At this moment...
04.29.07:
Cyclists in the suburbs are second class citizens. Or maybe it's pedestrians that are second class citizens. If you opt out of driving you may as well pray that a car doesn't kill you. Today I decided to cycle to Whole Foods instead of driving. The ride over to Whole Foods was fairly uneventful (it would be nice if there were some sidewalks on Rand road since I don't like biking next to cars going 45 to 50 mph). However, the ride back was a bit more stressful. Oh well, I won't let that stop me from cycling.
Yesterday I ran four miles, and today I ran six miles. I also made brownies and watched two Jim Jarmusch films, Mystery Train and Dead Man. Both films were outstanding, especially Dead Man.
For dinner I made a Spanish tortilla.
Looks like guitar guy is back. He's outside at the train station "jamming" away in the way that only guitar can jam. God how I love this time of the year, when I can throw open the windows to my apartment and listen to the local crazies scream and shout while guitar guy provides the soundtrack.
Once again, I lead a very exciting life.
Song:
Johnny - Zerostars (I've been listening to a rough mix of our latest song. I like it a lot. Jason did a really great job with the vocals, and the electric guitars are fantastic.)
04.25.07:
A few days back I wrote how I wished it to be Friday or Monday, and that in a few days I'd elaborate. Well, I'm pleased to announce that I am the recipient of new glasses. Not a dramatic change in style, sort of Buddy Holly-esque but not as gigantic. Only one coworker noticed that I was sporting new frames.
But wait, there's even more cause for celebration... Astronomers have discovered a planet outside of our solar system that has the potential to be Earth-like.
And still more!... It's good news and involves the following question, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Song(s):
Super Trouper - Abba via Camera Obscura
Supermarket to the Moon - Guided by Voices
Five Years - David Bowie
04.22.07:
04.18.07:
It would be nice if today was Friday or even Monday. Hopefully I'll be able to elaborate in a few days.
Zerostars play on 4.23.07 at The Elbo Room in Chicago. We play promptly at 7:30 PM. It'll be our first show in nearly a year. Well, that's not exactly true since we've played an acoustic show back in December. However, we haven't played with a drummer or electric guitars, distortion pedals or amps in a year. Garret will be filling in on the drums since we're still without a drummer, which explains why we haven't played a show in a year.
Listening to:
Ghost is Not Real - Husky Rescue (In a weird way this album sounds like a cross between Air's Moon Safari and Wilco. But that means nothing if you're not familiar with Wilco or Air. There's something unsettling yet simultaneously calming about this album. Very cinematic, psychedelic and dreamlike. Makes me want to move to Finland and learn how to play a pedal steel guitar. Highly recommended.)
Song(s):
Lord Can You Hear Me? - Spaceman 3
Lay Your Head Down - Keren Ann
(Such a beautiful timeless sounding single. Great cello/double bass arrangement, and killer handclaps. And the harmonies at the end are enough to melt even the coldest heart.)
Watch Over You - Sarah Shannon
04.13.07:
More recording. Today we tracked bass. We tried tracking some electric guitars too, but things just weren't working out. No worries...
If you've ever read Guitar World you'll find the above photo of jm pretty humorous. If you're unfamiliar with Guitar World, well, you'll still probably find that pose of his pretty funny.
After a week of having a cold I'm finally starting to feel a bit better.
04.11.07:
This April snow
is a bit too much... Then again, I suppose I'd rather have a cold when it's dreary outside.
Who works at Thought Works? Every so often you visit my website, and it's weird since I don't know anybody that works at the Chicago office, nor do I know anyone that works at any of the Thought Works locations. I don't even know any consultants, so it's a bit odd that from time-to-time you visit my site. Seriously, send me an email and say hi.
What an exciting early evening. As this website often demonstrates, nothing crazy ever happens in my life. I lead a fairly quiet existence. I run, I read, I play bass in a band, I spend time with my friends and family, I work a job in corporate America, I take an occasional photo or two, I enjoy a good bottle of wine, etc. Well, earlier I was doing dishes, which is a fairly mundane activity, when for no reason I turned away from the sink only to notice sparks and small balls of fire shooting out from the electric baseboard heating that was recently installed. Odd, right?
My first reaction was to turn the unit off. I then called the management company for the building and left a message. Then, I called the Village of Arlington Heights to see if I could talk with one of the building inspectors since they are the ones that oversee building permits and things relating to buildings. Unable to talk with anyone at the village I left a message. Following the call to the village I dialed 911. Now, I knew it wasn't an emergency, but I just wanted to let someone know that this happened since it could occur in other apartments. After talking with the 911 operator for a bit he instructed me to exit the building and on my way out to pull the fire alarm. I reiterated that it wasn't really an emergency, but he still wanted to send a fire house over.
Since I do as I'm told, I left my apartment. As I walked past the fire alarm I pulled it. Actually, before I pulled the alarm I kind of smiled, and took a second to look at it closely. As a kid I was always tempted to pull a fire alarm. Don't most kids dream of a day when the can pull an alarm? In a way it was kind of exhilarating. After pulling the alarm I left the building.
Only one other person from the building exited, and that was after about two or so minutes of the alarm going off. Within three minutes the fire department (two trucks and an ambulance) was at the building. Pretty damn quick. I greeted them at the door to the building and explained what happened. I'm pretty certain the lead fireman thought I was a bit wacky for calling 911. I kept apologizing to him and told him that it wasn't really an emergency, but that 911 wanted to send them over.
Eventually we walked up into my apartment and I showed him where the sparks and fire started to fly out from the heater. He used some cool device that measured heat. My guess is that he wanted to make sure the inside of the walls weren't on fire. Everything checked out okay. He took down some additional details, and told me that the heater was probably arching. Regardless, I don't like to see sparks flying out of a heater.
Now I'm without heat. I have a small space heater to get me through the night. I managed to get in contact with the management company and they told me to go out and buy an additional space heater and send them the bill. If heat isn't working tomorrow I'll take them up on their offer.
Song:
Crazy Crazy Nights - Kiss via Susanna and the Magical Orchestra
04.10.07:
Listening to:
23 - Blonde Redhead
Saltbreakers - Laura Veirs & Saltbreakers
04.09.07:
It would be nice if Spring decided to come back. I've managed to pick up a nasty cold, and this Advil doesn't seem to be making an impact. Couple the cold with the stresses of work, and I'm not very pleasant to be around.
04.07.07:
Zerostars weekend. Yesterday Fearless Radio, today, recording studio...
Last night, as I was sitting on the train on my way home from Chicago, I overheard some high school girl exclaim, "I wish I was a Victoria Secret model. They're so hot. The have perfect legs, and the best boobs." Then, for the next five or so minutes this girl and her group of female friends all discussed their physical imperfections based on the Victoria Secret models. Quite fascinating.
04.05.07:
There's a million things I'd love to write about, but I won't write about any of those things.
Song(s):
Melt Your Heart - Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Neil Young (I could listen to this song on repeat for hours and hours. Simply one of the greatest songs ever written. Funny how I used to think Neil Young was crap. I can't say that I love everything he's done over the years, but that doesn't mean he's not an amazing artist.)
Secrets of the Heart - Andrew Kenny
Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken? - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
I Think I Need a New Heart - The Magnetic Fields
My Heartbeat - Annie
The Bleeding Heart Show - The New Pornographers
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts - Sufjan Stevens
Oh, Sweetheart - The Shout Out Louds
04.04.07:
As I was walking back to my apartment with a basketful of laundry I watched some jerk roll down his window and throw an empty cigarette box onto the street in front of my apartment. Since he was parked, and his window was halfway down, I looked directly at him and asked, "Do you always like to litter?" His astoundingly intellectual comeback was, "Do you always do your laundry here?" "Witty retort," I replied, "Assholes like you make me sick." I was tempted to spit on his car. Instead I walked into my apartment building. After he left his spot I went down and threw his cigarette box into the garbage, which was about three feet from where he was parked.
I mean, I never even think of littering as an option. People no longer respect anything.
I shouldn't let stuff like that bother me, but it really brings me down. Not that everybody is like that, but this planet isn't for us to destroy, and everywhere I look I see litter. When I run I'm always amazed at the amount of trash strewn all over the place.
Speaking of laundry...
04.03.07:
Winter is readying for its return, but luckily I was able to get out for a quick three mile run. Sometimes all I want to do is run. The other day I was describing what components would make my ideal/dream job. Running was one of those components, as was taking photos, playing music, writing and pretty much anything that involved things, for lack of a better word, creative.
Listening to:
And Their Refinement of the Decline - Stars of the Lid
Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
Pocket Symphony - Air
Sound of Silver - LCD Sound System
Person Pitch - Panda Bear