Miscellaneous Musings

Bah-humbug.

2006-12-20T22:38:00.000-06:00

Yeah, so it's been a while. As the saying goes, "You've got to put your past in your behind."

Errr... maybe that's not quite it.

I don't quite know where to start, so I guess since it's December 19th, there's no time like the present to bitch about Christmas. :-)

I remember when Christmas was easy. All the excitement. Would I get that big gift I ask for? Would my mom be surprised? Would my dad be able to come to Christmas? Would my grandparents still be using the same silver and gold wrapping paper they had been using for my entire life?

Now it's all about stressing about having any money to buy gifts, cleaning the house, figuring out what to serve all these people for dinner, getting laundry done. But then again, there's always laundry to do. I believe I'm now on my third year of intending to send Christmas cards without actually doing it (Sorry everybody).

I know I'm just stressed right now, but I have to wonder: will I ever feel excited about holidays again? Or will holidays become like snow-- beautiful in theory, but a massive pain in the ass in practice?

Really all I want to do is go back to the Christmas Eves of years past when I stayed up all night wrapping presents and watching the endless loop of "A Christmas Story" on TBS.

Whoa Part 2

2005-08-02T14:45:00.000-06:00

I quit my job today. I got a new job yesterday which gave me the unique opportunity to walk in today, clear off my desk, say thanks and leave. I've been told that I will probably never get the opportunity to leave a job so abruptly again in my life. I'm glad I enjoyed it.

Whoa

2005-07-26T16:44:00.000-06:00

Due to an almost unbelievable meeting of circumstances, Sean and I are buying a house-- or at least that's what we hope to do. Since my mom, David and aunt are all basking in the sun on cruise this week, I thought I'd put the pictures up for them to see.

Indier Than Thou

2005-07-16T13:45:00.000-06:00

So my man and I are going to check out the Intonation Music Fest today. The plan is to arrive there around 1:30 to see Pelican and who knows what will happen after that. We'll probably watch skinny boys in brown corduroys, long-sleeved plaid button down shirts and ironic t-shirts spontaneously combust due to the heat, which will be fun to watch. Their slightly greasy moptops shooting into the air, horn-rimmed glasses hitting their tiny-sweater-wearing girlfriend, Converses leaving scorch marks on the ground-- it'll be independent entertainment at its best.

Anyway, this isn't to suggest that I'm not into the indie scene, because I totally am. There are a lot of bands that I'm really excited to see today. However, I'm not into the people with the "Indie Than Thou" attitude. By that I mean the people who think a band loses its cool factor after more than 20 people have seen them. That takes all the fun out of music. It's fun and exciting to fall in love with a new band, and part of the fun and excitement-- at least for me-- is sharing it with other people. No band can survive without fans, so what's the point of feeling "exclusive" because no one has ever heard of your new favorite band? That band won't be around long if it only has 20 fans.

Thankfully, my alma mater and one of my favorite radio stations, WLUW (http://www.wluw.org), valiently leads the fight against this attitude by filling the airwaves some of the finest indie and local music around. No attitude, just music. Apparently they're one of the sponsors of this fest, so hopefully they'll chill out the corduroy-wearers.

Any Takers?

2005-07-14T01:08:00.000-06:00

Bright girl with strong writing and editing abilities seeks stable, full-time job with health insurance benefits.
- 3 years experience writing, editing and proofreading
- 2 years experience in basic invoicing and bookkeeping
- 2 years experience in administrative position
- 1 year experience in public relations
- 1 year experience in marketing and promotions
- Extensive knowledge of the Internet
- Extensive Internet research abilities
- Experience working both independently and as a team player
- Willing to see a job through to its completion
- Above average level of computer expertise (both PC and Mac)
- Above average knowledge of music (specifically mainstream and indie rock)
- Creative thinker
- Well-developed sense of humor (sometimes corny, sometimes lightly sarcastic)
- Cat lover

Tom and Katie

2005-06-25T12:17:00.000-06:00

One Word: Sickening

The universe really doesn't need another person commenting and analyzing this business partnership, but yet I feel compelled.

I was in the check out line in Jewel last night looking at People Magazine and the five or six page spread of photos and story on their Paris engagement. Who does that? Who really wants their personal life open for everyone in the check-out lane to read? Most photos you see of celebrities who have found a new love include fuzzy photos of the pair walking together, looking like they are either holding hands or passing a baton. There is rarely a great close-up of the pair moments after they've agreed to spend their lives together, except with Tom and Katie. I have to wonder if his publicist sent out media alerts announcing that he was going to propose on top of the Eiffel Tower that night. Is it really possible that People knew about the marriage before Katie? Who knows, but every article I've read contains quotes that all read very well and are all very similar.

I think what bothers me most about this "relationship" is that it feels sort of like an insult to anyone who's ever been truly in love. I'm lucky enough to know how incredibly invincible the first stages of Love can make you feel. When you're completely consumed with every little bit of a person and he is just as much consumed with you, there is nothing better in the world. There's something very fun about having a wonderful secret that's shared with only one other person in the whole universe. That is what bothers me about Tom Cruise-- I can't get past the feeling that he's acting out the role of a man in love, instead of actually being in love. I feel like he's reading from a bad script--

"TOM CRUISE - During interview with Oprah, suddenly burst from seat. Jump up and down while declaring your love for Katie Holmes. Run backstage (wait for cameras to follow).
Enter KATIE HOLMES.
KATIE HOLMES - Act shocked that TOM has run backstage. Walk onstage with him. Make doe eyes as seen during 'Dawson's Creek' when Joey and Dawson were in love. Giggle frequently."

Maybe it is real, who knows for sure. Maybe Katie Holmes saw how Nicole Kidman's career took off after divorcing Tom and wants to follow the same path.

Only one thing is known for certain: Tom Cruise is still a bad actor.

Trio X 4

2005-06-19T17:05:00.000-06:00

This past week I saw the Alkaline Trio four times. Twice in rehearsal and twice in concert. It was very strange for me to watch a band I like rehearse. Like most rock bands, I have an almost magical assumption that they write their songs, record them, rehearse to make sure they know the words and the changes and take over the world on tour.

Instead, I watched them spend several minutes making sure that a pedal effect was oscillating in time with the drum beat and continuously work on a refrain until they achieved a perfect three-part harmony. I guess this is more of how I expected an orchestra to rehearse than a punk band. Isn't punk just supposed to be three chords and the truth?

It was refreshing though. I'm sure they know that much of the little sounds they meticulously worked on will get lost in cavernous clubs amid fans singing along, but that doesn't seem to matter. Maybe that's what sets some bands apart from others-- the work and care they put into crafting their sound.

Am I lazy?

2005-05-24T23:10:00.000-06:00

So I spent all day with our new cleaning lady, which was odd. This is the first time I have ever personally employed someone to clean up after me. The weird part is that I had to wonder what she was thinking of me. Here I am, paying a bunch of money to have someone clean our apartment, but yet I'm sitting at home all day while she does it. In truth, I work everyday, but I figured I would stay here while she cleaned and go into work after she left. I guess our place was super dirty because it took her close to 7 hours to clean it. She did an amazing job, but it was still weird, it was literally like taking all of the little thing in life that we stick in the corners and forget about and having it all dusted off and nicely displayed on my nightstand.

At one point I began to feel so ashamed of the multiple pairs of shoes under our bed and the cat who wouldn't stop meowing that I went over to Penny Noodle and got a very tall, hot container of chicken soup that was half full of vermicilli noodles. I love vermicilli (sp?) noodles-- if only because chopped up to look like rice, they make up half of Rice-a-Roni™, the San Francisco Treat.

After the cleaning lady left, I spent close to two hours on the phone with Dell for my boss. I f*cking hate Dell-- every encounter I've ever had with them makes me proud to have owned either IBMs or (most recently) Macs my entire life. Although to be fair, all the people I talked to during my multiple calls to Dell were very nice, helpful and pleasant. But they still suck as a whole.

Oops

2005-03-20T14:30:00.000-06:00

So I've abandoned my South by Southwest project due to lack of time, lack of reliable internet and excess of drinking. All you really need to know is that the fajaitas from the cart are amazing.

SXSW Day 1

2005-03-17T14:22:00.000-06:00

I drove from San Antonio to Austin yesterday morning and met Sean and his friend Eric at the airport. From there, we checked into the Hilton and stood in a line that was way too damn long to get our badges and then stood in another damn long line to buy wristbands for Erin. From there, Sean, Erin and I headed off to Emo's. The first party had no free beer and no good music either, but I did have my first Shiner Light. This was one of Emo's outside places, I have no idea which one, but it was open and across the street from the main Emo's. We quickly left and went to the Iron Cactus for lunch-- damn good, except for the rice.

After a two maragarita lunch, we went to the main Emo's for more Shiner Light. It was at this point that Erin discovered the refreshing taste of Tecate and we heard Sheerwater. We were glad when they were done. After that came my first Tecate (damn good) and Mono, who were fucking awesome. They were so awesome that we all collectively realized their awesomeness without even seeing them play.

Sean wanted to go see an old, old friend, Danny McGuiness, at the Blind Pig at 5pm, so he and I went there. I had a very small Diet Coke and watched a few songs before I headed back to Emo's for I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness-- which everyone agrees is one of the best band names in recent memory. On the way back to Emo's, I stopped at the ATM of a cigar shop because it advertised that it had the lowest fee ATM on 6th Street. At $2.75, I better find a cheaper one. I did get to see some creepy guy roll a cigar though, which was sort of cool-- but not $2.75 fee cool.

Anyway, I joined Erin for I Love You...etc. and they were cool. When they were done, we finished our Tecates and walked out of Emo's because they were closing for a little while. On our way out, we walked right past the lovely ladies of Sleater-Kinney who were talking and taking pictures with fans.

Things were starting to get fuzzy for me around this point when we walked into Casino el Camino or something like that. It was very dark with really bizarre subtitled black and white horror movies playing on the tvs. Sean and I eventually left to get pizza for dinner. I had a very lovely and tasty stromboli. We walked out of the pizza place and into Mahmood and Tim and wandered into Tristeza at Eternal. Mono was playing there later in the evening, so I bought their CD. We met up with Danny McGuiness and his guitarist, Kent, there and thankfully saw a very small amount of By the End of Tonight (instrumental punk that wasn't well executed).

Sean and I made the trek to Antone's, taking a cab (awesome cabbie!) the last block when we thought we were going the wrong way. Hubert Someler (sp?) was onstage playing guitar when we walked in and Elvis Costello was singing! Elvis left the stage and walked right past us, so I patted him on the back while other people took pictures. We met up with Chris, Danny and Kent who informed us that Robert Plant had been standing right in front of them and was going to go onstage, but then didn't for whatever reason.

From there we treked to Maggie Mae's to see Smoosh, but by the time we were let in, the show was over. :-( We walked over to Emo's to catch the Donna's opening for Billy Idol and I stood in the longest bathroom line of my entire life. Seriously-- it was at least 30 minutes. We saw Billy Idol come onstage and do some lame new song that had a chorus that sounded like a sitcom theme song and "Dancing with Myself." At this point, it was getting way too crowded and Billy Idol was bobbing his head around like George Michael in that Wham! video, so we left.

I was going to see Sleater-Kinney with Erin, but my feet were killing me and I was too damn tired, so I found her, said goodnight and rushed to catch up with a very tired and drunk Sean who just purchased the best damn steak fajita from a street vendor. I don't know what was in it, but it was extra tasty.

Totals for the day:
Different Beverages (multiples of most): 5 -- V8, Shiner Light, Agave Maragarita, Tecate, Diet Coke
Bands: 7
Bands I will seek out again: Mono, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness

This is my first post...

2005-03-14T17:44:00.000-06:00

Yep, this is it-- numero uno. My goal is to write more and keep a somewhat coherent account of my trip to Austin for South By Southwest (http://www.sxsw.com). And that's all I have to say right now. :-)