sweet lonely death i am waitinf for your death

Saturday..

Oh cripes. Old white conservative congressmen now have a new book jacket to pin up in their offices and fantasize about. Amy Poehler does a better job of being you than you.

In How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must), Annie gives us these gems:

• The essence of being a liberal: “The absolute conviction that there is one set of rules for you, and another, completely different set of rules for everyone else.”
• Her 9/11 comments: “I am often asked if I still think we should invade their countries, kill their leaders, and convert them to Christianity. The answer is: Now more than ever!”
• Her philosophy for arguing with liberals: “Tough love, except I don’t love them. My ‘tough love’ approach is much like the Democrats’ ‘middle-class tax cuts’—everything but the last word.”
• The “Treason Lobby”: “Want to make liberals angry? Defend the United States.

Tee hee. Comparing the midwest to the mideast. Sorry Brenda, Mario, Justin, et. al. My favorite: comparing the fashions:

Ted Leo has posted his thoughts about the debates.

After everyone stops tripping themselves over the Postal Service and the Shins, maybe they will realize there are other kick-ass bands on Sub Pop. Like the Thermals (check out How We Know) and th Helio Sequence (download Everyone Knows Everyone).

I know I am about a thousand years late on this, but I finally got my hands on the Streets’ Original Pirate Material. I don’t normally like hip-hop/rap, but it is quite delightful. Also loving the pronunciation of “garage” and “mobile”.

What the hell is with Myspace? Is it really just a site for Eurotrash and I haven;t figured it out? I get several messages from men a day, of course, all that makes me swoon. Example:

“girl show me the extra baggage cause i sure dont see it hope we can be friends and stay cool and keep smiling bye bye from ohio howell”

So stoked about DIG!, the documentary about the rivalry of the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Shocker, it’s not playing in CT at the moment. The synopsis, from the official press kit:

DIG! is the feature-length documentary shot over seven years about musicians Anton Newcombe, leader of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Courtney Taylor, head of The Dandy Warhols – star-crossed friends and bitter rivals. From the moment they met, The Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre quickly bonded over a desire to not conform to the tastes of the recording industry. Yet the bands’ choices over how to express their creativity and originality in a profit-driven industry eventually put them at irreconcilable odds.
Culled from 1,500 hours of footage and narrated by Courtney Taylor, DIG! follows the underground giant Anton Newcombe, unearthing him to be an important yet largely unnoticed artist of our time.

In 1996, Anton Newcombe and his band, Brian Jonestown Massacre – who in a decade independently released 11 albums, three recorded in one year – are hell-bent on staging a revolution in the music industry. They are convinced their friends, The Dandy Warhols, will join them to create a united front. But Anton’s creative psychosis takes him to the most remote areas of the human mind to find his original art, and as a result, he destroys every opportunity for financial success.

While tracking the destructive path of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, DIG! also accompanies the more ‘well-adjusted’ Warhols, lead by Courtney Taylor, as they navigate the corporate sea, trying to maintain their creative edge while starring in mega-budget music videos and entertaining crowds in the tens of thousands.

DIG! is about both musicians’ love and obsession, gigs and recordings, arrests and death threats, uppers and downers – their choices between art and industry, which unfold with the passage of time.

Some nonessential reading for a Saturday morning:
-Republicans try to convince West Virgians that liberals are trying to ban the bible and there will be an outbreak of same sex marriage. Oh jeez, who let our secret out?
-Interview with Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley. Did they need to drudge up the past, like when she stuck her tongue down Ben Seaver’s throat?
-The decline of teen rags.
-One arrested RNC protester managed to hold on to his cameraphone.
-A mainstream review of a Scissor Sisters show.
-the Religious Right warns us of the evil of Mean Girls. I love looking through that database, especially at movies such as Boogie Nights and seeing them get their panties in a bunch.

Interview with Andrew Huddleston

Government operative by day, provacative auteur by night. I finally got a chance to sit down with the always-charming Andrew Huddleston, the original keyboardist and titular member of the No Andrews Band.

What do you do?
I’m an analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Basically, we make sure the feds are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.

What are your life’s passions?
My partner, of course, reading, music, movies, and making a lasting impact.L

I heard you produced a TV show and some movies. Do tell….
Well, I can’t take all the credit, but I have had a hand in the fantastic
career of Eryn Q Hammers. Her last film, Babydangler was a biopic of
Michael Jackson with ErynQ in the lead role. Out next is Zookiller a horror/thriller film. Currently, we’re working on the sixth, and dare I say final season of B. R. A. T. S. on UPN. After that, Hammers will begin work on her most challenging film role yet, portraying Mary Kay Letourneau in Teacher’s Pet.

What is you current top ten list?

Week ending October 2, 2004 (TW, LW. Title / Artist (wks @ #1 if
applicable))
1,2. She Will Be Loved / Maroon 5 (1 wk @ #1)
2,1. Take Your Mama / Scissor Sisters (2 wks @ #1)
3,4. My Happy Ending / Avril Lavigne
4,3. These Words / Natasha Bedingfield (1 wk @ #1)
5,10. Gravity / Embrace
6,6. Take Me Out / Franz Ferdinand
7,7. Bedshaped / Keane (2 wks @ #1)
8,9. On The Way Down / Ryan Cabrera
9,8. Pieces of Me / Ashlee Simpson
10,5. Laura / Scissor Sisters
Upcoming: Lose My Breath / Destiny’s Child, Breakway / Kelly Clarkson, Real
To Me / Brian McFadden, Call on Me / Eric Prydz, Somebody Told Me / The
KillersOf these, 1,3,8 and 9 are currently in U.S. pop top 10; 1,3,4,5,7,10 are
currently or have been recently in U.K. top 10. 6 is top 10 U.S. alternative.

What are you reading right now?
I’m reading The Inner Circle by TC Boyle, which is a fictionalized account of the life of an assistant to the famous sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, which is a nonfiction account of the interwined lives of a group of people living in the Bronx in the late ’80s, early ’90s.

Robin is awesome. Why is that?
Robin is larger than life, beautiful, and has the biggest heart for someone who is sometimes crabby.

Tell us about your main squeeze.
Chris is a reporter. We’ve been together 4 years, and got engaged this last spring. He’s from southern Maryland. He’s smart, creative, cute, sweet, neat, and petite. The love of my life.

Where do you go out in DC?
Out the front door to work it seems these days. Daytime we enjoy Borders, movies at Loews Georgetown, and lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Evenings we like Cafe Deluxe, City Lights of China, Yanni’s, Alero, Mei Wah, and Cafe Asia.

What was your role in the now legendary No Andrews Band?
I was the keyboardist and did vocals on one song that I wrote, “Innocence.” I was also the least neurotic member of the band.

Lindsay or Hilary?
Definitely Lindsay. Mean Girls and Freaky Friday were fantastic. She’s also not afraid to show her colors in public. Hilary seems fake, I don’t like her music, and her movies look trite.

What celebrity would play you in the movie of your life?
I used to say Matt Damon, but now I’d probably pick Mark Ruffalo, even though he’s 10 years older than me. He’s a great actor and quite attractive.

sometimes when you’re on you’re really fucking on

Friday.

Kelis mixed with Q-tip? You got it. Ray Parker, jr. mixed with Will Smith? You got it. Check out the downloads on Mashmix.com.

I know I said I wasn’t going to talk about the debate, but my gf Jessi Klein does such a good job of it.

Thursday.

I am not even going to try to give commentary on the debates, because there are much better places to go for that. I am not going to comment on the smirking, the “uhs”, and the constant “oh, no you di’nt” that went on. Yarf.

However, each November, I get this ironic patriotic feeling. Like, everyone (correction: mostly the middle and upper class) are all watching the debates and having the same conversations the next morning. It makes the country feel part of my ingroup, and for once I welcome the mass conformity of being interested on politics. I strive so hard all year to be unique and distinguish myself from the mainstream, but election time I welcome falling into line and participating in the election. Yesterday I finally got my paperwork stating I was eligible to vote in CT, and I squealed with delight. Despite the actual dismal choices, the idea of going to the polls absolutely delights me. I guess this is patriotism? Whatever.

Currently listing to: Beulah, Yoko, Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs (meh), Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Coheed and Cambria’s Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3, +/-; You Are Here, Helio Sequence’s Love & Distance; Guided by Voices- Isolation Drills, John Vanderslice’s Time Travel is Lonely and finally got my hands on The Misfits’ Legacy of Brutality. How have I been living without unarguabley the best Misfits album? Unbelievable.

Oh, and fyi you guys, The Go Team kicks ass. Download stuff here.

A new bestseller: He’s Just Not That Into You: The Truth to Understanding Guys. Although I am in full support of anything that tells people franky that they are crap, this irks me to no end. Thank you, authors, for emphasizing the gender binary and basically generalizing all men and all women into generalized statements. If I ever meet anyone or see anyone who is reading this, I will have to make them dead to me. They are probably the same kind of women who proclaim “I’m a Carrie” and my friend is “soooooo my Miranda”. Me, hateful much? Absolutely. I am just sick of pop culture reducing everything, including adult relationships, to an episode of Dawson’s Creek.

Tonight:

Try this drinking game.

I’ve finally found my political niche: Kerry Haters for Kerry:

Are you going to vote for John Kerry even though you find him unpleasant, annoying, arrogant, waffling, misguided or just generally unappealing in some profound way? Then you’ve come to the right place! We’re Kerry Haters for Kerry — perhaps his largest constituency! No need to hide in the Kerry-hating closet anymore while you pretend to everyone that he’ll be a great president. Here you are among friends. You can speak freely and honestly. You can admit: ‘He’s awful! And I’m for him!’

Who will reign supreme?

Well, Barbie, of course! She promotes kindness to animals! And health and exercise! Plus, she has a snazzy pantsuit and pretty hair that she lets me brush.

Finally, the answer to Tyra Banks’ snoozefest ego trip…Manhunt: The Search for America’s Hottest Male Model. Otherwise known as porn.

Brian, Mario, John…I am counting on you to watch this religiously.

Cedric Diggory will be played by…

Meh.

a weekend trip to Mankato

Wednesday.

If you care, and I know that you do, here is my preliminary list for the top albums of 2004. It was quite hard to pick, because most of my favorite music that I started to listening to this year was from the eary to mid nineties and things released at the end of 2004. So, here’s the crap. Check them out if you haven’t. Or I will burn them and send it to you. Whichever comes first.
Top albums of 2004

The Killers, Hot Fuss

The Thermals, Fuckin’ A

Damnwells, Bastard of the Beat

Scissor Sisters, s/t

Youur Enemies Friends, You Are being Videotaped

Action Action, Don’t Cut Your Hair to This Year’s Fashion

Sahara Hotnights, Kiss & Tell

Tilly and the Wall, Wild Like Children

Statistics, Leave Your Name

Muse, Absolution

The Walkmen, Bows & Arrows

A.C. Newman, The Slow Wonder

Ratatat, s/t

Old 97’s, Drag it Up

Interpol, Antics
Taking back Sunday, Where You Want to Be

The Fever, Red Bedroom

Phantom Planet, s/t

Rilo Kiley, More Adventerous

Other releases, like Le Tigre and the Blood Brothers, will most likely end up on there but they haven’t been released yet. Notice there is no crap like Franz Ferdinand, Wilco, etc., that will be on lots of lists.

As much as I have an umbilical cord attached to my laptop, sometimes non-technology can make me happy. I actually got a snail mail package from Corry, my partner in crime from the crazy halls of the NYU Med School Dean’s office. It totally made my week. That place is very stifling, formal, and poorly managed, and it kills me to see her in there suffering, when her talents and personality would be better used elsewhere. If you are in a band and need a superb merch girl, she is the one for the job. I swear. She writes, “I now have a paper bag permanently attached to my face to I can hyperventilate without having to stop typing.” So why is everyone I know as neurotic and stressed out as I am? This is a conundrum; do I influence the people I know and bring them down to my level of complete instability? Or do I just naturally gravitate towards people who are a bit more realistic about things and are a bit stressed out and pessimistic? Probably the second one. I firmly believe that anyone who is super cheery with rainbows and flowers is just fucking kidding themselves, and are well, pretty annoying. (The majority of res life professionals, I’m looking at you). So naturally, I wouldn’t align myself with them. Not that all of you, my dear friends, are negative depressing people. I think I associate with you because you are more realistic and can appreciate (aka put up with) my negativity. I am completely sucked into Angels in America. Although, I can only watch little bits and pieces at a time, because I want to savor it. Right now I want to pretend that it is a neverending show with different events happening at my disposal. Kind of like how I would only read about 20 pages of Geek Love at a time because I was so afraid I would finish it.

Gore takes time out from partying with Bon Jovi and speaking at third tier colleges to give advice on to how to take on Bush. Oh snap:

The biggest single difference between the debates this year and four years ago is that President Bush cannot simply make promises. He has a record. And I hope that voters will recall the last time Mr. Bush stood on stage for a presidential debate. If elected, he said, he would support allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada. He promised that his tax cuts would create millions of new jobs. He vowed to end partisan bickering in Washington. Above all, he pledged that if he put American troops into combat: "The force must be strong enough so that the mission can be accomplished. And the exit strategy needs to be well defined."

Comparing these grandiose promises to his failed record, it's enough to make anyone want to, well, sigh.

Tuesday.

The saga of Ryan Adams' assholedom.

Erin, bored at work? Here's some crap:

What is your glam rock name? just call me Fuschia Dollz.

Nice! Someone puts egocentric hipster bloggers in their place.

Oh snap! Travis Morrison gets burned by Pitchfork. I believe that is the only zero score they have given in a while. on the other hand, they were kind to Interpol.

God help us all. The term music has lost all meaning:

Pop star Mandy Moore is helping twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen realise their pop star dreams by helping them record a new album.Moore, one of the sisters' closest pals, has been encouraging the Olsens to record an album for years, and now she's planning on hitting the studio with them.

The singer has also roped in pal Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows, to help the twins record a few rock tracks after he stepped in to give Moore's music a rockier sound during her most recent recording sessions.

A nice spreadsheet of where I get most of my music. Now you can be like me.

Do the Barenaked Ladies need their own variety show? Me thinks not.

Finally got the Harry and the Potters cds! Well, Brandon did, I just mooched off of him.

Check out the hottt tracklist:

1. Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock!2. the Weasle

3. the Missing Arm of Viktor Krum

4. Fred and George

5. Keeping Secrets From Me

6. Cornelius Fudge is an Ass

7. Dumbledore's Army

8. These Dreams Are Dark

9. Stick it to Dolores

10. SPEW

11. the Human Hosepipe

12. Luna Lovegood is OK

13. the Godfather: Part II

14. the Weapon

You're never too young to have a boob job.

Erin, I can't believe it has come to this. Your dreams have come true! Good Charlotte Dolls. However, if you spend 85 bucks on this, I will never speak to you again. If you want, I'll take some old Ken dolls and put black capri pants and eyeliner on them for you.

Monday.

An exerpt from Mo Rocca's new literary masterpience.

Don't forget: I'll be in NYC from Oct 14-16. Book your time with me now!

The Voice does a good discussion of the NYU student suicides and liability issues.

King of the Harry Potter double entendres:

BBuehring: i finished the harry potter game tonight. the patronum stag was AWESOME!BBuehring: i screamed out "BAD-ASSS!" when it shot out of my wand

The parental visit was a success. I only got bratty once, when my father insisted on rehanging a picture in my house because it was two inches off center. Now I see where the OCD comes from. You know how a lot of women are afraid of becoming their mother? I think I am going to become my father. In fact, I already am my father. A bitter impatient person who wants to chew off their own arm if they are stuck in traffic. And proud of it!

I showed them my office over in the residence hall area. It is a pretty nice office, with an nice view and new furniture, but it is no Wall Street exec suite. My parents and my brother are (were) teachers, so the world of office/cubicle life is foreign to them. So, it was quite endearing to see them gush over my office. And then I told them I had student workers working for me, and I had my own phone line, and they almost fell over. When they started exclaiming, “and…you get your own stapler!” I knew it was time to go to lunch. I still don’t think they understand what I do. Brandon, they saw your picture and thought you “looked like a nice guy”. Thought you’d want to know.

We also took a long walk in the state park. Being in the middle of nowhere freaks me out. I'd rather be on a city street with felons and batshit crazy people. I was expecting big procupines in red robes to show up. Well, hoping was more like it.

My father loves FoxNews. He watches that every night after three episodes of Law & Order. I decided to approach the topic, safely after he’d had his three cups of coffee. As I brought it up, my mother was waving her arms wildly mouthing “stop, STOP”. It was ok. Turns out that he likes Bill O’Reilly for entertainment, and doesn’t necessarily agree with everything he says. And he says he watches FoxNews over anything else because it is “fun to watch.” Is that code for “I have a crush on Anne Coulter?”. At least my conscience is clear. I gave him the heads up that he may be turning right wing, but I did’t want to pick the scab more. I will proceed with my plan when I go home in two weeks.

I started watching Angels in America, so I know I will be occupied this evening and throughout the night.

Lately I have been posting random links because, quite frankly, nothing too exciting is going on. Hanging out with Paris and Nicky only happens twice a week, so you'll have to bear with me til then. I am taking the day off today to spend the morning with my parents and then try to get my life together, aka, open a bank account, get a new license, sign up for my pension plan, and get car insurance among other things. I really put these things off, thinking they will just take care of themselves. In my job, I am really organizied and am often up my staff's asses about getting things in on time and doing things exactly precise.

Listening to some good stuff lately: Neutral Milk Hotel, Camera Obscura, +/-, Regina Spektor. Finally got the new Animal Collective album, and it kinda blows.

Oh, and don't see The Forgotten. The whole movie was built up to a suprise ending which was not that interesting and quite cheesy. I was more mesmerized by Julianne Moore's pretty hair.

Eternal Sunshine comes out on Tuesday! Kate, Mark, and Elijah together. What a dream team.

The official site for I Heart Huckabees seems to be up and running. Pretty nifty. Can't wait to see it.

Hey, if you are ever going to go on Bill O'Reilly's show, here are some tips. Why am I obsessed with him lately?

Sunday.

The parents are here…

Check out a Death Cab for Cutie Mix of the Faint's "Call Call".

Saturday.

A cool plug in for itunes. I may try it, but I don't have time to deal with it right now.

Rilo Kiley are now big enough to hang out with the New York Times Style section. And I knew them back in the day!

Wow. Whoring for the electoral process is the new way to go. I freaking hate Ashlee Simpson and her goddam "punk album". Nice extentions.

So, an intersting next couple of days ahead. Trying to catch up on my dvd watching. I borrowed Angels in America from Brandon, and I still need to get cracking on Little House on the Prairie, Absolutely Fabulous, Reno 911! And Mr. Show. And I am reading a really good new memoir, Borderlines. I also want to check out Shaun of the Dead, The Forgotten, and Maria Full of Grace.

Plus, I need to clean my apartment from corner to corner because the ‘rents are coming to visit me. I have kept my place cleaner than most of my past apartments, but still I am self conscious and since my parents are obsessive compulsive and I get disowned if I put a cup down without a coaster in their house. I guess it is my first “big girl” apartment and I am excited for them to see that. Clearly, I have lived in other places by myself, but looking back it was kind of sad. My apartment in Prospect Street in college was falling apart at the seams (the door would come off the hinges if you opened it), my first studio apartment in DC should have been nice, but between me and my cat, it was knee deep in hair (gross, I know, but I am being honest). Then I moved to the halfway house aka Fairmont Street, which was almost discernable from the crackhouse next door. I lived in a tiny freezing basement that often flooded in a house full of fucking lunatics (some of them; love you Cara and Krista!). Then, even if I had the Fab 5 redo my apartment in Brooklyn, it would be no help because Willoughby was a shithole to begin with. My studio doubled as my office, my place to do schoolwork, so sleep, and to huddle in the fetal position in, so it was hard to cram that in into a single space. Then on to 26th street in NYC, which was just too small to not be cluttered. Plus, I was barely there, so I didn’t care much.

So, now I have arrived in my spacious, three bedroom grown up apartment. I actually have sofas! More than one! And my own washer and dryer! I did preserve one room that is meant to be messy. I have crap covering the walls and it is also doubling as my walk-in closet, so there are clothes and shoes everywhere. Plus all the papers I should look at but deny that they are there (insurance, bills, etc.) are just thrown in here in the desk. Needless to say, it is my favorite room in the house. Even over the living room, which is tastefully decorated with framed prints and throw pillows.

Friday.

Sweet jesus, I hate Bill O'Reilly. That's the names of the site, and actually, I do.

Listen:

Fiery Furnaces- My Dog

Enon- Starctastic

The Washdown- Kansas City
The Go! Team- Junior Kickstart

Thursday.

Have you seen the sculptures in the 14th st/8th ave station in New York? The small creatures crawling out of manholes? The artist has a new exhibition. Wish I could see it. Sigh.

Some music to try: Ulysses, "The Falcon"; Film School, "Activated"; Frausdots, "Couture, couture, couture".

Soon, you may no longer be able to purchase a "Save Mary Kate" shirt. Damn. I missed out on the Free Winona and Free Martha trend.

Bill O'Reilly and John Stewart have a chit chat.

O'REILLY: What do you want the audience to get out of your discussion with Kerry? Just yucks, or anything else?

STEWART: First of all, I shall rarely refer to it as yucks, and I think you should reconsider.

O'REILLY: OK, I'm sorry about that arcane term.

STEWART: "Shnicks," we call it shnicks — shnicks and giggles.

O'REILLY: Thank you.

Matchbox Twenty Finally Finishes Watering Down Long Awaited Album.

My life is complete. I just got the Little House on the Prairie Season 5 dvd. 'Member when the Ingalls move to the city? And when Mary starts a blind school? Awesome.

pretend to be nice

The art of going to concerts alone.

An open letter to the cast of The Bachelor:

1. You are “women” and not “girls”. Call it what it is, please. Besides, many of you are concealing wrinkles and gray hairs.
2. You are allowed to shop at other places besides Joyce Leslie. Your hairclips and espadrilles are killing me.
3. ”Account executive”, “entrepreneur” and “business investor” are not occupations. There is no nice way to say you are a temp at the local H&R Block.
4. Kill yourselves.

.

What, is the bachelor going to beat his future bride to death? I feel so dirty for watching. I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
So, my brother, who for years listened to nothing but Bjork, had to be educated by yours truly about the other types of music out there. Namely, good music. Now, why does he derve to work in artist relations for a music distributor? And why does he get to hobknob with members of Guided By Voices and The Strokes?

I forgot who, but someone I know loves The Adventures of Pete and Pete. Whowever you are, feast on this.

girl you have no faith in medicine

Bands I am starting to like: Sons and Daughters, Bloc Party.

No matter what I am feeling, "Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch seems to magnify that emotion. Which is a good thing, really. Have a listen.

 Erin informed me that I missed some of the most important news today: Green Day released American Idiot.

I take this band for granted a lot, and I have to remind myself how much they kick ass. Yes, there is commercial backlash, but their older stuff is fantastic and they have really developed into talented songwriters. Even though some may chide them for being mainstream, for myself and lots of others, they served a gateway to other punk music. I would venture to say that for lots of people my age, they would not know who Operation Ivy is if it were not for them. Plus, singles such as "Good Riddance", "Basket Case", and "J.A.R." were the reason I listened to commercial rock radio. Plus, they are politically active and not afraid to voice that. So, there's my plug.

For those of you that have not yet seen Avenue Q, plesse try to do so. It was definitely quirky and original, but definitely still had an off-broadway feel. Download "The Internet Is For Porn" so you can understand how the music is offbeat and quite raunchy, but is still well crafted and musical. I was lucky enough to be in the front row because after about twelve attempts, I managed to win the lottery they have before each performance.

Mikey Skinner is banned from my telly. Very reminiscent of The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up debacle.

My response to being stressed about money is to spend it with reckless abandon. Movies I have acquired: Kids, Bully, Quills, Cold Mountain. Cds I have gotten: The Faint, Wet From Birth; The New Pornographers, Mass Romanitc; Coheed & Cambria, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3; Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea; Brand New, Your Favorite Weapon; Plus/Minus, You Are Here; John Vanderslice, Time Travel is Lonely; The Helio Sequence, Love & Distance. Still need: the Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Q and Not U, RJD2, Velvet Teen, etc., etc.

Another new Le Tigre track: "I'm So Excited". Yes, I am.

I've been drawn again, this time fighting the some Death Eaters, or a boggart. What would my boggart look like? Dicuss.

coco didn’t know which way to gogo

Fantasticlar song by the Frames: "Lay Me Down"; The Stills, "Retour A Vega" (meh); Your Enemies Friends, "Back of a Taxi" (hot); Burning Brides, "Arctic Snow" (oldie but goodie); Preston School of Industry, "Caught In the Rain"; Blonde Redhead, "Misery Is Butterfly".

Aw, Delawareans mourn: the Stone Balloon may turn into condos. Damn! I was going to have my wedding there. The bridesmaids would wear tight black pants and halter tops, and the groomsmen would wear Hooters shirts and pooks shell necklaces. Our wedding band would be a Nickelback cover band. A girl can dream, can't she?

where is my mind?

WHY do I even care about this? Britney got married, blah blah. Real classy.

So I guess with the Kabbalah thing, she must have had a Chupah? And danced the hora?

To make up for the triviality of caring about Brit's wedding, check out this from the Chronicle, "Smart, Pretty, Popular, and in Need of Professors' Understanding". It mentions what I have been struggling with lately; what exactly are the ideal feminine qualities for success, etc. This part really reminded me of xxxxx students:

There are, of course, collegians who fall into neither of those last two categories. One type might be called the "feisty female," and I sense that she is the one academics most applaud. You know her. She's clearly not incapacitated by the quest for some formidable combination of physical beauty, material display, social recognition, and intellectual achievement. She has made a deliberate decision not to conform to an ideal she rejects. Good for her. No Kate Spade purse, no crash dieting, no worrying about what to wear to the next fraternity party. 

But do we academics tend to hold her up as the model for our women students? If so, is that because we feel more comfortable with her than with female perfectionists? After all, the appeal of nonconformity and the lure of rejecting materialism were probably part of the reason some of us chose to remain on the campus. Maybe the truth is that feisty females are no more mature or self-actualized than their peers. Maybe they're just different.

Being one of those "feisty females", I first got defensive after that statement. However,

No amount of educational programming will ever convince a committed perfectionist that fat is fabulous or that she will win friends, influence people, and gain peace of mind by laying down her eyeliner and mascara and denouncing manicures and hair highlights. By 18 she is who she is, and only those who are deeply troubled by the demands of appearing effortlessly attractive, as well as bright and popular, will accept the notion of change. If we are genuinely apprehensive about the welfare of all our students, our obligation is to accept them as they come to us, identify and alleviate any gratuitous stresses for which we are responsible, and encourage those who are struggling to discover the appropriate balance in their own lives.

I'm feeling generous, so some of you should expect an email from me via dropload. I'll be sending you a zipped file of an album. So, it's legit and you can save it to your computer, unzip, dump in ipod, and then rock out.

Why do I torture myself like this? Checking out the events at b&n in Unions Square, and I come to find that John Irving, Augusten Burroughs, Mo Rocca, and Roddy Doyle are doing readings. NY people, please go in my honor!

Star Jones is no Joan Rivers.

Brandon, welcome back to CT. This is for you.

Check out some hottttt music photography. This is like porn. In other hot indie man news, some are now living a double life as fashion models.

Dammit, I should have started this site…dedicated to the ugliness of celebs.

you are being videotaped

I was at Toys R Us today. The reason I went will be revealed at a later date. It was one of the most depressing experiences I have had in the recent past. Maybe it was the shitty weather, the screaming kids, the rude high school aged employees talking about the big blunt they smoked that morning, or the fact that toys are so damn expensive. I feel so bad for my parents when I basically withheld my love from them until they bought me a 40-dollar plastic and nylon doll.

Well, of course, the real reason I was upset was the societal message that toys represent. I walked in by the monster trucks, but over the aisles I was blinded by the fuscia shelves and lace that represented the girls' toys. You all know I love Barbie, and I know her body is a tad unrealistic realistic, at least she attempts to do meaningful things. But…wtf is with these Bratz dolls…the look of utter contempt on their faces and their lollipop heads reak of anoriexia-chic. All they do is get ready for the club and go to sushi bars and go to fashion shows, and do all that is necessary to grab the attention of their equally superficial (and quite gay-looking) Bratz “Boyz”. And, there is a whole line of these dolls called Tokyo-a-go-go. I think they are snooty women living in a Japan that is represented by expensive designer clothes and Sanrio characters. Very confusing. Maybe I am just mad because 15 years ago I would be all over that shit and I am just trying to compensate for that. Sigh.

There is a new and quite awesome on display in Rockefeller Center these days, called Walking To the Sky. It's called that, well, because…I guess it is self-explanatory.

Remember in Garden State when Portman talks about the Shins song that will "change your life"? Well, here it is. Although many knew it was good way before that, and I used to brood around DC with that song on repeat on my Sony discman.

A remake of the Revenge of the Nerds is in the works, with McG directinh. Is nothing sacred?

Happy Birthday to my brother, the old fart.

I posted some new stuff to Silent Uproar.

Strokes video
Mendoza Line Tour
Yeah Yeah Yeahs DVD
Mirah Tour
Mates of State Tour
New O.C. Soundtrack

things are getting desparate when all the boys can’t be men

So, here is my old "halfway house" in DC. I don't know where I find these things.

Guided By Voices: R.I.P.. I got on this bandwagon waaaaayyy late.

Get a whole Mekons live set.

I also have just started reading Jonathan Franzen's essays. I can't decide if I like him or if he is a total prick.

For some reason, I found this ad highly amusing. "Shoppertainment"? Especially the pictures of the nightlife. I have to stock up on my valuum to be able to fly there and attend. Anyway, i wanna go because my office will most likely be interviewing AC candidates.

One of the highest compliments I have ever been paid: I have been drawn as a comic. Well, sort of a comic. I am a visiting professor at Hogwarts. Concerned about the lack of a liberal arts education, I have insituted some senior seminars (sixth-and-seventh year only), including, women’s issues in wizarding, Racism and social theory in the magic world, and Muggle music appreciation. Plus, my patronus is a baby T-Rex. Yes, I took time to think about that. Yes, I am going to die alone. Click the pick for a better view.

Nothing starts the day out better than an off-color abortion joke, via the Onion:

WASHINGTON, DC—Hundreds of abortion enthusiasts gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court Monday to voice their support for recent rulings repealing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. "We just adore abortions, and now they're more convenient than ever," abortion lover Nayla Forster said. "Some women found it a real pain to squeeze the procedure in before the third trimester." Forster said that she personally tries to get out and have an abortion at least every four months or so.

what if i was romeo in black jeans

Download all of Daft Punk’s Discovery.

Remember when Courtney Love was awesome and Hole did a cover of “Hungry Like the Wolf”?

Despite the singer’s annoying voice and the fact that this song could have been written by good Charlotte, I cannot get enough of Coheed and Cambria’s “A Favor in the House Atlantic”.

Owners swear iPods mess with their minds by controlling the music.

Rollingstone thinks these are the greatest rock photos of all time. Click on Kurtie for the rest.

Just watched Outfoxed (a documentary exposing Foxnews and Rupert Murdoch to be right-wing biased). I feel quite jaded because it did not give me the infuriation I was expecting. Yes, journalists sort of do have a moral and ethical obligation to report unbiased news, but cable news channels are a private, commercial companies. Rupert really can do whatever he pleases. The argument goes that not everyone knows that Foxnews is right-wing, so they may thunk they are getting the clear picture and are thus being brainwashed. However, those watching Foxnews are not your average American. They are usually the more educated and already interested in world affairs; shouldn’t they already be seeking out information on politics and be able to detect the bias? Who knows. Bill O’Reilly is such a douchebag. My father worships him. I think he has a “no spin zone” hat. Kee-rist. I wouldn’t dare try to engage him in a healthy debate about it though. For him, Bill O’Reilly is the real deal. End of discussion. Not to knock my Dad. He is great- he likes kitty cats more than I do.

New campaign slogan (via Brenda):

WHHAAAAT? Julian Casablancas (of the Strokes, duh) and his fiancee Juliet are registered at Target. Even hipsters need a food processer.

Strangley enough, I am in the lead with the office pool we have for the NFL. I picked the winner in about 90% of the games this week. And all I did was pick the city I thought was hipper. I don’t think this is going to last through the season.

Holy cow! Did you know that Rilo Kiley has a whole bunch of live mp3s on their site? OK, just checking.

i don’t like the drugs but the drugs like me

Currently reading: Why she Went Home by Lucinda Rosenfeld; Drop City by T.C. Boyle.

Eek! What a day. So the other day this bug was attacking me in my office, so I basically bludgeoned it, smearing it clearly across the window. Well, it must have come back from the dead and cursed me, because the bite it gave me on my upper arm turned into an intense pain that had me up all night and almost in tear because of the pain (I said almost). So I managed to get to the doctor today and now I have lovely antibiotics, antihistamines, and painkillers, but meanwhile the pain is so numbing I can barely make a fist so I am walking around here like Bob Dole. In fact, it kind of hurts to type, so appreciate the sacrifice I am making for you if you are reading this.

I'd better bring this when I get back to NYC.

Baby gorrillas = always cute.

I came across a whole index of live White Stripes mp3s if you need your fix.

I have also been liking A.C. Newman lately- he is kind of on the divide of that folk-indie line. Good for those of you that like somewhat more mellow music than I do. Download "Miracle Drug".

I have also gotten on the bandwagon waaaaay late with John Vanderslice. And he is generous, because practically all his tracks are posted on his website. Do it!

summer air reminds me of all the seasons of our love

Hammers, have you seen the new video? Love where Paul is the milkman and Benji is hanging out with the little girls. What is wrong with them? What is wrong with us?

Mu missionary work of helping people with their musical choices continues.

caring is creepy

Anyone know what is up with all the hype about Arcade Fire? Pitchfork deems it worthy, so I may deem it worth my time. This song, "Wake Up" is not too bad.

John told me that Stella are filming something in front of Taaffe Lofts in Brooklyn this week. What? Why couldn't they do that while we were living there? Why did we have to suffer passive-aggressive roommates, pee on the floor, clogged toilets, and gerbil-faced dogs with no payoff?

NYU has introduced its Wellness center, a 24/7 counselor service in response to all the student deaths. Good move, both student-service wise and PR wise. But why does this picture look like this girl is about to be maimed?

Bwaha. Listen to another Bush blunder. I couldn't make this up if I tried.

Check out the blog for John Water's new flick, "A Dirty Shame". Yay Baltimore.

Since going public with this blog, many others have come forward with their own blogs. Brandon, my coworker and officemate, has a good blog because there are several pictures of me on it. You think I am obsessed with my cat? Brenda's blog is actually in the perspective of her puppy. And JRo informed me that blogs "are so 2003", so he doesn't get a link.

Download this new Le Tigre song, "New Kicks". INTENSE! New album out October 24.

Hammers, this is for you. It was taken on his way to the convenience store downstairs.

dress me up in women’s clothes/mess around with gender roles/dry my eyes and call me pretty

Recently I have gotten some good music:

• The Most Secret Method Fortunately, they are a DC area band. Unfortunatly, they broke up about 2 years ago. If Rainer Maria, Your Enemies Friends, and Rilo Kiley had a big orgy, this band would have formed.
• Saves the Day; Stay What You Are. This is from a couple of years ago, and may be considered whiny emo, but actually the better out of the genre. Listen to “At Your Funeral” (MP3).

Saw three significant movies this weekend:

• Vanity Fair I am sucker for a period piece. I love to think what trivial drama I would be involved in if I lived in high society during that time period. This movie was enjoyable, but a bit out of control. I think a war happened, about three marriages, children being taken away, husbands leaving, trips to India. A little too much to happen in a movie. Reese’s pointy chin was very distracting. Think Pride and Prejudice meets Valley of the Dolls.
• Garden State I feel so cheated. After numerous people telling me this movie changed their lives, I finally gave in. The last thing I need right now is pretty people playing depressed characters. And don’t get me started on the Julia-Roberts-romantic-comedy-esque ending. Natalie was not as annoying and rigid as she usually is. I was also deceptively lured in by Zack Braff’s Jewish Adonis looks. But not a total waste. Please see this instead of Superbabies 2 or Cellular. Please.
• Dogville. Hmmmm. I am not even sure what to say. Lars Van Trier must hate women. In this and Dancer in the Dark, his main female characters are benign giving women, and no matter what they do, they are raped/killed/humiliated/cast out of society. Is he trying to say that no matter what efforts women put forth, our efforts are useless? I thought the whole idea of filming on a soundstage would be weird and pretentious, but I liked the idea. Kind of seeing a one-act play. What I did not like is the use of narration; this is such a lazy cinematic endeavor; show us, don’t tell us! See it if you have three hours you have to spare.

Something that made my weekend was hearing from my friend Jess who I know back from my days in Public Allies in DC. It seems like eons ago. I remember all the trainings we had, and all the team buildings activities I did. And our snazzy "art opening" at Tryst. I was a mere child then, methinks. Oh wait….that’s what I do now. Although a lot of it was hell, I guess I can look back now and have fond memories. Hey, has anyone talked to Linde in the past few months? I am really trying to get in touch with her.

how dare you usurp my authority

Wanna see new levels of adorable? Check out John last year on his way to the midnight screening of Wet Hot American Summer in the Village. He is the can o’ vegetable. Apparently he won the costume contest and got to meet Garagalo, Showalter, etc. Allegedly he sweated all over Jeanene and scared her.

Many more details about the movie version of Glamorama. I am both wetting my pants over this movie and dreading it. Bret Easton Ellis is a genius, more for how he writes that the actual story he tells. American Psycho was decent, but certainly didn’t have the sociological impact of the book. Rules of Attraction was brilliant but underappreciated. Rogery Avery did a decent job, so I am going to trust him to do this one. The cast? Kip Pardue is not much to write home about. But Shannen Doherty?

Brilliant. I wonder if the three-way sex scene will be included…Anyway, notanexit is a brillian site on Ellis. Apparently he has written a screenplay and Lunar Park should be out soon.
I know I have the power to turn my tv off, but I am appalled at the number of specials I saw on 9-11 reenacting or the gory details of the crash. Is that really necessary? Are we gonna see that every year? At some point, we need to commemorate in our own way. In my own reflection, I remember many things about that day.

• being Captain obvious when proclaiming to my coworkers that there was “something fishy” about the fact that two planes hit. Wow, I single-handedly was the one who figured out it was a terrorist act
• walking home from work up Connecticut Avenue and seeing people wining and dining and not really seeming to mind what had happened.
• spending the day at Laila’s watching CNN, and getting a teeny but buzzed. What else were we supposed to do? We all lived in the District, there was really no need to or anyplace to flee. The whole intensity of the day did not hit me until three days later, so I appreciate the time I spent with the PFAW gang that day. The good thing (if there is one) is that every September 11, I will think of Laila, Ruth, Matt, and Kevin. Smooches!

The only thing I will say about The Apprentice is: don’t get up on Pamela’s ass for making fun of the kid’s haircut. I would have done the same.

Wow. My entire day consisted of going grocery shopping, to the bank, cleaning my apartment, and doing laundry. Is this what living in the suburbs means? Or is the sign of actually being a responsible adult?

I will be in NYC from October 13-16. Holler! Trying to catch several shows at the CMJ music marathon, pick up stuff at Strand, Other Music, and grab some Tasti-D.

So, this week has made me feel very old. Not only because I have wanted to go to bed at 9:15 every night, but with interacting with the Wes students. Most of my staff are sophomores, so there is even a wide gap there. I guess the reason is that college kids will always stay the same, and I keep getting older. I have always remained a professional supervisor (well, in res life I have), but I guess this is the first time I am a professional staff member, and I feel that separation. Not that this is a bad thing, I guess I have to understand that I am going to be “the bad guy” in a lot of situations. And I can certainly deal with that.

Apparently, for the last month, Daniel Radcliffe has been submerged in a tank filming the Second Triwizard task for the Goblet of Fire movie. This scene must be the most amazing cinematic scene ever made or else….I won’t buy the dvd when it comes out. Pedophiles rejoice:

cute without the “e”

In my dreams I would be able to post some of my MP3s here, but that would take bandwidth and other shit I don't want to deal with. Anyhoo, I downloaded a live version of Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds covering George Michael's "Careless Whisper". It is orgasmic, especially if you like Rufus. So do your research and find it. And here is a link to one of my favoritist songs as a teen: "Somebody to Shove". (Right click and save).

Gwen Stefani is my goddess.

Check it. You can buy

autographed protest signs

Apparently my future husband Zack Braff has a blog

I need to see Garden State, toute suite, but it is one of those things where I feel like it is so built up already, I am going to feel forced to like it.

extreme indie cred makeover

So tonight I am going out to a bar watch the NFL kickoff game with my coworkers. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I entered this betting thing for the season. It's hopeless! If anyone knows anything about football, please help.

Oh, to be able to attend the New Yorker Festival! Kevin, you'd better go to something and report back to me.
Speaking of Harry Potter, my coworker has just gotten into the whole thing, and it is fun because he has gotten me into all over again. I forgot how insightful books 4 and 5 can be, serving as allegories for oppression and class. I also forgot how much I loved the fact the characters deal with "teen" issues without pop culture and intense sexuality and superficial things such as appearances. It is refeshing, especially for someonelike myself who reads Page Six like is is the bible. So Mugglenet is one of my daily visits.My coworker reminds me how excited I was when I first read them, and it was all I could think about. I remember at work, Ruth gave me Harry Potter glitter pens and I screeched so loud that I got in sorta trouble with my boss. And then she gave Jenn Char some glitter glue, who of course thought it was body glitter and proceeded to smear it on herself. Oh, those were the days.

I'm glad that I finally heard from Paul today.

Ok, so I finally stepped up and posted some things over at Silent Uproar. Check out the first few entries. Or check it out here, here, here, here, and here. Look for some new album reviews very soon!

Check out the video for Your Enemies Friends "Back of a Taxi". They rocked my ass at the Siren Fest. John, you liked them too, remember?

ok i believe you but my tommy gun won’t

I wish I was on this list.Ah, to attend the Brox School of Science and be a part of the NYC high school music scene.

Another student commits suicide at NYU. It is most certainly a tragedy, but I am concerned about the bad rap that NYU is getting, as if they are forcing their students to off themselves. Yes, I found NYU to be cold, unfriendly, and mass-producing, but hey, I knew that going in! If I wanted to hold hands with everyone and recognize everyone I walked by, I would have gone to some hippy college in the Northeast. NYU should celebrate what it is: a school for independent, city smart people. Not everyone will succeed there. So kids, don't apply there just because the Olsen twins are snorting coke off every classroom surface. However, they so need to hire some more people for the couseling center. They'll need it!

You know what would make my staff even more awesome? If John and Brian were on my staff. There would certainly be awkward boundaries crossed. Anyway, John got a job at student activities at Pratt, and now I know that he is a closet student affairs person, and he is figuring out a way to come out to me. Within a year's time, he will be sponge-bathing his residents.

Right now I am reading Why I'm Like This by Cynthia Kaplan. It reaffirms my new love for essays and memoirs. I feel like my attention span is not conducive to long novels. Kaplan is kind of full of herself, but I guess you have to be to publish essays about your self (and to publish a blog; tee-hee). Anyway, she is not quite up there as other essayist I have read, such as Laurie Notaro, James Frey, and David Sedaris. And her life is not as fucked up as Augusten Burroughs, so she doesn't have the shock value that he sometimes masks as good writing.

I also just got the new album from Action Action, who were formerly known as The Reunion Show. I am not sure how I feel about it. Sophomore albums are hard to judge. Just look at Interpol's Antics.

For my NYers, you may want to take a stroll down Houston Street, to catch an eyeful of this.

in the beginning

So, after much making fun of others trying to justify their lives to the world, I now have a blog. Mostly because

1. After moving to C0onnecticut, I am trying to find more things to do to fill my time.

2. I want to keep everyone I know across the USA abreast of my exciting, jet-set life.

3. I need to write more, dammit!

So here is the story so far, for those of you who have not heard it 1,000 times: I just finished my master's at NYU in college student personnel, and I just started a job at xxxxxx. in Middletown, CT. For those of you thinking, why the hell are you in res life, you can shut your hole right now. I am actually enjoying it. xxxxx is a unique school (more on that later) snd the job is very self-directed and has lots of fun elements. The job, my coworkers, and apartment are fabulous so far; the living in Connecticut takes some getting used to.

So, I won't give too much more background than that, because if you are reading this, then you know me already. And fyi you guys, there will not be too much personal stuff in this thing. Putting that stuff on the internet is well…lame. So, it may be about trivial stuff, but folks, many of my days are trivial. And yours are too.