Geneology.

Lately, I have been collecting names.
Family names especially fascinate me because of their rich history and sense of significance (or sometimes, lack of). I've been toying with the idea of making a blog about my families and their names. D adds an extra facet, because as opposed to our perpetually transient nature, his family has stayed in the same place for generations. So they have lush southern names (with a capital s), that roll off the tongue in a completely different way.
Top five favorites (if I had to pick):
1)Leopold
2)Mae
3)Washington
4)Ivie
5)Emmett

Good things come in fives.

Top 5 reasons this was an interesting weekend:

1) I brought my car to the backyard of a long-haired man named Johnny, who, in one day, turned it from a stubborn 185,000 mile grandma to a meek, purring kitten.

2) I was taught that the way one can distinguish a veggie bratwurst from a real one is by the curve of the sausage.

3) Not being a beer drinker, I spent three hours volunteering to pour local microbrews, and found I was pretty darn good at it (all for a good cause).

4) I got to experience Asheville (pop. 80,000) with no cars, loud music, and 350,000 freely drinking, roaming in the streets.

5) I started sorting clothes to give away and am putting things in boxes, readying for my next move.

I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library

Last 5 books I have read (most recent to less recent):

1) The Book of Other People-ed. Zadie Smith

2) Flight-Sherman Alexie

3) As She Climbed Across the Table-Jonathan Lethem

4) Men and Cartoons-Jonathan Lethem

5) Indian Killer-Sherman Alexie

"Comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love."

Current comfort food TOP 5:

1)Two Eggs, prepared any way

2)Oatmeal, made with milk, and with nuts and fruit/good jam

3)String Cheese

4) Saltine Crackers

5)Fresh Spinach, sauteed with garlic

blog fury

yes, i have had a slew of energy, and yes, many small snippets here. this is the way i work, in short bursts of temperment.

I spent the entirety of Saturday night and most of Sunday morning uploading songs for my cousin who has somehow grown overnight from a small lanky blond mop of a kid into a large lanky darker adult of sorts. It took a while to adjust to this change, I thought that perhaps by squinting it would change him back into a high-pitched 10-year-old. Though I do have to say, I learned that some good genes run in the family. Such as those which caused him to choose the likes of Led Zeppelin, Depeche Mode, and Pearl Jam off of my playlist.

in the morning i have come to drink strong coffee and to hell with it, it tastes the best with a little dot (well, honestly, a big pour) of organic half and half. i rationalize that i'm evening it out by not adding sugar, hehe. but a little measure like this goes a long way toward making my day its best.

i've spent a lot of time during my recent weeks taking notice of the pleasant things in my life. for me, it's the little things that leave me enraptured, an extra shot of passion to keep me running ahead. it's the warmth of alfred lying halfway off the couch, eyes pinched shut and pink belly showing. or the late night walks outside in the quiet black grass inhaling the mist. i chaotically jump from one thing to another, enjoying the crazy game of hopscotch i create.

so ala Nick Hornby, here's my first top 5 list of things that truly float my boat.

TOP five new (at least new to me) bands that intrigue me the most:

1) Mystery Jets-These guys get the number one spot by far. Ever since I heard my first MJ song, Diamonds in the Dark , I'm totally bonkers for them, like listen, rewind, and repeat. And it's not just because they're British, though that is always a plus. In my opinion, they're so interesting because they are so deliberate about what they're doing, but it comes out in such an simple way. This is pop done well. And I'm a sucker for harmonies. It's like finding the Futureheads all over again (who are respectfully omited from this list only because they don't fall into my "new" category).

2) A. A. Bondy-Mr. A.A. is someone that you can tell, upon very first listen, knows exactly how to summarize all of that shit going on in your brain and all around you. Furthermore, he is not only perfectly to-the-point about his subjects, but enhances your senses in regards to said event. You fully experience each of his stories in a raw and visceral way. Only after becoming a heartfelt fan did I find that, in fact, i had already hearted him for a long time in a very different role...as the singer for Verbena (in the pink anyone?).

3) MSTRKRFT-So knowing my friends, many of you might argue that electronic music doesn't count as music, but my dear fellows, I heartily disagree. These boys from Toronto take what you previously know and love, turn it around 180, and show it to you in a completely new light. As is everyone on this list, they are good at what they do. Instead of the same old formula of a few blips and beeps and then a repeating line ala Max Headroom or completely obliterating the song and pretending it's a remix, they distill its best qualities and then make it their own.

4) Beirut-I blame Maija for this one. Who would have thought that songs that so much remind me of the old monotone "traditional" Latvian recordings would actually touch a place of fondness? In fact, it was watching Zach Condon walk down a Parisian street with a ragtag bunch of musicians playing whatever they could get their hands on that had me at hello. Although younger than even my sister, Mr. Condon with his larger than life tenor just gets-it-right when portraying the old world. At the same time, he mixes together several musical styles, therefore, succeeding in not just repeating what has been done before.

5)Dodos-If you think that there's only so much that you can do with a guitar and set of drums, then you're standing inside the box that the Dodos have long abandoned. Having been lucky to see them live in the act, a great deal of power and passion lies in their small skinny west coast bodies. Being that their new album Visiter is being so well received, i'm interested to see where they'll go next.