a few things about bright eyes' new cd, cassadaga.
1. best cd packaging, ever. every cd should come with a spectral decoder. i feel like a kid with a new happy meal toy. holy crap.
2. the music is quality. it doesn't even remotely feel like oberst has multiple personalities. hooray!
go get it.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Monday, April 02, 2007
solving for x
Writerscafe.org put forth this challenge: Write a story or poem containing 26 sentences (or lines) the first one starting with the letter A, then B, C, and so on until you've reached the letter Z. Be warned, X is the tricky one. I'm looking for the most complete story or poem AND the most creative solution for X. Happy writing!
Albuquerque is beautiful in the springtime. Bluer skies than you had ever imagined hang overhead. Clouds only punctuate the clear blue of the skies. Dusk brings glorious sunsets of orange, purple and pink. Every color in the crayon box crawling across the landscape. Forests of pine and tumbleweeds dot the mountainsides. Gravel crunches underfoot as you walk towards the base of the mountains. Hikers and bikers wave at you and nod hello. In fact, everyone seems a little more friendly here, like maybe they know you from somewhere. Juniper grows in almost every yard. Kiva fireplaces stand as a reminder of native traditions.
Leaving this place made it fresh again. Maybe if I hadn't left I wouldn't see it through the same eyes. New experiences and places provide a contrast with which to compare these things. Only by leaving could I finally see the colors. Perhaps I could have returned sooner, but I'm not certain it would be the same.
Quirkiness seems to fit here better than it does in other places. Route 66 runs through the heart of this town and the retro kitsch still permeates the area. Strange people abound here, like the naked guy who protests outside the military base. Tribes of Native Americans own the land surrounding the city, stopping it from sprawling too far. Usually, you can find little shops on the edge of the reservations that still sell bread baked in their round mud ovens fueled by firewood.
Visitors to this town might not understand the homes here; stucco squares in every imaginable shade of brown, looking like ancient adobe huts. Water is scarce in these high country deserts, so the people have grown to adapt. Xeriscaped yards dominate the neighborhoods with gravel covered lawns instead of water thirsty grass. Yucca, cactus, and agave with their spiky, spiny leaves defend their alien landscape. Zealots for the lush green lawns of suburban America might not love it here, but I think that I do.
Albuquerque is beautiful in the springtime. Bluer skies than you had ever imagined hang overhead. Clouds only punctuate the clear blue of the skies. Dusk brings glorious sunsets of orange, purple and pink. Every color in the crayon box crawling across the landscape. Forests of pine and tumbleweeds dot the mountainsides. Gravel crunches underfoot as you walk towards the base of the mountains. Hikers and bikers wave at you and nod hello. In fact, everyone seems a little more friendly here, like maybe they know you from somewhere. Juniper grows in almost every yard. Kiva fireplaces stand as a reminder of native traditions.
Leaving this place made it fresh again. Maybe if I hadn't left I wouldn't see it through the same eyes. New experiences and places provide a contrast with which to compare these things. Only by leaving could I finally see the colors. Perhaps I could have returned sooner, but I'm not certain it would be the same.
Quirkiness seems to fit here better than it does in other places. Route 66 runs through the heart of this town and the retro kitsch still permeates the area. Strange people abound here, like the naked guy who protests outside the military base. Tribes of Native Americans own the land surrounding the city, stopping it from sprawling too far. Usually, you can find little shops on the edge of the reservations that still sell bread baked in their round mud ovens fueled by firewood.
Visitors to this town might not understand the homes here; stucco squares in every imaginable shade of brown, looking like ancient adobe huts. Water is scarce in these high country deserts, so the people have grown to adapt. Xeriscaped yards dominate the neighborhoods with gravel covered lawns instead of water thirsty grass. Yucca, cactus, and agave with their spiky, spiny leaves defend their alien landscape. Zealots for the lush green lawns of suburban America might not love it here, but I think that I do.
Friday, March 09, 2007
5 awesome things for the week
1. My new nephew: Finnegan. Born March 5th at 11:11pm. 7 lbs 2 ounces. Apparently he is here on a mission for Justice, Ass-Kicking, and making his folks proud. I'm going to buy him a T-shirt that says "I just made poo"
2. a ten day forecast with highs from 66°F to 72°F. i think i'm hiking in the mountains this weekend.
3. the cubano sandwich with apple slaw at relish. i had one yesterday for lunch and only sheer willpower is keeping me from going back to have another today. it's joey tribiani heaven in that place. best sandwiches in the city.
4. driving at night through the heights and being able to see the whole city. <
5. rediscovering my hometown. everyone should try it.
2. a ten day forecast with highs from 66°F to 72°F. i think i'm hiking in the mountains this weekend.
3. the cubano sandwich with apple slaw at relish. i had one yesterday for lunch and only sheer willpower is keeping me from going back to have another today. it's joey tribiani heaven in that place. best sandwiches in the city.
4. driving at night through the heights and being able to see the whole city. <
5. rediscovering my hometown. everyone should try it.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
i made it
we got into albuquerque on saturday. still looking for a house. i actually found the house i wanted on saturday, but by tuesday, it was sold. DOH! anyways here's some pics:
most of southern illinois looks just like this:
st. louis
these signs are all along the highway in oklahoma. i have no clue what they mean. if anyone has the answer, please let me know.
one should not try to take photos of the moon while driving. danger! danger!
joshua never believes me that it snows in nm. i thought i left illinois to get away from this.
once we got over the mountains it was all bright and sunny. it's been in the 60's all week. woohay!
most of southern illinois looks just like this:
st. louis
these signs are all along the highway in oklahoma. i have no clue what they mean. if anyone has the answer, please let me know.
one should not try to take photos of the moon while driving. danger! danger!
joshua never believes me that it snows in nm. i thought i left illinois to get away from this.
once we got over the mountains it was all bright and sunny. it's been in the 60's all week. woohay!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
i'm out
dear chicago,
my relationship with you has been strained from the beginning. deep down, i'm a southern girl, and your cold, midwestern stylings just haven't worked for me. i won't miss your wind or your snow. i won't miss the fact that you have given your freeways code names so the outsiders cannot understand your traffic reports. i won't miss your never-ending sprawling boring suburbs. and i won't miss winters that seem to last 8 months out of the year.
but these things i shall miss:
- concert buddies, first and foremost. you know who you are. and you rock like whoa. you held my hand swaying in front of pat sansone's stripey socks. you got me water when i was parched. you made cat faces at me. you brought snacks and drinks for our long drives to and fro. you stopped strange lesbians from dry humping me. wait, no you didn't. that actually happened. ass. i'll miss you anyways.
- schubas. need i say more? i emo heart the schubas photo booth.
- portillos beef sandwich, dipped with sweet and hot peppers.
- dick prall. travel west, young man.
- crate and barrel. there's no crate in nm. suck!
um... yeah... i think that's all i will miss.
next stop: albuquerque.
my relationship with you has been strained from the beginning. deep down, i'm a southern girl, and your cold, midwestern stylings just haven't worked for me. i won't miss your wind or your snow. i won't miss the fact that you have given your freeways code names so the outsiders cannot understand your traffic reports. i won't miss your never-ending sprawling boring suburbs. and i won't miss winters that seem to last 8 months out of the year.
but these things i shall miss:
- concert buddies, first and foremost. you know who you are. and you rock like whoa. you held my hand swaying in front of pat sansone's stripey socks. you got me water when i was parched. you made cat faces at me. you brought snacks and drinks for our long drives to and fro. you stopped strange lesbians from dry humping me. wait, no you didn't. that actually happened. ass. i'll miss you anyways.
- schubas. need i say more? i emo heart the schubas photo booth.
- portillos beef sandwich, dipped with sweet and hot peppers.
- dick prall. travel west, young man.
- crate and barrel. there's no crate in nm. suck!
um... yeah... i think that's all i will miss.
next stop: albuquerque.
Friday, February 23, 2007
are you freaking kidding me??!!?!?
I got a phone call from my mother in law about an hour ago. It started out relatively painless. Then she asked what my plans were this weekend. What are my plans? Well, I'm moving in four days. My plans are to start organizing the items that I'm taking in the car with me for my 18-hour drive with two young children. My plans are to do laundry so I'm not packing and moving dirty things. My plans are to throw out extraneous items so I don't have to move them. My plans are to have an anxiety attack and sob quietly in the corner. What are your plans? "I have some packing and organizing to do," I say.
"Well," she says, "we were wondering if we could drive up this weekend to visit with the girls before you left." My house has been on the market since November. You haven't come to visit in nearly a year. My husband - your son - just left this past Monday after being home for 10 days, and you want to visit the weekend before my move? Are you for real?!? "I'm going to be pretty busy. I really don't think that will work," I say. "But the movers are going to be doing all the packing," she says. I politely decline.
I call my husband about 30 minutes later and ask him if he knew his mother was going to call me. He says that he did not, but that he just talked to them. Yes, that's right. His mother called him right after she got off the phone with me. She called him at a conference in Florida, where he is working, to try her passive-aggressive wonder powers on him. He had pretty much the same response I did, and told them that he was working and didn't have time for this. (Have I mentioned I love this man?)
This is the real kicker. Where were my in-laws three weekends ago? They were home in Cincinnati babysitting my sister-in-law's child. Where were they the weekend after that, when my husband was home? They were in Cleveland, visiting my sister-in-law. Where were they last weekend when my husband was still home? They were in southern Ohio for the birth of another grandkid... Okay, I have to give them that one.
There's a reason I'm moving 1400 miles away.
"Well," she says, "we were wondering if we could drive up this weekend to visit with the girls before you left." My house has been on the market since November. You haven't come to visit in nearly a year. My husband - your son - just left this past Monday after being home for 10 days, and you want to visit the weekend before my move? Are you for real?!? "I'm going to be pretty busy. I really don't think that will work," I say. "But the movers are going to be doing all the packing," she says. I politely decline.
I call my husband about 30 minutes later and ask him if he knew his mother was going to call me. He says that he did not, but that he just talked to them. Yes, that's right. His mother called him right after she got off the phone with me. She called him at a conference in Florida, where he is working, to try her passive-aggressive wonder powers on him. He had pretty much the same response I did, and told them that he was working and didn't have time for this. (Have I mentioned I love this man?)
This is the real kicker. Where were my in-laws three weekends ago? They were home in Cincinnati babysitting my sister-in-law's child. Where were they the weekend after that, when my husband was home? They were in Cleveland, visiting my sister-in-law. Where were they last weekend when my husband was still home? They were in southern Ohio for the birth of another grandkid... Okay, I have to give them that one.
There's a reason I'm moving 1400 miles away.
Monday, February 19, 2007
cigarettes and empty bottles, empty bottles
The Beat Kitchen, Chicago. February 18, 2007
Teitur w/ Jenny Owen Youngs and Curtis Evans
I almost didn't go to this show. I was out until 2 AM the night before and I had to drive out to O'Hare at 4 AM the next morning. But I couldn't justify missing a chance to see Teitur as my last concert as a Chicagoland resident, so with my kickass concert buddy guru James alongside me we made one last trek into the city together for a show.
We were both exhausted from being out so late the night before, but the website said the opener started at 7:30, so we weren't figuring to stay out too late. Then to arrive at the show and see the openers wouldn't start until 8:30? That's all kinds of ass. The venue was dark and cold with black painted walls and ceiling, blue lights over the stage, and a low hanging dank cloud of cigarette smoke. The first opener was Curtis Evans. He's a local Chicago boy, and seemed to have his share of friends in the audience.
Jenny Owen Youngs was next, and she was incredible. She has a unique voice and sings brutally honest songs. She was also hilarious and interacted a lot with the crowd. At one point, James turned to me and said, "I think I'm in love." To which I replied, "Me too. If you don't marry her, I will."
At one point, that crazy bitch jumped off the stage right into the audience. I think I touched her ass. Nevermind. I just imagined that. She did play a rousing rendition of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" though. That wasn't in my imagination.
Also not in my imagination:
Seriously, take me to shows. I'll get the pictures you would never dare to ask for yourself. I should really hire myself out for things like this.
I took my chances to run to the loo between sets and ran into Dick Prall out in the bar area. I was really hoping to see him before I moved, so that was a total bonus to my night. I'm sorry Lynn, I did not get any pictures of Dick. I did see Dick. I did wrap my arms around Dick and give Dick a big hug. There's nothing quite as good as a random Dick sighting. I could go on, but now I'm just being dirty.
Of course, the real draw of the night was Teitur himself.
I'm the worst person in the world for setlists, but here's what I remember:
don't want you to wake up
sleeping with the lights on
amanda's dream
poetry and aeroplanes
lets go dancing
i run the carousel
thief about to break in
you get me
josephine
umbrellas in the rain
hitchhiker
guilt by association
louis louis
baby you don't ever have to see me again
i was just thinking
I'm certain I missed something. But such is life. If you ever get the chance to see Teitur in concert, please go. He's a fantastic performer with a really unique voice and sound.
Full flickr photoset here
I did get to talk to Teitur a little bit after the show. He's going to be doing some recording down in Australia and some mixing in Santa Barbara. So keep your ears peeled for news on a new record. Yippee!
Teitur w/ Jenny Owen Youngs and Curtis Evans
I almost didn't go to this show. I was out until 2 AM the night before and I had to drive out to O'Hare at 4 AM the next morning. But I couldn't justify missing a chance to see Teitur as my last concert as a Chicagoland resident, so with my kickass concert buddy guru James alongside me we made one last trek into the city together for a show.
We were both exhausted from being out so late the night before, but the website said the opener started at 7:30, so we weren't figuring to stay out too late. Then to arrive at the show and see the openers wouldn't start until 8:30? That's all kinds of ass. The venue was dark and cold with black painted walls and ceiling, blue lights over the stage, and a low hanging dank cloud of cigarette smoke. The first opener was Curtis Evans. He's a local Chicago boy, and seemed to have his share of friends in the audience.
Jenny Owen Youngs was next, and she was incredible. She has a unique voice and sings brutally honest songs. She was also hilarious and interacted a lot with the crowd. At one point, James turned to me and said, "I think I'm in love." To which I replied, "Me too. If you don't marry her, I will."
At one point, that crazy bitch jumped off the stage right into the audience. I think I touched her ass. Nevermind. I just imagined that. She did play a rousing rendition of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" though. That wasn't in my imagination.
Also not in my imagination:
Seriously, take me to shows. I'll get the pictures you would never dare to ask for yourself. I should really hire myself out for things like this.
I took my chances to run to the loo between sets and ran into Dick Prall out in the bar area. I was really hoping to see him before I moved, so that was a total bonus to my night. I'm sorry Lynn, I did not get any pictures of Dick. I did see Dick. I did wrap my arms around Dick and give Dick a big hug. There's nothing quite as good as a random Dick sighting. I could go on, but now I'm just being dirty.
Of course, the real draw of the night was Teitur himself.
I'm the worst person in the world for setlists, but here's what I remember:
don't want you to wake up
sleeping with the lights on
amanda's dream
poetry and aeroplanes
lets go dancing
i run the carousel
thief about to break in
you get me
josephine
umbrellas in the rain
hitchhiker
guilt by association
louis louis
baby you don't ever have to see me again
i was just thinking
I'm certain I missed something. But such is life. If you ever get the chance to see Teitur in concert, please go. He's a fantastic performer with a really unique voice and sound.
Full flickr photoset here
I did get to talk to Teitur a little bit after the show. He's going to be doing some recording down in Australia and some mixing in Santa Barbara. So keep your ears peeled for news on a new record. Yippee!
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