Sitting on a cornflake...

Did you know that goldfish crackers have names? Gilbert, Brooke, Finn and Xtreme.
It has been forever since I wrote on thee ol' bloggy blog. I have been engaged in many activities: thesis stuff, school work, Italian work, and GRE. Not to mention watching the remake of V , Mad Men and Modern Family. The only thing it seems I haven't been doing is playing music. The band has been quiet and I have been sketching out my covers project (I have one song done out of 20 I want to do) but I have put that on the back burner because of school deadlines, etc. I am going to a conference this weekend so playing music will not happen again.
Bummer.
On a happier note I had a fun Halloween. Hung out with friends, played BRB (Beatles rock band) and ate great food.
I saw decorations up for Christmas already. My mother is breaking the tradition of decorating Thanksgiving weekend. She is decorating the weekend before! Up is down, high is low! I will stick to tradition and decorate Thanksgiving weekend.
Who day and night must scramble for a living--to have the final word at home? Tradition, tradition!

This town, is an all-right town...

Reno. For some reason I just love it. The husband and I spent a few days there and played penny slots, roulette and blackjack. We also had an Awful-Awful at the Nugget. They have tried to class up the joint with more light and tables, but I know.

She bought a clock on Hollywood boulevard the day she left...

X is my favorite band. I can be in crummy mood play one of their songs and feel better. They played a few weeks ago at the OC Fair and they (of course) were great. They played a couple of tunes I hadn't heard in awhile which was exciting. Exene was recently diagnosed with MS and I don't know if they will play as often---so anytime they play I am there!

Robert DeNiro is waiting...He's talking Italian.

In case you don't know what that means it is a song title-Bananarama from the 1980s.
ANYWAY! I am taking a summer Italian course and I learned that in Italy there is a slow food movement. It is a community of people who enjoy local produce, homemade products, and have a commitment to the environment. There is a website for gli Uniti Stati- http://www.slowfoodusa.org
Kind of cool. I think with the garden, compost, frequent farmer's market visits, and B thinking about making cheese (again), that we think "slow food" is a good thing.
Please recycle.

Pale Shelter

Last night I went to see Tears For Fears. I had never thought of myself as a superfan of the group, but I had no idea I knew all the songs/they had so many hits. The crowd was seriously into it and I was pleased that the young girls beside us were super into them. They did "Mad World" like the on the record The Hurting. It was great! It makes me want to celebrate the summer of duos even more. Well done guys!

Close to You

Loretta does not like Monkey, but she loves the basket.
Some might look at this picture and think, "that cat has a really blank expression." This is her secret weapon, she makes you feel sorry for her by her "I don't understand" look and then BAM! she will hiss at, bite, or grab you. If she likes you (again you might not be able to tell, because of the blankness) she will stick her face or butt in your eye.
The basket is for my bike, but it has become Loretta's nap spot.
She is a good girl-sometimes.

Summertime

Last Saturday I volunteered for AIDS Walk, Long Beach. It was really inspiring to see people participating in this economic climate. I was not a fan of getting up at 3:30 in the morning, but otherwise it was a great day. Since I do not have a real job at the moment I think I will donate my time to other activities. I wonder if there is a website for finding such opportunities? Started sewing again---you can really fall out of practice with that one.

Wake me up before you go go...

In June I pick music which will be my summer mix for the summer. I have been contemplating many artists, genres, and years and I have finally come up with potential music picks for my playlist.
The other night I was watching MTVU (the "cutting edge" MTV) and saw 3 videos which intrigued me. Empire of the Sun, The Kills and some other one who's name escapes me at the moment. What excited me about these artists? They are duos!

SO here is a small list of artists.
Hall and Oates
Tears for Fears
Pet Shop Boys
Eurythmics
Wham!
Erasure
OMD
Yaz
Soft Cell
Blancmanche
Go West
On the lite side-
Captain and Tenelle
Carpenters
Air Supply
and for the modern rocker in me
Mates of State
White Stripes
Black Keys
No Age
If I this doesn't hold me over I am going to indulge in some Paul McCartney and Wings.

Flying the flannel...

Semester is over. I survived, whew! Now I have to get down to thesis business and (hopefully) sign up for summer school. I still love our new digs and the weather has been awesome. I went to the Pride parade in LB and had a great time. Did not realize how much I missed seeing Dykes on Bikes.
Missing some of my long distant friends. A few weeks before my birthday I get kind of sad face-the getting older part is not my favorite, but I miss the birthday hang out stuff. D, L, A, A, S, J, I, H and B have made my birthdays past so memorable. Even if some of them are a bit hazy from the cocktails consumed. There is at least one visitor this summer I can look forward to and hopefully others will come to the LBC to hang out at Casa W. There is also talk of an east coast to south road trip to see the newest addition to the family.
B always knows when the pre-birthday blues start because I watch Sex in the City episodes. The 4 main characters sitting at a restaurant talking makes me happy I have such amazing friends. Makes me think of when I was driving to pick up A and D from the train station with L before my wedding and I had to let them know that with no warning I might start crying. Guess sometimes I am not as "hard" as Henry Rollins.
PS-Our new couch cover is nice, right?

Ink is black, the page is white...

441. These numbers mean nothing to most, to me, they have been the bane of my existence for the past 6 plus weeks. The numbers stand for the theory review class I am taking to advance my degree and go to 541, the music analysis seminar, I will take in fall. Music theory is not my strong suit, but I like it. I hadn't taken a class in it since 1994, and have used very little in my "music career," so it is understandable why I might be a bit deficient in it. Well, a month ago our professor for the class had to take an emergency leave and the class has not met in 5 weeks. I have been meeting with my tutor to keep it fresh in my mind, but without any assignments I am not on top of the game. This morning me and my fantastic tutor went over the piece we are studying today, the Waldstein by Beethoven. Of course it is not a typical piece and there are all these chords I recognize after they are pointed out to me, but when I look at them they are just a bunch of notes that are not a I, IV or V chord. Neapolitan chords!? Why do you forsake me?

Hot Child in the City

Yoga. I am into it, but not just any kind of yoga. Bikram. Here is the deal-yoga in 90 degree heat. I am simplifying of course, lets just say it is awesome in a kombucha tea kind of way.
My husband who isn't so down with exercise seems to like it. The room smells like katmandu-no not Bob Seeger or Cat Stevens. Not even the city in Nepal. I mean it smells like a cat-man and doo doo. Namaste.

Freebird

When I was a teenager I lived in the front bedroom at my mom's house. It was big and outside of it was a tree which was nice because it kept my room shady. However, there were birds in the tree. So what right? Ah, they chirped all night long---they were some kind of "night" bird. I told my mother and grandmother about it. I think my grandmother believed me, but as my mom and I have talked about it in the past she did not. She probably thought I was high, which I might have been but it had nothing to do with the birds. Anywho, I moved out of the house and my grandmother moved into my room. Those birds sang for her for four years. After she had passed away my mother eventually made it her extra room. She stays up late so sometimes she would stay in there....Guess what!? I was not making it up. She had the tree taken out. Why this story? Well, 2 days ago I was getting ready for bed around 11:30pm and I heard birds chirping. To make sure I wasn't having some kind of flashback I asked B and he confirmed that yes, I did hear birds.
Last night they were at it again. WTF?

You've got to let love rule!

2009 is the year of tough love and the ox.
With the economy sucking a dirty hole, military conflicts, social unrest abroad, the environment gasping for air, it is only natural to be sitting at the meal table with a bowl of uncertainty, a rock and roll side dish, a suicide note as a napkin and utensils made of hope. People it sucks out there, but I am forever an optimist. Sure this year is going to be tough, but since I love I can put the two words together and make it work. Yeah, I am going to be 39 and I have no (real) job to speak of--I live in a small (and moldy) apartment, I am up to my eyeballs in debt and as broke as I was when I was 23. Cool. But I have the best husband in the universe whom I love so much I feel like vomiting sometimes. Also, great friends who never cease to amaze me with their awesomeness, some cool family members and crazy/fun/gifted band members who I think are great. So if you are feeling down, stressed or on the verge give it your best shot to think of something positive in your life.
It may not be a "happy" new year, but it can be an "all right" new year.
Tough love 2009, deal with it.

A place where nobody dared to go...

I haven't been to a midnight movie in a long time---long time. Xanadu is not your typical movie, but gosh darn it, it is a good one. This winter break so far as been a good as well. Been to SF to see good friends, hung out with family, recorded some music, played a party and relaxed with the husbando. I have a few weeks left and now I have to get back into the swing and finish some work I have pending. Get back to work Watson!