Jason Toney

The 2nd Annual Pre-Grammy Awards Brunch

"So glad I found you, babe. So thankful for your ways." - The Foreign Exchange, I Wanna Know

"This is a song about love," Phonte began. "Now, notice I didn't say that this is a love song. Y'all know the difference between a love song and a song about love?" Murmers filled the room but no definitive answer came back so he continued, "Love songs only talk about shit that happens in other love songs. None of that is real. A song about love is about how it really is. So, this...this is a song about love."

I Wanna Know opens with Phonte resigned to defeat, "Okay. You can blame it all on me tonight." In this song about love, though, he's throwing in the flag on a battle so that he doesn't lose the war. There aren't many fights in my love situation but that opening line caught me. Leave It All Behind was one of my most listened to albums around this time last year but it took Phonte on stage in a suit complete with prayer cloth standing next to Yahzarah in a beautiful lavender dress with Nicolay on the keys and ?uestlove sneaking on stage to work the drums, for me to really hear the lyrics.

The afternoon event was full of these kinds of revelations. Alice Smith may have stole the show a bit with her three song acoustic set of new material and her stunning voice live but, not by much. It was in a perfect place—the just opened W Hotel in Hollywood (which, with it's two bars [one inside and outside], gorgeous decor, attractive and charming staff and clientele, and metro convenience, may become my new fave drinking hole)—with the perfect host, Garth Trinidad doing his best Don Cornelius, for a good cause (oxfam America), and it featured my favorite LA crowd, the multiculti kiss 'n' grind fusicology type set. It's always nice to be around the well dressed eclectic folks of all racial and ethnic backgrounds getting down together intermingled and lovely in the soup.

But the day was about the music. Quetzal Guerrero surprised us with his contemporary latin rhythms and the power of his violin. Nneka got us to pump our fists and cheer for revolution. Alice Smith got a standing ovation with just her vocal instrument and her guitarist while Little Dragon closed out the show with two powerful tracks from their most recent Machine Dreams.

But it was The Grammy nominated The Foreign Exchange that most got to me. Who knew so much emotion could be packed into a two song set and some witty banter from the MC turned troubadour?

Well, those of us in attendance now all do.

Song For Sunday: Seedpod

Seedpod by Homelife  
Download now or listen on posterous

2-10 Seedpod.mp3 (6248 KB)

Seedpod by Homelife

I've been all about bright and sunny songs with strong dancey rhythms of optimism and triumph lately. This fits that mold perfectly.

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The Insanity is the Worst Workout Playlist

1. I Am Somebody by Jurassic 5
2. Stay Cool by The Roots
3. Deception by Blackalicious
4. Sucka Nigga by A Tribe Called Quest
5. Speed Law by Mos Def
6. Worst Comes To Worst by Dilated Peoples
7. Cut Out to FL by RJD2
8. Astronomy (8th Light) by Black Star
9. Soul Rebels by Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek
10. Great Expectations by Jurassic 5
11. Thought @ Work by The Roots

Bonus: Chi-City by Common

Cardio Power & Resistance today and the start of using my own music to go with the workouts now that I've done a week's worth and know the moves. I don't know if I was better or worse than I was a week ago when I first did this workout. My form was better and I was able to do the V Push-ups so I guess that's improvement but I still suck at moving push ups and high-lows and this warm up more than any others kicks my ass. I do feel more limber from the stretching, though, and more lean in the middle.

This workout playlist was kicked off by search of my "Best of" playlists for the word "power". I Am Somebody from Jurassic 5's Power In Numbers was the least recently played fave. I liked it.

Also, Shaun T is a slave driver.

Common says, "I'm harder than the times."

Lucky Way I

"Let's go on a living spree." - Kanye West, The Good Life

I wish I could tell you about my yesterday. I wish I could explain what put the smile on my face that now has my cheeks hurting. I wish I could tell you about the most entertaining financial presentation I've ever had or the lunch I had at the Napa Rose or how I became an official Pin Trader (with a lanyard and everything) or why I wish I owned a churro cart and a soda stand. I wish I could explain why I'm willing to go on Tower of Terror again or how I will enjoy Soarin' over California (already my favorite ride) in all new ways each time I ride in the future.

I wish I could tell you about Walt's apartment or The Country Bears or how, for all the enjoyment the guests of the Parks get when they walk through the gates, we cast members are the lucky ones.

Hell, I wish I could tell you about my dreams last night. They were ursine in nature and featured my pants falling on the ground. And I was smiling throughout.

But I can't. Those memories are mine.

I will leave you with this, though. First, Did you know the boss is a b-boy?

And second, Goofy and Pluto want to Superman that...whoa.

Inspiration Information

"Dreaming's in and out of style." - Shuggie Otis, Inspiration Information

"I don't work hard enough." That was the thought running through my head today. This week, I'm in the midst of a Leadership program and I'm getting to see how people work in lots of other parts of the Company. Mostly, these are brief glimpses but there are these moments—whether it's watching a local news station go about it's business or a long time employee talk passionately and animatedly about their work or seeing how things were done in the defining days of our organization—but all throughout, I'm overwhelmed a bit. There's magic happening here but it happens because of incredible commitment and a drive for excellence and to put on a great show no matter what field or job.

I had a smile on my face nearly the whole afternoon. I was seeing things that just...wow. I was reminded about how much our jobs are about telling great stories. I was also reminded about how much our jobs are often just jobs. Politics and drama and tough choices are in every division but, more often than not, creativity and agility win out.

We're part of an amazing legacy. We do incredible things. How awesome that our ultimate end game is to make people smile and laugh and gasp and remember?

To make fantasy a reality.

I get frustrated. I sometimes forget.

I don't work hard enough.

A Post-Workout Playlist

"And that's how this idea was drilled into my head." - Death Cab For Cutie, Title and Registration

Post-workout today, I had Phoenix's Lisztomania in my head (and a lack of breath in my lungs) so, here's the genius playlist that came out of that:

1. Lisztomania - Phoenix
2. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Black Dominoes Remix) - Vampire Weekend
4. D.A.N.C.E. - Justice
5. Dashboard - Modest Mouse
6. Everything is Everything - Phoenix
7. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - The Arcade Fire
8. Title and Registration - Death Cab For Cutie
9. Mushaboom (Postal Service Remix) - Feist
10. Crystalised - The xx

Insanity is kicking my ass...but in a good way. I'm really appreciating the concept of pushing to my own limits and not worrying much about what's going on on the screen. 

I'm also enjoying the switch to morning workouts. It's nice not having to think about a workout after a long work day.

In music news, I'm trying to be more deliberate with my listening (again) and not so dependent on my excellent smart playlists. Last week, I focused on getting to know Antony and the Johnsons much better and was pleasantly surprised with just how intriguing his albums are. This week, I'm reacquainting myself with new (Mayer Hawthorne) and established (Adele) favorites while also giving time to recently acquired albums from The xx and Vampire Weekend.

Now, let's turn this Tuesday around. The fact that it's taken me three hours to get this post finished showcases how It's already nutball.

Insanity

"Who do I pray to straighten out this problem?" - Boingo, Insanity

After about 6 months of pretty consistent working out, I got bored. I had thought about starting to go to a cardio class but instead I purchased the Insanity Workout from Beach Body. Today was day 2 (Day 1 was some instruction and a fit test) and...it was murder. It's what I need, though—a real shock to the system. As opposed to standard cardio workouts, it's high intensity interval training with short breaks. Your heart rate stays up the entire time. Hell, even the warm up is intense. Who gets tired from jogging?

It's a 60 day program. I'm starting at 218 pounds (5 pounds above my lowest weight on The Instinct Diet which I'm still trying to follow) and my Fit Test results were:

The first four exercises pretty much killed me and anything that requires me to go to the floor and expose my very weak arms is going to be trouble (i'm looking at you suicide jumps, push up jacks, and oblique knees).

This is going to mean no playlists for awhile though as I learn the new workouts but I'll probably talk more about the experience.

In other news, I've been very intrigued by two posts from Kyle Hebert. One is his Standards project where he is trying to get consistent focus and structure to his days. I need that too. The other is a Meat Light Lifestyle. I particularly like the idea of only buying locally grown and ethically raised meat. It's a relatively easy way to be conscious about what I'm doing and what I'm putting in my body.

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Song For Sunday: Night Vision

Night Vision by The Distance  
Download now or listen on posterous

1-02 Night Vision.mp3 (12726 KB)

No reason other than it's been awhile since I've dug in on some dark and grimy dubstep.

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The Ain't No Stoppin' Us Workout Playlist

1. Ain't No Stopping Us Now (w/ Black Thought) by Larry Gold
2. Encore by Cheryl Lynn
3. A Night to Remember (12" Version) by Shalamar
4. Boogie Nights by Heat Wave
5. Risin' To The Top (Snowboy's Acoustic Mix) by Keni Burke
6. Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel by Tavares

Bonus: Le Freak by Chic

30 minutes of Hip Hop Abs with the old school disco-centric playlist. Encore was probably the best of the bunch but this was generally good. I'd discuss more but after a day full of meetings and talking and such I'm going to go ruin all this solid exercise with nachos or a pizza.

Chic says, "Freak out!"

The Sunny California Workout Playlist

1. My Love (ft. TI) by Justin Timberlake
2. No Such Thing by John Mayer
3. California by Phantom Planet
4. D.A.N.C.E. by Justice
5. Let Go by Frou Frou
6. Strawberry Swing by Coldplay
7. Secret by Maroon 5
8. Crooked Teeth by Death Cab for Cutie
9. It's Gonna Be Me by *NSYNC
10. Great DJ by The Ting Tings
11. I'm Like A Bird by Nelly Furtado
12. You Rock My World by Michael Jackson

Bonus: Hometown Glory (Radio Edit) by Adele

A solid 47 minutes of Tae Bo with a very odd workout playlist. Any workout mix that includes a Coldplay track is suspect but Strawberry Swing had a surprisingly good drum rhythm to it. The Martini and I were supposed to go to Body Theory tonight and work it out with the old tae bo gang but we chickened out. Next week, maybe.

This playlist is so titled because I was feeling extra love for my home state today. It's beautiful outside. The Prop 8 Trial started today and after a great weekend traipsing all around town, I'm reminded that, from up high, our city looks like this.

In other news, I kicked off the day with both yoga and The Book of Jewish Values and, shockingly, Monday didn't suck. Let's test this out again tomorrow, mmmkay?

Adele says, "Round my hometown, memories are fresh."