Obamauguration!!

It happened. I was there, and so was everyone else. Pretty incredible to say the least.

D.C. baby, D.C. They want statehood, and who can blame them; they have taxation but not representation.

I'm still in awe of the shock: Bush is gone. Is it true; for real? President Obama sealed the deal.

Let me tell you of our journey. It began waaaaaaaay back in early November, the 5th to be exact; I was excitedly gchating with some friends and it was suggested that we go to D.C. for the inauguration. I giddily agreed not thinking anything would come out of it, but then, as the days wore on/shortened/froze the plans solidified themselves, and soon '09 was in full swing... the day of CHANGE was within reach, the driving route had been calculated and the bags were packed and ready to be loaded in the belly of the beast.

Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 7:20 p.m. stomachs full of falafel, Ashley, Bryan, Mike (Wersk), Steve and I set off on our journey. Little did I know (but realized in Ohio) my wallet wouldn't accompany us. Soon after leaving Chicago the snow started and didn't stop until the sun came up in the Eastern time zone, luckily our drivers, B, Wersk and Steveo handled the road (and us) with care and we arrived in Georgetown 'round 8:04 a.m. (EST) for some delicious pancakes and eggs. What a cute little, hoity-toity area! Add Georgetown to the list of places I will live when I am a bazillionaire*.

Blah, blah, blah, we all split up and went to our respective crash pads. Wersk, Ash and I stayed with Ashley and my friends from college, Kristin (R) and Terry (Bear), at there super swanky pad in Arlington, VA. We unwound, caught up, drank java, then bundled and headed out for the We Are One concert on the Mall. We were by no means close, and in fact traveled in the opposite direction of the Lincoln Memorial just to get close to a Jumbotron, but it was still cool to get a feeling of the crowds and the bubbling excitement in the air. PS, it felt like SPRINGTIME!!! Well, compared to this frigid Chicago winter weather we've been experiencing (the temp read -16 the Friday before we embarked, so yeah, Springtime) it was a definite warm-up that didn't require a hat OR gloves - neat! So, there was BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!, Bono (oh Bono, 10.5 Courics) Garth -- and that "SHOUT!" rendition was fun to dance to, people dug it. Unfortunately we were getting ancy, hungry, hilarious-irritated by Bono's antics (ummm... yes, let's sit down here while I sing you this song in my rose-tinted shades) and we left the festivities before President-Elect Obama spoke (luckily they did replay the entire concert the morning of the inauguration).

We left the concert and headed over to 4th street or something, by the Capitol Hill area-ish, in hopes of finding a warm bar with hot eats and cold brews. Bar #1, IDs at the door - I didn't even try. Bar #2, the bouncer was outside and although I explained the sitch to him, the manager was apparently to the left behind me and dude checking didn't want to lose his job (understandable, understandable, no worries). THIRD TIME'S A CHARM!! We ended up at the Hawk N Dove and shared some laughs over Buffalo burgers and tasty brews.

Upon leaving the Hawk N Dove, I don't know where we were going, walking to some Metro station somewhere, far. Anyway, so we're walking down the street, Steveo's singing "Legalize It" pretty much at the top of his lungs and this party of four is walking towards us. As we get closer, I'm looking at the people, and I yell and point at the dude on the left, "HEY! You're Kal Penn!" (and while he may play a mischievous merry-maker in movies, he's a strong Obama supporter and even spoke at the concert) and he said, "That I am" as he blushed and looked down. I think he was with his Moms and Pops. After we passed I yelled to my friends, "I saw a famous person! I win!" then I turned around as he was at the top of the hill, on the corner and yelled, "HAPPY - OBAMA - TIME!" -- real mature on all parts of that story, right? I know; I never said I was. Adding to that lack of maturity, later, on the Metro (which is a 1980s flashback to a Disney World tram at Epcot Center), with my friends, I was laughing/talking/having a good time, and then this cute, smug little baby in a buggy came on, and I said, "That baby's so cute I'm going to steal it." Which probably wasn't a good thing to "whisper" to my friends (I quote it because I was intoxicated and thus dealing with voice imodulation disorder). The baby and I then smiled at each other as I thought about how nice it would be to look at a baby's little face of wonderment and joy, but then I thought about how they also require holding and cleaning and feeding and so I decided it would be better to have a staring contest with it instead, and I won, excitedly claiming, "I beat you, BABY!" I'm pretty sure I heard the parents breathe a sigh of relief as my friends and I (especially) exited the train.

Monday, Monday! I woke up later than planned and went for a run on the Mt. Vernon trail, with a stop-off at Gravelly Point (that's not me in the pic, but it coulda been "slash" shoulda been - and it woulda been a better pic, indeed!) feeling excellently like Wayne and Garth to watch the planes take off. Blah, blah, blah. I hopped on the Metro**, left VA and met up with my ultimate bestie from way back when (rec soccer league, braces, bangs, boys, home movies with stop-action blobs attacking soldiers), Lisa, who lives near Capitol Hill, and she took me to this awesome bar, The Argonaut Tavern, where they cater to pirates and wench-loving whores - like us! It was a fun time, I was able to explain/convince the manager of my situation and he allowed us brews. They have tasty TASTY sweet potato fries there - like better than I've ever had before, ever. Alright, so Ms. Lisa Lou and I are having a fantabulous time catching up and loving life and laughing, and then "Paradise City" comes on the juke, Lisa starts booth dancing and I notice this dude that's been sitting over at the bar getting up to join us, or something. He makes some awkward comment about her being a great dancer and uses that to segue into what a great song it is and how everyone loves it, "Yeah, it's, uh... it's pretty good."

Yeah, GnR. How old were you guys when this album came out?

"Uhm, didn't it come out in like '91? We we 6."

No, it was '87.

"Oh, then we were 2."

I was 15, and I thought it was good, but all the seniors, man, they loved it. It was their album. I didn't really get it until I was in college, but wow - good album.

I don't know how we got from that to just talking, sneaky, sneaky Brad! That was his name. We chatted about the 'hood, the inaug, and then, he joined us. He discovered that he and I have 5 things in common, these being that we both like running (1), have the same type of gloves (2), are writers (3), wear the same brand of running shoes (4), and Uh, uh - there's one more, I know there's one more. We both love freedom? America? Obama? Sure, any of those will do, but it was probably the fact that we're both wavering on the blurry line between social drinkers and alcoholics (I kid! I kid! - only because my mother now reads this - cool, Mom! And, like a creep, she comments under the "pseudonym" Aunt Barb, her name is Barb). Anyway, Lisa failed in the task of giving him a fake number and I put his in my phone just to make his night. I like when creepy, unthreatening guys buy me drinks - if only they'd be like Steve Martin in "shopgirl" and pay off my student loans, in full.

Alright! No more BRAD! Though, that was a pretty hilarious part of the trip - perhaps even the highlight. Our other hometown besties, Ms. Alli got in town from the bus and we cooked up a yummy chili, laughed, drank a pinch of wine and called it a night in order to be bright-eyed in the mornin'!

***Again, a mother-directed comment. Apologies for the fact that I'm being verbose.

Tu-tu-TUESDAY!!! It's here, it's here, it's finally here!!! I woke up at 6:17a and we were all out of the house by 7. I forgot my flag! UGGH! (Luckily the Boy Scouts of America thought ahead) So, we trekked from somewhere far away to a little bit closer to the Capitol, but moreso the Washington Monument. There was excited anticipation in the crisp morning air. The sun was peaking over the government buildings casting a pinkish-gray light across the smiling faces of the red hatted volunteers. GOOD MORNING!! This way to the inauguration. Soon we didn't need their guidance as we were in the midst of throngs and throngs and throngs of people. Everywhere. Strides turned to steps turned to shuffles. Road closures changed the routes and confusion could only be met with smiles as we knew we were all here for the same purpose and we had waited long enough to get here, to this day of incredible, history-making magic. Eventually Alli, Lisa, her roommate Katie and I settled on a grassy spot just in front of a CBS camera crane and in viewing distance of a Jumbotron. Shivers started soon after we stopped moving and a search for coffee began but was not finished - we did get FLAGS!! The concert replayed, and we screamed, jumped and waved like raving lunatics at any sort of movement from the camera crane. It was pretty hilarious to watch, and I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement. We were surrounded by people of all ages, shapes, sizes, colors; red men, yellow, brown, purple, green and blue - all here to celebrate freedoms and America and PRESIDENT OBAMA! There was room to breathe, unlike Election Night in Grant Park where I had some dude right up on my back and every time I tried to make space for myself he filled it in, and that was nice - this time, not that time.

Then "'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be true, 'tis the gift to hmmm hmm hmm hm hm hm hmmmmmmm" that Quaker song that we sang in middle school played over and over again as we watched politicos and famous people arrive for their seats. It was really wonderful just to be there; we weren't close by any means, but just to be with all those people who wanted the same thing, and voted for change - that was really powerful. The energy was outrageous. I still can't believe that I was able to be in the midst of it; that was awesome!

***I'm fatigued and therefore copying/pasting most of the following from an email I sent to my Auntie Sandy, PS.

I did "BOO" slash sing the "Na na nana, na na nana. Hey hey hey. Goodbye" song when Bushie came out, hehehe. Rev. Warren's opener was surprisingly moving - I mean I didn't expect him to gay bash on the national stage, but from all the negative stuff I've heard about him, I thought he did a great job and I was very moved. Moved to giggles when he over pronounced "Sasha and Malia" - hysterical! And the swearing in yada yada - Roberts messed up, but so what! That speech PRESIDENT Obama gave was so beautiful and moving, and hopeful, and I'm so excited to see how his actions reflect them. "Friends and former foes" and holding out a hand - it's like he's the WORLD's president (ours primarily of course, but I think the change that he wants to bring us here will filter out to the people in other nations)!! I'm just really beside myself with joy and pride for our country and I think we're going in the right direction and I want this feeling to last the next four years (at least). So, here's to the future!!!! Also, that Rev. Lowery's speech with the yellow man getting mellow and the red man getting ahead, man - sooo funny!!

So, we trekked back to Lisa's house afterwards, having to zig and zag all over the place because of the roads closed for the parade (which we did not go to), but again, getting to see more stuff was great. Unfortunately my friends were cold and tired and didn't want to go over to the Lincoln Memorial with me, or around other places... so I was bummed, but I've been there before, and I can go back again... some day. We got home, warmed up, took a nap, and then! - bummer - my other friends called me and said, "Hey! We want to leave tonight, at 9, so be ready." Originally we were going to leave Wednesday morning and I was looking forward to getting back to Gravelly Point and maybe squinching a few other things in, but it was me against 4 and I wasn't up for the fight. But, I did get a chance go to Chinatown for dinner at this awesome restaurant Busboys and Poets (inspired by Langston Hughes), got a sweet OBAMA shirt, and saw fancy people going to the fancy balls - so, I can't complain too much about it; only a little.

I slept for most of the ride home, and took Wednesday off work to get my bearings back in order. President Obama, it just makes me smile to say. I'm incredibly thankful to all my friends that took this trip with me (and the ones I went to Grant Park with, too!), those who voted for change, those who want a better future, those who put me up in their warm homes and hugged me as I cried for joy and then later stress of the real life. As Kurt Vonnegut's son once said to him, I too believe, "We're all here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is."

And I can honestly say this, in my heart of hearts, this which I did not feel inclined to say during the past eight years of irresponsible administration, "GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

*The LIST: NYC, Tahoe, Foggy Londontown, Montana, Reykjavík (though maybe not anymore), Georgetown

** (another blurb from the email, but just sayin' y'know? Just so you know.) Ooooh, that Metro! I am NOT a fan! I cannot express this to you enough. #1, their farecards are made out of paper and each rider must have their own - no sharing (which the sharing was explained to me b/c you have to swipe out when you leave the station because they only charge you based on the distance you go and if you transfer - which I guess is okay in that respect) which results in a LOT of paper waste, in my opinion. #2, they demagnetize ridiculously easy, or if they get folded in your pocket, they stop working again. Needless to say, I encountered this problem and was NOT happy about it, seeing that it happened twice. I gave the first farecard to Kristin and told her she could just keep the $8 because she would have to go to a special station to get the problem taken care of. Then, on the last night, on the card I had $16 left the attendant gave me a form that I have to mail it in; he was all too aware of the problem of the farecards as he hands out forms and deals with angry travelers on the daily. OKay, enough of that.

Merriweather Post Pavilion is great!!!

Mesmerizing. Ambient. Magical. Forest frolicking.

I'm really digging Animal Collective's new album, Merriweather Post Pavilion - check it out for yourself here, and read a Pitchfork Media review here.

My fave is still "My Girls" -- but I'm only half-way through the album, so that could all change, but I like it so much that I find that doubtful. AC is where it's at, yo!

And, ooh! "Taste" is pretty great, too. Am I really all the things that are outside of me? on repeat. As the Pitchfork review stated, I, too, like the philosophical human existence puzzle themes; though this is one of the albums that you have to really listen to as the lyrics are spun out so quickly - it'd be one of those albums that my mom would say, "I can't even understand what they're saying!"

And PS, again, Pitchfork is right! I love "Brother Sport" too!! WOW! What an album!!! HOORAY!!

Climbing, Scaling, Pushing and Crying.

Well, at least it's good to know [from last night's adventures] that I'm still as nimble as I was when I was a child.

Wha' happen'd? You might be asking.

Sometimes I do things, like taking guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music. And, sometimes I do things without thinking, like dropping my keys in my "bag" which actually happened to be the couch.

So, I had my guitar class (learning bass pluck/strummin' stuff!) and it was great, and I was happy, but oh so tired. And since the CTA decided it doesn't want anyone to have any money and increased the fare $.50 I walked a good portion home - guitar in tote. Blah, blah, blah. I'm on my block, feelin' for my keys. Not in my pocket... Nope. Not in my purse... Nope. Not in my guitar case?! Nope. NOT IN MY PURSE!! NOT IN MY POCKET!! NOT IN MY GUITAR CASE!! Oh, man!! I call my roommate, knowing well and good that he is rehearsing his comedy routine with his sketch group - waaaaaaaaaaaay North. Upon answering, he verifies this and upon hearing my story he makes sure I'm warm and feeilng safe (aww!), and then says that he was able to climb into his room by way of window, so I should try that. I got off the phone with him, sighed, and talked myself through the plan.

Step 1. Get over the next door's fence so as to access roommate's window. FENCE IS TALL(er than me) and wrought iron, and seemingly impossible to climb as it has one cross bar at 10" and the second at 4'. Cool. Shed outerwear/gear so an not to hang myself on jump down. Trash cans up against this side of fence; I climb, I jump down, I feel accomplished.

YEAH! I can do this!!! Gettin' inside!

Step 2. Go to roommate's window, remove screen and PPPUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might. It's not budging. PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might. OMIGOD! I'm not going to get inside and now I'll be stuck in the church's lot and I'll be arrested for trespassing, but I only wanted in my house.

So, I call the roommate again. Are you sure you didn't lock the window once inside? "You know. I'm not sure." Okay, thanks. Uhm, well, I'll figure something out. "Call me when you get inside." Oh, okay.

PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might. Nothing. Cry. Blubbering, I just want to go inside. I'm tired and I want to be asleep in my warm/cozy/snugly bed.

Shape up, sister! We're getting inside! To my window!

Step 3. Back over the fence. How's this gonna work? Again with the impossibly stretching cross bars... I tried and almost impaled my chin on a spike. Not gonna do that again! A DOOR*! How did I not see this door* before!?! Not locked, but frozen shut. But I am able to use the lock as a go-between on the cross bar thing. AND HOP! I'm over. Fist-pump-lunge-YES move!

Step 4. Get in through my window. My window, unlike the roommate's, is about 4'8" off the ground; I'm 5'8". Remove the screen. PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might. Once, twice, thrice times more. Cry. I know I can do this! It's been done before. Granted, it was done by this guy I was dating in September, and dude being from Long Island apparently had a delinquent youth of breaking into all sorts of places. This is good to know, uhhhh. He made it look so easy. I can do it too! PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might - I think I'm going to break my back in half. Not good.

By this time I can feel that my face is smeared with dirt and mascara and I'm still crying like a dying dog/hoping that my neighbors don't call the police, or that the alley drivers don't take me in their mattress truck.

COME ON! OPEN!!!

PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! with all my might for 6-10 more minutes, cut my arm on the bar. PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH! and CHA-CHING!!! There's a crack! I CLAP HYSTERICALLY; overjoyed! Push, push, push. Inch by inch, until the window is just 3 inches above the security bars, and I have no more physical height to push up, but somehow I managed (in my moon boots, mind you) to straddle the sidewalk, by shimmying up the fence with my left leg and flexing my right foot against the building. PUUUUUUUUUSH! GOT IT! Move shit so I don't knock it over. And, finally - contort myself to fit into the space between the top of the bars and the bottom of the window.

WOW! Thank you, yoga. Thank you, strong independence and stubborn determination.

Wash my hands and face and take a drink of water. Phew!

PS - I didn't call the landlord because it was 11pm, and he's Russian (hard to understand, that's all!)

*And by "door" I mean "iron gate"

Tegan and Sarah Meet Bjork at an Acid Party

That's what CocoRosie sounds like to me. I was going to tell you what album specifically because I thought the "Best of CocoRosie" was just another iTunes mix-up, but it seems as if I have songs from all albums due to a friend's mixing generosity.

But the whole "Tegan and Sarah meet" thing hit me when I was listening to WNYC's "Best of 2008" list on NPR, and Santogold's "L.E.S. Artistes" came on and reminded me of Tegan and Sarah's "Walking With a Ghost" -- when's that from, '06? Crazy! I haven't listened to those ladies since then, and I think their last album, "The Con" received good press. Anyway, that all reminded me that I wanted to flood your mind with tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunes!

A friend just introduced me to The Hype Machine's Music Blog Zeitgeist 2008, and I have to say bloggers got good taste. Real good taste. Except for the Hold Steady praise; I do not like them, and I've tried, I gave 'em a shot. Do not pass GO, Hold Steady. Do not collect $200. Monopoly's a cut-throat game*.

Here's the rest of what NPR-ers say was musically tasty and delicious in oh!EIGHT. You got everything from radio-friendly to guitar-thrashing to African bongos, classical music, jazz, kids, the virtually unknowns, environmentally friendly, and more! How fun, how fun!

The Onion had this to say about their top 30 albums of 2008.

And still, I must lament, there are so many artists I have not had the time (nor dollars! yikes, bikes! that's another post in itself.) to enjoy, from '08 and prior... I just hope that time will help and weed out the crap - like the next Hold Steady, THE BOSS Wannabes - yep.

Okay, so it's not a "Best Of" site, but Pitchfork digs tunes, it's just what they do. Reputable Record Reviews.

*Chuck Norris owns the greatest poker face of all-time. It helped him win the 1983 world series of poker despite him holding just a joker, a 2 of clubs, a 7 of spades, and a green number 4 from Uno and a monopoly 'get out of jail free' card. -- Do you remember that time I thought I saw Chuck Norris walking down Michigan Ave on my way to work? I sure do. Walker, Texas Ranger, you always make me laugh.

Can't Operate a Car Without a Monkey Present

New York Times Magazine, look at you! Coming up with my most favorite article in a while! Helper Pets! Excuse me - Service Animals!

Miniature horses, of course! It really makes complete sense, dogs can be super crazy and attack people through fences, or sometimes just air, even with the help of Cesar Millan; horses are awesome and cute (THIS IS NOT!), and midget friends could feel more comfortable on the miniatures, and the longevity and sweet temperament. Plus, they'd probably be better to eat in the end. Of time - not when they die - Nostradamus is still fresh in my mind. 3 years, 3__ days and such. LIVE YOUR LIFE!! Live, I say. And that's just what Edie and Panda do.

I don't know how I feel about the whole Sadie and Jim relationship... well, I think it's a good, safe relationship for both of them, but at the same time - YIKES! He dented the hood of a car. With his fist. - he better remember Sadie everywhere he goes.

Debbie and Richard's story is by far my favorite. Not only is it filled with good, well-rounded characters, but they are against the odds at every turn, and it's only because of each other that they make it. It's sweet, and giving fives is fun!

All in all, a great article; informative, compassionate, and hopeful as it seems the most opposition the Service Animal owners receive comes from the uninformed and then those lying liars always trying to piggy-back on other people's ailments: hypochondriacs or just bad people, in general.

So, here's to acceptance of all. (Except the liars.)

Our Feathered Friend

Mr. Andrew Bird's exclusive first listen on NPR for his new album, "Noble Beast" to be released January 20, 2009 -- also happens to be the INAUGURATION!!! Good day, good day!
He's such a good whistler, and stuff. Stunning, haunting, and ethereal as always. Mr. Bird, you never fail to fascinate me, making my heart flutter and swell. I know this one, I know this song, I know this one, I love this song. (From "Anonanimal")

My eyes... MY EYES!!!

They're burning. I can't take it any longer! The dryness, the rubbing, the squinting, the blinking. And the fogging of the lens when I wear a scarf! I'd rather wear a blindfold for the next week and a day... oh. I'm getting Lasik then, that's why. I'm excited and I'm terrified all at once. I've never had any sort of surgery, ever. Never broken a bone. I've only been a patient in the ER twice; once when I was three and stuck a raisin up my nose -- my Mom loves to tell this story to anyone who will listen, and she always asks me if I remember it in general, then she'll go into the specifics... as a child I was attached to her at the hip; she was sick with the flu in the bathroom, I was sitting next to her in my little red director's chair, eating raisins... the moment of silence, she looks over, I have a perplexed look on my face and a finger about to re-enter my nostril, "Look, Mommy! I put a raisin up my nose and I can't get it out!" I was a proud child with proper diction and occasionally a pretend British accent. She groaned and called my Aunt Diane, who's son - my cousin, Pat - had recently pulled a similar stunt with a pea. Auntie recommended that my mother flush the raisin out with saline, only problem, the raisin swelled. Off to the ER. I'm fine and dandy in the examining room until the doctor pulls out these [basically] 12" tweezers and moves in for the kill. I scream bloody murder; the nurses and my mother restrain me; the doctor removes the wrinkly, swollen culprit. I'm all smiles, and I wander around the waiting room introducing myself to everyone, recounting my harrowing encounter with a California raisin. The next day at breakfast I put a Rice Krispie up my nose and tell my mom. She didn't bat an eye, "Back to the Emergency Room!" and I snorted that sucker out! She loves telling that story. Second time I went to the ER, I didn't even get to enjoy it - ambulance ride and everything; thanks bad vodka decisions of freshman year - but woke up the next day to an IVed arm, a sore throat/stomach, and a raging headache... at least I got to hear the stories later... a bush, slurred apologies, a chalk outline, fire trucks, and "How 'bout those Cubs!?" hilarity. I digress!

The Lasik. So, I normally wear contacts; I started wearing glasses when I was 10 and as four eyes weren't the coolest thing in a new school, I made the switch to contacts as soon as I could - 12. Since I primarily wear contacts, I don't always update my glasses - dollars, laziness, y'know - and thus resulting in my glasses prescription being over four years old and severely outdated... like probably 20/350ish and I'm now well into the 20/600 (for those of you who don't understand the 20/20 scale - I myself just found out a few months ago - it means that I have to stand 20 feet away from something that someone else can see from 600 feet away - HOLY SHIT!! Bad eyes! Yeah. Right!?) range... which wouldn't normally be a thang, but as I'm having to wear them everyday I worry that they'll strain my eyes and I'll be permanently destroyed - BLIND! - or I won't be able to get the Lasik, or even worse still, have to update my lens right before I never have to use them ever again (will they pay for temporary lens? You'd think they would given the price of the whole shebang). 'Scrazy! I'm calling the doctor today, after lunch... I am! Seriously, lay off me - I'll probably do it tomorrow.

Anyway, despite all my fears of the procedure: What if I blink? What if my eyes move? Are they going to put needles in my eyes? (I don't think so.) How will they keep them from moving? What if the shot paralyzes my vision? What if they blind me? What if they laser my face? What if, what if... I wonder. Because the Lasik is a gift from my Aunt Sandy, I'll go through with it, as she said I can only use the money towards this and not running away to Europe - she called me out on that before I could even bring it up. I'm really excited to see what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night and be able to read that I have x more hours of shut-eye before having to go to work, WITHOUT patting my hands against the nightstand to find my glasses. That'll be neat, huh? And having better than perfect vision, and maybe I'll have X-Ray vision, maybe that'll be the only side affect... then I wouldn't have to worry about getting a job, because the hospital would hire me right away and I'd make bank. NEAT! And talking about all that made me think of this; maybe it's like that Val Kilmer movie that I never saw, along with the rest of the world.

2008: The Year of Music

Sure, it's over, but 2008 sure did bring us some delicious tunes that will last well into a while. I know you've probably already read everybody and their brother's list of the Best of's... but here's one more. Jambase, an awesome site to help you find your favorite artists playing near you, came up with their own way to present the list by going to those artists you love and asking their opinions on the matter first-hand. So maybe you'll find an artist's taste you can relate to, or you can get ideas for other types of genres you might dig.
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Anyway, here's my stab at the best albums and shows I experienced over the past 12 months:
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**Note: limiting to five albums and three shows is a difficult task, and know that I am only one person, with a small income and a slow computer, and I did not, surprisingly, acquire all new music that was released in 2008; though I'd like to think I came close, and listened to a lot - there's still more album purchasing and sharing to do. In no order.

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Albums

1. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular with the 2005 Time to Pretend EP tacked on

2. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

4. The Fireman - Electric Arguments

5. TV On the Radio - Dear Science

Concerts

1. Of Montreal - Rothbury Festival, Michigan, 07/04

2. Beck - Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 10/3

3. George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars - Cubbie Bear, Chicago, 10/17

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**And yes, I'll have to agree with Mr. Williams that Zappa Plays Zappa at Rothbury was something to behold.

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2009, you have some standards to break.

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Anybody have thoughts on their favs? Go ahead and post 'em; share!

Whatever Happened to Carpe-ing the Diem?

Get your motor run-nin'. Head out on the highway! Lookin' for adventure, and whatever comes our way! Yea'm gon' go make it hap'pen, take the world at a lovin' embraaaaace... Alright, it's the New Year, wintertime in Chicago with its lack of light, and I'm itching to get out of here, feeling the need to take flight. Call it cabin fever. Call it cold feet. I want to get out and see the world instead of sitting in my seat. It's a good thing the current job ends, for sure, on February 27th. Wow. That'll've made it a little over nine months. Aww, my corporate baby will be born, and I have to say I'm leaving it on the steps of a nunnery and high tailing for some adventure.

I love Chicago, don't you get me wrong. My roots are here; I was born in this city, by the lake, lived my first two years in a house just up the street from where I live now; spent windy Memorial Day weekends in Evanston and at Comiskey Park; tromped around Sheffield and Fullerton finding my newly acquired adult bearings; further discovered my love of theatre and non-profit development work at Chicago Dramatists; fell in love at every glance of the skyline. This is my city, always; past, present and future. I've been as far as Maine, Florida, California, and Washington (among others), but I know there's something out there beyond our shores, and I want to experience it for myself; I want to see what this world has to offer. I'm not getting any younger, and while I'm not old, I don't want to see myself making excuses as to why I shouldn't take chances or risks - this is the most acceptable time to go off and "discover" - and I don't want to live with regret anymore, I can't look back and shake my head over missed opportunities any more. And I can come back here; Chicago isn't like a scorned lover. If and when I leave and return, I know Chicago's wind will swirl around me with the same vigor and excitement as ever before when I stand on its shore.

I've been telling people of my dreams a lot lately, so I'll fill you, dear reader, in too... step 1.) live the good life, recognize the good along with the bad, and be thankful for all of it, cause it's life; 2. Get TEFL certified; 3. Save the dollars and start living within my means; 4. Travel abroad with dollars acquired, new teaching skills possessed and spread the glory of the English language; 5. Rock shit; 6. Travel abroad while abroad; 7. After about a year or so of that, come home and get an MFA? (while being paid preferably) -- and I think that's it right now. My step grandmother told me it's a good idea to have a life plan, but it's hard to get too specific after a few years, so two-to-five year plans seem to work best. Now, since I've already said this current job is ending, I need to get a new job... here's where the stick is thrown into the spinning wheel. Before, I thought it would be a good idea to get another 9-5er, something doing good, something I loved, with benefits and a decent salary.... but then, what happens if I love it so much I don't want to leave it, and I make excuses about staying for a promotion and how I'll travel later, when I have time...? (cliche alert flashes in my head) Time waits for no one. Which reminds me, I watched that Nostradamus 2012 last night on the History Channel, and if the world is going to end, or be significantly altered in December 2012, I want to say I did something with my life.

--Hey, I'm gonna go tangent off this show. This show. The Nostradamus. I only caught the last half, but I get the jist. Everyone has their own interpretations of Nostradamus' prophecies, but all major religions and the astrology charts line up to some sort of galatical alignment with Sagittarius or Aries... I think (I know the galatical alignment part is right)... the Sun's in someone's house, and it hasn't been like that since the last major Earth change. There's either going to be a nuclear holocaust, an asteroid, a even more major climate change, all out war, the Second Coming of Christ, or that particle accelerator will bleep us into oblivion. Basically, after everyone got done discussing Nostradamus' vague predictions' meanings, it boiled down to a closing message of, "Hey everybody, we all live on this planet, and it isn't permanent and neither are we, and we have to take care of it or there's no hope left, and the thing is, it's already changing pretty fast, so it's up to us to slow it down, or get used to eating each other and not having anything to drink, while being worried about blackouts and tsunamis on the daily."

So yeah, I've been pattering around with these dreams for a while, and on a long run this morning (OH! it was frigid, frigid!! and I was stupid, stupid! in that I only wore one layer of pants, while I did have warm long socks, my upper-lower-half turned into icicles) I couldn't help but finding myself somewhere else when The Beatles' "Baby You're A Rich Man" came on and I heard, "Now that you know who you are, what do you want to be?" Something other than what I am right now. "And have you traveled very far, far as the eye can see?" Not really, but I can see myself in far off places, with the sun shining against my face, spinning in the Alps, "How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people?" Maybe I'll go to Sweden. "How often have you been there? Often enough to know. What did you see when you were there? Nothing that doesn't show." I want to wear the lines of the world on my face. "BABY YOU'RE A RICH MAN!...." Aren't we all?

Who knows, maybe this is just another extension of the pipe dream that has been my life, and it'll burst one day, when I go out of town in the winter months and turn the heat off. I don't know, I can't say, but I'll hope for it during the day and dream of it through the night.

As life seemed to have gotten stale and stagnant in the end of '08 I'm going to go ahead as use the New Year as an excuse to shake it up and get things done, with a splash of welcoming the changes with open arms; still volunteering with scripts, guitar lessons resume, LASIK, new job, new schedule for tutoring and more 826 volunteer time(?), improving my yoga poses, volunteering with animals, training for the Rock N' Roll 1/2 marathon in May, TEFL certification(?), D.C. for the inauguration, baby! dancing... and more!! Life looks good from here. Oh! So here's to getting things done and not just talking about doing it. CARPE DIEM!

Here's a few cheesy quotes I wrote on my room's door frame in college, to remind me how to live and stuff:

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." -- Max DePree

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations, I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow were they lead." -- Louisa May Alcott

"Good things come to those who wait. Be patient, my dear, and the world will work its way." -- I was feeling impatient with a marker in hand.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -- Eleanor Roosevelt

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." -- Vincent van Gogh

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." -- John Lennon

"We need crazy people to think crazy thoughts and do crazy actions so we can discover new things." -- a friend's crazy Russian Astrology professor

"I could have gone on flying through space forever." -- Yuri Gagarin

"The thing we need is never all that hard to find." -- RHCP

"Attitude is everything." -- old camp director

"Do not underestimate the degree of impact your life has on the lives of others." -- my brosef

"Risk more than other think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible." -- some Cadet maxim

"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." -- Henry Miller

So there's that, and "CARPE DIEM" - duh.