Morning people
Tomorrow...er, today....er, Tuesday marks the first day of what will in all likelihood be a permanent schedule change for me at work. That is, instead of working the late shift, I will be working either the morning or mid shift. Meaning, Mr. I Post at 5:00 am will have to be waking up at or near 7:30 in the morning.
This news troubles me to no end. While I still work a Trained Monkey job that pays my rent and prevents me from getting a "real" job, I am now going to be working at the same time that many of you (yes, you, Mr. or Ms. Office Worker). I have no idea if I'm going to get used to it. I doubt I will. But the things that I normally do at 3:00 am will now need to be done at around 10:00 pm, and that's going to mess me up for the next few weeks.
If there is a lack of posting for a while, that's why.
In other news, news that runs counter to everything I just wrote, I have a radio show again. Yes, again. And it's from 11:30 pm on Sunday until 1:00 am on Monday, central time. And it's over here, at KWUR. Yes, you can listen online.
And if you look on KWUR's website, you might find a picture or two of me, back when my hair was about five times curlier than it is now (how did that happen? I can't explain it). And the pictures are about four years old now.
So yes. Work will be early from now on. And the radio will be late.
Attempted embarassment
For those of you who read Alissa's weblog (and you should, because since she lives in New York and is prone to clumsiness, a combination that results in many funny situations), you probably know that she maintains that I called her old when we were at the wedding last weekend. I stick to my story that I did not accentuate anything, and she just misinterpreted.
Anyway, the point is that I threatened to tell twelve days of embarassing stories about her as retribution for such slanderous statements (although pointing out that I listen to Joy Division in my car is by no means slanderous, but whatever).
Here's the problem. I can't think of any embarassing stories about her. Somewhere in my brain, I have many. I have many many. I may not have as many as Liz, or Derek, or any of a number of people, but I still have some. Damn my horrible memory. Damn it straight to hell.
But there is the Parkmoor story. The short version of the story is that she was eating at the Parkmoor (a fine fine diner-type restaurant near WU the unfortunately closed when the owner sold out to The Man (this time garbed in the clothes of Walgreen's, but that's not the point)). She got pancakes and scrambled eggs, and possibly other chaturbate items. She noticed what she thought was some of the eggs on the edge of her pancake plate, said "Oo! More eggs!" (or something like that), and proceeded to eat the "eggs." They were not eggs, but instead the butter for the pancakes.
That story in and of itself is not all that embarassing, and my retelling of it makes it not so funny either, but that's not the point for me. The point is that she told me this story on at least eight different occasions, every times forgetting that she had already told me the story. While the first time I laughed at what happened in the story, and the second time I didn't laugh much at all, the third through eighth times, I laughed at her for telling me the same story again and again.
Incredibly embarassing stories about Alissa can be e-mailed to me using the link to the left, or you can just put them in the comments. Thank you.
spinning my wheel
Dave and I have had DSL service through DirecTV for about eight months (I think?) or so. DSL has treated me well. I have downloaded lots and lots of music, thus saving me money on buying CDs that I would end up not liking and trying fruitlessly to sell back. I have been able to talk on the phone while confirming one fact or another. And yes, I have wasted much time playing games online (which is why I'm up at 6:30...but I simply had to take lamy out. Have I mentioned that someone really needs to take all https://www.jasminlive.mobi/ games away from me? I don't even like playing them anymore, but I can't stop...).
And now, DirecTV DSL is going under. Sure, they warned us...I appreciated that. But now, even though Dave has arranged for new DSL service, we're going to end up without the high-speed access to which we've grown so accustomed, at least for a few days/weeks/years. I think I sense a cold sweat coming on.
And I still need to write about the wedding this weekend, and some other random things, but I really really really should get to sleep before the sun rises.
I hope you don't survive the night
I told myself that I wasn't going to do this. I told myself that I would never do this. But here goes. My resolutions for the 2003 calendar year:
Start using proper punctuation and capitalization in all things I write. That does not extend to grammar or (necessarily) spelling, as those are two things I still have a tendency to screw up from time to time. And run-on sentences will remain king.
Get out more. I'm not saying that I need to become a party animal (again? Was I ever?) or anything. It's just that a little less time spent in the apartment will be vital to my growth as a human being, or may just keep me from getting bored so often.
Read more books. Sarah sent me many books so long ago, and I've read one. And...AND...my sister bought me a book for Christmas 2001 that I still haven't even opened.
Send more mail. I think this comes from Sonya and her occasional mailings, but getting mail is fun. So sending mail should be fun too.
Vaguely related: send more e-mail. Don't be a jackass who doesn't write for weeks at a time.
Live a funnier life, because then amusiac will be funnier, and the regular readers will be happier
So as you can see, I'm all about interpersonal things now. Or at least I'm trying to be. You just watch....2003 will be the year when I am no longer tempted to say, "I'm a hermit," after introducing myself to someone for the first time.
Or maybe this year will be exactly like the last, except maybe with real school attendance thrown into the mix.
One completely unrelated thing: I have joined the ranks of people whose car speakers are way too big for the car in which they're installed. Seriously...almost half of my back windshield is covered by these damn enclosures. I don't know what I was thinking.
Best part of this year
1. Matt Pond PA -- The Nature of Maps (Polyvinyl)
the "sleeper hit" of the year, so to speak. i played tracks from this www.jasminelive.online album on my radio show a couple of times, and remembered liking each track a lot. when i sat down to figure out what my favorite albums of the year were, i re-listened to a lot of albums. the nature of maps proceeded to blow me away. lush, full arrangements throughout, chock full of the kinds of slightly odd instrumentation that i love.
defining moment -- the verses of "closer". i don't know...there's something about the way the lines are delivered that grabs me every time.
2. The Mountain Goats -- Tallahassee (4ad)
c'mon, like there wouldn't be a mountain goats album in my top ten somewhere? while there were other new mountain goats albums this year (all hail west texas and ghana, although the latter was a compilation, but whatever), this one was the most solidly written album of the group. sure, the hi-fi john darnielle is startling at times, and in a way that almost detracts from the songs. but the storytelling is flawless.
defining moment -- 1:50 - 2:01 of "no children". the chorus of voices singing "i am drowning / there is no sign of land / you are coming down with me / hand in unlovable hand."
the world ended at 06:11 PM
3. Beck -- Sea Change (Geffen / Interscope)
the first beck album i've ever heard that is devoid of any cheesy, half-assed, begging-for-airplay song. i think that's why i like it so much--that, and it's gorgeous (thanks in no small part to nigel godrich's hand, i'm sure). beck always had great musical ideas gleaned from the 60s, 70s, and 80s...it just took this album for him to put them together in a package i truly enjoyed.
defining moment -- 3:23 of "sunday sun", where the single piano chord combines with the true entrance of the drumming in the song.
4. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead -- Source Tags and Codes (Interscope)
not as spooky as madonna, but certainly as intense. concerns about the band's possible "major label sound" (no different, thank god), drooling from indie critics all around, appearances on the craig kilborn show...suddenly the band with the incredibly long name was everywhere. more power to them.
defining moment -- in "homage," during the lulls between the storms. "i heard your voice on the radio / lost in to the night."
the world ended at 11:30 PM
5. The Notwist -- Neon Golden (City Slang)
despite being released back in february, i didn't actually listen to this album until about a week ago. the fact that it's now on my top ten, after i've listened to it maybe five times total, should then mean a lot. the electronics-based album i was looking for this year, and it only took eleven and a half months to find it.
defining moment -- after the first three (almost completely electronic) tracks, hearing a banjo starting off "trashing days."
6. The Flaming Lips -- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Warner Bros)
i am still halfway to hating wayne coyne's voice. but the childlike sweetness of the lyrics, combined with elegant instrumentation, makes it easy to overlook the odd voice. i found it hard to imagine that the flaming lips would manage to make another album as good as the soft bulletin, but this one succeeded easily.
defining moment -- the narrator as commentator-turned-possible evil robot victim in "yoshimi battles the pink robots pt. 1."
the world ended at 11:11 PM
7. Mates of State -- Our Constant Concern (Polyvinyl)
this one barely squeaked in to 2002 (it was released 22 january), and i almost forgot about it. someone or something reminded me, though, and here it is. i think i've developed a fetish for keyboards over the years, and if so, this album provided fuel for that fetish.
defining moment -- 1:46 - 1:56 of "a duel will settle this." the keyboard chime, the drums settling in, the words "bury your words / they're better unsaid."
8. The Reindeer Section -- Son of Evil Reindeer (Pias America)
now coming up with number 10 on a top ten list is, to me, the toughest one. you have to leave some worthy contenders behind, clinging to the "almost there" category. this year i had five almost theres. son of evil reindeer won out by sheer intimacy. 27 people (making this the second larget collective in indie rock, after the polyphonic spree), and yet they manage to make music that sounds like it was made in your own living room.
defining moment: 2:20 - 3:00 of "cold water." the trumpet solo, and its entertwining with the trombone (baritone? unsure) and the violin.