status check - groovy
background ambiance - television (CABLE!!)
while the rest of the world (much of it, at least) prepares for tomorrow's workday with typical sunday evening dread, i'm kicking back, SoVt style.
i'm at the parentals' home, as the golf tournament my father organizes each year kicks off tomorrow. figured i'd lend a little support and help calm his jitters, as i'm not due at my employment locale until the afternoon. heading "home" for the weekend provides the additional bonus of laughing with two of my favorite people (and having someone taking care of me - how can you go wrong?). works for me.
today has been a day of necessary tasks. cleaning out the abyss-like trunk of my car. organizing. planning. writing - all the neglected necessities i've overlooked recently. it's felt good, accomplishing each item on my imaginary checklist before moving on to the next item. i've even thrown in a couple of randomly fun items (make new mix cd - check. get back into pilates - check.)
i was rewarded with more than simply the feeling of completed satisfaction. the treasures i unearthed from my car were amazing. my long-lost copy of rilo kiley's "takeoffs and landings"? my sign language sweatshirt? "jasonmraz live"? jump and vaco albums? all hiding there, waiting for me. happy reunions were had.
while i prefer "the execution of all things," hearing the first, ever-so-familiar notes of "go ahead" made me grin and wonder why i hadn't stumbled across rilo kiley sooner. anyone know when "more adventurous" is scheduled to come out?
xoxoxo - v
p.s. petition for elliott.
p.p.s. caught a viewing of "troy." peter o'toole can do more with his eyes alone than most younger actors can dream of doing overall. his performance saved the film for me. talk about honor ... otherwise? bana was great. pitt preened about - occasionally acted. i love sean bean. orlando did a decent job, although the chemistry between paris and helen was nonexistant. the omission of the gods - very poor decision. overall - not bad, not great.
5.16.2004
5.14.2004
a day of randomness
status check - present
background ambiance - mraz, "galaxy"
i've been searching for an envelope that holds my new checking card so i can stake my claim for .pete. items. i have been able to find everything else i possibly own/possess, but cannot find said envelope. i realize now, however, that i must abandon my search to prepare for my day, which includes purchasing something remotely summer dressy, as i am attending a wedding this evening. a wedding between two people i've never met, being held at a cinema. and i feel a need to dress at least passingly appropriate for the occasion.
meanwhile, i'm periodically casting glances at my cell phone to confirm that it still hasn't rung and continuing to play research girl so i can learn everything i never thought i'd need to know - until i realized i needed to. the apartment walls are bare and blank, which always throws me for a loop. and i'm listening to jason mraz, although the realization hasn't sunk in yet that a week from this moment, i'll be on the new hampshire highways, returning from a whirlwind trip that included witnessing a solo mraz performance within the limits of my favorite city.
the surreal nature of the day does not escape me. yet it's so random that i can't help but smile.
if there's one thing i can say about this past week, it's that it has been filled with the unexpected.
background ambiance - mraz, "galaxy"
i've been searching for an envelope that holds my new checking card so i can stake my claim for .pete. items. i have been able to find everything else i possibly own/possess, but cannot find said envelope. i realize now, however, that i must abandon my search to prepare for my day, which includes purchasing something remotely summer dressy, as i am attending a wedding this evening. a wedding between two people i've never met, being held at a cinema. and i feel a need to dress at least passingly appropriate for the occasion.
meanwhile, i'm periodically casting glances at my cell phone to confirm that it still hasn't rung and continuing to play research girl so i can learn everything i never thought i'd need to know - until i realized i needed to. the apartment walls are bare and blank, which always throws me for a loop. and i'm listening to jason mraz, although the realization hasn't sunk in yet that a week from this moment, i'll be on the new hampshire highways, returning from a whirlwind trip that included witnessing a solo mraz performance within the limits of my favorite city.
the surreal nature of the day does not escape me. yet it's so random that i can't help but smile.
if there's one thing i can say about this past week, it's that it has been filled with the unexpected.
5.13.2004
???
status check - puzzled
background ambiance - silence
my cell phone rang a little while ago, but the caller did not leave a message. when i searched the number online (because i'm curious like that), the listing was for my junior high and (most of) high school principal.
you tell me - i have no idea.
background ambiance - silence
my cell phone rang a little while ago, but the caller did not leave a message. when i searched the number online (because i'm curious like that), the listing was for my junior high and (most of) high school principal.
you tell me - i have no idea.
battles on the homefront, onscreen
status check - determined
background ambiance - averi, "bounce"
"you don't mess with a journalist and political type. baaad move."
i'm not one for confrontation. in fact, i'm known to do anything i can to avoid it most of the time. it's screwed me over in the past, but i'm not letting it now.
as my flatmate and i embark on this "we're sticking by our guns" mentality, i'm finding myself looking forward all the more to "troy" - for some reason, i'd managed to let it drop off my radar screen lately, with all the businesses, local focus and then illness. but now i'm gearing up for it. while i've never really understood why the concept is always that paris "stole" helen (let's face it, i've always thought the randy girl ran away with him, wasn't like she was bound and gagged), the story, like much of mythology, always interested me.
and yes, i'm looking forward to seeing orlando bloom in a new movie - sans blonde wig or swashbuckling gear, no less (note: i say this, but thoroughly enjoyed both the LOtR trilogy and "pirates of the carribean"). just a skirt this time.
good god, "the calcium kid" needs to come out in the us so i can see him in a contemporary film already.
if you're faced with life and love or death and honor, what would you do? everyone would like to say death and honor - at least as a guy - but paris chooses love and life ... it's an intimidating thing, to make an audience understand what you're doing - so they don't completely loathe you. - o.b.
side note: i admit it, i'm a dork like this, but i love reading reference to upcoming news and knowing, at least partly, what a bit of the news is. funny how i can remember that, but i shockingly forget other things ...
and, on a somwhat related note, i'm happy to report that i'm feeling much better today. rejoice ...
background ambiance - averi, "bounce"
"you don't mess with a journalist and political type. baaad move."
i'm not one for confrontation. in fact, i'm known to do anything i can to avoid it most of the time. it's screwed me over in the past, but i'm not letting it now.
as my flatmate and i embark on this "we're sticking by our guns" mentality, i'm finding myself looking forward all the more to "troy" - for some reason, i'd managed to let it drop off my radar screen lately, with all the businesses, local focus and then illness. but now i'm gearing up for it. while i've never really understood why the concept is always that paris "stole" helen (let's face it, i've always thought the randy girl ran away with him, wasn't like she was bound and gagged), the story, like much of mythology, always interested me.
and yes, i'm looking forward to seeing orlando bloom in a new movie - sans blonde wig or swashbuckling gear, no less (note: i say this, but thoroughly enjoyed both the LOtR trilogy and "pirates of the carribean"). just a skirt this time.
good god, "the calcium kid" needs to come out in the us so i can see him in a contemporary film already.
if you're faced with life and love or death and honor, what would you do? everyone would like to say death and honor - at least as a guy - but paris chooses love and life ... it's an intimidating thing, to make an audience understand what you're doing - so they don't completely loathe you. - o.b.
side note: i admit it, i'm a dork like this, but i love reading reference to upcoming news and knowing, at least partly, what a bit of the news is. funny how i can remember that, but i shockingly forget other things ...
and, on a somwhat related note, i'm happy to report that i'm feeling much better today. rejoice ...
5.12.2004
murphy's law
status check - frazzled 'n' frustrated
background ambiance - tv
"don't worry about it, you'll be fine and you didn't do anything wrong. but welcome to being an adult."
it never fails. all the shit goes down the one day i'm not in the right frame of mind to deal with it.
silver lining: could have happened yesterday.
background ambiance - tv
"don't worry about it, you'll be fine and you didn't do anything wrong. but welcome to being an adult."
it never fails. all the shit goes down the one day i'm not in the right frame of mind to deal with it.
silver lining: could have happened yesterday.
where's the healthy switch?
status check - better, but not great
background ambiance - birds
all i've done for the past day and a half is sleep. to the point of knowing there's no possible way i could sleep more. but my body feels so tired that i drift off for another hour, lulled by the gentle whir of the fan and a manufactured cool breeze on my face. and thus the cycle continues.
but it's time to rise and prepare for work, to face the world that has been sunny, warm and gorgeous during my hiatus from consciousness. perhaps i'll perk up once i'm outside. perhaps i won't feel these lingering sensations of illness. perhaps i won't feel tired, rest my head and close my eyes again.
p.s. it just dawned on me that i'll be seeing mraz live in eight days. where did the time go?
background ambiance - birds
all i've done for the past day and a half is sleep. to the point of knowing there's no possible way i could sleep more. but my body feels so tired that i drift off for another hour, lulled by the gentle whir of the fan and a manufactured cool breeze on my face. and thus the cycle continues.
but it's time to rise and prepare for work, to face the world that has been sunny, warm and gorgeous during my hiatus from consciousness. perhaps i'll perk up once i'm outside. perhaps i won't feel these lingering sensations of illness. perhaps i won't feel tired, rest my head and close my eyes again.
p.s. it just dawned on me that i'll be seeing mraz live in eight days. where did the time go?
5.11.2004
get away from me, i'm dying
status check - sick
background ambiance - chirping birds outside
when i woke this morning, lifting my head seemed ridiculously difficult, let alone actually moving my body. somehow, i managed to do both with relative comfort. in my car, on the way to something i was supposed to cover, reality finally set in. i felt horrible, to the point of turning the car around, driving home and collapsing into bed. i was officially in need of my first sick day as a writer - really, my first sick day in ... ages.
i wasn't feeling on top of the world yesterday, which i think contributed. i have been feeling tired, rundown and stressed.
i was able to pull myself together for the nectar's-no-metronome-at-eight-no-ten show last night. it wound up being a ridiculously fun time.
graham colton scored major points during averi's set by walking around to all the tables, introducing himself and thanking us for coming. i thought that was a very cool move and wanted to like his music all the more because of it.
averi's set was good, although it was the first time i was seeing them without any form of sax. beth and i were singing the sax part from our table in the back (it was so loud there no one else could have heard - was it always that loud?).
we rocked out near the front of the stage for a bit of graham's set but eventually missed much of the set because we were feeling chatty. my good impression of dennis was confirmed by fun conversation and laughs, while i just adore stu. i still don't know how matt wound up buying that round.
but now i'm paying for it. a night out + not feeling well anyway = sick vickie.
ugh. i'm going back to bed.
background ambiance - chirping birds outside
when i woke this morning, lifting my head seemed ridiculously difficult, let alone actually moving my body. somehow, i managed to do both with relative comfort. in my car, on the way to something i was supposed to cover, reality finally set in. i felt horrible, to the point of turning the car around, driving home and collapsing into bed. i was officially in need of my first sick day as a writer - really, my first sick day in ... ages.
i wasn't feeling on top of the world yesterday, which i think contributed. i have been feeling tired, rundown and stressed.
i was able to pull myself together for the nectar's-no-metronome-at-eight-no-ten show last night. it wound up being a ridiculously fun time.
graham colton scored major points during averi's set by walking around to all the tables, introducing himself and thanking us for coming. i thought that was a very cool move and wanted to like his music all the more because of it.
averi's set was good, although it was the first time i was seeing them without any form of sax. beth and i were singing the sax part from our table in the back (it was so loud there no one else could have heard - was it always that loud?).
we rocked out near the front of the stage for a bit of graham's set but eventually missed much of the set because we were feeling chatty. my good impression of dennis was confirmed by fun conversation and laughs, while i just adore stu. i still don't know how matt wound up buying that round.
but now i'm paying for it. a night out + not feeling well anyway = sick vickie.
ugh. i'm going back to bed.
5.10.2004
nursin' the noggin'
status check - desiring drugs
background ambiance - a marching band in my head
beth was telling me yesterday about a strip from "shoe" that referred to a writer lamenting the writer contractions - "they're only two minutes apart!"
well, today i obviously have my story ready to crack through my skull and onto the page because my head is throbbing. the right side hurts, which obviously means it will be a creatively written masterpiece (so i hope).
it's time to unleash the words, get them onto the page, then find the world's largest bottle of alleve. my headache WILL be cured by this evening.
ow ...
background ambiance - a marching band in my head
beth was telling me yesterday about a strip from "shoe" that referred to a writer lamenting the writer contractions - "they're only two minutes apart!"
well, today i obviously have my story ready to crack through my skull and onto the page because my head is throbbing. the right side hurts, which obviously means it will be a creatively written masterpiece (so i hope).
it's time to unleash the words, get them onto the page, then find the world's largest bottle of alleve. my headache WILL be cured by this evening.
ow ...
of course
status check - pretty good for a monday
background ambiance - phones, interviews and scanner
as i drove to work today, i passed nectar's and wondered how they could possibly have a show there this evening ... it would have to be a show where the paint is literally drying on the walls, as the windows are all still covered up.
as i walked past, i saw a sign that, i believe (didn't stop to read) said that the show had been moved to metronome.
just a heads up and a chance to me to laugh. averi at metronome. almost like old times.
background ambiance - phones, interviews and scanner
as i drove to work today, i passed nectar's and wondered how they could possibly have a show there this evening ... it would have to be a show where the paint is literally drying on the walls, as the windows are all still covered up.
as i walked past, i saw a sign that, i believe (didn't stop to read) said that the show had been moved to metronome.
just a heads up and a chance to me to laugh. averi at metronome. almost like old times.
5.09.2004
no living in a box this year
status check - elated
background ambiance - "survivor" interview on tv
for those anxiously awaiting the latest word on the great apartment search ...
while enjoying tomorrow night's show, we will be celebrating. we have the apartment.
despite my attempt at sounding calm here, trust me - we were squealing and jumping when we heard. this place is fantastic and i'm so excited to move.
well, ok, excited to be in a new place. not so much the moving part, per se, but the being in a great new place with two delightful flatmates.
hurrah! thanks for the positive thinking!
background ambiance - "survivor" interview on tv
for those anxiously awaiting the latest word on the great apartment search ...
while enjoying tomorrow night's show, we will be celebrating. we have the apartment.
despite my attempt at sounding calm here, trust me - we were squealing and jumping when we heard. this place is fantastic and i'm so excited to move.
well, ok, excited to be in a new place. not so much the moving part, per se, but the being in a great new place with two delightful flatmates.
hurrah! thanks for the positive thinking!
5.08.2004
mix it up
status check - relaxed (and/or bored)
background ambiance - pete thurston, comfortable (yes, a mayer cover)
as i've spent today recharging myself (as i've drained my batteries over the past several weeks), i decided to do something at least remotely productive. in weekend mode, that means downloading live shows and expanding my musical horizons. what did you think i meant? found the meaning of life?
with the new (or comparatively new) music i've acquired, i also downloaded some more of my favorites. among the bushwalla goodness and matty nay love, i also downloaded a couple of shows from my favorite westie chum but imagine my surprise to listen to the live goodness and hear an unexpected cover thrown into the mix ...
the show's back in '02, but he covers mayer's "comfortable," a song i hadn't heard, in any form, in well over a year, probably closer to two. it was always one of my favorite mayer songs, but after the whole sold-out-crowds-i'm-jamming-on-neon-for-twelve-minutes-at-lupos experience and the split of mayer into two separate musicians*, i haven't listened to much mayer at all, whether good (inside wants out days or paradise show days) or evil ("clarity" or - wait - anything off "heavier things" other than "wheel").
so i was more surprised than i'd expected to be smiling and singing the harmonies to pt's version as i listened to it. it was nice to hear the song prefaced by remarks about the funny decor of the room in which it was played and hear the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. you don't hear that at mayer shows these days - all you hear is the collective audience roar. blah.
i actually really liked the version. who knows, perhaps i'll go through my old cds and find my burned copy of "inside wants out" and give it a listen for the first time since maybe just after college.
ok, maybe i'll just listen to pete's version every once in awhile. let's be realistic.
------------------------------------------
* for our newer readers, i should offer an explanation about the mayer bit. (for older readers, restating the well-established. feel free to skip)
i first listened to john in late 2000, when (yes, i admit it) i found an mp3 of "victoria" on napster (thank god for slightly narcissitic tendencies every once in awhile - dammit, there are never good victoria songs!) and, after listening, promptly downloaded everything i could find.
a few months later, michelle and i were djs for a campus radio show and i decided we should interview john for the show when he performed at higher ground in february (opening - for glen phillips, no less. this is waaaaay pre-band). we then held what i still consider one of my favorite interviews ever. that june, i saw him play paradise with howie day and he continued to rock. this was with dela. oh, and he remembered meeting us, for which i loved him.
anyway, saw him in feb. '02 at lupos (rip) and it sucked. he'd become more popular and the place was packed, he had the full band and it was just layer upon layer of unnecessary sound covering up the lyrics and voice i'd grown to love. then the whole superstar thing happened and i've only seen him once since - co-headline show at SPAC with counting crows. and the only reason i was there was for c.c. mayer sucked. he tried rapping.
so i have this theory now. there's old mayer and there's new mayer. i love old mayer - the charming guy who philosophically discussed the creative essence of count chocula and chatted with me about our mutual love for david gray (and later played a bit of "babylon" for me during soundcheck). the guy who posed for a photo at paradise and said, "just say i started playing 'wanted dead or alive' and things got way out of hand."
new mayer is fine, i suppose, but i don't see what all the fuss is about. the overly polished "room for squares" didn't grab me (either version - aware or columbia), and i gave "heavier things" a chance. but i hated it. i probably wouldn't have found the one song i like on it, "wheel," had he not performed it at the spac show. when he performed that, i felt like i was watching old mayer. kind of.
so the two exist separately for me. but old mayer's taken on the role of someone you went to school with you might occasionally hear about every once in awhile. and you wonder how things are going with him, but that's about it. and this new mayer guy? never knew him, have no interest in starting now.
status check - relaxed (and/or bored)
background ambiance - pete thurston, comfortable (yes, a mayer cover)
as i've spent today recharging myself (as i've drained my batteries over the past several weeks), i decided to do something at least remotely productive. in weekend mode, that means downloading live shows and expanding my musical horizons. what did you think i meant? found the meaning of life?
with the new (or comparatively new) music i've acquired, i also downloaded some more of my favorites. among the bushwalla goodness and matty nay love, i also downloaded a couple of shows from my favorite westie chum but imagine my surprise to listen to the live goodness and hear an unexpected cover thrown into the mix ...
the show's back in '02, but he covers mayer's "comfortable," a song i hadn't heard, in any form, in well over a year, probably closer to two. it was always one of my favorite mayer songs, but after the whole sold-out-crowds-i'm-jamming-on-neon-for-twelve-minutes-at-lupos experience and the split of mayer into two separate musicians*, i haven't listened to much mayer at all, whether good (inside wants out days or paradise show days) or evil ("clarity" or - wait - anything off "heavier things" other than "wheel").
so i was more surprised than i'd expected to be smiling and singing the harmonies to pt's version as i listened to it. it was nice to hear the song prefaced by remarks about the funny decor of the room in which it was played and hear the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. you don't hear that at mayer shows these days - all you hear is the collective audience roar. blah.
i actually really liked the version. who knows, perhaps i'll go through my old cds and find my burned copy of "inside wants out" and give it a listen for the first time since maybe just after college.
ok, maybe i'll just listen to pete's version every once in awhile. let's be realistic.
------------------------------------------
* for our newer readers, i should offer an explanation about the mayer bit. (for older readers, restating the well-established. feel free to skip)
i first listened to john in late 2000, when (yes, i admit it) i found an mp3 of "victoria" on napster (thank god for slightly narcissitic tendencies every once in awhile - dammit, there are never good victoria songs!) and, after listening, promptly downloaded everything i could find.
a few months later, michelle and i were djs for a campus radio show and i decided we should interview john for the show when he performed at higher ground in february (opening - for glen phillips, no less. this is waaaaay pre-band). we then held what i still consider one of my favorite interviews ever. that june, i saw him play paradise with howie day and he continued to rock. this was with dela. oh, and he remembered meeting us, for which i loved him.
anyway, saw him in feb. '02 at lupos (rip) and it sucked. he'd become more popular and the place was packed, he had the full band and it was just layer upon layer of unnecessary sound covering up the lyrics and voice i'd grown to love. then the whole superstar thing happened and i've only seen him once since - co-headline show at SPAC with counting crows. and the only reason i was there was for c.c. mayer sucked. he tried rapping.
so i have this theory now. there's old mayer and there's new mayer. i love old mayer - the charming guy who philosophically discussed the creative essence of count chocula and chatted with me about our mutual love for david gray (and later played a bit of "babylon" for me during soundcheck). the guy who posed for a photo at paradise and said, "just say i started playing 'wanted dead or alive' and things got way out of hand."
new mayer is fine, i suppose, but i don't see what all the fuss is about. the overly polished "room for squares" didn't grab me (either version - aware or columbia), and i gave "heavier things" a chance. but i hated it. i probably wouldn't have found the one song i like on it, "wheel," had he not performed it at the spac show. when he performed that, i felt like i was watching old mayer. kind of.
so the two exist separately for me. but old mayer's taken on the role of someone you went to school with you might occasionally hear about every once in awhile. and you wonder how things are going with him, but that's about it. and this new mayer guy? never knew him, have no interest in starting now.
5.07.2004
the power of positive thinking
status check - optimistic
background ambiance - six o'clock news
i will say nothing more about it, but please just think good thoughts between now and monday. i'd appreciate it!
the week's chaos continues. i'll always take chaos over boredom, but wow, the amount of running around i've done this week has left its toll. i've covered the spectrum between life and death, with some pyromania thrown in to spice things up (well, fire, anyway). i'm looking forward to being able to relax for a couple of days, as last weekend's antics were fun as hell, but also draining as hell. i haven't had a full weekend of being in one place in ... well, let's just say a long time.
as i was learning about this wacky profession of mine in college, i focused on being able to learn as much about the different elements involved as i could. hard news, features, sports, then my beloved theater criticism and, on occasion, even some music/concert reviews (hello, john mayer interview). then editing and design. i figured it would help me keep on top of my game and help my cause when looking for a job and developing myself in said job.
i feel confident in saying that approach worked out quite well.
in other news. now that i've been able to spend some time listening to graham colton, i can say that the band provides easygoing summer tunes that likely to suit the positive vibe i anticipate at nectar's monday. everyone who will be there should be in a good mood - the venue will be open again after its facelift - and there's a talented lineup scheduled. i'm looking forward to getting out of work, meeting up with friends, sipping a vodka cran and enjoying a summer night ...
status check - optimistic
background ambiance - six o'clock news
i will say nothing more about it, but please just think good thoughts between now and monday. i'd appreciate it!
the week's chaos continues. i'll always take chaos over boredom, but wow, the amount of running around i've done this week has left its toll. i've covered the spectrum between life and death, with some pyromania thrown in to spice things up (well, fire, anyway). i'm looking forward to being able to relax for a couple of days, as last weekend's antics were fun as hell, but also draining as hell. i haven't had a full weekend of being in one place in ... well, let's just say a long time.
as i was learning about this wacky profession of mine in college, i focused on being able to learn as much about the different elements involved as i could. hard news, features, sports, then my beloved theater criticism and, on occasion, even some music/concert reviews (hello, john mayer interview). then editing and design. i figured it would help me keep on top of my game and help my cause when looking for a job and developing myself in said job.
i feel confident in saying that approach worked out quite well.
in other news. now that i've been able to spend some time listening to graham colton, i can say that the band provides easygoing summer tunes that likely to suit the positive vibe i anticipate at nectar's monday. everyone who will be there should be in a good mood - the venue will be open again after its facelift - and there's a talented lineup scheduled. i'm looking forward to getting out of work, meeting up with friends, sipping a vodka cran and enjoying a summer night ...
logic prevails
status check - pleased
background ambiance - scanner
EXCELLENT!
major league baseball changed its mind and decided to pull the on-base ads for spiderman 2!
quote from bob dupuy - the bases were an extremely small part of this program. however, we understand that a segment of our fans was uncomfortable with this particular component and we do not want to detract from the fan's experience in any way.
way to go, baseball fans! get rid of jeter and clemens and the game would be perfect.
status check - pleased
background ambiance - scanner
EXCELLENT!
major league baseball changed its mind and decided to pull the on-base ads for spiderman 2!
quote from bob dupuy - the bases were an extremely small part of this program. however, we understand that a segment of our fans was uncomfortable with this particular component and we do not want to detract from the fan's experience in any way.
way to go, baseball fans! get rid of jeter and clemens and the game would be perfect.
5.06.2004
silver linings
status check - present
background ambiance - graham colton (hurrah!)
perk to the job: colleague receives copy of album you have been seeking (without success). having used album for preview, colleague hands over the album to you after you express interest in hearing it. you now have ability to listen to album prior to hearing material live in less than a week at newly-renovated nightspot. you rejoice.
(side note: album's not bad - i'm looking forward to the show. for anyone planning on attending, according to us, show starts at 10, which makes it sound like i won't miss any of averi's set afterall. huh.)
today is filled with madness. some amusement, by all means, but certainly madness. thank god it's thursday.
status check - present
background ambiance - graham colton (hurrah!)
perk to the job: colleague receives copy of album you have been seeking (without success). having used album for preview, colleague hands over the album to you after you express interest in hearing it. you now have ability to listen to album prior to hearing material live in less than a week at newly-renovated nightspot. you rejoice.
(side note: album's not bad - i'm looking forward to the show. for anyone planning on attending, according to us, show starts at 10, which makes it sound like i won't miss any of averi's set afterall. huh.)
today is filled with madness. some amusement, by all means, but certainly madness. thank god it's thursday.
please! make it stop!
status check - hysterical
background ambiance - college promotion music
becca gave me a copy of the smc promotional dvd last weekend, so i thought i'd take a look now, as i prepare for my day and kill time before heading to an apartment showing ...
oh my god, get it away from me. i laughed more through those nine minutes than i have in ages. i don't know why i was so surprised to see some of the people featured, but i was cracking up nevertheless. should i take my strong journalism education and apply it by alerting the admissions office that they completely misidentified one of their quotable, spirit-of-smc students?
this thing is hilarious. i can't wait to show it around.
status check - hysterical
background ambiance - college promotion music
becca gave me a copy of the smc promotional dvd last weekend, so i thought i'd take a look now, as i prepare for my day and kill time before heading to an apartment showing ...
oh my god, get it away from me. i laughed more through those nine minutes than i have in ages. i don't know why i was so surprised to see some of the people featured, but i was cracking up nevertheless. should i take my strong journalism education and apply it by alerting the admissions office that they completely misidentified one of their quotable, spirit-of-smc students?
this thing is hilarious. i can't wait to show it around.
my favorite name said three times fast
status check - surprisingly alert
background ambiance - mer, "i realized"
something to pick up when i head to boston (two weeks from today!) for mraz - howie day's "extras" is being released. it has limited availablility, however, which means it's not making its way to vermont. that is, until i bring it back with me ... i'm pleased, i've been wanting to hear "standing in the sun" for ages already. and a live recording of "end of our days" will be nice to hear.
status check - surprisingly alert
background ambiance - mer, "i realized"
something to pick up when i head to boston (two weeks from today!) for mraz - howie day's "extras" is being released. it has limited availablility, however, which means it's not making its way to vermont. that is, until i bring it back with me ... i'm pleased, i've been wanting to hear "standing in the sun" for ages already. and a live recording of "end of our days" will be nice to hear.
5.05.2004
remembering two
status check - content
background ambiance - radiohead, track 7 on "ok computer"
it's hard to gear yourself up for a jolly day of work when you know your big assignment for the day is to cover a memorial. but i found myself as geared for it as i could be, primiarly because by properly covering one fallen soldier, i felt i was honoring the memory of another.
i felt particularly determined to write something beyond the simple "they gathered tonight" type of piece and didn't fully realize why until i was sitting in the church, watching the soldier's loved ones fill the pews. i thought back to nearly a year ago, when i sat in a different church, clutching tissues and speaking with the girl with which i'd been best friends in elementary school. we watched for other familiar faces, commenting on former classmates as we spotted them. considering we didn't have our five year reunion, it felt like an unexpected one - in a "the big chill" sort of way. we were attending justin's funeral - he'd been killed while serving in iraq.
i didn't have much to say after the services. i recall writing a political rant sometime around when i'd learned of his death - blasting bush for putting troops in harm's way while he sat back in the white house doing god knows what he does. but as far as really writing about how i felt watching justin's little brother walk into the church dressed in uniform - i don't think i said much. i didn't know what i was thinking, what i felt. i don't think i even know now. it's still surreal - those moments when i happen to come across a photo from high school or the great asshole marathon of project graduation, when a group of us challenged each other behind our hands of cards, grinning like fools. we followed cards with the ever-logical jumping on hotel beds. justin's in one shot, shirtless, grinning as he flew through the air.
anyway. as i saw people i'd never met looking the same way i looked at that service, i knew i wanted to really do them - and this soldier - justice. i think i did. it'll run tomorrow, so look for it if you have access to the paper. it was another one of those assignments where you realize how tough the job can be - i spoke with many members of his family, who were all incredibly gracious and sharing, which made it easier. it's just tough, sometimes, having to be the outsider hoping to speak with people about the source of their collective grief.
but it's what you do. and you do it so people understand. and learn about someone people care about so other people can care, too - or at least know. and once you get past the initial awkwardness that comes with walking up to someone and introducing yourself, you feel like you're doing something important. for them and for you.
not to mention for chris. and, although i'm sure he never met justin, it was important for justin, too.
--------------
in other news. what the hell is this about advertising on bases at major league parks? what brilliant mind thought of that plan? i'm disgusted. there are some things that should be held sacred, and once you're talking about inside the baseball diamond, you're on off-limits grounds. do what you want with the rest of the stadium (how could i criticize advertising there when the citgo sign is one of my favorite baseball-related images?), but bases? who's going to see them? i'm not looking at what's on first base during a close play. i'm looking at pokey reese trying to beat out a hit. and who can see them, anyway? for the fans, the base is a block of white that, with these new ads, will feature a small bit of color on them that will annoy everyone. is the real idea to convince basemen and infielders that they need to see the spiderman sequel? will daubach suddenly be overcome by an overwhelming desire to find out what happens to mk in spidey 2 while he tries to prevent a runner from stealing?
this is something i could see - maybe - in new york (george would be all up on that). but FENWAY? if i see that shite at my favorite ballpark when i go to my first game of the season, things will get ugly. this after they've been bitching about the cellphone-waving fans - while i'm not crazy about the phone-waves either, at least this base thing is something mlb can control. you want to talk about distraction? you're putting it on your own bases. wake up already.
i am however, quite pleased with my boys, finally ending the streak with their win over cleveland this evening. finally putting us back above new york - a half game now, but we'll be able to strech it out. pedro's on the mound tomorrow, bats are starting to swing again, and i'm hoping oakland will beat the yankees. brown's due for a loss anyway.
------------------
another interesting show scheduled for nectar's. ryan montbleau on the 21st. i've been listening to some mp3s lately and i'm quite impressed. that extended weekend will rock - mraz thursday, montbleau friday, mystery dinner theater (for work, no less!) saturday. exxxcellent.
related links:
- boston red sox (http://www.bostonredsox.com) (my favorite boys of summer - this, my friends, is baseball)
- tragi-comics: si.com article on new on-base advertising (from http://www.sportillustrated.com)(ridiculous, absurd, disgusting)
- ryan montbleau (http://www.ryanmontbleau.com)(a new voice, thus far uncorrupted by fame. hurrah!)
status check - content
background ambiance - radiohead, track 7 on "ok computer"
it's hard to gear yourself up for a jolly day of work when you know your big assignment for the day is to cover a memorial. but i found myself as geared for it as i could be, primiarly because by properly covering one fallen soldier, i felt i was honoring the memory of another.
i felt particularly determined to write something beyond the simple "they gathered tonight" type of piece and didn't fully realize why until i was sitting in the church, watching the soldier's loved ones fill the pews. i thought back to nearly a year ago, when i sat in a different church, clutching tissues and speaking with the girl with which i'd been best friends in elementary school. we watched for other familiar faces, commenting on former classmates as we spotted them. considering we didn't have our five year reunion, it felt like an unexpected one - in a "the big chill" sort of way. we were attending justin's funeral - he'd been killed while serving in iraq.
i didn't have much to say after the services. i recall writing a political rant sometime around when i'd learned of his death - blasting bush for putting troops in harm's way while he sat back in the white house doing god knows what he does. but as far as really writing about how i felt watching justin's little brother walk into the church dressed in uniform - i don't think i said much. i didn't know what i was thinking, what i felt. i don't think i even know now. it's still surreal - those moments when i happen to come across a photo from high school or the great asshole marathon of project graduation, when a group of us challenged each other behind our hands of cards, grinning like fools. we followed cards with the ever-logical jumping on hotel beds. justin's in one shot, shirtless, grinning as he flew through the air.
anyway. as i saw people i'd never met looking the same way i looked at that service, i knew i wanted to really do them - and this soldier - justice. i think i did. it'll run tomorrow, so look for it if you have access to the paper. it was another one of those assignments where you realize how tough the job can be - i spoke with many members of his family, who were all incredibly gracious and sharing, which made it easier. it's just tough, sometimes, having to be the outsider hoping to speak with people about the source of their collective grief.
but it's what you do. and you do it so people understand. and learn about someone people care about so other people can care, too - or at least know. and once you get past the initial awkwardness that comes with walking up to someone and introducing yourself, you feel like you're doing something important. for them and for you.
not to mention for chris. and, although i'm sure he never met justin, it was important for justin, too.
--------------
in other news. what the hell is this about advertising on bases at major league parks? what brilliant mind thought of that plan? i'm disgusted. there are some things that should be held sacred, and once you're talking about inside the baseball diamond, you're on off-limits grounds. do what you want with the rest of the stadium (how could i criticize advertising there when the citgo sign is one of my favorite baseball-related images?), but bases? who's going to see them? i'm not looking at what's on first base during a close play. i'm looking at pokey reese trying to beat out a hit. and who can see them, anyway? for the fans, the base is a block of white that, with these new ads, will feature a small bit of color on them that will annoy everyone. is the real idea to convince basemen and infielders that they need to see the spiderman sequel? will daubach suddenly be overcome by an overwhelming desire to find out what happens to mk in spidey 2 while he tries to prevent a runner from stealing?
this is something i could see - maybe - in new york (george would be all up on that). but FENWAY? if i see that shite at my favorite ballpark when i go to my first game of the season, things will get ugly. this after they've been bitching about the cellphone-waving fans - while i'm not crazy about the phone-waves either, at least this base thing is something mlb can control. you want to talk about distraction? you're putting it on your own bases. wake up already.
i am however, quite pleased with my boys, finally ending the streak with their win over cleveland this evening. finally putting us back above new york - a half game now, but we'll be able to strech it out. pedro's on the mound tomorrow, bats are starting to swing again, and i'm hoping oakland will beat the yankees. brown's due for a loss anyway.
------------------
another interesting show scheduled for nectar's. ryan montbleau on the 21st. i've been listening to some mp3s lately and i'm quite impressed. that extended weekend will rock - mraz thursday, montbleau friday, mystery dinner theater (for work, no less!) saturday. exxxcellent.
related links:
- boston red sox (http://www.bostonredsox.com) (my favorite boys of summer - this, my friends, is baseball)
- tragi-comics: si.com article on new on-base advertising (from http://www.sportillustrated.com)(ridiculous, absurd, disgusting)
- ryan montbleau (http://www.ryanmontbleau.com)(a new voice, thus far uncorrupted by fame. hurrah!)
i'm only sleeping
status check - decent
background ambiance - rilo kiley "the good that won't come out"
i have completely lost the ability to wake up at a decent hour. i had this skill for a couple of weeks, but now it has slipped away entirely. i'm sure my sleep-in ways are not particularly endearing to my flatmate, as we have a pattern of walking down to church street together early in the morning. i've been dead to the world the last two days. tomorrow, i swear.
i had a rather surreal start to the workday yesterday, as i walked into the office to see two large styrofoam boxes propped on top of one of the short bookcases. inside, packed in dry ice, were several containers of brigham's ice cream. "reverse the curse" ice cream, no less. my association of brigham's and boston's north shore (my grandmother always has a gallon of some flavor in the freezer when we visit) was bolstered by the copy of the globe i was carrying under my arm.
much in the way i was excited when mayer's first album review was in rolling stone, i was pleased to see that averi's friday night paradise show was reviewed for yesterday's issue of the globe. so i picked up a copy (because i'm cool like that) on my way in and showed several of my coworkers. then we poured water on the dry ice and made it smoke up. because we are pictures of maturity.
funny that the first thing i thought of was mayer ... i don't recall feeling the same way about howie or mraz. coincidence or sign? you tell me.
status check - decent
background ambiance - rilo kiley "the good that won't come out"
i have completely lost the ability to wake up at a decent hour. i had this skill for a couple of weeks, but now it has slipped away entirely. i'm sure my sleep-in ways are not particularly endearing to my flatmate, as we have a pattern of walking down to church street together early in the morning. i've been dead to the world the last two days. tomorrow, i swear.
i had a rather surreal start to the workday yesterday, as i walked into the office to see two large styrofoam boxes propped on top of one of the short bookcases. inside, packed in dry ice, were several containers of brigham's ice cream. "reverse the curse" ice cream, no less. my association of brigham's and boston's north shore (my grandmother always has a gallon of some flavor in the freezer when we visit) was bolstered by the copy of the globe i was carrying under my arm.
much in the way i was excited when mayer's first album review was in rolling stone, i was pleased to see that averi's friday night paradise show was reviewed for yesterday's issue of the globe. so i picked up a copy (because i'm cool like that) on my way in and showed several of my coworkers. then we poured water on the dry ice and made it smoke up. because we are pictures of maturity.
funny that the first thing i thought of was mayer ... i don't recall feeling the same way about howie or mraz. coincidence or sign? you tell me.
5.03.2004
now the real question is why beck wrote that in the first place
status check - thoroughly amused
background ambiance - scanner (!$&()*%#)
how do i know i have the greatest friends in the world? it's simple.
anyone could have made up any old thing to post as a comment and signed it with "beck." MY friends, however, go into beck's online journal, read the whole thing, find the most "appropriate" snippet to use as a comment and then post on my blog.
the scariest/best part? i had to wonder which friend it was who did so.
you guys rock. i don't tell you that nearly enough. xoxoxoxo
(confused? go to the post below this, read it, then read the comments)
status check - thoroughly amused
background ambiance - scanner (!$&()*%#)
how do i know i have the greatest friends in the world? it's simple.
anyone could have made up any old thing to post as a comment and signed it with "beck." MY friends, however, go into beck's online journal, read the whole thing, find the most "appropriate" snippet to use as a comment and then post on my blog.
the scariest/best part? i had to wonder which friend it was who did so.
you guys rock. i don't tell you that nearly enough. xoxoxoxo
(confused? go to the post below this, read it, then read the comments)
signed, sealed, delivered.
status check - decent
background ambiance - "today"
hmm. to have a weekend's worth of tales worthy of sharing, yet not knowing the best way to condense them. and not knowing particularly what to say. i'll give it a shot, anyway.
i had a giddy saturday afternoon in boston, wandering a little and laughing a lot with tom and becca. i reveled in the warm sunshine, teamed up with tom for my first subway performance session (sans permit, no less - ok fine, it consisted of the two of us cracking jokes, dancing like fools and otherwise playing around for just a few minutes) and then enjoyed dinner and the red sox at t's with becca and michelle pre-paradise show.
the lineup included the clicks, seeking homer and averi ... it was pretty tight, i'll admit, especially since averi had faced a void where michael usually was. while he focused on getting well, the band added dennis on keys and vocals, steve on sax and three female backup singers. i was skeptical, particularly as the band kicked into "waiting for a ghost" and chad waited until the chorus to make his way into the spotlight, carrying a beer and a cordless mic. i didn't see the need for an entrance, but apparently he did. right.
i shrugged most of such thoughts away, choosing instead to focus on dancing, singing along and otherwise enjoying the show. i was successful, for the most part. as is often the case with shows with musicians gaining in popularity, the amount of talking during the performance was more than i was used to, which left me ready to yell, "would you kindly shut the hell up?" a few times. the girls screaming for "garden of eden", conveniently positioned immediately behind us, flashed me back to "I LOVE YOU HOWIE" at avalon. chad seemed to be playing more the part of a frontman than his previously typical vocalist/rhythm guitarist role, and the whole standing on the side speaker move worked more for me when dennis used it.
but the musicanship demonstrated by the rest of the band impressed me again to no end, particularly stuart, dennis and steve. i always know chris and matt will do well in their silent ways, but i'm happy to see stu getting more attention. and dennis and steve? they're no michael, obviously, but i thought they were amazing. dennis possessed a laidback charisma that immediately won me over, while steve put everything he had into giving the audience the best sax performance he could. it was clear he was nervous - but he did incredibly well. i tried to find steve post-show to tell him, but was unsuccessful. i was able to tell dennis that i thought he rocked - his gleeful reaction made me like him all the more.
several moments stuck out, recalled now in no particular order than my rambling memory. ellis paul's appearance thrilled me - "3,000 miles" provided a great moment. a cover of "signed, sealed, delivered" appeared and blew me away. i rocked out with reckless abandon. "flutter" made me laugh - michelle and i cracked up as we realized we knew the live version so much better than the studio track these days.
during a solo, i heard uncannily appropriate lyrics that made me wonder what inspired the song and how i should feel about the fact that i'd apaprently not been the only person to sense a shift - and detected it from an outsider position, no less. somehow, i wound up feeling better AND worse.
when we left the club and headed back to the apartment, i sat in the back of a top-down jeep, staring behind me at the skyline. i felt like there was nothing separating me from the city as i sped away. later that night, i looked upon the skyline from the top of prospect hill, thought of all those who lived there, and hoped they never grow completely accustomed to such a beautiful sight of lights on night.
after this weekend (and my flatmate), i'll never be able to look at cantalope the same way. and last night, this blog worked itself into my dream. in it, beck had left a comment.
????
related links:
- the click (http://www.theclicklovesyou.com) (opening band - energetic and endearing. covered "i think we're alone now" and won me over)
- seeking homer (http://www.seekinghomer.com) (first time seeing them since they played st. michael's - and a crowd of maybe ten - my sophomore year. tighter grooves now and performed well)
- ellis paul (http://www.ellispaul.com) (i think everyone should listen to a little ellis. it's good for you)
- averi (http://www.averimusic.com) (i predict they sign with a label by the end of the summer. f.b.o.w.)
status check - decent
background ambiance - "today"
hmm. to have a weekend's worth of tales worthy of sharing, yet not knowing the best way to condense them. and not knowing particularly what to say. i'll give it a shot, anyway.
i had a giddy saturday afternoon in boston, wandering a little and laughing a lot with tom and becca. i reveled in the warm sunshine, teamed up with tom for my first subway performance session (sans permit, no less - ok fine, it consisted of the two of us cracking jokes, dancing like fools and otherwise playing around for just a few minutes) and then enjoyed dinner and the red sox at t's with becca and michelle pre-paradise show.
the lineup included the clicks, seeking homer and averi ... it was pretty tight, i'll admit, especially since averi had faced a void where michael usually was. while he focused on getting well, the band added dennis on keys and vocals, steve on sax and three female backup singers. i was skeptical, particularly as the band kicked into "waiting for a ghost" and chad waited until the chorus to make his way into the spotlight, carrying a beer and a cordless mic. i didn't see the need for an entrance, but apparently he did. right.
i shrugged most of such thoughts away, choosing instead to focus on dancing, singing along and otherwise enjoying the show. i was successful, for the most part. as is often the case with shows with musicians gaining in popularity, the amount of talking during the performance was more than i was used to, which left me ready to yell, "would you kindly shut the hell up?" a few times. the girls screaming for "garden of eden", conveniently positioned immediately behind us, flashed me back to "I LOVE YOU HOWIE" at avalon. chad seemed to be playing more the part of a frontman than his previously typical vocalist/rhythm guitarist role, and the whole standing on the side speaker move worked more for me when dennis used it.
but the musicanship demonstrated by the rest of the band impressed me again to no end, particularly stuart, dennis and steve. i always know chris and matt will do well in their silent ways, but i'm happy to see stu getting more attention. and dennis and steve? they're no michael, obviously, but i thought they were amazing. dennis possessed a laidback charisma that immediately won me over, while steve put everything he had into giving the audience the best sax performance he could. it was clear he was nervous - but he did incredibly well. i tried to find steve post-show to tell him, but was unsuccessful. i was able to tell dennis that i thought he rocked - his gleeful reaction made me like him all the more.
several moments stuck out, recalled now in no particular order than my rambling memory. ellis paul's appearance thrilled me - "3,000 miles" provided a great moment. a cover of "signed, sealed, delivered" appeared and blew me away. i rocked out with reckless abandon. "flutter" made me laugh - michelle and i cracked up as we realized we knew the live version so much better than the studio track these days.
during a solo, i heard uncannily appropriate lyrics that made me wonder what inspired the song and how i should feel about the fact that i'd apaprently not been the only person to sense a shift - and detected it from an outsider position, no less. somehow, i wound up feeling better AND worse.
when we left the club and headed back to the apartment, i sat in the back of a top-down jeep, staring behind me at the skyline. i felt like there was nothing separating me from the city as i sped away. later that night, i looked upon the skyline from the top of prospect hill, thought of all those who lived there, and hoped they never grow completely accustomed to such a beautiful sight of lights on night.
after this weekend (and my flatmate), i'll never be able to look at cantalope the same way. and last night, this blog worked itself into my dream. in it, beck had left a comment.
????
related links:
- the click (http://www.theclicklovesyou.com) (opening band - energetic and endearing. covered "i think we're alone now" and won me over)
- seeking homer (http://www.seekinghomer.com) (first time seeing them since they played st. michael's - and a crowd of maybe ten - my sophomore year. tighter grooves now and performed well)
- ellis paul (http://www.ellispaul.com) (i think everyone should listen to a little ellis. it's good for you)
- averi (http://www.averimusic.com) (i predict they sign with a label by the end of the summer. f.b.o.w.)
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