At this moment...
11.30.06:
I thought about going for a run, but figured it best to wait another week. Or, maybe, if we get a huge snowstorm tonight, I'll go for a run before work. I like running in the snow, especially before the snowplows make a mess of the streets.
The other day I was writing something, but I started to get bored. Here's an excerpt:
Lately I've been thinking about my relationship to the music that I listen to. On one level, probably the most basic level, is my relationship to music as a consumer. But I find that relationship boring. It wasn't always boring. I used to love going to record stores like Record Swap or Periscope in Champaign-Urbana and spending hours just combing through the aisles of CDs looking for new bands. Or, I used to anxiously await for the latest copy of CMJ or Magnet and read the record reviews before reading the articles or interviews. Sadly those days are gone, replaced by Pitchorkmedia.com and a host of other internet websites reviewing the latest album by the next big thing. Oddly, I can't remember the last time I read a complete album review on-line, and I'd be heard-pressed to name an internet music reviewer. Gone are the Lester Bangs of music journalism. And maybe that's what I'm getting at. Bangs wrote about his personal relationship to music and to the albums he was reviewing.
Do people relate to Gwen Stefanni's yodel or Justin Timberlake's desire to bring sexy back? But I 'get' what Gwen and Justin are attempting to accomplish. They're brands, pure product. There's no true essence to the 'product' them; they're hollow, empty calories, the diet beverages of pop culture and therefore the perfect product for mass consumption...
Listening to:
Frengers: Not Quite Friends But Not Quite Strangers - Mew
11.27.06:
Some photos from the 11.26.06 recording session...
Songs:
Black Flowers - Yo La Tengo (I believe this song is sung by James
McNew. Last night, as I was driving home, I kept listening to this song on repeat. It's off the latest Yo La Tengo album I Am Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass.)
The Only One - Jim Noir (The type of song perfectly suited for a mix CD.)
11.26.06:
I really should be sleeping...
Thank you again kk for that delicious breakfast. Seriously, the souffle was wonderful and the perfect way to start the day. That was the nicest thing anybody has done for me in a really long time (well, you also cooked that gumbo a week ago, and that was up there as well, but breakfast was outstanding).
Thank you kk (for trumpet) and Missy (for flute) for playing on Like the Daylights. I'll post photos tomorrow.
11.25.06:
I'm losing it. I've been searching my apartment trying to find my Police box set and U2 singles box set. I can't find either of them and it's driving me crazy.
Earlier I got sucked into watching Reality Bites. I hate that movie. Well, I don't hate it, but unlike Kicking and Screaming, it feels dated. Plus, the happy ending is unrealistic.
11.24.06:
11.23.06:
Happy Thanksgiving!
Along with Walmart, Best Buy is one the worst stores on the planet. After work I stopped at Best Buy to get Sufjan Stevens' Songs For Christmas (Highly Recommended! Very pure and from the heart). It took the idiot kid working the music section nearly ten minutes to find me a copy. Has anybody else noticed that the music section isn't really in alphabetical order? It's nearly impossible to find what your trying to purchase. It's sad that Tower Records is going out of business. Sure, they were overpriced, but at least they had a great selection and the people working there seemed to be a bit more knowledgeable about music than the kids that work at Best Buy.
Last night I watched Alien and Resevoir Dogs. Like The Thing, both movies have great ensemble casts. Well, maybe not Alien as much, but still good. Alien still scares the crap out of me.
11.22.06:
Yesterday my grandma celebrated her 92nd birthday. I brought her flowers and kk joined my grandma and I for dinner at Omega Restaurant. Afterwards I watched John Carpenter's The Thing. It's been years, probably mid-80's, since I last saw that movie. It's really quite good. Amazingly, it has a very timeless appeal to it because it doesn't feel dated like a lot of movies do when you take them out of the decade that they were created in. Plus, it has a great cast. Usually I could care less for Kurt Russell (Overboard?), but he plays a great part in this movie.
11.20.06:
Everything checked out okay for my leg, no breaks or stress fractures (see the below x-ray for proof). However, the doctor told me no running for four to six more weeks. He told me to stretch and take ibprophen to reduce the swelling (it's not as swollen as it was after the marathon). He also commented that our bodies weren't built to run long distances (I disagree. Our bodies weren't designed for cement) and when I asked if cycling was okay he replied, "I'd go with a stationary bike because it's getting cold outside." Cold won't keep me from cycling outside, but the dark might.
Yesterday, out of sheer laziness, I bought a pound of Starbucks coffee from the Jewel across the street from my apartment. Usually I buy Intelligentsia's espresso roast, so I bought Starbucks' espresso roast. This morning I followed the steps I follow when making a pot of coffee (really just four cups). As I took my first sip I could sense that I wasn't going to be happy with my brew. Starbucks is crap. I mean, I've always kind of thought Starbucks to be crap, but I thought I'd give them a chance. There's no depth to the flavor, as if the roaster doesn't really like coffee at all. I guess I'll be picking up a pound of Intelligentsia later today.
The new Joanna Newsom album is spectacular, especially the string parts written by Van Dyke Parks. Newsom is a weird one. I saw her open for Bonnie Prince Billy and was instantly drawn to her quirky girlish voice and harp playing. But, I can see why she has her detractors.
11.19.06:
Yesterday kk and I went to The Notebaert Nature Museum courtesy of NPR and Chicago Public Radio. Good times. Great place to take kids to visit. While we didn't see the mythical vomiting shrimp, we did see some glow-in-the-dark scorpions and butterflies (the butterflies don't glow). At one point kk managed to trigger an alarm at one of the exhibits (thankfully not at the glowing scorpion exhibit).
After the museum we were off to Fox & Obel where I was able to score some orange flower water to further my increasing addiction to that potent stuff. Fox & Obel was promptly followed by a Costa Rican feast at Irazu, record shopping at Dusty Groove, old photo viewing, taco eating, partying and then a late night breakfast at The Golden Nugget (the menu proudly points out that they use 100% Oscar Meyer products).
Now I'm up way too early for a Sunday. To make matters worse I'm out of coffee, so I'm drinking tea. I need to get out and buy some coffee at some point in the day.
Song(s):
Be Not So Fearful - Bill Fay
If We Cannot See - Devics
11.17.06:
A very odd day. I can't really get into the details (call me, or send me an email if you want them), but some very unexplainable things have occured today. Very Donnie Darko. It's almost like there's a opposite universe that I'm stuck in. At lunch a coworker had the number 94 and my number was 49. However, there was another incident, even more strange that parallels the 94/49 incident (actually, that incident occured before the lunch one).
11.16.06:
I've decided to go see an orthopedic doctor for my leg. I find the whole not being able to run thing really depressing.
Thank you kk for the gumbo last night night.
I think this photo of my dad is great.
11.12.06:
Woke this morning and went cycling (25 miles). I don't like the whole fall back time change thing, especially now that I have an injury and really shouldn't be running. Ideally I'd like to wake and go for a 25 mile ride three times a week, but that would mean I'd have to wake up way too early because it's too dark at night to go for a ride when I get home from work.
Song:
Braver Newer World - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
("Tell me now that you know how to greet the dawn each day." Such an amazing opening line.)
11.11.06:
I thought about going for a run. Actually, I got dressed for a run, but looked at my left leg, and it just doesn't look like it is supposed to look. Earlier in the week I ran three miles. My achilles tendon hurt a bit. I don't like this not running nonsense. Kind of depressing.
The Pernice Brothers were a big let down on Thursday. They seemed like they were just going through the motions. Plus, their drummer kept messing up and the tempos were all too fast.
Last night kk and I went to see Stranger Than Fiction. I liked it, but I have a degree in literature, so I'm probably a bit biased. After the movie we met up with my parents for a nice dinner at Retro Bistro.
Anybody else think iTunes 7 is crap? I've had more problems with this version than I have with all the other versions combined.
11.05.06:
It's a Nick Drake kind of day.
Last week I put the storm windows down. Big mistake as the heat in my apartment is a bit much (three of the four radiators are closed). Now my living room window is wide open, as in no storm or screen, and I'm waiting for a bird to fly in and befriend me, or at least sing me a song.
Song:
Blue Thunder - Galaxie 500 (I love when the first snare
11.02.06:
Left work early. I'm trying to kick this crappy cold.
Listening to:
Young Machetes - The Blood Brothers (By most accounts I shouldn't like this band. I mean, they're pretty much a hardcore band, lots of time changes and plenty of screaming, but I'll be damned, this album is exciting. Plus, they have a pretty strong pop sensibility. They remind me a bit of Fugazi (which reminds me that I really need to listen to them more often) and The (International) Noise Conspiracy, especially when they bring out the rhodes on their wonderfully taut soul influenced single Laser Life. Actually, the rhodes pops up all over the place and adds a nice touch).
11.01.06:
Deleting a bunch of old files I came across an email from a long time ago:
…I digress. A minute ago, I was grabbing a beer from the freezer—the usual—I need it ice cold, and I had this thought. Actually it’s a question, “What’s the grossest refrigerator habit I have?”
Then I thought about it.
Probably eating shredded Parmesan cheese by the handful. That stuff is super-rich after a few fistfuls. Or maybe it’s pouring the end of the chip bag into the salsa jar and eating salsa cereal?
I'm not sure how old this email is. To know the writer, or to at least know the ghost of the writer, well, there's not much else to say except, I thought I got rid of all the scraps.
I also found this photo:
I added a some new sections under photos called 2004 & 2005 in miniatures and 2006 in miniatures.
The past two nights I've fallen asleep at 8:30 PM. Not good.
Dinner tonight was a Croque Madame (I love making a Béchamel) and a ginger ale and vodka concoction.