It's been a while since I posted! Hey, everyone!!!
You may recall my post on the 2015 Acura TLX I drove a year and a half ago when my car was being worked on. While I enjoyed that car, I didn't feel that it was appreciably better than several other cars at its price point. I commented that the ELS sound system was disappointing, the nine-speed automatic transmission was borderline awful, that the back seat was less-than-huge, and that the car just didn't feel "special", despite being an excellent features-per-dollar value.
Well, I took my Acura in for an oil change, tire rotation, and NYS inspection yesterday, and they put me in another 2015 TLX. The TLX I drove last year had the Technology Package, which adds items like navigation, the aforementioned ELS stereo, perforated leather seats, lane-keeping assist, and a few other goodies to the base model. Yesterday's TLX had the Advance Package, which includes all of the Technology Package's items, and adds adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, and remote start, among other things. In other words, it was fully loaded! The only available option it lacked was Acura's excellent Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, which I sampled in their MDX SUV. It essentially gave that large, seven-seat vehicle the handling chops of something much smaller, and it blew me away. But that's another story entirely.
Anyway, I spent a few hours in the TLX Advance Package yesterday, and ended up liking the car significantly more than I liked the TLX that I drove last year. I'm not quite sure why. I think this was partially, but certainly not entirely, due to the additional goodies on the Advance Package model. Anyway, here are my thoughts:
1. This car is FAST! I thought this about the other TLX as well, but it's got BALLS! It's quieter and smoother than my 2003 CL, which is why it doesn't feel quite as brutally snappy as that car does despite almost certainly being quicker.
2. The nine-speed automatic transmission still SUCKS. In this day and age, it's inexcusable for any automatic transmission to shift harshly. IMHO, Toyota set the standard for smooth automatic transmissions in 1992 with that year's new Camry, and almost every normal (non-DSG, non-CVT) automatic car I've driven or ridden in since about 2000 has shifted with at least reasonable smoothness. Not this one. It lurches almost every time when shifting between 2nd and 3rd gear under acceleration, and it's unnecessarily busy. It has too many speeds for its own good, and is clueless about which one to use at any given time. That, and though the push-button shifter works more intuitively than I would have expected, the delay between pushing the drive (or reverse) button and the car actually engaging the appropriate gear is unacceptable at best and borderline unsafe at worst. I would hate to make a three-point turn in this car in any busy city street. If Acura would drop its outstanding eight-speed dual-clutch automatic (and its conventional floor-mounted shift lever) from the four-cylinder TLX into the V6 model, it would be a far better fit for this car and all of these gripes would be solved. Or better yet, offer a real, honest-to-goodness six-speed stick shift as an option.
3. Transmission aside, the ride itself is very smooth and controlled, even with sport mode engaged. The car handles and steers very impressively as well, though I can't help but wonder how amazingly the all-wheel-drive model would handle, and I wonder if the four-cylinder model would turn a bit more eagerly given the relative lack of mass over the front wheels.
4. It's a QUIET car. Hondas and Acuras aren't typically the most serene vehicles, but this one is at least as quiet, if not more so, than I would expect any entry-level luxury sedan to be.
5. Not only are the front seats heated and ventilated, but said heating and ventilation are automatically controlled based on how the climate control is set. For example, I set the interior temperature to be 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and the car continuously adjusted the intensity of the seat ventilation to optimally maintain that temperature under my butt as well as all around me. It was quite awesome. I have to wonder, though, if the ventilation feature would act as a "fart-trapper".
6. The ELS stereo seemed far more impressive in this car than in the one I drove a year ago. It could have been that I sampled different music this time, but it seemed MUCH crisper, with deeper bass and exceptional clarity. Quite literally, it rocked, and I felt like I was sitting in a concert hall. It was easily one of the best car stereos I've sampled in a while, and I didn't quite feel that way last time, despite the system being identical.
7. One of the goodies that is included with the Advance Package is adaptive cruise control. For those unfamiliar with this technology, it maintains not only a set speed, but a set following distance as well. It was surprisingly effective, though it took me more searching than I would've liked to find the following distance adjustment, as it wasn't grouped together with the normal cruise control buttons as it is on Honda-branded cars. I could see myself using this feature quite a bit.
8. Both of the TLXs I drove had "lane-keeping assist". This feature reads lane markings and helps keep the car in its lane. Last time, I tried using it as a hands-off feature, which it will only do for 90 seconds before requiring driver input. It worked decently but seemed like a gimmick. This time, I kept my hands on the wheel the entire time with this feature engaged, and it worked like a charm! The car stayed in its lane nearly flawlessly with very minimal guidance from yours truly. This is another feature I could see myself using regularly, now that I know how effective it is when used its intended way (as assistance to steering, as opposed to replacement).
9. With adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist engaged simultaneously, the car essentially drives itself in certain situations. I'm normally not one to advocate for driverless cars, but these features can definitely be useful.
Overall, I liked the TLX much better this time around. I liked it enough, in fact, that were I in the market for a new car, I'd give it some serious thought. The only real deal-breaker is the damn nine-speed automatic transmission. Acura would need to drop a real manual transmission into it, or at the very least, offer their eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with the V6 engine. Yes, this car is good enough that I would give it some consideration even with an automatic transmission, and I never thought I would say that about any car (just not the nine-speed unit it currently uses).
Two parting thoughts:
1. I still love my 2003 CL Type-S six-speed coupe. Even with nearly 170K miles, it's reliable, comfortable, reasonably practical, quite good on gas given its performance capability, and incredibly fun to drive. I'm in no hurry to get rid of it.
2. The new Honda Civic offers most to all of the cool features that the TLX offers, as well as a few that the TLX does NOT offer (such as heated REAR seats), for about $16K less. I have yet to drive the new Civic, and after sitting in one at an auto show, it does give up a bit of the luxury vibe found in the Acura. That said, virtually every journalist that has sampled it has RAVED about it, and there's a chance Honda might offer the fully loaded version with a stick shift next year.
And on that note, this guy needs some shut-eye!
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016
Dieselgate . . . A Different Perspective
Holy crap, it's been a while since I last posted! Happy 2016, everyone!!!
As most of you know, I currently drive a 2003 Acura 3.2CL Type-S 6-Speed as my primary nice-weather car. My winter car and musical-equipment-schlepper is a 2002 Volkswagen Passat GLX 5-Speed wagon. I feel that both cars are unicorns of sorts (more on that in an upcoming post) and I absolutely love both of them. Both cars have high mileage -- the Acura has 165K and the VW has 184K. Both cars also are in very good running order. While they are old and need the occasional fix, I still pay far less on average each month to keep these cars on the road than I would pay toward a loan on a new car.
In short, I have no need to replace either car, and I have no immediate plans to replace either car. However, I consider myself an opportunist in that I always have an eye out for the best time to make key purchases. I know that I want my Volkswagen's eventual replacement to be a wagon, I want it to have a manual transmission, I want it to be simultaneously fun to drive and economical, and I want it to be well-equipped like my current car (heated seats, automatic climate control, a KILLER stereo, etc.). I won't settle for anything less, and I am aware that manual transmissions and wagons both aren't desired by more than a small single-digit percentage of the U.S. car buying public.
The ramification of this is that there are barely any new stick-shift wagons available in this country. The Subaru Outback hasn't offered a manual transmission since 2014 (though inexplicably, the Canadian model offers one), and it hasn't offered one in combination with a leather interior since 2009. Volvo hasn't offered a stick in their wagons since the late 2000s. Neither has Audi. BMW retired the stick-shift option from their wagons in the early 2010s. Acura offered a wagon version of its Goldilocks-perfect TSX sedan from 2011 until 2015, yet inexplicably they didn't offer it with the sedan's buttery-smooth six-speed stick. Had they offered the stick on the wagon, I would've bought one in a heartbeat. Volkswagen has offered a manual transmission in its Jetta and Passat wagons pretty consistently, but packaging it with things like a premium stereo, leather or leatherette seating, automatic climate control, etc., has been pretty much impossible since about 2010. I also know that, long-term, neither wagons nor manual transmissions are poised to make a resurgence in this market anytime soon, so when something comes along that fits the criteria, I need to give it some serious thought.
Such a car appeared at the NY Auto Show a couple years ago. It was a wagon version of the just-released seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf. It has VW's TDI "clean diesel" motor that promised well over 40 mpg in real-world highway driving, it had a six-speed manual transmission (hereafter known as a 6MT), and it was brilliantly designed, comfortable, and well-built. I knew that if they were to pair the diesel motor and the 6MT with the outstanding Fender sound system offered on the Golf hatchback, I'd buy one.
Sure enough, such a configuration was offered when the Golf Sportwagen came to market as a late 2015 model. The Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL 6MT featured the diesel motor, the 6MT, the Fender stereo, automatic climate control, and a seemingly bottomless list of standard and available luxury items. Critically, it was viewed by many as the "perfect" all-around car. The entire VW Golf family won Motor Trend's prestigious Car of the Year award. The TDI motor was well-known to EXCEED its rated fuel economy numbers, particularly when paired with the 6MT. It was absolutely the car for me, and I found out there were two upgrades coming for 2016 that would make it an even better car for me. One was the addition of a new, faster audio head unit that supported Apple CarPlay. The other was the addition of an improved driver assistance package that newly included adaptive cruise control (cruise that maintains a preset following distance as well as a preset speed; it'd be amazing on the roads I take to work), automated parking (you control the pedals and the car steers; not something I need but something that could occasionally come in handy), and many other items. I made plans in my head to take my 2002 Passat through this winter, and buy a loaded 2016 Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL 6MT in the spring, once prices had come down on the Golf. The Golf Sportwagen, configured as described above, was almost too good to be true.
I noticed in September that, while several 2016 examples of the GAS-POWERED Golf Sportwagen were appearing on cars.com, none with the TDI motor were appearing. Shortly thereafter, news of Dieselgate broke. For those that don't know, Volkswagen was outed for installing "cheat devices" on its TDI motors. These cheat devices would program the car to run in a "clean" mode when they detected an EPA emissions test cycle, and would defeat the "clean" programming in normal conditions. This resulted in multiple times the legally allowed amount of pollutants being allowed to enter the environment. A stop-sale was placed on the 2016 TDI models and stays in effect as VW furiously works with several agencies to create and implement an acceptable method to reduce emissions while maintaining the performance and efficiency for which the TDI motors are known.
So what happened to the 2016 TDIs waiting on dealer lots, unable to be sold? Well, when I brought my Passat in for service in November, I was surprised to receive a TDI edition of the 2015 Passat as a loaner car. I later put two and two together, and realized that the dealers were finding probably the only allowable use of something otherwise useless to them. While my Passat loaner didn't have a 6MT (thank you, automatic-loving American car buyers), the TDI motor nevertheless was a torquey, snappy little monster that still returned 40+ mpg under my lead foot. I can only imagine how amazingly it would perform in the lighter Golf Sportwagen, and I hope some day to find out on a daily basis.
You may ask why I don't buy the gas-powered version of the Golf Sportwagen SEL? Here's why. Volkswagen only offers a manual transmission on the entry level "S" model of the Sportwagen if the gas motor is selected. In other words, if I want a stick shift, I can't get the Fender stereo, the leatherette seating, the automatic climate control, the drivers' assistance package, the heated seats, and most of the other luxuries that were partially responsible for my attraction to the Golf. That, my friends, is a deal breaker, and not something I'm willing to compromise on.
If VW comes up with a fix for the TDI motor that brings its emissions in line with current legal requirements, without compromising the responsiveness and efficiency I love about that motor, I would still buy one. This is for three reasons. The first is that it'd still honestly be a damn fine car that meets my needs better than anything else currently for sale. The second is that it's in a class of one; it has no direct competitors. Finally, while VW cheated on regulations and was/is responsible for huge quantities of illegal pollution, it didn't do something even close to what General Motors did when it deliberately green-lighted subpar ignition switches on a series of small cars. These ignition switches saved GM a few bucks at the direct expense of human life. That the penalties being sought of Volkswagen are higher than those sought of GM is absurd to the highest degree.
If VW does NOT fix and re-market the TDI Golf Sportwagen, I'll be hanging on to my Passat for quite a while, and if the Passat doesn't last, I'll have to take a hard look at one of the following cars.
1. Volkswagen's own GTI hot-hatch version of the Golf. Why they don't offer a GTI version of the Sportwagen is beyond me!
2. Honda's upcoming Civic hatchback, provided they offer the fully-loaded trim with a manual transmission (unlikely, which is too bad, as the new Civic is an outstanding car with a terrific 1.5T four-banger).
3. A fully loaded Mazda3 hatchback. My cousin currently drives one and it's a fantastic little car.
None of these vehicles would have nearly the cargo capacity, nor the fuel efficiency, of the Golf Sportwagen TDI.
In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy my 2002 Passat. In an upcoming post, I'll delve into its several attributes that make it so fantastic and such a unicorn in its competitive set and in the automotive landscape as a whole. Until then, be well everyone!
As most of you know, I currently drive a 2003 Acura 3.2CL Type-S 6-Speed as my primary nice-weather car. My winter car and musical-equipment-schlepper is a 2002 Volkswagen Passat GLX 5-Speed wagon. I feel that both cars are unicorns of sorts (more on that in an upcoming post) and I absolutely love both of them. Both cars have high mileage -- the Acura has 165K and the VW has 184K. Both cars also are in very good running order. While they are old and need the occasional fix, I still pay far less on average each month to keep these cars on the road than I would pay toward a loan on a new car.
In short, I have no need to replace either car, and I have no immediate plans to replace either car. However, I consider myself an opportunist in that I always have an eye out for the best time to make key purchases. I know that I want my Volkswagen's eventual replacement to be a wagon, I want it to have a manual transmission, I want it to be simultaneously fun to drive and economical, and I want it to be well-equipped like my current car (heated seats, automatic climate control, a KILLER stereo, etc.). I won't settle for anything less, and I am aware that manual transmissions and wagons both aren't desired by more than a small single-digit percentage of the U.S. car buying public.
The ramification of this is that there are barely any new stick-shift wagons available in this country. The Subaru Outback hasn't offered a manual transmission since 2014 (though inexplicably, the Canadian model offers one), and it hasn't offered one in combination with a leather interior since 2009. Volvo hasn't offered a stick in their wagons since the late 2000s. Neither has Audi. BMW retired the stick-shift option from their wagons in the early 2010s. Acura offered a wagon version of its Goldilocks-perfect TSX sedan from 2011 until 2015, yet inexplicably they didn't offer it with the sedan's buttery-smooth six-speed stick. Had they offered the stick on the wagon, I would've bought one in a heartbeat. Volkswagen has offered a manual transmission in its Jetta and Passat wagons pretty consistently, but packaging it with things like a premium stereo, leather or leatherette seating, automatic climate control, etc., has been pretty much impossible since about 2010. I also know that, long-term, neither wagons nor manual transmissions are poised to make a resurgence in this market anytime soon, so when something comes along that fits the criteria, I need to give it some serious thought.
Such a car appeared at the NY Auto Show a couple years ago. It was a wagon version of the just-released seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf. It has VW's TDI "clean diesel" motor that promised well over 40 mpg in real-world highway driving, it had a six-speed manual transmission (hereafter known as a 6MT), and it was brilliantly designed, comfortable, and well-built. I knew that if they were to pair the diesel motor and the 6MT with the outstanding Fender sound system offered on the Golf hatchback, I'd buy one.
Sure enough, such a configuration was offered when the Golf Sportwagen came to market as a late 2015 model. The Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL 6MT featured the diesel motor, the 6MT, the Fender stereo, automatic climate control, and a seemingly bottomless list of standard and available luxury items. Critically, it was viewed by many as the "perfect" all-around car. The entire VW Golf family won Motor Trend's prestigious Car of the Year award. The TDI motor was well-known to EXCEED its rated fuel economy numbers, particularly when paired with the 6MT. It was absolutely the car for me, and I found out there were two upgrades coming for 2016 that would make it an even better car for me. One was the addition of a new, faster audio head unit that supported Apple CarPlay. The other was the addition of an improved driver assistance package that newly included adaptive cruise control (cruise that maintains a preset following distance as well as a preset speed; it'd be amazing on the roads I take to work), automated parking (you control the pedals and the car steers; not something I need but something that could occasionally come in handy), and many other items. I made plans in my head to take my 2002 Passat through this winter, and buy a loaded 2016 Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL 6MT in the spring, once prices had come down on the Golf. The Golf Sportwagen, configured as described above, was almost too good to be true.
I noticed in September that, while several 2016 examples of the GAS-POWERED Golf Sportwagen were appearing on cars.com, none with the TDI motor were appearing. Shortly thereafter, news of Dieselgate broke. For those that don't know, Volkswagen was outed for installing "cheat devices" on its TDI motors. These cheat devices would program the car to run in a "clean" mode when they detected an EPA emissions test cycle, and would defeat the "clean" programming in normal conditions. This resulted in multiple times the legally allowed amount of pollutants being allowed to enter the environment. A stop-sale was placed on the 2016 TDI models and stays in effect as VW furiously works with several agencies to create and implement an acceptable method to reduce emissions while maintaining the performance and efficiency for which the TDI motors are known.
So what happened to the 2016 TDIs waiting on dealer lots, unable to be sold? Well, when I brought my Passat in for service in November, I was surprised to receive a TDI edition of the 2015 Passat as a loaner car. I later put two and two together, and realized that the dealers were finding probably the only allowable use of something otherwise useless to them. While my Passat loaner didn't have a 6MT (thank you, automatic-loving American car buyers), the TDI motor nevertheless was a torquey, snappy little monster that still returned 40+ mpg under my lead foot. I can only imagine how amazingly it would perform in the lighter Golf Sportwagen, and I hope some day to find out on a daily basis.
You may ask why I don't buy the gas-powered version of the Golf Sportwagen SEL? Here's why. Volkswagen only offers a manual transmission on the entry level "S" model of the Sportwagen if the gas motor is selected. In other words, if I want a stick shift, I can't get the Fender stereo, the leatherette seating, the automatic climate control, the drivers' assistance package, the heated seats, and most of the other luxuries that were partially responsible for my attraction to the Golf. That, my friends, is a deal breaker, and not something I'm willing to compromise on.
If VW comes up with a fix for the TDI motor that brings its emissions in line with current legal requirements, without compromising the responsiveness and efficiency I love about that motor, I would still buy one. This is for three reasons. The first is that it'd still honestly be a damn fine car that meets my needs better than anything else currently for sale. The second is that it's in a class of one; it has no direct competitors. Finally, while VW cheated on regulations and was/is responsible for huge quantities of illegal pollution, it didn't do something even close to what General Motors did when it deliberately green-lighted subpar ignition switches on a series of small cars. These ignition switches saved GM a few bucks at the direct expense of human life. That the penalties being sought of Volkswagen are higher than those sought of GM is absurd to the highest degree.
If VW does NOT fix and re-market the TDI Golf Sportwagen, I'll be hanging on to my Passat for quite a while, and if the Passat doesn't last, I'll have to take a hard look at one of the following cars.
1. Volkswagen's own GTI hot-hatch version of the Golf. Why they don't offer a GTI version of the Sportwagen is beyond me!
2. Honda's upcoming Civic hatchback, provided they offer the fully-loaded trim with a manual transmission (unlikely, which is too bad, as the new Civic is an outstanding car with a terrific 1.5T four-banger).
3. A fully loaded Mazda3 hatchback. My cousin currently drives one and it's a fantastic little car.
None of these vehicles would have nearly the cargo capacity, nor the fuel efficiency, of the Golf Sportwagen TDI.
In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy my 2002 Passat. In an upcoming post, I'll delve into its several attributes that make it so fantastic and such a unicorn in its competitive set and in the automotive landscape as a whole. Until then, be well everyone!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
The Last Five Years and Valentine's Day
Greetings, everyone!
One of the finest musical theatre works of all time, Jason Robert Brown's "The Last Five Years", is being released as a movie this weekend. I will be seeing it tomorrow in NYC and then staying for a Q and A session with Brown and director Richard LaGravenesse afterward. To say I am stoked would be an enormous understatement.
I intentionally have not watched or listened to a single "teaser" clip from the movie, and I have not watched the theatrical trailer. It has been tough, with the soundtrack having been available for download for four days now. I know the music and the show inside-out, and I really cannot wait to hear how the music has been adapted for the big screen. While I have my skepticism about how an artistic piece so intimate and personal can be blown up into a full-length movie, particularly given that several extras (including JRB himself) are featured in the movie, I want to go in with a completely clean slate tomorrow. Will I love it? Will I hate it? Will my reaction be somewhere in the middle? I don't know and I won't know until tomorrow, but the initial buzz seems to be overwhelmingly positive, so I am optimistic that I will love it. And I really should, because an encounter between JRB himself and Stephen Sondheim has made us consider the possibility that the only acceptable thing to say to a composer after seeing his or her work is "I loved it". (Go Here to read the full story; it's quite interesting and my opinions and thoughts after reading it are mixed.)
Given that JRB will be at the showing I will be attending, I really hope to be able to shake his hand and (honestly) tell him "I loved (it)", and I really do think I will be able to do that.
I couldn't resist reading an interview of sorts with LaGravenesse (the director) today, though, and this quote of his expertly sums up what I have felt about the musical almost since I first was exposed to it. You can read my complete thoughts on the musical version here. Here, he speaks of the "Shmuel Song", which itself is a metaphorical story written for Cathy by Jamie as a way to show her just how much he believes in her and loves her.
"I went back and excavated the song and realized it wasn't what he was singing, it was why he was singing it. And once I unlocked that secret or that intention, I understood how to do it," LaGravenese says. "It's a very important song because it's the one time you see...how much he loves her and how much he will go through and the efforts he will make to boost her morale and to make her feel good about herself and how much he believes in her. The problem in their marriage —??where she's more neurotic and more in her own way and he's so supportive, so later on when he sings 'Nobody Needs to Know' and he sings, ['We build a treehouse / I keep it from shaking'] while he's sleeping with other women —??the 'Schmuel' thing is the kind of thing he's been doing throughout the marriage. That just doesn't work, and he can't do it anymore. That song became really important once I understood why it was there."
There really are two sides to (nearly) every story and situation and, while I know for a fact that it is impossible to truly understand a particular situation unless you are immersed in it, it is often easy to form a solid allegiance to one party in a situation like this. Several people side with Cathy because, well, Jamie cheated on her and broke up with her by leaving her a note. It's true. He did. I don't condone cheating (or breaking up any way other than in person). Jamie is an immature character, and he could have handled the end of the relationship differently.
However, it is important to look at what, for lack of better words, drove him to act out in such a way. I really do think that, as LaGravenesse suggests above, the Shmuel song is representative of what Jamie has been doing throughout his and Cathy's relationship -- trying desperately to help her believe in herself and boost her self-esteem. On the other hand, while Cathy is clearly proud to be dating (and later married to) such a successful author, I am not sure she ever explicitly gives JAMIE HIMSELF any emotional support. Imagine busting your ass for the one you love, constantly being his or her cheerleader and support rock, and not receiving any support or encouragement from him or her in return. Yes, Jamie was considerably more successful than Cathy from a professional standpoint, but her lack of support shown to him (and I mean HIM as a person) combined with his feeling that his efforts to boost her up are going nowhere......left him feeling like there was no good way out. Driven by this dearth of emotional support and availability from his own wife, and lacking the maturity to make a better decision, Jamie sought out his publisher (Elise) to have his physical and emotional needs met.
I don't condone cheating and I don't doubt that Jamie's decision to cheat on Cathy was the nail in the coffin, but I have no doubt in my mind that, as much as ANYTHING, Cathy was responsible for the failure of their relationship. No, she was never a particularly confident character to begin with, and yes, it can be argued that some of that could stem from mental health issues and thus debated that to some extent she may not be at fault. Regardless, though, both partners need to support and be available to each other in any romantic relationship. If it is, or becomes, a one-way street, as was the case with Jamie and Cathy, it won't work.
How does all of this relate to Valentine's Day? Regardless of whether or not you are romantically involved with someone, I have two things to ask of everyone. Be supportive and emotionally available to those near and dear to you (be they friends, family, or romantic partners), and be grateful to those who have been supportive and emotionally available to you. Yes, The Last Five Years is a piece of musical theatre with fictional characters, but I really feel like it is a terrific reminder to all of us to remember how much of a MULTIPLE-WAY-STREET every relationship (romantic or platonic) is. The support and emotional availability have to come from both directions. It's not easy, but we all need to make that effort. There's no way around it, because that, at the core, is what love is.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Quick Update
Hi Everyone,
I know it has been two weeks since I last posted. In that time, I was hoping to write a theatre review, write another auto review, or share one of my recipes. Those updates will come when I have the mental energy to do them well. However, because I am beyond exhausted at the end of a SNOW DAY and have to rest up for a before-school jazz band rehearsal tomorrow, I will limit tonight's update to two points.
1. I will be playing an acoustic gig with my cousin, Jacob Patenaude, at Chatham Brewing on Saturday, February 7th from 6 to 8 PM. I'm beyond excited for this, and we'll be playing a huge variety of music, including some favorites of mine that I have yet to perform for an audience.
2. I learned two days ago that, at age 28, despite using ample flour and liberally oiling the baking sheet, I still lack the ability to make a pizza that does not stick to the pan.
Ok now that I got that off my chest, it's time to pass out.
I know it has been two weeks since I last posted. In that time, I was hoping to write a theatre review, write another auto review, or share one of my recipes. Those updates will come when I have the mental energy to do them well. However, because I am beyond exhausted at the end of a SNOW DAY and have to rest up for a before-school jazz band rehearsal tomorrow, I will limit tonight's update to two points.
1. I will be playing an acoustic gig with my cousin, Jacob Patenaude, at Chatham Brewing on Saturday, February 7th from 6 to 8 PM. I'm beyond excited for this, and we'll be playing a huge variety of music, including some favorites of mine that I have yet to perform for an audience.
2. I learned two days ago that, at age 28, despite using ample flour and liberally oiling the baking sheet, I still lack the ability to make a pizza that does not stick to the pan.
Ok now that I got that off my chest, it's time to pass out.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Car Review -- 2015 Acura TLX V6 FWD Tech
As promised, here is my weekly update. This one obviously steers toward the automotive side of things, and the next one will be related to "chow" or "so much more" (most likely a musical theatre review).
I referenced in my last post my decision to replace a four year old car with an eleven year old car with higher mileage. Well, my 2003 Acura 3.2CL was one of the vehicles affected by the massive Takata airbag recall, and I had to take it in to the dealer for a new driver's side airbag inflator. Given that the car was also due for an oil change, I left it with the kind folks at Northeast Acura in Latham and drove a 2015 TLX for the few hours that mine was being worked on.
For those not familiar with Acura's history, Acura is Honda's luxury division. The brand debuted in 1986 with the Legend luxury sedan and coupe, and the Integra sport hatchback. Since then, the brand has evolved in many ways. What it has not done, however, is ventured as far upscale as its competitors in Japan and Europe. While its SUV lineup has been highly successful for the last decade or so, its sedan lineup has, well, not been so successful. At this time last year, Acura offered four sedans. The ILX, its entry-level model, was little more than a warmed-over Honda Civic with a few more creature comforts and a few more soft-touch interior surfaces. The TSX was a rebadged European-spec Honda Accord. In many ways, it was an absolute steal in terms of dollar value, and it was quite a fun car to drive. However, it was not quite a competitor to vehicles such as BMW's excellent 3-series and Audi's A4. Acura's next step up, the TL sedan, was a bit too large to compete with these vehicles and too shy on prestige to fully battle the next class up (BMW's 5-seires and Audi's A6, for example). The RLX, Acura's top sedan, had just debuted, and was quite impressive. While not a true competitor to the BMW 7-series or Audi A8, it offered similar interior space for about two-thirds of the price, albeit with fewer luxury features and lower performance limits.
The net effect is that Acura was straddling the luxury sedan classes that already existed, and despite most of the vehicles being generally good, not effectively competing in any of them. Acura's solution was to simplify the lineup to a three-sedan one by replacing both the TSX and the TL with the TLX. I was skeptical, as I feel the TSX and TL were the strongest of Acura's four sedans. Size-wise, the TLX split the gap between both of those sedans, aiming to combine the TSX's trim exterior size with the TL's larger interior volume. Acura generally succeeded, though rear seat room is not offered in abundance by any stretch.
Another goal was to combine the tossable, fun-to-drive character of the TSX with the refinement and maturity of the TL. To achieve this goal, Acura decided to offer the TLX with a choice of 4-cylinder or V6 engines, and (on V6 models) with front wheel drive or optional SH-AWD (super-handling all wheel drive). However, Acura made a major faux-pas in not offering ANY variant of the TLX with a true manual transmission. This is particularly disappointing, as both the TSX and TL offered stick shifts (and VERY good ones at that) on some trim levels. Disappointment aside, the goal was for the 4-cylinder TLX to appeal to those seeking economy and nimble handling, the front wheel drive V6 model to appeal to luxury customers, and the SH-AWD V6 model to appeal to thrill-seekers (the SH-AWD system vectors torque to the outer rear wheel when cornering to help neutralize understeer, providing a feeling that the car is on rails).
So how good of a car is the TLX?
I drove the front wheel drive V6 model, equipped with Acura's Technology Package (navigation system, premium audio, real leather on the seats, etc.). It's a really, really nice car. That said, it's not perfect. So, in no particular order........
The 3.5L V6 engine is extremely powerful and this car is QUICK. However, the nine-speed automatic transmission it mates to is disappointing. It shifts slowly and not very smoothly, and its gimmicky push-button gear selector (in lieu of the traditional shift lever found in the four-cylinder car) takes a second to engage the gear after pressing the button. This is partially why I prefer manual transmissions. There's no waiting. Perhaps, given that a true manual isn't on offer, the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic used in the four-cylinder car would work better here, as physically it is an automated manual transmission and thus would provide a more direct feel and quicker shifts.
The car rides very comfortably and is very quiet (easily the most silent Honda/Acura product I've driven to date). It also handles quite well given its sheer mass, and the steering is pleasingly direct. The car offers a customizable system known as IDS that varies steering effort, suspension firmness, shift timing, etc. to match a driver's desires. I left it in Sport mode for most of my driving, but briefly sampled Normal mode and Sport Plus mode. All were more than acceptable. I can only imagine how sweetly the lighter four-cylinder model feels in the twisties (especially with that quick dual-clutch gearbox), and how steroidal the SH-AWD model must feel when driven aggressively.
On the technology front, the car is impressive. It comes with Siri Eyes-Free, which enables the driver to tap into Siri on his or her Bluetooth-tethered iPhone by holding down the steering-wheel-mounted talk button. It worked very well for me. However, the Bluetooth Audio music search function did not work, but I think that that's related to Apple's iOS 8 update, as this feature worked well on my parents' 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L (which uses the same infotainment system) until I updated to iOS 8, when it stopped working.
Additionally, it comes with a "lane keeping assist" system that can read lane markings and steer the car through moderate curves, provided the driver makes occasional steering inputs. I tried it out. It's really, REALLY cool, and not once did the car leave its lane with the system doing the steering. However, it does not keep the car perfectly centered in the lane, which is a bit disconcerting and can make other drivers assume that the driver is drunk, high, texting, or otherwise distracted.
The audio system was Acura's 10-speaker ELS surround system. I have sampled the ELS system on several Acuras over the last few years, and have usually come away incredibly impressed with the systems' clarity, power, and immersive listening experience (despite weaker-than-expected bass response). The system in the TLX was a disappointment. While my compressed music playing through Bluetooth probably showed its "compression" more obviously through this high-end system than it normally does in lesser systems, this system, while quite clear, was not nearly as impressive as the other ELS systems I sampled......and honestly not much better than the (admittedly good) six-speaker Bose system in my 2003 CL, and barely better at all than the (fantastic) eight-speaker Monsoon system in my 2002 VW Passat wagon. Perhaps playing a non-compressed CD would have showcased this ELS system much more effectively.
Very little stood out to me otherwise or varied from what I'd expect of an entry-level luxury sedan. The expected creature comforts were there, the infotainment system was somewhat ergonomically ass-backward, and the car didn't demand very much of its driver. Actually, from a value standpoint, this car had far more features per dollar than almost any of its direct competitors.
Overall......it's a nice car, and it is quite a good value. That said, while it does many things well, the V6 model needs the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic from the four-cylinder car (along with its conventional shifter in place of the push-button nonsense).....or better yet, a true manual gearbox, the ELS stereo was quite disappointing, and the back seat could be more cavernous, among other things. Does it more effectively assault the mid-luxury market than its TSX and TL predecessors did? I'm not so sure it does. I test-drove a 2010 TSX six-speed a few years ago and, while that car was not as quick or refined as this one, and while it lacked some of the TLX's modern technology, it was a far more pure, enjoyable drive, felt more "natural" to sit in, and had a superior ELS stereo.
Don't get me wrong, the 2015 Acura TLX is not a bad car, and for those of you who want maximum features-per-dollar, a very good ride/handling/quietness balance, Honda reliability, and a premium badge, it will serve you very well. However, aside from Honda reliability and features-per-dollar, I somewhat inexplicably wouldn't see myself buying one of these over any number of competing entry-luxury sedans. And I am certainly in no hurry to ditch my 2003 CL six-speed for one of these, and I realized that the instant I picked my car up.
I referenced in my last post my decision to replace a four year old car with an eleven year old car with higher mileage. Well, my 2003 Acura 3.2CL was one of the vehicles affected by the massive Takata airbag recall, and I had to take it in to the dealer for a new driver's side airbag inflator. Given that the car was also due for an oil change, I left it with the kind folks at Northeast Acura in Latham and drove a 2015 TLX for the few hours that mine was being worked on.
For those not familiar with Acura's history, Acura is Honda's luxury division. The brand debuted in 1986 with the Legend luxury sedan and coupe, and the Integra sport hatchback. Since then, the brand has evolved in many ways. What it has not done, however, is ventured as far upscale as its competitors in Japan and Europe. While its SUV lineup has been highly successful for the last decade or so, its sedan lineup has, well, not been so successful. At this time last year, Acura offered four sedans. The ILX, its entry-level model, was little more than a warmed-over Honda Civic with a few more creature comforts and a few more soft-touch interior surfaces. The TSX was a rebadged European-spec Honda Accord. In many ways, it was an absolute steal in terms of dollar value, and it was quite a fun car to drive. However, it was not quite a competitor to vehicles such as BMW's excellent 3-series and Audi's A4. Acura's next step up, the TL sedan, was a bit too large to compete with these vehicles and too shy on prestige to fully battle the next class up (BMW's 5-seires and Audi's A6, for example). The RLX, Acura's top sedan, had just debuted, and was quite impressive. While not a true competitor to the BMW 7-series or Audi A8, it offered similar interior space for about two-thirds of the price, albeit with fewer luxury features and lower performance limits.
The net effect is that Acura was straddling the luxury sedan classes that already existed, and despite most of the vehicles being generally good, not effectively competing in any of them. Acura's solution was to simplify the lineup to a three-sedan one by replacing both the TSX and the TL with the TLX. I was skeptical, as I feel the TSX and TL were the strongest of Acura's four sedans. Size-wise, the TLX split the gap between both of those sedans, aiming to combine the TSX's trim exterior size with the TL's larger interior volume. Acura generally succeeded, though rear seat room is not offered in abundance by any stretch.
Another goal was to combine the tossable, fun-to-drive character of the TSX with the refinement and maturity of the TL. To achieve this goal, Acura decided to offer the TLX with a choice of 4-cylinder or V6 engines, and (on V6 models) with front wheel drive or optional SH-AWD (super-handling all wheel drive). However, Acura made a major faux-pas in not offering ANY variant of the TLX with a true manual transmission. This is particularly disappointing, as both the TSX and TL offered stick shifts (and VERY good ones at that) on some trim levels. Disappointment aside, the goal was for the 4-cylinder TLX to appeal to those seeking economy and nimble handling, the front wheel drive V6 model to appeal to luxury customers, and the SH-AWD V6 model to appeal to thrill-seekers (the SH-AWD system vectors torque to the outer rear wheel when cornering to help neutralize understeer, providing a feeling that the car is on rails).
So how good of a car is the TLX?
I drove the front wheel drive V6 model, equipped with Acura's Technology Package (navigation system, premium audio, real leather on the seats, etc.). It's a really, really nice car. That said, it's not perfect. So, in no particular order........
The 3.5L V6 engine is extremely powerful and this car is QUICK. However, the nine-speed automatic transmission it mates to is disappointing. It shifts slowly and not very smoothly, and its gimmicky push-button gear selector (in lieu of the traditional shift lever found in the four-cylinder car) takes a second to engage the gear after pressing the button. This is partially why I prefer manual transmissions. There's no waiting. Perhaps, given that a true manual isn't on offer, the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic used in the four-cylinder car would work better here, as physically it is an automated manual transmission and thus would provide a more direct feel and quicker shifts.
The car rides very comfortably and is very quiet (easily the most silent Honda/Acura product I've driven to date). It also handles quite well given its sheer mass, and the steering is pleasingly direct. The car offers a customizable system known as IDS that varies steering effort, suspension firmness, shift timing, etc. to match a driver's desires. I left it in Sport mode for most of my driving, but briefly sampled Normal mode and Sport Plus mode. All were more than acceptable. I can only imagine how sweetly the lighter four-cylinder model feels in the twisties (especially with that quick dual-clutch gearbox), and how steroidal the SH-AWD model must feel when driven aggressively.
On the technology front, the car is impressive. It comes with Siri Eyes-Free, which enables the driver to tap into Siri on his or her Bluetooth-tethered iPhone by holding down the steering-wheel-mounted talk button. It worked very well for me. However, the Bluetooth Audio music search function did not work, but I think that that's related to Apple's iOS 8 update, as this feature worked well on my parents' 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L (which uses the same infotainment system) until I updated to iOS 8, when it stopped working.
Additionally, it comes with a "lane keeping assist" system that can read lane markings and steer the car through moderate curves, provided the driver makes occasional steering inputs. I tried it out. It's really, REALLY cool, and not once did the car leave its lane with the system doing the steering. However, it does not keep the car perfectly centered in the lane, which is a bit disconcerting and can make other drivers assume that the driver is drunk, high, texting, or otherwise distracted.
The audio system was Acura's 10-speaker ELS surround system. I have sampled the ELS system on several Acuras over the last few years, and have usually come away incredibly impressed with the systems' clarity, power, and immersive listening experience (despite weaker-than-expected bass response). The system in the TLX was a disappointment. While my compressed music playing through Bluetooth probably showed its "compression" more obviously through this high-end system than it normally does in lesser systems, this system, while quite clear, was not nearly as impressive as the other ELS systems I sampled......and honestly not much better than the (admittedly good) six-speaker Bose system in my 2003 CL, and barely better at all than the (fantastic) eight-speaker Monsoon system in my 2002 VW Passat wagon. Perhaps playing a non-compressed CD would have showcased this ELS system much more effectively.
Very little stood out to me otherwise or varied from what I'd expect of an entry-level luxury sedan. The expected creature comforts were there, the infotainment system was somewhat ergonomically ass-backward, and the car didn't demand very much of its driver. Actually, from a value standpoint, this car had far more features per dollar than almost any of its direct competitors.
Overall......it's a nice car, and it is quite a good value. That said, while it does many things well, the V6 model needs the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic from the four-cylinder car (along with its conventional shifter in place of the push-button nonsense).....or better yet, a true manual gearbox, the ELS stereo was quite disappointing, and the back seat could be more cavernous, among other things. Does it more effectively assault the mid-luxury market than its TSX and TL predecessors did? I'm not so sure it does. I test-drove a 2010 TSX six-speed a few years ago and, while that car was not as quick or refined as this one, and while it lacked some of the TLX's modern technology, it was a far more pure, enjoyable drive, felt more "natural" to sit in, and had a superior ELS stereo.
Don't get me wrong, the 2015 Acura TLX is not a bad car, and for those of you who want maximum features-per-dollar, a very good ride/handling/quietness balance, Honda reliability, and a premium badge, it will serve you very well. However, aside from Honda reliability and features-per-dollar, I somewhat inexplicably wouldn't see myself buying one of these over any number of competing entry-luxury sedans. And I am certainly in no hurry to ditch my 2003 CL six-speed for one of these, and I realized that the instant I picked my car up.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Year in Review -- 2014
It's been far too long since I've posted, and that will be fixed next year. You can expect weekly posts on all things automotive, culinary, and hilarious. Until then, though, let's recap 2014. Lots of awesome (and less than awesome) things happened. In no particular order, I . . .
. . . saw a ton of killer shows. Bridges of Madison County and Honeymoon in Vegas on Broadway, the Birdland Big Band, the Dave Matthews Band (twice!), etc.
. . . was the vocal director and pianist for fabulous full-orchestra productions of Les Miserables and Into the Woods.
. . . played drums and percussion on an upcoming full-length album by Band of Lovers. It'll be released on Valentine's Day 2015 and it sounds quite fantastic if I may say so myself!
. . . made my debut as an actor. Well, sort of. I appeared in several murder mystery theatre productions. It was really fun!
. . . figured out how to make Buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
. . . actually gone to the gym on a day that wasn't Pizza Monday.
. . . bought a car!!! For the first part of 2014, I had a 2002 VW Passat wagon (which I still have and love) and a 2010 Honda Accord sedan. The Accord was in near-mint condition, had 90,000 highway miles, and was paid off. I sold it to my parents in May and replaced it with a 2003 Acura 3.2CL Type-S six-speed coupe. Why would I replace a car that would provide many more essentially "free" miles for one that is seven years older, has 40,000 more miles, and has a few quirks? It's quite simple, really. The Accord was (and still is) a great car that fits my parents' current needs very well, but for my needs and wants, the Acura is a better car. It's exponentially quicker, is better-built, handles better, has a better stereo, has better seats, has more creature comforts. That, and they only made about 3,500 of them in six-speed form, ever (not to mention only about 250 in the color combination I have). It's really tough to drive that car and not step out with a shit-eating grin on my face.
This leads me to my next point, a point that I have been more aware of this year. It hit me when I looked back and realized that holy shit, I'm actually 28! Time is not an infinitely available commodity. We only live once. I know the "YOLO" saying is incredibly cliché, but it really, truly applies. It relates to the car topic in that, if I wanted to, I could drive my Accord for the next ten years and spend next to nothing in upkeep. I chose not to, because the Acura is a car that I genuinely WANTED and a car that I genuinely ENJOY and feel proud of. Yes, I will probably spend a bit more to maintain it. Rational? Not so much. Worth it? Absolutely.
With that in mind, my largest resolution for 2015 is to LIVE and LIVE PROFOUNDLY. More specifically . . .
1. Go to the gym even more regularly than I did in 2014 and take care of myself.
2. Reign in the fast food and bust out of my comfort zone when it comes to cooking and eating.
3. Update this blog on a weekly basis and possibly touch on the topics I blog about on an upcoming YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
4. Finally write and publish the music method book series I have been wanting to write for quite some time now.
5. Publish, copyright, record, and sell some of my concert band music (and other music).
6. Practice a musical instrument every day and actually PRACTICE it.
7. Spend quality time with friends and family on a regular basis, and stay in touch with those that I don't see regularly.
8. Travel somewhere cool (or warm)!
9. Learn a new musical theatre score or rock album every week.
10. Engage in rewarding and fulfilling musical, artistic, and personal engagements, and stop pursuing those which are neither rewarding nor fulfilling, or that consume inordinate amounts of time beyond what they are worth.
So there it is. Have a safe, happy, and healthy 2015, everyone. And for the love of everything sacred (and not-so-sacred), please don't drink and drive tonight (or ever for that matter).
. . . saw a ton of killer shows. Bridges of Madison County and Honeymoon in Vegas on Broadway, the Birdland Big Band, the Dave Matthews Band (twice!), etc.
. . . was the vocal director and pianist for fabulous full-orchestra productions of Les Miserables and Into the Woods.
. . . played drums and percussion on an upcoming full-length album by Band of Lovers. It'll be released on Valentine's Day 2015 and it sounds quite fantastic if I may say so myself!
. . . made my debut as an actor. Well, sort of. I appeared in several murder mystery theatre productions. It was really fun!
. . . figured out how to make Buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
. . . actually gone to the gym on a day that wasn't Pizza Monday.
. . . bought a car!!! For the first part of 2014, I had a 2002 VW Passat wagon (which I still have and love) and a 2010 Honda Accord sedan. The Accord was in near-mint condition, had 90,000 highway miles, and was paid off. I sold it to my parents in May and replaced it with a 2003 Acura 3.2CL Type-S six-speed coupe. Why would I replace a car that would provide many more essentially "free" miles for one that is seven years older, has 40,000 more miles, and has a few quirks? It's quite simple, really. The Accord was (and still is) a great car that fits my parents' current needs very well, but for my needs and wants, the Acura is a better car. It's exponentially quicker, is better-built, handles better, has a better stereo, has better seats, has more creature comforts. That, and they only made about 3,500 of them in six-speed form, ever (not to mention only about 250 in the color combination I have). It's really tough to drive that car and not step out with a shit-eating grin on my face.
This leads me to my next point, a point that I have been more aware of this year. It hit me when I looked back and realized that holy shit, I'm actually 28! Time is not an infinitely available commodity. We only live once. I know the "YOLO" saying is incredibly cliché, but it really, truly applies. It relates to the car topic in that, if I wanted to, I could drive my Accord for the next ten years and spend next to nothing in upkeep. I chose not to, because the Acura is a car that I genuinely WANTED and a car that I genuinely ENJOY and feel proud of. Yes, I will probably spend a bit more to maintain it. Rational? Not so much. Worth it? Absolutely.
With that in mind, my largest resolution for 2015 is to LIVE and LIVE PROFOUNDLY. More specifically . . .
1. Go to the gym even more regularly than I did in 2014 and take care of myself.
2. Reign in the fast food and bust out of my comfort zone when it comes to cooking and eating.
3. Update this blog on a weekly basis and possibly touch on the topics I blog about on an upcoming YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
4. Finally write and publish the music method book series I have been wanting to write for quite some time now.
5. Publish, copyright, record, and sell some of my concert band music (and other music).
6. Practice a musical instrument every day and actually PRACTICE it.
7. Spend quality time with friends and family on a regular basis, and stay in touch with those that I don't see regularly.
8. Travel somewhere cool (or warm)!
9. Learn a new musical theatre score or rock album every week.
10. Engage in rewarding and fulfilling musical, artistic, and personal engagements, and stop pursuing those which are neither rewarding nor fulfilling, or that consume inordinate amounts of time beyond what they are worth.
So there it is. Have a safe, happy, and healthy 2015, everyone. And for the love of everything sacred (and not-so-sacred), please don't drink and drive tonight (or ever for that matter).
Friday, April 18, 2014
Why, at times, I empathize with Jamie from The Last Five Years
Hi Everyone!
It's been a while! I spent the better parts of late February and early March month behind the wheel of a 2014 Honda Accord sedan when my 2010 version of that car was at the body shop (long story, but I have my car back now and it looks like a new car!). I have also been driving a 2013 Volkswagen Passat 2.5SE sedan for the last week and a half as my 2002 Passat Wagon gets a new CV joint to cure an annoying shake under hard acceleration. My goal was to write reviews of these two loaner cars, and I still intend to. However, I am currently on a train to NYC for a couple days to see the NY Auto Show (write-up to come within a couple weeks), the Birdland Big Band (they're fantastic and a must-see for anyone in NYC during dinner hour on a Friday), and an evening Broadway show. With this in mind, I think it's time for a musical theatre post on a topic that's been on my mind for, well, the last EIGHT years (see what I did there with that almost-pun??!!).
I spent the first part of my 2006 spring break in NYC and it was at that time that my good friend Ryan (one of the finest pianists and composers I have heard, and someone whose opinion I respect greatly) introduced me to Jason Robert Brown's cult classic two-person musical The Last Five Years. We listened to the soundtrack in his apartment and he sent me home with a copy the next day. What initially captivated me was the fact that the show was orchestrated for a modified string ensemble (piano, acoustic guitar, fretless bass, violin, and two celli) without drums. It was the first time I had heard such driving music with such killer bass lines genuinely WORK without a drummer holding things together. I was hooked. I listened to the show in the car, in my dorm, and elsewhere over the next few months, and got to know the story pretty well, despite the interesting reverse chronology employed by Brown (the male character tells his story from beginning to end, the female character tells hers from end to beginning, and in this setting, it's a brilliant writing technique).
The story is that of two twenty-somethings in New York City desperately trying to survive professionally and romantically. He (Jamie Wellerstein) is an up-and-coming author experiencing success after success. She (Catherine Hiatt) is an actress who has achieved what some would view as great success (decent summer stock gigs). Despite this, it is strongly implied that she has not had great success in NYC and that she is constantly struggling to get noticed in that scene. In a nutshell, her successes are no match for Jamie's.
SPOILER ALERT: They fall in love, they get married, and it doesn't work out. Why can't they persevere? Well, for one thing, they are young twenty-somethings in NYC who are incredibly passionate about their individual career choices. Reconciling this reality with what a successful romantic relationship (let alone a marriage) demands proves impossible. Long term, committed romance is not for the faint of heart, but we all knew that now, didn't we?
Okay, so whose fault is it? Nearly everyone I have discussed this with empathizes with Cathy. After all, here are a few things about Jamie that we learn as the show unfolds:
1. He is a serial monogamist and a cheater. He ends his first number (Shiksa Goddess) with the line "I could be in love with someone like you." (Fun fact: this is the title of the song that originally held Shiksa Goddess's place in the show.) He also ends his penultimate number (Nobody Needs to Know) with that same line. In Shiksa Goddess, he sings this line about Cathy. In Nobody Needs to Know, he sings this line about Elise (his publisher, who he has just woken up next to in bed).
2. Immediately after he marries Cathy, Jamie sings about the women he meets (and is attracted to) at parties. He's human, he's a physical creature, and I'm not sure he can really be faulted for noticing what's out there. That said, it is implied that what happens in this scene goes beyond simply seeing other attractive women at a party ("and of course I'm trying to show that I wasn't encouraging her, which I sorta was, and I don't want to look whipped in front of this woman, which is dumb, I shouldn't care what she thinks, since I can't f*** her anyway!).
3. He visits Cathy in Ohio for her birthday, but leaves early and does not stay to see her show that night. This also happens directly after he cheats on her.
4. He breaks up with Cathy after five years (half of which was spent in marriage) by leaving her a note.
Needless to say, Jamie won't be getting husband-of-the-year anytime soon. He was not emotionally ready to marry Cathy. There's no argument there. I can see why so many people are so turned off by Jamie's character and why so many people empathize with Cathy.
That said.....
While I don't condone any of Jamie's actions as described above, I absolutely can understand, and dare I say, relate to some of the frustration and emotional emptiness that he undoubtedly wrestled with. For example:
1. If you listen to Jamie's songs in the first half of the show, he actually IS emotionally supportive of Cathy (as he should be, but I feel that this gets overlooked). Proof can be found in the Shmuel Song (a metaphor Jamie uses to prove to Cathy that he believes in her and feels she should go after her dreams). I understand fully that seeing your significant other experience greater success than your own can tax and destroy even the strongest of relationships, but believing in someone else who honestly doesn't believe in himself or herself isn't easy either. And while Cathy shows some moments of fierce determination (Climbing Uphill is an excellent example of this), it is also obvious that her self-confidence just isn't there (the insecurities she shows during the audition sequence come to mind). Can she be faulted for this? Not really. Is believing in your significant other a necessity? Absolutely. Is it unbelievably draining to constantly be a rock of support for someone who can't believe in himself or herself? You're damn right it is, and it makes you feel useless really, really quickly.
2. While it is clear that Cathy is excited and happy (albeit briefly) to be married to a "rising star", I don't see much genuine happiness coming from her to him for his success. The example that comes to mind is when she refuses to attend the party celebrating the publication of Jamie's book. I implied earlier that a non-negotiable requirement of a committed relationship is to be your significant other's biggest cheerleader, and I can't help but get the vibe that Cathy is too caught-up in her own perceived lack of success to celebrate Jamie's successes with him. Imagine constantly being asked at events held in your honor, or at events that you're actively participating in (a book-signing, a concert, etc.) "where's your girlfriend?" or "where's your wife?" It sucks. A lot. Writing is something sacred, and personal, for Jamie. I can't imagine how debilitating, draining, and at times meaningless Jamie's success must have been if the person who was supposed to be his biggest cheerleader wasn't there with him.
To wrap up, do I condone Jamie's serial monogamy, his unfaithfulness, or his break-up technique? Absolutely not. They are signs of immaturity and proof that he "moved too fast" (see what I did there?). However, I also feel very strongly that Cathy moved too fast as well, and that by being unable to fully love herself and believe in herself, a requirement of emotional support was placed on Jamie that, try as he did, he couldn't satisfy. You HAVE to love yourself before you can be fully and perfectly loved by someone else. This also prevented Cathy from feeling genuinely happy for Jamie through his successes. Was she trying to hurt him? No. Was damage done by her not celebrating with him? You bet is was.
Point being, neither of them was ready for their relationship to progress as it did. And as much of a dick as Jamie is, there are two sides to every story.
It's been a while! I spent the better parts of late February and early March month behind the wheel of a 2014 Honda Accord sedan when my 2010 version of that car was at the body shop (long story, but I have my car back now and it looks like a new car!). I have also been driving a 2013 Volkswagen Passat 2.5SE sedan for the last week and a half as my 2002 Passat Wagon gets a new CV joint to cure an annoying shake under hard acceleration. My goal was to write reviews of these two loaner cars, and I still intend to. However, I am currently on a train to NYC for a couple days to see the NY Auto Show (write-up to come within a couple weeks), the Birdland Big Band (they're fantastic and a must-see for anyone in NYC during dinner hour on a Friday), and an evening Broadway show. With this in mind, I think it's time for a musical theatre post on a topic that's been on my mind for, well, the last EIGHT years (see what I did there with that almost-pun??!!).
I spent the first part of my 2006 spring break in NYC and it was at that time that my good friend Ryan (one of the finest pianists and composers I have heard, and someone whose opinion I respect greatly) introduced me to Jason Robert Brown's cult classic two-person musical The Last Five Years. We listened to the soundtrack in his apartment and he sent me home with a copy the next day. What initially captivated me was the fact that the show was orchestrated for a modified string ensemble (piano, acoustic guitar, fretless bass, violin, and two celli) without drums. It was the first time I had heard such driving music with such killer bass lines genuinely WORK without a drummer holding things together. I was hooked. I listened to the show in the car, in my dorm, and elsewhere over the next few months, and got to know the story pretty well, despite the interesting reverse chronology employed by Brown (the male character tells his story from beginning to end, the female character tells hers from end to beginning, and in this setting, it's a brilliant writing technique).
The story is that of two twenty-somethings in New York City desperately trying to survive professionally and romantically. He (Jamie Wellerstein) is an up-and-coming author experiencing success after success. She (Catherine Hiatt) is an actress who has achieved what some would view as great success (decent summer stock gigs). Despite this, it is strongly implied that she has not had great success in NYC and that she is constantly struggling to get noticed in that scene. In a nutshell, her successes are no match for Jamie's.
SPOILER ALERT: They fall in love, they get married, and it doesn't work out. Why can't they persevere? Well, for one thing, they are young twenty-somethings in NYC who are incredibly passionate about their individual career choices. Reconciling this reality with what a successful romantic relationship (let alone a marriage) demands proves impossible. Long term, committed romance is not for the faint of heart, but we all knew that now, didn't we?
Okay, so whose fault is it? Nearly everyone I have discussed this with empathizes with Cathy. After all, here are a few things about Jamie that we learn as the show unfolds:
1. He is a serial monogamist and a cheater. He ends his first number (Shiksa Goddess) with the line "I could be in love with someone like you." (Fun fact: this is the title of the song that originally held Shiksa Goddess's place in the show.) He also ends his penultimate number (Nobody Needs to Know) with that same line. In Shiksa Goddess, he sings this line about Cathy. In Nobody Needs to Know, he sings this line about Elise (his publisher, who he has just woken up next to in bed).
2. Immediately after he marries Cathy, Jamie sings about the women he meets (and is attracted to) at parties. He's human, he's a physical creature, and I'm not sure he can really be faulted for noticing what's out there. That said, it is implied that what happens in this scene goes beyond simply seeing other attractive women at a party ("and of course I'm trying to show that I wasn't encouraging her, which I sorta was, and I don't want to look whipped in front of this woman, which is dumb, I shouldn't care what she thinks, since I can't f*** her anyway!).
3. He visits Cathy in Ohio for her birthday, but leaves early and does not stay to see her show that night. This also happens directly after he cheats on her.
4. He breaks up with Cathy after five years (half of which was spent in marriage) by leaving her a note.
Needless to say, Jamie won't be getting husband-of-the-year anytime soon. He was not emotionally ready to marry Cathy. There's no argument there. I can see why so many people are so turned off by Jamie's character and why so many people empathize with Cathy.
That said.....
While I don't condone any of Jamie's actions as described above, I absolutely can understand, and dare I say, relate to some of the frustration and emotional emptiness that he undoubtedly wrestled with. For example:
1. If you listen to Jamie's songs in the first half of the show, he actually IS emotionally supportive of Cathy (as he should be, but I feel that this gets overlooked). Proof can be found in the Shmuel Song (a metaphor Jamie uses to prove to Cathy that he believes in her and feels she should go after her dreams). I understand fully that seeing your significant other experience greater success than your own can tax and destroy even the strongest of relationships, but believing in someone else who honestly doesn't believe in himself or herself isn't easy either. And while Cathy shows some moments of fierce determination (Climbing Uphill is an excellent example of this), it is also obvious that her self-confidence just isn't there (the insecurities she shows during the audition sequence come to mind). Can she be faulted for this? Not really. Is believing in your significant other a necessity? Absolutely. Is it unbelievably draining to constantly be a rock of support for someone who can't believe in himself or herself? You're damn right it is, and it makes you feel useless really, really quickly.
2. While it is clear that Cathy is excited and happy (albeit briefly) to be married to a "rising star", I don't see much genuine happiness coming from her to him for his success. The example that comes to mind is when she refuses to attend the party celebrating the publication of Jamie's book. I implied earlier that a non-negotiable requirement of a committed relationship is to be your significant other's biggest cheerleader, and I can't help but get the vibe that Cathy is too caught-up in her own perceived lack of success to celebrate Jamie's successes with him. Imagine constantly being asked at events held in your honor, or at events that you're actively participating in (a book-signing, a concert, etc.) "where's your girlfriend?" or "where's your wife?" It sucks. A lot. Writing is something sacred, and personal, for Jamie. I can't imagine how debilitating, draining, and at times meaningless Jamie's success must have been if the person who was supposed to be his biggest cheerleader wasn't there with him.
To wrap up, do I condone Jamie's serial monogamy, his unfaithfulness, or his break-up technique? Absolutely not. They are signs of immaturity and proof that he "moved too fast" (see what I did there?). However, I also feel very strongly that Cathy moved too fast as well, and that by being unable to fully love herself and believe in herself, a requirement of emotional support was placed on Jamie that, try as he did, he couldn't satisfy. You HAVE to love yourself before you can be fully and perfectly loved by someone else. This also prevented Cathy from feeling genuinely happy for Jamie through his successes. Was she trying to hurt him? No. Was damage done by her not celebrating with him? You bet is was.
Point being, neither of them was ready for their relationship to progress as it did. And as much of a dick as Jamie is, there are two sides to every story.
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