Or, How to Celebrate a Birthday
Wake up early, but considering you have no job, anytime before noon is early. Make coffee ala Rae--French roast, French-pressed, with lots of half and half. Decide to make French toast, only to discover--once you have already made the egg/milk mixture--that all your bread is moldy. Deciding that moldy French toast is better than no French toast at all, cut off the moldy crusts and make little French toast squares. Decide whether or not you will actually tell people that you did this. Reflect that you are now twenty-four-years-old and this is where you are in your life.
Decide to dress somewhat fancy in your favorite jeans, a white Oxford shirt, and a skinny pink tie. You will feel fantastic all day. Take the bus to Capitol Hill, and treat yourself to a weekday matinee showing of The Kids Are All Right at The Egyptian. Try and decide whether you would prefer to be in a lesbian marriage with Annette Bening or Julianne Moore. Realize that this is a moot point especially considering how hot Mark Ruffalo looks.
Take the bus down to the waterfront. Listen to your favorite Tori Amos songs while reading The Stranger (the Seattle weekly paper, not that absurd and nihilistic novel by Camus, L'Etranger). Listen to Ellen singing "Happy Birthday" on your voicemail which you will save forever. Meet Lillian outside Elliott's Oyster House on Pier 56, generally recognized as one of Seattle's best for seafood. Try a raw oyster on the half-shell--note that servers will eye you strangely if you order a single oyster. Reflect that Gilbert Le Coze once remarked that beef "is not an exciting food. But a wild thing swimming in the water--now that's passionnant!" Like a good white wine, an oyster can be racy and minerally. Promptly order a half-dozen more. Enjoy with a new old-fashioned cocktail (thanks Lillian!). As an oyster neophyte, the server who eyed you so strangely will bring you two more different oysters, on the house, so you can taste the oyster terroir (or whatever the marine equivalent of terroir is). The best part is since it's happy hour, you ate seven oysters (plus two more for free) for a mere $3.50.
Head to the Seattle Public Library with Lillian to kill time and pick up holds. While there you might as well pick up some books for Nancy Pearl's genre class in the fall including The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (traditional mystery) and Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey (traditional Western). Lillian will also lend you her copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (thrillers and crime). At the library you will also notice a free copy of V for Vendetta which apparently is even more free than other books at the library. You don't even have to check it out and you can return it (on the honor system) whenever you are pleased to finish reading it. Head to a Seattle's Best Coffee, which happen to be surprisingly rare in Seattle (though they really do have the best coffee), to wait for Maggie to finish work and join you.
Once Maggie has arrived, take the bus to West Seattle, a somewhat isolated neighborhood as it juts out awkwardly to the west from Seattle's preferred North-South diamond grid. Decide that it reminds you favorably of Ballard. Eat at Luna Park Cafe, all that remains of the amusement park that was once the Coney Island of the West. Enjoy a classic clubhouse sandwich with a chocolate Oreo milkshake (thanks Maggie!). Stuffed with oysters and french fries, make your way to Bakery Nouveau only to discover it has closed early due to maintenance or some other such nonsense.
Repair to Lillian's apartment and unapologetically stare at her bookcases. Even though you are fuller than full and cannot possibly eat the cupcake Maggie has so generously bought from Cupcake Royale, you can enjoy a small portion of the richest dark chocolate sorbet Lillian has procured over a pleasant conversation about literature and history and school and travel. Maggie and Lillian will then present you with gifts because they are generous to a fault. Lillian, who does book arts, has made you your very own hand-sewn notebook with deckled edges and embossed with your initials. Maggie gives you a gift certificate to Teahouse Kuan Yin--our favorite teahouse. Return home with a bag full of books and food, and discover what kind of mess has been made to your Facebook page.
Thank you to everyone who wished me well via Facebook, text message, card, or phone call. You made my day special. And to borrow from the end of Angels in America (which is grand and sincere and cheesy and totally appropriate): "Bye now. You are fabulous creatures, each and every one. And I bless you: More Life."
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
We Used to be Friends
Yesterday, I drove up Aurora--which is kind of dicey, think State Street in South Salt Lake--to get my emissions tested. I passed. And then I drove to South Seattle which is even dicier to get my car weighed--2620--which apparently I didn't need to do even though it said so on the licensing website. Liars! However, Washington doesn't require a safety inspection, so that's something. And today I got the damn thing registered, however, the rear plate won't come off. I seem to remember having the same problem when I bought the car, and my dad used a power drill to replace the plate and now the screw is not coming out. I used a screwdriver, some pliers, and about 20 wrenches. Notta. Meagan said she has some power tools, so hopefully those will work. After this, I should get my tires rotated, and then I think my car will be in excellent shape.
I had a job interview today! I interviewed for special collections, and I think it went pretty well. She'll let me know on Friday. And tomorrow I interview for circulation. Hopefully, I will get one of those jobs. Cross your fingers and wish me luck! Being broke is not nearly as glamorous--in an angsty, twentysomething kind of way--as one would expect. I may also need to finagle a loan to pay the last two months of my exorbitant rent. I'm pretty excited though that--as long as I don't move to NYC, Chicago, or the state of California--pretty much anywhere I go will be cheaper than Seattle.
So I've pretty much been bumming around my apartment since I can't afford to do anything. We had a heat wave the week after the 4th--they weren't lying--and it was kind of wonderful. and miserable. I haven't really noticed the humidity in Seattle except when it dropped below freezing back in December and whenever I went back to Utah. Oh, and now when it's excessively hot. No one has AC in their homes/apts and it's kind of ridiculous. So then I went to Target and bought a fan--the last one left!--and it's amazing. It was hot and sunny outside and cool inside. And then the heat wave went away the next day, of course, and the weather's been pretty sucky since. I want my summer back!
My reading list continues to languish. I'm halfway through The Iliad and while it's bloody and great, it's a lot to take in. I'm also reading The Omnivore's Dilemma--I know, only three years after everyone else--and it's pretty interesting. It's fairly critical of capitalism, but who isn't these days? Even the right currently prefers the term "free enterprise system." But what's striking is how terrible industrial agriculture is. It's harmful to our health and the planet's and it's just not sustainable. As described by Michael Pollan, agrarian farming is the silver bullet. Sustainable, ecological, and healthy, it benefits farmers, consumers, and the planet. You know, Thomas Jefferson was a proponent of agrarianism. I think he's always been more radical than most people have been comfortable with, so I'm glad he's been written out of history textbooks. But why stop there? Who needs any of the founders--I mean they were all frickin' revolutionaries.
Instead of reading all my books, I've been watching entirely too much television. I finished the last three seasons of The West Wing which aren't nearly as good as the first four, but I've seen those seasons too many times. I also just finished watching all three seasons of Veronica Mars. Whew. I never watched the show when it was on the air, but it was available on Netflix for instant viewing, and I thought, "Why not?" 45 hours later... It's pretty addictive, especially when you can just keep hitting "next episode," as I so, so often did. Veronica, played by Kristen Bell, is the daughter of a private investigator and former sheriff, and she's picked some things up. In every episode she solves a single case while helping to solve a larger case. It's definitely an ode to detective fiction and film noir. Veronica is punky and sassy, but not in an annoying way, and the dialogue is brilliant. La Weekly noted that "the hard-boiled dialogue comes from its teen protagonist's mouth in a way that stabs any potential cutesiness in the heart with an ice pick." Can writing be sharp and blunt at the same time? Its mining of pop culture is excellent too. I've had some pretty vivid Veronica Mars dreams.
Now that I have nothing else to watch, Meagan and I are going to start Battlestar Galactica from the beginning--get our frak on. We probably won't make it very far before school starts again. That's a shame. Our drinking continues haphazardly. We got a small group together at Oliver's Twist, and even Maggie, who usually abstains, had two cocktails. Meagan and I each had three. We're both very indecisive people, but we're pretty good at deciding to drink more than we really should. She's leaving me next week to go to Alaska and see her boyfriend, psshaw, leaving me alone on my birthday. Lame sauce!
In other news, my grocery shopping habits have changed for the better. The last three weeks, I've consistently managed to only spend $70! It's still a lot, but I'm a bit of a foodie, dammit, and I've never been much of a penny pincher to begin with. (And did I mention that Seattle's expensive?) I could never feed a family on $100/week. But by looking at the weekly ads for sales and specials, and writing out a menu (not inspired by Food Network), I've gotten much better. I just made bistecca tagliata (Italian style steak) as shown by GQ. It was deliciozo! I made a bed from a bunch of arugula, squeezed a lemon over it (I think squoze should be a word, don't you?), and topped it with shavings of Romano cheese. Then I placed my beautifully pan-fried steak, sliced, on the arugula and topped it with deglazed pan drippings. It's excellent with a Lillet spritzer, though Campari might be more appropriate. (Okay, so that's a little glamorous.) Bon appetit!
I had a job interview today! I interviewed for special collections, and I think it went pretty well. She'll let me know on Friday. And tomorrow I interview for circulation. Hopefully, I will get one of those jobs. Cross your fingers and wish me luck! Being broke is not nearly as glamorous--in an angsty, twentysomething kind of way--as one would expect. I may also need to finagle a loan to pay the last two months of my exorbitant rent. I'm pretty excited though that--as long as I don't move to NYC, Chicago, or the state of California--pretty much anywhere I go will be cheaper than Seattle.
So I've pretty much been bumming around my apartment since I can't afford to do anything. We had a heat wave the week after the 4th--they weren't lying--and it was kind of wonderful. and miserable. I haven't really noticed the humidity in Seattle except when it dropped below freezing back in December and whenever I went back to Utah. Oh, and now when it's excessively hot. No one has AC in their homes/apts and it's kind of ridiculous. So then I went to Target and bought a fan--the last one left!--and it's amazing. It was hot and sunny outside and cool inside. And then the heat wave went away the next day, of course, and the weather's been pretty sucky since. I want my summer back!
My reading list continues to languish. I'm halfway through The Iliad and while it's bloody and great, it's a lot to take in. I'm also reading The Omnivore's Dilemma--I know, only three years after everyone else--and it's pretty interesting. It's fairly critical of capitalism, but who isn't these days? Even the right currently prefers the term "free enterprise system." But what's striking is how terrible industrial agriculture is. It's harmful to our health and the planet's and it's just not sustainable. As described by Michael Pollan, agrarian farming is the silver bullet. Sustainable, ecological, and healthy, it benefits farmers, consumers, and the planet. You know, Thomas Jefferson was a proponent of agrarianism. I think he's always been more radical than most people have been comfortable with, so I'm glad he's been written out of history textbooks. But why stop there? Who needs any of the founders--I mean they were all frickin' revolutionaries.
Instead of reading all my books, I've been watching entirely too much television. I finished the last three seasons of The West Wing which aren't nearly as good as the first four, but I've seen those seasons too many times. I also just finished watching all three seasons of Veronica Mars. Whew. I never watched the show when it was on the air, but it was available on Netflix for instant viewing, and I thought, "Why not?" 45 hours later... It's pretty addictive, especially when you can just keep hitting "next episode," as I so, so often did. Veronica, played by Kristen Bell, is the daughter of a private investigator and former sheriff, and she's picked some things up. In every episode she solves a single case while helping to solve a larger case. It's definitely an ode to detective fiction and film noir. Veronica is punky and sassy, but not in an annoying way, and the dialogue is brilliant. La Weekly noted that "the hard-boiled dialogue comes from its teen protagonist's mouth in a way that stabs any potential cutesiness in the heart with an ice pick." Can writing be sharp and blunt at the same time? Its mining of pop culture is excellent too. I've had some pretty vivid Veronica Mars dreams.
Now that I have nothing else to watch, Meagan and I are going to start Battlestar Galactica from the beginning--get our frak on. We probably won't make it very far before school starts again. That's a shame. Our drinking continues haphazardly. We got a small group together at Oliver's Twist, and even Maggie, who usually abstains, had two cocktails. Meagan and I each had three. We're both very indecisive people, but we're pretty good at deciding to drink more than we really should. She's leaving me next week to go to Alaska and see her boyfriend, psshaw, leaving me alone on my birthday. Lame sauce!
In other news, my grocery shopping habits have changed for the better. The last three weeks, I've consistently managed to only spend $70! It's still a lot, but I'm a bit of a foodie, dammit, and I've never been much of a penny pincher to begin with. (And did I mention that Seattle's expensive?) I could never feed a family on $100/week. But by looking at the weekly ads for sales and specials, and writing out a menu (not inspired by Food Network), I've gotten much better. I just made bistecca tagliata (Italian style steak) as shown by GQ. It was deliciozo! I made a bed from a bunch of arugula, squeezed a lemon over it (I think squoze should be a word, don't you?), and topped it with shavings of Romano cheese. Then I placed my beautifully pan-fried steak, sliced, on the arugula and topped it with deglazed pan drippings. It's excellent with a Lillet spritzer, though Campari might be more appropriate. (Okay, so that's a little glamorous.) Bon appetit!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Out of the Loop
Or, What hath Claire Danes wrought?
So today's been a day of Internet surfing and TV watching and I've come across a lot of belated celebrity news. What's the antonym of "news"? history? Anyway, I've always said that I would watch the very nearly perfect Mary-Louise Parker read the phone book, and apparently the boys over at Esquire, where she writes sex articles, had a similar idea. The magazine presented a short video series of disquieting bedtime stories with the oddball actress. One features a reading of Josh Ritter's song "To the Dogs of Whoever" which is, sadly, less than the sum of its parts. The videos are, well, interesting..?, but I watched them all anyway. Here's one for your perusal:
So I continued to watch YouTube videos of Mary-Louise and discovered she had done Hedda Gabler on Broadway, who knew?, and that she had won a Tony back in 2001 for Proof and gushed about her then boyfriend Billy Crudup. I think somewhere I knew that she had dated him. I was, however, unaware that Mr. Crudup had left his girlfriend of eight years--who was seven months pregnant at the time!--for Claire Danes whom he met on the set of Stage Beauty. I even saw that movie--it was pretty decent. Now I've always vaguely liked Claire Danes even if she's too skinny and not brilliantly talented. But she was in Romeo + Juliet and The Hours, and she was Beth in Little Women. I didn't know she was a home wrecker too (also, she left musician Ben Lee for Crudup). So then after a couple of years she cheated on Billy while filming Evening, which I also saw, shacking up with my celeb crush, Hugh Dancy. Bitch. Additionally, Mr. Dancy is apparently bisexual--how did I miss that! The crazy couple is now married, but with these stats I'm not sure they're one for the books.
The fabulous Miss Parker is doing just fine though. She's dating Charlie Mars and is the poster girl for marijuana. Here she shares a story with Chelsea Lately about how she stabbed a former boyfriend for eating her guacamole (hopefully it was Billy):
So Mel Gibson has gone batshit crazy once more, threatening his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva with whom he's locked in a child custody battle. Really, Mel? Anyway, this comes just in time to destroy his return to acting in Edge of Darkness.
Brandon Flowers has apparently begun a solo career (in addition to The Killers). What?!? In this music video, "Crossfire," Flowers makes a very pretty damsel in distress sporting some old-school threads. Charlize Theron keeps saving his ass from ninjas playing the warrior woman with considerably more clothes than in Aeon Flux. The only problem is that ninjas are so 2007. The tune is solidly in The Killers' sonic realm, and I'll watch anything with Flowers and Theron.
Meryl Streep continues to keep things classy, as always. She's currently close to signing Great Hope Springs where she would be married to Jeff Bridges--awesome!--and is in talks to play Margaret "Iron Lady" Thatcher. I can see it now. So there's some old gossip for you that, unless you already knew it, you couldn't care less about.
So today's been a day of Internet surfing and TV watching and I've come across a lot of belated celebrity news. What's the antonym of "news"? history? Anyway, I've always said that I would watch the very nearly perfect Mary-Louise Parker read the phone book, and apparently the boys over at Esquire, where she writes sex articles, had a similar idea. The magazine presented a short video series of disquieting bedtime stories with the oddball actress. One features a reading of Josh Ritter's song "To the Dogs of Whoever" which is, sadly, less than the sum of its parts. The videos are, well, interesting..?, but I watched them all anyway. Here's one for your perusal:
So I continued to watch YouTube videos of Mary-Louise and discovered she had done Hedda Gabler on Broadway, who knew?, and that she had won a Tony back in 2001 for Proof and gushed about her then boyfriend Billy Crudup. I think somewhere I knew that she had dated him. I was, however, unaware that Mr. Crudup had left his girlfriend of eight years--who was seven months pregnant at the time!--for Claire Danes whom he met on the set of Stage Beauty. I even saw that movie--it was pretty decent. Now I've always vaguely liked Claire Danes even if she's too skinny and not brilliantly talented. But she was in Romeo + Juliet and The Hours, and she was Beth in Little Women. I didn't know she was a home wrecker too (also, she left musician Ben Lee for Crudup). So then after a couple of years she cheated on Billy while filming Evening, which I also saw, shacking up with my celeb crush, Hugh Dancy. Bitch. Additionally, Mr. Dancy is apparently bisexual--how did I miss that! The crazy couple is now married, but with these stats I'm not sure they're one for the books.
The fabulous Miss Parker is doing just fine though. She's dating Charlie Mars and is the poster girl for marijuana. Here she shares a story with Chelsea Lately about how she stabbed a former boyfriend for eating her guacamole (hopefully it was Billy):
So Mel Gibson has gone batshit crazy once more, threatening his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva with whom he's locked in a child custody battle. Really, Mel? Anyway, this comes just in time to destroy his return to acting in Edge of Darkness.
Brandon Flowers has apparently begun a solo career (in addition to The Killers). What?!? In this music video, "Crossfire," Flowers makes a very pretty damsel in distress sporting some old-school threads. Charlize Theron keeps saving his ass from ninjas playing the warrior woman with considerably more clothes than in Aeon Flux. The only problem is that ninjas are so 2007. The tune is solidly in The Killers' sonic realm, and I'll watch anything with Flowers and Theron.
Meryl Streep continues to keep things classy, as always. She's currently close to signing Great Hope Springs where she would be married to Jeff Bridges--awesome!--and is in talks to play Margaret "Iron Lady" Thatcher. I can see it now. So there's some old gossip for you that, unless you already knew it, you couldn't care less about.
Monday, July 5, 2010
And So This is Summer
Well, it's July 5th, the unofficially official start of summer in Seattle. It's 56 degrees outside and cloudy. Awesome. (P.S. America, July 5th is not a frickin' holiday.) Ready or not, it's time for my summer playlist, which is largely founded on last year's but with some changes. I've limited myself to 20 songs which can easily be burned onto a CD so I can play it in my car if I ever manage to get my car registered.
"All I Really Want" Alanis Morissette
I think my mom would really identify with this song if she was the type of person who would ever listen to Alanis. However, the reason it's on my playlist is because it makes for excellent car jamming.
"Soak Up the Sun" Sheryl Crow
I will happily soak up any sun that Seattle proffers. And when it's cold and dreary outside, I will pretend I'm in SoCal instead.
"Rio" Hey Marseilles
Their album, To Travels and Trunks, was just (re)released, and I love their European, orchestral vibe. Besides, their travelogues are perfect for summer.
"Set your sights straight now, don't forget pain / Drink till the morning becomes yesterday / Think of the shorelines you have yet to see." And there are always Brazilian boys to discover!
"Read My Mind" The Killers
This song, for me, conjures up images of Main Street America and summers in small towns.
"Bouncing Off Clouds" Tori Amos
One of Tori's simpler songs, it's still one my favorites, and the 4/4 drum beat makes it unusually good for summer. Reflecting on love lost and found, the crisis of a relationship, and the way we used to bounce off clouds.
"Vindicated" Dashboard Confessional
Yes, I fell in love with this song way back in high school after watching Spider-Man 2, but I still love it. a lot. The energy's great for summer too.
"Los Angeles" Sugarcult
The sun is burning down the City of Angels in this highly angsty tune.
"I want a girl that won't talk back / And a job that gives me slack / And a car that won't break down." Is that too much to ask for?
"Holiday from Real" Jack's Mannnequin
My summer, sans job, currently feels a lot like a holiday from real.
"Being poor was never better / A safety buzz, some cheap red wine / Oh, the trouble we can get in / So let's screw this one up right." Fuck yeah.
"To the Dogs or Whoever" Josh Ritter
This song, rolling along at a breakneck pace, showcases Ritter's penchant for allusive and catchy songwriting.
"Lemonade on your breath, sun in your hair / Did I mention how I love you in your underwear?"
"Home" Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Currently nominated for TBTL's song of the summer, this song just makes me feel happy. This duet reminds of something I can't quite place my finger on and yet offers a breathe of fresh air.
"Laugh until we think we'll die / Barefoot on a summer night / Nothing could be sweeter than with you." Because home is wherever I'm with you.
"Daylight Robbery" Imogen Heap
"Heading towards the city light / Winking diamonds at me / Arms stretched out now." It's time to take advantage of the summer and the city and to sway in the sonic joy.
"White Houses" Vanessa Carlton
I don't know what else I can say about this song that I haven't already. It's an anthem to being young, alive, and in love during the summer.
"Mr. Brightside" The Killers
What can I say? It's still my favorite Killers' song, and I think it's excellent for the summer.
"1901" Phoenix
TBTL chose this song as the song of the summer last year even though it didn't catch on until December. The problem with TBTL's summer song selection is that they can never decided whether or not they want to predict the song that will actually dominate the airwaves that summer or choose their own indie anthem. Still, "1901" is a great song, and I played it constantly last summer.
"Hold the Morning" Hey Marseilles
"Take the time for townships and classics to be read / Finding all the soft skin that will fit in a feather bed." I will sit back, relax, and hold my head to the sun.
"California" Rufus Wainwright
This is Wainwright's tongue-in-cheek ode to the Golden State. His take on the sun, sand, and surf? "You're such a wonder that I think I'll stay in bed."
"Dark Blue" Jack's Mannequin
This was probably my favorite song on my playlist last year. Perfect for all those times you feel alone even when surrounded by people or whenever the night is the perfect shade of dark blue.
"Stolen" Dashboard Confessional
The perfect anthem for Labor Day weekend and an ode to the transience of summer.
"Catch the last weekend of the last week / Before the gold and glimmer have been replaced / Another sun-soaked season fades away." I play it all summer to remind to me to make the most of it.
"Summer in the City" Regina Spektor
You seriously didn't think I wouldn't have this song on my list, did you? It evokes the loneliness and melancholia of summer, wandering from protests to late-night establishments. And of course, "summer in the city means cleavage, cleavage, cleavage."
"Long Shadows" Josh Ritter
One of my favorites by Ritter, this song is perfect for when those long summer evenings (and parties) end, and we travel home in the dark.
"I'm not afraid of the dark when the sun goes down / And the dreams grow teeth and the beasts come out."
Honorable Mentions:
(all of which feature prerequisite rapping!)
"Starry Eyed Surprise" Paul Oakenfold. 2004 was a crappy summer for me, but watching the Diet Coke commercial on TV, I thought somewhere out there people are breaking out in an impromptu skating party in some empty parking lot, and I want to go to there.
"Airplanes" B.o.B. Another TBTL summer song nominee this year (and #5 on the charts). "Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? / I could really use a wish right now." Me too.
"Billionaire" Travie McCoy. Yes it raps, but it's also light, summery, and funny. And though it's behind "California Gurls" and "Airplanes" on the charts, this could easily be the song of the summer: 2010!
So what are you listening to?
"All I Really Want" Alanis Morissette
I think my mom would really identify with this song if she was the type of person who would ever listen to Alanis. However, the reason it's on my playlist is because it makes for excellent car jamming.
"Soak Up the Sun" Sheryl Crow
I will happily soak up any sun that Seattle proffers. And when it's cold and dreary outside, I will pretend I'm in SoCal instead.
"Rio" Hey Marseilles
Their album, To Travels and Trunks, was just (re)released, and I love their European, orchestral vibe. Besides, their travelogues are perfect for summer.
"Set your sights straight now, don't forget pain / Drink till the morning becomes yesterday / Think of the shorelines you have yet to see." And there are always Brazilian boys to discover!
"Read My Mind" The Killers
This song, for me, conjures up images of Main Street America and summers in small towns.
"Bouncing Off Clouds" Tori Amos
One of Tori's simpler songs, it's still one my favorites, and the 4/4 drum beat makes it unusually good for summer. Reflecting on love lost and found, the crisis of a relationship, and the way we used to bounce off clouds.
"Vindicated" Dashboard Confessional
Yes, I fell in love with this song way back in high school after watching Spider-Man 2, but I still love it. a lot. The energy's great for summer too.
"Los Angeles" Sugarcult
The sun is burning down the City of Angels in this highly angsty tune.
"I want a girl that won't talk back / And a job that gives me slack / And a car that won't break down." Is that too much to ask for?
"Holiday from Real" Jack's Mannnequin
My summer, sans job, currently feels a lot like a holiday from real.
"Being poor was never better / A safety buzz, some cheap red wine / Oh, the trouble we can get in / So let's screw this one up right." Fuck yeah.
"To the Dogs or Whoever" Josh Ritter
This song, rolling along at a breakneck pace, showcases Ritter's penchant for allusive and catchy songwriting.
"Lemonade on your breath, sun in your hair / Did I mention how I love you in your underwear?"
"Home" Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Currently nominated for TBTL's song of the summer, this song just makes me feel happy. This duet reminds of something I can't quite place my finger on and yet offers a breathe of fresh air.
"Laugh until we think we'll die / Barefoot on a summer night / Nothing could be sweeter than with you." Because home is wherever I'm with you.
"Daylight Robbery" Imogen Heap
"Heading towards the city light / Winking diamonds at me / Arms stretched out now." It's time to take advantage of the summer and the city and to sway in the sonic joy.
"White Houses" Vanessa Carlton
I don't know what else I can say about this song that I haven't already. It's an anthem to being young, alive, and in love during the summer.
"Mr. Brightside" The Killers
What can I say? It's still my favorite Killers' song, and I think it's excellent for the summer.
"1901" Phoenix
TBTL chose this song as the song of the summer last year even though it didn't catch on until December. The problem with TBTL's summer song selection is that they can never decided whether or not they want to predict the song that will actually dominate the airwaves that summer or choose their own indie anthem. Still, "1901" is a great song, and I played it constantly last summer.
"Hold the Morning" Hey Marseilles
"Take the time for townships and classics to be read / Finding all the soft skin that will fit in a feather bed." I will sit back, relax, and hold my head to the sun.
"California" Rufus Wainwright
This is Wainwright's tongue-in-cheek ode to the Golden State. His take on the sun, sand, and surf? "You're such a wonder that I think I'll stay in bed."
"Dark Blue" Jack's Mannequin
This was probably my favorite song on my playlist last year. Perfect for all those times you feel alone even when surrounded by people or whenever the night is the perfect shade of dark blue.
"Stolen" Dashboard Confessional
The perfect anthem for Labor Day weekend and an ode to the transience of summer.
"Catch the last weekend of the last week / Before the gold and glimmer have been replaced / Another sun-soaked season fades away." I play it all summer to remind to me to make the most of it.
"Summer in the City" Regina Spektor
You seriously didn't think I wouldn't have this song on my list, did you? It evokes the loneliness and melancholia of summer, wandering from protests to late-night establishments. And of course, "summer in the city means cleavage, cleavage, cleavage."
"Long Shadows" Josh Ritter
One of my favorites by Ritter, this song is perfect for when those long summer evenings (and parties) end, and we travel home in the dark.
"I'm not afraid of the dark when the sun goes down / And the dreams grow teeth and the beasts come out."
Honorable Mentions:
(all of which feature prerequisite rapping!)
"Starry Eyed Surprise" Paul Oakenfold. 2004 was a crappy summer for me, but watching the Diet Coke commercial on TV, I thought somewhere out there people are breaking out in an impromptu skating party in some empty parking lot, and I want to go to there.
"Airplanes" B.o.B. Another TBTL summer song nominee this year (and #5 on the charts). "Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? / I could really use a wish right now." Me too.
"Billionaire" Travie McCoy. Yes it raps, but it's also light, summery, and funny. And though it's behind "California Gurls" and "Airplanes" on the charts, this could easily be the song of the summer: 2010!
So what are you listening to?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Mary, Full of Grace and Other Stories
"I'm not very religious. So there's the risk that my praying could be taken as insincere or even an affront, which if it's a vengeful God could have made matters worse." --The West Wing
On Sunday, halfway through the Josh Ritter concert, I realized that my car, in addition to a burnt-out headlight, was expired. So as I got into my car, I said a little "Mary, full of grace" which is all I know of the Hail Mary prayer. I did end up taking a bit of a detour through downtown which I was trying to avoid, but I made it home safe and sound without getting pulled over. I thought that was very successful.
I'm still working on my car. I finally replaced the headlight today, an ordeal that nearly resulted in multiple breakdowns. Firstly, the old light would not come out of the spring clip, so I finally decided to unscrew this screw and then the whole clip popped out. Not awesome. However, the light came out very easily at this point. Then I tried to screw the clip back in, but I have very large, shaky hands which are not ideal for working in small, hard to reach places. I also lost the head of a screwdriver into the bowels of my car, so I'm just hoping that it's adding structural integrity wherever it's currently lodged.
At this point, it was time to take a break, and buy the replacement bulb. Today I decided to try again, and I did get the clip screwed in! However, at some point during the tug-of-war, I guess I broke the itty-bitty thing the clip hooks into. Still I was able to jam the light in, albeit crookedly, and replace the dust cover. The light works. I said another Mary, full of grace in the hopes that it will continue to work, and that I didn't break anything else.
I still need to register my car in the state of Washington so it will be legal and everything which means I need to find the title of ownership. My parents don't have it, and it wasn't in the usual places where I would probably keep such an important document (I really should have one, centralized location, but I don't). This means I will need to comb through my room which I have not done since I moved in way back in September. The prospects look bleak. And the replacement title from the Utah DMV, like all important legal documents, makes me feel a little bit nauseous (which, by the way, is an acceptable usage of that word).
The job hunt is bleak, as always. I don't really know where to begin, though I somehow managed to send out my resume to five places today, so I guess that's something. I'm not really sure how I've landed any of the jobs I've previously had--I've probably blocked out those memories, so I'm always at a loss as how to proceed. I was contacted by the one job I did want, but they were interviewing while I was in SLC, so that didn't happen. Le sigh.
Well, enough moaning, let's move on to happier thoughts, shall we?
I have now been to more concerts in Seattle (in less than a year) than I have in my entire life. Concerts are fun, but they can also be tedious and expensive, and unless I know and love the artist, I have little interest in going. Hey Marseilles gave a free lunchtime concert downtown as part of a summer series. Lillian and I went, and it was awesome: free, no waiting, and I love Hey Marseilles. Lillian and I grabbed lunch at Pike's Place and hiked up and down Post Alley.
On Sunday, as I've mentioned, I went to see Josh Ritter at the ShowBox and it was great. I have to say that Josh Ritter is a bit more awkward looking than he appears in photos, still he was infectious jumping up and down the stage grinning like a Cheshire cat. The enthusiasm of the musicians and the audience was excellent. I think Ritter's true gift is for songwriting, but he still gives a great live performance. Zacharia Hickman, on the electric bass, looked very retro-cool in a bespoke plaid suit with a pocket square, in addition to horn-rimmed glasses and a perfectly groomed handlebar mustache. One day, I want to be half as cool.
The drinking adventures of Meagan and Greg have been temporarily postponed seeing as how I currently have no money. Still, we've already had a decent start. During finals week we started out with a bang celebrating Susan's birthday, Heidi's farewell, and the start of our drinking. Chloe gave each of us dark chocolate candies made with sea salt--delicious! We started out at Zayda Buddy's Minnesotan pizza house (Minnesota pizza is loaded with meat and cut into squares) where I learned that I really don't like wheat ales, but fried cheese curds are delicious. We then went to King's Hardware we we drank cheap beer (Hamm's; it's gross) and I had not-nearly-salty-enough chips and salsa. Here is the group of intrepid librarians.
(Or rather this is where the picture would be if Blogger wasn't stupid.)
We finished the night at Tahiku where we all had specially infused cocktails that are supposedly aphrodisiacs: limit one per customer! I had the Manhattan but I didn't feel particularly drunk or aroused so whatever. Cadi and I drove to Dick's on our way home. Cheap, greasy food is essential after long bouts of drinking.
Last Friday, a group of us went to The Zig Zag Cafe, a swanky cocktail lounge at Pike's Place. I had the Alaska (gin) and Champs Elysees (brandy) cocktails, and then, finally, The Last Word, which is why we went in the first place. The Last Word is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with equal parts of gin, lime juice, green Chartreuse, and Maraschino liqueur. It is awesome. If I had money, I would consider investing in Chartreuse and Maraschino just to make this drink. We first heard about the drink at a pub trivia night. The question was to name the four equal ingredients of The Last Word, a favorite cocktail of Hemingway's (supposedly). I think we choose gin, rum, lime, and whiskey (hey, it's Hemingway!) which would surely be disgusting. We ended the night at McDonald's for our cheap, greasy food fix.
As I've mentioned, my summer reading list is falling by the wayside. I did finish Lowcountry Summer which, well... So I've been disappointed a lot lately by contemporary fiction in general--maybe the novel really is over--but this tripe is one the worst books I have ever read in my life. The story is neither funny nor poignant. The characters are one-dimensional, and the protagonist is shallow and annoying. The prose is limp and uninspired. I only finished it out of some perverse masochism. I'm thinking I should pick up Amusing Ourselves to Death since my TV habits have gotten out of hand and maybe The Magicians which is a contemporary novel, but Rae and Mary have recommended it, so I feel safe. I'm still wading through The Iliad.
I was going to post my summer playlist, but I'm still working on it and this post is long enough already. Besides, it still doesn't feel like summer here yet. I know last year Seattle had a heat wave where it broke 100, but usually the summers here don't get past the 80s, so it might never feel like summer. I can't believe it's already July.
On Sunday, halfway through the Josh Ritter concert, I realized that my car, in addition to a burnt-out headlight, was expired. So as I got into my car, I said a little "Mary, full of grace" which is all I know of the Hail Mary prayer. I did end up taking a bit of a detour through downtown which I was trying to avoid, but I made it home safe and sound without getting pulled over. I thought that was very successful.
I'm still working on my car. I finally replaced the headlight today, an ordeal that nearly resulted in multiple breakdowns. Firstly, the old light would not come out of the spring clip, so I finally decided to unscrew this screw and then the whole clip popped out. Not awesome. However, the light came out very easily at this point. Then I tried to screw the clip back in, but I have very large, shaky hands which are not ideal for working in small, hard to reach places. I also lost the head of a screwdriver into the bowels of my car, so I'm just hoping that it's adding structural integrity wherever it's currently lodged.
At this point, it was time to take a break, and buy the replacement bulb. Today I decided to try again, and I did get the clip screwed in! However, at some point during the tug-of-war, I guess I broke the itty-bitty thing the clip hooks into. Still I was able to jam the light in, albeit crookedly, and replace the dust cover. The light works. I said another Mary, full of grace in the hopes that it will continue to work, and that I didn't break anything else.
I still need to register my car in the state of Washington so it will be legal and everything which means I need to find the title of ownership. My parents don't have it, and it wasn't in the usual places where I would probably keep such an important document (I really should have one, centralized location, but I don't). This means I will need to comb through my room which I have not done since I moved in way back in September. The prospects look bleak. And the replacement title from the Utah DMV, like all important legal documents, makes me feel a little bit nauseous (which, by the way, is an acceptable usage of that word).
The job hunt is bleak, as always. I don't really know where to begin, though I somehow managed to send out my resume to five places today, so I guess that's something. I'm not really sure how I've landed any of the jobs I've previously had--I've probably blocked out those memories, so I'm always at a loss as how to proceed. I was contacted by the one job I did want, but they were interviewing while I was in SLC, so that didn't happen. Le sigh.
Well, enough moaning, let's move on to happier thoughts, shall we?
I have now been to more concerts in Seattle (in less than a year) than I have in my entire life. Concerts are fun, but they can also be tedious and expensive, and unless I know and love the artist, I have little interest in going. Hey Marseilles gave a free lunchtime concert downtown as part of a summer series. Lillian and I went, and it was awesome: free, no waiting, and I love Hey Marseilles. Lillian and I grabbed lunch at Pike's Place and hiked up and down Post Alley.
On Sunday, as I've mentioned, I went to see Josh Ritter at the ShowBox and it was great. I have to say that Josh Ritter is a bit more awkward looking than he appears in photos, still he was infectious jumping up and down the stage grinning like a Cheshire cat. The enthusiasm of the musicians and the audience was excellent. I think Ritter's true gift is for songwriting, but he still gives a great live performance. Zacharia Hickman, on the electric bass, looked very retro-cool in a bespoke plaid suit with a pocket square, in addition to horn-rimmed glasses and a perfectly groomed handlebar mustache. One day, I want to be half as cool.
The drinking adventures of Meagan and Greg have been temporarily postponed seeing as how I currently have no money. Still, we've already had a decent start. During finals week we started out with a bang celebrating Susan's birthday, Heidi's farewell, and the start of our drinking. Chloe gave each of us dark chocolate candies made with sea salt--delicious! We started out at Zayda Buddy's Minnesotan pizza house (Minnesota pizza is loaded with meat and cut into squares) where I learned that I really don't like wheat ales, but fried cheese curds are delicious. We then went to King's Hardware we we drank cheap beer (Hamm's; it's gross) and I had not-nearly-salty-enough chips and salsa. Here is the group of intrepid librarians.
(Or rather this is where the picture would be if Blogger wasn't stupid.)
We finished the night at Tahiku where we all had specially infused cocktails that are supposedly aphrodisiacs: limit one per customer! I had the Manhattan but I didn't feel particularly drunk or aroused so whatever. Cadi and I drove to Dick's on our way home. Cheap, greasy food is essential after long bouts of drinking.
Last Friday, a group of us went to The Zig Zag Cafe, a swanky cocktail lounge at Pike's Place. I had the Alaska (gin) and Champs Elysees (brandy) cocktails, and then, finally, The Last Word, which is why we went in the first place. The Last Word is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with equal parts of gin, lime juice, green Chartreuse, and Maraschino liqueur. It is awesome. If I had money, I would consider investing in Chartreuse and Maraschino just to make this drink. We first heard about the drink at a pub trivia night. The question was to name the four equal ingredients of The Last Word, a favorite cocktail of Hemingway's (supposedly). I think we choose gin, rum, lime, and whiskey (hey, it's Hemingway!) which would surely be disgusting. We ended the night at McDonald's for our cheap, greasy food fix.
As I've mentioned, my summer reading list is falling by the wayside. I did finish Lowcountry Summer which, well... So I've been disappointed a lot lately by contemporary fiction in general--maybe the novel really is over--but this tripe is one the worst books I have ever read in my life. The story is neither funny nor poignant. The characters are one-dimensional, and the protagonist is shallow and annoying. The prose is limp and uninspired. I only finished it out of some perverse masochism. I'm thinking I should pick up Amusing Ourselves to Death since my TV habits have gotten out of hand and maybe The Magicians which is a contemporary novel, but Rae and Mary have recommended it, so I feel safe. I'm still wading through The Iliad.
I was going to post my summer playlist, but I'm still working on it and this post is long enough already. Besides, it still doesn't feel like summer here yet. I know last year Seattle had a heat wave where it broke 100, but usually the summers here don't get past the 80s, so it might never feel like summer. I can't believe it's already July.
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