My moustache

Just like Darren, I too have grown a moustache! Check out the picture below, which I just took today!

salon 5

Do I make you hungry?

This weekend!

This will be going down at the Patterson residence around 3pm this Saturday. Bring snacks, drinks and camping chairs. We hope to see you there!

So Jen and I traveled publicly through LA today. We stopped at Philippe's for some sandwiches and beer, and we ended up at the Richard Riordan Memorial Library to watch a little band I like to call No Age play for free.

Alas, we didn't get into the show. Sad. Oh well. One of the more interesting aspects of the day was standing around a bunch of cheapskate hipsters (redundant or oxy-moron? I suppose it depends on what neighborhood they come from) while hoping that the security guards would flaunt the capacity laws and let us in. Lots of fun.

All this to say, we had an adventure in our enormous city today. It was fun, if slightly underwhelming. Good times.

Success!

In general that is. I'm not aware of any great successes occurring in the recent past, present or recent future in my corner of this universe, but I like the ring of the word nonetheless.

Right now I am in the middle of online traffic school. It's funny because it is chock full of grammatical errors. For example, if I attempt to prematurely skip from the reading to the test I get a warning that lets me know "You must learn this topic at least 4 minutes!". I laugh, then I go check out some other internet nonsense for a little while. It's fun. On average I miss 1/2 a question on each test. It's really pretty easy. Good times.

I just got back from parent conferences and they went pretty well. Not too much to report on that subject so I'll move on.

For those that I haven't been able to talk to in person (or on the phone I suppose), I have been denied acceptance to two law schools: UC Hastings and the University of Washington; I've been waitlisted (a term that is new to me, and will most likely come to be synonymous with rejection in the near future) at two law schools: Fordham University and Loyola Law School; I have been accepted at one law school: Chapman; I am still waiting on two law schools: USC and UCLA. I am mad at the last two schools not because they haven't accepted me but because they haven't had the decency to send me a prompt rejection. I'm not putting on some humble front, I'm just being realistic. I would like to have all of my responses in as soon as possible so I can make a decision. USC and UCLA are such ridiculous long shots that I'm suspecting them of making me wait because they're pissed that I waisted their time with my application.

On a more positive note regarding my jump back in to academia, Jen and I were wined and dined by Chapman Law a couple of weekends ago. The school put us up in the Double Tree hotel in Orange and treated us to dinner, drinks and a cruise around Newport Harbor. It was sort of strange to be treated like a tourist only a handful of miles from the house you grew up in, but we had a wonderful time. I talked to a few students and professors and I sat through a class and several presentations. While Chapman was not my first choice, a very strong case was made in their favor. I have many more details, but they would take far too long to type. I'm sure that I'll tell you about them sooner or later.

Another topic that I've gone on and on about to people I've conversed with in person over the last couple of months is the LA Marathon. In order to keep things brief, I will just say that I ran it under 5 hours and it was horrible and amazing at the same time. It was an unbelievable experience. I will do it again.

That's all for now. I will not wait until I have to repeat online traffic school to post again. Or will I? I hope that everyone is well. Success!

SXSW

I have just returned from one of the best and most strange and exciting and exhausting weekends of my life. I was at SXSW with my my very gracious pals in Bodies of Water. I will give a more in depth review and description in the near future, but right now I would rather be eating a burrito with Jen, since I haven't seen her in about a week. To hold you over till then, here's a list of the bands I saw play:

-Bodies of Water
-Bowerbirds
-J Mascis
-These New Puritans
-Peter Moren
-Times New Viking
-Phosphorescent
-Bon Iver
-Evangelicals
-Jens Lekman
-Black Mountain
-Le Loup
-Port O'Brien
-Antitem
-Atlas Sound
-Be Your Own Pet
-Thurston Moore
-N.E.R.D.
-F*** Buttons
-Delta Spirit
-Wooden Shjips
-Howlin' Rain
-Kevin Barnes
-Holy F***
-Yeasayer
-No Age
-Islands
-The Breeders
-Nadja
-Deadly Syndrome
-Eat Skull

I saw some bands twice. The vast majority of these shows were awesome and I was totally stoked to see them but there were a few that were seriously bad and made me want those moments of my life back. I'll leave you to guess which were which.

New Years Resolutions

So I should probably make some resolutions. In the past I have frowned on this tradition because it seemed to impart some magical power to the changing of a calendar page and it inevitably led to depressing amounts of disappointment at my inability to follow through with whatever it is I resolved to do or not do. In an effort to avoid being stubborn and lazy and instead be more disciplined and responsible, I hereby declare the following five items to be my resolutions for 2008.

1. Exercise everyday.
This means everyday as in at least a half hour of something exercise oriented everyday. Maybe more.

2. Clean up after myself.
My car, my desk, my floor, my face, my dishes, the list goes on and on and on.

3. Make plans in advance.
I want to do things that will actually be great instead of being surprised when moderately good things happen out of nowhere. This also includes saving money for good stuff instead of wasting it on junk.

4. Drink less beer and eat less junk.
This is how people get fat and out of shape. I don't want to be those.

5. Read a lot more.
This is limited to books. This does not include the internet, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, tracts, student work or random scraps of paper that I seem to accumulate, hoping to find something important within.

These may seem like nebulous resolutions, but I think that they are good and I will strive to see them through to, ummmm, errrr, completion? Do these have an end? We'll see.

The Ten Best Albums That Were Released Last Year (2007) That I Actually Listened To (With Commentary)

Here's what I would have recommended that you listen to if I had talked to you last year. Now that it's 2008, I would still recommend these albums to you because they are all that good. Therefore, having the perspective that can only result from the arrival of a new year, I present these albums. Listen to them. Just not here, sorry.



1. No Age - Weirdo Rippers
This album receives the negligibly coveted number one spot because it was by far the most captivating, fascinating, exhilarating collection of sounds that I enjoyed last year. Everything from the low-fi production and blink-of-an-eye track lengths to the blissed-out noisescapes and head-smashing drums created an aural environment that was at once meditative and hysterical. This album reflects the 90s not necessarily in inspiration or reference as much as in osmotic revelation. Punk-rock DIY footloosery so thickly covers each song, one is left guessing whether or not this duo has ever heard any of the important/serious/grandiose indie rock of this new century. This album is a must have for anyone ever.





2. Deerhunter - Cryptograms/Flourescent Grey
These two releases are presented here as one because that is how they were packaged on vinyl. This album is amazing. I probably listened to this more than any other album. Every listen revealed new layers to these dense songs depending on my mood or the environment I was listening in. The driving bass lines, a vocal loop, a cymbal roll or just the subtle way the sound has shifted from ambient guitar drone to full-speed freak-out would keep me playing this album over and over. Mind blowing. Don't even ask, just buy it.



3. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
I was very opposed to this album when I first heard it but I have since come around on it. Each song seemed a little off. A sample here and a chorus there all bugged me. My solution was to listen to it on repeat during our northwestern trip this summer. Actually, this was really Jen's solution seeing as she's a huge fan and totally dug the album. All this to say, I came to love it. Jens' melodies and arrangements soar with a tongue in cheek confidence. It's like that Sufjan dude only I don't feel guilty for not thinking hard enough about each line and Jens totally goes for the karaoke-god crooner vocals. There is something so sickeningly sweet about his songs that keeps me coming back, just like a whole thing of candybeans. This record is a whole things of candybeans.



4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
This album blends the bizarro world of all those Animal Collective dudes with the bizarro world of all those Beach Boys dudes. If you've already read this assessment elsewhere, sorry but it's true. What other people won't tell you, however, is this album is way better than the new Animal Collective album. Seriously better. The thick gauzy layers of lush harmonies will coat your insides (through your ear holes, of course) with warm, delicious goodness. Play it soft or loud, it will elevate your soul.



5. Magik Markers - Boss
Maybe I lose some scene points for listing this "straight" Magik Markers record instead of just complaining about how they used to be cool, but I don't care. This record is a definite departure from their numerous earlier recordings, but so what. This record demonstrates that in addition to destroying your brain with noise, Elisa and Pete can also write great songs. These songs (with a couple of exceptions) definitely reflect the past in their emotions, themes and instrumentation but they focus these elements in a way that makes them more identifiable and gives them a greater impact. That this album was produced by Lee Ranaldo and released on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label should come as no surprise to those who hear it. Some may hear echoes of Chan Marshall, but I think she's too busy competing with Feist for the hearts of the NPR crowd to come up with something this good.



6. White Stripes - Icky Thump
Is this the best White Stripes album? Who knows. I love this album. It's a White Stripes album and therefore it's going to be at least 75% awesome. This is probably more than 75%, but I don't really keep track any more. This album is great and you've probably already made up your mind on it. My vote is "yes". That's all.



7. Om - Pilgrimage
This is not an album for the faint of heart. Although the first track can gently put a baby to sleep (hahahaha, sleep?! get it?!), the epiphany of the second track will wake up said baby like a nuclear bomb. Totally heavy without always being heavy. Om continue their journey onward and upward through the clouds and the gates of riffland with this brief collection of songs. That this was produced by Steve Albini is enough reason to buy it. That it will completely blow your mind just makes it that much more necessary.



8. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Another album that I didn't like upon first listen but have grown to enjoy more and more. The absence of the frantic rhythm and panicky vocals bummed me out, but the richness of the sound and the lyrical themes of loss and worry clued me in to the direction of the record. I don't like this one as much as their previous album, and these songs did not work as well live as the older ones, but I definitely enjoyed this album throughout the year. This was one of those albums that began to creep into repeat status the longer I owned it.



9. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
I love Sonic Youth. Lots of people know this. This album probably benefits from some of that nepotism, but it is still great. Thurston strips the sound down to acoustic guitar, violin and a bass/drums rhythm section and in doing so creates a record that is cohesive and complete. Where one worries that there is no rock, J Mascis pops up and shreds your face off. Mellow and awesome with a little glimpse into the maturing of a noise rock pioneer.



10. Liars - Liars
I have the other Liars albums and I will probably continue to buy each one that is released. Why? Because no two are similar. This album has Liars as the fractured and misinformed rock band doing their damnedest to make rock n' roll with broken instruments, a Tandy 286 laptop and the studio intern running the boards. How does it sound? Awesome. Totally wrong as in completely rad.

The Top 10 Shows I Attended In The Year 2007 (With Commentary)

I must begin by noting that I did not film any of the following videos, for better or for worse. I did my best (searching youtube) to find videos from each show and I found it surprisingly easy. Much easier, in fact, than simply finding pictures. All this to say, these videos are here to give you a glimpse of the show and to spruce up my blog so as give it the appearance of professional journalism. So there you go! Enjoy.



1. Jens Lekman @ Troubadour
This young Swede has popped up on many a year end list and while I enjoy being a cynic, I can't help but include him in this one as well. Everything about this show from the impeccable set-list to the band's saintly white uniforms was perfect. Jenses's abilities as a singer and as a performer had both me and Jen (not to be confused with Jens) enraptured from the first sampled beat. Varying the songs from pop dance numbers to near silently whispered ballads, Jens kept the sold out crowd begging for more. I have never heard such a consistent, deafening standing (as some people, nay, wusses, did have seats) ovation. For the third encore, Jens played a solo rendition of "You Can Call Me Al". Although he informed us that he would omit the chorus because it was far too silly, he eventually conceded and invited us all to sing along. This was one of those shows that you have to leave a party to go to because you already bought tickets three months ago and although I had drank many a beer, run a 9 mile race earlier that day and practically fell asleep on Jen's (again, not to be confused with Jens) shoulder in a booth in the upstairs bar, I had one of the best concert going experiences in recent memory.



2. OM/Earthless @ The Echo
When we (Darren, Matt and Sam Staley, myself) arrived at the Echo a band consisting of a drummer (or maybe a keyboardist?) and a dude spasmodically whipping magnetic tape connected to a large machine were making exactly the type of noise you would expect from that kind of line-up. Not knowing what to make of this, we opted to hang out on the patio and drink some more beer. Earthless took the stage next and played one giant non-stop psychedelic power-trio jam at breakneck speed for the next 45 minutes. The sheer endurance of each member was mind-blowing. Total cosmic face-shredding bliss. Om hit the stage rather inauspiciously, that is if you disregarded the giant wall of cabinets and custom designed amps looming behind them. The set began with the slow and soft meditation of "At Giza" and the crowd, myself included, was lulled into a trance by Al's rhythmic chanting and Chris's gentle waves of percussion. However, just as I was drifting off toward standing slumber 10 minutes into the song, the aforementioned wall of amplification came alive, obliterating the calm. Om proceeded to play all of Variations on a Theme, Conference of the Birds and their sides of the split singles with Current 93 and Six Organs of Admittance. In the end (which was a long time coming) my eardrums and brain cells were demolished.



3. Thurston Moore @ Echoplex
What should one expect when Thurston Moore tours behind an album of acoustic guitar noodling and violin accompaniment? Super-loud jamming apparently. Thurston played acoustic guitar and was joined by Steve Shelley on drums, Samara Lubelski on violin and a dude on acoustic guitar and a dude on bass (sorry, I didn't catch their names). They ran through the Trees Outside the Academy tracks with a couple of instrumental jams thrown in for fun and awesomeness. I initially feared that this show would consist of people sitting in folding chairs attempting to finger-pick a new page out of the super-lame freak-folk book. This couldn't have been farther from reality. The dual acoustic guitars were amplified into oblivion and the songs off of this mellow and gentle album were given new significance as each exploded into life one after the other. Thurston, not able to be separated from his beloved Jazzmaster, played an extended encore of songs off of Psychic Hearts to end the night on a note of 90's awesomeness, proving that although he is approaching 50, he is still Thurston Moore and all that that implies.



4. Cheap Trick et al. @ Hollywood Bowl
2007 being the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Hollywood Bowl hosted an "all-star" tribute to the album and Cheap Trick along with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra served as the house band. Jen and I bought tickets on a whim thinking it would be a fun date and we ended up having an awesome time. Although many of the "special guests" were very disappointing (Joan Osborne?!) Cheap Trick made the night. The burden of any true fan of music is having missed seeing all the greats from the past (Beatles, Hendrix, Nirvana) and while this show was no substitute, it was a great taste of some of the best music ever recorded. A particular highlight was Al Jourgenson (of Ministry, a regrettable adolescent personal favorite) playing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" in full metal style, totally pissing off everyone sitting around us. All in all, an inconsistent night showcasing some amazing music.



5. Magik Markers @ Spaceland
I am often amazed at which shows I attend at good old Spaceland are packed and which shows are not. I was certain that this show would be wall to wall hipsters and I couldn't believe how empty the place was. Everyone needs to see this band live. I had read about the reputation of often violent and confrontational performances that Magik Markers had built up over the past 5 or so years and although they seem to have mellowed out (considerably by some accounts) their music retained both of these elements. Having shifted from the guitar, bass and drum line-up of previous tours, the band was Pete Nolan on drums, Elisa Ambrogio on guitar and a girl (whose name I regrettably cannot seem to locate) on keyboard. The sound was all drum and guitar violence with the keyboard functioning ingeniously as the foundation. Actually, the thick noise owed a lot to the subliminal waves of the keys. This sparse arrangement created an overall sound of chaos with Elisa's free-form guitar tearing up each number. Pete's drumming was loose and rhythmic, displaying great proficiency superseded by a total disregard for all rules regarding song structure and traditional percussion. Pete would vacillate between octopus-armed multitasking and minimalist texturing with occasional straight-ahead rocking thrown in between. The percussion was so infectious that Jen was inspired to loudly complain (to me, as well as anyone else who could hear, which probably included the band) "Why isn't anyone moving?! That's what drums are for!" But of course, no Magik Markers show review would be complete without an attempt to translate Elisa's stage presence/performance/guitar-murder into witty prose. Where Pete demonstrates skill restrained, Elisa shows frightening, unbridled passion forced upon her guitar without a hint of technical proficiency. The violent noise that she produced through her repeated attacks coalesced with the desperate anger in her voice. The two sounds combined with the confrontational one-foot-forward stance and violent brandishing of her guitar created a palpable sense of imminent break-down/collapse/destruction/apocalypse. While I was initially afraid of the lacerations I would receive from the headstock of Elisa's guitar, I don't feel anything was sacrificed by her choosing to remain on stage.



6. No Age/Mika Miko/Black Dice @ Echoplex
The line-up for this show went more like Mika Miko/No Age/Black Dice with Black Dice in the headlining spot. Matt Pool and I came to see No Age and I also had an interest in seeing Black Dice based on a couple of their older albums. Mika Miko and No Age are LA bands and their grass roots brought out a rabid crowd. After spending almost all of 2007 paying to see bands from other states (nice states that I would enjoy living in, it should be noted) I was very excited to see some local bands that are proud to be from LA. That being said, Mika Miko hit the stage and their fans immediately went ape poopy (this is a family blog). The sound was not remarkable; four-on-the-floor rockers with frantic call/response, hissyfit vocals. What was remarkable was their stage presence and the connection they made with the audience. This wasn't reinventing the wheel, it was making the wheel more awesome. The smiles and giggles, adhd dance moves, chit-chat and inside jokes all clued me in to what their fans already knew. This was good times; 2007 punk rock, LA style. No Age took off about a half hour later and rapidly laid waste to the place. Dean Spunt and Randy Randall were formerly in a band called Wives which Jen and I saw open for Dinosaur Jr in 2004. Wives was good, but they let their punk get in the way of their rock. I never bought their album, but there is no way it can even be close to as good as their current incarnation. Dean's on drums/vocals and Randy's on guitar. While I was unable to hear the vocals, being smashed against the front of the stage and all, it didn't matter. The cacophony created by these two instruments was enough to make me (and Matt) completely lose our stuff (family blog, remember?). Dean's drumming served as texture to the layered guitar lines that Randy repeatedly built up and subsequently demolished. The build-up and release that occurred in each of their three-minutes-or-less songs would have taken lesser bands quadruple lps to create. The deafening sound at the peak of each guitar riff was enough to split concrete and the panic that built with the increasing frenzy of Dean's drumming caused even the most stoic of hipsters to convulse in fits of ecstasy. Actually, truth be told, I have no idea how this affected the other audience members. I was to busy flipping out to notice. I just can't imagine anyone in the room during the No Age set keeping their minds or bodies under control. Matt and I were amazed and inspired and awesomified to the max; completely spread savaged. Totally rad. As for Black Dice, they pulled off a great job of looking like they were totally bored, creating deafening sheets of white noise that morphed into what some could call "beats" while clicking around on their laptops. I like their records, but I was completely bored with their set. Maybe it's hard for NYC uber-hipsters to follow killer LA bands in LA. Oh well.



7. Band of Horses @ Amoeba
Jen and I saw Band of Horses 4 times this past year. How do you pick a best show? I don't really know. Each one had it's strong points. They played different sets, they were in different venues, they played with different bands (Decemberists, Dinosaur Jr, Drones). All of these things considered, this free (definite bonus) show was my favorite. Why? Well, one of the best things about a Band of Horses show is getting the chance to see a group of dudes playing live that really enjoy playing live. Despite the fact that the band's catalog would reasonably lead one to imagine their set to be mellow and plaintive with a single tear trickling down Ben Bridwell's cheek as he strums the last chord of another of their countrified sad-sack indie rock songs, Band of Horses rock out and Ben gets down right stoked about playing. At Amoeba, Band of Horses made jokes, criticized their slow songs for being "boring" and had an all around good time rocking out for a very appreciative audience. Their songs didn't sound terribly different. They were simply augmented in that crucial but intangible way that all performances benefit from when the performers are enjoying it even more than the audience.



8. Dinosaur Jr/Awesome Color @ Troubadour

Most of the press concerning the newishly reformed Dinosaur Jr album released this year heaped praises upon it like syrup on waffles (sorry, it's now breakfast time). What was peculiar about these accolades was not their fervency (everyone loves Dinosaur Jr, right?) but their sentiment. The album was not being praised as a step forward, a step backward or even some fancy step sideways. It was praised for taking absolutely zero steps in any direction because they don't have to because they are Dinosaur Jr and because they rule. How did they sound live? Just like they should. Real real loud without any unnecessary talking but plenty of crucial rocking. I went to this show with Matt Pool and Ian Scott. It was great seeing Dinosaur Jr in such a small setting (I would later see them play at the Wiltern with the previously mentioned Band of Horses and it just wouldn't be quite the same). J set up in front of far too many amplifiers and played at full volume with only occasional stops to lazily mutter out a verse or two before recommencing his shredding. Lou played total high school punk rock bass, strumming it like a guitar, no fancy stuff, just holding it down while Murph broke into an instant sweat, pounding his kit with more intensity than anyone half his age. I know J looks like Gandalf now, but when he plays, I may as well be a freshman in high school listening to his ear-bleeding country on my headphones at lunch. As for Awesome Color, they totally rule. Full on, unrestricted jams without any pretension. Awesome Color make the kind of music that all the jerks forgot they should be making. They completely owned the stage and from their sound and the looks on their faces, they loved every minute of it. I did too.



9. sunn0)))/Earth @ El Rey
Just about everyone that I know has had to listen to me drone (ha ha ha, get it?) on and on about the awesomeness of sunn0))) live. Well, sorry. It's that awesome. Earth opened which I was very excited about. While I love the recent Earth releases and their development of the psychedelic/drone/doom/metal/country genre, I was pretty decently bored with their live set. The sound was spectacular but it could have been louder (in memory, that is) and there wasn't much to watch. Silly complaints, but I suppose I expected the legendary Earth to be more mind-blowing. I'll probably go see them again and in the meantime I will console myself by listening to their records. sunn0))) made their entrance by shutting off the house lights, drawing back the curtains and releasing a thick wall of fog from a stage lit from below by a single green light. The next epoch of time (1 hour? 2? 15?) found the hooded robed members of the band conjuring a deafening wall of droning guitar+vox+???. The sound was physically oppressive and mentally nullifying. There were no breaks during their set and one song could be discerned from another by only the most attentive of listeners. When all was said and done, the audience had been reduced to half its original size and those that remained, (myself, Matt Pool and Matt Staley included) were simultaneously exhausted and energized by the consciousness-melting display of light and sound that had just taken place. Good times.



10. Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem @ Hollywood Bowl
Last but certainly not least we have the Arcade Fire's return to the Hollywood Bowl. I have to say that I'm pretty bummed that (although they deserve it) the Arcade Fire made the jump from Troubadour to H-Bowl and apparently there they shall remain. Isn't there some sort of intermediate venue they could have played? Wiltern? Avalon? Greek? Anyhow, this doesn't really matter because I love the Bowl and all that it has to offer. We (Dan, Beth Anne, Jen and myself) sat in the cheap seats and despite the time of year (September=hot in LA) it was freezing cold. We warmed ourselves with our personal bottles of wine and sat back waiting for LCD to finish up. I must say that although I'm not a very big fan, James Murphy and co. put on a fantastic show. Yeah it sounded like Eno and VU and everyone else they sound like, but at least they ripped off the right people. Arcade Fire took the stage, which was strewn with all sorts of confusing decorations (from what I could tell that is) and began by running through a few numbers off Neon Bible. I like Neon Bible, but these songs didn't seem strong as live numbers at all. Jen and I were beginning to feel pretty disappointed when, like a ray of sunshine cutting through the cloudy sky, the band jumped into a string of tracks off Funeral. I don't remember which ones, so let's just say all of the neighborhood songs in order, ok? The change of mood in everyone from the band to the audience to me and Jen was instant. People were on their feet, dancing in the aisles and the band was running around stage smiling/grimacing along to each line/riff/violin solo. This energy lasted for the remainder of the set and the encore that followed. Although I have only been able to watch the Arcade Fire from approximately 1,000,000 feet away, they remain one of my favorite live acts. I just want to know why they won't do a multi-night residency in Los Angeles ala their shows in New York or Chicago or San Francisco or every other big city. LA is awesome.

So in conclusion, good times.

Blues...

So I'm working past my (personal) deadline for application completion and I have a stack of short stories to grade and I have my evaluation by the principal of the school tomorrow. How am I preparing for this? Cha cha.

In all seriousness, I am prepared for all of the aforementioned events. I am primarily going to the Cha to celebrate a day of birth with Jen Giunta (sp?) and pour one out for Hammy.

Also, my 5th period class will no longer complete their warm-up writing assignments unless I play D.A.N.C.E. at least twice. Several students are working on their own moves for this song which I believe should be showcased at the end of the year talent show.

Additionally, I will be competing in a half-marathon this coming Saturday morning in my hometown of Irvine, California. I am excited and scared. A half-marathon is 13 miles.
Can I do this?
Yes I can.
But can I really?
Maybe.
Are you sure?
No.
Do you mean yes?
Yes.

I don't mean to signify, but...

Rollerskating for Running

So I realize that most everyone is no longer reading this. That's ok. I need to be gently re-introduced to the interwebs anyhow.

This Friday from 5:30 until 7:30, there will be a fund-raiser held at the Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale California for the Nightingale Middle School, Students Run LA club of which I am a part. We hang out with kids after school and run for many miles with them while carrying on conversations about life, love and middle school. All sorts of stuff they're interested in. It's really fun.

So, the cost is $12 and I have some tickets. I know it's a little expensive, but it's for a good cause and it includes your skate rentals. It does not include nachos or booze, which is a little sad.

Here's the website of the place.

Bodies of Water have jobs.

Stereogum just did a pretty cool feature on our friends Bodies of Water. Apparently Stereogum are such big fans of BOW that they have to get all up in their business and bug them about their bill paying skills. It's fun to read and if you plumb the archives you'll find a surprisingly unsurprising amount of bands that are cool with members who are teachers. Teaching=street cred?

Here's where the feature is at supposubly.

No Age @ LA River

Beginning:

Middle:

End:


Totally wired, yeah!

We are now in Big Bear. I'm one pocket shot in it and, true to life, I'm listening to Ben Bridwell tell me that the world is such a wonderful place. It's so amazing when everything lines up just so.

1. No Age
2. Out of the Silent Planet
3. Whiskey

100. Applications...

So hey. It's Wednesday and that means margaritas. Usually. Ok so it hasn't happened in a while, but that doesn't mean I'm any less of a man (single tear).

Anyhow, this Friday is Jen's birthday. We'll be going out to a dinner we can't afford then we'll probably be going to Cha Cha or the Red Lion afterwards. As these places are public, all are welcome.

On a more private note, we will be having a much more exclusive party this Sunday at our house. If you know where that is, you may come. It will be approximately after church. Lunchish time. You can call for a more specific time. Or, you will probably receive an email about it. Anyways. It will be a bbq. It will be fun. It will also be Mike, Matt and Becca's birthday party, so you might receive four emails (depending on how much each of these people like you).

That's about all. I went to a mind numbing curriculum training today and the best part? I got a free fried chicken ceaser salad for lunch. Oh well. I only have 2 weeks left for this school year. I'm feeling irresponsible already.

All for now. I am glad there are no nude pics of me on the interweb.

It's with a heavy heart that I post this. I am now in my classroom watching my third period class furiously type essays on laptop computers but my heart is elsewhere....


This past weekend Jen and I engaged in some major chilling at the Pool residence. We ate and drank and played and boated our collective guts out.

It was a sort of viking funeral weekend for their house. While we didn't burn the place to the ground, we did burn some stuff. Charcoal.... umm... candles? It was definitely to the max as the Pools are the best hosts and weekend companions one could hope for.

So here I sit, quietly shedding a tear for all the good times had in Big Bear. I wish they never had to end. Except I don't want to live there.

I need more coffee.

Right now I have finished grades for the upcoming report card; I am enjoying the Russian River Brew Co. Damnation Golden Ale and I am listening to the Pipettes.

It's good times here. Really.

As a side note, does anyone want to go see the Pipettes at the Poopadour on the 11th of June? You would have to go with me and Jen. We would do our best to make it fun for you though. I'm going to buy tickets soon..... I think..... Maybe.....

July

Just a couple of things that I'm extremely excited about and that I want to know if anyone else is extremely excited about.

1. sunn0))) + Earth @ the Casbah in San Diego July 2nd and a tba venue in Los Angeles July 3rd.

2. Smashing Pumpkins 8 night residency at the Fillmore in SF from the 22nd of July to the 1st of August.

Exciting no? A couple of long distance shows? Let's do it.