In 2005 I will:
-Pass my comps
-Defend my dissertation proposal
-Learn to write a decent record review
-Learn three chords on the guitar
-Get a facial
-Go to the Capitol Hill Block Party (Sea.)
-Help Marshall around the house more
-Make home-made gifts even if they're crappy
-Go hiking/camping in Texas
-Appreciate my new bed every day
-Make labels for all my burned CDs
-Drink more water
-Call my mom more
Friday
Thursday
The Urban Archipelago: It's the Cities, Stupid.
by The Editors of The Stranger (11/11/04)
I know it may be tiresome to rehash the election, but when this article came out I wasn't keeping up with my blog and I wasn't feeling like communicating much in general. I think it's worth sharing...an interesting take on what a lot of us city-dwellers are feeling, and it's funny as shit too.
I know it may be tiresome to rehash the election, but when this article came out I wasn't keeping up with my blog and I wasn't feeling like communicating much in general. I think it's worth sharing...an interesting take on what a lot of us city-dwellers are feeling, and it's funny as shit too.
Unprecedented Triple Recount in Washington State
It's Governor-elect Gregoire, but Rossi seeks 'do-over'
Some of you may have been following this story in Washington, where after the regular election, a machine recount, and finally a hand recount, Christine Gregoire edged out conservative talk-radio host turned politician Dino Rossi by 129 votes. In the first two tallies, she was down by 261 and 42 votes. Now, Rossi wants to spend $4 million of state money and have another election...I can't say I blame the guy, but I think he'll just have to take satisfaction in the rest of the country's results and give us this one. Who could imagine Washington with a republicorn governor? I would be so embarrassed. But the truth is, the state isn't as "blue" as some people think. The stronghold is in urban King County, which includes the Seattle metropolitan area. You go outside of that, and it's all red, kiddoes. But I don't mean to bring you down, because after all this post is to bring GOOD news...we have a democrat as governor-elect!
Some of you may have been following this story in Washington, where after the regular election, a machine recount, and finally a hand recount, Christine Gregoire edged out conservative talk-radio host turned politician Dino Rossi by 129 votes. In the first two tallies, she was down by 261 and 42 votes. Now, Rossi wants to spend $4 million of state money and have another election...I can't say I blame the guy, but I think he'll just have to take satisfaction in the rest of the country's results and give us this one. Who could imagine Washington with a republicorn governor? I would be so embarrassed. But the truth is, the state isn't as "blue" as some people think. The stronghold is in urban King County, which includes the Seattle metropolitan area. You go outside of that, and it's all red, kiddoes. But I don't mean to bring you down, because after all this post is to bring GOOD news...we have a democrat as governor-elect!
Tuesday
Fondue Schmondue
I can't figure out how to use the fondue pot without boiling the cheese to death. It gets too hot! It will be good for the hot oil dinner-type fondues though. That gel fuel really stinks too, yes? I accidentally sniffed it full-on. But we managed to make some traditional swiss fondue with gruyere and ementaller. it was really good with pears!!
Who's brainwashing who here?
Can I just say that I sort of like the new Green Day songs? Or am I just watching too much TV lately and I just think I like it. I don't know. But I don't care what you think...I really like the idea of Billie Joe and co. brainwashing the suburban white kids of republican parents into singing "I'm not part of your redneck agenda" in that snotty punk-rock voice. Heh Heh!!
Sunday
Postal Service Tale: Indie Rock, Snail Mail and Trademark Law
This story is totally funny and, might I say, heartwarming....
By Ben Sisario
Published: November 6, 2004 in The New York Times (this is just an excerpt)
"About two and a half years ago, Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard began to make music together despite the distance between them. Mr. Tamborello, who makes electronica with a group called Dntel, lived in Los Angeles, while Mr. Gibbard, who sings in the emo band Death Cab for Cutie, lived in Seattle. They sent each other music through the mail, completing songs bit by bit, and after about five months, they had finished an album.
In honor of their working method they called themselves the Postal Service. Their album, "Give Up," was released by the Seattle-based Sub Pop Records in early 2003 and became an indie-rock hit, eventually selling almost 400,000 copies, the label's second biggest seller ever, after Nirvana's "Bleach."
Then they heard from the real Postal Service, in the form of a cease-and-desist letter. "It was really polite," said Tony Kiewel, an artist and repertory representative at Sub Pop who works with the band. "It said that the Postal Service is a registered trademark of the United States Postal Service, and that though they were very, very flattered that we were using the name, they need to enforce their copyright." The letter arrived in August 2003, and for months the label and the band fretted over the consequences: Would the band have to change its name? Would Sub Pop have to destroy its stock of the album?
The outcome was as unusual as the band itself: this week the United States Postal Service - the real one, as in stamps and letters - signed an agreement with Sub Pop granting a free license to use the name in exchange for working to promote using the mail. Future copies of the album and the group's follow-up work will have a notice about the trademark, while the federal Postal Service will sell the band's CD's on its Web site, potentially earning a profit. The band may do some television commercials for the post office.
The group also agreed to perform at the postmaster general's annual National Executive Conference in Washington on Nov. 17. The attendees might not realize what a rare treat they are in for since the Postal Service does not play many gigs. Mr. Tamborello and Mr. Gibbard are busy with their regular bands: Dntel, with its atmospheric electronic dance music, and Death Cab for Cutie, which has become a college rock favorite for its heartfelt, jangly punk rock known as emo.... "
By Ben Sisario
Published: November 6, 2004 in The New York Times (this is just an excerpt)
"About two and a half years ago, Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard began to make music together despite the distance between them. Mr. Tamborello, who makes electronica with a group called Dntel, lived in Los Angeles, while Mr. Gibbard, who sings in the emo band Death Cab for Cutie, lived in Seattle. They sent each other music through the mail, completing songs bit by bit, and after about five months, they had finished an album.
In honor of their working method they called themselves the Postal Service. Their album, "Give Up," was released by the Seattle-based Sub Pop Records in early 2003 and became an indie-rock hit, eventually selling almost 400,000 copies, the label's second biggest seller ever, after Nirvana's "Bleach."
Then they heard from the real Postal Service, in the form of a cease-and-desist letter. "It was really polite," said Tony Kiewel, an artist and repertory representative at Sub Pop who works with the band. "It said that the Postal Service is a registered trademark of the United States Postal Service, and that though they were very, very flattered that we were using the name, they need to enforce their copyright." The letter arrived in August 2003, and for months the label and the band fretted over the consequences: Would the band have to change its name? Would Sub Pop have to destroy its stock of the album?
The outcome was as unusual as the band itself: this week the United States Postal Service - the real one, as in stamps and letters - signed an agreement with Sub Pop granting a free license to use the name in exchange for working to promote using the mail. Future copies of the album and the group's follow-up work will have a notice about the trademark, while the federal Postal Service will sell the band's CD's on its Web site, potentially earning a profit. The band may do some television commercials for the post office.
The group also agreed to perform at the postmaster general's annual National Executive Conference in Washington on Nov. 17. The attendees might not realize what a rare treat they are in for since the Postal Service does not play many gigs. Mr. Tamborello and Mr. Gibbard are busy with their regular bands: Dntel, with its atmospheric electronic dance music, and Death Cab for Cutie, which has become a college rock favorite for its heartfelt, jangly punk rock known as emo.... "
Saturday
Anchorage in the winter....frosty trees, dented cars, mullets and mustaches, navy blue skies, traffic on snowy streets, good breakfasts, dark by 3:30, lots of sushi, dim sum, and heavy metal bands.
I got to spend time with my bud, and found out that she and her husband basically do what we do: watch lots of food network and hgtv! I was glad to get home as I seem to hate flying now - my irrational fears grow as I age. But is it really all that irrational? Back at home, it basically feels like Alaska as it is freaking cold. Our leaky windows don't help much either. But I like wooly slippers and scarves and sweaters, so it's ok.
A spiffy red fondue pot found its way to me this holiday season, along with a book of 100 fondue recipes! This is very exciting! Frankie got a new dog bowl, and the cats got special gourmet treats. Stella got her favorite toy, the "kittybird," shipped specially from John in Seattle - though Frankie has already partially destroyed one. He thoughtfully included two, heh heh.
We spent xmas eve at dave and anna's, where we shared an amazing meal and a rousing game of Simpson's Life with anna's mom (Ok, it wasn't exactly rousing, but it was a good time). We capped it off today with an afternoon show of The Life Aquatic, the best part of which was Angelica Huston's hair with blue streaks in it, and just her in general. The shark thingy was kind of scary too.
Why O why is the blue man group still allowed to be on tv???
I got to spend time with my bud, and found out that she and her husband basically do what we do: watch lots of food network and hgtv! I was glad to get home as I seem to hate flying now - my irrational fears grow as I age. But is it really all that irrational? Back at home, it basically feels like Alaska as it is freaking cold. Our leaky windows don't help much either. But I like wooly slippers and scarves and sweaters, so it's ok.
A spiffy red fondue pot found its way to me this holiday season, along with a book of 100 fondue recipes! This is very exciting! Frankie got a new dog bowl, and the cats got special gourmet treats. Stella got her favorite toy, the "kittybird," shipped specially from John in Seattle - though Frankie has already partially destroyed one. He thoughtfully included two, heh heh.
We spent xmas eve at dave and anna's, where we shared an amazing meal and a rousing game of Simpson's Life with anna's mom (Ok, it wasn't exactly rousing, but it was a good time). We capped it off today with an afternoon show of The Life Aquatic, the best part of which was Angelica Huston's hair with blue streaks in it, and just her in general. The shark thingy was kind of scary too.
Why O why is the blue man group still allowed to be on tv???
Wednesday
The Last Frontier
I'm off to Alaska tomorrow, so no postings for a few days. Yes, they have the internet up there (!). My airplane survival kit consists of a fresh copy of Pop Culture Press, the Barak Obama book, dried papaya and canteloupe, chocolate-covered pretzels, a bottle of water, extra batteries, and three CDs to review. One of those Bucky neck pillow thingys would be nice though. I can't wait to see snow again.
Looking out for #1
I know it's totally boring to complain about drivers and compare how drivers in X city are worse/better than Y city, etc. etc. BUT I just have to say, for a town that is supposed to be as laid-back as Austin, all of that hippie love is thrown out the window once these people climb into their cars. Never before (and I've lived in three other states) have I witnessed the level of vindictiveness and hostility between drivers that I have here -- people get pissed off if they are incovenienced in the slightest way! Plus I accumulated more door dings on my car within the first six months of living here than in five years of living in Seattle. Are people more self-centered in the South? An over-generalization to be sure, but it's fun to over-generalize, isn't it? I never witnessed someone actually throwing trash out of the window of a moving car until I moved here. I promise I'll report on what I like about Austin too...later.
Tuesday
New York Art Shuttered After Bush Monkey Portrait
I think this title speaks for itself....
http://reuters.myway.com/article/20041213/2004-12-13T205734Z_01_N13613693_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-ARTS-MONKEYS-DC.html
http://reuters.myway.com/article/20041213/2004-12-13T205734Z_01_N13613693_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-ARTS-MONKEYS-DC.html
Monday
Obnoxiousness Taken to the Next Level
So i didn't think I could be shocked by the auto industry. But come on -- a Porsche SUV? I wonder if all the people who bought the Cadillac and Mercedes versions are kicking themselves now. You mean if I had just waited I could have had a Porsche SUV? Crap!
How gross.
How gross.
Sunday
Today I got a fresh, early start (i.e. before noon) on the day. I planned to spend long productive hours at the coffeeshop working on my literature reviews, getting organized and on top of things- I plan to do that just about everyday, but today was really going to be the day. I drove over to the landlord's office to drop off our rent. Gone from the car for less than a minute, I returned to my little Civic to zip off to Flightpath. But it didn't start. Just a feeble sound and some clicks. My cell phone was at home, charging. It was hot out, I had a bag with me weighing at least 15 pounds with laptop and associated papers and books. And as a seasoned procrastinator I needed every hour left in the day - so wasting time on unplanned events was sort of a problem.
To cut to the chase, after spending a long time on a pay phone on the side of a building with no shade, my friend KB rescued me and waited with me for an hour for the tow truck to arrive, and when all was said and done 2 and 1/2 hours of the day were wasted and I was a bit of a nervous wreck. I finally made it to Flightpath, and am writing this to debrief and un-hyper myself so i can get on with the day. KB totally rocks and not only did she drop everything to come to my rescue, but she lent me her old car that she's trying to sell. I hope the day isn't a total loss. Seems like a lot of pressure to put on myself - (!) The coffeeshop is playing Mazzy Star. I feel dreamy all of a sudden...
To cut to the chase, after spending a long time on a pay phone on the side of a building with no shade, my friend KB rescued me and waited with me for an hour for the tow truck to arrive, and when all was said and done 2 and 1/2 hours of the day were wasted and I was a bit of a nervous wreck. I finally made it to Flightpath, and am writing this to debrief and un-hyper myself so i can get on with the day. KB totally rocks and not only did she drop everything to come to my rescue, but she lent me her old car that she's trying to sell. I hope the day isn't a total loss. Seems like a lot of pressure to put on myself - (!) The coffeeshop is playing Mazzy Star. I feel dreamy all of a sudden...
CCandme
I wanted to get this photo up today though it was taken in June. Since I left Seattle two years ago for what will hopefully be a 'temporary' four- year gig in Austin, I don't get to see my best friend much at all. She lives in Anchorage, our hometown. She's awesome.
Saturday
Current Electoral Vote Predictor 2004
Current Electoral Vote Predictor 2004
will the new polls affect the electoral vote predictions? the picture looks pretty depressing at the moment.
will the new polls affect the electoral vote predictions? the picture looks pretty depressing at the moment.
Ms. Led helping to save the souls of feminists everywhere
I can't stop listening to the new Ms. Led cd (These Things We Say), which I just got in the mail two days ago. It's their second album and you know how the second album a lot of times just doesn't measure up to the first? This one hooked me right away. Lesli was kind enough to send me an advance copy before the release date of Nov. 2 (election day!). The first song on the record is called "Stigma," and it's about rejecting the stigma and fear of being called a feminist in this day and age...be proud of it, because our work is nowhere near done!! With so many girls and women rejecting that term, it weakens our capacity to fight against institutionalized sexism - which cuts across race and class and sexual orientation lines. We all just become these individuals with individual problems and no connection to or awareness of how we are affected by social structure. This is a surefire way to ensure that we will never achieve respect and equalilty. Thank you Ms. Led for giving us a way to express these thoughts through your music.
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