr.

Danimal said...

Happy Good Friday y'all!

Danimal said...

Not a good Friday for the blokes captaining the mini sub caught off the coast of TX with 5.5 tons of coke, or cocaine rather, on board. Street value of $200M.

Mark said...

Coke submarines fascinate me. Whoever first thought of that idea is a fucking genius.

The (bad) fourth foul call killed Iowa State's early second half momentum and probably ended this game. Bummer. It was getting good.

zman said...

Submarines full of cocaine in the Gulf of Mexico sounds like something from a GFK/Raekwon song.

Danimal said...

Just learned that Dubai has Uber, with helicopters. Wish I would have known that a couple of weeks ago.

Danimal said...

Down go the beeeeadgers.

zman said...

zwoman just asked "Who is Kato Kaelin?"

rob said...

fuck you, gonzaga