Yeah, I probably could've made a birthday post, but it likely would've devolved into yet another rumination on how nothing seems to change with each passing year. I did manage to get the day off (I can't imagine anyone wanting to work on their birthday)...but when practically all you have are days off (but with far less money than you'd like), what's the point?

I just wish my life would get better.

Well, another birthday has come and gone. Thankfully, I was at home to enjoy it.

Having to figure out what to do and what not to do at my job and feeling nervous about a mistake I may have made on a regular day is fine, but to feel like that on my birthday is beyond the pale.

Still, here's hoping to at least another year of feeling things out. I have no problem saying, bluntly, I need the money.

Birthday wishes.

My 32nd birthday is but hours away. It took me quite a while to turn in a list of what I wanted. This, of course, is because, as I get older, I find that my family can't give me what I really want, so I give them softball requests like socks and gift cards.

What I'd wish for if I had any inkling that wishing works in real life (and they say you shouldn't outright state your wishes if you want them to come true, but no one reads this blog, so it's pretty much the same thing as not saying what you want):

1. a girlfriend - I suppose that I could wish for friends; maybe someone who could gradually become a girlfriend or someone who could hook me up, but at this point, screw the middleman. I want to screw.

2. a bottomless bank account - I love traveling. I love buying soundtracks. I love eating. How am I supposed to pay for these things that I love? Hint: it ain't hope.

3. a stronger spine - Throughout my life, I've never had the courage to go after the things I want. It happens every so often, but I wish I could be as bold as others, especially people younger than me. It kills me reading about people younger than myself succeeding and I think to myself, 'what could I have done at that age?'

30 is a dangerous age.

Well, not really. I've only been 30 for roughly a day now, and so far, things have been going well. This comes from of a movie title. However, I'm at an age where I ought to be doing (or have done) a lot more with my life than I already have. I've been told that I need to take a chance, but I'm no good with that.

Perhaps, I've said (far too often) what I want to do, but don't. I really have nothing to say and nothing to show for it...except this:

Since the ScriptFrenzy site is being a total twat right now, I'll just update the totals I've made it to in the last couple days.

21st - 75
22nd - 80
23rd - 83

28 is the new 27.

Yet another birthday that felt like an ordinary day...but with presents and cake.

It felt kind of nice not to have to worry about going anywhere, though.

In honor of Alan Silvestri's birthday, here's what I consider one of my best posts at the blog, a track-by-track analysis of his fantastic score for Mouse Hunt.

In an attempt to get some life back into this blog, I will be posting every day for the rest of the month. It doesn't matter what I'm posting about; there will be an update every day.

Today, let us celebrate the birth of actor/director/humanitarian/recent Oscar-winner Jerry Lewis:

"Green sky at night?" "Neighbor take flight."

As today is my birthday (and the only composer born today is Jack Nitzsche, so don’t worry about continuing that trend), I want to write about a score to one of my favorite films. However, this presents some problems. James Newton Howard’s flavorful score to Big Trouble never received a soundtrack release and, as it is a Disney production, I wouldn’t wager on one in the immediate offing. The Varese release of Hudson Hawk contains but a smattering of Michael Kamen’s delightful music. Even more, I don’t own it. I already wrote about Bernard Herrmann’s North by Northwest, and Mark Knopfler’s The Princess Bride could do with an orchestral reinterpretation (hint, hint). The underscore of Singin’ in the Rain is nice, but hardly substantial compared to the songs. Moving a little further down the list of favorite movies, I’ve found the perfect score to write about: Jerry Goldsmith’s The ‘burbs.

There’s an unusual (and virtually unseen) family that has just moved into the neighborhood and suburbanites Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks), Art Weingartner (Rick Ducommun) and Mark Rumsfield (Bruce Dern) want to know about their new neighbors...especially since another neighbor (Gale Gordon) disappears without warning. Though less fantastical than some of Joe Dante’s other films, this is, nonetheless, a highly amusing comedy, highlighted by some great lines (most of them from Dern) and some fine quirky touches.

Goldsmith’s score for the film is enjoyably off the wall, augmenting the fine themes with an array of peculiar sound effects, such as in the opening credits track, "Night Work", whose clanking electronics give way to the Klopeks theme on organ. Amongst the introduction of the Mayfield Place/suburbia theme, "Home Delivery" also features the sound of a barking dog, a nice bit of mickey-mousing if you’ve seen the film. (The doorbell sound that accompanied "The Note #2" in the film is missing on disc, but, hey, you can’t have everything.)

In such tracks as "Snooping Around", "The Window" and "Bad Karma", one can hear a quote of Goldsmith’s legendary Patton theme, a nice match for the militaristic Rumsfield. Ray Peterson gets a Western-sounding melody, introduced (with shooting guns) in "Let’s Go" and given a somewhat heroic treatment in "Something is Moving". As Ray is convinced that something is rotten on his street ("The Wig"), his theme is drawn-out and elaborated with churning electronics. The effect is quite amazing.

"The Sentinel" features gorgeous string work for the story of a neighbor who’d gone off the deep end. A spiritual offshoot of the clanking electronics, another motif is introduced in "My Neighborhood", the chirping strings reminiscent of "Bravo Link" from Link. Creepy tribal music and a wailing female voice earmark "Devil Worship" and "The Dream", as Ray believes that the Klopeks may answer to a dark power.

The "My Neighborhood" motif gets quite a bit of attention in cues like "Spare Key", "Walter’s Home" and "I’m OK", the strings taking on more of a pitter-patter character. "Ask Him" features an amusing, almost Star Trek: TMP-like piece for strings introducing the neighbors to Dr. Klopek (Henry Gibson).

The last reel of the film features some terrific scoring as well. "There’s a Body" utilizes more beautiful strings, while "Pack Your Bags" concludes an almost-Native American-sounding version of Ray’s theme, making for a peculiar bookend to the score.

The Varese CD Club release came out last summer and disappeared within weeks. The film is your best bet to experience the score, and it’s worth a look.

"You can't save 'em all."

Another sometime philosopher apparently celebrates a birthday today: George Carlin.

Duck and coverage.

No real message here. Just my way of wishing a happy birthday to baseball legend and sometime philosopher, Yogi Berra.

"...and you smell like one, too!"

To the likes of Jack Nicholson, Aaron Spelling, Glen Campbell, Ryan Stiles, John Waters, Peter Frampton, Charlotte Rae, Bettie Page and, well, myself...here's hoping we've all enjoyed this special day.