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
Monday, June 8, 2009
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!
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:
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!
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!
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!
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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