Saturday, December 26, 2009

Balanced

For the record, I had an amazing Christmas. I love going home for Christmas, curling up with the collection of pets and family members, and watching movies for the 100th time. Any event that involves multiple naps before noon has my immediate approval.

This is going to be a random post, because a lot of random thoughts have occurred and because quite frankly, I like random posts.

:: It was nice to have new faces both around and under the tree this year (photo taken pre-attack):

:: The smell of Aveda's Blue Malva conditioner will always take me right back to this summer, in my friends' apartment, showering post-Lollapalooza and Chicago. Victoria's Secret's (no longer available) Secret Crush lotion will be the awesome vintage hotel room in Venice in the winter, with the towel warmer and windows overlooking the tiny elementary school.

:: I'm going to geek out for a second and let it be known that the style from Pushing Daisies has been extremely helpful in redoing both my room and wardrobe. For the record, I don't like things because they remind me of the show, I like the show because I feel like they (the creators and and stylists) get it. Of course everything should have a honeycomb pattern! Or any pattern! Of course we should still be able to wear awesome retro dresses! In this spirit, I have redone my bedroom in a modern gothic style, incorporating honeycomb patterns. I have also added two new dresses to my wardrobe. Now I need an excuse to wear them...

:: Despite some resentment over the three "i"'s, the Miike Snow station on Pandora will make you happy. Aaaand go!

:: Every year, when I come home from Christmas, I go through my apartment and get rid of a ton of stuff. Basically, if I haven't used it/worn it/seen it since last Christmas, I really don't need it. I probably get more joy out of getting rid of stuff than I should, but it's such a great feeling. It's always amazing to me to see how easily the unnecessary stuff piles up.

:: Some of my best friends have kids or are in the process of creating kids. I received pictures from both this weekend and it was absolutely fantastic. I'm sure at some point it will get old, but right now, every baby bump and every family Christmas photo is exciting to me.

:: Time with family and friends is important, but so alone time. So, on that note, I'm going to snuggle down int front my crackling fireplace (is it actually supposed to crackle that much?!), watch a new DVD, and enjoy a quiet evening alone. Hope everyone is having a great holiday out there!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Hey Crazy



My brother is on my case about updating. It's a little weird to me that my brother reads my blog, but such is life.

Life has been busy. Busier than busy. I worked 28 hours between two days this week. That's three days in two. Or most of a full-time week in two days. After that, the week only slowed down a little.

I'm about to leave for my third Christmas party this week. Tomorrow, I'll be driving three hours south to my second family Christmas get-together this year, then driving three hours back. And then, it's Monday. You get the idea.

Things have been good, though. The Christmas parties have been stellar and I've had some amazing food this week (making up for all the missed meals!). All of the long hours paid off and my company landed a huge (and fun) client this week. After a year of saving, I went on a (way too successful) shopping spree this week. Tonight, I will possibly be on air for a charity drive on the same radio station that I guest DJ'd for earlier in the year. While I'm insanely tired, it's all paying off. I have every intention of going to bed early on Sunday. That will make up for the rest of the week, right?

Did I mention that my apartment is freezing? Or that I am about to freak out on my neighbors? Or that it's snowing and beautiful outside? Or that I love my fireplace? All of those things are going on right now, too. Hope everyone is doing well and surviving the holiday season!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Black Friday


After months of wondering if my little car (RIP, Focus) would make it across it town, listening to squealing brakes, and being trapped within the city limits, I am now free to travel the world comfortably and stylishly. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Black Friday.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

I'm not ignoring you


This particular Indexed hits close to home this week, as both really good and really bad things have happened very quickly in a short amount of time. I've barely had time to process one before something else happens. I'm never sure if I should laugh or sit on my couch with ice cream and stare at the wall.

Tuesday: My neighbors' dog bit me as I walked out to my car, first thing in the morning.

Wednesday: While I tried to eat my cereal in peace, my tooth shattered. This is the second time this has happened thanks to some botched sealants when I was a kid. I got right in for a filling, and when my dentist saw my tooth, she said: "Oh. I've never seen that before. Did you get some work done in Russia?". She was serious. Apparently, fillings done overseas are colored. Now I know.

Thursday: Pulled over on my way home because I have a headlight out. Thankfully, the officer was not only really nice, but he let me go without a ticket. I considered a hug but deemed it inappropriate.

On the (very) bright side, I have a job. A real job. A design job. Full time! It's been almost a year since my last job, so the transition is a little rough right now. I work in a great studio with six other people. We play music, plan campaigns just for fun, and have toys all over the office. That said, we do a lot of work. Yesterday, I put together 26 presentation boards, recreated three pieces, and designed two newsletter concepts. I'll be taking a week off before "officially" joining the studio. Things are about to change around here.

And on that note, I'm tired. Tomorrow is Friday and more welcome than any Friday in a long time. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Back in the swing of things

Up next on the concert list:



and



and

Sunday, November 8, 2009

The things my phone has seen...


Really tiny s'mores. Really, really tiny s'mores.

Too large chipmunks. They should not exist.

Heyo, creepy doll.

Packing a little heat (mwah haha).

I really wish I could wear this out...

Tim Burton inspired Halloween.

This is what she does. All day, every day.

Again, this Halloween brought to us by Tim Burton.

Fog, sunrise, my first time leaving town in four months.


This city has finally won me over.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Playing Dress-Up

It's 73 degrees, sunny, and Christmas decorations are going up down the street. We have our windows open today, bringing clarity to every thumping car and angry conversation on the street below us. I'm wearing five layers and still chilly, but no one had better even think about closing that window.

Last night we had a movie night over here and watched The Thing. Why had I never seen this movie?! The Skidozer 301 and Kurt Russel's feathered mane alone made it a quality night. Throw in the song Superstition and some roller skates and I'm sold!

Tomorrow I'll be rocking out a Halloween celebration downtown. The main street will be shut down and they are having a Halloween fashion show, among other things. The fun thing is that the fashion show isn't costumes, it's actual fashion designers putting together outfits that follow a theme. A pretty big crowd comes out for this, and you will be hard pressed to see a larger group of drag queens together in one place in this city all year. I should really have a costume in mind at this point, right?

On Monday, I'll be starting a two week project in a new studio. This is the kind of place I dreamed about working in. Awesome office space, great clients, a more than impressive process and portfolio. There will be a lot to learn, very quickly, but I'm excited about the opportunity and ready for a chance to really take things to a new level. Big changes ahead!

For now, I'm going to head out and enjoy this amazing weather. I'm going to drive home with the windows down, take a walk, and enjoy a relaxing Friday night. I have all day tomorrow to figure out a costume, right?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Yeah Yeah Yeah love

You know I like to write, and you know I like music. Specifically, you know by now I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and think that Karen O. is the epitome of awesome. Combine all of those things and you have this, my write up for the really cool new site 80 Minutes for Life. Go, check it out, and be sure to check out all of the other great bands, playlists, and write ups on the page. Enjoy!

(And for the record, this is the not the love letter to Karen O. that one friend expected. I have a lot of love for the boys, too!)

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Don't make no


I'm currently sitting with a dog and blanket both up around my chin, typing in the dark, from the comfort of my couch. It's been a beautiful, almost perfect autumn day outside. The leaves are yellow and red, and the sky is gray and rolling. I met a friend for coffee today and the coffee shop played both The Smiths and Chris Isaac. I wanted to let them know that they could have saved themselves the effort of the good music - I was ready to offer them my firstborn at the mere sight of my latte.

Yesterday was not so beautiful or perfect. It started off well, dropping my car off and grabbing coffee. Not even the double shots of espresso could fend off the overwhelming fatigue that set in later that day. I feel like a wasted a whole day, tired and cranky, at home. On the bright side, I don't need a new engine. That's right. I've stayed in town for four very long months. I've missed some very important events, and all because a valve was blocked at some point and the light just needed to be reset. If I thought my car would survive another trip to Chicago, I would totally drive over there and unleash the fury of someone who has been trapped in town for four months

Shortly after getting the call that my car was beautiful and healthy, I started getting ready for the wedding. The outfit that I had picked out just wasn't working, and that was even before I realized that a majority of the people attending would be jean skirt sporting Pentecostal ladies. I went with a fallback respectable dress and we headed out towards the hills of Appalachia.

Three hours later, I was greeted by a woman that I have known my entire life. I've known her family, had sleepovers in her living room, and gone trick or treating with her kids. After four years of not seeing me, her first words:" So, are you datin' anybody?". I can't tell you how many times I was asked. I also got "ain't none", "done got it", "done went", "they can't be lesbians, they are too old", and "uh-oh, now I'm going to be in the blog" (sorry, you totally made it in the blog), and at one point, I found myself clarifying that I did not in fact marry a Christian rock star (nor did I know such a thing existed). I was exhausted by the time the wedding actually started.

If you grow up in a small town and then go to a Christian school, wedding season starts when you are 19 and continues, seemingly, forever. It's safe to say that I've been to an unnatural number of weddings in the past few years. I've been to some really awesome weddings, and some really sad weddings. I've been to enough weddings to know that I want to elope. Yesterday's wedding, for reasons I won't go into here, fell on the sad side. I think the couple is good for each other, and I think that's what matters here.

I found myself wishing I could show these people, who have known me for easily the majority of my life, how happy I was despite the lack of a ring. I wanted to whip out pictures of my friends! and apartment! and the cool places we hang out! But instead, the conversation ended and they moved on to see if my brother was living a more successful life. When I got home, my friends wanted to know how my day went. I told them I wanted to take a shower, which meant that it was good, and bad, and weird, and would never completely make sense to them. My two worlds do not make sense together. All of that to say that if you have a friend who seems to have good taste, but who also owns and quotes the movie Sweet Home Alabama, don't you dare judge her.

PS: I was once again reminded that I have an awesome family, and they totally make sense.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

What you need


I've spent half of this week not knowing what day it is. That's a good place to start.

I have officially survived Head Cold '09. After days of denial ("It's just allergies") ("It's just really bad allergies"), I finally caved and admitted that I did, in fact, have a cold. Days of sleep, tissues, Zicam, teas of every variety, and groggy me followed. After a couple of nights of extended, deep, ohmygoodnessamazing sleep, I am back up and running, no longer forced to breathe out of my mouth.

Speaking of mouth breathers (zing?), I'm heading back to my hometown for yet another wedding tomorrow. This one is for my younger brother's best friend growing up. The failures of both my brother and I to successfully find our own true loves will undoubtedly be brought to our attention several times. All I know now is that tomorrow involves hay bales and scarecrows. At a wedding. I'm charging my camera.

Today is the calm after one storm and before another. I finished up a rush project yesterday and am preparing to possibly start a couple of big projects soon. This is good news, as The Career has been frustrating lately. And we foolishly thought we would figure out what to do with our lives when we graduated college.

Regardless of what is going on, the leaves and weather outside will not be ignored. It's beautiful here. Walking with my friend through leaves yesterday, hearing the crunch, I couldn't help but just smile. Neither of us even cared that we ended up with shoes filled with dirt. Sometimes, you need that, too.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

I'm with the band...

I just finished up a nap that was more sleep than the past two nights combined. I lived for two days on pieces of leftover pizza, some granola, and bottles of water that were probably for the band. I've seen four performances and have been going between airports, balconies, green rooms, studios, coffee shops, and hotels. Transitioning back into real life is a little disappointing.

My dog decided to start things off traumatically by diving off my bed at 6am and acting paralyzed for a few minutes. She's fine, but it wasn't a great way to start off the crazy day. A few hours later, I was driving to the airport to pick up a band member I had never met. Let me state it here that promo pics don't look a whole lot like the person you are picking up at the airport. She was going on three hours of sleep and I was going on two, so we started off with a coffee run. Coffee chugged, we headed for the studio where I work, where we crashed on bean bags and benches before heading to the station for performance number one.

I hung out with the band for a while before their sound check. Not only were they nice people, they welcomed me right into their group. They put on a great Big Room performance and then headed out for their next sound check at the venue. I stayed at the station and caught a performance by Jemina Pearl. While I don't love the Iggy Pop collaboration, I have to hand it to this girl for putting on an amazing live show. If she's coming to your town, be sure to check her out!

Two pieces of pizza later (I hadn't eaten since 7am), I headed over to the studio to grab some last minute backstage passes and then headed to the venue. Once there, I was ushered into the VIP section of the balcony. My friends were photographing the event, so I made sure they were set. I think that was the first time I had actually rested all day. The two opening bands were local and put on great sets. They also did an amazing job of promoting the cause behind the event, which was autism awareness. The headliners put on a great show, had awesome chemistry, and had a really good crowd to play for. It was one of the most genuinely fun shows I've been to in a while. After hanging out with these people all day, it was fun to really see them in their element.

After the show, I was taken down to the green room. This was my first green room experience and it was about what you would expect. Food and drinks and couches. All of the bands were down there, along with their friends/families/a few contest winners. At some point, Petron shots were taken by all but three of us. As a DD, the very sight/smell/mention of Petron means that my car will be full. I helped with some of the final details of the tear-down and hung out with everyone until about 2am.

The girl I picked up needed to be back at the airport by 4:30am. Seeing as she was one of the three who hadn't taken a shot, I was basically the only person who could get her there. I dropped her off at the hotel and I headed home to sleep for an hour and a half before heading back to the hotel to pick her up again. It worked out that I was able to coordinate a ride for her with my friend who was already headed to that part of town, so I came home and slept for another two hours before heading out to teach my morning yoga class. From there, I went to man a booth at a local nursery's Fall Festival. Quite the opposite of my night, I sat in the sun, listened to pig races, and read.

Yes, I was painfully tired, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Great people, fun times, plenty of stories to tell. But now, my couch, blanket, and sleeping dog are the coolest things in the world.

*Actually, my parents are coolest in the world right now. While I was rock 'n rollin' around town, they winterized and burglar-proofed my whole apartment! They also left me some delicious local apple cider. Best. Parents. Ever.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

I will not be the fan-girl

In just a few hours I will drive my pimpin car to the airport, where I will pick up the lead guitarist of a band. We will hang out for a few hours. I will take her and the lead singer to lunch, avoiding any public that might recognize them. I will then drop them off at the radio station, where they will perform an acoustic set before heading to sound check at the main venue.

I will see two Big Room shows, then move right on to a big show tomorrow night. Three bands, then, a big dance after-party. A guy I work with put the whole thing together, and two of my good friends are photographing the whole event.

I will never be an event planner.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Fall

The parties are over. New music has been added to my library. The cake is still sitting in my kitchen, fork in pan, confetti sprinkles everywhere. And most importantly, a new washer and dryer are humming along beautifully in my less than beautiful basement.

I had a really good and bad weekend, all in one. I got to see my family, which was really nice. My best friend from high school also came into town. It had been years, and nothing had changed. You know you are close to someone when you have comfortable silences, I think. I baked, he sat on the couch, the skies were gray, and we were okay with not talking. Later, he fit right in with all my friends. I was surrounded by the people I was closest to, and I couldn't really ask for more.

The night of my birthday, my Grandpa and fell and hit his head. It has gone from bad, to worse, to better, to worse, all in about three days. It's amazing how so much can be lost so quickly. To add to an already bad situation, this all happened around the anniversary of my cousin's unexpected death only a few years ago. It seems like my birthday and Thanksgiving always involve tragedy. I can change my birthday, right?

I took a long walk yesterday. It was too nice outside not to. Orange leaves are piled high at the edge of yards already. Pumpkins are sitting next to high school football signs. Cats are napping in sunny spots. It even smelled like autumn. I had an impromptu meet-up with a friend at my favorite coffee shop, which was a really nice surprise. I see more walks in my immediate future. Walks, warm drinks, warm blankets, and bubble baths...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Be cool

Fall is here, in all its cold morning, yellow leaves, misty rains, rolling clouds glory. I'm finding that the awesomeness of the window in my shower decreases with the temperature. Yikes. My poor dog is cuddling up wherever she can. I am literally pulling her cozy, warm little body from one blanket to take her to another. In the mornings, we leave my bed and she curls on my lap while I eat breakfast and check my emails. This works for us both, because she's like a little heater. Still, what a lovely and cozy time of year!

My birthday is this weekend and the parties are being planned. Friday is my big bash. I've met a ton of really great people this year and really just wanted to get everyone in the same place. I'm really just hoping for a fun and peaceful night, regardless of who is or isn't there.

On Saturday, my family and one of my best friends are coming into town. I haven't seen this friend in four years, so you can only imagine how excited I am! I haven't seen my family for a while either, so this is going to be an awesome day. That night, I am having a much smaller and more personal get-together with my really close friends - about 6 people- at my apartment. I'm guessing that Christmas lights, laughter, and lots of delicious food (cake) will be involved!

Until the weekend, there is plenty to keep me busy. Tomorrow morning, I am teaching a yoga class to (are you ready?) a group of tattoo artists! I'm pretty excited. It's way more calm and basic than I am used to, but I'm really excited about working with this group. And, seeing as how a tattoo is in my future, they are probably a good group of people to get to know. Later tomorrow night we are having a movie night at work.

So, I hope everyone is having a great week, trying new things, and staying warm. Oh, and listening to good music. That goes without saying though, right?

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

People come and go so quickly


Autumn is here and the signs are starting to show. Cool evenings, earlier sunsets, yellow leaves on the ground. I, for one, have no complaints. It has been raining here for four days now, which means wet socks and a bad hair week.

Change is in the air, and I'm not talking about the weather. Not sure what's around the corner, but trying to stay optimistic. Also, trying to figure out how to adjust to some really bizarre new aspects of my life. Simplicity is really all I wanted. Oh, and sleep.

My birthday is this Saturday and my best friend from high school is coming in. I haven't seen him in four very long and busy years. We have a lot of catching up to do, and I can't wait! I am also trying to plan a trip with one of my favorite people. Some people will always feel like home, no matter where they are. Thank goodness.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Finding confetti for weeks


My update a few nights ago reminded me just how much I've missed this little blog.

In a random chain of events, I was handed two free box seat tickets to see The Flaming Lips. I grabbed my fellow music blogger Blair and we set off for what ended up being quite the show. If you've never been to a F.L. show, I might say that you have not truly seen a show. At least 1/3 of the crowd was in costume, so at one point I found myself between nuns, a penguin, and a fairy. The show included a screen that filled the stage, a giant hamster ball, smoke, streamers, lasers in the crowd, costumes, hype guys, and more confetti than you can imagine (shot out of giant cannons). One of the highlights for me was the little girl sitting in front of me. While I think bringing your three year old to a Lips concert is a horrible idea (those poor little ears!), this kid was awesome. She was totally chill and loved the confetti, showing off a giant smile and laughing.


Saturday was spent volunteering at Independents' Day downtown, which allowed local artists and vendors to play, draw, perform, and sell. I worked the band parking lot, so I got to direct every plaid wearing, ironic side burn sporting, mini-van driving band to their allotted space. From my spot, I was able to hear all of the bands on one stage, so I got to hear some really good music. *side story* Via Twitter, I realized that one girl and I were hitting almost all of the same shows. I made the comment on Friday that we needed to meet up sometime and I kid you not, she is the person I volunteered with on Saturday!*

My volunteer time was followed by an incredible play. Since I help out with a local theater company, I was invited to attend the pre-screening. I plan on writing a more detailed review, but the play was a one man show about "lifer" inmates, victims, and the collision of the two worlds. The white guy who performs all of the roles did an excellent job of capturing each character, from inmate to news reporter, and then bringing them to life. It's also worth noting that he can bust out the Wu Tang clan better than anyone I've seen. At the end, I think we all walked away with more to think about.

Here, about to end a rainy Monday, I am facing a lot of decisions and changes. Soon, I'll be able to talk more about stuff that I haven't been able to on here. Quite frankly, I can't wait. Stay tuned, folks, and have a great evening!

Monday, September 14, 2009

You just brought it on yourself


It's been a while and I do apologize. That's one way for you to know that life is really busy over here, if nothing else.

I'm currently sitting in my apartment with a certain little dog sleeping soundly on my lap. This is how I've spent the past several evenings. She sleeps, I work, and we are both pretty content. Yes, she is living with me now. Unless you are my landlord, in which case I am merely watching her.

We've both been terrorized by the giant spiders moving inside right now. Despite their size, they can fit into the tiniest little cracks. They can also fit into my mailbox, bed, shower, and windows. One of them left a scar on my leg after it bit me, and that is when this got real, folks. I think the official war begins tomorrow, with some sweeping and spraying.

I'm working at a new desk now. I go in when I want, I leave when I want. I never have to dress up (but I do anyway). I work with some really cool people and get to know new people every week. Plus, my projects lately have been decidedly more challenging and fun. We listen to great music, have some really interesting conversations, and help each other out on projects. So far, this has been a great move!

I went on a blind date. It was less awkward than my last two not-blind dates. I'm pretty sure I hate dating.

I got to see Ra Ra Riot up close and personal in an unplugged set today. If they are coming to your city, buy tickets now! They were fantastic. The addition of the strings to any band almost instantly wins me over, but today's set relied more heavily on the violin and cello and it was great. It was one of the only shows that not only made me sad, but made me okay with being sad. That's when you know you are in the presence of good music.

There is so much more I could add here, but that will have to wait. I'm tired and need to layer up before bed. In a mere 7.5 hours I will be sitting in a meeting, hopefully not looking like sleep-deprived and allergy suffering death. Night, all.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The strut of a rockstar


I'm recovering from an awesome weekend full of music and some great new friends. All of that fun has left me tired, with a scratchy throat and feet that feel like death. Totally worth it.

Friday kicked off the weekend with a launch party for a project I had worked on. After the party, we all headed down to our favorite spot a few blocks down. I fell a small sense of pride in the fact that we filled half the place that night. Good times had by all (I hope).

Yesterday was Summerfest 2009, an annual music day put on by our awesome locally owned radio station. This year's lineup was: Envelope, The Living Things, Band of Skulls, Company of Thieves, Matt & Kim, and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. Thanks to the kindness of a stranger (now a friend), I made it into the Company of Thieves Big Room, which is an unplugged set at the radio station. Thanks to the kindness of another new friend, I was able to get into the station before anyone else, so it was us, the band, and the DJ's for a while. If I didn't love Company of Thieves before, I do now. They are great, possibly even better, live.

After the show, I met up with my friend Blair and we headed to Summerfest. We caught Envelope, the local hip-hop act. The highlights of Envelope included his grandma, who was dancing backstage and the end, where he released balloons and doves as humorous and low budget way to wow the crowd. We saw a little of The Living Things before seeing Band of Skulls.

If you haven't heard Band of Skulls, you should stop what you're doing and find their album. This was a great summer album, full of gritty rock and lots of dance potential. It was made for driving with the windows down or, better yet, outdoor shows. The whole band has the kind of rockstar persona that makes you stare. Leather jackets in the middle of August, aviator glasses, and the strut of people who rock out. They lived up to the hype and put on an awesome show. Kings of Leon should probably take notes (yeah, I said that).


While the crowd and sound were horrible for the Company of Thieves show, we got good spots for Stellastar**, Matt & Kim, and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. While I'm not a huge Stellastar** fan, the crowd loved them. When Matt & Kim came on stage, the energy levels exploded and the entire pit area became one bouncing, hopped up dance party. Matt & Kim played a fun, high energy set and managed to charm everyone between songs ("I don't have health insurance, but I thought this t-shirt gun was a great investment."). At one point, Kim showed off her "booty shaken", and I kid you not, she smiled through the entire show. I'm friends with the station's photographer and we were looking at the photos afterward - she looks the same in almost every one. They are adorable.


Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears came on stage next and did a great job. While I recognize the appeal there, I just can't get into their stuff. Sorry. I tried, not my style. I ended up leaving and hanging out with some friends at the afterparty next door, where the dancing had already started. It felt amazing to sit after standing all day.

So, it was great, despite the tired feet and scratchy throat and overall need for more sleep. Definitely check out some new music and support the little guys out there!

Let's do this

Chicago: Days 3+4


After getting some rest and recovering from the night before, I called the service station as soon as they were opening up. While we had been told that a mechanic would be in on Sunday, several phone calls finally informed us that he wouldn't, that he didn't have a phone, and that there was no way to find out when he would be in. As you can imagine, this was frustrating. We searched for other places to take my poor car, but no one was open on Sunday. So, we decided to make the best of our extra day and just enjoy Chicago.

This ended up being possibly my favorite day of the trip. We walked around downtown and just enjoyed the city and sunshine (it was 96 that day). We ended up in a garden that was right next to Grant Park. In the garden there was an area to sit and put your feet in water. After days on our feet, it was heavenly. We could hear all of the music across the street and heard a couple of really good sets for free. After pulling ourselves away from the water, we found a shady area and painted our nails. If that isn't quality girl time, I don't know what is. We finally headed home, ordered a true, Chicago-style pizza, and watched movies. If you're going to be stuck somewhere, this is how it should be.


The next morning, I called the service station again and actually got to talk to a mechanic this time. He assured me that my car would be looked at within two hours. We set out for breakfast and felt timidly hopeful that good news and a quick fix were on the way. We both agreed that, however nice the trip was, we wanted this to be our last meal in Chicago.

The rest of this story, probably the most dramatic, would take a long time to tell. In short, I was informed that I would need a new engine. When you're stuck in another city, 6 hours from home, tired, wearing the same clothes as you were yesterday, and sleeping in a recliner, this is not what you want to hear. A few phone calls later, we learned that we could "probably" make it home with the current engine. We picked my car up, packed our stuff in, and took off. There was a definite "let's do this thing" feel to it all. It took us eight hours, but we made it, and my car is still running. I have to give props to the BFF, who helped me keep it together and made me laugh more than I ever have before. Despite the fact that almost everything went wrong at some point, we had an amazing time!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

So we left and started a garage band

I interrupt your regularly scheduled programming (my Chicago tale of disaster) to discuss my latest music obsession. I've been reading music blogs and felt the need to share my own latest find.

I was able to catch a Metric show on Tuesday and walked away feeling the need to revive my teenage "I wanna be a rockstar" dreams. The show was really fun thanks to Emily Haines' energy and her awesome sequined dress. She bounced, danced, and at one point, threw herself into the crowd before running in front of the stage and giving everyone high fives. The rest of the band smiled and played like they were *gasp* having fun. Twice during the set, there were pauses where Emily talked to the crowd. It wasn't the same "thanks for being a great crowd" lines, either. She talked about how excited they were to actually hear their music on the radio, her parents, and how she didn't really understand the effect of music (to paraphrase: "If we were all on the Subway right now, we'd be giving each other dirty looks."). It was nice to go to a show with actual interaction.


After being wowed by the show, I did a little research on Metric and ended up finding out more about Emily Haines. She has collaborated with, among others, Broken Social Scene (and on my favorite song!) and Stars and has two solo albums under the name Emily Haines + the Soft Skeleton. If you haven't heard her solo work or seen the (awesome) video below, be sure to check her out!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

It happened

Chicago: Day 2

After our Lollapalooza day of music and rain, we headed out to see Chicago. All of Chicago. While the day started out cloudy, it quickly turned very sunny and veerry muggy. I started removing layers after about an hour and my sweater and scarf became awkward weights in my bag for the next ten hours of walking. By the end of the day, I had an impressive sunburn and several blisters on each foot. I had also seen some of the best spots in the city.


We started by train-hopping over to a great little cafe in Wicker Park called Cipollina. Right under the tracks, this place had awesome food/coffee/atmosphere. We walked around the neighborhood a bit before heading over to the Steppenwolf theater. On the way there, I saw Cynthia Rowley's store. In case you are unaware, I looove Cynthia Rowley's stuff. My sweaty grossness, Puma's, and bag full of discarded clothing kept me from going in. A few hours later (I might add that I was tired/hot/thirsty/cranky by this point) we ate an amazing lunch at Costello's. This was one of my friend's favorite spots when she lived in Chicago, so it was a nice return for her.



We followed this up with more walking, heading down to sit by the lake for a while. We took some really awkward photos and tried to avoid looking at the Speedo-sporting sunbathers nearby.


After heading to the apartment and cleaning up, we headed out for dinner at Wishbone. After our day of public transportation, we decided to drive my car and find a parking spot. We had made plans to meet up with some friends for an aftershow, but our plans fell through (ah, so much confusion) and we decided to drive around a bit and find some dessert.

And that's when it happened.

My car started shaking. The whole car. We happened to be right by Shell station with a service center (this does not happen!) so we pulled in and tried to figure it out. Half an hour and one phone call to my sleeping parents later, we decided to leave the car there. Assured that the mechanic was in on Sundays, we left with his number in hand and a renewed sense of hope.

Then, we took the right train. In the wrong direction. We realized this at 12:15, after three stops had passed us by. We got off the train at the most desolate and distant stop we had been to yet. This is when we realized that the trains had possibly stopped running for the night, meaning we could be stuck in a not-so-awesome part of Chicago at 12:30. We ended up catching the second to last train of the night and made it home, exhausted, at about 1:30. Little did we know what was ahead...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Lollapalooza 2009

We survived our Chicago trip. That is, in fact, impressive.

Day 1: Lollapalooza
We had an awesome time at Lolla, as expected. We started out with Hockey, who made it into their second song when they lost power completely. They handled it well by playing drums and then handing beer out to the crowd. We wandered to the next stage and saw a great set by Manchester Orchestra. I wasn't a huge fan, but they are great live. We caught some of Gringo Starr and The Knux (loud, but great energy), and The Builders and the Butchers. Then, we headed to Bon Iver. Bon Iver is one of the few artists I would happily stand in the pouring rain to hear. He is one of even fewer artists who is actually better in the rain. After his amazing set, we caught Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, and then, The Decemberists. I don't claim to be a Decemberists fan, but they won me over this weekend. They were easily my favorite and put on an impressive show! After that, we waited (and waited) for Kings of Leon. I'm really sad to have missed Depeche Mode, but it's nice to say that I've seen Kings live. I had the advantage of standing by an awesome guy for this show, and we danced and sang the whole time.

It's worth pointing out here that:
:: It started raining an hour after the gates opened and stopped about an hour before KoL came on. We were soaked.
::For the record, it is not okay to use an umbrella at a music festival, ever. People will kill you, and they will be justified.
:: We only used the bathroom once all day, we ate twice that day, and we were on our feet for 17 hours straight. Lolla will crush the weak.
:: Most creative way of sneaking alcohol in: guy had taped small bottles of whiskey all over his body.

Check back in - our trip didn't get interesting until the next day...






Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Ready or not

It's late and I should not be typing. I always leave out (more) words when I write late and it never ends well. Feel free to abandon this post now.

I'm leaving tomorrow for Chicago and Lollapalooza. My bags are not packed, my bed is not made, my car has not been cleaned, and I have no idea what I will wear. I did, however, manage to: have some minor repairs done to my car, arrange my health insurance, set up house sitters, interview for a job, work on a freelance project, make a much-needed Target run, and get some road-worthy music lined up. Oh yeah, and I got an iPhone (!).

It's been a busy week, and I think I need this trip more now than I did even a few days ago. My perspective has changed this week (and from more the iPhone, thank you). I learned to say "no", a lot. To reconsider. To be (even more) careful. I learned how to deal with difficult people, and that I need to appreciate the really rare and good people around me more. Always more. I feel a sense of calm in the midst of knowing that I have very little control over what happens next. I will be ready again, come Monday, for the next step/hop/jump/dive.

So, friends, you can catch my live-from-Lolla updates on Twitter, and rest assured, there will be plenty of photos here soon. Cheers!

Friday, July 31, 2009

I may or may not be counting down the minutes


Chicago is two days away and I haven't been this excited for a very long time. The actual purpose of the trip is to go to Lollapalooza, but that almost seems to fade in comparison to the thought of just getting away. We decided to extend our trip an extra day (thanks to our amazing guests) and I am looking forward to a blissful four (4!) whole days away. Take me Chicago, I am yours.

Oh, and here's my Lolla schedule. We are only going for one day, but we are going to see some good acts. I'm so, so sad to be missing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Saturday, but who could have seen that coming? The past week has introduced me to some great new people, so I have a whole list of people to meet up with once we get there. There is talk of a meetup on the 95th floor of a building overlooking the park and my inbox might just have a list of green room entrances and venues to catch some not-so-advertised aftershows. And, even if the music is horrible, and even if we don't meet up with anyone, we are going to have an awesome time.

Prepping for the trip has been quite the task. I've had to sign up for various insurances, have my car repaired, planned out a house-sitter for my apartment and substitute teacher for my class, and have been working into the morning finishing up projects. By the time we leave I will have gone through two interviews, a couple of meetings, and a photo/video shoot. Despite all of this, the question running in the background the whole time remains: What am I going to wear?!

I'm hoping to update throughout the trip (via my new iPhone!). You should check out (the always fabulous) Joy's post on Lolla to make you either more excited or more envious. See you on the other side!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Let the show begin...

Another busy and fun weekend over here. All of the males in my family (3 generations) have birthdays only days apart, so we got together today to celebrate. This family time (extended family, for the record) further convinced me that I will elope should a marriage grace my future.

Now, I'm heading out to The Dead Weather show. I debated for about a month about whether or not I should go to this show. By the time I decided to just go solo, tickets were sold out. Thanks to the magic that is Twitter, I'm now going to with one fab friend. While the album does not blow me away, it's pretty good and I have a feeling that it's going to be a great live show. Good times are most certainly ahead. I'll try to get a few decent photos.

Lolla is right around the corner! I'm currently really enjoying the music of April Smith:

Monday, July 20, 2009

What was golden went gray

Let yourself get over the vocals (or better yet, let yourself like them in their own weird way) and enjoy. Judge me if you must, but this is one my favorite songs. I love it even more with the video:

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Jumping through a hundred hoops























Having slept right through my alarm I am now enjoying warm tea (Black Rose Congou) on yet another cloudy morning. Today will include at least one nap with my dog, a trip to see my friends and their new baby, and some family time.

This has been the week to survive. I finished up an exciting project for a great client, made progress on another job, and got the green light on a new project. I interviewed for a freelance/part time gig with a design firm right in the middle of the Short North. I also signed on to teach one yoga class a week with a local non-profit group. Because of all of this, I've decided to step away from the internship I've been a part of all summer. Things keep getting busier, which is good, but it means that other things have to go.

When I wasn't staying up until the quiet hours of the morning with the Mac, I was meeting up with friends. This included:

:: two going away parties. One involved a late night on a patio and the other had me sitting with fight club guys (not even kidding) in the middle of a busy breakfast place downtown. Utah and Liverpool, you will see me soon. Excited for my friends' new adventures, but oh-so-sad to see them go.

:: a day date with the charming Mr. Clark, in from Japan. We hit up every hot spot on High Street and ate at all of the best places. He brought me chopsticks (from that time that he taught in Japan)(song lyric shoutout) that are adorable. Did you know that they made little kid chopsticks? Because they do, and they're almost *too* cute. Good to see that boy again.

:: grabbing some of the best pizza in town with two of my favorite ladies. We had been craving pizza for weeks and I can proudly say that we put away a large.

:: catching up with someone great via a walk around my new 'hood. This friend works in a funeral home and brought me "housewarming gifts, kinda". They included a pen from her funeral home that looks like a shot. It freaks me out more than I can even say.

:: Harry Potter, which was pretty good. I loved the way it was shot, and seriously, Helena Bonham Carter is amazing. I really liked the use of smoke in this movie, and thought it was more polished/mature in general. And wish I could find a neighborhood like Diagon Alley.

:: my last Crew Game with my good friends. He's on the coaching staff and they were finally able to announce that they were leaving for Liverpool to join Everton. The team won, and there were more hugs last night than I've seen in a while. Bittersweet.

So, I'm exhausted and looking forward to relaxing with my family (and my dog!). It's possible that some very exciting things will happen this week. I will, of course, share when they do. Have a great week!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Music to fill the space between

In my blogging absence, please enjoy some free (and legal) music, dear friends. Here are the lists that Wes Anderson and Ellen Page would have you listen to. Regardless of my feelings about their actual lists ( I like Ellen's for the record, and I think that Wes' is appropriate), I'm always interested to see other people's playlists. Enjoy!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Madness at my door

Ah, my 90th post!

I've enjoyed a blissfully rainy, stormy Saturday over here. I watched almost an hour of tutorials on how to do vintage hairstyles (oh, to have longer hair right now), ran most of my errands, did a few hours of work, went to a local concert series, stopped by Junctionview Studios for their annual "Biggie Smalls" show/sale, and ended it all with a walk and a latte. Despite the rainy day, there was a really great sunset. Welcome to my "day off".

Interestingly, I did all of these things alone - and didn't mind. Working as a freelancer means that the lines between work and home are really, really blurry. It's been a trying and stressful week, and today allowed me to clear my head. I'm going to be making some big decisions this week (read: changes) and I want to be as ready as I can. There are a lot of people who are afraid of doing anything alone, but I highly recommend it. It helps find some quiet and clarity. Having great people to return to helps.

I'm going to end the day with Joshua Morrison (thanks to a new music buddy) and A Confederacy of Dunces (thanks to one awesome and long standing buddy, Ms. Yacapraro). Yeah, having great people around helps.

Friday, July 10, 2009

But really, that's how it happened

To sum up the last few days:

E.E.: "I think they might actually be really horrible people." (and she's right)

Me: "Sometimes, I look around and wonder what happened in my life to get me here. Like right now."
E.E.: "So this one time, I ended up in a tickle fetish club in New York City. That was one of those times."

J: "The Wizard of Oz fan club."
- Response after I sent my friend my client's logo, asked him if he knew any more websites that might help me figure out a style to go with it.)

D:
"Dude, you were bad *** in there. High five."
- My tattooed rockstar friend, to a stunned 8 year old girl. She was pretty awesome, for the record.

J: Have you ever listened to suburban white kids with Biblical names?
Me: Who would be in that category?
J: No, that is the band name.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

I'll never forget that you sneeze three times

I just spent the weekend catching up with a best friend, my family, an ex, and some amazing people that I am lucky to have in my life right now. I found myself running into the person I was years ago and realized that I actually missed certain parts of my life more than I thought. Throw a good 7+ hours on the road, some fatigue, and some music in there, and you have an introspective weekend. Here is the soundtrack.


Twill
Shampoo
While You Wait for the Others
Saturday's Gone
We're Both So Sorry

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Hold On, Hold On

My "day of rest" comes on a Tuesday this week and still involves five hours of work. Thankfully, it also involves tea, my first trip to my new library (yep, owning being a nerd), and some therapeutic house cleaning.

Last week was one of 15 hour design sprees and frantic jogs across town (construction on main highways really screws with convenience). I had four deadlines in one day, and then had to teach my weekly yoga class. There's been an amazing feeling of motivation and creativity through it all and I'm so, so thankful. It's nice to have freedom and excitement - two things that previous (in-house) jobs have been lacking. I'm also fortunate to be working with some really amazing people, and that makes all the difference in the world.

I've joined an amazing group of people at Cement Marketing and I couldn't be more excited! I've also been working with the ladies at Hot Head Salon, and they've been really great. I'm doing a photo shoot with the salon tomorrow and meeting a potential new client on Thursday. Things are really starting to pick up and I'm loving it.

The past two weekends have been big event weekends here in Columbus. We had Pride Weekend and then Comfest Weekend. If you enjoy people watching, patchouli, some good local music, topless women (Comfest = the boobs that no one wants to see) and a slew of possibly illegal activities, Columbus was the place to be. My friend and took in the sights and smells (some regrettably) and caught some great new bands in the process. On the second night, we had the misfortune of walking right into the scene of a stabbing. The guy was still laying there. He died that night, and the death has been ruled accidental. I have now seen two stabbings in my life, which is pretty weird. Despite the tragedy, Comfest was a huge success this year, drew in a huge crowd, and showed once again just how much Columbus has to offer.

This week is my "recovery week". I turned in the keys to my old apartment yesterday, and that felt really good. I'm hanging curtains and pictures this week, making this little home all mine. Cleaning helped me sort out my life, and I'm making some changes that will hopefully allow me to focus more and move in new directions. Hopefully, exciting things are ahead!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Put some pants on that pride

I should be getting ready to go see a play tonight, but I think a walk and a movie are going to replace the live performance. A nap and Pree convinced me to simply relax tonight.

Where to start? The internship has been interesting. There are currently four of us (Boss: "Oh, look, my intern army.") and he's kept us busy. It's such an interesting role to be filling. We had to prepare for two coinciding events last night. At one point, another girl and I were scrubbing the floors with sponges - in heels. Let me just throw it in here that it's almost 90 degrees and somewhere near 95% humidity. Being sweaty is one thing. Being sweaty while while dressed up is another. And, you can imagine the hair situation...

The first event was a Pride event and the place was a little crazy because aside from 300 guests, the Governor and Mayor were both supposed to attend. As that was picking up we headed out and picked up 18 pizzas and pop for a speaking event (again, hot, humid, heels). The two events could not be more opposite. One had gay men dressed in their finest and the other had highwaters galore and was possibly one of the most socially awkward events I've been to. The evening consisted of us attempting to maintain composure, and we totally failed a few times. At one point, another intern and I were the only two people in a hallway. I turned and said, "This has been the weirdest night" and agreed. She hadn't even finished nodding her head when a woman walked across the hall behind us wearing a green, glowing headband and said highwaters. Composure - lost.

It's Pride week in Columbus and you can tell as soon as you get within a mile of the Short North. I went to the Pride Parade for the first time today and saw a lot. As in, a lot of men in underwear, and feathers, and wigs. For the record, no man should wear a Speedo, thong, or anything resembling either of these. I saw a drag queen hold up traffic because her hair was too tall and she literally couldn't fit into the car picking her up. I saw another drag queen riding around in a motorized wheelchair wearing a silver gown and tiara. The make-up was literally melting off their faces, making it even more interesting. There were stretch limos with guys in tighty whiteys hanging out the windows (or dancing on top, whatever), lots of exposed stomachs that shouldn't have been exposed, and men who had better legs than I will ever even dream of. You can imagine. I'll leave my list of "what I saw today" at that, and trust me, it's better that way. Oh, and, it is legal to go topless in Columbus.

So, tonight will consist of a quiet walk to the grocery store, followed by a quiet movie night. I bought a new pair of TOMS shoes and can't wait to design them! There is a ton of exciting news to share, but that, my friends, will have to wait until next time...

Monday, June 8, 2009

The squares are all full

I can't believe it's as late as it is, but alas, I am typing by the light of the keyboard now. The past week has been insane. Some highlights:

I have no stove. Even "fixed" the thing was filling my apartment with the smell of gas so I shut it off. So far, I haven't even been home long enough to call my landlord. Despite this small issue, I am madly in love with my apartment. My friend came over Friday night and we walked around my new neighborhood. Ah, love. Unfortunately, my neighbors decided to have a party the first time my parents came to see my place. We pull in and I hear the music/see the yard complete with red cups and corn hole and know that this is unfortunate. The highlight was when my mom walked out of the bathroom and said, "Um, I think someone just threw up outside of your bathroom."

I've seen two shows since my last post. On Thursday I saw (Jukebox the ghost, Jenny Owen Youngs) Appleseed Cast, and last night I saw (U.S. Royalty, The Subjects) White Rabbits. I was impressed with both Jenny Owen Youngs and U.S. Royalty, who put on great opening acts. Both leading bands were great, too. I've decided to cross over and wear ear plugs to shows from now on. The shows actually sound a lot better and quite frankly, I've only seen a few shows that were worth actual hearing loss.

I'm meeting so many new people (or people I only know online) and it's great. I have more respect for a certain Mr. Yost than almost anyone in the world due to an incident involving two strangers, a shopping cart, and 1:00 a.m. on High Street. I had some Jeni's ice cream with a Mr. Billet, followed by the coolness of Tigertree and the vintage quirkiness of Flower Child. I then dropped him off at the wrong hotel, where he unknowingly walked into a Haunting Gathering. Sorry about that...

My childhood best friend got married this weekend, so my family and I made the trek to the wedding. We left at 10 a.m. and got back at 9:30 p.m, so it was a long day (mostly spent in my car). I'm so happy I got to go and share that with my friend and her family. We've gone our separate ways, and that's life, but we still grew up together and will always have that. It was a beautiful wedding, and it meant so much to just be there.

The new internship is well under way and I'm loving it! The guy I'm working with is crazybusy and so fun. I have a whole list of events lined up already this month, and we've already started working on launching a new company. We're going to be learning how to do both video (we get to shadow a crew doing a North Market video!) and podcasting soon. I'm so, so happy this worked out! I also busted out my barista skillz this weekend and served drinks at a graduation party. I stood right by the t.v. where the girl's video was playing, and I never want to hear The Climb again (not that I wanted to hear it in the first place...). Everyone was really nice and I had fun making the drinks again.

And that, friends, is why my eyes have been bloodshot for a solid week, why I have no photos to post, and why my conversation skills have been at an all time low. Goal this week: rest, and then get it together. Have a great week!


Heaven is a Drag

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Get right

I'm back online after 2.5 days of internet silence. I'm in my new home (!) and loving it. It's been interesting, but I feel more at home here already than I did in the year I spent in my last place. My neighbors are amazing, and they share their dogs: Charlie, Zero, and a grouchy little dog whose name I still need to learn. I can hear church bells and a train - two of my favorite things from previous homes.

I woke up this morning and smelled gas. I figured it was either my imagination or a lingering smell from yesterday, when my landlord fixed my stove. I opened up my windows and worked on decorating for a while. A few hours later, the smell was stronger and I was starting to feel a little nauseous. I called the gas company and the guy was there in less than 10 minutes. By this time, I was sitting on my porch. He checked my whole apartment and his meter went off as soon as he got close to my stove. Apparently, the pilot lights had gone out, so my stove was just pumping gas into my apartment. The cable guy and my landlord showed up at almost the same time. I opened all of my doors, let them do their things, and I cut out stuff in my living room. Two hours later, everything is in working order and I'm connected to the world again.

Tomorrow, a certain Mr. Billet is visiting from Virginia and we are going to have quite the time. I hope he's ready for it. So far, his visit includes Appleseed Cast, maybe a gallery hop, a wedding, and whatever else we stumble into. If his visit is anything like our conversations, watch out.

Pictures will be coming soon - promise. For now, I'm going to step away from this screen and do some more work. I'm so happy it's raining today. After 5 straight days of moving, I needed the break. Hope everyone is doing well!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Date With the Night

I meant for this to be a short post, but alas, that didn't work out at all. If I could bottle the energy and excitement that I have right now, you'd have to get it from "the guy" and hide in secret hollowed out books.

I'm moving. As in, right now, my walls are bare and boxes are loaded. I worked on it for 4+ hours yesterday and I'm about to take over another car load today. I had to do quite a bit of cleaning (the "ew" face made several appearances), but I got to know all of the little quirks of the place and still feel good about it becoming my home. I also realized just how much smaller the new place is. The "toss list" is getting much, much longer.

Between moving, I'm about to head out to the tattoo festival going on today. It's going to be a test of self control. I've been working on a design for a while, and I'm still trying to figure out the placement. Basically, I want to go in one of the two most painful spots (ribs, spine), so I really need to work myself up for it. My third option is the wrist, which I love, but is also the most visible.

And now, the real reason for the giddy excitement that is still coursing through my veins: the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the amazing Karen O. I've seen a lot of shows, and I'm not going to say that it was the best, but I can't currently think of any that I enjoyed more.

The show:
The Grand Ole Party opened and played a decent opener set. They were good, but the crowd was hyped up and ready for the real show. The weather cooperated until about 15 minutes before the YYYs went on. Five good minutes of rain and everyone was drenched. Personally, I think that made it a little more fun. No one cared when the lights went down, anyway. The crowd was great, singing along and dancing the whole time. It really had the feel of a giant party, and a lot of people were just talking to whoever was next to them. I think that was a huge part of what made this such a great show. There was only one technical issue, during Shame and Fortune, and the song suffered despite their attempts to work through it. Everything else went really smoothly and they sounded great. The encore was possibly the highlight of the night. They started off with Heads Will Roll and everyone went crazy. The pit turned into a giant dance party that went right on through the next two songs (you can't even imagine Art Star live - she held the microphone in her mouth). The set list:

RUNAWAY
CHEATED HEARTS
BLACK TONGUE
GOLD LION
DULL LIFE
SHAME AND FORTUNE
MILES AWAY
SKELETONS
SOFT SHOCK
HONEYBEAR
ZERO
MAPS
Y CONTROL
---------------
HEADS WILL ROLL
ART STAR
DATE WITH THE NIGHT

Karen O.
Let's be honest. Karen O is what makes them amazing. She bends, drops, whips, flirts, screeches, belts, stretches, dances...it's part dance, part breakdown, and it's all respectable. I won't gush, but wow. I don't know if there was a single person there who wasn't smitten with her that night. She started off in a kimono, which was taken off ("I'm takin' takin' takin' takin' takin' it off") to reveal a jumpsuit, tights, and awesome feathered bracelet/band. During Gold Lion she wore a shiny gold necklace/"mane". For Heads Will Roll, she came out in a hood that also covered her face (had a whole mummy vibe to it). The lights went out and the hood lit up. The crowd went crazy accordingly. They put on a show.

There's a great video here, and here are some pictures via Indie Columbus:

Monday, May 25, 2009

Don't worry, I didn't forget

With my move around the corner, I've been packing, purging, and planning. I've also been wishing my leases didn't run out right when the temperatures start to rise. Packing is significantly less fun when it is above 80.

After moving quite a bit in the past few years, I've learned that you have to decide to either love or hate the process. I've decided to embrace it, and even anticipate certain aspects. One of my favorite parts is the purging stage. This move has required a bit more since my new place is smaller (side note: you know you're moving up when you are paying more for a smaller space - irony). So far, I've thrown away five bags and donated four. I'm not even one to hold on to stuff, so this is really getting down to the bare bones at this point. It's amazingly refreshing.

I've spent hours going through things - even things that I have skipped over in the past. I've found letters, pictures, cards, and gifts. I came across the magazine I bought for my mom while she was in the waiting room during my tests last year. I found a note from a friend that I haven't spoken to in almost two years, with an inside joke I had forgotten about. Pictures with old roommates, old life-long friends. All of them have been reminders of people I have known and a person I have been at one time. Some have been great surprises, some have been bittersweet. All of them have been helpful as I prepare for a few giant transitions in my life.

I took a break and spent my Memorial Day with some pretty awesome people. The weather was beautiful and I needed a break and some social interaction. We grilled out (so much fresh and delicious food!), played an intense game of backyard volleyball, went through a few rounds of corn hole, and then ended the evening with a bonfire. These events aren't that unusual or spectacular. I'm guessing that millions of people had a very similar day. What was most interesting to me was the group that ended up together.

At the end of the day, having sorted through so much of my life, I couldn't help but notice that the people who have stayed around are pretty surprising. When I was younger, I always tried to find people that were like me. I looked for similar interests or beliefs. Now, I have this whole jumbled group of people who all believe different things and may or may not have a single interest in common with me. And it works beautifully. Some of my current closest friends are people I didn't even like at first, and now, I can't imagine not having them around. Some people that I had counted as "old friends" have also re-entered the picture and I couldn't be happier. Never close the door, folks.

I have a little box city forming in my dining room right now. These are all of the things that will go with me this time. This apartment holds very few memories, but I'm already excited about the new place. A housewarming party is in the works, people are volunteering to help paint, and I have friends in the neighborhood who will be spending many an evening there. I will never, ever say that past relationships have been wrong, but this time in life feels amazingly right. Thanks for the memories, guys!

Friday, May 22, 2009

That went well

Exciting news! I will now be a social media intern here, working with the amazing people of the Columbus Social Media Network. I start the same week I move. This all takes place after the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show, which is going to rock my world. So, yeah, things are going well.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Movin, shakin

It's been another crazybusy week over here, with most of the excitement happening yesterday. I've met a ton of new people this week and have some really exciting things underway.

I turned in my lease yesterday. I have a new home! Wood floors, lots of windows, original built-in shelves, and my favorite part: trees in the yard! My current place is kind of like an island. It's convenient when it comes to driving around, but I can't go outside or walk anywhere. The new place is in a real, live neighborhood and I'm blocks from a few of my favorite places downtown. Ah, love. I believe this place is housewarming party worthy...

I'm still meeting people from my Guest DJ gig a week ago. People are just now finding me on Facebook or Twitter and sending me messages. I've met a couple of really cool people who have some of the best music I've never heard of. I'm working on reducing the file size of the show so that I can post it on here. Never thought I'd be learning about Wordpress and Hz reduction in one day.

In other news, I've also received playlist requests (new project alert!). If you're interested, let me know. I'm writing actual, old school letters and mailing the letters and playlists out to people who are interested. Can't promise it will be fast, but you will get it!

I've also met a ton of new people via Twitter this week. Say what you want, but it's been an amazing tool. Interestingly, it's no longer taboo to meet up with people you meet online (Friend: "As long as it's not someone from Craigslist who spells please as "plz" and is "OMG SO xcited 2 meet u."). Most of the people I've met have been higher level professionals or really creative entrepreneur types, so it's been pretty cool. I'm actually planning on doing an entry soon (on my new, redesigned site!) about Twitter and how to use it. Still skeptical? Read this.

I haven't shared any music or videos for a while, but I have a few good things for you today:
:: Blogotheque Takeaway shows (check out: Elvis Perkins, Arcade Fire, the National, Fleet Foxes, St. Vincent, I'm From Barcelona)
:: Black Cab Sessions (Check out Lykke Li, Spoon, My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver)
:: The Blisslist: Awesome music. I am also a little partial, being a tall brunette.
:: Joy to the World Wide Web: Met this lovely lady last week and have enjoyed her blog ever since. Nice mix of photography, music, lyrics.
*Correction: The second band that I liked at Agora was Wing and Tusk, not Pretty Mighty Mighty. Apparently, the set list was thrown off at some point. Please go check out their site and support some good local music!

Enjoy, and have a fantastic Friday!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Part II: Pretty Mighty Fine

After passing out (literally, I think) on my couch for a while Saturday afternoon, I was ready for my night at Agora. Agora is an annual event put on by Junctionview Studios and does a great job of showing that yes, Columbus does have a respectable art scene. This was my third year attending and this was easily the best.

We arrived to find every lot in the area full. We didn't even make it to the door before realizing that we had stumbled into a hipster hot spot. We counted 26 different colors of American Apparel hoodies that night alongside the faux flannels, skinny jeans, and vintage geek glasses that have yet to do anyone any favors. The variety of people there was amazing - from lowbrow artist to lil' black dress wearing art connoisseur. I personally think that half of the draw for this event is the people watching opportunities.

Inside, the walls were lined with more new art than in previous years, and this year, there were vendors and stages set up outside. TOMS Shoes was even there this year and several artists customized shoes (so sorry I missed that!). I was really impressed with the variety and talent, and excited to see how far this event/Columbus has grown in the past three years. A few highlights:

Art:
Mike Miller - While a lot of the art was more modern, this guy went traditional and put a lot of the modern stuff to shame with pure talent (opinion). He also adjusted his gallery lighting to match the lighting in his paintings, given them a surreal, 3D effect. Bravo.
Coreroc
Jennifer Rospert
Pamela Skehan
Megan Delphia Alexander
Michael Litzau
Laura Alexander - this girl always has some great, detailed pieces.
Jen Adrion
and of course, Adam Brouilette, who makes me smile

Music:
Couch Forts - These guys almost completely stopped traffic while they played the inside stage. Not what we expected to hear, but still great.

Wing and Tusk - These guys were into their music, which made you want to be into it, too. I wouldn't say that they were sloppy, but they do need to tighten up a bit. Interesting instrument choices really made the live set. I'm excited to see where they go.

*On a side note, I've seen a number of arrogant local bands lately. One went as far as refusing to get off stage after going over their time. If you decide to be arrogant, you'd better leave us stunned. Just sayin'.*

We wrapped up the night by checking out the dance party and hip-hop showcase. Lots of flailing plaid, not a lot of great dancing (and, the lights were on...). The artists were pretty good, but it was a little painful to watch. Still, I think it was great to see the variety in artwork and music, and I was happy to see the place completely packed. If you missed Agora this year, I would suggest you check out other Junctionview Studio events because they have great stuff going on all year. A huge congrats to everyone who participated and put this together, and thanks for another great year!
 
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