randomness personified

i may have too many toys

However, I think this illustrates a pretty nice upgrade path.

I *heart* my new iPod.

fa la la la familia

The family spirit has rendered man carnivorous
-Francis Picabia, 1922

Another Christmas passed. Another holiday survived. Another excruciatingly long family visit endured.

I really enjoyed having my parents around. Really, I did. It's just that six days is a bit absurd when one is used to living alone. Mothers will be mothers, it seems, and doting never goes out of fashion. I've done my own laundry for about fifteen years. thanks. Fathers who are generally cranky will also continue to be gruff, it seems. Yes, I know I was raised by a Republican. No need to accentuate it at every turn, thanks.

Gifts were exchanged, Christmas windows in the city were seen, Yale was toured, stores of all shapes and sizes were scoured for bargains. Meat was cooked in my home for the first time and I, ever the compliant son, even pretended to nibble on a bit of ham.

I also began to realize that my parents are incredibly, stereotypically Midwestern. They have no "inside" voices. They're incredibly loud regardless of the locale. I learned to tolerate it, but it was most painful on the train. My father has this wacky habit of making comments about people in fairly loud voice. I wanted to hide several times. My mother is also impossible to take to a restaurant. She's a creature of habit, it seems, and has specific things that she likes in every restaurant they frequent. Get her out of her comfort zone and she just freezes up. Last night, though, was the best. I took them to a very nice Italian restaurant in the city. My mother first complained to me that her al dente pasta was "too chewy." Later she confessed that she'd rather eat at Olive Garden or, get this, "make Chunky Ragu with Vegetables." I give up.

It was, however a relaxing week and it was very nice to see them. I'm just glad I survived. So. How was your holiday?

happy holidaze

Well, dear readers, I probably am bidding you adieu for a week. I have to make the crazy drive to LaGuardia on Christmas Eve morning tomorrow to pick up the parents. The drive (including the forecasted pouring rain) should be a real treat. I may sporatically post until they leave but a full wrap-up is certainly in the cards.

Also, I've managed to find my SD card reader so I'll be bombarding you with pictures very soon.

Oh, and I've gotten more Spam comments in the last two days than I have comments about the CD collection. What's up with that? You can't wait for them to load? You're overwhelmed at my sheer idiocy? You don't give a rat's ass? Sheesh, peeps. It's a simple assignment...

Here's wishing you and yours the happiest and safest of holidays from randomness!

stand up and be counted

Well, it's done. My cd inventory is pretty much complete. Take a look...

It's not perfect, though. I've already spotted two things that I've picked up in the last week that need to be added. In addition, there are about two hundred things that aren't on there. At first I was being extremely anal with the whole process. If a disc wasn't in CDDB I would add it by hand to my inventory. That's a real tedious process and I grew tired of it pretty quickly. As a result, there are probably a couple hundred classical discs, bootlegs and CD-Rs that aren't in the inventory. I'll slowly add them to the list.

The numbers are still fairly absurd. The inventory contains 1287 cds containing 1427 individual discs. That equals 19530 tracks that would run 1127 hours (47 days) if played consecutively. I've inventoried 1429 Elvis Costello songs and in order to crack the top ten you have to have 160 songs in the collection (Nick Lowe). Bear in mind that this is only my CDs. I really do intend to use this program to inventory my cassettes and vinyl, too. That will be a Herculean task but, I think, worth it.

So let's have a little fun with the collection, shall we? Take a good look at it. No, longer than that. Okay? Good. I'm going to buy two new CDs and destroy one CD based upon my readers' whims.

First, recommend a CD that you think I would really like based upon the collection. Let's use Journey (a band that I liked way too much when I was 15 and will have an embarassing vinyl collection as a result) as an example. You might say "Mike, you clearly like Journey. Why not buy the self-titled album from Bad English? I think you'd like it!" Trust me when I say I would never come near that recording, but you get the idea.

Second, recommend a CD from an artist that I already own. For instance, "Mike, you own a lot of Journey albums. Why not get "Raised on Radio?" You know Randy Jackson from American Idol plays on it!"

Finally, recommend a CD that must be destroyed for the good of mankind. "Mike, that first Journey album is excruciatingly bad. You must destroy it."

I'll take your nominations for a couple of weeks and then we'll have a real poll. Sounds like goofy fun, right?

no justice nor peace

The United States has long opposed international courts. Our extraordinary arrogance, it seems, leads us not to trust a body other than our own judicial branch to try our citizens. As a result, we've engaged in a very bizarre dance with the International Criminal Court.

The Clinton White House eventually decided to sign the ICC treaty but not because they really felt like abiding with its rules. On the contrary, they felt they'd have more control over the court's shape if they were on board. The Bush administration then took the extraordinary step of actually "unsigning" the treaty. It seems that we're afraid that our own diplomats (read: Dr. Henry Kissinger) will be targeted by the ICC to stand trial for war crimes.

You may be well aware of this debate. The recent hand-wringing over where to try Saddam has brought the absurdity back out into the public eye. How many of you, though, were aware that we now actually have a law that facilitates military action in the streets of Holland? The mind boggles...

har har har

So who's the laugh factory who posted the birthday wishes from "Claire D?" Normally one would immediately blame Mssr. Deano but the IP tracks to NYC. Fess up, kids. It did make me do a double take, tho...

learning to fly

One hundred years ago today Orville Wright became the first man to sprout wings and fly. His flight was so slow and traveled such a tiny distance (about 120 feet) that his brother Wilbur simply trotted along beside the plane. Today we still haven't perfected the art of flying. We still have accidents, we continue to develop new technologies. However, there's no doubt that air travel today is a far cry from those humble beginnings. It's safer, certainly more comfortable and a luxury we often take for granted in our modern world.

I was introduced to the world exactly 66 years into the Age of Flight. I've only had 34 years of practice. The first jet didn't take to the air until the Age of Flight was 36 years old. No one figured out how to fly at supersonic speeds until 53 years after Orville first got it right. It took 67 years for the Concorde to reach Mach 2. I haven't quite figured this whole thing out yet, either. There's no doubt I'm getting better at it. The Mike of 34 is a lot better put together, for instance, than the Mike of 25. I've just got some crazy edges that need to get worked out. I've got a little more time, don't I?

in this corner...

Which is the greatest lyrical contribution of the last fifty years - "Thunder Road" or "Eleanor Rigby?" Those are the only options I'm allowing right now. Winner gets, uh, Hanson. Vote and discuss.

swoosh this

blackSpot Sneakers are truly a briliant idea. Adbuster magazine is poking fun at/harassing Nike's Phil Knight by making a canvas sneaker in a "clean factory" in China. With a target of 4.000 pre-orders and a slew of indie stores selling them they hope to show Nike that you really CAN make a shoe profitably and in a Fair Trade environment. Pretty cool. At only $40 a pair I think it's an absolutely great idea.

random celluloid

Here is some of what I enjoyed watching in 2003.

1. Lost in Translation
I can't imagine that anybody wants me to gush about Ms. Copolla any further. A beautiful little film with amazingly delicate roles and little touches that I simply adore.

2. American Splendor
Paul Giamatti is nearly as brilliant as his father. An odd conceit that works very, very well.

3. My Architect
It's being hailed as the "Year of the Documentary" and, for my money, this was the best of the bunch. A deeply personal story full of pain and discovery.

4. The Station Agent
A rare treat. A great story with characters that are actually developed. Superb acting, too.

5. Dirty Pretty Things
Probably not on very many year end lists but I thought it was well directed and interesting. Oh, and a healthy dose of Audrey didn't hurt.

6. The Man Without A Past
Another interesting and darkly comedic film from Aki Kaurismäki. It's grim. It's slow. It's amazing.

7. Capturing the Friedmans
Uncomfortable to say the least, but amazingly compelling and innovative.

8. In America
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around portions of this one. Very odd, very moving.

9. My Own Flesh and Blood
I hesitate to recommend it, it's very hard to watch. However the dynamics of this family amaze me.

10. A Mighty Wind
At first I didn't really think that this outing measured up to Guest's other films. On repeated viewing it's pretty damn funny.

I saw a lot of films this year that really didn't do much for me. I really wasn't thrilled by "Whale Rider," for instance. I have yet to see "The Return of the King," "21 Grams," "House of Sand and Fog" or "Fog of War" but have a feeling that all might crack the list eventually.

sinking even deeper

I'm very happy for the Iraqi people that the lead singer of ZZ Top Saddam Hussein can now be tried for his inhumanity. But I'm very unhappy for the American people. Our unelected president will now go about declaring victory in our absurd occupation of an incredibly unstable country. Saddam had no communication equipment in his "spider hole" and this morning (long after the streets of Baghdad were full of celebration with the news of Saddam's capture) twenty more people were killed by an apparent suicide bomber. The capture solves nothing while giving W. something to beat his chest and smirk about. Sad, sad, sad.

randomness grooves 2003 style

It seems that 2003 was a good year for good music. Some years drudging up a top ten is an impossible task. This year I'm having a hard time limiting myself. With no further ado...

1. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
A brilliant sophomore release blending indie pop with some twang sensibilities.

2. Vic Chesnutt - Silver Lake
Grows on me more and more with each listen. It's polished, but that's not so bad after all.

3. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers
Although tired of the mega-single, still an amazing listen.

4. New Pornographers - Electric Version
Another great sophomore release. Better than their debut and a whole bag of fun.

5. Gillian Welch - Soul Journey
Gillian finds solace in the sunshine and it's infinitely hummable.

6. White Stripes - Elephant
Yeah, yeah they now get a lot of radio play. It's still damn good.

7. Warren Zevon - The Wind
There are few clunkers but, for the most part, pure brilliance.

8. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Streetcore
Too short, too sad and purely magical.

9. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music
Even the most mediocre Jayhawks is better than pretty much anything.

10. Dandy Warhols - Welcome To The Monkey House
Indie-popsters + Nick Rhodes = Dance Fever.

Bubbling Under:
* Starlight Mints - Built on Squares
* David Bowie - Reality
* Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below
* Shelby Lynne - Identity Crisis
* Eleni Mandell - Country for True Lovers
* Lost In Translation - O.S.T.
* Just an American Boy - Steve Earle
* The Pernice Brothers - Yours, Mine & Ours
* John Mellencamp - Trouble No More
* June Carter Cash - Wildwood Flower
* Rosanne Cash - Rules of Travel
* Rodney Crowell - Fate's Right Hand

Somewhat Tepid:
*Elvis Costello - North

Okay, okay. I'll stop now. Comments and your lists, please!

'tis the season

Bloggers throughout the Tri-State are currently debating the merits and amounts of their holiday tips. I figured I'd join the fray, too.

My situation is backward from most. I actually tip my super less than I do the doormen/maintenance guys. Why? Because he's worthless. He never helps anyone and constantly cops an attitude. He's literally never done anything for me or gotten anyone else to help. On the contrary, he's a hinderance to building operations. He'll get $20.

The three guys who do help out will get $30 or $40. The head guy is amazing and is always helping people. He also makes sure that the ramp out of the basement of our building is kept snow free so I can escape. Even when we got 14" last weekend it was clear. The other two guys who help him will get $30.

The housekeeper is another story altogether. I like him. He does a decent job and is super nice. Is it true, however, that it's customary to give your housekeeper the equivalent of two weeks as a holiday tip? Can anyone confirm that? If so, I have to give him $80.

I then have to tip my mailman $20 as he carries my mail down to my apartment, something he doesn't do for anyone else. The guys at work also decided that we should each chip in $15 for the UPS driver, too. He's constantly delivering packages for us and even re-routes packages sent to my house without me even asking him to.

In the end my tip expenditure will probably be about equal to my gift expenses. Welcome to the Tri-State...

and another thing

Just because you can do something with modern recording technology that doesn't necessarily mean you should. I got in the car this morning and turned on WFUV. I was surprised to hear Hank's "Cold, Cold Heart" so I turned it way up. But once the verse ended my speakers blared with Norah Jones doing her version of the same song. Someone has spliced together a duet. I don't mind Norah's version (I prefer Lucinda's or Presley's) on its own but stringing them together completely ruins Hank. He deserves better than that.

don't make me rethink this one

I'm a well-known Dave Matthews hater. I hate everything about the man. I hate his boring, bland music. I hate his boring, homogenous fans. I hate his stupid fake accent. I hate the way he scrunches up his little face on his gigantic head when he attempts to sing. Hate, I know, is a very strong word. Trust me when I say it's accurate.

Earlier this week I finally got around to watching the Farm Aid special that aired on PBS a few weeks ago. It was mediocre. John Mellencamp was fine. Willie was fine. Emmylou was pretty boring. Hootie made me laugh. Those poor dudes. The only song from their set that aired was "I Only Wanna Be With You." That's got to get old for them.

Then ol' Dave showed up. If I was sitting in front of the television I would have certainly hit the skip button the second I saw his squinched up puss. But I was cleaning the house and just left it going. I was pretty shocked. It was just Matthews with an acoustic guitar playing his new "solo" single, "Gravedigger." I thought it to be a pretty interesting cover. Certainly more interesting that anything else he'd ever done and certainly a nice reading of a traditional tune. The "ring around the rosey" bit was pretty stupid but I was willing to let that slide a little bit. WFUV started to play the acoustic version of the song pretty regularly and my interested was piqued a bit more. Enough to find out that it wasn't a traditional tune and was actually penned by Matthews. Well done, I must say.

So, in the spirit of the season, I'm sorry I hate you, Dave Matthews. You may have some redeeming value. But you're still beyond annoying.

things that baffle me

I'm still making slow progress on the CD inventory. Some strange trends are starting to take shape. There are very few artists in my collection that are represented by just one disc. An average is probably a little more than two. Very odd. It seems that I'm a loyal fan to a fault. To that end -

*I own five Joe Henry CDs. Five. I'm completely unsure as to how that happened.

*I continued to buy Prince records long after his output was, well, awful. Thirteen albums.

*I found three albums (The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder," Gram Parson's "GP/Grievous Angel, and R.E.M.'s "Eponymous") that I unknowly have two copies of. There are several that I willingly bought twice.

*I own Joe Jackson's "Night and Day II." What? I swear that I wasn't even aware that this album existed, let alone that I'd bought any Joe Jackson in the last ten years.

*I own three things by Ours, a band that I simply detest.

*I'm completely at a loss as to how "Alanis Unplugged" came to be in my collection. I think someone of the female persuasion left it at my house or something. No, really. I'm serious. I would have remembered buying this. It would have been proceeded by a week-long bender.

I clearly am in need of therapy...

bad browser, bad browser

I always curse myself for continuing to use Internet Explorer. It's a really crappy product and there are many, many better options. I use a Mozilla project called Firebird quite often and have just made it my default browser. It has a lot of cool plug-ins and does a great job blocking IE's annoyances.

The last straw though was my entry about the five best songs of 2003. By looking at my stats I could tell that many people weren't seeing the thumbnails of the album covers. I quickly figured out why. I had used a "\" instead of a "/" in the file path. IE was "smart" enough to reverse the slash. That's just stupid. There's such a thing as being too forgiving. So now that I'm IE free I'm much happier and will probably make my page more Netscape friendly in the near future.

mrw's favorite concerts of 2003

Continuing the week of lists -

1 - The entirety of the Austin City Limits Festival
A little R.E.M., a wave from John Earl Keen and a whole lotta twang. What's not to love?

2 - Lucinda Williams at the Bowery Ballroom
Lucinda's "surprise" show at my favorite NYC venue was something to cherish if only for the fact that it's the only time I've seen her when she didn't lose her cool for one reason or another. It also was a great show with her amazing touring band.

3 - Elvis Costello & The Imposters at Live By Request
Okay, so it wasn't a concert in the strictest sense. It was, however, a great live performance. What you missed by watching it on TV was monumental. The most dynamic Costello show I've seen in many years.

4 - Steve Earle & The Dukes at Irving Plaza
A weird but long setlist highlighted by cramming into the front row and making new friends.

5 - Rhett Miller at Fez
Very different than seeing Rhett and the Old 97's at the ACL. Just Rhett, a guitar and a grand batch of songs.

Honorable Mention - The Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden
No stadium show will ever be a true favorite. However, this was a great show (immortalized by HBO) and I saw the Stones for the first time.

Shows I can't believe I missed Dandy Warhols at Bowery Ballroom, Gillian Welch at Bowery Ballroom, Fountains of Wayne at Housing Works, Emmylou Harris at Carnegie Hall, Ralph Stanley at Town Hall and many others...

r-e-s-p-e-c-t

I finally received my copy of the new Johnny Cash boxset today. It's pretty overwhelming and exhaustive. The first song I listened to literally made me weepy, though. It's two of my heroes, Johnny and Joe Strummer, trading lines on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song." The liner notes for the track gave me a sly smile. Rick Rubin writes...

There was one line I was wary about because it was not good English (MRW - certainly one of the many lines like "pirates, yes they rob I") and I said, "Johnny do you want to change this word to say it the way you'd say it?" And he looked at me and said, "Bob Marley wrote that. I can't change that!"

Keb' Mo'? Paging Keb' Mo'. Didja hear that, Keb'? Jackass.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about... (right click, save as)

the five (or six) best songs of 2003 that you probably haven't heard until now

Unless your name happens to be Dennis in which case I've prattled on about all of these and practically forced you to listen all of this dreck. Also, these won't be unfamiliar if your name is Jesse and you have wicked musical chops.

1 - "Gone For Good" by The Shins from Chutes Too Narrow

This just might be the perfect song. The clunky rythmn, the wailing pedal steel, the forelorn voice of James Mercer. The standout track from probably my favorite album of the year.
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2 - "Scientist" by The Dandy Warhols from Welcome To The Monkey House

Yes, they stole their album title from a Vonnegut novel. Yes, they stole their album art from Warhol. Yes, they stole their sound from Duran Duran. Just listen to this and try to sit still. Then be glad that I didn't choose an Outkast song 'cause I like them too, you know.
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3 - "Black Cat" by Starlight Mints from Built on Squares

A little Waits, a little vintage Cure, a little Spaghetti Western, a whole lotta goodness. I vote this the official randomness song to chase away the winter blues.
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4 - "Styrofoam" by Vic Chesnutt from Silver Lake
Look, I'm not going to kid you. Most of you will simply not understand my love of Vic. I've accepted that fact long ago. However, I still liken his work to Faulkner with a guitar. This song probably won't sway any opinions, but it's one of my faves that I've seen him do live for more than a decade. I think this version's a bit much, though. That's my problem with the whole album. It's very polished (he's backed by Lucinda Williams' touring band) and one think Vic ain't is polished.
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5a - "Love of the Loveless" by Eels from Shootenanny!

This album is entirely hit-or-miss but this song is another perfect example of E's ability to take the most depressing material and make a nifty little pop ditty out of it. For an even better example see "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" from Daisies of the Galaxy. But don't listen to Electo-Shock Blues with any sharp objects in your proximity.
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5b - "Wayside/Back In Time" by Gillian Welch from Soul Journey

I simply adore Gillian. This album, however, took some time to grow on me because, well, it's very peppy. I've come to love it and I would swear that this track was a traditional tune if I didn't know it was a Rawlings/Welch composition. It's just that good.
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Enjoy and let me know what you think. Next week I'll chime in on my favorite albums of 2003.

pratically speechless

The hype machine finally got one right. "Angels in America" is, quite simply, astounding. Astounding, astonishing, breathtakingly surreal. Who knew that Mike Nichols still had this sort of work in him.

A proper review tomorrow. Perhaps my jaw will no longer be agape when I awake.

there may be no sacred cows

However, was the only one who found the Johnny Cash skit on SNL both in horrible taste and, perhaps more importantly, completely unfunny?

As of late I get sucked into SNL thinking "Wow! This is actually funny!" only to have series of real clunkers end the show. I was, however, pretty surprised at Sharpton. He was funnier than most hosts and even agreed to be in two skits lampooning Michael Jackson. Remember when Sharpton last appeared with MJ? Calling Tommy Mattola the devil? Somehow I get a bigger kick out of that Rev. Al.

me brain, it's frozen

There's now something like six inches of snow on the ground and we're expected to get another five to eight inches tomorrow. The first casuality, quite obviously, is my content. You see, my brain is so muddled with slush and snow that I can merely refer you to other people's witticisms (see Paul's snow picture) (and Kambri's, too).

The second to fall are the entirety of my weekend plans. I had enough "do you have snow tires?" and "where are your chains?" just going to the deli to get milk and soda. I can't take much more. Frolicking in the city, drinks and a really cool music sale has now been replaced by obsessive viewing of the new Criterion version of "Naked Lunch." Yeah, yeah. You hate it. I happen to love it.

So stay warm. I'll be thawed by Monday.

i couldn't have said it better myself

Go to Google and search for "miserable failure." Hit "I Feel Lucky." Mmm Hmm...

(via Erin, The Gigglechick)

you give hipsters a bad name

Wow. Rick Moody really is the worst reviewer of his generation. I just might forgo buying that boxset now. Wait. I'm not buying that boxset because it's completely redundant and comes in a completely awkward coffee table book. Take that, Rick Moody.

(Via Elizabeth Spiers @ The Kicker)

monkey business

Remember my ramblings about needing a helper monkey? Well, looks like I need to move to Putnam County, NY. Sweet!

(via The Morning News)

shake it, shake it

You'll be shocked, but I happen to really, really like Outkast. When they're on(which isn't always the case) they produce some of the most inventive music being made today. "Hey Ya" has one of the most infectious funk grooves to grace the charts since "Little Red Corvette." That said, I thought this description of Atlanta from Pitchfork Media's Brent DiCrescenzo was incredibly apt. One thing though, Brent, I think you mean Little Five points.

The twelve-lane Connector plows through Atlanta like the Nile of pavement. Along its fenced banks lie the majority of the city's attractions. Turner buildings, blossoming with neon network logos, lure Yellowjacket grads from the adjacent campus cluster with the sweet nectar of Powerpuff Girls money. Across the way, The Varsity serves grease between buns, communicating with a enigmatic fast food lexicon that rivals rhyming Cockneys. Tourists walk the overpass to the ghostly Olympic park, built on the graveyard of Techwood projects, in the shadows of Vick's pastel dome. Hipsters and reluctant yuppies settle in the gentrified Five Points and Cabbagetown, giving their quaint subdivisions more verdant "__________ Park" monikers. And finally, there's Turner Field, reverberating collective October sighs, before the highway splits back into its tributaries in East Point, the cultural fountainhead. The hip-hop id to New York's ego: the home of Outkast.

more like granny

So the Grammy nominations came out today. Haven't had a chance to analyze all of them yet, but one absurdity certainly does jump out at me. Fountains of Wayne, Best New Artist. Hmm. Their self-titled debut was released in 1996 and "Radiation Vibe" from that same album was certainly a minor hit. I know it received a pretty hefty dose of radio play and probably charted. This is even more absurd than when Shelby Lynne won this award. At least she had toiled in obscurity before "I Am..."

Still, I promise to watch the show and leave you with running commentary like last year. You've been warned.

six degrees too close

I've seen frightening images in my life. For instance, "The Ring." That was frightening. Michael Jackson's mugshot. Again, scary. Tonight, though, I saw something that made my blood run cold.

While watching last night's "Rich Girls," a show that I'm drawn to like the most heinous of train wrecks, I saw Ali make a hopeless trip to the grocery store. Not just any grocery store, but the Whole Foods in Greenwich where I shop on a regular basis. This, in itself, isn't too frightening. While mindlessly going down random aisles she spots a worker and asks him for help. There's a horrific subthread about her wanting to make a Mexican meal and seemingly asking the first Hispanic-looking person she sees, but she's a despicable excuse for a human being and I don't need to extrapolate on that. What's frightening, though, is the employee gives her a blank stare. Why so scared you ask? Well, last Sunday that very same guy gave me the very same stare when I asked him to grab a can of vegetable broth that I couldn't reach. Bizarre.

Okay, so it's only scary (and interesting) to me. My blog. My rules... :-)

the trappings of the season

As I sit here on occasion of our first snow with a fire in my fireplace (note to self: remember existence of such when comparing rents to Manhattan) and a mug of hot chocolate in hand, I find myself contemplating when a sane person puts up a Christmas tree. One of my co-workers put hers up before Thanksgiving. My family traditionally put ours up on my birthday, two weeks from tomorrow.

I'm probably doing precisely what I did last year. I want a real tree but Crip Boy clearly isn't throwiing one over his shoulder anytime soon. Instead, I'll probably go to a nursery nearby that chops the tops off of trees that are disfigured in some way near the bottom. You end up with a little Charlie Brown tree that was salvaged from an ugly duckling. Seems like a festive approach.

Problem is, though, that I have no idea how long a "real" tree will stay alive. Last year I made a mad dash when I realized that my parents were coming to visit. It lasted the week just fine... Any ideas?