Sell Her Suit

I've moved

2010-05-12T21:35:00.002-05:00

I've started a blog on tumblr. Blogger doesn't have an iphone app. Also, I'm getting spammy flavored comments here despite the captchas meant to hault spambots.

Anyways, walk this way ---> sellhersuit dot tumblr dot com

What a crazy week!

2010-03-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting at Starbucks across the street from the place where they
fixing my car (needs new tires). I have had one of those weeks where
it's one thing after another.

The week got off to a good start with the exception of a cough that
was deep in my chest (not a good sign already). I went to work on
Tuesday trying to think of how to help a friend in need when I started
to realize this wasn't just a cough. Luckily, I had Wednesday and
Thursday off to try and shake what is shaping up to be a cold.

I sat downstairs to take advantage of better wifi reception and I
noticed the toilet in the far back bedrooms was bubbling occasionally.
Turns out, we had plumbing back up, and no one knew it until dad got
home and sloshed to his favorite chair. Plumbers and carpet cleaners
were called, and our living room carpet was butchered.

Fine for me since I stayed up stairs in bed most of Thursday. I came
down to see join the neighbors on the driveway as dad was
systematically turning off water around the house to find a leak.
Guess what... Our hotwater heater is leaking again. So now, dad turns
it off when we don't need it, but the shuts my bathroom water off
(because my room is a strangely constructed addition).

Friday, before I headed back to work, plumbers discovered a drain by
our wet bar that had never been capped. It had been for a mini fridge
at one time, but it's funny to see how 10yrs later, the previous
owners did a shoddy job at fixing up the house for sale.

Today, I left the house early to get my tires fixed before work. I'd
rather wait at Starbucks than sit in the lobby of the mechanic, so I
walked across the street. I discovered I had left my license and debit
card at home. So I've been sitting here laughing at myself for the
hilarity of my own shenanigans.

I'm going to hang out at the Wheelmobile today. Maybe I can get on
Wheel of Fortune. :)

Sent from my iPhone

Mardis Gras?!

2010-02-17T18:19:00.002-06:00

[This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but GlueNow failed.]

"Eat, drink, and be merry..." for tomorrow, I diet. My, oh my, how the time flies by. We're already half way through February! Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday! Holy crackers!!

I celebrated my first Valentines Day. Clarification: my first Valentines Day that was not filled with bitter jealousy and disdain for the most romantic day of the year. Yes, reading public, I had my very own Valentine this year. Dinner at Genghis Grill, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," and a lovely bouquet of red roses and purple flowers. (I love purple, good choice.)

Not a lot of turn around between Valentines and the Lenten season this year. I find it semi-ironic that two years in a row, I have faced a change in the workplace just as Lent begins. While this year isn't a huge upheaval like last year, I'm still wondering what God is trying to teach me through my work situation. Stop getting comfortable? Perhaps. I will admit I had been riding on the high horse of pride and could stand to be taken down a few pegs. (Stings like peroxide in an open wound, but like peroxide, it's necessary.)

Last year, I made a crazy decision to give up meat (not seafood) last year, along with soda (muuuusssttt haaavvvveeee caffeeeeeeiiiiinnneeee). This year, I'm just giving up soda and spending money on [fast] food and frivolous things (like the dresses I bought this weekend). I'm also taking on strict bed time/wake time, bible reading, and exercise. Discipline. All about discipline.

Losing the soda will be tough. Dr Pepper is my Sunday morning breakfast during worship. I think the toughest part is that, while living with my parents, there will still be Cokes in the house. It'll be good though, I'm sure just cutting out the bad stuff will help un-chunk my monkey.

(You can laugh. I'll wait..... Yes. It's cheesy.)

It will also be my great effort to blog daily about my journey starting tomorrow. The nitty gritty details of weight, inches, and spiritual revelations will be here nightly... before bedtime.

And now... one last hurrah for Mardi Gras!

Pretty

2010-01-31T13:27:00.001-06:00

Funny Story

2010-01-20T12:23:00.001-06:00

I almost died this morning. On a normal day, I park far from the elevators and take the stairs to get a minute amount of exercise. Today was no different. I’m wearing some awesome black heels today, so when I stepped down to the first step, my heel caught on the step I was still on. I felt myself about to tumble head long down the rest of the stairs, my life flashing before my eyes. Luckily, I grabbed the hand rail, so I didn’t fall. Needless to say, I’ll be taking the elevator for the rest of the day.

Testing GlueNow

2010-01-08T18:33:00.001-06:00

I’m testing out the GlueNow app on my iPhone. Heading off to the Stars game shortly.

Rant: Evite Fail

2009-11-05T22:36:00.003-06:00

I hate digital invitations.

Mostly because in my ADD, I either forget to add them to my calendar, or I lose the email under a ton of emails that arrive after it. I think digital invites are horrible because I used to look forward to seeing a fun festive invite in the mail that I could post on my bathroom mirror.

Everything seems so digitally integrated now. I know I can't live without my iCal. I'd forget a party if it wasn't written down.... oh wait... I did. FAIL!

Don't get me started on Facebook and Myspace invites. Oy. Facebook invites are 80% band shows (much like Myspace). The rest are jewelry/Mary Kay/I-don't-have-the-money-to-shop-at-your-party kind of stuff. I'm all for hanging out with friends, but send an email for cricket's sake.

Ok... I'm getting off my soapbox.

Recap: I'm more likely to lose a digital invitation than a paper one. Evite/Facebook Invites are impersonal and suck (also more likely to go to the spam email than my current address, btw)

Bellingham, WA trip - Day 1 & 2

2009-10-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

It's always a good idea to break ties with your reality and get out to see the world that isn't muddied by the hazy stress of everyday life.

I really anticipated going on vacation since it was planned. My aunt and uncle moved from San Antonio to Bellingham, WA last year. Since it's more difficult to get down to Texas for visits, we decided we should make our way to the Pacific Northwest to see what the fuss was about. The fuss = postcard worthy views of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands... and mountains everywhere.

The lead up on Friday was a yo-yo ride similar to The Clash tune "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" Mom got a cold midweek, and Friday started running a fever. Our plans hung in the balance as we mulled over changing flights to accommodate Mom's health. Luckily, her fever broke, and we were heading for the airport at 5am.

You'd hope that it would be easy to just get on a plane and get the heck out of Dodge... heh... no. Just as our plane was backing out of the gate, there was some engine trouble. So we got off the plane, sat for an hour, watched the sunrise over Dallas, and waited on a new plane. We finally got our plane, and we were on our way. It was a near empty flight, so we pretty much had the run of the plane. I grabbed a window seat with a power plug, set up a movie on my laptop, and pressed my face to the window to watch the scenery. I must've taken well over 130 pictures just on the plane.

After we landed and got our rental car, I stayed awake for most of the drive through Seattle, but I decided that a nap would be great. I woke up just in time to enjoy the journey through the Coastal Mountains just before Bellingham. Joel and Suzie welcomed us as we drove up the steep driveway. Their house is up on the foothills of Mt Baker, and it overlooks the Fairhaven area of Bellingham... right on down to the bay and across to the islands. As the sun set, we could see all the way to Vancouver Island. It's absolutely gorgeous out here.

Yesterday was our second day in Bellingham. My aunt and uncle have a small garden that they grow some herbs and produce. Suzie made rhubarb bread for breakfast, and we piled into their SUV and heading down scenic Chuckanut Drive. (Not kidding about the name, I still giggle). Our adventure came to a stop when we came upon a small traffic jam due to a fallen limb in the road. There was a powerline in it as well, but about 20 people got out of their cars to move the limb, leaving the powerline. That wouldn't happen in Texas. lol

We stopped at several viewpoints to take pictures and admire the view of the San Juan Islands. Our destination was Deception Pass between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands. There's a state park there. We took lots of pictures, and decided to hike a trail to the summit of a hill to get a better view. 0.4 miles, mostly uphill, but it was worth it. We came out on a bald spot of exposed rock that was scraped clean by glaciers during the last ice age. It looked like we were on top of the world. It was awesome.

We broke for lunch at a local Applebee's and caught a bit of the Cowboy game. :-P Great lunch, awful game. After lunch, we headed back to the park and down to the rocky beach underneath the bridge. I found some pretty rocks and a bit of driftwood that I intend to make a decorative bowl out of.

When we got back to Bellingham, we stopped at the store for provisions, and then headed home to make dinner. Dinner was homemade pizza, and everyone chipped in. It was awesome. I made my favorite margarita pizza with roma tomatoes and fresh basil from Suzie's garden. I was pretty exhausted after that, so I headed to bed.

More to come later....

The thing about money.

2009-08-04T19:52:00.003-05:00

It is said that money is the root of all evil. However, money is necessary to do just about anything [unless you're a skillful hermit with no qualms about crickets for dinner]. Therefore, money is a necessary evil.

Having student loans to pay has made life a little challenging in the financial dept. If I don't get alot of hours at work, I fail to be able to make those huge payments [huge because I haven't consolidated yet]. I almost didn't make it this month, but my ever faithful God came through [because He ALWAYS comes through! Amen!] to scoot me clear by the seat of my pants. Took almost all my savings along with.

I was already walking a fine line last week when I had to get stuff for a bridal shower, fuel up, and grab lunch. I should have checked my balance, but I thought I was good. Yah, no. I got dinged last week for overdrafts. Ok, fine. I accept overdraft fees as a fact of life, much like death and taxes. I was in the red, and I take full responsibility for the baked potato that put me under. I got paid on Friday, I'm in the black again, and I've moved on with life.

My dad has taken it upon himself to over see my finances since El Switch-o Grande [the day Movin' became Mega] at the radio station. I really don't spend money on anything besides fuel and food [or is that two types of fuel?]. He never really says much anymore. However, since I got dinged twice, he considers me in a "bad financial situation." Ok, fine, a $35 overdraft fee is equal to about 5 hrs of work. He wants me to call and make a fuss/give a sob story to the bank to get that fee waived. I'm just one of those people who accepts the consequences, so I really didn't feel comfortable calling the bank and fussing [because the last time didn't work]. Also, calling wasn't my idea, so I'm not filled the the gumption it takes to get over my phone anxiety and rattle some call-center monkey's cage [don't ask about the anxiety, and don't ask me to call in a pizza]. [Also, I'm a horrible bargainer, flea markets are bad news].

*****

I just got called downstairs because Dad went ahead and called the bank. Luckily, a nice lady name Irene helped me out by waiving one of those fees and setting up overdraft protection. He wins this round, although I'm still not happy about the whole making a fuss over this.

What, what!

2009-07-29T19:32:00.002-05:00

Well, look at that. I'm back inside of a week of the last post. This is cause for rejoicing.

*And there was great rejoicing in the land*

I'm currently watching Wipeout and waiting for I Survived A Japanese Gameshow. I love these shows. Wipeout has the snarkiest commentary. I love it.

I've been having a fantastic week. I'm a bit sad because one of my friends and co-workers leaves tomorrow for the beautiful scenery of Albuquerque (the spelling doesn't look right on that, but Mac says it's correct... hmph). I'm gonna miss her, she's such a huge blessing. I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of things. "There is no stressing in radio." Ha.

I ran out of money in the bank [whoops!] so I've been taking my lunch. I'm making progress on the book I'm reading [Dead Until Dark]. Finally getting over the monster-sized chapters [seriously, 20+ page chapters!!]. I shouldn't complain since I'd fly through 3 bite sized chapters of Jane Austen. Dead Until Dark is from the Sookie Stackhouse novels... which the show True Blood is based on. What can I say... I like vampires.

I saw the new Harry Potter this weekend with my buddy Joel. It was alright. I liked the explanation and backstory, but it lacked in action. No magic battles? Blah. I'm looking forward to going to see Ponyo in a couple of weeks. Ponyo is the new Miyazaki film. Miyazaki is my favorite anime director; he's responsible for Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. Class A stuff, so I'm stoked.

If I haven't proved my geekdom already, here's comes my linguistic geek-out... I've been rocking out the past couple of weeks to probably one of the best bands in the world that you've never heard of. I'm talking about Sweden's own Kent. Frakkin' brilliant band, and have been one of my faves for many years. I only know of 2 albums in English, but I've been rocking the Swedish recently. Sorta makes me want to dig in a bit more into the language. I've never really studied a roman alphabet based language (other than Spanish). Russian is a Cyrillic alphabet, and Japanese is well... yah. I heard the English version of Kent's "Kevlar Soul" the other day, and it seemed wordy in comparison to the Swedish. So giggle if you want, but I'm sitting here with the Swedish lyrics trying to suss out the pronunciation [which ain't easy, folks].

I hear the sound system booming downstairs, which means Dad has a movie on. Better go see what he's watching. Hasta!

Once more, with feeling.

2009-07-23T20:23:00.002-05:00

Hello loves.

I'm back.

I'm a horrible blogger these days. I think Twitter sucks it out of me. Twitter = blogging for the impatient.

Life had been wonderful of late. I sort of got promoted. I have the awesome privilege of working with some of the best people in my office. Seriously. It's a joy to go to work... even if there's massive heaps of it. I'm getting more and more interested in radio promotions.

I just got back from a fantastic little road trip up to NW Arkansas. Driving is relaxing. I like looking at the scenery. If I hadn't been driving, I probably would have been taking many more pictures. I was a bit surprised to come across mountains in Oklahoma. I knew they were there, but I wasn't expecting to see them along the particular highway I was driving. I wanted to stop a couple of times to look at rocks and formations along the road. [Geology nerd] Especially when I was driving I-540 in Arkansas. Gosh, the Boston Mountains are beautiful! I'd love to drive back up, if only for scenery.

All my plans for this trip fell apart before I even arrived in Fayetteville. A concert I wanted to see was rescheduled for August, and other friends that would be in town at the same time never made it. Even so, I spent quality time with wonderful people. I had sushi with Brandi, the friend I was staying with, and had some great conversation. Afterwards, I met up with Tandee and Travis Phillips for coffee. It was so refreshing to just sit and chat, rather than run around and party. I must be slowing down in my old age [good grief, I'm not even 30 yet! ha!].

I was glad to be back at work today. I really enjoy my job. It's been a crazy fierce day though. Madness getting ready for two huge events, back to back. I have to be at our Christmas in July event tomorrow at 4am. I keep telling myself that I'm living on London time in Texas. Ha! If only.

I know I didn't post it here, but my Pawpaw passed away at the end of June. He didn't want to be sick on his birthday again, and he ended up celebrating his birthday in Heaven. We're all back to normal here, and I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts.

Goodness, it's 10pm. I should be getting to bed soon, but I still have oodles of stuff to do. I'm off!

Summer come quick!

2009-06-18T18:31:00.002-05:00

Oh the exciting life I do lead.

Heh. Not really. Nothing really changes.

Even though it's not officially summer, the weather in Dallas is HOT! And when I say HOT!, I mean hotter that the 9th circle of Dante's Inferno. Hotter than Satan's armpits. Hotter than... well you get the idea. It's not just the heat, it's also the humidity which doubles the feeling of the temperature. So it's not just hotter than hell, you feel like you are sitting in Satan's armpit. :-P How's that for a mental picture.

I love my job, but the summer is killer for us poor part timers. Our bright yellow polos are that thick cotton that suffocates you, and our dark blue baseball tees are.... well, dark. I'm pretty sure last summer didn't feel this killer.

Nothing at home has changed really. Pawpaw is out of the hospital, out of hospice, and back living in one of our spare rooms. It's day-to-day mostly one how he's doing. Today wasn't a good day. He had a headache all day, didn't eat anything, and hardly drank any water. My aunt Lizzy brought him a chocolate shake, and he went for that. He ate some at dinner, but Mom remarked that he doesn't eat enough to keep a bird alive. It's really hard to watch a loved one fading away right before your eyes, and right under your roof. I did this with my Nana 9 years ago. That was far tougher on me because I was so close to my Nana. Pawpaw mostly stays in his room watching old westerns on cable.

A bright spot on the horizon is my brother coming home on leave from the Navy. My favorite sailor will be with us for the 4th, and we are so going to the lake! Seriously, I'm not letting anything stop me from heading to East Texas in two weeks. I can't wait to get out on the water and go tubing and swimming.

I'm getting some fun in the sun this weekend as well. A group of friends are going to Hurricane Harbor on Saturday for a birthday party. I can't wait. I love swimming and playing in the water.

Dad's birthday was a couple of weeks ago. I put together an awesome slideshow in iMovie and burned it to a dvd. Dad was really impressed, not only by the effort, but by the pictures I had found around our house. There were baby pics that he'd never seen before that came from an envelope that Memaw had give him of childhood stuff. Now my uncle has me working on one for my aunt Carrie. This one has been a bit difficult because pictures being mailed from Kansas.

I had started swimming laps again for exercise. See how long that lasted. The summer is still young though. I just need to make it a priority to get in shape. I don't like feeling rusty before my time. I'm not even 30 yet! Ha!

My last grandparent

2009-05-22T21:21:00.003-05:00

Pawpaw is in the hospital again.

Figures. He's so stubborn. He won't listen to what the doctors tell him. He just does what his lazy ass wants to. His kidneys are becoming problematic (due to the mounds of salt he consumes despite doctors' orders). It's come down to he needs dialysis.

And he's refusing.

Yah.

I pray that I'm not this stubborn when I get old and need tons of medical care.

I can see the toll it's taking on my mom. This is her last living parent. Nana died almost 9 years ago. She's already stressed out, and I'm sure a breaking point is near. Pawpaw drives my mother up one wall and down the other under normal circumstances, so you can imagine how batty my mom is going now. Thinking about it now, this can't be good for her blood pressure.

The thing that's getting at me is that Pawpaw is my last grandparent. Even in all his cantankerousness, he's still my Pawpaw. He's still the phone call at Christmas pretending to be Santa. He's still the guy in the gorilla suit at Uncle Pete's trailer scaring the bejeezus out of us kids coming back from the Halloween hay ride in the Hill Country. He's still wild stories of wild shenanigans in his youth.

Plans for Memorial Day weekend are very high up in the air right now. We could still go to the lake. My back up plan is going back to Scarborough Faire for one last hoorah. The escapist in me wants to hop in the car and go far, far away from all these problems (I've done that before :-P )

Prayers for my family would be greatly appreciated. The craziness has a trickle down effect in our house.

Sacrifice

2009-03-29T20:09:00.003-05:00

Wow.

Tonight's sermon at church was on sacrifice. Pastor Andy started with a look back at a dark hour in the history of Texas... the Alamo. One of my favorite legends of the Alamo was of William B. Travis drawing a line in the sand with his sword. All but one chose to sacrifice their lives for the cause of the Alamo, and by doing so, gave Sam Houston time to rally and gather enough troops to defeat Santa Ana. Travis' one sacrifice gave birth to the Republic of Texas.

Likewise, Jesus' death on the cross gave rise to millions of believers through the centuries. Pastor Andy remarked at the paradox of the Gospel starting with death before life.

I had to examine my life for a minute before we took the Lord's Supper. Am I a disciple, sacrificing my life so that it would be replaced by eternal life through Christ? Or am I a groupie like the Greeks in John 12:20, who just came to get an autograph and see some cool miracles? I'm not so low that I'd consider myself a groupie by any means. I'd most definitely not hesitate to cross the line in the sand for the sake of Christ. But is that enough?

After the Lord's Supper, as the worship music played on, I still wrestled with that thought. One song faded to another. A lyric spoke of surrendering dreams. A light went off in my head, illuminating a picture in the gallery of my mind. London. My dream. My wish. But, my will.

I knew what had to be done. Back down the stairs I went to the front, grabbed a candle, lit it, and moved to the stage that was crowded with other candles showing God's movement in many lives. There I knelt, and there I prayed, sacrificing my life long dream of moving to London. It was like ripping off a bandaid really fast. The march back up the stairs to my seat were numb.

5...

4...

Pastor Andy started to pray the benediction...

2...

1...

The dam burst and out came the tears of grief for a dream sacrificed. A dream that may or may not have been in the cards for me, but given to God because it wouldn't be possible at all without Him. My prayer was not only that of sacrifice but also for illumination to the path I'm walking. Where will the wind blow me? Dallas? Nashville? Seattle? Tokyo? Or will my sacrificed dream return fulfilled? Only God knows.

Not my will, but God's. I will follow the path He leads me on and wherever it will take me.

Je ne parle pas français

2009-02-24T14:27:00.006-06:00

Weird. The Blogger sign in page was in French. I don't know French, but luckily, I knew enough to sign in and change it back to English. Weird and funny.

I have been graced with an overabundance of free time. Normally, that's not scary, unless I decide to clean my room. Now that's scary!

BEFORE & AFTER

Don't you just love the view I have? It's nice to have it clean. I can have friends over now and not worry about losing them in blackhole.

If I don't get anything planned later in the week, I'll be on cleaning duty for the rest of the house in preparation for the arrival of family next week. Hotel Broadmoor will be opening to my family from the north.

I got my hair done yesterday. I don't have a satisfactory pic yet. I hung out with my bestie Jade after she finished with my hair. We went to see Confessions of a Shopaholic. It was a cute movie. Perfect for girl time. :-)

I officially now work for Lite FM now. It's a nice confirmation of still being employed after the earth shaking uncertainty of last week. Kinda excited about the fresh start. Lord knows I need the work.

Today is Mardis Gras... maybe that's why Blogger went French. Google did too. I decided I'd participate in IBC's recognition of Lent this year. I've firmly decided on giving up carbonated beverages, but I'm still on the fence about giving up meat sans seafood. That one could prove tricky.

At least it's sunny in the bottom of the valley now.

2009-02-18T10:16:00.003-06:00

Day 3 of MIA paycheck. Turns out that my highly unappreciated $6 from Plato's Closet just saved me from a hefty overdraft fee. It's greatly appreciated now.

As I was leaving to dash to the ATM, I got a phone call from my boss' boss. Never really get calls from him, but seeing as we've just had a major unscheduled shake up at work, it's not a complete surprise. We're having a staff meeting tomorrow night. Dun dun dun! OYes, to discuss our future employment.

On one side, super scary, anxiety-inducing anticipation of the unknown future. On the other hand, I'm saving gas by not driving to Lewisville for rehearsal.

In an effort to battle my bills in lieu of an MIA paycheck, I'm going to have to ask my dad for a loan until my paycheck comes and/or my tax refund.

An Apathetic Desperation.

2009-02-17T21:17:00.003-06:00

I'm in a bad way. I need prayers.

Today is day 2 of an MIA paycheck. My bills were due on Saturday [$500]. As if that were not enough, the radio station that I work for had a major format change to all Spanish language hit adult contemporary. I still have a job, but a little warning would have been nice. The subterfuge makes me feel like my job is in danger.

So now, I'm counting minutes not worked, sitting on my rear in my jammies, and hoping and praying that my tax refund hurries the hell up. I was starting to wonder if I'm getting depressed again. I got this way just before I left my job at Family Christian Store. Feeling trapped, desperate, paralyzed, and depressed.

In an effort to get some money, I tried selling some clothes at Plato's Closet. Out of an arm load of formal wear and a bag full of clothes, they only took 3 items. Ouch. I think a garage sale or even *gulp* eBay might have been better. Maybe not as instant as I'd like though.

Anyways, I covet your prayers.

Proud of Pride and Prejudice

2009-02-15T19:48:00.003-06:00

What a weekend!

We performed before a full house all 3 performances this weekend. I only made one flub the first night, the rest of my performances were great. I really happy that we've become a very close cast/ I hope that we can all still hang out after the play ends. We have too much fun together.

We have a bit too much fun behind the scenes. lol!

I made it a goal to forget about financial woes during this weekend's run of performances. It really helped, but now it's on my mind again. My pay check goes into my bank at midnight tonight. I'm hoping that there will be enough. I'm not expecting to be able to pay my bills on my own. I need $500 to cover my bills. I have $61. I'm only expecting $226 from my pay check. It's getting a bit tight in here.

What's worse is that there is nothing on the schedule for next week. I could be called in at any time for a few hours. Being on call makes it difficult to pick up hours in my mom's office.

Monday Monday

2009-02-09T13:30:00.002-06:00

A day off. While I love staying home and lazing about the house watching my new found favorite tv on dvd show [you can guess], I confess I'd rather like to do some work and get paid.

Bills are due this week. $500. Just checked the bank. I have $91. On top of that, inspection and registration are due this month as well. No bueno. My reaction to this is to hide in bed with the covers pulled over my head, but that doesn't solve anything. I feel like I've squandered what little I have, but it's really not the case. Last Monday, I had $141. Since then, I ran out of gas, bought a gas can, filled my gas tank, and gifts for this weekend. I get paid on Friday (I think), but I'm not sure it'll be enough. It's a slow time of year for events that the promo team at my radio station works, and ironically, the big events that we have, I can't work due to previous commitments.

Grr.

I'm just relying on faith at this point. From where I sit, everything seems kinda hopeless, but that's where God works best. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His grace is sufficient.

Shower Sunday

2009-02-08T19:17:00.004-06:00

A requested update dedicated to a faithful reader. ;-)

This weekend was lovely. Lovely weather took my parents to the lake and left me with the house, laundry room, and entertainment center all to myself. I took full advantage of all of it.

My cousin's fiance has gotten me addicted to Firefly. It was on my watch list for a while, but I kept putting it off because I'm a rebel and dislike being told to watch something based on hype. Anyhow, I'm hooked now, and I spent all of Saturday doing laundry and watching Firefly. Of course, I took a break for Doctor Who. [Good gravy, I'm such a geek! HAHA!!!] Wrapped up the evening with my favorite movie, Lost In Translation [I miss Tokyo].

Today was the wedding shower double whammy. Started with Kimmy's shower at Jenina's house [Hi Jenina!]. I loved the little advice cards. Definitely some quotable moments to be had *coughcoughKellyblushcoughgigglecough* Mini quiches followed me to Oak Cliff for my cousin Shane's shower. It was a small gathering at his church. I don't often get to see that side of the family, so I hopped at the chance to see cousins and my aunt and uncle. More quotable moments from a lady about sliding off satin sheets. Oh my. LOL.

I'm watching the Grammy's with my parents. Dad likes Coldplay now, but I think they say that every year and never follow up on getting an album. Pretty sure Mom has a crush on Simon Baker... but who doesn't? I loved the new U2 song; can't wait for that album.

Great Day!

2009-01-20T22:18:00.004-06:00

I must say that today was pretty fabulous. Fabulous enough to overlook waking up at 4:30am, being at work at 5:45am, and powering through on 4 hours of sleep to now.

Obama is president. I watched and participated in history being made. It's a cool feeling. So cool, I got chills watching the inauguration. I think the spirit of today is what made it fabulous. It was awe inspiring to see 1.4 million people UNITED, holding hands, waving flags, braving the cold together to witness history.

All that gave me a fresh wind to attempt to tackle my second shift at work (Inkheart screening). Movie screenings at Northpark mall are so routine, I could probably walk from the parking lot, to the door, to the escalators, and to the correct theater with my eyes closed. I could tell that my energy was flagging by the time I get the table cloth spread out. It was hard to focus being so tired. One of the regular attendees was nice and hooked me up with a massage and Route 44 size Dr Pepper (how I love thee) from Sonic (how I love thee). That at least got me to where everything was out on the table, and from there, things kind of run themselves with people grabbing the Inkheart posters and signing up for a raffle. I threw in some trivia to keep me entertained. (Besides the Mummy series, Brendan Fraser's most memorable movies are Encino Man & George of the Jungle. Hmph.) It was also nice to see friendly faces from the ad agency and security team.

And now, I very much look forward to sleep. My Sandman insurance includes Sigur Rós' Ágætis Byrjun and an Advil PM.

Inauguration Day Awesomeness 2009

2009-01-20T13:11:00.003-06:00

Exciting days! Obama is our president! I can't tell you how excited I was to sit and watch the inauguration on tv (big screen tv with surround sound, it was like I was there!).

I know that my excitement is completely shared by some of my fellow believers. I met a gentleman this morning that you could not mistake as an evangelical Christian. I mean, he pulled up in what looked like an unmarked church van. I was happy that he wanted to pose with the Obama cutout we had at our radio station table, but I was perturbed by his announcement that he would be praying for Obama's salvation. I was under the assumption that Barrack Obama is a Christian. While it was nice that this man will be praying for Obama and studying Revelations, I think he ought to study the man whom he is praying for so he knows how to pray for his president.

This morning's encounter coupled with a few Facebook/Twitter remarks brought post-election night feelings back to the surface. It may not have been direct, but I felt the ridicule of Christian believers because I voted Democrat this election. How does one reconcile their faith and their politics?

I found this wonderful article from another person in the same predicament. So I leave yall to read this article by a professor at a Christian university by the name of Keith Drury.

"Uncritical acceptance of any party line is an idolatrous abdication of one's core identity as Abba's child. Neither liberal fairy dust nor conservative hardball addresses human dignity, which is most often dressed in rags. Abba's children find a third option. They are guided by God's Word and by it alone. All religious and political systems, Right and Left alike, are the work of human beings. Abba's children will not sell their birthright for any mess of pottage, conservative or liberal. They hold fast to their freedom in Christ to live the Gospel----uncontaminated by the cultural dreck, political flotsam, and the filigreed hypocrisies of bullying religion." -Brennan Manning (Abba’s Child)

God bless President Obama. God bless America.

A brief note concerning my obsessions, well maybe not so brief

2009-01-03T15:47:00.006-06:00

Doctor Who vs. Twilight

I could tell you easily that Doctor Who trumps vampires any day of the week. The Doctor travels through time and space in a cool blue box called the TARDIS. Edward Cullen is earth-bound in a silver Volvo... well an Aston Martin would turn my head, however, it still can't take me to the stars and beyond.

I remember all the hoopla concerning the casting of Edward Cullen, and bless him, Robert Pattinson didn't deserve the lashing he got just after his casting was announced. I hadn't read the books then, so I didn't understand the obsession. Now that I have, I still think he's a good choice.

Now then, the brilliance of Doctor Who is that if the Doctor is mortally injured, he regenerates into a new person. This is quite possibly the top most ingeniously brilliant plot device ever constructed (Sorry Shakespeare). It allowed the original Doctor Who series to broadcast for 26 years with 7 Doctors.

My first and most favorite Doctor is David Tennant. His Doctor was quick witted and had the best one-liners. I knew that one day the dream would end and he'd hand over the keys to the TARDIS, but I thought it was still a few years off. Nope! He made the announcement back in the fall that 2009 was his last year as our beloved Doctor. Big shoes have been left by a brilliant man.

Wondering who would fill those shoes has left me a bit nervous. Who would I like to see as the Doctor? John Simm would have been great, had he not played the Master a couple years back. David Morrisey would be awesome, but he just played in the last Christmas special. Rupert Penry-Jones and Richard Armitage would both be hothothot... maybe too attractive to be our beloved Timelord. Jonas Armstrong is too busy being Robin Hood. David Bowie? Too much awesomeness in combining glamrock god with Timelord... heads might explode. Hugh Laurie? He's already playing a doctor somewhere else (lol).

Well, today was the day the drumroll ended. The Whoniverse collectively gasped in anticipation..... Whovians sat perched on the edge of their seats, both fearful and ecstatic for the name of the 11th Doctor.

Matt Smith.

The youngest actor to ever play the Doctor at 26, Matt is a relatively unknown actor. But I gave the lad the once over on the BBC news page. He's got the personality and the quirky looks. While I'm not familiar with his resume, I'd say he's got a good chance. And with Stephen Moffat at the helm, there are sure to be top notch stories for Matt to cut his teeth on.

Good luck, Matt Smith! Looking forward to travelling time and space with you.

Happy New Year! Happy Birthday!!

2009-01-02T01:03:00.004-06:00

It's mah birthday! I'm celebrating this evening dancing around to 100.3 HD2 The Strip... because having a drink and dancing around to the the music of the Rat Pack, Michael Buble, and Judy Garland is a very classy way to turn 28.

I always love this week. The 8 day week between Christmas and my birthday. It's a trifecta of party. Christmas, New Year, and my birthday. It's a ChristmaNewYearBirthday. I'm not Jewish, but I like to think of it as a bit of a Hanukkah.... you know... 8 crazy nights. Yah... maybe not.

NYE was fun. I worked, but it was still a party. We did a live broadcast from what used to be a rollerskating rink/lumber yard/boot scootin' establishment (it's had a varied history). I spent the afternoon with friends celebrating Kelly's daughter Alexis' 10th birthday. My parents took me out for dinner and a movie tonight since they are taking advantage of Pawpaw being in Grandbury for the weekend by going to the lake tomorrow. We ate at Genghis Grill and saw Benjamin Button, but not before seeing the entire Texas Tech football team walk into the lobby of the AMC Grand. I'm not a Red Raider, but I wished them good luck in the Cotton Bowl. I will be spending my birthday in quiet solitude.... playing the heck out of Wii and watching movies. Ha! Of course, I'll count the seconds until I really turn 28 which will be at 12:22pm. Nerd, I know.

Some things I'd like for my birthday would be Doctor Who Season 4 on DVD, a new purse, and a bottle of Malibu. On the highly unlikely yet wishful thinking category, I'd like my credit card paid off, my student loans paid off, a trip to England, and Rob Pattinson. Wouldn't we all though? lol

I'm gonna finish my dancing around and get some sleep. I intend to live it up in royal fashion, must be well rested.

What a wonderful Christmas

2008-12-25T18:16:00.003-06:00

It's been a very good year. So sad that Christmas season has come and gone so fast. I love this time of year. The music and spending time with family. My brother flew in from Virginia on Thursday and his friend Cami came up from Austin to visit as well. I don't realize how much I miss him until after he's gone. I've gotta try to get more time with him before he leaves this weekend.

Christmas for our family really got started on Sunday. My uncle, his wife, and son were travelling this week to visit her family in Kansas, so our usual Christmas Day gathering moved up to Sunday. Pawpaw rode with mom and dad, my cousins were there too. We all met at Aunt Lizzie's house and had a brief dinner followed by a brief gift exchange (we draw names in this family, keeps it simple) followed by a little football.

Monday was really nothing. A bit of shopping, a bit of chauffeuring my car-less brother around town. Tuesday night saw a gathering of close friends to my family with a big spaghetti dinner and a little exchange of presents.

Last night was my dad's side of the family. Big Christmas Eve tradition is seeing all the Hursts in one house. Sadly, my Aunt Suzie and Uncle Joel moved to Bellingham, WA this year, so they couldn't come. They had a truly white Christmas on the West Coast, and they were missed greatly. However, Uncle Mike and his family, Camille and her boyfriend Ben, Shane and his lovely fiance Nissa, Mandy and all her girls. This was the first time meeting Ben and Nissa, but they jumped in with both feet and had a great time with all of us. This year saw the return of the "kids' table," although I renamed it the "Under 30 or Facebook cult table" since all of us were on Facebook and under 30 (except one welcome member lol). Ben introduced us to Malaysian Idol which is a lot funnier than American Idol. Nissa is really cool! She fits right is with the karaokeing, Doctor Who fans in our family. :-) We were all laughing all night long. Shane is directing a production of Pride and Prejudice in Lewisville, and I may go up and audition for a part on Monday, which should be fun.

After everyone went home at 11:30, I headed straight up stairs to wrap presents and watch the BBC America Christmas shows. I watched the Queen's Christmas message this morning. I thought it was a nice universal message in these tough times to live generously and be outgoing.

You wouldn't have been able to tell that there was an economic down turn in our living room this morning. We all made off like bandits even though there was a significant cutback in spending. The tradition the past 8 yrs in our family has been to get a gift for the house, and this year we got a Wii. I foresee the return of Leslie and Dad gaming time. :-)

This Christmas season maybe over for some of you, but it only begins my celebrating. My birthday is next Friday. 8 days of awesome... kinda like Hannukah, but not. lol

Like I said, I love this season. Parties and families. Christmas music and Christmas decorations.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T01:55:00.001-06:00

It's Christmas everyone!

Lots of love! Hope your day is blessed!

Hatchlings

2008-12-21T20:58:00.002-06:00

I have an application on my facebook page called Hatchlings. It's a digital easter egg hunt. As more of your friends add the app, you go looking for eggs in their profiles. The eggs can then be hatched and kept as digital pets.

The cool part is the eggs are different and contain different creatures than just what Mother Nature designated for that particular form of birth. You can name them and dress them in hats. The weird/sick part is that you have to feeds these digital pets other eggs.

I ask you, is digital cannibalism ok for the sake of killing time? I try to keep from feeding my hatchlings eggs of the same type because I feel that's worse than feeding a digital llama a digital ducky egg.

I have to go now. Don Burro, my blue tattooed donkey needs an egg.

Rough road ahead.

2008-12-11T14:27:00.004-06:00

I'm enjoying the quiet before the storm. I'm fairly certain the 24hrs is going tear me to shreds.

In one hour, I'll be at work. As soon as, I'm home from work, I'm crawling into bed and going to attempt sleep at 9pm. I have to wake up at 3am to be at work by 4 for a live broadcast from Northpark tomorrow morning.

If you're out tomorrow morning around the ass-crack of dawn, have pity and hook your sister up with a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. I'll be the delirious one in the blue Movin tshirt on the Park Lane side of Northpark.

I have no idea what I'll do after I'm off tomorrow. I'm sure that my mother will assign me something that will require consciousness.

Pawpaw sitting.

2008-12-08T15:01:00.003-06:00

I would have probably picked up a shift today and made some money, but mom is concerned about Pawpaw. He's been a bit wobbly since the day surgery he had on Friday. His pride has become a serious detriment to his health. He won't let mom bring down the walker to aid with his mobility. He complains that the house is too cold but doesn't think to put on an extra layer on clothes. He sits around watching AMC and TCM all day and doesn't get any excercise. Doctors tell him to lay off the salt, but he's an addict and nothing tastes right to him without it. Thus, I am watching over a 70yr old who behaves like a 7yr old.

How do you reason with an unreasonable man?

An afternoon's toils for a season of lighted magic.

2008-12-07T23:01:00.000-06:00

I love my job because I get to meet interesting people.

2008-12-06T23:11:00.001-06:00

I have weird dreams

2008-12-05T12:05:00.004-06:00

My dreams are weird. I'm not sure if that's because of the caffiene I drink or because I haven't gotten enough caffiene to stave off the caffiene-withdrawal mind trips that a lack of Coke or DP tends to do to my unconscious imagination.

Or maybe I'm just plain weird. lol Might explain a lot.

It was about a friend I hadn't seen in a while. "A while" might be an understatement as I can't exactly remember how long it's been since the last time I saw him. It's been 2+ years at least. It was nice to see him and hang out though.

I always think it's interesting the things I dream about. Sometimes it feels like they have real significance, and other times I can recognize the waking memories my mind is trying to process during REM sleep. [I read that dreams are your mind trying to "defrag" your memories. Score 3 nerd points for pc analogy.] I think this one was a product of a REM defrag as I was cleaning out old subscriptions on Xanga yesterday.

In other news, I feel like I've stalled out. Stagnated. It's time for something new. Perhaps it's good that it's the holidays, because the New Year is coming. So is my birthday. Time for plenty of new. I'm not all that excited about turning 28. That's a first, I'm usually excited about my birthday. I like being 27 though. 27 is a good number. 28 just feels like I'm getting closer to 30. 30 seems like the age where I need to grow up. Maybe it's time for that too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T11:03:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving yall!

I'm thankful for my family. For my friends. For my Lord Jesus, who has saved me and provided for me through some tough financial times recently. For my crazy beagles. For warmish weather. For basketball season. For gas in my car. For my desperately needed paycheck coming Friday.

And finally, for the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends float Rickrolling the Macy's Parade. That's a WIN!

Moving on up

2008-11-24T20:50:00.002-06:00

I need to stop being so lazy.

I should really start looking for a job. I mean, I have one. It's not really covering the bills though. Hours have dropped off recently. Kinda hurts the ol' pocketbook.

I think it would be cool to get a job at a record label in LA. I just want to get some work experience on my resume so that I can chase my dream job in London.

I'm trying to make manageable goals to step closer to that ultimate dream.

The Blog That Leslie Forgot

2008-11-07T21:14:00.002-06:00

I've been trying to decide what to do with this particular piece of internet real estate. It's a tough decision, but I've come to the conclusion that I can't do a music blog justice. Yes, this will no longer be just about music. It will grow to include the rest of my life as well.

So, if you don't wish to venture in my not-so-wild, surprisingly tame antics, then I'm very sorry... It's about to get girly.

Boy Bands in Texas

2008-07-25T10:36:00.003-05:00

I might be a couple of days late on this, but it scares me. The Jonas Brothers have moved to the DFW area.

I'll let this disturbing news settle in.

You know of course this means I can no longer go shopping without the fear that there will be a JoBro sighting and I could be killed in the ensuing mayhem and crushing hordes of screaming teenage girls. I just hope they stick to shopping in Southlake and won't come to Grapevine Mills, Galleria, or Northpark [I like those places].

I actually feel mean and am thinking about going to a mall and shouting "OMG!!! It's the Jonas Brothers!!" and seeing what happens. I'm evil. lol

Quickie Concert Review: Roonie, Locksley, The Bridges @ HOB

2008-07-24T19:50:00.005-05:00

This was a great show! The Bridges were the openner. The almost all female group reminded me of Eisley. Their sound is pretty close with a bit of a Fleetwood Mac twist. Everyone I was with loved their set and swayed along with the music.

Locksley was next. The frontman was a slick fast talker with a polished stage presence that reminded of That Thing You Do or Ed Sullivan-era Beatles. Their songs were poppy and fun like those great 60s bands. It wasn't what I was expecting from a band named after Robin Hood's hometown.

Rooney was great as always. They played a lot of song from their first album and few off the new record. They did a few great covers. The encore really impressed me when they switched up positions, drummer Ned to vocals, singer Rob to drums, and keyboardist Louie to guitar. All this to roar through Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." Awesome!

Catchin' Up

2008-07-24T19:22:00.003-05:00

Life happens in between my little postings here, and a lot of life has happened since I last tickled the keyboard. Amazing boyfriends aside, here's a couple of things I promised.

Forever The Sickest Kids are on The Warped Tour. It's already made it's pass at Dallas, but for the rest of you out there, you still have a chance to catch them.

Jul 24 2008 Darien, New York
Jul 25 2008 Camden, New Jersey
Jul 26 2008 Uniondale, New York
Jul 27 2008 Scranton, Pennsylvania
Jul 28 2008 Englishtown, New Jersey
Jul 29 2008 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jul 30 2008 Cinncinnatti, Ohio
Jul 31 2008 Noblesville, Indiana
Aug 1 2008 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Aug 2 2008 Tinley Park, Illinois
Aug 3 2008 Shakopee, Minnesota
Aug 5 2008 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Aug 6 2008 Calgary, Alberta
Aug 13 2008 Fresno, California
Aug 14 2008 Chula Vista, California
Aug 15 2008 Mountain View, California
Aug 16 2008 Marysville, California
Aug 17 2008 Carson, California

If you haven't had a listen to Jesse McCartney's new album, it's worth a listen to hear him go from Disney Radio sugar pop to grown up R&B/Pop ala Justin Timberlake.

I haven't forgotten!

2008-07-02T16:59:00.002-05:00

I haven't been abducted by aliens (I wish, though!). I've been hella busy and having IT issues (Verizon's getting an earful tomorrow).

I will say that you should keep your eyes on this here blog. I've got news on G Love, Forever the Sickest Kids, Jessie McCartney, and a concert review of the Rooney show tomorrow night at HOB.

Lots of music blogness to start the holiday weekend off right.

Stay tuned!

RIP George Carlin

2008-06-23T15:07:00.002-05:00

Wow... wasn't expecting this, but I'm sad to hear that George Carlin passed away.

Gas Prices Hurting Indie Bands, Tours

2008-06-22T14:12:00.002-05:00

This jumped at me from Yahoo's front page. We're all feeling the pain of insanely high gas prices, but no one feels it more acutely than the indie bands emptying their savings to tour.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080622/ap_en_mu/touring_on_empty

Happy Birthday Paul McCartney

2008-06-18T13:56:00.003-05:00

My favorite Beatle turns 66 yrs young today, so in honor of Macca, here's my fave Paul moment, his Ever Present Past, and a small tribute.

I Will Possess Your Heart, Baby

2008-06-18T13:37:00.003-05:00

Fate and a super cool boss brought Death Cab tickets to my hands yesterday. Let me preface this post by stating that I generally resist hype or people declaring that I cannot live without hearing such and such a band/album. Since their album Transatlanticism, I have been resisting Death Cab for Cutie at all costs. Then Ben Gibbard went "postal" and hooked me in with The Postal Service, and my walls of resistance cracked ever so slightly.

That being said, Death Cab for Cutie is slowly growing on me. I'm pleased to see former-indie darlings being successful in the major league. Ben Gibbard's voice is sweet and charming, and the music speaks for itself. Although, Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie is too big a venue for the music, but I suspect that anywhere else would have sold out in minutes due to the sheer popularity of Death Cab.

Last time I saw them, I had just been blown away by Franz Ferdinand, who totally dominated the night, and the switch in gears to Death Cab left me sleepy in the back of the pit.... not kidding (don't shoot!). This year, Rogue Wave set the tone that matched the mood of Death Cab's music almost perfectly. Still very relaxing music, and I enjoyed the night sitting down for most of the night. Until the uber fans arrived and blocked my view with enthusiastic jumping.

The thing that annoys me the most about Death Cab isn't their music. It's their fans. I'm fine with the music nerds [hello, I am one]. I'm fine with the scenesters and hipsters. I'm annoyed by the "Abercrombies" who are only there to be seen at a cool concert, talk through the entire show, prop their feet up on an occupied seat, or fan girly squeal like annoying teenagers [boys and girls].

*ahem* I think this time around, I have a greater appreciation for Death Cab's music. Really listening to the lyrics and getting caught up in in the music finally punched a hole in my defenses. I will endeavor to obtain their albums to fill the gaping void in my cd shelf post haste, and I will wear my new tshirt proudly [and I will try not to laugh at myself for doing so].

Random, annoying.....yet, strangely addictive.

2008-06-18T13:30:00.003-05:00

Listening to The Geoff Show on Virgin Radio UK, or via podcast, I get to hear alot of things I wouldn't normally catch on regular American radio.

I present to you a sample of something that will be stuck in your head for the rest of the year, if it wasn't already from watching Darjeeling Limited.

Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip

Seven Samurai

2008-06-14T10:21:00.002-05:00

This post is gonna fall in the "other" category since it's not musically inclined.

First... apologies for the quiet around here. I finally got a job. I'm a promotions assistant for Movin' 107.5, and it's the best job in the world. Seriously, what could be better than getting paid to act crazy and draw attention to yourself? It's been keeping me busy. I'm really thankful for getting such a great job that will definitely lead me somewhere. I'm getting closer to my goal of moving to England to work in the music industry there, which is pretty exciting for me. :-)

Did anyone catch the Akira Kurosawa marathon last weekend on the Ovation channel? Kurosawa is one of the most amazing filmmakers in the history of cinema. I watched Seven Samurai twice on Sunday.

Bo Diddley 1928-2008

2008-06-02T12:41:00.002-05:00

In memory of one of the original Guitar Heroes.

Sigur Ros has a buzz in their ears, a new album, and video.

2008-05-28T12:58:00.006-05:00

Sigur Ros made an announcement this week about their new album and video for the single "Goobleidgook."

Here's the announcement from their facebook page:

Sigur Rós will be releasing their new album worldwide the week of June 23. It is called Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.

You can download the first track "Gobbledigook" and watch the video right now on SigurRos.com.

This is the official announcement sent out by the record labels today…

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
(English spelling: Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust)

Sigur Rós will be releasing their fifth album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (English translation: with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly), worldwide the week of June 23. The first track from the album, entitled "Gobbledigook," is available worldwide for free download via SigurRos.com. The video for the song is also on the website.

A pre-sale for the album will begin on SigurRos.com on June 2. A special deluxe edition of the album to be released later in the year — featuring a "Making Of… " book, a film and more — will also be available to pre-order on the band's website as of June 2. A stream of Með suð í eyrum… will be available to hear on SigurRos.com on June 9. Lastly, a plethora of Sigur Rós goodies — exclusive clips, information on tickets for upcoming shows throughout the year, etc. — will be available to those who sign up for the mailing list on SigurRos.com.

Með suð í eyrum… was co-produced with the band by renowned producer Flood, and was recorded in New York City (at Sear Sound Studios), London (at Assault and Battery Studios and Abbey Road), Reykjavík (at Álafoss, the band's studio, as well as a church in Reykjavík), and Havana, Cuba. Whereas Sigur Rós' last release — the critically-acclaimed documentary Heima, chronicling their free tour throughout Iceland — took the band to their homeland, their newest creation, Með suð í eyrum… is the first album in the band's career to be made outside of Iceland. It is also their first album to feature vocalist Jón "Jónsi" Thor Birgisson's vocals in English on one track (the remainder are sung in Icelandic).

Inspired by the unfettered feeling of the acoustic performances filmed during Heima, Sigur Rós decided to adopt a looser approach in the writing and creation of their brilliant fifth album. The material for the album was written, recorded and mixed entirely in 2008 and is being released just one month after its completion. The album glows with the perfect imperfection of live takes, the sounds of fingers playing guitar strings, cracked notes, and a stark, upfront presence not found in previous Sigur Rós recordings, moving away from reverb-soaked guitar sounds towards something altogether more affecting. The record also contains some of the most joyous music the band has ever recorded.

Opener "Gobbledigook" sets the tone for Með suð í eyrum… with its shifting acoustic guitars, playful vocals, time signature swings and swirling percussion, while "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" ("Within me a lunatic sings") sparkles as one of the most anthemic songs Sigur Rós have ever written. "Festival" is epic in its elation and scope, "Illgresi" features one of Jónsi's finest vocal melodies over a lone acoustic guitar, and "Ára bátur" is the largest musical undertaking in the band's career, as it was recorded live in one take with the London Sinfonietta and London Oratory Boy's Choir, a total of 90 people playing at the same time. The band also utilized the talents of their string-quartet friends Amiina, as well as a five-piece brass section on certain tracks, in addition to introducing the Mellotron into their writing/recording process for the first time on this album, highlighted on one of the most tender and beautiful songs on the record, "Fljótavík."

The spirit of Með suð í eyrum… is best captured by the album's stunning artwork, contributed by acclaimed visual artist Ryan McGinley. McGinley first met the band when he photographed Jónsi six years ago; the album cover was taken from a flyer for McGinley's most recent exhibit, "I Know Where the Summer Goes," which happened to find its way into Jónsi's inbox just as the band was deciding on how to best visually represent their new collection of songs. The result is a perfect synergy of the aural and the visual.

The tracklisting for Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly) is…

1. Gobbledigook
2. Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
3. Góðan daginn
4. Við spilum endalaust
5. Festival
6. Með suð í eyrum
7. Ára bátur
8. Illgresi
9. Fljótavík
10. Straumnes
11. All Alright

Sigur Rós will be playing shows all over the globe throughout the summer and fall to preview material from Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, including a special set at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The tour dates are:

The June tour dates…
6/5/08 Guadalajara, MEX @ Teatro Degollado
6/7/08 Tepoztlan, MEX @ Festival La Colmena
6/8/08 Tijuana, MEX @ Planeta Tijuana
6/11/08 Omaha, NE @ Orpheum Theater
6/12/08 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
6/14/08 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
6/16/08 New York, NY @ Grand Ballroom
6/20/08 Neuhausen ob Eck @ Southside Festival
6/22/08 Scheesel, Bremen @ Hurricane Festival

More worldwide tour dates will be announced soon.

Sigur Rós is: Jón Thor Birgisson (vocals, guitar), Georg Holm (bass), Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards/piano), Orrí Páll Dýrason (drums).

http://www.sigurros.com
http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/sigurros

I would normally post the video at this point, but everyone in it completely naked and I wanna keep this blog kid friendly. The track doesn't really sound like your usual Sigur Ros, but I kinda like it. I'm a bit excited about the English track.

David Cook is my American Idol

2008-05-23T09:19:00.004-05:00

I've got no bones about voting for American Idol this season. This was a pretty intense and talented cast. Everyone this season could have very well made it to the finals, but David Cook rocketed ahead of the rest with his version of Lionel Richie's "Hello." [Which was pretty freakin' amazing!] I pulled for local boy Jason Castro as long as I could, but he wanted to go home so badly that last week that we all gave in.

I think America got it right this week crowning Cook over Archuletta. The kid was impressive and has a ton of potential. However, Simon and the other judges have remarked that winners need to have that total package [looks, talent, stage presence, and wow factor]. Archie is cute, has oodles of talent, his wow factor is his age, BUT I never felt like his stage presence was up to par. Go back and watch what he does with his hands in his solo performances. It always felt like a high school talent show or Star Search beauty pageant.

Also, I'm still a little beefed from last season's Blake Lewis upset, so I'm glad David Cook got it this year. I hope he takes some hints from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on how to stay in the public eye long enough to make an impact. It would be sad to be that amazing and end up like Taylor Hicks [who? exactly.]

Fellow DBU Alumni: Forever The Sickest Kids!

2008-04-23T14:22:00.003-05:00

Who knew that a tiny Baptist college in the hills of extreme southwest Dallas was such a hotbed of good music? I certainly didn't when I started at DBU, but I do now. I'm proud to see a few of my former classmates doing well.

Forever The Sickest Kids are about to release their release their first album on Universal, titled Underdog Alma Mater. With a powerpop sound that is perfect for those west coast soap operas... wait... FTSK was just featured on The Hills. I rest my case. It's these kinds of things that make me really happy for people I know. I'm proud of these guys. I can still remember the days of The Flipside, and that now seems like ages ago. I really recommend that you go check these guys out. It's good music, and they put on a great show.

FTSK will be playing at House of Blues here in Dallas for their cd release party on May 24th. However, their cd comes out April 29th. That's in 5 days folks. You can pre-order from fine retailers such as Best Buy or iTunes.

You can check out FTSK on their website or on My Space.

Shishido Hinata wa sugoi desu!!

2008-04-21T23:25:00.002-05:00

[Translation: Shishido Hinata is amazing!!]

Once again, I went myspace digging. Curious after hearing that one of my favorite actresses was making music with M. Ward, I shuffled over to have a listen. While poking around Mr Ward's top friends list, I came across Shishido Hinata.

It's probably not suprising that I clicked on him with my obvious fascination with Japan. He reminds me a bit of Aqualung. Refreshing and relaxing pop that doesn't give you that sugar overkill. He would have been a perfect fit on the Lost In Translation soundtrack. The second track on his myspace, translated as "Seed", is beautiful with touches of traditional Japanese melody in the vocals.

Definitely check this guy out!

New Poll: Best Music Movie?

2008-04-19T03:38:00.003-05:00

Ok... In honor of National Record Store Day, I've taken a hint from the film High Fidelity and made a Top 5 list of my favorite films about or featuring music or the music industry [in no particular order]. Submitted for your polling pleasure to the left of your screen.

I want to know which one is your favorite. Tell me why too.

It's a toughie. I'd say it's a tie for the top between High Fidelity and That Thing You Do. TTYD is a dorky choice, I know. I love seeing [in a fictional representation] how record labels operated back in the early days of rock, when they actually invested in an artist and developed them into a brand. I love High Fidelity because it celebrates the music nerds in all of us [if you read or write a music blog, then you are a music nerd. Embrace it!]. I have friends that I sit around and talk about music and movies with in a highly nerdy fashion, and every music lover finds themselves employed in a music store at some point.

Spinal Tap is just hilarious. It's all about 11.

Record Store Day and Good Records turns 8!

2008-04-17T13:21:00.004-05:00

If you don't know, Saturday is National Record Store Day. It's a lovely day designed to give thanks and love to your local independent record store. Dallas' own Good Records postponed their birthday bash until this Saturday to make for a huge celebration. There will be tons of music in-store (pun intended lol).

If you don't know how to get there, the address is:

1808 Lower Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206

Blown Away!! Must check this guy out!!

2008-04-16T13:45:00.002-05:00

I was in Austin over the weekend and hung out at Copa Bar & Grill off Congress Ave. It was a GrammyU showcase for Texas college-age bands. A few of my Dallas Baptist friends were there, but I wasn't prepared for Kevin Jack.

Kevin Jack is an Austin-based rap artist who brought up a live band to accompany him and his rhymes. The whole room started bouncing and groovin' with his songs. What a way to end an Austin daytrip!

Anyways... get yourself over to his myspace and check out his tunes.

Feist at Palladium on Wednesday

2008-04-14T14:38:00.002-05:00

This is just a reminder that you should go see Feist this Wednesday at Palladium.

I, of course, am too poor to go, but if you have the cash... get yo'self down there!!

Here's just a sample of what you'll see. [Be sure to look for Mary J Blige and Thom Yorke rockin' out on the sidelines].

Franz Ferdinand is in the studio.

2008-04-11T14:08:00.003-05:00

This photo came out of their myspace blog. It makes me happy. :-)

Also, I'm a bit intrigued by the set up. Live recording is the way to go these days. I'm curious to hear how this will turn out.

Feist on tour

2008-04-08T12:45:00.004-05:00

Feist is going on tour and bringing her wonderful, musical magic to a venue near you. I would highly recommend you go see her if you have a chance... or the money. Clap along with "Sea Lion." Dance your way through "I Feel It All."

She'll be hitting Dallas on Wednesday, April 16th at the Palladium Ballroom. I might be poor, but I'm gonna find a way to get to this show. I'll be darned if I miss it.

The rest of the tour dates can be found on her My Space and website.

Stay Indie or Go Major: Selling Out?

2008-04-07T13:05:00.002-05:00

I don't know what to classify some bands as anymore. Are they still indie if they've signed with a major label but still fall under the radar of the masses?

Death Cab For Cutie has long been popular is the hipster crowds. Could they still keep their indie cred even after signing with Atlantic records and licensing their music for commerical use? A decade ago, that could be considered "selling out" to The Man. After all, The Man has been the entity rock'n'roll has fought against for over 50 years.

Yahoo has posted an article about how Death Cab has faired in the majors. Check it out.

It's official... NKOTB is back on the block.

2008-04-05T13:22:00.003-05:00

I was nine years old. My super cool cousin Stephanie had tickets to the New Kids on the Block concert at Texas Stadium, and I was invited (of course, my mom had to come with me). I remember my mom giving me a cassette of Step By Step, and I listened to it as I pulled my hair up into pony tail with a scrunchie.

We only lived a 1/2 mile from Texas Stadium then. I remember being in awe of everything there. It was like a huge fair. Radio stations were everywhere. I made note of a few to check out when I got home. I remember getting the black light stamp on my hand to go down to the field where our seats where. Section G. It was towards the back of the field but I didn't care. I watched the jumbotron the whole time. Mom put me up on her shoulders a few times, but she couldn't hold me forever.

I'll never forget that experience. It was the first time that I listened to something other than what my parents listened to. I remember going home that night and tuning into 100.3 Jamz. Inevitably, that day set me on a music lovin' path that has led me here today, to this blog. What humble beginnings. lol

I suppose it was only a matter of time before the rumors were confirmed that NKOTB were getting back together. Alas, I was halfway tempted to go digging through my closet for anything NKOTB that might still be there. A poster, a pillow, and a sleeping bag are all that remain now (I'm a pack rat, so sue me. :-P ). I still have my Hangin' Tough Live vhs around here somewhere too. I wonder if this stuff is worth money now.

Anyways, it's really really official now. Right down to the morning show debut.

Now, for the hardcore fans out there.... how many of you woke up early on Saturday mornings to catch this.....

Create your own Radiohead Remix

2008-04-01T12:37:00.002-05:00

The brilliance that is Radiohead has brought forth a challenge to fans. Remix "Nude" and let My Space and Facebook fans vote on the best mix.

You can get all the separate "stems" (song elements like bass, guitar, vox, etc) from iTunes for $.99 a pop. Those files will give you an access code for Garageband or whatever music software you use. Once you've mixed, added, and remixed to your heart's content, upload it to www.radioheadremix.com where fans can vote until May 1st.

You have one month to make Thom Yorke proud. Get at it!

Fever

2008-03-26T10:24:00.003-05:00

This is what Joel and Mudi over at FEVER blog do every Friday. They will soon be raffling themselves off for charity. Ladies... this is your big chance!!!

Levi Weaver's "You Are Home" tour coming to a town near you.

2008-03-25T23:26:00.003-05:00

Levi Weaver is going on the road and heading West. His tour booking completed, Levi sets out on April 1st to bring his electro-acoustic folk rock to homes, churches, campuses, and venues from the Mississippi to the West Coast and all points in between.

I know the likelihood of someone from Montana or Canada reading this blog is pretty slim, but if Levi is coming to your town, you should definitely get out and see him. Buy a CD and a tshirt while you're at it, because independent musicians need to eat and buy A LOT of fuel.

There's an awesome press release in his blog that you should read.

Tour dates are as follows:

The "You Are Home" Tour (West Wing)

April 01 - Houston, TX - DOXA Student Center (Spring)
April 02 - Ft. Worth, TX - CCAG Student Center
April 03 - Dallas, TX - VCI Student Center (Parker)
April 04 - Norman, OK - In-Studio Set for "The Wire" (OU Radio)
April 05 - Albuquerque, NM - UNM Lobo A/B Room (SUB)
April 06 - Phoenix, AZ - TBA
April 08 - San Diego, CA - The Kava Lounge
April 10 - Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
April 11 - Visalia, CA - TBA
April 12 - San Francisco, CA - TBA
April 13 - Portland, OR - The Tonic Lounge
April 14 - Seattle, WA - The Greenhouse
April 15 - Spokane, WA - Empyrean Coffe House
April 16 - Missoula, MT - Rob’s Field
April 18 - Salt Lake City, UT - TBA
April 22 - Cheyenne, WY - TBA
April 24 - Evergreen, CO - Little Bear
April 25 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
April 28 - Omaha, NE - PS Collective
May 02 - Kansas City, MO - Korruption
May 03 - St. Louis, MO - UMSL Pilot House.
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Cameron House

(East Coast dates will resume when school starts in September)

In the meantime, check out his self-produced video for the song "You Are Home." It's pretty flippin' amazing!

Download Pennywise's New Album for FREE

2008-03-25T10:13:00.004-05:00

Hermosa Beach, CA based punk band Pennywise is offering their new album "Reason To Believe" for free. It's a secure download from Textango.

They are also on tour right now to support the album. There's a free "secret" show in Tempe tonight. They'll be hitting the Granada Theater when they come to Dallas on May 9th.

Go to their myspace to get the album and more tour information on this classic West Coast punk band.

Bring LIKE I CARE to Dallas!

2008-03-24T22:54:00.004-05:00

Hello friends! Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend. I got me some peeps on discount today. :-)

I need some help from you, dear reader. A Manchester duo I've recently befriended through My Space is looking to come to Dallas for a couple of gigs in mid to late May. Just to brag a bit about Like I Care... Roi had the punk thing going a few years ago, and it was pretty good. After a bit of a break, Roi teamed up with Fee and went acoustic last year. I've heard a bit of the new songs, and they are clever and fun. Very enjoyable, and I can't wait to hear more when they get here in May.

That's where you come in, my friend. My pal Joel [of FEVER Blog] is helping to get a couple of gigs, but the more the merrier. Like I Care will only be in town for a week, so let's show them that Dallas still rocks.

Also, to alleviate luggage woes, they'll need to borrow or rent some gear. Roi needs an electro-acoustic guitar with a cutaway. Fee will need a Fender jazz bass and an amp.

You can check out Like I Care on My Space as well as messaging them about Dallas gigs.

The 80s guilty pleasure list.

2008-03-18T15:28:00.004-05:00

I was born in January of 1981. Just 8 months older than MTV. I was just barely old enough to remember dancing around the house to Madonna and Culture Club. Now that I've grown up, I am not ashamed to admit my love for 80s retro, and I'm a bit offended if it's classed as "oldies." [I'm not ready to give up on being an oldie yet myself.]

On Yahoo's music blogs, there's a playlist of all those sissy 80s songs that you were afraid to admit that you liked.

Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
No One To Blame - Howard Jones
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - Culture Club
Poison Arrow - ABC
Save A Prayer - Duran Duran
Careless Whisper - WHAM!
Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
If You Leave - OMD
Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
It's My Life - Talk Talk
More Than This - Roxy Music
I Ran (So Far Away) - A Flock Of Seagulls
Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes
Perfect Way - Scritti Politti
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
Only You - Yaz
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
Love Plus One - Haircut 100
True - Spandau Ballet

Will and Dave, Leather and Lace

2008-03-18T14:19:00.002-05:00

There are no words for this. It's just that funny.

Jack White, you're my hero

2008-03-18T14:10:00.002-05:00

Rumors, rumors, rumors. There was definitely a buzz today... and that wasn't my power flickering in the storm that woke me up at 9:13 am. Word is, Jack White is taking the new Raconteurs album to labels today to have it released next week.

Rolling Stone says it is because the band wants everyone to get the album at the exact same time. It's a great idea. It's keeps critics from warning you away if they don't like it, and it keeps pirates from leaking the album before the street date.

Here's a link to the Rolling Stone blurb.

Eisley Spring Tour

2008-03-14T11:18:00.003-05:00

Texas' answer to the Von Trapp family just announced dates for a spring tour with The Myriad, Vedera, and The Envy Corps. While they aren't Disney sweet like Hannah Montana, they are definitely a different brand of sweetness that will endear them to your heart. They are fantastic to see live, so I definitely think this tour will be worth your time.

All the shows are open to all ages, and tickets range from $10 to $22.50 (depending on your city). Their Dallas stop will be at House of Blues on May 22nd ($15/$20).

Follow the banner below to see all the dates for the tour and link to purchase your tickets.

Radiant interview on Bona Fide Darling

2008-03-13T10:49:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite local bands [I've said this before I'm sure] was interviewed by another Blogger-based music blog. Bona Fide Darling sat down with the 3/4 of Radiant before their show at House of Blues last weekend.

It's a good interview as they talk about a new album, influences, and touring. Go check it out!

PS. Maybe all us Dallas music Bloggers should start a club. lol!

Cool shows to be aware of

2008-03-11T22:21:00.004-05:00

Levi Weaver is coming to back to DFW. You might remember him from Stories of London or opening for Imogen Heap at SMU. If you don't know him, he's an amazing indie/folk/rock/alt-country/[insert ultra amazing something here because it got away from me].

He's currently on tour supporting his independently produced album "You Are Never Close To Home, You Are Never Far From Home." The "You Are Home" tour opens up booking to the fans. He's been booked in houses, college campuses, and clubs. He's got 3 DFW dates coming up.

This Saturday, March 15th, Levi will be in Carrollton at a house show. It'll be acoustic only, no loop pedals. I'd recommend this for the friends and old fans familiar with his music. RSVP is needed for the show. Details for contacting the host are on Levi's My Space.

If you do not have Good Friday services at your local church, March 21st Levi will be playing at The Door's Prophet Bar [aka the old Gypsy Tea Room] in Deep Ellum [Dallas]. This is a regular show, and I'd definitely recommend coming to see him on this night. It's worth it to see his awesome cover of Radiohead's Idioteque.

On Wednesday April 2nd, Levi will be in Ft Worth at Christ Church Student Ministry Center. Safe for ears of all ages.

Sigur Ros takes over YouTube

2008-03-08T15:47:00.003-06:00

If you visited YouTube's homepage yesterday, you noticed that the brilliant Icelandic band Sigur Ros took over to show their film "Heima" on the popular video site.

I would suggest that you take advantage of the chance to watch "Heima" for free. It's remarkably beautiful. Shot on location around Iceland, it's visually stunning and the music of Sigur Ros will sweep you away. Although, I will warn you that this is a very relaxing movie and could lull you into a peaceful nap.

Sigur Ros "Heima" on YouTube.

PLUG Awards Winners

2008-03-07T23:04:00.003-06:00

I should be fired. I completely forgot about the Plug Awards this week. To redeem myself, I bring you the winners.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

What a great record. I'm really pleased this one was recognized. I'm surprised that it beat out Radiohead's In Rainbows in this category.

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Justice

I found these guys on My Space almost a year ago. Crazy, cool, and Christian... the way it should be in my opinion. ;-) They make me want to dance like Jamiroquai, so I'm really happy with this outcome too.

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
St. Vincent

I'm a bit disappointed Emma Pollock didn't win this category.

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Andrew Bird

INDIE ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Arcade Fire, Of Montreal, or The National might have been my pick for this category. A Speak'n'Spell had to die for these guys to win. :-P

AMERICANA ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

I'm pleased here. :-)

METAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works

HIP-HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass

PUNK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!

Haha! Let's here it for fun and funny punk rock!

ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Justice - †

Deserved!

DJ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Hot Chip - DJ Kicks

AVANT ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Liars - Liars

I was pulling for Eluvium because their music reminded me of Sigur Ros [I like sleepy time music].

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Radiohead

Would you expect any different? Brilliance deserves reward.

SONG OF THE YEAR
The National - "Fake Empire"

Crackers. This category was a tough call. You had Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Justice, Of Montreal, and The National all up against each other. Any one of those would have been a great choice.

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR
Arcade Fire

:-)

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Battles - "Atlas"

I'm thinking that Justice's video was pretty freaking awesome.

ALBUM ART PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
Menomena - Friend And Foe

I'm laughing more at the category than the winner. It's listed under "obsessive." Much?

RECORD LABEL OF THE YEAR
Merge

I voted Sub Pop because I love just about everything I hear off that label.

LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bowery Ballroom

Texas gets no love.

MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Coachella

Again no love for Texas. Both Austing City Limits Festival and SXSW were up in this category.

MUSIC WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
Pitchfork Media

MUSIC BLOG OF THE YEAR
Stereogum

I was pulling for Brooklyn Vegan. Reading that blog was one of the inspirations to start this blog you're reading now.

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Paste

ONLINE RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
KCRW

RECORD STORE OF THE YEAR
Other Music

No love for Waterloo in Austin. Sad.

ZINE OF THE YEAR
Wax Poetics

ONLINE RECORD STORE OF THE YEAR
iTunes

Easy win. iTunes blasts the competition.

COLLEGE/NON-COMM RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
KEXP

SPECIALTY SHOW OF THE YEAR
Sirius: Left Of Center - Blog Radio

Hitting closer to home. Dallas' own Adventure Club w/ Josh from KDGE was up for this category. I'm just a bit upset over that.

Now, I should remind you that the Brit Awards will be broadcast for all of us stuck on this side of the pond on Sunday at 8pm E/7pm C on BBC America [you may want to check to see if your cable or satellite provider is cool enough to carry it].

Hellogoodbye Exclusive website and contest

2008-03-05T23:27:00.009-06:00

Every now and again, something cool falls into my lap. Today, I learned that Hellogoodbye have a little website set up for the release of their EP/DVD and CD/DVD. You can get ringtones, listen to some exclusive tracks, and enter to win an autographed cd. Kinda cool.

Go check it out yo!

The makings of a POPular Song

2008-03-05T11:03:00.003-06:00

Pop is such a nasty word these days. It's almost a dirty word in some musicians' minds. It embodies the image of selling out and not being true to where you came from.

In essence, Pop is short for popular, and doesn't every musician want to be popular? But how do you get the ordinary musician, slugging it out in bars and open mic nights, to rise to a level of popularity that will bring success? A song.

In my opinion, and let me add that I dove back into some of my producing text books for inspiration, is that a popular song has to leave an impression. Your audience has to leave the venue singing your songs. Everybody and their grandmas knows what a hook is. It's a little bit of melody that is repeated and memorable. When I think of the Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction," I think of that famous guitar riff. The hook can be anything really, just as long as it's repeated and memorable.

Another thing that I've found important, to me, in a popular song is "singability." I've got to be able to sing along with a song for me to really like it. This a very huge reason why I've never like that thrash metal whatever they call growling, grunting, and screaming into a mic. [Don't get me wrong, metal is cool. Metalica... I can sing to that.] Most of the most historically popular songs are relatively easy to sing along with. "At Last," "Moon River," "Hard Day's Night," "Imagine," and "Proud Mary" are all examples of hugely popular songs, instantly recognizable, and easy to sing along with.

Along with "singability," there has to be musicality. Inherently, everyone knows when a song is just a little off. Something that is just not quite right and makes you squirm a bit in your chair. We've all heard it, and most likely during the auditions segment of American Idol. Sometimes I come across an artist on My Space that could be really really great if maybe their song was a bit smoother.

I'll just add that I'm a sucker for a clever and thoughtful lyricas well. Radiant is one of my favorite local bands here in Dallas, and Levi Smith writes some of the best lyrics. Lyrics that I want to quote and that inspire me. That makes an impression on me as a listener.

Of course, all the spit shine polish that a snazzy producer can bring won't make a lick of difference if the song is a dud.

Now I turn it over to you, Reader. I want to know what you think are important elements to a POPular song.

Wanna learn music theory?

2008-03-03T09:44:00.002-06:00

A young man that I highly respect for his amazing guitar playing skills has started a blog for music theory. Thom is a cool guy, so you should check it out if you're interested in learning music theory from someone who is light years cooler than your college professor.

The H Is Silent

PLUG Awards on March 6th

2008-02-29T14:31:00.001-06:00

Tickets to the PLUG Awards sold out in minutes, everyone to catch the show live on March 6 @ 8pm EST exclusively at the Dell Lounge. Winners will be announced, Patton Oswalt will host, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, St. Vincent, Dizzee Rascal, José Gonzalez, The Forms, DiVinci and guest DJ Sally Shapiro will all perform.

The Oscars, the Irish, and the Brits

2008-02-25T10:59:00.002-06:00

The Oscars were last night. You probably already know that. I enjoyed the glitz and glamour from an Oscar party with fellow movie nerds. I tied for second in the Oscar pool [I really wish Juno had won Best Picture]. That blasted Disney sugar rush called Enchanted was up for 3 nominations in Best Original Song. I was cheering for "Falling Slowly" from Once. I am so overjoyed that Glen and Marketa won. I really think they deserved it.

Another award show of interest is the Brit Awards. It was last Wednesday, but BBC America will broadcast it for those of us stuck on this side of the Pond on Sunday, March 9th at 8pm E/7pm C.

SXSW... need advice.

2008-02-23T10:32:00.003-06:00

Dear Readers,

I am in need of your help. I want to go to SXSW, but I have very (stress the VERY) limited funds. If any of you have been to SXSW before, give a girl some advice on how to see the shows without forking over $650.

Thanks!!

Top 50 British Albums... just in time for the Brit Awards

2008-02-19T09:42:00.005-06:00

I was pointed in the direction of this article today. Of course it's about British music, so I clicked the link without hesitation. Unlike most people who just want to see the list, I gave the whole article a nice read, and then went through the list. Of course, there are a few artists I'd like to see higher on the list, but you could take it as a Top 50 in no particular order.

"The point of list like this is to stimulate debate."

And debate they have, the comments board under the article it steaming. Every one's a critic. The poll was of the public, so you only have the British to blame... who, by the way, provide that same music for your listening pleasure. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Again, I'm not disappointed by this list, my top favorite albums by my top favorite band of all time occupies the top 2 spots. I feel quite vindicated for 12 years of support. After all, Oasis is the band that changed my life as a lowly freshman. They gave me the dream of working in the music industry, as well as that not so far off dream of moving to England someday. So yah, I'm well pleased.

Here's the article in all it's musical glory.

The Brit Awards are this Wednesday. While they may not be telecast here on the day, I'm sure BBC America or some other cable/satellite channel will give us some love here in a couple of weeks.

The music poll closed today. UK took the lead with "Somewhere Else" taking second. Again, well pleased. :-)

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T10:14:00.003-06:00

It's Thursday and I'm short on cash
So I thought I'd give you a little Kate Nash
Let this be my special way
Of wishing you a Happy Valentines Day!

Radiohead announces US Tour Dates... with stop in Dallas!

2008-02-12T19:39:00.002-06:00

RADIOHEAD has confirmed the dates and venues to be visited on the first segment of its upcoming North American tour. They are:

May 5 - Cruzan Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, Florida
May 6 - Ford Amphitheatre - Tampa, Florida
May 8 - Lakewood Amphitheatre - Atlanta, Georgia
May 9 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre - Charlotte, North Carolina
May 11 - Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge - Bristow, Virginia
May 14 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - St Louis, Missouri
May 17 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Houston, Texas
May 18 - Superpages.com Center - Dallas, Texas

Pre-sale for the above dates will begin February 14 via W.A.S.T.E. with general on-sales following on February 16.

The second half of the North American tour will follow the band's summer tour of the UK and Europe.

While I am beside myself with excitement... where in the freakin' H-E-double hockey stick is Superpages.com Center?!

Question answered: Superpages.com is the new Smirnoff.

Well dang. I kinda liked Smirnoff.

The Grammys celebrate 50!

2008-02-10T19:03:00.000-06:00

No real rhyme or reason to this. Just a stream of consciousness type blog while watching the Grammys.

I'm really happy that the WGA decided to allow the show go on for the Grammys.

I've just gotta say... Alicia Keys "playing" with Frank Sinatra was a spectacular kind of awesome. I gotta give this girl props for giving props to God first in her acceptance speech for Female R&B Artist of the Year. That always sits cool in my book.

Carrie Underwood had something that looked like Stomp going on behind her that was kinda cool, and yet a tad distracting.

Amy Winehouse made it out of rehab in time, but her visa wasn't ready in time for her to get to the Grammys. Good on her for snagging Best New Artist, even though I was pulling for Feist, I'm well pleased. I'm thrilled for her winning Song of the Year.

Jimmy Jam reuniting with The Time... oh goodness, I felt like a kid again!

Cirque de Sole is always wonderful to see, especially when combined with the timeless music of the Beatles. The soulful gospel rendition of Let It Be made me misty-eyed. [Seriously thought about breaking down and having some church right then. Phew.]

Holy snappin' crackers!!! Kanye and Daft Punk doing "Stronger".... *falls over* I seriously don't think I have words for the awesomeness witnessed when Daft Punk hits the stage. Kanye also did a touching tribute to his mom singing "Momma."

Fergie was ok. She's never really stood out in my opinion. Over-marketed mediocrity if you ask me. Possibly the musical equivalent of chicken broth, not that great on its own, but good when you cook with it with other ingredients. [If that makes sense to you. I tend to make strange associations.]

While I was absolutely pulling for the soundtrack to Once, George and Giles Martin getting the Grammy for Love is a fitting tribute to the lads from Liverpool. Ringo is so cool, and it was a treat to see him get up there with the Martins.

Beyonce paid tribute to some of the awesome soulful ladies of music, but then Tina Turner had to come out... and damn... she looks good for her age. I've always preferred Tina's version of "Proud Mary," especially when it gets "nice and rough."

Burt Bacarach winning a Lifetime Achievement is one of those "it's about time."

My choice for My Grammy Moment won. Anne Marie Calhoun got her Grammy moment with the always great Foo Fighters. What's funny is that I'm sitting here with my parents, and my scifi lovin' dad doesn't get the UFO reference of the Foo Fighters' name. Pat Smear was on stage too! I've always liked Pat.

I might be Texan, but I'm not the biggest fan of country music. Thanks to Brad Paisley (God bless his cute country heart and paisley print guitar), I now have more ammo against country music. Brad, I'm sorry, but a song about ticks will not win points with the ladies. They're only screaming because "I'd like to check you for ticks" is the worst pick up line in the history of worst ever pickup lines. In the words of Virgin Radio UK's Anabelle Port, "It's really badly rubbish."

Aretha. If I didn't have to stop and have church before, I had to now. Never gonna break my faith! That was some powerful stuff. Israel Houghton always writes some fun worship tunes. Makes you wanna dance.

Who didn't love the stripped down acoustic "1,2,3,4" by Feist? I think that's the test for great songs. It's in how they sound in the most basic form.

I love big bands and jazz, and I'm just tickled that Kid Rock was up there singing jazz... and fabulously might I add.

Gershwin always ranks high in my book. That was a superb performance of Rhapsody In Blue. Piano music has a special place in my heart.

*COUGH* Sorry, Chevy has been cramming Malibu commercials down my throat all night.

It's a quarter til 4am in the UK, and there are actually people up watching the Grammys and Amy Winehouse. I'll give it to her, Miss Winehouse can rock. Very interesting to hear her perform "Rehab" after her recent stay. She obviously got the irony because she was smiling through the song. It's safe to say that she was gobsmacked to win Record of the Year. She looked like she was about to cry.

Josh Groban and Andre Bocelli singing "The Prayer" was magnificent!! If I had thought the Celine Dion version was good, this one just blew it out of the water. Wow.

Jerry Lee Lewis can still churn out the "Great Balls of Fire," but man, I don't think it had the original umph. But good golly Miss Molly, Little Richard can still kick it like it's still 1955! John Fogerty is always cool.

It's a nod to all the greats that Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters got the top award. Amy Winehouse had a great night getting 5 awards.

Here's a link to the complete list of winners.

2 1/2 concerts in one week!

2008-02-09T11:34:00.000-06:00

Golly! This last week got busy in a hurry. An acoustic set and two concerts kept me running around like a loony.

First thing was the acoustic set on Wednesday, courtesy of Switches and my friend Carissa. The crowd was smallish, and we all stood behind the racks so as not to crowd the band. The lads played songs that I recognized (because I did my research beforehand, thank you very much). I really enjoyed the harmonies. Joel was right about the touches of Franz Ferdinand and Supergrass. I heard a fair amount of British Invasion influence there too. The songs are hooky, and I am still singing them days later. I think my favorite was "Lay Down the Law." "Drama Queen" is fun, as well as "Snakes and Ladders." Fast forward to the concert at Granada with all instruments plugged in and electrified. I stood front row as I had been instructed earlier in the afternoon. They are very energetic and fun to watch on stage. I really enjoy bands who write music you can dance along to.

Wednesday night was a good night to be at Granada. Electric Touch was the first band of the evening. I think, with the exception of The Bravery, it was British night (and I'm certainly not complaining! lol!) Electric Touch is from Austin, except the singer, who is British. I thought they sounded like a rocked up version of Keane with guitars. I liked the song "Saved" which is about the singer living in England. They did an awesome cover of "Come Together." While they may have sang about "putting the fire out," Electric Touch set Granada on fire for the night.

Your Vegas, from Leeds, was next up. I enjoyed hearing them, even though the singer was extremely sick from the flu. I liked their song "This Is Your Vegas" as it makes a great intro to the band. They reminded me of David Bowie and a dash of The Smiths, with a smattering of those fabulous bands from Manchester's famous Factory Records [see the movie "24 Hour Party People" for your education]. I can't wait until they make it back to Dallas firing on all cylinders. They have an album coming out April 22nd.

I have a confession to make. Until this week, I'd never really listened to The Bravery. I know! I know. Before you string me up by my toes, let me try to make amends. I will endeavor to listen to a newly acquired cd, and report back later in the week. It's fitting that my favorite song of the night was "An Honest Mistake." I will say that I enjoyed their set. I wanted to dance along, but it was a tad cramped for room up in the little box in the back. They have a cd coming out soon... that is a remix of their last cd.

All in all, it was a great night. I recommend going to see Switches if you get the chance. They are a blast to hang out with and fun to dance and sing along to. Switches and Electric Touch will be at SXSW, so Texas, you have no excuse not to be there!

And now for something completely different...

Friday was another early music day. There was a luncheon with an acoustic set by Ludo at the Universal offices. For those of you who are not children of the 80s, such as myself, you may not remember a movie starring David Bowie, Jennifer Connolly, and a ton of Jim Henson's muppets called "Labyrinth." There was a rather large furry and friendly creature named Ludo, and he found himself stuck in the Bog of Eternal Stench (Yah, I still have the storybook, so back off!)

It's safe to say that this band does not share their namesake's fate. Ludo is clever, sarcastic, and hilarious! They remind me of Relient K and Weezer. Their single, "Love Me Dead," is witty, tongue-in-cheek, and sour like a mouthful of Sweet Tarts. Andrew Volpe is a riot to watch perform with crazy faces and snarky lyrics. Their cd "You're Awful, I Love You" comes out Feb 26th.

Lots of pics over at the ol' Myspace (You do have to be logged in to Myspace to see these. Strange Myspace policy)
Electric Touch & Your Vegas
Switches & The Bravery
Ludo

MySpace linkage:
Electric Touch
Your Vegas
Switches
The Bravery
Ludo

Thom from Switches

Ollie and Steve from Switches

Ludo! These guys crack me up!!

South By Southwest Showcase Artists Announced!

2008-02-07T23:14:00.000-06:00

I've been kinda antsy to see who all is going to be at this year's SXSW. I hope that I'll get to go this year, even though I have never been.

Here's the list.

There are the obvious heavy hitting musical greats that everyone is beside themselves to see, but here are a few that I'm personally giddy about seeing (with appropriate links).

Sons & Daughters (loud, gutsy, and Scottish!)
The Russian Futurists
Tokyo Police Club
Switches
Peggy Sue and The Pirates
The Ting Tings
Castledoor
Passenger
The Pillows (I have a strange love for Japanese music since I went to Tokyo)
The Answer
The Black Keys
British Sea Power
Immigrant
People in Planes

Those are just a few. I keep finding more every time I go through the list.

Good Ol' Face Melting Guitar Rock

2008-02-04T20:17:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have found The Answer!

The Answer, as in a loud, classic rocking, need a shovel to scrape your face off the floor, band from Northern Ireland with a kick @$$ cover of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion."

They sound like Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, and Van Halen on the rocks, shaken, not stirred.

Give'em a listen.
myspace.com/theanswerrock

Cool Free Show!!

2008-01-31T18:03:00.001-06:00

Step by Step back to The Right Stuff

2008-01-27T11:35:00.000-06:00

Full disclosure: My first concert was at Texas Stadium in August of 1989. The band.... New Kids on the Block.

Yes, I was only 8, and I was going with my older cousin and my mom, but that was the point when I found my own tastes in music. It was the point when my parents' music wasn't all my music. Granted, I still loved the oldies and what little bit of the 80s New Wave that came through the lite rock station, but I broke away into the pop/dance/r&b world of the early 90s. New Kids on the Block paved the way to where I am today. [I won't go into my parents falling into the NKOTB marketing ploys to decorate my room, get me a Joey doll, an NKOTB boardgame, or the fact that I loved the cartoon. Yes, I was a born a geek.]

Ladies, Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Jon, and Joey are reuniting!

I was watching the announcement on Good Morning America, and I wanted to laugh because they got some of the facts wrong. They said that Jordan was in real estate when it was actually Jon who went into real estate. Jordan actually did some solo stuff in the late 90s, and I have the cd to prove it. *ahem*

It's kind of exciting that they are getting back together. Donnie will have a chance to climb back up and out of his brother Mark's shadow (does anyone remember when Mark Wahlberg was Marky Mark, he had a Funky Bunch, and posed in his Calvins?)

I'm sure I'll be there with millions of other ladies of a certain age reliving our youth and screaming like we did when we had The Right Stuff.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go watch Hangin' Tough Live.

Go vote in the Plug Awards

2008-01-26T16:06:00.000-06:00

www.plugawards.com

Go vote for your favorite independent music!!!

Those Schwartzman brothers

2008-01-26T14:56:00.000-06:00

Some of you might remember Phantom Planet and their anthem to California that was a theme song for one of those cheesy teen soap operas that never caught my interest long enough to care to learn the name of the show. Actor Jason Schwartzman was the drummer of that band at one time.

Well, he's back at it again. A friend pointed me in the direction of the Coconut Records myspace to have a listen. The songs remind me of Phantom Planet. The same sunny SoCal happy beach blanket and palm trees kind of pop. "West Coast" is the single. The album is available through iTunes and eMusic, or you can check the myspace to see where it's available near you.

Jason's brother Robert (I forget what surname he uses these days), from Rooney, also is up to new things under the moniker Solobob. He's only got one song one his myspace called "The Victim," and it reminds of early incarnations of Rooney's "Blue Side."

I'm happy to see these talented brothers bringing forth more great music.

As always, I shall point the way...

http://www.myspace.com/coconutrecords
http://www.myspace.com/solobob

Tom Petty launching major summer US tour

2008-01-25T08:51:00.000-06:00

OMG!!! *sputters* *faints*

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS announce an upcoming summer tour that will take the band through the U.S. and Canada. The news comes as the Heartbreakers prepare for the biggest show in live entertainment, the SUPER BOWL XLII HALFTIME SHOW, broadcast live on FOX Sunday, February 3. All tour tickets, with a few exceptions (see below) will go on sale February 4th, the day after the Super Bowl festivities. Watched by nearly 140 million people in the U.S. and one billion in 230 countries and territories worldwide, the Halftime Show will give the world a preview of the legendary live act that will storm the U.S. and Canada in a few short months. This summer tour continues Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' tradition of great musical packages, with legend Steve Winwood opening every show. For more information, people can go to tompetty.com or simply pick up tickets at ticketmaster.com.

HIGHWAY COMPANIONS CLUB PRESALE, TICKET PACKAGES
Tickets for the Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' 2008 North American Tour go on sale soon, but fans will be able to jump to the front of the line and purchase tickets before the general public.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON TICKET PRESALES AND TICKET PACKAGES

2008 TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS TOUR WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST STEVE WINWOOD

May 30- Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
May 31- The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI
June 03- Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
June 05- Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
June 08- Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA
June 10- Post-Gazette Pavilion, Burgettstown, PA
June 11- New England Dodge Music Center, Hartford, CT
June 13- TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
June 17- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY %
June 18- Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
June 21- Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY
June 22- Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
June 25- Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
July 02- United Center, Chicago, IL
July 03- Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, IN
July 08- Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
July 09- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, Atlanta, GA ****
July 11- Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC
July 12- Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, NC
July 15- BankAtlantic Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
July 16- St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
July 19- TBD, Denver, CO ****
July 20- Quest Center Omaha, Omaha, NE
July 22- Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
July 23- Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
August 07- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO
August 09- MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB
August 11- Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, AB
August 12- Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB
August 15- The Gorge, George, WA
August 16- The Gorge, George, WA
August 20- Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ ****
August 22- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA
August 23- TBD, San Francisco, CA ****
August 26- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Selma, TX
August 27- American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
August 29- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands, TX

**** Tickets for these shows on sale TBA.
% Date/Time Subject to change.

Blink and you'll miss it

2008-01-24T21:37:00.000-06:00

For those of you who watch Two and a Half Men or The Big Bang Theory....

I like Chuck Lorre. He produces great tv shows. If you watch all the way to the end of the show, there is usually a white screen with a lot of writing on it which is his signature "vanity" card at the end of his shows. If you are lucky enough to have digital cable with a dvr box, pressing pause allows you to read these cards.

Normally, one of my parents has the remote and/or I forget to press pause because I'm still laughing at the last joke, so I miss them or only catch the first few words. The first time, it puzzled me that it wasn't legal mumbojumbo. They're actually kinda funny and odd.

I have discovered the library of vanity cards on Chuck Lorre's website.

Go forth and enjoy!

Quick!! Kate Nash on Yahoo

2008-01-24T14:56:00.000-06:00

If you're quick you can see a live performance of Kate Nash on Yahoo Music

There's a performance and interview as well as some pics.

What are you just sitting there for? Go go go!

"They tried to make me go to rehab... okay, okay I'll go"

2008-01-24T13:58:00.000-06:00

Daddy must not think that Amy Winehouse is okay any more because she's finally going to rehab. She's finally broken down and found the 17 days to get some help that don't come in a shot glass.

Apparently, her dad tried to have her "sectioned". If you don't know how the British mental healthcare system works, it's the equivalent of being committed. However, a person can only legally be "sectioned" in the UK if they are a danger to themselves. Unfortunately, the authorities do not view drug abuse as a personal danger.

I think it's great that she's finally going. She's got to be at her best to appear at the Grammys.

Amy, I wish you all the best, lady.

Yahoo UK
NME.com

Poll at Left

2008-01-23T12:17:00.000-06:00

I'm kinda tickled that people have actually voted in my little poll. I'm more tickled that someone voted for "somewhere else" to find great music.

When I created that option, I was trying to squeeze Africa, Middle East, and South Pacific into one little catagory while also thinking that maybe you could find good music on another planet. The geek in me thinks the Cantina Band on Tatooine rocks.

Anyways, now I'm curious. Explain yourself, sir or madame.

I have a small feeling that curiosity will kill the cat.

Surfing Myspace

2008-01-23T11:53:00.000-06:00

My myspace has 305 friends. I might know that many people, but I'd hardly consider all of them friends. That's probably an inflated number considering that I've collected a fair share of bands into my little list.

I know I've mentioned before that Kate Nash is one of my new favorite artists. She posted a blog in her myspace yesterday, which I find refreshing that it was a true blog post. It wasn't one of those posts generated by some intern advertising a tour or some other promotion. She talked of her tour, posted pics, and fun little comments to the pics. She seems like a sweet and amazing lady, and I wouldn't mind making her acquaintance someday.

Anywho, I was intrigued by a schedule in the background of one of the pics which featured the name of an opening act. This inspired me today, and so I went in search of some of her musical myspace friends.
I highly recommend this practice if you don't already go rifling through your favorite artists' myspace friends looking for similar artists.

I digress. My fruit of the morning myspace rifling has caught a few great artists. Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly (that's a mouthful) is one guy with some nice accoustic songs. I listened to "Call Me Ishmael"

Peggy Sue and the Pirates is really just two ladies who sound a bit like Bjork and Billie Holiday trying to do punk or imitate Eux Autres (yet another myspace find from rifling a year or two ago). They will be at SXSW on March 14th, and I'm planning on setting aside some money to see them.

Talk Taxis is another one of those artists that caught my eye from one of Kate Nash's photos. First listen sounded a lot like the Clash, but what can you expect. They are all from England, which solidifies my theory that the water in England is a lot more potent than the water in Texas.

I'm off to do more rifling. Go forth, dear readers, and rifle for yourself!

http://www.myspace.com/katenashmusic
http://www.myspace.com/getcapewearcapefly
http://www.myspace.com/talktaxis
http://www.myspace.com/peggysueandthepirates

Heath Ledger 1979-2008

2008-01-22T17:02:00.000-06:00

So sad to see someone go so young... and not even much older than me. What's sad is that he's the second celebrity death this year that was way before his time and drug related. Time to wake up Hollywood.

RIP Heath Ledger
'79-'08

Once - Great movie! Great music!

2008-01-11T15:21:00.000-06:00

I was itching to see this movie after I caught the preview at the Angelika one night. A Guy and a Girl meet on the streets of Dublin and spend two weeks together writing and recording songs. They become entwined in each other's lives. The Guy is a vacuum repairman by day and a street musician by night. The Girl is a Czech immigrant that sells roses and cleans houses.

Now, for you romantic hopefuls like me, I'll warn you now that Once isn't really a love story. It is a musical with a heart-warming story about strangers finding an unexpected friendship in the midst of their mixed up lives.

It's shot kinda like a documentary, and one of the things they mention in the DVD was that people would come up to the actors after screenings and ask about how things turned out for such and such. The really awesome bit is that the lead actors are not professional actors, but rather musicians. Glen Hansard plays The Guy, and he is in a band called The Frames (which I would recommend checking them out).

The soundtrack to this film is amazing. "Falling Slowly" is a sort of hopeful love song that has quickly become a favorite. All the songs in the film are fantastic, and you'll have a great time seeing them come together through the movie.

Exercise music (For the Ladies)

2008-01-11T14:58:00.001-06:00

This week, I started working out on my parents' treadmill. I've discovered the power of a 20 minute workout has on me. It's awesome and I haven't been lazy all week... which is a first for me.

Anyways, it's tough to find good music to get your sweat on to. I tried the dance music channel from the selections offered through my local cable provider. Passable for background noise and the occasional sing-a-long. Next, I tried shuffling my iTunes playlist. Again, background noise and necessarily conducive to workout mind frame. Especially when Sigur Ros comes on.

Yesterday, I pulled out a CD from my stereo. I chose Mantaray by Souixsie. I love her voice because it's really sexy, and it makes you want to strut on the treadmill. I think it's a great mental inspiration for a workout because don't we all want sexy bodies.

Come on... Admit it... Yes you do.

I highly recommend this album for your next workout.

Next on workouts with music: Yoga with Sigur Ros.

You say it's your birthday!

2008-01-08T18:05:00.000-06:00

Warm birthday wishes go out to Elvis Presley (He's still the King, baby!) and David Bowie.

Also, to my best friend from high school, Miss Kristy. :-)

Emma Pollock

2008-01-05T23:20:00.000-06:00

One day, a couple of years ago, I was reading a music blog, not too different from this one. The guy was talking about a Scottish band called The Delgados. It caught my attention that a band from Glasgow would use a Spanish word for "thin" as their name. 1 point of cool for them.

Intrigued, I went out to the web in search of their music, found it, listened, and fell in love. It was brilliant. "Coming In From the Cold" grabbed me and is still my favorite song by them. It features Emma Pollock on vocals. I love her voice, the way she sings. I really connected to The Delgados and their music, loving the fact that a chick could rock along with the boys. [I've always loved bands with girl singers]

Sadly, it wasn't too long after I discovered them that they disbanded. Stink. Somehow I knew to keep an eye, and ear, out for Emma. I was pleased to note that she was at SXSW back in March. Anyways, she's got an album out called Watch the Fireworks (Available on iTunes!!). I haven't got it yet (no money, lol), but I will be getting it soon. I know it'll be brilliant just from what I've heard on her myspace.

Here's a video so you can have a taste.

Here's some links.
www.emmapollock.com
www.myspace.com/emmapollock
www.delgados.co.uk
www.myspace.com/getaction2

Off the deep end...

2008-01-05T10:30:00.001-06:00

After watching the tabloid fodder last night, I think it's pretty safe to say that Britney Spears is an official candidate for the nearest loony bin. Do they have loony bins for celebrities? Are they more posh than regular loony bins? Maybe they should open one. Frankie's Fabulous Funny Farm for Famous Folks feeling Famously Foolish.

Link.

Frankie says Relax.