Sorry - I took a bit of a hiatus, not just on blogging mind you but with pretty much everything. Then I realized I needed to get with the program, stop watching 'scrubs' 5 hours a day and DO something again and here is the start of something.... What's been going on since I last checked in?
+Q has left for NYC and (surprise) has no intention of coming back. I totally called it! It was through Q that I met a lot of my friends and acquaintances, and she become one of the greatest friends a lady could ask for. I think her leaving might have been what actually pushed me into the black hole filled with 'scrubs' and frozen carrots - I have a hard time with long-distance friendships, plus I miss her like cray cray - but she is searching for happiness and her own path and if she has to do it in New York than I am happy for her. I am turning it around and hoping that it inspires me to do the same for myself. Speaking of....
+ I'm ready for a new job. I adore Jimmy and it's an easy job that I do enjoy but I am ready for something different. Working for kids 45 hours a week is a bit draining but can also be MISERABLE if you hate your job and I don't want to get to that point, but I slowly see myself getting there. Once I start school this fall I think I am going to officially start looking for a job I'd enjoy and maybe (cross fingers) be around other adults!!! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
+ I'm learning how to cook, slowly but surely. I made homemade alfredo sauce for chicken bow-tie pasta extravaganza that I altered to be less horrid for you and it was fucking phenomenal. The roommate said it was one of the best sauces he'd ever had. I was/still am very pleased with myself! I want to start cooking one new meal every week - I think I can do it.
+ The big storm last Friday! It was crazy, wasn't it?!
We of course lost power but thankfully got it back on saturday. It said on the news some wouldn't have power until AT LEAST saturday - wowzerz. The month of June brought 3 power outages for my place (a fallen tress branch, a giant fuse break on our block, giant storm) and I can definitely say I no longer take electricity for granted, and I really need to find some things to do with my time that aren't dependent on wether or not I have electricity! Maybe I'll begin making my own jewelry...
+ Family visit -- saving for an entry all of it's own.
+Books I've read and adore:
+ Albums I've listened to and adore:
+ youtube videos of a lifetime:
(the corny music of the last one makes it even better)
+okay, that's a good monthly wrap up, eh?
peace, love, and sunshine!
Last fall, I had the most glorifying, joyous, spiritual experience of my life when I saw the Arcade Fire in Kansas City. Now, I've been really lucky to see some amazing bands live and have been blown away and in awe of my luck in getting to see them - Belle & Sebastian, Jens Lekman, The New Pornographers, The Faint, The Decemberists, Okkervil River, Broken Social Scene, A Kevin Drew "secret" show, Of Montreal, Rilo Kiley, etc. etc. I have said it before, many times to good 'ole JP, I just need to stop even counting the arcade fire as a show - as great and as moved as I've been at shows since, nothing compares. It was an experience.
The power of music can't really be disputed - songs to bring you up at your lowest, songs to keep you company when you're feeling like shit and don't want to feel better yet, songs to make you dance, songs to make you cry, songs to help you fall asleep, songs to wake you up. I feel like this band really and truly encompasses all of these things, many times in the same song. During the show, the members face would be shown in a close-up on the screens surrounding the stage. The intensity in their eyes, excitement, feeling in their faces - if their music hadn't drawn you in already that would have been the sinker. The way they played music was so passionate, I hadn't even seen anything like it and I doubt I ever will.
Anyway, it's been almost since then that I've felt the need to really listen to any of their albums, but last week I cam across this on another blog:
**that and sing me spanish techno, but doesn't that go without saying?
The summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college I was living in Toulon. A friend picked me up and we went to Joe's Crab Shack for a big night in the Central Illinois. We sipped on virgin daiquiris and ate our food. I didn't like seafood and hadn't ever tried Shrimp before but my friend made me try some of her fried shrimp...I decided "hey! I'm 19! Why not! Live Life!" I ended up eating half of her shrimp - so delicious, so succulent, so tasty.
Fast-forward 30 minutes later - trying to finish my burger but giggling way too much. I walked into the wall of the bathroom so hard it left a goose egg and I laughed about it for 10 minutes. My friend told me my cheeks were turning red and was pretty much my virgin daiquiri was a bit sluttier than intended. Missy tried to explain to my mom when she dropped me off that it was a mistake, we weren't drinking, but I think my mom may not have been exactly happy.
"why didn'th you ever leth uth eath thrimp, mom? it'th delithiouth!!" I slurred, tongue swelling, as I stumbled into my room , my mom looked at me as what was happening started to make complete sense:
"I'm allergic to it."
apparently, so was I. As drunk and happy as the shrimp made me feel the night before I woke up only a few hours later to one of the worst experiences of my life. I couldn't go to work, I couldn't even take my face out of the toilet for a solid 12 hours. A trip to the doctor confirmed what I had fear - the delicious shrimp I ate the night before was forever destined to be my Kryptonite.
Fast foward 5 years later - Metro Community College. Great Plains Theatre Conference Gala. JP. Me. Class acts and Academy Award winners. An amazing, tasty looking spread for the taking - 75% of it shellfish/seafood based.
sad. very sad. I was hungry. I mean...the quasadilla probably was never sharing a plate with crab or shrimp, right? there is NO WAY a fork that picked up a shrimp could have possibly touched a piece of cheese I ate right next to the giant plate of kryptonite, right? Wrong.
2 glasses of wine, and some ingested shellfish later JP left me sitting in a chair as a normal, slightly overwhelmed girl and coming back she found a finger snapping, head sideways, can't stand straight drunkard. And it just got worse - ever throw up on the side of the interstate? Tell a complete stranger how many popcorn jelly beans you'd managed to find? Fall asleep on the door right after you pound on it to let you in? I met some good people that night - don't get me wrong - but around 1am my drunken stupor started to get ugly, and by 6am it was downright hideous. I spent another day, face first in the potty, realized this was not the worlds worst hangover but a good ole' fashioned poisoning, and was to wonder - why did I do it?
You can ask all of my friends - I tell everyone about my allergy, ask people to keep it away, ask waiters and others about foods to make sure there isn't even crustacean oils in anything. I made a mistake.
I was shellfished at the Gala.
(btw - LOVE galas!! overwhelming but makes you feel kind of important....I may soon throw my own gala. hmmm)
It's election year, and since today will pretty much seal the democratic nomination for Barack we will now be hounded with even MORE obnoxious, mind numbing political commercials and commentary for the Obama/McCain showdown. I am down with the politics, to an extent - I campaign a bit, vote always and spend my fair share of tuesday nights in front of the television watching results come in - but it does get a bit old. So...I plan on having a few elections of my own. Todays, we are fighting for the title of ultimate grab & go breakfast bread --
BAGEL VS. ENGLISH MUFFIN
I just recently fell in love with Bagels. I hate cream cheese and thought that must mean I hate Bagels as well since they go together, you dig? I was wrong. With butter, and sometimes fruit preserves it can be a toasted morning dream.
English Muffins and I go way back - I love them. I especially love the wheat ones. They are just as delicious as a Bagel and a LOOOOOOOOT better for you - but isn't there just something about a bagel?
and then again...isn't there just something about an English Muffin.
I have my pick.
I will give this sash to the English Muffin. It has more experience as my breakfast bread of choice, cheaper to buy, better for me, and just as delicious as a bagel. I am hoping Mr. English Muffin asks Ms. Bagel to be her VP of grab & go breakfast breads....don't be a bitch, Bagel. I realize your feelings are hurt but you gotta suck it up and do it for the country. (wink wink - nudge nudge)
That ends this installment of Election 2008. Join us next time for the battle of best bedtime wind-down activity - there is even an independent running in that one!
1. song of the day: if it's not with you by Phoenix:
I am not entirely sure why I love it so much today, but I do. In fact,
I cannot stop listening to it...I fucking love Phoenix. I truly do. The
lyrics, the beats, the accents - what more could I want?
(hint: open in new tab, listen while you read)
and onto a more pressing issue:
I hate the term Fiance. Maybe it's because I am feeling slightly bitter, slightly lonely, slightly hateful at this moment but I can not deal with it. It's already happening...the eyes. the "oh, you're single? how sad." eyes from the people who introduce me to their fiance/fiancee. I then get the same look from that person. The perfect couple. I am sure I'd had it done before but it was VERY obvious yesterday when I ran into an old co-worker - an old co-worker who is honestly just atrocious - not nice, arrogant, condescending, and not very attractive. And there they stood, next to their seemingly nice and super adorable "fiance" - I swear to you that word was thrown around at least 20 times in a 3 minute conversation.
After I was asked if I was in a relationship and answered truthfully - no - I got the standard "oh, you'll find someone, don't worry" and it really, really pissed me off. What if I don't FEEL like finding someone? What if I am SICK of finding someone? What if I want to go and live my life and have someone find ME? I am 24 years old - I know by Toulon standards I am in the worry zone of "Old Maid" territory but come on!! And what if I DON'T find someone - what if I just find people who make me happy for awhile and then move on? What if I live my life having my friends being my constants, having a life full of travel and love and casual sex? Would it really be that horrible?
Stop. Worrying. About. Me. Horrible. Just. Engaged. Person.
Because, you see, I am done worrying. Done Looking. Done Done Done. Yes, I want to have someone in my life - it gets lonely sometimes. But I have good friends, and a good head on my shoulders. To be honest I am really trying to work hard on appreciating and liking myself, I am getting there but it is probably something I should sort out before I jump into something. I am in no hurry, I am in no rush - life is okay with or without a damned fiance.
Meet Eija Berliner - Mauer. She is 54, lives in Sweden and has been married for 29 years. What makes her so interesting?
She is married to the Berlin Wall.
Yes. The Berlin Wall. In fact, her last name "Berliner - Mauer" translates from German into Berline Wall.
Mrs. Berlin Wall has Objectum Sexuality, which basically means she is emotionally and sexually attracted to inanimate objects. She feels like 'objects', especially buildings and fences and bridges can feel, hear, think, and love just like humans. She explains it for herself on her website (which is very interesting, take a peek):
"It is simply to be emotionally and sexually attracted to OBJECTS, things - not human beings or similar, but if you would have any chance to understand this, or get a true picture of it, I think it is very important to know the back-ground, and the ground ideas of persons who are objectúm-sexual: We believe that all objects (things) are LIVING and having a SOUL, (Animism). I think that is very important to see objects as living, if one should be able to fall in love with an object. I have met several people who are of the same, and more people than you might would think, believe in Animism, that also objects are living things and having a soul."
I am very intrigued by Mrs. Berliner-Mauer for may reasons, but one question will not leave my head....well okay 2.
1. how does one HAVE sexy time with a wall, bridge, fence....
2. is this going to have to be another fear of single women? Let's face it - we already have spinster, old maid, crazy cat lady, charity case, and unwed mother to be scared of, do we really "crazy wall fucker lady"?
On that note, I would like to send a little open letter to Mrs. Berliner- Mauer:
Mrs. Berlin Wall -
I am a firm believer in love. Love who you want, what you want - if it isn't going to hurt anyone else physically or emotionally, you should be free to love/wed/become intimate whomever (or in your case, whatever) you wish. I hope you and the Berlin Wall are able to work it out, and you stop cheating on him with your fence in the backyard! (Seriously, if the Berlin Wall has feelings as you claim, do you think he would like to know you are gettin' freaky with other people?) I do have one request - please, please don't do anymore interviews. Take down your website, settle into your home with your model walls and fences and live your life but not in front of the world. With all due respect to you, I am terrified of you and will never look at walls the same again. I wish you the best but I refuse to let the media use this against single me - so please keep your trap closed.
Give my regards to Berlin Wall, will you?
Sincerely,
Kelly G.
(She really is cheating on Berlin Wall. Now she is a slutty wall fucker.)
As a nanny, I have a few free hours a day to do - well - nothing. As he sleeps, or watches 'Dora the Explorer' & 'Wonder Pets' I usually sit online, its my only true connection to people over the age of 2 for the 9 hours I am here, 5 days a week. So how do I spend my time - believe it or not there are amazing sites outside of myspace, facebook, google and youtube! Let me share with you the links that keep me sane (or perhaps, a bit cray cray)
- Black Cab Sessions-- I just found this one (thanks to the roommate), very kickass site. It has a bunch of really bitchin' bands come play in the back seat of a cab. Beautiful!
- Dlisted -- Michael K and his hilarious gossip commentary is always a highlight of the day. He wins the gossip blog showdown HANDS DOWN - that's right, Perez, you heard me.
- The A.V. Club -- A smart, funny, topical site updated daily with lots of articles, tv shows/movie/book/music reviews, interviews, and really absurdly funny weekly columns.
- Stereogum -- it's how I stay hip (hip AND square!)
- Hulu -- this is one amazing piece of internet ass. Amazing quality TV shows, less commercials that using the players on the networks website. Waste time watching game shows that may very well send you to hell if you even watch (the moment of truth) , funny shows you love (the office, 30 rock, arrested development, always sunny in Philadelphia) late night funny men (....just conan) and phenomenal shows from years past (party of five, facts of life ). There are even sports games and movies!! It's pretty amazing, I have to say. Sadly - no ABC shows ( aka no LOST) but, it's still fucking great.
- Etsy -- People make things, and go to this site to sell them. It's actually a really cool site to just cruise around and a fantastic place to get gifts for weddings, birthdays, and other special occasions.
- Comedy Central Insider -- All funny people, all the time. Lots of links, lots of videos, lots of magical times.
and there you go. That should take care of an afternoon!
oh, probably add CNN.com in there to, so I look nice and well rounded. Thanks!!!
xoxo
Last evening I ventured out with the roommate to see a lil' film called 'Young @ Heart":
I've wanted to see it for quite awhile, I love documentaries and this seemed like a sweet topic.
Sweet it was, and also (apparently) devastating to me. I spent the last solid hour of the film sobbing, bawling, tearing up, and having some breakdowns. I am not exactly sure what happened, some sad things do happen in a film about a chorus with the average age of 80 - I think anyone could have had a tear or two run down their cheeks. Maybe I lost it because two older people in my family have died (and one, Uncle Willard, quite suddenly) within the last two months and I wasn't able to be in Illinois to mourn with my family. Maybe I lost it because it made me think of my grandparents and how much I miss them. Maybe I lost it because I'm a hormonal mess. And definitely because one of the men in the film reminded me of Uncle Willard SO SO much and then he sang this:
I just tried to watch it one more time and I started up again...dear god.
It was a beautiful film, it was inspiring and funny and touching and not nearly as tragic as my actions would have made people think. It was filled with a few adorable little music videos that really are fantastic in many splendid ways:
I actually loved the movie, and I hope everyone gets a chance to see it.
(part one below. read that first.)
Let's finish this up, shall we?
Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye
Oh Luscious Jackson - I still this song is pretty amazing. Also very sexy...love a sexy song.
Spacehog - In the Meantime
Remember this song? Before 'Spacehog' made it really big and....
ha. poor guys. But I love this song, I have a very vibrant memory of going to a Sam Goody and buying the cassette single to this song in the dollar bin with my Brother. We listened to it in his Jeep and I think maybe he thought I could grow up and be cool. He's still waiting to find out.
ALSO -- love videos with transsexuals.
The Cardigans - Your New Cuckoo
Buying the album First Band on the Moon was purely to have the song "Lovefool" - damn it was catchy. The store was out of the single (god, am I the only one who bought shit tons of singles?!) so I bought the album. The actual CD was seafoam green and from that moment on I fell in love with the album - the whole thing. In fact, it is still in rotation on my itunes and car stereo (although I am now at CD #3)
other notes:
- this song is a favorite from the album, so I went with it.
- Nina Perrson is so adorable...so adorable!
- they still make great music. love THAT.
- perhaps this is where my love of swedish musicians come from? something to think about...
Butthole Surfers - Pepper
this song is very odd. I like odd. Its a really fucking cool song. (the actual video censors it - I'm not down with it. sorry.)
Weezer - Say it Ain't so
this was a toughy - so many great 90s songs came from this band. I just went with my gut - I flippin' love this song. Also, a band still making music and I will be honest, I kind of like their new song!
Ben Folds Five - Battle of Who Could Care Less (and every other song they put out.)
Whatever and Ever Amen changed my life.
dramatic, yes, but oh so true. I bought it for "Brick" - I honest to God wore out the CD in a couple of months. That album made me jump around, sing on my bed, get me through my first really hard break-up - and then as I got older, the songs began to change meanings and I have a whole new appreciation for the songs (this one in particular). This album is still my #1 favorite of all time....I doubt it will be topped.
(PS I am still very much in love with Ben Folds, but can we talk about hottie drummer Darren Jesse. MEOW!)
The following couldn't make my list as I was tired of making it, but still VERY much worth you youtubing yourself. I love all of these songs very, very much - please relive the mid-90s and take a listen.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Cracker - Low
REM - Losing my Religion
Beck - The New Pollution
Cake - The DIstance/Anything from 'Fashion Nugget'
Duncan Sheik - Barely Breathing (don't laugh! it's a great song!)
Green Day - Basket Case
Stone Temple Pilot - Interstate Love Song
Veruca Salt - Seether
Radiohead - Karma Police
Hole - Miss World
and (duh)
Everclear - So Much For The Afterglow
xoxox
-
