Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Sun Worship
I have never loved the sun as much as I do now that I live in the Pacific Northwest.
I don't know what it is, though. It gets gray and dreary in the Midwest. I missed the sun like crazy when I moved to central Wisconsin, but I got used to it. I don't ever remember having the urge to run outside whenever the sun came out.
But here? When the sun is out I have to fight the urge to spend all day lying in the grass on the hill behind my building. The sun? It's fucking glorious.
This morning I met some friends downtown at the Farmer's Market. It was cloudy and a little cool. We met to wander, have a small breakfast, and check out the vegan lotion made by a local artisan. She and her husband have a shop in town but she also sets up at the market on Saturday mornings. Last weekend I took a friend and colleague by there, this morning I took another friend (and colleague) there, 1) because they're stuff is amazing; 2) they're stuff is all vegan and my friend is also vegan; and 3) she made grapefruit perfume but didn't have it with her last Saturday and she promised she'd have it with her today. She did!
Lunch was at a local brewery where had the vegan version of a bacon (tempeh), lettuce, avacado, and tomato sandwich and it was damn good. And an IPA. Beer, football, and TV seemed to be the main topics of the day. And the freaks covered in this BBC program (YouTube link to the program; posted in six parts). Seriously, y'all, these people are complete freaks. An old friend from college told me about this program a couple of week ago. I don't have BBC America, but I found the above videos on YouTube. We were IMing while I watched them, and I spent most of the time saying, "What is wrong with these people? This has to be fake." And asking my friend, "What the hell is wrong with you? I hate you for making me watch this; I'm scarred for life." I have to say, though, it makes me feel better that I am not the only one who watches shit like this. Kind of.
But see, my point is (and I do have one), it was cloudy the entire time I was out and about this morning. By the time I got home the clouds were just beginning to clear, and when I saw the sun I knew I couldn't spend the afternoon inside. So after walking a good two miles this morning, I grabbed my purse and made a beeline to the local bayside park. I walked to another local neighborhood where I knew I could find good coffee and vegan pumpkin bread. When I got home I almost planted my butt on the hill behind my building but knew I did have things I had to do. I reluctantly did them.
I can't remember another time or place when I enjoyed spending so much time outside. I think I am finally beginning to understand why people around here are so outdoorsy and active.
I don't know what it is, though. It gets gray and dreary in the Midwest. I missed the sun like crazy when I moved to central Wisconsin, but I got used to it. I don't ever remember having the urge to run outside whenever the sun came out.
But here? When the sun is out I have to fight the urge to spend all day lying in the grass on the hill behind my building. The sun? It's fucking glorious.
This morning I met some friends downtown at the Farmer's Market. It was cloudy and a little cool. We met to wander, have a small breakfast, and check out the vegan lotion made by a local artisan. She and her husband have a shop in town but she also sets up at the market on Saturday mornings. Last weekend I took a friend and colleague by there, this morning I took another friend (and colleague) there, 1) because they're stuff is amazing; 2) they're stuff is all vegan and my friend is also vegan; and 3) she made grapefruit perfume but didn't have it with her last Saturday and she promised she'd have it with her today. She did!
Lunch was at a local brewery where had the vegan version of a bacon (tempeh), lettuce, avacado, and tomato sandwich and it was damn good. And an IPA. Beer, football, and TV seemed to be the main topics of the day. And the freaks covered in this BBC program (YouTube link to the program; posted in six parts). Seriously, y'all, these people are complete freaks. An old friend from college told me about this program a couple of week ago. I don't have BBC America, but I found the above videos on YouTube. We were IMing while I watched them, and I spent most of the time saying, "What is wrong with these people? This has to be fake." And asking my friend, "What the hell is wrong with you? I hate you for making me watch this; I'm scarred for life." I have to say, though, it makes me feel better that I am not the only one who watches shit like this. Kind of.
But see, my point is (and I do have one), it was cloudy the entire time I was out and about this morning. By the time I got home the clouds were just beginning to clear, and when I saw the sun I knew I couldn't spend the afternoon inside. So after walking a good two miles this morning, I grabbed my purse and made a beeline to the local bayside park. I walked to another local neighborhood where I knew I could find good coffee and vegan pumpkin bread. When I got home I almost planted my butt on the hill behind my building but knew I did have things I had to do. I reluctantly did them.
I can't remember another time or place when I enjoyed spending so much time outside. I think I am finally beginning to understand why people around here are so outdoorsy and active.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Happy Record Store Day
I love record stores. I know they are dying, but I still love them. We have two: one local that is also a head shop and the other that is a regional chain. And they are across the street from each other.
A few years ago I began describing myself as a recovering music geek. Music was still important to me, but it hasn't been a huge part of my life recently. Today I walked into Head Shop Record Store and began talking to the clerk... Within a few minutes I realized that I had fallen off the music geek wagon. One eye-roll at the mention of Joy Division, and my general music snobbery was back.
Anyway, today is Record Store Day. Stores have specials and freebies. In some cities there were even lines (not here, though). But, there have been a few things I've wanted to pick up, so I figured today was a good day to do that.
It's been awhile since I listened to newer (newer = the last three years or so) music. I got lazy when I lived down south. I really didn't know where to start again, so the record store clerk asked me what I liked. I told him I was a stereotypical '80s indie music person. I think we had different interpretations of what "'80s indie music" means, because he pulled lots of stuff I didn't like. Like Portisehead. I have a few songs of theirs that I like, but for the most part they are fingernails on the chalkboard.
For round two I listed the last few albums I bought: Spoon, Hold Steady, Heartless Bastards, Elvis Perkins, and TV on the Radio. He pulled several albums off the shelf, and let me tell ya, he totally nailed it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It's Blitz. This was on my list already.
Fleet Foxes. s/t. I had heard bits of them before and didn't know what to think. They kind of annoed me. He described them as the modern-day Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. I don't know if I would go that far, but I liked what I heard.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. s/t. The record store guy called them "Friends of TV on the Radio." Definitely. Many similarities. I like this album a lot.
Phosphorescent. To Willie. A Willie Nelson tribute. I am completely in love with this. Seriously. This little album rocks my world. I've already listened to it twice. This album gave me goosebumps while I was listening to it in the store. Go buy it. Now.
Being Record Store Day there were freebies. Stickers, catalogs, blah blah blah. "Do you have a turntable?," he asked. When I told him I had a Numark USB turntable (Sally has one), he responded with "Right on." He asked because he gave me a sample mix on vinyl. I also got some sort of Morrisey CD in the goodie bag, too. But seeing that I am not a big Morrisey fame (I know, blasphemy. I'm not a big Smith fan, either), I got more horned up about the sample mix.
I know I'm almost 40 years old, but there is still something satisfying about going into a boy-dominated subculture (like music geekdom) and being able to impress the boys, the boys who think they are the coolest of the cool without coming across as being too cool. More Rob Gordon or Dick in High Fidelty than Bary.
The one thing they didn't have was Bob Mould's new one. I had to go across the street to the regional chain store across the street for that one. They weren't nearly as much fun as the guys at the Head Shop Record Store.
A few years ago I began describing myself as a recovering music geek. Music was still important to me, but it hasn't been a huge part of my life recently. Today I walked into Head Shop Record Store and began talking to the clerk... Within a few minutes I realized that I had fallen off the music geek wagon. One eye-roll at the mention of Joy Division, and my general music snobbery was back.
Anyway, today is Record Store Day. Stores have specials and freebies. In some cities there were even lines (not here, though). But, there have been a few things I've wanted to pick up, so I figured today was a good day to do that.
It's been awhile since I listened to newer (newer = the last three years or so) music. I got lazy when I lived down south. I really didn't know where to start again, so the record store clerk asked me what I liked. I told him I was a stereotypical '80s indie music person. I think we had different interpretations of what "'80s indie music" means, because he pulled lots of stuff I didn't like. Like Portisehead. I have a few songs of theirs that I like, but for the most part they are fingernails on the chalkboard.
For round two I listed the last few albums I bought: Spoon, Hold Steady, Heartless Bastards, Elvis Perkins, and TV on the Radio. He pulled several albums off the shelf, and let me tell ya, he totally nailed it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It's Blitz. This was on my list already.
Fleet Foxes. s/t. I had heard bits of them before and didn't know what to think. They kind of annoed me. He described them as the modern-day Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. I don't know if I would go that far, but I liked what I heard.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. s/t. The record store guy called them "Friends of TV on the Radio." Definitely. Many similarities. I like this album a lot.
Phosphorescent. To Willie. A Willie Nelson tribute. I am completely in love with this. Seriously. This little album rocks my world. I've already listened to it twice. This album gave me goosebumps while I was listening to it in the store. Go buy it. Now.
Being Record Store Day there were freebies. Stickers, catalogs, blah blah blah. "Do you have a turntable?," he asked. When I told him I had a Numark USB turntable (Sally has one), he responded with "Right on." He asked because he gave me a sample mix on vinyl. I also got some sort of Morrisey CD in the goodie bag, too. But seeing that I am not a big Morrisey fame (I know, blasphemy. I'm not a big Smith fan, either), I got more horned up about the sample mix.
I know I'm almost 40 years old, but there is still something satisfying about going into a boy-dominated subculture (like music geekdom) and being able to impress the boys, the boys who think they are the coolest of the cool without coming across as being too cool. More Rob Gordon or Dick in High Fidelty than Bary.
The one thing they didn't have was Bob Mould's new one. I had to go across the street to the regional chain store across the street for that one. They weren't nearly as much fun as the guys at the Head Shop Record Store.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Comments
One small thing, I decided to start monitoring comments. To my regular readers (all four of you), your comments will be approved no matter what. Most other comments will, to tell you the truth. But I've been hit with some spam and other crap that I don't want nor need.
That is all.
That is all.
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