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December 21, 2002
I'm having more and more trouble justifying having "a hidden life" since recently, I discovered someone very close to me has been, indeed, leading a deceptively double life. It was so amazingly repulsive to me that I felt like it was a divine "scared straight" program. Does this experience leave this webpage in jeopardy? I'm not sure. But I do know that I will proceed with caution. At the same time, don't we all struggle to maintain dignity in spite of our humanity?

on bubblegum:
This isn't the merriest of holiday greetings so let me turn my attention to thoughts about Hanson's appearance on "Bubblegum Babylon." My initial reaction was that I began to wonder if there would be a time when watching Hanson on t.v. would ever be an objective viewing. When you feel you've witnessed individuals in 3-dimension, it's difficult to set them next to 2-dimensional figures and not immediately recognize the differences in amazing relief. I guess it's because you are aware of the history of many of the comments.

• You're slightly irritated that Isaac raises the issue of fans' interest in the color of toothbrushes, but understand that he may not be truly sweeping his entire fan base into this shallow category . . . and yet . . .
• And I'm going to be honest, watching Taylor pre-marriage and early fatherhood, what used to seem like crystalline self-confidence begins to take on a smug shine for some reason. Not that he isn't still the most casually self-possessed of the band, cheesy interview-wise . . . however . . .
• Also perplexing, Zac seems most content to be living post-bubblegum--least content to be commenting on bubblegum--and truest to the ideals of the band, pre- and post- celebrity. Again he references working fast food, but brings it back to the music by testifying that no matter what the circumstances, that's what it's about. Ironically, 1997 lives on.

on two towers:
"Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" was a very personal experience for a friend who went through chemotherapy last year. This year, "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" became personal to me as the creature Gollum/Sméagol graphically illustrates the hideous nature of an obsession . . .

That having been said, every scene is almost indescribably magnificent against the backdrop of New Zealand and the movie artists' superb computer enchantment. The pace is breath-taking--at the risk of sounding like a bogus studio-hired movie critic. And ladies, there are some very handsome men in this picture . . . whose appearance may seem especially kind to the eyes set beside their co-stars, those slimy, disfigured, over-the-top growlers. It opened last Wednesday and/or Thursday, so your time to see it again and again has already begun ticking away. ::grin::

One other thing, my favorite line from the first movie (next to, of course, the whole "I wish the ring had never come to me" section) was Gimli's indignant, "No one ever tosses a dwarf!" I was the only one laughing at this point. I was delighted that this line was resurrected in the second film. I'm probably alone in this--and this revelation doesn't give anything away, just to reassure those who haven't seen the movie yet. (c;

by the way
. . . Merry Christmas!! Peace on Earth!

November 19, 2002
Belated birthday wishes to Isaac Hanson!

On This Day in History

November 13, 2002
Just 25 days before my birthday . . . Happy Birthday Ezra Hanson! Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Hanson and family!! Some literary thoughts to mark the arrival:

Gods of the wingèd shoe!
With them the silver hounds,
sniffing the trace of air!
-- "The Return," Ezra Pound

For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
Ezra 7:10

November 1, 2002
Further proof that the on-set of senility will pretty much be a smooth transition for me, I heard another radio interview a few weeks ago with 2 retired men who drafted a letter to Albertsons headquarters to lodge an official complaint against the missing apostrophe in its name--due to the fact that the name is clearly possessive. Of course, the whole time I was chuckling, not because of the zeal of these grammar hawks, but because of the folk-lorish link between this grocery chain and the mythical Albertane.

Anyway, there is someone who occasionally shares my fragile mental state when it comes to full-out Hanson trivia. Big thanks to Ann for another inspiring postcard: HansoKnowledge.

October 26, 2002
So hanson fanhood or more specifically, hanson trivia addiction, dies hard. I was listening to National Public Radio when sports commentator a.k.a. sports curmudgeon, Frank DeFord, began claiming to be the only collector of those tiny hotel shampoo bottles and I was almost considering phoning in and setting him straight. But then again, did Zac truly collect these or is it all a piece of early Hanson mythology? Who knows? Does it matter? (c; But I thought, why . . . why do these things occupy my time? Does my future include a rocking chair, and someone offering me red jellybeans as I mumble . . . red jellybeans? red jellybeans? There's something about red jellybeans . . . ? Chilling!!!

October 22, 2002
Zac turns, eh, let me reference the page again . . .

On This Day in History

Oh yeah, 17 years old. I'm getting old when I can't remember the ages of the band, or am I simply a recovering hanson fan? I realized that I didn't even remember that earlier this month, October 7th, was the 2nd anniversary of my last Hanson concert in Indianapolis. So life moves pretty fast . . .

Well, I also have something weighing pretty heavily on my heart. Almost a year ago, on this page, I recommended people visit Bali--the unforgettable vacation resort memorialized by Mr. Hanson's stunning videography from TT&MON of a native dance, at an eggroll stand and on a remote hiking trail. Although the U.S. had issued a travel warning to Indonesia, I extolled the virtues and glamour of visiting Bali . . . now I weep with those who senselessly lost their lives and loved ones to the terrorist attack on that small, resort island. I must not be so careless in our uncertain world.

October 1, 2002
Every October first, it's "Snowed In" time again. Maybe you play this CD all year round. But I like to save it for when the holiday season starts heating up. October contains my favorite week of the year. In Michigan, the second week of October is traditionally the quintessential season of autumn. The temps are just perfect and the colors are amazing.

I was speaking with a kindergartner the other day, and realized she was born the year "MMMBop" was released. Now, that's weird.

September 15, 2002
Did you see the Hanson Hotel scan of the recent Parade mention of Taylor's wedding? If you look closely, the picture was taken by C. Taylor Crothers. This long-time Hanson photographer remains tight with the band. Interesting.

September 5, 2002
My good friend Ann came through with the best kind of goods as usual, obscure Hanson mentions from hardcore music sources. Ann's emails have traditionally been a high watermark as far as site contributions. She's amazing! Thanks. This is excerpted from jambands.com (10.18.2001) regarding a certain Wetlands concert many years ago when Hanson joined Bob Weir on stage:

MATT IARRABINO (lighting director, 1998-2001): . . . I was like "what's the most bizarre thing we can do?" I was thinking for a while. I just woke up one morning and was like "f***in' Hanson." In a dream, I heard their name and I woke up and thought "if we can get the Hanson kids, that would be about as bizarre as it could get. And I knew someone who knew their management. Their management were all Deadheads and we got in touch and it was like "we're in." To their credit, they flew in to do it, and they rehearsed the tunes, and I was very clear that we had to do just Dead tunes and some classic songs. We kept it a pretty good secret . . .

After soundcheck, I was talking to [Hanson] and they were like "look, there's a VW bus in the club! That's the coolest thing I've ever seen! Can you show it to us?" I took them over and showed them the bus. I showed them the inside. They were like "This is great! I can't believe there's a bus in a house, in a bar!"

In a separate, but related article Matt continues:
One look at The Hanson boys, of Mmmbop fame, and you'd think they were Deadheads. I spoke to them during soundcheck and asked them if they were into the Dead, and Taylor Hanson replied, "We like a few Dead songs. We respect what they've done over the years." I replied with, "Well how could you not?"

You're probably asking yourself how in the world this pairing of musicians came about. The story goes that Peter Shapiro knows the Hanson manager, Sterling, who is a Dead fan. Naturally, Sterling, jumped at the chance to see his boys play with Bob Weir. Bob didn't think it was a bad idea either, and took on a sort of fatherly nature during the whole thing. I spoke to Rob Wasserman days after the gig and asked him what he thought.

RW: I like seeing young people that are positive, and these kids were just that.

*********************************************

Hanson joined RD3 for five songs, Wang Dang Doodle, All Along the Watchtower, Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad, Gloria, and One More Saturday Night. Considering the fact that they only had a few hours of soundcheck rehearsal time with Bobby, they did extremely well. The Hanson appearance did garner mixed reviews from Deadheads. Some were shocked and didn't know what to think, while others thought it was interesting and fun. I happen to be one of the latter. Peter Shapiro said it best, "Music is fun. Plus, I think Jerry would have got a big kick out of it". Well, for all we know, Jerry could be rolling in his grave, but it is true that the guys in Hanson are maturing musically, and are breaking out of the pop status they hold in order to explore different avenues of music. Just the other night, I was flipping through the channels, and I came across the program "Hard Rock Live." Hanson was the special guest, and they rocked out! After the Wetlands show, Bob Weir invited them to visit his recording studio some time.

I asked Zac, Taylor, and Isaac Hanson what they thought of playing with Bobby. "Jamming with Bob Weir was an honor and we learned a lot from the experience" says Isaac, "he is nothing short of a legend" adds Taylor. "We gained a lot from the experience, learning to go with the flow and experiment musically." Drummer Zac concluded with a question, "How cool is it to play for an audience that for the most part had never heard us play before?"

September 1, 2002
Did you catch that "Being John Malkovich"-like glimpse of Hanson during the VMAs? They were briefly shown in a commercial for MTV2, presenting an award circa 1999ish. And then it dawns on you, this is now the way Hanson makes appearances--out of the blue and obscure:

• Someone mentions Rev. Gary Davis on a radio news program and you realize Hanson introduced you to this blues guitarist legend.
• Dave Meyers' name comes up on in winners' tribute speeches and you smile because Taylor called one of his ideas "disingenuous."
• Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers launch their recent concert from your hometown and you think that only weeks before they were in the same recording studio as Hanson.
• While attending a workshop on The Frameworks of Poverty by Ruby Payne, you consider what it means to jump classes--specifically what it means to jump from upper middle to celebrity and suddenly you consider all the hidden rules surrounding self-protection while maintaining a facade of middle American. Incredible! (The great escape of the infamous demo tape came to mind.) BTW, this book is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone seriously interested in social issues.
• Someone you know is taking a road trip and asks you to help name their touring vehicle . . . you think of "White House" as a possible suggestion, but then "Nah."

On a different note, I would like to thank Laura for recommending Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. It has literally made a permanent imprint on my brain and has both confirmed and recharted many of my political and social concerns. Read it!! Caution: you will lose your ability to pull into a fast food restaurant for at least a year or longer. I was also reminded again of the band's off-hand remarks about fast food employees on a TRL appearance . . . and now wonder what they would think of this book as well.

August 13, 2002
So I'm taking a short workshop on digital video composition, and I brought a few CDs to root through for possible connections to my project concept--only to discover that all of the actual CDs are in my car, except for the "This Time Around" album. That's when I popped it in, forgetting that there is a multimedia component that launches automatically. Those around me begin to hear Isaac, Taylor and Zac's voices coming from my machine (no headphones). Conversation ensues:

"Are you a hanson fan?"
"Hee hee, actually, I am a fan." (shameless promotion, just like the old days)
"Oh my daughter's a huge fan. She worked for a local radio station and has met the guys a few times."

By the end of the day, my classmate (a fellow teacher) and her husband have driven me across campus so that they can introduce me to their daughter--someone I recognized from MOE (She's pictured in the Detroit backstage photo). In short order, we're chatting about Canada's Wonderland and decibal levels, disgust with our local radio station's reluctance to air TTA, the "Bridges of Stone" performance at the Indianapolis concert . . . and speculating about the new album. I mention a possible delay for the album as Taylor's recent marriage. She is shocked. News to this fan. Brief mourning follows on her mother's shoulder. Hanson connections crop up when you're not even looking.

P.S. My thoughts on "Amelie": there were moments when I felt the visual metaphors leaned slightly toward "Ally McBeal"-ish devices. And I'm not completely sold on the premise that if you miss out on a potential relationship, you're doomed to a life of loneliness. That having been said, there were also some great Wes Anderson-like moments that I adored: quirky attention to detail, smart narrative, and a celebration of marginalized souls. And the photography and composition . . . amazingly artful in a way that you will only appreciate if you rent this movie. I'm curious to hear what you thought of this "Taylor Pick."

August 3, 2002
Recently I attended a class reunion which ended up much more than I bargained. Afterward, I found that "Dying to Be Alive" provided an unexpected source of insight: "'Cause in this life it's hard to tell what's false and what is true." I'm beginning to wonder if Hanson had it right with homeschooling. (c; At the same time, feeling like you're being jammed back into a mold of your former self may be the odd situation most people at reunions experience. Does this mean that the contrived "renewed connections" are destined to be in danger of being false? There's always another perspective. In the oft quoted words of "MMMBop," you definitely then treasure even more "the one or two [who] last." Whew.

July 21, 2002
At odd moments this summer, I've been homesick for Summer 1997 . . . those flashes of pure 5' Zac energy, Isaac and Taylor's quick study of the spotlight and its repercussions, "MMMBop" climbing the charts--basically all that was fresh, new "Hanson coming into their own." Miraculously, those moments that remind you that discovery is not lost, live on. But they're more subdued and obscure. With less electricity and more affection, you perpetuate revelations about the band. I stumbled across a brief note about Hanson in the inexplicably free copy of Movieline (July/August 2002) that arrives in my mailbox every month. In an article about the band, Jonny Was ("Shane Gets Stripped"), Dennis Hensley follows Shane West and his bandmates around the Sunset Strip for an evening:

"Next up is the House of Blues, a great place to catch big names, both onstage and in the audience. (The last time I was here, for a John Mayer concert, I rubbed elbows with Jackson Browne, Hanson and an Olsen twin, though I'm not sure which one.)"

July 1, 2002
For weeks the CD player in my car has been broken so I haven't listened to Hanson music in about a month--I once had a theory that withdrawal from Hanson music lowered the immune system, but I've been healthy (knock on wood). In fact, I've barely noticed. 1) I became an auntie again . . . Welcome Lindsey Elizabeth (this link may be down until my school completes maintenance on its server) 2) My new addictions are Trading Spaces and American Idol (This show is PURE television--so shamelessly shameless!) 3) and NPR programs continue to provide the most intelligent programming, in my humble opinion (This American Life, Car Talk and Rewind, in particular). Since it's officially summer vacation, I'm still working on a summer reading list . . . I just finished reading one of my favorite authors. Mildred D. Taylor. She wrote a prequel to Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, The Land--this autobiographical book is a compelling story of family and the roots of race relations. Taylor is among the best storytellers!

Have I abandoned Hanson? Will I ever recapture those burst of joy moments unique to May 1997? There's really nothing sadder than someone who clings to past feelings so tightly, she misses out on the bright visions the future holds. After I told her the news from last month, my friend (again, my friends are not fans of Hanson and view my interest in the band with amusement) predicted that Isaac would be the most successful of the three, in the long run, due to his apparent music appreciation and talent. We agreed that until this point, we had both thought Taylor was the most "normal" of his brothers--but, as always, Hanson provides the tag line--you just really never know. "Normal" is so ill-defined, anyway. Will you still love me, do you still love . . . like you did before? Once again, the iTunes Hanson playlist rocks on.

June 13, 2002

"Our wedding was exactly how we envisioned it, romantic and intimate, and surrounded by our families and friends." --Taylor, MTV News

I will share with you--the one or two Hanson fans who still drop by occasionally--this one bizarre take I've always had on the song, "If Only." Only because I'm banking on the fact that only the most devoted remain. I've always wondered if it's a song about the angst of remaining abstinent before marriage. I will not quote lyrics, but maybe you'll catch the same vibe if you listen to this song again. Of course, I bring this up now because Taylor truly has proven that he "has the guts to feel this way" (oops, one cheesy line, forgive me!). His decision to marry solidifies my estimation that he continues to be a man who strives for integrity--whatever the circumstance. Congratulations!!

This feels weird to comment on such a personal life change, but if you've been with this site over the long haul, I hope that you will indulge me with this uncharacteristic reaction to such incredible news. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Taylor's marriage is about a committed relationship rather than pure physical intimacy. And, although my read on "If Only" is absolutely ludicrous, I also find it extremely hilarious (like a huge inside joke) if it really is about the struggle to remain abstinent--since it was one of their most popular hits on MTV!!!! I mean abstinence is just so UN-MTV . .. unsexy. ::smirk:: And yet the irony is that . . .

June 1, 2002
Happy birthday, Mr. Hanson!! It's been two years since I attended the Fox Theatre when we participated in honoring the band's father by singing to him.

May 25, 2002
Isaac contributed unofficially (through "From Us To You") to the section of loose Hanson connections @ 24/7. As he shares his love for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, he drops some facts about the band that tie them to Tulsa and directly to Hanson as well.

Oh, and by the way, the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, "The Other Ones," are planning to reunite this summer in East Troy, Wisconsin on August 3rd and 4th: "Terrapin Station--A Grateful Dead Family Reunion."

"The concerts will feature performances by the four surviving members as a band and also with their separate projects: Phil Lesh & Friends, Weir's Ratdog, Hart and Bembe Orisha, and Kreutzmann's TriChromes. Other performers slated to appear are Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Warren Haynes and Jorma Kaukonen."

May 19, 2002
So I saw "Attack of the Clones" this weekend and I am going to admit a secret . . . I don't completely follow the political story behind these movies. I mean, is there someone working undercover for the dark side or am I just imagining that one character just acts creepy even though he has close ties with the Jedi's? hmmm . . . Anyway, the movie was "red hot"--it literally melted and a hole burned into the film strip we were watching. Afterwards, everyone was given free passes for another movie at the theater. Weird, because for about 5 seconds we all thought it was a cinematic move on George Lucas' part since it happened at such a strategic moment.

Here's a link to an essay Natalie Portman (Queen/Senator Amidala) contributed to Time magazine in 1999: Thoughts from a Young Actor. I have a ton of respect for this Harvard attendee and this American who has dual citizenship in Israel as well. Recently, she addressed the tension in the Middle East in a contributing letter to a student newspaper, responding to an essay written by law student, Faisal Chaudhry: Portman's Fight (excerpt):

"Until we accept the fact that we are constituents of the same family, we will blunder in believing that a loss for one ‘side’ — or as Chaudhry names it, a ‘color’ — is not a loss for all human kind."

May 1, 2002
What has become of us in five years? I must have changed significantly because of my association with Hanson's music or am I the same sarcastic person who was home, in New Jersey on Spring Break, a few short weeks before the Paramus Park Mall incident May 1997? You decide, as I represent five years of almost daily Hanson music consumption in a piece that felt like a boiler plate journal entry consisting of lists: gimme five.

April 13, 2002
It's been awhile since I've come across anything to add to the 24/7 page, a page of loosely associated Hanson connections. Well, this latest addition is a real stretch and based pretty much on my own esoteric interests, but Danica McKellar, Winnie on "The Wonder Years," was recently featured on Studio 360. Danica recently graduated with a math degree from UCLA--not too shabby for someone in the illustrative group known as "child actors"--and spoke very eloquently about her mathematical pursuits on the radio program. Her most recently released independent film is titled, "Speechless."

April 7, 2002
On more than one occasion, I've likened the song that popularly has become synonymous with Hanson (I'm referring, of course, to "MMMBop.") to an addictive substance. I never really though that I was alone in this assumption, but I came across this archived 1997 Salon article, "aural injustice" and began to laugh out loud. Apparently, however, Ms. Vowell had not yet heard the band's exposition on the message of their hit single. More @ salon includes a review of TTA: sharps & flats . . . where respect meets reality--a junction with which we're all too familiar.

April 1, 2002
When it comes to Hanson bada$$ moments you really have to pay attention. There are the occasional breaking of the 3rd commandment and more recently, the use of the last syllable in "Jean-Claude Van Dam" as one of three words (AskHansonAsks) to describe their reaction to 10 years of accomplishments. After reading the Starpolish interview, I noticed that they haven't completely sloughed off their big brother selves. I was reminded of endearing ameliorations of past potential cuss-worthy situations:

• 1997, Meredith Brooks' simultaneous smash hit forced Zac to provide a "Beep!" whenever the guys were guests on weekly countdown shows. They courteously provided the actual name of her song on a complementary cardboard sign.
• Zac--once again--reports an encounter with some frat boys on the shoot of "Weird," quoting them as saying, "We're from 'effing' (f-ing) Oklahoma, we should know Hanson."
• As recently as last August, "born to raise h***" patch-wearing Zac, uses the term "escort services" when listing the various elements associated with the "rock star" persona--instead of the more colloquial term (garden tool homonym).

My favorite memory is the rumored phrase from "Road to Albertane" from an adult Hanson or a young Hanson (Who really knows?) echoing a well-worn family phrase, "Watch yer language." (c; April Fools!

And quickly, a highly entertaining weekend pastime: Zac on a continuing quest for third world domination? Taylor as a cake decorator specializing in frills and flowers? Isaac as a dude rancher, fascinated by levitation? Predictions for "Hanson: Behind the Music" 10 year special as predicted by one of their many collaborators (from the band's anniversary webcast on hanson.net.)

Note: I've added the current potential album titles to "secrets and lies."

March 23, 2002
Last March I wrote a gut-wrenching journal entry instigated by isolation and personal turmoil that came out of my aversion to this month. I've always felt that March has been permeated with gloom somehow tied to the cruel clash of the seasons. Well, this year snow and ice have not only lingered into spring, but flourished and I couldn't be happier. It's unexplainable--knock on wood.

I'm not sure how this context contributes to my recent project, but I've published a list of my current "Best of . . . " Hanson songs with liner notes and annotations defending my decisions. In stark contrast, I find it amusing that just about every sentimental popular (for example) Backstreet Boy ballad can turn sinister if you imagine its author to be someone who has stalked you--very few of Hanson's songs fit this category. In this vein, if popular music standards are the measure of Hanson music, the guys also win points for, until present day, suppressing the ever present temptation to include the name of their group in a song (e.g. "[Fill in the blank]'s got the flow" or "[Fill in the blank]'s back, come on!").

March 14, 2002
Taylor is the youngest person listed on the New York Time's "On This Day" birthday list this year.

March 1, 2002
As always, I like to anticipate Pi Day (a.k.a. March 14th) with access to activities and other ideas for celebration: Math Forum. If only we were all so lucky to have such a fabulous birthday. Have fun!

One of my best friends had twins and named them yet two more Middle of Nowhere names. I waited for their names to be recorded officially before suggesting that there may be connection (smile): John(ny) and Madeline. Congratulations Betsy!!

February 17, 2002
Down
Get Up and Go
Hey
I Almost Care
Let You Go
Lost without Each Other
Love
Never Love Again
One More Time
Rock 'n Roll Razorblade
Someone
Strong Enough to Break
Underneath
Wake Up
You Were Looking for Somebody/I Have Found You, You Were Looking for Me
Your Illusion

Just thought I'd alphabetize the list so far. RRR is not as edgy as the title implies--in fact, it sounds really groovy to me. Could those puns be any lamer? (c; At first glance, I thought the title included the word, "rollerblade" and I wondered if the song was a reflection on the final scenes from the "MMMBop" video. I've noticed a number of references to specific localities in Hanson songs lately (i.e. "this town") and pondered the identity of these locales . . . hmmm

February 16, 2002
An Olympic note: according to the Associated Press, the most popular Olympic pin celebrates "Green Jell-O." I found this amusing--once again proving that Zac Hanson has his fingers on the pulse on "the next big thing," years in advance (Exhibit A: Lord of the Rings). Apparently Utah is also unusually proud of its official dessert.

And from Saira . . . some astute connections between Hanson and the ever popular Shakespearian inspired showtunes:

Hanson covers the song "I Want You To Want Me" which is on the soundtrack for 10 Things I Hate About You. This movie is based on the Shakespearean play, Taming Of The Shrew. The musical Kiss Me, Kate is also based on it. In Kiss Me, Kate there is a song called "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" where they basically say, that knowing Shakespeare impresses women.

Hanson [seems to know their Shakespeare. They've] said "If you prick us, do we not bleed" because the expression is commonly used. Many everyday sayings today trace back to Shakespeare, i.e. "It seems Greek to me" and "Lend me your ears" are from Julius Caesar.

February 2, 2002
How cool was this Ground Hog Day? 02.02.02? Another nerdy moment revealed. (c; In other news, I was listening to Studio 360 on National Public Radio this afternoon and caught an interview with Danny Goldberg, current chairman of Artemis Records, former CEO of Mercury Records. It was kind of surreal to hear "MMMBop" played on NPR; I guess the reality check was that the radio host referred to it as "irritating" . . . Anyway, Mr. Goldberg said that one of the most fun perks of being in the business are the occasions when he's involved with a project that his kids "get off on." It's happened only twice for him. Hanson was one of those times. Another of Goldberg's recent statements about the band referenced the roots of Hanson history (from GoodNewsDaily):

"Hanson is self-contained, very inner-directed . . . They were not people who had any type of real grasp of the context they were in. When we did their first video, we couldn’t find the language to talk to them with because they had never watched MTV. . . . They were counterintuitive to pop, which is often this manufactured, calculated genre."

February 1, 2002
As we consider our role as citizens of the world, we have a lot to be proud of in the fellow members of the Hanson community. And yet, there are times when I am baffled by the concept of people carrying out their civic duty in the name of their favorite band. I mean, helping our neighbors is one of those core democratic values that we all learn about in school. Do we honestly need to name Hanson as the motivation for all that's worthy in our lives? Then I consider, if babies are being fed and disease research is being supported; and generally the dignity of others is being upheld . . . who am I to question the motivation. Rock on! The following is an excerpt from a conversation I had with the former director of community relations for the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma (formerly, Tulsa Community Food Bank).

P.S. I've had a couple of snow days (Yay!!) recently so I posted a new splash page.

January 15, 2002
The fourth anniversary of AHL--I've taken to refering to this site by its initials. I realize that they're also the initials of the American Hockey League. Yet, I hope the confusion doesn't drive the two readers of this site screaming away with absolute bewilderment. Anyway, an anniversary list for you.

January 13, 2002
Is it just me or is there a brief section of "Hey" that sounds slightly like Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia"--musically, not necessarily lyrically? I'm thinking specifically about the part, "When I'm making my movie . . . " hmmm . . . Feel free to drop me a line and call me insane. (c;

January 12, 2002
Hanson playing themselves in fictionalized situations on television? hmmm . . . Their resume includes: Melrose Place, Noah Knows Best, Buddy Faro (Yeah, you remember this one?) and now Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. I caught Sabrina late since my local WB station swaps off with the PAX network in a weird deal that relegates that WB programs are shown 22 hours later here in Western Michigan than everywhere else.

Scheduling notwithstanding, how do you accurately describe the feeling you get when you see Hanson playing benefit concerts or cheesy versions of their "rock star" personas in these scripts? It's the way a wild animal might feel if they ever wandered into a natural history museum that showcases stuffed versions of themselves in "natural settings" behind roped off displays. Oh yeah, there's that ferocious 10-foot grizzly in a terrifying pose, but more harmless than a nail file on a set of clippers at airport security. So, you know it's a bear, but it's not the bear you know from the wild. Yes, it's Hanson, but not the Hanson you know from concerts.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful for the taste of the new song, "Hey" played on the show--I mean that was generous. Nothing can ultimately taint a soulful Hanson song, but it may take awhile to erase the glare of the television screen from this one until I hear it unadulterated on the new album.

As to this particular episode of Sabrina (the first I've ever seen), I once met a fellow teacher who grew up with Melissa Joan Hart on Long Island--which was this teacher's claim to fame (6 degrees . . . ). Also, Punky Brewster, was one of my favorite shows growing up--so yay Soleil--your name is still cool (Soleil Moon-Frye also guested on the show). And on the subject of Hanson in situation comedies that may or may not have been inspired by fanfiction . . . there are a couple of completely unremarkable stories I've heard of, that might have included soup kitchens and children's wards of hospitals.

January 10, 2002
Since I began my new position as an elementary computer teacher, my dedication to Hanson has remained pretty low-key with my colleagues. Self-protection hasn't been the driving motive, but simply that there really isn't that much to generate conversation in the teachers' lounge. Today, however, as I was walking through our media center, the latest Disney Adventures' cover story, "Superstar Families" caught my eye. Well, well, well . . . wouldn't you know it? With a scanner right next to my iMac, here's a scan of pages 48 and 49 and I've also typed up the text for you as well. It retreads old territory, but honestly who doesn't love pre-1997 stories--the ones that fueled all the most beloved fanfiction? ::grin::

January 1, 2002
I turn once again to my Dictionary of Word Origins by Jordan Almond for today's thought:

Where did we get the expression "auld lang syne"? It's a Scottish phrase that literally means "old long since"--in other words, the "olden times." The song, "Auld Lang Syne," though usually atributed to Robert Burns, was not composed by him. He heard an old man singing it and took it down. The author and composer are wholly unknown.

As we enter a palindrome year, beginnings and endings may bounce forward and backward. What some thought was to be the last of Hanson's records on a mythical 6 album contract, is really a 9 album contract according to the band--an ending averted. As each of us face our own endings that are really beginnings--that's why the ceremonies that mark the end of high school and college are ironically called "commencements"--I will cherish my old friends with every new endeavor. For each one of you that plays a part in maintaining bravery in another, I salute and thank you! Press on!

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