Thursday, July 27, 2006
Wide Open Spaces
Isn't it funny how life tends to just keep going on around you when you're least expecting it? Just three or so years ago I had friends in basically three places: Chicago (where a ton of my college friends went), NW Arkansas (where I grew up), and Austin (where I was living). Sure, I had a few far-flung friends here and there, but the large majority were in those three areas.
Well, in those last few years, we've all been moving around a lot. Victor and I have been in Dallas over two years now. Two years??? Brad moved to L.A. for college, graduated, and is still out there. Collier flitted around between New York, L.A., and Austin more times than I can count. Karen moved to New York. Ellen switched continents (well, technically I guess she switched islands), but it's not like I was able to visit her in New Zealand, so at least she's closer now. And now Aaron and Debbie are heading off to L.A. so that Debbie can attend grad school. It's hard thinking that our tight-knit bunch of friends is spreading itself all over the country, like your favorite scarf unraveling.
On the upside, I suppose it gives us a huge incentive to visit those places where friends have landed. I've been trying to plan a trip to Chicago for ages, so come on, Chicago team, let's get that planned! We're hopefully visiting Ellen in a month or so. In the fall, we can visit L.A. and see Aaron, Debbie, Brad, and Collier. And we're not forgetting New York... Victor has still never been there! We see Billy and Diana in Arkansas semi-regularly on visits to my parents, but the visits are always too short. So they should come visit us!
And one more thing, God bless the internets. It's made the miles of separation seem much less imposing.
Isn't it funny how life tends to just keep going on around you when you're least expecting it? Just three or so years ago I had friends in basically three places: Chicago (where a ton of my college friends went), NW Arkansas (where I grew up), and Austin (where I was living). Sure, I had a few far-flung friends here and there, but the large majority were in those three areas.
Well, in those last few years, we've all been moving around a lot. Victor and I have been in Dallas over two years now. Two years??? Brad moved to L.A. for college, graduated, and is still out there. Collier flitted around between New York, L.A., and Austin more times than I can count. Karen moved to New York. Ellen switched continents (well, technically I guess she switched islands), but it's not like I was able to visit her in New Zealand, so at least she's closer now. And now Aaron and Debbie are heading off to L.A. so that Debbie can attend grad school. It's hard thinking that our tight-knit bunch of friends is spreading itself all over the country, like your favorite scarf unraveling.
On the upside, I suppose it gives us a huge incentive to visit those places where friends have landed. I've been trying to plan a trip to Chicago for ages, so come on, Chicago team, let's get that planned! We're hopefully visiting Ellen in a month or so. In the fall, we can visit L.A. and see Aaron, Debbie, Brad, and Collier. And we're not forgetting New York... Victor has still never been there! We see Billy and Diana in Arkansas semi-regularly on visits to my parents, but the visits are always too short. So they should come visit us!
And one more thing, God bless the internets. It's made the miles of separation seem much less imposing.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
I'll see you there!
My friend Kat's movie jumping off bridges is screening at the Dallas Video Festival on August 9th. She sent along this handy little press release:
jumping off bridges SCREENING
August 9th (Wednesday), 7pm
Angelika Film Center (Mockingbird Station)
Dallas, TX
Ticket Price - $5
Filmmakers in Attendance
For more information and a full list of dates and cities go to:
www.jumpingoffbridges.com
STORY:
Inspired by invincible friendships, junior high journal entries, heart breaking crushes and the complexities of losing loved ones, jumping off bridges follows a carefree, adventurous group of four best friends deep in the trenches of adolescence.
AWARDS and SCREENINGS:
Official Selection, 2006 South By Southwest Film Festival
Official Selection, 2006 Jacksonville Film Festival
Official Selection, 2006 Waterfront Film Festival
Official Selection, 2005 IFP Rough Cuts Lab
2005 Texas Filmmakers Production Fund Recipient
2002 IFP Emerging Narratives Screenplay Section
2002 Semi-Finalist, Sundance Screenwriting Institute
2002 Finalist, Chesterfield Fellowship Competition
******************************
******************************
"Truly wonderful work" --Filmmaker Magazine
"Sensitively handled and refreshingly naturalistic" --The Florida Times Union
"Candler demonstrated a deep understanding of teen anxiety, angst and alienation. An emotional, smart movie." --Moving Pictures Magazine
"As realistic a narrative portrait of love, death, and human debris as anything you're ever likely to see onscreen." --The Austin Chronicle
"Kat Candler's moving Austin-made teen drama has enjoyed sold-out crowds and raves." --Austin American-Statesman
"Candler's ability to take some of the darkest and most jagged truths about fear, regret, sadness, loss, suffering and pain and break them open for her audience to experience in ways that are both optimistic and honest makes her one of the most important and promising young filmmakers on the cinematic landscape." --Filethirteen
"Candler is very much in touch with a particular sort of teenaged sensibility. She knows the difference between sadness and the petulance it is often mistaken for, and she treats her sullen girls and boys with the sort of patience and understanding their parents (and, perhaps, some audience members) can never quite muster." --Ain't It Cool News
"jumping off bridges is a wonderfully delicate, authentic portrayal of teenagers and their families." --Cinematical
My friend Kat's movie jumping off bridges is screening at the Dallas Video Festival on August 9th. She sent along this handy little press release:
jumping off bridges SCREENING
August 9th (Wednesday), 7pm
Angelika Film Center (Mockingbird Station)
Dallas, TX
Ticket Price - $5
Filmmakers in Attendance
For more information and a full list of dates and cities go to:
www.jumpingoffbridges.com
STORY:
Inspired by invincible friendships, junior high journal entries, heart breaking crushes and the complexities of losing loved ones, jumping off bridges follows a carefree, adventurous group of four best friends deep in the trenches of adolescence.
AWARDS and SCREENINGS:
Official Selection, 2006 South By Southwest Film Festival
Official Selection, 2006 Jacksonville Film Festival
Official Selection, 2006 Waterfront Film Festival
Official Selection, 2005 IFP Rough Cuts Lab
2005 Texas Filmmakers Production Fund Recipient
2002 IFP Emerging Narratives Screenplay Section
2002 Semi-Finalist, Sundance Screenwriting Institute
2002 Finalist, Chesterfield Fellowship Competition
******************************
******************************
"Truly wonderful work" --Filmmaker Magazine
"Sensitively handled and refreshingly naturalistic" --The Florida Times Union
"Candler demonstrated a deep understanding of teen anxiety, angst and alienation. An emotional, smart movie." --Moving Pictures Magazine
"As realistic a narrative portrait of love, death, and human debris as anything you're ever likely to see onscreen." --The Austin Chronicle
"Kat Candler's moving Austin-made teen drama has enjoyed sold-out crowds and raves." --Austin American-Statesman
"Candler's ability to take some of the darkest and most jagged truths about fear, regret, sadness, loss, suffering and pain and break them open for her audience to experience in ways that are both optimistic and honest makes her one of the most important and promising young filmmakers on the cinematic landscape." --Filethirteen
"Candler is very much in touch with a particular sort of teenaged sensibility. She knows the difference between sadness and the petulance it is often mistaken for, and she treats her sullen girls and boys with the sort of patience and understanding their parents (and, perhaps, some audience members) can never quite muster." --Ain't It Cool News
"jumping off bridges is a wonderfully delicate, authentic portrayal of teenagers and their families." --Cinematical
Monday, July 17, 2006
America’s Pastimes: Baseball and Movies
My parents are in town because my dad has another appointment today at the back clinic. Yesterday, we went over to their hotel and hung out in the hotel’s pool (anything to escape this heat). While we were there, I heard a couple of stories about my dad’s family that I hadn’t heard before.
I never knew his parents (my grandparents). They both passed away before I was born. So I only know them through stories. I know virtually nothing about their lives before my dad and his slew of siblings came along.
Well, yesterday we started talking about how Springdale (the town in Arkansas where I used to work) is building a new baseball stadium in preparation to get a Minor League baseball team (the Wichita Wranglers). The Wranglers play in the Texas League. My dad said, offhand, "you know, my dad used to play in the Texas League." Huh? News to me!
It seems that my grandfather played minor league baseball for about two years before he had any kids… maybe before he was even married. He started out as a pitcher, but after they used him in three consecutive games, his arm was damaged. So they moved him to shortstop. Dad didn’t mention which team my grandfather played on, but he must have been pretty good. According to Dad, he was an amazing athlete and could outrun all of his sons when they were in their teens. He continued to play baseball locally (all of the little towns had a team). Dad remembers seeing one local game where a guy hit 99 foul balls in a row, because the bases were loaded. The guy wanted to get a grand slam, so he kept fouling the ball to get the pitch he wanted. Eventually they switched pitchers, and on the first pitch the guy got his grand slam.
My dad also mentioned that my uncle Neil played for the Arkansas Travelers for a little while, but he wasn’t that great so he didn’t last long. So, two minor leaguers in the family.
It’s weird… I always thought of my mom’s side as having the baseball history (my grandma’s a huge Cardinals fan), but it turns out the big-time athletes were on my dad’s side. I wish I knew more family history.
Before my parents got here Sunday, I was enjoying a Victor-free weekend. He left for Boston on Friday night and got home Sunday morning. I had a mini movie marathon, watching stuff that he would not be caught dead watching, while snacking on blueberries I bought from Sam’s. Here are some short reviews.
Friday: Must Love Dogs This wasn’t that great of a movie. Pretty lame, pretty sappy. I love John Cusack, so I figured I’d give it a go, especially since it was on Comcast On Demand for free. It had a really cheesy ending, but I got a few laughs out of it. I can’t believe this wasn’t a Nora Ephron movie.
Friday: In Her Shoes I really liked this film. I’ve loved Toni Collette in every movie of hers that I’ve seen, and she did a good job in this one too. I am a notorious movie crier, and this one brought the tears. This was a rental from Netflix.
Saturday: The Family Stone I know people who have really liked this, and I know people who have hated it. I ended up liking it, although it was really predictable. It was a great Christmastime movie to watch when you’re dying of heat exhaustion in July. Plus, Luke Wilson. I rented this from Premiere Video along with the next two movies. I used Victor’s account, so his cool film street cred is totally ruined now.
Saturday: The Good Girl I expected to like this, but I didn’t. Usually I enjoy Mike White’s humor, but I think this one tried too hard. It was good to see Jennifer Aniston in a non-likeable role, but that didn’t make me like the film. I got bored.
Saturday: Just Friends Ryan had told me several times how great this film was, so I think I went in with high expectations. It was enjoyable, and it got better toward the end, but I found myself getting bored in this film too. Maybe I was on movie overload! I usually don’t watch this much stuff all at once.
Sunday: The Man in the Moon This one was on On Demand too, and I watched it while Victor was napping Sunday morning. I was impressed with Reese Witherspoon’s performance, but the whole movie seemed a little like something they would have shown us at school. Plus the whole farm-related tragedy that occurs was really, really fake looking. So I didn’t love this one, but it was OK.
So there you have it. Two of our national pastimes, all wrapped up in a weekend package.
My parents are in town because my dad has another appointment today at the back clinic. Yesterday, we went over to their hotel and hung out in the hotel’s pool (anything to escape this heat). While we were there, I heard a couple of stories about my dad’s family that I hadn’t heard before.
I never knew his parents (my grandparents). They both passed away before I was born. So I only know them through stories. I know virtually nothing about their lives before my dad and his slew of siblings came along.
Well, yesterday we started talking about how Springdale (the town in Arkansas where I used to work) is building a new baseball stadium in preparation to get a Minor League baseball team (the Wichita Wranglers). The Wranglers play in the Texas League. My dad said, offhand, "you know, my dad used to play in the Texas League." Huh? News to me!
It seems that my grandfather played minor league baseball for about two years before he had any kids… maybe before he was even married. He started out as a pitcher, but after they used him in three consecutive games, his arm was damaged. So they moved him to shortstop. Dad didn’t mention which team my grandfather played on, but he must have been pretty good. According to Dad, he was an amazing athlete and could outrun all of his sons when they were in their teens. He continued to play baseball locally (all of the little towns had a team). Dad remembers seeing one local game where a guy hit 99 foul balls in a row, because the bases were loaded. The guy wanted to get a grand slam, so he kept fouling the ball to get the pitch he wanted. Eventually they switched pitchers, and on the first pitch the guy got his grand slam.
My dad also mentioned that my uncle Neil played for the Arkansas Travelers for a little while, but he wasn’t that great so he didn’t last long. So, two minor leaguers in the family.
It’s weird… I always thought of my mom’s side as having the baseball history (my grandma’s a huge Cardinals fan), but it turns out the big-time athletes were on my dad’s side. I wish I knew more family history.
Before my parents got here Sunday, I was enjoying a Victor-free weekend. He left for Boston on Friday night and got home Sunday morning. I had a mini movie marathon, watching stuff that he would not be caught dead watching, while snacking on blueberries I bought from Sam’s. Here are some short reviews.
Friday: Must Love Dogs This wasn’t that great of a movie. Pretty lame, pretty sappy. I love John Cusack, so I figured I’d give it a go, especially since it was on Comcast On Demand for free. It had a really cheesy ending, but I got a few laughs out of it. I can’t believe this wasn’t a Nora Ephron movie.
Friday: In Her Shoes I really liked this film. I’ve loved Toni Collette in every movie of hers that I’ve seen, and she did a good job in this one too. I am a notorious movie crier, and this one brought the tears. This was a rental from Netflix.
Saturday: The Family Stone I know people who have really liked this, and I know people who have hated it. I ended up liking it, although it was really predictable. It was a great Christmastime movie to watch when you’re dying of heat exhaustion in July. Plus, Luke Wilson. I rented this from Premiere Video along with the next two movies. I used Victor’s account, so his cool film street cred is totally ruined now.
Saturday: The Good Girl I expected to like this, but I didn’t. Usually I enjoy Mike White’s humor, but I think this one tried too hard. It was good to see Jennifer Aniston in a non-likeable role, but that didn’t make me like the film. I got bored.
Saturday: Just Friends Ryan had told me several times how great this film was, so I think I went in with high expectations. It was enjoyable, and it got better toward the end, but I found myself getting bored in this film too. Maybe I was on movie overload! I usually don’t watch this much stuff all at once.
Sunday: The Man in the Moon This one was on On Demand too, and I watched it while Victor was napping Sunday morning. I was impressed with Reese Witherspoon’s performance, but the whole movie seemed a little like something they would have shown us at school. Plus the whole farm-related tragedy that occurs was really, really fake looking. So I didn’t love this one, but it was OK.
So there you have it. Two of our national pastimes, all wrapped up in a weekend package.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Feel-Good Hit of the Summer
Well, it's more like a punch in the gut than a hit, I think, and it doesn't exactly feel good! I suppose summer has been here for quite some time, but it's definitely out in full force today. We got a giant electricity bill this week... maybe it's because we stayed home every weekend last month, so the A/C was constantly on. We have decided to give up sleeping with the A/C turned down to 74F and instead are going to leave it at 75F and sleep with just a sheet. Both of us prefer to sleep with heavier bedding in temperatures akin to a meat locker, but apparently that's not in our budget this summer. We're also experimenting with turning it up to 79F while we're out for the day.
So, today I thought I'd bring you some tips for surving the Texas heat (or the heat in your geographical location, if it is bad):
Oh hell, my list is kind of boring. Let's see what Steve Carell has to say about the subject...
Ah yes, that's much better.
Well, it's more like a punch in the gut than a hit, I think, and it doesn't exactly feel good! I suppose summer has been here for quite some time, but it's definitely out in full force today. We got a giant electricity bill this week... maybe it's because we stayed home every weekend last month, so the A/C was constantly on. We have decided to give up sleeping with the A/C turned down to 74F and instead are going to leave it at 75F and sleep with just a sheet. Both of us prefer to sleep with heavier bedding in temperatures akin to a meat locker, but apparently that's not in our budget this summer. We're also experimenting with turning it up to 79F while we're out for the day.
So, today I thought I'd bring you some tips for surving the Texas heat (or the heat in your geographical location, if it is bad):
- Eat lots of snow cones. We had some on Sunday in Austin at Casey's New Orleans Snowballs. Divine.
- Eat Mexican food. Try to stay away from the heavy, greasy Tex-Mex and find something authentic with queso fresco, avacodos, and Mexican sour cream. I think that chicken tostadas are especially refreshing when it's hot.
- Go swimming! It sucks when you don't have a pool (we don't have one), but find somewhere to go swimming. Bonus points if you go tubing or swim in a river or creek.
- Stay inside where it's cool. Going outside will just make you sweaty. Unless you're swimming, of course (see above).
- Frozen margaritas! Frozen mojitos! Frozen daiquiris! Get out your Magic Bullet and crush some ice. It doesn't feel as hot if you're drunk. Hey, shut up, I totally have a Magic Bullet, and I love it.
- Homemade ice cream. Hmm, I need to buy an ice cream maker...
- Get out of Texas. It's in the 60s today in Seattle. How about an Alaskan adventure? And I hear the southern hemisphere is pretty nice this time of year.
Oh hell, my list is kind of boring. Let's see what Steve Carell has to say about the subject...
Ah yes, that's much better.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
What he said...
I haven't mentioned the World Cup final, which I did not actually watch live (I know! I know! But I had a good reason: going swimming with friends I hadn't seen in a long time - years, in one case - was more important to me at the time). But I have participated in lots of talks and discussions about the horrible Zidane headbutting incident. Victor sent along this Times article that gives a lip-reader's explanation of what was said. If it's true, I can understand that it would anger Zidane greatly. It's just such a shame that Zidane couldn't control his emotions and finish the game.
I haven't mentioned the World Cup final, which I did not actually watch live (I know! I know! But I had a good reason: going swimming with friends I hadn't seen in a long time - years, in one case - was more important to me at the time). But I have participated in lots of talks and discussions about the horrible Zidane headbutting incident. Victor sent along this Times article that gives a lip-reader's explanation of what was said. If it's true, I can understand that it would anger Zidane greatly. It's just such a shame that Zidane couldn't control his emotions and finish the game.
Spectacular (re)Views
When I first decided to take part in the CD Shuffleathon organized by SwissToni, I figured picking twelve songs to put on a mix for a random stranger would be easy. I was wrong. I agonized over it. Eventually I came up with twelve songs that I thought fit pretty well together, so I burned a CD and gave it to Victor to mail to the UK.
The recipient has now posted a review of my mix. Ben liked quite a few of the songs, while others weren't exactly to his taste. All in all, I'm incredibly pleased with his response.
It's funny that the one song I actually had second thoughts about (after the CD was mailed, so I couldn't do anything about it) was the one that he really disliked. Picking one Belle and Sebastian track was so daunting to me that my brain shut down and picked an old favorite, "Put the Book Back on the Shelf." This song has been called "rubbish" or "boring" by not a few B&S fans, but I like it. I probably should have put something newer on the mixtape. However, since I wasn't sure if my recipient was a fan already, I decided to put something from an EP instead of an album on the mix. I figured there was at least a chance that the listener wouldn't have heard it. In hindsight, I should have chosen something different. Ah well, you can't win 'em all!
Anyway, this has been great fun. SwissToni deserves big thanks for putting this together. It's been great fun! And I've been plowing through Ben's archives, and he has definitely gained a new reader. He does regular reviews of music, shows (or gigs, to you UK folks), movies, books... so it's terrific content. I'm also now reading Charlie's Late Night Radio on a regular basis, since his mixtape is the one I received. Hooray for the internets!
When I first decided to take part in the CD Shuffleathon organized by SwissToni, I figured picking twelve songs to put on a mix for a random stranger would be easy. I was wrong. I agonized over it. Eventually I came up with twelve songs that I thought fit pretty well together, so I burned a CD and gave it to Victor to mail to the UK.
The recipient has now posted a review of my mix. Ben liked quite a few of the songs, while others weren't exactly to his taste. All in all, I'm incredibly pleased with his response.
It's funny that the one song I actually had second thoughts about (after the CD was mailed, so I couldn't do anything about it) was the one that he really disliked. Picking one Belle and Sebastian track was so daunting to me that my brain shut down and picked an old favorite, "Put the Book Back on the Shelf." This song has been called "rubbish" or "boring" by not a few B&S fans, but I like it. I probably should have put something newer on the mixtape. However, since I wasn't sure if my recipient was a fan already, I decided to put something from an EP instead of an album on the mix. I figured there was at least a chance that the listener wouldn't have heard it. In hindsight, I should have chosen something different. Ah well, you can't win 'em all!
Anyway, this has been great fun. SwissToni deserves big thanks for putting this together. It's been great fun! And I've been plowing through Ben's archives, and he has definitely gained a new reader. He does regular reviews of music, shows (or gigs, to you UK folks), movies, books... so it's terrific content. I'm also now reading Charlie's Late Night Radio on a regular basis, since his mixtape is the one I received. Hooray for the internets!
Friday, July 07, 2006
A music meme
I was busy reading Kris's blog when I noticed that his most recent entry was a music quiz. You're supposed to name ten bands/artists you like, in no particular order, and then there are some questions that go with it. So before I finish reading his post, I am going to post my ten artists.
1. Belle and Sebastian
2. Super Furry Animals
3. Pulp
4. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
5. The Decemberists
6. Sufjan Stevens
7. Morrissey
8. Sondre Lerche
9. U2
10. Radiohead
OK. Now on to the questions, after I finish reading Kris's post...
What was the first song you ever heard by 6?
Umm, it was probably the first song on Seven Swans, which is "All The Trees Of The Fields Will Clap Their Hands."
What is your favorite album of 8?
Two-Way Monologue
What is your favorite lyric of 5?
"Some had crumbled you straight to your knees
Did it cruel, did it tenderly
Some had crawled their way into your heart
To rend your ventricles apart"
How many times have you seen 4 live?
Twice. Once at the Carling Festival in Leeds (2000), and once at the Middle East in Boston (2003)
What is your favorite song by 7?
Oh Jesus, how can I choose?? Seriously, it's like Sophie's Choice. It's not a real answer, but I'm choosing "A Swallow on My Neck" because it makes me really happy when I listen to it.
Is there a song of 3 that makes you sad?
Yeah, "TV Movie" for sure.
What is your favorite lyric of 9?
Well, it certainly isn't anything off of their last two albums!!! /end rant. Hmm.. Bono used to be quite a good lyricist. I've always liked this:
"Took a drive in the dirty rain
To a place where the wind calls your name
Under the trees the river laughing at you and me
Hallelujah, heaven's white rose
The doors you open
I just can't close"
What is your favorite song by 1?
Seriously!!!!!! Well, I used to say it was "Put the Book Back on the Shelf." But they've had so many good songs lately! GAH! I'll just go with that one.
How did you get into 8?
I just kept hearing about him. Sadly, it was probably on Pitchfork.
What is your favorite song by 4?
Again, so difficult to choose. Maybe "Freckles." I sure do like that song.
How many times have you seen 1 live?
Three glorious times! 2002, 2004, 2006. I guess we're on a two-year schedule with them.
What is a good memory concerning 2?
Well, through a Belle and Sebastian charity auction, I won a loaf of bread baked by their singer, Gruff Rhys. However, due to US Customs, he wasn't able to mail it to me from Wales, so he sent me a huge packet of records, posters, buttons, and CDs, plus a nice note to go along with it. A year or so later, in 2002, I saw them in Dallas. I spotted Gruff watching while the opening band played, so I wrote him a note asking about the bread and gave it to him. He knew exactly who I was, gave me a big hug, and we talked for a bit. Then he left to go get ready for the show. About 20 minutes later, he brought me a loaf of bread from backstage. I kept it in my freezer until I moved out of my apartment. Oh, and the next night, I saw them again in Austin with Victor, and we had baked them some cookies. I found Gruff and gave them to him. I think I scared him... I wonder if there's a restraining order against me?
Is there a song by 2 that makes you sad?
Quite a big of their album Mwng makes me feel kind of lonely and sad.
What is your favorite song of 6?
Could be "Chicago."
How did you become a fan of 10?
Um, the same way everyone else did? MTV!
I was busy reading Kris's blog when I noticed that his most recent entry was a music quiz. You're supposed to name ten bands/artists you like, in no particular order, and then there are some questions that go with it. So before I finish reading his post, I am going to post my ten artists.
1. Belle and Sebastian
2. Super Furry Animals
3. Pulp
4. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
5. The Decemberists
6. Sufjan Stevens
7. Morrissey
8. Sondre Lerche
9. U2
10. Radiohead
OK. Now on to the questions, after I finish reading Kris's post...
What was the first song you ever heard by 6?
Umm, it was probably the first song on Seven Swans, which is "All The Trees Of The Fields Will Clap Their Hands."
What is your favorite album of 8?
Two-Way Monologue
What is your favorite lyric of 5?
"Some had crumbled you straight to your knees
Did it cruel, did it tenderly
Some had crawled their way into your heart
To rend your ventricles apart"
How many times have you seen 4 live?
Twice. Once at the Carling Festival in Leeds (2000), and once at the Middle East in Boston (2003)
What is your favorite song by 7?
Oh Jesus, how can I choose?? Seriously, it's like Sophie's Choice. It's not a real answer, but I'm choosing "A Swallow on My Neck" because it makes me really happy when I listen to it.
Is there a song of 3 that makes you sad?
Yeah, "TV Movie" for sure.
What is your favorite lyric of 9?
Well, it certainly isn't anything off of their last two albums!!! /end rant. Hmm.. Bono used to be quite a good lyricist. I've always liked this:
"Took a drive in the dirty rain
To a place where the wind calls your name
Under the trees the river laughing at you and me
Hallelujah, heaven's white rose
The doors you open
I just can't close"
What is your favorite song by 1?
Seriously!!!!!! Well, I used to say it was "Put the Book Back on the Shelf." But they've had so many good songs lately! GAH! I'll just go with that one.
How did you get into 8?
I just kept hearing about him. Sadly, it was probably on Pitchfork.
What is your favorite song by 4?
Again, so difficult to choose. Maybe "Freckles." I sure do like that song.
How many times have you seen 1 live?
Three glorious times! 2002, 2004, 2006. I guess we're on a two-year schedule with them.
What is a good memory concerning 2?
Well, through a Belle and Sebastian charity auction, I won a loaf of bread baked by their singer, Gruff Rhys. However, due to US Customs, he wasn't able to mail it to me from Wales, so he sent me a huge packet of records, posters, buttons, and CDs, plus a nice note to go along with it. A year or so later, in 2002, I saw them in Dallas. I spotted Gruff watching while the opening band played, so I wrote him a note asking about the bread and gave it to him. He knew exactly who I was, gave me a big hug, and we talked for a bit. Then he left to go get ready for the show. About 20 minutes later, he brought me a loaf of bread from backstage. I kept it in my freezer until I moved out of my apartment. Oh, and the next night, I saw them again in Austin with Victor, and we had baked them some cookies. I found Gruff and gave them to him. I think I scared him... I wonder if there's a restraining order against me?
Is there a song by 2 that makes you sad?
Quite a big of their album Mwng makes me feel kind of lonely and sad.
What is your favorite song of 6?
Could be "Chicago."
How did you become a fan of 10?
Um, the same way everyone else did? MTV!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
So, uh... what did you think of my mixtape?
Recently I participated in SwissToni's CD Shuffleathon. Each participant put together a CD of twelve of their favorite songs, and then we were each given the name and address of another randomly selected participant to send it to. Once we received the CD sent to us, we were supposed to listen to it and review it.
Quick side note: I grew up in the glorious era of the mixtape, when hours were spent agonizing over the perfect beginning and ending to the A and B sides, and maybe, just maybe the recipient would see hidden meanings in the lyrics and finally ask you out, or see what a cool person you were, or whatever. So "mix CD" is just not part of my vocabulary. Please forgive me while I henceforth refer to this as a mixtape. I do realize it is not on a casette.
Anyway, I sent off a mixtape to Ben at Silent Words Speak Loudest. He has received it but has not reviewed it. I received a mixtape from Charlie at Late Night Radio. I actually received mine last week, but then I went on vacation for five days without a CD player. So I was able to finally listen to it yesterday and today. Apologies to Charlie, who likened waiting on the review to "waiting to go to the principal's office." Well, better late than never! I like to call his mixtape "The Bonnaroo Mixtape." Here is my review.
Well, as far as liking the songs go, this was a little hit and miss for me. I’m not much into rootsy/bluesy/jam bandy type stuff, but it is always good to get exposed to things that you wouldn’t normally listen to. However, as far as putting together a good, unified mixtape, I thought Charlie did a great job! You can definitely get a sense for his general taste in music as well as the instruments that make it. It makes sense that he’s a young guy from Virginia. His blogger profile says he likes "playing, listening, and talking about music, sports, politics, being a nice guy, high fives, chicken wings, spirituality, and stuff." I think this thin slice of his music collection reflects the way he describes himself perfectly. Bravo, Charlie!
Now, I'm waiting on tenterhooks to see how Ben reviews my mixtape.
Recently I participated in SwissToni's CD Shuffleathon. Each participant put together a CD of twelve of their favorite songs, and then we were each given the name and address of another randomly selected participant to send it to. Once we received the CD sent to us, we were supposed to listen to it and review it.
Quick side note: I grew up in the glorious era of the mixtape, when hours were spent agonizing over the perfect beginning and ending to the A and B sides, and maybe, just maybe the recipient would see hidden meanings in the lyrics and finally ask you out, or see what a cool person you were, or whatever. So "mix CD" is just not part of my vocabulary. Please forgive me while I henceforth refer to this as a mixtape. I do realize it is not on a casette.
Anyway, I sent off a mixtape to Ben at Silent Words Speak Loudest. He has received it but has not reviewed it. I received a mixtape from Charlie at Late Night Radio. I actually received mine last week, but then I went on vacation for five days without a CD player. So I was able to finally listen to it yesterday and today. Apologies to Charlie, who likened waiting on the review to "waiting to go to the principal's office." Well, better late than never! I like to call his mixtape "The Bonnaroo Mixtape." Here is my review.
- Beulah – "Landslide Baby" Aww, this is such a good song! It’s funny… I usually put on a Beulah song (“A Good Man is Easy to Kill”) when I do a mixtape, but I left it off this time. They are such a good summer band. This song has a really nice piano intro and then turns into fantastic power pop. As an added plus, there is plenty of use of the "f" word. Yay! Really great start to the mix.
- Agents of Good Roots – "Pin Up Girl" The first time I listened to this, I thought "I bet this band is good live." And then I heard applause at the end of the track... There’s a lot of low sax (tenor? bari?) on this song. I’m not really a jam band kind of girl, but like I said, this would probably be a fun band to see live.
- Wilco – "A Shot in the Arm" I always like Wilco songs. They are one of those bands that all of my friends like, and they constantly get put onto mixtapes for me, but I never end up buying a CD. I don’t know why, because I really like them. Plus I kind of want to put Jeff Tweedy in my pocket. This is a great song... really nice atmosphere.
- Phish – "Character Zero" I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… I’m not a jam band kind of girl. I’ve never really listened to Phish in any kind of studious way, so this was a first for me. It didn’t convince me to buy any of their albums. It did remind me of the South Park episode Die Hippie, Die: "Oh man, I can't wait to see the look on those little Eichmanns' faces when they hear this crunchy groove."
- Elvis Costello – "Alison" OK, I’ll come clean here and lose all of my street cred. I don’t really like Elvis Costello. Everyone I know worships him, but I only like a couple of songs. This one isn’t bad, but it’s no "Oliver’s Army" (my favorite Costello song). I put him in the same category as the Pixies and Nirvana… artists that were hugely influential to bands I love, artists with an enormous historical importance... and I don’t care for them. I understand their significance, but I just can’t get into them.
- Weezer – "The Good Life" Oh man, this song reminds me of college. I always thought it was funny, easy to dance and sing to, and it had a great video. It had plenty of anger and sadness underneath, which made me happy. Even the opening chords can’t fail to put a smile on my face.
- Modern Groove Syndicate – "Fryin’ Eggs and Bacon" Another sax song… well, tons of horns in this one. This kind of reminds me of college too, but I’m not really sure why. Did I knew people who listened to similar music? Maybe. Yeah, I think so. Anyway, not my cup of tea, really.
- Gomez – "Get Myself Arrested" I saw Gomez once, back in 2000 when I went to Leeds for the Carling Festival. I was never a huge fan of their music, although I didn't dislike it either, but I really enjoyed their show. This song brings back good memories of being covered in mud and filth, drinking warm beer that Marie and I had smuggled into the festival, and seeing a ton of great bands. I also remember some magazine, I think it was Q or maybe NME, constantly referring to one of the guys as "the growly one," which I found pretty funny. I like this song… it’s good for summer.
- Stevie Wonder – "Higher Ground" You know, you hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers version of this song so much more than Stevie’s original. It’s kind of refreshing to hear this one. If only I could get the visions of the RHCP’s video out of my head...
- Mike Doughty – "Busting Up a Starbux" Do I remember hearing that Mike Doughty has a master’s degree or something? After a quick Google search, I couldn’t find any proof of that… just that he studied poetry in college with Ani DiFranco. So I guess I was wrong. More saxophone on this song. It’s an alright song... I always thought his voice was interesting.
- Devil’s Workshop Big Band – "Morning Bell" Sax again! This is a cover of the Radiohead song. At this point, I am wondering if Charlie ever played (or still plays) the sax, or whether it’s just a favorite instrument of his? This was a bit too jazzy for my usual taste, but it’s a pretty interesting take on the original.
- My Morning Jacket – "Dancefloors" I really like Jim James’s voice. As far as this new breed of southern rock (or whatever you want to call it) goes, I think I like My Morning Jacket the best. I would love to see these guys live. This is a great song… really builds to a fantastic ending (for both the song and the mixtape). Hey, are those saxophones I hear?
Well, as far as liking the songs go, this was a little hit and miss for me. I’m not much into rootsy/bluesy/jam bandy type stuff, but it is always good to get exposed to things that you wouldn’t normally listen to. However, as far as putting together a good, unified mixtape, I thought Charlie did a great job! You can definitely get a sense for his general taste in music as well as the instruments that make it. It makes sense that he’s a young guy from Virginia. His blogger profile says he likes "playing, listening, and talking about music, sports, politics, being a nice guy, high fives, chicken wings, spirituality, and stuff." I think this thin slice of his music collection reflects the way he describes himself perfectly. Bravo, Charlie!
Now, I'm waiting on tenterhooks to see how Ben reviews my mixtape.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Life's a beach
We made it back from Curacao. It was a lovely, lovely vacation.
On Friday, we woke up hella early and left the house around 4:15am. We got to the airport to try to make the first flight out to Miami. I was scared, because the flights were looking really bad. I figured we wouldn't even make it out. Somehow, we managed to get first class seats on the first flight out from Miami! We made it to Miami in time to catch the first flight to Curacao. We had to leave the secured area and check in for the flight, though, and then go back through security. We barely squeaked through, but we got back to the gate in time to catch the flight. First class seats again!
Flying over the Caribbean is a lot of fun, because you can see all of the little islands and the blue, blue water surrounding them. I always try to figure out which island I'm over, but I usually can't tell. I took a couple of pictures of the Bahamas on the way back, because the water surrounding them is absolutely gorgeous. The flight took about 3 hours... time enough to watch a pretty bad movie (Failure to Launch), eat a light lunch, and drink several vodka tonics. Ah, first class... I love you so!
We got to Curacao around 2 or 2:30 and hopped in a cab to go to our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Kura Hulanda, Spa & Casino, which was absolutely wonderful. It is located in the capital, Willemstad, kind of in the middle of town. The hotel is a complex of restored 18th and 19th century buildings, complete with a village square, a bar, shops, and restaurants. There is also a museum there (but we did not get a chance to visit it). Our room was one of the hotel's smallest, but it was fantastic. It was on the second floor of a tiny building and had a long staircase leading up to it. Our bathroom was full of marble fixtures. The only drawback was that there was no internet connection. Turns out that a couple of rooms there do not have internet access... and ours happened to be one of them. We had taken the laptop with us, but we never got to use it. Our favorite feature of the hotel was probably their Eco Pool, a split-level pool that is lined with rocks and comes with a big waterfall. It was fun to swim under the waterfall, and just lying next to the pool was relaxation in itself.
We visited two beaches while we were there, Blue Bay and Playa Kalki. Blue Bay is part of another resort, but Kura Hulanda guests get to use it for free, because there is no beach at the Kura Hulanda (it is in town). We spent two afternoons there. The beach itself was pretty small, but the water was nice and there were plenty of lounge chairs for sunbathing. We mainly just lounged around and read, and had yummy sandwiches from the snack bar. I had brought some silly chick lit books to read, and I devoured them.
Playa Kalki, on the other hand, was at our hotel's sister hotel, the Kura Hulanda Lodge. It was in Westpunt, on the other end of the island. The beach was larger than Blue Bay, and one half of it was under a giant cliff made of coral. There was a good snack bar there, and they delivered drinks to you on the beach. We went snorkeling there. Neither of us had ever been snorkeling in the ocean before, and it was a real treat. There were tons of fish to look at, and we even saw a sea snake! The water was so clear, so the visibility was great. The water dropped to about 15 feet in depth for a while, and then just plunged down with a terrific coral reef. I took a disposable underwater camera, so I'm hoping the pictures turn out alright. We both got horrific sunburns on our backs from the snorkeling. We didn't reapply the SPF 30 enough, I guess, especially since we're both so pale. We're already peeling.
On Monday, we kicked around Willemstad for a while. Willemstad is built around a huge bay, and the city is split into two sides by the channel: Punda and Otrabanda. Our hotel was in Otrobanda. To get to Punda, you have to walk across the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, a floating bridge that opens and closes when ships need to enter the harbor. We saw it open to let in a big ship (oil tanker maybe? There is an oil refinery in Willemstad). When it's open, you can take a ferry across the channel. In Punda, there were lots of shops that were mainly targeted toward cruise ship passengers. There is also a floating market where boats from Venezuela dock every day to sell fish, vegetables, fruits, and other goods. The oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere, the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, is also in Punda.
Being Mandy and Victor, we also enjoyed the food and drink while we were in Curacao. Every day we had happy hour at the hotel... half price drinks! Since we were in the Caribbean, I let myself order pina coladas without feeling cheesy, and they were SO GOOD. We ate at two of the hotel's restaurants, Jaipur (Indian/Asian fusion - incredible) and the Museum Restaurant (casual but tasty). On Saturday night we went across the street to the Gouverneur de Rouville, where I had something called Keshi Yená, which is a local specialty of Edam cheese stuffed with chicken, prunes and raisins. Sounds gross, but it was really tasty. Our last night was spent at Bistro Le Clochard, a highly-rated French restaurant. It was divine. I had escargot soup, which was better than you could even imagine, and a Parisian cafe-style steak.
We had no trouble getting on flights to come back (first class again!), although our Miami-Dallas flight was diverted to Oklahoma City because storms at DFW. It took us much longer to get home than expected, but it was OK. I was able to completely relax during the trip. I feel so much better now, and I can't wait to go back someday. There is a flickr photo set here, so take a look at all of the pictures we took!
We made it back from Curacao. It was a lovely, lovely vacation.
On Friday, we woke up hella early and left the house around 4:15am. We got to the airport to try to make the first flight out to Miami. I was scared, because the flights were looking really bad. I figured we wouldn't even make it out. Somehow, we managed to get first class seats on the first flight out from Miami! We made it to Miami in time to catch the first flight to Curacao. We had to leave the secured area and check in for the flight, though, and then go back through security. We barely squeaked through, but we got back to the gate in time to catch the flight. First class seats again!
Flying over the Caribbean is a lot of fun, because you can see all of the little islands and the blue, blue water surrounding them. I always try to figure out which island I'm over, but I usually can't tell. I took a couple of pictures of the Bahamas on the way back, because the water surrounding them is absolutely gorgeous. The flight took about 3 hours... time enough to watch a pretty bad movie (Failure to Launch), eat a light lunch, and drink several vodka tonics. Ah, first class... I love you so!
We got to Curacao around 2 or 2:30 and hopped in a cab to go to our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Kura Hulanda, Spa & Casino, which was absolutely wonderful. It is located in the capital, Willemstad, kind of in the middle of town. The hotel is a complex of restored 18th and 19th century buildings, complete with a village square, a bar, shops, and restaurants. There is also a museum there (but we did not get a chance to visit it). Our room was one of the hotel's smallest, but it was fantastic. It was on the second floor of a tiny building and had a long staircase leading up to it. Our bathroom was full of marble fixtures. The only drawback was that there was no internet connection. Turns out that a couple of rooms there do not have internet access... and ours happened to be one of them. We had taken the laptop with us, but we never got to use it. Our favorite feature of the hotel was probably their Eco Pool, a split-level pool that is lined with rocks and comes with a big waterfall. It was fun to swim under the waterfall, and just lying next to the pool was relaxation in itself.
We visited two beaches while we were there, Blue Bay and Playa Kalki. Blue Bay is part of another resort, but Kura Hulanda guests get to use it for free, because there is no beach at the Kura Hulanda (it is in town). We spent two afternoons there. The beach itself was pretty small, but the water was nice and there were plenty of lounge chairs for sunbathing. We mainly just lounged around and read, and had yummy sandwiches from the snack bar. I had brought some silly chick lit books to read, and I devoured them.
Playa Kalki, on the other hand, was at our hotel's sister hotel, the Kura Hulanda Lodge. It was in Westpunt, on the other end of the island. The beach was larger than Blue Bay, and one half of it was under a giant cliff made of coral. There was a good snack bar there, and they delivered drinks to you on the beach. We went snorkeling there. Neither of us had ever been snorkeling in the ocean before, and it was a real treat. There were tons of fish to look at, and we even saw a sea snake! The water was so clear, so the visibility was great. The water dropped to about 15 feet in depth for a while, and then just plunged down with a terrific coral reef. I took a disposable underwater camera, so I'm hoping the pictures turn out alright. We both got horrific sunburns on our backs from the snorkeling. We didn't reapply the SPF 30 enough, I guess, especially since we're both so pale. We're already peeling.
On Monday, we kicked around Willemstad for a while. Willemstad is built around a huge bay, and the city is split into two sides by the channel: Punda and Otrabanda. Our hotel was in Otrobanda. To get to Punda, you have to walk across the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, a floating bridge that opens and closes when ships need to enter the harbor. We saw it open to let in a big ship (oil tanker maybe? There is an oil refinery in Willemstad). When it's open, you can take a ferry across the channel. In Punda, there were lots of shops that were mainly targeted toward cruise ship passengers. There is also a floating market where boats from Venezuela dock every day to sell fish, vegetables, fruits, and other goods. The oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere, the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, is also in Punda. Being Mandy and Victor, we also enjoyed the food and drink while we were in Curacao. Every day we had happy hour at the hotel... half price drinks! Since we were in the Caribbean, I let myself order pina coladas without feeling cheesy, and they were SO GOOD. We ate at two of the hotel's restaurants, Jaipur (Indian/Asian fusion - incredible) and the Museum Restaurant (casual but tasty). On Saturday night we went across the street to the Gouverneur de Rouville, where I had something called Keshi Yená, which is a local specialty of Edam cheese stuffed with chicken, prunes and raisins. Sounds gross, but it was really tasty. Our last night was spent at Bistro Le Clochard, a highly-rated French restaurant. It was divine. I had escargot soup, which was better than you could even imagine, and a Parisian cafe-style steak.
We had no trouble getting on flights to come back (first class again!), although our Miami-Dallas flight was diverted to Oklahoma City because storms at DFW. It took us much longer to get home than expected, but it was OK. I was able to completely relax during the trip. I feel so much better now, and I can't wait to go back someday. There is a flickr photo set here, so take a look at all of the pictures we took!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Greetings from Curacao!
I can't talk long, and I'll do a proper trip report when we get back. But yes, we got lucky on Friday and made it down to Curacao in the Caribbean! YAY!
I can't talk long, and I'll do a proper trip report when we get back. But yes, we got lucky on Friday and made it down to Curacao in the Caribbean! YAY!
