Peace, Love, Yaddah Yaddah

Noah and the Whale: A Religious Experience

2010-03-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I was lucky enough to be part of the magical experience that was Noah and the Whale at the Roundhouse Theatre in London. Originally sold out, my friend miraculously scored tickets and one of my top London goals- seeing my favorite band on its own turf-was achieved. The set was relatively as expected: most of the songs from The First Days of Spring and a lot from (my favorite, of course) Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down. Personal favorites were Blue Skies and Rocks and Daggers but the 5 Years Time encore was pretty awesome as well.

Charlie Fink was pretty entertaining in his own quiet genius sort of way, but I guess he couldn't be too enthused considering his freshly released album is all about his heart being broken and such. At one point a bunch of people to the left of us yelled out "move the lamp" as one was obstructing the view of him from his right side, and he just deeply and quietly muttered "move the lamp?" I'm sure you had to be there but it was kind of adorable. Anyway, the show was beyond amazing and it really couldn't have lasted long enough even if it had been an all nighter. Afterwards we went to a bunch of pubs in Camden (no surprise there) and perpetuated the warm happiness the show had initiated. It might have been my best night here yet. No, really, it was that good. Well done, all parties involved.

From Buffy to Bakerloo

2010-03-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday my theatre class saw 6 Degrees of Separation at the Royal Vic. Apparently it's supposed to be a pretty popular production at the moment, if not highly reviewed. Anywho....I didn't realize it until today in my Theatre class when we discussed the more finite details, but one of the main characters was played by Anthony Stewart Head, who was Giles in the beloved teen series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (gasp at the celebrity!). I was still pondering the wonders of this finding as I walked the platforms from Hammersmith and City to the Jubilee when who do I see but Giles himself?! Tall, greying-in a dashing way, and everything the fictional pedagogue should be in real life. I wanted to tell him all kinds of nice things but it was rush hour and I figured, well, no one wants to get stopped in the tube at the most hectic time possible, even if to be complimented. So I watched him go down the escalator to the Bakerloo line and pleasantly smirked the whole ride back. I've been doing that a lot here.

I'm just comin' here to come down- I could be this, I could move town

2010-03-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Midnight tonight marks exactly five weeks since I left US soil, and I find that very, very strange. It's funny (and cliche, but true) how so many things really have changed since that fateful day. I won't bore you with the details, dear reader, but I am pleased to tell you that these 5 weeks have been nothing short of magical.

But now let's cut to the chase; what I really want to do is tell you about a few things that have transpired since we last met. On Wednesday I saw a play called Disconnect with my theatre class. It was written by Anupama Chandrasekhar, a playwrite from South India, and centers on four telephone credit collectors who contact indebted Americans (while donning American personas) to attempt to reach payment arrangements. The play was actually really interesting because it centers around sub-cultural racism within Indian society in the face of globalization (which my professor describes as, essentially, Americanization). It's harsh and doesn't really hold back. The characters are so infatuated with "The American Dream" that they emulate the culture in any way possible through outdated pop culture referrences and overpriced status items like a D&G leather jacket and Blackberry Storm. In this unquenchable attempt to at least appear American they drive themselves into some of the very issues they are paid to keep Americans accountable for. In a word, it was intriguing. We discussed the play in class today and I was really interested...I think I might go back and read the script and I'm pretty sure it will be the topic of my first real assignment this semester!

What else? I went to the Victoria And Albert Museum on Thursday (bomb) and The Natural History Museum on Saturday. The latter was in a really cool building but I have to say, from what I saw (which, mind you, wasn't a WHOLE lot) it didn't have much on D.C.'s Natural History Museum.

Oh, and tonight I went out with my friends Emily and Joelle for a few pints with real working adults. We got into some pretty interesting discussions about global politics and the arbitrary nature of "nationalism." I have to say, conversations like that are always really fun for me when they happen but I can't really take part in them all the time. Maybe once every week or two I'd really like to engage in some hard core socially and politically minded intellectual stimulation....but mostly just Lost theories for the rest.

So that's about it. I'd like to think of this post as a few sub-posts. It clearly just shows that I need to update more often, but now it's like you have a week of highlights, right?

In other news:
-I get lost in Camden far too often on weekend nights
-Skins features some truly unbelievable music (and the show is awesome too)
-I have rediscovered my love for Broken Social Scene and am especially obsessed with Major Label Debut
-The Noah and the Whale show I was really pumped for is officially sold out. Anyone want to make a trip to Toulouse for plan b?
-Everyone says the Olympics were cool but I wouldn't know because our TV is busted. My landlord owes me some serious memories lost!
-La Salle is getting ready for Midterms. Ha, suckers.
I guess that's mostly it. I don't know....Screw Sidney Crosby? See, you could see right through the lack of enthusiasm, couldn't you?

Stanislavski, Dostoevsky, Chekhov....and The Simpsons in Russian

2010-02-24T06:06:00.000-08:00

Last night a really good family friend, John, was nice enough to take me to the Consort Club's annual Royal College of Music performance. This year it featured a truly exceptional concert pianist named Konstantin Lapshin, who is studying piano on a post graduate level and competing internationally on behalf of the college. He played Chopin's Polonaise-Fantaisie and Shumann's Carnaval and....it was beyond words. I'm clearly no where near a classical music connoisseur, but even I could tell this guy was genius. After the performance we had champagne in a drawing room (I know, how fancy) and made our way to our seats. As I got to the table I was shocked, thrilled, and terrified to learn that I was seated next to no other than Konstantin Lapshin and proceeded to short-term hyperventalate over a. the fact that there were a lot of forks, knives, and glasses and b. that I would need to keep up conversation with the performer everyone so admired though I was the person in the room with the least possible knowledge about classical music.

So I took a deep breath, got over the awkwardness, and talked to Konstantin about...well, everything. I pulled every Russian lit. figure I could think of (Dostoevsky and Chekhov, basically) and we somehow discussed what little I remembered of method acting. At one point a woman to his left asked him if he liked The Simpsons (it was relevant at the time) and I found it probably a little too funny that he watched it in Russian. He seemed to be enjoying himself and I actually found the night refreshing. I love that even though we were from totally different cultures and backgrounds we were able to bond over how weird it is adjusting to English accents and I found it especially entertaining that he asked, "do you have a facebook?"

So it was a surprisingly entertaining encounter. Watching experiences change drastically before your eyes and turn out differently than you could ever have predicted really never gets old and I'm happy to keep taking it in with little other than a smirk.

Give us This Day Our Daily Debauchery

2010-02-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

Sunday- a day for penance, rest, and faith....for good people. For me and my friends last Sunday was a day of complete and utter debauchery. We'd heard a distant rumor that such a place as "The Church" existed far far away at St. Johns Hill. A place where drunkards from all across the U.K. met at noon every Sunday to worship Dionysus and get their fill of total absurdity whilst dressed in costume and, customarily, highly intoxicated. We awoke at 8:30 sharp, got dressed in clothes no congregation member would appreciate, and took the hike to the elusive, beautiful Church. Upon our arrival we were met with an eyeful of total madness. Be it a huge screen that "candid camera" style displayed pictures of members in the crowd with funny captions underneath or the room full of people dressed as smirfs, air force pilots, mimes, and ancient Greeks, nothing left me anything short of delighted and shocked.

For our entertainment, the stage was enlisted with comedy sketches, musical performances, a stripper, and tomfoolery involving audience members. At the end we got on stage and danced for who knows how long. We got back around 5, I passed out at 7 and considered it a great success. I don't think I could handle this as a new weekly ritual (after all, a few of my new British friends have said it's reserved for the "hardcore") but it was memorable for sure!

My Day Trip to Wales

2010-02-06T03:11:00.000-08:00

Thursday night, between a few rounds of karaoke at the International Students Housing bar, I made impromptu plans to go to Wales the following day with my room mate and a couple of her friends. I figure travel costs were decent, Wales always sounded cool, and this is likely one of the best weekends to do this sort of thing. So I woke up at 6, took the coach with them to Cardiff, Wales, and had what turned out to be a really great day! We didn't do anything in particular- looked at the Cardiff Castle, took a lot of pictures of the city streets, had some delicious Darjeeling tea, shopped around a little and got dinner.

The Cardiff Castle was really cool. It's right in the middle of town and surrounded by busy roads but it's extremely well-preserved and blends in with the rest of the city. I don't think the picture I posted here adequately conveys how interesting and consistent the juxtaposition between the new and old is, but it'll have to do. My favorite thing about the city was that old and new buildings existed everywhere, right next to each other and they formed a cohesive aesthetic.

This picture might actually be my favorite that I took because I really like the different angles, as made very easily accessible by interesting architecture. This is of the middle of town, basically the square, which is pretty modern, save for a few buildings and alleyways stemming from various parts. Most of the shops and newer restaurants were behind me when I took this shot, so it's a pretty congested area (though, somehow, you wouldn't know it looking at this photo).

Another thing I really liked about Cardiff was that alleyways of shops literally exist everywhere. They are all partially indoor with glass ceilings so it's bright throughout them. Some have balconies and shop fronts just as though they're outside but they're also cooler and semi- mall like. I'm not sure how old the buildings are but they definitely seemed pretty old, just with modern touches. We had our tea in one of the little shops down this alley, and while it was a tad cramped, it was really cute.

And....that's all I can really think of at the moment. Wales was really cool. I probably wouldn't need to stay there for a long time or anything, but it was a really cute, interesting day trip. I had a lot of fun getting to know new people from my trip and basically just roaming around aimlessly. I think the best way to close this off is another picture I took that wasn't especially relevant but, in my opinion, really cool. So, here goes nothing:

The Reinvention of the Blog

2010-01-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

So I'm not sure how evident it is by the passing months of one big post void but prior to this moment I had basically given up on the blog. I guess I just figured I didn't really have anything to say that was so provocative or enlightening that I should assert some virtual knowledge.....for all of my anxiously awaiting readers. However, I am now doing something somewhat interesting; I'm living in London and if that's not something to blog about I don't know what is!

So, I'll be brief. I got in on Monday morning and stayed with my grandfather's colleague until everyone else arrived the next day. As you can see in the picture of our living room, we moved into the sweetest flat EVER (though some other kids in Hampden house's flat is actually better)...got some great fallafel and generally settled in. Then we met up with a bunch of other UMD kids at the pub right downstairs and I already love that place. Nice staff, really great cider selection, and generally cool ambiance (how lame did that sound?).

Then yesterday we had orientation but we also did a coach tour of London. We caught the usual sights like Big Ben, St. Peter's and Westminster Abbey, the Thames, some royal guards, and way too many buildings that were used in Harry Potter movies, and it was cool to get the mad touristy part out of the way.

Last night was night 2 and we went to a tex mex place that was really only ok but the company was swell. And while I said I probably wouldn't go out tonight bc of a significant funds depletion...I'm thinking I'll fall for peer pressure and go out to a place called the Metropolitan with the same hoard of American study abroaders. This week is comprised of all orientations b.s. and then we start class on Monday. I actually kind of can't wait for the real-life stuff to kick in because the suspense is just killing me! Haven't met my British boyfriend yet but I think he's just too nervous to say hi when I'm with 30 other obnoxious Americans. So that's about it for now. Until next time, I'll leave this for your viewing pleasures:

Food and Fear- Sounds like America

2009-10-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

Finally, after a lifetime of anticipation, Mrs. Butterworth has a first name! It's Joy and I'm not remotely surprised.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/syrup-offers-joy-to-the-world/

In other news, my townhouse is totally haunted. I can hear footsteps though I know I'm the only one home and I swear I just heard the water running. CREEPY. My room mates and I have been telling ghost stories all week (in light of October and all) and one of them insists we have one. Apparently she swears she heard someone come into her room one night and sit down on the other bed but no one was there. I don't know but I always thought ghosts lived in old buildings. Maybe not???

Hitting Olney Ave Running

2009-08-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Moving back into school is always nice. It's filled with struggle (lifting stuff just sucks), excitement (new digs, new roommates, new year, optimism ensues), and each move-in just seems different in its own right. This one, unsurprisingly, kept with the theme....but was more extreme in every way. I had to lift a HOUSEFUL of stuff and my single is on the THIRD FLOOR so that was a definite struggle. And the excitement of living with my amazing friends and cooking and having my own room and being in the much anticipated townhouse was...well, the stuff dreams are made of, really. And this time around was probably the most different because it lasted for a whole week.

Yes, this week of getting settled and preparing for the year was special. There's no better way to get back into the swing of things than with meetings to prep for club stuff and shopping for final clothing, living, and food touches. OH wait! There was a point to this post (at least one that went beyond restfully reminiscing on a week done good). I did something really, really cool this week! As part of early move-in training for students leading service programs the powers that be scheduled us with meetings, a clean up, and (GASP!) a ropes course.

Now, most people hear ropes course and go "Pish posh, no biggie." But I thought, "Well shit. I have legitimate anxiety about being out of control of the situation. And I don't especially like heights. And I don't like being at the mercy of others (even if they're future Saints). And....I don't know that I can do this." But I had to do it. It was important and I wanted to and Goddammit it's not that big of a deal! So I climbed the poles (heh) and I walked across wooden discs 30 feet in the air and I reached the top of the rock wall. And I pwned. So go me for letting go of control and being all free and unfettered and shit.

Other news:
-Michael Vick sucks
-Drake is Jimmy from Degrassi and I'm still laughing at that
-The New Radicals are cool
-True Blood is amazing
-Project Runway's models don't matter at all...and don't deserve their own show

Yeah, I Cried and So Would You

2009-08-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

Today was an epic one. I got a free meal at work since they kind of wasted my time, I completed another day as a truly domestic person, and (most importantly) I finally saw Dear Zachary, the documentary I've been dying to see since January. Now, I knew that it would be sad, I knew that I would likely cry, but I didn't know that it would be....pretty much devastating. The hour and a half I spent in my friend's living room, bleary-eyed over the HD Netflix rental, was likely the saddest experience I can recall in a very long time.
But the thing that gets me most about the film is that it hits you with sad news, angering news, and then it just blows you out of the water in shock. I was seething, depressed, and baffled by the end and I didn't even ever know the people involved. All day I've persistently reverted back to the ever-nagging, film encapsulating question: Why? Now, I don't want to give anything else away, but all I really need to leave off saying is that everyone should see this movie. I wish I could make it a requirement. If nothing else, people need to know that this story happened and some people persisted through it with resilience and strength unparalleled. (Or people need to watch it so I have someone to talk to about it. Either way, I expect to be moved for quite some time because it truly left its mark.)

I Heart Kings of Leon and I Don't Care!

2009-07-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

Let me set a scene for you:

My friends, Logan and Maida, and I are driving to Connecticut in the last weekend of April to visit another dear friend, see Santigold, and join in a weekend of debauchery at Conn College. I'm in shottie, rummaging through Logan's CDs and I notice two by Kings of Leon, Aha Shake Heartbreak and Only By the Night. I remark that I somehow completely missed the whole Kings of Leon craze but I liked what I'd heard and "lets hear 'em out, shall we?" What results is an amazing drive largely brought on by what I happen to think is some great music. Only By the Night isn't anything to scoff at but Aha Shake Heartbreak is kind of incredible.

A couple of months went by and I never got my hands on those albums....until a few days ago. After finally loading Logan's CDs onto my itunes I can now say I am obsessed. Late, albeit, but obsessed. I have listened to Aha Shake Hearbreak on repeat more or less for the last week and I can't get enough! It's offbeat and quirky while still maintaining an upbeat, classic sound. It's the kind of album you wish every song was longer on, and that is actually a tougher feat than you'd expect (at least for me). I just want to include King of the Rodeo, Taper Jean Girl, and Soft in every playlist I make for the next couple of months. It's just sooooo goooooood, ugh!

Other than that, I promise to make my music discovery posts more current in the future, I just couldn't help but express my enthusiasm.

Things I Planned Today

2009-07-16T20:40:00.001-07:00

-Class drop/add stuff for the fall
-Potential Study Abroad programs, applications, and meetings related to said programs
-The unyielding resolution to find caller 9, who lost service the second she won a Tim Mcgraw book
-A plan to reclaim my makeup from my friend, Maida's dorm
-A gas-gaining Ponzi scheme that resulted in me forgetting and desperately needing a tank filling
-Final touch arrangements (like ensuring shift coverings) for what should be a great weekend in Philly
-An intricate plot to kill the many-legged bug that decided to share my shower with me (and several re-rinses in the attempt to shake the gross feeling)
-A "Frita" switched to a "Strawberry Rita" including drink samples for the woman who ended up tipping just over 10%
-A complex and sneaky arrangement to get a comped sirloin meal at Outback and eat it at table 23 the minute I was off the clock
-A brainstorming series to determine which plans were worth even typing

Meh, this was probably pointless, but at least I feel like I was productive.

BONNAROO!! The Closest I'll Ever Come to Being a True Hippie

2009-06-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

So....I've told pretty much everyone I know that I was going to, was at, or came back from Bonnaroo throughout various stages of my experience, and I'm sure it comes to no one's surprise that it was absolutely amazing. It was great to be part of something so unrealistically perfect surrounded by 70,000 of the world's most laid back and happy hippies. It's hard to say that it was great because of the shows because (while it was) there was so much more that made it everything that it was. Maybe it was laughing at highly stimulated people on lots of drugs, maybe it was all of the interesting tents filled with art, knick nacks, food, and entertainment. Maybe it was withstanding extremes in weather with little but a smile or meeting people from all parts of the country and realizing we have similar interests and concerns. I'm guessing it was a rich combination of everything, but whatever "it" was, it was beautiful.

Alright, sap pause; here is a list of some of the bands I saw and a quick synopsis of what I thought (in no particular order):
-Ani DiFranco: Surprisingly Good
I didn't know her at all pre-Bonnaroo but my friend wanted to see her so she could pick up chicks (apparently an Ani DiFranco show is the best way to do that). I usually don't get that into a show if I haven't heard the music before, but this was a surprising change.
-Snoop Dogg: Ha. That's all I can say. I had fun
He was extremely out of place and repped the West Side a lot, but it was definitely a lot of fun
-MGMT: Good Show, huge turn out, big hype
It was fun, I danced a lot and got pretty excited about a few songs. They played some new stuff they are working on and that was cool (plus it dispelled rumors that they're breaking up)
-Gomez: chill, calm, good to rest to
I hadn't heard them before either but they were perfect to lay in the grass and listen to
-Bon Iver: a tad slow for my mood at the time, but harmonies were amazing.
-Of Montreal: out of this world.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I think that if Rocky Horror Picture Show were a concert, it would be something similar. The set list was solid, the crowd was fully equipped with beach balls, balloons, cow bells, and water, and the stage hosted people in near drag (the lead singer changed costumes 3 times, the bassist wore a feather shoulder covering, and the keyboardist donned a princess costume). Stage performers detailed some kind of warped story line throughout the show ranging from people in bunny, eagle, and dinosaur masks, a psychopathic killer in church robes, people in gas masks, and much more. At one point, the bassist played WHILE crowd surfing, the lead singer followed suit, and to tie off the show, they broke everything. Nuts, huh?
-Yeah Yeah Yeahs: The show I was most excited for, and it delivered
Karen O is my hero. She was really energetic and a little warped (but in the best way possible). Equipped with a kimono and yellow zebra print leggings, she danced, she laid on the floor, she ate the microphone (and broke it later on). She dawned a leather jacket when they played Zero in honor of the line "get your leather on" and when the tuning was weird on the guitar they decided to play Maps acoustically. Insert gushing here.
-Girltalk: Stellar, of course
He was fun and really genuinely nice, smiling over how he used to only get a 20 minute set and now he gets an hour and a half (which he went over, bless his heart)
-Animal Collective: Could have been better.
The sound was pretty crappy (which wasn't their fault) and I have a feeling the show would have been better suited for the night time, so I want to see them again in different circumstances.
-Andrew Bird: PHENOMENAL.
This guy has more talent than I can even handle seeing, let alone hearing. He played the violin with both the band thing and plucked the strings for 2 different sounds, which he recorded on stage and repeated over each other. He also incorporated his genius whistling skills and played over it all with the guitar. I want to be Mrs. Andrew Bird.

I'd love to continue, but this is getting pretty dense.....I guess I'll just end with a quote that actually almost made me cry over its sheer beauty. After helping a dehydrated guy, a hippie woman (who was likely on Ecstasy) said as matter-of-factly as anything I've ever heard by Bill Nye: "we're all one."
Harp on those words for a couple of seconds, please because I thought they were awesome.

A Minor Observance

2009-06-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

About 30 minutes ago I saw a beer commercial (can't seem to remember which brand) with unmemorable footage displayed to the tune of The Kooks' Shine On and all I could think was "really?" A month or so back I saw a Bud Lite Lime commercial to a Santigold song (Lights Out) and thought "Ok....I guess they're trying a different sound?" and a couple weeks ago I saw the Miller Lite Lime commercial featuring The Dodos' Fools and thought "I guess they're going for edgy?" After this most recent indie music, ergo young hipster attraction, attempt I guess they're just trying to be young, funky and hip (like us?) and, frankly, I don't like it one bit. I have very little reason to resent it, and probably don't even care much deep down, but (in the words of the unforgivables youtube video guy) "Ion'tlikeit."

That's pretty much it......OH! I leave for Bonnaroo roughly tomorrow night and can't wait!!! To my likely 2.5 readers, expect a detailed account!

Welcome to the Good Life

2009-05-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

You know, it's so funny how things change without the shortest bit of warning. People often talk about change in a negative way, but I'm always most blown away by how the things we worry about so deeply in one moment can become nearly obsolete the next. Perspective has a great way of changing everything completely, and finding solace in new positive qualities can make you forget why you ever worried in the first place. For instance, I decided to do this great internship at one of the DC area's biggest stations: WMZQ. At first, I was really hesitant because it's not exactly in line with my career goals (though completely relevant), plays country music, and involves me waking up a little before 4am 2-3 times a week for no pay. But now, at the end of my first week I really, really like it! The whole sleep thing sucks, but whatever; I get to work with people who have years of experience and a definite voice in the community and I already have great stories. I'm meeting musicians and producers, and my job description involves me talking to listeners all day. I'm learning so much and it's even fun!

Yesterday I met Amy Grant, who is a vet in the country genre. She started as a gospel singer and married Vince Gill, another country great. She was so nice and sweet and it was great to just talk to someone with such passion and experience. When she left the studio, the last thing she said was, "interns rule the world" and I thought that was something to ponder for sure. It's cool to be doing new things and it's great to be learning so much while working and having fun. I'm thinking it's going to be a good summer after all, and I'm excited to see what's next.

Springtime for Hitler in Germany?

2009-05-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

So apparently The Producers is premiering for the first time ever in Germany.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8051234.stm

I actually don't have that much to say about it, I just think it's interesting. My favorite part of the segment is when one of the performers is interviewed saying that sometimes he worries that people will see him laughing but then he realizes it's okay to laugh now. That begs the question of how much time needs to pass before controversial or painful topics are brought up as a form of entertainment, and while there is obviously no set method, it's interesting. It's also pretty cool that the advertisements are flags with sausages on them because it's illegal to display Nazi paraphernalia in Germany.

"If You're Bored and You're Listless, You Just Need to get yourself an Enemy"

2009-05-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

I read an old NY Times article by Rick Perlstein a while ago in my Advanced Comp. English class where he essentially scorned modern college students for being too marginalized, too mainstream, and an army of "Organization Kids." I wrote a semi-witty response and felt moderately self-righteous, but the truth is I think Perlstein might be on to something (in case you're curious, here is the link to the old article: http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/collegeessay/essay.html ).

I still stand by what I wrote, but I do believe that many modern college students have been unfairly submerged into this way of thinking that forces them to base their actions on what they are supposed to do as opposed to what they want to do. I am a self-proclaimed "organization kid" and I am currently bugging out bc I can't decide which planned course of action to take in my life. I am deciding between internships, jobs, and even residences because I followed the norms of a student my age, overshot, and now have to choose. Unfortunately, it goes against my very nature to reject something that is good for my future or professional image, so I calculate just how I can do it all. I'm toying with the idea of interning at one place at home and working part-time, then going to Philly for a while and writing for a paper there, and then going to school early to prepare for all the new extra-curriculars I have responsibilities in. It sounds like I'm complaining, or bragging, or anything else in between, but I'm not; I'm organizing.

The point is, I'm not happy unless I have a plan and since I haven't yet decided what I'm specifically doing to be productive this summer (and have spent a whole day watching Tool Academy) I am ill at ease. I have been taught by this warped world that direction is my friend and an essential tool to success, and without it I feel lost. I'd even say minor-mid-life-crisis-lost, and I won't be truly at ease until I'm settled. I know that in the grand scheme of things this is completely unnecessary, but this is who I am. I have to stress and I have to plan. It's sick.

A Yay Always Follows a Yikes

2009-04-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of the things I am very excited for:
Being a SEA Coordinator
Being on the Judicial Board
Doing different Urban Writers Work
Picking (yes, maybe picking) an internship
Potentially having my own Column this summer
Potentially living in Philly this summer
Potentially working in Philly this summer
Floralia at Conn Coll this weekend
Bonnaroo (enough said)
B15
Moving into B15 a week early
My Birthday! (in exactly a week)
Wearing my new birthday sunglasses (thanks to Frank Farrel)
And....going home will be pretty nice too

I'm not too worried about the term paper or the final or whatever else; my life is freaking awesome.

It's Sunday Afternoon and I Ain't Got Nobody (Get it??)

2009-04-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

So, I'm thinking it's time for a review, and luckily I have one of those ready and waiting in my back pocket. After all, by now you must know that I have my opinions waiting at the ready whenever they may (or may not) be of use. That, being said, howsabout another music review? I did just see Black Kids, Mates of State and Sunbears on Friday and I'm chock full of things to discuss.

Sunbears:
They were cool, cute, and nerdy. They relied heavily on props like a big, bright video of their heads swirling around and candy jumping all over the screen, and an oversized, white balloon in the middle of the stage. The band consisted of two guys: one on keyboard and the other on drums (who also managed the strobe light with his foot). They were quirky but fun, and they totally won the crowd over by having embarrassing technical difficulties. Overall, they were cute. Nothing majorly special, but cute. And they gave me a big 'ole grin.

Next up was my personal highlight, Black Kids:
I only knew of them vaguely because I had heard their most well known song I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You on TV a few times and an old boyfriend put it on a mix CD once. I did, however, like the song a lot and I was excited to just go out and dance. Much to my surprise, they were amazing. The energy was great, the audience was great, and they did a great job. By the last song everyone in the crowd was jumping and dancing in utter exhileration and I could feel the music just pumping through my veins (yeah, I'm even okay with being trite to express how awesome the feeling was). Love Me Already and I've Underestimated My Charm (Again) were personal favorites, but I also really liked the cover they did (though I forgot who sang it and am now on a mission to find it). Overall, it was a great time and I'm really glad I went; I really can't wait to see what they do next.

And Lastly: Mates of State
They were good, certainly not novices. The band consists of a husband and wife drummer and keyboardist (accordingly) with a violinist and trombone player (I think?) in a lot of the songs. They were adorable, and definitely made me wish I had musical talent, was on tour and fifteen years older, and married to my bandmate. It was almost too cute, but it worked. The music was cool, but I was also not super familiar beforehand. I think it will all take a few more listens before I formulate a fully versed opinion, but I wasn't super wowed. They sounded good, but the stage presence didn't do much for my adrenaline, and I wasn't a huge fan of all the extra sound effects. I definitely wasn't put off, but I wasn't jumping to buy a CD either.

Alright, I guess that does it for today. I hope you enjoyed my concert observations; I just needed to fill up the review quota for the month. They're all definitely worth checking out, and I would recommend any of the three as a pick up, or just a good dance beat.

It's Been too Long, So Let's Make it Good

2009-03-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Wow. It has been a very long time since I posted a new blog, and for that I apologize to no one in particular (specifically because I doubt I have much of a "readership"). The last month has been pretty nuts....I went on an amazing service trip and I made it through a couple of stressful work weeks. I've been up, I've been down, and now I'm here to tell you all about it.

First to address, Project Appalachia:
I sit here looking at my screen blankly because I cannot even begin to formulate words to describe this experience. I would drop five cent words like "perspective altering" and "ethereal" but none of this would really mean anything. The trip taught me a couple of wonderful things and brought forty amazing people into my life, as well as instilling a significant love of gravy and biscuits in my heart. It took a 12 hour van ride to Harlan, Kentucky, sleeping in a room full of sort of strangers, only two cold showers in one week, hikes, ditch digging, house cleaning, yard work, late night diner encounters, kick ball, gorp, exposed, burnt oatmeal, a bonfire, Rocky Raccoon, and standing under a freezing waterfall to understand how lucky I really am.

For the first time ever I was around a mass of people who simply made me just want to be a better person, and I finally realized the significance of surrounding yourself with goodness. Since Appalachia, I have come to the conclusion that experiencing severed ties from people who only make your life worse is not something to worry or stress about; it's an improvement. It's okay to cut loose the people who don't want you to be happy because, sadly, a lot of them do exist but so do the good ones. I came back from Kentucky with the infamous "Harlan Glow" and I, like many of my fellow Appalachia people, am doing everything in my power to keep it for as long as possible. Things change, both good and bad happen all at once, but the people we choose to be can decide what factors influence us. I can let petty problems wear away at my glow, or I can choose to be improved by the good in life.

So there you have it, Kentucky sun was just great for me, and I will never forget my times in Appalachia.

Other than that:
I don't really have much to say otherwise, actually. I saw Slumdog Millionaire on Friday and it was, like everyone and their mom said, amazing. Its theme pretty much went along the same lines as what I just said, which was a really cool coincidence, and I was further reminded (with a Bollywood touch) that our perspectives on life have to do with what we choose to influence us. The main character, Jamal was served with some really crappy experiences, but he controlled their impact on him so that they made him stronger and better. He came out happy and successful because of what he chose to affect him. There are so many people who choose to dwell on their minor miseries but the only reason to really pity them is that they can't enjoy the good around them.

Alright, I have to stop here because I got sappy again. Crap! Anyway, life's beautiful, kids; why do we always seem to forget that?

Peace

2009-02-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

If I were a song, I'd be Chicago By Sufjan Stevens off his Illinois album (by far his best). It isn't even necessarily my favorite song off the album, though it is amazing, but I was just listening to it today and thought "if I were a song, this would be me." The lyrics are sort of part of it (so I listed them below) but the music itself is, I think, the main reason. It's uplifting but reflective and steady but grows. Every time I hear it I am reminded of so many things and, what's more, excited for what's to come because I can just feel something happening. That's the best way I can describe it. Anyway, I highly suggest giving it a listen (even if you've heard it before) or at least reading the lyrics (though the instrumentals deserve your ears).

I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

I drove to New York
in a van, with my friend
we slept in parking lots
I don't mind, I don't mind
I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)

Peace

Grappling with Gray

2009-02-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

So I'm about to get a little philosophical. I know, scary. I warn you now so that you can push your back button feverishly or just x out all together. Otherwise, here goes nothing:

In a couple of my classes we've been discussing "gray areas" a lot. I know it's a relatively simple concept, but I suppose my views regarding what's black and white and what's gray are changing these days. I know, I know, nothing is black and white, but to most people there are at least a few issues that they would view staunchly right or wrong, and would have serious trouble even trying to delve deeply into the other perspective. For example, I know that stealing is wrong. In my mind I feel that, ethically, there is no excuse for it. Even people who say they have no other means usually have other minimal, be it bare, options and there are plenty of organizations out there to help. In that same vane, people who steal when they don't need to, like the infamous Enron executives, have no possible legitimate defense. They stole out of greed and chose to maintain (if not expand) a life of excess by robbing their own employees of all they had. See, pretty cut and dry....

But... I wasn't there when they decided to blatantly make up accounts to prevent people from finding out how much they were losing. I am by no means condoning their behavior, but from my perspective I have absolutely no understanding of what makes people do things that I don't agree with. Maybe they didn't understand the gravity of their actions or maybe they were so consumed in their own affairs that they didn't consider what would happen to their employees. Maybe they did, but were so hardened by the gap between themselves and the masses with far less means that they had grown to view them with less concern. Maybe they are just that evil. I don't know, and I never will, but my point is that I am starting to realize that upon first hearing about an event or disaster it is becoming more and more difficult to just peg something as right or wrong. A kid got murdered-that's terrible, no doubt. A suicide bomber killed hundreds-that is sickening. Yet, we never stop and think "what drove this to happen?" George W. Bush refused to "compromise" with terrorists and many applauded him for that, but figuring out what we are doing to make them so bent on destroying us is a much better investment than just doing the same right back. Compromising and empathizing are extremely different things. We are all human beings with innate feelings of (at least moderate) sympathies and desire not to hurt others. It is the people who were molded and hardened in a certain way who do the terrible things beyond our realm of understanding. I do not mean to say that everyone is capable of only good and gets turned otherwise, but I truly believe that those who wish harm on others were brought to that point from some other influence.

Alright, that's it. Not a sermon, just a thought.
Peace

And If You Don't Know, Now You Know...

2009-02-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

SO I'm not totally sure why, but ever since I saw Notorious I have been obsessed with all things Biggie, particularly his relationships. First I should say, the movie was OK. Definitely better than I expected it to be, but there were some cop-outs for sure. Obviously the guy did a lot of bad things in his life, and in trying to keep his personal life in line with the successes of his professional one, I think he was depicted a bit less consistently than he should have been.

That being said, I move on to my main point of concern: the backlash the film got from key people in Christopher Wallace's life, particularly 'Lil Kim. For anyone who knows anything about the women in his life, it goes without saying that his mom, his wife (Faith Evans), and his mistess/ close friend ('Lil Kim) are pretty volatile when thrown into the same mix. The comments made by each of them in regard to distaste toward portrayals, missrepresented facts, etc, etc. is reminiscent of a bunch of hens (chickenheads?) clucking away over nonsense. Exhibit A: 'Lil Kim has made complaints that the actress cast as her, Naturi Naughton, was "too dark" and would have preferred being depicted by an Asian or Hispanic woman. Wow. I reiterate: Wow. First of all, the actress chosen not only draws a very close resemblence but, in my opinion, gave one of the best performances of the lot. She had 'Lil Kim down to a tee, and should be celebrated, not racially slandered. To make such an insensitive, ignorant, and plainly idiotic statement was a terrible call on Kim's part and makes her look like nothing less than a bitter, superficial....I don't know....wench!

And the responses from Faith Evans and Voletta Wallace were nearly as bad. One would expect his mother and widow to respond with poise and candor, but they've reduced themselves to the same level by speaking equally irately. It's one thing to be disturbed by one person's ignorance, and another to reduce yourself to that level.

It is so frustrating to see people acting like that, especially in the memory of a man that was a true creative genius. A man who clearly meant a lot to a lot of people. I wish everyone could learn from Biggie's story that life is precious and we must treat it as such since I got the impression that a general theme of the film was one of overcoming transgressions and focusing on what really matters. So much of his time was spent getting involved in stupid squabbles, and it is disheartening to know that his death wasn't even enough to drive that point home for those closest to him.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2009-01-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

I have spent much of my young adult life (all few years of it) pining for an unmistakable, generation-encapsulating, historic event that I could one day proudly discuss with my children as my parents did with me, and I truly feel I have finally gotten my wish. President Barack Obama...has a nice ring to it, huh? I know, I know, I might sound like I'm gloating, but I am finally experiencing confidence in our government and that never gets old. I feel like, considering the current environment we're in, we've all gotten the greatest gift possible: hope. Yes, it sounds hokie when read on a poster or bumper sticker, but it is in the air and I am ready to breath it in. I know it's a long road, I know it's a lot to ask, and I know that there is no guarantee at all that Obama will be able to fix anything, but we are moving full speed in the right direction, and that's really all we can ask for right now.

I've always wished I could have lived in the '60s, through revolutions in music, thought, and politics, and while I am still a bit of a wanna-be hippie, I now feel like we have something revolutionary of our own. There is brilliant growth and change happening everywhere, and I can't help but get excited just like all the other shmucks. For once I can talk about peace and love, music and individuality without it being an homage to the decade I've always pined for. I used to think I was like the last Mohican for the hippie movement, but I finally get to see that we aren't all following the rich white guys from Texas blindly. There are so many more out there just like me who care about the environment and education, who don't like war and want nothing but peace and mutual respect. The day that Obama won was a call to all of us out there who thought the country had gone to nothing. Yes, we did, and we can finally work on all the things that didn't make it into the last President's to-do list. All the things we need to make this world better for everyone. A week ago I went to a concert at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of President Barack Obama and stood in a huge crowd of people just breathing in all the excitement, all the hope, and together we all knew we were on the cusp of our own great mark on history. My gut tells me we were right, and I can't wait to see what happens.

Peace

Oh, that's just my other life

2009-01-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

I live a double life. Much like others my age I have a college life and a home life, and while I guess the primary one exists at La Salle University, I am also back home enough that that one counts too. See, I am definitely myself at school, but I think people have to see where I grew up to really understand me fully, and every time I go home I realize there's a reason why I call it that. I still love my house, I still love my home friends, and I still love spending time with my parents and siblings. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to be here all the time, but I really do love being home. And when I go back to school I remember it's hard (people can be frustrating, and I miss good food) but I love my friends there too, and I have a gosh-darn-fantastic time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love both of these lives very much, and I know things at school keep growing and things at home keep sort of fading, but some things surprisingly thrive and prove to be more and more worth while-and for that I am grateful.

So I lay here in the bedroom that has been mine since I was ten years old, after 5 weeks of a blend of great times, growing up, boredom, and nostalgia, and I wonder how I can blend these two lives to create the perfect singular one. I want to communicate with people from home more so I can incorporate those relationships into my school life and I want to learn to distance myself from some problems that seem to be La Salle centered. I really love this element of control I kept at home and I want to make sure it carries over the Mason Dixon line. There is just too much beauty to get caught up in stupid problems, and I wish I understood that as well in school as I do at home.

Perhaps this life merger will be my New Years resolution: keeping the best of both my worlds and weeding out that which only causes problems. I look forward to interesting classes, good times with friends, hopefully getting a job, and staying positive. Check that out, I'm already doing great! Only 347 days to go!

Fool Me Once....

2009-01-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

Oh Will Smith, why must we remain in a constant state of star-crossed....ness? Each time we try to work it out it ends in failure-me being moderately underwhelmed and you getting right back up and trying again...only to miss another mark. Here's the deal, I like Will Smith-he seems intelligent, talented, and hard working- but I am constantly let down by the movies he is in. I think it's because after Ali (which everyone said was amazing, but I thought was "aight") he's been trying to maintain this serious big screen actor rep he's got going. He kept up that momentum with The Pursuit of Happyiness, which I really wanted to like, but in my heart of hearts only tolerated. I respect his valient effort at a return to the good 'ole Will from the MIB days with I, Robot, but I have to say it paled in comparison. Then there was I Am Legend and Hancock,which were both actually pretty good at first (the former much more so than the latter), but both had weird and abrupt endings that killed them for me.

Alas, this brings me to my final experience with this twisted, deja vu cycle of me yelling out "Damn you, Will. You got me again!"- Seven Pounds. I actually heard a lot of good things about this movie, and I do think that Smith did a very good job, but the movie didn't really unfold until the last 20 minutes, leaving the audience bored and confused for the vast majority. It was moving, and it certainly wasn't a total waste of a Monday night, but when it all comes down to it, it was just short of being good. Minute details, like so many of Will Smith's dramatic films, were the Achilles heel of this one.

And one would think I would just accept this as true and move on from my undying optimism for Will Smith movies, but I just can't seem to do it. Like a sordid love affair, a drug addiction, or reese's cups, I just can't stop! Maybe it's because I think he's a good actor and a nice guy, maybe it's because each movie just barely misses the mark in the most devastating way, but I want Will Smith to be for me what he is for so many others: a high profile, consistent block buster star who always delivers. I heard that the last 5 movies (+/-) he's been in went to number one, so he definitely brings attention to movies, but I think he (or his manager, or whoever) is just picking bad ones. It's like they think the American public wants loud noises and sob stories, but other details are irrelevent. And, honestly, that might be the general truth, but for the sake of film, talent, or simply thespian street cred, he should really invest some time in fully reading a script and going for a solidly written, undoubtably good movie next time. I say this because I don't want to be duped any longer. I want to leave his next movie with a sigh of relief, not just a flutter in my heart. I know he can do it, it just has to happen. Until then, I will continue to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel Air with a nostalgic tear in my eye.

Here's to Second Chances

2009-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm learning more and more not to judge a book by its cover, particularly in my music interests. I often find that someone will recommend some band to me and if I don't like it right away I assume that's just a miss and make a clean break from the love affair the band and I could have shared but, alas, will never be. Unfortunately, I let some second listen loves slip through my fingers that way because I'm apparently too shallow to really give some great bands a shot. How cold. But this story ends in self-reflection and correction! Happily, I am learning from my mistakes and have already discovered some bands I really love because I gave them another shot.

Exhibit A: Stars.
I've actually heard them distantly several times because that one song, Ageless Beauty, finds its way onto several soundtracks of shows like The Hills and what not (not that I watch that show or anything...) and they're pretty well known within their ilk of the indie breed. When I actually got the CD, however, I was pretty ambivalent about them. They definitely had most of the ingredients it takes for me to like a band, but it didn't sound like anything all that special. I went a couple of weeks without giving them any listening time and then all of a sudden today I got an urge to hear Your Ex-Lover is Dead again, and boy did my opinion change! Okay, they're still not especially outside the box, but they happen to also be really, really good. I still haven't decided how much I like all the sound-effects-y stuff they do on some songs but it is definitely interesting. I'm most sold by the way they mix male and female vocals (which I'm usually a sucker for anyway) as well as the contrasting classic romantic sounds (prompted by violins and such) mixed with pretty harsh lyrics. If you just let it play in the background it sounds like sweet, dear melodies, but when you actually listen you catch phrases like "I hope your daughters are all drunken sluts" (or something along those lines). It's great. The point is, I'm growing more and more in love with Stars and it's a beautiful thing.

Exhibit B was going to be The National but I spent way too long on Stars. So I'll just say they are also freaking amazing (and, likely, even better). The Boxer and Alligator are really rad, though I'm not super fond of Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (for now.....).

Peace

"Write in it and Pass it On"

2009-01-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

I have finally experienced one of those really cool twist of fate type things where you are on the short list of people that get to be part of something really awesome! Let me explain: my dear pal, Aili, came to my house the other day and handed me a journal that said "write in it and pass it on." Apparently some random guy on a train from Connecticut gave it to her, and he got it from a lady named Sam in NY. The idea is that when you get it, you take up a few pages to write, doodle, etc... (whatever you want) and then pass it on to a stranger or friend, or just leave it in a public place. I was only the third person to write in it thus far, but it was still one of the coolest things I've ever taken part of.

I do have to say it was awesome to read my own part after I finished because it told me things I didn't even know as I wrote it. The general (and unplanned) motif throughout my section was a sense of....how shall I say it? The fact that life is painful, but beautiful and I am very happy, though I understand that there is always going to be some bad. I've been going through a lot of thought changes lately, and I really think I've come to some greater understanding about a lot of things, and I am really happy for that. I'm really proud of myself because I truly did what was right by me and I didn't let some silly boy, a lot of stress, or other dramas bring me down. In fact, I'm so much better for it. It's a weird kind of happiness, but I really am so impressed with all the brilliance I find around me, and I thank anyone who deserves credit for this wonderful place I'm at. I'm really proud of what I put in that book and I'm really happy that it came out just as it did. I hope the girls in Borders who I passed it onto appreciate it just as much as I do, and I really hope that one day I get to see it again.

As I wrote in the journal, I will keep my same wish at 11:11 and I will remain hopeful for the quickly approaching Obama administration; I will keep in mind my favorite quote of all time, and I will hold onto my last line of the last page: "Let's be brilliant. We're naturally good at it and it's all we have."

P.S. I apologize because I really didn't want this to be an emo blog. Please understand that these things do happen and this particular instance was just too great not to write about.

Peace

First Blog Post!-Hoorah, Hoorah!

2009-01-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Reader!

Where to begin? Hm....Well, how about the why. Well, I am a big fan of the written word. My lifelong dream until a couple of years ago was to be a columnist (NOT like Carrie Bradshaw, more like Anna Quindlen), but then I decided I could rant in my spare time just as well. Anyway, I digress (and I do that a lot); I want this to be my own personal commentary on that which I perceive. I am pretty aware that the masses aren't particularly concerned with my opinion, but what the hell? Let's give this written commentary thing a shot. My friends are tired enough of my opinions so let's open that darn dam and see what happens. Feel free to disagree or agree, whichever. I don't particularly mind. I just want to know I made my own little blurb on history. Ya dig?